New special Halloween pet column from our animal expert, Dr. Patrick Mahaney! Here is a excerpt:

Halloween, Thanksgiving, and other holidays involve the presence foods that may pose health hazards to our pets when inappropriately consumed. Dietary indiscretion is the inappropriate consumption of foods or environmental materials. Dietary indiscretion commonly leads to some degree of illness that motivates a pet owner to present their pet to a veterinarian for examination. Around Halloween, dietary indiscretion involving chocolate is one of the most common toxic exposures I see affecting dogs in my clinical practice.

Dogs are very sensitive to stimulating chemicals, such as theobromine, which is found in chocolate. Theobromine is a member of the methylxanthine class of chemical compounds. Methylxanthines also include caffeine, the primary methylxanthine found in coffee and soda. Dogs metabolize theobromine at a slower rate than humans, therefore they are more susceptible to toxicity resulting from dietary indiscretion involving chocolate. Gastrointestinal, urogenital, cardiovascular, and neurologic systems can be adversely affected. Gastrointestinal signs include vomiting, diarrhea, and increased water consumption. Urogenital signs include increased urination or urinary incontinence. Cardiovascular signs include increased heart rate and arrhythmia. Neurologic signs include restlessness, muscle tremors, seizure activity, and, in severe cases, death.

To read more visit: http://www.outimpact.com/pets-and-animal-advocacy/healthy-pets-people-with-dr-patrick-chocolate-toxicity-a-common-canine-halloween-illness/

Hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community members and their friends will gather in Hollywood on election night to watch election results and celebrate the historic campaign to defeat Proposition 8. The event, which will take place at the Music Box @ Fonda Theater, is sponsored by more than 15 national and regional organizations and figures to be the largest LGBT election night party in L.A. history.

Mega A-Gays Missing in Fight Against Prop 8 – A must read by our friend Karen Ocamb

Prop 8 Legal Adviser Fears Ghosts, Goblins, and Gays — And Don’t Even Get Him Started on Halloween or Harry Potter! – Another great commentary by Donald Lathbury

On Wednesday, October 29, from 12-1pm at Saunders Court, 513 Parnassus on the UCSF campus, the Protect Our Constitution Marriage Interest Group at UCSF will hold an Equality Is Good Medicine: No on Proposition 8 Rally. California Assemblyman Mark Leno, physicians, and other speakers will voice their opposition to Proposition 8, including discussion of scientific research supporting equality under the law for same-sex couples.

Sunday , October 26, 2008 – 25th Anniversary SAGE Women’s Dance - The Best Women’s Dance in New York City – SAGE will be celebrating their 25th Anniversary @ OPERA (Formerly The China Club) 264 West 47th Street (between Broadway & Eighth Avenue) 3:30-8:30 PM – Music by Nancy B – www.supersounddj.com. Nancy B will be spinning the best of the new dance music along with old-time favorites. Women of all ages and all backgrounds attend. Singles and couples welcome – Attention! Single Women and those without dance partner – Pick up a “Red Dot” or a few red dots… (This tells other gals you are an available dance partner.) Ticket prices, $20 in advance, $25 at the door/$15 for students with a valid ID. Advance tickets are available at: Oscar Wilde Bookshop (15 Christopher St. in the Village) SAGE office at The Center, Room 207 (208 W. 13th St off 7th Ave.) The raffle offers a chance to win cash and other choice prizes In addition to good music and good company – SAGE Women’s Dances are fundraisers –All proceeds go to SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders)..SAGE is the world’s oldest and largest non-profit agency dedicated to serving gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender senior citizens. Sage’s mission is to improve the overall quality of life for GLBT seniors, to support and advocate for their rights, to foster a greater understanding of aging in all communities, and to promote positive images of GLBT life in the later years. SAGE fulfills its mission by providing social services, social and recreational activities, and community building programs for over 2,000 New York City seniors each month.

For information: Ruby Juster, 212-243-2067; Rubyrivj@verizon.net; or Dee’s Gals email: Rainbowdee@verizon.net, 718 268-7352

The biggest surprise wasn’t the fact her songs focused on her breakup, but moreso that she had more of a R&B sound than in her last album. I highly recommend Funhouse, P!nk made this album heavily focused on what she went through with her breakup, however that doesn’t take away from the artistic, honesty and rawness of this record. We got what we have always expected from P!nk: damn good music.

Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash have unparalleled success, longevity and creditability in the history of female groups. Since their original formation at the dawn of the girl-group era as The Bluebelles (with then-forth member Cindy Birdsong) in 1961, through their incarnation as a R&B powerhouse (Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles), and on to their pioneering years as the unprecedented rock-soul-funk trio Labelle, Hendryx, LaBelle and Dash have remained in a league of their own. This album is going to rock you, stir you and remind you just why that Labelle is legendary.

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, led by Lars Iversen and Mette Lindberg from Copenhagen, Denmark, has been exciting radio programmers internationally with “The Sun Ain’t Shining No More” and this is just the beginning. You may have heard of them in the iPod Touch ads with their funk/horned filled “Around the Bend.” This is a band that could be classified as pop one minute, techno the next, but without any question, this is a band to party to.

On behalf of our Arts Advisory Committee, Event Chairs, this year’s Planning Committee and the GLAAD Board of Directors we invite you to join us for our annual art event — presented by Bud Light and Deutsche Bank on Sunday, November 23, 2008. For the seventh year, GLAAD will be bringing together some of the top talent in the art world to celebrate both established and emerging new artists while recognizing GLAAD’s Top 100 Artists. We are excited to announce that we have already confirmed Alan Cumming and Edward Albee for this year’s Honorary Committee.

More than 500 art patrons, collectors, artists, celebrities and friends of GLAAD are expected to attend this unique event. This year’s live auction features work from Pablo Picasso, Herb Ritts, and Marc Chagall.

We at Out Impact are proud media sponsors!

For more event and ticket information, please go to: http://www.glaad.org/outauction2008

We at Out Impact are encouraging everyone to vote (and vote early in eligble states). Exercise your right to vote and create the change you want to see in our government. Remember to always read between the lines and keep focused on the issues you care about.

-Check out: http://www.lgbtforobama.com/ as a resource.

In California: remember to vote No on Prop 8. (http://www.noonprop8.com/) We are all in this together (we have donated and urge you to do the same) and we all must be aware and fight for our rights.