News: Mr. Gay USA, Art, James Blunt, The Vatican

Europe's oldest gay gay and lesbian film festival, which has been around for 25 years, will run from November 27 - December 5.

Mr. Columbia, SC crowned Mr. Gay USA.

Members of the Campaign Against Homophobia beaten after his arrest by Polish police.

Ryan Gosling is a mama's boy.

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church failed to show up for a previously announced protest of a production of The Laramie Project in Santa Ana, CA. That might have had something to do with the tires on their bus being slashed.

James Blunt thinks he saved us all from World War 3.

Hate on campus at community college in Oregon: "a poster at an Albany community college that contained hateful words about gays and lesbians was fraudulently attributed to the college's diversity center in an apparent protest of the center's sponsorship of a gay-rights film."

What makes Rev. Gene Robinson an effective leader is the way that he has dealt with his struggles in life.

Gay Top Chef contestant Dale Levitski talks about life after the show.

First openly gay fraternity comes to Indiana University.

Smithsonian art exhibition titled "Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture," is the "first major museum exhibition to focus on sexual difference in the making of modern American portraiture."

Openly gay Briton detained in Syria, where he runs a shop with a shrine dedicated to Oscar Wilde.

Robert Pattinson goes for a dip in his skivvies.

The woman whose voice you hear on the subway train has never actually ridden the subway since she started that job.

The Vatican has banned an Irish Catholic priest from writing after he called homosexuality “simply a facet of the human condition."

News: Mel Gibson, The Sun, Earth Day, Outfest, The World Cup

Meredith Vieira borrows Lady Gaga's smokey shades.

Scientists believe that dark matter has been building up in the sun over the last 5 billion years.

It was only a matter of time before it exploded over the Internet. Listen to audio of Mel Gibson's incredibly racist rant here. And, yes, it's just as bad as you think it is.

Posh Spice is just like us: "I am a gay man in woman's body so God supposes I should love singers like Lady GaGa."

The top 10 presidential fashion flubs.

I think it was the fake lesbian kiss that put the final nail in Miley Cyrus's career.

Kylie Minogue on being diagnosed with cancer: "Oh yeah. It changes. I look back on it now and the terror is still very real. But going through that and then going straight back on the road as soon as I physically could do it, I look back on that and think 'were you nuts?'"

Gay bar in Slovenia met with Molotov cocktail and hateful graffiti such as "Death to faggots."

Lady Gaga will release an album of remixes next month.

A judge in Tennessee has approved a same-sex sexual harassment lawsuit involving two straight men.

The blue people of Avatar netted James Cameron a whole lotta green.

The man behind the gas mask in a well-known Earth Day photo is revealed.

Gail Collins on Levi Johnston: "(He) told People that he hoped that the Palins would 'forgive my youthful indiscretion.' This does not really sound like something that would come from a high-school dropout who gave his son the middle name of Easton because that is his favorite hockey equipment company. Bristol responded to her ex-boyfriend’s statement with one of her own, saying that 'part of co-parenting is creating healthy and honest relationships between the parents.' Also not the kind of word choice you normally hear from a 19-year-old."

Outfest opens in LA.

Glee will get an all Britney episode.

Spain will win the World Cup. Or so says an octopus.

They Bless The Rains Down in Africa

Perpetuum Jazzile, a jazz choir from Slovenia, does a great rendition of Toto's "Africa", but it's their recreation of a thunderstorm which is really, really excellent.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

Photo: First Gay Marriage in Slovenia

Slovenia legalized gay marriage in late July. Yesterday, Mitja Blazic, right, and Viki Kern became the first gay couple to legally register in that country. Slovenia's unusual stipulation in allowing same-sex marriage was that no friends, relatives, or any third person be allowed to attend the ceremony, which can only be held in a state office.

It's good to see the strange rules aren't stopping anyone. Congrats to the happy couple.

Mr. Blazic has a blog, which you can enjoy if you read Slovenian.

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News: John Travolta, Latvian Pigs, Tate Modern...

Today, AfterElton posted a really lovely profile on Towleroad and its evolution. I'm flattered and grateful. Thanks, guys!

The Tate Modern in London is about to get a lot bigger. And a gay hotel has become the #1 rated spot to stay in London, according to the website tripadvisor.com.

Latvian Interior Minister defends the police and not the gays after violent Latvian pride incidents: "In fact, [the police] were the ones who suffered most. They were pelted with eggs and excrements. The pressure was enormous, and it was hard to resist taking sides. Therefore I reiterate one more time that our police force did a great job and anything of that kind was prevented from happening in Latvia."

John Travolta does some method acting for his new film, Wild Hogs.

Slovenia legalizes same-sex marriages. However, there's one stipulation: "No friends, relatives or any third person are allowed to attend the ceremony, which can be held only in a state office."

No more sex: Is George Michael's singing career scandal-proof? Apparently not.