Learn to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

A report due out today will reveal that investigators testing security conditions at 10 federal sites were able to smuggle bomb components past guards every time they tried. The Government Accountability Office was behind the test, which exposed lax security at sites including the State Department, the Department of Justice and the Office of Homeland Security.

In each case, actual bomb parts were smuggled in and bombs were easily assembled on site.

Also uncovered, an incident during which a guard inadvertently allowed a baby to go through an X-ray machine. The guard was fired, but later sued—and won!—for proving a lack of training in handling the machine.

It's safe to say that the Federal Protective Service, charged with keeping the sites safe, is in the crosshairs over this report.

DC One Step Closer to Marriage Equality

Via Joe.My.God.: Beginning today, Washington D.C. will recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions. Full marriage equality could be in the cards by the end of the year.

Marion Barry, Moral Politician, Arrested for Stalking

Former DC Mayor and current Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry, 73, was arrested over the weekend for misdemeanor stalking. He is accused of following a 40-year-old "female acquaintance" who he had been assisting financially. How someone currently on probation for federal tax evasion has bucks to spare is beyond me.

Barry has proclaimed his innocence.

Recently, Barry was one of Washington DC's loudest and angriest voices in opposition of marriage equality, saying, "I am a politician who's moral." Not so recently (1990), he was caught on video smoking crack, leading to his career-defining quote, "The bitch set me up."

Might the same line be recycled soon in reference to the latest in his long line of legal disasters?

Judge to Allow D.C. Recognition of Same-Sex Marriages to Go Ahead

A request for a stay preventing the D.C. Council's decision to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere was denied by a Superior Court judge on Tuesday:

"Judge Judith E. Retchin ruled that she would not a grant a stay preventing the law from taking effect Monday, as requested by opponents. However, the effective date is likely to be delayed by the need for congressional approval. Attorneys for the group said they needed more time to research and argue their position before the law takes effect. Opponents, led by Bishop Harry Jackson of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, and seven other D.C. voters want a referendum on the issue, but the D.C. elections board said that would be illegal under the District's Human Rights Act. Although Retchin decided against delaying the law's enactment, she said opponents could seek to amend the law after the marriage provision takes effect."

Jackson and his homophobic law firm, the Alliance Defense Fund, have announced they plan to file an appeal to have the law overturned.

Despite Protests, DNC LGBT Fundraiser Takes in More Than Last Year

[photo- flickr user bullneck]

Despite protests over Obama's Department of Justice DOMA brief and lack of movement on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and other LGBT issues,  last night's LGBT DNC Fundraiser brought in $1 milllion for the Democratic party, up from $750,000 last year, according to The Advocate.

Politico reports:

"The vice president spent 20 minutes trying to convince the donors inside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel that President Obama is dedicated to following through on his campaign promises. He said he had asked to give the speech at the annual leadership dinner Thursday night, and he read from a TelePrompter. 'I am not unaware of the controversy swirling around this dinner and swirling around the speed or lack thereof that we are moving on issues that are of great importance to you,' Biden said."

Also: "Biden drew repeated standing ovations, according to a pool report, as he pledged the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and Don't Ask Don't Tell, the passage of the Lieberman-Baldwin bill on health benefits, a ban on workplace discrimination, adoption rights for all and an end to the HIV travel ban."

The Advocate adds:

"Attendees of the 10th annual LGBT  Leadership Council fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee Thursday were greeted by protesters carrying signs that read 'Gay Uncle Toms' and '265 Discharged Since January 20, 2009.' When Wisconsin Rep. Tammy Baldwin arrived, she chatted with the spirited flock of about 25 and then pivoted to enter the Mandarin Oriental Hotel as cries of 'Don’t go in, Tammy!' and 'Shame on you!' followed her. 'I think it’s so important that as gay and lesbian people who are denied equal rights, we do feel an impatience and a frustration and it’s really important that that be expressed both outside and inside,' she said."

The event was preceded earlier in the day by a blistering AP piece called "Promises, Promises: Obama Slow on Pledge to Gays", reporting that the President's steps have been incremental and have had "little real effect".

They added: "But he's still willing to take money from a reliably Democratic constituency — he was sending Vice President Joe Biden to a Democratic National Committee fundraiser Thursday evening with gay and lesbian donors. Some gay donors called for a boycott after Obama's Justice Department, in a court filing, compared gay marriages to incest. 'I don't think it's an appropriate time to be raising money. No one is happy now,' said Richard Socarides, who advised former President Bill Clinton on gay issues and did not plan to attend the event (on Thursday night). 'On gay rights, the country is already in the age of Obama, but he's governing from the Clinton era.'"

[photo (and above, right)- flickr user bullneck]

News: Maine, Gray Hair, Snow Leopard, Lady Gaga, Mercy, Apple

LIARS: Maine anti-gay marriage petitioners using duplicitous tactics.

Lady Gaga has a tit explosion in Toronto.

Sacha Baron Cohen plagiarized his pink nude Berlin bodysuits.

New York Bar Association stands behind marriage equality.

Provincetown film festival kicks off.

Hate crime outside Casey's Bar and Lounge in Portland under investigation: "No arrests have been made, but the case has been sent to a detective with the Biased Crimes Unit, which is examining whether the alleged victim was targeted because she was gay. Customers of the bar said they have experienced homophobic slurs from people in nearby apartments. They said some have tossed water balloons and spit at them."

T.R. Knight to star in Parade at the Mark Taper Forum.

Madonna's Mercy arrives in London.

Recently-out 86-year-old World War II vet served as grand marshal for this weekend's Gay Pride parade in Columbus, Ohio.

NYT: Why the gay rights movement has no national leader.

Apple sells more than a million iPhone 3GS in first three days.

More reason that clowns are evil.

Residents of Napa, California rally for Pride: "About 100 people walked Saturday in downtown Napa for Napa Valley Pride 2009, an event in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people."

AfterElton covers Broadway Bares 19.0.

Mulberry, Florida mayor and drag queen roommate in domestic dust-up.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon now wear matching outfits.

Is gray hair protecting us from cancer?

Gay rights group in Indiana plans July 2 protest in Bloomington against constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Canadian and U.S. researchers' new approach to fighting AIDS: "Treating HIV/AIDS with a combination of antiviral drugs and chemotherapy seems to destroy both the circulating virus and immune cells in which the virus hides, a team of Canadian and U.S. researchers has found. In Sunday's online issue of the journal Nature Medicine, Dr. Rafick-Pierre Sékaly of the University of Montreal and his colleagues report finding cells where HIV hides from existing treatments. Anti-AIDS therapies known as highly active anti-retroviral treatments, or HAART, target the virus's replication process but have been hampered by these reservoirs of immune system cells hiding the virus."

Male model fix: Jamie Dornan.

Cell phone leads police to gay man's killer. Likely an internet hook-up gone wrong: "Officials said they believe the stabbing occurred after Fermaintt visited Pecora's apartment and then hailed a cab to go to the Bronx, according to city police. But once in the cab, police said, Fermaintt explained to the driver that he did not have cash and offered a watch and a cell phone to pay for the ride. When Fermaintt left the cab, he left the phone on the backseat, where the driver later found it and saw a worried text message that was from Pecora's sister." NY1 report.

Quest for the snow leopard.

Google Street View provides some useful evidence after a weekend building collapse in Brooklyn in which three were injured.

Youth Radio to cover 40th anniversary of Stonewall.

Major spelling error at Pat Buchanan conference to promote "English-only" initiatives.

Washington Post under fire for publishing 7,000 word piece on the murder of gay D.C. lawyer Robert Wone online only and not in print edition.