Which Is The Tallest?

The "arbiters of world building heights" are meeting this weekend to decide if the almost-completed One World Trade Center will take the crown from Chicago's Willis Tower as the tallest building in the western hemisphere.

"Most of the time these decisions are not so controversial," said Daniel Safarik, an architect and spokesman for the nonprofit Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. The 30 members of its Height Committee are meeting to render a judgment behind closed doors in Chicago, where the world's first skyscraper appeared in 1884. The committee, comprising industry professionals from all over the world, will announce its decision next week. The question over 1 World Trade Center, which remains under construction and is expected to open next year, arose because of a change to the design of its tower-topping needle. Under the council's current criteria, spires that are an integral part of a building's aesthetic design count; broadcast antennas that can be added and removed do not. The designers of 1 World Trade Center had intended to enclose the mast's communications gear in decorative cladding made of fiberglass and steel. But the developer removed that exterior shell from the design, saying it would be impossible to properly maintain or repair. Without it, the question is whether the mast is now primarily just a broadcast antenna.

Embiggen the above graphic for some comparisons.

Bill Maher On Christian Values

Mediaite recaps:

Bill Maher ended his show Friday night with a blistering takedown of religious people who would love to do things like take care of the starving and needy if it weren’t always for some personal conflict getting in the way. Maher said these Christians should “just admit you’re selfish” and come to terms with the fact that their actions do not “mirror the spirit of Jesus.” Maher mocked the Christian message of “I believe in charity, just not for people who need it” and concluded that “there’s always a good moral Christian to tell everyone you meet to fuck off and die.”

At Hong Kong Pride 2013

Gay Star News reports on Hong Kong's fifth pride parade:

Today's Hong Kong Pride showed the LGBT community there are more visible than ever before. The head of Hong Kong's Equal Opportunity Commission Dr York Chow addressed the crowd, as did member of the legislative council Cyd Ho. This year, the fifth Hong Kong Pride, saw more corporate sponsorship with JP Morgan and Citibank joining Barclays, Goldman Sachs and Nomura who gave cash sponsorship last year, Fridae reports. Paul Choi, Goldman Sachs' executive director of human capital management, also spoke at the parade. 'As a company, we have been participating in the parade since 2008, and we are glad to see more people taking part as Hong Kong becomes more inclusive,' he said in a statement.

An estimated 8000 people attended.

Brian Brown Applauds Jo Jordan

"Despite being called 'Judas' in the gay press (along with suffering some other malignant and tasteless personal attacks) she is doing the right thing to express concerns about the many examples of punishment that people have suffered when marriage has been redefined elsewhere. Legal scholars on both sides of the issue brought this to the attention of all lawmakers, and it’s gratifying that Rep. Jordan is examining those concerns. I don't know what Jordan will do in the future with respect to this issue. She is under tremendous pressure from gay activists and we should hold her in prayer. But whatever her final vote, the fact that she has acknowledged as legitimate the concerns many people have about the consequences of redefining marriage is an example of the kind of public servants we need more of in this country: elected officials who are willing to critically examine the issues without counting the cost and without worrying about being maligned and vilified by small-minded individuals who have no respect for the democratic process." - Hate group leader Brian Brown, writing before last night's final vote.

As we know now, Jordan did indeed cast her final vote against the civil equality of her own people, becoming the only openly gay legislator to ever have done so.

Honolulu Magazine posted a lengthy interview with Jordan before last night's vote. An excerpt from her responses:

I haven’t figured out why I felt so compelled to fight for the religious exemptions, to not erode Constitutional rights. I don’t belong to any particular denomination. I don’t wear one of those hats. I take religion out of everything. My religion is the mountain, the aina and spiritual. Everybody finds their own religion somewhere. I have the same values as they do, but it’s just a little different. When I walked into this session, that rose to the surface. Why me? Why am I trying to protect your religious rights? I’m still trying to figure out. I’ve always followed paths. I don’t find the path. The path finds me. This, obviously, is a path I’m supposed to go. You’re not supposed to question. Just ‘OK.’

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie Celebrates

"

"I commend the House of Representatives for taking this historic vote to move justice and equality forward. After more than 50 hours of public testimony from thousands of testifiers on both sides of the issue, evaluating dozens of amendments, and deliberating procedures through hours of floor debates, the House passed this significant bill, which directly creates a balance between marriage equity for same-sex couples and protects our First Amendment freedoms for religious organizations. I applaud Speaker Souki, Judiciary Chair Rhoads, Finance Chair Luke, Majority Leader Saiki and the rest of the leadership team for their patience, fairness and hard work in shepherding this bill through the House. I am confident that the Senate will address the bill in the same spirit. I look forward to a successful conclusion to this major step in affirming everyone's civil rights." - Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie, in a statement issued today.

Hawaii House PASSES Marriage Bill!

Listen to the happy people sing!

Tweet Of The Day - Hawaiian TV

LIVE VIDEO: Final Full Hawaii House Vote On Marriage Equality Bill

The House is in recess at this writing, but things should get underway shortly. Watch live here.  Note: Should the bill pass in its third House reading, it will need to return to the Senate for a concurrence vote that would easily pass.

Jesus Comes First

After Monday's tweet about about rubbing one out, some folks on Facebook think Osteen "is just trolling us now." Source. (Via JMG reader Ian)

UPDATE: I meant to ask if anybody can find the original source on this and prove it's not a photoshop.

NEW JERSEY: Liberty Counsel LOSES Bid To Overturn "Ex-Gay" Torture Bill

The above-named New Jersey court today told the Liberty Counsel to go fuck themselves.  From the ruling:

Garden State's motion for permissive intervention is GRANTED. Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment is DENIED. Defendants' cross motion for summary judgment is GRANTED in its entirety. Accordingly, all of Plaintiffs' federal and state constitutional claims against Defendants are DISMISSED, and Plaintiffs have no standing to bring any third party claims on behalf of their minor clients and the clients' parents.

I've uploaded the ruling to my Scribd account for those that will enjoy the smackdown.

NEW MEXICO: Hate Group Petitions SCOTUS On Behalf Of Photographer

The anti-gay Alliance Defending Freedom today petitioned the US Supreme Court to hear the appeal of New Mexico's Elane Photography, the most-cited case in the boogeyman war against same-sex marriage despite the fact that New Mexico does not presently have legalized same-sex marriage. Via SCOTUSblog:

On the premise that taking photos is a form of story-telling — recall the old idea about how many words a picture is worth — an Albuquerque studio on Friday asked the Supreme Court to protect its owners from having to send the message that the uniting of same-sex couples in marriage-like ceremonies is acceptable. The new case of Elane Photography v. Willock does not ask the Court to rule on any right of gays and lesbians to marry, but it does seek a decision on how far a state may go to protect same-sex couples from discrimination in the marketplace. The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled in August that the studio violated a state anti-discrimination law by turning away a request to take photos of a same-sex commitment ceremony. As more legislatures — including Congress — pass or at least consider bills to outlaw discrimination against homosexuals, the spread of marriage or civil unions among gays and lesbians is now raising more issues about how those laws apply to such relationships. The Elane Photography case could help provide an answer.

Read today's filing in full.

CALIFORNIA: Oakland Teen Charged With Hate Crime After Setting Transgender City Bus Passenger On Fire

Via the San Jose Mercury-News:

A 16-year-old who told police homophobia caused him to light a sleeping teen's skirt on fire aboard an AC Transit bus Monday night has been charged as an adult and could go to prison for life if convicted, prosecutors announced Thursday. Richard Thomas, an Oakland High School student, on Thursday was charged with aggravated mayhem and assault with means likely to produce great bodily injury, both felonies that include two hate crime enhancements. Thomas' "violent and senseless criminal conduct resulted in severe and traumatic injuries to a young and entirely innocent victim," Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said. "The intentional and callous nature of the crime is shocking and will not be tolerated in our community," O'Malley said. "Our thoughts remain with the victim and the victim's family in wishing for a full recovery from the extensive burns suffered as a result of this crime."

More about the attack:

Authorities said Thomas boarded the bus near his high school at 5:20 p.m. Monday, saw 18-year-old Luke "Sasha" Fleischman sleeping in a rear seat and lit Fleischman's skirt on fire. He was arrested at Oakland High School on Tuesday afternoon after bus surveillance footage helped police identify him as the alleged attacker. Fleischman, a senior at Maybeck High School in Berkeley, suffered second- to third-degree burns and was in stable condition at St. Francis Memorial Hospital's Bothin Burn Center in San Francisco on Thursday. Friends and family say Fleischman identifies as "nonbinary" gender, meaning the Oakland teen does not identify as male or female.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the victim will need "massive skin-grafting" for second and third-degree burns. Thomas faces a possible life sentence for felony aggravated assault as a hate crime.

UPDATE: Students and staffers and the victim's school wore skirts today in solidarity.

"The students wanted to rally their support for Sasha, so they came up with the idea of wearing skirts because that's what Sasha likes to do and what Sasha was wearing when Sasha was lit on fire," said Cralle, who wore a type of floral sarong known as a "lava-lava" that is worn by both men and woman in the Pacific Islands. Cralle did not have a count of how many of Maybeck High's 110 students were sporting skirts, but he said there was widespread participation. "Everybody, students and staff, male and female, is wearing skirts," he said. The school planned to pose for a group photo at lunch so it could be delivered to Fleischman, who remained in stable condition with second- and third-degree burns on his legs.

Fred Karger On Mormons & ENDA

"This would not have happened without the blessing of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon Church). The Mormon Church got a big black eye five years ago for all it did to pass Proposition 8 in California, which wrote discrimination into the state Constitution and took away gay marriage in the nation's largest state. So in order to try to make amends, the Mormon Church led the effort to pass a workplace and housing nondiscrimination law in Salt Lake City in 2009. [snip]

"There are 10 Mormon members of the House of Representatives. If the Mormon Church would use its influence to get all 10 Mormon House members to support ENDA and have them to put some friendly pressure on Speaker Boehner, ENDA would likely become law. They need to lean on the Speaker to at least let ENDA come to the House floor for a vote, and then work diligently for its passage. Let's hope that the Mormon Church, which advocates equal protection for all Americans, will stand up once again and help ENDA become the law of the land." - 2012 GOP presidential candidate Fred Karger, writing for the Huffington Post.

Fox Ignores Discredited Benghazi Report

Senate Mormons Helped Win ENDA

The New York Times reports that ENDA passed yesterday not just with the help of the top Mormons in the Senate such as Majority Leader Harry Reid, but with the de facto blessing (or at least, without the objections) of the church itself.

Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, who at 79 is one of the Senate’s longest-serving members, became the first Republican to signal he would reverse his opposition as the bill faced a crucial vote in committee. He voted against a similar bill the last time it came up in the Senate — 17 years ago — but changed his mind earlier this year after Gordon H. Smith, a fellow Mormon and former Republican senator, convinced him there was nothing in it that violated church doctrine. “The church does want to be helpful where we can be, without violating our own conscience,” Mr. Smith, a former bishop, said in an interview. And as the bill approached a vital vote earlier this week, Senator Dean Heller, the Nevada Republican who has taught Sunday school at his Mormon church, provided the crucial 60th vote to break a filibuster. In the end, all but two of the Senate’s seven Mormons voted yes. Their support for including civil rights protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people is the latest example of a broader evolution by some of the most visible members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who have come to cautiously embrace gay rights. It is a remarkable turnabout from just five years ago, when the church faced a maelstrom of criticism for backing the initiative in California that took away the right of same-sex couples to marry.

The LDS-owned Deseret News notes that ENDA is as far it goes.

Politico reported that Reid, who is LDS, told a group of reporters, most of them working for LGBT publications according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, that his social views have shifted over time to support issues like ENDA. He said he thought that was true of other Latter-day Saints. The church did not directly address the broad range of LGBT rights. It responded to media inquiries with its statement, which read in part, "As the church has said before, elected officials who are Latter-day Saints make their own decisions and may not necessarily be in agreement with one another or even with a publicly stated church position. "On the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), the church has not taken a position. On the question of same-sex marriage, the church has been consistent in its support of traditional marriage while teaching that all people should be treated with kindness and understanding. If it is being suggested that the church’s doctrine on this matter is changing, that is incorrect."

IDAHO: Marriage Lawsuit Filed

And today we add Idaho to the ever-growing list. Via press release from the National Center for Lesbian Rights:

Today, four same-sex couples filed a federal lawsuit in Boise challenging Idaho’s laws that prohibit same-sex couples from marrying and refuse to respect the legal marriages of same-sex couples who married in other states. The couples, all from Boise, include university instructors, a teacher of deaf children, and a military veteran who served with the Idaho National Guard in Iraq. Three of the couples are raising children together. The lawsuit argues that Idaho’s laws barring same-sex couples from marrying and prohibiting the state from recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples who married in other states violates the United States Constitution’s guarantees of equal protection and due process. The couples are Sue Latta and Traci Ehlers, Lori and Sharene Watsen, Shelia Robertson and Andrea Altmayer, and Amber Beierle and Rachael Robertson. They are represented by Boise attorneys Deborah A. Ferguson and Craig Durham and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR).

The Bear & The Hare

Going viral on YouTube today is a Christmas ad from Britain's John Lewis department store chain.

Watch the new John Lewis Christmas TV advert and see Hare give his best friend Bear a Christmas he'll never forget. Set in a beautiful forest, poor Bear is the only animal that never gets to celebrate Christmas because he has to hibernate every year. However, this year is different. This year Hare has a brilliant idea. The commercial uses a unique animation style that combines traditional 2D hand-drawn animation, stop frame, and 3D model made sets. The story is set to a cover of Keane's 'Somewhere Only We Know' performed by Lily Allen.

It's my favorite Keane song and Lily Allen you might know from her gay rights anthem, Fuck You.

(Tipped by JMG reader David)

FLORIDA: World AIDS Museum Dedicated In Wilton Manors, Magic Johnson Attends

The dedication for the World AIDS Museum took place in the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Wilton Manors yesterday. Father Tony Adams took the above photo and he sends us this email:

I just went to the dedication of the fledgling World AIDS Museum in Wilton Manors. Magic Johnson was the special guest. He donated a jersey. He said that today is the 22nd anniversary of his coming out as HIV+. Steve Stagon, the founder, said that the museum will increase awareness and decrease the stigma of HIV/AIDS. A board member who came out as gay to his parents and got tested for HIV said that Magic Johnson inspired him to do it. He also made the point that the 9/11 museum honors the 3000 who died because of the attack, and the Holocaust museum honors the 6 million who died because of the Holocaust, but there have been 26 million deaths worldwide because of HIV/AIDS. There is much justification for this museum. This museum will have an education center to provide treatment and prevention information.

You can donate to support the museum here.

Brian Brown Has The ENDA Sadz

"We are very disappointed by the Senate's passage of this bill. While protecting people against discrimination is a very important goal, this legislation is problematic because of its broad and unclear definitions. Concepts like 'sexual orientation' and 'gender identity' are too vague to be a basis for such a law which could lead to individuals facing reprisals or even criminal action simply for expressing their values in the workplace. We are grateful for Speaker Boehner’s leadership in the House on this issue. He understands the kinds of frivolous lawsuits and bullying through litigation that could come about as the result of such a measure." - Hate group leader Brian Brown, in a press release published on NOM's blog.

PENNSYLVANIA: Activist Couples Marry Across Bridge To New Jersey

Yesterday three gay couples from Pennsylvania literally married across a bridge to New Jersey. Nice symbolism.

"Just this week, Illinois passed marriage equality, Hawaii is on the verge of passing marriage equality, New Jersey recently passed marriage equality and we're hoping for a win here in Pennsylvania," said Adrian Shanker, president of Equality Pennsylvania. "You can see it from right here, you can see New Jersey," Shanker told the group during the rally. After several people spoke, the group made the short walk across the bridge to "bridge the gap" so three same-sex couples could get legally married in New Jersey. "When they come back across that bridge they will have access to numerous federal benefits and no state benefits here in Pennsylvania and that's wrong, and that's why we're marching and fighting today," said Shanker.

(Tipped by JMG reader Matthew)

HomoQuotable - Thomas Roberts

"It’s been an incredible experience so far. I certainly don’t want to be a commercial for Russia… [but] I haven’t run into any discrimination so far since I’ve been here. Just by showing up, just by being visible, just by the sheer presence of my husband being there with me, and just the interest that this might generate in what my personal back story is, I think that just sends a strong message that you can have a highly successful professional career and a successful personal life and they can be integrated. The LGBT community has the right to be outraged. But it’s not the time to shy away, it’s the time to show up. And it’s the time to make sure that you show up and that you’re visible, and that you’re respected, on an equal footing. There have been great people who have come out in support of this and they get what I mean by this role being too visible to pass up for an LGBT person, because [Miss Universe] is seen in over 190 countries by a billion people. It’s not about the money." - MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts, speaking from Russia this morning. (Tipped by JMG reader Brooks)

Freedom To Marry Lights Up Times Square

Via press release:

Celebrating a year of big wins and marking the need to finish the job, Freedom to Marry today announced a new video billboard titled “Love for Everyone” featuring three diverse same-sex families and a message of love and commitment. The billboard will display in Times Square throughout the holiday season up until January 4, 2014. More than 1.5 million people pass through Times Square daily. “With the rapidly expanding importance of digital technology and new media, Freedom to Marry is using every opportunity to communicate our message of fairness for all committed couples and their families,” said Michael Crawford, Freedom to Marry’s digital director.

Matt Drudge's Nightmare

The Call: On Gay Adoption

From the Family Equality Council:

There are 400,000 young people in foster care waiting for a home. Millions of LGBT people are willing to become adoptive parents if they could - yet many states make it harder for them to adopt. Help knock down these barriers and ensure every child has a chance to find a home.

Find out more.

MINNESOTA: Archdiocese Sued Again Over Claims It Shielded Pedophile Priest

Yet another lawsuit has been filed against the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis. Via MPR News:

The lawsuit filed Thursday morning by St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson on behalf of a man in his 50s alleges Kern abused him starting when he was 12 years old while Kern was working at Our Lady of Grace in Edina during the 1970s. The man, identified only as Plaintiff Doe 26, said the archdiocese knew -- or should have known -- that Kern was a child molester before it placed him there. Over three decades, Kern remained in the ministry, even though two families reported to the archbishop and the St. Paul police that Kern abused their sons as early as 1969, just three years after Kern was ordained. One of those boys Kerns was accused of abusing that year was Jamie Heutmaker, who also spoke out today.

Check out this bit:

Heutmaker said he and his friend Charlie Turning and some other children went to Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis, where Kern touched their genitals while playing with them in the water. Church memos obtained by St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson show that archdiocese officials were skeptical of Kern's claims that he was simply engaging in what he called "Italian wrestling" -- in which he said men grasp at each other's genitals. But instead of barring him from the ministry, archdiocese officials moved him to another parish.

(Tipped by JMG reader Rick)

Book Trailer: Apostate

Right Wing Watch reports:

In a video advertisement for his new book, “Apostate,” Colorado pastor Kevin Swanson dresses up as a prisoner who former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter has put in jail for quoting Leviticus 20:13. Such ploys are nothing new: Religious Right activists have consistently warned that they will be imminently jailed for their beliefs. The Colorado-based pastor and radio host already warned us that “demon-possessed” Mark Twain helped destroy America by writing books mocking Christian hypocrisy on the issue of slavery, and a laudatory WorldNetDaily review of his book informs us that William Shakespeare and Nathaniel Hawthorne are also to blame for the country’s looming collapse. Swanson writes in “Apostate” that Shakespeare planted the “seedbeds for homosexual themes and homosexual behavior,” and takes issue with Hawthorne’s “psychotic” criticism of the Puritans.

Leviticus 20:13, of course, is the verse that calls for execution of homosexuals.

KANSAS: Boy Suspended Over Purse

A 13 year-old Kansas boy has been suspended by his school for carrying a purse.

Skylar Davis says the Vera Bradley purse is his form of expression. He adds that girls carry purses, so he should be able to do the same. Skylar’s vice-principal disagreed and told him to stop carrying the bag. When Skylar refused, he was suspended. His mother questions the suspension because she found no mention of bags or purses in the school handbook. She also questions the timing since Skylar has been carrying the bag since August.

So far school officials have refused to respond to press inquiries.

Tweet Of The Day - HI Rep. Jo Jordan

Openly lesbian Hawaii state Rep. Jo Jordan has only tweeted once since voting against marriage equality during the second reading of the bill on Wednesday. Zack Ford reports that she made history in doing so:

Denis Dison, senior vice president at the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, confirmed to ThinkProgress that there is no prior known example of an openly gay lawmaker casting a vote against marriage equality. The Victory Fund lists Jordan on its website, but he noted that she has not ever attended one of the group’s candidate trainings nor earned its endorsement. Reacting to her vote, Dison said, “It’s hard to understand how a member of the LGBT community could vote against the simple freedom to marry the person they love.”

Jordan gets a chance to make things right during today's final vote. (Tipped by JMG reader Str8 Grandmother)

ARKANSAS: Attorney General Approves Wording For 2016 Marriage Referendum

Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel yesterday approved the wording for a petition drive to place marriage equality to a public vote in 2016. In September he also approved the wording for a separate initiative that would repeal the state's constitutional ban. The new petition does both.

McDaniel's office certified the wording of the proposed constitutional amendment submitted by the Arkansas Initiative for Marriage Equality. McDaniel's certification is required before the group can pursue the 78,133 signatures from registered voters needed to place the proposal on the ballot. "We're all ready to go, full steam ahead," said Jack Weir, the group's founder, who said he hoped to begin gathering signatures soon.. "We couldn't be more happy." The proposal approved Thursday would also repeal the marriage amendment, which was approved by voters in 2004, and would instead recognize marriage as a "union between two people regardless of sex." It would also prohibit county clerks from denying marriage licenses to couples based on their sex. Under the measure, clergy and religious organizations would not be obligated to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies.

In 2004, 75% of Arkansas voters approved the marriage ban. Lawsuits against the ban are underway.

Illinois Gov To Sign Bill On Nov. 20th

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn will sign the marriage equality bill on November 20th.

The governor announced Thursday that he will sign the bill at the University of Illinois at Chicago in a 3:30 p.m. ceremony. The Legislature passed the measure Tuesday. Quinn is a longtime same-sex marriage supporter. The Chicago Democrat says he's looking forward to signing the legislation and "celebrating a big step forward with the people of Illinois." The University of Illinois at Chicago was recently named by Campus Pride Index as one of the top 25 campuses across the country for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

HAWAII: Court Rejects Bid To Stop Governor From Signing Marriage Bill

The lawsuit to stop Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie from signing the marriage equality bill has been slapped down.

The lawsuit, filed by Rep. Bob McDermott, a Republican, centered on a 1998 ballot issue on same-sex marriage. Gov. Neil Abercrombie and many legislators maintain the meaning of the issue presented on the 1998 ballot gave the State Legislature the power to make all future decisions on same sex marriage, but McDermott said the adopted Constitutional Amendment, and official instructions from the Office of Elections, clearly set limits on legislative authority. McDermott also said the people clearly “thought” they were voting on a legal definition of marriage as between opposite sexes only.

The Hawaii House is due to make its third and final vote today. (Tipped by JMG reader Christopher)

At Billy Graham's Birthday Party

Kronos Quartet - Tour Eiffel

With the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.

Rubio To Keynote FL Hate Group Meeting

And he'll be there right beside alleged child kidnapping conspirator Mat Staver, head of the Liberty Counsel.

Homosexuality Is Worse Than Trans Fats

GM Recognizes Gay Marriages

General Motors will now recognize same-sex marriages for the purposes of insurance and pension benefits.

“GM will recognize a legal marriage for U.S. employees no matter the state of residence,” the automaker said in a statement. “For example, if a GM employee residing in Michigan, where same-sex marriage is not recognized, got married in New York, GM would recognize that marriage.” GM also changed its policies to allow same-sex partners of GM employees to inherit their spouse’s pension when they die. “Because marriage is considered a ‘life event,’ U.S. hourly and salaried employees can add their spouse to their health care coverage at any time within one year from their date of marriage or during the next annual enrollment period with proof of a valid, legal marriage license,” GM said in a statement.

Let's see if this prompts a Dump General Motors boycott by NOM.

Giving Credit Where It's Due

Via Memographs.

ILLINOIS: Thomas More Society Concedes Marriage Lawsuits Are Now Moot

Via press release:

This morning attorneys with the Thomas More Society secured an agreed Order, entered by Judge Sophia Hall, staying all further proceedings in the lawsuit filed by the Illinois ACLU and Lambda Legal, who filed suit over a year ago, challenging Illinois' marriage laws as unconstitutional in violation of various provisions of the Illinois Constitution of 1970. Given Tuesday's votes in the Illinois General Assembly, amending the marriage law to allow for same sex marriages and Governor Quinn's announcement that he will soon sign the new measure into law, the Society, whose attorneys represent downstate County Clerks who intervened in the lawsuit, filed a motion contending that the lawsuit should be dismissed as "moot."

According to the press release, Lambda Legal and the ACLU have, of course, agreed to the stay.

UPDATE: Lambda Legal director Jon Davidson jumped into the comments of this post.  He writes:

The Thomas More Society's press release may have been misleading. The court's order only stayed the Illinois marriage cases until Thursday of next week, and that is all that Lambda Legal and the ACLU agreed to. The cases are not moot at present, as same-sex couples currently are still not able to marry in Illinois. The cases will not be moot until same-sex couples actually can marry in the state.

Tony Perkins Has The ENDA Sadz

Atheist Group Praises ENDA Passage, Vows To Help Remove Exemptions

Via press release from the Secular Coalition For America:

The Secular Coalition for America today applauded the passing of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the U.S. Senate, but expressed disappointment that discrimination by religious organizations will continue to be permitted, leaving millions of Americans unprotected. “This is a step in the right direction, but it certainly doesn’t go far enough,” said Edwina Rogers, executive director for the Secular Coalition for America. “Many of the organizations exempted from the law receive public funding, which means they are permitted to discriminate against taxpayers with taxpayer dollars. That’s completely unacceptable.” The First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause has never stood for the principal that religious belief trumps all other laws. As Justice Scalia once wrote “to permit this would be to make the professed doctrines of religious belief superior to the law of the land, and in effect to permit every citizen to become a law unto himself.” As the bill moves to the U.S.House, where Speaker John Boehner has indicated he will not bring the bill up. The Secular Coalition will continue to work for passage of ENDA, and to ensure Section 6 is removed or narrowed and that no exceptions are made for religiously-motivated discrimination.

President Obama Cheers Passage Of ENDA, Urges House To Hear Bill

"Today’s victory is a tribute to all those who fought for this progress ever since a similar bill was introduced after the Stonewall riots more than three decades ago. In particular, I thank Majority Leader Reid, Chairman Harkin, Senators Merkley and Collins for their leadership, and Senator Kirk for speaking so eloquently in support of this legislation. Now it’s up to the House of Representatives.

"This bill has the overwhelming support of the American people, including a majority of Republican voters, as well as many corporations, small businesses and faith communities. They recognize that our country will be more just and more prosperous when we harness the God-given talents of every individual.

"One party in one house of Congress should not stand in the way of millions of Americans who want to go to work each day and simply be judged by the job they do. Now is the time to end this kind of discrimination in the workplace, not enable it. I urge the House Republican leadership to bring this bill to the floor for a vote and send it to my desk so I can sign it into law. On that day, our nation will take another historic step toward fulfilling the founding ideals that define us as Americans." - President Obama, via press release.

Senate Passes ENDA 64-32

 Four senators did not vote. I'll have the roll call shortly.

UPDATE: Buzzfeed has the vote recap.

Ten Republicans joined all 54 present Democrats in voting for the bill. In addition to ENDA co-sponsors Sens. Mark Kirk and Susan Collins, Republicans Sens. Kelly Ayotte, Jeff Flake, Orrin Hatch, Dean Heller, John McCain, Lisa Murkowski, Rob Portman and Pat Toomey supported the legislation. Sens. Bob Casey and Tom Coburn are absent from the Senate Thursday, for family and health-related reasons, respectively. Sens. John Barrasso and Jeff Sessions did not vote.

The last time the full Senate voted on ENDA was in 1996, when the legislation contained only sexual orientation and not gender identity protections and the bill failed 49-50. The bill was voted on as part of the Senate’s consideration and eventual passage of the Defense of Marriage Act. The House passed a similar sexual orientation-only version of ENDA in 2007, but the Senate did not consider it and President George W. Bush opposed it.

LIVE VIDEO: Final Senate ENDA Vote

The Senate is about to make its final vote on ENDA.  C-SPAN2 is covering the proceedings live.  While the bill will not be heard in the House under the Boehner regime, this IS major LGBT history happening today.

UPDATE: And it PASSES!

Toomey's ENDA Amendment Fails

Sen. Pat Toomey's attempt to further broaden the religious exemptions in ENDA just failed 55-43.  View the roll call here. The final full vote on ENDA is due within the hour.

ASAP Science: Fresh Vs Frozen

Exit The Cronut

 Grubstreet reports:

As you've no doubt seen, this year, the first full day of Hanukkah is Thursday, November 28, which just so happens to also be Thanksgiving. And so, to celebrate this year's hybrid holiday, Zucker Bakery in the East Village has released pumpkin-flavored doughnuts stuffed with turkey and your choice of cranberry sauce or gravy. (Gravy!) They'll also offer a pumpkin doughnut with cranberry filling sans turkey, and a sweet-potato version filled with marshmallows.

The bakery doesn't show a price on its website. Will New Yorkers line up for hours, as they've done for cupcakes, macaroons, and cronuts? (Tipped by JMG reader Bill)

Internet Killed The Video Store

As CNN puts it, your Blockbuster late fees are now waived.

On Wednesday, DISH Network, which purchased Blockbuster in 2011, announced it was closing the chain's 300 remaining U.S.-based retail stores, as well as its distribution centers. "Consumer demand is clearly moving to digital distribution of video entertainment," said DISH president and CEO Joseph P. Clayton in the press release about the closures. His statement echoes many from recent years about the migration of entertainment from physical objects -- CDs, DVDs, books, games -- to bits, bytes and pixels available on various screens and portable devices. The action was long expected. Blockbuster had been closing stores for years, as is obvious from the yawning vacancies still present in many of those very same strip malls. The chain was done in by Netflix, streaming video and a world of Internet options.

My headline is from the NYT story, which notes that Blockbuster had 9000 stores just ten years ago.

Patrick Stewart Rings In Twitter IPO

The IPO was priced at $26 and at this writing the stock has climbed to $45.

European Union Grants Asylum Eligibility For LGBT Refugees From Anti-Gay Nations

Excellent news from the EU. The BBC has the story:

The EU's top court has ruled that homosexuals from Sierra Leone, Uganda and Senegal who fear imprisonment in their home country have grounds for asylum in EU member states. The Netherlands had asked the court for advice about three gay citizens of those countries seeking asylum. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) says asylum can be granted in cases where people are actually jailed for homosexuality in their home country. ECJ rulings apply to all EU members. Homosexual acts are illegal in most African countries, including key Western allies such as Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya and Botswana. In June a report by Amnesty International said homophobic attacks had reached dangerous levels in sub-Saharan Africa and must stop.

IMPORTANT: The ruling stipulates that it will be up to each EU nation to determine if imprisonment is "applied in practice" in the applicant's home country. The "mere existence" of a ban on homosexuality is not grounds in itself for eligibility. (Tipped by JMG reader Matthew)

The DNC Spikes The Ball

The Next Issue Of TIME

TIME Magazine's new cover is blowing up Twitter today. Via Mediaite:

Next to a shadowy profile of newly-reelected New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, the cover reads, “The Elephant in the Room,” a triple pun on Christie’s party, his uncomfortable status within it, and, most troubling to the tweepsters, his weight. Despite Christie’s party affiliation, the cover drew much of its criticism from liberals, and even from old Time employees.

Tony Perkins Vs Sen. Rob Portman

"With ENDA on the table, liberals (and a handful of Republicans) are trying to convince the American people that they aren't tolerant enough to run their own offices. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) is trying to cushion the blow of his ENDA support with flimsy so-called religious exemptions that will do nothing to protect Americans. His amendment, which passed yesterday by voice vote, would supposedly prevent the government from discriminating against a church or church-run organization in the narrowest of exemptions. If Sen. Portman thinks his amendment will protect him from criticism once Americans recognize what the law means for businesses, he's mistaken." - Hate group leader Tony Perkins, via email.

TRAILER: Sing Over Me

Clip recap:

The trailer shows Christian singer-songwriter Dennis Jernigan as he shares about his lifelong struggle with same-sex attraction and the redemption he's found in Christ. Despite Dennis's notoriety as a musician (he penned "You Are My All in All" among many other world-renowned worship songs), this is the first time he has spoken in-depth about his homosexual past and, now, freedom from same-sex attraction. "Sing Over Me" boasts an accomplished production team and is the 2nd feature film from director, Jacob Kindberg.

RELATED: Jernigan is a former vice president of Exodus International who resigned last year after he was exposed for supporting Jamaica's anti-gay laws. According to his Wikipedia entry, Jernigan also campaigned against the Hate Crimes Act. Last month Jernigan was named the winner of the "Ex-Gay Theme Song Contest."

Thomas More Society Has Illinois Sadz

"While we believe it regrettable that Illinois legislators have now purported to redefine marriage as something different from the union of one man and one woman, we are at least pleased and reassured to hear that legislators insisted during today's floor debate in the House of Representatives that Illinois' Religious Freedom Restoration Act and other constitutional and statutory guaranties of Illinois citizens' religious liberties remain in full force and effect. We will do our part to insure that those fundamental religious liberties are given robust and unstinting protection. The free speech and free exercise clauses of our First Amendment remain at the core of our constitutional order, and no law nor any public official may lawfully coerce anyone to deny or disavow his or her religious beliefs, or refrain from professing those beliefs in the public square, or to go against those beliefs in practice. This is still a free country, and Thomas More Society stands ready to do its utmost to keep it free." - Tom Brejcha, whose group was representing downstate Illinois county clerks in the lawsuits to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage.

Body Language

New York City Mayor-Elect Bill De Blasio sat down with Bloomberg yesterday. Gothamist writes: 

The people of New York pulled a fast one on Mayor Bloomberg last night, defying Dear Leader and electing his supposedly "racist," "class warfare"-waging arch-enemy to replace him. So it should come as no surprise that Bill de Blasio got a very grumpy-looking Bloomberg this morning when the two sat down for some special post-election bonding time at City Hall. De Blasio reportedly told the press that the mayor had given him some "good advice," and that being at City Hall as the mayoral-elect was a "special feeling," though from the looks of things, Bloomberg was brewing his own "special" brand of good old fashioned rancor.