NEWS: Putin Fibs; Politicians Love L. Ron; William Saletan Solves The World

Vladimir Putin admits he's a bit of a fibber:

Russian President Vladimir Putin told a Russian journalist that many of his most picturesque media appearances — shooting a tranquilizer dart into a tiger who appeared about to pounce; tagging a wounded snow leopard; and, just this week, wearing a feathery white suit to pilot a glider to guide a group of cranes south for the winter — were staged.

Politicians cozy up to Scientology:

Three U.S. congressmen and a top-level government official attended the opening of the Church of Scientology’s National Office in Washington, D.C., Thursday ... [Republican Congressman Dan Burton and Democratic Congressman Danny Davis] lauded the church’s efforts in pushing Congress to pass legislation targeted toward child medication and the criminal justice system. [Liz Gibson, Senior Program Manager at the Federal Emergency Management Agency] praised the disaster relief the Church of Scientology has provided in times of crisis.

Chicago CIA sting nets an 18-year-old, first-time jihadi.

Bill Saletan gives angry zealots a good talking-to.

US pulls personnel from Tunisia and Yemen.

The Obama administration expects this nonsense could go on for a while:

“The reality is the Middle East is going to be turbulent for the foreseeable future and beyond that,” said Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations and a former State Department official in the Bush administration. “It’s going to present the United States with any number of difficult choices. It’s also going to be frustrating, because in most instances our interests are likely to be greater than our influence.”

Don Philip really was "bullied" into coming out on the X Factor.

Royal boobies make the rounds.

Nathan Schaefer is named executive director of Empire State Pride Agenda; elucidates first priority:

“We must pass the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act,” or GENDA, he said in a video message posted on the Pride Agenda’s website at the time his appointment was announced on September 15. “That’s our next victory.” He noted that polls have shown that more than three-quarters of New Yorkers support the principles underlying GENDA.

... Schaefer most recently served as the director of public policy at the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), the city’s oldest and largest AIDS services and advocacy group. He also worked in Washington for the AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth, and Families, a group established in 1994 that does both advocacy and partnership-building work.

With an album coming out next week, Aimee Mann talks about the state of the arts.

Adult Film Star Explains How And Why He Was In 'Innocence Of Muslims'

Watching Innocence of Muslims, the bigoted, insensitive video that sparked anti-American protests in Libya, Egypt and Yemen, some viewers recognized an instantly recognizable actor named Tim Dax from his work in gay adult films.

This had many wondering why Dax would involve himself in such an obviously hateful project. The short answer: the film's directors kept the actors in the dark about the movie's actual message. The longer answer, sent in an email to Joe.My.God, is here, unedited:

i can tell you i auditioned for a movie called Desert Storm that was about Ancient Warriors. My character was called Sampson on the paper with a few lines I got each day upon arriving on set. We never saw a full script or any lines after the day we shot them. Many questions were asked regarding absurdity of lines and situations.

Sam the producer who I believed to be, but not certain as Egyptian. His reply would always to work with what we were given as he wrote the script. The clip that I saw part of today for the first time is questionable as to being my voice. The voice over work is dubious at best. a week and a half of work, 75 bucks a day & lunch. ; ) Can't tell you anymore than that other than I'm am very much NOT anti muslim.

one world one love. Tim.

It makes sense that the directors would keep the script to themselves. Wouldn't want anyone spoiling their intentionally incendiary plans!

Anti-American Protests Rise Up At Embassy In Yemen

Two days after U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed in an attack on the States' Embassy in Libya, hundreds of protesters stormed a U.S. satellite office in Sana, Yemen. Thankfully it was not as deadly as the Libya attack, but it was just as fierce:

The protesters breached the usually tight security around the embassy and reached the compound grounds but did not enter the main building housing the offices. Once inside the compound, they brought down the U.S. flag, burned it and replaced it with a black banner bearing Islam’s declaration of faith — "There is no God but Allah."

Before storming the grounds, demonstrators removed the embassy’s sign on the outer wall, set tires ablaze and pelted the compound with rocks.

The Boston Globe notes that Yemen is fertile ground for al-Qaeda, the terrorist group that claims to have coordinated the attacks earlier this week. All of the attacks are reportedly inspired by an anti-Muslim film that portrays Mohammed as a womanizer, among other things, but the identity of the intentionally offensive video's actual creator remains a mystery. Whomever it is may have wanted just this reaction.

News: Gay Men's Chorus, Lindsay Lohan, Bret Michaels, Arizona

A campaign is under way to save The Castro Country Club, "a clean and sober meeting place in the neighborhood that serves as the iconic heart of San Francisco's gay community, is in jeopardy of losing its home of 27 years."

Shelter in Cape Town: "People who have been kicked out of their homes for coming out of the closet, rape survivors or transgendered people not welcome in existing shelters will be accommodated in the six-bedroomed house in Oranjezicht, which has magnificent views of Table Mountain."

Bret Michaels remains in critical condition after suffering brain hemorrhage.

Alexander Skarsgard gets animated.

Protests and outrage over the tough immigration bill Arizona's Republican Governor Jan Brewer signed last week.

Does anyone really believe that Lindsay Lohan is done partying?

The Real L Word is coming to Showtime.

Two gay men's choruses in San Diego will sing in harmony.

Just shocking: 25 people walk by man lying on the street dying of stab wounds.

The Media Line reports that Yemeni filmmaker faces death threats for writing that "'homosexuality was 'part and parcel of our society.' He called on the parliament to extend more rights to gay people and went as far as to suggest that the Yemeni government should consider allowing gay marriages, just like in the West."

Jersey Shore food fight.

Joe Lieberman Wants a Preemptive Attack on Yemen

Let's send him.

He also wants full body scanners, calls Guantanamo a "first class facility", etc...

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...