Leaked Memo Urges GOP House Members To Pressure Amazon Regarding Conversion Therapy Books

(stock photo of depressed teen via Depositphotos)

A memo currently being circulated among Republican members of Congress asks the lawmakers to “contact Amazon with concerns” regarding “censorship” after the online retail giant announced it had removed books on the subject of so-called ‘conversion therapy.’

Earlier this month, Amazon announced it had removed all books by Dr. Joseph Nicolosi, widely credited as the ‘father of conversion therapy.’

The action by Amazon was the result of months of complaints and an online petition that garnered over 82,000 signatures demanding the removal of the titles which included A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Homosexuality, Healing Homosexualityand How a Gay Boy Became a Straight Man.

Conversion therapy, sometimes known as reparative therapy, has been shown to lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness and suicide.

The discredited practice of attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity has been widely denounced by major medical organizations like the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association as phony 'pseudo-science.'

Currently, 18 states plus dozens of local municipalities have banned the harmful practice for minors.

But Vice News obtained a copy of the memo, given to members of the Republican Study Committee, which includes more than 70% of all GOP members of the House. The document was handed out during a private meeting of the members on Wednesday.

It would appear that Republicans want to see Nicolosi’s books back in circulation on Amazon.

“These books were available on Amazon until an LGBT activist repeatedly petitioned Amazon to remove the ‘homophobic books’ from the company’s website,” reads the memo per Vice News. “Amazon removed Dr. Nicolosi’s books and those of several other authors on similar topics.”

“It is not clear that any of the banned books have violated an Amazon policy,” continues the document. “But rather that the company is choosing to censor speech.”

The memo urges the GOP lawmakers to read an article from the Federalist which tries to assert hypocrisy for banning books on conversion therapy when Amazon still sells history book about Hitler, Mussolini, KKK leader David Duke and U.S. terrorist Timothy McVeigh.

So that I have this right:
1) If you bake cakes, you should have the right to not serve gay people, but
2) If you sell books, you should be told you have to sell books filled with verifiable lies that attack, demean and harm gay people?https://t.co/hgwu3I3Rkq

— Todd Schulte (@TheToddSchulte) July 19, 2019

As a person who happens to be gay: this is shameful, dangerous, and deeply offensive.

As a free speech lawyer: Amazon's business decision not to sell curing homosexuality books has literally nothing to do with liberty or the First Amendmenthttps://t.co/K6s9gerp2e

— Matthew Schafer (@MatthewSchafer) July 19, 2019

Dear @HouseGOP You people want private businesses to be able to refuse service to gay customers but you also want to force private businesses to sell anti-gay literature. HYPOCRITES.

House GOP Pressuring Amazon to Sell Books on Gay Conversion Therapy https://t.co/aZmFT9M72A?

— Kim Wexler's Ponytail (@MadisonKittay) July 19, 2019

Calling the LGBTQ community “a supposedly oppressed and marginalized group,” the Federalistarticle states the community “wields an extravagant amount of power” aimed at “anyone who chooses not to support” LGBTQ rights.

Vice News contacted Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC) who has previously chaired the Republican Study Committee. Walker shared he didn’t know about the move to pressure Amazon but admitted he thinks Amazon shouldn’t be in the business of ‘banning speech.’

The author of the online petition, Sky Gray, told Vice News via email that the goal of banning conversion therapy books could be hampered with members of Congress getting involved.

”It shouldn't be surprising that the conservatives are in support of conversion therapy; they've made it clear they are in the past,” said Gray. “It looks like this is going to be a bigger fight than previously anticipated, though I knew it would be an uphill battle.”

“Looks like the hill just got a lot steeper, with this knowledge in mind,” he added.

A poll conducted by Public Policy Polling released in April this year showed 80% of respondents believe performing conversion therapy on minors should be illegal.

Walmart Announces Free One-Day Delivery Service

(image via Wikipedia)

It looks like Walmart is trying to one-up Amazon by offering free one day delivery service.

The Verge is reporting that you will soon be able to order online from a list of over 220,000 items, and an order of $35 or more gets your order to you in a day with no delivery fee.

The service is currently available in my town, Las Vegas, as well as Phoenix, Arizona, before rolling out in Southern California.

It will be interesting to see how the competition breaks down between Amazon and Walmart. While Amazon doesn't have a minimum spend limit for each free delivery, you do have to pony up $119 a year for Amazon Prime membership.

Which I've done for years, by the way...

Amazon recently announced plans to get items ordered by Amazon Prime members to customers in one day, rather than the current two-day window.

Now, I don't do Walmart for a number of reasons.

A study done by the Northwest Community group estimates that a Walmart opening up in a local town will actually decrease the community’s economic output over 20 years by an estimated $13 million.

Plus, folks in Wisconsin looked at the wages Walmart employees there made and the news wasn't good. Walmart workers in the state rely on at least $9.5 million a year to subsidize medicaid for workers.

LGBTQ Inclusion Being Considered By Amazon In Search For HQ2

Apparently there's an unspoken component to Amazon's current search for a location for it's highly coveted second headquarters, known at this time as HQ2.

And that's taking measure of how communities view and treat local LGBTQ folks.

On one recent trip to Dallas/Fort Worth by Amazon, the local team made a point of showing off how inclusive and welcoming the community has been to the Rev. Neil G. Cazares-Thomas, pastor of a predominantly gay megachurch in Dallas, and his 4,000 congregants.

More from The Washington Post:

As Amazon executives recently toured finalist locations to help select what they’ve dubbed HQ2, they asked public officials about what sort of “compatible cultural and community environment” — the wording from the company’s search parameters — each city offers, adding to speculation about whether Amazon will choose a liberal stronghold.

In North Carolina, company representatives asked pointed questions of Gov. Roy Cooper (D) about several state policies such as the “bathroom bill,” which restricted the use of public facilities by transgender people, according to a person in the room. In another city, an Amazon executive groaned at the mention of proposed legislation in Georgia that would restrict funding for same-sex adoption, according to another person who attended the meeting between the company and state and local officials.

Given the publicity and economic impact of the project, including as much as $5 billion in capital expenditures, Amazon’s push on gay and transgender rights may increase pressure on state and local policymakers who have either declined to institute equal-rights rules or passed laws some view as discriminatory.

According to the WaPo, 11 of the 20 finalist cities have anti-LGBTQ laws on the books.

There are those that believe landing HQ2 in a red state might help facilitate positive change towards LGBTQ folks since Amazon would arrive with very pro-LGBTQ policies as a company.

The awarding of the contract for HQ2 will be a huge economic boon for the winner.

Over the past few years Amazon has invested $3.7 billion into the Seattle economy and paid more than $25  billion in salaries.

The new headquarters could mean up to 50,000 new jobs, and $5  billion in capital investments for the city that gets the contract.

Trump's Sunday Morning Meltdown Takes James Comey's Book To #1

Donald Trump woke up this Sunday morning on a mission - to help James Comey sell as many books as possible when Comey's memoir, A Higher Loyalty, is released on Tuesday.

From some tried-and-true "Crooked Hillarys" and a "Slimeball!" thrown in for good measure, Trump tried to create his own reality denying he ever asked Comey for his loyalty.

Since Trump now likes the phrase "Mission Accomplished!" so much, I'll point out that his Twitter rant took Comey right to #1 on the Amazon book charts.

Check out the fevered meltdown below.

Unbelievably, James Comey states that Polls, where Crooked Hillary was leading, were a factor in the handling (stupidly) of the Clinton Email probe. In other words, he was making decisions based on the fact that he thought she was going to win, and he wanted a job. Slimeball!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018

The big questions in Comey’s badly reviewed book aren’t answered like, how come he gave up Classified Information (jail), why did he lie to Congress (jail), why did the DNC refuse to give Server to the FBI (why didn’t they TAKE it), why the phony memos, McCabe’s $700,000 & more?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018

Comey throws AG Lynch “under the bus!” Why can’t we all find out what happened on the tarmac in the back of the plane with Wild Bill and Lynch? Was she promised a Supreme Court seat, or AG, in order to lay off Hillary. No golf and grandkids talk (give us all a break)!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018

I never asked Comey for Personal Loyalty. I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His “memos” are self serving and FAKE!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018

Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018

Trump Attacks Amazon - Stock Market Drops 600+ Points

Great.

So. Much. Winning.

From Reuters:

Shares of Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) fell 6 percent on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump again attacked the online retailer over the pricing of its deliveries through the United States Postal Service and promised unspecified changes.

“Only fools, or worse, are saying that our money losing Post Office makes money with Amazon,” Trump tweeted.

“They lose a fortune, and this will be changed. Also, our fully tax paying retailers are closing stores all over the country...not a level playing field!”

Shares of the company were down 5.9 percent at $1,362.48, wiping out nearly $45 billion from its market value.

Of course, you know Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, also owns The Washington Post which Donald Trump hates for their reporting.

Here are the tweets from the weekend and this morning that caused the crash:

Only fools, or worse, are saying that our money losing Post Office makes money with Amazon. THEY LOSE A FORTUNE, and this will be changed. Also, our fully tax paying retailers are closing stores all over the country...not a level playing field!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 2, 2018

While we are on the subject, it is reported that the U.S. Post Office will lose $1.50 on average for each package it delivers for Amazon. That amounts to Billions of Dollars. The Failing N.Y. Times reports that “the size of the company’s lobbying staff has ballooned,” and that...

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2018

On the stock market, @realDonaldTrump and Amazon — @crampell says this is personal: https://t.co/GcZTQkpFNf #CNN

— Brooke Baldwin (@BrookeBCNN) April 2, 2018

News Round-Up: March 28, 2018

Some news items you might have missed:

• NYC actor/singer Jim Newman (above) is giving you serious cowboy, which makes total sense as he's the "Cowboy" in a very famous disco band. Wanna guess which one? #SaveAHorse

• Legislation that would give same-sex couples the right to marry in Northern Ireland has advanced to a second reading.

• A father had his girlfriend rape his 11-year-old autistic son because he was afraid the boy was gay. Both father and girlfriend have been convicted and face life in prison. #LifeInPrisonSoundsRight

• We could see over 150 LGBTQ candidates in elections this fall as members of the tribe run for national, state and local office.

• Congress may be fixated on Facebook for data breach during 2016 election, but Donald Trump is apparently obsessed with Amazon. I'm sure it has nothing to do with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos also owning The Washington Post.

• Speaking of Trump, it looks like the bloom is off the rose as far as former Trump fan Ann Coulter is concerned. She told an audience of college Republicans last night, “I knew he was a shallow, lazy ignoramus, and I didn’t care."

• With over $24 million in box office in two weeks, coming-of-age/coming-out film Love, Simon ranks in the Top 25 highest grossing teen romance movies of all time.

• Bonus Love, Simon: Keiynan Lonsdale, who plays one of the love interests in the hit gay teen comedy and came out as bisexual last year, just dropped a new queer love anthem, "Kiss the Boy."

The song will be included on an upcoming album from Lonsdale.

Check out the lyric video below which is off-the-charts in its awesome diversity.

James Comey's Upcoming Book Surges In Sales After Trump's Twitter Attack

James Comey

James Comey might be sending Donald Trump a 'thank you' note for attacking the former FBI director on Twitter Saturday morning.

In the midst of a weekend Twitter rant, the Trumpeter included Comey in a victory lap tweet after having fired former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe just hours before he could retire with full pension.

Trump wrote, "Andrew McCabe FIRED, a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI - A great day for Democracy. Sanctimonious James Comey was his boss and made McCabe look like a choirboy. He knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!"

Andrew McCabe FIRED, a great day for the hard working men and women of the FBI - A great day for Democracy. Sanctimonious James Comey was his boss and made McCabe look like a choirboy. He knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2018

But watching from a distance was Comey, who in a rare move, cooly responded to the attack: "Mr. President, the American people will hear my story very soon. And they can judge for themselves who is honorable and who is not."

Mr. President, the American people will hear my story very soon. And they can judge for themselves who is honorable and who is not.

— James Comey (@Comey) March 17, 2018

Over the next 24 hours, pre-sales for Comey's upcoming book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership, surged from #15 to #2 on Amazon.

Click image to enlarge

Amazon Opens It's First "Amazon Go" Market In Seattle

(image via Amazon)

Amazon opens it's very first Amazon Go store in Seattle today, and I'm betting this is the start of something big.

Using proprietary technology called "Just Walk Out," consisting of lots of cameras and sensors, the mega-company has spent a year testing the operation with Amazon employees.

In theory, here's how it works:

Customers will first download the Amazon Go app. After setting up with your payment details, you're pretty much ready to go.

When you enter the store, which is apparently the size of a large 7-11, you scan your smartphone as you pass through turnstiles. Via all the sensors and technical what-not, when you pick up and item it's added to your virtual "basket;" put it back, and it's removed.

Then you simply walk out. I imagine that could feel like shoplifting, but the app will charge your account according to what you take with you.

According to Amazon, the store features ready-to-eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options made by chefs and favorite local kitchens and bakeries.

There's also a selection of grocery essentials ranges from staples like bread and milk, cheeses and locally made chocolates. Plus, there are chef-designed Amazon Meal Kits, with all the ingredients you need to make a meal for two in about 30 minutes.

Researchers are comparing this next step in "shopping evolution" to the shift in movie rentals from Blockbuster to Netflix, or Uber replacing taxis.

We'll all have to travel to Seattle to experience the one and only Amazon Go store as the company doesn't plan to open more stores in the near future just yet.

More at USA Today.

Check out the promotional video below.

Amazon: Donald Trump Twitter Toilet Paper

Finally, a good use for Donald Trump's tweets: Trump Toilet Paper!

For the low, low price (not so low) of $11.99 you can own a roll of toilet paper printed with Donald Trump’s tweets from Amazon.

All the popular tweets are here:

• "The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy"

• "Again, to our very foolish leader, do not attack Syria - if you do many very bad things will happen & from that fight the U.S. gets noth-"

• "What I am saying is stay out of Syria"

• Do you think Putin will be going to The Miss Universe Pageant in November in Moscow - if so, will he become my new best friend?"

For the discount price of $5.99, you can purchase a roll of toilet paper with the Donald's face on it.

So many choices...

"Amazon Go" Stores - No Lines, No Checkout

This sounds fab! I would so shop here.

Via US Weekly:

Taking grab-and-go to the next level. Amazon just opened a state-of-the art grocery store called Amazon Go in downtown Seattle that lets customers shop without ever waiting in line or going through a checkout process. In a video introducing the concept Monday, December 5, the e-commerce company refers to it as “just-walk-out technology” and shows a man walking in, picking up a sandwich and immediately leaving.

This is how it works: When customers enter the store, they pull up the Amazon Go app and tap their cellphones on a turnstile. When customers pick up items from the shelf, the items are automatically added to their virtual shopping cart in the app. It works for indecisive shoppers, too. If customers change their mind about an item, they can just put it back on the shelf. The charge will be deducted from their cart.

Once patrons have everything they need, they simply exit the store. When they leave, Amazon’s technology adds up their purchases and charges it to their Amazon account. A receipt is instantly sent via the app. A source tells The Wall Street Journal that Amazon will soon open two more Seattle-area grocery stores in the next few weeks, but these locations will be drive-thru only. According to the source, the retail giant is hoping to open more than 2,000 grocery stores across the country depending on the success of the test locations.

First Episode Of Amazon's "Transparent" Season Two Premieres Tonight

Amazon will premiere the first episode of Golden Globe/Emmy Award-winning Transparent's second season tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT exclusively for Prime members in the U.S.

Executive producer Andrea Sperling says that while season one was about Jeffrey Tambor's "Maura" embracing "femininity for the first time, season 2 is about the growing pains of this identity once it's been actualized. This plays out in her love life as well. She’ll explore old relation- ships and perhaps new ones.”

This little morsel is in advance of the series full season premiere on December 11. Did I mention the 5 Emmy Awards for last season?

You do have to have an Amazon Prime account, but as I've recounted many times here, the annual fee of $99 is way worth the free music, free TV and movies, and unlimited 2-day shipping. You can even do a 30-day free trial. Go do that and get that 2-day shipping for your holiday needs!

I'll be watching tonight. You should, too!

Trailer: Amazon's "Transparent" Season 2

Five Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards.

Amazon's triumphant Transparent returns for a second season December 11th on Amazon Video.

Catch up season 1 now: amzn.to/1WWRxIu

Now out of the closet, Maura discovers the hardest part of her transition is still ahead, and faces some very tough, personal decisions about her future.

As their secrets surface, the Pfeffermans stumble but persevere, moving closer toward their authentic selves.

Amazon Makes Award-Winning Series "Transparent" Available For Free

If you haven't yet seen Amazon's highly acclaimed series Transparent, now you can - and for FREE!

I love free :)

Via Yahoo News:

Transparent is putting Amazon on the map for original programming in a bigger way than any of the company’s other shows have. And there are awards to prove it.

Jill Solloway’s series earned two Golden Globes earlier this month. One was for best television comedy or musical; Amazon knocked off Netflix’s Orange is the New Black to win that one. The other went to series lead Jeffrey Tambor, who has received universal praise for his performance in the show’s first season.

And on Saturday, Amazon will use all of that buzz to sell a whole ton of new Prime subscriptions. The company will make Transparent's entire first season free to stream for all customers, not just those paying yearly for Prime.

I've had an Amazon Prime membership for years - well worth the price. Not only do you get access to tons of movies and TV series to stream anytime you like, you get free two-day shipping on most items you order from the online mega-store. HIGHLY recommended. Click here to get the details.

Trailer: Transparent

Amazon  will release a full 10-episode season of it's latest original series programming, Transparent on September 26th.

Created by award-winning director Jill Soloway (Six Feet Under, United States of Tara), the half-hour dark comedy, family-centric series starring Jeffrey Tambor, Judith Light (a major favorite of mine), Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Landecker and Jay Duplass.

Quirks, neuroses and family dynamics are front and center including father figure Tambor's embrace of his cross-dressing self.  Gay, straight, lesbian, trans - it's all in here.

Check out the trailer below:

(h/t JMG)

Bernadette Peters set to star in new Amazon series "Mozart in the Jungle"

According to Variety, two-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters is set to star in a new Amazon series "Mozart in the Jungle."

The series is described as a dramedy based on a memoir by Blair Tindall about what happens behind the curtains at the symphony.

Amazon has recently begun to create it's own original programming to compete with Netflix, such as the #1 streaming hit "Alpha House" to tempt more subscribers to it's Amazon Prime service which included free streaming of tons movies and series.

In addition to developing original programming, Amazon has been actively acquiring streaming rights for many current hit TV shows like "How I Met Your Mother" and MTV's "Teen Wolf."

I'm an Amazon Prime subscriber myself and, as I've said on The Randy Report many times, I think it's a great value.  Not only the streaming content,  but free two day shipping on most items you buy on Amazon.

Nevada: January 1st start paying sales tax on all Amazon.com purchases

Beginning Jan. 1, the Internet sales giant Amazon.com will begin collecting sales taxes on purchases made by Nevada residents.

It's all because of an agreement signed by Gov. Brian Sandoval in April of 2012. According to Sandoval, the deal will bring Nevada $16 million a year in additional sales taxes.

Under the state's tax distribution laws, most of the tax revenue will benefit local governments and schools.

Amazon has a distribution centers in Fernley and Clark County. It is because of that physical presence the state is required to collect taxes on purchases made by Nevada residents.

I use my Amazon Prime subscription all the time, and this won't affect any purchases I make going forward.  I love the ease of using Amazon, plus with my Prime subscription for  $79 a year, I get free two day shipping plus access to hundreds of movies and TV shows streaming for free.

So while it's news, I'm not going to stop using Amazon.  I find the best prices there and it's easy.  That fits my lifestyle. 

Just saying...  :)

(source)

Amazon Prime - because I really use it

I was just ordering something through my Amazon Prime account and realized I don't think I've mentioned how much I use this program on The Randy Report.

Amazon Prime is Amazon's membership program that offers special benefits for just $79 per year.  That's $6.58 a month.

Members can:

• Instantly watch over 40,000 movies and TV episodes with titles for everyone
• Borrow books from the Kindle Owners' Lending Library
• Get unlimited FREE two-day shipping with no minimum order size

I like easy.  I like fast.  I can't tell you how many times I think of something I need for the house - vitamins, music, books, just... stuff.  And I hit up Amazon and get it in a day without leaving the house or stopping my work day to get these things.

I have had a membership for years.  I constantly order from Amazon because it's easy AND with the Prime membership I get free 2 day shipping.  Since I'm near a shipping facility, sometimes I get my orders in the next day.  And free shipping!

Plus, for folks who do the Netflix or Hulu Plus thing - many of the movies and shows you pay to watch on those services are available for free on Amazon with the Prime membership thing (Duck Dynasty, The Good Wife, Downton Abbey...) .

I wouldn't promote some vitamin thing that doesn't really do anything for you, but Amazon Prime I really use and feel I get value for.  And you can sign up for a free 30 day membership and cancel before then if you feel you don't use the benefits.

I use it all the time.  Just saying...

Click here to explore Amazon Prime for free for 30 days.

Ad: Kindle Paperwhite

Love the "twist" at the end....

Yay Amazon!