The Earth as Facebook Sees It

A program that visualizes various types of Facebook activities by its users around the globe was developed by Jack Lindamood, Kevin Der and Dan Weatherford during a Facebook Hackathon event last month. Facebook is considering making the app official. Hackathons are events where programmers get together to collaborate and share ideas.

Check out Project Palantir, as it is called, AFTER THE JUMP...

Towleroad [facebook]

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News: Montana, Hugh Jackman, Parasites, Ig Nobels, Tuna

Montana woman files appeal over historic Montana same-sex partner custody ruling.

Where did Charlie go when he was young? Tuna kindergarten.

Interested in what Shrek the Musical sounds like? Download a free tune.

Gold-winning gay Aussie Olympian hires "the man who helped turn Ian Thorpe into a multimillionaire, David Flaskas, to manage his career away from the dive towers." Mitcham has yet to score a major sponsorship - is homophobia to blame?

Canadian candidate who told a high school assembly gays should be executed is banned from future debates.

Senator Larry Craig gives farewell speech to empty chamber. Crapper goes unmentioned in colleague Mike Crapo's good-bye lauding the accomplishments of his retiring colleague : "It has been a privilege for me to serve with Senator Craig during my time in Congress. My wife, Susan, and I wish him and his wife, Suzanne, well as they begin a new chapter in their lives."

Police looking into violent gay bashing outside club in downtown Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: "The victim was treated in hospital. Shortly afterwards a man appeared at hospital with injuries to his hand. Police say the man bragged about his assault at the Embassy Club."

Hugh Jackman lookin' spiffy.

Catholic churches in Michigan town of Hamtramck urge voters to reject town's anti-discrimination that includes protections for sexual orientation: "We have to keep the morals and have the regular families and bring up children according to God's law. Keep it the way it was from the beginning."

Equality Maryland to honor transgender model Isis.

Alien parasites killing sharks off the coast of Oregon. Damn, those things look nasty.

I'm very sorry to report the passing of Rupert, the cutest deer ever.

Facebook censors gay men's retailer Priape: "Michael Ain, Priape's director of marketing and sales, says Facebook is treating Priape differently than it does similar pages aimed at heterosexual audiences."

Duke University to host Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson: "Janie Long, director of the Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Life-which organized Robinson's visit-said she hoped his appearance would help to open a campus conversation on faith and identity. 'This is something that I deal with with students quite frequently,' she said. 'And because I very much want students from all kinds of faith backgrounds-it's not students that are Christians, it's really all faith backgrounds-it's a chance for those students to be exposed to someone who I think is really an excellent role model in terms of balancing different parts of identity.'"

Madonna and A-Rod reportedly dine together in NYC.

Out Dartmouth runner Jamal Brown shares his experiences as an openly gay college athlete.

There are two out gay men on this season's Top Chef — meet them.

Broadway's Hairspray to close.

Annual Ig Nobel Prizes awarded.

CBS in trouble for Survivor peen moment that nobody saw.

A new comedy TV series based on the childhood memoirs of Simon Doonan by the writer of Beautiful Thing comes to the BBC: "This glittering and hilarious series delves inside Simon's youthful memories and his desire to escape suburban Reading and live amongst the 'beautiful people' - from his perspective as a window dresser in a New York department store."

CDC: 1 in 5 unaware they are infected with HIV.

Building in Bangkok's gay area collapses: "The collapse happened on Tuesday in Bangkok's Silom Soi 4 at around 4pm local time (10pm NZ time), when the Soi is largely unattended. There are no reports of fatalities or injuries. The four-story building, currently under renovation and operating as Roxy Club, partially fell to the ground, crushing motorcyles and furniture, leaving the street covered in large pieces of concrete and other debris."

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Sarah Palin's Facebook Page

Check it all out, AFTER THE JUMP...

(via americablog)

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News: Playgirl, China, Brokeback, McGreevey, Amsterdam, Facebook

China: Police raid gay bathhouse in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province and arrest 40 on suspicion of prostitution: "Photos of young men in shorts were pasted at the entrance to the venue, which had a bathroom, a lobby and 10 single rooms. A sign at the gate warned visitors that the premises were for men's leisure only. More than 30 police officers raided the house after receiving evidence. Two men were caught having sex with each other on the scene, and were seized with other patrons. A man surnamed Zhang, 47, from Shanxi Province, was charged with paying to have sex with sex worker Shao, 23, from Jiangsu Province at the bath house. Both were punished for involvement in prostitution, police said..."

Playgirl magazine to shutter print operation, go "web-only"...

Will it be Evan Bayh? Here are the latest odds according to one gambling site.

Columnist Robert Novak retires from journalism, calls brain tumor prognosis "dire".

Actor Morgan Freeman hospitalized after car accident: "The 71-year-old Dark Knight actor’s car reportedly went off the road and flipped several times reports, according to the Mississippi Highway Patrol. 'The doors were jammed on the vehicle from the rolling and flipping,' Mississippi Highway patrol sergeant Ben Williams said. 'We had to break the doors open with the jaws of life to extract him.'" Film cursed?

Rainbow flag stolen from Kirkland, Washington church.

New York gay couples following wedding bells to Massachusetts: "While some New Yorkers have flown across the country to marry in California since May, when that state became the nation’s second to approve same-sex marriage, gay-rights advocates expect many more to do the same in Massachusetts, since it is so much closer. 'We call it the Amtrak option, as opposed to the Jet Blue option,' said Cathy Renna, a communications consultant to gay and lesbian organizations." Actually, you can take Jet Blue to Massachusetts though you may lose everything.

Canadian summer camp for gay and lesbian youth inspires national movement.

Brokeback: Big Brother 10's gay cowboy Steven selling his clothes on eBay. (Someone bought his cut off T-shirt for $1,075!)

Brokeback is now Chinese shorthand for gay.

McGreevey divorce finalization expected imminently.

Dutch cabinet ministers join Gay Pride canal flotilla in Amsterdam: "The initiative was taken by Education and Culture Minister Ronald Plasterk of the Dutch Labour party, who is also responsible for gender equality. 'The government focuses attention on important social issues. This is one of them.'"

Madonna brings documentary home to Michigan, gives good face.

All Dan: Equus Broadway promos ditch horse, girl.

A scheduled meeting between gay Mormon support group and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has been delayed indefinitely: "In a letter sent July 23, Fred C. Riley, the outgoing director of LDS Family Services, said the matter would best be handled by his successor, who hasn't been selected. LDS Family Services is an arm of the Salt Lake City-based denomination."

Refugee seekers turning to Facebook to prove sexual orientation: "Wearing their sexuality on their sleeve was never an option for many of these people back in their home countries, so scrounging up suitable evidence to support their claims may be difficult. Claimants cite torture, rape, and even death if they are returned home. So they have to get inventive. The group leader tells his members to use technology to their advantage and feels Facebook can help demonstrate involvement in the gay and lesbian community. 'During Pride we took hundreds of pictures and we have a Facebook group and when people sign up to that group we encourage them to show their membership to the IRB member.'"

Scientists measure Great White Shark's bite: "The fearsome predator's chomp is around three times more powerful than a lion's, at least 20 times stronger than a human's and just over half as strong as Tyrannosaurus rex."

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News: Lavender, McCain's Shoes, Barney Frank, Scrabulous

Civics Quiz — Ted Stevens vs Larry Craig: "In Congress which is worse: being corrupt or being gay? Time is up. Pencils down. If you answered being gay, you've been paying attention, class. Of the 10 Commandments, it is much better to break the one about stealing than the one about sex."

John McCain's $520 Ferragamo shoes. The Nation's Christopher Hayes: "If I were a right-wing blogger, and I found out that Barack Obama was wearing Ferragamo loafers that cost $520, I would spend about 50% of my waking hours making sure everyone knew this. I would mock him for being an out-of-touch elitist and make jokes like, 'If you think that’s a lot, you should see how much his purse costs!' I would send the link to Drudge and wait for Instapundit to pick it up, and then watch gleefully as Fox News ran segments about how Barack Obama’s $500 loafers vitiate his entire economic platform."

Guy Ritchie says Hard Candy worse than cocaine: "Sugar kills. Think of the calories in sugar. Fat kills more people than anything else. Sugar is responsible for a lot of deaths, arguably more than crack cocaine."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad blames West for AIDS.

The skinny on Brideshead Revisited's Matthew Goode.

NYT: Purple ties may be the new neutral but what about lavender pants?.

Catfights underway on Sex and the City sequel.

Sound Advice: "Every Bleeding Breath" — Divide and Create.

Booted from Facebook, makers of Scrabulous launch new 'Wordscraper' game: "Developers Rajat and Jayant Agarwalla launched Wordscraper worldwide less than 48 hours after being forced to take their original creation, Scrabulous, offline in the US and Canada in response to a lawsuit from Hasbro. The brothers voluntarily closed Scrabulous to North American users on Tuesday following a claim of intellectual property infringement by games manufacturer Hasbro, which owns the online rights in the US and Canada. They have now launched Wordscraper, with significant changes to make the game less like Scrabble."

Christina Aguilera hairdo scares the pants off someone.

British men banned from football grounds over homophobic chanting.

Anime fans making pilgrimage to Japanese shrine in drag.

HORROR: One man beheads another on Greyhound bus in Canada.

Barney Frank wants an end to arrests for marijuana possession: "The vast amount of human activity ought to be none of the government's business. I don't think it is the government's business to tell you how to spend your leisure time."

Simon Lee, musical supervisor of the upcoming Toronto production of The Sound of Music fired after alleged assault and imprisonment of 24-year-old man at hotel: "Simon is a very talented person who is extremely important to us. However, on this occasion we felt it was necessary to seek the termination of his engagement on The Sound of Music in Toronto. The alleged events are subject to legal proceedings and, therefore, we can't comment further."

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News: Facebook, Barry Scott, Hail, Bahamas, Adoption, Batman

Unhealthy. Nearly 40% of gay men do not disclose their sexual orientation to their doctors: "The survey found a striking distinction: While 78 percent of the men who had sex with men and identified themselves as homosexual said they had discussed their sexuality with their doctors, none of the men who had sex with men but identified themselves as bisexual had told their doctors."

Tricia Walsh-Smith: making a name for marriage.

Drive to ban gays as adoptive or foster parents falls short of signatures, gets 30 day extension of deadline: "Supporters need 61,794 signatures to get the measure on the ballot. Secretary of State Charlie Daniels' office certified that 57,888 of the signatures the group submitted in were valid and came from registered voters. Cox said about 4.5 percent of the signatures the group turned in were disqualified because of errors by notaries. Of the remaining signatures, 91.3 percent were valid, he said."

Trans man Thomas Beatie sold his baby photos to People for $300,000.

Bahamas: Could teen charged with murder be linked to gay serial killings?

Tribute: Lifetime to air 10-hour Estelle Getty marathon.

Michigan to consider expanded hate crimes law: "Michigan’s hate crime law would expand to include intimidation of gays and lesbians and people with disabilities, and would make hanging a noose or burning a cross on someone else’s property specific crimes, under changes urged by civil rights groups today. Those changes will be put on a fast track in the House next month, said Rep. Paul Condino, D-Southfield, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He said he would introduce a bill today to strengthen the state’s ethnic intimidation law."

Cape Cod Jury rules against Boston DJ Barry Scott in Provincetown police excessive force case: "Scott was arrested July 14 after police broke up a private birthday party he was DJ-ing after alleged noise complaints. In the process, Scott claims that officers smashed him against the side of a house and repeatedly kicked him. In the subsequent months, he and his supporters have been vocal critics of the actions of the Provincetown police department. Prior to today’s ruling, he has appeared in court 15 times on the charges." Scott plans to appeal.

Indian Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil to be guest of honor at Stockholm Pride: "I am honoured to be invited as one of the opening speakers for StockholmPride. Especially since I live in a country where LGBT issues continue to be ridiculously taboo, no matter how universally practiced."

Christopher Ciccone to the New York Observer on the publication of his Madonna tell-all: "...it was like a giant fucking orgasm. Therapy I already had; this was pure sex."

Hailstones blast man off toilet in Austria.

A look at Batman's gay past...

Pump up the volume: Brangelina twins conceived in vitro.

As session end looms, Massachusetts House has yet to take up repeal of 1913 marriage law.

Hartlepool: Police appeal for witnesses after UK gay bash.

Josh Brolin makes first appearance after bar brawl: "[I'm] sorry. I'm kind of in a bad predicament right now."

British man awarded £22,000 in damages over Facebook profile that suggested he was gay: "Grant Raphael created a false profile of his former schoolfriend Matthew Firscht on the social networking site with his name and date of birth. He wrongly stated that Mr Firscht was signed up to gay groups, had lied to avoid paying loans and was 'looking for whatever I can get' in his relationship profile. Mr Raphael, a freelance cameraman, had said the entry had been created by party gate-crashers at his flat. Awarding Mr Firscht and his company £22,000 in damages, a High Court judge yesterday ruled that the defence had been 'built on lies'. It is believed to be the first successful defamation and privacy law case involving Facebook in the UK. Judge Richard Parkes QC said that Mr Raphael was liable for the internet entries and had lied about the posts."

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Brady Quinn's Lawyers Finally Discover His M4M Facebook Ad

Back in June I posted about an online hookup ad which was running on Facebook using Cleveland Browns Quarterback Brady Quinn.

Now, TMZ reports: "A rep for the Cleveland Browns tells us Brady had no knowledge of the ad saying, 'He was not involved in posting photos.' Brady's lawyer has already taken action and has sent a cease and desist letter to the website today, demanding all photos of him be removed ASAP."

Brady Quinn is not gay, although he does apparently hang out with homophobes and occasionally gives Hummers to fellow players.

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News: Brian Paddick, Sean Cody, Nick Walker, David Archuleta

Don't forget to vote for Sally Kern, Larry Craig, Jerry Sanders, Ellen Degeneres, or Al Gore in our NewNowNext award category!

Archuleta dad banned from American Idol rehearsals.

Civil union efforts in Illinois boosted by student-generated Facebook group: "At first, his site detailed the bill's progress for friends, who began inviting hundreds of other friends. Within weeks, Miatkowski and students from across the state organized online 'rallies' to flood legislators with e-mails, faxes and phone calls. Members also have held petition drives at train stations, written editorials and set up campus events. The group's efforts made enough of an impression that Illinois lawmakers mentioned it to Harris, sponsor of the civil unions bill. Harris contacted Miatkowski and other student leaders to discuss how to gather more momentum on the bill." The group's Facebook address is here.

Chris Evans leaves the foxhole.

Possibility of constitutional same-sex marriage ban pushes Floridians into action.

Mork and KT: Does wearing rainbow suspenders make you a gay icon?

Brian Paddick's diaries during his run for London mayor revealed.

Catholic leader in the Philippines says being gay not a sin, but acting on it is: "Malolos Bishop Jose Oliveros, chair of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Office on Bio-ethics, said on Sunday the Church had learned to accept homosexuality as part of reality. 'We try to be compassionate and understand homosexuals and guide them towards the right path where they should not act out on their desires,' the bishop told the Philippine Daily Inquirer."

It's official: Ugly Betty moving to New York.

Are street artists Banksy and Nick Walker one and the same? That's what some people are saying.

"Ex-gay" and Exodus spokesman accuses "Ex-Gay" watchdog organizations of being hate groups. Stephen Black: "There are actual GAY hate groups who wish to silence the voices of ex-gays. These groups are like the brazenly named ‘Ex-Gay Watch’ and their klan of bloggers who use hatefully sarcastic words in addressing ex-gays."

Carson Kressley to make visit to Big Brother Australia house this week: "The pink thinker, famous from his days as a makeover queen on Queer Eye For The Straight Guy, won't be bedding down with the BB housemates, limiting his visit to a few hours of fashion critique."

British Big Brother contestant Chanelle gets the gong at G-A-Y in London.

Cycling with Scott Speedman.

Malaysian police raid gay sauna, seize 14 men, and 1800 condoms.

Justin Timberlake producing reality show called The Phone: "The series, which is based on a Dutch reality show format, begins each episode with two hidden cell phones ringing at opposite ends of a major city. Contestants who answer the phones will have five seconds to decide if they want to play along for a cash prize, and a guide on the other end of the line then gives contestants a mission to complete before time runs out. As they race through the city on their adventure, a helicopter tracks their every move. MTV described the show as a wild and cinematic ride reminiscent of such films as 'The Bourne Identity' and 'The Game.'"

Sean Cody interested in whites only"? (warning: site NSFW)

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Saudi Woman Shot and Killed for Using Facebook

London's Telegraph reports that Facebook has become a refuge in Saudi Arabia for women who aren't allowed to leave home alone, as well as gays and lesbians unable to connect in public:

"Saudi preacher Ali al-Maliki has emerged as the leading critic of Facebook, claiming the network is corrupting the youth of the nation. 'Facebook is a door to lust and young women and men are spending more on their mobile phones and the Internet than they are spending on food,' he said...Critics also allege that Facebook is an avenue for the promotion of homosexual relations in Saudi Arabia. More than 6,500 people have signed the online petition in a bid to stop the conservative Muslim kingdom following Syria in banning access to the network from local internet servers."

Unfortunately, logging in can have deadly consequences:

"A young Saudi Arabian woman, from the country’s capital, Riyadh, was beaten and then viciously murdered by her own father after being caught using the social notworking site Facebook. The woman was apparently in the midst of an online conversation with a man she had met through the site when her father walked in on her. He beat her and then shot her at point blank range, according to an al-Arabiya website report."

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News: Ferras, Facebook, Mariah Carey, The Nation, Polaroid

I had forgotten that AfterElton was doing a "Gay People's Choice Awards" contest but was extremely pleased to wake up this morning and find out that Towleroad won an award for favorite blog. Thanks to all of you who put in our name for this. It's much appreciated! Check out all the other winners HERE!

Sweet Jesus! Lightning strikes Christ the Redeemer in Rio.

Hillary Clinton 2008 bid hinging on Ohio and Texas. Superdelegate: "She has to win both Ohio and Texas comfortably, or she’s out. The campaign is starting to come to terms with that."

Mariah Carey names new album E=MC².

Facebook is the Hotel California. You can check out any time, but you can never leave. "Even if users terminate their membership, pictures of them posted by others remain online. But users can't really quit, anyway. Like guests at the Hotel California, people who check out of Facebook have a hard time leaving. Profiles of former members are preserved in case people want to reactivate their accounts. And all users' digital selves can outlive their creators. As the company's "terms of use" explain, profiles of deceased members are kept "active under a special memorialized status for a period of time determined by us to allow other users to post and view comments."

First all-Black production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof hits Broadway.

Victory Fund intern is nation's youngest Superdelegate!

If you aren't aware of Ferras yet, you will be soon. His single "Hollywood is Not America" has been licensed by American Idol as the song that's played when the losers hit the road after they're voted off the show. "Bad Day" made Daniel Powter a household name when he was a relative unknown. NewNowNext interviews Ferras about his expectations for the future, and, of course, his love of the gays.

SPOILERS: Wentworth Miller gets wet.

Florent files suit over extending restaurant lease. Judge: "I know this restaurant–Florent is a great place."

Can sugar substitutes make you fat? "Animals fed with artificially sweetened yogurt over a two-week period consumed more calories and gained more weight — mostly in the form of fat — than animals eating yogurt flavored with glucose, a natural, high-calorie sweetener."

Dolce & Gabbana's yummy new entree.

Digital Age: Polaroid exits film business. "Polaroid chief operating officer Tom Beaudoin said the company is interested in licensing its technology to an outside firm that could manufacture film for faithful Polaroid customers. If that doesn't happen, Polaroid users would have to find an alternative photo technology, as the company plans to make only enough film to last into next year. Polaroid has already quietly halted production of instant cameras. "We stopped making commercial-type cameras about 18 to 24 months ago, and we stopped making consumer cameras about a year ago," said Beaudoin."

John Barrowman's parents put him in a trash bin to shut him up.

The Nation endorses Barack Obama: "This magazine has been critical of the senator from Illinois for his closeness to Wall Street; his unwillingness to lay out an ambitious progressive agenda on health care, housing and other domestic policy issues; and for post partisan rhetoric that seems to ignore the manifest failure of conservatism over these past seven years. But as Christopher Hayes argued in our cover story last week, Obama has also exhibited a more humane and wise approach to foreign policy, opposing the Iraq War while Hillary Clinton voted for it, and has been a reliable progressive ally over the course of his career. While his rhetoric about "unity" can be troubling, it also embodies a savvy strategy to redefine the center of American politics and build a coalition by reaching out to independent and Republican voters disgruntled and disgusted with what the Bush era has wrought."

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News: Giant Bug Fossil, Lourdes, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Egypt

The reason for Jonathan Rhys-Meyers recent arrest for drunk and disorderly behavior in Dublin revealed: his mother's death.

Fossil of world's largest bug discovered: "Found in a German quarry, the claw is 46cm (18ins) long, suggesting the sea scorpion was 2.5m (8ft) long - almost two feet longer that it was previously thought the aquatic creatures grew to. Because land-based scorpions and spiders are believed to have descended from the sea scorpion, scientist believe the discovery means that they also may have been even bigger than had been believed."

Oprah contestants go apeshit over her favorite things - video.

Bush pushing through regulations that will further restrict the ability of HIV-positive people to enter the United States: "This is a big disappointment, given the rhetoric of the Bush administration that the US was making it easier - because the new regs simply add more heavy burdens for the HIV-positive traveler."

Gloves are off. Clinton mocks Obama over foreign policy experience: "Voters will have to judge if living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next president will face. I think we need a president with more experience than that, someone the rest of the world knows, looks up to and has confidence in." Obama shoots back: "Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld have spent time in the White House and traveled to many countries as well, but along with Hillary Clinton they led us into the worst foreign policy disaster in a generation and are now giving George Bush the benefit of the doubt on Iran. The real choice in this election is between conventional Washington thinking that prizes posture and positioning, or real change that puts judgment and honesty first."

Dennis Quaid and Cedars Sinai speak out: Quaid twins tragedy "preventable".

Canadian Polar Bear "harvest" risks population collapse: "In Canada, government hunting quotas encourage killing male polar bears over female ones. The theory is that, because females rear the bear cubs, losing one female polar bear will have a more serious impact on the population's ability to sustain its number. As a result, at least two thirds of polar bears killed in Canada each year are male, according to a separate study that will appear in a forthcoming issue of the journal Wildlife Biology. Research has shown that the policy has significantly reduced the ratio of males to females in polar bear populations across the Canadian Arctic."

Madonna's daughter Lourdes offered part in new Harry Potter film.

Facebook automatically opting in its users to privacy-violating pyramid scheme for its partners?

"Ex-gay" therapy hits Egypt.

Please don't let Santa shoot Brandon Flowers.

Crews mop up oil spill at San Francisco's gay beach.

Two groups of scientists announce they are able to create embryonic stem cells from ordinary skin cells: "The breakthrough marks the beginning of a new era for stem cell biology and could be the end for cloning as an alternative way to produce stem cells. One expert said cloning was now 'dead in the water'. Using the new technique, scientists were able to 'rewind' adult cells back to their embryonic state. The process paves the way for stocks of stem cells that can be turned into any of the 200 or so tissue types in the body."

Lance Bass kicks off the holidays at Bloomingdale's.

Outrageous: U.S. Military demanding that wounded vets give back their signing bonuses because they are unable to serve out their terms due to injury.

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News: Facebook Bust, Brian Paddick, Equus, Slava Mogutin

Some students at Notre Dame donning "Gay? Go to Hell" T-shirts.

Bank intern busted by boss after "something came up at home" excuse for his day off was later revealed on his Facebook profile. He does make a cute fairy though.

Alabama gay activist Ken Baker dies at 50: "Unity United Church of Christ recently awarded Baker the Crystal Cross for his advocacy work. He was recognized specifically for his role in starting Equality Alabama and Communities of Faith for Full Inclusion. 'He's sure going to be missed around here,' said longtime friend and colleague Lynn Shaw, who is a past president of the Montgomery Chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). 'I just can't believe how everyone's going to go on and function because he was involved in so many things.' Baker, who was gay, was known as a quiet, humble man who was creative and determined in his efforts to promote gay and lesbian rights."

Board of Education in Jefferson County in Kentucky recommends expanding harassment and employment policies to protect gay and lesbian employees, although transgender people are left behind for now: "We decided to include sexual orientation at this time, but decided to hold off on making a decision about transgender because, as of right now, gender identification is both a new and broad definition."

Janice Dickinson has joined the cast of the UK's I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and nature is turning her into a savage: "I'm going to stab her in the middle of the night and take hers. You think I'm kidding? I'll eat her tits. I'll fry up those big old boobs."

Politicos nervous about upcoming "tell-all" book from former gay London top cop Brian Paddick to be released one month before critical election. Paddick: "You will be very surprised by some of the things in it, I can assure you."

Lily Allen's brother Alfie steps into Daniel Radcliffe's role in Equus.

Inside photographer Slava Mogutin's New York City go-go diary (warning: NSFW).

Fred Thompson to be endorsed by right-to-life, same-sex marriage foes in Iowa: "He drew an enthusiastic response from his audience when he praised the U.S. health care system and said: 'Let's not let the federal government mess that up.' The crowd also applauded when he brought up gay marriage and said: 'Whether marriage is between a man and a woman -- I thought that was decided a few thousand years ago!'"

Hugh Jackman's back at his favorite activity: getting naked at the beach.

Australian football club supporter mocked after receiving "gay" tattoo. Perhaps he should commisserate with the Dumbledore daddy.

North Carolina "ex-gay" minister proclaiming his success: "To follow christ and to say no to my behavior of homosexuality, um I really felt like I could live life differently that that's what God wanted, he wanted me to pursue him, not pursue men. So people can say, you can't change and I say yes you can." See ya at the next public park sex sting!

Gender Issues Analyst Melissa Fryrear of Focus on the Family continues to claim that all gay people have been sexually violated. (via pam's house blend)

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News: Venezuela, Andy Roddick, Melting Glaciers, Lynne Cheney

STUDY: America's youth rejecting Christianity because of hypocrisy and homophobia. "A new book based on research by the California-based research firm The Barna Group found that church attitudes about people in general and gays in particular are driving a negative image of the Christian faith among people ages 16-29. 'The Christian community's ability to take the high road and help to deal with some of the challenges that this (anti-gay) perception represents may be the ... defining response of the Christian church in the next decade,' said David Kinnaman, Barna Group president and author of the book, UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity. 'The anti-homosexual perception has now become sort of the Geiger counter of Christians' ability to love and work with people.'"

Assessing the disaster that is Britney's album cover art.

Venezuela looks ready to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Three people in Cheney's office reportedly tried to silence MSNBC's Chris Matthews: "I thought on the 10th anniversary it would be good to celebrate the First Amendment, which gives us all our living. We reviewed in brief the remarkable experience of covering the Clinton [scandal] and the defense of the war with Iraq. And the difference in these two cases was that although I was extremely tough on Clinton, there was never any attempt to silence me — whereas there was a concerted effort by [Vice President Cheney’s office] to silence me. It came in the form of three different people calling trying to quiet me."

British university student expelled for leaving homophobic comments in a group on Facebook.

STUDY: 16,000 couples wed in first year of UK civil partnerships. "London was the area with the highest number of ceremonies, about 4,000, followed by the South-East, which accounted for about 2,700. Today's report also reveals that 10 per cent of the men and almost a quarter of the women involved in a gay wedding were previously married-The average age for males registering a same-sex partnership was 47 and for females nearly 44. The average age gap between partners was eight years for men and six years for women."

Elton John bangs balls with Andy Roddick at benefit tournament.

Ricky Martin receives key to the city of Miami.

Fragrance industry sniffing out Madonna.

The big melt: Glaciers disappearing from Montana's Glacier National Park "eight years ahead of schedule."

Tennessee attorney general Bob Cooper releases opinon to judge saying that the state's constitution presents no barrier to same-sex couples who want to adopt: "In it, Cooper wrote that, under the state constitution, same-sex couples should be eligible to adopt children as long as the court finds the placement to be in the child's best interest. Cooper found the constitution doesn't mention adoption, meaning the process is governed solely by statutes. Tennessee law doesn't require people petitioning for adoption to be married."

Lynne Cheney booed on The Daily Show, says terrorist attacks worldwide don't affect American interests.

This is a particularly hypnotizing optical illusion.

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News: Al Gore, Facebook, Mike Gravel, Backstreet Boys, Scottsdale

Al Gore wanted by voters, according to new Michigan poll: "The crowded field of presidential hopefuls isn't crowded enough to suit Michigan voters, who prefer two unannounced candidates for the Republican and Democratic nominations, a new Detroit News/WXYZ-TV poll shows. Former Tennessee Senator and TV star Fred Thompson would lead the GOP pack and former Vice President Al Gore would top the Democratic slate should they decide to run, according to a statewide survey of 400 likely Republican and 400 likely Democratic primary voters in Michigan conducted last Wednesday through Monday by EPIC/MRA of Lansing."

Janice Dickinson and manslave step out on the town.

Outsports' Jim Buzinski and Cyd Zeigler talk to Salon about their new book, The Outsports Revolution: "We don't try to undermine gay stereotypes. We simply try to be who we are."

Me-Me-Me talks to the Backstreet Boys. Brian: "We could get a gay [member]! We are missing a member. Some of my good friends are gay; it’s not a big deal but unfortunately, we don’t have a gay member. Not to my knowledge anyway. But if someone wanted to come out, I’d love them just the same."

White House upset over Hillary Clinton campaign ad claiming Americans are "invisible" to President Bush: "As to the merits of it, I think it's outrageous. This is a president who, first and foremost, has helped millions of seniors across the country have access to prescription drugs at a much lower cost," Perino said. "As to whether or not our troops are invisible to this president, I think that is absurd and that it is unconscionable that a member of Congress would say such a thing." (watch spot)

Facebook launches "stunning" custom interface for the iPhone.

Hillary Clinton to open for Ellen DeGeneres.

Mike Gravel slams Hillary Clinton over gay rights stance: "By drawing upon the language of states rights, Hillary embraces the tradition of John Calhoun and the defenders of slavery along with Strom Thurmond and the segregationists. Throughout our nation's history, every time national public opinion turns against oppression, opponents of progress use states rights to present themselves as defenders of liberty in the face of federal power. States rights has always been the last refuge of the bigots. Now Hillary has given rhetorical cover to the homophobes. If she wins the Democratic nomination, opponents of gay marriage will cite her statement to justify their opposition to national marriage equality over the next decade."

Following recent gay bashings, Scottsdale, Arizona's mayor Mary Manross is trying to make sure gays know they're welcome there.

The way to Jake Gyllenhaal's heart is clearly through his stomach.

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Parents Nixing Gay College Roommates Using Facebook

An article in USA Today notes that parents of freshmen entering colleges have begun using Facebook profiles as a way of screening the school's choice of roommate for their child:

"Housing officials say parents who cite Facebook most frequently mention party-related content and photos as their primary concerns. Parents sometimes see cups in photos and make the leap to alcohol and drugs, Manetas says. But Robin Berkowitz-Smith of Syracuse University says race, religion and sexual orientation are the top three concerns from parents contacting officials there. Maureen Wark of Suffolk University in Boston also ranked sexual orientation as a top concern of parents. Wark recalls getting a call from a parent who had 'psychological and sanitary concerns' about a student's new roommates, both of whom were gay men. 'People don't give other people a chance,' she says."

Officials at Syracuse, who place a "freeze" on room changes for the first few months of school, appear to have a sane approach to the situation, however:

"[Robin] Berkowitz-Smith says Syracuse officials talk with students when they arrive on campus to determine whether they actually have reservations about a roommate, rather than assuming students have the same concerns parents do."

Facebook pages concern parents of college freshmen [usa today]

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"Gay" Blocked as Legitimate Surname at Facebook [tr]

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"Gay" Blocked as Legitimate Surname at Facebook

The social networking website Facebook has reportedly blocked its users from entering the name "Gay" as a surname when registering for the popular site (at least in Australia), the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

"It's been revealed that the popular website - which boasts it has more than 30 million members from around the world - does not allow people with the common Anglo Saxon surname Gay to join, assuming it is not a legitimate name. After a story in New Zealand's Dominion Post about 30-year-old Rowena Gay, who was denied entry to site because of her last name, smh.com.au undertook a test and found a person with the last name Gay was indeed not allowed to join. 'Please enter a legitimate name,' the website stated during our attempt. And while the website refused Gay, it had no problem allowing us to join with the last name Hitler."

The paper talked with Australian lawmaker Duncan Gay about the issue: "That's a bit tough, it's pretty ordinary ... it bothers me to the extent that quite often when you give your name you get a twitter. People looking and smirking. This is a continuation of that. While it wasn't tough for me, particularly for my son going through school, with the name ... if they're removing Gay from [Facebook] it becomes a problem for my family. I'm not ruling out protesting vigorously about this."

Pictured, American sprinter Tyson Gay, who may also have a problem with it.

Facebook blocks Gay surname [sydney morning herald]
Gay? Facebook Says No. [same same]

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