Sunday, November 07, 2010

PODCAST: Same Sex Sunday

Same Sex Sunday is a weekly LGBT news and activism podcast hosted by Phil Reese and Joe Mirabella. This week's guests:
Christian Berle: Deputy Director, Log Cabin Republicans
Christopher Massicotte: Treasurer, Stonewall Democrats
Shawn Werner: Director of Campaign Services, Victory Fund
Michael J Wilson: Director, Americans for Democratic Action
Today's topics: "After Tuesday's election, the political landscape clearly changed for the gay, lesbian, bi, and transgender communities. But how did it change? What does a Republican majority mean? What role do Log Cabin Republicans play in moving us forward? How did state races move us closer to marriage equality? Will Obama face a Democratic primary challenge?"

Labels: , , , , ,


Afternoon View - Philadelphia City Hall

Labels: ,


SF Fog Rugby Club - It Gets Better

Labels: , , , ,


Openly Gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson To Retire Over Death Threats

Saying he is tired of the incessant death threats rained down from God's Gentle People™ , openly gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson is retiring.
"The fact is, the last seven years have taken their toll on me, my family and you," Robinson wrote in a message posted on the diocese website. "Death threats, and the now-worldwide controversy surrounding your election of me as bishop have been a constant strain, not just on me, but on my beloved husband, Mark, who has faithfully stood with me every minute of the last seven years." Robinson was openly gay when he was elected bishop in 2003, but it aroused such passions that he wore a bullet-proof vest to his consecration. His ordination as bishop -- the first of an openly gay priest in any Christian denomination -- so divided the church that its General Convention in 2006 called a moratorium on "any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church."

Labels: , ,


SLIDESHOW: Philly JMG Reader Meet-Up

Despite the one-day notice, last night we had a great crowd of folks come out for the JMG reader meet-up at Philadelphia's Westbury Bar. I had a blast time chatting with so many of you and, of course, continuing onward to the famous/infamous Bike Stop.

Labels: , , ,


BELGIUM: Archbishop Andre Leonard Hit With Pie Following AIDS Remarks

Days after comments in which he declared that AIDS was God's punishment for being gay, Belgian Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard was struck with a pie as he stood at the altar during a service.
Footage of the incident released Saturday showed a young man approaching Archbishop Andre Leonard on Monday and smacking him with a pie. A church official says the archbishop will not press charges against the unknown attacker. The incident came amid growing turmoil within Belgium's Roman Catholic church, which faces an investigation into hundreds of cases of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests. Leonard himself shocked Catholics by sympathizing with priests accused of pedophilia and by saying that homosexuals deserved to get AIDS.
On Tuesday the Archbishop's spokesman resigned, saying, "Archbishop Léonard has sometimes acted like someone who’s driving against the traffic and thinks everyone else is wrong.”

Labels: , , , , ,


Photo Of The Day - Barcelona Pope Kiss-In

Hundreds of homos staged a protest kiss-in as the Pope-Mobile passed in Barcelona today.


(Tipped by JMG reader Jimmy)

Labels: , , , ,


Defense Sec. Robert Gates Urges Senate To Repeal DADT In Lame Duck Session

Today Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said Congress should hurry up and repeal DADT before the new members arrive in January. But it doesn't sound like he thinks they will.
"I would like to see the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" but I'm not sure what the prospects for that are," Gates said Saturday, as he traveled to defense and diplomatic meetings in Australia. Unless the lame-duck Congress acts, the repeal effort is considered dead for now. The current, Democratic-controlled Congress has not acted to lift the ban, which President Barack Obama promised to eliminate. In his postelection news conference Wednesday, Obama said there would be time to repeal the ban in December or early January, after the military completes a study of the effects of repeal on the front lines and at home.

Labels: , , ,


Today In Loving Christianity

Labels: , ,


Saturday, November 06, 2010

The Good Guys At The NARTH Protest

Members of NARTH are featured in the slideshow one post down, these photos are all the good guys, the thinkers, those whose minds are unbound by prehistoric religious dogma and twisted unscientific hooey. I think we had about 40 folks willing to sacrifice a beautiful Saturday morning for a schlep out to a remote airport hotel crawling with people who wish them dead. They did this for you. Enjoy their signs.

Labels: , , , , , , , ,


The Douchebags Of NARTH

Today I participated in the Truth Wins Out protest at NARTH's annual convention in Philadelphia, where TWO's Wayne Besen led a chanting crowd of activists on the sidewalk outside their host hotel. Many of NARTH's attendees took turns peering at us from the windows, but hid from us (in shame) otherwise. However Liberty Counsel's Matt Barber, a speaker at the event, spent quite some time glowering at us from the front sidewalk.

When I first arrived, I got some shots of NARTH attendees inside the hotel, causing one to rush over yelling that I'd be arrested for "stalking" if I didn't leave. Which I did, but I still got to "stalk" some of these baby-killers out to their cars, as you'll see below. The tall bald guy is Christopher Doyle, an "ex-gay" who is on the board of PFOX and who is on staff with "ex-gay" whackadoodle Richard Cohen as a "Sexual Reorientation Coach" at the International Healing Foundation. If that wasn't enough for this professionally "former" cocksucker, he writes newspaper editorials arguing against the Day Of Silence. Anyway, I don't think pillow-whacker Richard Cohen has totally gotten Doyle in touch with his "natural masculine nature," because when I kept taking photos, Doyle put his hand on his hip and hissed, "I don't need this. Why don't you just sssssssstop!"

The slideshow in this post is of NARTH's asshats only as I don't want anyone confusing these self-haters with our heroes at the protest. And that's easy to do because everybody in all of today's photos are completely, totally, forever and ever, always will be, 100% homo G.A.Y.

Hit right-arrow to scroll, hit play for full-screen versions.

Labels: , , , , , , , , ,


RIP Technics SL-1200

The Technics analog turntable, the most beloved and widely-used machine in the history of nightclubs, is no more. Sigh. If I had back all the time I've spent within earshot of a pair of SL-1200s, I'd still be in my 30s. I am not kidding.

Labels: , , ,


Tony Perkins Gloats

"Writes distraught liberal blogger, Will Neville: 'Two years from now, we will look back on November 2, 2010, as the day that far-right Republicans ushered in the most anti-choice, anti-sex ed, anti-LGBT, anti-family planning Congress in our nation's history.' We certainly hope so!

"Seventy-four judges were up for retention in Iowa--and only the three who imposed same-sex 'marriage' on the state are now unemployed. Coincidence? Of the Maine legislators who redefined marriage in 2009, 22 woke up Wednesday morning without jobs. In at least six state legislatures, where a push for same-sex 'marriage' was imminent, Democrats lost their majorities. Say what you will about these midterm elections. But the message to politicians and judges is that there is a political price to pay for imposing a pro-homosexual agenda on people without their consent." - Family Research Council executive director Tony Perkins.

Labels: , ,


Email Of The Day - Eugene Delguadio

Eugene Delguadio, the self-titled Public Advocate Of The U.S., has had a miraculous recovery after last week's near-suicidal plea for money.

Labels: , ,


Glee's All-Boy Katy Perry Cover

Has there ever been anything like this on American TV?

Labels: , , ,


Friday, November 05, 2010

Maddow On Olbermann's Suspension

Rachel Maddow says she understands NBC's rule, but that Olbermann should be un-suspended at once. Maddow devotes a large portion of the segment to ticking off a long list of candidates stumped for on the air by Fox News hosts.

Labels: , , , , ,


Actress Jill Clayburgh Dies At Age 66

Oscar-nominated actress Jill Clayburgh has died in her Connecticut home after a two-decade battle with leukemia. Clayburgh was 66.
Clayburgh was born in New York City, and appeared in numerous Broadway productions in the 1960s and 1970s, including The Rothschilds and Pippin. Clayburgh made her screen debut in The Wedding Party, filmed in 1963 but not released until six years later, and gained attention with roles such as that of Gene Wilder's love interest in the 1976 comedy-mystery Silver Streak, co-starring Richard Pryor. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for 1978's An Unmarried Woman, for which she won the "Best Actress Award" at the Cannes Film Festival, and for 1979's Starting Over, a comedy with Burt Reynolds. She also received strong notices for a dramatic performance in I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can.

Labels: , ,


ILLINOIS: Gay-Friendly Gov. Pat Quinn Triumphs Over LGBT Foe Bill Brady

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn was named the gubernatorial winner late this afternoon and state Sen. Bill Brady has conceded. Quinn, who took over after disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevitch got the boot, was strongly backed by Equality Illinois due to his broad support for LGBT rights. (However Quinn favors civil unions over full marriage equality.) Brady had proposed a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and reportedly wanted to excise gays from employment and housing protections granted by the Illinois Human Rights Act.

According to the above-linked story, Equality Illinois distributed 450,000 absentee ballots on Quinn's behalf. Today CBS News reports that Brady was trailing by only 19,000 votes when he conceded that he could not make up that deficit among the uncounted votes.

Labels: , , ,


Welcome Back Flash Mob

Yet another cornball cheesy corporate cash-in on a years past its due date meme. Agreed? Well, fuck you. It's been a shitty week and this made my grinchy heart hurt.

(Tipped by JMG reader Jerry)

Labels: , , ,


The New Freshman Extremist Class

Labels: , , , ,


Log Cabin Republicans File U.S. Supreme Court Appeal Of DADT Overturn Stay

Today the Log Cabin Republicans turned to the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to overturn the Ninth Circuit Court's indefinite stay of Judge Virginia Phillips' overturn of DADT. From the LCR's law firm of Dan Woods, White & Case:
"We have today filed an application with the United States Supreme Court asking it to vacate the Ninth Circuit's order staying Judge Phillips's injunction pending appeal. We argue in this application that the Ninth Circuit order was arbitrary and an abuse of discretion and should be vacated immediately. We continue to look forward to the day when all Americans can serve in our military without regard to their sexual orientation," said Dan Woods, White & Case partner who is representing Log Cabin Republicans.

Q: Will the entire Supreme Court be involved in considering whether to vacate the Ninth Circuit order?

A: That is up to Justice Kennedy. He may decide himself or he may refer the application to the full court.

Q: How long will the review take?

A: That is also up to the court. The Court may allow the government the opportunity to respond to our application.

Q: What are the next steps if the Court vacates the ruling/doesn't vacate the ruling?

A: If the Court vacates the stay order, DADT is dead pending the appeal, and we have for all intents and purposes won. If it doesn't, we will next move in the Ninth Circuit to expedite the Judge Phillips's decision.

Labels: , ,


Photo Of The Day - Midtown Manhattan

JMG reader Steve tips us to an amazing 67-photo aerial depiction of New York City by the Denver Post. This size and clarity of the photos can't be given justice here, hit the link and see why it took me forever to pick just one out.

Labels: , , ,


The Rent Is Too Damn Auto-Tuned

The ending is cute, too.

Labels: , ,


NBC News Suspends MSNBC Host Keith Olbermann Over Campaign Donations

NBC News has indefinitely suspended MSNBC host Keith Olbermann over political donations his employers say he made in violation of their ethics policy.
The announcement came in a one-sentence statement from MSNBC-TV President Phil Griffin: “I became aware of Keith's political contributions late last night. Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay.” The donations were first reported by the Politico website earlier in the day. Olbermann acknowledged the donations in a statement to Politico, saying he gave the maximum legal donation of $2,400 to Arizona Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords and Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway, who waged an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate against Tea Party standard-bearer Rand Paul.
According to Politico, Olbermann's donations to Grijalva and Giffords came on October 28th, the same day both candidates appeared on his show. NBC's ethics policy reads:
"Anyone working for NBC News who takes part in civic or other outside activities may find that these activities jeopardize his or her standing as an impartial journalist because they may create the appearance of a conflict of interest. Such activities may include participation in or contributions to political campaigns or groups that espouse controversial positions. You should report any such potential conflicts in advance to, and obtain prior approval of, the president of NBC News or his designee."
Olbermann notes that he has never urged anybody, publicly or privately, to make campaign donations to any candidate.

Labels: , , , ,


SATURDAY AT 8PM: JMG Reader Meet-Up
At Philadelphia's Westbury Bar

Sorry for the last minute notice, but based on suggestions from the Facebook gang, we've decided on the Westbury Bar for tomorrow's 8pm JMG reader meet-up in Philadelphia. Westbury is at 261 South 13th Street in the heart of the gayborhood and (I'm told) meets our requirements of dive-y, friendly, and not too loud. I hope to meet lots of you there!

And remember, tomorrow is Truth Wins Out's protest at the opening of NARTH's annual convention at the Philadelphia Renaissance Airport Hotel. If you need a ride, TWO has room for up to 90 "luggage lifters" on their bus, which departs from the LGBT Center at 11:30am. Hit the Lift My Luggage site for suggestions if you're making signs.

Labels: , , , , , , , ,


That's Gay: Gay Reality Judges

Labels: , , ,


Tweet Of The Day - Rep. Nancy Pelosi

There was some question as to whether Pelosi would run for House Minority Leader and since Tuesday night a couple of House Democrats have gone as far as declaring they'd oppose her. Over on Twitter, teabaggers are claiming to be ecstatic over this news, so Pelosi can continue "dragging the Democrats down."

Labels: , , ,


CONNECTICUT: Gubernatorial Race Still Undecided, Legal Challenges May Be Filed

Teabagger Tom Foley is refusing to concede Connecticut's gubernatorial race and is threatening a legal challenge should gay-friendly Democrat Dan Malloy be declared the winner.
In a press conference this morning, Foley left the door open to a possible legal challenge and urged Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz to postpone the official announcement of a victor, due to myriad delays, errors, and confusion that have plagued the state's electoral process. "We are being laughed at around this country," Foley said, according to the New Haven Independent. "I don't want to create a situation where a result is declared here and then it's changed ... Let's just take our time." Foley's statement came after the revelation this morning of Bridgeport's final vote count, which appeared to put Malloy over the top. According to the Hartford Courant, Malloy received 17,973 votes in the heavily Democratic city, as compared to Foley's 4,099.
With over one million votes cast, Malloy leads by only 5000-6000 votes. An automatic recount is only triggered when the difference is 2000 votes or less.

Labels: , ,


Tired Old Queen At The Movies #56

1946's Green For Danger starring Trevor Howard.

Labels: , ,


WASHINGTON: Dem Patty Murray Declared Senate Winner Over GOP's Dino Rossi

Last last night Sen. Patty Murray was declared the winner against GOP challenger Dino Rossi. All the ballots still aren't counted yet, but Murray's 46,000 vote lead was judged to be insurmountable. Murray has a near 100% record on LGBT rights, but supports civil unions over full marriage equality. Rossi had been endorsed by the Tea Party, but steered clear of overtly supporting their agenda. That might have made the difference.

Labels: , , ,


Chilean Miner Does Elvis On Letterman

He's a real charmer and the translator is a riot.

Labels: , ,


You Can Thank Iowa Sen. Mike Gronstal For Vowing To Protect Gay Marriage

Yesterday many of you expressed admiration for Iowa state Sen. Mike Gronstal's vow to thwart NOM's attempt to repeal same-sex marriage. You can now turn that gratitude into action because immediately after Gronstal's pledge, an Act Blue donation page sprang up. Activist Joe Mirabella writes us: "He alone can preserve my right to marry the love of my life, Joe Brokken. I was so moved by his statement today, that I have decided to ask my closest friends to help me thank him. Can you chip in $5 or $10 bucks today, to say thank you so that Joe and I can get married next summer? Pretty please?" You can bet that right this minute NOM is focusing their seemingly inexhaustible resources at bringing Gronstal down. Do what you can.

Labels: , , , ,


The Brian Brown Newsreel

Good As You's Jeremy Hooper takes yesterday's gloat-fest from Brian Brown back to the century from which it came.

Labels: , , ,


Modern Family's Sofia Vergara Pranks Shop Clerks For Ellen DeGeneres

She has the best accent on television.

Labels: , , ,


Chicago's LGBT Health Center Facing Closure Over Financial Mismanagement

Chicago's Howard Brown Center, which provides health services to the city's LGBT community, is facing closure over alleged financial mismanagement by the organization's top officers. The Chicago Tribune reports:
Jamal Edwards — who was appointed president and CEO of Howard Brown in June after two top executives were dismissed — said the Lakeview-based center needs to raise $500,000 before the end of the year or it may cease operations. Edwards said more than $3 million in grant funds — part of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, or MACS, which has tracked thousands of men infected with HIV since the mid-1980s — were mishandled between 2006 and March of this year. An internal review conducted by the center found that some of the grant money was used to cover general operating expenses at Howard Brown, Edwards said. The National Institutes of Health launched an investigation into the financial problems and has referred the matter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' office of inspector general.
The Center provides primary health services to over 6000 LGBT Chicagoans, many of whom with HIV and AIDS.

Labels: , , ,


Pentagon Spokesman: We're On Track To Deliver Our DADT Study On December 1st

"This report is very important to us doing this smartly." Also: "I'm not prepared at this time to tell you what action we may take upon receipt of the report."

UPDATE: The Wonk Room's Igor Volsky weighs in.
Pentagon Spokesperson Geoff Morrell reiterated the importance of the department’s working group review of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell during a briefing yesterday, but stopped short of calling on Congress to move quickly towards ending the ban. In discussing priorities for the lame duck session of Congress, Morrell said that “we are clearly urging Congressional action, echoing the President on [ratifying the] START treaty,” but Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen “want a study to take place in advance of that repeal to educate us how to deal” with repeal.

Labels: , , , ,


Bob Mould Kicks Off Solo Tour

Openly gay former Hüsker Dü and Sugar frontman Bob Mould has launched a solo concert tour beginning with dates in New York City. Mould is also currently one-half of the DJ team behind the wildly successful Blowoff parties, which tour the nation on most weekends.

Nov 05 / New York, NY / City Winery / Buy Tickets
Nov 06 / Brooklyn, NY / Rock Shop /
Buy Tickets
Nov 08 / Providence, RI / The Met /
Buy Tickets
Nov 09 / Northampton, MA / Iron Horse /
Buy Tickets
Nov 10 / Sellersville, PA / Sellersville Theater /
Buy Tickets
Nov 19 / San Francisco, CA / Swedish American Hall /
Buy Tickets
Nov 20 / Los Angeles, CA / Bootleg Theater /
Buy Tickets
Dec 03 / Seattle, WA / Triple Door /
Buy Tickets
Dec 04 / Portland, OR / Mississippi Studios /
Buy Tickets

Labels: , , ,


TEXAS: Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum Calls For Banning Muslims, Well, Everywhere

The above text provided by Right Wing Watch lays out how the Texas chapter of the Phyllis Schlafly-founded Eagle Forum wants Muslims banned from the military, banned from political office, and banned from having government jobs.

For those blissfully unaware, the Eagle Forum is the once powerful (but recently resurgent) Christianist group that seeks to install a theocratic U.S. government. They were founded in 1972 as Stop ERA (the Equal Rights Amendment), which they did. Last year their Texas chairwoman was also the chairwoman of the Texas GOP.

Labels: , , , , ,


American Family Association Declares War On The "Empire" Of The GOP

"The battle now is no longer between the Republicans and President Obama. The battle royale now is between citizen class Republicans and ruling class Republicans. It is a battle between the Jim DeMints of the world and the Mitch McConnells of the world. It is a battle between the Sarah Palins of the world and the John McCains of the world.

"Darrel Issa of California a week ago was a conservative hero, ready to hand out subpoenas like candy to get the bottom of the rank corruption in the Obama administration. Now he’s out there, one day after the election, saying absurd things like, 'My job is to make the president a success.' You can forget Issa. He’s a ruling class Republican and now belongs to the Empire and the Death Star that we in the Rebel Alliance must destroy." - American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer, writing on their Rightly Concerned blog.

Labels: , , , ,


The Danish D'Angelo

This probably works for you even if you haven't seen D'Angelo's Untitled (How Does It Feel) from 1999.

Labels: ,


Rep. Alan Grayson: I Lost Because Young Democrats Just Didn't Come Out To Vote

According to Grayson, only one House Democrat who won in 2008 with a less than ten point margin was reelected on Tuesday. Grayson and 22 others were not. Grayson closes the interview with "we'll see" when asked if he'll run for office again.

Labels: , ,


Does This Mean The TSA Is Going To Start Asking Us To Remove Our Faces?

CNN reports that a passenger boarded a Hong Kong flight bound for Canada looking like an elderly white man, but after take-off he returned from the plane's restroom as himself, a young Asian man. It's all very Mission: Impossible.
The incident occurred on October 29 on Air Canada flight AC018 to Vancouver originating in Hong Kong. An intelligence alert from the Canada Border Services Agency describes the incident as an "unbelievable case of concealment." "Information was received from Air Canada Corporate Security regarding a possible impostor on a flight originating from Hong Kong," the alert says. "The passenger in question was observed at the beginning of the flight to be an elderly Caucasian male who appeared to have young looking hands. During the flight the subject attended the washroom and emerged an Asian looking male that appeared to be in his early 20s." After landing in Canada, Border Services Officers (BSOs) escorted the man off the plane where he "proceeded to make a claim for refugee protection," the alert says.
Reportedly the impostor got on the plane with the boarding pass of another booked passenger, an American who is only 55 years old.

Labels: , , ,


Broadway Friday

- Hugh Jackman will star in a new musical titled Houdini, scheduled to open sometime in 2012. Aaron Sorkin is doing the book, Danny Elfman (!) is writing the music, lyrics by Glenn Slater.

- The musical version of Women On The Verge just opened and the reviews are scathing.

- Kiefer Sutherland will make his Broadway debut this March in the revival of Jason Miller's Tony-winning That Championship Season. Chris Noth and Jason Patric to co-star.

- Soap opera stars will join Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS for their spring gala at Town Hall. Scheduled to appear: Cameron Mathison, Anthony Geary, the cast of The View, others. Get tickets here.

- Rosie O'Donnell plays Town Hall tonight as part of the New York Comedy Festival. Get tickets here.

- The delay-plagued Spider-Man has pushed back opening day yet again, this time to January 11th, missing the entire (and very lucrative) holiday box office.

- The Off Broadway revival of Tony Kushner's Tony and Pulitzer-winning Angels In America is earning rave reviews. Who here has seen it?

VIDEO: Here's the trailer for the Pee-Wee Herman Show, which is now in previews.

Labels: , , , ,


Cyndi Lauper Turns The Empire State Building Green For Homeless LGBT Youth

From the clip description at Lauper's We Give A Damn channel:
Tonight, the Empire State Building in New York City will shine green in recognition of all the homeless youth around the world, in particular gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth who have been kicked out of their homes or who have runaway out of fear and despair. In New York City and across the country, it is estimated that 20% to 40% of the homeless youth population is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, yet only make up 3 to 5% of the general youth population.

Labels: , , , ,


HomoConQuotable - Kevin DuJan

"Black voters are racist. Not only will they stick with Obama no matter what he does, but they will punish anyone they think harmed him in any way. Part of why HRC took the Secretary of State job was so she could appear to now be friendly with Obama…that, and so she did not have to be in the Senate when all Hell broke loose and Democrats started voting on crazy things.

"Notice: you don’t hear many, if any, blacks calling HRC a racist or using the 2008 campaign against her. She nullified all that…because she knows she will need blacks to support her 2016 bid. [snip] All those bitter, clinging, white working class people are gone and won’t magically come back by 2012. Not even for Hillary, which is why she is too smart to get into a 2012 race. Her eye is on 2016." - Kevin DuJan, founder of Free Republic's favorite homocon site, Hillbuzz.

Labels: , , , , , , ,


GOProud Goes Anti-Choice

Not too surprising that an organization comprised virtually entirely of wealthy white men would be anti-woman. Then there's this Chris Barron quote from August 4th: "We are a gay organization, we only work on gay issues, we have never claimed otherwise. My God people." By "gay issues" he must mean controlling the reproductive choices of heterosexual women.

UPDATE: The organizer of the above event at George Washington University wants you to know that GOProud has no "official position" on abortion. It's just their leader taking anti-woman speaking gigs under their name, OK?

Labels: , , ,


NEVERENDING: The Latest Lies From The Lying Mouths Of Lying Republican Liars

And you KNOW that about 100 million dumbass Americans completely believe every single word of this crap.

Labels: , , ,


Thursday, November 04, 2010

Smartphone Wars

(Source)

Labels: , , , ,


NOM's Brian Brown Gloats Over Iowa

Labels: , , , , , ,


Mom Of The Year

In a blogpost titled My Son Is Gay, a mom talks about letting her five year-old boy dress in drag for Halloween. You should read the entire beautiful story for background and context. An excerpt:
So a few weeks before Halloween, Boo decides he wants to be Daphne from Scooby Doo, along with his best friend E. He had dressed as Scooby a couple of years ago. I was hesitant to make the purchase, not because it was a cross gendered situation, but because 5 year olds have a tendency to change their minds. After requesting a couple of more times, I said sure and placed the order. He flipped out when it arrived. It was perfect. Then as we got closer to the actual day, he stared to hem and haw about it. After some discussion it comes out that he is afraid people will laugh at him. I pointed out that some people will because it is a cute and clever costume. He insists their laughter would be of the ‘making fun’ kind. I blow it off. Seriously, who would make fun of a child in costume?
Read the rest to see what happened.

RELATED: Sometimes I'll skip posting a human interest or non-political story if I'm a couple of days late on it and I'm sure you've seen it on the other gay news blogs. This story, however, has generated more "Why haven't you blogged THIS?" emails than probably anything in the history of this here website thingy. As you wish!

Labels: , ,


Gap Employees - It Gets Better

Dan Savage comments on the "second-wave" of It Gets Better videos such as this and today's clip from Canada.
Most of the videos that went up in the first few weeks were—in addition to being moving and heartfelt—very quickly made, mostly with webcams, and the sound quality was sometimes poor. None of these things made the first-wave videos any less effective or necessary or welcome. Now, however, we're seeing more videos that have been professionally produced, shot, and edited. The rawness of the first-wave videos contributed to their emotional impact; the professionalism of these second-wave videos demonstrates that the IGBP didn't only inspire people who were with familiar with webcams and the aesthetics of YouTube confessionals.

RELATED: It Gets Better t-shirts are now available with a $30 donation to the Trevor Project.

Labels: , , ,


World Net Daily's Gay Obsession

Christianist website World Net Daily's monthly print magazine, Whistleblower, promises to "blow the lid off" the lamestream media's obsession with the LGBT rights movement with articles by Matt Barber, Joseph Farah, and even Porno Pete. Because any day now, them homos is gonna OUTLAW Jeebus himself!
"I know everyone these days is preoccupied with politics and the economy, and may feel that 'gay rights' is just some 'marginal social issue.' I have news for you: This 'marginal' issue is increasingly outlawing the Christian faith. That's not an exaggeration: Owen and Eunice Johns, a lovely Christian couple, want to open their home to foster children – but the government refuses and condemns them because they're Christians who believe homosexuality is a sin. Get it? It's no longer a matter of whether homosexuals are fit to adopt children or take them in as foster parents, but rather, it is now Christian parents who are considered unacceptable to raise children. This is happening more and more. If you want to stop the rapid criminalization of Christianity, you need to read 'AMERICA'S 'GAY' OBSESSION.'"
As I've pointed out before, the new talking point of Jeebus horde is the singular British case of an anti-gay couple being denied additional foster children because of their incessant hate speech. WND has never once pointed out that this case is from a foreign country with, you know, foreign laws.

Also in this issue of Whistleblower is an article from Repent America's Linda Harvey in which she repeats the vile claim that LGBT youth are killing themselves because they know in their secretly-Christian hearts that they are detestable creatures. An annual subscription to Whistleblower is yours with a love offering of $39.95. Glory! Prai$e Hi$ Name!

Labels: , , , ,


INTERNET DEATH WATCH: 100% Of Net Neutrality Supporters Their Elections

You can kiss your unlimited, uncensored, unthrottled and open internet service goodbye. All 95 candidates that supported the FCC's Net Neutrality bill were defeated on Tuesday.
Before Tuesday's midterm elections, there were 95 House and Senate candidates who pledged support for Net neutrality, a bill that would force Internet providers to not charge users more for certain kinds of Web content. All of them lost -- and that could mean the contentious proposal may now be all but dead. The Federal Communications Commission tried to implement Net neutrality rules but got smacked down in April by a court ruling saying it did not have the authority to do so. As a result, it is preparing a proposal asking Congress to give it new authority to regulate broadband Internet service. If passed, the Net neutrality law would require Internet providers like phone and cable companies to treat all Web content equally. They would prevent providers from restricting access to certain sites or applications, or collecting fees to deliver some sites faster than others.
In August a coalition of GOP and Tea Party candidates formed to oppose Net Neutrality, arguing that it was good for business to allow internet providers to charge customers more to access the sites of their competitors. And if you're unwilling to pay a surcharge to access, for example, Hulu from a Comcast connection, rather than NBC, which they own, then Comcast is perfectly entitled to throttle the speed of Hulu's signal. Time-Warner Cable, likewise, could charge you more to read online magazines that aren't in their 150-title portfolio.

Labels: , , ,


Philadelphia Opera Flash Mob

Clip description:
On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the Opera Company of Philadelphia brought together over 650 choristers from 28 participating organizations to perform one of the Knight Foundation's "Random Acts of Culture" at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia. Accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ - the world's largest pipe organ - the OCP Chorus and throngs of singers from the community infiltrated the store as shoppers, and burst into a pop-up rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's "Messiah" at 12 noon, to the delight of surprised shoppers. This event is one of 1,000 "Random Acts of Culture" to be funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation over the next three years. The initiative transports the classical arts out of the concert halls and opera houses and into our communities to enrich our everyday lives.
On the downside, Macy's is already completely tricked out in Xmas dreck.

Labels: , ,


Tina Fey Renews Palin Impression

Labels: , ,


Fifty Reasons To Love New York City

Today the Village Voice published a list titled "50 Reasons To Be Pretty Damn Euphoric You Live In New York City." Here's a few of my favorites.
50. Sending your laundry out for someone else to wash and dry it is not only convenient, it's just good business. Especially since you will probably never own a washer and dryer. Which means you never have to feel guilty about not doing your own laundry.
47. There is always someone crazier than you. ALWAYS.
44. The epic feeling you get running to catch a train and succeeding...just before the doors close.
36. Whatever you need, whenever you need it, there is someone who will bring it to you for a price, which may or may not be negotiable. (Or legal.)

30.
The fact that one-bedroom apartments cost an average minimum of a half-million dollars means we think nothing of spending $12 on lunch.

29.
Restaurants are as common as single men and women. And equally diverse. And you never have to see either of them again after the initial awkward encounter.

7.
Subway "prewalking," in which you walk to the exact right spot on the platform to board the train car that will save you the most time upon exit, exists and has a name. Gotta respect.
5. We are, as a group, anti-fanny-pack as much as we are pro-gay-marriage. Hetero marriage, on the other hand, we can pretty much take or leave.
2. There is absolutely no reason to ever drink and drive. Added bonus: Spontaneous, fascinating conversations with cab drivers.
I'll have lived in Manhattan for ten years this spring (longer than SF or Fort Lauderdale) and I've probably seen less than 10% of the city. I still sometimes need a subway map if I venture below Houston or above 86th (and always on my rare trips off the island.) I haven't owned a car (much less driven one) in a decade and the last time I did my own laundry was in a previous century. But I also live in an apartment with a rent that would cover the mortgage on a lovely Wilton Manors pool home and that is so small that I can reach into my fridge without getting up from my desk. It's totally worth it.

Labels: ,


Canadians Agree - It Gets Better

I'm told there's lots of famous Canucks in this.

(Tipped by JMG reader Mark)

Labels: , ,


Servicemembers United Urges Harry Reid To Move On DADT In Lame Duck Session

Servicemembers United has issued a press release telling Sen. Harry Reid that he has "no good reason" to drag his feet on putting DADT to a Senate vote during the lame duck session.
"The path to getting defense authorization and 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' wrapped up this year is narrow, but that path is also crystal clear," said Alexander Nicholson, Executive Director of Servicemembers United. "There is neither time nor any good reason to delay bringing the authorization bill back up for reconsideration, and the first concrete action on the bill absolutely must occur before the Senate's Thanksgiving recess. A handful of angry and unreasonable Republicans will certainly try to obstruct, but the key to success is going to be striking a deal with a few moderate and reasonable Republicans to proceed on the bill. The McCain contingent should be irrelevant to securing that agreement."
Servicemembers United: "Senator Reid, and Senator Reid alone, ultimately controls how the defense authorization bill will be brought back up, and whether it will get brought up in enough time for it to be completed by the end of the year."

Labels: , , ,


SF Giants World Series Victory Parade

Lt. Governor-elect Mayor Gavin Newsom and Brian "The Beard" Wilson go by right at the beginning of this clip.

Labels: , , ,


Democratic Iowa Senate Leader Vows To Block Any Gay Marriage Repeal Attempt

While they succeeded in ousting three of Iowa's seven supreme court justices, NOM will have a hard time pushing forward in any marriage repeal attempt, thanks to state Senate leader Mike Gronstal.
Despite sweeping GOP gains in Iowa government Tuesday, one Democratic senator will thwart efforts to allow Iowans a vote on gay marriage. Republicans will occupy the governor's office and will control the Iowa House next year, and there's a chance that final results could give Republicans a 25-25 deadlock in the Iowa Senate. But Senate Democrats will maintain at least equal power — which will give Majority Leader Mike Gronstal authority to prevent a vote on a marriage amendment to the state constitution. "There's no mechanism whereby senators, even a majority of senators, can override the majority leader," according to Secretary of the Senate Mike Marshall, a staffer who ensures rules are followed.
Gronstal: "The easy political thing for me to do years ago would have been to say, 'Oh, let's let this thing go. It's just too political and too messy.' What's ugly is giving up what you believe in, that everybody has the same rights. Giving up on that? That's ugly."

Iowa Sen. Mike Gronstal, our hero for today.

Labels: , , , ,


GOProud Exults In GOP Wins

"According to CNN, 31% of self-identified gay voters supported Republican candidates for the U.S. House. This number is a dramatic increase from the 19% GOP House candidates won among gay voters in 2008. The gay left would have you believe that gay conservatives don’t exist. Now we see that almost a third of self-identified gay voters cast ballots for Republican candidates for Congress in this year’s mid-term. This should be a wake-up call for the out-of-touch so-called leadership of Gay, Inc. in Washington, D.C., which has become little more than a subsidiary of the Democrat Party." - Jimmy LaSalvia, executive director of GOProud, which endorsed a long list of candidates with anti-gay voting records.

Among GOProud's 2010 endorsees was Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), who voted for a ban on gay adoptions in Washington DC, voted for the Federal Marriage Amendment, and who has called the LGBT rights movement "the greatest threat to our freedom that we face today." Coburn has a 0% rating from the Human Rights Campaign. Additionally, he is a member of The Family, a DC-based coalition of GOP lawmakers and Christianist activists best known for their promulgation of Uganda's "kill gays" bill. GOProud would like you to know that they are delighted with Coburn's reelection.

Labels: , ,


Sarah Palin's First 2012 Ad

Labels: , ,


Photo Of The Day - The Nile From The ISS

(Source)

Labels: , ,


PhoboQuotable - Belgium's Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard

“When you mistreat the environment it ends up mistreating us in turn. And when you mistreat human love, perhaps it winds up taking vengeance. All I’m saying is that sometimes there are consequences linked to our actions. this epidemic is a sort of intrinsic justice." - Belgian Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard, saying that AIDS is God's punishment for being gay. Leonard also said that seeking vengeance on pedophile priests was "inhumane," a remark from which he later retreated.

Labels: , , , , , ,


Banned In San Francisco

San Francisco has banned the sale of Happy Meals, or more specifically, banned the giving away of toys in meals which get more than 35% of their calories from fat. McDonald's says they are "disappointed" with the city's decision. Today Buzzfeed list provides a top ten list of things banned in San Francisco, such as plastic bags, smoking, Happy Meals, and as of Tuesday, sitting.

Labels: , ,


Freedom To Marry's Evan Wolfson Has Some Good News And A Survey

Here's the survey, please take part.

Labels: , ,


Pogo - Wishery

Pogo is the 21 year-old video artist from Perth, Australia formerly known as Fagottron. Now that he's officially working for Pixar, he's going by Pogo. (His real name is Nick Bertke.) Many of his tracks are available for free download at LastFM. Here's his take on Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs.

Labels: , , ,


Quote Of The Day - Tony Perkins

"At its core, this is a center-right country where things like 'hope' and 'change' are still measured against our greatest ideals. It's still a place where freedom matters more than 'progress.' Where faith is fought for, not against. And where standing for life means not standing alone. Voters are looking to the GOP to take us--not down the path of least resistance--but the road less traveled.

"In race after race, we witnessed the raw power, not of the Republican Establishment, but of the deep alliance between social and Tea Party conservatives. Despite what the old guard will say, this synergy is based on more than policy or disillusionment. It's rooted in a common passion to restore the Constitution, the family, life, and faith to a place of honor in American law. And the GOP ignores it at their peril. Americans are looking for men and women of conviction." - Family Research Council head Tony Perkins, telling the GOP that they've been put on notice for not being anti-gay enough.

Labels: , , , ,


Maddow's Undecided Races Wrap-Up

Last night Rachel Maddow recapped the still many races not yet decided. Some of these we should know by the end of today.

Labels: ,


Open Thread Thursday

What's on your DVR this season? I'm loving AMC's Walking Dead and BBC America's Law & Order: UK. (Even though I have to keep the closed captioning on for the latter.)

Labels: ,


Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Giuliani Reverses On DADT

Rudy Giuliani says that since we're no longer "at the height of the Iraq War," maybe it's time for the GOP "to ease up on DADT" and approve its repeal.

Labels: , , ,


OKLAHOMA: Trans Attorney Brittany Novotny Loses Race With Sally Kern

Arch homophobe Sally Kern easily won reelection to the Oklahoma state House yesterday, taking 66% of the vote over novice candidate and trans attorney Brittany Novotny. But Kern got there by pulling a dirty trick in the last week of the campaign, when she sent out a (hilariously misspelled) campaign mailer falsely claiming Notovny's support for a spending issue.
Novotny's disapproval on the ballot question, which would raise per-student education spending in a way she does not agree with, was never made public. However, Kern's last-minute mailer, sent to voters over the weekend, not only claims the challenger supports SQ744 but points out several times that she is transgender. "Last I checked, bearing false witness is in violation of the 10 commandments," Novotny said. "This kind of false representation of my position on an important local issue shows that Representative Kern is not only out of touch and ineffective but also just plain dishonest. The voters of HD 84 deserve a representative who will focus on jobs, education and transportation — not more political games." The mailer also points out that Novotny is unmarried, chair of the LGBT Caucus of Oklahoma, and supports marriage equality as defining traits. Kern, on the other hand "supports traditional marriage (between a man and women [sic])" and touts that she is the wife of a preacher.
Earlier in the campaign Kern gave television interviews repeating her infamous 2008 claim that homosexuals were more dangerous to America than terrorists.

Labels: , , ,


Exit Polls Suggest 12% Decline In Gay Support For House Democrats

AmericaBlog Gay has all the links.