Visions of Gay Pride

This is so Ridiculous

A court in Senegal has sentenced a same-sex couple to two years in prison for marrying in Belgium.
Richard Lambot, 61, a Belgian citizen who was living in Senegal, and Moustapha Gueye, 63, a Senegalese were convicted of “gross indecency and marriage against nature” their lawyer told a British-based African publication this week.

The men were detained by authorities when they stepped off a plane from Belgium and the marriage license was discovered in their luggage. They had returned to the country to begin preparations to move back to Lambot’s homeland.

New Orleans Prepares For a Huge Blow Job

Spooked by predictions that Hurricane Gustav could grow into a Category 5 monster, an estimated 1 million people fled the Gulf Coast Saturday _ even before the official order came for New Orleans residents to get out of the way of a storm taking dead aim at Louisiana.
Mayor Ray Nagin gave the mandatory order late Saturday, but all day residents took to buses, trains, planes and cars _ clogging roadways leading away from New Orleans, still reeling three years after Hurricane Katrina flooded 80 percent of the city and killed about 1,600 across the region.

Anti Gay Amendment in Florida Could Fail

A proposed amendment to Florida’s constitution that would limit marriage to people of the opposite-sex could be in for a rough ride at the polls this November a new survey of likely voters shows.
The Mason-Dixon poll, taken for The Orlando Sentinel, shows that 57 percent of voters support the amendment while 36 perecent said they intend to vote against it. Florida’s constitution requires a 60 percent majority to amend the document.
With a four percent margin of error in the poll results are too close to say the amendment is likely to be defeated, but most political analysts say usually such voter initiatives start out with a large percentage which becomes whittled down as opponents make voters aware of the issues and consequences.
The issue likely will be determined by the seven percent who said they were undecided.
A broad coalition of LGBT groups and their allies say they are mounting a massive campaign to defeat the amendment.

McCain Chooses an Unknown Conservative as Running Mate

In an obvious ploy to attract Hilary's supporters, John McCain has chosen Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. The McCain-Palin ticket will be unveiled at an appearance in Dayton, Ohio, that begins at 12 p.m. There goes John's argument that experience counts: the Alaska Gov. is completely unqualified to be president.

Gay Couple Get Housing on Campus

A gay couple not allowed to move back into family housing at the University of Hawai`i, Mânoa, has settled their lawsuit against the school.
The University has revised its housing policy to provide accommodation for committed same-sex couples like Joe and Phi, and the lawsuit settled to the mutual satisfaction of the parties.
Lambda Legal represented Phi Ngo and Joseph O'Leary in their lawsuit, filed March 10, 2008. During the 2006-2007 school year, Phi and Joseph lived in family housing on the main campus of the University of Hawai'i (Mânoa) while O'Leary worked toward a degree in history. They reapplied for family housing for the 2007 – 2008 school year, but the university denied their request. In a letter dated May 30, 2007, the interim director of University Housing Services stated that the University "recognizes marital status as defined in Section 572-1 of the Hawai'i Revised Statutes," which restricts the term "marriage" to different-sex couples. The letter went on to state that "[u]ntil such time that the state revises its definition of marital status, we will continue to apply the existing definition to our assignment policy for married housing."
In other words, the university said that it denied Ngo and O'Leary housing merely because they are not a married couple. However, the Supreme Court of Hawai`i has already held that the denial of any of the benefits of marriage to same-sex couples constitutes discrimination in violation of the Hawai`i Constitution. Lambda Legal submitted a friend-of-the court brief in that case and was later more directly involved in the second round of litigation in that case.

David Duchovney in Rehab for Sex Addiction

David Duchovny has checked into rehab for sex addiction, his lawyer Stanton “Larry” Stein confirmed to Access Hollywood.
“I have voluntarily entered a facility for the treatment of sex addiction,” the actor said in a statement released to Access. “I ask for respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family.”
David married actress Téa Leoni in 1997. They have two children, daughter Madelaine West, 9, and son Kyd, 6.

Gustav Heads Towards Louisiana

With Gustav approaching hurricane strength and showing no signs of veering off a track to slam into the Gulf Coast, authorities across the region began laying the groundwork Thursday to get the sick, elderly and poor away from the shoreline.

The planning for a potential evacuation is part of a massive outline drafted after Hurricane Katrina slammed ashore three years ago, flooding 80 percent of New Orleans and stranding thousands who couldn't get out in time. As the region prepared to mark the storm's anniversary Friday, officials expressed confidence those blueprints made them ready for Gustav.

Obama Talks About LGBT in Speech

In his speech Thursday night centered around renewing America’s promise, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama made perhaps the strongest statement of support for gays and lesbians in this country’s political history, rousing a crowd of some 84,000 at Denver’s Invesco Field to cheers and bringing the cause of equality straight into the homes of middle America.
“I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination,” the Illinois senator said on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” address.

94% of Fortune 500 Company's Provide Protection for LGBT Employees

The list of Fortune 500 companies providing written workplace protections on the basis of sexual orientation has grown to 471 Equality Forum, an LGBT civil rights organization, said Wednesday.
The figure represents 94.2 percent of the companies listed in 2008.
This year marks the fifth anniversary of Equality Forum’s Fortune 500 project, which is a collaboration with Louis Thomas of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Ian Ayres of Yale Law School.
“The Fortune 500 have overwhelmingly decided that including sexual orientation is in the best corporate interest and helps communicate corporate values to the estimated $660 billion annual domestic GLBT consumer market,” said Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director, Equality Forum.
In 2003, when Equality Forum began contacting the Fortune 500 companies, 323 companies explicitly provided sexual orientation protection in their workplace policies.
Equality Forum reached out to the CEOs, Human Resource Directors and all members of the Boards of Directors of the 177 companies without this protection.

San Francisco Mourns the Passing of LGBT Activist

Del Martin, 87, passed away in San Francisco with Phyllis Lyon, her lifelong partner and spouse, by her side. Martin was one of the nation’s first and most visible lesbian rights activists who dedicated her life to combating homophobia, sexism, violence and racism. Martin’s many contributions to the LGBT movement will resonate for decades to come.

NBC Apologises for Lack of Coverage

Well aware that the world was fervently disappointed that Olympic golden gay boy Matthew Mitcham did not receive the coverage he deserved at the Olympic Games, NBC issued a statement on Wednesday apologizing for the lack of coverage.
Gary Zenkel, president of NBC Olympics, issued the following statement to AfterElton.com, "We regret that we missed the opportunity to tell Matthew Mitcham's story. We apologize for this unintentional omission."
Earlier this week, NBC Sports spokesperson Greg Hughes told AfterElton.com editor Michael Jenson that the network wasn't aware of any controversy surrounding the Mitcham coverage. When asked about the censorship complaints that have appeared on many gay sites, Hughes said, "we don't discuss an athlete's sexual orientation."
Outside of the fact that Mitcham is gay, he carries with him a fantastic story. After taking time off and considering retiring, he came back to win gold over a powerful Chinese team that was highly expected to win the top prize. Mitcham also scored the highest numbers for any dive in the meet. Additionally, Mitcham was the only non-Chinese diver to win gold. All these factors made him unique and worthy of special mention.

Michelle Obama Speaks at LGBT Luncheon

Michelle Obama spoke today in front of a gathering of LGBT delegates which included Tammy Baldwin, Barney Frank, and other GLBT leaders from around the country.“We want to make our nation a place where everyone gets a shot regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation,” she said. “You in this room are setting the tone for everything we’re doing this week.”Obama spoke about the progress LGBT’s have made. She noted that 88 years ago this week, women won the right to vote, and 45 years ago this week, Martin Luther King, Jr. made his famous “I have a Dream” speech.“It’s been five years since Lawrence v. Texas and 39 since Stonewall, and we’ve still got work to do before we achieve equality,” she said, to loud applause.She ran through her husband’s actions on behalf of equality: including supporting the Ryan White CARE Act, and helping pass an employment non-discrimination act in Illinois. He also voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, she noted.“We know what the world should look like,” she said. “We know what fairness and justice and opportunity look like, and we have to close those gaps until the world as it is and the world as it should be are one and the same.

Legal Status Helps Couples Stay Together

Same-sex couples in legally bound relationships appear to stay in their relationships longer than those who are not legally recognized, according to a new study published in Developmental Psychology.
The study is a five-year project that began in 2002, the year same-sex civil unions were legalized in Vermont.
Robert-Jay Green, executive director of LGBT research organization Rockway Institute, said the study shows that civil union status itself may help preserve relationships.
"There are many ways that a legal couple status may support a relationship -- more family understanding, acceptance by friends and coworkers, greater commitment that results from a public declaration, and enhanced legal protections in the form of health care benefits and community property," Green said in a statement on Tuesday.

Iowa's Only Gay Married Couple Celebrate Anniversary

As gay advocates await an Iowa Supreme Court hearing on same-sex marriage the state’s only legally married gay couple prepares to celebrate its first anniversary.
Last August Polk County Judge Robert Hanson struck down Iowa’s 1998 Defense of Marriage Act ruling that it violated the constitutional rights of due process and equal protection of six gay couples who had sued.
Later that day he stayed his ruling to allow for an appeal to the Supreme Court, but not before several dozen couples applied for marriage licenses.
The marriage license approval process normally takes three business days, but one couple took advantage of a loophole that allows couples to skip the waiting period if they pay a $5 fee and get a judge to sign a waiver.
Sean Fritz and Tim McQuillan became the only same-sex couple to be married in Iowa. On Saturday they will celebrate their first anniversary.

LGBT Representation is Highest Ever at Democrat Convention

As the crowd at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver begins cheering for itself and its candidates, LGBT delegates’ applause will be heard louder than ever. A solid 6% of the total delegate population has self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, with that number expected to increase once all of the delegates arrive.
Of the more than 4,400 delegates at the convention, more than 370 of them are openly LGBT (up from 275 in 2004), according to the National Stonewall Democrats. Those delegates represent 48 states, up from 42 in 2004. The states sending gay delegates to the convention for the first time: Hawaii, Mississippi, Montana, South Dakota and Tennessee.

Senator Kennedy and Michelle Obama Start The Convention

Ailing and aging, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy issued a ringing summons to fellow Democrats to rally behind Barack Obama’s pioneering quest for the White House Monday night in a poignant opening to a party convention in search of unity for the fall campaign.
“Barack will finally bring the change we need,” seconded Obama’s wife, Michelle, casting her husband - bidding to become the first black president - as a leader with classic American values.
She pledged he would end the war in Iraq, revise a sputtering economy and extend health care to all.

Republicans Want to Ban Gay Marriage and Abortion

Despite the stylistic change, familiar divisions are back as Republicans debate the principles over two days and strive for a united front behind McCain. That means bridging some differences, detouring around others.
The platform draft calls for constitutional bans on abortion and gay marriage, two steps McCain does not support.

Duh!!! This is News?

It is clear that, throughout history, and probably pre-history, there have always been people who were born with a physical and sexual attraction to persons of the same sex rather than to persons of the opposite sex. Similarly, there have always been people who were born left-handed rather than right-handed, who were born blue-eyed or green-eyed or gray-eyed rather than brown-eyed and who were born with exceptional intelligence rather than with average intelligence. Being born with a homosexual orientation is statistically about as unusual as being born left-handed.

Calling homosexual activity "abnormal brain-altering behavior," is absurd. If the brains of homosexuals are structurally different from the brains of heterosexuals, which is an open question, the cause is not their sexual behavior. The human body has a limited number of orifices. Homosexuals and heterosexuals perform the same sexual acts; even the body parts involved are essentially the same.

Those who come to terms with their homosexual orientation when they first become aware of it and who decide to live in accordance with it are being honest with themselves and others. They are also doing what is psychologically healthy. One's sexual orientation is too important a part of one's basic nature -- one's very personhood -- to be denied or ignored, and one should never allow one's sexual behavior to be manipulated to suit bigots and fools.

Cynthia Nixon to be in Sequel of The Naked Civil Servant

Former "Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon will co-star in the British sequel to "The Naked Civil Servant," in which John Hurt will reprise his role as flamboyant gay icon Quentin Crisp.
Nixon will play performance artist/playwright Penny Arcade in the sequel, "An Englishman in New York," which chronicles Crisp's years as a society star in Manhattan.
Arcade and Crisp were close friends and co-created "The Last Will and Testament of Quentin Crisp," in which Arcade interviewed Crisp on stage.

Hillary's Brother May Support McCain

Could Sen. Hillary Clinton’s younger sibling be supporting John McCain rather than Barack Obama? It’s possible.
Speculation that Clinton’s youngest brother, Tony Rodham, could be defecting to the McCain camp is being fueled by reports that he met with former Hewlett-Packard head honcho Carly Fiorina, who also happens to be Sen. McCain's senior economic adviser. According to the Telegraph, the confab between Rodham and Fiorina took place in the state of Pennsylvania, where the Clinton family has deep roots that helped Sen. Clinton win the state handily during the democratic primaries.

Gay Diver Wins Gold at Olympics

"Matthew Mitcham has won a gold medal for Australia in the men’s 10 metre platform diving in Beijing. The 20-year-old offered an incredible 112.10 final dive to beat the Chinese Luxin Zhou who had lead the competition until that point.

How Silly Can People Be

Senior members of Concerned Women for America (CWA) have condemned Hallmark's marketing of greeting cards aimed at gays and lesbians.
CWA is a women's Christian public policy group that opposes gay marriage, abortion, pornography and international organisations such as the UN.
Hallmark is now producing same-sex wedding cards featuring two tuxedos, overlapping hearts or intertwined flowers, with best wishes inside.
The language inside the cards is neutral, with no mention of wedding or marriage, making them also suitable for a commitment ceremony.
Hallmark says the move is a response to consumer demand, not any political pressure.

Obama Picks Biden

Senator Barack Obama has chosen Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware to be his running mate, turning to a leading authority on foreign policy and a longtime Washington hand to fill out the Democratic ticket, Mr. Obama announced in text and e-mail messages early Saturday.
Mr. Obama’s selection ended a two-month search that was conducted almost entirely in secret. It reflected a critical strategic choice by Mr. Obama: To go with a running mate who could reassure voters about gaps in his résumé, rather than to pick someone who could deliver a state or reinforce Mr. Obama’s message of change.

The Advocate To Become a Monthly

The Advocate, one of the country's oldest biweekly gay publications, will go monthly beginning in January.
Jon Barrett, the magazine's new editor-in-chief, made the announcement during the luncheon plenary session of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association's LGBT Media Summit under way in Washington, D.C.
"I don't think there is a need for a biweekly magazine anymore with the Web," Barrett said.
Barrett added that the magazine will be thicker, with a heavier paper stock.

Louisiana Takes a Step Backwards

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) is dropping an executive order prohibiting employment discrimination against gay and lesbian state workers that was put in place in 2004 by his Democratic predecessor.
Jindal said Wednesday that when the order expires Friday he will not renew it.
“The reason for allowing the order to lapse is that I don’t think it is necessary to create additional special categories or special rights,” Jindal told The New Orleans Advocate newspaper.
“We are firmly and strongly committed to fair treatment of all of our people and certainly don’t condone discrimination in any form,” Jindal said.
The executive order, signed by then-Gov. Kathleen Blanco, bars state agencies and contractors from various sorts of harassment and discrimination by race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin political affiliation or disabilities. It was modeled after a similar anti-discrimination order issued in 1992 by then-Gov. Edwin Edwards.
The governor said that federal law already bans discrimination. But neither federal nor Louisiana state law bars discrimination against LGBTs in employment.
That Jindal is allowing the order to expire is no surprise. He has fought it since its inception.

Native American Tribe Legalizes Gay Marriage

An Oregon native American tribe has legalized same-sex marriage, but its gay weddings may only be recognized within its tribal borders and in California and Massachusetts.
The Coquille Indian Tribe, located on the southern Oregon coast, says that under the federal Indian act it is not bound by Oregon’s 2004 constitutional amendment limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples. But some legal analysts say that the tribe is likely bound by the federal Defense of Marriage Act which denies federal government recognition of gay marriage.
That is not deterring the Coquilles.
Chief Ken Tanner tells The Oregonian newspaper that Native Americans are “sensitive to discrimination of any kind.”
“For our tribe, we want people to walk in the shoes of other people and learn to respect differences. Through that, we think we build a stronger community,” he said.

A Little Afternoon Delight

This is so Sad

A gorilla at a zoo in the German city of Muenster is refusing to let go of her dead baby's body several days after it died of unknown causes.
Allwetter Zoo spokeswoman Ilona Zuehlke says the 3-month-old male baby died on Saturday but its 11-year-old mother continues to carry its body around. Zuehlke says such behavior is not uncommon to gorillas.
Zuehlke says the mother "is mourning and must say goodbye." The mother gorilla is named Gana.
Signs were posted near Gana's enclosure Wednesday to explain the situation to visitors. A staff member is also present to answer questions.
The baby was named Claudio and was Gana's second baby. She had a female baby in 2007 that now lives at the Stuttgart Zoo.

Dead Cardinal Moved Away From His Lover

The gay rights activist Peter Tatchell claims the Vatican is promoting “an act of moral vandalism” for requesting the removal of the body of a Victorian British Cardinal from his grave.
The Vatican has asked for the body of John Henry Newman to be transferred from his grave at a cemetery in Rednal, near Birmingham to the Oratory Church in Edgbaston, prior to an expected decision by the Church to declare Newman "blessed", a penultimate step on the path to sainthood, in 2009.
Arguably the most famous convert to Catholicism in Victorian England, Newman was originally an Anglican clergyman who spearheaded the Oxford movement which attempted bring the Church of England back to what he viewed as its Catholic origins. After a prolonged bout of self-questioning, Newman converted to the Catholic Church in 1845. Upon his death in 1890, Newman was buried alongside his close friend, former companion and fellow convert, Father Ambrose St John. Previously, they had shared a house.
Peter Tatchell described the Vatican's order as "an act of religious desecration". He said: "Newman repeatedly made it clear that he wanted to be buried next to his life-long partner, Ambrose St John. No one gave the Pope permission to defy Newman's wishes. The re-burial has only one aim in mind: to cover up Newman's homosexuality and to disavow his love for another man. It is an act of shameless dishonesty and personal betrayal by the gay-hating Catholic Church."
A spokesperson for Catholic Action UK dismissed Mr Tatchell’s claims, saying it was a well-known "trick of homosexual activists" to claim that any close friendship of a person in the past is evidence of homosexuality. "Now Cardinal Newman's great friendship with Ambrose St John is being slyly suggested as evidence of his being subject to a disordered sexuality. The utter absurdity of this idea speaks for itself."
On August 11 this year, on the 118th anniversary of the death of Newman, the Government gave permission for the cardinal’s remains to be transferred from Rednal into a sarcophagus that will stand between marble columns opposite the Holy Souls' Altar in the Oratory Church, in Edgbaston. The Vatican is understood to have made the request so that Roman Catholic pilgrims could come and pray at the tomb of newman: it is not traditional for veneration to occur at shared tombs.
Mr Tatchell said: "There is little doubt that Newman and St John were gay and had a loving, long-term same sex relation ship. It is impossible to know whether this relationship involved sex. It is conceivable that both men had a gay orientation but chose to abstain from sex. Abstinence does not alter a person's sexual orientation."
Peter Jennings, the press secretary to Father Paul Chavasse, provost of the Birmingham Oratory and postulator for the beatification of Cardinal Newman, said: "The bodies do not lie side by side. The coffins are separated by about three feet of earth."

Georgia Could Turn Blue With LGBT Vote

Georgia's electoral votes haven't gone to a Democrat since Bill Clinton in 1992, but some believe this is the year Georgia could turn blue.George W. Bush handily won Georgia's 13 electoral college votes in the past two presidential elections. Republicans have also won most statewide races in Georgia since Gov. Sonny Perdue defeated Roy Barnes in 2002, giving Georgia the reputation as a red state stronghold.But some believe the historic Democratic candidacy of Sen. Barack Obama — combined with a strong Libertarian contender from Georgia, Bob Barr, and the less dynamic campaign styling of presumptive Republican nominee John McCain — could tilt the state from red to blue. And to get there, Obama is counting on a bit of pink by openly courting gay Georgia voters like no other presidential candidate has before."You don't want to take anyone for granted. You want to let everyone know that their vote counts, that you care about their issues and that you're listening," said Caroline Adelman, communications director for Obama's Georgia campaign

Obama Holds Huge Lead With LGBT Voters

According to a press release from OutNewsWire, 68 percent of gay adults will vote for Barack Obama, 10 percent will vote for John McCain, three percent choose Ralph Nader, and one percent supports Bob Barr. The other 18 percent is still undecided.
According to the latest Harris Poll, Obama has an eight point lead over John McCain among all registered U.S. voters.

Lesbian Commentator Goes to MSNBC

Openly gay political commentator Rachel Maddow, 35, is getting her own prime-time show on MSNBC, the cable news channel confirmed on Tuesday.
"This just completes our prime-time lineup," MSNBC President Phil Griffin told the New York Times.
Beginning Sept. 8, Maddow will replace commentator Dan Abrams in the 9 p.m. time slot. Her show will initially focus on the presidential race but will become more of a general news program after the election.
"This is great," Maddow told the Times. "Getting a regular cable show is something I’ve wanted."
Maddow will be the first out lesbian to host a prime-time news or political commentary show on American television, and one of the very few women ever to do so. MSNBC does not have any other news or political commentary shows hosted by women.

NJ Public Favors Same Sex Marriage

A majority of New Jersey favors marriage for same-sex couples over civil unions according to a poll released Tuesday.
The Zogby Poll found an even bigger majority would not be opposed to lawmakers changing the civil union law to marriage equality.
The poll, commissioned by Garden State Equality, found that by 59 to 36 percent, New Jerseyans would be “fine with” public officials’ changing the civil union law to marriage equality.
The poll reminded voters that New Jersey already has a civil union law, and found a majority of New Jersey still supports marriage for same-sex couples – 50.1 to 42.3 percent. And 69 percent of New Jerseyans said that marriage equality is inevitable in the state.

Senator Obama Chides McCain for Dirty Politics

There was a thread of stern if not defensive outrage in Barack Obama's address at the Veterans of Foreign Wars on Tuesday. The Illinois Democrat did not raise his voice, nor did his facial expression reflect a sense of anger. But he was pointed in his criticism and direct in lambasting the type of campaign his Republican opponent, John McCain, is running.
"Yesterday, Senator McCain came before you," said Obama. "He is a man who has served this nation honorably, and he correctly stated that one of the chief criteria for the American people in this election is going to be who can exercise the best judgment as Commander in Chief. But instead of just offering policy answers, he turned to a typical laundry list of political attacks. He said that I have changed my position on Iraq when I have not. He said that I am for a path of "retreat and failure." And he declared, "Behind all of these claims and positions by Senator Obama lies the ambition to be president" -- suggesting, as he has so many times, that I put personal ambition before my country. That is John McCain's prerogative. He can run that kind of campaign, and -- frankly -- that's how political campaigns have been run in recent years. But I believe the American people are better than that. I believe that this defining moment demands something more of us."
It is a vintage Obama line: deploring the tactics of his opponent as a method of rising above the fray. And, indeed, later in the address -- which was focused on redefining proper judgment on Iraq (why, Obama asked, should we give McCain a pass on his false predictions leading up to the invasion?) -- the presumptive Democratic nominee again chastised his challenger for resorting to the politics of the past.
"One of the things that we have to change in this country is the idea that people can't disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism," he said, to applause. "I have never suggested that Senator McCain picks his positions on national security based on politics or personal ambition. I have not suggested it because I believe that he genuinely wants to serve America's national interest. Now, it's time for him to acknowledge that I want to do the same. Let me be clear: I will let no one question my love of this country. I love America, so do you, and so does John McCain."
It's curious to see how this method of campaigning, which was effective in the primary campaign, will play out in the general. Obama's substantive critiques of McCain's foreign policy -- like asking why the Arizona Republican nominee would "follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell" but not target him in Pakistan without that country's permission -- were equally if not more effective. Moreover, there is a growing list of Democratic observers who are pining for a more aggressive posture in which Obama is not just parlaying the McCain attack de jour, but dictating the campaign theme.

CSI Gets a New Character

"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" has solved the mystery of who will replace departing CBS series star William Petersen: It's Laurence Fishburne.
Fishburne, an Emmy and Tony winner, will be introduced in the ninth episode of the upcoming 10th season, the network told The Associated Press on Monday. He'll play a forensics scientist with a secret.
"I am elated and delighted to be joining the cast of 'CSI,' " Fishburne said in a statement, adding that he looked forward to a "wonderful collaboration" with those involved in the series.
Fishburne plays a college lecturer and former pathologist who is focused on why people commit acts of violence.
The air date for Petersen's final episode has yet to be determined but will be early next year. Petersen has been with the series since it debuted in fall 2000 and will remain a "CSI" executive producer, the network said.

Baby Whale Bonds With Yacht

Australian media say a lost humpback whale calf has bonded with a yacht it seems to think is its mother.
The 1- to 2-month-old calf was first sighted Sunday in waters off north Sydney, and on Monday tried to suckle from a yacht, which it would not leave.
Rescuers towed the yacht out to sea, and the calf finally detached from the boat but still swam nearby, Australian Broadcasting Corp. and Channel 10 television news reported.
The calf appears exhausted but rescuers hope it will continue out to sea and search for its mother or another pod of whales.
"The outlook is not good, but we are giving the calf its only option. It can't be fed, and in fact we wouldn't know what to feed it" because it is not weaned, National Parks and Wildlife regional manager Chris McIntosh said.

Oh No!! Not Key West

Tropical Storm Fay moved over the western end of Cuba on Monday morning on its march toward the eastern Gulf of Mexico and Florida Keys, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center said Fay could increase to near hurricane strength by Monday evening when it should reach the Florida Keys, and it could become a hurricane before making landfall on the Florida peninsula sometime Tuesday.
The latest advisory from the NHC noted the Fay's track shifted more northward in recent hours, as expected.

Mc Cain would Consider a Pro-Choice VP BUT Never a Pro-Gay VP

John McCain said he'd consider a running mate (like former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge) who's pro-choice, but not somebody like NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who's for gay rights:"I think it's a fundamental tenet of our party to be pro-life but that does not mean we exclude people from our party that are pro-choice. We just have a--albeit strong--but just it's a disagreement. And I think Ridge is a great example of that. Far more so than Bloomberg, because Bloomberg is pro-gay rights, pro, you know, a number of other issues."
This is a man who doesn't even know what the acronym LGBT stands for. He also doesn't really believe in gay adoption, supports a ban on gays in the military, is worried if his clothing looks too gay, isn't sure if condoms stop the spread of HIV, thinks same-sex marriage ceremonies are okay as long as they're just pretend, and has promised right-wing religious groups that he'll start speaking out more vocally against LGBT causes.

This Never Happened When I Went to School

The kids in Caldwell Parish will be ditching a lot of school this year. Every Monday, to be precise--and they're doing so with the principal's permission. Starting Aug. 11, this rural school system in northeastern Louisiana will hold classes only four days a week, following the lead of more than 100 school districts in 17 states. The reason? To save gas money.

As the price of diesel--which most school buses run on--topped $4.70 per gal. last spring, school officials across the country watched their transportation costs skyrocket as much as 40%. Maryland's Montgomery County is debating whether to shrink its school-bus routes. In California, where state law doesn't require school districts to provide transportation, some districts are planning to cancel bus service altogether. But perhaps the most radical solution is one that was employed during the last big gas crunch, in the 1970s: the four-day school week.

2 Million Dollars Raised to Fight Prop 8

Equality California raised about $2 million on Saturday at the Los Angeles Equality Awards, bringing in the most contributions for a single fundraising event in EQCA's 10-year history.
Many of the donations were made to NO on 8 – Equality California, EQCA's fundraising PAC that is raising funds to fight Proposition 8, the November ballot initiative that would deny same-gender couples the fundamental freedom to marry.
Both labor organizations and businesses made significant contributions to NO on 8 – Equality California on Saturday, August 2.
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU-California) made a contribution of $500,000, presented by United Healthcare Workers-West President Sal Rosselli.

Tammy Baldwin Switches to Obama Team

Out U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., who was recently named co-chair of Sen. Barack Obama's gay steering and policy committee, is among the prominent LGBT backers of Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential bid to join the Obama campaign, according to this article. Other ex-Clinton backers to sign up for the policy panel include North Carolina activist Mandy Carter; Jesse Garcia, president of the Dallas Stonewall Democrats; and D.C.-based activist Peter Rosenstein.

Michael Phelps Wins Eighth Gold Medal

A journey that started four years ago after his six gold medals in Athens and included 17 swims over nine days here ended triumphantly for Michael Phelps on Sunday.
Phelps earned his unprecedented eighth Olympic gold medal of the 2008 Olympics as he swam the butterfly leg of the Americans' world-record win in the 4x100m medley relay to close out the swimming competition at the Water Cube.

Harry Potter is Delayed Because Danny's Naked

Warner Bros. has announced moving its sixth Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," from Nov. 21, 2008, to July 17, 2009. The reason? Officially, there is no reason, except that "a spot opened on the summer schedule."
That's not much of a reason. The real story? Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe will be right in the middle of his sensational, highly publicized run on Broadway in the play, "Equus." Radcliffe appears naked in the play, on stage, and has sex in it was well. That's not the image Warner Bros. wants associated with bespectacled Harry, who remains chaste and virginal.
Indeed, posters for Equus are up all over New York, of Radcliffe's naked torso superimposed on a horse's head. This is not the sort of thing that's taught at Hogwarts. For the movie to open on Nov. 21, Radcliffe would have to do publicity entailing answering questions about blinding horses and having sex with them vs. flying around and making potions.

Could the Christian Right actually Lean Left?

This is really shaping up to be a "change" election. The latest group to go "up for grabs" are young evangelical christian voters.
The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that while a majority of young white evangelicals describe themselves as conservative on social issues, slightly more identified this year as either independents or Democrats than as Republicans. This represents a tremendous shift from 2001, where an overwhelming number of evangelicals listed themselves as Republicans. Much of the shift has to do with generational differences over the GOP's positions on poverty, environment, and war. And yes, part of it also has to do with Obama talking about his faith "freely" and conducting outreach to evangelical churches.

Pleasure Island To Close

Walt Disney World recently announced it would close the six nightclubs on Pleasure Island in hopes of making the nearly 20-year-old nighttime entertainment complex more family-friendly. But which family are they referring to? For many in the GLBT community, the announcement means yet another blow to the area's all-too turbulent gay nightlife scene, one that last year saw a third of its bars and nightclubs shuttered. The long-held tradition of the Island's unofficial gay night—which, to the surprise of no one, coincides with Thursday's more official Cast Member Night—will cease to exist at 2 a.m., on Sept. 26, 2008. Two days later, the doors will close for good at Pleasure Island's half-dozen nightclubs.

Panama Decriminalizes Gayness

"Panamanian President Martín Torrijos Espino signed a decree repealing a 1949 law that criminalized sodomy under penalty of a us$500 fine or jail time. The move followed protests by the gay group New Men and Women of Panama and other human-rights defenders, local media said. The decree, issued by the Ministry of Health and also signed by Health Minister Rosario E. Turner, said the ban was at odds with the Panamanian Constitution and international human-rights treaties Panama has signed. It also said the law conflicted with the Health Ministry’s policy to “maintain respect for the sexual preferences of each person, without the existence of any type of discrimination” in the operation of its sexually transmitted diseases programs."

Ellen is Getting Married

Our favorite out funny lady, Ellen Degeneres will be walking down the aisle this weekend, to marry her sweetheart, Portia De Rossi. The pair are planning a small, intimate ceremony with only a few close friends and family.Following the California Supreme Court's monumental ruling that same sex couple's have the right to marry, DeGeneres announced she planned to wed her longtime girlfriend on a taping of her show in May. "It's something that we've wanted to do and we want it to be legal and we are very, very excited," DeGeneres, 50, gushed

Hillary Will be Nominated at Convention

A Democratic National Convention that is supposed to showcase Barack Obama will devote a considerable amount of time to Hillary Rodham Clinton and her family, with the two campaigns announcing an agreement Thursday to formally enter her name into nomination.The development means that during the state-by-state vote on a nominee for president, delegates will have the option of choosing Clinton rather than Obama -- giving supporters a chance to cheer her candidacy one last time.
Barring an unforeseen collapse on Obama's part, Clinton won't win; Obama wound up with 136 more delegates than needed to clinch the nomination, and there are no signs of any defections.But the purpose of the exercise is to resolve a nagging political problem for the Obama campaign and the Democratic Party. Since Obama locked down the nomination in June, some Clinton loyalists have been slow to embrace his candidacy. The two campaigns believe that by setting aside time to acknowledge Clinton, the party stands a better chance of avoiding a fractious scene on the convention floor and of emerging from the convention united.

Powell Expected to Endorse Obama

Sources say former Secretary of State Colin Powell will endorse Barack Obama. An endorsement by Powell could go a long way to attracting moderates and wayward Republicans to the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate.
Over the years, Powell himself has been touted as a potential presidential or vice presidential candidate. The former national security adviser served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. He was secretary of state for the younger President Bush.Powell will “quite possibly” speak at the Democratic convention on the same night as Obama’s vice-presidential selection and former President Bill Clinton.
“The Obama people are quietly trying to line up a pretty strong convention,” Kristol said. “I think the Obama campaign shouldn’t be underestimated. Obviously anyone would like to have Powell’s endorsement.”

Another Gay Man Goes to Congress

Jared Polis, a self-made millionaire and entrepreneur, is expected to become the third openly gay member of Congress after winning a decisive victory to represent the Democratic Party in Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District.
In the Monday primary, Polis defeated former state Sen. Joan Fitz-Gerald, long considered a heavyweight in Colorado Democratic politics.
He now goes on to face Republican Scott Starin in November. But in a district where Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans, Polis’ victory in the general election is all but assured.
Polis would join Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.) as the only openly gay or lesbian members of Congress.
There was scant controversy in the primary over Polis’ sexuality.
“I think the people chose me for the ideas I articulated, the war in Iraq, the fight for universal health care, and really challenging the status quo,” Polis told a cheering throng at his victory rally, standing with his partner Marlon Reis.

Gay Entertainment Hasn't Quite Arrived

Gay men in entertainment have made incredible strides in recent years, scoring at the Oscars, the Emmys, on Broadway and the bestseller lists. It’s enough to make a person think that we’ve arrived. That we’ve entered some golden age, where all will be perfect, or nearly so, from here on out.
Not so fast. For one thing, despite a few high-profile projects, we’re still not represented in books and movies and TV shows in numbers anywhere near our actual percentage of the population.

Overcoming these obstacles will not be easy. It will take more gay writers and producers willing to force the issue. It will take our standing up to entrenched forces every inch of the way. And it will take audiences stepping up and staring down the bigots, demanding that these entertainment options be available from the nation’s television networks, chain stores, and movie theaters.