American Airlines Sends Support For ENDA

American Airlines, one of the world's largest airlines, has written Congress a letter endorsing the Employee Nondiscrimination Act, according to a press release.The letter of support was signed by Denise Lynn, American's vice president for diversity and leadership strategies, Michael Wascom, American's managing director of international and governmental affairs, and Betty Young, American's national sales and marketing manager for the gay community."(We are) proud to express our strong support of federal workplace non-discrimination legislation that would extend basic job protections to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans. We are proud to have been the first major airline to implement same-sex domestic partner benefits, first to implement both sexual orientation and gender identity in our workplace non-discrimination policies, and first to have a recognized LGBT employee resource group – GLEAM," the press release said.“Our endorsement of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is consistent with our longstanding Statement of Equal Opportunity … The principles fostered by ENDA are consistent with our corporate principles in treating all employees with fairness and respect. On behalf of our more than 80,000 employees, we appreciate your consideration and encourage Congress to enact this important legislation.”

Republicans Are Worried About Palin

A month after Gov. Sarah Palin joined Senator John McCain’s ticket to a burst of excitement and anticipation among Republicans, she heads into a critical debate facing challenges from conservatives about her credentials, signs that her popularity is slipping and evidence that Republicans are worried about how much help she will be for Mr. McCain in November.
Ms. Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, flew to Mr. McCain’s ranch in Sedona, Ariz., on Monday for three days of preparation with a team of his aides — a sharp contrast to the less structured preparation that led up to the senator’s first debate.
The amount of time and staff power being devoted to this was evidence of concern among Mr. McCain’s associates that Ms. Palin’s early triumphs — a well-received convention speech, her drawing of big crowds — has been overtaken by a series of setbacks, creating higher stakes for her in the debate Thursday with the Democratic nominee for vice president, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware.

Stock Market Has Biggest One Day Plunge Ever

U.S. stocks plunged and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index tumbled the most since the 1987 crash after the House of Representatives rejected a $700 billion plan to rescue the financial system.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 778 points for its biggest point drop ever as $1.2 trillion in market value was erased from American equities. The MSCI World Index of 23 developed markets slid 6.9 percent, the most in 21 years.

Captain Jack Sparrow Will Be Back One More Time

Johnny Depp will star as Captain Jack Sparrow in a fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film, it has been confirmed.
The Disney trilogy, based on a ride at the company’s theme parks, has grossed an amazing $2.6 billion at the box office, in no small part thanks to Depp’s turn as the unorthodox Captain Jack.
And his return to the high seas has been confirmed as Disney unveiled its upcoming slate of films at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.
That’s not the only project in the works for the actor. He has been cast as Tonto in a movie version of The Lone Ranger and as the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton’s version of Alice in Wonderland, due out in 2010.

Taipei Has Pride

Taipei has held Asia's largest gay pride march to demand equal rights for homosexuals, transsexuals and transgender people.
Braving showers on Saturday brought on by Typhoon Jangmi, an estimated 18,000 people - including representatives from gay rights groups in foreign countries - marched through the main streets of Taipei.
The marchers displayed a 90-by-4.5-metre rainbow flag - the symbol of the gay rights movement - and waved placards to call for equal rights for gay people.
Wang Ping, organiser of the march, which is in its ninth year, said the turn-out was bigger than 2007.
"Last year there were about 15,000. Today there were about 18,000, and I saw some very young people taking part," she said.

This Is Just So Ridiculous

Christian fundamentalists are suggesting gays and lesbians are to blame for Wall Street's woes, a frequently made charge in the wake of national calamities.
In a September 25th blog post titled The Nation Will Right Itself If It Fixes Sex, Christian Civil League of Maine Executive Director Michael Heath writes that the financial crisis facing Wall Street is a symptom of America's sinful sexual culture, including the acceptance of gay unions.
“Our crisis is a symptom, not the cause,” writes Michael Heath. “I am not saying I know whether this financial crisis is God's judgment or not. It is not for me to know that definitively.”
Heath goes on to list policy changes that would make God “crack a smile,” including: End abortion rights and defund non-profit groups supporting it, amend state constitutions to ban gay marriage and eliminate domestic partnerships and civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, and end discrimination against private religious schools and homeschools.
A related post by Center for Immigration Studies Executive Director Mark Krikorian at the National Review's website pushes a similar theme, this time focusing on Friday's failure of WaMu.
Krikorian suggests the big bank failed because it was too accommodating to minorities, including gays, African-Americans and Hispanics.
In his September 26th post titled Cause and Effect?, Krikorian writes, “I really thought this was a joke, but it's not. WaMu's final press release, before it sank beneath the waves.”
The press release lists the general accomplishments of WaMu in diversifying its workforce, including earning a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index – a rating indicative of the gay-friendliness of a company's official policies.
“Diversity is an integral part of cultivating a welcoming, innovative and dynamic workplace here at WaMu,” the release reads. “We are proud to be recognized for the opportunities and benefits we offer to all our employees, including the specific efforts we have made to engage Hispanics and the GLBT [gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender] community.”
Blaming gays and lesbians for disasters big and small is nothing new.
Fred Phelps, the founder of the Westboro Baptist Church, blamed gays and lesbians for hurricane Katrina, the deadliest and costliest hurricane in U.S. history that led to years of dystopia in New Orleans. “New Orleans, symbol of America, seen for what it is: a putrid, toxic, stinking cesspool of fag fecal matter. ... Pray for more dead bodies floating on the fag-semen-rancid waters of New Orleans.”
And in 2001 televangelists Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson blamed terrorists attacks on New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon (the 9/11 attacks) at least in part on gays and lesbians.

Congress and White House Agree on Bailout

Congressional negotiators and the Bush administration's top Treasury officials go to work Sunday on settling the final details of a historic $700 billion Wall Street bailout aimed at keeping credit flowing and saving the nation's shaky economy from collapsing into a crippling recession.
"We've made great progress. We have to get it committed to paper so that we can formally agree," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters in announcing the tentative deal shortly after midnight Sunday.
Congressional leaders hope to have a House vote on the measure Monday, with a vote in the Senate coming later.
All sides expressed optimism and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he expected an announcement soon.
"We've still got more to do to finalize it, but I think we're there," said Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, who participated in the negotiations in the Capitol.
"We worked out everything," said Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., the chief Senate Republican in the talks.
Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama issued a statement Sunday saying the bank rescue is necessary.
He said that "failure to deal with the current crisis would have devastating consequences for our economy, costing millions of Americans their jobs and retirement security."

Paul Newman Dies at age 83

Ten-time Oscar nominee Paul Newman, creator of iconic movie anti-heroes in "The Hustler," "Cool Hand Luke" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," has died after a battle with cancer.
The 83-year-old screen legend with the piercing blue eyes died Friday at his farmhouse near Westport, Conn., said publicist Jeff Sanderson. He was surrounded by his family and close friends.
Word of his illness leaked earlier this year after Newman, citing health issues, dropped out of directing a fall production of "Of Mice and Men."
Newman, in addition to his cinematic brilliance in more than 60 movies, became known as a director, race car driver and philanthropist.
He won three Oscars - two honorary, and one for the Martin Scorsese-directed "The Color of Money." Newman reprised his memorable role as pool shark "Fast Eddie" Felson from "The Hustler" to capture the 1986 award.
Newman always appeared high up on any list of screen legends, box office stars or sex symbols.

Son of Tammy Faye Embraces Gays

Jay Bakker, Christian punk preacher and son of televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, will speak in Raleigh, N.C., on Sunday about God's love for gays and lesbians, building on a theme his late mother championed.
The pierced and tattooed Bakker grew up in Charlotte at the heels of his parents' Praise The Lord ministry and television network.
The PTL empire imploded in scandal in the 1980s. Afterward, Tammy Faye, who divorced an imprisoned Jim Bakker and married Roe Messner, re-emerged as a television and cult personality - this time embracing gay men infected with the AIDS virus. She died of cancer last year.
Her son is following in her footsteps - fighting to end religious and political discrimination against gays and lesbians, and presenting a nonjudgmental, inclusive face to his Christian faith.
"I'm going to talk about loving your neighbor as yourself, God's amazing grace and the dangers of apathy in our lives," said Bakker.
Now 32 and living in Brooklyn, N.Y., he leads Revolution New York City, a church that meets Sunday afternoons in a bar. Services are recorded and posted on his Web site (http://www.revolutionnyc.com) "to create an online church for people who have given up on church."

Obama Wins Debate

Several positive reviews for Obama. A CBS News instant poll finds:
40% of uncommitted voters thought Barack Obama was the winner.

22% thought John McCain won.

38% saw it as a draw.
68% of these voters think Obama would make the right decision about the economy.

41% think McCain would.

Two focus groups, one by GOP pollster Frank Luntz and another by Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg, both declared Obama the winner.

Independents in the MediaCurves focus group gave the debate to Obama 61-39. They also think he won every individual segment.

And even Time's Mark Halperin weighs in with his grades:

Obama A-

McCain B-

Update: CNN's poll has all Obama winning overall, on the economy and on Iraq:
Who Did the Best Job In the Debate?

Obama 51%

McCain 38%
Who Would Better Handle Economy?

Obama 58%

McCain 37%
Who Would Better Handle Iraq?

Obama 52%

McCain 47%

Google Steps Up to Oppose Prop 8

Google has taken the unusual step of publicly opposing Proposition 8, an upcoming ballot initiative that would ban same-sex marriage in California.
The initiative has quickly become a bitter and divisive political fight, with California becoming a battleground as donations pour in from around the nation.
Same-sex marriage became legal in California in June after the state Supreme Court ruled a ban was unconstitutional, setting the stage for the ballot proposal that would make same-sex marriage illegal.
Google routinely and robustly exerts political influence in Washington in the realm of technology and energy. But it rarely ventures into social issues that can be a lightning rod for criticism.
Sergey Brin, Google's co-founder, noted in a blog post that Google is "an active participant" in policy debates that relate to its core businesses. He also points out that Google lays claim to a "diversity of people and opinions," Democrats and Republicans, convseratives and liberals, straight and gay. He acknowledged that it was an "unlikely question" for Google to take a stand on this initiative. But for Google, he says, it became an "issue of equality."

OUCH!!! Unthinkable

A Kentucky man and his wife said two doctors amputated the man's penis without his consent, and have filed a lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, Philip Seaton, 61, went to have a circumcision last Octoberas part of treatment for a medical condition. Seaton said when he woke up from the procedure, he realized his penis had been amputated.
Seaton has suffered mental anguish, pain, and has lost the enjoyment of life, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed in Shelby County court last week against Dr. John Patterson, who performed the procedure, Dr. Oliver James, who administered anesthesia, and Commonwealth Urology, PSC.
The lawsuit states that Patterson received consent to perform a circumcision and only a circumcision, and that Seaton did not consent to his penis being removed.
Kevin George, the plaintiff's attorney, said Patterson amputated the organ after finding cancer, but he only had consent to remove the foreskin.
"Sometimes you have an emergency and you have to do this, but he could very easily closed him up and said, 'Here are your options. You have cancer,' and the family would have said, 'We want a second opinion. This is a big deal,'" George said.
The lawsuit also claims the plaintiff did not consent to general anesthesia.
The Seatons are seeking punitive damages against both doctors and the medical practice. Attorneys for the defendants will now have a chance to respond to the suit.

Debate is Still Up In The Air

The first general election debate remained in limbo Friday, just hours before John McCain and Barack Obama were scheduled to appear on stage together at the University of Mississippi, with McCain’s camp continuing to send mixed signals about whether the Republican nominee intended to participate in the high-stakes forum. Since Wednesday, when McCain unexpectedly announced he would suspend his campaign to focus on the economic crisis, it has been unclear whether McCain would join Obama at the debate. And it remained that way after negotiations over a $700 billion Wall Street bailout plan broke down Thursday and late-night talks ended inconclusively. McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt said Thursday night that the Arizona senator was focused on passing a compromise bailout bill and would be on the phone, cajoling colleagues and trying to get closer to a deal. “He’s working very, very hard to try to get majority votes,” Schmidt said. In a Thursday interview with ABC News, McCain tried to downplay the significance of the first debate, possibly laying the groundwork for a decision to formally withdraw from the event. “I understand that there is a lot of attention on this but I also wish Sen. Obama had agreed to 10 or more town hall meetings that I had asked him to attend with me,” McCain said. “Wouldn’t be quite that much urgency if he agreed to do that. Instead, he refused to do it.” After spending most of Tuesday and Wednesday in debate preparations near Tampa, Fla., Obama and his campaign left little room for doubt about whether he would be in Oxford, Miss., on Friday night.
Obama’s aides said he was moving ahead with their plans for the debate and at a Thursday evening press conference at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, Obama reiterated his call for McCain to appear with him on Friday. “My hope is that the debate goes forward,” Obama said. “I intend to be there.” “I believe the most important thing that John McCain and I can do tomorrow, in addition to continuing to monitor the situation and talking to congressional leaders and the administration, is to go to Mississippi for 90 minutes, go in front of the American people and explain our vision of where the economy needs to go,” he continued.

Levi Strauss Joins Fight Against Prop 8

Levi Strauss & Co. has join ed the fight against Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that would outlaw same-sex marriage in California.
According to the APO, “The San Francisco-based jeans maker said Thursday it will co-chair with Pacific Gas & Electric a group trying to drum up opposition to Proposition 8 in the business community. Chief Executive Officer John Anderson said the move is consistent with Levi's long history of supporting civil rights causes. The company ended racial segregation of its California factories in the 1940s and was the first Fortune 500 company to offer health benefits to the domestic partners of its unmarried employees.

McCain Screws It Up

“A tenuous agreement on a bailout plan for Wall Street that had been reached Thursday morning was threatening to fall apart by the time evening had arrived. At fault, it became clear, was a divided Republican Party within the House of Representatives, whose leadership begrudgingly favored the $700 billion bailout but whose ardently conservative members were balking at the idea.
Things grew so heated within the caucus, the Politico reported, that "some House Republicans are saying privately that they'd rather 'let the markets crash' than sign on to a massive bailout."
One GOP lawmaker, referring to his defiant colleagues, asked rhetorically: "For the sake of the altar of the free market system, do you accept a Great Depression?"
But if the party was looking for leadership, it did not find it in its presidential nominee. Sen. John McCain, who on Wednesday said he was leaving the campaign trail to help steer a bailout proposal, may have just exacerbated the problems.
His arrival on Capitol Hill came shortly after the initial compromise was announced. And his presence at a White House meeting later in the day produced more confusion than results. Shortly after McCain convened with the president, Sen. Barack Obama, Treasury Secretary Paulson and congressional leaders, his campaign seemingly criticized all parties involved.
"Despite today's news reports," a memo read, "there never existed a 'deal,' but merely a proposal offered by a small, select group of Members of Congress. As of right now, there exists only a series of principles, including greater oversight and measures to address CEO pay. However, these principles do not enjoy a consensus in Congress."
Later, the campaign sought to fight back against a developing narrative that McCain had hurt negotiations by speaking positively about an alternative bailout proposal, one put forth by a "working group" of conservative House Republicans.
In a damage control effort, McCain aides sent reporters a link to an article written by the Atlantic's Marc Ambinder, which reported that the Senator had taken no leadership position whatsoever.”

Survivor Star Was Aiken Confidant

It’s a big week for Charlie Herschel. Forty-eight hours before his big debut on the 17th season of Survivor, the 29-year-old New York–based corporate lawyer is finding out with the rest of the world that his online chat buddy of two years, American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken, has announced on the cover of People that he’s gay. The two started chatting on social networking site Connexion.org during the whole Kelly Ripa hand-over-the-mouth hubbub, and those early chat fests developed into a casual friendship while Aiken was in New York starring in Broadway’s Spamalot.
“There was a point when I was in law school that I was on IM almost every day, so we used to IM almost every day,” says Herschel, who has maintained a friendship with Aiken ever since.
Then Herschel got the call to partake in the experience of a lifetime, packed up his life, and flew halfway across the world to Africa, putting those IM chat sessions momentarily on hold. He left his swank New York law firm behind to rough it in Gabon with 17 other reality-star wannabes. And as with past seasons of Survivor, the production pretty much guaranteed that Herschel was separated from the outside world for almost two months, so he missed all of the media attention paid to Aiken's baby, born August 8 through a surrogate, and the gossipy banter that followed.
Now that Herschel’s back in New York and awaiting the media firestorm that is sure to greet his big reality show debut, the strong but unassuming marathon runner is about to get a taste of what it feels like to be openly gay and in the public eye -- something he can now share in common with his fellow reality-star friend. But Herschel says he didn’t pursue Survivor for fortune or the gay media fame that is so often bestowed on attractive reality show grads. His reason for doing the show was simple -- it’s something he’s dreamed of since season 1…and if it helps him find the man of his dreams, all the better.

Obama and McCain Go To Washington

Presidential candidates Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama will meet Thursday with President Bush to discuss a proposed Wall Street bailout.
McCain and Obama accepted Bush's invitation to discuss the proposed $700 billion bailout with him and congressional leaders at the White House, the candidates' aides said Wednesday night.
Also Wednesday night, McCain and Obama said in a joint statement that the bailout plan was "flawed" but that "the effort to protect the American economy must not fail."
"Now is a time to come together -- Democrats and Republicans -- in a spirit of cooperation for the sake of the American people," read the statement, which was released about 15 minutes before Bush made a televised address on the economy.
Earlier Wednesday, McCain announced that he would suspend his campaign to go to Washington and participate in negotiations on the bailout plan, and he called for a postponement of Friday's presidential debate. His campaign suggested that he would skip the debate if Congress hadn't passed legislation addressing the crisis by then. Obama, however, said the debate in Oxford, Mississippi, should go forward.

Senate Holds Hearings on Domestic Partner Benefits

The Senate held its first-ever hearing Wednesday on the issue of partner benefits for federal employees.
The landmark hearing was called by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and titled “Domestic Partner Benefits for Federal Employees: Fair Policy and Good Business.” It was coordinated by Committee Chair Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Ranking Member Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).
The hearing is considered an important and necessary step toward enactment of equal employment benefits for LGBT federal civilian employees.
“This legislation, which is long overdue, would bring the federal government up to the standards of America’s leading employers, who provide these benefits in order to recruit and retain the most talented workforce possible,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese, in written testimony submitted to the the committee.
“Equal pay for equal work is a value fundamental to American opportunity. The federal government should be the standard bearer for fair workplace practices. As long it denies gay and lesbian employees the comprehensive family benefits that their heterosexual colleagues receive, the federal government will fall short of that standard, and continue to lag behind the nation’s top employers.”
The benefits for federal employees would include family health insurance, pension and survivor benefits and relocation expenses for families who are transferred. And for State Department employees abroad it would include access to anti-terrorism and language training, medical facilities, and evacuation services.
“I welcome this Senate hearing and consider it one more step in our march toward full equality,” said Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) who authors the companion bill, H.R. 4838, in the House.
“Only when we eliminate discriminatory practices in the workplace will we allow both employees and businesses to reach their full potential. As an employer, the federal government must not only set an example, but must compete with corporate America for the best-qualified workforce. Offering domestic partner benefits is a means toward both ends.”

Mayor Newsom and Governor Paterson Join Forces

Funds raised to support a California ban on same-sex marriage are outpacing funds to defeat the ban and keep gay marriage by nearly a third, so San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will head to New York on Thursday to seek cash.
Newsom will host a fundraising event with New York State Gov. David Paterson. Tickets are going for $5,000 per person.
Paterson has been a longtime supporter of marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples. The New York Assembly last year passed a marriage equality bill, but it has stalled in the GOP-dominated Senate.

LGBT Representation is Up on Television

"GLAAD's 13th annual "Where We Are On TV" report shows that LGBT representations will account for 2.6% of all scripted series regular characters on the 2008-2009 broadcast television schedule, up from 1.4% in 2005, 1.3% in 2006, and 1.1% in 2007. In contrast, the number of LGBT series regular characters found on scripted programming on mainstream cable networks has decreased since last year's analysis, from 40 to 32."

Clay Aiken Finally Says It -- He's Gay!

Clay Aiken is finally confirming what many people already knew: He's gay. The cover of the latest People magazine shows Aiken holding his infant son, Parker Foster Aiken, with the headline: "Yes, I'm Gay." The cover also has the quote: "I cannot raise a child to lie or hide things."
The magazine has an interview with Aiken and confirmed that he was on the cover but refused to release the article to The Associated Press until Wednesday.
The baby's mother is Aiken's friend and record producer Jaymes Foster.
Aiken, who gained fame as the runner-up on "American Idol" in 2003, rarely addressed the frequent rumors about his sexuality. In an interview with The Associated Press two years ago, he said: "I don't really feel like I have anybody to answer to but myself and God and the people I love."

The People Blame Republicans for The Econmoic Mess

A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll suggests that by a 2-to-1 margin, Americans blame Republicans over Democrats for the financial crisis that has swept across the country the past few weeks — one factor that may have contributed to an apparent increase in Barack Obama’s edge over John McCain in the race for the White House.
In the new survey, released Monday afternoon, 47 percent of registered voters questioned say Republicans are more responsible for the problems currently facing financial institutions and the stock market, with 24 percent saying Democrats are more responsible. One in five of those polled blame both parties equally, and 8 percent say neither party is to blame.

Bush Drags His Feet in Rescinding Law

Experts at an early August international AIDS conference in Mexico City were full of praise for the United States for having reversed a 15-year-old law banning HIV-positive people from entering the country.
But nearly two months after President Bush signed that act into law, his administration has yet to take the steps needed to put the new law into practice, and lawmakers and advocacy groups are wondering what is going on.
“We write to encourage you to act quickly to remove HIV from the list of communicable diseases of public health significance and end the HIV travel and immigration ban,” Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Gordon Smith, R-Ore., main backers of the measure in the Senate, wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt last month.
Fifty-eight House Democrats last week went right to the top, writing a letter to Bush that urged him to take “swift action on this issue.” The signees included California Reps. Barbara Lee, chief sponsor in the House, House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman, all California Democrats.

McCain's Chief of Staff is Gay?

Blogs on the Web said on Monday that John McCain's Chief of Staff, Mark Buse is homosexual and is causing certain ideological clashes due to McCain's strong position against couples of the same sex.
According to reports today, a person named Brian Davis, 46, is claiming to be Buse's ex boyfriend. In addition, a gay community source quotes anonymous people from the Log Cabin Republicans- the only organization of republicans who support equality for gay and lesbian Americans- who have also claimed Buse is homosexual.
Blogger Michael Rogers wrote on that he has talked to unidentified people who testified Buse is gay. "The source told me, ironically, that Buse and his partner of over ten years had a sling hanging in, of all places, the closet."
Rogers also condemns Buse's work "against the interests of the lesbian and gay community while living as a gay man."
Another blogger also referred to three different individuals, two of them members of the Log Cabin Republicans, who claim McCain's Senate chief of staff, Mark Buse, is gay.
"None of these individuals would be quoted by name, though each described Buse as being rather "open" to those around him and to his family in a "glass closet" rather than deeply undercover or trying to appear heterosexual." Writes Michelangelo Signorile.
John McCain campaign has not commented on this issue.

Olbermann Donates $100 for every Palin Lie -- Gives $3700 to Charity in One Week

On Friday, Keith Olbermann announced he had made good on his promise to pay $100 to charity every time Sarah Palin "lies or repeats a lie in the course of campaigning."
This week Keith donated $3,700 to the Alaskan Special Olympics Fund, and one lucky Countdown viewer "will win a can of Aunt Sarah's Moose Stew."

Palin is Getting Votes for Obama

Five weeks ago, the St. Petersburg Times convened a group of Tampa Bay voters who were undecided about the presidential election. Their strong distrust of Barack Obama suggested it was a group ripe for John McCain to win over.
Not anymore. The group has swung dramatically, if unenthusiastically, toward Democrat Obama. Most of them this week cited the same reason: Sarah Palin.
"The one thing that frightens me more than anything else are the ideologues. We've seen too many," said 80-year-old Air Force veteran Donn Spegal, a lifelong Republican from St. Petersburg, who sees McCain's new running mate as the kind of "wedge issue" social conservative that has made him disenchanted with his party.
"I'm truly offended by Palin,'' said Republican Philinia Lehr, 37, of Largo, a full-time mother with a nursing degree who voted for George Bush in 2004. Like Palin, she has five children and she doesn't buy that the Alaska governor can adequately balance her family and the vice presidency.
"You're somebody's mom and what are you going to do, say, 'Excuse me, country, hold on?' … She's preaching that she's this mom of the year and taking that poor little baby all over everywhere. And, you know, what she's doing to her 17-year-old daughter is just appalling.'' Lehr said she's bothered by the way Palin's pregnant daughter has been brought into the national spotlight.
Of the 11 undecided voters participating in the discussion one recent evening at the Times — four Republicans, five Democrats, and two registered to no party — only two Republican men applauded the selection of Palin.
Nobody had finalized a choice, but seven of the panelists said that McCain's running mate selection had made them more likely to vote for Obama, and in several cases much more likely.

Bighorn Rodeo Comes to Las Vegas

A cowboy wrestles a feeble goat to the ground and instead of tying its legs as one might expect, he adorns the goat with a pair of jockey shorts. Right away, you know this isn't your average rodeo.
For one weekend, the nonprofit Nevada Gay Rodeo Association is taking over Horseman’s Park for its annual BigHorn Rodeo to raise money for charities.
This is the 12th year of the rodeo, which includes 110 contestants competing in 13 events. Most contestants compete in more than one event, including everything from bull riding to events special to the rodeo, like goat dressing -- an event where contestants captures a goat to put boxer shorts on it.
“What makes our rodeo different is men and women are allowed to compete in the same events, so we have women bull riders and men that do barrels,” rodeo director Mitch Gill said.
Contestants don't have to be gay to compete, but do have to be a member of one of 28 International Gay Rodeo Associations.
Part of each contestant’s entry fee goes toward prize money. The money isn't enough to make a career out of it, so many participants are ranchers by profession who compete in rodeos as a hobby.

Obama's Popularity Could Hurt Prop 8

Could Senator Barack Obama's popularity among black voters hurt gay couples in California who want to marry?
That is the concern of opponents of Proposition 8, a measure on the November ballot that would amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage, which was legalized in May by the State Supreme Court.
Mr. Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, is against the measure. But opponents of the proposed ban worry that many black voters, enthused by Mr. Obama’s candidacy but traditionally conservative on issues involving homosexuality, could pour into voting stations in record numbers to punch the Obama ticket — and then cast a vote for Proposition 8.
“It’s a Catch-22,” said Andrea Shorter, the campaign director of And Marriage for All, a coalition of gay and civil rights groups that recently started what it calls an education campaign around the state, focusing on blacks and framing the issue of same-sex marriage as one of civil rights.
The Obama/Proposition 8 situation appeals to those opposed to same-sex marriage, who are banking on a high turnout by blacks and conservative Latinos. “There’s no question African-American and Latino voters are among our strongest supporters,” said Frank Schubert, the co-campaign manager for Yes on 8, the leading group behind the measure. “And to the extent that they are motivated to get to the polls, whether by this issue or by Barack Obama, it helps us.”
To blunt that possibility, gay leaders and Proposition 8 opponents have been sponsoring casual events at restaurants in traditionally black neighborhoods in Los Angeles, meeting with black clergy members and recruiting gay black couples to serve as spokespeople on panels and at house parties and church events.
“This is black people talking to black people,” said Ron Buckmire, the board president of the Barbara Jordan/Bayard Rustin Coalition, a gay rights group in Los Angeles. “We’re saying, ‘Gay people are black and black people are gay. And if you are voting conservative on an antigay ballot measure, you are hurting the black community.’ ”
Black voters account for 6 percent of likely voters in most statewide elections, according to the Public Policy Institute of California, while Hispanic voters make up about 15 percent. But taken together, those two groups could easily decide the election, people on both sides of the issue said.

Mitcham May Get Sponsorship Deal

Gay diver Matthew Mitcham -- who took home a gold medal last month in Beijing -- is very close to nabbing his first endorsement deal.
If reports are true, Mitcham would be the new celebrity sponsor for aussieBum, an Australian underwear and swimwear company.
“We were fortunate enough to meet Matthew prior to competing in the Beijing Olympics,” aussieBum founder Sean Ashby told samesame.com.au, without confirming a deal. “Everyone in the company watched Matthew dive. To witness this man winning gold was a moment we will talk about with great pride -- an Australian who chose to believe in himself.”
Mitcham recently signed onto Grand Slam International, a management company that represents Australian swimmers Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones.

Clergy to Oppose Florida Amendmnet

Moderate religious leaders from across Florida are speaking out against a proposed amendment to the state constitution which would ban same-sex marriage and could be used to deny benefits to co-habitating non-married couples - both straight and gay.
Dozens of pastors and rabbis met in meetings in six areas statewide this week to denounce the proposed amendment, saying they will tell their congregations to vote against it in November.
Leaders of Fairness for All Families, the umbrella group formed to fight the amendment, attended all six meetings, telling the religious leaders that the amendment would affect people of all faiths and do far more than ban same-sex marriage.
“This will prohibit the Legislature from conducting civil unions or anything that would give, by law, any substantial rights to partners,” Beth Fountain, the Tampa Bay field organizer for Fairness for All Families told a meeting in Clearwater. “This goes well beyond the gay marriage issue.”

Biden to Speak at National HRC Dinner

Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Senator Joe Biden will be the featured speaker at a fundraising event next month for the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights group.
The Twelfth Annual Human Rights Campaign National Dinner will be held in Washington on October 4th.
HRC endorsed the Democratic presidential ticket in June and took an active role at the Democratic National Committee Convention in Denver.
Biden has consistently scored among the highest in Congress on LGBT rights, HRC said in announcing Biden’s appearance at the dinner.
“I’m honored to participate in this event. Discrimination has no place in this country and I am proud to stand with HRC in the fight to end it,” Biden said in a statement released by the HRC.
“Barack Obama and I will bring the change we need in Washington. The Bush Administration’s policies have been disastrous for the LGBT community and a McCain administration would just mean four more years of the same.”
Biden’s record in Congress includes opposing a federal constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage; supporting the Employment Non-Discrimination Act; favoring a repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell; and expanding existing hate crimes law to include the LGBT community.

Foley Won't Face Charges

After an exhaustive two-year investigation, former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley isn’t expected to face charges for sending salacious messages to underage pages, two federal law enforcement officials have told The Associated Press.
Results of a state investigation were to be announced Friday. An FBI investigation hasn’t been closed, but the officials said neither state nor federal charges were expected. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case.
Foley resigned in 2006 after being confronted with the e-mails and instant messages he sent to pages. He has been under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI.
Foley’s attorney, David Roth, has acknowledged that Foley sent the messages to the teens, but says the Florida Republican never had inappropriate contact with minors. Roth had no comment on the pending announcement.
In the wake of Foley’s resignation, Roth announced Foley was gay and had been molested by a priest as a teenage altar boy. Foley also checked himself into an Arizona treatment facility for what his attorneys called “alcoholism and other behavioral problems.”

Brazilian President Call to Legalize Same Sex Marriage

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says it is time Congress acted to legalize same-sex unions.
Brazil is in the midst of elections and the popular president used the bully pulpit in a TV interview this week to chastise Congress. A proposed law that would give same-sex couples rights equal to those enjoyed by married opposite-sex couples has been stalled in Brazil’s Congress for more than a decade.
“There are men living with men, and women living with women [who] build a good life together,” the President said in an interview on the government-run TV Brazil.
Da Silva also said that politicians who oppose same-sex unions and yet seek the votes of gay men and women are “hypocrites.”
Earlier this year, he called LGBT civil rights leaders to a precedent setting summit to discuss gay rights legislation and battling homophobia. The meeting involved representatives from the president’s office, cabinet members and legislators.

Obama to Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

The Barack Obama campaign held a conference call Wednesday aimed at contrasting the senator's support for repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy with John McCain’s belief in maintaining the ban against gays and lesbians serving openly in the Armed Forces.
“John McCain does not believe that our military personnel are as professional as the 23 other NATO countries that allow their military members to serve openly,” said Rep. Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania, who emerged as a fervent straight ally for repealing the ban in July at the first congressional hearings held on the policy since 1993. “As many of you know, they did adopt a platform -- John McCain and Sarah Palin -- that emphasized the incompatibility of homosexuality within the military service.”
The GOP platform asserts, “To protect our servicemen and women and ensure that America’s Armed Forces remain the best in the world, we affirm the timelessness of those values, the benefits of traditional military culture, and the incompatibility of homosexuality with military service.”
The Democratic platform, by contrast, calls for an end to the policy in the name of military preparedness: “We support the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ and the implementation of policies to allow qualified men and women to serve openly regardless of sexual orientation.”

Man Gets Benefits for Taking Care of Dying Partner

A county court judge has ruled that a Washington gay man who left his job to care for his dying partner is entitled to unemployment benefits.
In a landmark ruling, Thurston County judge Richard Hicks said that under state employment law a worker may receive benefits if he leaves for good cause. The law lists 11 examples including death, illness or disability of the workers’ “immediate family.”
“The Employment Security Act, read in its entirety, includes ’stable domestic partnerships’ within the definition of ‘immediate family’” under two state laws, Hicks said in his written ruling.
The case involved Dean Lake, who quit his job to care for Tony Sisneros, his partner of 12 years. Sisneros died of brain cancer in September 2007.
Lake used up all of his sick leave time caring for Sisneros and quit his job to care for the dying man.
Employment Security refused Lake’s application for benefits and he went to court.
The Northwest Women’s Law Center’s Unemployment Law Project argued that Lake and Sisneros were in a committed relationship and shared property and bank accounts.
In his ruling, Hick returned the file back to Employment Security for payment of the back benefits and legal fees.
The ruling ruling is the first in Washington state to address the issue of same-sex domestic partners, but ES said the ruling is not necessarily binding on other cases.

Opposition to Prop 8 is Disappearing

A new poll of California voters shows that a proposed amendment to ban same-sex marriage in the state continues to evaporate.
The Field Poll released this week finds that only 38 percent of likely voters support the measure, known as Proposition 8. Fifty-five percent of those polled say they will vote against the amendment, the Sacramento Bee newspaper reported Thursday.
The last Field Poll, taken in July, found only a nine point spread, with 42 percent in favor of amending the constitution and 51 percent against banning gay marriage.
In May, the state Supreme Court ruled the 2000 initiative unconstitutional, opening the door to same-sex weddings throughout the state.

Education -- How important is it? -- Very

Let's look at the educational background of your two Presidential options:

Obama:

Occidental College - Two years.

Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations.

Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

&

Biden:

University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science.

Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

vs.

McCain:

United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 of 899

&

Palin:

Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester

North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study

University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism

Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester

University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism

Angels in America -- Playwright to Receive Award

The New York Times reports this morning that Playwright Tony Kushner has been named the first recipient of the Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award. The award, which which comes with a cash prize of $200,000 will be announced on Wednesday. The award was created "with an eye toward attracting talented playwrights and bolstering the status of their profession." The award will be presented to Kushner at a ceremony on October 21.

Obama Moves Ahead in the Polls

Barack Obama, whose campaign many feared was collapsing in the Democratic presidential tradition of Kerry, Dukakis, and Mondale, has pulled slightly ahead of John McCain in the latest polls, while Republicans watch the boost McCain got from Sarah Palin evanesce.

Obama's improved fortunes are relieving an epidemic of Democratic anxiety from Beverly Hills and South Central Los Angeles to the Upper West Side and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Recent fears among Democratic activists have been based on a brief spate of polls. After holding a relatively consistent lead for five months, Obama, two weeks ago, suddenly looked vulnerable.

The CBS-Times poll suggests that McCain will have an uphill struggle distancing himself from GOP orthodoxy. The poll found, in addition, that the Democratic Party retained a 50 percent favorable rating, while the Republican Party stood at 37 percent.

CBS pointed to additional evidence suggesting that McCain's VP pick is not wearing well: "Palin's favorable rating stands at 40 percent, down 4 points from last week. Her unfavorable rating, which stands at 30 percent, has risen eight points in the same time period. Her favorable rating among women has fallen 11 points in the past week.

Brad Pitt Donates $100,000 to Gay Marriage

Brad Pitt has donated $100,000 to fight California’s November ballot initiative that would overturn the state Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage.
It’s the first time voters will be asked to ban same-sex marriage in a state where gay couples already have won the right to wed. Same-sex marriage is legal in Massachusetts and California.
“Because no one has the right to deny another their life, even though they disagree with it, because everyone has the right to live the life they so desire if it doesn’t harm another and because discrimination has no place in America, my vote will be for equality and against Proposition 8,” Pitt said Wednesday.
Trevor Neilson, Pitt’s political and philanthropic adviser, told The Associated Press that Pitt was surprised that his colleagues in the entertainment industry had not donated more money to support the battle against Proposition 8.

Public is Bored With Palin

The Sarah Palin Phenomenon is doomed. But it's not because of her lack of foreign policy experience or her deer-in-the-headlights look during part of her interview last week with ABC's Charles Gibson. The primary reason why the Palin bubble will burst is that the media will decide that they are bored with her. They'll need to move to shine a light on a fresh issue or individual.

Mickey D's Should Know Better

An official complaint has been filed with the city of Louisville’s Human Relations Commission by two men who allege they were subjected to homophobic remarks by employees of a local McDonald’s restaurant.
Ryan Marlatt, Teddy Eggers, and three other friends had stopped for lunch at a McDonald’s restaurant on East Market Street on July 26, 2008, while visiting Louisville for the weekend.
The men say that while they waited for their food to be prepared, an employee behind the counter referred to them as “faggots” to another employee.
Marlatt and Eggers then approached the cashier, said they didn’t come to the restaurant to be insulted, and asked to speak with a manager.
As they waited for the supervisor on duty to appear, the employee who had called them “faggots” started arguing with them, repeatedly calling them “faggots” in front of other customers and calling one of them a “cocksucker” and “bitch” according to the American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing the two men.

Gay Greeks To Have First Conference

For the first time, LGBT campus Greeks from across the country will hold a conference.
“Greek houses were once considered a primary source of homophobia on college campuses,” said conference co-chair Justin Hager, who is openly gay and a founding member of the Tau chapter of Sigma Pi Fraternity International.
“But now more than ever, LGBT members of the Greek system are being open and honest about who we are. This conference hopes to provide an opportunity to enhance that dialogue, share tools and create further strategies for change.”
The “Out and Greek” conference will be held at De Paul University in Chicago from Nov. 14 to 16.

Palin Won't Cooperate With Investigation

Gov. Sarah Palin is unlikely to speak with an independent counsel hired by Alaska lawmakers to review the firing of her public safety commissioner, a spokesman for Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Monday.
Spokesman Ed O'Callaghan said he has not spoken with Palin, but she was "unlikely to cooperate" with the inquiry "as long as it remains tainted."
Democrats charged that the McCain campaign was trying to stall the investigation.

Those Under 35 Firmly Believe in Gay Marriage

A new poll shows Americans are split as to whether governments should recognize gay marriage, but a majority say same-sex couples should have legal recognition, the Associated Press reported Monday. The poll was conducted by the AP in conjunction with the National Constitution Center.
Furthermore, more than two thirds of respondents under the age of 35 say that same-sex couples should receive the same recognition and benefits as heterosexual couples; less than 40% of those older than 35 agree with the younger age group.

Senator Feinstein Opposes Prop 8

As polls continue to show that a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in California is in trouble, US Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has come out against the measure.
“As a state, I believe we should uphold the ability of our friends, neighbors and co-workers who are gay and lesbian to enter into the contract of marriage,” Feinstein said in a statement released by her office. “[It is a matter of] equality and fairness.”
It is the first time Feinstein has spoken out against the measure, known as Proposition 8.

Palin's Intent Was To Ban Gay Books

With regard to Sarah Palin and book banning, there's been a lot of discussion about whether or not particular books were singled out for censorship by the then mayor of Wasilla, Alaska.
Palin wanted a children's book that teaches kids about homosexuality off the shelves, but would not read its contents:
"The new mayor also tended carefully to her evangelical base. She appointed a pastor to the town planning board. And she began to eye the library. For years, social conservatives had pressed the library director to remove books they considered immoral. 'People would bring books back censored,' recalled former Mayor John Stein, Ms. Palin’s predecessor. 'Pages would get marked up or torn out.' Witnesses and contemporary news accounts say Ms. Palin asked the librarian about removing books from the shelves. The McCain-Palin presidential campaign says Ms. Palin never advocated censorship. But in 1995, Ms. Palin, then a city councilwoman, told colleagues that she had noticed the book 'Daddy’s Roommate' on the shelves and that it did not belong there, according to Ms. Chase and Mr. Stein. Ms. Chase read the book, which helps children understand homosexuality, and said it was inoffensive; she suggested that Ms. Palin read it. 'Sarah said she didn’t need to read that stuff,' Ms. Chase said. 'It was disturbing that someone would be willing to remove a book from the library and she didn’t even read it

Obama Raises Record Amount in Contributions

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama raised $66 million in August, a record for a presidential candidate that illustrated his continuing appeal to donors and his robust outreach to new contributors.
The campaign said it raised the money with the help of more than a half million, first-time donors. By comparison, Republican presidential nominee John McCain raised $47 million in August, a personal best for his campaign as well. The monthly figures for both candidates were especially noteworthy because August is typically a slow month for fundraising.

Black Men -- Gay or Straight -- Hit Hardest With HIV

A new analysis of HIV infection data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the majority of infections occurring in the country each year are among men who have sex with men and that African-American men -- both gay and straight -- are the most affected U.S. ethnic group.

Some Sunday Man Candy

No More Straight Talk, McCain Just Lies Now

In recent days, Mr. McCain has been increasingly called out by news organizations, editorial boards and independent analysts like FactCheck.org. The group, which does not judge whether one candidate is more misleading than another, has cried foul on Mr. McCain more than twice as often since the start of the political conventions as it has on Mr. Obama.

Mr. McCain came into the race promoting himself as a truth teller and has long publicly deplored the kinds of negative tactics that helped sink his candidacy in the Republican primaries in 2000. But his strategy now reflects a calculation advisers made this summer -- over the strenuous objections of some longtime hands who helped him build his "Straight Talk" image -- to shift the campaign more toward disqualifying Mr. Obama in the eyes of voters.