News: Survival, Mike Huckabee, Westboro, Gay Television

Rudolf Brazda, possibly the last gay Holocaust survivor, just published a new book outlining his ordeal. "People need to know that we homosexuals were persecuted by people who themselves were also gay," said the 98-year old.

Homophobic conservative Mike Huckabee isn't running for president, but he still plays a formidable role.

Russell T. Davies, creator of Queer as Folk, Torchwood and the Doctor Who remake, is working on a new Showtime series about gay men. It is called Cucumber, which sounds promising.

Here's a reason to relocate to Cambridge, Massachusetts: the city council approved a stipend for married LGBT public workers who pay federal taxes that heterosexuals don't have to pay.

Glee actor Darren Criss jumps for joy. And why shouldn't he?

Eagle co-owner Robert Kelley reacts to the APD dismissal of six officers over the 2009 raid on his bar: “I feel like I've been punished for doing absolutely nothing wrong while these people are getting a little letter stuck in their file saying everything is OK."

Westboro Baptist Church continues protesting at soldiers' funerals.

A species of stick insect is facing extinction after 1.5 million years of asexuality. Coincidence?

About 1,618 couples have filed for civil unions since Illinois' new law went into effect last month.

The leftist International League of People's Struggle reiterated its support for LGBT rights. Homophobic Representative Steve King will love that.

Ordination of clergy in same-sex relationships officially begins for the Presbyterian Church here in the States. Remarked one pastor on the historic move, “The Presbyterian Church is best when we live in unity amongst diversity... This will truly give the church equally to all ordain people.”

Will and Kate look right at home on Hollywood's red carpet.

So does Jason Bateman.

Another strong earthquake struck Japan today. No injuries have been reported, thankfully.

New Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta says defeat of al-Qeada is "within reach." Wonderful, but that won't end terrorism.

Former football player Akil Patterson knows the relief of coming out.

News: Space Shuttle, Education Attack, Murdoch, Closed Site

Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez claims that California's FAIR Education Act, which includes LGBT history in social studies courses, is an attack on the family: "[The law is] dangerous government intrusion into parents' rights [that] amounts to the government rewriting history books based on pressure-group politics." Actually, they're rewriting history to include actual historical events that helped shape our country.

Are Marcus Bachmann and Waiting For Guffman's Corky St. Clair the same person?

Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty actually seems to know quite a bit about Lady Gaga.

Brooklyn Bishop refuses to accept lawmakers who voted for marriage equality: "Bishop DiMarzio has requested that all gifts received from politicians supporting same-sex marriage legislation be refused."

The United States are growing more and more obese, and Mississippi is leading the way. Colorado, meanwhile, is the skinniest state.

Nancy Grace is going to lose her mind: Casey Anthony gets out of jail next Wednesday.

Remarking on New York's marriage equality law, National Catholic Reporter says church's leadership "has lost most of its credibility with the wider culture on matters of sexuality and personal morality, just as it has lost its authority within the Catholic community on the same issues."

Tim Pawlenty aid Vin Weber was forced to apologize after saying the Michele Bachmann has "sex appeal." "I made a mistake that was disrespectful to my friend Congresswoman Bachmann. I've been a Bachmann supporter in her congressional bids and I apologize. I was not speaking on behalf of Governor Pawlenty's campaign but nevertheless, it was inappropriate and I'm sorry," he said.

Rupert Murdoch's News of the World will close its doors amidst hacking scandal.

Some thoughts on President Obama sending condolence cards to families of soldiers who take their own lives: "This is a much more compassionate and fair policy, which acknowledges that the service of someone who ends hir own life is no less valuable than the service of someone whose life is taken by an enemy, especially since, in most cases, it's effectively the war that kills them either way."

How long can President Obama ignore medical marijuana?

DOWNLOAD: Buffetlibre's remix of Adele's "Someone Like You."

California officials are warning paparazzi to give Prince William and Princess Duchess Kate plenty of room during their visit to the Golden State.

NASA's final space shuttle flight goes up tomorrow, and, if this Pew poll is any indication, Americans clearly wish there were more on the horizon: "Fifty years after the first American manned space flight, nearly six-in-ten (58%) say it is essential that the United States continue to be a world leader in space exploration; about four-in-ten say this is not essential (38%)."

In other space news, Saturn's storms are gorgeous.

Mariah Carey needed a helping hand getting into the gym. Who doesn't?

Justin Timberlake tells Elle that his mom once walked in on him in bed with a girl: “I was caught one time. My mom wasn’t cool about it. I was too young to be in bed with a girl, so she was upset.” Was it Britney?

Lawrence King's former classmates testified that they saw Brandon McInerney shoot the slain student.

Molly Blooms, an Irish pub in Queens, will host a free wedding reception for a same-sex couple that ties the knot under New York's new marriage equality law.

The costume Yvonne Craig wore when she played Batgirl is being auctioned off.

New York City's clerk offices will be open on July 24th, a Sunday, for all of your gay marriage needs.

Gay news site PageOneQ has closed.

San Diego gay bookstore Obelisk damaged in building fire.

News: South Korea, Closed Club, Ex-Gays, Eruption

Family Research Council's Tony Perkins versus the Log Cabin Republicans.

LISTEN: Video for Kelly Clarkson's new single, "Let Me Down."

So You Think You Can Dance choreographer Travis Wall discusses the new season, "coming out" on Twitterand his boyfriend, with whom he'll soon star on a reality show.

al-Qaeda is now training its terrorists on how to avoid getting caught up in a "honey trap," the term used for foreign spies posing as beautiful women. The first suggestion? Pray for strength. The second? Pretend you're gay: "The second thing is to find an excuse to get away from her that is realistic and sensible, such as you having a girlfriend for the past few years and you are loyal to her or you are ­homosexual."

In related news, terrorists reportedly want implant bombs in their bodies to bypass airport security. Remember when flying wasn't scary?

What would a royal Canadian tour be without a bit of hockey?

Here's what Michele Bachmann had to say about nefarious "ex-gay" group Love Won Out in 2004: "I know that Love Won Out will present the truth about homosexuality and present it in a compassionate and loving manner."

The 2018 Winter Olympics will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

If you're a New Yorker and want to be married on the first day same-sex marriages are legal, head to Binghamton.

Southern Australia's volcanoes, including Mount Gambier, are "overdue" for explosions.

Women politicians are breaking glass ceilings, yes, but the Barbara Lee Family Foundation tells me that voters still treat them differently than men.

How to spend $1 million at Tiffany & Co.

As quixotic presidential candidate Herman Cain's campaign falls apart, his staffers are resorting to childish, discriminatory infighting, including calling each other gay.

Is "ex-gay" leader Alan Chambers proof that LGBT people can "turn straight?" No, of course not, because there is no such thing as an "ex-gay," but that doesn't stop conservative publication Charisma from saying that it does.

Mitt Romney raised $18.25 million for his presidential campaign last quarter, putting him way ahead of the GOP pack.

Natalie Portman has reportedly named her son Alef, the Hebrew word for "leader."

Scottish LGBT activists are rallying to stop homophobic businessman Brian Souter from being knighted: "The 'Withdraw Brian Souter’s Knighthood' campaign is calling for this knighthood to be retracted in support of the people who suffer from homophobic or transphobic bullying and harassment, and to send a clear message to homophobes that this kind of behaviour should no longer be overlooked when awarding British citizens this high honour."

DC gay club Apex has closed its doors after nearly three decades.

Nancy Grace pulled no punches in her reaction to the Casey Anthony verdict, saying, "The Devil dances tonight." It seems like a joke, but it's not.

Opposition to marriage equality has waned a bit in Virginia, but the "nays" still have it.

Three words: Jon. Hamm. Beard. 'Nuff said.

Watch: Randy Rainbow the Morning After the Royal Wedding

Randy Rainbow compares morning after notes with various other Royal Wedding participants.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Royal Wedding Invite Declined by Crown Prince of Bahrain After Objection from Gay Rights Activists and Other Groups

The Crown Prince of Bahrain Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa has declined an invitation to Britain's Royal Wedding following controversy over his inclusion on the invite list:

The prince said he had delayed sending his regrets, hoping for the situation in Bahrain to improve before Prince William and Kate Middleton marry on April 29, his office said in a statement.

He said the British media had "misrepresented" his stance and "clearly sought to involve my potential attendance as a political proxy for wider matters involving Bahrain".

Media reports had speculated that the prince would withdraw to avoid embarrassment after the bloody crackdown on mainly Shia Muslim protesters in Bahrain left at least 24 people dead.

Rights groups had criticized Al-Khalifa as well as several other foreign leaders who are on the invite list to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, AFP reports:

Anti-monarchy campaign group Republic hit out at inclusion of royals from not only Bahrain but also Saudi Arabia, Oman, Brunei, Qatar, Swaziland, Lesotho, Bhutan and Kuwait.

"This guest list reads like a 'Who's Who' of tyrants and their cronies," Republic chief Graham Smith said.

"Whatever happened to William's supposedly strong social conscience? He must take personal responsibility for this and rescind the invitations immediately."

Leading gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said the invitations of "royal tyrants" from Bahrain, Swaziland and Saudi Arabia were a "massive misjudgement".

St James's Palace said it had sought advice from Britain's foreign ministry on guests from abroad.

Royal Wedding Protest for Marriage Equality at Buckingham Palace

UPDATED

Supporters of marriage equality are rallying this morning at Buckingham Palace as I post this. At the event, organized by Equal Love UK and Outrage!, demonstrators will present a giant wedding card to William and Kate.

They write:

As well as wishing the royal couple every happiness, they will also highlight the fact that William and Kate can marry, but same-sex couples can’t. The Buckingham Palace event will urge the royal couple to support moves to end the ban on gay marriage. We want equal marriage rights for all couples, regardless of sexual orientation.

Said the card:

"Congratulations William and Kate on your Wedding Day. We wish you a happy life together. You can get married, gay people can't. We are banned by law. We ask you to support marriage equality. Equal=Love."

Said activist Peter Tatchell, organizer of the event:

Our event will urge the royal couple to support moves to end the ban on gay marriage. We want equal marriage rights for all couples, regardless of sexual orientation.  Kate and William had a choice. They could get married, or not. Same-sex couples don’t have this choice. We are banned from marriage by law. Even if you don’t agree with marriage, the prohibition on gay marriage is homophobic and should be overturned. Don’t let the government dictate that LGBTI people can’t get married.  The 25 April is not a celebration of the monarchy or marriage (many of us are critical of both). It is an affirmation of our opposition to discrimination in marriage law. We want to show our support for the right of everyone to be able to choose whether or not to get married."

Tatchell has staged similar protests (above) at the wedding events of Charles and Camilla.

(image via twitter squeever)