Towleroad Guide to the Tube #1274

HAPPINESS: Science tells you how to achieve it.

TROOPER: Richard Simmons won't let a little thing like getting his foot run over end a perfectly lovely conversation.

SUSPECT: Police say the woman in this video pushed a man onto the subway tracks, killing him. This is the second such incident this month.

SING IT!: SF Gay Men's Chorus gets the crowd to their feet with "North Pole Rock & Roll" during a sold out show at the Castro Theater. Check out "A Broadway Christmas" here.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

News: Berlusconi, Gay Tennis Player, Stormin' Norman, Log Cabin

A 24-year old woman has been arrested in connection to the upstate ambush that left two firefighters dead last week.

The dramedy television series Mom and Dads, about two gay guys raising a child with a straight woman, is kind of like an Israeli The New Normal, and is proving that same-sex parents are becoming a more everyday part of Israeli life: "For the most part Israeli society, which has made long and quick strides in gay rights in the past two decades, has reacted to the baby bump and the programs about it with nonchalance. Even the country’s sizable religious segment has merely shrugged at the series."

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will host same-sex marriages when they're legal in Maryland on January 1.

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has agreed to pay his ex-wife $48 million in annual alimony.

Troubled actor Nick Stahl was arrested after being caught masturbating at a porn shop.

"In Search of a Professional Gay Male Tennis Player in 2013."

Meanwhile, Chace Crawford is vacationing in Australia.

Justin Theroux tried and failed to have a private, shirtless moment with Jennifer Aniston in Cabo.

Actor Luke Evans was less shy while strutting his stuff on Miami Beach.

A look back at some of 2012's greatest photoshoots.

"The 25 Worst Anti-LGBT Villains Of 2012"

Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, the man who led US forces during the first Gulf War, has died. "The seemingly no-nonsense Desert Storm commander's reputed temper with aides and subordinates supposedly earned him that rough-and-ready moniker ['Stormin' Norman']. But others around the general, who died Thursday in Tampa, Fla., at age 78 of complications from pneumonia, knew him as a friendly, talkative and even jovial figure who preferred the somewhat milder sobriquet given by his troops: 'The Bear.'"

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton plans on returning to work next week following her recovery from a recent bout of dehydration and exhaustion.

Outgoing Log Cabin Republican leader R. Clarke Cooper insists the timing of his leaving has nothing to do with the Chuck Hagel brouhaha: "Cooper said he informed the board he would depart the organization at the year’s end during an Oct. 20 meeting at the California Republican Party headquarters in Burback. Cooper said his announcement kept in line with earlier stated plans to leave Log Cabin in that time frame."

Incoming interim Log Cabin executive director Gregory T. Angelo backed Newt Gingrich during the Republican presidential primary.

Two new orchid species have been found in the Caribbean, and they're teeny-tiny: "One of the world's newest orchid species is also its most delicate, with tiny white flowers smaller than a dime. Yet the flower finds its home amid boulders near the banks of rushing streams in Cuba's remote eastern mountains."

With all the recent progress on equality, the LGBT inclusive Metropolitan Community Church is wondering what step to take next.

An interview with Susan Muska and Greta Olafsdottir, the documentarians behind Edie and Thea: A Very Long Engagement.

Indiana AG To Supreme Court: Let States Ban Marriage Equality

Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller confirmed today that he will an amicus brief with the Supreme Court to defend Indiana's right to ban marriage equality:

Zoeller said Friday he will file an amicus brief with the high court when it takes up California's ban on gay marriage and the federal Defense of Marriage Act next year.

...

Zoeller made the announcement during a year-end news conference. He defended his decision to stop defending the state's immigration laws following a Supreme Court ruling invalidating similar measures in Arizona.

Though Zoeller made the announcement today, he actually wrote about his plans in an op-ed for the Evansville Courier Press earlier this month. In it, he attempts to defend his meddling in a Supreme Court case:

Defining marriage is an intrinsic function of state government that ought not be stripped from states as happened to California in one of the cases now being appealed. This is an important question of our time and therefore we asked the U.S. Supreme Court to exercise its role in our constitutional process to provide answers. Representing Indiana's case is my responsibility as Attorney General, an obligation that I will do to the best of my skill and ability.

A recent poll showed that 54% of Indiana voters oppose a proposed amendment to the state constitution defining marriage as one man and one woman, an amendment Republican Zoeller hoping to bolster with this hateful effort.

The OXD Mirror: Tadeu's Top 10 Songs of 2012

BY OCCUPY THE DISCO / TADEU MAGALHÃES

The OXD Mirror is a weekly music column brought to you by the boys of OCCUPY THE DISCO (OXD), a New York City based movement created by three music lovers, Ru Bhatt, Josh Appelbaum, and Tadeu Magalhães, who want to share their love for disco, house and dance music with the world.

 

As we recap the year in disco and house music, I now have the chance to share my 10 favorite tracks this year. Make sure to also check Ru's top 10 tracks of 2012 on last week's post.

 

10. Jessie Ware: 'Running (Disclosure Remix)'

I still get the chills every time I listen to this song and will always remember when I heard it for the first time. Gigamesh played it on an early Summer night at Hudson Terrace in NYC and my curiosity was piqued after first listen at the power of this particular track. By that time, Disclosure and Jessie Ware were still unfamiliar to me, but this collaboration sure did the job of hooking me on both for the rest of the year.

 

9. Holy Ghost!: 'It's Not Over (Dimitri From Paris EroDiscoMix)'

Dimitri From Paris' recent "EroDiscoMix" series, in collaboration with DJ Rocca, has been successfully turning original songs into outstanding house anthems and in my opinion is one of the highlights of 2012. Many artists received the EroDiscoMix treatment so far, including The Rapture, Sébastien Tellier, Storm Queen, Midnight Magic and Holy Ghost! Some re-works are so incredibly well mastered that they make the original versions sound like a work in progress – such is the case for Dimitri's work on Holy Ghost!'s 'It's Not Over'. Though I still consider the original track to be a great one, it is nearly impossible not to imagine the EroDiscoMix version kicking in as soon as it starts playing.

 

8. Breakbot: 'Why (feat. Ruckazoid)'

Breakbot's debut album, By Your Side, was one of my favorite releases from this year, with the track 'Why' being my best pick in it. What caught my attention at first listen was how much Breakbot's new tracks resembled Michael Jackson's Off The Wall. The album is nostalgic, yet fresh, contemporary and very accessible. So much that it even "inspired" Bruno Mars to create his latest hit 'Treasure,' apparently after unsuccessful attempts on getting permission to cover Breakbot's 'Baby I'm Yours.'

TRACKS 1-7, AFTER THE JUMP...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Stereogamous: 'Face Love Anew'

Though Stereogamous' debut track, 'Face Love Anew,' was only released this past month, it quickly racked up plays on my iTunes within a matter of days along with making it into my list of top tracks for the year. The song, which features vocals by Shaun J. Wright (formerly of Hercules And Love Affair), is an hypnotic house track with an beautiful melody starting only at the 5:20 mark. The build up is so strong it leaves us with no option but to repeat the track again and again, in anticipation of its epic ending.

 

6. The KDMS: 'Wonderman'

The KDMS' debut album, Kinky Dramas & Magic Stories, has been on repeat throughout the year with its consistent set of amazing disco tracks. 'Wonderman' was the first single off the album and I still can't get enough of Kathy Diamond's sweet vocals and Maximilian Skiba's flawless production.

 

5. Moullinex: 'Darkest Night'

'Darkest Night,' my favorite track off Moulinex's debut album, Flora, gives a sophisticated sound not found often in the music world lately. The diva-inspired vocals by Iwona Skwarek, the dark, tense mood as it starts, the delicate break, and the slightly tribal beats are all elements that work perfectly together to create the sexiest house track of 2012.

 

4. Róisín Murphy: 'Simulation'

It is no secret that we absolutely love Róisín Murphy at OXD and that we are anxiously awaiting a possible third album coming out sometime in the near future. In the meantime, Róisín has graced us with 'Simulation,' an 11-and-a-half-minute slow-motion disco track that is as lush and edgy as classic disco anthems like Donna Summer's 'Love To Love You Baby' and Loose Joints' 'Is It All Over My Face'. Though Róisín's fashion style already serves as inspiration to some pop divas, it would be interesting to see her influence extend to the music realm as well.

 

3. Lindstrøm: ' Ęg-gęd-ōsis (Todd Terje Extended Edit)'

Lindstrøm's collaboration with Todd Terje resulted in an album full of gems, titled Smalhans, with tracks curiously named after traditional Norwegian meals, including this track 'Ęg-gęd-ōsis'. This space-disco song dismisses the regular 4x4 beats of most dance songs in favor of a deconstructed structure that makes this work much more interesting to listen and dance to.

 

2. Chicken Lips: 'D.R.O.M.P. (The Emperor Machine Extended Version)'

The Emperor Machine's re-interpretation of the latest Chicken Lips track, the NYC-style disco 'D.R.O.M.P.', might quickly become the quintessential track of the space-disco genre, which has been increasingly popular as of late. It is hard not to imagine yourself dancing with the milky way as your backdrop, as the sci-fi inspired synths and melodies are layered one over another.

 

1. Midnight Magic & Tommie Sunshine: 'I Found Love (Dimitri From Paris & DJ Rocca EroDiscoDub)

(Unfortunately, there are no available streams for this song. It is included in Dimitri From Paris' latest compilation, Back In The House, which I highly recommend in its entirety and can be purchased on iTunes)

Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, the 9-piece disco act Midnight Magic & producer Tommie Sunshine teamed up to create 'I Found Love,' an epic orchestral track with everything a disco lover could ask for: lifting, gospel-inspired vocals, trumpets, pianos and a groovy bass. Dimitri From Paris & DJ Rocca re-worked the already powerful song, adding in samples of Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love' iconic bass line, and focusing on the instrumental parts of the original version, leaving the vocals to the ending. The result is an orgasmic work that I consider to be the ultimate disco anthem of 2012.

 

This week's post was written and curated by Tadeu Magalhães.

For more information on OXD, check out our website and accompanying blog at www.occupythedisco.com, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter: @OccupyTheDisco.

 

Log Cabin Republicans Name Gregory T. Angelo Interim Director

As this Chuck Hagel drama unfolds, LCR's board announced today that Gregory T. Angelo, head of the group's New York chapter, will be LCR's interim director as they look for someone to replace Clarke, who is stepping down at the end of the year.

"Gregory's longstanding involvement with Log Cabin as leader of the New York State chapter, and his demonstrated ability with grassroots advocacy as head of our sister think tank, the Liberty Education Forum, make him the clear choice to continue the significant strides made by Clarke Cooper over the last three years," said National Board Chairman Peter Bertelsen in a press release.

And here's what Angelo had to say, from the press statement:

I am both humbled and thrilled to have the support of the Log Cabin Republicans National Board of Directors and to follow in the footsteps of the inimitable Clarke Cooper.

There has never been a more exciting and historic time to be a gay Republican-with the wind at our backs following four referendum victories for the freedom to marry last November and the United States Supreme Court soon to rule on marriage equality, 2013 could mark a turning point in the fight for equal rights for all. It has never been more critical to advocate for equality to Republicans, as Republicans.

As the Interim Executive Director of this esteemed organization, I will do everything I can to work for Republican victories that return the party to its roots of freedom, fairness, and liberty for all.

More From The Log Cabin Republicans On Chuck Hagel's 'Sincerity'

Some are wondering why the Log Cabin Republicans suddenly decided yesterday to run a full-page ad taking on potential Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel.

After all, it was only two weeks ago that LCR's outgoing executive director, R. Clarke Cooper, told Andy Humm at Gay City News that despite the criticism of Hagel's 1998 comments about Ambassador James Hormel being "aggressively gay," his foreign policy and combat experience made him a good candidate for Leon Panetta's position.

"It is well worth noting that Senator Hagel is a combat veteran who has hands-on experience in the field. The battlefield is not just theory for him," Cooper said at the time. Though he was speaking for himself and not for LCR, it sounded like something of an endorsement from the gay Republican group. Yesterday's ad made clear that's not the case.

While Cooper would explain why his comments are so strikingly different, he told Humm yesterday that this ad "was not just about an old confirmation hearing."

"Chuck Hagel’s weak record on preventing nuclear proliferation in Iran, lack of confidence in our ally Israel as well as an aggressive history against the LGBT community is a negative combination for a secretary of defense nominee," he said in an email. "While he may have recently apologized for his anti-gay comments to save his possible nomination, Hagel cannot walk away from his consistent record against economic sanctions to try to change the behavior of the Islamist radical regime in Tehran."

Meanwhile, asked by BuzzFeed about Hormel's initial assessment of Hagel's apology, that it was done with political expediency, not healing, in mind, Cooper remarked, "Log Cabin Republicans concur with Ambassador Hormel's original assessment of Chuck Hagel's current position on gay rights. We question the sincerity of it."