Hugh Jackman Went To Gay Bars To Get Women

X-Men‘ star Hugh Jackman says he and his best friend used to frequent the gay nightspots as teenagers so they could prey on unsuspecting girls.
He said: “I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but I remember when I was about 19, me and my friend used to go to these dane parties which were 80 per cent gay guys, 18 per cent girls who were sick of heterosexual guys hitting on them, and then vultures like me and my mate.
“We would go there until two in the morning, when the girls were really drunk and wishing they weren’t with 80 percent gay guys."

Jon Peters Sued For Sexual Harassment

In a lawsuit filed this week in Los Angeles Superior Court, Brian Quintana - a co-producer with Jon Peters on the upcoming "Superman: Man of Steel" - alleges that Peters subjected him to "continuous and pervasive sexual harassment."
The suit states there were "multiple instances where he was physically, sexually harassed by Peters, including being groped by male individuals at Peters' behest." Peters would "wrestle and rough up [Quintana] in a sexual manner . . . fondle himself in front of [Quintana] . . . often place his hand on [Quintana's] leg in a sexual manner," as well as "touch" his buttocks, the suit alleges.
In addition, according to the suit, Peters demanded that Quintana "drive male individuals onto the set for the purposes of granting sexual favors for members of the cast and crew [and] cover up allegations that . . . Peters engaged in sexually inappropriate acts in front of children."

Three Deaths Caused by Christmas Shopping

Three violent deaths in two stores marred the opening of the Christmas shopping season Friday.
In the first, a temporary Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death in a rush of thousands of early morning shoppers as he and other employees attempted to unlock the doors of a Long Island, New York, store at 5 a.m., police said.
In the second, unrelated incident, two men were shot dead in a Toys "R" Us in Palm Desert, California, after they argued in the store, police said.
The toy company and authorities said the California shootings had nothing to do with shopping on Black Friday, which is historically one of the year's busiest shopping days.
The Wal-Mart worker, whom authorities did not identify, was 34 and lived in Queens.
Video showed as many as a dozen people knocked to the floor in the stampede of people trying to get into the Wal-Mart store, Fleming said.
The employee was "stepped on by hundreds of people" as other workers attempted to fight their way through the crowd, Fleming said.
"Several minutes" passed before others were able to clear space around the man and attempt to render aid. Police arrived, and "as they were giving first aid, those police officers were also jostled and pushed," he said.

Rosies New Show Bombs

Rosie O'Donnell gave NBC a real turkey. The network's attempt to revive the primetime variety show failed to draw an audience Wednesday night, tying for the evening's lowest-rated program. A mere 5 million viewers tuned in for the 8 p.m. premiere of "Rosie Live.
NBC had high hopes for the special and planned to expand the program into a series should viewers re-embrace the decades-old variety format. Other networks, too, were watching closely since several are developing variety shows of their own.
Segments included Kathy Griffin impersonating Nancy Grace, Alec Baldwin hitting Conan O'Brian with a pie, O'Donnell singing "City Lights" with Liza Minnelli and Jane Krakowski doing a product-placement-themed striptease for White Castle burgers and Crest Whitestrips.
Critics were not kind. The NY Times described it as "hokey comedy with an enemies list." TV Guide called it a "ghastly ego trip." And the LA Times asked, "Rosie, what on earth were you thinking?"
The show seemed unlikely to attract a broad audience given O'Donnell's divisive personality. Stocked with appearances by Alannis Morrisette, Ne Yo, Rachael Ray, Harry Connick Jr., Clay Aiken and Gloria Estefan, along with Minnelli, Baldwin, Griffin and Krakowski, the lineup's appeal also skewed heavily female for a primetime show airing on the eve of a family holiday.

Will There Be Gay Marriage In New York?

Gay rights advocates in New York thought same-sex marriage was a done deal after the Democrats captured a majority in the state legislature November 4, with Gov. David Paterson already having said he would sign gay marriage legislation if it landed on his desk.
A gay marriage bill has already cleared the state assembly, but the matter was never put to a vote in the senate, which previously had a Republican majority. Now that the Democrats have taken control of the senate, it only seemed a matter of time before marriage equality was achieved in the Empire State. But thanks to Albany politics, that may be wishful thinking.
Three Democratic senators refuse to support Malcolm Smith as senate majority leader without concessions -- specifically, drop same-sex marriage legislation.
One of those senators, Ruben Diaz, is a Pentecostal minister. "I will not give my vote to a leader that will bring gay marriage to the state," Diaz told Reuters. "Have a voter referendum. Let the people decide."
Some are optimistic that the squabbling will subside, Smith will be appointed majority leader, and New York will be the first state to legalize same-sex marriage through a state legislature. One reason for that optimism is that politicians and voters in New York are arguably less riled by same-sex marriage than those in other states. One example of that is that none of the Republican assembly members who voted for same-sex marriage in 2007 were drummed out of office.

Iowa Supports Rights of Gay Couples

Two weeks before the Iowa Supreme Court hears arguments in a challenge to the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, a new poll indicates a majority of people in the state support gay couples, but are divided on whether they should be allowed to marry or have civil unions.
The University of Iowa poll found that 28.1 percent of those surveyed support same-sex marriage, while another 30.2 percent support civil unions, but not marriage. A third of those questioned oppose any recognition of same-sex couples, with about 10 percent having no opinion or refusing to answer.
The poll of 586 residents across the state was taken just prior to this month’s general election.
The Iowa Supreme Court will hear arguments Dec. 9 in a case involving six same-sex couples fighting for the right to marry. The lawsuit says state law limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples violates gay people’s rights to due process and equal protection established in the Iowa Constitution.

Turkey Pardoned By President

With a smile and some nostalgic words, President George W. Bush spared the national Thanksgiving turkey on Wednesday, honoring a tradition that dates to Harry Truman's presidency. The 45-pound bird, named "Pumpkin" through an online vote, behaved quietly while the president presided over a Rose Garden ceremony.
The other name on the ticket, a backup bird with the chosen name of "Pecan," was nowhere to be seen. Undisclosed location, Bush joked.

How Involved Were Mormons With Prop 8?

The California Fair Political Practices Commission will investigate the Mormon Church's allegedly unreported contributions to the campaign to eliminate marriage equality in the state.
Independent group Californians Against Hate filed with the commission after Proposition 8 was passed on November 4, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. Organization leader Fred Karger charges that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did not report investments in phone banking, direct mailers, transportation into California for out-of-state Mormon volunteers, commercials, video broadcasts, and a mobile speakers bureau.
Karger said this step by the commission is a good sign, since the commission takes on less than 5% of complaints. While Roman Porter, the commission's executive director, said the move isn't indicative of anything, he added that the church could be fined up to $5,000 per violation if found at fault.
Californians Against Hate calculated in October that LDS followers had contributed more than $24 million in support of gay marriage bans in California and Arizona.
The LDS Church says it has approximately 770,000 members in California, accounting for about 2% of the state's population.

Police Officer Fired For Anti Gay Remarks

A British police officer who sent emails to other officers condemning homosexuality and calling for gays to seek the help of a controversial American Christian group that claims to “cure” gays has been fired for misconduct.
Constable Graham Cogman, 49, accused the Norfolk police of promoting gay rights over religious beliefs. The emails contained biblical quotes and in one mailing said ”love the sinner hate the deed” after calling homosexuality “sinful.”
Another email espoused the so-called “ex-gay” movement and said there was scientific evidence homosexuality was a matter of choice that could be cured. As evidence, he cited a U.S. group that has been discredited by both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association.
Cogman used police department computers to send the emails, and began his campaign two years ago after the force’s gay liaison unit circulated an email encouraging staff to wear a pink ribbon on uniforms during Gay History Month.
Cogman was ordered to stop sending “offensive mailings” using police computers. But the following year, he stepped up his campaign after the liaison unit asked officers to wear a rainbow ribbon during gay pride.
Cogman in one email claimed gays were usurping the rainbow which “symbolized God’s faithfulness.”
He also was accused of victimizing a gay liaison officer.
An internal police tribunal this week found Cogman guilty of failing to comply with a lawful order over the use of police computers and with failing to treat a colleague with respect and tolerance.

How Sick Is This? This Is Shameful!

A British man was jailed Tuesday for raping two of his daughters and fathering nine children over 27 years, a case with echoes of Austria's Josef Fritzl.
The two daughters were made pregnant 19 times; there were nine births, five miscarriages and five terminations. Seven of the children are alive but suffer genetic deformities.
The father, who cannot be named for legal reasons banning the identification of his victims and the surviving children, pleaded guilty Tuesday at Sheffield Crown Court, northern England, and was sentenced to serve 25 life sentences to run concurrently.
The judge said the minimum term the 56-year-old rapist should serve in jail should be 19½ years.

The daughters first told police about their ordeal in June, but the abuse dated to 1981.
It emerged that in 1998 one daughter rang Childline, a charity to help abused kids, and asked for assurances about being able to keep her children if she came forward. When Childline could not make that guarantee, the daughter did nothing more to raise her plight.

The UK's Press Association reported that the rapes began in 1981 with daily attacks and that for long periods, they would be raped up to three times a week, and the assaults would continue through pregnancies. Their only reprieve came after they had just given birth or when they were ill because of the abuse.
If either daughter tried to refuse their father's attacks, they would be punched, kicked and or held to the flames of a gas fire, burning their eyes and arms.
Despite visiting hospitals and meeting with social workers over the 27 years of abuse, no investigation was launched into the family.

Adoption Ban Ruled Unconstitutional

A Miami-Dade circuit judge decided Tuesday that a Florida man's sexual orientation should not preclude him from adopting his two foster children, effectively ruling unconstitutional a decades-old state law barring gays and lesbians from adopting children.
Judge Cindy Lederman, a child welfare judge, found that the state law has "no rational basis" and ruled that Frank Martin Gill, 47, should be entitled to adopt two young boys he has been fostering for the past four years, reports CBS station WFOR-TV in Miami. The Florida law, dating back to Anita Bryant's 1977 homophobic "Save Our Children" crusade, allowed gays and lesbians to foster children but prohibited them from adopting.

AIDS Gone in 10 Years? It's Possible

The virus that causes AIDS could theoretically be eliminated in a decade if all people living in countries with high infection rates are regularly tested and treated, according to a new mathematical model.
It is an intriguing solution to end the AIDS epidemic. But it is based on assumptions rather than data, and is riddled with logistical problems. The research was published online Tuesday in the medical journal, The Lancet.
“It’s quite a startling result,” said Charlie Gilks, an AIDS treatment expert at the World Health Organization and one of the paper’s authors. “In a relatively short amount of time, we could potentially knock the epidemic on its head.”
Gilks and colleagues used data from South Africa and Malawi. In their model, people were voluntarily tested each year and immediately given drugs if they tested positive for HIV, regardless of whether they were sick.
Within 10 years, HIV infections dropped by 95 percent. Other initiatives like safe sex education and male circumcision were also used.
The strategy would cut the estimated number of AIDS deaths between 2008 and 2050 by about half, from about 8.7 million to 3.9 million, leaving only sporadic HIV cases.
Experts think the strategy’s cost would peak at about $3.4 billion a year, though expenses would fall after an initial investment.

Conservative Groups Fight To Save DOMA

Socially conservative groups have begun mounting a campaign to pressure incoming members of Congress to resist efforts to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
President-elect Barack Obama and a large number of Democrats have called for the measure, which bars the federal government from recognizing same-sex relationships, to be overturned.
Although Obama opposes same-sex marriage, he supports civil unions. His transition team Web site says the President-elect “supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples.”
“Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions.” the transition site says.
“These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.”
He also supports adoption rights for all couples “regardless of their sexual orientation.”
The campaign to preserve DOMA is being mounted by the Alliance for Marriage Foundation, the same group behind two failed attempts to advance an amendment to the US Constitution to bar same-sex marriage.

Australia Moves To Recognise Gay Couples

The Australian government has passed legislation recognizing same-sex couples under a large number of laws, but the measure falls short of granting either marriage or civil unions.
The omnibus bill mounted its final hurdle Monday, winning approval in the Senate. The legislation passed the House in September. It still requires the signature of the Governor General, a formality, before going into effect.
The Same-Sex Entitlements Bill removes discrimination against same-sex partners in areas such as immigration, taxation, veterans’ pensions and aged care. It also abolishes discrimination against children of same-sex couples by granting equal rights to both parents.
In total, it amends 68 Commonwealth laws.

Passage of the legislation was a campaign promise of the Labor government of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, although Rudd refused to repeal a law passed in 2004 by the former Liberal government that bars gay marriage

Is Iowa The Next State For Gay Marriage?

Only weeks after a ballot initiative put marriage rights for gay and lesbian families in California to a vote--with families in that state losing the right to marry being the outcome--families in the state of Iowa may see the way cleared for marriage parity.A Nov. 21 story in the Iowa newspaper the Press-Citizen detailed how a ruling from that state's Supreme Court is poised to determine whether or not marriage equality will be permitted there.For anti-gay groups who have begun to characterize marriage parity as "anti-family," a pro-marriage equality ruling may signal the start of a bruising campaign to amend the state's bedrock law by pushing for a constitutional amendment similar to the one approved by California voters earlier this month.For Iowa's gay and lesbian families, however, such a ruling would constitute the start of a new day.

Harry Wants To Write Romance Novels

Prince Harry would trade everything he has to be the next Jackie Collins, a close friend of the Prince recently said. He is, self admittedly, a talentless writer who dreams of a great career, Prince Harry has been a huge fan of Collins for years. He told his friend he is bored of the military and would love to write “sexy bestsellers”like his idol Collins, who has sold over 400 million books. Harry told his friend he is drawn to Collins for her mind and her vast attractiveness to be able to project sexual fantasy and pleasure in a way that reinforces how important sex still is in a world dominated by technological sophisticated communication.
How adroitly is Harry divided? According to the friend, he is dimly aware he has a sense of telling a story.
“Plain and simple, Harry’s bored with all his military endeavours,” the friend said. “He’s great at telling a story but does not even realize his potential. It’s a confidence thing he lacks. But I’ve heard him at the local pub tell his friends stories - sexy and steamy stories. I told him if he ever wrote a novel it would fly off the shelves. The Royal Family would freak out if he ever tried something like this. He’d probably be blacklisted, just like his mother was before she died cause it’s not something the Queen would want her grandson to do.”

Supreme Court Asked To Verify Obama's Birthplace

On December 5, 2008 the United States Supreme Court is expected to meet to review a case being brought by Leo C. Donofrio against Nina Wells, the secretary of state in New Jersey, which challenges whether or not Barack Obama is a "natural-born citizen" and thus qualified under the U.S. Constitution's to become president. Ironically Donofrio’s suit also claims that Sen. John McCain’s name should not have been on the election ballot for the same reason.
The case, which was unsuccessful at the state level, is not expected to find much success with the Supreme Court. However if four of the nine justices vote to hear the case in full, oral argument may be scheduled.
Questions linger regarding Barack Obama’ s citizenship despite the fact that his campaign has posted the President-Elect’s live certificate of birth at FightTheSmears.com.
Another action questioning Barack Obama’s citizenship has been filed in the State of California by Alan Keyes, a former presidential candidate and rival of Obama’s, who along with a series of other organizations including the United Justice Foundation, are petitioning the California secretary of state asking that the state's 55 Electoral College votes slated to be cast in the 2008 presidential election on behalf of Barack Obama be withheld until he verifies his eligibility to hold the office of president.
Tthe California case states, "There is a reasonable and common expectation by the voters that to qualify for the ballot, the individuals running for office must meet minimum qualifications as outlined in the federal and state Constitutions and statutes, and that compliance with those minimum qualifications has been confirmed by the officials overseeing the election process."
"Since [the secretary of state] has, as its core, the mission of certifying and establishing the validity of the election process, this writ seeks a Court Order barring SOS from certifying the California Electors until documentary proof that Senator Obama is a 'natural born' citizen of the United States of America is received by her," the document said.

Be Careful What Movies You See and Where

Cinemark theatre chain CEO Alan Stock shelled out $9,999 to pass Prop. 8 in California, but will his theatre chain profit from ticket sales for the forthcoming release of Milk. Not if a group of people on the web have anything to say about it.
NoMilkforCinemark.com is dedicated to convincing ticket buyers to see Milk at a competitor’s theatre. The idea is that if the gay community agrees to buy tickets to see the movie somewhere else, Cinemark will lose revenue from what promises to be one of the most profitable pictures of the holiday season.
California’s Briggs initiative, which would have resulted in the firing of gay and lesbian teachers throughout the state, plays a prominent role in the film.
But LGBT movie goers are faced with another tough decision this holiday season. Twilight, based on the bestselling novel by Stephanie Meyer, opened in theatres this weekend. And, if Meyer is to be believed, 10% of all monies she makes off the movie will go to the Mormon church.
Meyer has made no public statement regarding her feelings on Prop. 8.

Paul Newman's Will Is Revealed

Paul Newman has left the assets to his wife, the Oscars to his foundation and the race cars to the highest bidder.
A will made public this week shows that Newman, who died in September, left his personal property, including real estate, to Joanne Woodward.
The 10-time Academy Award nominee, who won one Oscar and took home two honorary ones, left those statues and other awards to the Newman's Own Foundation. Interest in Newman's Own and Salad King also went to the foundation, which will distribute all profits to charity.
The will also directed that his airplane and race cars be sold, with proceeds going to his estate.
Signed April 11, Newman's will was filed in Connecticut.

HIV Is Spreading In Russia

Russia’s anti-AIDS coordinator says the number of registered HIV cases is growing 10 percent a year despite increased government funding.
Vadim Pokrovsky says Russia must spend the funds more wisely by focusing on prevention as well as treatment in order to slow the spread of HIV.
He says he fears the global economic crisis could threaten future funding.
Pokrovsky says Russia has registered a total of 471,000 people as HIV-infected, including more than 50,000 who have died of AIDS-related causes. He told reporters Friday that the actual number of people with HIV was likely higher than 1 million.
The government says it budgeted 10.7 billion rubles ($445 million) for the cause last year - at least 50 times more than in 2005.

Boycott Of Prop 8 Supporters

The boycott effort against businesses whose owners backed Proposition 8 appears to be picking up steam.
Dozens of groups have sprouted up on Facebook.com urging its members to boycott businesses -- restaurants, jewelry stores, car-repair shops and more. Other activists have gone onto Yelp.com and other business rating sites, posting messages telling users which restaurants donated to the "Yes on 8" campaign.
There has also been talk of a boycott of the Cinemark movie chain, whose CEO gave money to "Yes on 8." This could have a major effect on the Sundance Film Festival, which uses the chain's theaters to show movies.
The actions have alarmed supporters of Prop. 8, which banned gay marriage in California.
"Since Proposition 8’s victory, a series of protests against churches, small businesses and individual supporters of traditional marriage have taken place in cities across the state.

Scratch-n-Sniff Your Favorite Man

Ever wonder what Michael Phelps smells like?
People magazine, which has a history of experimenting with sensory advertising within its pages, is set to publish a “scratch-n-sniff” section in its Sexiest Man Alive issue.
The magazine, which hits newsstands on Friday, includes a section dubbed “Sexy Scents” with “scratch-n-sniff” photos of Gossip Girl actor Chace Crawford, film actor Taye Diggs, Law & Order star Chris Meloni and U.S. Olympic Team swimmer Michael Phelps—each of whom “describe the fragrance that makes them feel their sexiest.” (Crawford chose freshly cut grass, telling the magazine he “grew up playing a lot of football and golf ... When I smell freshly cut grass I get this air of competition. It wakes me up, gets me going”; Diggs “loves vanilla, chocolate, sandalwood and musk essential oils.”)

A New Political Party Is Born

The name may seem like a joke, but the Australian Sex Party is serious - serious about sex, according to their slogan.
The country’s newest political party is also serious about a number of other issues: quashing a government proposal for a national Internet filter that would block 10,000 Web sites; instituting a new national sex education curriculum; and pushing for the legalization of gay marriage.
The party - launched Thursday at Sexpo, an annual sex exhibition in Melbourne - has already gathered the required 500 members and plans to register with the electoral commission next week.
“We’re concerned about the Australian government becoming a nanny state, and about this conservative creep in politics,” party convener and Eros head Fiona Patten told The Associated Press by phone.
Patten called the federal government’s proposal for an Internet filter “the last straw.”

Prop 8 Supporters Threaten Court

With all eyes now on the court as it considers whether to hear a number of petitions asking it to invalidate the proposition, Andrew Pugno, an attorney with Prop. 8 told the Los Angeles Times that the court could face the very real possibility of a recall should the justices vote to overturn the measure. Officially, however, Pugno said the campaign is discouraging supporters from making such threats until the high court renders a decision. 'We think the discussion of a recall at this point is premature and not helpful to the current situation,' Pugno told the newspaper in this story. 'The court should have a chance to do the right thing,' Pugno said. But should it go against the measure, 'no one would be able to stop' a recall, he added."
Today, Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors reissued a statement condemning the threats. Said Kors: "It is unconscionable that the supporters of Proposition 8 would threaten to recall California’s Supreme Court justices who are simply doing their job in making sure all Californians are treated fairly and equally under the laws of our state. Once again, the proponents of Prop 8 are resorting to scare tactics in their attempts to eliminate the rights of same-sex couples in California. We are confident the justices will not be swayed by such blatant intimidation."

eHarmony Settles

Online dating service eHarmony has agreed to stop discriminating against gays and lesbians. The company has long refused to provide services to gays.
In 2005 New Jersey resident Eric McKinley filed a formal complaint with the state Division on Civil Rights. For more than three years, eHarmony vigorously contested the allegations of the complaint.
On July 23, 2007, however, the Director of the DCR issued a Finding of Probable Cause that eHarmony had violated New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination.
The company then filed a Motion for Reconsideration of the finding.
Although the state has not issued a ruling on the motion, eHarmony said Tuesday it had reached a settlement with the Attorney General’s Office.
Under the settlement in which eHarmony admits no wrongdoing the company agrees to create a new service for same-sex matching by March 31, 2009.
The company said it would call the new service Compatible Partners.
It also agreed to pay the Division on Civil Rights $50,000 to cover administrative costs and to pay McKinley $5,000 plus give him a free one-year membership to its new service.

Obama Names Gays To Transition Team

Officials with President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team this week named at least seven openly gay people to transition panels assigned to review federal departments and agencies.
Three of the seven gays named to the transition panels — businessman Fred P. Hochberg, former San Francisco Supervisor Roberta Achtenberg, and labor attorney Elaine Kaplan — held high-level positions in the Clinton administration.
The Obama officials also named President Bush’s former ambassador to Romania, Michael Guest, to a transition panel assigned to review issues pertaining to the State Department. Guest became the nation’s second openly gay ambassador when Bush appointed him to the Romania post for a term lasting from 2001 to 2003.

California Supreme Court Will Listen To Challenge

The California Supreme Court today denied requests to stay the enforcement or implementation of Proposition 8, and at the same time agreed to decide several issues arising out of the passage of Proposition 8. The court’s order, issued in the first three cases that had been filed directly in the state’s highest court challenging the validity of Proposition 8, directed the parties to brief and argue three issues:
(1) Is Proposition 8 invalid because it constitutes a revision of, rather than an amendment to, the California Constitution?
(2) Does Proposition 8 violate the separation-of-powers doctrine under the California Constitution?
(3) If Proposition 8 is not unconstitutional, what is its effect, if any, on the marriages of same-sex couples performed before the adoption of Proposition 8?

Cheney Indicted For Engaging In Organized Criminal Activity

A South Texas grand jury has indicted Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on state charges related to the alleged abuse of prisoners in Willacy County's federal detention centers.
The indictment, which had not yet been signed by the presiding judge, was one of seven released Tuesday in a county that has been a source of bizarre legal and political battles in recent years. Another of the indictments named a state senator on charges of profiting from his position.
Willacy County District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra himself had been under indictment for more than a year and half before a judge dismissed the indictments last month. This flurry of charges came in the twilight of Guerra's tenure, which ends this year after nearly two decades in office. He lost convincingly in a Democratic primary in March.
Cheney's indictment on a charge of engaging in an organized criminal activity criticizes the vice president's investment in the Vanguard Group, which holds interests in the private prison companies running the federal detention centers. It accuses Cheney of a conflict of interest and "at least misdemeanor assaults" on detainees because of his link to the prison companies.
Megan Mitchell, a spokeswoman for Cheney, declined to comment on Tuesday, saying that the vice president had not yet received a copy of the indictment.
The indictment accuses Gonzales of using his position while in office to stop an investigation in 2006 into abuses at one of the privately-run prisons.

Marriage Equality In New England By 2012

The Boston-based group that won equal marriage rights in Massachusetts and Connecticut said Tuesday it intends to fight for gay marriage rights in the other four New England states and predicted success by 2012.
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders announced the campaign on the fifth anniversary of the Massachusetts court ruling that opened up marriage to gays and lesbians. GLAD dubbed the campaign “Six by Twelve.”
“We can make New England a marriage equality zone by strategically combining existing legal, electoral, and on-the-ground know-how to fast-track marriage in every New England state,” said GLAD Executive Director Lee Swislow.
“By 2012, we not only can have marriage equality throughout New England, we can have a road map for the rest of the country.”
GLAD said it would achieve this goal through litigation and by working with statewide equality groups and with MassEquality, which lobbied politicians and led the fight against two bids over three years to void gay marriage through constitutional amendment.

Subway Works Towards Equality

"One down and many more to go," said Mike Rogers in response to the successful result of pressure on the fast food chain Subway after it was disclosed that a franchisee gave $2,500 to the Yes on 8 campaign. Yes on 8 was successful in removing marriage equality from California's state constitution.
Rogers found the contribution on a list of Yes on 8 contributors compiled by the Human Rights Campaign. "When I saw a franchisee of an international company gave $2,500 to opponents of equality, I immediately knew I would require someone at the company's world HQ to address this."
On Friday, Rogers made three demands of the company, with a Monday deadline:
1. Repudiate the gift.

2. Add sexual orientation and gender identity to the corporation's non-discrimination policy.

3. Give an equal gift to the opposing side.

At the time of the post, Rogers did not indicate the company, choosing instead to approach the company discreetly over the matter.
In a conversation with Rogers today, Subway Director of Corporate Communications Michele DiNello responded positively to the three demands.

Obama's Plan For LGBT Citizens

* Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. Barack Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.
* Fight Workplace Discrimination: Barack Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. Obama also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
* Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.
* Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: Barack Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.
* Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell: Barack Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. Obama will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.
* Expand Adoption Rights: Barack Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.
* Promote AIDS Prevention: In the first year of his presidency, Barack Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. Obama will support common sense approaches including age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception, combating infection within our prison population through education and contraception, and distributing contraceptives through our public health system. Obama also supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. Obama has also been willing to confront the stigma -- too often tied to homophobia -- that continues to surround HIV/AIDS. He will continue to speak out on this issue as president.
* Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS: In the United States, the percentage of women diagnosed with AIDS has quadrupled over the last 20 years. Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Barack Obama introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS. Microbicides are a class of products currently under development that women apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and other infections.

P-Diddy Shaves -- Down There -- Isn't This TMI?

Sean Combs has a strict maintenance policy for Cassie, or any other lady he's dating. First order of business: Brazilian waxing. Also, he tells Allure: leg-waxing, brow-threading, manicure and pedicure. But then, giving us a little TMI, he notes, "I shave and groom my private areas. It's a better presentation for me. If men require women to go through the pain, we should return the favor."

Let's Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

More than 100 retired generals and admirals called Monday for repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays so they can serve openly, according to a statement obtained by The Associated Press.
The move by the military veterans confronts the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama with a thorny political and cultural issue that dogged former President Bill Clinton early in his administration.
"As is the case with Great Britain, Israel, and other nations that allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are professionals who are able to work together effectively despite differences in race, gender, religion, and sexuality," the officers wrote.
While Obama has expressed support for repeal, he said during the presidential campaign that he would not do so on his own — an indication that he would tread carefully to prevent the issue from becoming a drag on his agenda. Obama said he would instead work with military leaders to build consensus on removing the ban on openly gay service members.
"Although I have consistently said I would repeal 'don't ask, don't tell,' I believe that the way to do it is make sure that we are working through a process, getting the Joint Chiefs of Staff clear in terms of what our priorities are going to be," Obama said in a September interview with the Philadelphia Gay News.

Obama Meets McCain

Call it a meeting of the bipartisan minds.
President-elect Barack Obama will meet with former GOP presidential candidate John McCain today in Chicago, Illinois.
The meeting will take place at the Obama transition headquarters.
"It's well-known that they share an important belief that Americans want and deserve a more effective and efficient government, and will discuss ways to work together to make that a reality," Obama transition spokesman Nick Shapiro said in a statement Sunday.

Bond Is Best Ever

Quantum of Solace tallied the highest debut ever for a Bond film, largely by acting nothing like one.
Abandoning the franchise's decades-old catchphrases and pithy dialogue in favor of a grittier style, Solace raked in $70.4 million, according to estimates from Nielsen EDI.
The debut shattered all Bond records and exceeded analysts' expectations by more than $10 million.

Why?

Dwight R. DeLee shot and killed Moses "Teish" Cannon with a .22-caliber rifle Friday night because he didn't like that Cannon was openly gay, Syracuse police said.
Cannon, 22, and his brother, Mark Cannon, 18, were shot as they sat in a car parked in front of house where they had been invited to a party. The bullet grazed the left arm of Mark Cannon, who was in the driver's seat, and hit Moses Cannon in the chest, police said.
Police have charged DeLee, 20, with second-degree murder. DeLee went into the home to get the rifle after guests at the party started "making profane and vulgar comments in regards to the sexual preference of our two victims," police Chief Gary Miguel said.
"There was no previous argument between these individuals, there was no previous fight, there was no bad blood," Miguel said. "Our suspect took a rifle and shot and killed this person, also wounding his brother, for the sole reason he didn't care for the sexual preference of our victim. Isn't that sad? Isn't that a sad situation that that's the sole reason why?
"I talk to you about this atmosphere of violence and that certain individuals believe that violence is the answer no matter what, and here's just another example," Miguel said.
Cannon's family said his death should be treated as a hate crime. Miguel said it's up to the District Attorney's office to decide if it's a hate crime.

Iraq Votes To Oust US Troops

The Iraqi Cabinet on Sunday approved a security pact that would set the terms for U.S. troops in Iraq.
The agreement sets June 30, 2009, as the deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw from all Iraqi cities and towns, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said.
The date for all troops to leave Iraq will be December 31, 2011, he said.
These dates are "set and fixed" and are "not subject to the circumstances on the ground," he said.
Twenty-seven of the 40 Cabinet members in attendance voted in favor of the agreement, said Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari. One minister abstained.
The Cabinet consists of the prime minister, two deputy prime ministers, and 37 other ministers.
The approved draft will be sent to the 275-seat Parliament later Sunday, where it will be put to another vote. "There is great optimism that they will pass it," said Industry Minister Fawzi Hariri.
Al-Dabbagh said the Parliament speaker and his deputies will decide when the Parliament will vote on the agreement. He said there were "positive attitudes" when the major political blocs met to discuss the draft plan on Saturday.
Zebari said the Parliament will reach a decision before it takes a 15-day recess on November 25.

Obama To Turn Off Blackberry

Sorry, Mr. President. Please surrender your BlackBerry.
Those are seven words President-elect Barack Obama is dreading but expecting to hear, friends and advisers say, when he takes office in 65 days.
For years, like legions of other professionals, Mr. Obama has been all but addicted to his BlackBerry. The device has rarely been far from his side — on most days, it was fastened to his belt — to provide a singular conduit to the outside world as the bubble around him grew tighter and tighter throughout his campaign.
“How about that?” Mr. Obama replied to a friend’s congratulatory e-mail message on the night of his victory.
But before he arrives at the White House, he will probably be forced to sign off. In addition to concerns about e-mail security, he faces the Presidential Records Act, which puts his correspondence in the official record and ultimately up for public review, and the threat of subpoenas. A decision has not been made on whether he could become the first e-mailing president, but aides said that seemed doubtful.
For all the perquisites and power afforded the president, the chief executive of the United States is essentially deprived by law and by culture of some of the very tools that other chief executives depend on to survive and to thrive. Mr. Obama, however, seems intent on pulling the office at least partly into the 21st century on that score; aides said he hopes to have a laptop computer on his desk in the Oval Office, making him the first American president to do so.

Comedian Admits She's A Lesbian

Comedian Wanda Sykes says the passage of a same-sex marriage ban in California has led to her be more outspoken about being gay.
"You know, I don't really talk about my sexual orientation. I didn't feel like I had to. I was just living my life, not necessarily in the closet, but I was living my life," Sykes told a crowd at a gay rights rally in Las Vegas on Saturday.
"Everybody that knows me personally they know I'm gay. But that's the way people should be able to live their lives," she said.
Sykes, who is known for her feisty and blunt style, said the passage of California's Proposition 8 made her feel like she was "attacked."
"Now, I gotta get in their face," she said. "I'm proud to be a woman. I'm proud to be a black woman, and I'm proud to be gay."
Sykes' appearance at the Las Vegas rally surprised organizers. She was in town performing at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

There Are Protests Today Against Prop 8

Today there will be a series of international protests in opposition to California’s Proposition 8, the gay marriage ban that passed on Nov. 4. "Join the Impact," a Web site built the morning of Friday, Nov. 7, has rallied hundreds of thousands of people who are gathering today in eight countries, 50 states and 300 cities.
Amy Balliett, one of the two original organizers of the movement, has organized local demonstrations and fundraisers in the past the old-fashioned way, with fliers around town and word of mouth. She said she is astonished at the momentum and speed that Join the Impact has picked up from the Web.
She contrasted it with the Stonewall Riot of 1969, which was a turning point in the campaign for gay rights. “Had they had social media, had they had the Internet, we would have been able to accomplish a lot more already, because they would have been able to keep the message alive and keep the community going,” she said.

Obama Receives Many Death Threats

Threats against a new president historically spike right after an election, but from Maine to Idaho law enforcement officials are seeing more against Barack Obama than ever before. The Secret Service would not comment or provide the number of cases they are investigating. But since the Nov. 4 election, law enforcement officials have seen more potentially threatening writings, Internet postings and other activity directed at Obama than has been seen with any past president-elect, said officials aware of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because the issue of a president's security is so sensitive.

In the security world, anything "new" can trigger hostility, said Joseph Funk, a former Secret Service agent-turned security consultant who oversaw a private protection detail for Obama before the Secret Service began guarding the candidate in early 2007.
Obama, of course, will be the country's first black president, and Funk said that new element, not just race itself, is probably responsible for a spike in anti-Obama postings and activity. "Anytime you're going to have something that's new, you're going to have increased chatter," he said.
The Secret Service also has cautioned the public not to assume that any threats against Obama are due to racism.
The service investigates threats in a wide range. There are "stated threats" and equally dangerous or lesser incidents considered of "unusual interest" _ such as people motivated by obsessions or infatuations or lower-level gestures such as effigies of a candidate or an elected president. The service has said it does not have the luxury of discounting anything until agents have investigated the potential danger.

Canadian Bishop To Bless Gay Unions

A Canadian Anglican bishop signaled Monday he would defy the wishes of the global Anglican church and start drafting a ceremony for blessing homosexual marriages.
Bishop Barry Clarke said he would be following through with the wishes of the diocese of Montreal, which he heads, and set up a commission to come up with liturgy for such blessings.
In August, the decennial Lambeth Conference of global Anglican leaders asked for a moratorium on the blessing of same-sex unions, and Canada's bishops said Friday a large majority of them were committed to such a moratorium.
But Clarke told Reuters he was not part of that majority, and he would be proceeding with plans he had laid out before the Canadian bishops met last week.
"I don't want to stop the journey, because I think that would be unhealthy," he said.
The Montreal synod, the diocese's decision-making body, passed a resolution a year ago asking him to grant permission to clergy to bless same-sex marriages and to authorize an appropriate liturgy.
"My intention is to honor the request of the diocese," he said.

Charlie Is Voted Off In Survivor

The tribe has spoken. Another blindside has come to "Survivor Gabon," as Charlie was voted out, joining his friend Marcus as the second member of the jury. Once the two tribes merged, Kenny — still holding a grudge over Charlie revealing the immunity-idol clue at the faux-merge feast — convinced swing vote Sugar to vote out Charlie. Kenny admitted to us that he was lying about Charlie's power, but he convinced his alliance and Sugar, and that's all he needed.

Brad's Love Thinks Of Staying Home

With six children at home, Angelina Jolie says her days as an actress are numbered. "I don't plan to keep acting very long, I'm ready to do a few things now and fade away and get ready to be a grandma one day." Jolie, 33, currently starring in The Changeling, says she plans to "work for a few months" in February, then take a year off. "I won't work again probably for another year," she says. "So maybe it'll be once a year, then maybe it'll be once every three years." She adds: "I have a lot of children. I have a big responsibility to make sure that they're growing right and that they have got us there for them."

Trans Woman Murdered in Memphis

Duanna Johnson, a transgender woman who was suing the city of Memphis, Tenn., for alleged civil rights violations, was shot and killed execution-style on November 9, according to WPTY News.
"It's horrible timing,” said Murray Wells, Johnson’s attorney. "She was going home. The federal indictment was coming down. The lawsuit was going to be filed. And now all of that is on hold. So I find it ironic, at least."
Johnson was arrested on prostitution charges in June. During her time in jail, two Memphis police officers brutally beat Johnson while using transgender slurs. The officers were fired after investigators reviewed the beating on tape, and Johnson sued the city for $1.3 million.
The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, is calling for an official investigation into Johnson’s murder.

Gay Marriage May Go To Voters One More Time

Gay rights organizations in California may take the issue of gay marriage back to the voters in just two years if legal challenges to the ban fail to reverse the outcome of Proposition 8, reports the Associated Press.
Three separate lawsuits have been filed with the state’s Supreme Court arguing that a simple majority voters alone do not have the legal authority to change to the constitution to restrict the rights of a minority group.
But if the lawsuits fail, Equality California executive director Geoffrey Kors said supporters of gay marriage would mount a signature drive in 2010 for a ballot initiative to overturn the ban.
"We will go back to the ballot only after we have exhausted our legal avenues and after we have a majority of voters with us," Kors told the AP. "We hope we don't have to go back to the ballot. These things shouldn't be decided by voters."
Proposition 8, which amended California’s constitution to prohibit same-sex couples from marrying, was passed on Election Day by 52 to 48 vote.

This Is Perverted

A Dutch court convicted two men Wednesday for attempting to infect 14 victims with HIV in a bizarre sex case.
The Groningen District Court found the two guilty of severe assault for injecting semiconscious men with HIV-infected blood at sex parties between January 2006 and May 2007.
Peter M., 49, who was also convicted of rape, was sentenced to nine years in prison and Hans J., 39, received a five-year sentence. Under Dutch privacy laws, the surnames of convicted criminals are not released.
Prosecutors said they would appeal for higher sentences.
“By committing these acts, (Peter M.) has shown himself to have a serious lack of respect for the rights of others,” the three-judge panel’s written ruling said. “While he knew from his own experience what far-reaching consequences are tied to an infection with HIV, he repeatedly attempted to bring this same hurt to others.”
Prosecutors had argued that the two men, along with a third who was acquitted of major charges, had drugged the 14 victims and intentionally infected them.
But in Wednesday’s ruling, judges said while the victims all had HIV, it could not be proven that they were infected by the injections because they willingly took part in orgies where gay men unprotected sex.
The judges also said allegations the victims were given GHB, known as a “date rape” drug, were also unproven.
The suspects were not charged with attempted murder since Dutch courts have held that HIV is a chronic illness rather than an inevitably fatal one.

Gays Rally For Equality

Carrying signs reading “Love not H8″ and “Did you cast a ballot or a stone?”, a large crowd of gay-marriage supporters gathered outside a Mormon temple to protest the church’s endorsement of a same-sex marriage ban in California.
The rally Wednesday night outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple came hours after gay couples exchanged vows for the first time in Connecticut amid cheers and tears of joy.
The milestone did not ease the sting of a major loss for gay-marriage supporters last week. Gay activists planned protests across the country over the vote that took away their right to wed in California.
In the Upper West Side of Manhattan, demonstrators chanted “Shame on you!” outside the temple. Leaders of the Mormon church had encouraged members to support passage of California’s Proposition 8, a referendum banning same-sex marriage.

Organizers of the rally estimated at least 10,000 people participated. Police said they could not give a crowd estimate.
Gay-marriage advocates said they were planning nationwide demonstrations this weekend in more than 175 cities and outside the U.S. Capitol. A Seattle blogger was trying to organize simultaneous protests outside statehouses and city halls in every state Saturday.

Connecticut Gay Marriages Start Today

Connecticut state Rep. Beth Bye and Tracey Wilson hope to become the first gay couple to marry legally in their town of West Hartford on Wednesday.
For Wilson, it's both a personal and professional milestone. She's the town's historian.
"She'd love to be the first one in town," joked Bye, who spent hours as a lawmaker listening to testimony on the marriage issue in 2007. She was a member of the Judiciary Committee which approved a bill that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed.
In 2005, Bye and Wilson had a church ceremony with more than 150 guests to celebrate their civil union. On Wednesday, they plan to show up at town hall in street clothes, with their kids and a friend who is a justice of the peace to make it official.
"I think for us, we really were married three years ago in our church," Bye said. "But it feels different that our state is saying, 'now you're married. You have the same rights as everyone else.'"
Superior Court Judge Jonathan Silbert has scheduled a hearing at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday in New Haven to enter the final judgment in the case that allows same-sex marriages in Connecticut. Once the hearing ends, couples can pick up marriage license forms at town and city clerk's offices.
It's unclear how many couples will get married. The state public health department says 2,032 civil union licenses were issued in Connecticut between October 2005 and July 2008.
The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Oct. 10 that same-sex couples have the right to wed rather than accept a civil union law. Only Connecticut and Massachusetts have legalized gay marriage.

The Silliest Things

As if the New England Patriots don’t have enough problems with their star player Tom Brady being out with injury for the full season. The Patriots are always big winners on the field. Off the field, a controversy has develped that has never before been revealed to the public. Teammates of a star defensive player have become wary walking around naked or taking showers with him cause they recently found out his most intimate secret - he has a boyfriend. “Many players on the team are in shock over it,” a team source told IUC. “No one wants to shower around him cause they’re worried he might inspect their private parts. It has become a very uncomfortable situation for everyone from the players to the coaches to the wives of the players.”
Homophobic attitudes are rampant in professional sports. Recently an NHL player almost lost his job cause his teammates thought swung both ways, a pro golfer got death threats and a former champion boxer quit the sport entirely cause he was being harrassed for being gay. According to sports sociologist Abe Goldman at least one in every 11 pro athletes is gay.