News: Joe Biden, Twiglet, Global Warming, Ed Speleers

20 to 40 percent of the 4,000 homeless youth on the streets of San Francisco are gay.

Senator Joe Biden unloads race commentary on Obama: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy...I mean, that’s a storybook, man."

The Daily Intelligencer talks to Top Design host Todd Oldham on art, brunch, and who he wants for President: "Anyone that tells the truth and isn’t hateful would be welcome at this point."

From slaying dragons to chiselling walls. Eragon's Ed Speleers hasn't found his Hollywood ending.

A new report shows nearly half of government scientists have been pressured by the Bush administration to downplay global warming: "46 percent of government scientists 'personally experienced pressure to eliminate the words ‘climate change,’ ‘global warming,’ or other similar terms from a variety of communications.' 46 percent 'perceived or personally experienced new or unusual administrative requirements that impair climate-related work.' 38 percent 'perceived or personally experienced the disappearance or unusual delay of websites, reports, or other science-based materials relating to climate.' 25 percent 'perceived or personally experienced situations in which scientists have actively objected to, resigned from, or removed themselves from a project because of pressure to change scientific findings.'" In addition, the Bush administration has reportedly forbidden Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte from using the words "global" and "warming" together at the hearings on the political manipulation of climate change science.

On her diet of Prozac, bullied Twiglet is one happy cat.

David Beckham wants no fashion faux-pas on the field.

Cleveland, Ohio wants some gay visitors.

DNA on cigarette may clear man who has spent the last 17 years in prison for a gay killing he has always claimed he didn't commit: "Kennedy, who has been behind bars since 8 October 1990, is at Garth prison in Preston, where he is on suicide watch. His lawyer claims that his case hinges on new DNA evidence, two disputed cell confessions, and fingerprint evidence that points towards a murder suspect. He said the conviction and failure to clear his name may also be as a result of homophobia and a climate of fear among the gay community in the South-west during the early 1990s."

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Paul Rudd's Man Crush Revealed

Actor Paul Rudd tells Brandon Voss in The Advocate that while he played Cher's stepbrother in Clueless, the role he really wanted was that of "friend of Dorothy" Christian. Said Rudd: "...I think I was too old. That was my favorite part in the movie, because I thought it was so cool that there was this really cool character who was completely into all the Rat Pack–type stuff and is gay, but it wasn’t really a big thing. At that point that was something you didn’t really see."

Rudd also reveals he's something of a Bear man, at least in the "man-crush" sense: "I have so many [man-crushes]! Like Zach Galifianakis (far right). In fact, my wife always says that I have the biggest crush on him. He’s a comic who usually has this big beard, but he’s so freakin’ funny...I like depth. Anyone can just jump in the sack with Colin Farrell, but you spend your life with Zach Galifianakis."

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Paul Rudd Undresses for Rolling Stone [tr]

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Gay Texas DJ Fired Over MySpace Page

Justin "Tyme" Pascullo, a disc jockey in Amarillo, was fired from his job at KBZD Energy 99.7 for "inappropriate" content on a MySpace page considered "inconsistent" with the station's policies.

According to Pascullo, the content in question was "a line on his MySpace profile, in which he said who he sleeps with shouldn't be any concern to anyone."

Tejas broadcasting CFO Derrick Varnell, responding to alleged statements by the company's chief officer saying Pascullo's site "promoted homosexuality", told the Amarillo Globe: "We felt he was a threat to our reputation (in Amarillo) and a threat to the society as a whole by publishing such things on Web sites that are associated with us...The content of some of those blog entries of Justin, on those Web sites, entailed sexual solicitations. Those are inappropriate, inconsistent with what we allow through our company policy and he was terminated because of that."

Amarillo attorney Vicki Wilmarth seemed to suggest that the radio station had a decent case against Pascullo as "(Employers) have a right to look on the Internet just like anyone else" and "They are not breaking any law by discriminating against somebody on the basis of their homosexuality."

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #80

BARACK OBAMA: Floor statement on need for ending Iraq war; outlines troop cap and phased withdrawal. (source: americablog)

BILL GATES: Talks "Vista" and more on The Daily Show. (source: slog)

AMERICANS QUESTIONED: How embarrassing.

REGIS AND KELLY: Prison Break star Robert Knepper (T-Bag) discusses the origin of his character's name. (source: defamer)

THE "F" WORD (below): HRC's Joe Solmonese and blogger Keith Boykin on CNN.
(source: pageoneq)

Check out our past guides to the Tube here!

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Sportrait: Javier Saviola

It's been a while since I've featured a footballer in the Sportraits, so here's a tribute to Argentinian striker Javier Saviola, showing what he's made of after scoring against Celta Vigo in a Spanish league football match-up on Sunday. Saviola plays for FC Barcelona. His nickname is El Conejo (the rabbit).

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Sportrait: Tom Brady [tr]

Two more shots after the jump.

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Italian Deal or No Deal Host is Asked: Gay or Not Gay?

Gay rights activists and some members of Parliament in Italy have expressed outrage after Flavio Insinna, the host of Affari Tuoi (that country's version of the popular game show Deal or No Deal), revealed that when he was auditioning to be the show's host, RAI (the show's Italian public service broadcaster) asked him whether or not he is gay.

MP Franco Grillini, who also heads the gay rights group Arcigay, told Variety: "The issue of discrimination against homosexuals at RAI is a pressing one that needs to be resolved at all levels, from equal opportunity in the workplace to equal time in the news."

While RAI is under fire for Insinna's alleged job interview, their programming slate reveals the network is unafraid to confront gay issues: "Last week a brouhaha broke out in parliament over its upcoming skein 'Un Medico in famiglia' (A Doctor in the Family), which will feature two doctors living together as a couple, the first time a gay couple is depicted on the pubcaster."

The broadcast has inspired conservatives in the country, including Benito Mussolini's MP grandaughter Alessandra, and Silvio Berlusconi's party, to demand that the program be pulled.

Italian parliament is in the midst of a vigorous debate over gay marriage and civil unions.

RAI provokes gay rights protest [variety]

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