John Hagee Retracts Retraction of Katrina 'Gay Sin' Remarks

In late April, McCain supporter John Hagee appeared to retract his past remarks that gay sin brought Hurricane Katrina upon New Orleans, releasing a statement that said:

"As a believing Christian, I see the hand of God in everything that happens here on earth, both the blessings and the curses. But ultimately neither I nor any other person can know the mind of God concerning Hurricane Katrina. I should not have suggested otherwise. No matter what the cause of the storm, my heart goes out to all who suffered in this terrible tragedy. There but for the grace of God go any one of us."

Well, that didn't last long. IHagee held a conference call with religious supporters yesterday, the Dallas News reports:

"When a woman on the call asked why he seemed to have backed away from his Katrina comments in face of criticism, Hagee said he hadn't. As for the Katrina, he said, God controls hurricanes and 'God always punishes unconfessed sin.'"

Anyone surprised? Didn't think so.

McCain most recently called the controversy over Hagee's remarks "nonsense."

(via Think Progress)

AFTER THE JUMP, the Hagee video...

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Myanmar Devastation Revealed in Satellite Photos

Looking at this before and after photo (via joe.my.god and daily dish), it's no wonder that the death toll from Myanmar's deadly cyclone Nargis might exceed 100,000.

Hopefully, the junta will accept foreign aid.

But here's the issue: "'The Burmese military is concerned about white faces...seeing what they’re doing,' said Aung Naing Oo, a Burmese political analyst exiled to Thailand. Others pointed to bureaucratic paralysis. 'Only three people in the whole country can make decisions, one of whom is the senior general’s astrologer,' one foreign aid worker said."

Related
Laura Bush and Burma: Echoes of Disaster [tr]
As Brutal Burma Crisis Continues, Monks Sent to Prison Camps [tr]

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UK Male Athletes Take It Off for Cancer and Cosmo

Yesterday I posted a photo of London Wasps rugby star Danny Cipriani (warning: NSFW). Well, his fellow rugby athletes Tom Rees, Simon Shaw, and James Haskell joined him in the photoshoot that will appear in the June issue of Cosmopolitan UK.

That shot plus two additional ones, AFTER THE JUMP (warning: possibly NSFW)...

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CBS: Top Clinton Strategist Tells Her It's Over

As Clinton campaigns on amid mounting pressure to concede and unify the party, CBS has reported that a top Clinton strategist has told Hillary Clinton that she can't win the nomination...

Watch the report, AFTER THE JUMP...

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NJ Gay Couple Files Suit Against Town Over Firefighter Harassment

A gay couple formerly from Secaucus, New Jersey has filed a civil suit against the town, claiming that they were harassed by a group of firefighters who were partying at the firehouse adjacent to their residence. The incident occurred in April 2004.

The Jersey Journal reports:

"On the morning of April 25, 2004, a gay couple living in Secaucus was awakened by the sound of raucous partying at the firehouse next door. After one of the men, Timothy Carter, approached a group of firefighters about 1 a.m. asking them to keep it down, they allegedly began berating him. When he returned to the house, what the couple described as a drunken mob shook their fence, banged on the side of the house and loudly threatened to kill the men and their dogs. Despite complaints to the town, Carter and his partner, Peter De Vries, allege little was done to discipline the firefighters and said they lived in constant fear before moving away...

... In opening statements yesterday before a Superior Court jury, Mullin said the firefighters shouted derogatory, anti-homosexual epithets and death threats. 'They're terrified,' Mullin said of the couple. 'They're paralyzed with fear.' Police arrived quickly but the hate crime was never fully investigated by Secaucus officials, according to court papers filed by the couple. But police made no arrests and no one from the firehouse was thrown off the volunteer force. In their defense, town officials noted the prompt response by police and the fact that the firefighters were officially off-duty at the time."

At the time, a hate crime probe was opened and then cancelled due to lack of evidence. The couple claims post-traumatic stress disorder and is seeking unspecified damages.

Gay couple: Secaucus violated our rights [jersey journal]

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A&F's 'Naughty' New Quarterly

Here's the cover of the new "adult" Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly which is being released across the pond and at Barack Obama rallies only. If the cover is any indication, the catalog features male photos from behind (so I'm not sure how it's much different from the old ones) and the women (as well as anyone non-white) seem to have been vanquished from this land of Adam & Steve. It's rumored to cost $200 bucks.

It appears someone made a Bruce Weber collage and then got busy with the Photoshop "colored pencil" effect.

Full cover (possibly NSFW) AFTER THE JUMP...

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