Towleroad Guide to the Tube #308

CEDAR RAPIDS: Local news of the historic flooding. Our thoughts are with you guys out there!

BRAVO'S A-LIST AWARDS: Guy TV Blog wraps up the highlights of last night's Kathy Griffin-fest.

REPUBLICAN: Voters speak out!

END OF THE WORLD: Trailer for Werner Herzog's new film about Antarctica.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #295

COMMENCEMENT: Barack Obama "pinch hits" for Ted Kennedy at Wesleyan University.

SHARON STONE: Says "karma" was to blame for death and destruction of Chinese earthquake.

KEITH OLBERMANN: Slams Hillary Clinton's RFK 'assassination' remarks. Clinton has apologized for the reference.

SMASHED: Spokane Chiefs win the 2008 Memorial Cup, then drop it.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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Aurora-Like Phenomenon Recorded Pre-Earthquake in China

According to the YouTuber who posted this, "Bizarre colorful (luminous/glowing) cloud phenomenon in the sky was observed about 30 mins before the May 12, 2008 Sichuan earthquake took place. This was recorded in Tianshui, Gansu province - 450km northeast of epicenter, by someone using a cell phone."

Looks a lot like a rainbow to me, but I'm no expert on geo-magnetic phenomena.

Watch the clip, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #288

QUAKE: Magnitude 7.8 earthquake hits central China. Death toll up to 9000.

FATIGUE?: At a campaign stop in Beaverton, Oregon, Barack Obama says he's visited all 57 states.

BREAKING THE DINNER CODE: Radio host Michael Smerconish compares Arianna Huffington to 'a hooker who gives up a john' for saying McCain told her he didn't vote for Bush in 2000.

JOHN MCCAIN: McCain puts 14-year-old girl on the spot, later describes her as "very attractive."

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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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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Laura Bush and Burma: Echoes of Disaster

First Lady Laura Bush held a rare press conference today about the cyclone that struck Myanmar (Burma) that may have killed up to 50,000.

AFP today:

"US First Lady Laura Bush accused Myanmar's military rulers Monday of failing to warn their citizens in time about a killer cyclone and pressed the junta to accept US aid in the disaster's wake. 'Although they were aware of the threat, Burma's state-run media failed to issue a timely warning to citizens in the storm's path,' Bush said in an unusual appearance at the White House briefing room podium. 'It's troubling that many of the Burmese people learned of this impending disaster only when foreign outlets, such as Radio Free Asia and Voice of America, sounded the alarm,' she said. Washington calls the country Burma."

Not that Burma's military government doesn't deserve to be criticized for the treatment of its people. But then, of course, there's this:

Washington Post, 1/06: "In the 48 hours before Hurricane Katrina hit, the White House received detailed warnings about the storm's likely impact, including eerily prescient predictions of breached levees, massive flooding, and major losses of life and property, documents show. A 41-page assessment by the Department of Homeland Security's National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC), was delivered by e-mail to the White House's 'situation room,' the nerve center where crises are handled, at 1:47 a.m. on Aug. 29, the day the storm hit, according to an e-mail cover sheet accompanying the document...The documents shed new light on the extent on the administration's foreknowledge about Katrina's potential for unleashing epic destruction on New Orleans and other Gulf Coast cities and towns. President Bush, in a televised interview three days after Katrina hit, suggested that the scale of the flooding in New Orleans was unexpected. 'I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees. They did anticipate a serious storm,' Bush said in a Sept. 1 interview on ABC's 'Good Morning America.'"

Laura Bush urged Myanmar to take the foreign aid to help its people. Of course, if Myanmar uses the U.S. as its example, they'll likely refuse it.

Clip AFTER THE JUMP...

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The Eye of Ivan

NASA recently released this stunning shot.

NASA writes: "At its peak, Ivan was a Category 5 hurricane, the highest power category on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, and created sustained winds in excess of 200 kilometers per hour. Ivan was the largest hurricane to strike the US in 2004, and, so far, the 10th most powerful in recorded history. As it swirled in the Atlantic Ocean, the tremendous eye of Hurricane Ivan was photographed from above by the orbiting International Space Station."

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Revisiting the Fake FEMA California Wildfire Press Conference

The former director of public affairs at the agency, John "Pat" Philbin told CBS News regarding FEMA's fake news conference that "[he was] not aware that [Vice Admiral Harvey Johnson] knew what was happening and all of sudden staff were asking questions."

A photo (above) they published Friday, however, exposes the news conference in all its fraudulence:

"From left to right: Nathaniel Fogg, Counselor to the Director and Deputy Director; John "Pat" Philbin, former Director of External Affairs; Michael Widomski, Public Affairs Specialist; Eric Heighberger, Special Assistant, Office of the Administrator; Cindy Taylor (in tan suit), Communications Deputy Director; Dan Shulman (red tie), Director of Legislative Affairs; Debbie Wing (curly blond hair), Media Response Liaison; Aaron Walker (back to camera), National Spokesman."

CBS reports: "Identified in the photo are staff members that Johnson works closely with on a daily basis...It was announced Thursday that an internal investigation had found that FEMA's press secretary encouraged, and in some cases instructed, employees to pose as reporters and ask questions at the fake news conference."

Philbin lost his post as the director of national intelligence over the incident.

Just Who Was At That Fake FEMA Briefing? [cbs]

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News: Iran, Rosie O'Donnell, Halloween, Zagreb, Gay Ghetto

Amnesty: Death penalty imminent for gay youth in Iran. "Child offender Makwan Moloudzadeh, an Iranian Kurd, is believed to be at risk of imminent execution. He has reportedly been convicted of lavat-e iqabi (anal sex) for the alleged rape of a 13-year-old boy. Makwan Moloudzadeh was aged 13 at the time of the alleged offence. His death sentence has been passed to the Office for the Implementation of Sentences and he is due to be executed in public, near his home."

Confederate flag that hangs at site of Cheney's weekend hunting trip stirs up anger from Al Sharpton: "It’s appalling for the VP to be at a private club displaying the flag of lynching, hate and murder. It’s the epitome of an insult." The good news is, nobody got shot in the face.

Rosie O'Donnell ambushed at book signing by Bill O'Reilly team. (Rosie's Video, O'Reilly's Video)

NYT: Cancellation of Halloween fest in San Francisco a sign that gay ghettos risk becoming passé. "For many in the Castro District, the cancellation is a blow that strikes at the heart of neighborhood identity, and it has brought soul-searching that goes beyond concerns about crime. These are wrenching times for San Francisco’s historic gay village, with population shifts, booming development, and a waning sense of belonging that is also being felt in gay enclaves across the nation, from Key West, Fla., to West Hollywood, as they struggle to maintain cultural relevance in the face of gentrification."

Did Avril Lavigne dress as Chris Crocker for Halloween?

Miller Brewing apologizes for allowing its brand logo to appear on posters for San Francisco's Folsom Street Fair that parodied The Last Supper.

Opposing accounts offered at trial of Navy doctor accused of secretly taping midshipmen having sex: "A Navy doctor who served as a sponsor for U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen 'violated the trust' of the students by using surveillance equipment installed in an air purifier at his Annapolis home to make 'secret sex tapes' of them, a Navy prosecutor said yesterday at the start of the doctor's court-martial. But Cmdr. Kevin Ronan's attorney, William T. Ferris, said the tapes were made by a former midshipman who used them in an attempt to extort money from his client. Ferris said the tapes became public after his client refused to give money to the former midshipman, who had been dismissed from the Naval Academy for academic reasons and needed money for expenses. 'This was a plan to extort money from Commander Ronan that went awry,' Ferris said during his opening statement at the Washington Navy Yard."

Meet the first Mr. Gay Brazil, Luciano Lupo.

Frank DeCaro looks at Paul Lynde's Halloween Special from 1976, along with a clip of Margaret Hamilton dressed as the wicked witch introducing Paul to members of KISS.

Queer community at NYU holds drag ball.

Croatian man charged with hate crime in Zagreb for attack on gay parade: "The man, identified only as Josip S., is charged with endangering lives and property by an act of hatred toward the participants of the Gay Pride parade in July, the Zagreb district prosecutors' office said. The man is the first person in Croatia to face hate crime charges since it was introduced into the Penal Code last year. If convicted, he faces up to eight years in prison. No date for a trial was immediately set. Police spotted the man as he prepared to throw homemade Molotov cocktails — bottles containing gasoline — at the parade participants gathering at Zagreb's main square. He fled the scene, but was tracked down later at his home."

Best Week Ever's Top 10 most humiliating pet costumes, judged by the expression on the pets' faces.

Leak reveals Cheney's plan for Iran attack? "In the scenario concocted by Cheney's strategists, Washington's first step would be to convince Israel to fire missiles at Iran's uranium enrichment plant in Natanz. Tehran would retaliate with its own strike, providing the US with an excuse to attack military targets and nuclear facilities in Iran."

1884: The oldest known photograph of a tornado.

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News: Marc Jacobs, Skeletons, FEMA, Kentucky, Tori Amos, Uganda

FEMA official resigns over fake press conference, lands "amazing" job to head public affairs at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Photographer Patrick Gries looks at the beauty of bones in Paris exhibit.

Daniel Craig returning for four more Bond films.

Brightening comet thrills astronomers.

Hundreds turn out for first gay pride festival in Galveson, Texas: "While some in the area had voiced concerns about lewd behavior at such an event, those booths offered only such things as crafts and information on civil rights and spirituality. Harbor Metropolitan Community Church had one of the booths, where church volunteers offered literature on acceptance and love for all. The Rev. Pat Farnin said her congregation on the island was growing, and she anticipated the festival would do likewise, should it become an annual tradition."

Celebs hit Wiltern Theater in L.A. for Matthew Shepard Honors.

back same-sex marriage. The Christian Democrats are the only holdouts.

Virginia State GOP and Republican State Senator James J. "Jay" O'Brien Jr. send out homophobic flyer warning of Democratic opponent's platform: "George Barker wants to take time away from core academic subjects like math, science, and reading to teach children to accept the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Lifestyle (GLBT)."

Marc Jacobs goes blueberry for Halloween.

40 minutes with Tori Amos.

Historic gay rights meeting held in Uganda. Pastor: "Never before has there been such a far reaching well organised and professional gay public debate in this country."

Introducing the new gay stereotype.

Kentucky court rules that high school student can "pursue nominal damages" from his school district over anti-harassment training given to students: "The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the Boyd County school district's policy provided a 'chill' on student Timothy Allen Morrison's ability to profess his Christian beliefs and opposition to homosexuality. The ruling sends the case back to U.S. District Judge David Bunning for a hearing on damages. Judge Karen Nelson Moore, joined by Judge John R. Adams, wrote that the allegation of a policy stifling free speech is enough to allow Morrison to seek damages. To make his case, the judges said, Morrison must show that the policy would 'deter a person of ordinary firmness' from exercising free speech rights. Joel Oster, an attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund, a Scottsdale, Ariz., Christian law group that represented Morrison, said the ruling has left him 'ecstatic.'...'It's everything we could have hoped for,' Oster said. 'This vindicates our client's constitutional rights.'"

Meet the recycled World Trade Center. (warning: site NSFW)

Journal of Urban Health STUDY: 1 in 3 gay men report being abused in a relationship. "The study is published in the most recent edition of the Journal of Urban Health. McKirnan and graduate student Eric Houston studied surveys filled out by 817 men through the Howard Brown Health Center, which primarily serves the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community from its North Side (Chicago) location. More than 32 percent of the men reported experiencing verbal, physical or sexual abuse in an intimate relationship. Just under 20 percent said they were physically or sexually abused. As with women, poorly educated and low-income men were more likely to be victims. However, minorities did not show higher rates of abuse."

More hearings held on New Jersey civil unions. Verdict: they're falling short.

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FEMA Fakes Wildfire Press Conference, Apologizes

Fraud at the highest levels.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency apologized Friday for a hastily organized news conference on the California wildfires in which they had their own staffers pose as reporters because no actual news media was on the scene at the time. FEMA also posed questions to which deputy administrator Harvey Johnson provided self-congratulatory answers.

Reuters reports: "The agency had called the briefing with about 15 minutes notice as federal officials headed for southern California to oversee and assist in firefighting and rescue efforts. Reporters were also given a telephone number to listen in on but could not ask questions. But with no reporters on hand and an agency video camera providing a feed carried live by some television networks, FEMA press employees posed the questions for Johnson that included: 'Are you happy with FEMA's response so far?' According to Friday's [Washington Post] account, which Walker confirmed, Johnson replied that he was 'very happy with FEMA's response so far.' He also said the agency had the benefit of 'good leadership' and other factors, 'none of which were present at Katrina.' Chertoff was head of the Homeland Security Department during Katrina."

Chertoff's office called the handling of the news conference "inexcusable and offensive."

MSNBC has a transcript of the fake news conference.

You may have missed...
Milwaukee Pastor Blames California Wildfires on Tolerance of Gays [tr]
Evacuation Nightmare as Wildfires Sear Southern California [tr]

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Milwaukee Pastor Blames California Wildfires on Tolerance of Gays

DailyKos published an email yesterday from anti-abortion pastor Matt Trewhella that was sent out to his supporters. Trewhella is a Milwaukee-based wingnut of the Falwell school of thinking, apparently. According to DailyKos, "Matt Trewhella is known by law enforcement, and was investigated by the FBI in the mid 90's during the murders of abortion doctors and clinic workers." Trewhella blames the California fires on the state's new education law which bans school instruction or activities which could be perceived as negative towards gay, bisexual, or transgender people.

Here's part of the email:

***

Subject: The Righteous Judgment of God
Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2007 03:00:18 +0000

Dear Friends,

Last week I groaned when I read how Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill into law in California which foisted homosexuality upon the children of that state through the state school system. The bill was SB777 and it clearly redefines (perverts) what sexuality is, as well as promotes the legitmacy of homosexuality upon children starting from kindergarten on up. He signed the bill on Saturday, October 13th.

Seven days later on October 20th, wildfires broke out across California in several places.

***

Come to think of it, I wonder if the Phelps clan has sent out an alert? Why yes, they have.

Anti-abortion pastor blames wildfires on "homosexual" law [tr]

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Evacuation Nightmare as Wildfires Sear Southern California

More than 250,000 households have been told to evacuate in San Diego as wildfires rage around Southern California. The satellite shots above of the Los Angeles area were taken about three hours apart and show how quickly the Santa Ana winds can turn a containable wildfire into a raging inferno:

"The air is hot not because it is bringing heat from the desert, but because it is flowing downslope from higher elevations. As fall progresses, cold air begins to sink into the Great Basin deserts to the east of California. As the air piles up at the surface, high pressure builds, and the air begins to flow downslope toward the coast. When winds blow downslope, the air gets compressed, which causes it to warm and dry out. In fact, the air can warm at a rate of 29 degrees Fahrenheit per mile. Canyons and passes funnel the winds, which increases their speed. Not only do the winds spread the fire, but they also dry out vegetation, making it even more flammable."

Things are looking quite frightening around most of SoCal, including the Irvine area, below.

Those of you in danger are in our thoughts.

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News: O.J. Simpson, Humberto, Macalester, Amy Winehouse

New Jersey school district split over film depicting same-sex parents: "Emily describes her interracial family — her father is of European descent and her mother’s background is Asian — this way: 'It doesn’t mean you have to be a rat to marry a rat. You can be a rat and marry a mouse.' But at another point in a state-approved educational video shown to third graders here, Daniel introduces his parents: 'These are my two dads.' Another child says, 'It’s really cool have to two gay dads, because they brought us into a home, and they adopted us, and they love us.' That was enough to entangle this wealthy suburb of 45,000, about 15 miles east of Philadelphia, in a heated debate among parents and educators."

Hurricane Humberto's record blow-up: "Humberto didn't exist until late Wednesday afternoon, and wasn't even a tropical storm until almost midday, strengthening from a tropical depression with 35-mph winds to a hurricane with 85-mph winds in just 18 hours, senior hurricane specialist James Franklin said at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. 'To put this development in perspective, no tropical cyclone in the historical record has ever reached this intensity at a faster rate near landfall. It would be nice to know, someday, why this happened,' Franklin said."

Big Brokeback Mountain screening at the Castro Theater this Sunday — props and costumes from the film on display.

OJ Simpson questioned in Las Vegas casino theft.

Almost married in Iowa: "Inside the Polk County Administration Building, we traversed a hallway, followed by TV crews and cameras. We signed and notarized our application, and headed to the courthouse to waive the three-day waiting period, which required a judge’s signature. Our plan was to be married in Iowa City by dusk. When we met the judge, Pam and I introduced ourselves, and explained our request. His response was devastating: 'I apologize, but the judge just issued an immediate stay, pending appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court. I am so sorry.'"

Kylie Minogue readies "2 Hearts" for release.

HIV variant offers fresh vaccine hope.

Oregon bigots struggle to get 55,179 valid signatures necessary to suspend gay rights laws from going into effect on January 1: "Let's just say that we're not there yet."

Tallest building in China rises above Shanghai.

Lesbian mom battles Amazon over Tuition and Textbooks Sweepstakes.

Amy Winehouse's childhood album. Today is her 24th birthday.

Neil Patrick Harris talks to Ellen about no longer having to hide his boyfriend David Burtka at the Emmys.

Student car at Macalester College vandalized in hate crime: "A Macalester student's car was 'vandalized with homophobic graffiti and damaged' last Saturday night or Sunday morning, according to a Bulletin Flash sent Tuesday to the Macalester community. The car was parked North of campus, near the corner of Summit Ave. and Fry St. There is no evidence Macalester students were involved in the crime. The Executive Board of Macalester College Student Government (MCSG) called for 'a student response' in a statement sent to students on Wednesday. 'We support every student who is a part of this community, and this will not go overlooked,' the MCSG statement said. 'We are a small community and this will undoubtedly send ripples to every corner of campus.'" Macalester was recently named the most gay-friendly college in the country by The Princeton Review.

Gay rights activists in Taipei demonstrate outside Nicaraguan embassy over country's sodomy laws.

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Hurricane Felix Makes Landfall in Nicaragua as Category 5 Storm

Hurricane Felix has come ashore in Nicaragua with brutal 160 mph winds. For the first time since 1886, two Category 5 hurricanes have made landfall in the same season. Hurricane Dean pounded Mexico's Yucatan peninsula as a Category 5 early in the morning on August 21st.

The Associated Press reports on Felix: "The storm hit near the swampy Nicaragua-Honduras border, home to thousands of stranded Miskito Indians dependent on canoes to make their way to safety...Some 350 people were evacuated along Nicaragua's coast. Many other Miskito Indians refused to leave low-lying areas and head to shelters set up in schools, and the newspaper La Prensa reported that 20 fishermen were missing. Communication to the area was cut off, and it was impossible to find out what was happening as the storm's winds began hitting the remote, swampy area, much of it reachable only by canoe. The Nicaraguan government sent in some soldiers before the storm hit, but was preparing to send in more help once the hurricane passed."

Hopefully those in harm's way made it to higher ground.

Hurricane Felix track...

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News: Leona Helmsley, Earthquakes, Gay TV, Larry Craig

POLL: 55% in Idaho say Larry Craig should resign.

1955: The "homosexual underworld" of Boise, Idaho.

The Orlando "love triangle" deaths involving GOP consultant Ralph Gonzalez, may or may not be connected to the murder of gay porn producer Bryan Kocis. The possible connection? This man, ex-Marine Jason Drake, who allegedly killed the two Orlando-based consultants before killing himself.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro tips Clinton-Obama ticket to win election: "The word today is that an apparently unbeatable ticket could be Hillary for president and Obama as her running mate."

The Beckhams hit the beach in Malibu.

LROQ in Los Angeles spins "Lean Like a Homo": " The song is sung by an effeminate male, who raps about anal sex, poppers, and desiring actor Zac Efron's penis. Some of the lyrics include 'Asscheeks up, spread them wide... That's how we live, party, and play, every single day for the gay.' The song appears to be a takeoff on Latino performer Down AKA Kilo's 'Lean Like a Cholo.'"

Katie Couric headed to Iraq and Syria to lift ratings of the CBS Evening News: "Anchor travel is expensive and in this case dangerous. News orgs do it to goose ratings, draw attention to the story or the newscaster, or secure higher-profile interviews than a correspondent could. But Couric herself was critical of the notion of traveling for the sake of travel before she started the CBS job last summer. Couric said in August '06 that she would only undertake such trips, 'if I feel strongly that my presence will advance a story, that I'm not just window dressing to show that I'm at a particular story, which I think does happen quite frankly in certain situations.'"

Rich bitch: Leona Helmsley leaves her dog $12 million in will. Two grandchildren get nothing for "reasons that they are aware of".

Los Angeles and the Mojave Desert seismically linked, say researchers: "This claim from a new study might come as a surprise to L.A. residents, who have been shaken by the 1994 Northridge quake, the Whittier quake in 1987 and numerous other temblors big and small. But even the Northridge quake, the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history at the time, was 'a drop in the bucket' compared with the massive jolts expected during high seismic activity, said researcher James Dolan of the University of Southern California."

BoiFromTroy lines up College Football's hottest men.

Hungarian radio station fired two employees after they published a photo on the station's website depicting State Secretary Gabor Szetey, the first openly gay Hungarian politician, standing outside Auschwitz wearing a pink triangle.

What's gay on TV this season? AfterElton has a preview: "The bad news is that by our count, not a single new scripted network show features a gay character in a lead or supporting role. Several shows have hinted they may add a gay character at some point in the future, but as for now there are no new characters for gay viewers. There are, however, two transgender characters on new shows and one is played by a transgender actress."

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News: Hurricane Dean, Keith Olbermann, Survivor, Faye Dunaway

Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota named most gay-friendly school.

Hurricane Dean makes landfall on Mexican coast as Category 5 monster storm: "The U.S. National Hurricane Center said it was the first Category 5 storm to make landfall in the Atlantic Basin since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Dean was still packing sustained winds of 165 miles per hour (268 kph), with gust of up to 200 mph when it came ashore, but was expected to weaken as it passed over the Yucatan Peninsula."

Cast of Survivor: China includes 22-year-old gay Mormon Todd Herzog who says he is prepared to "gather wood and sh*t."

Faye Dunaway orders poultry by the pound at Koo Koo Roo: "She ordered chicken and broccoli to go, and then she sat at a table with her food container. She pulled a tiny scale out of her purse and . . . proceeded to pull the chicken meat off the bones and weigh it. She piled the bones and skin on a napkin. She carefully weighed the chicken meat and broccoli, and the broccoli was a little short, so she went to the counter and asked for more."

Despite "huge" LGBT population, teens in the Bronx live on the down low or face harassment: "LGBT youth say that Bronx schools are particularly tough environments. 'I'm considered, like, a dyke in my school,' said 15-year old Angel S., who has knife scars on her right knee from a fight. A boy 'pushed me down a flight of stairs because I liked his girlfriend.'"

Officials knew Minneapolis bridge was in danger of collapse: "Internal MnDOT documents reviewed by the Star Tribune reveal that last year bridge officials talked openly about the possibility of the bridge collapsing -- and worried that it might have to be condemned. The documents provide the first look inside MnDOT's decision-making process as engineers weighed benefits and risks, wrestling with options to prevent what they believed was a remote but real possibility of the eight-lane freeway bridge failing."

Arjan interviews Danish dance duo Junior Senior.

Testing the water: Countdown with Keith Olbermann to get tryout on NBC prior to this Sunday's Eagles/Steelers game.

It's Corny Collins time!

Gary Steinsmith, gay activist in South Florida, dies at 50.

Amy Winehouse leaves rehab again.

Chilean gay activists cry foul over sodomy conviction: "On Aug. 10, a panel of judges in Antofagasta, Region II, found a 47-year-old laborer guilty of sodomizing a 17-year-old male. Because the accused had no previous criminal record, the court sentenced him to 41 days in jail – far less than the 541-day jail term prosecutors had recommended. The case began when police discovered the two having sex in a pickup truck. Although the young man in question – just 12 days shy of his 18th birthday at the time of the incident – testified that the sex was consensual, prosecutors nevertheless pursued the case, arguing that the accused 'corrupted the child’s sexual morality.' The ruling – the first sodomy conviction to be issued in Region II since the country’s criminal law procedures were overhauled in 2001 – was not well received by the Movement for Homosexual Integration and Freedom (MOVILH), Chile’s leading gay rights organization...Chile’s Criminal Code is biased against homosexuals, MOVILH claims. One problem is a major discrepancy regarding the legal age of sexual consent: 14, for heterosexuals, 18 for homosexuals. MOVILH describes the difference as 'arbitrary, unjust and hypocritical.'"

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Hurricane Dean Cuts Swath Through Caribbean

Hurrican Dean scraped the southern coast of Jamaica overnight before moving into open water and strengthening as it rapidly approached Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Landfall is expected there Monday night.

Above: Vast, beautiful, and deadly Dean seen from the International Space Station.

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News: James Holsinger, Andy Baldwin, NYC Hurricane, Sopranos

Seattle man beaten by group after being taunted with a gay slur: "On Sunday, the couple was together about 2:40 a.m. in the 700 block of East Pike Street when they heard someone utter a slur toward gay men, according to a police report. The victim, a man in his 20s, turned and approached the man who made the comment. That man, who was with a group, punched the victim and threw him to the ground, at which point four to six others joined in the attack, according to a police report. The victim suffered a cut behind his left ear. Firefighters treated him at the scene, a police report said. The group ran to a nearby car and sped away."

Some gay fans call for a boycott of Hairspray because of John Travolta, Scientology, and the cult's position on gays.

Gay marriage bill likely to pass State Assembly in New York. Senate a tougher nut.

New Fest: The New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival award winners announced

Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell endorses Bush's anti-gay Surgeon General nominee James Holsinger: "Dr. Holsinger is a proven leader who has dedicated his career to improving health education and services in Kentucky and across the nation. He is an excellent choice for Surgeon General and I look forward to his quick confirmation."

Jake Gyllenhaal spends some time with his fans.

More on Armistead Maupin's new tome Michael Tolliver Lives: "Instead of randy hippies who smoke joints, as they did when the series began in 1976, the aging lefties of 'Michael Tolliver Lives' pop joint and arthritis pills. Instead of plotting nightly sexual conquests, as they did as 20-something singles, many profess shock at the level of promiscuousness practiced by today's youth."

Anti-gay Republican presidential hopeful Tom Tancredo's campaign webmaster Tyler Whitney is outed. Said Tancredo's senior advisor Bay Buchanan: "A person's sexual preference is a personal matter and has nothing to do with the campaign."

Sopranos creator David Chase on the show's uneventful finale: "I have no interest in explaining, defending, reinterpreting, or adding to what is there. No one was trying to be audacious, honest to God. We did what we thought we had to do. No one was trying to blow people's minds, or thinking, 'Wow, this'll (tick) them off.' People get the impression that you're trying to (mess) with them and it's not true. You're trying to entertain them."

Bachelor Andy Baldwin takes to the surf in Hawaii.

U.S. States renamed for countries with similar GDPs. (via kottke)

NYC due for major hurricane, experts say: "The last hurricane to hit New York was the so-called Long Island Express in 1938. It killed 50 people on the Island, more than 700 along the Eastern seaboard. In the years since, hurricanes with names like Bob, Floyd, and Gloria, have also made an impact, but we've been spared a direct hit. Experts say a major hurricane could pack 130 mph winds, and a 30-foot storm surge. There would be flooding in all five boroughs, the subways and much of lower Manhattan could be under water. Damage estimates would top $100 billion."

Ted Allen talks desert island cuisine: "First of all, I'm not eating Carson [Kressley]. He'd be all stringy. Carson is a little too lean. Tom Colicchio is a delicious-looking man, but I think I'd have to go with Rupert. Many of us in the community would find him the most delicious. If we're on a desert island, I'd dig a pit. Something spicy or sort of Caribbean would be good for Rupert Everett."

Kevin Spacey attended the Tony Awards after-party at the Hotel on Rivington's penthouse with his dog Minnie.

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News: Paris Hilton, Supernova, Annie Lennox, Massachusetts

Massachusetts gay marriage supporters "scramble to change minds on Beacon Hill" as vote on proposed amendment banning gay marriage approaches: "They are inviting skeptical lawmakers into the homes of recently married gay couples, holding ice cream socials, distributing pro-gay marriage DVDs and even asking the state’s congressional delegation to appeal directly to legislators who may be on the fence."

Scientists spot massive supernova 240 million light-years from Earth: "Of all the exploding stars ever observed, this was the king. We were astonished to see how bright it got, and how long it lasted." 50 billion times brighter than the sun.

Experimental and horror film director Curtis Harrington has died at 78.

Extreme Home Makeover's Ty Pennington in drunk driving arrest.

Elizabeth Hasselbeck, Peyton Manning among guests at White House state dinner for Queen Elizabeth. (list)

War in Iraq slowing National Guard's emergency response in Kansas following massive Greensburg tornado.

Paris Hilton plans to present a petition to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger asking for a pardon following a judge's order that she spend 45 days incarcerated for driving violations. The petition reads, in part: "We, the American public who support Paris, are shocked, dismayed and appalled by how Paris has been the person to be used as an example that Drunk Driving is wrong. We do not support drunk driving or DUI charges. Paris should have been sober. But she shouldn't go to jail, either. She provides hope for young people all over the U.S. and the world. She provides beauty and excitement to (most of) our otherwise mundane lives." Where to begin?

Austin, Texas gets a gay community center.

Brad Pitt to play He-Man in film adaptation?

16-year-old daughter of Annie Lennox trashes home while mum is away: 'At first it was just lamps being knocked over and drinks being spilled. But as things got worse people were urinating on the carpet in the corner of the living room, then there was graffiti being scrawled on and even etched into the walls, pictures were being taken down and damaged, CDs went missing, books were taken off bookshelves and pages were inexplicably ripped out. Lola's friends were totally outnumbered and the gate-crashers would not leave. The front door was locked shut to make sure no one else could get in, but the ones outside actually rammed it in, breaking its hinges. There was a fight in the garden, someone had deliberately filled the sink with detergent and let it run over so it flood the place. There was vomit on the stairs, and cigarette burns on the carpets, cans and bottles strewn inside and out. The place was a like a bombsite." (via a socialite's life)

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Kansas F5 Tornado: If You Think You Had a Rough Weekend

Check out this series of aerial shots of what little is left of Greensburg, Kansas. It's hard to look at these photos and not be astonished. Just tragic.

It was the first F5 (highest category) tornado to hit the counry in eight years: "Meteorologists of the National Weather Service said Friday night's tornado had wind estimated at 205mph, and carved a track 1.7 miles wide and 22 miles long."

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News: Hairspray, Knut, Day of Silence, Cannes Film Festival

"Day of Silence" tensions, combined with the recent fever over violence at Virginia Tech, lead to lockdown at Indiana High School: "The Day of Silence at New Castle Chrysler High School coincided with a national Day of Silence and aimed to support gay, bisexual and transgender students. 'People were in their shirts for it, people were in their shirts against it, and it just caused a lot of drama that I didn't think was needed,' said student Kayla Boyles."

Berlin's global warming icon, Knut the baby polar bear, is the target of an anonymous death threat.

Middlebury College in Vermont, one of the Advocate's top 100 colleges for gays and lesbians, is tagged with anti-gay graffiti.

Netflix cashes in on Virginia Tech killings, featuring Oldboy, film killer modeled himself after.

Line-up announced for Cannes Film Festival: Wong Kar Wai's My Blueberry Nights to open fest; Gus van Sant back in competition with Paranoid Park...

ERUPTING: Thousands flee Colombian volcano.

Purported David Beckham nude an instant internet hit!

Gaydar founder Gary Frisch, who plunged to his death from an eighth-floor balcony in early February, was found to have raised levels of ketamine in his body: "Estate agent Stephen Ruddock was standing outside a nearby building when he saw Mr Frisch's body hit the ground. He said Mr Frisch shouted 'Waheey' moments before he plunged to his death. Mr Ruddock said: 'It was a celebratory thing. I saw his body come into my line of sight. It arced in the air and hit the ground.' Pathologist Dr Peter Wilkins said raised levels of ketamine were found in Mr Frisch's blood and liver. He added: 'It can have similar effects to LSD, confusion and hallucinations.' Recording a verdict of misadventure, the coroner, Dr Paul Knapman, said: "I don't think that it can be said he intended to kill himself. 'This is not suicide at all. He jumped to his death from the balcony of his flat on the eighth floor while under the influence of drugs.'"

Baby pilot whale found swimming in Brooklyn, dies.

Hairspray trailer hits the internet Aqua Net.

Kathmandu, Nepal gets its first gay beauty salon: "The salon, which offers regular beauty parlour services like haircuts, facials, manicures and pedicures, is also a training academy for members of the gay community who want to train as beauticians. The first batch of 10 young metis - gay men who dress as women - is running the salon under the aegis of the Blue Diamond Society (BDS), Nepal's sole gay rights group." The Blue Diamond Society recently received two awards from the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission for grassroots groups making an impact in gay rights.

The Emma dilemma: "A 7-year-old girl is at the center of a court battle that is equal parts gay rights struggle, jurisdictional quandary and legal ethics question."

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