Saturday, July 26, 2014

Chubby Checker Vs The Chubby Checker

Via Reuters:
The singer Chubby Checker has settled a lawsuit in which he accused Hewlett-Packard Co of using his trademarked name without permission on a software app that purported to measure the size of a man's penis. HP denied liability in agreeing to settle with Checker, whose given name is Ernest Evans, but agreed not to make future use of his stage name, likeness or related trademarks. The settlement was disclosed in a Tuesday filing with the San Francisco federal court. Other terms remain confidential. It is unclear whether money changed hands. Checker, 72, is best known for his 1960 song "The Twist," a No. 1 hit on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 that inspired an international dance craze.
The app, which HP did not create, began being sold in 2006 for the Palm.

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Viral Video Of The Day

1.7M views in one day for this blooper reel.

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Tick Tock, Stemberger

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ORLANDO: Towing Company Owner Busted For Targeting Gay Days Attendees

Via Orlando's WKMG-TV:
Orange County deputies arrested on Friday the owner of a towing company who they say was illegally towing vehicles during the annual Gay Days celebration and appeared to target its attendees. The owner of ASAP Towing, Jason Combs, 44, has been charged with grand theft, failure to release vehicle, failing to maintain records, failure to post towing contracts, failure to notify the sheriff's office within 30 minutes of a tow and violating an Orange County ordinance. Deputies said Combs' arrest stems from numerous complaints against ASAP Towing for allegedly illegally towing vehicles from the Westwood Town Center June 5-9, which coincides with Gay Days. The celebration is hosted at the Doubletree Hilton across the street from the center at 10100 International Drive.
Combs has been charged with more than 100 counts of grand theft auto and is being held in the Orange County jail on a $51,000 bond.

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TORONTO: LGBT Activists Attacked By Rob Ford Supporters At "Ford Fest 2014"

Via CBC News:
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's annual Ford Fest drew more than a thousand supporters to a park in the city's east end, but the event was marred by some tense moments as LGBT activists were jeered at and told to go home by some supporters. Ford drew heat from the LGBT community again recently after he remained seated while city council gave a standing ovation to organizers of Toronto's World Pride festival. He did not answer questions from reporters about why he didn't stand along with fellow councillors, but said he's not homophobic. "He's a disgrace," said protester Kevin Speight. "He's embarrassing our city." The mayor's supporters, however, weren't pleased with the anti-Ford sentiment, with a number of individuals getting into verbal confrontations with the protesters. At one point, a few Ford fans grabbed the signs being held by the protesters, tore them up, and threw them on the ground, stamping on them in the process. "Go home," they yelled. "This is Ford Nation!"
No arrests were made but police are investigating. Watch below as Ford supporters tear up the signs of the LGBT activists.

(Tipped by JMG reader Brett)


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FLORIDA: Hate Group Attacks GOP House Rep For Backing Same-Sex Marriage

Earlier this week freshman GOP House Rep. David Jolly became the eighth sitting Republican member of Congress to endorse marriage equality. And the Florida Family Policy Council is ever so pissed at him.
When you agree with this lower court's opinion, you also agree with his irresponsible claim that citizens in your district who passed the marriage amendment were motivated by "animus" or hatred toward gay-identified persons. Nothing could be further from the truth or more morally repugnant to us, as we all affirm the inherent dignity and value of every human being. We are profoundly disappointed in this announcement and now we can only wonder what other issues you might change your views on. Please know that we consider your reversal on this critical issue to be an act of cowardice and a betrayal to the very persons who worked extremely hard to get you elected to office. We call upon you to publicly apologize for this mistake and hold fast to your original position that states should define marriage as it has always been, the union of one man and one woman only. We also challenge you to not cower to the pressure, demands and intimidation of homosexual activists. Finally, we exhort you to be governed not by polls, politics and profits but instead to be governed by principle and what is in the best interest of children, families and the common good of society. Your future as the Congressman representing us in Florida's District 13 is counting on it.
The above was published by Charisma News, which recently declared that gay people are "possessed by putrid-smelling demons." But they have no animus for us. Nope.

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Friday, July 25, 2014

FLORIDA: Miami-Dade County Judge Strikes Down Marriage Ban, Stays Ruling

Via press release from the National Center for Lesbian Rights:
Today, a state trial court in Miami issued a decision striking down Florida’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples and ordering Miami-Dade County to allow same-sex couples to marry. The court stayed the order pending appeal. The case was brought by Equality Florida Institute and Catherina Pareto and Karla Arguello, Dr. Juan Carlos Rodriguez and David Price, Vanessa and Melanie Alenier, Todd and Jeff Delmay, Summer Greene and Pamela Faerber, and Don Price Johnston and Jorge Isaias Diaz. They are represented by the law firm Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, Elizabeth F. Schwartz, Mary B. Meeks, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR). On July 1, 2014, Judge Sarah Zabel of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court heard oral argument in the case. The couples argued that Florida’s ban on marriage equality cannot stand in light of the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2013 that the federal “Defense of Marriage Act” violates the federal constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process.
Two weeks ago a judge in Florida's Monroe County also overruled the ban and then stayed his decision. Attorney General Pam Bondi has already appealed the Monroe County case. A ruling in a federal suit filed in Tallahassee, which would be applicable statewide, is due at any time.

Read the full ruling.

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TRAILER: Walking Dead, Season Five

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Seventh Circuit Court Sets August 26th As New Date For Indiana And Wisconsin

Via the Associated Press:
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals announced Friday on its online docket that it has rescheduled oral arguments for both states' appeals of federal court decisions for Aug. 26. Federal judges in Indiana and Wisconsin overturned each state's gay marriage ban in separate rulings. When both states appealed, the 7th Circuit Court combined the cases and set aside the previous hearing date. The 7th Circuit also denied requests that the states' appeals be heard before the full 10-member court instead of a three-judge panel, as is customary. Hundreds of same-sex couples were married in both states after the bans were overturned and before stays were issued.
(Tipped by JMG reader Luis)

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From Chris Meloni's Facebook Page

(Via Towleroad)

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Israel Rejects Kerry's Cease Fire Plan

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ALASKA: State Supreme Court Allows Partners To Access Survivor Benefits

Via press release from Lambda Legal:
The Alaska Supreme Court today ruled unanimously that the same-sex partner of a person killed on the job should have access to the protection of Alaska’s workers’ compensation law. This is a wonderful ruling for same-sex couples in Alaska who have built lives and raised families together but were at risk because they were barred access to a critical safety net created specifically to catch families at moments of crisis,” said Peter Renn, Lambda Legal Staff Attorney. “Like the avalanche of decisions we’re seeing from every corner of this country, the court recognized that loving, committed same-sex couples should have equal access to the law’s protection.” Today’s ruling came in Harris v. Millennium Hotel, a lawsuit filed by Lambda Legal seeking survivor benefits for Deborah Harris, the same-sex partner of Kerry Fadely, who worked at Anchorage’s Millennium Hotel and was shot and killed in 2011 by a disgruntled former employee.
Lambda Legal notes that before today's ruling, same-sex partners were "categorically denied" access to survivor benefits due to the ban on same-sex marriage.

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MICHIGAN: Bill To Ban "Ex-Gay" Torture Of Minors Introduced In State House

Via Michigan Live:
Legislation introduced last week by state Rep. Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor, seeks to ban gay conversion therapy for minors. House Bill 5703 would amend Michigan's mental health code to prohibit health professionals from attempting to change the sexual orientation of anyone under 18 years old. "The evidence shows you cannot change sexual orientation, so the legislation was kind of a no-brainer," Zemke said. "We want to make sure children cannot be exposed to situations that are emotionally harmful to them because of their parents' beliefs or desires to try to change their orientation." Calling a ban on conversion therapy for minors a "civil rights" issue, Zemke noted that New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie signed similar legislation into law last year. California and New York have similar statewide youth bans, which have survived various legal challenges. Conversion therapy, also known as reparative or ex-gay therapy, has been discredited by leading medical organizations.
(Tipped by JMG reader Joseph)

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TRAILER: Nightcrawler

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CNN Poll: One-Third Say Impeach Obama

Via Politico:
According to a CNN/ORC International poll released Friday, 33 percent of Americans think the president should be impeached and removed from office, compared with 65 percent who say they don’t support impeachment. Fifty-seven percent of Republicans say they support impeaching Obama, compared with just 35 percent of independent voters and 13 percent of Democrats. When asked about when Congress should attempt to impeach a president, 79 percent of Americans said it should be used only if there is evidence of a serious crime — such as treason or bribery. Eighteen percent said impeachment could appropriately be used to registered dissatisfaction with White House policies. A plurality of Americans — 45 percent — believe Obama has gone too far in expanding his presidential powers. Thirty percent said the president has been about right in terms of presidential powers, while 22 percent he has not gone far enough.
The poll was conducted July 18th - 20th.

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Crazy Eyes: The Ultimate Goal Of Gay Activists Is To Freely Prey On Children

Brian Tashman writes at Right Wing Watch:
During a Wednesday appearance on the conservative radio show “Faith & Liberty,” Rep. Michele Bachmann accused the “gay community” of pushing “deviancy,” “tyranny” and child rape. The Minnesota Republican warned that the gay community will “abolish age of consent laws, which means we will do away with statutory rape laws so that adults will be able to freely prey on little children sexually. That’s the deviance that we’re seeing embraced in our culture today.” She also predicted that gay rights advocates will legalize polygamy and enact “hate speech laws across the United States” in order to bring about “the rise of tyranny.”

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INDIANA: Liberty Counsel Files Anti-Gay Brief With Seventh Circuit Court

Yesterday the Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in the Indiana marriage case that is due to be heard jointly with the Wisconsin case.  The brief hits all the usual hater points: Regnerus, AIDS, anal cancer, procreation. blah, etc, blah. Also filing briefs are the attorneys general of ten states and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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Quote Of The Day - Maggie Gallagher

"When Christians tell me that homosexuality is 'socially constructed' and therefore not a 'real; permanent feature of human existence, I generally respond 'I know gay people exist the same way that I know that Methodists exist. I’ve met them.' In other words, not all categories that are real are founded on fixed unchangeable essences. Sexual orientation as a concept is a way of organizing 'given reality' (sexual attraction) into a communal identity, the strongest kind. It is therefore not at all like race, and but rather more akin to religion. I never ever think of myself as a heterosexual, nonetheless my own ideas about my experience of sexuality ('we are born male and female and called to come together in love in this thing called marriage') are core enough to my identity and my sense of what is required for communal good that I am willing to suffer rather than renounce them, if necessary. They are not positions I hold, they are part of who I am." - Maggie Gallagher, writing for her personal blog. (Tipped by JMG reader Aaron)

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Pastor Robert Jeffress: Obama's Executive Order Will Lead To Taxing Churches

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TEXAS: Fort Worth Seeks Gay Cops


(Tipped by JMG reader Alan)

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COLORADO: State Appeals Court Denies AG, Licenses Continue In Boulder County

Via the Boulder County News:
The Colorado Court of Appeals today denied state Attorney General John Suthers' emergency motion to stop Boulder County Clerk Hillary Hall from issuing same-sex marriage licenses until the court hears an appeal in the case. Hall remains the only county clerk in the state issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Boulder District Judge Andrew Hartman on July 10 denied a request by Suthers to grant an injunction to prevent Hall from issuing the licenses, saying the state could not prove Hall's action harmed the state. He re-affirmed that ruling this week. Suthers filed an appeal with the Colorado Court of Appeals, and asked that a stay be issued stopping Hall pending the hearing of the appeal.
Hall has issued 187 licenses to same-sex couples so far. Suthers has declared that all those licenses are invalid. Earlier this week a federal judge struck down Colorado's ban, but stayed his ruling until August 25th. (Tipped by JMG reader Luis)

Read the full ruling.

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Michigan Mayor: Atheists Are Like Nazis

Jim Fouts, the GOP mayor of Warren, Michigan is being sued by the ACLU after refusing to let an atheist group set up a booth in city hall next to the Christian outreach group that has been there for five years.
"The city has certain values that I don't believe are in general agreement with having an atheist station, nor in general agreement with having a Nazi station or Klu Klux Klan station," Fouts told the Associated Press on Wednesday. "I cannot accept or will not allow a group that is disparaging of another group to have a station here." Fouts has let a prayer group run a station where they hand out fliers and offer prayers to passersby since 2009. Yet the mayor rejected Douglas Marshall's request to run a "reason station" where he would offer to have philosophical discussions with people who walk by in the city hall atrium. "They don't walk up to people," Fouts told the AP, explaining how the prayer group operates its city hall station. "They are just there if someone wishes to seek solace or guidance from them. The atheist station does not serve that purpose. It will not contribute to community values or helping an individual out."

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Interview With Edith Windsor, Part 3

Marriage Equality USA has posted the third and final installment of their interview with Edith Windsor. Via Gay Star News:
'When Stonewall happened, I was really this ignorant middle class lady who said "I don't see why I have to be identified with those queens,"' Windsor said in an interview posted Thursday (24 July) by Marriage Equality USA. But the woman whose lawsuit brought down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) soon realized how heroic the drag queens who took a stand against police raids were. 'I mean those queens changed my life,' she says. 'And I saw them and I loved what I saw. It was the beginning of my sense of community.' Windsor sued the US government when she was billed $363,053 in estate taxes after the death of wife Thea Spyer in 2009.

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Naked Hamburglars

So this happened in Florida:
Days after two naked college-age men and a third underwear-clad accomplice broke into her restaurant to steal burgers, Doc's Beach House waitress Nancy Sansevieri is still laughing. Why would three naked "knuckleheads" break into a Bonita Beach eatery and only steal food as two security cameras captured their every move? "Dumb, dumber and dumbest," Sansevieri said with a laugh Wednesday. Three days after the naked caper heard around Southwest Florida, the bare-naked beef bandits remained on the lam. Authorities don't know if the men are tourists or residents, but are trying to uncover and bare all tips. On Wednesday, authorities released photos — at least those that can be printed — to ask the public for help in identifying the men. The bandits robbed the restaurant at 3:06 a.m. Sunday, stealing 60 hamburgers, three pounds of bacon, three red peppers and a paddleboard.
Cops are asking the public for help in identifying the trio, who are described as muscular and carrying big meat.

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BRITAIN: Activist Peter Tatchell Threatens To Out Gay Bishops Over Marriage


Via Pink News:
Gay hospital chaplain Jeremy Pemberton had his Permission to Officiate revoked by the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham after he married his same-sex partner, while London vicar Andrew Cain said he “fully expects” to be punished for marrying last month. The veteran rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said this week that he would out any gay bishops who discipline their married colleagues. Speaking to Kelvin Holdsworth of St Mary’s Cathedral, Tatchell said: “I believe people have a right to privacy so long as they are not using their own power and authority to harm other people and when other people are being caused harm and suffering we have a duty to try and stop it. If this is the only way, it is certainly not the preferable way, it’s not the first option but as a last resort I think it is morally and ethically justifiable.”

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VIRGINIA: Liberty Counsel Seeks To Force Colleges To Provide "Ex-Gay" Counseling

Earlier this year two "undercover" members of the "ex-gay" group Voice Of The Voiceless visited LGBT student centers at seven Virginia colleges to see what would happen if they requested help in rejecting their homosexuality. According to the group, all seven colleges advised them that "ex-gay" therapy doesn't work and often results in self-harm. Enter the Liberty Counsel:
On behalf of VoV, Liberty Counsel is engaged in negotiations with the schools and the office of the Virginia attorney general in hopes of bringing reform to the resource centers in the coming school year. Liberty Counsel founder Matt Staver believes the hostility being displayed toward those seeking counseling for unwanted same-sex attractions is the result of gay activists' belief that it is a threat to their cause. "This is about trying to stifle – through the force of power of the government – any kind of view that homosexuality can change or [that] you can reduce your attractions, your behavior, or your identity," he states. "That threatens their very existence." The resource centers are telling those wanting help that such therapies don't work and could even lead to suicide. Staver describes such tactics as "evil." "This is taking sexual immorality and forcing people to say that it's good and that you ought to pursue it, and prohibiting people from encouraging in any kind of counsel to stop or eliminate it," says the attorney. "This is absolute pure evil."
According to the above-linked article by the AFA's OneNewsNow, the seven colleges are George Mason University, James Madison University, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Old Dominion University, Christopher Newport University, and College of William and Mary.

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Harlem Hate Pastor: Save Our Children From The Demonic Homosexual Mafia

And how do you save them? By yanking them out of those homo-infested public schools and sending them his church's school, which is "safe, nurturing, and loving." Extra credit can be earned by stoning homosexuals.

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Minor League Baseball Manager Gets Prostate Exam Live On Stadium Cameras

Via ESPN:
Staying true to his word, a minor league baseball general manager underwent a prostate exam while singing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" during the seventh-inning stretch on Thursday night in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Andy Milovich, GM of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, a Single-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, pledged to undergo the procedure on the team's Prostate Awareness Night if the Facebook page of local 10-year-old Fallon Emery got roughly 4,000 more likes. Emery was diagnosed with brain cancer in December. Dr. Glenn Dangi performed the exam in the team's radio booth as cameras filmed Milovich from the neck up for a feed aired live on the scoreboard. "It wasn't bad," said Milovich, 45, who had never before had the procedure. "The doc was done maybe 15 seconds into the song. I think my next exam is going to be a significant letdown."

(Tipped by JMG reader Elroy)

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Modern Family Star: No Pics With Frothy

Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet this week revealed that he turned down Rick Santorum when asked to take a photo together at the White House Press Correspondents Dinner. Stonestreet: "Rick Santorum wanted a picture with me. It was at a time when he was publicly saying, 'Gay marriage, gay marriage [is wrong],' and I'm like, 'You know, I can't do it.' It was with him and his kids or something like that, and I said, 'I'd be happy to take a picture with the kids, but I can't just be in a picture with you."

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Thursday, July 24, 2014

AFA Radio Ad: We're Proud Extremists

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PETA Offers To Pay Water Bills Of Detroit Families But Only If They Become Vegans

From PETA's website:
With jobs in Detroit disappearing, many residents are struggling. As they’re forced to choose which bills to pay, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has chosen for them―shutting off water and leaving many people high and dry. The department put the shutoffs on a temporary hiatus, but people’s water bills are mounting. So with the help of a generous PETA member, we have come up with one small way to assist Detroit residents and save animals, too. Thanks to this donor, PETA will be able to pay off the water bills for 10 families who commit to going vegan for one month. We’ll also help them get started by giving each family a basket of healthy vegan foods and recipes. The last thing that people who are struggling need is increased health-care costs. By accepting our offer to go vegan, not only will families be getting an immediate financial boost and helping animals, if they stick with it, they’ll also lower their risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and strokes.

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Pomplamoose - Believe

Jack's bushy beard is back.

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Perkins: Ask Jesus To Stop Those Gays

From today's Family Research Council "Prayer Target":
Beginning of the ENDA - President Obama signed an executive order Monday to protect “gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees from discrimination by companies that do federal government work.” Tony Perkins commented, “mandating that all federal contractors and subcontractors — regardless of their religious and moral convictions — give special treatment to homosexuals, transgenders, and cross-dressers in the workplace.” The order also applies to subcontractors and will impact 24,000 companies, 28 million workers — about one-fifth of the total U.S. workforce. Government employees are already subject to an ENDA-like order. Tony writes, “This action is wrong… because it accepts the premise that distinctions based on actual conduct — such as homosexual behavior and cross-dressing — should be treated the same way as distinctions based on immutable and innocuous characteristics like race.”

May God’s people pray and arise to take action! May the next Congress and President act to protect all who hold to the Faith of our Fathers, and reverse the activist homosexual agenda in every branch of Government! (Ex 23:1-2; Dan 11:32; Acts 5:29).
(Via Good As You)

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Those White Flags Over The Brooklyn Bridge Were Predicted In The Bible

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ARIZONA: Hate Group Files Gay Marriage Opposition Brief Based On Procreation

When at first you don't succeed, try the same tired argument that has lost dozens of times before:
Attorneys for the state are telling a federal judge there’s a good reason Arizona won’t let gays marry: They can’t reproduce, at least not without the help of a third person. Papers filed in federal court defending the ban say voters, in approving the constitutional amendment in 2008, are entitled to “define marriage for their community.” But the lawyers also are arguing to U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick there’s a public purpose in the state getting into the business of regulating private relationships: Ensuring that children are, whenever possible, raised by a biological mother and biological father.

“Only man-woman couples are capable of furthering the state’s interest in linking children to both of their biological parents,” argued attorneys from the Alliance Defending Freedom. And they said the vast majority of such couples produce their own biological children. But gay marriages, the lawyers said, “do not advance that compelling state interest” because they “can never provide a child with both her biological mother and her biological father.” About the closest they can come, the legal papers argue, is by involving a third person who will be a biological parent.
And the Alliance Defending Children KNOWS about biological children. (Tipped by JMG reader Homer)

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Headline Of The Day

Via CBS News:
Police say an Indiana woman took the phrase literally on July 11th, when she took her hands off the steering wheel as she was driving. The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette reports 25-year-old Prionda Hill told authorities she let go of the wheel because “God told her he would take it from here.” Unfortunately for Anthony Olivery, her car veered off the road and slammed into his motorcycle, throwing him to the ground. Then the car ran over him. “When I looked at that bumper and looked at that tire, I told myself, today is the day you die,” he told the paper. The accident broke all of Olivery’s ribs on his left side, cut his spleen, bruised his kidney and caused severe injuries to his left arm and leg.
(Via JMG reader Rick)

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TRAILER: Fifty Shades Of Grey

Via Rolling Stone:
The first trailer for Fifty Shades of Grey has arrived in all its scintillating, hyper-sexualized glory. Though if you're hoping for a montage of steamy footage from the boudoir and/or BDSM dungeon, you'll have to settle for a fleeting few snippets at the end. Still it's got plenty of exposition, if that's what you're into. The trailer, which premiered on Today, opens with the demure Anastasia Steele's first encounter with the high-profile business magnate Christian Grey. Set to Beyoncé's slower, gothic new version of "Crazy in Love," the clip tracks the couple's burgeoning love affair as Grey (Jamie Dornan) alternately seduces Steele (Dakota Johnson) with his mysterious charms and lavish lifestyle, and tells her "You should steer clear from me" and "I don't do romance." Such titillating mixed messages!

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IOWA: Newspaper Editor Sues After Being Fired For Using The Word "Gaystapo"

An Iowa newspaper editor is suing on the grounds of religious discrimination after being fired for using the word "gaystapo" on his personal blog. Via the Des Moines Register:
Bob Eschliman, former editor of the Newton Daily News, filed a complaint this week with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission office in Milwaukee arguing that he was terminated May 5 because of his religious beliefs. If the dispute isn't resolved to Eschliman's satisfaction, he could sue in federal court to seek financial damages. In late April, Eschliman, 41, a member of Christian Reformed Church of Newton, wrote a personal blog post criticizing the "Queen James Bible," a website that rewrites the Christian Bible to be friendlier to gays. Eschliman accused "the LGBTQXYZ crowd and the Gaystapo" of trying "to make their sinful nature right with God." Jim Romenesko, who hosts a widely read online blog about the news media, reported on Eschliman's post and questioned whether Eschliman, in light of his publicly stated views, would be able to fairly cover issues involving gays. Shaw Media, a Dixon, Ill., company, suspended Eschliman with pay and eventually fired him. Eschliman's attorneys claim that violated his constitutional rights of religious expression. Newton Daily News Publisher Dan Goetz declined to comment Wednesday.
Eschliman, who is is being represented by the Christian Liberty Institute, writes in his suit:
On April 28, 2014, I penned a theologically based article stating my sincerely held religious beliefs about efforts by some to criticize and remold my faith through what I believe is false teaching. In my article, I quoted at length from a variety of sources, most prominently, from the Holy Bible. That blog post described my sincerely held religious beliefs regarding Holy Scripture and the definition of marriage. My comments on my blog were personal in nature and reflective of my sincerely held religious beliefs. Furthermore, I felt compelled by my sincerely held religious beliefs to share my Biblical view with the few folks who read my blog. I would like to have obtained a religious accommodation for my sincerely held religious belief to share my Biblical view with the few family members and friends who read my blog. Shaw Media directly discriminated against me because of my religious beliefs and my identity as an evangelical Christian who believes in Holy Scripture and the Biblical view of marriage.
And another martyr is born. (Tipped by JMG reader Ed)

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AFA Radio Host Sandy Rios: FBI Agents In Drag Are Coming To Get Christians

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GOP: Obama Attends Fundraisers Instead Of Attending To International Crises

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Buzzfeed Reporter Chris Geidner Named NGLJA's Journalist Of The Year

The National Gay & Lesbian Journalists Association has named Buzzfeed reporter Chris Geidner its 2014 Journalist Of The Year. Via Politico:
Geidner, the site's legal editor, has turned LGBT issues into a full-time beat at BuzzFeed, and wrote several features on the history of the marriage equality movement, including profiles of Edith Windsor and Mary Bonauto. "We're so proud of this well-deserved recognition for Chris's work, and of the blend of hardcore beat reporting and high-altitude features that showed how marriage could and should be a frontline beat and one of the most important stories of the decade," Ben Smith, BuzzFeed's editor in chief, said.
We send our hearty congratulations to Chris, whose work is excerpted here on JMG at least once a week and sometimes far more often. The full list of this year's NGLJA honorees is here.

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Pet Shop Boys Perform World Premier Of Alan Turing Opera With BBC Orchestra

Accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra and the BBC Singers, last night Pet Shop Boys performed the world premier of their Alan Turing opera, A Man From The Future, at Britain's Proms event at Royal Albert Hall. The Independent has posted a review:
Tennant stands by the choir for A Man From the Future, with fellow Boy Chris Lowe behind him in familiar baseball cap and shades, tweaking a laptop. Juliet Stevenson’s disembodied narration, drawn from Andrew Hodges’ Turing biographies, is almost overpoweringly dominant. But getting the tale of Turing’s singular genius and representative tragedy across seems to outweigh the balance between words and music. “Conform, rebel or withdraw” are the choices the public schoolboy Turing is presented with, as ominous strings close in to cage him.  The remorseless glide of laptop-generated synth washes signal the machine-dreams which led him towards the computer’s invention. The BBC Singers then give the sensation of a dying fall, as the backroom heroism which turned the U-boat tide at Bletchley Park is passed over in a sentence. Tennant and Lowe aren’t interested in what Turing is belatedly honoured for now, but his shadow-life then. Bursts of hot, frantic swing follow him mentioning his homosexuality, and the furious swell of the choir’s baritones greet his downward spiral towards chemical castration by the state. His hot blood and mechanistic visions’ merging is expressed in the orchestral-laptop score. It is always, though, subservient to the verbal tracing of Turing’s fate.
Listen to the full performance below.

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Open Thread Thursday

If you are married, tell us all about your wedding. Did you opt for a simple "I do" at city hall or did you go for the full traditional ceremony? How did your families handle it? If you're not married, tell us about the gay weddings that you've attended. Let's hear about music, seating, food, and vows.

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Weird Al Yankovic Scores Billboard's First #1 Comedy Album In 51 Years

Via Billboard Magazine:
After more than 30 years on the charts, comedian-singer "Weird Al" Yankovic earns his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, as "Mandatory Fun" debuts atop the list. The album is the first comedy set to top the chart since 1963, and logs the largest sales week for a comedy album since 1994. "Mandatory Fun" was released July 15 through Way Moby and RCA Records, and sold 104,000 copies in the week ending July 20, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It was promoted by a well-received daily viral video campaign that launched Monday, July 14. Starting with his parody of Pharrell's "Happy," Yankovic released eight music videos for the album through the week on various sites, like The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo, Nerdist, College Humor and YouTube.
The last comedy album to hit #1 was 1963's My Son, The Nut by Allen Sherman. Steve Martin nearly got there in 1978 when Wild And Crazy Guy peaked at #2.

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COLORADO: Attorney General Appeals Marriage Ban Overturn To Tenth Circuit

"Notice is hereby given that John Suthers, in his official capacity as the Attorney General of Colorado, in the above named case, hereby appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit from the order granting a preliminary injunction entered in this action on the 23rd day of July, 2014. Respectfully submitted this 23rd day of July, 2014. JOHN W. SUTHERS Attorney General."

Read the full filing.

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ALASKA: Marriage Case Set For October

Via the Associated Press:
Arguments are scheduled for October in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Alaska's ban on same-sex marriage. Five same-sex couples, four married outside of Alaska and one unmarried couple, sued to overturn the ban in May. Alaska voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1998 defining marriage as between one man and one woman. The state, in its response, said Alaska isn't required to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. State attorneys also argue that Alaska, as a sovereign state, has the right to define and regulate marriage. The case is being heard by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Burgess.
(Tipped by JMG reader Luis)

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Arizona Execution Takes Two Hours

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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

BREAKING: Judge Strikes Down Colorado's Marriage Ban, But The Ruling Is Stayed


Read the ruling.

NOTE: The breaking first report mistakenly said that the stay is due to be lifted on Monday. The stay actually ends on Monday, August 25th.

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Concernstipated Women: Help, Jesus! The Gays Have Done Stolen Our Freedoms!

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Headline Of The Day

"Ladies and gentlemen, President Bachmann and the First Ladybird." Details.

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Louie Gohmert: It's Time To Bomb Iran

Rep. Louie Gohmert says it's time to bomb Iran because Gaza.
“It is time to cut off every dime of American money going to anyone who has any kind of relationship with Hamas or those killing in the Middle East, and especially in Israel,” said Gohmert. “It is time to bomb Iran’s nuclear capabilities,” Gohmert concluded. “It is time for the United States, if we are not going to stop Iran’s nukes, then let Israel do it. A friend will not put another friend in this kind of jeopardy."

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Email Of The Day - Eugene Delgaudio

"Today, I'm launching Public Advocate's Religious Liberty Defense Fund. My team has crunched the numbers and Public Advocate needs to raise $30,000 by Thursday, July 31st just to maintain the critical campaigns we are already running. Our budget is strained to the max, but without an immediate influx of funds, I may be forced to abandon our fight to defend Religious Liberty. Right now, Christian business owners are being forced into re-education programs for refusing to affirm homosexual marriages. Anti-religious forces are attacking public images of the Cross and trying to purge open expressions of Christianity. This fight is bursting at the seams in states across the nation. I don't want to throw in the towel during such a crucial moment in the battle for our Religious Liberties. Can I count on you to contribute $15 today to help us reach our goal of $30,000 by July 31st? My staff and I stretch every dollar of our budget. So if $15 is too much, please consider a gift of $10 or even just $5. Any amount you can give to help get our Religious Liberty Defense Fund up and running is a blessing, and our deadline of July 31st is less than 10 days away." - Hate group crackpot Eugene Delgaudio, writing from a warehouse suspiciously buzzing with long-haired men. (Tipped by JMG reader Fred)

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New PReP Efficacy Study Released

A new study on the efficacy of Truvada as an daily HIV preventive was released yesterday at the International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia. According the research, which was simultaneously published in The Lancet, missing an occasional daily dose does not increase the chance of infection, but the drug must be taken at least four times a week in order maintain a blood level that blocks HIV.
While the effectiveness of PrEP was first proven in 2010, there had been some concern that it might not be safe to use long term. There was also speculation that access to PrEP could either cause individuals to increase risky sexual behaviour or be reluctant to use it. But the latest study found no evidence of “risk compensation”. It also found that there was an interest and willingness to use the preventative method by those at high risk of HIV-infection.

Tested on more than 1 600 HIV-negative men, including gay men, bisexuals, transgender women and men-sleeping-with men (MSM) at 11 research sites on four different continents, the latest study found that PrEP provided 100 percent protection among participants who took the pill four times or more every week. Those who took the pill two or three times a week registered a protection rate of about 84 percent. Those who took fewer than two tablets in the same period had no protection at all.

Carried out by the US-based National Institute of Health over an 18-month period in Chicago, San Fransisco, Boston, Thailand, Rio de Janeiro and Cape Town, among other sites, researchers are convinced that using pre-exposure prophylaxis could save lives of high-risk populations. ay men are regarded as the key population or at highest risk of HIV infection and transmission. At the conference it also emerged that while the HIV/Aids burden was declining in parts of the world, HIV infection among gay men was increasing.
Here's another take from AIDS Map:
The group of gay men and transgender women in this study who elected to take a daily Truvada pill had half as many HIV infections (relative risk = 0.51) compared with a comparator group of people who elected to stay in the study but not to take PrEP. They also had half the HIV infection rate (relative risk = 0.49) of people in the placebo arm of the original iPrEx randomised controlled trial (RCT). As has been seen in other studies of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), as well as in the original iPrEx RCT, the primary determining factor when it came to the efficacy of PrEP was adherence.

All participants in iPrEx OLE had their level of adherence calculated from drug levels observed in blood samples. PrEP had so significant efficacy in people who took fewer than two doses a week. However, the efficacy of PrEP was 84% in people who took 2-3 doses a week – there was only one infection in this group – and no infections at all were seen in people taking at least four doses a week. This 100% efficacy translates into a minimum efficacy of 86% if the statistical uncertainty of the result is taken into account.

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FRC Announces 2014 Values Voters Summit Lineup: A Cavalcade Of Crackpots

Tony Perkins fancies himself to be a GOP presidential candidate kingmaker, so it will be interesting to see if any not entirely crazy Republicans will join the above careening clown car crowded with the cavalcade of crackpots who failed in 2012, some of whom (Paul, Perry, Santorum) are expected to make a 2016 run. Ted Cruz won last year's Values Voters Summit presidential straw poll with 42% of the vote, the largest margin ever seen in that poll's history and light years ahead of runners-up Frothy Mix and Ben Carson, who barely landed in the double digits.

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SAUDI ARABIA: Gay Man Sentenced To 450 Lashes And Three Years In Prison

Dubai's English-language Gulf News reports that a Saudi Arabia court has sentenced a young man to 450 lashes and three years in prison for attempting to meet other men via Twitter.
The man, 24, was arrested after he posted several tweets calling for homosexual relations and expressing his readiness to meet gay men, local daily Al Watan reported on Tuesday. The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the religious police, was alerted about the tweets and was able to apprehend the young man after it set him up using an undercover agent. His mobile phone was searched and several “immoral” pictures were discovered, prompting the Commission to refer his case to the public prosecution. During the trial, the prosecutor requested a harsh punishment and the confiscation of the mobile phone on charges of promoting debauchery. The suspect reportedly admitted to using his account on the microblog to contact and communicate with homosexuals. The court decided that the 450 lashes would be given over 15 sessions.
Gulf News concludes its report by noting that homosexuality is forbidden in "Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states that also comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE."

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Arizona Candidate For Governor: I'll Stand Up To Gays And Chase Away Mexicans

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Jay Brannan - Square One


(Via Towleroad)

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LOUISIANA: Marriage Case Judge Has Heard Enough, Doesn't Want More Briefs

Four weeks ago in New Orleans, federal Judge Martin Feldman surprised both sides when he declared that he would not merely consider the out-of-state marriage recognition case before him, but intended to rule on Louisiana's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage as well. Yesterday Feldman issued an order declining any further briefs or arguments on either issue. He did not say when his ruling will come. The recognition suit was filed by the Forum For Equality Louisiana on behalf of four couples who are legally married on other states.

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TEXAS: ExxonMobil Agrees To Comply With LGBT Employment Executive Order

After many years of refusing to include LGBT employees in their anti-discrimination policies, ExxonMobil, the world's largest energy corporation, has announced that it will comply with the executive order signed by President Obama just 48 hours ago. Via the Associated Press:
Exxon, which according to government records won more than $480 million in federal contracts in 2013 and more than $8 billion since 2006, has long resisted pressure from civil rights groups and shareholders to enumerate such protections in its formal policy. The world's biggest oil and gas company by market value will continue to "abide by the law," spokesman Alan Jeffers said Tuesday. He wouldn't say if that meant changing the language in the company's formal equal employment opportunity policy, but stressed that Exxon prohibits "discrimination on any basis." n May, Exxon shareholders voted down a proposal for the 15th consecutive year to add such language to its equal employment opportunity statement, maintaining that the business standards stated on a company web site ensure protections without having to specifically name them.
Even after all those years of dogged refusals by ExxonMobil's shareholders, there was surely little doubt that the company would comply with the executive order. But this particular announcement, coming from the largest employer in Texas, and coming so soon after the order's signing, is surely a loud signal to all the other federal contractors. I suspect some well-staged coordination. And that's a good thing.

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Today's New York City Tabloids

New York City woke up yesterday morning to see that the massive American flags that fly atop each of the towers of the allegedly highly-guarded Brooklyn Bridge had been replaced by white flags. Surveillance footage shows that the flag's spotlights suddenly winked out around 3am and investigators found that they'd been covered with aluminum tins. Getting to the top of the towers of the allegedly highly-guarded Brooklyn Bridge is no easy feat - one must walk the suspension cables. So far no one has claimed credit for the stunt and officials say the likely culprit is someone with construction or bridgework experience. The white flags turned out to be old bleached American flags. Whatever this stunt is about, I'm with the Daily News, especially after the recent security lapses at One WTC. But as much as I loathe the Post, their headlines rarely fail to amuse.

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Ken Ham: NASA Is Wasting Taxpayers' Money Because God Only Made Humans

"I’m shocked at the countless hundreds of millions of dollars that have been spent over the years in the desperate and fruitless search for extraterrestrial life. Of course, secularists are desperate to find life in outer space, as they believe that would provide evidence that life can evolve in different locations and given the supposed right conditions! The search for extraterrestrial life is really driven by man’s rebellion against God in a desperate attempt to supposedly prove evolution! Secularists cannot allow earth to be special or unique—that’s a biblical idea (Isaiah 45:18). If life evolved here, it simply must have evolved elsewhere they believe. The Bible, in sharp contrast to the secular worldview, teaches that earth was specially created, that it is unique and the focus of God’s attention (Isaiah 66:1 and Psalm 115:16). Life did not evolve but was specially created by God, as Genesis clearly teaches. Christians certainly shouldn’t expect alien life to be cropping up across the universe. The answers to life’s questions will not be found in imaginary aliens but in the revelation of the Creator through the Bible and His Son, Jesus Christ, who came to die on a Cross to redeem mankind from sin and death that our ancestor, Adam, introduced." - Creation Museum head Ken Ham, writing for Answers In Genesis.

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Frothy: I'm Probably Running In 2016

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This Is A Major Network News Reporter

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Retweeted By Thomas Peters

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AUSTRALIA: Clinton Tells Conference That An AIDS-Free Generation Is Within Reach

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Atari To Release LGBT-Oriented Game

Via Engadget:
By December, Atari will release Pridefest, a mobile city-building game focused on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. It's also launching an online casino service. Yes, both of these initiatives are coming from the same company responsible for Pong. But when you look at the amount of money those two seemingly disparate sectors represent, it's clear why Atari is making such a huge push in those directions. Online gambling may be having trouble gaining a foothold in the US due to regulatory laws, but it's booming in Europe. By 2015, the European Union predicts the industry will pull in some €13 billion (over $17 billion). Witeck Communications, which specializes in the LGBT consumer market, forecasted that 2013 would see the LGBT community's total buying power reach $830 billion in the United States alone. For a company that's been struggling for the better part of the last four decades, all of that money must look incredibly attractive -- regardless of where it comes from.
Engadget reports than an Atari official is "adamant" that the game isn't an attempt to pander to LGBT community. But they also quote an unnamed gay executive in the video game industry, who observes that Pridefest feels like a merely "reskinned" version of earlier similar games. (Tipped by JMG reader Derek)

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Tuesday, July 22, 2014

BREAKING: Federal Judge To Strike Down Colorado's Same-Sex Marriage Ban Tomorrow But He Is Mulling A Stay

A federal judge this afternoon declared that tomorrow he will issue an injunction to overturn Colorado's ban on same-sex marriage. But he added that he has still not decided whether to stay his decision pending a ruling by the US Supreme Court.
Colorado Republican Attorney General John Suthers is not opposing the injunction, but wants it to be stayed until the nation's highest court decides the issue. However, the attorney for the gay couples told the judge repeatedly that "justice delayed is justice denied." "Fundamental rights cannot be stayed," said Mari Newman, one of the attorneys filing suit on behalf of the six couples. The judge said he is going to issue a ruling Wednesday. A ruling in favor of the plaintiffs, without a stay, would open the door to allowing clerks statewide to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. But Michael Francisco, the assistant solicitor general arguing on behalf of Suthers' office, said they will continue to pursue a stay with a higher court if the judge denies it. Francisco noted there's legal precedent where stays have been issued when courts in other states have found same-sex marriage bans unconstitutional. "The reason is that the stays are appropriate to preserve the status quo while the appellate courts hear these cases," he said.
Colorado has been going through one of the most convoluted marriage battles yet seen, and that is saying something.
Clerks in Boulder, Denver, and Pueblo counties have already issued licenses to gay couples after court rulings saying same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional. However, the Colorado Supreme Court last week ordered Denver to stop while the state ban remains in place, and the Pueblo clerk stopped on Monday because of that ruling. The state's attorney general applauded Pueblo's decision. The state Supreme Court ruling did not apply to Boulder's clerk, however. A district judge ruled in the clerk's favor this month, allowing same-sex marriage licenses to continue. Clerk Hillary Hall has issued 172 licenses to gay couples over the past month. She began issuing the licenses in late June after the 10th Circuit ruled on Utah's ban, saying states cannot prevent people from marrying based on their gender.

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FAA Bans US Flights To & From Tel Aviv

Via the Washington Post:
The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday afternoon ordered U.S. carriers to stop flying to or from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, prohibiting them from traveling through Israel’s largest airport after a rocket landed nearby. Airlines were banned from flying to Tel Aviv for a 24-hour period beginning on Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. The FAA said it will issue additional guidance by the end of that period.  This prohibition came after a rocket landed about a mile away from the airport, the FAA said. “The FAA immediately notified U.S. carriers when the agency learned of the rocket strike and informed them that the agency was finalizing [the notice],” the agency said in a statement. “The FAA will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation.” Even before the FAA’s notice was sent out, several U.S. airlines began canceling flights on Tuesday morning and afternoon.
United has suspended all service to and from Tel Aviv until further notice.

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One Million Moms Vs Black Jesus

Just in via email:
The late night programming on the Cartoon Network, known as Adult Swim, plans to air the non-animated show "Black Jesus" portraying Jesus as a "black guy living in the hood." The show depicts him living in Compton Gardens and makes a mockery of our Lord. The foul language used in the trailer, including using the Lord’s name in vain, is disgusting. In addition, there is violence, gunfire and other inappropriate gestures which completely misrepresent Jesus. This is blasphemy! "Black Jesus" is set to premiere on August 7 at 11:00 pm ET/ 10:00 pm CT, unless we intervene. Adult Swim plans to blaspheme Jesus on a weekly basis. This mockery will be similar to "South Park" and "Family Guy," but much worse since the entire program will be based on lies about Christianity.

1MM will defend our Savior because He is Holy! Adult Swim is obviously not a family network, and this program is set to air later in the evening when children should be asleep, but that is no excuse. Adult Swim has crossed the line by belittling the Christian religion with foul jokes. We need to send a loud and clear message to Adult Swim, its owner Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (a Time Warner Company), and all potential advertisers of "Black Jesus" that this kind of programming is insulting and completely unacceptable. Adult Swim is not ridiculing any other religion currently and wouldn’t dream of mocking Mohammed or Muslims.

If we speak with one voice now, we can keep this program from ever seeing the light of day. Christians must take a stand and not be silent. Networks like Adult Swim continue to mock Christianity, and we will not stand for it. Christians should no longer sit idly by and allow this blasphemy to continue without speaking up in protest. “Black Jesus” is another attempt to distort the truth about Christianity. There is power in numbers! Forward this to everyone you know in a fight to keep this show off the air.
I considered posting the trailer for Black Jesus a few days ago, but decided it looked deeply unfunny and laden with the predictable cardboard cutout characters one finds in uncountable direct-to-video flops that never even see the light of middle-of-the-night basic cable. But now that the Handmaids of the Republic of Gilead have sicced the Eyes Of God upon the show, you go Black Jesus.

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AFA Email Campaign To Obama: Your LGBT Executive Order Has Stolen Our Religious Freedom To Be Total Douchebags

From the American Family Association:
Defying the Constitution, which gives only Congress the authority to make laws, President Obama decreed that anyone who does business with the federal government must adopt written policies that specifically mandate special protections for “sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.” Obama’s love affair with homosexuality will impact some 24,000 companies with 28 million workers, or one-fifth of the U.S. workforce. More alarming, his order discriminates against Christians.

In most cases, the government uses private and locally-owned civilian businesses to provide services. Examples include construction companies (carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc.), health care professions, retail vendors (Walmart, Menard’s, restaurant chains), hotels and airlines. Without an exemption, Obama is ordering Christians to embrace sin and forfeit their faith convictions if they want to have the same business opportunities as non-Christian businesses. Obama has overstepped his authority and treats Christians as second-class citizens.
Read the email that the AFA is urging its followers to send:
I am deeply concerned by your executive order this week giving minorities the same rights and privileges that Christians have enjoyed for half a century, based solely on who they have steamy, wildly inventive, and deeply satisfying sex with. I believe all minorities should be treated as non-white, non-Christians were treated during the Middle Ages, but you have given preferential treatment to a fabulous lifestyle and not our chosen philosophy. More concerning is your decision to ignore the numerous pleas from KKK-affiliated hate groups to include exemptions for those who hold deep religious prejudices. In essence, you are discriminating against bigots and placing them at a great disadvantage when bidding to do business with the federal government. I am sending a copy of this message to my members of Congress, urging them to overturn your executive order by whatever means necessary, including fasting and holding their breath, to rein in your totally legal order and insure that Christians are free to practice their faith while pushing lesser Americans to the side.
I substituted a few words above, but hey, the AFA's action alert does invite one to "edit or add your own text." Hit the link for the original suggested message. (I did leave "insure" as is because ha ha.)

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NOM: Chase Bank Doesn't Give A Shit About What Anti-Gay Hate Groups Think

Brian Brown would like you to know that a whopping 5000 actual human type people have signed NOM's wildly viral boycott campaign against JPMorgan Chase. And therefore it's fucking bewildering that a multi-trillion dollar corporation with operations in dozens of nations hasn't suspended international trading to return his foot-stompy calls.
It's been nearly a week since we announced our boycott and petition against JP Morgan Chase. Since then, over five thousand activists have signed up at www.VoidChase.com to demand answers and an apology from the bank for the invasive and inappropriate survey issued to employees that sought to discover whether they were in step with the bank's pro-LGBT agenda. But we still have not gotten any response from the bank about how this information was handled and what it could be used to accomplish. Nor has the bank's leadership owned up to the wrongness of their actions and issued a necessary apology to their employees and customers.

So I need you to take action today, if you haven't already done so, and join the VoidChase movement! Visit www.VoidChase.com right away and sign your name to this important cause. You may have read that yesterday President Obama signed an executive action ostensibly aimed at preventing workplace discrimination against LGBT persons, but which could in reality be used as a weapon to punish and harass individuals and groups who support marriage as the union of one man and one woman. In the context of such action by our government, it is more important than ever that we let corporate America know that thought-policing in the workplace and the enforcement of political agendas through discrimination against pro-family employees is unacceptable.
I like to imagine that the boards of Chase, Starbucks, and General Mills have shared a snickering group conference call. That's how my SNL skit would play.

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TOMORROW: World Premiere Of Pet Shop Boys' Alan Turing Opera In London

Tomorrow night at London's Royal Albert Hall, Pet Shop Boys will perform with the BBC Concert Orchestra in the world premiere of their Alan Turing opera, A Man From The Future. Via the Guardian:
"For one night only, I'm one of the BBC singers!" marvels Pet Shop Boys frontman Neil Tennant – he is adding his voice to the 18-strong chamber choir. "I can't imagine he'll blend in," deadpans his colleague Chris Lowe, who is usually found hiding behind a bank of synthesisers at their shows. He is worried about the lack of dry ice and lasers at the Royal Albert Hall. "The lights are always on [at classical concerts], aren't they? I personally am going to feel very exposed." It is not the first time a pop group has featured at the Proms. From Soft Machine's 1970 set (later turned into a live album)to last year's 6 Music and 1Xtra specials, pop and rock acts have often played a part in the two-month series. But Tennant and Lowe are doing something different this year: performing the world premiere of an ambitious new work, A Man From The Future. Based on the life of the extraordinary mathematician and Enigma code-cracker Alan Turing, it's an orchestral pop "biography" in eight parts for electronics, orchestra, choir and narrator.
Late last year Turing was granted a posthumous royal pardon for the 1952 homosexuality conviction that ultimately led to his suicide. The pardon prompted Tennant to change the closing of the opera.
"We had to [rewrite the ending to] point out that the convictions of tens of thousands of other men remain, and that hasn't really been discussed," says Tennant. However, the finale has a celebratory feel, and recognises the changes in attitudes towards homosexuality, globally. Tennant lists these happily: a 2013 US poll in which 52% of Americans were shown to approve of same-sex marriage, the moment in 1994 when John Major lowered the age of consent to 18 ("everyone forgets it was him that started things off").
Tomorrow's event will begin with Chrissie Hynde providing vocals on orchestral versions of several Pet Shop Boys classics, including Rent and Love Is A Catastrophe. The Turing opera will follow. The concert begins at 5:15PM New York City time and I'll post a live stream if one is available.

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TRAILER: The Imitation Game

Opening on November 21st:
In THE IMITATION GAME, Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Alan Turing, the genius British mathematician, logician, cryptologist and computer scientist who led the charge to crack the German Enigma Code that helped the Allies win WWII. Turing went on to assist with the development of computers at the University of Manchester after the war, but was prosecuted by the UK government in 1952 for homosexual acts which the country deemed illegal.

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