As Lambeth Conference Wraps, Anglican Leader Seeks Covenant

As the Lambeth Conference came to a close, Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams sought a "covenant" in place of a formal vote in the face of the worldwide rift in the Anglican church over its positions on gay clergy and same-sex unions, the NYT reports:

"Archbishop Williams told reporters that he hoped Anglican leaders could agree on a draft covenant within a year, but said that winning approval for it among the 44 national and regional churches of the Anglican Communion could take until 2013. That period might coincide with a push among the bishops here to hold another Lambeth meeting after only five years....In the meantime, the archbishop said, agreement was widespread for continuing 'moratoria' on the ordination of gay and lesbian priests and blessings of same-sex unions and for matching restraint by conservatives who threatened to walk out unless traditional views proscribing church acceptance of homosexuality prevailed. A document published as the conference ended spoke of the moratoriums ushering in 'a season of gracious restraint' while the covenant is negotiated."

Meanwhile, Gene Robinson, the bishop at the center of the church's split, was welcomed in Glasgow where he thanked Scottish clergy for recognizing "all God's people."

Said Robinson to the congregation: "It is going to end with the full inclusion of all God's people in God's Church. I don't know when. It doesn't matter when. But I know it is going to be. None of us is on the selection committee. God is on a committee of one...It is time for us to stop worrying so much about the Church. The Church is not ours to win or lose; the Church is God's. What a dangerous thing it is to put the Bible into the hands of repressed people. They might read it and believe it. They gave it to black slaves to make them docile, but they read it and became educated. They have given it to disabled people … gay and bisexual people. Who knows who they'll give it to next? But God will keep giving it to people too, until there's no more 'them', only 'us'."

Archbishop Rowan Williams' final Lambeth press conference, AFTER THE JUMP...

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News: Syrian, Luke Macfarlane, Batman, Seattle Opera, Outfest,

Killer of Daytona Beach cross-dresser sentenced to life in prison.

Becks is a Sharpie in new print campaign.

Gay Syrian Jojo Jako Yakob to be deported from Scotland: "It has now emerged that an immigration tribunal has turned down his request to stay in the UK, despite accepting that Yakob is gay and that Syria criminalises and represses homo– sexuality."

He came out shirtless: Matthew McConaughey has a child.

Kenyan bishop threatens to quit over gay marriages: "The Reverend Thomas Kogo, a bishop at the Eldoret ACK Diocese, has issued the quit notice, saying he could not support a church that condones homosexuality. Kogo, who has just returned from a pilgrimage in Israel, said the faithful must uphold the sanctity of the Anglican family. He said those advocating for gay marriages were driven by desire for money and wealth. 'God recognises marriage between man and woman, and there is no way we will accept homosexuality and gay marriages. The Bible is very clear on the matter,' he said."

Boy George speaks to Newsweek about denial of visa: "I am hardly a threat to national security. I am just a performer trying to do his job. I have called America home at different times in my life. I love America, and the American people have always treated me with love and kindness since I went there as a 19-year-old boy with my band Culture Club."

Turkish oil wrestling!

SAS Scandinavian Airlines launches dedicated gay website: "The website is unique in its personalised aspect, providing a ‘gay’ counterpart to the popular SAS crew tips, offering tips from SAS’ own gay crew members on the best offerings in Stockholm and Copenhagen."

Gay and lesbian Christians to protest Pope Benedict's arrival in Sydney: "The protest, calling for equality for gay and lesbian followers, will take place at the Pitt Street Uniting Church this Sunday, coinciding with Pope Benedict XVI's arrival in Sydney. Catholic writer and educator Michael Kelly said gay and lesbian people had been marginalised and condemned by mainstream churches, particularly the Catholic Church. He labelled the 'version of Christianity that is coming to Sydney' as propaganda. 'We call on gay and lesbian Christians ... to join us in standing up for the goodness of being gay, and not allow right-wing religious propaganda to silence our faith, hope and love,' he said."

Batman refuses to work with Robin.

Brothers and Sisters' Luke MacFarlane interviewed at the Rome Fiction Festival.

L.A.'s Outfest film festival begins tomorrow. Here's the official site. It's opening with the gay hockey film Breakfast with Scot. Also, here's a new piece from indieWire on the state of queer cinema...

Indian actor walks off talk show after being asked about sexual orientation: "What sort of a question is that Sajid? First you call me for your chat show, and then ask me such stuff!"

American Idol's 'gay stripper' David Hernandez spotted sucking female face in San Diego.

Seattle Opera announces three LGBT nights for upcoming season: "At these designated performances, patrons may pay $100 for discounted main-floor orchestra seating, private intermission receptions (with wine, hors d'oeuvres and desserts) and admission to preshow lectures. The inaugural event — an Aug. 22 presentation of 'Aida' — will be hosted by Seattle Opera trustee JJ McKay and Washington state Sen. Ed Murray. Tickets for the evening are on sale now." (site)

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Matthew Bourne's Dorian Gray is a Gay Fragrance Model

Matthew Bourne, choreographer of the all-male Swan Lake and several other transformed works, has been working on a version of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. The final version is set to debut in August in Edinburgh. Like most of his other works, it's taken to a new place:

"Having decided to bring the piece to the present day, the two men had to choose an appropriate milieu for Dorian. They finally settled on the world of arty, upscale photography. Brotherston's plan for the set is an ingenious revolve that can turn the production on a sixpence between loft apartment, studio, club and even the Royal Opera House. Dorian's beauty becomes immortalised through an ad campaign, rather than through a painted portrait, as in Wilde's novel. 'We were trying to think how a person would become the talk of the town today, and it had to be through an image that you see everywhere. So Basil [the portrait-painter in Wilde] is going to be an iconic photographer, someone like Annie Leibovitz, and Dorian is going to become the face of a new perfume, like in a Calvin Klein ad.'"

A clip from Bourne's all-male Swan Lake, AFTER THE JUMP...

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UK Offers Gay Syrian £46 to Get Lost, Go Home

The UK Border Agency has reportedly offered a gay teen Syrian seeking asylum in Scotland less than $100 (£46) to get him to accept deportation and return to Syria, the Scotsman reports:

"Jojo Jako Yakob, 19, fled his homeland two years ago after being arrested, shot and beaten before being tortured in a Syrian jail when he was caught distributing anti-government leaflets. Once prison guards discovered that Yakob, a Christian member of the repressed Kurdish minority in the Arab state, was homosexual, he suffered horrific beatings and was assaulted so badly that he slipped into a coma. He fled to Scotland but his application seeking asylum was rejected and the Home Office has ordered his return to Syria, where homosexuality has been banned. Last night, 'Save Jojo' campaigners criticised the UK Border Agency for sending Yakob, who is currently being detained at Polmont Young Offenders Institution in Falkirk, a 'weekly' letter, asking his permission to be 'repatriated' back to Syria. A spokesman for the campaign said the agency has offered Jojo £46 'in cash' on leaving the United Kingdom 'to assist you in reintegrating into your home country. This could be used for example to set up a business, further your education or assist with housing'. Leading gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell labelled the UK Border Agency as 'immoral' in its attempt to get Jojo into accepting deportation. He said: 'This insulting offer shows the scurrilous, immoral nature of the UK Border Agency. The sum of £46 would barely pay one week's rent, never mind help Jojo start a new life. The idea that he should risk his life and go back to Syria for £46 is an absolute disgrace. It shows the depth to which the Labour Government is sinking in its desperate bid to pander to racist and xenophobic opinion.'"

Yakob's case is similar to that of Iranian teen Mehdi Kazemi, who was granted a temporary reprieve from deportation when public outcry in late March brought attention to his case.

Government offers Jojo £46 to go home [scotsman]

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San Francisco financial services firm reconsidering move to Oklahoma City because of Sally Kern's anti-gay remarks.

Drag queen who looks like Amelia Earhart targets Intimate Ideas, a lingerie store that refused to hire him — with his car!

Thailand's government ignoring surge in HIV rates among MSM: "Thai gays have essentially been left to sink or swim; and they're sinking."

Britney Spears now taking driving lessons from her kids.

Reduce your risk of prostate cancer: rub one out regularly.

Christian Siriano rips The Hills' Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port: "It’s really sad that if I didn’t win Project Runway, I probably wouldn’t have the sponsors I have now. I would have never been able to do what they have done because they all have disposable income, and yet their work still isn’t that great! I mean, it’s fun and flirty and young, but they’re not innovators. None of them will ever be an innovative designer. Buyers and editors are looking for longevity, and hopefully they will see that in me.”

AP: Same-sex couples in U.S. having trouble getting divorced. Rhode Island's Cassandra Ormison: "We all know people who have gone through divorces. At the end of that long and unhappy period, they have been able to breathe a sigh of relief. I do not see that on my horizon, that sigh of relief that it's over."

HGTV hosts in Canada Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan get married. Ryan: "After a year of living in Toronto, filming Home Heist, it became clear to us that it was time to tie the knot. Canada is such a progressive nation, so welcoming and open-mindedly liberal about gay marriage, that we felt thoroughly inspired."

One of the first Scottish couples to join in a civil partnership has been driven apart because of homophobic attacks: "Every time we went out young thugs would abuse us because of our sexuality and once we were set upon and attacked by three neds. It got worse after I moved to another house, in Irvine. For two months I was calling the police out about three times a night. Gangs of up to 15 youths were outside shouting abuse, throwing bricks and trying to break my door down."

Bravo's Step it Up and Dance has a contestant with a gay porn past (warning: NSFW)

First seniors home for gays and lesbians in Canada is proposed in Vancouver: "So far, the project is nothing more than a proposal, but already more than 30 people have plunked down a $1,000 deposit since it was first advertised two weeks ago, according to the U.S. developer. The plan is for a condo development featuring living units, a communal dining room, a fitness centre, a lounge and cabaret."

13-year-old German schoolboy corrects NASA on path of errant asteroid: "Nico Marquardt used telescopic findings from the Institute of Astrophysics in Potsdam (AIP) to calculate that there was a 1 in 450 chance that the Apophis asteroid will collide with Earth, the Potsdamer Neuerster Nachrichten reported. NASA had previously estimated the chances at only 1 in 45,000 but told its sister organisation, the European Space Agency (ESA), that the young whizzkid had got it right." (UPDATE: Hoax!)

American Idol's Michael Johns prefers to be an alert drunk.

Last week I posted about gay rights activist John Corvino, who had his appearance canceled by Michigan's Aquinas College, because he's gay. Students found a new, larger venue for him to speak at, which was donated for free.

South Africans reach out to gays in Zimbabwe: "The South African Lesbian and Gay Equality Project (LGEP), formerly known as the National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality (NCGLE), is concerned about the deepening political, economic and social crises in Zimbabwe. We express our full solidarity with the lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, women, workers and all the people of Zimbabwe. We add our voice in condemning the unjustified delay in the release of the 29 March elections. As Zimbabwean Independence Day approaches on 18 April 2008, Zimbabweans have nothing to celebrate in honour of their heroic liberation struggle and historic achievement of freedom and democracy."

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News: Taxes, Ken Livingstone, Titanic, Milo Ventimiglia, Scientology

On tax day, a reminder of how the U.S. inflicts extra financial burden on gay citizens.

The last meal on the Titanic, which went down 96 years ago today. Researchers have a new theory behind the sinking — rivets.

ABC's Jake Tapper calls attention to the "Compassion Forum" appearance of Clinton and Obama at Messiah College, which I posted about last week. One of his readers asks, ""Shouldn't Democratic presidential candidates, both of whom are explicitly on the record as being in favor of gay rights, avoid schools like this as assiduously as previous generations of politicians were urged to avoid Bob Jones University? How can politicians appear at a college that espouses these ideas and then turn around and court the gay community at the same time? How can the two leading Democratic candidates appear on stage at this college and not be questioned by the press about the hypocrisy of appearing there?"

Kentucky GOP Rep. Geoff Davis on Obama: "I’m going to tell you something: That boy’s finger does not need to be on the button. He could not make a decision in that simulation that related to a nuclear threat to this country." Davis apologizes...

The gay Navy lieutenant from Melrose Place, Jason Beghe, escaped the clutches of Scientology and now he's speaking out on video: "It’s very, very dangerous for your spiritual, psychological, mental, emotional health and evolution. I think it stunts your evolution. If Scientology is real, then something’s fucked up."

Lack of support from London Mayor Ken Livingstone leaves 2008 International Gay & Lesbian Football Association World Championship with a funding shortfall: "Peter Tatchell of Outrage! described as 'scandalous' the lack of any funding or support from City Hall. 'Ken Livingstone is organising billions of pounds for corporate mega events like the 2012 Olympics but can’t give a few thousand pounds to help host the gay football world championship.'"

A really mean box of jelly beans, which I'm actually really curious to taste.

Project Runway is getting not one but two spin-offs on Lifetime: "The first of them doesn't have a title yet, but Weinstein said it will look at the Project Runway world through the eyes of the show's models. The second, dubbed Project Pygmalion, is a makeover series that will turn its winner into a high-society socialite."

Somebody got carried away at the tattoo parlor.

Rick and Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in the World wins big at Italian animation festival: "Cult hit half-hour show about three gay couples in the fictional 'gay ghetto' of West Lahunga Beach took the Pulcinella nod for TV series of the year. The Pulcinella for TV series for all ages went to RAI Fiction’s 'Acqua in bocca' (Water and Bubbles), about two fish in a tank and their interaction with an Italian family, from helmer Guido Manuli."

Milo Ventimiglia dreamt of being a fighter pilot.

GYM bar in NYC to open up its locker room.

Queerty talks to author Scott Heim about his new novel We Disappear: "There were all these different disappearances in the book–including Scott Heim the writer disappearing into Scott the character—I liked this idea of readers not knowing where one starts and the others begin. There are a lot of things in the book that are total fiction. The danger of doing this blurring is when people do read this as a memoir."

Tom Cruise and David Beckham to buy a soccer team together?

A townhouse in New York's West Village transformed, part of New York magazine's excellent new occasional real estate section, Vu.

Fight to allow gay blood donors heats up in Scotland.

Judicial Watch calls on FEC to investigate Elton John's Hillary Clinton benefit concert: "Recent news reports suggest that Hillary Clinton and Hillary Clinton for President have accepted an in-kind contribution from a foreign national, Sir Elton John, in contravention of federal electon laws. On behalf of Judicial Watch and its supporters, I hereby request that the FEC investigate this matter."

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News: Gayle King, Hunky Jesus, Yale, Charlie Crist, Tibet

A dog's life: NYC penthouse purchased for Gayle King in name of Oprah's recently deceased cocker spaniel, Sophie.

San Franciscans battle it out to be Hunky Jesus in Easter competition: "Catholics have labelled the annual pageant blasphemous, considering that previous entrants have included 'old school Jesus', 'surfer Jesus' and 'zombie Jesus', an irreverent take on the Easter message of Christ rising from the dead."

Last night's How I Met Your Mother guest starring Britney Spears was the show's highest rated episode ever.

18-year-old charged with stabbing death of gay man appears in Brooklyn court: "The defendant, Omar Willock, is charged with a hate crimes offense...At Willock’s arraignment last spring, Hynes told reporters that Willock 'shouted anti-gay remarks' at Roberto Duncanson, taunting him even as he tried to get away from Willock. Willock allegedly followed Duncanson, who’d been trying to avoid the confrontation, which had its roots in an verbal exchange earlier that same night, when angry words were exchanged between the two men. Willock had claimed that Duncanson stared at him in an unwanted manner, though the incident did not become violent. When Duncanson returned along the same route later that evening, Willock is alleged to have renewed his taunts. Witnesses told police the two engaged in a brief fistfight, culminating in a chase that ended with Duncanson’s stabbing death."

Florida Governor Charlie Crist loves women.

Yale University appoints first openly gay residential-college master, tapping acclaimed singer Richard Lalli MUS ’86 to lead Jonathan Edwards College: "He will be joined by his partner, Michael Rigsby MED ’88, who will add the designation of associate master to his current title: medical director of Yale University Health Services. Lalli, an adjunct professor of music, has taught at Yale since 1982; both are already JE fellows and freshman advisers in the college. 'This is a great occasion. It’s probably the greatest occasion of my life,' Lalli said to JE students after University President Richard Levin announced his appointment over dinner Wednesday night in Commons." College master is one of Yale's highest recognitions.

Gay Syrian applies for asylum in Scotland: "After Mr Yakob's terrible ordeal in Syria, it is unacceptable that the Home Office would consider sending him back. There is a very real risk that he would suffer further ill treatment or even possibly death. He has sought asylum in Scotland and I will make an immediate representation to the Home Office in an effort to overturn their ruling before his final hearing in May."

OP/ED: Repeal of gay rights laws in Oregon would have chilling effect.

Chinese paramilitary police open fire on mass crowd of monks, nuns, and Tibetans: "Residents of Luhuo said that a monk and a farmer appeared to have been killed and about a dozen people wounded in the latest violence in Tibetan areas of China. Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, said that one officer was killed when police confronted a 'lawless mob' in Luhuo. The demonstration began at 4pm when about 200 nuns from Woge nunnery and a similar number of monks from Jueri monastery marched towards the Luhuo Third District government office. They were joined by several hundred farmers and nomads, witnesses said."

Ashton Kutcher plays douchebag in new film.

How does Priscilla Presley stay looking so young? Special facial injections of auto lubricant.

Gay sex expert Michael Alvear spent three months filming couples and analyzing the footage: "I don’t think that people are really that aware of their contributions to the breakdowns in a relationship, and the cameras are able to cut through all the false perceptions that they have about themselves. I’ve always believed this through writing and advising people about sex—the question, 'What are you unaware of that, if you became aware of it, you could change and make the situation better?' That’s what the cameras allowed people to do—become aware of the things they’re not aware of. It’s like a mirror that way."

Gay Wisconsin man settles lawsuit alleging two men attacked him in a deli because he was gay: "Brett Timmerman's lawsuit claims that he walked into a sandwich shop in Platteville in July 2005 when Oden Waite and Enove Urias made anti-gay remarks to him, put him in a headlock and took him to the ground. Timmerman claims that Waite spit on him twice. Timmerman's attorney, Jim Madigan, said that he reached the deal with Waite's attorneys last week. He said that the settlement calls for terms to remain undisclosed."

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Australia issues official apology for mistreating Aborigines: "Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told parliament that past policies of assimilation, under which aboriginal children were taken from their families to be brought up in white households, were a stain on the nation's soul. 'Today, the parliament has come together to right a great wrong,' Rudd said. 'We apologize for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.'"

Yep, that's a look of pure hate if I've ever seen one.

Brad Pitt to renege on promise that he would not be getting married until gay people can?

Back to TV: The writer's strike is officially over!

Brazilian gay rights leader Alexandre Peixe dos Santos bashed: "gagged, hooded and beaten by an unknown number of attackers."

London to host 2009 European gay rugby Union Cup: Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, said: 'The tournament will provide a platform to introduce lesbian and gay sport to new audiences.' The first Union Cup was held in 2005 in Montpellier, France and then in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2007."

Man claims to be JFK's son, wants DNA TEST from Kennedy clan.

Scottish police station hoists rainbow flag. Chief Inspector: "The contribution of LGBT people is often forgotten or ignored. It's great the police is able to recognise those efforts. It sends out the message of support to staff members and the wider public that the force is committed to diversity and equality. I'm sad if some people are unhappy about the flag for religious reasons, but I know many religious people who do not feel it goes against their faith and they are very supportive."

Court orders $3100 fine for Swedish kennel owner who refused to sell a puppy to a woman because she was a lesbian.

Hod: Jewish Orthodox gay group's web presence is born: "We are being watched with a magnifying glass right now. We have to be careful not to ruin our relations with the Orthodox establishment. Besides, we are not at the stage where we can express our opinions about same-sex partnerships and families. Our battles are at a much more elementary level. We are trying to convince rabbis, educators, lay leaders and even the general public that homosexuality is not a mental sickness."

CLASSY: Paparazzi snaps Michelle Williams beside skeleton on first day back from Heath Ledger funeral.

Patron turned away from South African gay bar because of his race.

Birth of gay group at University of Alabama remembered with exhibition: "25 years later, a collection of everything relating to the group — papers, posters, letters, shirts — has been donated to the university's archives. 'No school is fully represented by its official records. We need the unofficial record, too,' said Clark Center, curator of the W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library. 'The collection is important in that it represents a student group's activities and their intersection with the wider world.' The collection was gathered by Josh Burford, who was approached about a year ago by students wanting to research homosexuals in Tuscaloosa for a paper in his class on modern gay America. By calling on past faculty advisors and members of the group, he was able to collect boxes of papers still kept in basements and offices."

Listen to Mariah Carey's new track "Touch My Body".

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The five most HORRIFYING bugs in the world.

Those naughty Abercrombie zombies are back for Spring.

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

Colin Farrell turning into a silver fox.

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

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News: China, Fabio, Antarctica, Oprah, Dame Edna, Scotland, Britney

Teen gay bashes straight couple after mistaking short-haired girlfriend for a man: "The boy, 16, has been charged in juvenile court with the assault, occurring after asking the man and his girlfriend if they were 'two gay guys.' They then became "f$%^ing gay bastards" as they were thrown to the ground, punched and kicked on a busy Dublin street."

Nightmare Garden: Actor from British children's TV series claims on-set injury and anti-gay harassment: "Isaac Blake claimed he suffered an injured pelvis while wearing the chunky brown and pink costume to entertain millions of viewers as one of the three Tombliboos. The 28-year-old said he had to go to hospital and was forced off work for a week after being made to bend over for long spells for closeup shots while wearing the suit. At an employment tribunal, Mr Blake, a trained dancer, also alleged that he was discriminated against and verbally abused for being homosexual. He claimed a colleague called him a 'bitch' and a 'faggot' but when he made a formal complaint he was told to 'shut up and get on with it'."

OWN: Oprah Winfrey gets her own network! What an appropriate name for it.

Judge orders MSNBC to include Dennis Kucinich in Las Vegas debate today.

Kennith H. Burns, founding member of pioneering L.A. gay rights group Mattachine Society, dies at 81 of lung failure: "In 1953, when McCarthyism was strengthening its grip on the national consciousness, Hay and other Mattachine leaders with communist ties were ousted and Burns assumed a prominent role in the organization. The society moved in a more conservative direction during Burns' tenure as Mattachine president in the mid- to late 1950s. Along with other Mattachine leaders, including Harold Call and Don Lucas, he urged members to temper their public image and assimilate into society. 'We must blame ourselves for much of our plight,' Burns said during this period. 'When will homosexuals ever realize that social reform, in order to be effective, must be preceded by personal reform?'"

Fabio offers up Details on George Clooney West Hollywood catfight: "He laid a hand on me, so it would have been self-defense if I had beaten him down. I could have fucked him up. Oh my god, I could have beaten the shit out of him. I was so pissed off. Right then, I could have knocked him over and beat him. I could have punched him in the face while he was on his back. That's how you really hurt someone—their face can't amortize the punch so it takes, it takes the whole impact."

Dame Edna ill, ordered to rest for six months...

Stuart Ellanson, an inmate serving life sentence for murder of gay man gets 15 additional years for holding a dental technician hostage at the prison: "He held the woman captive in a storage room in the prison's health complex for about five and a half hours before releasing her. He was then arrested. Ellanson is serving a life term for murder as a hate crime in the stabbing death of a man in Superior in 1991. The criminal complaint said Ellanson told investigators he killed the man because he was gay."

MELTING: Antarctic ice loss jumps 75% in a single year.

Britney SNAPS (4:13), and picks up a British accent while doing so.

Outsports looks at the aquatic side of Project Runway's Jack Mackenroth: "'Swimming just came fairly naturally to me, and I really enjoyed it,' said Mackenroth, now 38. And he was very good at it, too. He has three All-American titles and set a national record at the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago in the breaststroke leg of the 4-by-50 meter medley relay. Also in 2006, he finished 12th in the 50-meter breaststroke at the Masters World Championships in Stanford, Calif. 'Swimming has been rewarding,' said Mackenroth, who played soccer and baseball as a youngster and now admits that he, 'was hopeless at all of the other sports.'"

China Daily looks at what gays face in that country: "The more you try to oppress sex, the more resistance will rise up." Time takes a look too.

Scotland's hate crime laws to be widened to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and the disabled: "It aims to strengthen the law to protect disabled people and those from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered communities by extending statutory aggravations to cover crimes motivated by malice or ill will towards victims."

RESEARCHER: Heterosexual couples have something to learn from same-sex couples: "In a series of studies Green conducted with Michael Bettinger and Ellis Zacks, lesbian couples were found to be emotionally closer than gay male couples who, in turn, were found to be emotionally closer than heterosexual married couples. 'It all comes down to greater equality in the relationship,' Green said in a statement. 'Research shows that lesbian and gay couples have a head start in escaping the traditional gender role divisions that make for power imbalances and dissatisfaction in many heterosexual relationships.' Heterosexual couples could learn from gays couples about sharing housework and childcare, using softer communication in conflict and having more nurturing behaviors toward one another and their children, the researchers conclude."

The Gawker job interview.

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Brutal Homophobic Killers are Sentenced in Scotland

David Meehan, 19, and Martin Soutar, 21, who pleaded guilty in October to the murder of 51-year-old civic officer James Kerr in a public park in Perth, Scotland have been jailed for 16-to-life and 9 years, respectively.

According to the BBC, however, the killer's sentence could be a lot longer: "He told him he was not guaranteed automatic release after serving the 16 years set and added: 'You remain liable to be detained for life.'"

One other 15-year-old teenager, who reportedly initiated the attack on James Kerr, is to be sentenced tomorrow.

The BBC reports: "Mr Kerr, 51, was left lying in a pool of blood with major head injuries while Meehan and his accomplices went to a party. Meehan later claimed they walked past their victim two hours later and ignored him as he lay on a path near a boating pond. The schoolboy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted assaulting the victim by punching him in the face and knocking him to the ground. Judge Lord Macphail said: 'This was a killing of a callous and brutal character which appears to have been marked by a homophobic element.' He said photographs of the victim's body were 'horrifying'...As they left the scene the schoolboy was heard to say that he hated 'gays and poofters'. A woman walking her dog later came across Mr Kerr. He died later that day in hospital."

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News: Cheney Impeachment, Gavin Rossdale, Jenkem, Iraq Gays

As safe houses close, Iraqi gay activist Ali Hili says world has left them behind: "Over 30 gay residents who we cared for in these three safe houses now have to take their chances in a country where religious militia regularly seek out gays and execute them. Several months ago, two lesbians working with Iraqi LGBT were assassinated in the safe house they were running in Najaf, along with a young boy the women had rescued from the sex industry. We feel deserted by the international gay community. Few people seem to care about our fate."

Dennis Kucinich to force vote on impeachment resolution against Vice President Dick Cheney. And he's not stopping there....

Jenkem is the shit: Florida police investigating new fecal drug craze. Disgusting.

Scottish parliament considering sexual orientation hate crime law: "There are no guarantees that enough MSPs will support the bill, but it appears to have received a warm welcome from the government. Today it comes before a committee of the Scottish Parliament."

Bush to nominate anti-gay Harvard law professor Mary Ann Glendon as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican: "Glendon, 69, is an anti-abortion scholar and an opponent of gay marriage who also has written on the effects of divorce and increased litigation on society. Her 1987 book 'Abortion and Divorce in Western Law' was critical of the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a legal right to abortion."

Eric Dane is a silver fox.

CBS News on LOGO expanding to half-hour weekly broadcast: "Brian Graden, Logo president and president of MTV Networks Music Group Entertainment, said Monday afternoon that the network had gotten to the point where it had the distribution and roster of advertisers to take things to another level. 'It seemed like there was enough news to sustain that (half-hour) format and then some, and that the audience had a concentrated interest' a year out from the 2008 general elections, Graden said. He didn't rule out further news programming based on how things go."

Gavin Rossdale flexes his tennis chops.

Discharged lesbian nurse battling "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": "Margaret Witt's ACLU lawyer told a federal appeals court panel in Seattle that child molesters in the armed forces are treated more leniently than homosexuals because molesters don't face mandatory discharge. Witt contends the policy-driven discharge violated her right to be free from governmental intrusion in her private life, and that her lawsuit against the Air Force should be reinstated...Witt, 42, spent more than 18 years building a stellar reputation as a McChord Air Force Base nurse who saved the lives of soldiers on medical-evacuation missions. Twice decorated by President Bush, her career was on the rise until an anonymous tipster told the Air Force in 2004 that Witt, a major, was in a long-term relationship with a civilian woman."

British boyband McFly are pube-burning sensations at G-A-Y nightclub in London.

Slow-going as jury selection enters day two for Florida Rep. Bob Allen: "It's "very unusual" for jury selection on a second-degree misdemeanor charge of soliciting a prostitute to enter a second day, attorneys agreed. 'The typical misdemeanor trial would generally have jury selection concluded in a half-day or less, and some are done as quickly as an hour or two,' said Michelle Perlman, misdemeanor division chief for Brevard's State Attorney's Office. Many potential jurors were dismissed immediately after they said they believed Allen, accused in July of agreeing to pay an undercover police officer he encountered in a Titusville park bathroom $20 to perform a sex act, was guilty based on media accounts."

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Does Sean Connery Thong Portrait Leave You Stirred, or Shaken?

A portrait of Sean Connery, painted after he had returned from the Royal Navy and before he left Scotland to pursue his acting career, has gone on display at the Edinburgh School of Art. Posing for life art classes was how he made a living before he became Bond.

The Times Online reports: "The painting, by Al Fairweather, features in a wide-ranging exhibition held to mark the centenary of Edinburgh College of Art, which includes important works by a host of internationally acclaimed artists, including Alan Davie, Eduardo Paolozzi, and John Bellany. The Fairweather portrait shows Connery when he was in his early 20s after he had returned to Edinburgh from a three-year stint in the Royal Navy. By that time he had worked through a succession of deadend jobs and had enrolled at a gym on the Royal Mile when he was selected by the college for life classes."

Connery fancied himself a bodybuilder. Photographic evidence, after the jump...

Via the Daily Mail: "A muscular Sean Connery was a keen bodybuilder and came third in a Mr Universe competition before finding fame as the film world's iconic British spy."

Love the hats.

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Hate Sheet: Pennsylvania, Houston, Northern Ireland, Scotland

Not a lot of fun writing this post up, but there was quite a bit of news on this topic today, so here it is:

Police investigating potential hate crime in Bucks County, Pennsylvania: "State police in Dublin are looking for two men who assaulted 40-year-old Brett Saylor along Route 313 near the Dublin Star Diner at about 4:45 a.m. Saturday. Saylor, who was on his way to work, was treated at Doylestown Hospital. Saylor, who moved to the area four months ago from Louisville, Ky., said the two men called him abusive names indicating they knew about his sexuality. He said they did not take his money or valuables."

Killer of gay man in Houston is up for parole: "Paul Broussard, 27, was brutally beaten and stabbed to death while walking in Montrose in 1991 because he was gay. One of the attackers, Jon Buice, is serving a 45-year prison sentence for Broussard's murder. Buice is up for parole for the third time. 'They not only took Paul's life, they took his future,' said Nancy Rodriguez, Broussard's mother. 'I know in reality, he will not spend 45 years.' Rodriguez, from Georgia, plans to make her plea to the parole board. 'Regardless of who it was or who he was, nobody should have to die like that,' she said. 'This was a horrible, horrible thing. If you read the autopsy -- it took me years to read it -- and he actually carved my child up like you would a deer. He meant to kill him.'" Read a bit more of the backstory on this here.

A group of gay tourists has been attacked in Bogside, Northern Ireland: "Members of Gay and Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland (GLYNI) and their Australian guests came under fire from the youths at Rossville Street on Saturday afternoon. The visitors were enjoying a tour of the Bogside when they were confronted by the gang who shouted homophobic abuse, threw bottles and stones, and toted the replica firearms. Details of the incident only emerged yesterday afternoon. David McCartney, of Derry-based gay, lesbian and transsexual support group, the Rainbow Project, said it was a "terrifying experience" for the tourists."

Two men have pleaded guilty to a lethal assault on a gay man in Perth, Scotland: "Mr Kerr, who worked as a civic officer for Perth and Kinross Council, died in Dundee's Ninewells Hospital hours after being repeatedly kicked in the head. Meehan, Soutar and the 15-year-old all admitted punching him on the face and knocking him to the ground. Meehan and Soutar admitted kicking him numerous times on the head, with Meehan admitting landing the blows which amounted to murder."

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Scottish Man Gets 18 Months for Fatal Beating of Gay Friend

Gordon Fyvie, a Scottish man who revealed to his "friend" Neal Todd that he was gay at a party, received a beating from Todd that was so severe he was left unconscious and covered with bruises while his "friends" continued drinking. Fyvie, a Salvation Army worker, died 12 days later. Doctors on his original hospital visit following the beating had failed to detect brain damage that eventually killed him.

The BBC reports: "In court, Todd admitted assaulting and injuring Mr Fyvie by repeatedly punching and kicking him on the face and body. His solicitor said Todd was 'extremely remorseful' and had no idea his victim had been so badly injured. He told the court that Todd had become addicted to White Lightning cider and drinking it had made him 'irrational'. He had suffered alcohol-related 'visions and voices' in the past."

A judge has sentenced Todd to just 18 months in prison.

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Scissor Sisters Work Mud and Tartan for European Crowds

The music festivals across the pond are in high gear and the Scissor Sisters have been taking it all in. This weekend they played the Oxegen Festival in Dublin (below) where Jake Shears flaunted his piggish tendencies with a roll in the mud during "Filthy, Gorgeous".

The group then headed up to Scotland for T in the Park (Above) where they rocked a set of custom Tartan plaids designed by Zaldy. Love those shorts and knee socks on Del Marquis.

Photos by Kevin Tachman/WENN. Click to enlarge.

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News: Boeing Dreamliner, Paula Abdul, Toilet Paper, Katie Couric

   San Francisco cop suspended for homophobic amateur videos wins appeal of suspension: "Cohen, an officer since 1995, shot videos showing officers responding to mock calls. One showed a homeless black woman railing against white people after apparently being hit by a patrol car. Another showed an officer ogling a woman he had stopped for a traffic violation. One officer was shown dressed as a transgender person, and a policewoman was filmed putting on lipstick during a mock drug raid. Another video showed officers attempting tai chi to vaguely Asian music, then heading into a massage parlor."

   Bachelor Andy Baldwin tries his best to bring back the Speedo.

   Scottish minister resigns post after Gaydar profile discovered. Source: "Jarvie separated from his wife in 2003 but they never divorced. His behavior has been causing concern in Falkland and Freuchie for some time. A minister who dresses up like a member of the Village People and is looking for married men for group sex might not be the best person to hold down the office of minister or chaplain. It's shocking to everyone. When his wife left he cut his hair and grew a goatee - everyone was waiting on him coming out."

   Radio station loses listeners after calling openly gay NYC City Council Speaker Christine Quinn a "nasty lesbo".

   POLL: 75% of Israelis would accept a gay child, despite the perceived difficulties.

   Telemundo host Luisa Fernanda loses job after calling gay man a Grouper: ''For me, it was just an association of words, comparing a fish to a fish. I had no idea it was an offensive word. I would be incapable of being homophobic.''

   Paula Abdul's reality show a step too far? "If only people see how cool I am mixing it up with my fans, then they won’t think I’m just Simon Cowell’s bimbo or a floozy pillfreak. They’ll see me as a sexy, supportive, fun little powerhouse. While it’s not clear that this logic seized anyone but Ms. Abdul, she still brought her vision to the screen. And no one has stopped her."

   REPORT: David Beckham made £300 million for Real Madrid in four years.

   Boeing unveils lightweight, carbon-composite Dreamliner 787.

   Brad Pitt and Archbishop Desmond Tutu talk gay rights: "I could not for any part of me be able to keep quiet, because people were being penalized, ostracized, treated as if they were less than human, because of something they could do nothing to change--their sexual orientation."

   Slap happy: don't dare use the word "sputum" in front of Katie Couric.

   Fort Lauderdale mayor targeted in toilet paper protest after disparaging comments about gays and public bathrooms: "'We are encouraging people to mail either a roll or several sheets of toilet paper to the mayor at City Hall to help him to wipe his dirty mind clean,' said Brian Winfield, spokesperson for Equality Florida, a gay rights organization that helped come up with the toilet paper protest Friday. The bathroom brouhaha started after Naugle's comments in a July 4 article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel about the city's plan to buy a $250,000 self-cleaning robotic toilet for beachgoers. The high-tech commode could be programmed with a time limit, after which the door would fly open. In the article, Naugle was quoted as saying the toilet could prevent 'homosexual activity' that has occurred at other public restrooms."

   Lance Bass