Red Dawn: Sydney Enveloped in Massive Dust Storm

A blanket of red dust covered Sydney today, the result of a thunderstorm and months of drought. Here's a Flickr photo pool.

From Space: Hurricane Bill Clips the East Coast

Hurricane Bill as it swept passed the east coast of the U.S. over the weekend. The hurricane was said to be responsible for two deaths — a young girl in Maine who was swept into the sea with a group of 20 others when a rogue wave knocked them from a ledge at Acadia National Park, and a man who washed ashore unconscious in New Smyrna Beach in Florida.

Details, AFTER THE JUMP...

Charlie Crist: Florida Hurricane-Free Since I Sent Prayers to God

Florida Governor Charlie Crist half-joked to a group of real estate agents that the state's lack of hurricane activity is because God is listening to him:

"Crist said he isn't trying to take credit, but he told a group of real estate agents Friday that he's had prayer notes placed in the Western Wall in Jerusalem each year and no major storms have hit Florida. Crist noted that just before his election in 2006, Florida had been affected by a total of eight hurricanes in 2004 and 2005. 'Do you know the last time it was we had a hurricane in Florida? It's been awhile. In 2007, I took my first trade mission. Do you know where I went?' said Crist, a Methodist, referring to a trip to Israel. He then told of going to the Western Wall and inserting a note with a prayer. He said it read, 'Dear God, please protect our Florida from storms and other difficulties. Charlie.' ...'Time goes on - May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December - no hurricanes,' Crist said. 'Thank God.' Last year, Sen. Nan Rich was traveling to Israel and Crist asked her to put a note in the Western Wall, a holy site in Judaism and a place where written prayers are traditionally placed.' It was the same note, by the way, the same prayer,' Crist said."

Wonder if Crist used that power to pray a few other things away as well?

Related...
Minneapolis Pastor: Tornado a Warning to Gay-Loving Lutherans [tr]

Minneapolis Pastor: Tornado a Warning to Gay-Loving Lutherans

John Piper, pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, wrote a blog post today interpreting a recent tornado in Minneapolis as a sign that Jesus Christ, who "controls the wind, including all tornados," sent down a twister because the Lutheran Church is considering lifting restrictions on gay clergy at a convention there this week.

The tornado damaged portions of the convention center where the Lutherans are meeting as well as the steeple of the Central Lutheran Church.

 Concludes Piper: "The tornado in Minneapolis was a gentle but firm warning to the ELCA and all of us: Turn from the approval of sin. Turn from the promotion of behaviors that lead to destruction. Reaffirm the great Lutheran heritage of allegiance to the truth and authority of Scripture. Turn back from distorting the grace of God into sensuality. Rejoice in the pardon of the cross of Christ and its power to transform left and right wing sinners."

Shortly after the storm hit, the 1,014 Lutherans passed a social statement by a one vote margin:

"The social statement is a long document that essentially says that the church will agree to disagree on the issue of same-sex relationships, but will neither punish congregations that decide to bless such relationships nor force congregations that reject blessing same-sex couples. 'This church also acknowledges that consensus does not exist concerning how to regard same-gender committed relationships, even after many years of thoughtful, respectful, and faithful study and conversation,' the statement says in part. “'We do not have agreement on whether this church should honor these relationships, uplift, shelter and protect them, or on precisely how it is appropriate to do so.' But LGBT Lutherans are hailing the vote, which came in at 676 to 338, exactly the 66.67 percent margin needed."

A Trip Over Bill, the Season's First Hurricane

The season's first hurricane, Bill, is currently not expected to threaten the United States but is expected to pass between Bermuda and the U.S. on Saturday. Once a Category 4 storm, Bill has weakened to a Category 3 but has the potential of strengthening again.

Watch a video taken from the International Space Station as it traveled above Hurricane Bill from an altitude of 225 miles, AFTER THE JUMP...

News: Oscar Wilde, El Niño, Pepto-Bismol, Vladimir Putin, Iraq

U.S. military probing claims by Iraqi refugee that servicemembers were involved in the executions of gays in Iraq.

Provincetown player Ryan Landry stars as Oscar Wilde in production of Moises Kaufman's Gross Indecency.

Save the Earth, piss in the shower.

New El Niño may be second-strongest.

The Majority: Condé Nast's 'A-gay' tower of power?

Bolivia bans all circus animals: "Bolivia has enacted what animal rights activists are calling the world's first ban on all animals in circuses. A handful of other countries have banned the use of wild animals in circuses, but the Bolivian ban includes domestic animals as well."

Phyllis Schlafly unleashes on the National Education Association for supporting gays at its annual convention in San Diego.

Allen Thornell, LGBT leader in Georgia, dies after suffering stroke.

Leonardo Dicaprio hits the beach in Ibiza.

Pepto-Bismol ice cream: hangover cure?

Murses and the dudes who dig them. (via the awl)

Stonewall Shooting Sports: Gay Utah group to join gun rights march in Salt Lake City.

Killer of gay seaman August Provost, who committed suicide while in custody, had tried to kill himself twice before.

Movieline interviews photographer Bruce Weber.

Maybe the only reason to see the new G.I. Joe flick?

The NYT visits the John Bartlett boutique: "It’s not as if this store is exclusively gay; it’s just secure in its sexuality. Contrary to current film and television, there is a large segment of confident gay men out there who aren’t that obsessed with fashion. They work hard, and just need some nice clothes for jobs and second dates."

What Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and Will Smith will be wearing this fall.

Russian PM Vladimir Putin shows off his macho self again. FLASHBACK: A river runs through Russia: Fishing with Pin-up Putin.

75% of Poles against same-sex marriage.

Glenn Beck: Don't get violent, even though I've been riling you up for years.

Error rate increases as signatures are counted in Washington state anti-gay ballot measure.

Massachusetts teen held on $1000 bond after anti-gay assault: "According to the victim, he and his female friend were walking on Bay Street when they were approached by a group of four boys. They identified two of the four as Ambers and Gregg, who appeared to be intoxicated when they directed their attention toward the victim in an aggressive manner. Though she tried to keep Ambers at a distance, the victim’s friend told officers her attempts were futile. Reports say Ambers and Gregg shouted homosexual slurs as they punched and kicked the teenager until he fell to the ground."

Annie Lennox, backwards and forwards.