News: Alan Tudyk, Pope Benedict, Provincetown, Christina Aguilera

Bush thanks Pope Benedict XVI for an "awesome" speech. Approval rating at 28%.

Armani Exchange holds London briefing.

Somebody is way too young to be flipping the bird. Did he learn it from his mother or his father?

Study: Same-sex marriage in Iowa would be a boont o the economy. "The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law estimates that same-sex weddings and related tourism would lead to $160 million in spending over the next three years. The total economic activity related to same-sex marriage would give the state an extra $5.3 million per year in tax revenue, the study says."

Earthquake rocks Illinois: "A 5.4 earthquake that appeared to rival the strongest recorded in the region rocked people awake up to 350 miles away early Friday, surprising residents unaccustomed to such a powerful Midwest temblor. The quake just before 4:37 a.m. was centered 6 miles from West Salem, Ill., and 66 miles from Evansville, Ind. It was felt in such distant cities as Chicago, Cincinnati and Milwaukee, 350 miles north of the epicenter, but there were no early reports of injuries or significant damage."

Chace Crawford on his perfect companion: "I don’t have any real guidelines for any particular girl. If they ring your bell, they ring your bell."

Alan Tudyk tapped for gay role in new pilot from Will & Grace creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan that centers around the partnership between two writers, based on them. One is straight, one is gay.

University of Massachusetts hosts Drag Ball: "Students were decked out in their drag finest, men in wigs and gaudy prom-inspired eveningwear and women suited up with matching fedoras and suspenders. The Drag Ball kicked off with an entertaining introduction from host Envy Chanel, winner of Miss New England International Plus 2008. The feisty bundle of joy donned an outfit nothing short of noticeable. 'I bought you disco ball arms, Asians on the body, and slippery black boots," she playfully cooed.'"

LOGO claims broadcast of first gay-targeted High-Definition TV show.

Matthew McConaughey channels Jesus.

Rich of FourFour honors the best vagarm in history.

New writers colony sprouts in Provincetown, in Norman Mailer's old house: "Joan Didion, William Kennedy, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Gunter Grass have consented to be on the board. Four universities have expressed interest in partnering with the project. Mailer's third-floor studio, just as he left it, will be preserved as a museum. The home's four bedrooms will be used to house visiting distinguished writers and scholars. The first floor will be an area for lectures and conferences. Writers who are accepted will receive a stipend and be housed in other locations in town. There will be slots for writers of fiction and non-fiction, as well as those working on scripts for stage and film. Funds have already been pledged, and Schiller hopes the colony will be launched next year."

Domestic partners: Salt Lake City begins registration of gay couples.

The Gay Recluse honors the smokin' hot statuary of Washington Heights in NYC.

Florida same-sex marriage foes kick off ballot initiative in West Palm Beach. Sidney Lanier, a retired Florida Highway Patrol officer: "The world that we grew up in is very different than the world we live in. Some changes have been good. But some things are never meant to change, because they define us as human beings."

Kylie Minogue's new video for "All I See" has been released - watch it.

Gay sperm donor loses bid for guardianship of his blood child, being raised by two lesbians: "Rejecting his claim yesterday, Mr Justice John Hedigan said the child's welfare was best served by remaining with the couple, and by the man in his forties having no guardianship or access to the infant. There was nothing in Irish law to suggest that a family of two women and a child had 'any lesser right to be recognised as a de facto family than a family composed of a man and woman unmarried to each other and a child'. The judge added that the rights of a man who acted as a sperm donor were no greater than those of an unmarried father. He had the right to apply to be appointed as a guardian, but no automatic right to appointment."

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News: Al Gore, Wii Tennis, Tom Cruise, Lost, Chris Dodd

Lambda Legal to file suit in Iowa today on behalf of six same-sex couples who were denied marriage licenses.

Tom Cruise appearance sparks rumors of cameo on JJ Abrams' Star Trek set, but he was really there to meet someone special.

Al Gore on global warming skeptics: "You're talking about Dick Cheney. I think that those people are in such a tiny, tiny minority now with their point of view, they’re almost like the ones who still believe that the moon landing was staged in a movie lot in Arizona and those who believe the world is flat. ... That demeans them a little bit, but it's not that far off."

The American Family Association gave up their boycott of Ford Motors, but it looks as though they're trying again with another automaker, GM. Good As You: "What the hell gives these folks the right to go apeshit simply because a company dares to advertise to the LGBT community?! Good God of fringe extremism, why cannot they not at least accept that we are 'sinners' with a degree of disposable income, some of which we like to put towards cars?! We know they think we're barreling down the Highway to Hell. Fine. Let them think that. But can't they at least respect the right of an automaker to try and sell us a car whose climate control features will help us brave the unbearably hot Lake of Fire?"

Saulo Melo: Your hot Brazilian for Friday.

Dennis Miller does not share Bill O'Reilly's rage over San Francisco's Hunky Jesus pageant.

Hate crimes inspiring call to action in South Florida.

Senator Chris Dodd says we must end the Democratic primary: "Look, we've got five more months to go before the Democratic convention at the end of August and, candidly, we cannot go five more months with the kind of daily sniping that's going on and have a candidate emerge in that convention....We have two very strong candidates. So I'm worried about this going on endlessly and to a large extent...the media, a lot of these cable networks, are enjoying this. It's what is keeping them alive financially. The fact that this thing is going on forever, back and forth every day, all night -- I don't think it's really helping the candidates or the political institutions."

The folks who market Basil Hayden's whiskey think we're all a bunch of prancing fashionistas.

The Hills may be turned into a feature film: “I think if they were going to do a film of the hills they would basically film it like we do the show and they would just edit it into a movie. It would be like a really long episode.”

Wii Tennis about to get lifelike versions of Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, James Blake, and Tommy Haas.

Prison Break brings a major character back from the dead.

Exploring the time travel theory on Lost.

UK urges gay men to get tested for HIV: "The Health Protection Agency made the warning after new diagnoses among gay men topped 2,600 for the third year. But the figures do seem to have begun to plateau after a surge at the turn of the century. Overall, the number of new cases hit an estimated 6,840 in 2007 - a fall of 1,400 from the previous year."

An update on that school expulsion case in Kansas I posted about yesterday: "A lawyer representing a gay student charged with harassment said he was 'hopeful that things will work out' for the student after an expulsion hearing Thursday. 'We're all wanting him to get back into school. That's the main thing,' said attorney John McKean. 'We're encouraged and hopeful that it will happen rather quickly.' Jimmy Iniguez, 17, a junior at Metro-Midtown Alternative High School, faces expulsion for allegedly harassing a fellow student in a school bathroom Feb. 28. Iniguez, who has been suspended since the incident, says he is innocent and is being unfairly accused because he is openly gay. No decision was made Thursday. District policy dictates that the decision be sent to the student's family by certified mail."

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GOP Iowa Lawmaker Attempts to Force Debate on Same-Sex Marriage

Christopher Rants, a GOP legislator from Sioux City, Iowa, will dust off "a rarely used House rule" to try and force debate on same-sex marriage, the Des Moines Register reports:

"Leaders of the Democratic majority have resisted debate on House Joint Resolution 8, which would begin the process of amending the Iowa Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. The issue is before the Iowa Supreme Court, and a Statehouse debate on it would subvert the judicial process, the Democratic leaders have said...A proposal to amend the constitution is stuck in the House Judiciary Committee. If it fails to advance out of the committee this week, it will not be eligible for debate this session. Under a separate legislative rule, however, a lawmaker can ask to move a proposal out of committee in order to make it eligible for debate. Rants said Monday that he would use that rule to try to keep the proposal alive. If Rants can find at least 51 votes in support of his plan, HJR 8 would be eligible for debate by the full House. The action wouldn't guarantee floor debate, but it would keep the resolution alive past Friday's deadline concerning eligibility for debate."

Ranted Rants: "We have to do it now, or this issue is done. We're going to see gay marriages take place in Iowa. Iowa's going to be sort of the Las Vegas of America, because we have no residency requirement and we'll have people from all across the country coming to Iowa to get married."

UPDATE: Rants attempt to force debate FAILS: "The House rejected the move, voting along party lines -- 50 Democrats against and 46 Republicans in favor. Four House members were absent or not voting, including three Democrats."

Rants to push gay marriage debate today [des moines register]

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Two Men Married in Iowa's First Same-Sex Marriage [tr]

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Chuck Hurley and Keith Ratliff: Iowa's Dynamic Duo of Bigotry

The Des Moines Register profiles Chuck Hurley and Keith Ratliff, who have found a common cause in their quest to rid the world of same-sex marriage:

"Ratliff and Hurley have been two of the loudest voices in this legislative and cultural fight, organizing rallies against same-sex marriage and lobbying the Legislature to let Iowans vote on its legality. They take different approaches to the same argument. Ratliff's approach echoes the Old Testament: God has spoken, and His laws are etched in stone. 'It's in God's word,' Ratliff said. 'We feel this ends the discussion.' Hurley's tone is more New Testament. He speaks of the same-sex marriage debate in parables. He makes analogies relating the issue to the big picture of human salvation, framing the debate not around what two people do in their bedroom but around our culture's descent into a moral abyss. Their views often are expressed in sound bites that seem full of hate. But Hurley and Ratliff insist their argument has nothing to do with hate and everything to do with speaking the truth in love. 'It seems (hateful) at first blush because of their self- justification for their behavior,' Hurley said. ' 'Who are you to tell me I'm doing something wrong?' It's just kind of a visceral reaction.' Their dissonant approaches harmonize into one argument. What is at stake, Hurley and Ratliff believe, is nothing short of the destruction of humanity's first institution."

Hurley is the bigot who organized the "prayer walk" in mid-January to try and put pressure on Iowa's highest court to force the legislature to take up the anti-gay marriage amendment.

Hurley's and Ratliff's crusade originates from a primitive, ignorant place:

"And part of their argument also hinges on homosexuality being a choice. Sure, some people are predisposed toward homosexuality, Hurley and Ratliff believe. Here, they make an analogy with alcoholism. Some people are genetically predisposed toward alcoholism; each time they take a drink, however, they are choosing a destructive behavior. It's the decision to engage in the behavior — not the predisposition toward the behavior — that's the sin. This is where Ratliff becomes agitated. Gay-rights activists sometimes compare their movement to the civil rights movement. That, Ratliff said, is off-base. Blacks were discriminated against because they were born with a certain skin color. But homosexuality, Ratliff believes, is a behavior, not an innate human trait. And it's a behavior that, by choosing to follow the word of God, can be avoided."

In related news, a new poll from the Register found that 62% of Iowans feel that marriage should be between a man and a woman: "Thirty-two percent believe same-sex marriages should be allowed, while 6 percent were unsure. Iowans are split, however, on whether the state constitution should be changed to ban gay marriages. And more than half of Iowans who responded to the poll support Iowa allowing civil unions for same-sex couples. About four in 10 Iowans oppose civil unions, and 4 percent are unsure."

Unlikely allies fight same-sex marriage in Iowa [des moines register]
Iowans lean in favor of civil unions [des moines register]

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News: Edible Martini, Prince Harry, Food War, Goldfrapp, Alzheimer's

Illinois state senator Dave Koehler proposes legislation legalizing civil unions in that state. Koehler: "This is going to be controversial because people are going to try to get all other kinds of issues about the morality of being gay. I hope that can stay to the sideline, because that's not the full intent of this bill. This bill is merely to recognize there are long-term committed relationships that right now do not have the law behind them."

Meet the edible martini: looking pretty good about now.

The History of War told through food, quite literally.

Britain's defense chief pulls Prince Harry from duty in Afghanistan saying media coverage puts him and his fellow soldiers at risk: "Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup, chief of the Defense Staff, said he decided to withdraw the prince after senior commanders assessed the risks, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. Harry, third in line to the British throne, has been serving on the front line with an army unit in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province since mid-December. He was originally due to return to Britain within weeks, but 'the situation has now clearly changed,' the statement said."

David Beckham hits South Korea to show off a shiny new phone.

John Stamos takes a kayak break in Hawaii.

UPenn students urge university to examine how FDA's ban on blood donation from gay men conflicts with the school's anti-discrimination policies: "Despite a national blood shortage, millions are prohibited from donating by the Federal Drug Administration's lifetime ban on men who have had sex with men (MSM) since 1977. The FDA argues that this type of sexual activity puts them at a higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases that could be then transmitted through blood transfusions. After a controversial, lengthy debate, the Blood Donor Discrimination Proposal passed by a margin of 17 to 9 with three abstentions, College senior and UA chairman Jason Karsh said. When Lambda Alliance first raised the blood policy issue at a University Council meeting last March, the UC never followed up, said Wharton and College junior, UA member and DP columnist Lisa Zhu, who coauthored the proposal on behalf of the UA. The proposal is an attempt to revive the University-wide debate and "pressure the administration to reevaluate their stance," said Karsh."

The Feeling's Dan Gillespie-Sells covers the new issue of Attitude.

A look at the new Goldfrapp album, Seventh Tree.

LGBT Latinos unify in support of Obama.

Janet Jackson hopes her drag queen kicks Madonna's drag queen's ass.

More rumors surface about Florida Governor Charlie Crist's sexuality: "I just wish he would come out and admit it. That would be a great thing if he did."

Anti-gay marriage group in Iowa which staged demonstration at the Supreme Court accuses lawmakers of holding up proposed amendment banning gay marriage: "Several legislative leaders quickly denounced the group's claims, calling their tactics hateful. 'I have a problem when people say, 'We are good, they are evil,' House Majority Speaker Pat Murphy, a Dubuque Democrat, said in response to the group. 'The bottom line is, I believe that every person should be treated with dignity and respect in this state.'"

Could Alzheimer's Disease be cured with a 'reset button' for the brain?

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Iowa QB Yordi on Gay Slur: 'Just Getting a Good Laugh Out of It'

Nick Yordi, a quarterback at Iowa's Wartburg College, testified in his disorderly conduct trial last Thursday that he was just being a "dumb college kid" when he used a homophobic slur against an openly gay student at the college last fall:

"Yordi testified he sometimes yells at pedestrians for amusement and said he didn't immediately recognize Joe Apel of East Dubuque, Ill. Apel, a junior at Wartburg, described himself as openly gay. Yordi said he was not aware of that fact. 'Didn't mean anything by it,' Yordi said. 'Never have. Just getting a good laugh out of it.' Jill Dashner, assistant attorney for Bremer County, argued the extent of Yordi's alleged remarks and circumstances leading up to the incident amount to a serious situation that cannot be written off as harmless, college-boy antics perpetrated by the quarterback of the football team. She added Yordi targeted Apel, who claims the defendant let loose a stream of vulgar words referencing homosexual acts. 'This is the type of thing that causes people great stress and anger and could actually cause a violent reaction,' Dashner said."

Yordi's disorderly conduct charge is a misdemeanor and carries a potential penalty of up to 30 days in jail and a $625 fine. The judge is expected to rule within thirty days.

Magistrate will decide case involving anti-gay slur at Wartburg [wcf courier]

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News: Alfie Allen, Huckabee, Alabama, Justin Chambers, Spiral Jetty

Theory that mass grave found in Fort Myers, Florida could be the remains of a serial killer's gay victims gains traction...

Woo! New shrew!

Singer Lily Allen's brother Alfie has taken over Daniel Radcliffe's role in London's Equus. Unlike, Radcliffe, full monty shots of Allen have quickly made it to the internet.

Memorial to gay Holocaust victims in Berlin should be ready within months: "The $890,000 memorial to gay victims will be located in Berlin's Tiergarten Park, across from the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Culture Minister Bernd Neumann said."

Iowa's Quad-City Times celebrates the gay American Idol contestant I posted about earlier in the week, Leo Marlowe: "Gwen Costello, librarian and drama director at Northeast High School in Goose Lake, Marlowe’s alma mater, remembers the young thespian playing the jester in 'Once Upon a Mattress' and receiving awards on the speech team. In his high school yearbook, Marlowe, who was voted 'Most Likely to be Famous' from the Class of 2002, was asked to pontificate on what he would do if he could not sing. 'I don’t know what I’d do,' he responded. 'I guess I’d be lost.'...'He’s just so down to earth and can make anybody laugh,” Costello said. “We noticed that right away last night, how he made everybody laugh and made everybody comfortable. That’s what he does best besides singing.' Costello said Marlowe comes from 'a wonderful family. We’re thrilled, we’re just thrilled. I thoroughly expect him to be schmoozing with the big guys soon. He’ll probably be Simon’s best friend someday.'"

Paula: dancing like there's no tomorrow.

Grey's Anatomy's Justin Chambers admitted to same psych ward as Britney Spears — for sleep disorder.

Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty threatened by oil drilling.

Gay populations booming in Alabama and Utah: "In the past 17 years, Utah's gay population has shot from the 38th largest in the country to 14th. Birmingham, Ala., meanwhile, is now home to all-night gay bars and pride parades; the South's gay tally has outpaced any other region. 'What many of the bigger cities like New York were experiencing during the late '60s and '70s is happening here now, but quietly,' says Danny Upton, the head of Equality Alabama."

Pro-gay bills advance in Virginia legislature.

Jesse Metcalfe: Single, hating it.

Oregon fans target UCLA basketball player with homophobic chants: "The target was Kevin Love, the gifted freshman who grew up near Portland but left his home state last year for Westwood. Some Ducks fans, lost in their immaturity, view Love as a traitor. From the warm-ups to the final seconds, they heaped scorn on the Bruins' No. 42 and his family. There's cheering and booing that is within the bounds of civility. But sometimes it goes out of bounds, into a realm society should not condone. You know it when you see it, know it when you hear it. This was out of bounds. There were stabs at Love's looks, at his mother, father and the history of mental illness in his family. This was disgusting. What drew my ire the most were reports of long, loud, homophobic chants directed at UCLA's young center."

Straight teen sues high school, claiming she was prevented from peacefully supporting gay rights: "Heather Gillman, who is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, filed suit in federal court against the School Board and Ponce de Leon High School Principal David Davis. According to the complaint, Davis suspended several students for 'expressing their support for the fair treatment of gays and lesbians.'...'I think everybody should be able to support what they believe in and not be punished for it,' Gillman said Thursday during a conference call with reporters."

Mike Huckabee on what's beautiful about America: “The beauty of America is that a person can come and even make a disruption, and you know what, that person is not going to be taken out and shot.”

The power of persuasion: reality show supermodels sittin' in a tree...

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Iowa GOP Lawmakers Ask Court to Overturn Gay Marriage Ruling

Iowa Representatives Dwayne Alons, Carmine Boal and Betty DeBoef and Senators Nancy Boettger and James Hahn filed a "friend of the court" brief yesterday, asking the state's Supreme Court to overturn Judge Robert Hanson's ruling that declared Iowa's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional.

"The brief says Judge Robert Hanson abdicated his duty to be fair and neutral in considering a legal challenge to a 1998 state law filed by gay couples. This comes after petitions calling for the impeachment of the judge were delivered to Legislature on January 24th. The petitions, with over 6,000 signatures,

In mid-January, hundreds of anti-gay bigots marched on the Iowa State House to try and pressure justices to force lawmakers to debate the same-sex marriage issue in hopes of getting a constitutional amendment on the ballot.

Recently
Bigots Seeking Iowa Judge's Impeachment Turn in Signatures [tr]
Sean Fritz and Tim McQuillan, Iowa's Gay Married Couple, Reflect [tr]

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Bigots Seeking Iowa Judge's Impeachment Turn in Signatures

Bill Salier, the pig farmer who was spearheading the Iowa campaign to impeach Judge Robert Hanson for declaring the state's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, has turned in petitions urging impeachment containing 6,000 signatures to the Iowa legislature, the AP reports:

"He says the goal is to 'stop a runaway judiciary.' Salier says Polk County Judge Robert Hanson overstepped his authority by legalizing gay marriage last summer. Hanson stayed his ruling while it's under appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court. Impeaching a judge takes an act of the Legislature."

Salier, a big supporter of Republican Tom Tancredo, began his campaign last September.

Getting rid of the 'evil' judge who ruled for tolerance is not the only goal of religious conservatives in the state: "Critics of Hanson's ruling are pushing lawmakers for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Democrats who control both the House and Senate have taken the issue off the table and are dismissing Salier's effort. House Speaker Pat Murphy says they're 'not doing anything on it.'"

Last week, a "pro-family" group demonstrated at the Iowa State House in order to pressure the judiciary to take up their cause. The justices declined to comment on it.

Hanson's ruling last August was stayed almost immediately after it happened, but not before Sean Fritz and Tim McQuillan had the chance to get married. Iowa's only same-sex married couple took a few moments last week to reflect on what has happened in the meantime.

Petitions seeking judge's impeachment over gay marriage delivered [ap]

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Sean Fritz and Tim McQuillan, Iowa's Gay Married Couple, Reflect

Last week when I posted about the march of bigots that was being planned on the Iowa State House in Des Moines to influence the court over same-sex marriage, a commenter asked, "What I want to know is if those silly college kids who rushed to get married are still together?"

In fact, Sean Fritz and Tim McQuillan are still together, and the "silly college kids" spoke to the Des Moines Register about the aftermath of their historic marriage and how things have been going in the meantime.

Via the Des Moines Register:

The months after the wedding were chaotic: A Labor Day honeymoon in Des
Moines. A hectic week of fielding reporters' phone calls. Catching up on missed
schoolwork. Falling back into smoking cigarettes because of stress. Reading
angry comments about their marriage posted below news stories and in blogs,
having those insults bring down their relationship, then finally learning to
ignore it.

It wasn't until recently, after finals, after the holidays, after giving up smoking again, that they have been able to take a breath to reflect.

They say this: They never realized how much they wanted marriage until after they were married.

"I now realize how important marriage is," Sean said. "I've (known I am) gay since I was a teenager. Gay marriage was always something that's going to happen in the future, but I couldn't go get one, so it wasn't on the table. All the sudden it was on the table. And I got one. I was like, whoa, I really wanted this the whole time, and I was ready for it, and I just told myself I wasn't because it wasn't feasible."

They believe stereotypical gay culture is filled with superficial relationships. Look at pop culture's gay role models, they say. In "Will and Grace," neither Jack nor Will have meaningful relationships. "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" focuses on fashion and wine but has little substance. Could this superficiality stem, in part, from not allowing gays to marry? And, therefore, is every gay relationship destined to be thought of as temporary?

"When we got married, I realized that made me an adult," Sean said. "Abruptly. ... And now I realize that probably has a strong influence upon what we call gay culture, the fact that it's comprised of people who don't consider themselves adults."

"You treat children like children," Tim interjects, "they're going to behave like children. If you treat them as adults and you expect things of them - it's totally an argument of what you expect out of someone. If they've never been expected to get married, they aren't going to. It's pretty harsh social conditioning."

But there's another thing. Because they're gay, they always have felt different from the mainstream. But they never felt part of stereotypical gay culture. They aren't artistic, they aren't bohemian, they don't identify with "Rent."

They've never had gay role models.

So part of what they want from their newfound status is to show a positive example for young gay men who feel lost, like they once were.

"Hopefully, someone reads this who is in the situation I was in," Tim said. "Someone who isn't sure about themselves. They don't think they'll be accepted by everyone. I'm not casting myself as an ideal role model. But I think there's some good out of letting people know our story."

They don't sound like "silly college kids" to me.

Pair reflect on months as married gay couple [des moines register]

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News: PETA, Star Trek, NYC Waterfalls, Bugs, Shock Therapy

Gay, Jewish students targeted by hate threats at Stanford: " Jireh Tan ‘11 was sitting in his Resident Assistant’s dorm room the week after Thanksgiving break when his RA passed him an envelope. In it was his door sign. On it, someone had written 'die fag fag fag fag.' 'When I saw it my blood was chilled,' he said. 'I felt really scared.'"

Claim: Britney Spears has multiple personalities. "Sources have told them that the fake British accent is more than just a fake accent. When Brit stops using the accent she has no idea what she did during the time she was using it. Britney apparently was the 'British girl' when she didn't show up to her deposition and has no recollection of it whatsoever."

Consumer group asks Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) to offiically reclassify PETA as a "slaughterhouse" following the revelation of the hundreds of pets they euthanized in a single year: "An official report filed by PETA itself shows that the animal rights group put to death nearly every dog, cat, and other pet it took in for adoption in 2006. During that year, the well-known animal rights group managed to find adoptive homes for just 12 animals."

The first real shot of the USS Enterprise from JJ Abrams' Star Trek film has been released along with a teaser trailer.

Gay and lesbian ex-pat bankers overseas still facing plenty of discrimination.

Don't go chasing waterfalls: NYC to get aquatic public art project this summer. "There will be four illuminated waterfalls in all, ranging from 90-120 feet in height, and one will be located off the coast of Governors Island. Yep, they somehow found a way to make Gov's Island even more creepy at night!"

Iowa Supreme Court hands down ruling in gay adoption case, sends it back to district court: "The case involves Heather Schott and Jamie Schott, the children's natural parent. After they ended their relationship, Heather Schott asked a district court to determine child custody, physical care and support for the children. The court ruled an unmarried adult can't adopt without terminating the rights of both natural parents, and that since Jamie Schott's rights weren't terminated the adoptions weren't valid. The Supreme Court says the adoptions are similar to stepparent adoptions and that the district court has jurisdiction. The high court sent the case back to district court."

Richard Hatch miserable in prison: "The openly gay ex-Army man, doing four years for tax evasion, is 'having such a hard time in prison. To be honest, I think he's starting to lose it. I don't think he'll make it and he looks horrible,' former 'Survivor' contestant Jenna Morasca told Steppin' Out's Chaunce Hayden at Hawaiian Tropic Zone. 'He's really going out of his mind . . . He blames ['Survivor' creator] Mark Burnett for all his troubles . . . He literally hates Mark and he claims he's going to write a tell-all book when he gets out.'"

Box Turtle Bulletin takes a look back at electric shock aversion therapy for gay people: "In experimental psychology electric shock has been widely used both in animals and in humans. In clinical treatment, however, it has been less often used. The technique is simpler, more accurately controlled, and more certain in producing an unpleasant effect than drugs. This article describes a simple apparatus designed by one of us (R. J. McG.) and its use in the aversive treatment of sexual perversions, alcoholism, smoking, and neurotic symptoms. Apparatus. — The components are cheap (under £1) and fit into a box approximately 6 in. (15 cm.) square and 2 in. (5 cm.) deep (Figs. 1 and 2). It is powered by a 9-volt battery and is therefore completely portable. The shock is administered through electrodes on a cuff around the patient’s forearm."

Hillary Clinton campaign denounces Spanish language ad from one of Obama's labor allies. Ad: "Hillary Clinton does not respect our people. Hillary Clinton is shameless. Sen. Obama is defending our right to vote. Sen. Obama wants our votes. He respects our votes, our community, and our people. Sen. Obama’s campaign slogan is 'Si Se Puede.' Vote for a president who respects us, and who respects our right to vote."

The five most HORRIFYING bugs in the world.

Those naughty Abercrombie zombies are back for Spring.

Scotland's only gay football club prepares for first game: "The Edinburgh-based HotScots FC now boasts 75 members, less than a year after it was set up. They are going to take on Haddington Select in a friendly match at Aubigny Sports Centre. Chairman and founder Kevin Rowe said: "This will be instrumental in our preparation for the Gay World Cup in August. 'By playing local teams, we can break down barriers surrounding homophobia in sport and dispel a few myths that gay people and football simply do not mix.'"

Colin Farrell turning into a silver fox.

Scientist clones himself? "In a breakthrough certain to provoke an ethical furore, Samuel Wood created embryo copies of himself by placing his skin cells in a woman's egg. The embryos were the first to be made from cells taken from adult humans. Although they survived for only five days and were smaller than a pinhead, they are seen as a milestone in the quest for treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's."

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Hundreds of Anti-Gay Bigots Push Iowa High Court on Marriage

Hundreds of people took part in a "prayer walk" at the Iowa State House in Des Moines coinciding with a State of the Judiciary Speech given by Iowa Supreme Court Justice Marsha Ternus and then gathered en masse in the State House rotunda in an attempt to influence the Supreme Court in its decision regarding the same-sex marriage ruling that came down last August, the Des Moines Register reports.

Check out their amazing gallery of the bigots who attended this "prayer walk".

Last August, Judge Robert Hanson ruled Iowa's same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional and ordered the Polk County recorder to begin issuing marriage certificates to same-sex couples. The ruling was stayed shortly thereafter, but not before college students Sean Fritz and Tim McQuillan (above) were issued the state's only same-sex marriage license. That ruling has been appealed and made its way to the State Supreme Court.

Several lawmakers feel that the Court should make a ruling before the legislature gets involved. These bigots who massed at the State House yesterday, organized by the Iowa Family Policy Center and its director Chuck Hurley, feel otherwise, thus the "Let Us Vote" signs. They would like to be able to vote on an amendment banning same-sex marriage, according to The Des Moines Register:

"Amendments to the Iowa Constitution need to be approved by simple majorities in both the House and Senate in two consecutive general assemblies and then be approved by a simple majority of voters in the next general election. That means if a resolution is approved this year and in the 2009 or 2010 session, it can be on the general election ballot in November 2010. If lawmakers wait a year to start the process, the earliest a resolution could reach the ballot is 2012."

Connie Ryan Terrell, executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa and Action Fund, criticized the demonstration:

"I very much believe these organizations should show respect to the court. It really does disrupt the integrity of the judicial process."

Any time conservatives complain about "activist judges" making liberal decisions, think about this demonstration. Here's evidence of religious conservatives putting pressure on judges to become activists.

These people are praying to God that you and I never have the ability to marry, to share equality in our rights and lives with other citizens of the United States:

Kudos must go to Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Marsha Ternus, however, for her restraint in refusing to dignify the reason these bigots were there. In her State of the Judiciary speech, according to the Sioux City Journal, she did not mention the court's pending same-sex marriage case.

But she did say: "Today, the work of judges is much more stressful, demanding and complicated than it was a decade ago."

She also spoke with reporters after the speech. Said Ternus: "You can do a very good job as a judge and do everything you're constitutionally and ethically required to do, to be fair and impartial. And people don't understand that that's what's required of you. They want something more. They want judges to be more like a legislator or a politician. And that puts judges in a very uncomfortable position. Judges are trained to make decisions based on the law. That's what we do, and that's what we're going to do."

Hundreds ask Legislature for ban on gay marriage [des moines register]
Marriage Amendment Rally GALLERY [des moines register]
Gay marriage case looms over chief justice's speech [sioux city journal]

Previously
Anti-Gay Marriage Rally Planned Today at Iowa Statehouse [tr]
Iowa Catholics Call for Same-Sex Marriage Ban [tr]
Iowa Group Moves to Impeach Judge Who Allowed Gay Marriages [tr]
Democratic Iowa Governor Chet Culver Supports Gay Marriage Ban [tr]
Two Men Married in Iowa's First Same-Sex Marriage [tr]

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Anti-Gay Marriage Rally Planned Today at Iowa Statehouse

Same-sex marriage foes are planning to mass at 11:30 am in Des Moines, Iowa today to demand that legislators begin debating the "Iowa Marriage Amendment".

The rally is being organized by the Iowa Family Policy Center, according to the AP: "One of the rally's organizers is Chuck Hurley of the Iowa Family Policy Center (bigot headquarters). He wants the Legislature to debate soon. He says waiting is unfair to Iowans because it delays the start of a lengthy process to amend the Iowa Constitution."

Last August, Judge Robert Hanson ruled Iowa's same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional and ordered the Polk County recorder to begin issuing marriage certificates to same-sex couples. The ruling was stayed shortly thereafter, but not before college students Sean Fritz and Tim McQuillan (above) were issued the state's only same-sex marriage license.

Previously
Iowa Catholics Call for Same-Sex Marriage Ban [tr]
Iowa Group Moves to Impeach Judge Who Allowed Gay Marriages [tr]
Democratic Iowa Governor Chet Culver Supports Gay Marriage Ban [tr]
Two Men Married in Iowa's First Same-Sex Marriage [tr]

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Obama and Huckabee Take Nation's First Caucus in Iowa

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee won their respective races in the Iowa caucuses Thursday night, leaving leftover candidates from both parties either scrambling for their next move or on their way out. Senator Hillary Clinton and John Edwards came within a percentage point of one another in the race for second place on the Democratic side, with Edwards edging out Clinton by a hair.

On the Republican side, second-place winner Mitt Romney was not even close, leaving a wide-open opportunity for John McCain in New Hampshire next week, where his support has risen in recent weeks.

The numbers came in like this: " Mr. Huckabee won with 34.4 percent of the delegate support, after 86 percent of precincts had reported. Mr. Romney had 25.4 percent, former Senator Fred D. Thompson of Tennessee had 13.4 percent and Senator John McCain of Arizona had 13.2 percent. On the Democratic side, with 100 percent of precincts reporting, Mr. Obama had 37.6 percent of the delegate support, Mr. Edwards 29.8 percent and Mrs. Clinton had 29.5 percent. Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico was fourth, at 2.11 percent."

Other details:

Massive turnout bad omen for the GOP.
Chris Dodd, Joe Biden drop out of Democratic race...
Keith Olbermann declares that Mike Gravel has dropped out of the race, and Gravel demands a retraction!
Thompson finishes in near-tie for third with John McCain...
McCain reacted from New Hampshire: "I think that the lesson of this election is that, one, you can't buy an election in Iowa; and, two, that negative campaigns don't work. They don't work there, and they don't work here in New Hampshire."
Giuliani vows to fight on after poor showing.
Independents go for Obama and Ron Paul.

Check out what the candidates had to say (Clips of ALL THE SPEECHES) about their respective wins and losses, AFTER THE JUMP...

OBAMA: "You know, they said this day would never come. They said our sights were set too high. They said this country was too divided, too disillusioned to ever come together around a common purpose. But on this January night, at this defining moment in history, you have done what the cynics said we couldn't do. . . . You have done what America can do in this new year, 2008."

HUCKABEE: "What is happening tonight in Iowa is going to start really a prairie fire of new hope and zeal. And it's already happening across this nation because it is about we; we the people. We saw it tonight. . . . And we're going to continue to see it because this country yearns and is hungry for leadership that recognizes that when one is elected to public office, one is not elected to be a part of the ruling class; he's elected to be a part of the serving class."

CLINTON: "We're going to take this enthusiasm and go straight to New Hampshire...We have always planned on running a national campaign all the way through the early contests...What is most important now is that, as we go on with this contest, that we keep focused on the two big issues, that we answer correctly the questions that each of us has posed. How will we win in November 2008, by nominating a candidate who will be able to go the distance? And who will be the best president on day one? I am ready for that contest."

EDWARDS: "The one thing that's clear from the results in Iowa tonight is the status quo lost and change won. And now we move on. We move on from Iowa to New Hampshire and to the other states to determine who's best suited to bring about the change that this country so desperately needed."

ROMNEY: "Well, well, we won the silver. But just as Dan Jansen pointed out - you win the silver in one event, it doesn't mean you're not going to come back and win the gold in the final event."

THOMPSON: “It looks like someone’s gonna have to carry a strong conservative message, and it looks like it’s gonna be me.”

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Hillary Clinton Message to Air Across Iowa at 6 PM

Hillary Clinton will blanket the Iowa airwaves tonight with a last minute message just as the state sits down to watch the evening news. Clinton purchased two minutes of air time on every media market in the state.

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Dennis Kucinich Tells Supporters: Vote Obama!

Conceding that his support may not be enough for him to make it in the Democratic race, Dennis Kucinich urged his supporters to vote for Barack Obama as choice #2.

Said Kucinich in a statement: "I hope Iowans will caucus for me as their first choice this Thursday, because of my singular positions on the war, on health care, and trade. This is an opportunity for people to stand up for themselves. But in those caucus locations where my support doesn't reach the necessary threshold, I strongly encourage all of my supporters to make Barack Obama their second choice. Sen. Obama and I have one thing in common: Change."

Obama told reporters that he had spoken with Kucinich: "He and I have been fighting for a number of the same priorities."

And in honor of Kucinich, here's the latest viral UFO video that is circulating on the web. Again, likely some beautiful CGI, but cool nonetheless.

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John Edwards Upbeat as New Poll Shows Him Ahead in Iowa

A new InsiderAdvantage poll shows John Edwards jumping ahead of both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in Iowa. Last night he talked to Chris Matthews on Hardball and Matthews asked him about why it looks like he's moving forward.

Said Edwards: "I mean, there’s been some fussing going on between them. I just got to -- I know what to do in Iowa. I know how to close there. People there want to see you speak from your gut. They want to see passion and energy. They want it to be real. And when I talk about doing something about corporate power and how it’s affecting the government, they respond."

Matthews also asked him why, as a Southerner with a "charming rural Southern manner" like Huckabee (who continues to lead on the GOP side), Edwards doesn't "cite the Lord the way he does."

Said Edwards: "Well, God and my faith are enormously important to me personally. They’ve gotten me through, my faith in the Lord has gotten me through some very, very difficult times in my own life. But I don’t think it’s my job as either a presidential candidate or president of the United States to impose my faith on anybody. If I get asked about it, I’ll answer the question honestly. I’ll tell anybody how important my faith is to me every single day. But it’s not something that I think is my job as president or presidential candidate."

Recently
Leading Gay Rights Group in New Hampshire Endorses Edwards [tr]
New John Edwards Iowa Spot Goes to the Movies [tr]

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New John Edwards Iowa Spot Goes to the Movies

In his latest Iowa spot, John Edwards uses Bush's "Mission Accomplished" moment and that movie trailer voice-over guy to present himself as an Iowa hero. But can he bring home the Oscar?

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News: Tony Romo, NJ Death Penalty, Edward Hopper, YMCA

NJ Governor Corzine signs death penalty ban.

Des Moines Register endorses Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

The NYT takes a look at the life of gay historian Allan Bérubé, and his well-known book Coming Out Under Fire: "The book sprang from a box of letters. One day in the 1970s, a friend of one of Mr. Bérubé’s neighbors salvaged from a Dumpster a cache of correspondence exchanged by a dozen gay G.I.’s during the war. The men, who had met at an Army base in Missouri, were posted to different spots, but they continued to write — in particular about what it was like to be gay wherever they had fetched up. The letters found their way to Mr. Bérubé. 'I sorted them out and had a good cry,' he told the University of Chicago alumni magazine in 1997. 'It really captured my heart and raised a lot of questions, so I started doing research.'"

Bimbo Curse: Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo hit with worst game in ages as Jessica Simpson appears at game wearing his jersey. It was the first time in three years the Cowboys haven't scored a touchdown, losing to the inferior Philadelphia Eagles. According to People, "The 27-year-old Pro-Bowler ended the game with a quarterback rating of just 22.2 – that's the worst ever in his entire career. (In comparison, his average rating this year is over 100.) His previous low? Last December, when then-girlfriend Carrie Underwood was in the stands."

Magazine collector aims to preserve archive of Thailand's gay history.

Early Sunday Morning: Greenwich Village group tries to preserve Edward Hopper's Big Apple landmarks.

PrideWorks conference offers beacon of hope for isolated gay kids: "This was the ninth year of the PrideWorks gathering, which is put on by the Hudson Valley chapter of the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network. The conference is sponsored by numerous community groups, including a local Merrill Lynch office, the Westchester-Putnam School Boards Association, the Westchester-East Putnam Region PTA and a state senator, Suzi Oppenheimer, a Democrat from Mamaroneck. In the beginning, in 1999, there were no students, just 125 adults, mostly educators who worked with gay children. This year, there were about 200 adults along with 300 boys and girls. Some, like Michael, attended with their parents. More arrived in school buses with their Gay Straight Alliance clubs."

Posh Spice skin pouch horrifies onlookers.

Colorado College students stage bitterly cold day-long sit-in to protest homophobic and racist incidents on campus: "The most recent events include anti-gay graffiti on several dorm room doors. Students say they got together to organize the event to show that they won't tolerate this type of actions on their campus or in their community. Students say this isn't in response to any one event, but a culmination of events over a period of time." (video)

YMCA lifeguard in the UK punches lesbian after making homophobic remark: "Luke Rawcliffe, 18, of Rixton Close, Thornton, pleaded guilty to assaulting Louise Raycroft. Pam Smith, prosecuting, said Ms Raycroft was walking through the bus station with her female partner when they were approached by a group of men. Rawcliffe called Miss Raycroft an inappropriate word and without any provocation punched her on the forehead. She was knocked to the floor and hit her head...The defence added that there was an altercation with the two women and one swung out at a friend of Rawcliffe's. Rawcliffe, who had been drinking, then hit the woman on the head."

Flyer: Britney Spears scores with "Piece of Me" video all about how the paparazzi chases that mess around. Write what you know.

Oldest human being dies at 116.

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #212

PANDERFEST 07: Veracifier features highlights from yesterday's debate in Des Moines.

HUCKABEE'S PARDONS: Brutal web video slams Mike Huckabee for the pardon of serial rapist Wayne Dumond. It was created by Arkansas Republican Keith Emis.

AL GORE: His recent speech