Sunset From The Rock

Tourista!

Apologies for the light blogging the last few days. My ex is visiting for a week and I've been in complete NYC tourist immersion. Last night we hit The Drowsy Chaperone and dinner at the revolving restaurant at the top of Times Square. Next stop: foam Statue Of Liberty crowns!

Gravity: Fact Or Jewish Conspiracy?

Warren Chisum, the wingnut head of the Texas Appropriations Committee, doesn't believe that the earth revolves around the sun, and is sending his fellow Texas legislators a memo promoting FixedEarth.com, a site devoted to "debunking" Copernicus. Accorded to the site, everything from Darwin to the Big Bang is a "Kabbalist" conspiracy. According to a Daily Kos diarist, Chisum may just be the "craziest winger of all time". THAT is a fearsome accomplishment.
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HomoQuotable - Michael Lucas

"I'm not hiring them for their ability to act." - Porn director Michael Lucas, speaking of the performers in his movie, La Dolce Vita, claiming that nobody would confuse his movie for Federico Fellini's 1960 original. Lucas is being sued for copyright and trademark infringement.
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Leaving On A Jet Plane. Or Not.

A JetBlue airliner pushed back from the gate at JFK on Wednesday and waited for the bad weather to clear so it could take off. ELEVEN hours later, the passengers were still on the plane, waiting for take off. Finally, the jet returned to the gate and the enraged passengers were allowed to get off.

We're hearing these stories more and more often and I just cannot understand why the airlines don't simply let the people off the plane. Even if all the gates are full, there are other ways to disembark a plane that cannot depart. I fear that I would become of those deranged passengers that would have to be restrained by the other passengers, should I become trapped on of these planes.

The airlines argue that using portable stairways to disembark passengers in icy storms would be dangerous. What they mean is they fear lawsuits should somebody trip on the stairs. The passengers don't have to walk across runways, the planes can be towed back to near the terminal. It's outrageous to imprison people on a plane going nowhere.

Morning View - Broadway & 51st

That's me in the red coat.
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Call Shleppers!

Back To The Car Wash

"It is inappropriate for him to be representing us given the disparity between his views and ours,'' NBA Commissioner David Stern, announcing that former Miami Heat star Tim Hardaway was being removed from All-Star Weekend activities. Yesterday, Hardaway effectively ended his sportscasting ambitions by saying on sports radio, "I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States." Hardaway owns a Miami car wash, where he will now be seen six days a week, applying hot wax to his big mouth.

UPDATE: The review site for Hardaway's car wash is here, you know, should you have something to say. The phone number is (305) 447-9998 .

UPDATE II: The reviews are pouring in.

Morning View - Christopher Street Station

Don't be fooled by the gleaming tile, this station isn't nearly as clean as this picture might indicate. Still, I'm in the tiny minority of New Yorkers who think that the subway stations and trains are aren't that horribly dirty, considering that millions and millions of passengers travel through every day and that they never close. This is the 1 train station beneath Sheridan Square at 7th avenue.

NYC Begins Branded Condom Giveaway

Hmm, the earlier story indicated that there'd be a condom for each subway line. There goes the collectible market. The condoms are available free at many of the busiest subway stations around the city.

UPDATE: Washington, DC is doing a city-branded condom too. I'd make some limp joke about the DC fucking the entire country, but it's probably already on your mind, right?

Open Thread Thursday

I'll post my piece from last night's Worst. Sex. Ever show later today.

What was your worst sex ever?
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Nigeria Poses Sweeping Anti-Gay Laws

Nigeria, the 9th most populous nation in the world, is about to criminalize "virtually all forms of gay expression." Legislation being considering by the Nigerian National Assembly reads:

"Any person who is involved in the registration of gay clubs, societies and organizations, sustenance, procession or meetings, publicity and public show of same sex amorous relationship directly or indirectly in public and in private is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a term of five years imprisonment.''

Gay sex is already illegal in Nigeria, punishable by imprisonment in the south and death in the Muslim north. In addition to the above listed restrictions, this bill will make it illegal to possess gay reading material and for two gay people to meet in public or private. Nigeria is a "democracy", a federal republic modeled after the United States with a bicameral legislature. It will be very interesting to see how or if the United Nations attempts to address this outrage, and whether our own government will choose to confront Nigeria. I'm guessing, it won't. Which of our gay rights groups will step up and challenge our government to stand up for the gays of Nigeria?

UPDATE: The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria is John Campbell. Contact info here. I'm sending Mr. Campbell an email today: Consularabuja@state.gov.

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Maraviroc Fast-Tracked

A drug from a coming new class of HIV medications has been fast-tracked for review in the United States and Europe. Pfizer's Maraviroc is the first drug to block CCR5, a chemokine receptor that allows HIV to enter T-cells and reproduce. The FDA will consider approving Maraviroc in April, making it possible that the drug may reach U.S. patients by the end of 2007. For patients whose virus is resistant to current drug therapies, Maraviroc cannot come too soon. However, hopes are tempered by recent news from a study that showed once-a-day Maraviroc therapy did not plunge virus levels into the "undetectable" range. The once-a-day study was discontinued, but the twice-a-day study went on. Dose frequency reduction is critical to managing the virus levels in some individuals who cannot adhere to complex dosing schedules.
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Morning View - 70th & 3rd

Wizzy Reminder

Tonight I'll be appearing in the 4th annual Worst.Sex.Ever, the show that launched WYSIWYG, the now legendary all-blogger performance series. Wizmaster Chris Hampton advises that while the advance tickets are sold out, there will be additional tickets available at the door. This is my fourth or fifth time doing Wizzy, but my first time at the Worst.Sex.Ever show. I'm still not real sure about my material, there's just so much to work with! Sad, really. But funny, too. I promise.
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Drop And Give Me Twenty

Russian soldiers are being being forced into prostitution by their commanders, who are sending their underlings out into local parks and to the homes of clientele who order the soldiers by telephone. Among the reported customers are Russian army generals. According to the story, the favored location for picking up soldier hookers is St. Petersburg's Catherine the Great monument. Russian President Vladamir Putin, who supports Moscow's mayor in his campaign against gay pride events, had no comment, but was seen furiously deleting entries on his Blackberry. Pictured above: Russian basic ho training.
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HomoQuotable - Charlie Crist

"I think that the people care about issues like insurance premiums. They care about property taxes. They care about public safety, and I think it's important that not only those of us in government, but the party focus on those issues, too." - Closeted Florida Governor Charlie Crist, saying that the Republican Party shouldn't pursue a statewide ban on gay marriage, despite the party's 2006 contribution of $300,000 to the anti-gay group, Florida4marriage.org. Crist has previously endorsed the amendment. Hmm, I wonder why Charlie has changed his mind.

Joey Oglesby Vs. Donnie Davies

Here's the complete video behind the MTV News clip posted a couple of days ago. Homo aroma therapy! "Breathe out the homo!"

2008 Candidates List

The website Politics 1 has a comprehensive list of declared and potential 2008 Presidential candidates from the major parties. There are numerous other candidates from outside the Dems and Repubs.

REPUBLICAN PARTY:

US Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas)
Former Governor Jim Gilmore (R-Virginia)
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R-New York)
Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas)
Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-California)
US Senator John McCain (R-Arizona)
Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas)
Former Governor Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts)
Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Colorado)
Former Governor Tommy Thompson (R-Wisconsin)

Possible Republican candidates: Newt Gingrich, Chuck Hagel, George Pataki, Michael Savage

DEMOCRATIC PARTY:

US Senator Joe Biden (D-Delaware)
US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York)
US Senator Chris Dodd (D-Connecitcut)
Former US Senator John Edwards (D-North Carolina)
Former Alaska US Senator Mike Gravel (D-Virginia)
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)
US Senator Barack Obama (D-Illinois)
Governor Bill Richardson (D-New Mexico)
Governor Tom Vilsack (D-Iowa)

Possible Democratic candidates: Wesley Clark, Al Sharpton.
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Morning View - Grand Central Terminal

Bet On Ted!

Over at the Huffington Post, Susie Bright's Ted Haggard Betting Pool is taking bets on how long it will be before Ted Haggard gets caught sucking another cock. Betting starts at $5, with 50% of the proceeds going to the winner and 50% going to LYRIC, the San Francisco-based "young, loud, & proud" gay youth group. Susie Bright rocks!

If any of the following things happen on the date you picked , you have won:

-Ted's Gay Lover (a new one) steps forward with confession
-Ted busted on sex charge
-Ted divorce filed
-Ted drug arrest
-Ted commits adultery
-Ted comes out

I'm picking my birthday! Go Ted, go!
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Dinner And A Show

I guess I still haven't earned my Manhattan cred, because last night friends wanted to take me to eat at the Times Square Olive Garden, and I agreed. I love their salad! Anyway, sitting there on the third floor of the restaurant, with the spinning light show of Times Square playing across our food, I found myself caught up in the excitement of the tourists around me. I just sat there for an hour and listened while everybody exchanged tips and reviews and generally gushed about New York City. If you are feeling especially jaded about this town, it's quite the perfect remedy.
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Candy Man

(via Slate.com)

NBA Owner: An Out Gay Player Would Be A Rich Hero

"From a marketing perspective, if you’re a player who happens to be gay and you want to be incredibly rich, then you should come out, because it would be the best thing that ever happened to you from a marketing and an endorsement perspective. You would be an absolute hero to more Americans than you can ever possibly be as an athlete, and that’ll put money in your pocket." Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, responding to the recent self-outing of former NBA player John Amaechi.

Does he really believe this? It must all those endorsements that Martina Navratilova has. Olivia Cruises!
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Obama Not Black Enough?

Pointing to his "non-slave" roots and his mixed parentage, some American blacks feel that Barack Obama isn't an "authentic" black American. Today Pam Spaulding delivers an incisive and comprehensive entry on the issue. If you aren't reading Spaulding every day, you should be.

Morning View - Non-Violence

Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd's Non-Violence stands near the entrance to the United Nations.
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Gaydar Founder Dead

Gary Frisch, 38, the co-founder of Gaydar, the gay hook-up site, died this weekend at age 38, after a fall from his eighth story balcony in London. Suicide is being considered. Frisch was a South African national who emmigrated to the UK in 1997.
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Withdraw

2006 Oscar - It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp.

2007 Grammy - My Humps.

I formally withdraw my interest in pop music.

Boner OTC (tm)

Viagra, the notorious party drug and HIV enabler, will be sold over the counter in British drugstores beginning (ahem) Valentine's Day. At the outrageous cost of $25 per pill, purchasers must be males between 30 - 65 years old and must endure an hour-long "consultation" with the pharmacist. How is that "over the counter"?
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The Declining Subjunctive

If I was a better writer, I'd pay more attention to William Safire.

Regrets

The 6 train platform, Saturday 3PM

Woman 1: I'm just sorry I slept with them.

Woman 2: Well, you were drunk.

Woman 1: Yeah, but now today I'm all red and itchy.

Woman 2: Right? And you can't put anything in there, cuz you'll make it worse.

(Horrified, the women realize I'm standing there.)

Woman 1: Hey, we're just talking about contact lenses!

Me: Lady, I'm just waiting for the train.
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Preferences?

Obama-Clinton? Or Clinton-Obama?
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