News: Flamingos, Pizza Hut, Frameline, Sao Paulo, Barney Frank

Newsman Walter Cronkite gravely ill.

Baby flamingos frightened by pink sock.

Pizza Hut gets a new name.

Rich Juzwiak at FourFour takes a hard look at the recently-broadcast PBS DADT documentary Ask Not.

Labor leader Stuart Appelbaum comes out: Being gay. It's who I am.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera files amicus brief in support of Olson-Boies challenge to Proposition 8.

California marriage equality battle goes to Chinatown: "Lost in the 2009 election wreckage for gays was the marriage campaign's relative success in Asian communities, which have swung toward support of same-sex marriage at a faster rate than the rest of California and have become a model for other groups."

Barney Frank introduces legislation decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Long Island man charged with assault as a hate crime and aggravated harassment in homophobic attack.

Cristiano Ronaldo extends tanning streak.

Window Media publisher and Avalon Equity partner David Unger axed by the Small Business Administration.

Wayne Besen on Obama and the Democratic Party: "The Democrats took our money, our votes and our volunteer hours and now they tell us to wait patiently, like good little gays. As far as I'm concerned, if the donkeys can't deliver now, they can kiss my ass. The Democrats run the show in Washington and if they will not act like a majority party, then they do not deserve to be one."

Karen Ocamb: Will gays divorce the Democrats?

Democrats caving on health care reform? Where in the world is Kathleen Sebelius?

Justin Chambers takes a swim in Hawaii.

Porn producer and actor Michael Lucas to appear on Ugly Betty: "How will ABC deal with a porn star on one of its prime time programs? I am curious to see how this will play out. Now, I am not suggesting that my little walk-on will change the world. But I hope it will be one step taking us out of the privacy of people’s bedrooms and onto a larger stage. And I hope the American public will enjoy seeing a porn star as a real person, not just as a hot body."

21 hurt in Sao Paulo Gay Pride bomb attack.

Robert Pattinson hit by NYC cab.

Can Apple control the derogatory use of the word "gay" in their user-generated app reviews? If so, they should.

Australian man awarded $468,736 for school bullying he endured in the 90's: "He told a civil hearing in the NSW Supreme Court he was abused by older students, including being struck with a broom, having his knuckles rapped with a steel ruler and being called 'sterile', 'faggot', 'pedophile' and 'Nazi'.

A preview of San Francisco's Frameline Film Festival.

News: Civil Disobedience, Mariah Carey, iPhone 3GS, O.J.

Savage: One year Civil Disobedience plan for gay rights.

Schwarzenegger: Prop 8 challenge should be decided by the courts.

End sign?

Listen: Mariah Carey's new single "Obsessed".

Portland Mayor Sam Adams woes continue: home payment default.

Gizmodo's review of the iPhone 3GS.

Madonna's new kid Mercy and her peeps.

Biologists: Same-sex relationships may drive evolution. "Same-sex sexual behaviors are flexibly deployed in a variety of circumstances, for example as alternative reproductive tactics, as cooperative breeding strategies, as facilitators of social bonding or as mediators of intrasexual conflict. Once this flexibility is established, it becomes in and of itself a selective force that can drive selection on other aspects of physiology, life history, social behaviour and even morphology."

Australian poll: 60% support marriage equality.

It's the 15th anniversary of the O.J. chase.

Thousands flock to Banksy show. "During the show’s opening weekend, almost 8,500 people flooded the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, about eight times what the venue would normally expect."

Sex change in China could require permission from the police: "The proposed guidelines, posted Tuesday, say candidates for surgery must show an agreement from police to change their sex on their identification cards once the procedure is complete. The ministry posted the draft guidelines to invite public and professional opinions before July 10. China has no laws against sex change surgery, and the ministry says the guidelines are necessary to regulate the procedure."

Jamie Dornan all buttered up for new Calvin Klein campaign.

Anti-gay attack on College Street in Toronto: "Around 2:30am on the morning of Jun 7 — after a night out at El Convento Rico dance club on College St — Corey John and Takonda Majikwa were walking west toward Ossington when a group of men approached them. 'They were drunk and had open beer bottles in their hands,' says John. 'When they approached us they were making remarks as 'faggot,' 'fudge packer' and 'you and your girlfriend.'"' 

Why people tend to enjoy Cristiano Ronaldo's time off best.

Larry Kramer praises book on pre-Oscar Wilde gay sex in Britain: "Certainly nothing like this has appeared in America, thus allowing queer and gender studies to pretty much swamp, nay drown, the gay history field with their gobbledygook theorizing of what might have happened. This ludicrous state of affairs prohibits making statements such as: "they did then what we do now," without the wrath of queer theorists raining down insults of an uncommonly vitriolic nature. You don't have a right to say that! say they. You can't prove it! say they. It's been here all along since the beginning of history, say many others of us. Well now it can be said, and proved, in Britain at any rate, thanks to Upchurch."

News: Gay Animals, Ed Westwick, Book Burning, Rhode Island

Christian group wants to burn gay book.

STUDY: Homosexual activity a nearly universal phenomenon in the animal kingdom.

Anderson Cooper shops for marijuana.

Activists plan "world's largest gay wedding ceremony" in Sydney, Australia.

A first look at Bruno.

ACLU gets involved in Fresno hospital discrimination case: "Civil rights groups are urging a hospital in central California to change its policies after employees briefly barred a lesbian from visiting her partner, who went into seizure at a gay marriage march. Kristin Orbin collapsed May 30 after walking 14 miles in the protest march. She was taken to Fresno's Community Regional Medical Center where she says an ambulance driver kept her partner from seeing her in the emergency room."

Janice Dickinson needed a hospital, get her out of there.

Social networking and Iran: a fascinating look at the hand Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have had in toppling state media control.

Destination Wedding: a Toronto synagogue grapples over same-sex marriage.

Former American Idol contestant Blake Lewis says he gets hit on by men and women, often at the same time: “Usually I get swingers. The guy will come up to me first usually, and ask if I’m gay.  When I say no, he’ll point to his girlfriend and say that she wants me to come home with both of them that night. I tell them my girl back home wouldn’t appreciate it, but thanks anyway.  It’s very flattering though!”

An interview with soap actor and brother of Chris Evans, Scott Evans.

Marriage equality tide rises around Rhode Island: "The slower pace in Rhode Island, where the state Senate voted last week to allow same-sex partners to make funeral arrangements, has frustrated some local activists, many of whom rallied outside the State House in Providence last weekend to call for immediate equality."

A fascinating chart on gay rights from Nate Silver.

Mariah: wet and obsessed.

Brian Graden to leave MTV Networks.

Maplewood, New Jersey takes lead in pushing legislature to legalize same-sex marriage: "In what is thought to be a first among New Jersey municipalities, the Maplewood Township Committee is expected to adopt a resolution Tuesday evening calling on state legislators to sanction same-sex marriage. Mayor Victor DeLuca said he hoped the resolution could serve as a catalyst for legislators' passage of a same-sex marriage bill before the year's end."

Ed Westwick shows off fall fashion for GQ.

Melbourne Sun: Are you in favor of same-sex marriage in Australia?

It's Britney, bitch.

Council of Fashion Designers of America rewards L.A. at annual awards. Bradley Cooper among guests...

Taxes on property reassessment sting domestic partners who have lost their loved one.

New Opera browser turns your computer into a server: "The concept is somewhere between a personal web server and a file sharing application, technologically and conceptually. The interface is straightforward, divided into panels for each service that you choose to "host." All of them behave in the same stupid-simple way: you start a service, whether it be photo sharing, music streaming, web hosting, or straight file sharing, select a shared directory, set your privacy preferences and go." More from TechCrunch.

News: Millvina Dean, Prince Harry, Manhattanhenge, Kellan Lutz,

Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler reviewing legality of state recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere: "The Baltimore Sun reports Gansler is expected to make a decision within the coming weeks, and his office would not comment to the newspaper while the issue is being researched. Maryland law defines marriage as only between a man and a woman; however, the state has legally recognized the marital status of couples married in other states."

Yesterday: Manhattanhenge.

Prince Harry plays with the luckiest balloons in the universe.

Inside last week's Lambda Literary Awards - a photo gallery.

WaPo: The Mormons are coming! "With the battle moving east, some advocates are shouting that fact in the streets, calculating that on an issue that eventually comes down to comfort levels, more people harbor apprehensions about Mormons than about homosexuality."

New Hampshire LGBT youth organization Seacoast Outright facing financial difficulties, to close after 15 years: "The executive director said the group has been in existence for more than 15 years with its main focus being to support youths who may not have a support system because of their sexuality. Seacoast Outright meets with youths twice a week and is viewed by many as an extended family. Wesley said the group has been serving upward of 20 youths who knew the organization was struggling, but were hopeful it would survive."

New trailer for Torchwood: Children of the Earth.

Sun sets for 97-year-old Millvina Dean, last known survivor of the Titanic: "As a two-month-old baby, Dean was the youngest passenger on board the giant liner when it sank on its maiden voyage with the loss of more than 1,500 lives."

Beau Breedlove denied restraining order against Oregonian reporter: "The judge told Breedlove that he'd need to fear that Walth posed 'an immediate threat of physical violence' in order to get one. Background.

Minnesota man convicted in hate crime attack on lesbian: "The 35-year-old woman testified in December that Warren punched her in the face, pinned her to the floor and threatened to rape and kill her after making obscene comments about her sexual orientation."

L.A. Times: California gubernatorial candidates face a marriage equality "minefield".

Twilight's Kellan Lutz gets out in the sunlight.

There was more ass than Bruno's at the MTV Movie Awards.

Jennifer Hudson is pregnant.

Australian broadcaster told to apologize for gay slurs.

Drag queen Dina Marie says NYC 'HK Lounge' owner homophobic: "The straight owned and straight operated venue clearly stated to me that they 'didn't want me and any of the fags'. That we were all 'jokes' who brought nothing to the table."

Mo: Britney's new (spoof) fragrance for gays.

Pastor in San Marino, California will not perform any more marriages until Prop 8 is overturned: "The Rev. Art Cribbs, pastor of the 60-member San Marino Congregational United Church of Christ, says he has been marrying couples for more than 20 years but the wedding ceremony he performed on May 23 would be his last until gay couples are given the same right."

News: Cher, New England, Richard Gasquet, Space Shuttle Atlantis

Allen Andrade gets life sentence plus 60 years for Angie Zapata murder.

Cher turns back time to get back into black bodysuit.

Gay athletes to get 'Pride' safe house at 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Just Jared interviews Katy Perry.

Actor Steve Gideon dies at 52: "Gideon died May 1 at his West Hollywood home of complications from colon cancer, said Bernard Vyzga, his longtime companion...musical theater career included staging and starring in the first authorized gay version of Stephen Sondheim's 'Marry Me a Little'."

Maine Catholic Bishop Richard Malone calls same-sex marriage "a dangerous sociological experiment."

Why so many marriage equality advances in New England? "Liberal politics clearly plays a part, but the reasons for the rapid transformation are more finely shaded than simple blue-state, red-state color coding, according to analysts. The distinctive thinking of religious New Englander... their view of religion as private and personal, and their separation of their own beliefs from politics - has enabled change, said Mark Silk, a professor of religion in public life at Trinity College in Hartford."

Five years on: Same-sex marriage debate fades in Massachusetts.

Tennis pro Richard Gasquet tests positive for cocaine.

Male model fix: David Gandy.

Space Shuttle Arlantis reaches orbit on dangerous Hubble mission: "Five spacewalks will be needed to accomplish everything. The work is so tricky and intricate that two of the repairmen are Hubble veterans, John Grunsfeld and Michael Massimino. Grunsfeld, the chief repairman, is making an unprecedented third trip to the telescope. Altman, the commander, also has previously flown to the telescope.""

Two men sought in Madison, Wisconsin gay bashing, the second in as many weeks.

Hungary to allow domestic partnerships for gays and lesbians: "The official bulletin says a new law will allow the partnership if both partners are at least 18 years old. The law will prohibit same-sex couples from adopting children together, but will require partners to provide care for each other’s children from earlier relationships if the children are recognized as belonging to the partnership."

Damien Hirst retrospective opens in Kiev.

Australian man describes escape after 4-meter shark attacked his dinghy.

New 'Montauk monster' washes up on Southhold, Long Island.

Citizens gather in Grifton, North Carolina to discuss concerns about same-sex marriage.

Megan Fox says High School Musical is really about a coach who molests his basketball team.

Students protest school's report to parents of student's same-sex kiss after it was captured on school surveillance video: "The controversy arose after the school's dean of students, Keith Nelson, saw the two kissing and holding hands and found video of it on the surveillance system. He showed it to the parents of one of the girls because they had asked to be kept apprised of her behavior. The parents moved the girl to a different school district after watching it."

News: Jesus Christ, Football, Susan Boyle, 100 Days, Sean Penn

Obama's 100 day Gay Report Card. Emma Ruby Sachs in HuffPost: "And when it comes to actual change in the lives of LGBT people, nothing has been done. Obama has failed to hand in any of his assignments."

Brian Sims: a gay college football story.

Guess who wants to play Susan Boyle in the movie?

Sean Penn files for divorce.

Guido Westerwelle hopes to be Germany's first openly gay foreign minister: "I am convinced that today one’s private life is no longer an obstacle. Some other countries may have had a problem with the fact that Angela Merkel became the first female chancellor of Germany. Of course she does not wear a veil on the red carpet when she visits certain Arab states. The American secretary of state (Hillary Clinton) must also hold talks in countries in which women are systematically oppressed. The decision as to who we send as a government representative rests solely with us Germans based on our political and moral standards.”

BUTT magazine holding open call for submissions of gay-themed video art.

Estranged wife of Nevada governor wants veto override of domestic partnership legislation.

Gay man forced out of dying partner's room at Oregon Health and Science University hospital: "The nurse said, 'Christopher is very ill. There are some life and death decisions that have to be made and now is not the time for friends to be in the room.' I'm like, 'we don't have any friends in the room'."

Florida to get Jesus vanity plate.

Amsterdam park notifies visitors that they are approaching a 'gay cruising area':  "The signs 'clearly indicate what is happening in each zone; also those where gay men are known to practice 'cruising',' municipal spokeswoman Manon Koffijberg said...'If you don't want to be confronted by a vision of that sort, the signs allow you to avoid specific areas,' said Ms Koffijberg."

Australian curry company denies homophobic attack at Sydney fair.

Channing Tatum courted for Twilight role.

Vampire outtakes.

Astronomers snap the most distant object they've ever seen.

A look at Trouble the Water, the documentary about Hurricane Katrina.

Washington man pleads guilty in gay immigration fraud case: "A man accused of advising straight immigrants to claim homosexuality - and potential persecution in their home countries - when they applied for asylum has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit immigration fraud."

Senior Thai monk plans to offer "manners course" for monks who wear make-up and carry pink purses.

Alberta, Canada adds sexual orientation to human rights laws: "But the move to expand protections under the Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act was accompanied by a provision allowing parents to pull their kids from school discussions of religion, sexuality or sexual orientation — a move that could let parents yank students from classes on such topics as evolution."