News: Michael Jackson, Argentina, Jenny Durkan, Barbie, Coyotes

Rex Wockner: 8,000 volunteers working in Maine, and more needed...

Mario tries to find the right shade.

Joe Jackson on the King of Pop: "He's worth more dead than he was alive."

Schwarzenegger says "fuck you" letter was a complete (8 billion to one) coincidence.

Damn: Elton John is spry.

Gay City News interviews Kirsten Gillibrand: "a new advocate emerges..."

32 LGBT organizations issue joint statement on hate crimes passage: "This week, we call upon lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, families and allies to take this opportunity of increased media and public attention on hate crimes to educate co-workers, classmates, neighbors, family members and friends about our lives, and about why we need not only their friendship and love, but their vocal support for a more just and equal America for LGBT people."

WATCH: clip of Britney Spears' "3" music video.

First openly gay U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan begins work...

GLAAD board member dies on Atlantis vacation: "According to sources on board, Spencer Yu, a Los Angeles attorney, suffered cardiac arrest October 21 while on the Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas, which was chartered by Atlantis for a seven-day trip along the Mexican Riviera. A medical team attempted to resuscitate Yu for 45 minutes before he was taken to a Puerto Vallarta hospital, where he showed no brain activity. Yu was later taken off of life support. "

How often do you hear of anyone being hunted down and killed by coyotes? This is terribly sad.

Inside Candis Cayne's closet.

The Keith Haring documentary Drawing the Line is broadcast on Ovation this weekend.

Perhaps the most profitable and overrated flick of all time.

Introducing, the Barbie Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken Doll.

Argentina considers same-sex marriage: "'We can't expect social equality if the state is legitimizing inequality,' said Maria Rachid, president of Argentina's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Federation. 'We now have the social and political context necessary to change the law.' ... Rachid said more than 20 lawmakers have signed on as supporters of same-sex marriage, and they believe they have enough votes in committee for a full vote in the lower house. It would then go to the Senate."

Arjan chats with Blake Lewis.

Boston gay bashing case to go to trial: "Darren Morgan, 46, and Howard Rice, 50, are charged with assault and battery, disorderly conduct and civil rights violations, said Conley. Both men will appear in Boston Municipal Court on Dec. 10. The charges are the result of an incident on June 15, according to Boston police. Morgan and Rice were on Washington Street when the victims walked towards them from a bus stop, police said. The pair allegedly began to verbally abuse the two men, targeting them on the assumption they were gay, said police."

Schwarzenegger Sends Coded 'F*ck You' Message in Veto Letter

You may remember an early October Democratic fundraiser in San Francisco that I posted about, at which Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger showed up unannounced.

Schwarzenegger wasn't received very well at the event, held at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. He was heckled. One of the attendees, rumored to be Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, even yelled "Kiss my gay ass."

Well, Schwarzenegger vetoed an Ammiano-sponsored bill recently. "The bill, which passed unanimously in the Assembly and Senate, would have granted the Port of San Francisco expanded financing power to redevelop a former shipyard into a new neighborhood known as Pier 70," according to the AP.

Ammiano received the veto letter, and with it came an acrostic-like coded message in the left hand column: "Fuck you".

Here it is: 

 

Said Ammiano's spokesperson Quintin Mecke: "Kudos to the governor for his creative use of coincidence. You certainly have to have a sense of humor in politics. Unfortunately, this humor came at the cost of the Port of San Francisco."

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/27/schwarzenegger-sends-lawm_n_336319.html

Schwarzenegger told 'Kiss My Gay Ass' at SF Democratic Fundraiser

 

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger received a hostile reception after showing up announced at a Democratic Party fundraiser at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel last night, including shouts of "you lie" and "kiss my gay ass," reportedly made by State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano.

Ammiano later said: "This isn't a chamber where someone suffers through. This is our house -- and it's like someone came in and took a big dump. He showed up; it was rude, he got up there and it felt to us that he was trivializing all the issues we care about. You have a few options, and along with the labor people, we walked out."

Watch the video, AFTER THE JUMP...

Equality California Delivers 40K 'Harvey Milk Day' Petitions to Guv

Eauality California's Geoff Kors (above) and State Senator Mark Leno (below) delivered 40,000 petitions bearing the signatures of Californians to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, urging him to sign into law the 'Harvey Milk Day' bill.

It's a bill Schwarzenegger vetoed last year. Since that time, Milk has been awarded a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom and is on the list to be inducted (by Schwarzenegger) into the California Hall of Fame.

Also on hand (above) was Equality California's Government Affairs Director Alice Kessler and NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell (not pictured).

News: #uknowhowiknowuregay, Sharks, Steve Hildebrand, Maine

1,000 take to the streets in Friday protest over homophobic attacks in Rome.

Jesus on Mars?

Jeremy Piven hits the beach.

Has-been rapper Fabolous behind offensive #uknowhowiknowuregay Twitter trending topic.

Obama advisor Steve Hildebrand thrashes President, Dems: "I gave up a lot to elect Democrats, and I expect them to give it up for me. I’m going to speak loudly. The Republicans don’t have power unless the moderates and the Blue Dogs give it to them — which is what they’re doing now."

Des Moines, Iowa man claims he was removed from a bar for being gay.

Ted Haggard apologizes for violating an entire congregation.

Nampa, Idaho's transgender candidate Melissa Sue Robinson, who recently announced she was suing Twitter over fake account defamation, gets profiled by AP: "This farming and manufacturing town of about 83,000 residents, where a sugar factory and a local hospital are among the biggest employers, doesn't seem to be all that concerned that Robinson previously lived as a man."

New Zealand transgender MP visits Nepal.

Beach closed: Great White Sharks tagged off Cape Cod.

USA Today on Judy Shepard, her new book, and a federal hate crimes law: "Shepard, who loves playing mah-jongg and drinking martinis, admits to being 'flummoxed' at times about the gay and lesbian world. But, she adds, 'It's not important that I understand it. It's important that I accept it.'"

Britney Spears shocks concert crowd with actual singing.

Washington Post ombudsman on Brian Brown NOM puff piece: "Hesse said she decided to let Brown tell his story, as opposed to extensively quoting what others say about him. Her editors didn't object to the concept. Having Brown's story told in his "voice," Hesse reasoned, would allow readers to best assess his arguments. Fine in theory. But it deprived readers of hearing from others who have battled Brown and find him uncivil and bigoted. To them, he represents injustice. They should have been heard, at length."

NOM's Maggie Gallagher spews lies on Maine radio show.

Calvin Klein model Jamie Dornan launches international male model search.

Scientists identify trio of genetic mutations linked to Alzheimer's disease.

Schwarzenegger's phones blitzed over 'Harvey Milk Day': "So far, the governor’s automated phone line for constituents has received more than 100,000 calls about the bill, most against it, according to Mr. Schwarzenegger’s office."

Real World's Scott Herman shows off his assets.

Little Britain's David Walliams is nominated for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize for his book about a cross-dressing schoolboy. The prize honors the funniest books for children.

Church of Scotland selects gay man, Scott Rennie, to train as a minister.

Maine Archbishop Richard Malone asks churches to fill coffers for fight against marriage equality: "The bishop has asked churches to take up a special second collection next weekend to support Stand For Marriage Maine, the group leading the effort to repeal Maine's same sex marriage law."

Harvey Milk Day Passes Assembly, Faces Potential Veto Again

The California Assembly passed the 'Harvey Milk Day' bill for the second year in a row yesterday:

"The California Assembly today passed legislation that creates Harvey Milk Day in California, honoring the state´s first openly gay elected official. Senate Bill 572, authored by Senator Mark Leno, cleared the Assembly with a 45-27 vote. The bill, which designates May 22 as a day of special significance in California, returns to the Senate for concurrence before going to the governor´s desk."

Said Leno following the vote: "I am pleased my colleagues in the Assembly recognize and honor Harvey Milk´s contributions to our state. He is an inspiration to people worldwide who believe in fairness and equality and he fought for many of the issues we value today, including access to education, public transportation, affordable housing and protecting the environment. Although he vetoed a similar bill last year with the message that Harvey Milk should be recognized only at the local level, I am confident Governor Schwarzenegger now understands the historic and international nature of Harvey´s legacy. Last week the Governor contradicted his 2008 veto message when he and the First Lady announced that Harvey will be inducted into the California Hall of Fame, acknowledging that Harvey and the other inductees touched the 'lives of millions of people – not just in this state, but around the world.'"

However, it's still possible that Schwarzenegger could veto the measure, given the pressure he's receiving from religious conservatives. Equality California has provided numbers you can call to reach the governor and let him know that you want Harvey Milk Day passed in California. Find them HERE.

Also, watch Dustin Lance Black's testimony before the assembly, AFTER THE JUMP...