News: Tom Hanks, Costume Gala, McCain Judges, Santacruzans

House owned by gay escort to socialites James Hunt Barker burns in Palm Beach, Florida.

Britney back as Neil Patrick Harris' trophy gal on How I Met Your Mother.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual Costume Institute gala was themed Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy, but I didn't see many capes or codpieces.

Matthew McConaughey to play Captain America?

In anticipation of Brothers and Sisters' big gay wedding this weekend, GLAAD has put together a handy reference guide to weddings of same-sex couples on broadcast networks.

Publishers Weekly on the state of gay book publishing: "In my view, it is clear that today there is less and less visible publishing of gay and lesbian books. Carroll & Graf, Alyson and Harrington Park Press—in recent years the most energetic publishers of gay/lesbian fiction and nonfiction—have all either failed, drastically reduced their list of GLBT titles, or have been undergoing serial management/ownership changes. As for what most folks would consider the mainstream publishing houses, they are publishing far less of what could credibly be labeled 'gay or lesbian books' than they were 10 years ago. But what I find more distressing is that even those books that they do publish are packaged and promoted in such a way as to downplay or ignore the gay or lesbian aspect of the book."

"Official celebrity" Tom Hanks releases video endorsement of Barack Obama.

Beloved Provincetown local "Dixie" dies in accident at home.

McCain wooing conservatives with promises on judges: "McCain promised to appoint judges who, in the mold of Roberts and Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, are likely to limit the reach of the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. 'They would serve as the model for my own nominees if that responsibility falls to me,' McCain said in his prepared speech."

McCain aides attribute Hagee endorsement to "poor vetting": "McCain’s aides attribute the Hagee controversy to poor vetting. But even some Republicans (not affiliated with the campaign) privately wonder how the pastor’s extreme views slipped through without notice. McCain personally wooed Hagee for more than a year." Frank Rich: "Any 12-year-old with a laptop could have vetted this preacher in 30 seconds, tops."

Is Banksy the Michelangelo of graffiti?

If Brad Pitt and U2's The Edge were a gay couple with a family, this is what it might look like.

Filipino Cardinal bans gay Santacruzans: "Parishes that allow cross-dressing homosexuals to play female saints in religious festivals are insulting the Virgin Mary, the nation’s top Catholic cleric said Monday. 'We should keep sacred what is sacred,' Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales said as he admonished parishes for allowing male homosexuals to play Saint Helena and other female roles traditionally given to local beauty queens. But leaders of the gay community maintained that “Marian devotees” among them deserved a place in the Maytime tradition."

Ian Strachan to appeal conviction for gay blackmail of British Royal.

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Royal Blackmailers Found Guilty in Britain

Ian Strachan and Sean McGuigan, the two men at the center of a £50,000 extortion plot targeting a member of the British royal family which involved taped recordings of the Royal discussing gay sex and drug use, were found guilty today by an Old Bailey jury, the BBC reports:

"Strachan, 31, of Fulham, west London, and McGuigan, 41, of Battersea, south London, had denied charges of demanding money with menaces. Among the claims in the recordings were that the married royal, referred to as witness A, performed a sex act on his employee, witness D, at a party. Strachan and McGuigan had used the tapes to demand money from the royal after trying, unsuccessfully, to sell them to newspapers. The two men were arrested in a sting operation at a London hotel by undercover police officers last September."

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News: Elizabeth Taylor, Old Trees, Heatherette, 'Ex-Gay' Protests

Protest as hundreds gather in Mountain View, California to 'pray the gay away': " A traveling national conference billed as an event 'to provide help for those struggling - and those whose loved ones struggle - with unwanted same-sex attractions,' drew about 700 people to a Mountain View church on Saturday. The gathering at the evangelical Christian church, Abundant Life Christian Fellowship, also drew a small protest by members of the Bay Area's gay and lesbian community incensed by the conference topic, the longstanding controversy on whether gays can be 'converted' - or turned into so-called 'ex-gays' through a Christian 'step out' program."

Details beats up Ashton Kutcher.

Marilyn Monroe sex tape unearthed, sold for $1.5 million.

Hundreds protest marriage equality in Norway: "The protesters included immigrants and native Norwegians, and they came from the villages and the cities. All were firmly against marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples."

Royal blackmailers Ian Strachan and Sean McGuigan head to court to face charges.

Search on for Hollywood actor to play first man on the Moon, Neil Armstrong.

Gay fashion duo Heatherette out of business. "The demise of Heatherette has been months in the making. The label actually canceled their fashion week show in February, though founder Traver Rains claimed at the time that he and partner Richie Rich were simply reorganizing the company and would be back in time for next fashion week. The reorganization was supposed to involve finding a new financial backer after Rich and Rains burned through the $6 million given to them by the Weisfeld Group, owner of urban streetwear outfit FUBU; a source tells Radar that the duo's efforts were unsuccessful, and that Rains and Travers have now amicably parted ways."

Have scientists found the oldest living trees?

With opening of Chaps II, leather scene returning to San Francisco's SoMA district: "On Friday, David Morgan threw open the doors to Chaps II, the most recent indication that leather is making a comeback in SoMa. 'There's a resurgence happening,' said Morgan, 39. 'A lot of people have been saying the leather scene was dead, but there just wasn't a place for people to meet up. ... Gearing up in leather and going to a bar where you're the only one dressed is kind of like a woman going to a bar in a ball gown while everyone else is in T-shirts.' Chaps II, at 1225 Folsom St., is named for Chaps, a bar that operated from 1983-85 on 11th Street, where the DNA Lounge is now located. Appropriately enough, Chaps II hosted a meet-and-greet to open the 30th anniversary Mr. San Francisco Leather contest, which concluded Sunday. Next year, one of the contest's events might take place at another leather bar, Hole in the Wall, which Morgan says plans to reopen soon."

Suicidal Tendencies or homosexual ones?

Orlando Bloom loves New York.

Elizabeth Taylor recently O.D.ed on prescription drugs and booze.

Lesbian couple told to "act straight" in UK pub: “We were told to make our sexuality less obvious. The landlord said there were complaints that the pub had too many dykes.”

POLL: Parents find men kissing more offensive than severed heads in video games.

Gay man arrested for using gay slur towards a police officer: "A gay man has been accused of homophobic breach of the peace - for allegedly calling an ex-police officer a p**f. Marc Sneddon, 38, clashed with former detective Stephen Whelehan while walking their dogs. He was charged and his partner Graham Spence - a police IT worker - was later arrested over claims he also shouted homophobic abuse on another occasion. The couple deny the claims and say neighbour Whelehan and his parents, James and Bridget, launched a vendetta of malicious complaints about them. Graham, 40, said: 'His dog attacked ours. Marc asked him to put it on a lead and got a torrent of abuse. Whelehan started calling him a 'wee f*****g p*****r'. Marc was provoked and asked whether he had a problem with his sexuality and did his wife know he was in the closet. Marc reported it to police but we were stunned when HE was charged."

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News: Michael Stipe, Tel Aviv, Anthony Minghella, China and Tibet

China closes off media access, shuts down YouTube, CNN, and Google amid violent crackdown in Tibet. China has also begun parading Tibetan prisoners on military trucks in Lhasa. Dalai Lama threatens to step down...

Michael Stipe comes out? "It was super complicated for me in the ’80s. I was totally open with the band and my family and my friends and certainly the people I was sleeping with. I thought it was pretty obvious. Now I recognize that to have public figures be very open about their sexuality helps some kid somewhere out there."

GLAAD hands out media awards in New York; Barbara Walters, Judy Shepard, Brian Graden and films The Bubble and For the Bible Tells Me So all honored. Who was there?

Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella dies at 54: "Minghella's publicist, Jonathan Rutter, said the filmmaker died at London's Charing Cross Hospital. He said Minghella was operated on last week for a growth in his neck, 'and the operation seemed to have gone well. At 5 a.m. today he had a fatal hemorrhage.'"

Pennsylvania senate proposes amendment banning gay marriage: "Constitutional amendment legislation failed in the last legislative session but is being considered anew in the current session. During a Senate committee hearing, Maggie Gallagher, President of the National Organization for Marriage, said an amendment to the state constitution would protect against a judge’s ruling that could strike down state law defining marriage as between a man and woman…'It’s not a fantasy that this could happen. It is happening – it’s happened in New Jersey, it’s happened in Connecticut' Gallagher was speaking to Republican Senator Jane Earll of Erie, skeptical of the need for a constitutional amendment: 'We are going to hold our constitution hostage to the wackiest judge in some other state. I just think that amending the constitution is a very drastic measure.'"

Janet Jackson opens wide for Black Book.

Tel Aviv hoping to attract more gay tourists.

Richard I slept in the same bed with French King Phillip II but it wasn't a gay thing: "It was an accepted political act, nothing sexual about it; just two politicians literally getting into bed together, a bit like a modern-day photo opportunity."

Chad Allen, Janeane Garofalo, Rebecca Gayheart, Soleil Moon Frye, Patrick Muldoon and Brad Rowe team up for gay indie screwball comedy For Better or For Worse: "Frye will play the lesbian minister presiding over the ceremony at the home of one groom's mother (Ruta Lee). The guests include the jilted ex of one of the grooms and his new beau (Muldoon and Allen), a closeted neighbor (Stanley Kamel), a wallflower sister (Gayheart), a family-man brother (Rowe) and his nanny (Garofalo), who has a bombshell to drop."

Ch-ch-ch-changes. Spot the differences in Ryan Seacrest 2.0.

Brazil gets another new gay magazine.

Hugh Jackman spends more time naked than dressed.

Anti-gay graffiti causes stir in Northern California town of Fortuna: "A Fortuna resident noticed anti-homosexual words painted on several mailboxes on her street and filed a police report Thursday. The derogatory words, 'fag' and 'gay,' made her so irate, it took her more than an hour to stop shaking, she said. The Fortuna Police Department is treating the vandalism as a hate crime because the intent was likely to express hate, FPD Sgt. Jack Bernstein said. 'It’s concerning for us to have something like this.'"

Police officers punished in Austin, Texas after remarks: "Cmdr. Calvin Smith, who has worked for the department for 34 years and supervises the Austin police training academy, told the fellow commander that he was worried about the 'kind of message' the potential transfer of a gay female officer would send at the academy, which already had two lesbians working there, according to a disciplinary memo. Cmdr. Larry Oliver was fired for failing to report the comments, even though he later confirmed to investigators that he thought Smith was referring to 'their being lesbians,' a disciplinary memo said. He was fired after refusing Acevedo's offer of a 30-day suspension."

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Prince Harry Returns from Afghanistan

Prince Harry is back from Afghanistan and talking about his deployment:

"It was fantastic. I was hugely grateful for having the opportunity. I enjoyed being out there. I did enjoy it a little bit more I suppose than I should, but not in a sick way. Actually being out in the middle of nowhere, with the stars out, is just a fantastic place to be. Sometimes you actually forget...it's hard to actually bring yourself back to reality and say, ‘I could actually get shot at at any point' just because the area itself was so nice. Two mornings before I left I heard birds sing—in the desert. I hope that this has now been proven that the system can work and the British press go along with the deal. It has proved that it can actually work so I don't see why it can't work again. The British media kept to their side of the bargain. I'm very grateful for that and thanks to all the British media for keeping their mouths shut. And I know for a fact that there was stuff they did behind the scenes to stop stuff coming out which was massively kind of them. But at the same time, it was foreign media that spilled the beans. I didn't see it coming. It's a shame. Angry would be the wrong word to use but I am slightly disappointed. I really thought I could see it through to the end and come back with our guys and the colonel himself. But I'm back here now and I suppose deep down inside it's quite nice. I'm looking forward to having a bath but, no, I would like to have stayed back with the guys. Whatever has happened has happened and it doesn't surprise me, there's always someone out there who is willing to ruin the party but, well, job's done."

The Royal Family also released these shots of Harry playing football in the desert.

Prince Harry's FULL INTERVIEW and one more shot AFTER THE JUMP...

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News: GQ France, Breakdancing Beckham, Atlantis, Jason Statham

One of the judicial nominees Bush has been threatening a recess appointment for was recently arrested for DUI wearing a little black dress, fishnet stockings and stilletto heels: "Apparently, Federal Judge Robert Somma, rear-ended another motorist in his Mercedes-Benz after tying one on in a local gay bar. He had difficulty locating his drivers license in his purse. His wife, Wendy, says he's not interested in talking to the press right now."

Spice Girls shocked by baby breakdancing Beckham.

Wisconsin gay rights group utilizes election to raise awareness of upcoming court vacancies.

British BMW salesman forced from job by homophobic co-workers: "Ben Hamilton, 26, claims he was branded 'the nice poof', 'faggot' and 'bender Ben' by workmates at a BMW showroom. He told the hearing he was banned from wearing pink clothing and was made to change. And when he grew a beard he claimed colleagues walking past him would jeer the phrase 'Deal or No Deal?' at him after gameshow host Noel Edmonds up to 30 times a day. Mr Hamilton said a manager told him: 'It must be great to be gay. Does it mean you and your fella can go out, have a few beers, have a curry, beat each other up and still get laid?'"

Space Shuttle Atlantis heads home from International Space Station in preparation for Navy shootdown of errant spy satellite.

GQ launches French edition.

Student: Goldfish aren't the peabrains you think they are.

Excavated remains identified as Sir Hugh Despenser the Younger, lover of King Edward II: "Despenser died a gruesome death, being publicly hung, drawn, quartered and disembowelled for treason in 1326 following Edward's fall. The remains, found in the 1970s on Despenser's brother-in-law's estate at Hulton Abbey, Staffordshire, bear such hallmarks, anthropologist Mary Lewis says. Lewis, from Reading University, made the link by drawing on the manner of execution, carbon-dating of the bones and the absence of several parts of the body. The skull, part of the vertebra and one leg are buried on the family estate at Tewkesbury Abbey. 'Research on the bones shows he was stabbed in the throat and probably stabbed in the stomach, but we would not have any evidence to disembowelment unless the knife had hit any bones,' Lewis said."

Writer Andrew Holleran pays a visit to Fort Lauderdale.

Ben & Jerry endorse Obama, scoop "Cherries for Change" ice cream. "Barack is showing that when you lead with your values and follow what you have inside that good things will happen. What we saw is that when you want real change it's not a marketing slogan. You have to do things differently. And that is not going to be done by someone who's been involved in the system for years and years. It needs to come from inside and Barack Obama has it."

Winehouse likes her chicken fried.

Jason Statham drops the big burly half of himself.

Japan's top court rules Mapplethorpe photos not obscene: "The verdict was hailed as a victory for artistic freedom by a Japanese publisher who filed the lawsuit. His copy of a Mapplethorpe book was seized in 1999 when he tried to bring it from the United States for personal use. Reversing a lower court ruling, the Supreme Court ordered customs to lift its ban on bringing in the book of photographs, entitled 'Robert Mapplethorpe.' In the 2003 ruling, the Tokyo High Court ruled that the book, which included images of male genitals, went 'against good sexual morality.' But Kohei Nasu, the presiding judge, said at the Supreme Court: 'The book and pictures do not fall into a category that would disturb the public,' as quoted by Jiji Press."

UK father-to-be charged in "cowardly, disgraceful" attack on homophobe mistaken for gay man: "John Edwards, prosecuting, told York Crown Court yesterday the assault happened last July when Mr Sandey was returning home along St Mary's by the riverside in York after a night out. He said the area was known to be frequented in the evening by homosexual men, and a passer-by heard one of the group shouting homophobic insults. 'When the defendant pleaded guilty he did so, acknowledging this was aggravated by homophobia. The target of their violence, quite randomly it would seem, was this complainant,' he said. A woman who saw the attackers, including Walls, described seeing Mr Sandey on the ground. The men were punching him before one - it is not known who - jumped on his leg as they shouted 'he is a pervert'. Afterwards Walls spoke to the witness, telling her his name. Forensic experts later found blood on him."

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Gay Indian Prince Says He Plans to Adopt a Royal Heir

Gay Indian Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, who appeared earlier this year on Oprah and discussed his coming out in a country where homosexuality is still illegal under an archaic 1861 law put in place by British colonists (Section 377 of the penal code), says he plans to adopt a child so that he will have a royal heir.

The Times of India reports: " The prince was in Rajpipla on Wednesday to perform the annual ritual of garlanding his great-grandfather Vijaysinh Gohil's statue on his 119th birth anniversary. Asked who would continue this tradition after him, he said: 'I have carried out all my responsibilities as the prince so far and will continue as long as I can. I will also adopt a child soon so that all traditions continue.' Manavendra, who is a divorcee, added that adoption was not new for the royal families as many had taken this route in the absence of a legal male heir. "The Gohil dynasty itself is a case of adoption. Rajpipla was ruled by the Parmar clan, not the Gohils. But the Parmars at one point did not have a male child. One of the Parmar princesses then married the maharaja of Bhavnagar."

Although no single men have adopted children in India, Manvendra says he does not believe that should be an obstacle for him as the only stipulations in place are having no prior offspring and a significant age difference between the adopter and the adoptee.

Previously
Gay Indian Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil to Appear on Oprah [tr]

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Prince William Dons His Royal Air Force Drag

Clarence House released photos of Prince William in his Royal Air Force duds today.

He'll begin a four-month assignment next week with the RAF which will include flying lessons and will be known as Flying Officer William Wales.

Said Group Captain Nick Seward: "During his time with us, Flying Officer Wales will be realizing a personal ambition to learn how to fly and this will be the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the Royal Air Force. If successful, he will be awarded his RAF wings, and in anticipation of this a graduation ceremony is planned for April."

The lessons, however, appear to be a vanity exercise rather than an operational one, and have been criticized by anti-monarchist groups.

One more William RAF shot, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Prince William Snapped in Nude Royal Paparazzi Parody [tr]
Partying Princes Drown Sorrows with Defeated Brit Rugby Team [tr]
Prince Harry Gone Wild, Snorting Vodka, Licking Male Nipple [tr]

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News: Mars Glacier, Tobey Maguire, Royal Blackmail, Lakota Tribe

New York radio host Steve Malzberg says gays don't care about the hangings going on in Iran or the statements of Ahmedinejad.

Tobey Maguire steps out in a military buzz-cut.

Royal blackmailers Ian Strachan and Sean McGuiganplead not guilty The junior member of the Royal Family, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was not directly involved and is not due to be a witness. The two men were charged that "between January 1 and September 12, this year, with a view to gain for yourselves, made an unwarranted demand for £50,000 from a male with menaces".

Remember the battle over the estate of dead hedge fund manager Seth Tobias and his go-go boy pal Tiger? Well, a new porn star has come forward to discuss his relationship but his interview sheds no light on the banker's mysterious death: "'Seth was a really good guy, a great guy. I had a lot of fun,' Parker, 24, told PageSix.com. The porn star from Memphis, Tenn., said he met Tobias 3½ years ago at Micky's, a gay bar in West Hollywood. They met four or five times over the next year and a half at Parker's house in the Hollywood Hills. 'Seth knew I was a hustler and knew how much I charged . . . I did what I got paid to do . . . I was very well taken care of.'"

Active glacier found on Mars: "We have not yet been able to see the spectral signature of water. But we will fly over it in the coming months and take measurements. On the glacial ridges we can see white tips, which can only be freshly exposed ice."

Ted Haggard photo found in home of New Life Church gunman: "Among the items taken from a search of gunman Matthew Murray's home was a picture of former New Life pastor Ted Haggard, according to police documents released Wednesday. Murray lived in the Englewood home in with his father, mother and brother. The family was very devout and the parents had home-schooled both children, neighbors said. According to the police documents, officers confiscated a Beretta, ammunition, a pamphlet entitled 'Fall of America,' literature on Youth With A Mission, a Bible, a journal, a pistol, a homicide investigation manual, prescription pills, several hard drives, gun cases and boxes of ammunition."

Uruguay's new civil union law offers hope to Brazilians.

Apple settles lawsuit with Think Secret rumor site. Site shuts down.

Colin Farrell's mane event.

Lakota tribe withdraws 150-year-old treaty with the United States, secedes: "We are no longer citizens of the United States of America and all those who live in the five-state area that encompasses our country are free to join us. This is according to the laws of the United States, specifically article six of the constitution. It is also within the laws on treaties passed at the Vienna Convention and put into effect by the US and the rest of the international community in 1980. We are legally within our rights to be free and independent."

MSNBC: Larry Craig a winner, Mike Huckabee a loser.

You can still vote for the Hottest Brazilian of 2007.

He may be an irresponsible turd like K-Fed but at least Jamie Lynn Spears picked a cute one.

She's lucky he's dead because Mr. Whipple might have squeezed her to death.

I never did trust those calorie-counters on the cardio machines at the gym: "Even if you wanted to get a rough estimate of the calories an average person your size might burn at the gym, you might not want to trust the displays on cardio machines, with the possible exception of treadmills, said William Haskell, an exercise physiologist at Stanford. And with treadmills, the calories are not accurate if you hang on the bars. Dr. Haskell once studied people using treadmills. Hanging onto the rails reduced the number of calories burned by 40 to 50 percent. The same thing happened with stair-climbing machines. 'I’ve seen people hanging on stair climbers who think they are doing 1,200 calories an hour,' Dr. Haskell said. 'They probably are doing 600 calories an hour.' As for the calorie counts on machines like stationary bicycles and elliptical cross trainers and stair climbers, all bets are off, researchers said."

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Prince William Snapped in Nude Royal Paparazzi Parody

A new book from photographer Alison Jackson entitled Alison Jackson: Confidential depicts celebrities and public figures behaving badly. It's a play on the "gotcha" paparazzi photo using look-alikes.

According to the New York Post: "Among the realistic-looking fakes are: Brad Pitt shaving Angelina Jolie's legs; a jailed Paris Hilton paying another inmate to scrub her toilet bowl; Mick Jagger getting his lips injected with collagen; a masked Michael Jackson putting lipstick on a crying baby; Catherine Zeta-Jones helping Michael Douglas fit into a corset; Jennifer Lopez struggling to pull a pair of jeans over her ample caboose; Queen Elizabeth II, panties down, sitting on the john; Richard Gere and the Dalai Lama being served by a topless waitress and President Bush and Tony Blair relaxing in white bathrobes as Blair strums a guitar."

A disclaimer in the book also reads: "All well-known individuals depicted in this book are not 'real.' [They] have not approved them, nor has their approval been sought..."

After the jump, a few more images from the book...I've spared you the shot of Elton John getting a colonic.

Alison Jackson: Confidential [amazon]

(source)

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News: Modernist House, Shia LaBeouf, Pig Beast, Writer's Strike

California wingnuts launch referendum bid to overturn sexual orientation discrimination law in schools: "The legislation, Senate Bill 777, was signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last month with little notice because the governor, at nearly the same time, vetoed the same-sex marriage bill. Conservative groups say the bill would require far-reaching changes in school curriculum and activities. 'This will mean either getting rid of mom and dad or adding a homosexual couple,' in a textbook, said Karen England, executive director of the Capitol Resource Family Impact."

David Beckham gets himself caught up in the excitement of his Hollywood charity game for wildfire victims.

Giant "pig-like beast" discovered deep in Brazil's Amazon rainforest: "The newly named beast (Pecari maximus) was found in the basin of the Rio Aripuanã and confirmed to be a distinct species via a genetic analysis conducted by the Leiden Centre for Environmental Sciences in the Netherlands. Though new to science, locals already knew about the creature. Tupi Indians called it Caitetu Munde, which means 'great peccary which lives in pairs.'"

Shia LaBeouf arrested for refusing to leave a Chicago Walgreens. (mugshot)

Royal blackmailer Ian Strachan and accomplice are denied bail: " Lawyers representing Ian Strachan, 30, applied for bail at the Old Bailey but it was turned down by Mr Justice Gross. The hearing had been due to take place in private, but was opened to the press following legal representation by media groups. A previous application last week was adjourned after a few minutes because the lawyers needed more time to prepare. Strachan, who is in custody at Belmarsh prison, was not at the hearing." It was also recently revealed that Strachan's accomplice Sean McGuigan received funds from Prince Charles in 1993 to set up a car wash business: "He spent a £1,500 loan on buckets, sponges and cleaning fluid and a further £1,000 grant for other start-up costs for the firm Star Craft in Fulham, London."

As Hollywood writers strike, some, like BJ Novak of The Office, are caught in the crossfire.

Jake Gyllenhaal lashes out at paparazzo. If you've got the cash on hand, you can join him for lunch.

Retired Catholic bishop charged with repeated sexual assault on 42-year-old Cuban man: "The suit alleges the Most Rev. Priamo Tejeda, a retired bishop of the Diocese of Baní in the Dominican Republic, began assaulting the man while Tejeda was an active bishop and continued the assaults over an 11-year period, most recently in Broward County in 2005. The suit doesn’t say that any of the alleged assaults took place in Southwest Florida. The plaintiff in the lawsuit is identified by only his initials: 'J.G.' In the suit, J.G. alleges Tejeda contacted him in Miami in January 2005 to discuss employment opportunities within the Diocese of Venice, which has jurisdiction over 10 counties in Florida, including Collier and Lee. After Tejeda arrived in Miami, he drove J.G. to an apartment and then Tejeda forced himself sexually on J.G., the suit states. 'He was threatening him with deportation or arrest,' said J.G.’s lawyer, Ronald Weil of Miami."

Australian Prime Minister John Howard not amused by same-sex attraction query.

$12 million Modernist architectural "treasure" to hit the market in Provincetown: "Built by former Clark University psychology professor Carl Murchison and his worldly wife, Dorotea, the house has been off-limits to the public for years. Passersby seeking a glimpse of the house were shooed away by the Murchisons' reclusive daughter-in-law, who owned the house until her death earlier this year. But now, this unique property is at a pivotal moment in its history: The Murchisons' heir is selling the house. When it hits the market for about $12 million, as soon as this month, its fate will be subject to the whims of the luxury real estate market, which often values waterview properties much more for the development potential of the land than for the architectural significance of the house on it."

ABC News caught doing undercover story on gay kissing.

Sex sting at Daytona Beach's Volusia Mall nets former city commissioner and high school teacher. Police chief: "The reason that we did this sting is we all go to the mall; our kids go into the bathroom. That they could be susceptible to this kind of behavior is absolutely a disgrace."

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King Tut: Egypt's Ancient Ruler Unmasked

Following a two-year restoration, during which the famous Egyptian King's male member was thought lost and then found, King Tut went on display, unmasked to the general public for the first time in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt.

The Independent writes: "Naturally, the face the world can now see is a lot less idealised than the lustrous and splendid golden mask. It is shrivelled and leather-like from the embalming process. But, if less idealised, it is a lot more human and exhibits one very human characteristic in particular: he might have been the lord of all he saw, but young King Tut had buck teeth. The mummified face clearly display the "overbite" which was characteristic of the Thurmosid royal line to which Tutankhamun belonged."

The restoration also saw the mummy be put into a CT scanner so researchers could perhaps determine the cause of his death. The results ruled out a violent death for the ancient ruler (who many thought was assassinated) but revealed a fractured left thigh, leading some researchers to speculate that Tut may have died of an infection brought on by the injury.

Archaeologist Howard Carter opened King Tut's tomb 85 years ago, in 1922. Carter's benefactor, Lord Carnarvon, died seven weeks after the tomb was opened, giving rise to the legend of the "curse" of King Tut's tomb. Carter lived another ten years.

(slide show)

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BREAKING (literally!): King Tut's Penis [tr]
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News: Adam Levine, Bigot of the Year, Writer's Strike, Thailand

Rolling Stone's Jann Wenner and partner Matt Nye are expecting twins in January.

Daughter of anti-gay leader Amy Contrada (MassResistance) comes out of the closet: "I am a lesbian, which my mom still does not get. She just says that I am confused. I realized in around eighth grade, but I was in denial for quite some time because I was scared due to my mother constantly saying that homosexuality is wrong. How can it ever be wrong to love though? That’s what I’d like to know."

Reuters discovers that some Republicans are gay!

Scientist tweak gene in mice to create "mighty mouse": "Scientists at Case Western Reserve University have genetically engineered mice that outrun, outlive, and out-eat ordinary mice while staying lean, light, and fertile well into old age...A major unanswered question, Hanson's team notes, is what brain changes accompany the genetically engineered mice's hyped-up activity."

Ellen DeGeneres takes on the holiday as a "not pregnant" Jennifer Lopez.

Maroon 5's Adam Levine dresses down for slut-o-ween.

Daniel Radcliffe confirmed for Equus on Broadway in September 2008: "... it took months of negotiations to secure a deal with the theatre-owning Shubert Organisation and for the producers David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers to sort out all the paperwork for the play's two leading men to perform in New York. Director Thea Sharrock will begin rehearsals next August."

Get ready for more Reality TV: Hollywood writers to strike for the first time in almost 20 years - "We've never been more united and we are willing to deal -- and our decision makers are at the table. Their decision makers are not at the table, and that tells you pretty much all you need to know about how the companies are pushing this."

Royal blackmailer Ian Strachan to apply for bail: "Lawyers representing Ian Strachan, 30, are due to make an application behind closed doors at the Old Bailey. A previous application last week was adjourned after a few minutes because the lawyers needed more time to prepare. Strachan is not expected to attend but will be released from Belmarsh prison, south-east London, if bail is granted."

Bishop wins Bigot of the Year award from UK gay rights group Stonewall: "An employment tribunal in Cardiff in April heard how youth worker John Reaney, 42, was left feeling humiliated after a two-hour interview during which the bishop grilled him about a previous gay relationship. The tribunal decided Mr Reaney had been a victim of unfair dismissal and awarded damages against the Church of England."

On Wednesday I posted about the latest hustler to bring down a Republican hypocrite, and his porn past. Fleshbot has a big round-up of Cody Castagna's adult activities (NSFW).

SLOG reads the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report, and it's quite terrifying.

Munich version of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin features drag queens and Brokeback Mountain references. It's not being received well: "There is no novelty value left in the outing of Tchaikovsky. Half-naked cowboys and men in ballgowns are cheap cliches. An exploration of the two men's relationship is legitimate, since it is one of the opera's deepest and certainly its most tragic. With more subtlety and professionalism, it might have worked."

Thai gay activist says he was refused insurance because he is gay: "Natee Teerarojjanapongs, president of the Gay Political Group of Thailand, said he had tried to buy a policy from AIA sales agent Pachara Pipatwong on Sunday. However, after Pachara called to consult an AIA official who liaises with the company's agents, Natee was told he could not do so because he was gay. 'AIA is violating the 2007 Constitution, as it is restricting my rights. [Pachara] told me the official said AIA policy stated that it did not give homosexuals insurance,' Natee said after speaking to the council, which met to monitor how the new Constitution was being implemented. 'I'm willing to let them give me a full health check if they think that I'm in a high-risk group. There's no reason to deny me and other gays or transvestites life insurance. We are educated like others in society. Not all of us engage in risky behaviour,' he said."

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Viscount David Linley, the Queen's Nephew, is Extortion Target

Viscount David Linley, a furniture maker and the Queen's nephew, has been identified as the likely target of the extortion plot by socialite Ian Strachan and his accomplice Sean McGuigan I posted about earlier today. The two men are in jail after demanding £50,000 ($100,000) from the royal family to stop the release of a sex tape which allegedly shows a male member of the royals discussing performing an oral sex act on them. The video, shot on a mobile phone, also allegedly shows them discussing cocaine use.

Via The Daily Telegraph: "The royal, a respected fine furniture maker whose clients include Oprah Winfrey, did not hesitate in contacting police because the claims and so-called evidence against him were false – as the media has also discovered – and the footage did not implicate him in any wrongdoing. A police sting ensured the evidence was seized and the men were arrested with no money changing hands. They had allegedly attempted several times in the past six months to sell the footage to the media but an investigation proved the claim and the film were false. Buckingham Palace has refused to comment other than to say it was a 'matter for the police', while a court order has banned the media in the UK from revealing his or her name. Many royal watchers are expecting Viscount Linley, 12th in line to the throne and a father of two, to issue a statement to end the speculation and protect the rest of his extended family from unwanted publicity."

Linley is currently 12th in line for the throne.

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Royal Family at Center of Gay Sex Tape Blackmail Plot

British author Michael Davies has FOX News in hot water after he named a member of the royal family (not, apparently, a "senior" member) thought to be at the center of an extortion attempt on the royal family by 30-year-old socialite Ian Strachan (above) and 40-year-old Sean McGuigan. The two men are in jail after demanding £50,000 ($100,000) from the royal family to stop the release of a sex tape which allegedly shows a male member of the royals discussing performing an oral sex act on them. The video, shot on a mobile phone, also allegedly shows them discussing cocaine use.

It has taken six weeks for the plot to hit the media.

According to the conservative tabloid Daily Mail: "Media outlets printing or broadcasting in Britain all face prosecution for breaching a court order which makes it an offence to identify the victim in any way. Naming any of the witnesses, including the aide who claims to have engaged in a gay sex act with the royal, is also banned, to maintain the royal's anonymity."

They add: "So who are this pair who have burst into such astonishing prominence? Ian Strachan has been frequently heard to claim at London clubs and parties that he knows Princes William and Harry - neither of whom is the subject of the alleged blackmail. 'I'm sure his claims that he knows them are complete nonsense,' says one London friend. Strachan, who the friend says is bisexual and posts his details on a gay website, arrived - apparently with his mother - in London several years ago from his native Aberdeen, where he had attended the Grammar School and considered studying law. Always a flamboyant figure, he instantly made inroads into a somewhat different, and better connected social set from the one in which he was brought up."

Meanwhile, another conservative British tab, The Sun reports that the Royal involved may soon go public. The Queen is reportedly "fond of her relative" and plans to stand by him. The two accused are set to appear at the Old Bailey in December.

Alleged blackmailers of royal named [guardian]
British journalist reveals royal name in 'blackmail' plot on U.S. news show [daily mail]

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Partying Princes Drown Sorrows with Defeated Brit Rugby Team

Princes William and Harry partied into the night on Saturday with members of the English rugby team following their rugby world cup defeat by South Africa at the Stade de France. It didn't appear that Harry was snorting vodka this time, just drinking straight from the bottle. Now word on whether he then went after outside centre Matthew Tait's nipple, as he seemed to have lost his shirt at some point during the night.

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Prince Harry Gone Wild, Snorting Vodka, Licking Male Nipple

Video has surfaced of wild behavior from Prince Harry on a recent trip to Namibia with his friends.

In the video, Harry is seen snorting vodka and cavorting drunkenly with his pals, one of whom appears to be getting a nipple lick from the inebbriated prince.

Experts are concerned because vodka snorting is not the safest of pasttimes: "Professor Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: 'There are all sorts of additives that could cause an allergic reaction which could damage the lungs, mucus membranes of the nose and trachea. It could kill.' David Nott, who runs the Manor Clinic rehab centre and is a member of the Federation of Drug and Alcohol Professionals, said: 'Anybody acting in this manner continually will do severe damage, which could be deadly.' Frank Soodeen from Alcohol Concern added: 'By by-passing the liver, you run the risk of inflaming the brain and possibly causing long-term damage. It's a practice to be avoided at all costs. It's very irresponsible.'"

Let's hope Harry changes at least some of the behavior. We certainly would not want him to end up like this.

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Dead Prince Harry Sculpture to be Unveiled in London

A dead Prince Harry is featured in "a memorial honoring those willing but unable to serve in the Iraq conflict" by sculptor Daniel Edwards, scheduled to be unveiled at the Trafalgar Hotel on October 11.

"The Memorial features Prince Harry laid out before the Union Jack with pennies placed over his eyes and head rested on the Bible. The statue suggests the tragic outcome of a confrontation in Iraq’s Maysan Province with the Iranian weapons smugglers for whom Harry’s tank regiment was scheduled to patrol. Prone with his unfired gun still holstered, Prince Harry is represented clutching a bloodied flag of Wales, and holding to his heart a cameo locket of his late mother, Princess Diana, while a desert vulture perches on his boot. Harry’s head is earless, denoting the explicit threats against the Prince from militia leaders saying they planned to send him back to his grandmother 'without his ears.'"

The clay mold pictured here still has the ears, but according to Radar Online they are to be removed...and sold on eBay.

And, pardon me for noticing, but it looks as if there is something going on in Prince Harry's trousers (click on left shot, below).

You may remember Edwards for his oh-so-subtle takes on Britney Spears giving birth, a Paris Hilton autopsy, and Suri Cruise's poop.

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Camilla Parker-Bowles Goes in for a Full Body Wax

Two years after she married Prince Charles, Camilla Parker-Bowles has finally been accepted into the Royal Family...at Madame Tussaud's wax museum in London. The cream suede LK Bennett shoes and a Philip Treacy clutch bag were donated by Camilla herself, and she picked her own peepers from a "tray of eyes" the sculptor showed to her.

Unfortunately, she's missing one of her signature gigantic hats.

The Royal Family, however, still keeps their distance, as you can see. So does the Princess (not pictured) who dubbed her "the Rottweiler," according to the AFP: "Looking on from 4.5 metres away is the waxwork of Diana, who blamed Camilla for contributing to the breakup of her marriage to Charles."

According to the AFP, "The London museum admitted that it was only now exhibiting a likeness of Camilla, who married her longtime lover Charles on April 9, 2005, because the British public had finally warmed to her."

They better not warm to her too much or she may melt.

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Moment Captured: Princess Diana's Death 8/31/97

As a follow-up to my last post, one of our readers sent us a link to a video he happened to be shooting (he had bought a new video camera that day and was playing around with it) at the moment he and his friends learned that Diana had been killed. It's an interesting "fly-on-the-wall" moment which captures the shock of the shock of the moment and the somber aftermath.

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