10/20/2008
News: Zaha Hadid, AETNA, Prop 8, Will Smith, India, Ari Shapiro
Connecticut same-sex couples celebrate new status.
Did Will Smith enlist the services of a notorious Hollywood Madame to meet men?
Liza Minnelli returning to Broadway in December: "She will be accompanied by pianist-musical supervisor Billy Stritch, a 12-piece orchestra and four dancer-singers. The show will feature some of Minnelli's best-known songs, particularly numbers such as 'Cabaret,' 'Maybe This Time' and 'New York, New York,' all written by John Kander and Fred Ebb."
Climate change faster and more extreme than feared.
Bitter: Guy says sex with Madonna like "cuddling up to a piece of gristle."
Sullivan: Obama should produce ad opposing Prop 8. "This is a core test of whether gay Americans should back Obama as enthusiastically as they have in the last month. If he does not stand up for gay couples now, why should we believe he will when he is in office? And if black Americans are the critical bloc that helps kill civil rights for gays, that will not help deepen Obama's governing coalition. It could tear it apart."
AETNA to link Gay and Lesbian Medical Association Provider Directory to its online doctor resource.
OUT announces first name in annual Out 100: NPR's Ari Shapiro.
British man stabbed to death in homophobic attack in public toilet, court hears: "Jeff Akers, 50, of Wallington, south London, died in hospital after he staggered from the toilet in Walton-on-Thames with the 8in knife in his back. Jobless Mark Malone, 30, of Clement Road, Walton-on-Thames, a married man who went fishing nearby, denies murder."
Delhi High Court objects to government's argument that homosexuality is a disease: "Show us one report which says that it is a disease. A WHO paper says that it is not a disease but you are describing it as a disease. It is an accepted fact that it is a main vehicle that causes (AIDS) disease but it is not a disease itself."
New British UFO files released: "The captain of the Alitalia airliner shouted "Look out" to his co-pilot at the sight of a brown missile-shaped object shooting past them overhead. Civil Aviation Authority and military investigations could not explain the 1991 incident near Lydd in Kent. The unsolved close encounter features in UFO-related military documents made available by the National Archives."
Underwear model Justin Gaston gone wild!
Sarah Palin uses the alias "Tina" when she checks into hotels.
California rabbi sees surge in weddings: "At the beginning of May, Edwards, the rabbi of the Beth Chayim Chadashim synagogue in Los Angeles' Fairfax district, had a single wedding on her calendar. Then the California Supreme Court struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage in mid-May. Between mid-June, when gay couples could legally begin marrying, and the first weekend of November, she will have performed more than 40 weddings. All but one are same-sex unions."
Architect Zaha Hadid collaborating with Lacoste on limited edition footwear.
NYT says not enough has been disclosed about candidates' health.
Anti-gay hate crimes surge in Scotland: "The picture of rocketing hate crime is in stark contrast to claims that Scotland is becoming more cosmopolitan and diverse. In Strathclyde, reported incidents of homophobic crime have soared from just 50 cases three years ago to 216 this year. In Lothian and Borders, crimes against people because of their sexual orientation - including assault and vandalism - jumped by more than 60 per cent, from 45 in 2005 to 76 this year. Crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people rose in Central Scotland from just five three years ago to 16 this year."
Posted 3:51 PM EST by Andy Towle in California, Connecticut, Crime, Fashion Men, Gay Marriage, Global Warming, Guy Ritchie, Health, India, Liza Minnelli, Madonna, Michelangelo Signorile, News, Scotland | Permalink
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I'm sure cuddling with Madonna isn't as nasty as cuddling with the old tanned skinny queens...ewww...Thanks but no thanx...Bring on Madonna
Posted by: bosie | Oct 20, 2008 4:14:28 PM
Is Scientology code for "I'm gay and being blackmailed"?
Posted by: Derek Washington | Oct 20, 2008 4:22:56 PM
That's a beautifully photographed portrait of Ari Sharpiro. The microphone is pretty neat, too.
Posted by: tominsf | Oct 20, 2008 4:28:03 PM
I wish gay white men would stop blaming the African American community for the possibility that Prop. 8 might pass. The African American community didn't not place the initiative on the ballot nor have they been major donators to the drive. If Prop. 8 passes more whites than any other group would have voted for it. I really hope that African Americans aren't used as the scapegoats, but most likely they will be because it's easier to blame the "other."
Posted by: sugarrhill | Oct 20, 2008 4:37:24 PM
Well said, SUGARRHILL. I just pray it doesn't pass, and I'm not even marriage material...anywhere.
It doesn't suprise me about Will Smith. I still love him as a movie star. But I wouldn't want him up on top of me--I heard he's extremely rough....I might change my mind....maybe, if he let me sit down on it.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Oct 20, 2008 4:45:47 PM
Derrick, after all these months of reading your posts I expected better of you.
Throw your legs up and take it like Todd takes it from Sarah , like a man!
lol
Posted by: Derek Washington | Oct 20, 2008 5:56:12 PM
i've always thought Will Smith was on the DL.
Ari is hot. i saw him on Bill Moyer's Journal with his wedding ring, being all eloquent and learn-ed and shit.
Posted by: nic | Oct 20, 2008 6:45:33 PM
Mr. & Mrs. Smith have been on the down low from Day One.
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Oct 20, 2008 6:58:09 PM
re: tominsf | Oct 20, 2008 4:28:03 PM
The current poll from "Survey USA" on California's Prop 8 breaks down "race" on the issue. I support civil rights, now, it appears, those I supported do not support me. These are the communities that we have to reach in ads. Not only make discrimation a factor, but civil rights an issue in all ads.
How it breaks down:
"Whites" are basically evenly split, "Asian/Others" are the only fully supportive group. The "Black" and "Hispanic" community saddens me. With all their struggles, they have turned their back on another community which is seeking civil rights. Both these groups will most likely be out in full force supporting Barack Obama, probably in unprecedented numbers, which means that Prop 8 is in definite danger.
Here are the poll numbers according to race +/- 4%:
White: 48% against gay marriage, 47% support gay marriage
Black: 58% against gay marriage, 38% support gay marriage
Hispanic: 47% against gay marriage, 41% support gay marriage
Asian/Others: 42% against gay marriage, 48% support gay marriage
Source: http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=0d4fd538-5834-4c18-98c8-6e58da254976
Posted by: CB | Oct 20, 2008 7:14:41 PM
SUGARHILL...according to CBS news...Obama is bringing record number of African Americans to the polls in CA. After saying this, they showed African American ministers urging their congregations to vote for Prop Hate. According to CBS (not me...CBS) one of the main reasons for Prop Hate passing is, in fact, the large numbers of African Americans going to the polls.
Posted by: dezboy | Oct 20, 2008 7:41:08 PM
whoah-whoah-whoah, Ari's gay? Yee-haww! Bit of a hottie as well. Love his reporting, and this makes me love NPR even more.
Posted by: jim | Oct 20, 2008 8:35:34 PM
CB:
What is the percentage of actual African Americans in the state of CA? I can bet they are no where near the majority of the population. Again, just because a majority of African Americans in CA "could" possibly vote for Prop. 8 does not mean they'll out number the amount of whites that will vote for the ballot initiative. The African American community does not outnumber the white community. They also did not initiate this ballot iniative or pump millions of dollars into this campaign. If this measure passes they will, unfortunately, be partly to blame and that is disappointing considering their history of discrimination. But the majority of the blame shouldn't be placed on their heads. If you want to find a scapegoat look no further that the white population.
Posted by: sugarrhill | Oct 20, 2008 8:36:45 PM
OOPs, my apologies to "TOMINSF" on my post (Oct 20, 2008 7:14:41 PM), it should have directed to "SUGARHILL"
Posted by: CB | Oct 20, 2008 8:37:15 PM
SUGARRHILL, you are turning it into a race issue. I just posted the results of a survey. No one is using blacks as a scapegoat. What has been pointed out, that there is a POSSIBILITY that more blacks will be voting than ever before. All my post stated was that we need to turn the numbers around (according to the poll) of African Americans and Hispanics when it comes to gay marriage. FYI, the 2000 census states that, in the State of California, African Americans represent 7.4% of the population.
The end result of prop 8 will be who votes and who doesn't vote in the November 4th election.
Posted by: CB | Oct 20, 2008 8:56:48 PM
I wonder why none of you have commented on Sullivan's belief that Obama may be manipulating us into supporting him despite any indication that he'll reciprocate, just like the last Democratic president?
Posted by: Milan | Oct 21, 2008 3:10:43 AM
White: 48% against gay marriage, 47% support gay marriage
hot gay http://www.FindBilover.com
Posted by: sunnly | Oct 21, 2008 10:36:59 AM