News: Turkey, Robert Pattinson, Mexico City, Hanky Code, The Family

For the ultimate Susan Boyle fan.

The Hanky Code: There's an ass app for that. (site nsfw)

A heartwarming tale of a mother's love.

Sign a Thanksgiving card to a pro-equality Democrat.

Mexico City lawmaker proposes same-sex marriage law: "Mexico's Roman Catholic Church opposes the proposal. The church defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, as does current law. Lawmaker David Razu says the changes he is proposing would give same-sex couples the same rights heterosexual couples have regarding social security and other benefits. The local legislature sent the measure to committees for consideration Tuesday. No date was set for a vote."

Obama pardons his first turkey.

UK college welcomes Islamist preacher who endorses killing of gays. "In 2007, the Channel 4 programme, Undercover Mosque, recorded Mr Usamah saying: 'Do you practise homosexuality with men? Take that homosexual man and throw him off the mountain.'"

Pager intercepts from 9/11 published: "From 3AM on Wednesday November 25, 2009, until 3AM the following day (US east coast time), WikiLeaks is releasing over half a million US national text pager intercepts. The intercepts cover a 24 hour period surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington."

Matt Rettenmund at Boy Culture reviews A Single Man.

Porno Pete LaBarbera files first FCC complaint against Adam Lambert.

$50 million verdict returned against NYC gay sex club owner...

Robert Pattinson uses his man scent to ward off the paparazzi. "He's smart, because if he doesn't change his clothes and the paparazzi get pictures of him in the same outfit all the time, then they can't sell the pictures."

Rolling Stone prods Taylor Lautner about gay rumors: "In a bold move, the mag also raised another question with the young actor – asking if Taylor was still figuring out his sexuality. 'Another possibility is that maybe you’re just sort of discovering yourself,' Rolling Stone asked. 'OK,' Taylor said.' …As a young person trying to figure out his sexual identity in the world,' the mag continued. 'OK. I see where you’re going,' he said during the interview. 'Interesting choice.' 'It is a possibility,' the mag said. 'There’s a lot of rumors out there,' Taylor said."

John Mayer covers Details.

UK police officers disciplined for homophobic emails to officers in the force choir: "They were just nasty attacks. They sent messages to staff in the Gay Police Association, slagging them off, and the police choir, basically implying they were gay because of that. This was homophobic abuse."

Ensign, Stupak, and Pitts: Investigative journalist Jeff Sharlet talks to NPR about "The Family".

Howard K. Stern settles lawsuit with Rita Cosby: "Stern was seeking big bucks for several blockbuster allegations in Cosby's Blonde Ambition: The Untold Story Behind Anna Nicole Smith's Death that he insisted were outright lies. Cosby falsely claimed Stern engaged in sexual romps with Smith's baby daddy Larry Birkhead and also suggested the former paternity foes hatched a secret deal in which Stern agreed to support Birkhead's eventually successful bid to gain custody over Dannielynn in exchange for the celebrity photographer backing Stern to remain as executor of the late Playmate's estate."

Dana Perino: There Was No Terrorist Attack on the U.S. Under Bush

In a discussion of the Fort Hood shooting, Dana Perino criticizes the Obama administration for not calling it a terrorist attack, and then makes the obscene claim, "We did not have a terrorist attack on our country during President Bush's term."

Incidentally, Perino was just asked to serve in a media-oversight job in the Obama administration:

"Dana M. Perino, Mr. Bush’s fourth and final press secretary, was nominated Thursday by President Obama to serve on the Broadcasting Board of Governors, an independent agency responsible for overseeing the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and other non-military broadcasts sponsored by the federal government."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

(via media matters)

At Least 8 Out Gays Among 338 Guests at White House State Dinner

Last night, Obama held his first state dinner for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India and his wife, Gursharan Kaur.

NYT: "Mr. Obama greeted his guests in Hindi and hailed the contributions of Mohandas K. Gandhi and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., saying that such “giants” are “the reason why both of us can stand here tonight.” Mr. Singh responded, “Your journey to the White House has captured the imaginations of millions and millions of Indians.” The evening was a potent mix of politics, diplomacy and glamour, with the administration’s favored donors mingling with lawmakers from Congress, cabinet secretaries, Indian dignitaries and Hollywood celebrities decked out in tuxedos and designer dresses. The first lady wore a golden sleeveless gown created by Naeem Khan, an Indian-American designer. For Mr. Obama, it was also a rare break from the bruising business of governance, allowing him to showcase his role as a world leader (and a gracious host) at a time when he is managing battles over health care legislation and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq — all while watching his standing falling in the polls."

Among the gays and lesbians attending the dinner were U.S. Export-Import Bank Chair Fred Hochberg and partner Thomas Healy, activist and author Urvashi Vaid and comedian Kate Clinton, Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes and partner Sean Eldridge, and David Geffen and partner Jeremy Lingvall.

Here's the full guest list.

AC360's report on the event, AFTER THE JUMP...

A Year In: FreshJive Takes on Obama

To be honest, it's "running" rather than fading, but the point gets across in this T-shirt from popular streetwear company FreshJive.

Writes FreshJive: "Pre-releasing on Black Friday is the t shirt design, 'Hope is Fading Fast'. This is actually the first item releasing without the Freshjive brand name on it. Read the recent post on the World's Got Problems blog regarding how the Obama administration is maintaining continuity with its disgraced predecessor."

(via boing boing)

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #572

FISH FRY: Eaten alive?

RELIGIOUS RIGHT: The threat to Obama.

BLOWER: Turn your iPhone into a leaf blower, for very small leaves.

CELEBRATION: A Madonna flash mob in Tokyo.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

Wingnuts Target Lesbian EEOC nominee Chai Feldblum

Obama's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission nominee Chai Feldblum's hearings are scheduled for this Thursday, and according to the Victory Fund, Republican Senators and right-wing religious wingnuts (more specifically the Family Research Council's Tony Perkins) are preparing to unleash "Armageddon" to foil the nomination.

Feldblum would be the first openly LGBT person to serve on that commission.

Says the Victory Fund:

"They plan to paint her as an anti-religious extremist whose confirmation would threaten religious liberty. Feldblum, a Georgetown Law School professor and longtime legal advocate for the LGBT community, helped to draft language for the original Employment Nondiscrimination Act.  One of many Web sites dedicated to her defeat laid out the right’s argument against her confirmation:

Feldblum intends to use her position of influence as EEOC commissioner to force private institutions to follow her radical vision of society, through the enforcement of aggressive and intrusive employment non-discrimination laws.

She is a master at using the language of moral imperatives to further her agenda.

Feldblum is a lesbian activist who supports government recognition of gay marriage as a way to convey approval of gay relationships and homosexuality in general. She has also argued for the equality of “polyamorous” relationships and almost any conceivable sexual relationship to traditional marriage–a position squarely out of line with American tradition, principles, and the mainstream of public opinion.

Far from believing that government should not be involved in private relationships, she is a champion of government interference in moral and religious traditions where they intersect with her personal crusade.

The Family Research Council has edited a video from a forum she appeared at for the group, and heavily edited it to make Feldblum's views appear radical.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...