News: Ryan Reynolds, Sao Paulo, Halloween, Kay Hagan, Viagra

Ron Reagan endorses Obama.

Ryan Reynolds beefs up the NYC marathon.

Two Swedish women married in India: "The young women, Sara and Sandra had been living together in India's national capital, New Delhi for past one year and 'solemnized' their marriage according to the Vedic rites and rituals. The newly married couple said that they were extremely happy to get married in the city of Taj Mahal, the monument of love and one of the Seven Wonders of the World."

Lesbian engagement on All My Children: "That day, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. And I knew that I wanted to have a home with you and Miranda, and a future together. And so today, I am asking you my beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Bianca... will you marry me?"

Will & Grace creator Max Mutchnick marries.

Harrison Ford dressed as a peapod for Halloween while Maroon 5's Adam Levine took a sexier route.

Hawaii verifies Obama birth certificate.

New play about gay Iranian teens executed in 2005 to open in Chicago: " The play tells the story of two boys coming of age, and struggling with their identities as Arab Iranians, and as typical teenagers longing to discover their place in the world. Ayaz Marhouni and Mahmoud Asgari, the two fifteen year old boys who may have been gay or may have been experimenting with their sexuality – like many teenagers do, get caught in a compromised position, publicly humiliated and tried in the Iranian legal system."

New York voters targeted with robocalls claiming to be Gay City News with an endorsement for the Democratic candidate in certain districts.

Students kiss for gay rights in Sao Paulo.

North Carolina Democrat Kay Hagan is suing Elizabeth Dole for defamation over her "Godless" attack ad.

New McCain Keating 5 revelations on investigations on alleged leaks by the Senator: "All five senators--including McCain--had testified under oath and under the U.S. penal code that the leaks did not come from their camps. The leaks were also prohibited by rules of the Senate Ethics Committee; according to the rules of the Senate, anyone caught leaking such information could face expulsion from the body. These, then, were not the usual Washington disclosures: Discovered, they could have stopped the career of any Washington politician in his tracks."

Boy gunned down while trick-or-treating: "An ex-convict who thought he was being robbed gunned down a 12-year-old trick-or-treater, spraying nearly 30 rounds with an assault rifle from inside his home after hearing a knock on the door, police said Saturday."

Tom of Finland retrospective opens in Liverpool.

Joaquin Phoenix says good-bye to acting .

Homophobic attacks on the rise in Scotland.

Netherlands: Cannabis being laced with Viagra.

Straight man bringing discrimination suit against employer over "gay taunts" from colleagues who suggested he was gay because he lives in Brighton: "Stephen English, who is heterosexual, says he was called a 'faggot' and 'Mr Franglais' by fellow members of staff at the blind and awning firm where he worked. He alleges that the barbs began after a sales manager discovered that he went to boarding school and now lived in the Sussex seaside town, which has a large gay population. Mr English, who has been married for 20 years and has three teenage children, decided to take legal action after his attendance at Brighton's Gay Pride parade wearing "skin-tight Lycra cycling shorts" was mentioned in the Thomas Sanderson Blinds in-house magazine."

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Obama Leaving Campaign Trail to Be with Ailing Grandmother

Barack Obama's grandmother Madelyn Dunham has apparently fallen gravely ill and Obama will stop campaigning from Thursday to Saturday to fly to Hawaii and be with her, according to campaign spokesman Robert Gibbs:

"In the last few weeks her health has deteriorated to the point where her situation is very serious. [Dunham has always been one of the most important people in his life. Along with his mother and his grandfather, she raised him in Hawaii from the time he was born to the moment he left for college. The decision that Sen. Obama is making to go to Hawaii underscores the seriousness of the situation."

Dunham is 85. She is, essentially, his last parent. Michelle Obama will attend some campaign events in his absence.

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Surfer in Hot Water Near Kilauea

Yesterday, the Daily Mail published these photos of professional surfer CJ Kahuna getting a close-up look at the Kilauea lava flow as it descended into the ocean:

"Tentative at first, the adrenalin-junkie paddled to within 20ft of the lava, before moving back from water that reached 200C in places, melting the wax on his surfboard and burning his feet in the process."

Not sure when the photos of Kahuna were taken, but Kilauea has been in the news recently as its activity has increased dramatically. Photographers over the weekend captured a 100-foot spout at the coast (pictured here) and vulcanologists (I love that word) say they haven't seen anything like it.

One more shot of Kahuna, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Emile Hirsch Gets Wetter for David LaChapelle

A few more Emile Hirsch shots by photographer David LaChapelle from this month's Flaunt magazine (via Just Jared, where you can find some more)

And a few behind the scenes shots, here.

One more shot, AFTER THE JUMP...

Emile Hirsch - “Flaunt Magazine” Issue #93 [just jared]

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Emile Hirsch Strips Down for David LaChapelle in Hawaii

Emile Hirsch, who is starring in the upcoming Speed Racer as well as Gus van Sant's Milk later this year, got natural for David LaChapelle in Hawaii in this month's Flaunt magazine.

Hirsch also recently spoke out about Milk for the first time. Said the actor, who plays gay activist (and eventual NAMES Quilt creator) Cleve Jones in the film: "I just did this film called ‘Milk’ with Sean Penn and Gus Van Sant about Harvey Milk. I think it’s going to be a really good film. I don’t want to give anything away by telling you a timeline, but it’s not really giving anything away, because it’s historical fact. Milk represented change for a lot of people, and was a catalyst to that. And his eventual assassination similarly mirrored Martin Luther King."

Check out a little behind-the-scenes shirtless waterfall action on LaChapelle's shoot,
AFTER THE JUMP...

>

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Obama Scores Decisive Win Over Clinton in Wisconsin and Hawaii

Ohio and Texas now loom as must-win states for the Clinton campaign as Obama's momentum appeared to surge into the Wisconsin and Hawaii primaries, which brought him his 10th consecutive win. Obama took 58% of the vote in Wisconsin to Clinton's 41% and 76% in Hawaii to Clinton's 24%. Obama now has a nearly 100 delegate lead (Obama 1355, Clinton 1261).

The NYT reports: "Mrs. Clinton wasted no time in signaling that she would now take a tougher line against Mr. Obama — a recognition, her advisers said, that she must act to alter the course of the campaign and define Mr. Obama on her terms. In a speech in Ohio shortly after the polls closed in Wisconsin, she alluded to what her campaign considers Mr. Obama’s lack of experience, and his support for a health insurance plan that would not initially seek to cover all Americans. 'This is the choice we face: One of us is ready to be commander in chief in a dangerous world,' Mrs. Clinton said in the remarks, which she also planned to expand upon in a speech in New York City on Wednesday. 'One of us has faced serious Republican opposition in the past — and one of us is ready to do it again.' Mrs. Clinton did not mention the Wisconsin results; she did, however, call Mr. Obama to congratulate him on the victory."

Above, Obama's remarks following his win in Wisconsin. Below, Clinton addresses her supporters after the Wisconsin defeat. Below, right, John McCain takes Wisconsin. McCain took 55% of the vote in Wisconsin, over Mike Huckabee's 37%.

Detailed primary results for Wisconsin here.
Detailed Hawaii results here.

According to a Reuters/Zogby poll released today, Obama has opened up a 14-point lead over Clinton among national voters.

(clips courtest talking points memo)

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Rare Giant Six-Gill Shark Spotted

A video taken in 2006 off the coast of Molokai in Hawaii has been attracting some attention.

"A crew including University of Hawaii oceanographer decided to post the 2006 video on YouTube to help educate people on sharks in Hawaiian waters. The shark estimated to be 18 feet long with six gills is a deep-sea variety known as Hexanchus griseus. The video was taken from Hawaii Undersea Research laboratory's Pisces V submersible anchored 3,000 feet deep about two miles from Molokai. UH professor Eric Vetter says he felt the sub move when the shark nudged against it."

While the video itself is cool, the best part, imho, is the gobsmacked crew.

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News: Cruising, Tomkat, Bette Midler, Drag Awards, Iowa

Bette Midler fined for tree slaughter on Hawaii property. Attorney: "The whole idea with cutting the trees down was with the idea of improving the lot with native species" instead of the nonnative, invasive species that had grown there. It's unfortunate that a mistake was made."

Virginia Beach house owned by gay pornstar killers Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes is up for sale: "The pair lived lavishly at the house. Police seized $26,000 cash as well as two large plasma TVs (one 55 inches, one 50 inches); four cars (three of which were worth about $100,000 each); five computer monitors; stereo and video equipment; and several pieces of gold and diamond jewelry."

Iowa state senator Matt McCoy, indicted on charges of extortion, says he no longer feels he's being targeted because he's gay: "Do I think that there is an organized effort out there? I can only say that I don't believe Democrats are more likely to break the law than Republicans.''

DIVA: Australia celebrates drag with massive awards show.

Director William Friedkin to hold Q&A session at special showing of Al Pacino's Cruising at the Castro Theater this weekend: "It was the first high-profile bomb for star Al Pacino, and you have to dig deep in the bargain bin to find a 1980s William Friedkin movie that was more reviled. Worse yet, it was attacked by many in the gay community, who felt that the film's gay serial killer and over-the-top portrayal of queer culture enforced homophobic stereotypes."

4 oz.: Brad Pitt producing TV series about transsexual with Nip/Tuck creator Ryan Murphy.

After moving to a shiny new $35 million mansion in Beverly Hills later this year, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes plan to keep the same sleeping arrangements — at opposite ends of the house.

Pedro Andrade working the jumpsuit.

Fifty in attendance for Ottawa, Canada gay rights vigil: "Some countries couldn't dream of having an event like this — the police would come down on them so fast."

Apparently there have been rumors going around that T.R. Knight has only signed on for part of the season at Grey's Anatomy. Not true, says E's Kristin dos Santos: "While the show's official rep at ABC says she never comments on the details of actors' contracts, an inside source close to the show tells me this is most definitely not true. I'm told T.R. has signed on for all episodes of the upcoming fourth season and that he never would have been given his recent pay hike had he only signed on for half of the episodes."

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Shemar Moore: "I'm Not Gay"

Actor Shemar Moore wants to clear up any confusion stemming from recent photos of the Criminal Minds star frolicking on a gay beach in Hawaii. He tells In Touch Weekly magazine:

"People find it interesting to try to make me gay; I’m not gay. I went on vacation with two girlfriends of mine who, interestingly enough got cut out of the pictures. We found a nude beach, as far as I know, was a unisex beach…. We took off our clothes and jumped in the water. I’ve been trying to skinny dip since I was a teenager. I’m just grateful that the water was warm!"

You may have missed...
Shemar Moore Makes Splash in Hawaii [tr]

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Shemar Moore Makes Splash in Hawaii

You may have heard that the National Enquirer recently published some censored photos of former soap star Shemar Moore allegedly frolicking in the surf at a gay beach in Hawaii. Moore currently plays FBI Special Agent Derek Morgan on CBS' Criminal Minds.

The uncensored versions have arrived. (WARNING: NSFW)
(via dlisted)

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News: Second Life, German Moon, Meth Principal, Daniel Radcliffe

Honolulu Star Bulletin blasts non-vote on Hawaii same-sex union legislation: "More than 400 people submitted written or oral testimony on the bill and deserved the courtesy of a committee vote on the issue. Committee Chairman Tommy Waters' later said he chose not to call for a vote because most committee members opposed the bill, and he wanted to leave open the possibility of a compromise. That seems highly unlikely, given the strident polarization on the issue...The muzzling of the legislation by the Judiciary Committee was an affront to gay couples, who deserve a recorded vote and an explanation for the rejection of the measure."

Ex-boyfriend sighting inspires Lance Bass to dash for the door at West Hollywood Oscar party.

Florida city manager fired over sex-change operation: "Steve Stanton professed his love for the city and asked the people of Largo to support his decision to undergo a sex change and allow him to keep his $140,000-a-year job as city manager. To his sorrow, the answer came back no. Almost 500 people packed City Hall on Tuesday night for a special meeting to decide if they would accept someone named Susan instead of Steve as their top official. And while many spoke eloquently in his defense, more called for his ouster."

Not only was the principal dealing meth from his office, cops apparently found him naked playing with sex toys and watching gay porn. No doubt the Fundies will have a field day with this one.

The Dallas/Ft. Worth area is getting a really gay radio station.

Germany says they are ready to join the space race: " The head of the German Space Programme (DLR), Walter Doellinger, told the Financial Times Deutschland that it would be ready by 2013 to send an unmanned space shuttle to orbit the earth's only natural satellite."

Boy George writing songs for Kylie Minogue.

Been itching to see a bit more of Daniel Radcliffe (and not the photoshopped variety)? Well, here's a little more...

The sound of crickets at John Edwards' Second Life campaign headquarters.

This compendium of articles on Buzzfeed is so gay.

For the first time in 12 years, the New York City Gay Men's Chorus will devote a concert entirely to classical music.

More than 60 nations begin "International Polar Year" investigation of Arctic and Antarctic: "During the United Nations-backed International Polar Year, about 50,000 experts will be involved in hundreds of projects, such as studying Antarctic marine life or measuring ice from satellites."

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News: Hawaii Gay Marriage, Liposuction Speedboat, Helen Mirren

Hawaii lawmakers kill civil union bill by refusing to vote on it: "More than 100 people packed the House Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, many waving pink signs reading, 'Civil Unions. Equal protection, justice for all.' At least 400 people submitted extensive written or oral testimony. After five hours of testimony, though, the committee declined to vote. Representatives offered little explanation to the public, but it was a sign that the bill lacked enough support to become law."

"Aching adolescence" explored in new film Wild Tigers I Have Known: "Newly aware of his homosexual urges, Logan is too naïve to camouflage his desires by putting up a front. And the film captures his vulnerability and dismay when his classmates reject him and spread the word that he’s gay, even though his explorations haven’t gone beyond the point of staring at other boys in the locker room. Even his straight best friend, Joey (Max Paradise), a science nerd who has made an amusing list of 'ways to be cool,' begins to withdraw after Logan insists on putting on lipstick for a snapshot."

Speedboat runs on liposuctioned body fat (watch video).

Paparazzi fascinated by Helen Mirren's eating habits.

"Ex-gay" leader Randy Thomas on newly out financial guru Suze Orman: gays haven't suffered enough to deserve civil rights. "From another angle, this also does not help some in the gay activist community with their attempts to make this battle, over redefining marriage, a 'civil rights' issue. Suze and her partner worrying over their 'millions' doesn't have the same ring or impact as watching young black people being knocked down by fully opened fire hoses and mauled by tax payer funded police dogs. I don't think Suze or Tammy would ever make that comparison but some in the activist community do equate the marriage battle with the civil rights battle of the African American community and that is tragic."

Rupert Everett to be "chief of parade" at Sydney Mardi Gras. Everett: "Like JFK, but without the assassination."

Cristiano Ronaldo to be joined on Manchester United by a pair of identical twins: "When we were negotiating, Cristiano Ronaldo phoned us saying that Manchester United was a tremendous club and it was a wonderful place to play football."

Judith Light to be honored for her work for HIV/AIDS. David Mixner: "In just over a decade, Judith Light has participated in near 400 events relating to HIV/AIDS. I think it would be almost impossible to find a leading actress who has done more in the battle. Not only has she allowed her celebrity to be used to raise funds and create awareness, she personally has been a caretaker to people with HIV/AIDS. Judith Light was an activist and caregiver when few others were willing to even lend their names."

Two new drugs introduced in HIV battle.

Liz Taylor turns 75: "Taylor's voice was soft and she seemed frail as she chatted briefly with reporters, telling them her secret to making it to 75 was 'just living a very healthy, clean life.'" (photos)

Katherine Heigl leaving Grey's Anatomy? Money is the reason, not a bigoted co-star.

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Civil Union Bills introduced in Hawaii

Hawaii may soon be the next state to adopt civil unions.

A group of bills have been introduced in the overwhelmingly Democratic Hawaii legislature that would give same-sex couples the legal rights of marriage. Civil unions face easier prospects in Hawaii, as an amendment tacked on to the state's constitution in 1998 gives the legislature the power to define marriage as between a man and a woman if it so chooses. According to the AP, "both House and Senate Democrats are supporting the bills."

The bills have split the opinions of those who opposed same-sex marriage in the past:

"Debi Hartmann, the former director of a group that formed to stop same-sex marriage in Hawai‘i, Hawaii Future Today, said civil unions is the answer. Hartmann said she believes there needs to be a legal relationship for gays and lesbians. 'Where my position has not changed is in the defense of marriage as the union between a man and woman,' Hartmann said. 'One of the things this civil-union bill does not impact is the current marriage language.' But Kelly Rosati, executive director of Hawaii Family Forum, said the bills simply create 'marriage by another name.'"

Bills would give state recognition to gay unions [kauai world]
Hawaii Lawmakers Consider Civil Unions For Gay Couples [the hawaii channel]

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Lance and Reichen: Still Getting Lei'd

The unambiguously gay duo showed up together yesterday in Hawaii for a fundraiser to benefit Reef Check.

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Elizabeth Taylor Swims with Sharks, Retains Glamour

I'd seen reports of this recently, but this was the first shot I'd seen of the 74-year-old Dame in the water.

"Wearing a baggy white t-shirt over an all-in-one swimming costume, she maintained a modicum of glamour with perfectly manicured red nails and several sparkly bangles. After spitting into her mask - to prevent the plastic eye area from misting up - she enthusiastically clambered into the cage, albeit with the help of two aides. From here the double Oscar winner tried the snorkel on for size before tentatively dipping her head into the water and looking for her first shark. Having paddled around for thirty minutes, a clearly exhausted - but happy - Miss Taylor came up for fresh air. In a departure from her usual lady-like elegance, she emerged dripping wet, with her dark hair slicked down in a rather unflattering side parting. After being helped back on board the Kainani boat, she towelled herself down and slipped on a kaftan-style nightdress over navy blue slipper socks."

Liz Taylor is nothing if not fearless. Steve Irwin would be proud.

Elizabeth Taylor Fed to the Sharks [daily mail]

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