News: Coral, Indiana, Rufus Wainwright, Berlin, Neil Patrick Harris

Indiana Senate votes 39-9 to ban same-sex marriage: "The amendment now goes to the House, where it died last year and where it's stalled again this year. State Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, the chairman of the House Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee, which was assigned the bill, has already said he will not give it a hearing because this session's focus is on property taxes."

Someone commit him: Ambulance-chasing Bobby Trendy holds Britney vigil outside UCLA medical center.

Elton John holds fundraiser for gay London mayoral candidate and former top cop Brian Paddick.

California same-sex marriage foes relaunch drive for constitutional amendment: "Signature gatherers have been spotted by people out in the field, [Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California] told the Bay Area Reporter Tuesday, January 29. He said the measure's supporters have raised over $350,000 so far, and he said signatures are being collected in the Sacramento and Central Valley areas, as well as in Southern California. Kors said there isn't "extensive visibility" yet and that he wasn't aware of signatures being gathered in the Bay Area. Kors said the anti-gay groups need about 1.1 million signatures by April 21 in order to collect the nearly 700,000 valid signatures needed to put the measure before voters. Kors said he and others just learned of the group's efforts last week, and are working to develop plans of their own."

Gray January: NYC gets no snow for first time in 75 years.

Carson Kressley on Carson Kressley: "I can't say what people are thinking, but I'm never going to defend my actions as being one way or another. I defend them as me being me. If I say I was being stereotypical and I do what "shouldn't" be stereotypical, then I'm living my life for somebody else and I'm marching to the beat of somebody else's drummer, and that, I think, is a worse thing."

The case for Katie Holmes faking the NY Marathon.

Researchers: Human sunscreen killing off coral reefs around the world. "Four commonly found sunscreen ingredients can awaken dormant viruses in the symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae that live inside reef-building coral species. The chemicals cause the viruses to replicate until their algae hosts explode, spilling viruses into the surrounding seawater, where they can infect neighboring coral communities. Zooxanthellae provide coral with food energy through photosynthesis and contribute to the organisms' vibrant color. Without them, the coral "bleaches"—turns white—and dies...The researchers estimate that 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers annually in oceans worldwide, and that up to 10 percent of coral reefs are threatened by sunscreen-induced bleaching."

More Becks on the beach photos.

Rufus, Rufus, Rufus: Victoria Beckham isn't the only one appearing naked on those new Marc Jacobs T-shirts.

New York City comptroller William Thompson leads anti-discrimination charge with the LGBT Community Center and the New York City Pension Funds, calling on more than two dozen large companies including ExxonMobil to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity: "We must work together to make sure that corporate America embraces acceptance and affords all employees the same protections..."

New York Post endorses Barack Obama.

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka to duet for Broadway Backwards 3, the gender-bending concert of show tune favorites benefiting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center.

Hundreds of Pennsylvania students sign petition to force administrators to take on anti-gay bullying: "The petition circulated after an openly gay senior student left school halfway through the year, claiming he was repeatedly harassed by fellow students. Superintendent David Volkman says the district has formed a new committee to look at the issue. He says the school is already looking at ways to reinforce its harassment policy, and has created 'safe rooms' for students who would like to talk with teachers about the issue."

Europe's first gay old folks home fully booked.

New York's Gay City News endorses Obama: "The McClurkin episode, unfortunate as it was, pales in comparison to the divisiveness that Senator Clinton has allowed her campaign to devolve into. Her comparison between the roles played by Dr. King and President Lyndon Johnson in advancing civil rights can be chalked up to inartfulness. The comments coming from her surrogates are far more disturbing, forming a pattern that sadly can no longer be ignored."

News: Whale Sharks, A&F, Nate Berkus, CIA Tapes, Spain

CIA declassifies letter from Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) urging the agency not to destroy interrogation tapes: "You discussed [in a briefing the previous week] the fact that there is videotape of Abu Zubaydah following his capture that will be destroyed after the Inspector General finishes his inquiry. I would urge the Agency to reconsider that plan. Even if the videotape does not constitute an official record that must be preserved under the law, the videotape would be the best proof that the written record is accurate, if such record is called into question in the future. The fact of destruction would reflect badly on the Agency."

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka offer the paps a tanned "aloha" at LAX.

2007: The year in evidence for a Bush/Cheney impeachment.

Jake Gyllenhaal would like to eat his lunch uninterrupted.

Abercrombie & Fitch catalog resurrected: "For its second go-around, however, the magazine-catalog hybrid will debut and be available exclusively in London, where the American fashion brand opened its first international flagship at 7 Burlington Gardens in London last March in what formerly housed Jil Sander, steps from Savile Row. Sam Shahid, who designed the magazine in its six-year run, is back at the helm as creative director."

Canadian students continue to fight gay blood ban.

Inside the listening party for Madonna's forthcoming album.

Spanish PM José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero hits out at the Catholic church and its recent "pro-family" rallies in Madrid: "Zapatero said that his government was carrying out policies which were supported by the ‘immense majority’ of the Spanish people, and Spain would continue to act in that way. Making no effort to mask his anger at the Cardinals and Bishops who led the Catholic Church event in the Plaza de Colón, Zapatero reminded them that the Spanish Constitution ensured that there was room for everybody in Spain, that everybody has the right to have rights, whatever they think, and whether they belong to a religion or not."

The minute-by-minute on Britney's meltdown...

The Big Give: Nate Berkus tapped to host Oprah's new reality show: "The series follows 10 people who 'criss-cross the country, giving away hundreds of thousands of dollars to unsuspecting people who are in for the surprise of their lives.' The contestants will be given a challenge in each city, and then the judges (chef Jamie Oliver, NFL player Tony Gonzalez, and Chris Rock’s wife Malaak Compton-Rock.) will eliminate one contestant - ultimately awarding 'the biggest giver' the show’s prize."

Massive whale sharks "thriving" off Australia's west coast.

Little Britain's Matt Lucas hijacks housemates on the new UK season of Big Brother.

British mother awarded compensation from gay nightclub after claiming manager called her derogatory names like "breeder": "The tribunal in Southampton awarded Mrs Legg £3,000 in compensation for being harassed for being 'straight' and a further £3,222 for being unfairly dismissed. However, the tribunal did not find that she was sacked because she was heterosexual."

They're big shoes to fill, but do David Beckham's also leave the largest carbon footprint in human history? In related news, Victoria Beckham has an 'enemies' list and Graham Norton is on it.

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka: A First for US?

One of our readers forwarded us a scan from the latest (December 10) issue of US magazine and says he thinks this is a first for the publication: "I was really surprised to see the attached item in the latest US Magazine. I always read US when I'm getting my hair cut and it's normally a magazine where gay doesn't exist. (Which is ironic since Jann Wenner owns it.) Anyway, this is a first. I hope this is the start of a change in that direction."

Whether it's a first or not, it's nice to see.

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka on an 'Outing'

Recently out Neil Patrick Harris and his partner David Burtka are snapped taking a Sunday stroll in L.A.

Reuters takes on the issue of 'outing' celebrities and notes that "up until relatively recently, agents and publicists could be counted on to keep clients closeted if they so chose. That just isn't feasible anymore in a culture where a celebrity's personal life is just another stage for mandatory performance."

Also questioned is the age-old question of how coming out will affect an actor's career: "Neither Harris nor [T.R.] Knight are in the mold of the traditional leading man, and that's a huge distinction. That type of role is predicated on an actor's sex appeal to the opposite gender. Absurd as it sounds, on some level viewers have to believe the object of their affection could somehow reciprocate their attraction."

In a perfect world, it would have no effect. However, a photo above can do wonders for a kid struggling with his sexuality who needs some kind of example. Paparazzi snapshots are often valued by how much they can shock. But here's one instance in which mundanity can have real power.

Knight, Harris Outings a Product of the Times [reuters]