Towleroad Guide to the Tube #1305

THRIFT SHOP: A vintage "Grandpa style" cover of the Macklemore hit.

OHIO STATE MEN'S HOCKEY: You can play.

ICE CUBES CYLINDERS: Add a garden hose and freezing water and what do you get?

OWL STOWAWAY: A gorgeous owl got trapped in the grille of an SUV at Yeehaw Junction.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

News: James Franco, Navy Seal, Lions, Brahim Zaibat, The Pope

U.S. a massive cyber-espionage target: "The National Intelligence Estimate identifies China as the country most aggressively seeking to penetrate the computer systems of American businesses and institutions to gain access to data that could be used for economic gain."

James Franco suits up for Details.

It's the cutest two-legged furball I've ever seen.

The Navy seal who killed Osama bin Laden speaks out: "I thought in that first instant how skinny he was, how tall and how short his beard was, all at once. He was wearing one of those white hats, but he had, like, an almost shaved head. Like a crew cut. I remember all that registering. I was amazed how tall he was, taller than all of us, and it didn't seem like he would be, because all those guys were always smaller than you think."

Dan Savage calls for firing of Indiana Special Ed. teacher who wanted a gay-free prom.

Backscratching lions disrupt traffic in Kenya.

Coalition of LGBTQ Asian American and Pacific Islander groups celebrates fourth year of marching in Chinatown's Lunar New Year Parade: "As evidenced recently by the exclusion of LGBTQ Vietnamese group in Los Angeles’ Pret Parade, homophobia and discrimination of LGBTQ API folks in the API community continue to be an issue.  Although Lunar New Year for All won the right to be included in Chinatown’s Lunar New Year Parade since 2010, many LGBTQ API folks in the tri-state area still experience silence and isolation from their families and communities."

Britney Spears teases her Scream & Shout remix video.

Westboro Baptist Church is protesting at Vassar College.

Were the Pope (pictured) and James Franco separated at birth? By the way, here's how the home office responds to the Pope's resignation.

Madonna's boyfriend Brahim Zaibat signs as a model: "Brahim is scheduled to hit the runway Wednesday at the show of Jeremy Scott, a designer who built his career on risky designs favored by celebrities such as Madonna frenemy Lady Gaga and Beyoncé."

A list of celebrities who unwittingly married LGBT spouses. And it's not short.

The Olympics is dropping wrestling in 2020: "The IOC board acted after reviewing the 26 sports on the current Olympic program. Eliminating one sport allows the International Olympic Committee to add a new sport to the program later this year. Wrestling, which combines freestyle and Greco-Roman events, goes back to the inaugural modern Olympics in Athens in 1896."

A Ukrainian prankster TV host almost crashed Adele's Grammy win.

Beyoncé grabs the cover of Vogue.

Golden State Warrors debut first-ever modern uniforms...with sleeves.

Straight ally physically removed from "ex-gay" Q&A: "She’s a straight evangelical Christian who works very hard to bridge the divide between the LGBT community and evangelical Christian churches. .."eca?

The blogger Accidental Bear has announced a summer queer music tour.

Prop 8 proponents make emergency call for donations.

Canadian International Development Agency curtails funding to evangelical organization involved in Uganda, pending review: "The group was receiving funding from the government of Canada for its work in Uganda, where gays and lesbians face severe threats. The federal government has denounced virulent homophobia in that East African country and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has condemned plans for an anti-gay bill that could potentially include the death penalty for homosexuals. Nevertheless, the federal government has been providing $544,813 in funding for Crossroads Christian Communications — an Ontario-based evangelical group that produces television programming — to help dig wells, build latrines and promote hygiene awareness in Uganda through 2014."

Senate Reauthorizes LGBT-Inclusive Violence Against Women Act

The Senate today reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act in a bipartisan vote of 78-22, the AP reports:

By a robust bipartisan majority, the Senate voted Tuesday to renew the Violence Against Women Act with new assurances that gays and lesbians, immigrants and Native American women will have equal access to the act's anti-domestic violence programs...

...The act expired in 2011, putting efforts to improve its many federal programs on hold. Last year both the Republican-led House and the Democratic-controlled Senate passed renewal bills, but they were unable to reach a compromise.

This year House Republicans, sensitive to their lackluster showing among women voters in the November election, have vowed to move expeditiously on the issue.

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force applauded the vote. Said executive director Rea Carey:

To be the target of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence or stalking is terrifying and traumatic. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are not immune from this violence and should not also fear being turned away from life-saving services because of who they are. Reauthorization of this inclusive Violence Against Women Act will go a long way toward ensuring everyone has access to the critical resources they need. We thank the Senate for passing this bill and urge the House to swiftly follow suit.

Adam Levine Strips Down for 7 Hollywood: VIDEO

Adam Levine appears on the cover of 7 Hollywood this month, along with a few other clothed "icons".

Watch his behind-the-scenes video, AFTER THE JUMP...

Have a 'Slow and Slutty' Valentine's Day: VIDEO

It's in the forecast for Thursday, AFTER THE JUMP...

AP Restricts Use of 'Husband' and 'Wife' to Married Hetero Couples

According to a new memo from the AP, the words "husband" and "wife" should only be used to describe married gay couples if the couples themselves describe themselves that way, or if someone uses the term in a quote, Romenesko reports.

The AP memo:

SAME-SEX COUPLES: We were asked how to report about same-sex couples who call themselves “husband” and “wife.” Our view is that such terms may be used in AP content if those involved have regularly used those terms (“Smith is survived by his husband, John Jones”) or in quotes attributed to them. Generally AP uses couples or partners to describe people in civil unions or same-sex marriages.

Asks John Aravosis:

Is that AP’s standard for straight couples too?  Only call straight people husband and wife if the couple calls themselves husband and wife?  I doubt it....Why does it matter if gay people uses the terms husband and wife to define their legal marriage if AP doesn’t have the same standard for straight couples – AP doesn’t say if the couple is straight they’ll only call them husband and wife if “those involved have regularly used those terms.”  So why the different standard for legal gay marriages?  Because AP doesn’t think gay marriages are legit, and certainly not equal to straight marriages.

WTF does “those involved” mean?  It’s a marriage.  It’s not an involvement.