Elton John and David Furnish Take Adoption Search to Africa

The Telegraph's Richard Eden reports: "'We were in Africa for the [Sir Elton John] Aids Foundation and met a boy, and immediately thought about adopting him,' the film producer (Furnish) disclosed at the launch of Stephen Calloway's book Gosling: Classic Design for Contemporary Interiors, at the Ritz...'When we found out he had a maternal grandmother, and brother and sister, we realised it wouldn't be the right thing to take him away from the family he had there,' he told me."

Meanwhile, the mother of Lev, the Ukrainian orphan that the couple has given up hope of adopting, is speaking out:

"The mother, known only as Marina, told the Sun newspaper that she wanted to get her life back on track so that she could retrieve her son from the Ukrainian orphanage where he now lives. 'I love him so much and desperately want him back so I can hold him,' she told the tabloid in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine. The woman, an impoverished alcoholic who is HIV positive, had both of her children taken away from her by social workers, according to the newspaper. 'I know Elton fell in love with my Lev. I saw him holding him and kissing him on TV and in the newspapers. I understand Elton's feelings. Lev is a very funny and cheerful boy. It's impossible not to love him,' she said. 'But I'm going to overcome my problems. I so much want my babies back.'"

After Elton expressed interest in adopting from the Ukraine in early September, he was thwarted by an official who said he couldn't adopt because he's gay and too old.

Two Teens Convicted, One on Trial for Gay Sex Charges in Senegal

More ugliness from Senegal:

"The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and Inner Circle are outraged at reports that a 17 year-old Senegalese man will stand trial on August 24 for sexual acts "against nature" and that two other men were convicted on identical charges during the week of August 10, 2009. The three men, all from the town of Darou Mousty, in Louga, Senegal, were arrested and detained for alleged same-sex relations on June 19, 2009, together with a fourth man whose status is currently unknown. The first two men were sentenced to two and five years in prison respectively. Reports indicate that denunciations from neighbors were the only evidence against the men. These are the latest in a pattern of arbitrary arrests and detentions based on perceived sexual orientation in Senegal, a country in which same-sex relations are illegal, homophobia is widespread, and incitement toward violence against those perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is often encouraged by politicians and religious leaders."

As you may remember, In Senegal they don't even tolerate dead gays.

News: Charlotte, Carrie Prejean, San Diego Kiss-In, AIDS in Africa

STUDY: Gay men in Africa ignored with regard to AIDS.

San Diego: Mass kiss-in planned for Wednesday night at Mormon Temple.

Radiologist turns CT scans into psychedelic art.

Worst ending to a movie ever, or the best?

The Awl talks to Michael K of Dlisted.

Former Senator Bob Packwood voices support for Employment Non-Disrimination Act (ENDA): "After three decades, isn't it time we conclude this chapter by ending this discrimination and urge Congress to make all workplaces equally accepting of Americans who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender? It's never too late to do the right thing."

Channing Tatum does shirtless Dirty Dancing parody.

Homophobic ministry planning to bring Jesus to Charlotte, North Carolina Pride this weekend on July 25. And not in a good way.

Victory Fund endorses 12 new candidates from across the nation.

Britney Spears converting to Judaism?

Theoretical cloud project would make ice cream fall like snow.

Matt Damon looking fine in NYC.

Jimmy Carter leaves Southern Baptist Church over church leadership's position on women: “It is simply self-defeating for any community to discriminate against half its population. We need to challenge these self-serving and outdated attitudes and practices…”

Chexydecimal remembers poet Hart Crane on what would have been his 110th birthday.

Simon Rex series gets a trailer.

When Harry met Ron.

Hugo Boss model Joshua Walter arrested for crime spree.

Indian man murders father's gay lover: "Upset over his father’s gay relationship, son of deputy chief medical officer Dr Krishna Dev Raj Srivastava, allegedly murdered the 38-year-old partner of his father. The incident was reported from Pashupatinagar area under the Naubasta police station late on Sunday night."

Protect Marriage Washington using paid signature gatherers: $1 per signature.

Five seconds: yes it really is a tease.

Baptist Messenger newspaper forges signatures of Governor Henry and Secretary of State Savage to make it look like they support Rep. Sally Kern's nutty 'Proclamation for Morality'.

Former Miss California Carrie Prejean gets a book deal: "Carrie Prejean will publish a memoir called Still Standing. Conservative book house Regnery Publishing said Monday that it will release the book. Prejean believes her crown was taken because she said she opposed gay marriage.... Prejean was replaced by the Miss California pageant's first runner-up, Tami Farrell. Farrell has also said she believes marriage should be between a man and a woman."

UK Christian doctor removed from Northamptonshire County Council over views on gay adoption: "The paediatrician had asked to be allowed to abstain from voting in cases involving same-sex couples. But that led to her being barred from the panel altogether. The married mother of one said she had been 'made to pay for being honest and upholding my personal integrity. I don't feel that placing children for adoption with same-sex couples is the best place for them,' said the 50-year-old doctor."

Hans Rosling's Fascinating Data Visuals on HIV: TED Talk

Doctor and researcher Hans Rosling elucidates the dangers of simplifying the African AIDS epidemic to a continental issue, and demonstrates the power of visuals to convey information to an audience in this recently-posted 10 minute TED Talk.

"So, when we look at the pattern, one thing comes out very clearly: you see the blue bubbles and people say HIV is very high in Africa. I would say, HIV is very different in Africa. You'll find the highest HIV rate in the world in African countries, and yet you'll find Senegal, down here, the same rate as United States. And you'll find Madagascar, and you'll find a lot of African countries about as low as the rest of the world. It's this terrible simplification that there's one Africa and things go on in one way in Africa. We have to stop that. It's not respectful, and it's not very clever to think that way."

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

Pink Elephant Photographed in Botswana

And the cameraman wasn't even drinking!

A pink albino baby elephant, the first to be spotted in Botswana (and the fourth known occurrence in Africa) was photographed by a BBC cameraman on a shoot for the network recently:

"While albinism is thought to be fairly common in Asian elephants, it is much less common in the larger African species. Ecologist Dr Mike Chase, who runs conservation charity Elephants Without Borders, said: "I have only come across three references to albino calves, which have occurred in Kruger National Park in South Africa."

It's chances of survival aren't great: "He said that the condition might make it difficult for the calf to survive into adulthood. 'What happens to these young albino calves remains a mystery,' said Dr Chase. 'Surviving this very rare phenomenon is very difficult in the harsh African bush. The glaring sun may cause blindness and skin problems.'

Chase expressed hope that the elephant species' innate ability to adapt might help the calf.

You may have missed...
Stunning Pink Dolphin Photographed in Louisiana [tr]

Pope Benedict: Condom Distribution Will Fuel AIDS Epidemic

Pope Benedict is a very dangerous man setting policies that will be responsible for many, many deaths:

"Benedict said that the Roman Catholic Church is in the forefront of the battle against AIDS. 'You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms,' the pope told reporters aboard the Alitalia plane headed to Yaounde. 'On the contrary, it increases the problem.' The pope said that a responsible and moral attitude toward sex would help fight the disease. About 22 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with HIV, according to UNAIDS. In 2007, three-quarters of all AIDS deaths worldwide were there, as well as two-thirds of all people living with HIV."

How does the Catholic Church dare call itself "pro-life"?