News: Rea Carey, Justice Dept, Olympics, Monet, Barack Obama

Conservative Orange County Register says high court's decision on marriage was justified.

MAG: What's on Obama's iPod.

Matt Damon's summer look: flab with pornstache.

Rea Carey to succeed Matt Foreman as executive director of Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

REPORT: Justice Dept. politicized hiring practices to favor Republican candidates: "'Many qualified candidates' were rejected for the department’s honors program because of what was perceived as a liberal bias, the report found. Those practices, the report concluded, 'constituted misconduct and also violated the department’s policies and civil service law that prohibit discrimination in hiring based on political or ideological affiliations.'" FLASHBACK: DOJ Looking into Possible Firing of Atty Over Sexual Orientation...

Ad campaign for Dexter in Portugal features severed limbs in butcher cases and knifed corpses on the street!

British soldiers see 13 UFOs in sky above barracks: "I was on duty in the guard room when the other boys outside began shouting. I went out to see what the commotion was about and could see thirteen craft in the skies. They were zig-zagging, but I filmed two before they disappeared. They were like rotating cubes with multiple colours. I made a full report to my commanding officers and gave them my footage. The other lads were as amazed by it as I was."

Monet water lily painting goes for $80.5 million at Christie's, doubling previous record for the artist.

Washington D.C. city councilman and former mayor Marion Barry says he would support a bill legalizing same-sex marriage there.

Bill Clinton offers support to Obama; Obama asks donors to raise money for Clinton.

Orlando Bloom reveals his back end in the Canary Islands.

Justin Timberlake's 'Play' fragrance may smell clean but his feet are filthy.

Out swimmer Andrew Langenfeld to compete for a spot on the Olympic team in the 100-meter butterfly.

NYC Chelsea nightclub 1 Oak reacts to reports yesterday that they covered up a gay bashing at the venue. Page Six: "Club sources say the night was not promoted as a 'gay night' and that the attacker was re strained by security but broke away. The victim said 1Oak owner Scott Sartiano insisted on giving him a car to the hospital instead of calling an ambulance. A rep for the club said, '1Oak is committed to providing an environment of safety and security to patrons every night. This incident was handled by security and staff immediately and this type of inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated at 1Oak.'"

Art Fag City talks to Nayland Blake about who they'd all like to fuck.

Anti-gay assault suspect under arrest in Minneapolis: "A gay Twin Cities man, the apparent victim of a hate crime, was badly beaten last Saturday. He claims a stranger approached him near 6th and Cedar Ave. South in Minneapolis, and asked if he was gay. The victim answered yes proudly, and the suspect hit the man in the face, yelling that he hated homosexuals. Abdirizak Mohamed has been charged with assault in the fourth degree with bias—a hate crime with enhanced penalties."

Michelle Obama to give keynote address at Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council Gala DNC fundraiser on Thursday in New York.

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Obama Accuser Larry Sinclair Arrested After DC Press Conference

Earlier today I posted about a press conference that Larry Sinclair was holding at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. as well as his prior criminal record, which had been unearthed by the website Politico.

At the end of today's press conference, some of which I've posted AFTER THE JUMP, Sinclair apparently rushed out of the room without taking any more questions. Turns out, the police were there to arrest him:

"Sinclair was arrested by DC Police after 2 US Marshalls showed up and presented a warrant from the State of Delaware for Sinclair’s arrest. Montgomery Blair Sibley, who’s had his law license suspended by the District of Columbia and Florida, and who was previously Sinclair’s attorney, reviewed the warrant and then Sinclair was led away.] Speculation is that the arrest stemmed from a Delaware warrant, although there is also an outstanding felony warrant out for Sinclair from the Pueblo County (CO) Sheriff’s Department."

More at Reason, DailyKos, and Politico.

And AmericaBlog wonders if there is a McCain connection?

A clip of the press conference, AFTER THE JUMP...

For those of you who aren't familiar with where Sinclair's 15 minutes got its start, here's the original video.

Previously
Criminal with Seedy Obama Claims Takes Stage in D.C. [tr]
Obama-Accuser Larry Sinclair Claims Polygraph was Fixed [tr]
Deception Indicated in Larry Sinclair Polygraph Tests [tr]
Right Wing Readying Scandal Attack Against Democrats? [tr]
Gay Limo-Riding YouTube Loser Posts Slanderous Obama Smear [tr]

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Criminal with Seedy Obama Claims Takes Stage in D.C.

You may remember Larry Sinclair, the limo-riding Obama accuser whose YouTube video got some attention a while back for its claims about the then Illinois lawmaker, as well as his subsequent attempts to prove he was telling the truth (he failed).

The National Press Club is giving him a platform today in Washington, D.C., reports Politico, which today also reports on Sinclair's mile-long rap sheet:

"Public records and court filings reveal that he has a 27-year criminal record, with a specialty in crimes involving deceit. The record includes forgery charges in two states, one of which drew Sinclair a 16-year jail sentence. The Pueblo County, Colorado, Sheriff's Office also has an outstanding warrant for Sinclair's arrest for forging an acquaintance's signature and stealing her tax refunds. 'It is what it is,' said Sinclair's spokesman, Montgomery Blair Sibley, of his client's criminal record. 'He's not hiding from it, he's not denying it.'"

As far as the Press Club goes, "Press Club President Sylvia Smith said Sinclair had rented space at the club, which doesn't censor speakers. 'I'm not aware that we've ever turned anybody away for content,' she said, adding that Sinclair's allegations 'don't seem very credible.'"

Previously
Obama-Accuser Larry Sinclair Claims Polygraph was Fixed [tr]
Deception Indicated in Larry Sinclair Polygraph Tests [tr]
Right Wing Readying Scandal Attack Against Democrats? [tr]
Gay Limo-Riding YouTube Loser Posts Slanderous Obama Smear [tr]

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Son of Former Bush Aide Cleared in Anti-Gay Georgetown Assault

Philip Anderton Cooney, the son of George Bush's former chief of staff of the Council on Environmental Quality, who last year was accused of a bias-related assault against a fellow Georgetown student (he allegedly punched his victim while using gay slurs), has had the charges against him dropped:

"Cooney was charged with bias-related assault by the Metropolitan Police Department last September, but the U.S. Attorney reported that 'subsequent investigation raised doubts as to … whether based upon available evidence we could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant in this case was the person who actually committed the assault.' ... 'Philip was always completely innocent of the charges against him and the dismissal of the case has vindicated him entirely,' Danny Onorato, Cooney’s lawyer, wrote in a statement. 'To know Philip Cooney is to know a young man of exemplary character who was wrongfully accused in this case.' The U.S. Attorney’s office has indicated that they continue to consider the assault, in which a male Georgetown student was beaten by an assailant who shouted anti-gay slurs, a criminal act. Cooney was originally implicated in the assault through a Facebook.com profile and, later, a police photo line-up. During the pre-trial period, the prosecuting Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Mary Dobbie and Joseph Spurber, determined that they would not be able to firmly establish that Cooney was present at the time of the assault."

The Georgetown Voice reports that it's unclear whether or not any investigation into the assault will continue.

You may remember the scandal surrounding Cooney's father, Philip Sr., who resigned from the Bush administration after the New York Times revealed that he had edited government reports on climate change to downplay the role of emissions in global warming. He's now (shock) a lobbyist for ExxonMobil.

Surely he had no role in getting his son cleared.

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Gay Catholic Group Gets Wave from Popemobile

The Washington Blade reports that Pope Benedict XVI waved to members of the Gay Catholic Group Dignity USA as he sped by Dupont Circle in the Popemobile on his way to the White House yesterday:

"The pope appeared to look directly at about a dozen members of the group as they stood behind a 10-foot long banner with the message, 'Dignity Washington — Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Catholics, Our Families and Friends — A community of Faith in Action.'...'I thought it was a good chance for us to be seen and he obviously saw us and waved at us, so I think we got our message across,' said Raymond Panas, president of Dignity Washington. The Dignity members remained silent as the pope’s glass-enclosed Popemobile drove past them along a section of Rock Creek Parkway that drew only a small number of spectators, allowing the Dignity contingent to stand out. 'Whether he actually saw or read our sign, we’ll never know,' said Dignity member Bob Miailovich. 'It was nice to see him, and it was all very prim and proper. He waved in our direction and that was very nice.'"

Now, if he'd flipped them the bird dove, that would have been a story.

previously
Gay Catholics Demonstrate in NY Ahead of Pope's Arrival [tr]

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Wax Beckhams Open Kissing Booth at DC's Cherry Blossom Festival

As part of a promotion for the 2008 Cherry Blossom Soccer Tournament, wax versions of David and Victoria Beckham opened a 'kissing booth' near the Mall in DC.

The last time the stiff couple made a headlining appearance was in December 2004 in a celebrity nativity scene. At that appearance, an attacker punched the figures, damaging them, and then fled. It appears they've recovered quite well from their injuries, but they are looking just as stiff.

More photos at Popbytes.

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George W. Bush Booed at Washington Nationals Season Opener

As he strode to the mound Sunday night to deliver the first pitch at Washington Nationals season opener at the new National Ballpark, President George W. Bush received a chilly welcome from the 40,000+ crowd who booed him the entire time he was on the field.

Nationals manager Manny Acta caught Bush's pitch.

Above, the president waits nervously in the wings...

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Obama and McCain Sweep Potomac Primaries: VA, MD, DC

Barack Obama resoundingly defeated Hillary Clinton in yesterday's Potomac primary.

The WaPo reports: "On a day when there was huge turnout in the area, the senator from Illinois won Virginia with about 64 percent of the vote. In Maryland, where the polls were kept open an additional 90 minutes because of bad weather, he was winning with about 60 percent to Clinton's 37 percent. He was headed for an even bigger win in the District, where he was attracting about 75 percent of the vote. The lopsided wins mean Obama will emerge with a clear majority of the 168 pledged delegates at stake in the area, as well as a widening lead overall among the more than 65 percent of pledged delegates who have now been accounted for nationally. When superdelegates are added to the calculations, Obama and Clinton are still in a highly competitive race, but Obama has seized the overall lead."

The importance of Texas and Ohio for Clinton has become strikingly clear. The question is, can she stop the momentum?

Some are asking whether a pledged delegate win for Clinton is no longer a real possibility?

Clinton was criticized for refusing to congratulate Obama on his wins...

Obama has a campaign-within-a-campaign targeting the superdelegates.

According to CNN this morning, Obama's delegate count is at 1215 while Clinton's is at 1190. John McCain's stands at 812 to Mike Huckabee's 217.

McCain had a tougher time against his last remaining challenger, but pulled out wins in all three primaries.

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Polar Bear Arrested After Cutest Washington, DC Protest Ever

A Greenpeace activist was arrested last week after peacefully protesting the Bush administration's delay in issuing a final Endangered Species Act listing for polar bears due to global warming. He floated around in a rowboat in front of the Department of the Interior for a while before police came and took him away.

Here's the video:

(via BoingBoing, who have some info on the provenance of the white suit)

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Leonardo DiCaprio Working with Icebergs Again [tr]

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News: Beatles, MRSA, Vanessa Williams, Jamaica, Maria Shriver

Mob of 20 attacks two gay men in Jamaica: "After days of harassment and threats, a Jamaican mob attacked two gay men, putting one in the hospital with serious injuries, while the other is missing...The group broke into the home of the men and attacked them, authorities told The Associated Press. One man had his left ear severed, his arm broken in two places and his spine possibly damaged; the other man, who was chased from their home, has not been found, according to the report."

Welcome to the just-opened Hard Day's Night Hotel in Liverpool: "The four-star, 110 room Beatle themed hotel opens its doors to the public... and is only a stone's throw away from the site of the famous Cavern Club."

Gay rights activist and psychotherapist Myra Riddell dies at 81.

This is why the Spice Girls tour is ending.

Anti-gay graffiti found in DC police station men's restroom: "'It's extremely offensive, so we're taking it very seriously,' [Police Chief Cathy] Lanier said. Lanier sent an e-mail to police department personnel Thursday night that said, 'All members of this department put their lives on the line every day, and I will not tolerate any member treating another police professional with disrespect.' Lanier said she will 'impose the most serious penalty' if the perpetrator is found to be a member of the department. The graffiti was found in an area that is accessible to both officers and civilians, Lanier said, so it is not clear who may have left the message."

New Chicago Episcopal bishop Jeffrey Lee shows support for gay clergy: "'That's one of the tragedies afflicting the church right now,' he said. 'So many of us seem to think that salvation depends on our theological correctness.'"

Gay Republicans flocking to McCain?

First lady of California Maria Shriver joins Kennedys in 'surprise' Obama endorsement.

SF health officials apologize to gay community for MRSA scare: "We regret that our recent news report (1-14-08) about an important population-based study on MRSA USA300 with public health implications contained some information that could be interpreted as misleading. We deplore negative targeting of specific populations in association with MRSA infections or other public health concerns, and we will be working to ensure that accurate information about the research is disseminated to the health community and the general public."

San Francisco-based music journalist Adam Block dies.

Police break up suspected 'gay' party in India: " A team, led by deputy police commissioner Bhujangrao Shinde, raided the Agrawal bungalow at Yeoor and detained six persons, including the main organiser, Sahil Bhoricha (24). Liquor bottles and condoms were seized from the bungalow. Entry to Yeoor Hills was restricted during the operation. Ashok Row Kavi of Humsafar Trust, a gay rights group, condemned the action as unfair, given that all the men detained were adults and were not found violating any law. A magistrate denied the police custody of those arrested."

Robbie Williams becomes a bear.

Britney Spears' family finally takes control of the situation.

Western Montana Gay and Lesbian Community Center hold "skate against hate" in Missoula to raise awareness about anti-gay violence there.

Gerard Butler and Jonathan Rhys Meyers party it up in L.A.

Ohio health officials to study smoking habits of gay teens: "Health officials are allocating $60,000 to identify the smoking habits of those teens and develop a tobacco-prevention campaign for them. Ohio Department of Health spokesman Kristopher Weiss says gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community has a smoking rate at about 40 to 60 percent. As part of the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Community Youth and Young Adults Anti-Tobacco Social Marketing Project, officials will form focus groups among youths ages 12 through 20 at an LBGT center in Columbus."

Melbourne, Australia holds gay pride march...

Vanessa Williams to be honored as "Ally for Equality" by the Human Rights Campaign. More...

Second memorial service for Heath Ledger held in L.A.: "Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Sienna Miller, Lindsay Lohan, Ellen Degeneres and other celebrities gathered at the Sony Pictures lot on Saturday to remember Heath Ledger. This service comes a week after a smaller gathering that included ex-girlfriend Naomi Watts was held in Beverly Hills. Other mourners included Heath's father Kim, representatives from CAA (the agency that represented Heath), director Todd Haynes, and actress Shannyn Sossamon who was Heath's co-star in "A Knight's Tale". "I'm Not There" director Haynes spoke at the service."

Police raid gay bar in Philippines, arrest 10 for alleged prostitution: "The men were nabbed inside the Male Bucks Hosto Bar in Angeles City around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Members of the raiding team used a female informer who posed as a customer. The informer told authorities that the "entertainers" were dancing on stage clad only in their underwear."

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Choir Member on Outing Spree Hits DC Baptist Church

A female choir member at the D.C. Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church has sent a letter to its pastor, outing over 100 church members, mostly male members of the choir, the Washington Blade reports:

"The outings added to the inner turmoil experienced by a large number of gays who attend services at the 7,000-member Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church, located on Rhode Island Ave., N.E., according to a gay former member who provided copies of the e-mails to the Blade. 'I will be leaving the choir at the top of the year because 80 percent of the tenors are homosexuals and act more like a female in choir rehearsal than I do,' the church choir member said in one of her e-mails to Bishop Alfred Owens Jr., the church pastor. The e-mail, sent in December, identifies about 45 fellow church members as gay. She sent a second e-mail to Owens on Jan. 2 identifying another 62 church members as gay. 'The following people I am asking you to monitor very closely and my prayer is that you will sit them down from their ministries,' she told Owens in the December e-mail. 'Because they are ushering in the presence of sin, lies, a spirit of homosexuality and sexual spirits.'"

The female choir member also copied the email to over 300 additional church members on a Yahoo group.

The pastor would likely be sympathetic to her concerns, given his past: "Owens became the subject of media attention in April 2006 when he used the word 'fag' in a sermon on Palm Sunday. 'It takes real men to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior,' Owens said in the sermon, which was recorded by the church. 'I’m not talking about no faggot or no sissy,' he said. 'Let the real men come down here and take a bow — all the real men. I’m talking about straight men … praise God that you’re straight.' The church’s web site includes a listing of twice-monthly sessions of a ministry called 'Breaking the Chains of Homosexuality,' which it says helps gays change their sexual orientation through counseling and prayer. Minister Dennis Sawyers, an expert in 'ex-gay' ministries, is listed as the leader of the church’s efforts to counsel gays."

Sylvia Rhue, director of the National Black Justice Coalition’s religious affairs program said that many gays attend that church because they like the "traditional setting" they find there. A setting, which, at this particular church, is now in turmoil.

Outing campaign roils D.C. black Baptist church [washington blade]

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News: Mr. Blackwell, Iran, Jesse Metcalfe, Wii, Dykes on Bikes

Iran claims video of aggressive action toward American ships is U.S. fabrication: "The US has released grainy footage, apparently showing small boats speeding near the American warships. In an audio recording, an Iranian radio operator appears to say 'I am coming at you; you will explode'. The Iranian parliamentary speaker has dismissed the affair as being part of a US propaganda campaign against Tehran."

NSA report confirms Vietnam "Gulf of Tonkin" episode never happened. (via americablog)

Mr. Blackwell releases annual worst-dressed list. The winner? "Forget the fashion spice - wearing a skirt would suffice! In one skinny-mini monstrosity after another, pouty posh can really wreck-em." See who else made it.

Out writer Josh Kilmer-Purcell starts "Phags for Phelps" site after striking up email correspondence with Shirley Phelps-Roper: "I've long believed that the more chances America gets to see blatantly ugly homophobia in action, the better it is for the GLBT community. To quote Supreme Court Justice Brandeis: 'Sunshine is the best disinfectant.' Half humorously, half seriously, (as in everything I do) I suggested in my recent OUT column that gays and lesbians start a 'Phags 4 Phelps Dephense Phund.' Fred Phelps, if you don't know who he is, is the patriarch of a one-family-band of hate called the 'Westboro Baptist Church.'..I honestly think that the more America sees this ugly hatred, the more they shy away from it. So I suggested starting the "Phags 4 Phelps Dephense Phund" to keep them away from bankruptcy and out on the streets where they belong."

Parkinson's Disease linked to exposure to common solvent.

Madonna, Guy tour the slums of Mumbai.

Youths arrested for alleged anti-gay attack on December 5 on the Washington Metro say they targeted victim because he was drunk, not because of his sexuality.

Queen Elizabeth loves Wii bowling: "A Palace source told The People: 'When she saw William playing a game after lunch at Sandringham she thought the Nintendo looked tremendous fun and begged to join in. She played a simple ten-pin bowling game and by all accounts was a natural. It was hilarious. William was in fits of laughter. He was enormously impressed at having such a cool gran. And although she is 81 the Queen's hand-eye co-ordination was as good as somebody half her age.'"

Jesse Metcalfe's Hollywood hair-cut.

Anti-gay Pastor Ken Hutcherson has reportedly initiated the Microsoft stock-buying scheme I posted about in November: "It's unclear what effect, if any, the initiative could have on the stock price. It would be difficult to influence company direction -- just to gain a 1 percent stake in Microsoft, about 31 million people would each have to spend $104 to buy three shares. Microsoft has about 9.36 billion outstanding shares, and its largest holder is Chairman Bill Gates, with 858 million shares, or 9 percent of the total. Capital Research and Management Co. follows with nearly 557 million shares, or 6 percent."

Scientists float new global warming weapon: super-hairy soya plants.

Court rules that "Dykes on Bikes" can keep their name.

Genre takes on the cheekbones of Michael Lucas: "I am very proud that Genre chose me to be on their cover, as national consumer magazines—even if they are gay—tend to shy away from putting members of the adult community front and center."

Wonkette has a chat with former Gawker editor Choire Sicha about the New Hampshire primaries and which Romneys might be worth molesting: "Josh. Josh is the hottest thing since bacon was invented."

Kentucky gay rights groups thumb noses at one another: "The general advisory council of the Kentucky Equality Federation has approved a resolution not to be aligned with the Kentucky Fairness Alliance. Jordan Palmer, president of the federation, released a copy of his group's resolution noting the break. It said the group 'has received many reports from federation management and affiliated organizations about difficulties in working with current leadership of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance and particularly its chief spokeswoman, Christina Gilgor.' It added, 'It is obvious that the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, through its current executive director, is alienating many members of the Kentucky Equality Federation and its affiliated organizations and thus becoming less of an effective force in lobbying and working for improvement of gay rights in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.'"

Simon Cowell sheds some of his moobs.

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60 Minutes Army Sergeant Manzella to Speak in D.C.

Army Sergeant Darren Manzella, whose story was featured on the recent 60 Minutes episode covering "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, will make his first public appearance for the Servicemen's Legal Defense Network on January 9 from 6-8pm, at the Army-Navy Club (at 901 17th Street, N.W.) in Washington D.C.

According to SLDN, "The event, which is free and open to the public, will also feature Darren's mom, Nancy Manzella, who is traveling to Washington to support Darren as he speaks out about his experience serving as an openly gay soldier."

Said Manzella shortly after the 60 Minutes broadcast: "I have not received any notification, positive or negative, from my command since I notified them of my participation in the story or since the broadcasting of the segment...I have served with many men and women in Iraq, Kuwait and throughout the United States. In my opinion, they do not care if a service member is gay or straight. These men and women are my brothers and sisters in arms and I am the same to them. I know that what matters to most is not the sexual orientation of the person in your unit. What matters most is if that person is a good worker, a team player and most importantly, if that person has your back when it rewally matters whether it be in a combat zone, during a training exercise or day to day operations. I think that a majority of troops are in favor, or at the very least indifferent, to the repeal of this policy. I find that many are surprised that so much power and influence over the fate of this policy lies in the hands of individuals who are not even in the ranks of the military."

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CWA Spokesman to Gay Troops Supporters: "Put a Cork in It" [tr]
Army Sergeant Darren Manzella Speaks Out After Interview [tr]
Duncan Hunter Defends Gay Ban: U.S. Needs "Hardened Warriors" [tr]
60 Minutes to Cover "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Wartime Policy [tr]

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News: Voyager 2, Liza Minnelli, Morocco, Florida Gay Marriage Ban

Group proposing amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Florida reaches necessary 611,009 signature goal: " One of the signatures belongs to Gov. Charlie Crist, although the state's top Republican has not trumpeted the issue during his first year in office." And why is this significant?

Liza Minnelli collapses, tumbles off stage in Sweden...

Human Rights Watch demands Morocco overturn the convictions of six men sentenced to prison for homosexual conduct: "The men have been in jail since they were first arrested by the police between November 23 and 25, 2007, after a video circulated online – including on YouTube – purporting to show a private party, allegedly including the men, taking place in Ksar el-Kbir on November 18. Press reports claimed the party was a 'gay marriage.' Following the arrests, hundreds of men and women marched through the streets of Ksar el-Kbir, denouncing the men’s alleged actions and calling for their punishment."

Shooter at New Life, Ted Haggard's former Mega-church, may be a victim of the church's ex-gay reparative therapy program.

Spice Girls reveal their aircraft: Spice One.

Arctic ice melting at alarming pace: "An already relentless melting of the Arctic greatly accelerated this summer, a warning sign that some scientists worry could mean global warming has passed an ominous tipping point. One even speculated that summer sea ice would be gone in five years...'The Arctic is often cited as the canary in the coal mine for climate warming,' said NASA climate scientist Jay Zwally, who as a teenager hauled coal. 'Now as a sign of climate warming, the canary has died. It is time to start getting out of the coal mines.'"

Plaque to be laid commemorating site of early gay bar, honoring Black Cat Cafe's role in San Francisco's gay rights movement.

Gay cruise plans March takeover of tropical island in Australia.

Ben Cohen gets suddenly modest for Gay Times.

Spain recognizes UK couple's civil partnership after protracted campaign: "Their campaign paid off, as the Spanish government has now agreed to recognise the civil partnerships of UK lesbian and gay couples. 'We visited the British Consul on 29th November to change our status in our passports,' the couple told PinkNews.co.uk. 'We have made a little bit of history by becoming the first UK same-sex couple resident in Spain to have their civil partnership acknowledged in law and in the observations section of our passports.'"

Voyager 2 probe reaches edge of solar system...

Isaiah Washington shows up unannounced to join Grey's Anatomy cast on "diversity day" at the writer's strike: "Asked if Washington was with the Grey's group, Heigl, who had previously publicly criticized Washington told The Daily News, 'He's not with me.' But Washington denied there were problems with his former co-workers. 'They're former castmates. I've been in over 25 movies, I have lots of former castmates.' he said."

Gay Washington D.C. council member calls for transit police probe after recent alleged anti-gay assault on Metro train.

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Gay Man Attacked on DC Metro Train

Dcist reports that a gay man was attacked by a group of six or seven men on a DC Metro train last Friday night:

"'Nathaniel,' as he's referred to in the report, was riding alone on a train Friday night. As the doors closed at Metro Center, the group surrounded and beat Nathaniel, kicking him as he fell to the floor and yelling 'faggot'. Nathaniel managed to get off the train at the Smithsonian station, and he ran up to the station manager's booth to report the incident. He said Metro Transit Police would not drop him off at his house, only to another Metro station. He believes that the attackers targeted him for money and their realization that he's gay 'escalated their rage.' Nathaniel also believes that Metro surveillance cameras caught footage of his attackers, but has yet to hear of any arrests related to the incident."

According to the Metro Police, they "responded to the scene immediately and spoke to the victim and took an official report. Officers said the victim never told them that the assailants had used anti-gay language during the assault. Indeed, he had been injured during the incident, however the man refused medical aid and signed a waiver that he refused to receive any medical attention. Officers indeed did volunteer to drive the man home, however he said he only wanted the officers to drop him off at the Eastern Market Metrorail station, which they did."

(FOX5 video)

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About the Banner #22

It may be so long ago that you've forgotten it, but the last banner was a shot I took in June when I was in Washington D.C. It was taken coming out of the Metro station on the mall adjacent to the National Portrait Gallery. I squished it, but it was less the content and more the shapes, colors, and reflections that appealed to me.

For more banners, click here.

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Washington D.C. Man Claims He Had Sex with Senator Larry Craig

David Phillips, a man Wonkette describes as "a local IT geek and bear-about-town" has come forward claiming he had sex with Idaho Senator Larry Craig. It's perhaps the dirtiest story I've ever read on Wonkette:

"I followed [Craig] from The Follies [bar] to a Capitol Hill neighborhood, parking on the street no telling how far from his house. We walked up the alley and through the back door of a house, with him repeating several times, ‘You were never here. You don’t know me. Right?’ and me responding, ‘Right!’ in boyish submission. As we tiptoed from the back door to the stairs to the upper floor, as if somebody else was home, he turned to grope my crotch and brush my face with his hand."

And there it begins...

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New: Staph Threat, George Lucas, Lance Bass, New York City Taxis

Lesbian mom says daughter now goes to school with bodyguard because of bullying: "Virginia Gaffey says that her 9-year-old daughter was physically assaulted by other students on the playground at Tucker Elementary in Milton. She claims that the reason was because she is a gay mother."

Lance Bass tells GQ that Britney Spears was surprised when he came out to her: "It was the night of her first wedding, actually. I was in Vegas with her, her dancers, her manager, and my boyfriend at the time . . . Her manager had already gotten rid of [her first husband] Jason [Alexander] - they'd flown him home. Britney was upset about what she had done. I felt bad for her. I knew she was about to go through a lot of crap. I felt the need to share something. So I sat her on my bed, and I'm like, Well, I'm gay!"

Istanbul attempts to shut down gay rights organization: "The Governor's Office of Istanbul has demanded the closure of Lambda Istanbul, an organization defending lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people's rights in Turkey, claiming that the name and objectives of the group are 'against the law and morality'. The governor had asked in early 2007 that the group be shut down; in July, the local Prosecutor's Office rejected the complaint. The Governor's Office then took the case to a higher court, the Beyoglu Sutluce Court of First Instance No. 5, which heard the case in July 2007 and ordered a second hearing for October."

D.C. police chief sends out directive to department on treating transgender people with respect.

NYC taxis get new logo treatment.

George Lucas plotting Star Wars TV series: "There is a caveat, though: The proposed series doesn't have anyone named Luke or Anakin in it, a story path that Lucas concedes is 'taking chances' as far as connecting with an audience expecting the familiar mythology. 'The Skywalkers aren't in it, and it's about minor characters,' Lucas said in an interview. 'It has nothing to do with Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader or any of those people. It's completely different. But it's a good idea, and it's going to be a lot of fun to do.'"

Bravo Workout trainer Brian Peeler flexes his muscles.

Young gay Iranian on the run may soon be back in the UK.

Staph bacteria causing more American deaths each year than the AIDS virus: "The microbe, a strain of a once innocuous staph bacterium that has become invulnerable to first-line antibiotics, is responsible for more than 94,000 serious infections and nearly 19,000 deaths each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculated. Although mounting evidence shows that the infection is becoming more common, the estimate published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association is the first national assessment of the toll from the insidious pathogen, officials said. 'This is a significant public health problem. We should be very worried,' said Scott K. Fridkin, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC."

Carson Kressley getting new reality show: "Called Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants, the show will have eight episodes, and will focus on mother and daughter pairs who want to compete in both the Miss and Mrs. USA Pageant. The pairs will all be living together in a house in L.A., and will undergo weekly 'de-sashing' ceremonies."

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Human Rights Campaign Dinner Features Pelosi and Protests

The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition picketed Saturday night's Human Rights Campaign National Dinner in Washington, D.C., urging support for a trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

House speaker Nancy Pelosi was awarded the National Equality Award (by Ambassador James Hormel, pictured) at the dinner and offered some words on LGBT rights (full text here).

She finished her speech with a statement on ENDA:

"As members and supporters of HRC, you understand that it is truly historic that the House of Representatives will soon pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The tremendous progress we have would not have been possible without the great leadership of Chairman Barney Frank of Massachusetts. With his brilliance, his wit and legislative skill, he persevered in bringing ENDA before the Congress. America is a great and wealthy country, but we cannot afford to squander the talents of any of our citizens, nor should we. We all benefit if everyone gets a chance to work hard, and support their families. Yet today, in more than 30 states you can be fired for being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. That is wrong. Federal action is needed, and it is long overdue. I strongly believe that transgender individuals deserve the same rights and the same protections as any other Americans and will work to see that ENDA also protects their rights. In a few weeks, the House will be voting on ENDA. And those who oppose us will be lobbying on the Hill and working to defeat any version of ENDA. We cannot allow the forces of discrimination succeed. Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin and others will do the inside maneuvering. But we cannot succeed without outside mobilization. Working together, we will mobilize, and educate. Each and every one of us must take personal responsibility for passing the strongest possible ENDA – one vote at a time. History teaches us that progress on civil rights is never easy. But justice is inevitable. It's about time. Many saw the 1957 Civil Rights Act as not having done enough, but it helped lay the groundwork for the great Civil Rights Act that followed. On the occasion of receiving the HRC Equality Award, I give you my commitment as Speaker of the House that I will fight for the most inclusive ENDA possible so that our nation's laws are in harmony with our nation's ideals. "

(image courtesy HRC - more images from the dinner here)

Previously
Barney Frank to Speak on ENDA Controversy [tr]

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Georgetown Students Protest Response to Anti-gay Hate Crime

A group of students calling themselves "GU Pride" protested on the Georgetown campus yesterday to call attention to the anti-gay hate crime that occurred there on September 9, and the University's failure to notify the campus that it had occurred.

Georgetown student Philip Anderton Cooney, the son of George Bush's former chief of staff of the Council on Environmental Quality, has been charged in connection with the attack in which a fellow student says he was assaulted after being followed and taunted with homophobic slurs.

Georgetown students held a rally on campus at which they hung a banner that said "Why can't you just be normal?" They then symbolically pelted the banner with paintballs. The students, who say they first learned about the attack from local station NBC4, then marched to the president's office.

According to the Georgetown Voice, "Though many students heard about the crime through media outlets on Thursday night, the Georgetown community was officially notified last Friday via e-mail by Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson."

Cooney's attorney has said that "an arrest made 'three weeks after the fact' based on identification though Facebook and without an independent police investigation did not establish his client’s guilt" according to the Voice. However, the paper reports that the police used what Alberto Jova, the commanding officer of the Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit for the Metropolitan Police Department, called "a very strong investigatory [method]" of double verification. The victim was also able to pick Cooney out of a line-up photo of nine Georgetown students. Jova said that "the independent identifications, along with the victim’s injuries, constituted probable cause to arrest Cooney."

Cooney's lawyer still claims they arrested the wrong man.

Cooney's father, Philip A. Cooney, resigned from his White House position in 2005 and took a job as an oil lobbyist with ExxonMobil. In March, Cooney admitted during 2007 Congressional hearings that he had altered environmental reports in order to downplay the effects that man-made greenhouse gases were having on global warming.

Campus Rallies Against Prejudice [georgetown hoya]
Hate crime suspect identified in two line-ups [georgetown voice]
Georgetown Students Protest In Response To Alleged Hate Crime [nbc4]
(video)

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Son of Former Bush Aide Accused in Georgetown Anti-Gay Attack [tr]

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Son of Former Bush Aide Accused in Georgetown Anti-Gay Attack

The son of George Bush's former chief of staff of the Council on Environmental Quality has been accused of an anti-gay attack.

Georgetown student Philip Anderton Cooney was arrested in connection with a September 9 attack in which a fellow student says he was assaulted after being followed and taunted with homophobic slurs.

According to D.C. Police Lt. Alberto Jova, "The victim said he was walking by a party that was dispersing and two men started following him and yelling homophobic epithets. One of the males approached him and started punching him with closed fists about the face. The victim in this case suffered cuts and bruises to his face and a broken thumb."

The victim tracked his attacker down through Facebook, which led to Cooney's arrest:

NBC4 reports: "The victim said he learned from a friend that a fellow student had discussed the incident in class, and the friend gave the victim the initials from that student's monogrammed book bag. The victim used that information to scour profiles and photos on the popular social networking site, Facebook. He said he found a profile that resembled his attacker, and police worked with university public safety officials to make the identification and arrest. 'The victim said he made it a point to etch the suspect's face in his mind and remember him,' Jova said. 'Because of that he was able to give a very positive identification.'"

Cooney's lawyer is arguing that the investigation was not thorough enough and referenced the Duke Lacrosse case in accusing law enforcement of rushing to judgment.

Cooney's father, Philip A. Cooney, resigned from his White House position in 2005 and took a job as an oil lobbyist with ExxonMobil. In March, Cooney admitted during 2007 Congressional hearings that he had altered environmental reports in order to downplay the effects that man-made greenhouse gases were having on global warming.

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Larry Craig's Home Away from Home

The New York Times takes a look at life at the Capital Yacht Club, where Larry Craig makes his home in D.C., on a houseboat:

"Members typically make public few details about their nautical lives, and Congressional rules require them to disclose boats as assets only if they produce income or are bought or sold. Mr. Craig, who is known as exceptionally frugal, unwittingly called attention to the club when he gave the arresting officer in Minneapolis his club mail drop as a home address, 1000 Water Street SW. Mr. Craig, an outdoorsman who likes to fish and hunt, is a well-known figure at the marinas, where he has lived off and on during his Congressional career. Ed Johnson, a resident of the Gangplank Marina who has long known Mr. Craig, describes the waterfront as a fancy trailer park. Neighbors float only a few arms-lengths away from one another. Most shower in bathhouses, and, after hours, gossip over drinks."

Well, we now know what sold it for the Senator from Idaho.

For Craig and Others, a Caucus on the Potomac [nyt]

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Rash of Anti-gay Hate Crimes Investigated in Washington D.C.

Early on Saturday a man was attacked by three men on bicycles who followed him shortly after leaving BeBar on Ninth Street near the Convention Center in Northwest, the Washington Post reports.

After taunting him with anti-gay slurs, the men threw something at the victim which struck him in the head, causing him to seek treatment for cuts and bruises at the hospital. The victim's wallet was also reportedly missing after the attack, although police say it's unclear whether or not it was stolen.

The victim is an employee at the Human Rights Campaign. President Joe Solmonese spoke with NBC4: "He suffered injuries to the back of his head, as well as to his face. He went to the emergency room Saturday night," he said. "He was taken by ambulance. He had some stitches in the back of his head. He's bruised in his face. He was given an MRI, checked out internally. He's back at home and recovering now."

Several hate crimes that don't appear to be connected have occurred in Washington recently,