Antonin Scalia Talks Sodomy

At an Ohio State lecture on interpreting the Constitution:

 “My burden is not to show that originalism is perfect but to show that it beats the other available alternatives. Did any provision of the Constitution guarantee a right to abortion? No one thought so for almost two centuries after the founding. Did any provision in the Constitution guarantee a right to homosexual sodomy? Same answer.”

News: R-71, Gordon Brown, D.C., David Hockney, Will Young, Toronto

Justice Kennedy refers R-71 names case to full Supreme Court?

Excitement over Thai AIDS vaccine fades: "Now, two other analyses of the trial data suggests that the results could have been due to pure chance, and therefore the vaccine may not have conferred protection to people after all. The additional data are published today in the New England Journal of Medicine and will be more fully discussed today by researchers attending an AIDS meeting in Paris."

Twins wreak havoc on X-Factor with their cover of "Oops, I Did It Again".

Toronto chosen for World Pride 2014.

Man pleads guilty to 2008 gay bashing in Springville, New York.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown backs opening Parliament to gay weddings: "The Prime Minister will insist that it is unfair only heterosexual couples can marry inside the Palace of Westminster. Mr Brown will be speaking at a Parliamentary inquiry into how to increase the representation of gay people, ethnic minorities, women and the disabled at Westminster."

Joss Whedon to direct Glee.

Daniel Radcliffe purchases third NYC residence.

Threats on President's life up 400%: "The Boston Globe reports that a new internal Congressional Research Service report and government sources say there are an unprecedented number of death threats against President Obama -- and that the Secret Service is insufficiently funded and staffed to deal with them."

Astronomers find 32 planets outside our solar system.

Transgender woman found strangled to death in her flat in Brighton, UK by firefighters responding to a blaze. Police have arrested a 42-year-old man: "The body of Andrea Waddell, 29, who had a masters degree and worked as a prostitute, was found just before midnight on Thursday by firefighters. The man in custody, from Brighton, was held on Saturday night, police said."

Big Brother 9 winner Adam Jasinski used his $500,000 prize to fuel his oxycodone drug-dealing business.

Elvis hair: it sells for $15,000.

John Mayer releases augmented reality music video.

More of Lance Bass in the boxing ring.

Character on Law and Order: SVU to come out of the closet.

Inside David Hockney's iPhone obsession.

D.C. activists oppose phase-out of domestic partnerships, fearing that failure of same-sex marriage law would leave gays and lesbians with nothing.

Singer Will Young guest edits Attitude magazine: "Explaining why he took on the job, Will says: 'The first time I bought Attitude I was 15 and Chris O'Donnell was dressed as Robin on the front cover. I didn't know it was a gay magazine at the time. It is never easy adjusting to being different but things have changed so quickly over the last 10 years. I dedicate this issue to the people who were at the forefront of that change by being brave enough to be themselves."

Adam Lambert album to be called For Your Entertainment.

Fashion chat: Paul Smith blabs with Simon Doonan.

Lesbian couple attacked in Brighton, UK: " The couple, who are aged 18 and 22, were walking hand in hand at about 3am on October 7. When they turned towards the three men shouting homophobic insults at them, two of the men attacked them, punching them both in the head. Even when the young women begged the third man, who had a large brown dog, to stop his friends, he did not intervene."

Justice Kennedy Intervenes, Keeping Names of R-71 Signers Private

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy has stepped in to stop Washington state officials from making public the names of signers of the petition to place Referendum 71, the measure which puts the state's "everything but marriage" domestic partnership law before voters, on the ballot in November.

The AP reports: "Kennedy's ruling Monday temporarily blocks a federal appeals court ruling last week that ordered the release of the names. Kennedy said his order would remain in effect while he considers a request by a pro-marriage group that asked him to reverse the appeals court ruling...In September, U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle temporarily barred state officials from releasing the identities of those who signed the referendum petitions. Settle held that releasing the names could chill the First Amendment rights of petition signers...The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Settle's decision last week. The appeals court said Washington's secretary of state can release the names and addresses of people who signed petitions calling for a public vote."

A written response from state officials was requested by Kennedy today.

Supreme Court Declines Two LGBT-related Cases

Bay Windows reports:

"During its official opening day orders Monday, the Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of a Michigan school district which was seeking to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the parents of a student who was being repeatedly harassed as a 'queer' and 'faggot.' The 6th Circuit federal appeals court ruled in January that the case, Hudson Area Schools v. Patterson, should proceed to trial...The Supreme Court also refused Monday to hear an appeal from an Episcopal Church in Los Angeles that sought to break away from the national denomination because the denomination allowed the consecration of a gay bishop, Gene Robinson of New Hampshire."

The former case will now be heard in a district court in Detroit, and the decision regarding the second case leaves a California Supreme Court ruling intact: "The St. James parish in the diocese of Los Angeles separated from the denomination in 2003 and tried to take church property with them. But the denomination fought the parish’s efforts to take the property, and the California Supreme Court agreed."

News: George Michael, Moon, Sonia Sotomayor, Iraq, Dinosaurs

George Michael denies split with partner Kenny Goss.

NASA probe takes aim at Moon.

D.C. police investigating man's death at "JO party": "The organizer of the men's parties, who asked that he be identified only as David, said the victim appears to have fallen on a cement floor in the basement of the house about 5 a.m. and possibly hit his head on a metal pipe or a brick wall. He said he does not believe the victim fell down a flight of stairs, as some have speculated in postings on Craigslist."

Gossip Girl ménage à trois in the works.

Chicago police officer Richard Fiorito trumped up charges against gays and lesbians, video shows.

Shepard Fairey and the art of the election to be featured in new book, Manifest Hope.

WATCH: Joe the Plumber's stand-up comedy routine.

Florida student teased for being gay breaks, assaults another student: "He said he had been teased for two days and that he was upset and lost control. He said he was sorry if he hurt anybody, but when he gets angry he cannot control himself and that it runs in the family, according to his Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office report."

David Beckham hangs out with his in-laws.

Spice Girls plotting reunion?

New York magazine takes a lengthy look at the danger faced by gays in Iraq.

Gavin Newsom struggling with fundraising in California gubernatorial bid?

Former Boston City Councillor sues police department, alleging gay bashing following sting over liaison with teen.

Sharon Lettman named Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition.

Largest ever dinosaur footprints found in France: "Imprints measuring up to 2 metres (6ft 6in) in diameter and stretching over a vast area of land have been uncovered near the village of Plagne, 30 miles west of Geneva, according to the National Centre of Scientific Research. In a statement, the centre said the significance of the prints could not be overestimated. 'According to the researchers' initial work, these tracks are the biggest ever seen,' it said."

Sonia Sotomayor begins work as SCOTUS justice: "in the two cases on the docket, she asked as many questions and made as many comments as Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. The only sign of her newness was that she at times forgot to turn on her microphone before posing a question."

Backstage with Rufus Wainwright at last night's benefit for New York's Ali Forney Center.

David Letterman apologizes on air to wife and staff.

Tasmania to allow same-sex couples to register relationship.

Whitney Houston to join Desperate Housewives?

Dr. Erik Steele on marriage equality in Maine: "In the end, though, gay marriage is not about marriage or teenagers, and it is not even about gays as much as it is about us. Over the last 250 years, Americans have slowly chipped away the bias and ignorance used to deprive almost every American except wealthy, white men of equal standing before the law. The right of civil marriage for gays is about continuing that same march toward 'one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.' You cannot oppose it without betraying American values and the rights hard won for you by those victims of prejudice in almost every family tree who fought in their time for the rights we have in ours."

News: Outrage, Eric Brewer, Crocs, Serbia, Mark Foley, Germany

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized, released...

Dear Harvey: Play about Harvey Milk opens at San Diego State.

Eric Brewer, Mayor of East Cleveland, Ohio, in women's lingerie photo scandal.

Kept: Reality show about NYC gays to be a reality.

Outrage (see my write-up here) is coming to HBO on October 5.

UK gay man targeted in blackmail scam: "The 49-year-old had arranged to meet a man in the town through a known gay social networking website. But when the victim arrived he was approached by men posing as police officers who demanded a 'fine' and took his bank card. It later emerged £200 in cash was taken from the man's bank account, which was used to buy a mountain bike, alcohol and cigarettes."

London, Ontario 'football hero', allegedly responsible for gay bashing of modeling agent Brandon Wright, has been arrested at the airport.

Rabbi: No Crocs on Yom Kippur.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram talks to one of the gay brothers on this season's Amazing Race, which premieres on Sunday.

Brad Pitt joins Bill Clinton's Global Initiative.

Mark Foley hits the airwaves in South Florida.

Mysterious "lump" spotted forming around nearby star.

Mother of Ryan Keith Skipper speaks at Florida Hate Crimes Awareness Summit: "You may relive your pain, but you also relive your love. It keeps Ryan's memory alive and to me, that's an important thing. I don't want his death to have been in vain."

Reese Witherspoon ring sparks whispers of Gyllenhaal engagement.

Brokeback Mountain actor arrested for skipping out on hotel bill.

Carrie Prejean: Scantily-clad Halloween costume model.

UK teacher suspended after students found photos of him posing on a gay porn website.

Openly gay man tipped to be Angela Merkel's Foreign Minister in Germany. "[Can] a gay man, who sometimes takes his partner on official overseas trips, can function as a foreign minister. Could there, for instance, be snubs from President Ahmadinejad (who, after the execution of two gay men, told a Western audience: “We don’t have homosexuals, as in your country.”). Or jokes from Silvio Berlusconi (whose supporters recently used homosexuality claims to get rid of a critical editor)?"

Serbian prosecutor calls for ban on hate groups that caused cancellation of Belgrade's Pride parade: "Serbian authorities withdrew approval for gay activists to hold a rally in central Belgrade on Saturday after soccer hooligans and the extremist groups Obraz (Face) and Association 1398 threatened to attack the parade. 'The two groups were identified as those which must be outlawed immediately,' prosecutor Slobodan Radovanovic told B92 television."

Hillary Clinton on international violence against LGBT people: "We are starting to track violence against the LGBT community, because where it happens anywhere in the world, the United States must speak out against it and work for its end. Through our annual human rights report, we are documenting human rights abuses against LGBT communities worldwide. And we are seeking out partners at the United Nations such as Brazil, France, Sweden and the Netherlands to help us address these human rights abuses."