Happy Independence Day

Tomorrow I'm heading up to Provincetown for a week. This will be my 14th year celebrating Independence Day at the tip of the Cape. I'll have only dial-up access out there (the horror!) so there will be no posting until Wednesday.

On Wednesday, I'm welcoming a couple of guest bloggers to Towleroad. Josh & Josh, who run their own blog Josh & Josh are Rich and Famous, have agreed to keep you informed and entertained while I'm away.

I think this site will be in great hands with them. I may not be posting, but I will be reading.

If you're planning a trip to Ptown, I'll see you there. I hope everyone has an amazing and peaceful holiday.

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About the Banner #10

Sorry this has taken so long — better late than never.

This was a tree in the yard of some good friends in eastern Long Island. I was staying there over a weekend and had the pleasure of looking out at this blanket of green beauty. It's what I yearn for at the end of a long winter, and that's why I chose it as the banner.

I flipped the photo horizontally and saturated it a bit (like it needed any!).

Something about the way the branch of that tree hovers over the lawn gives me a sense of peace. And a sense that I wish I owned this property.

Previous About the Banners...

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Towletech v.14

Catch up on this week's tech and science news with the latest TowleTech from our correspondent Daniel Williford.

President Bush issued an executive order this week asking Homeland Security to put its resources towards a major technology upgrade to the country's outdated Emergency Alert System in order to ensure that "the President can communicate with the American people" in times of crisis. Whether something effective can be implemented in a timely manor is a different story altogether. "...The White House order calls for 'an integrated alert and warning system that reaches as many Americans as possible through as many forms of communication as possible -- television, radios, PDAs, cellphones, et cetera,' said Homeland Security Department spokesman Russ Knocke. 'We're talking about a quantum leap forward.'"

Sometimes, it seems, AOL gets a bit confused. This week they launched an entire new website, LAT34.com, which is basically a version of its recently launched AIM Pages for EXTREME teenage boys. LAT34 (a reference to its Los Angeles home base, which is, obviously, at Latitude 34 degrees, Longitude 118 degrees) is a social networking site and news portal for people into BMX biking, Sk8ing, Snowboarding, Mountain Dew, and Johnny Knoxville. Hell yeah, bruh!

Engadget reviews Napster's new Nano-like 1GB digital music player. The promotional Napster-branded player stores video and photos, as well as common music file formats (excluding Apple's AAC). "The tiny device probably won't be seen outside of its current role of attracting 1-year subscriptions, but it manages a nice look, decent user interface and a commendable 40 hour battery life -- not bad for $50."

MTV's Gay and Lesbian television network LOGO has added a bunch of its programming to iTunes, and it will add more through the end of the year. The deal appears to be part of MTV's larger iTunes offering of content from its many subsidiary outlets, such as VH1 and Comedy Central -- which is surprising, considering that MTV also owns and iTunes competitor, Urge, which recently partnered with Microsoft's Window's Media Player.

TechEBlog released a top 10 list of Coolest Designer Gadgets this week. We were particularly hot for this yet-unreleased Sony Ericson Black Diamond designer phone with a 4MB camera and shiny black "borderless screen" from designer Jaren Goh.

This week Google launched its own payment system, comparable to PayPal's popular service. Google Checkout allows sellers to accept credit cards on their own websites or through Google Base, and it allows shoppers to use their Google account to make purchases without having to give all of their credit and contact information over to an unknown merchant. Google does not share the full credit card number with the merchant, and it also intercepts any future e-mail from the merchant. That way, you won't get bombarded with spam from that one drunken purchase of the Ab-Zapper 5000, which is still in its box under your bed wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper because you considered getting rid of it that way but realized that you didn't dislike anyone enough to give them a piece of cheap exercise equipment as a gift. So yeah, Google Checkout.

Google Video launched a "Free Today" page, giving away its for-pay videos of shows, documentaries, and news clips that previously cost $.30 to $1.99. They're making videos free on a temporary basis in partnership with their sponsors.

YouTube partnered with NBC this week, which NBC will use to offer promotional content from its upcoming fall programming. YouTube will also get a boost when NBC launches a contest that encourages its viewers to upload content to YouTube. The the two companies were mentioned together was when NBC confronted YouTube when copyrighted material owned by Saturday Night Live became hugely popular on the video sharing site. "What NBC is doing is acknowledging the power of YouTube as a marketing vehicle," an industry analyst said. "At the same time, NBC has a vested interest in controlling the marketing message on YouTube."

Visit our correspondent Daniel Williford at his blog, Until Today...

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Electric Manhattan

Weatherbuff, fisherman, and friend of Towleroad Jeff Ragovin captured some stunning shots of yesterday's thunderstorm over Manhattan.

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It's Wedding Day for Gay Canadian Mounties

Constable Jason Tree, left, and Constable David Connors will marry today in a ceremony that has drawn much attention from media and from activist groups, who see the couple as an example that dashes steretypes. Said Gemma Hickey, president of Egale Canada: "I think these Mounties are sending a message to the government that we are not going to let Harper dictate the natural progression of our relationships. It flies in the face of every negative stereotype about gay men.”

The Mounties themselves seem less enthused about being held up as examples. Said Constable Tree: "We don't see our wedding as anything different or special. Our goal was to get married, not have an international media story. I fail to see the big deal. I don't think there's any difference between us and anyone else who wants to get married. I'm interested in getting married with David, and I guess I'm not interested in engaging in a political debate or anything like that.”

Approximately 100 guests will attend the wedding. The media is not invited.

Constables to wed, as Canada blogs [globe and mail]
Gay Mounties tie knot today [chronicle herald]
(thanks ryan)

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PFLAG set to ring closing bell today on Wall Street.

Spotted this ad for the first time on the subway today. It's part of a series of ads from the Ali Forney Center in New York which provides housing for homeless LGBT youth. The ads will appear on the subway and on pay-phone kiosks around the city. Executive Director: "This ad campaign speaks to a universal human experience, the love between a parent and a child. Our goal is to address the rising rate of LGBT youth homelessness, particularly in communities of color."

Man arrested in NYC for killing of gay man five years ago. Has been under surveillance in Britain following his disappearance after the murder of Edgar Garzon in 2001: "Police said he was beaten with a hammer, his face was slammed into a hard surface, possibly the pavement, and then robbed of $10. Garzon died two weeks later, never having regained consciousness." Prosecutors may add hate crime to the charges against John McGhee, which are second-degree murder, manslaughter and attempted robbery.

Gays visible at World Cup activities in Berlin: "And at the International movie theatre here, gays and lesbians gather to watch live broadcasts of World Cup matches. 'Gaywatch' is what they call it. A bartender there noted: 'They don't shout as aggressively as heterosexual fans do.'...Gays follow the action on the pitch a bit differently than straight men do, Helge noted. Among gays' favourite players, he said, are Germany's Lukas Podolski and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal."

Gay rugby icon Ian Roberts is moving to West Hollywood so he can spend more time on his acting career. Roberts plays one of Lex Luthor's henchmen in Superman Returns: "Some very high calibre agents asked about me over there and that's a real buzz. That's why I am moving. What's the worst thing that can happen? At least I can come out saying `What a ride'.''

Despite gay slur fracas, Ozzie Guillen says he'll still attend the Gay Games in Chicago. Gay Games spokesman: "We're glad to hear he'll be attending because it demonstrates how the gay games brings people together -- whether straight or gay -- through competition. There's no hurt feelings. He's apologized . . . he won't do it again. It's cool that Ozzie will be at the center of two events that unite the city. The Gay Games on one hand and the World Series on the other."

Arkansas' high court says the state cannot ban gays from becoming foster parents, agreeing that the state's child welfare board "had improperly tried to regulate public morality." Court: "There is no correlation between the health, welfare and safety of foster children and the blanket exclusion of any individual who is a homosexual or who resides in a household with a homosexual."

LeAnn Rimes likes hitting the gay bars: "My mom asks me, 'Do you have any straight friends?' I tell her 'No, the gay guys are just more fun.' I love going to gay clubs. It’s all about dancing and having fun."

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