News: Chuck Bass, Taiwan, Authors, Male Escort, 'Dictatorship'

Rather than discussing US-Taiwan relations with King Pu-tsung, their representative to the US, Taiwanese lawmakers were more interested in asking him questions about rumors that he's gay and having an affair with President Ma Ying-jeou: "King said it was 'unfair' that people have claimed that his political progress has been spurred along through sexual relationships, adding that the insinuation was also insulting to homosexuals."

Senate Majority leader Harry Reid is blaming GOP House Speaker John Boehner of running the House like a "dictatorship" and intentionally obstructing fiscal cliff negotiations. "Everyone knows that if they had brought up the Senate-passed bill, it would pass overwhelmingly. But the speaker says, no we can't do that," Reid said today. "It's [the House] being operated by a dictatorship of the speaker."

Lindsay Lohan got a bit of a break on the tax lien on her home.

Johnny Depp's 2012, a photo essay.

"How An Author Should Be." (Good at building anticipation.)

Presenting "The Fabulous Fags of the Steambath."

Don't you wish you would find British Olympic diver Tom Daley under your mistletoe?

Puppies in the snow.

A look back at 2012 in celebrity fashion.

Nick and Nate Montana show off their football bodies on the beach.

Following in Richard Hanna and Ileana Ros-Lehtinan, a third GOP congressman has come out against the anti-gay DOMA: "U.S. Rep. Charlie Bass, R-Peterborough, took a symbolic step this week by being the first Republican member of Congress from New England to sign on to an effort that would allow the federal government to recognize same-sex marriage."

"A Gay Male Escort Recalls His Craziest Client Request."

Anti-gay conservative MP Tim Loughton: "[Marriage is] a gift of God in creation through which husband and wife may know the grace of God."

Men said to be Romanian Orthodox priests posed suggestively for a calendar being described as "homoerotic."

The Journal-News, a newspaper for New York's Westchester and Rockland Counties, is at the center of a privacy debate after publishing the names and addresses of gun-owning residents. "Turns out the stunt was so unpopular — with gun owners and privacy advocates alike — that a blogger named Christopher Fountain took it upon himself to dig up and organize the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the Journal-News staff, starting with editor Cyndee Royle."

Brian Schatz has been sworn in to replace late Hawaiian Sen. Daniel Inouye. "I am honored to serve in this capacity, and I can assure you that if given the opportunity, I will make Hawaii proud," he said. "I'm going to work very hard, and I understand the road ahead is going to be challenging for all of us, but it also is potentially a hopeful time to rebuild as a united congressional delegation."

Mouse Frets About Fiscal Cliff As Owner Charges For Treats: VIDEO

Cindy the mouse is so civilized that she's even adopted our financial system. And like everyone operating in today's economy, she's counting every penny. Note that Cindy's hoping to haggle down the price of her treat, but her owner stands firm. There are no limits to Cindy's cuteness, but market forces? Well, those are more binding.

But never fear, Cindy's not so stressed about her wallet that she can't relax by playing basketball and skateboarding, which she and her pals also do AFTER THE JUMP.

[Video via the surprisingly addictive Mouse Agility YouTube channel.]

53% Think Republicans 'Too Extreme': POLL

With the dreaded "fiscal cliff" approaching, and Democrats and Republicans still squabbling over what's to be done with the economy, CNN decided to ask Americans what should be done with Democrats and Republicans.

And according to their findings, a slight majority of the nation thinks the GOP needs to mellow out.

...53% say the GOP should compromise more, with 41% saying the Democratic Party should give up more of the proposals it supports to develop bipartisan solutions.

"That's due in part to the fact that the Republican brand is not doing all that well," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.

Fifty-three percent of those surveyed say they view the policies of the GOP as too extreme, up 17 points from two years ago. Only 37% say they view the polices of the Democratic Party as too extreme.

The same percentage of the public, 53%, believes that when it comes to bipartisan compromise, the GOP should be the party to cave on its demands.

News: Sean Avery, 'Family Guy,' Retirement, Jenni Rivera

Maureen Dowd: "Instead of smallpox, plagues, drought and Conquistadors, the Republican decline will be traced to a stubborn refusal to adapt to a world where poor people and sick people and black people and brown people and female people and gay people count."

Egyptian President Hosni Morsi has rescinded an earlier order granting himself pharaoh-like powers, but protesters remain displeased. "Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi withdrew part of a controversial declaration that awarded him near absolute power, a limited concession to protesters whose two-week-long campaign had gridlocked Egyptian politics. But the new declaration preserves next Saturday as the date of a referendum on a divisive proposed constitution, skirting a key demand of Mr. Morsi's opponents."

On tonight's Family Guy: "When Meg finally gathers the courage to ask out her crush, Kent, she is devastated to learn he’s gay. But when Meg discovers that Kent has feelings for Chris, she uses her brother in the worst way to get closer to Kent..."

Potentially retired hockey player Sean Avery's fight against homophobia continues. "Maybe it’s because when I was such a bully when I had my uniform on, that when I took it off I felt the need to stand up against the bully," he said at a Bank of America-sponsored panel on sports and bullying this week.

From a CNN article called "Retirement getting less scary for gay boomers": "Several organizations, such as the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and SAGE, have made training the staffs of senior centers, nursing homes and assisted living facilities a priority. They want those workers to become more sensitive in their work with gay people, particularly because members of the baby boomer generation are more likely to be open about their sexuality than previous generations."

A behind-the-scenes look at the hair and makeup that went into the big screen adaptation of Les Miserables. Even as a struggling prisoner, Hugh Jackman still managed to look pretty fine.

And here is a behind-the-scenes look at Downton Abbey.

LeAnn Rimes still gets pretty choked up talking about how her affair with now-husband Eddie Cibrian ruined her married to then-husband Dean Sheremet.

Prince William on wife Kate's morning sickness: "I don’t know why they call it morning sickness – they should call it all day and all night sickness... It’s a long old process but she is getting there. She feels like it is going to go on forever."

Another compelling story: "Bizarre Creature Found in 200-Million-Year-Old Cocoon": "About 200 million years ago, a leech released a slimy mucous cocoon that unwittingly encased and trapped a bizarre animal with a springy tail, preserving it until researchers discovered the teardrop-shaped creature in Antarctica recently."

And then there's this, "Anti-nudity law an example of gay mainstream": "The rise of same-sex households isn't making society queer; it's making gay people bourgeois."

Oh, and here's transcript from today's ABC News' This Week, on which George Will said the anti-gay voting bloc is kicking the bucket. Columnist Paul Krugman was also present and said this: "...Gay marriage was a losing thing for Democrats in 2004, and it's now a winning thing. That's amazing. Eight years, this country has changed dramatically."

Dr. Declan Fahie discusses what it's like for LGB school teachers to work in Ireland's Catholic-dominated school system. (See pages 54-55.)

St George's Tron Church in Glasgow has left the Church of Scotland over the Church's decision to ordain gay and lesbian ministers.

A plane carrying singer Jenni Rivera went missing this morning while flying over Mexico.

Sir Ian McKellen says the world is a far better place than when he was born 73-years ago, in part because of gay acceptance: "[The world is] entirely better, personally. At least in the country we live in, there's an acceptance and a generosity and inclusiveness which has allowed us to accept alien cultures and learn from them. And attitudes to gay culture, and then disability, I hope more than momentarily. In so many ways better, and I am so glad."

Robert Randolph, the gay author who sued John Travolta for allegedly smearing his name after Randolph published a book claiming the actor frequented gay bathhouses, has been ordered to pay Travolta's legal fees in the case.

Wealthy LGBT Americans To Congress: Work With Obama, Let Tax Cuts For Rich Expire

With the nation headed toward the dreaded, abstract "fiscal cliff," a group of wealthy LGBT Americans have penned a letter to Congressional lawmakers urging them to maintain tax cuts for the middle class while making up the difference by taxing the rich.

The matter is especially near and dear to them, they say, because at-need LGBT Americans will suffer an enormous toll. From the letter, published at the Washington Post:

For LGBT Americans, this “fiscal cliff” isn’t just an abstract concept. A report released by the Center for American Progress, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, and a coalition of 23 national LGBT organizations outlines the real and lasting impact it would have.

Across-the-board cuts would compromise LGBT health by reducing programmatic funding used to address the health care needs of gay and transgender Americans, impair the federal government’s ability to investigate claims of workplace discrimination, and remove critical resources from government agencies working to prevent bullying and school violence.

At the same time, higher tax rates would further endanger middle class and working class members of our community. LGBT Americans have lower levels of income than other Americans, according to a recent Gallup report, and face additional economic obstacles caused by the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and the lack of federal workplace protections.

The signatories, including former DNC treasurer Andrew Tobias and entrepreneur Tim Gill, conclude: "We urge Congress to work with President Obama to avoid the fiscal cliff with a balanced approach, and to preserve the middle class tax cuts while allowing tax cuts for the best off to expire. It’s the right thing to do."

News: Clowns, Chiefs, Divas, Bucks

The New York Times announced Brenda Sue Fulton and bride Penelope Gnesin's West Point chapel wedding.

Pope Benedict met with lions and clowns and acrobats, oh my!

GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, ever the voice of optimism, predicts the nation will speed off the dreaded "fiscal cliff".

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner says social security reform will come only after said fiscal cliff has been avoided.

Hugh Hefner and runaway bride Crystal Harris are actually for real definitely tying the knot.

Hillary Clinton and Meryl Streep at the Kennedy Center Honors. Yeah, some other really famous, accomplished, admirable people were there, but, again, Hillary Clinton and Meryl Streep.

Photographer Alexander Kargaltsev focuses on gay Russian men seeking asylum in the United States.

Leighton Meester, a fashion retrospective.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's avoiding some touchy gay subjects lest she complicate her reelection bid, and it's upsetting some within her party, the Christian Democratic Union. "The CDU is having to appeal to a broader base, to adapt to a changed reality in society, new family structures and a bigger role for women," said Bonn University political science professor Frank Decker. "A traditional conservative, Christian party must find answers, it must debate these things. But Merkel is refusing to allow this debate to happen, and that breeds resentment."

Here is a trailer for Buck Wild, MTV's new Deep South Jersey Shore-esque reality show.

Shoppers remain unfazed by garment factory fires overseas, like the one in Bangladesh that killed 112 people last week: "Shoppers from Cincinnati to Paris to Singapore all said the same thing: They were aware of the fatal factory fire, but they weren't thinking about it while browsing stores in the days since. Brand name, fit and — above all — prices were on their minds."

More on Timothy Kurek, the straight man who played gay for a year.

A gay man is suing the Lee County Sheriff's Office in Florida for "wrongful arrest" after they took him in during one of many calls to his and his ex-boyfriend's apartment. Among his complaints, the man claims officers taunted him for being gay.

The Kansas City Chiefs are struggling to pick up the pieces after teammate Jovan Blecher killed his girlfriend and then himself yesterday morning.

Now that voters have tossed a constitutional amendment defining marriage as being between one man and one woman, activists in Minnesota are now looking to ways to pass marriage equality there.

Conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat discusses America's falling birthrates and its alleged relationship to gay marrige acceptance: "..There’s been a broader cultural shift away from a child-centric understanding of romance and marriage. In 1990, 65 percent of Americans told Pew that children were 'very important' to a successful marriage; in 2007, just before the current baby bust, only 41 percent agreed. (That trend goes a long way toward explaining why gay marriage, which formally severs wedlock from sex differences and procreation, has gone from a nonstarter to a no-brainer for so many people.)"

Meanwhile, when it comes to pursuing marriage equality in Indiana, timing matters: "Some supporters of the ban argue now is the time to push the measure through. But there are more variables than usual for lawmakers to consider heading into 2013. They will have to write their next biennial budget, get acclimated to a new governor for the first time in eight years and measure the possibility that the U.S. Supreme Court will take up the issue and make the whole argument moot."

Speaking of time: there's a lot to learn at the Swiss Watchmaking Institute in Dallas.