TowleTech V.82

Please welcome Jon Barrett, with this week's tech news about 80-proof art, Amazon's Kindle, the Earth on your desk, Google paparazzi, early hours at the Apple store, and the future of phone sex.

Now here’s some art almost everyone can inebriate. As TheCoolhunter first reported, Hannes Broecker’s exhibition in Dresden, Germany, includes this series of flat, glass containers filled with a variety of cocktails. Gallery guests fill their glasses with the “art” while they watch the multi-colored infusions diminish.

Better watch yourself if this Google-branded car is lurking on a street near you. As Google has been expanding the Street View feature of its map service, cameras mounted on cars like this have inadvertently photographed many a man in a compromising position—such as the guy to the right, outside an adult bookstore. Google Street View launched in May and is currently available for 15 U.S. cities. It’s now expanding to Canada and Australia, where Seb Ruiz snapped the shot of the Google car traversing Sydney streets and then posted it on his Flickr page. Google reps tell the Sydney Morning Herald that they take care to obscure people’s faces. Still, I won’t be taking any chances next time I’m at Fatburger.

In further Google news, the company on Wednesday launched Maps with My Location, which locates users who don’t have GPS-enabled phones—based on the nearest cell tower. PCWorld reports that “the service could be useful to a person who might be traveling in an unfamiliar city and looking for restaurants or other businesses.” In order to use it, phone owners must download a free application from Google, which will work on Blackberry, Windows Mobile, and Symbian phones.

Josh Rubin at Cool Hunting has pointed out the coolest desktop wallpaper yet. Earthdesk puts a constantly updated view of the earth on your screen. Reports Rubin: “The most striking part, of course, is that Earthdesk provides a visual of time pasing, with accurate shading delineating night, twilight, and daytime. It also (seemingly almost magically) shows real clouds, light emitted by cities and moonlight (which can be adjusted to show more or less city light)."

Nintendo on Wednesday became the first-ever company to receive a 0 out of 10 rating on Greenpeace’s guide to green electronics, The Christian Science Monitor reports. Why the low score? The watchdog group says Nintendo provides no information on the materials used in manufacturing its consoles nor on its plans to cut hazardous chemicals. This means it “completely fails to show any environmental credentials.” Also getting low marks are Philips, which scored 2 points, and Microsoft, which received 2.7. High-point earners were Sony Ericsson and Samsung—each receiving 7.7 points.

The Amazon Kindle has been taking a lot of heat from every direction since it debuted last week. But I’m a sucker for anything new and can’t stop thinking about it. (If only I had an extra $400 to check it out.) In case you’re in the market for an ebook, Gizmodo has posted a pretty comprehensive comparison of the Kindle and its predecessor, the Sony Reader. My verdict: Kindle’s still on my Christmas wish list.

One of the best features of the Microsoft Zune is that it allows users to swap musics. Now, thanks to miShare, a $100 device that has dock connectors on both ends, you may soon be able to do the same with your iPod. Specifics about the device are not yet available, and it’s not yet on sale. But you can get updates here, or see a video of how it works here.

If I’m awake at 3 a.m., it’s only to go to the bathroom or to pop another Tylenol PM. But Billy Chasen? You might catch him at the New York City’s 24-Hour Apple store, where he’s likely the only one who a.) isn’t wearing pajamas and b.) doesn’t smell like pot.

Just in time for the holiday crush of gift cards, Leveragecard.com this week launched a new service that lets users register all the gift cards they’ve received (to keep track of how much you have left on each card), buy new gift cards, swap cards with other users, and even manage loyalty reward programs, such as frequent-flyer or frequent-stay plans. Sounds useful, but knowing that 27 percent of the people who receive gift cards never even use them, it will be interesting to see how many people will take the time to register their cards.

Could this be the future of phone sex? This video is NSFW (unless you have headphones).
(via Queerclick - also NSFW)

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Judge Sets Bond for Killer of Sean William Kennedy

A judge today set a bond of $25,000 and ordered home detention for 19-year-old Stephen Andrew Moller, who delivered a lethal punch to Sean William Kennedy last May outside Brew's Bar in Greenville, South Carolina. Kennedy fell to the ground and died of his injuries 17 hours later.

The arrest warrant for Moller said "investigators believe the assault was due to the victim's sexual orientation" GreenvilleOnline reported shortly after Moller's arrest.

"Sheriff's Office investigator Paul Silvaggio testified today in Greenville County Circuit Court that after an 'extensive investigation,' he determined that Kennedy's homosexuality did not motivate the attack," GreenvilleOnline reports:

"Moller's attorney Ryan L. Beasley said Moller, who has been incarcerated since May, would have to live with this the rest of his life. Kennedy's mother Elke Kennedy addressed the court, saying 'At least he gets to live. My son won't be home for Christmas.' She characterized Moller as a 'violent man,' and has previously objected to the reduction in charge from murder to involuntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of five years. She has said that her son was openly gay and she has advocated for the passage of hate-crime laws that would apply to sexual orientation. Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor Bob Ariail has said the charge of involuntary manslaughter is not sufficient, but 'correct under the law.' Beasley said if released, Moller would live with his mother, that he had turned himself in to police, and that he isn't a danger to society. Couch ordered that Moller may go to work, may see a lawyer or doctor, and may have no contact with the victim's family."

A disappointing end to a tragic, unnecessary hateful event.

You may have missed...
SC Hate Crime: Mother of Sean Kennedy Speaks Out [tr]

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Hostage, Possible Bomb Situation at Clinton NH Campaign HQ

Two women and a child taken hostage at the Hillary Clinton campaign headquarters in Rochester, New Hampshire by a man with a suspicious device strapped under his clothing have been reportedly released, according to CNN.

The hostage taker, reportedly a local man in his 40's with a history of mental illness who demanded to talk to Senator Clinton, is still inside at this moment and a swat team has stabilized the area.

UPDATE: The hostage taker has been identified as Lee Eisenberg.

ABC News reported that the man told his son to "watch the news."

Officials were alerted to the situation by a woman with an infant who was released early on, a witness told local station WMUR: "A young woman with a 6-month or 8-month-old infant came rushing into the store just in tears, and she said, 'You need to call 911. A man has just walked into the Clinton office, opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape."

Hillary Clinton is in Virginia and canceled a 3 am campaign appearance because of the situation. Her campaign released this statement: "There is an ongoing situation in our Rochester, N.H. office. We are in close contact with state and local authorities and are acting at their direction."

UPDATE: Crisis has ended, suspect taken into custody...

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Uruguay to Legalize Same-Sex Civil Unions

Lawmakers in Uruguay have approved legislation that will allow same-sex and heterosexual couples to form civil unions after living together for at least five years, it was reported yesterday.

"Under the law, couples will be granted rights related to social security payments, pensions, inheritance and parenting. To gain these cohabitation rights, couples must register the relationship with authorities. They also will be able to register the end of a union. Gay civil unions are allowed in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires and in Mexico's capital and in Coahuila state. Uruguay's law would be the first nationwide measure. Gay marriage would remain illegal in Uruguay, a small South American country known for its secular streak."

Said left-wing politician Edgardo Ortuno: "This recognition of the legal status of couples ... recognizes the legal status of homosexual couples, which gives it a completely new dimension."

Uruguay set to legalize gay civil unions [tr]

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Rhydian the Rugby Player

I've posted a few videos of the UK's current X-Factor favorite Rhydian Roberts. Today, the Brit tabloid Daily Mail chronicles his transformation from busted-up rugby player to peroxide pop singer.

Below, a vlog Rhydian posted yesterday, along with his most recent performance.

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DILF of the Day: Justin Chambers

The Grey's Anatomy hunk graces the pages of Italian Vanity Fair. Two more after the jump...

More here...

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News: Martian Moons, Brad Pitt, Fire, Mitt-Flops, USS Kitty Hawk

Human Rights Campaign: did the gay rights group use underhanded tactics to skew polling over ENDA in order to show support for dropping transgender protections?

Brad Pitt says he'll no longer do nude scenes in films: "I don't want to be embarrassed when my kids get old enough to see my films. I can't see any more nude scenes [in my career.]"

Australian ACT civil partnerships likely to move forward under Labor Party: "The incoming attorney-general, Robert McClelland, says Labor is unlikely to block a proposal by the ACT to legally recognise same-sex couples - a plan that was repeatedly stymied by the Howard Government. The ACT Attorney-General, Simon Corbell, is planning to reintroduce a civil partnerships bill, which will give legal recognition to unions between same-sex couples. The plan was blocked by the Howard Government last year and the outgoing Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, threatened to do so again in February."

LOGO announces reality show about gay basketball team San Francisco Rockdogs.

China's refusal to allow USS Kitty Hawk to dock in Hong Kong not a misunderstanding: "Liu said "erroneous" actions on the part of the U.S. had 'disturbed and harmed' relations. He pointed to Congress' awarding its highest civilian honor to the Dalai Lama last month. Although the Tibetan spiritual leader is lauded in much of the world as a figure of moral authority, Beijing demonizes the monk and claims he seeks to destroy China's sovereignty by pushing for independence for Tibet. Also hurting relations were arms sales to Taiwan, an island which China regards as a renegade province, he said. A White House spokeswoman said she was surprised by the explanation."

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter provides new look at Martian moons: "Carbonaceous chondrites are primitive carbon-containing materials thought to originate in the outer part of the asteroid belt. This led to a commonly held view among planetary scientists that Mars' moons are primitive asteroids captured into Martian orbit early in the planet's history. More recent measurements have shown that the moons are in fact relatively red in their color, and resemble even more primitive D-type asteroids in the outer solar system."

Firefighters asked to report people who express discontent with the U.S. Government.

Arsonist continues to plague Provincetown — recent fire was 11th since October: "It's scary and sad that people are going around setting peoples' property on fire. It's ridiculous and wrong, if that is indeed what is going on."

David Beckham nuzzled in New Zealand.

Obama courting Michael Bloomberg as potential VP candidate? "An Obama aide said the meeting was scheduled because of 'mutual interest' and did not know whether the two had met before." Actually, they have: "Bloomberg, according to my spy, said he had met Obama for the first time about a year and a half ago, in the Senate subway, and was struck by Obama's eloquence. But 'he simply is not experienced enough to become president,' Bloomberg, I'm told, said. That's in part, at least, because 'senators have absolutely no idea what executive decision making is all about' — a familiar Bloomberg theme and one that would disqualify a number of candidates."

James Franco and Mila Kunis parody The Hills.

Log Cabin Republicans unleash Romney "Mitt Flops" ad: "The ad by the Log Cabin Republicans notes that Romney signed legislation in 2003 that increased taxes on New Hampshire residents who worked in Massachusetts. It also says Romney raised taxes on businesses, a point Romney disputes by saying he was merely closing tax loopholes...The radio ad represents the second effort by the Log Cabin Republicans to cast Romney as a flip-flopper. Last month, the group aired an ad in Iowa and on national cable that sought to undercut his support among social conservatives."

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Wayne Newton "Had Beef" with Johnny Carson Over Gay Jokes

Recent Dancing with the Stars contestant and Vegas legend Wayne Newton told Larry King that his friendship with Johnny Carson was destroyed because of the late night talk show host's jokes implying that Newton was gay.

So, Newton paid him a visit to threaten him.

Said Newton to King: "'Mr. Carson,' I said, 'I don't know what friend of yours I've killed, I don't know what child of yours I've hurt, I don't know what food I've taken out of your mouth... but these jokes about me will stop, and they'll stop now. Or I will kick your ass.'... Johnny Carson was a mean-spirited human being. There are people he has hurt that people will never know about. And, for some reason, at some point, he decided to turn that kind of negative attention toward me, and I refused to have it."

Video on Newton's "beef" with Johnny Carson is over at PageOneQ.

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On the Stage: Make Me A Song, The Music of William Finn and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Please welcome Kevin Sessums, who last reviewed Bad Jazz for Towleroad. You can also catch up with Kevin at his own blog at MississippiSissy.com.

William Finn is a kind of sophomore Sondheim - though certainly not a sophomoric one. His tunes more jaunty than Sondheim’s, his lyrics less jaundiced (and, yes, less intricately accomplished), Finn is still the musical theatre’s closest approximation to a Sondheim progeny, a lineage that can be traced back to Sondheim’s own mentor, Oscar Hammerstein II.

Finn has created one great and timely musical, Falsettoland, about how the AIDS epidemic affected the modern American family. Indeed, the suite of songs from Falsettoland which anchors Make Me A Song, The Music of William Finn at the New World Stages at 340 West 50th Street, can still sear the heart.

Finn is not afraid to take aim right at one’s heart — or one’s funny bone. In this wondrous musical review of his work, we laugh at the way he turns his political anger into a wry sophisticated lament in “Republicans” and turns that wryness into a hilarious pessimism in “Billy’s Law of Genetics.” Teetering on sentimentality but never taking that final plunge, he keeps his heartwrenching balance — as he keeps us off ours — in the ballads, “I Went Fishing With My Dad” and “Anytime (I Am There)” Though about the latter, he writes in the program, “While my great friend Monica Andress was dying, she asked me to write a song for her funeral that would make people cry. It’s the only song that, while writing it, made me cry endlessly.” The night I saw the show, there weren’t many dry eyes in the audience after Sally Wilfert literally stopped the show with her rendition of the song. The other performers — Sandy Binion, D.B. Bonds and Adam Heller were equally stellar and brought their own singular takes to this singular — Sondheim references aside — voice in the American musical theatre.

T T T (out of 4 possible T's)

Make Me A Song, The Music of William Finn, New World Stages / Stage 5, 340 West 50th Street, New York. Ticket information here.

***
THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE

There were no works, alas, in Make Me A Song from Finn’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which is still packing them in at Circle in the Square. It is scheduled to end its run in January yet the Sunday afternoon I caught a performance it was standing-room-only. I saw the production when it first opened and it is still one of the most refreshing shows on Broadway. A love letter to all the brainiac nerds - one assumes Finn must have been one at some point in his life — who have endured their adolescences, Spelling Bee is that rare show on Broadway which parents and their kids alike — and even hip urban GLBTs — can appreciate on many elemental and sophisticated levels. If you haven’t seen it, by all means catch it before it closes. An utter delight.

T T T (out of 4 possible T's)

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Circle In The Square Theatre, 1633 Broadway, New York. Ticket information here.

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A First Show for Banksy in New York

British street artist/prankster Banksy's first New York show is opening this weekend at the Vanina Holasek Gallery.

Bloomberg reports: "The show will be the first selling exhibition for Banksy in the U.S. since September, 2006, when the Lazarides Gallery, Banksy's London-based primary dealer, held a "three-day vandalized warehouse extravaganza" in Los Angeles, featuring a live "elephant in the room" painted in a red and gold floral wallpaper design. Works on show at Vanina Holasek will include Banksy's 2006 painting 'Jack and Jill,' showing children clad in bullet-proof vests, priced at $300,000, and his 2004 limited-edition screenprint, 'Kate Moss,' parodying Andy Warhol's 'Marilyn,' at $175,000."

Previously
Prankster Artist Banksy Caught in the Act in East London [tr]
Banksy Battle on the Streets of London [tr]

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Archbishop of Canterbury Holds "Secret" Eucharist for Gay Clergy

Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, held a "secret" eucharist for gay and lesbian clergy yesterday, according to the Times. The service focused on "present realities and future possibilities for lesbians and gay men in the Church," inspiring sharp remarks from the conservative branch of a church divided over homosexuality.

The Times reports: "Dr Williams was criticised by evangelicals, who believe that his actions will be interpreted as an endorsement of the Church’s liberal wing. The Rev David Phillips, general secretary of the Church Society, said: 'This is not something that should be happening. There is serious doubt in our mind about some of the people present and their standing because of being in homosexual relationships. We came to the conclusion a long time ago that [Dr Williams] was not really fit to be Archbishop.'"

They report that "secrecy was so tight that a list of names attending was sent to Lambeth Palace with orders that it be shredded as soon as Dr Williams had read it."

Earlier this month, Archbishop Desmond Tutu slammed the church, calling it "extraordinarily homophobic" and criticized Williams for failing to demonstrate that the Anglican church's God is one who is all-loving.

Said Tutu: "If God as they say is homophobic I wouldn't worship that God...It is a perversion if you say to me that a person chooses to be homosexual. You must be crazy to choose a way of life that exposes you to a kind of hatred. It's like saying you choose to be black in a race infected society. Why doesn't [Williams] demonstrate a particular attribute of God's which is that God is a welcoming God."

Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, at ‘secret’ gay ceremony [times online]

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Morrissey to Sue NME for Failing to Clarify Immigration Remarks

Comments by Morrissey on immigration in the most recent issue of NME amount to "character assassination" according to the singer's lawyers, who are reportedly threatening to sue the publication. Additional details of the legal action have not been revealed.

Morrissey's comments, some of which I posted yesterday, read: "With the issue of immigration, it's very difficult because, although I don't have anything against people from other countries, the higher the influx into England the more the British identity disappears. If you walk through Knightsbridge on any bland day of the week you won't hear an English accent. You'll hear every accent under the sun apart from the British accent."

Morrissey "expressed concern at how his previous comments could be interpreted" according to the Guardian, and conducted a follow-up interview, in which he said: "I just think that it would be construed that the reason I wouldn't wish to live in England is the immigration explosion. And that's not true at all."

The controversy has sparked a war of words between the former Smiths frontman and the publication, while the article's author Tim Jonze has requested that his byline be removed from everything but the Q&A, claiming dissatisfaction over the magazine's final edit.

Morrissey demands apology from NME [guardian]

Recently
Morrissey Shuns England Over "Immigration Explosion" [tr]

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"Rogues Gallery" of White House Mugshots on Display

An exhibit by artists Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese is both angering and amusing visitors to the New York Public Library. Members of the Bush administration are featured in satirical mugshots, holding placards with the date each of them stated something "incriminating" about the Iraq war, according to the New York Daily News:

"The installation includes audio clips of the administration members - complete with the sound of a flashbulb popping and a prison door slamming."

Matthew Walter, director of communications for the state GOP, told the paper, "It is simply inappropriate to have political attack art, in the form of egregious doctored photographs of the President and other high-ranking officials who have dedicated their lives to public service, in a taxpayer-funded building frequented by schoolchildren and the general public."

Raw Story reports: "Ligorano and Reese are well known for their political art: 'Line Up (2004-5), their series of portraits of Bush administration officials, acknowledges that the mug shot has become the preeminent form of portraiture in America now that more people are incarcerated there, than any other country in the world. The artists debuted Line Up, selling it as a postcard book on the streets of New York during the Republican convention in 2004. Now in its third edition, they have printed and sold more than 5,000 copies.'"

Six more works from "Line-Up" after the jump...

Library exhibit features 'mug shots' of President Bush, White House officials [ny daily news]
Fox: Library's White House mug shots might confuse little kids [raw story]

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12,000 Flags to Wave on National Mall in DC on DADT Anniverary

RETIRED ADMIRALS AND GENERALS URGE CONGRESS TO REPEAL GAY BAN

The Human Rights Campaign and Servicemen's Legal Defense Network along with the Log Cabin Republicans and the Liberty Education Forum are sponsoring a three-day event on the National Mall in DC beginning today in which 12,000 flags will be planted on the mall representing every servicemember discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

According to HRC, "These flags will stand as a testament to the waste to our military, our security, and our country caused by this discriminatory law." Today is the 14th anniversary of the signing of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and events will kick off with a press conference at 10 am, after which the mall exhibit will be open to the public.

Additionally, the New York Times reports that 28 retired generals and admirals will be releasing a joint letter today "urging Congress to repeal the law."

Says the letter: "We respectfully urge Congress to repeal the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. Those of us signing this letter have dedicated our lives to defending the rights of our citizens to believe whatever they wish."

According to the paper, "The retired officers offer data showing that 65,000 gay men and lesbians now serve in the American armed forces and that there are more than one million gay veterans."

UPDATE: Here's the text of the letter.

The anniversary falls just days after openly gay retired Brigadier General Keith Kerr's question about gays in the military at the Republican YouTube debate was clouded by accusations that he was a "plant" from the Hillary Clinton campaign.

And yesterday, conservative pundit Pat Buchanan attacked Kerr for not having the courage to come out while he was still serving!

Said Buchanan: "There’s an element of fraud here. When the general did not identify himself as a fierce partisan of Hillary Rodham Clinton and presented himself simply as a military man who had served and was gay. And who obviously did not have the courage, frankly, when he was in the military to come out of the closet and say I’m gay. And to attack the Republicans for lacking the courage to take a position he was unable to take, I think makes him look rather bad."

Regarding Kerr's background, CNN's president Joe Klein responded yesterday: "I think it’s pretty obvious, in retrospect, our search should have turned this up. It’s in the nature of doing something that hasn’t been done before — you’re going to try to anticipate everything, and you’re going to fail at that. Had we known ahead of time. we would probably not have used his question. It raised too many flags, in terms of motivation."

"12,000 Flags for 12,000 Patriots" tribute will honor American soldiers discharged under Don't Ask Don't Tell [hrc backstory]
A New Push to Roll Back ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ [nyt]
Buchanan Attacks Gay General For Not Having ‘The Courage’ To ‘Come Out’ While Still Serving [think progress]

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Pat Robertson: God is Using I-35 to Rid USA of Gay Sin

I really have no words, except this is why they're called wingnuts.

According to Pat Robertson, God is using superhighway I-35 that runs from Canada to Mexico through the midwest to purify America from sin. He says "I-35 is the highway spoken of in Isaiah 35:8 - "And a highway will be there; it will be called the way of holiness."

So, evangelical Christians have set aside 35 days to use the cities around I-35 to rid America of sin, meaning "abortion clinics, gay bars, strip joints, and porn shops." God is using "purity sieges" to set America free.

And they're apparently working - homosexuals, like James Stabile, a drunk gay who stumbled across a purity siege, was cured when a pastor touched him and yelled "Fire!"

Stabile: "I didn't feel the desires to be with men like I felt before." Shazam!

Is God Using NAFTA Superhighway to Stop Homosexuality? [rightwingwatch]

(via wonkette)

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #203

WORLD AIDS DAY: Safe sex campaign targets teens in Brazil. Read the translation at Made in Brazil.

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT: Auburn cornerback Jerraud Powers gets bitten in the endzone.

DRAG QUEENS vs MCDONALDS: They arrested the drag queens.

ALL I WANT: The downtown New York duo Whore's Mascara present their first music video, with a special cameo by Michael Musto. (NSFW)

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here

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Project Runway: Jack Mackenroth Makes it Work

Congrats to Jack Mackenroth for making it work on Project Runway last night. While we were impressed by both Jack's candor about his HIV status and the ensemble he put together for Tiki Barber, we were also impressed and intrigued by the human transportation device he introduced in the show's first moments.

See after the jump...

It wasn't until later in the show when he ditched the "manbag" that we realized - oh, Christian's just helping him getting his workouts in. Nice job Jack!

Aside from a couple of outfits, those were some of the worst looks I have ever seen on that show. Queerty has a nice wrap-up of Jack's moments.

(top image by Frank Louis)

Previously
Project Runway Kicks Off Season with Lincoln Center Preview [tr]

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News: Amy Winehouse, Venus, Karl Rove, Jay Brannan, Gyllenspoon

STUDY: Same-sex marriage would benefit Maryland's coffers to the tune of $3.2 million dollars annually.

Amy Winehouse cancels entire tour because something is missing.

Delete, delete, delete. Scott Bloch, the head of the federal agency investigating Karl Rove's political operation and its perhaps improperly deleted computer files, is now in the "hot seat" himself, for the same activity: "Recently, investigators learned that Mr. Bloch erased all the files on his office personal computer late last year. They are now trying to determine whether the deletions were improper or part of a cover-up, lawyers close to the case said. Bypassing his agency's computer technicians, Mr. Bloch phoned 1-800-905-GEEKS for Geeks on Call, the mobile PC-help service. It dispatched a technician in one of its signature PT Cruiser wagons. In an interview, the 49-year-old former labor-law litigator from Lawrence, Kan., confirmed that he contacted Geeks on Call but said he was trying to eradicate a virus that had seized control of his computer."

Lesbian novelist Jane Rule dies of liver cancer at 76: "She was the first Canadian woman writer to write about being gay as if it was part of the normal life."

Did Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon join the mile-high club?

Separated at birth? Venus much more like Earth than previously thought.

Seattle groups hold forum on anti-gay attacks.

Judge rules case challenging Wisconsin's gay marriage ban can proceed.

Giuliani under fire for secret Hamptons trips funded by taxpayers. Anderson sticks it to him last night -

Rhode Island Assembly gets second gay lawmaker: "Democrat Frank Ferri rolled to victory in yesterday’s special election for the District 22 House seat, defeating Republican Jonathan Wheeler and independent Carlo Pisaturo Jr. to win the seat formerly held by fellow Democrat Peter T. Ginaitt. Ferri took 53 percent of the vote, 896 in total. Wheeler was second with 33 percent, and Pisaturo a distant third."

North Carolina POLL: Does a candidate's sexual orientation matter?

Shortbus actor and musician Jay Brannan in concert in London.

Gay man jailed in Hong Kong for blackmailing his lover: "A gay blackmailer who threatened to tell a Hong Kong primary school teacher's employers about their one-night stand was Thursday beginning a three-year jail term. Alex Lo Man-nam, 21, extorted nearly 4,000 US dollars from his 34-year-old victim with threats to tell his school they had sex when Lo was under 21, the age for gay legal consent in Hong Kong. He also got his victim to buy him presents including a pressure cooker, a computer, printer and clothes after targeting the teacher in June after their one-night stand."

Wingnuts accuse Alaska Airlines of offering deals unavailable to those who are "sexually normal".

According to a new Hunter College national poll, Hillary Clinton is winning the gay vote: "In the first public, political survey ever conducted by a university-based team of scholars with a nationally representative sample of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGBs) Americans, results released today show that Senator Hillary Clinton has the support of 63 percent of LGB likely voters in the Democratic primaries, followed by Senator Barack Obama with 22 percent and John Edwards with 7 percent. The Hunter College Poll also finds that during the process of 'coming out,' LGBs become more liberal and more engaged in the political process than the general population."

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White Supremacist Charged with Gay Man's Murder in Oklahoma

Law enforcement officials in Oklahoma City charged Darrell Lynn Madden for the October murder of Steven Domer. The killing was apparently intended as an initiation into the United Aryan Brotherhood for Madden's friend Bradley Qualls, according to an affadavit filed in the case.

According to The Oklahoman, "Domer, 62, was last seen Oct. 26 at the car wash. His body was found a little more than a week later, dumped in a ravine in McClain County."

Madden has also been charged with the murder of Qualls, who died 10 days after Domer's disappearance. Qualls death was the result of a disagreement, according to police.

The AP reports: "Domer, who friends said was gay, was last seen Oct. 26 near a car wash, according to court papers. A witness said Domer had been talking to two men who matched the description of Madden and Qualls.
Domer's car was found the next day near Madden's home, according to an affidavit from Oklahoma City police Detective Kenneth Whitebird. Madden's roommate told police he heard Madden and another man describing an encounter with someone who 'wouldn't even fight back,' while a woman Madden had dated said she overheard him and Qualls talk about killing a man."

A doorman at Angles, located near the carwash where Domer disappeared told the Oklahoman, "This guy was motivated by hate — pure and simply. The fact is it's a hate crime, and it should be classified as a hate crime. It's just like if he was murdered for his race or his religion."

According to prosecutors, " Madden will not face a hate crime charge because sexual orientation is not covered under Oklahoma law."

We Don't Know Why They Killed Him [the oklahoman]
Washington man faces second murder charge in death of Edmond resident [ap via tulsaworld]

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Wayne Besen on the "Ex-Gay" Nude Warrior Adventure

At PageOneQ, Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out discusses the latest trend in "ex-gay" reparative therapy, The ManKind Project's New Warrior Training Adventure:

"This cult-like national program is a $650 weekend boot camp where participants - mostly straight - are greeted by large, intimidating men dressed in dark clothing and faces painted black. During their stay, the men are forced to take cold showers, survive on about four hours sleep, and subsist on very little food. In follow-up meetings, the activities include shaving another man's face, kidnapping a member of another camp group and changing clothes with other men. The idea is to help them get in-touch with their feelings and uncover and heal deep wounds that are barriers to successful lives."

One "ex-gay" who committed suicide after attending the camp described its bizarre rituals which included "blindfolded walking tours in the nude, people blowing sage smoke in his face while 50 or so naked men danced around candles, men sitting in a circle discussing their sexual histories while passing a wooden dildo called The Cock, and naked men beating cooked chickens with a hammer."

Besen adds that the wife of a man who attended the project told a Houston paper why he left: "So, everyone was sitting Indian-style in a big circle in the lodge when the man leading the group said, 'if you wish, you may reach over and grab your brother's dick. If your brother doesn't want your hand there, he can remove it.' Well, my husband told me he just froze. And, from that point on, he just wanted out."

Uh, yeah.

ADDENDUM: A reader has notified me that Wayne Besen recanted his claims that the Mankind Project is anti-gay and that their New Warrior Project is an "ex-gay" retreat. Besen's mea culpa is here.

Wayne Besen: Nude warrior adventure [pageoneq]
Truth Wins Out [official site]

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Hockey Legend Bobby Orr and Fellow Players in the Flesh

Must be the month for nude hockey players. Earlier in the month Toronto Maple Leaf Jiri Tlusty flashed his bits over the internet, and now a NYC exhibition is making headlines for its paintings of hockey players in the buff.

Kurt Kauper's exhibit "Everybody Knew That Canadians Were The Best Hockey Players" features portraits, some entirely nude, of former Boston Bruins players Bobby Orr (above, and pictured here, back in the day), Derek Sanderson, and others.

Of the paintings, Kauper told the Boston Globe: "Inspiration struck after a visit to Paris. There, Kauper saw one of his favorite works, a 19th-century image of Napoleon ascending to heaven by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. In the work, the French general is nude. You certainly couldn't do that nowadays - represent a cultural icon in the nude as a gesture of adoration and immortalization," said Kauper. 'That gets to how nudity is perceived today. It occurred to me that it would be interesting to try to make a painting of an icon in the nude and see what kind of response I got from viewers.'"

The reaction from players has been mixed. Said former Bruin Brad Park: "I see a picture of Bobby with some genitals, and a picture of Turk with some genitals. That's hard to take. I definitely would think Bobby would be uncomfortable with it. Derek, in his heyday, would have posed for it."

Discomfort is part of the point, however, said Deborah Kass, a curator who has worked with Kauper: "He takes these people we identify and idolize and presents them at their most stripped down, and because it's a male nude it makes people incredibly uneasy. I really don't know anybody else who is doing that."

The installation can be viewed here. See the full Bobby Orr, after the jump...

The show runs through December 15th at Deitch, 76 Grand Street, New York.

In artist's vision, an icon in the flesh [boston globe]
Deitch Gallery [official site]

Heeeeeeere's Bobby! (NSFW)

Related
Toronto Maple Leafs and Jiri Tlusty Respond to Nude, 'Gay' Photos [tr]
NHL Toronto Maple Leaf Rookie Jiri Tlusty: "I am Not Gay" [tr]
Tom Cavanagh: Kissing a Man? No Problem [tr]
Professional Hockey, Gays, and the "Ex-Gays" Who Hate Them [tr]

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Anti-Gay Marriage Attack Launched in New Jersey

Right-wing religious groups the National Organization for Marriage and the N.J. Family Policy Council have launched a hard-hitting campaign in New Jersey to try "to block an effort to legalize same-sex marriage during the lame-duck session of the Legislature that ends Jan. 8, when new lawmakers are sworn," according to the New Jersey Star-Ledger:

"Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) yesterday said no vote on same-sex marriage will be taken during lame duck, but those who fear it had succeeded in tying up his phone lines. 'At this point, they're just wasting their money with the phone calls. Somebody's giving them bad information,' Codey said. 'It's jamming our phone lines and we can't do our work here.' He said his office got as many as 200 calls per hour. Corzine's office got 133 calls yesterday while Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden) got about 200, according to their press secretaries. Brigid Harrison, a professor of political science and law at Montclair State University, said the anti-gay marriage campaign may be aimed not just at lawmakers, but at voters casting their ballots in the presidential primary on Feb. 5."

NOM has begun airing a hideous attack ad as well, on New Jersey radio stations. I've transcribed it below.

**BEGIN TRANSCRIPT**

VOICE: "If we change the definition of marriage..."

LITTLE GIRL: " Grandma, my teacher said if Grandpa was a girl, that's okay. You can still be married!

VOICE: "...our kids will be taught a new way of thinking."

LITTLE GIRL: "God creating Adam and Eve? That was so old fashioned."

VOICE: "And soon, they'll be thinking the unthinkable."

LITTLE BOY: "If my dad married a man, who would be my mom?"

VOICE: "Powerful special interest groups want to redefine marriage in New Jersey. They want your tax dollars to teach your kids and grandkids that your idea of marriage is just bigoted. They also want to penalize traditional New Jersey churches with threats to state tax exemptions and adoption licenses. And they don't want you to have a chance to vote. These are the same NJ politicians that can't cut taxes, end corruption, or pay for pension promises....But they have time to mess with gay marriage? Visit NationforMarriage.org and send a clear message. NO on gay marriage. And let the people decide. Please, do it right away. That's nationformarriage.org."

LITTLE GIRL: "I want a mommy and a daddy!"

**END TRANSCRIPT**

Listen to it here.

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Video Director Discusses Dolly Parton / Amy Sedaris Collaboration

Steve Lipman (aka Flip), who directed the video I posted yesterday for Dolly Parton's new single "Better Get to Livin'", talked to Amy Sedaris Rocks about how their collaboration came about:

"The thought of casting Amy came from myself and my creative team — we’re all longtime fans. I can remember seeing her shows at La Mama years ago, and immediately succumbed to the insanity. As for the video, the roles were already sketched out, but then I had the idea of getting Amy to do all 3 of them, like Peter Sellers used to do in his movies. I suggested this to Dolly and her team, and they thought it was a great idea. Next thing you know, we approached Amy and she said “yes”. It was the promise that Amy would share a scene with a monkey, and of course, Dolly, that sealed the deal. Wow. Imagine 2 days of filming with Dolly and Amy. This is when show biz has its perks. Amy improvised a lot, and the costume designer Adam Selman and make-up artist Chris Colbeck helped her bring the characters to life, beyond anything I imagined. We all had a blast making the video, and it doesn’t surprise me that there is so much overlap in the fan base with Dolly and Amy. They are both generous and genius one-of-a-kind talents."

I've posted the video one more time, after the jump...

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Sneak Peek: Ewan McGregor's Long Way Down

Have a peek at a screenshot from Ewan McGregor's Long Way Down which is currently airing in the UK, but won't hit the U.S. until July 2008 on the Fox Reality Channel. It will also be broadcast internationally at that time on the National Geographic channel.

The series chronicles McGregor's 15,000 mile journey from Scotland to Capetown, South Africa by motorcycle. Of course this shot has nothing to do with riding through Africa on a motorcycle, but I thought it might be appreciated anyway.

Damn that Diary Camera.

(image source)

Recently...
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Morrissey Shuns England Over "Immigration Explosion"

In a new, controversial interview with NME, Morrissey says he shuns England now because of the "immigration explosion" that has happened there, according to the Daily Mail:

"Other countries have held on to their basic identity yet it seems to me that England was thrown away. The change in England is so rapid compared to the change in any other country. If you walk through Knightsbridge on any bland day of the week you won't hear an English accent. You'll hear every accent under the sun apart from the British accent. The British identity is very attractive, I grew up into it and I find it quaint and very amusing."

He now considers Rome his home.

NME also reports today that the singer has signed a solo record deal with Polydor/Decca and has no plans to go the internet route in marketing it (ala Radiohead):

"If they (Radiohead) think that can work that that's a wonderful world. And yes, you can look at record companies and you can easily assess that they've been ripping people off for years and years and years. The whole process is a gigantic rip off. But then there are people like me who need to be institutionalised... and I don't mean in an asylum! Believing that several thousand people are working to get your music heard is more inspiring to me than anything else."

Of the new record, he boasts: "I'm extremely happy about it. I love my band at the moment, and the songs are great, of course. I don't think there's ever been a theme to any of my records. I don't need the chameleon element of trying to entice people with new costumes. I like to think I'm complicated and interesting enough as a human being."

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Morrissey Turns Down $75 Million Offer to Reunite The Smiths [tr]
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Strike Updates: Stagehands Back to Work, WGA Continues

The 19-day stagehands strike that darkened most of Broadway is now over. Details of the settlement were not made public:

The NYT reports: "The strike, the first in the union’s 121-year history, darkened 31 theaters, shuttering 27 shows and one Duran Duran concert, which moved elsewhere. Eight shows remained open on Broadway in theaters that maint