Researchers Discover 'Achilles Heel' of HIV Virus?

An innovative approach in attacking the location where HIV attaches to cells has led researchers from the University of Texas to believe they have found the virus' weak spot. The 'Achilles heel' is hidden within a protein that remains constant among all the mutating forms of the virus. To attack it, they have developed a special antibody with enzymatic activity referred to as an abzyme:

"[A group led by Sudhir Paul, Ph.D., pathology professor in the UT Medical School] has engineered antibodies with enzymatic activity, also known as abzymes, which can attack the Achilles heel of the virus in a precise way. “The abzymes recognize essentially all of the diverse HIV forms found across the world. This solves the problem of HIV changeability. The next step is to confirm our theory in human clinical trials," Paul said. Unlike regular antibodies, abzymes degrade the virus permanently. A single abzyme molecule inactivates thousands of virus particles. Regular antibodies inactivate only one virus particle, and their anti-viral HIV effect is weaker. 'The work of Dr. Paul’s group is highly innovative. They have identified antibodies that, instead of passively binding to the target molecule, are able to fragment it and destroy its function. Their recent work indicates that naturally occurring catalytic antibodies, particularly those of the IgA subtype, may be useful in the treatment and prevention of HIV infection,' said Steven J. Norris, Ph.D., holder of the Robert Greer Professorship in the Biomedical Sciences and vice chair for research in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the UT Medical School at Houston."

More at Science Daily.

In related news, Canadian researchers have isolated two genes which may prevent or slow people from contracting HIV: "The genes were isolated by comparing the genetic profiles of people in their first year of HIV infection with those who managed to resist infection despite repeated exposure to the virus. The 'good' versions of the two genes were present in 12.2 percent of those who resisted infection compared with only 2.7 of patients in primary HIV infection."

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Hospitals Rated for LGBT Policies in Healthcare Equality Index

The Human Rights Campaign and the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association have teamed up to offer a rating system for hospitals similar to HRC's Corporate Equality Index, which grades corporations based on their gay and lesbian policies.

According to the AP, "Policies addressed in the ratings include patient nondiscrimination, visitation and decision-making rights for partners, staff diversity training and nondiscriminatory employment practices."

They report: "Some responses to the new survey came from hospital networks. Kaiser Permanente, answering on behalf of 31 hospitals in California and Hawaii, said all met the survey's 10 criteria. They were among 45 hospitals in all with top marks. University Hospitals of Cleveland, representing 10 Ohio hospitals, said they fully met only two criteria -- domestic partner benefits for employees and a patient nondiscrimination policy that includes sexual orientation. The HRC and the medical association said their goal is to highlight hospitals with high rankings and induce others to abandon inequitable practices...The healthcare index includes recommendations for hospitals, starting with the forms filled out by patients. It recommends that 'transgender' be an option for gender and that relationship status include the term 'partnered' as well as 'single,' 'married,' 'divorced' and 'widowed.'...The gay rights groups said the ratings are intended to create a best-practices standard that would counteract the patchwork nature of state laws and hospital policies affecting gays and lesbians."

Gay-rights groups rate 88 hospitals [ap]

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Court: Michigan Gay Marriage Ban Affects Health Benefits

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled 5-2 today that state employers, including government offices and schools, cannot offer health insurance to the partners of gay employees.

According to the Detroit Free Press, "An amendment to the state constitution approved by voters in 2004 to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman also prohibits public employers from providing health care and other benefits to the same sex partners of employees, a divided Michigan Supreme Court ruled today.The court majority found that language in the amendment prohibiting recognition of other unions 'for any purpose' included the extension of benefits to gay and lesbian partners of public employees. Several Michigan universities, including U-M and MSU, along with various municipal and school employers had offered the benefits as a means of attracting workers."

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News: Thomas Roberts, Penguins, Jason Castro, Kylie Minogue

New York high court refuses to strike down state's recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriage: "The Court of Appeals declined yesterday to review the mid-level appellate court's decision to recognize the couple's Canadian marriage, the first such ruling by an appellate court in New York State. For now, that lower court decision remains binding across the state."

Thomas Roberts talks to The Advocate about the news industry's glass ceiling for gays: "It’s funny that people think I got fired from CNN. I left CNN on my accord: I resigned from my contract because of personal reasons. I never dealt with anything but respect and kindness. There’s a great misconception. I’ve worked my ass off, I’ve been fortunate, and luck doesn’t hurt either. If people don’t like that I’m gay or that I talk about being gay, I’m sorry. Because that’s not my problem."

American Idol's resident stoner Jason Castro has his own hot doll, complete with dreads, and it can be yours.

A-Rod faints as daughter is born.

Have any questions for Chace Crawford?

Filipino Archbishop defends right of gays to participate in Santacruzans: "If they are devotees, they are religious and they look decent, I believe they have the right to join in. I think it would be better for us to see gays who act formally and decently in the Santacruzan rather than young and beautiful women who are not clean and [are] immoral."

Gay penguin book And Tango Makes Three is "most objected to" library book in America for second year straight: "Other books on the ALA's top 10 list include Maya Angelou's memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, in which the author writes of being raped as a young girl; Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, long attacked for alleged racism; and Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, an anti-religious work in which a former nun says: 'The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake.'"

Three teenage girls admit to tagging school and vehicles with racial, vulgar and homophobic messages in Wisconsin.

Moldova hopes to hold its first Gay Pride ever: "Organisers of the Gay Pride in Moldova – 'Rainbow over the Dniester' – are hopeful of being able to stage a parade this year in the country’s capital, Chisinau. The Pride is the seventh to be organised, but in previous years the parade has been banned by the authorities. 'During three previous consecutive years, public authorities have banned the public manifestations on various pretexts,' said a spokesperson for GenderDoc-M, the Pride organisers. 'This year after we applied to the City Hall to inform the authorities about planned public manifestation within the Pride, we got the information, which gave us hope.'"

Kylie Minogue show hot out of the gates in Paris.

One benefit to having a fat ass.

Rhode Island lawmakers to debate bills that would allow same-sex couples married elsewhere to divorce in that state: "Lawmakers filed the divorce bill after Rhode Island's Supreme Court ruled in December that a lesbian couple married in Massachusetts cannot divorce in Rhode Island, where they live. Massachusetts is the only state to legalize gay marriage."

Looks like Dick Cheney's gone hunting again.

John Travolta is a subway terrorist.

White House admits it is missing email backups from start of Iraq war: "The White House acknowledged in a court filing last night that it no longer has backup tapes of email from between March 1 and May 22, 2003, a period that includes the beginning of the Iraq war. Yesterday's filing is the latest development in the ongoing White House emails lawsuit, in which two non-profits, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and the National Security Archive (NSA), are suing to force the administration to recover any missing emails and institute a more effective email archiving system."

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Rugby Star Danny Cipriani Raises Money for Male Cancer

Back in March I posted about emerging British rugby star Danny Cipriani.

Cipriani, a 20-year-old fly-half for the London Wasps, recently posed strategically with a rugby ball (doing what rugby players seem to like to do best) to help kick off the male cancer Everyman Campaign. The shoot was done in conjunction with Cosmopolitan magazine and those involved will be donating items (like signed balls) to raise money.

Check out Cipriani's photo, AFTER THE JUMP (warning: probably NSFW)...

For more Danny Cipriani, click here.

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Austrian National Rugby Team are Fantastic Losers [tr]
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Sportrait: Danny Cipriani [tr]
British Rugby Star Ben Cohen Says Sport Ready for Gay Player [tr]
Rugby Ad: From London to Paris, with Love [tr]

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #277

ABC NEWS: Pilloried for its ridiculous Democratic debate coverage. (source: daily dish)

HOWARD DEAN: Tells superdelegates to decide now.

GAY DAD: Recent sketch comedy from Stanford University students.

CAFFEINE: Caffeine may protect you from sun damaged skin and skin cancer.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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Miscommunications

Here's a bit of anecdotal fallout from January's inflammatory gay MRSA health scare which the CDC later attempted to clean up.

Flickr User TooHotty yesterday uploaded this photo to his account.

He writes: "After 11 years of my dad never mentioning the word 'gay' or acknowledging the fact that I am, I got this in the mail. It's totally awkward, and came with a check. I hate to think that this is all he knows about my lifestyle."

Maybe it's time to have a talk.

Awkward Mail [flickr]

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Government Begins 'Mid-Course Correction' on AIDS Vaccine Plans

After the failure of a major Merck & Co AIDS vaccine trial last year in which it appeared that recipients of the inoculation became somehow more susceptible to HIV rather than protected from it, government officials and scientists began "a major overhaul" of its efforts, Reuters reports:

"Government officials at a summit with AIDS scientists pledged to prioritize spending on lab work and animal tests rather than expensive, and thus far disappointing, large-scale vaccine trials on humans. 'We need to turn the knob in the direction of discovery. That is unambiguous,' said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who convened the meeting outside of Washington. 'We really do need new and novel ideas.'...Fauci suggested the overall AIDS research budget at his institute, now about $1.5 billion, could tilt more in favor of basic laboratory work rather than vaccine product development, which currently accounts for about a third of spending. 'We really need to seriously look at torquing that balance more to answering some of the fundamental questions that we don't have answers to,' he said. The new funding initiative is expected to begin within months and will focus on both broader, more imaginative research and on encouraging younger scientists to begin cracking HIV's mysteries, Fauci said, adding that all projects were being examined. 'Everything is on the table,' he said."

In February, Fauci reported in the journal Nature Immunology that he and his team discovered a new receptor for the virus which helps explain why it attacks the immune system in the gut. And earlier this month, a Canadian team led by molecular virologist Stephen Barr announced they had discovered a gene which prevents the HIV virus from assembling in a cell culture, shich may provide clues to a more natural means of blocking the virus.

US government sees overhaul of AIDS vaccine effort [reuters]

Previously
"Deep Disappointment" from Experts as Merck AIDS Vaccine Fails [tr]

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Massive Anti-Meth Campaign Targeting Gay Men Launched in CA

An $11 million campaign targeting gay men who use crystal meth was launched Thursday across California, anchored by a website: MeNotMeth.org.

Said Jim Key, chief public affairs officer of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center: "In a world that continues to systematically discriminate against gay people, and as long as parents continue to abandon their children simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, the use of crystal provides a temporary and dangerous escape, temporarily boosting self-esteem and removing the stigma of being gay."

In addition to its online presence, the campaign features billboards, bus wraps, and a 30-second ad (pictured) which will air throughout the state through June.

The L.A. Times reports: "The Gay & Lesbian Center, along with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, helped push the Legislature to pass the California Methamphetamine Initiative in 2006. Data from the center's HIV testing program found that nearly one in every three gay or bisexual men who tested positive in the testing program in 2004 used crystal meth -- a threefold increase over 2001. In the state-sponsored survey, gay men were the only group to cite enhanced sexual arousal as part of drug's appeal."

The online site allows users to upload their own videos and provides a list of places to receive assistance.

MeNotMeth [official site]
Anti-meth campaign aimed at gay men [la times]

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News: David Hernandez, Syphilis, Hulk, James Dobson, Greece

Provincetown acting police chief Warren Tobias retiring. Town decides not to appoint him permanently, which is a good thing, considering the department's poor record on hate crime incidents.

Stripper from Dick's out on American Idol.

If you're into Edward Norton and roided out green men who tear their shirts off, you may like this trailer.

Syphilis rates surge, especially among gay and bisexual men: "Since 2000, when the national syphilis rate sank to a low of 2.1 per 100,000 people after a decade of progress in the 1990s, the rate has soared by 76 percent, the CDC reported. Homosexual and bisexual men accounted for 64 percent of syphilis cases in 2007, up from about 5 percent in 1999. CDC officials expressed concern not only because the recent increases in this bacterial sexually transmitted disease follows years of declines, but also because syphilis can elevate a person's risk of being infected with the AIDS virus and the odds of giving it to someone else."

NYT: Sex diseases in gay men escaping detection because people are ignoring regular testing. "Dr. Kristen Mahle’s study found that among gay men who showed no symptoms of gonorrhea, more than a third of rectal infections with the disease, and more than a quarter of throat infections, were missed because many were not tested at all anatomical sites of recent exposure. Dr. Eric Tai’s study surveyed non-H.I.V.-positive gay men in 15 cities from 2003 to 2005 and found that only 39 percent reported having been tested for syphilis, and only 36 percent for gonorrhea."

Tranny hot mess: The next Ugly Betty guest star?

Focus on the Family's James Dobson worried that all the Christian bigots are dying out.

Pair of lesbians in Greece hope to become first same-sex marriage there by exploiting a legal loophole: "The two will try to tie the knot under a 1982 law that does not specify that a civil union must involve a man and a woman, said Evanguelia Vlami of Greece's main homosexual association, Olke. The ceremony is to take place in the Kessariani quarter of Athens by a mayor who belongs to the radical left-wing Syriza party, Vlami said. 'I have no objection to celebrating this union so long as the law is respected,' the mayor, Spyros Tzokas, told the Ta Nea daily."

Adam Sandler kicks sand in a bear's face at the beach.

Chace Crawford: fresh as a country lane after a spring shower.

Washington governor Chris Gregoire signs bill expanding domestic partner benefits: "The measure adds domestic partners to sections of laws where previously only spouses were mentioned, including areas referring to probate and trusts, community property and homestead exemptions, and guardianship and powers of attorney. 'This bill is about protecting and helping Washington families,' Gregoire said before signing the bill. 'It simply gives these families the same rights as everybody else. It's the right thing to do.'"

Catholic bishop alleges 'gay conspiracy' against the Church, longs for the good old days when gays were thrown in the clink: The Bishop of Motherwell, Joseph Devine, says a 'homosexual lobby' has aligned itself with minority groups, including Holocaust survivors, to gain persecuted status. He said there was a 'huge and well orchestrated conspiracy' taking place in the 'gay movement', which the Catholic Church neglected 'at our peril'...In an attack on openly gay actor Sir Ian McKellen the bishop said: 'I saw actor Ian McKellen being honoured for his work on behalf of homosexuals, when a century ago Oscar Wilde was locked up and put in jail.' He made the comments during a lecture on 'Christian faith and inconvenient questions' in Glasgow on Tuesday and has since stood by them, 'These groups are defending their position, I am defending mine', he said. 'It is all about a lifestyle alien to the Christian tradition. There is a giant conspiracy against Christian values, an agenda here.'"

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Gene Discovered That Blocks Construction of HIV

A team of Canadian researchers led by molecular virologist Stephen Barr has discovered a gene, TRIM22, that prevents the HIV virus from assembling in a cell culture:

Said Barr: "When we put this gene in cells, it prevents the assembly of the HIV virus. This means the virus cannot get out of the cells to infect other cells, thereby blocking the spread of the virus...There are always newly emerging drug-resistant strains of HIV so the push has been to develop more natural means of blocking the virus. The discovery of this gene, which is natural in our cells, might provide a different avenue. The gene prevents the assembly of the virus so in the future the idea would be to develop drugs or vaccines that can mimic the effects of this gene. We are currently trying to figure out why this gene does not work in people infected with HIV and if there is a way to turn this gene on in those individuals . We hope that our research will lead to the design of new drugs, or vaccines that can halt the person-to-person transmission of HIV and the spread of the virus in the body, thereby blocking the onset of AIDS."

Researchers discover gene that blocks HIV [physorg]

You may have missed...
Scientists Find HIV Receptor That Takes Virus to the Gut [tr]

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News: Prince Harry, Eagle Scout, Wolverine, Orlando Bloom

Vigil against violence to be held today in Fort Lauderdale at 4:30pm: "Join the coalition of community leaders and organizations as we gather to remember Simmie Williams and stand up against the rising tide of violence for a memorial service at the murder site at the 1000 block of Sistrunk Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale."

Prince Harry has been fighting undercover in Afghanistan for the past 10 weeks: "The news of his operational posting leaked out following the breakdown of a news blackout agreement with the media when the story was posted on the US-based Drudge Report website. The chief of the general staff, Sir Richard Dannatt, who is head of the British army, expressed disappointment over the leak. 'I am very disappointed that foreign websites have decided to run this story without consulting us,' he said. 'This is in stark contrast to the highly responsible attitude that the whole of the UK print and broadcast media, along with a small number overseas, who have entered into an understanding with us over the coverage of Prince Harry on operations.' Dannatt, who had opposed Harry's deployment to Iraq, went on to praise the prince's performance on deployment."

Orlando Bloom is tired of complaints about his natural manly scent.

NYC sees surge in gay syphilis cases: "After seeing the number of syphilis cases remain stable in 2004 and 2005 then decrease in 2006, the city health department is reporting that syphilis cases increased by 60 percent in 2007 over 2006, with that growth due to new infections among gay and bisexual men."

Bollywood actor rejected: not gay enough to play a fashionista. Kushal Punjabi: "I really got along well with Madhur. He's my kind of director. But I really didn't see myself in that role at all. I'd like to work with directors like Madhur who look at actors as actors and not as stars."

Ben Affleck discusses his revenge sex video with Jimmy Kimmel: "You couldn't really do it half-speed. You had to be painting toes and blow-drying hair. At one point we were going to take a bath together, but the bubbles couldn't get high enough, so that ended up getting scrapped. The little outfits, the short shorts, the hands in the pockets -- it wouldn't have been funny if you didn't really commit to it."

Underwear day takes over Brazilian capital.

Gay Canadian Health Minister Smitherman criticized for proposing to wear adult diaper as test in response to nursing home 'filth' issues: "Opposition politicians, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and a nursing home association said Smitherman's plan to test drive a diaper shows he doesn't understand the issue is about staffing levels – not diaper technology. 'For him to suggest that's his answer is a disgrace,' said Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory. 'It's some kind of a sideshow he seems determined to put on when, in fact, I think people in Ontario would say: 'George Smitherman, do something about it. Let's see the revolution you promised in long-term care.''"

Hugh Jackman: the claws come out.

Fans go wild: New video of the pint-size breakdancing Beckham.

Matthew McConaughey wins mag's honors for mightiest mammaries.

Texas governor Rick Perry holds book-signing for Boy Scout tome: "Perry's tour to promote the book has garnered national attention. The book debuted at No. 1 on The Washington Post's best-seller list for hardcover nonfiction in Washington-area bookshops. His office touted that achievement the day after The New York Times Magazine published an interview in which Perry said scouting was about building character and not about sex. The word 'homosexual,' he said, suggests that gay people are focused on sex."

Eagle Scout leaves organization disgusted by anti-gay policies: "I am ashamed an organization to which I owe so much has chosen to take such a myopic stance on this issue and hides behind a legal veil to exclude gay Scouts."

Wired publishes disturbing new photos from Abu Ghraib (warning: extremely graphic)

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News: Dexter, Prozac, Courtney Love, Bullfrogs, Robert Buckley

New York judge allows divorce trial for lesbians married in Canada.

Four years ago today Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli Carpenter were married inside Mayor Gavin Newsom's office at San Francisco City Hall.

Hospital in Florida refuses lesbian and children to communicate with her dying partner of 18 years, tells them there is nothing they can do because they're in an anti-gay state.

Courtney Love blogs about the Oscars: "i was supposed to be at Eltons Party at i think noon or something and if we dont hiurry it will suck- i really dont want to get there ina crush of shit and stuff- wait my pr is outside im calling her hold on- okay i hope the disaster has been averted but m,y expirience with that party is that i do NOT want to see Paris dancing ona table i really really DONT and i dont want to stuff a stale slamon canape in my mouth and i really need to get laid so i m off to do so."

Incest is Best: Dexter serial killer killer Michael C. Hall is dating his sister on the show?

Anti-aging substance found in bullfrogs: "Because it is water-soluble, the substance may be consumed in much more diverse ways than the oil-soluble tocopherol. You may put it in soft drinks, for example."

First 30,000 pages of 'Book of Life' revealed: "The immense online resource is designed to greatly enhance our understanding of the world's diminishing biodiversity. The creators of the database say it could have an impact on human knowledge comparable to that which followed the microscope's invention in the 1600s. It is designed to be used by everyone from scientists to lay readers. The Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) - described as the "ultimate field guide" - is to encompass all six kingdoms of life, and even viruses - which many researchers do not consider to be living organisms."

Robert Buckley makes an impression on Lipstick Jungle.

The Academy's excuse for Brad Renfro death montage snub: not enough time to include everyone.

Cases of HIV/AIDS soar 45% in China from 2006 to 2007: "The staggering rise was put down to changing social attitudes and an improvement in data collection. The government had said late last year that 700,000 people were living with the virus, an increase from an earlier estimate of 650,000. The year before, China lowered its estimate to 650,000 from 840,000, despite warnings from international experts that the disease was spreading due to ignorance and because many people were too afraid or too poor to seek help."

Rent ends 12-year run on Broadway.

Gay porn twins arrested for string of burglaries in Philadelphia.

Gay Brazilians demand Fidel Castro ask for forgiveness for his persecution of gays and lesbians: "Grupo Gay da Bahia, the oldest homosexual non-governmental organization in Latin America, demands that the dictator Fidel Castro, before his death, recognizes and asks for forgiveness for the grave errors of the Cuban revolution responsible for the demoralization, persecution, imprisonment in concentration camps, forced labor, torture, deportation, and death of thousands of gays, transvestites and lesbians in Cuba."

Scientists: Prozac doesn't work.

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Hillary Clinton on Attack Over Obama Mailers; Barack Responds

Hillary Clinton attacked Barack Obama over the weekend over mailers sent to voters in Ohio that she says misrepresent her positions on health care and NAFTA, accusing Obama of using tactics "right out of Karl Rove's playbook."

Said Clinton: "Shame on you, Barack Obama. It is time you ran a campaign consistent with your messages and public. That's what I expect from you. Meet me in Ohio. Let's have a debate about your tactics and your behavior on this campaign."

Obama responded: "These are mailers that started going out several days, if not weeks ago. So I'm puzzled by the sudden change in tone unless these were just brought to her attention...Unlike some of the attacks theat have been leveled about me that have been debunked by news organizations these are accurate."

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Scientists Find HIV Receptor That Takes Virus to the Gut

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, reporting in the journal Nature Immunology, says he and a team have discovered a new HIV receptor that may help to develop additional therapies for the disease. The new receptor explains why HIV begins its attack on the immune system in the gut:

"Dr. Fauci, James Arthos, Claudia Cicala, Elena Martinelli and their colleagues showed that a molecule, integrin alpha-4 beta-7, which naturally directs immune cells to the gut, is also a receptor for H.I.V. A protein on the virus’s envelope, or outer shell, sticks to a molecule in the receptor that is linked specifically to the way CD4 cells home in on the gut, the researchers said. Binding of the virus to the integrin alpha-4 beta 7 molecule stimulates activation of another molecule, LFA-1, which plays a crucial role in the spread of the virus from one cell to another. The actions ultimately lead to destruction of lymph tissue, particularly in the gut. Several other receptor sites for H.I.V. are known. The most important is the CD4 molecule on certain immune cells; the molecule’s role as an H.I.V. receptor was identified in 1984. Two other important receptors, known as CCR5 and CXCR4, were identified in 1996. CCR5 is a normal component of human cells and acts as a doorway for the entry of H.I.V. People who lack it because of a genetic mutation rarely become infected even if they have been exposed to H.I.V. repeatedly. 'The work we did took nearly two years, and there’s little doubt that what we have found is a new receptor,' Dr. Fauci said in an interview after giving a lecture here, adding that 'we certainly have to learn a lot more about it.'"

Scientists Find New Receptor for H.I.V. [nyt]

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News: Virgin Galactic, MRSA, Mary Oliver, Israel, Chace Crawford

Opponents of anti-gay marriage amendment in Florida declare war: "Jon Kislak, a prominent South Florida businessman and chairman of Florida Red and Blue, a statewide bipartisan committee, said they will form a 'truth squad' to tell how much damage the proposal could have on Floridians."

Jason Chambers, host of The History Channel's Human Weapon, wants to know if anyone is up for a little tea-bagging?

The Uk's Guardian looks at the MRSA scare.

Genre editor Neal Boulton back with a woman? Source: "I have been living off and on in New York unbenownst [sic] to Neal for one year. Let it be known that I am not homophobic because I, like his wife Claire, and his entire secret troupe of girls, were never in the dark that he was blatently [sic] bisexual. However, what annoys me is that he is the Editor In Chief of a gay men’s magazine and blatently [sic] goes around like he did the other night at The View (a gay bar in Chelsea) making out with women (a red headed one this time) who come on to him without a care in the world (to the suprise [sic] of the bartender), yet stands up and writes in his editor’s letter that he is gay!"

Milo Ventimiglia grows (or tries to grow) a strike beard.

New website launches for religious gay community in Israel: "Itay, one of the founders of the site, explained to Ynet that this new website is innovative in its approach to homosexuality and religion. 'Up to now the only website catering to the religious gay community was atzat-nefesh (www.atzat-nefesh.org), which was basically run by straight people that publicly stated that a religious person cannot be gay. They tried to ‘turn’ gay religious people straight, which is something that we know cannot be done. We try to help people reconcile their religious beliefs and their sexual orientation,' he explained. The founders of the HOD site, young religious individuals themselves, founded the site as part of an overall larger agenda to not only remain part of the religious community, but to reach out to the religious world and attempt to garner its acceptance."

Does Daniel Day-Lewis' milkshake bring all the boys to the yard? Defamer thinks so...

Seattle poetry fans go wild for Mary Oliver: "Poet Mary Oliver's appearance Monday at Benaroya Hall is the fastest sellout in the 20-year history of Seattle Arts & Lectures. It is sparking ticket action on the local Craigslist, where tickets to rock concerts and sports playoffs are regularly bought and sold, but rarely to poetry readings...The Northwest may just be the epicenter of popularity for Oliver, a reclusive, 71-year-old poet from Provincetown, Mass., who is known for her direct, positive verse set in the natural world. She has won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, but her work is not the dense verse favored by academia."

Anti-gay conservative Alan Keyes blames Massachusetts' same-sex marriage 'fiasco' squarely on Mitt Romney.

Bishop of Liverpool issues apology for opposing gay cleric.

Ryan Phillippe: Just call him arms.

Civil partnerships slow in the UK: "The honeymoon appears to be over for gay weddings after the number of homosexual couples getting "married" plummeted by more than half last year. Figures from the Local Government Association show the number of single-sex civil partnership ceremonies fell by around 55 per cent during 2007, the second full year such unions were permitted. Gay community leaders, however, dismissed the dramatic fall as a 'normalising process'. They said the introduction of civil partnerships in late 2005 prompted a flurry of marriages involving longstanding homosexual couples keen to make their relationships official. Ben Summerskill, chief executive of the gay rights group Stonewall said: 'There was a big pent up demand from couples in long-term relationships to form civil partnerships, which is why so many did it early on after the law changed. A tailing-off would be logical.'"

Virgin Galactic mogul Richard Branson thinks 'space tourism' will quickly morph into practical continent-hopping: "Virgin boss far from starry-eyed about his pending trip into the fringes of space...insists he did not have a lifelong dream to become an astronaut. Instead, he is keen on understanding a technological advance he predicts will produce important spin-offs. He believes there's no reason technology similar to that used by Galactic will not eventually be used for sub-orbital flights between continents. Instead of cruising back down to the same place, passengers will be able to go to another spaceport on another continent."

Chace Crawford and Pete Wentz and a whole lotta ironed hair.

Gay and lesbian couples line up for domestic partnership registrations in Oregon: "Couples exchanged rings, toasted each other and broke into cheers Monday as other same-sex pairs emerged from the red-brick Multnomah County Building waving certificates declaring them newly registered domestic partners. It was the first day of registration in Oregon after U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman lifted a temporary injunction imposed pending resolution of an argument over petition signatures. The ruling on Friday made Oregon the ninth state to approve spousal rights in some form for gay couples."

BBC radio presenter Nigel Wrench charged with drugging, raping another man.

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Swiss AIDS Experts Issue Shock Statement on Unprotected Sex

The Swiss National AIDS Commission was criticized by North American and European health experts yesterday after it released a statement saying that it was okay for some HIV+ people to have unprotected sex with negative partners.

"The Swiss National AIDS Commission said patients who meet strict conditions, including successful antiretroviral treatment to suppress the virus and who do not have any other sexually transmitted diseases, do not pose a danger to others. The proposal, published this week in the Bulletin of Swiss Medicine, astonished leading AIDS researchers in Europe and North America who have long argued that safe sex with a condom is the single most effective way of preventing the spread of the disease — apart from abstinence. 'Not only is (the Swiss proposal) dangerous, it's misleading and it is not considering the implications of the biological facts involved with HIV transmission,' said Jay Levy, director of the Laboratory for Tumor and AIDS Virus Research at the University of California in San Francisco."

The Swiss health experts based their statement on inconclusive U.S. studies showing that transmission depends on viral load in the blood.

The World Health Organization dubbed the new Swiss 'rules' an experiment: "The World Health Organization said Switzerland would be the first country in the world to try this approach. 'There is still some concern that you can never guarantee that somebody will not be infectious, and the evidence I have to say is not conclusive,' said Charlie Gilks, director of AIDS treatment and prevention at WHO. 'Many countries in western Europe would regard this as an interesting experiment,' he said, adding it was unlikely they would follow suit anytime soon. 'We are not going to be changing in any way our very clear recommendations that people on treatment continue to practice safer sex, including protected sex with a condom, in any relationship,' Gilks said."

In related news, scientists are hopeful about new ways they might target dormant HIV: "he AIDS virus has hideouts deep in the immune system that today's drugs can't reach. Now scientists finally have discovered how HIV builds one of those fortresses — and they're exploring whether a drug already used to fight a parasite in developing countries just might hold a key to break in. Researchers have long struggled unsuccessfully to attack what they call reservoirs of dormant HIV, and the new work is in very early stages."

AIDS experts: Unprotected sex OK for some [msnbc]

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News: New Mexico, Tom Cruise, MRSA, Jesus Kidnap, Mariah Carey

Domestic partners bill revived in New Mexico.

Zac Efron treats paparazzi to unique version of 'Blue Moon'.

Anti-gay marriage speakers meet with resistance from Vermont audience after proclaiming "Marriage can be the union between man and woman or it can be the union of any two people. Vermont cannot have both." Audience member: "It's nonsensical that marriage can't have multiple meanings. That's simply scare tactics." Outright Vermont launches statewide outreach effort: "A rainbow-colored bumper sticker, a "queer-mobile" that travels to remote and rural areas, paid spots on the radio, an online resource and a monthly newsletter are all strategies for a queer youth visibility campaign launched Thursday in Burlington. Outright Vermont, the state's largest 'queer' organization in its 20th year that works specifically with youths, wants to make Vermont the most "queer-friendly" state in the country – one person at a time."

Tom Cruise producing partner Paula Wagner speaks out about Scientology video leaks: "I am not a Scientologist, nor are most of the people Tom and I work with, but that doesn't mean I can sit by silently while he is attacked for his religious beliefs. As a film-maker and an American, I feel strongly that an individual's religion should have no bearing on their professional life."

Actress Suzanne Pleshette dies at 70.

Michigan neighborhood kidnaps devout dachshund owner's Jesus statuette: "We are holding Jesus ransom until you clean up the poopie from your wieners and trust us we see you take your wieners for long walks w/out picking up their poopie in our yards. This has upset us dearly so please clean up all the weiner poopie, if you want to see Jesus unharmed."

Gay porn Marine Matt Sanchez paranoid that a "gay jihadist" stalker/crank caller is out to defame him!

NYT on how the MRSA staph 'superbug' story went viral: "On Monday, a team of researchers led by doctors from the University of California at San Francisco announced that gay men were “many times more likely than others” to acquire a new strain of drug-resistant staphylococcus, a nasty, fast-spreading and potential lethal bacteria known as MRSA USA300. And sure enough, the study, published online in the Annals of Internal Medicine, was quickly picked up by reporters round the world and across the Internet, including a London tabloid which dubbed the disease 'the new H.I.V.' But for gay men in the Castro neighborhood here, which was an early epicenter for the AIDS epidemic and a current hot spot for MRSA, the report also seemed to cast an unfair, and all too familiar, stigma on their sexuality."

High school principal apologizes for inviting anti-gay pastor Ken Hutcherson to give lecture to students on civil rights.

Paula Abdul wants you to dance like there's not tomorrow.

Could volcanoes be facilitating the melt of the Antarctic glaciers? "In an article published Sunday on the Web site of the journal Nature Geoscience, Hugh Corr and David Vaughan of the British Antarctic Survey report the identification of a layer of volcanic ash and glass shards frozen within an ice sheet in western Antarctica. 'This is the first time we have seen a volcano beneath the ice sheet punch a hole through the ice sheet' in Antarctica, Vaughan said."

That chick Mariah Carey dishes out new album cover.

Spencer Livermore: the most powerful gay man in British politics.

LOGO to screen Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin all week.

Indiana wingnuts irate at lawmaker's refusal to hear proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage: "Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, who is chairman of the House Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee, said today that the most urgent issue facing the state is property taxes, not same-sex marriage, which already is banned by Indiana law. 'I’m not planning on having a hearing,' Pelath said. 'The short session (of the legislature) was designed to deal with emergencies. We have a very serious problem with the property tax system, and we don’t have any gay marriages in Indiana.' The Senate committee plans to debate the amendment Thursday, but Eric Miller, who has pushed for passage of the amendment as founder of the conservative group Advance America, called that 'disingenuous.' The legislature, he said, is dealing with plenty of issues besides property tax reform and has the time to debate and vote on this amendment before its March 14 deadline."

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CDC Clarifies MRSA Staph 'Superbug' Story

The CDC yesterday issued a clarification to last week's story about the MRSA staph 'superbug' targeting gay men in urban areas after it was immediately picked up by mainstream news media and seized upon by right-wing religious groups as the latest threat to the general population from the gay community.

The CDC notes: "MRSA is a common cause of skin infections throughout the United States. These infections occur in men, women, adults, children, and persons of all races and sexual orientations, and are known to be transmitted by close skin-to-skin contact. In this issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, Diep et al looked at isolates of MRSA - USA300 strains containing a particular plasmid associated with additional drug resistance. The paper shows that multidrug-resistant USA300 has emerged as an important source of disease among men with have sex with men in 2 geographically distinct communities. The strains of MRSA described in the recent Annals of Internal Medicine have mostly been identified in certain groups of men who have sex with men (MSM), but have also been found in some persons who are not MSM. It is important to note that the groups of MSM in which these isolates have been described are not representative of all MSM, so conclusions can not be drawn about the prevalence of these strains among all MSM. The groups studied in this report may share other characteristics or behaviors that facilitate spread of MRSA, such as frequent skin-to-skin contact."

In a seeming effort to quell panic, the CDC goes on to say that the continuing study of these strains indicates that they are rare, and there are still effective antibiotic choices (including those taken orally) available to treat infections, but transmission prevention is still important.

They conclude: "MRSA is typically transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, which occurs during a variety of activities, including sex. There is no evidence at this time to suggest that it MRSA is a sexually-transmitted infection in the classical sense."

Diep's story and hysterical warning that "once this reaches the general population, it will be truly unstoppable" was quickly seized upon by right-wing religious leaders like Peter LaBarbera and Matt Barber as the latest threat to the general population from the gay community, and criticized by editors at gay newspapers across the country, as well as one heterosexual female medical reporter who called it "homophobic and looking to paint gay men as filthy carriers of infectious disease, who have too much sex."

And, Salon writes: "When it comes to spreading the bacteria, it is not homosexuals we have to worry about. It is that much wider swath of the male population examined in the New England Journal of Medicine. In the journal, the medical researchers were not studying gays, they were studying the St. Louis Rams. That is correct: football players; in particular, linebackers. 'In our investigation,' the journal noted, 'infection occurred only among linemen and linebackers, and not among those in backfield positions, probably because of the frequent contact among linemen during practice and games.' Those rug burns I mentioned are in fact turf burns. 'All MRSA skin abscesses developed at sites of turf burns," declared the journal.'"

Still, vigilance is important and the CDC does offer some transmission prevention tips with their release. I've also posted them AFTER THE JUMP...

CDC Statement on MRSA in Men Who Have Sex with Men [cdc]
Lies, Damn Lies, and So-Called Science: Gay Men and Bacteria [marc arendt]
3 gay editors question sensational staph stories [daily kos]
Staph infections: The right call [salon]

Previously
Officials: Staph 'Superbug' Spreading in Gay Community [tr]

You can prevent spreading staph or MRSA skin infections to others by following these steps:

1. Cover your wound. Keep wounds that are draining or have pus covered with clean, dry bandages. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions on proper care of the wound. Pus from infected wounds can contain staph and MRSA, so keeping wounds covered will help prevent the spread to others. Bandages or tape can be discarded with the regular trash.
2. Clean your hands. You, your family, and others in close contact should wash their hands frequently with soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after changing the bandage or touching the infected wounds.
3. Do not share personal items. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, washcloths, razors, clothing, or uniforms that may have had contact with infected wounds or bandages. Wash sheets, towels, and clothes that become soiled with water and laundry detergent. Drying clothes in a hot dryer, rather than air-drying, also helps kill bacteria in clothes.
4. Talk to your doctor. Tell any healthcare providers who treat you that you have or had a staph or MRSA skin infection.

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News: Giant Rat, RENT, Seth Green, KGB Attack, Sia

Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth kicks off gay-bashing over MRSA staph infections.

Scientists discover ancient skull of a rat that was the size of a car: "The creature lived about four million years ago, weighed about a tonne and ate mostly soft vegetation. It was so big that it probably spent much of its life semi-submerged in water, like a hippo, to reduce the stresses caused by its size."

EVICTED: Broadway musical RENT to end run on June 1st after 5,012 performances.

Warrantless wiretapping will be a "walk in the park" comapred to the plans that National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell has for cyberspace that would give the government the authority to examine the content of any e-mail, file transfer or Web search.

Seth Green wins the prize for cheesiest mustache ever.

Yesterday, I posted that a judge ruled Dennis Kucinich could participate in the Las Vegas MSNBC debate. At the last minute, the Nevada Supreme Court overturned that decision. Here are the details: "The Supreme Court's unanimous order said that blocking the debate unless Kucinich got to participate would be “an unconstitutional prior restraint” on the news network's First Amendment rights. Justices also said the lower court exceeded its jurisdiction by ordering Kucinich's participation even though “he first requested and was denied relief” from the Federal Communications Commission."

HARD LABOR for Homosexuality: Sentence handed down in Cameroon.

KGB and militia raid apartment of Russian gay TV journalist: "A group of his gay friends soon arrived to support the journalist. They offered to be witnesses of the search. But the militia and KGB agents forced them to leave. The hard disk from the journalist’s computer was confiscated, along with a video camera and a flash memory stick. Mr. Padsasonny is said to have fled Gomel and is now in hiding."

Miss the American Idol premiere? Here are last night's four audition tragedies.

Australian singer Sia (you may remember her "Breathe Me" song that covered the final moments of Six Feet Under) is a lesbian. She also says she was "born out of the butthole of a unicorn called Steve."

For British man with gigantic 13 1/2-incher, bigger is not better.

McDreamy wants to show he's more than just a suit.

mtvU looking for people willing to talk about their HIV-positive status or how AIDS/HIV has affected them in some way: "MTV's college channel, mtvU, and the Kaiser Family Foundation have teamed up to develop an anti-stigma campaign in partnership with POZ Magazine. The goal of the project is to challenge common misperceptions about people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States. The heart of the project will be a collection of photos and stories about real people who are either HIV positive, or are HIV negative but have in some way been affected by the virus. We are seeking a diverse group of people willing to be featured online and perhaps on-air with their photo, their HIV status, and their story about why HIV is an important issue to them. If you are U.S.-based person, 18 years of age or over and would like to lend your face and story to this project, please contact noopur.agarwal@mtvstaff.com as soon as possible. No direct link to HIV/AIDS is necessary - an interest in the issue is sufficient."

George Michael lands multi-millon dollar deal for his memoirs: "one of the biggest book deals ever concluded in UK publishing."

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