NORTH CAROLINA. National Council of La Raza moves convention to Miami: “Hispanics know what it is like to be singled out and stripped of our humanity because of who we are or what we look like. And with the wave of anti-immigrant state laws in recent years, the Latino community is all too familiar with legislation that purports to ‘protect' but, in fact, legalizes discrimination. By taking this action, we extend our support to the efforts of so many in North Carolina and the LGBT, civil rights and business communities to repeal this egregious law.”
REX WOCKNER. Mexico's wild ride to marriage equality.
BANGLADESH. Militant attacks drive gay community underground. “Bangladesh's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community was already marginalized in a country where same-sex sexual activity is illegal and many people strongly disapprove. Now it has been pushed further into the shadows after Xulhaz Mannan, editor of the country's first LGBT-themed magazine, and Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy were murdered in the capital on April 25. The attack, claimed by the regional arm of al Qaeda, was the first of its kind to target the community, although it followed similar killings in the last 16 months of university professors, bloggers and atheists who published views critical of Islam.
MILFORD, PA. Sean Strub appointed mayor: “At the Milford Borough Council Special Meeting and Workshop held today at Borough Hall, activist and Hotel Fauchere owner Sean Strub was unanimously confirmed as the new mayor of Milford Borough. During today's nomination process council member Adriane Wendell spoke highly of Strub, saying that she believed Strub would help continue to make the borough a “kinder, gentler place.” She also added that the ideas Strub presented in his letter of interest penned last month, that highlighted the needs for a mayor who marketed and promoted the town, in addition to the job's traditional duties, are “exciting.”
PREMIERES. The Looking finale will air on July 23: In the pic, Patrick (Jonathan Groff) “returns to San Francisco for the first time in almost a year to celebrate a momentous event with his old friends. In the process, he must face the unresolved relationships he left behind and make difficult choices about what's important to him.”
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BILLBOARD AWARDS. Dr. Luke pulls plug on Kesha performance: “A rep for Dick Clark Productions — which is producing the award show on Sunday — says Dr. Luke's label, Kemosabe Records, has been unable to reach an agreement with Kesha for her to take the stage. TMZ broke the story … production sources told us the singer was going to reference her epic legal battle during her live BMAs performance. Problem for her is Kemosabe holds all the power, since it still controls her music rights. We're told Dr. Luke had signed off, but pulled the plug once he got wind of what Kesha was planning.”
Kesha responds:
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AWARDS. Han Kang's wins Man Booker Prize: “The novel, which unfolds in three parts, centers on a depressed South Korean housewife named Yeong-hye, whose violent nightmares lead her to stop eating meat. Her husband and father view her vegetarianism as a subversive act, while her brother-in-law becomes sexually fixated with her plant-shaped birthmark. Yeong-hye begins starving herself, believing that she can photosynthesize light and transform herself into a tree.”
ART CAMERA. New camera finds the details: “Meet the new Art Camera by the Google Cultural Institute — a custom-built camera ready to travel around the world to bring people more of ultra-high-resolution ‘gigapixel' images than ever possible before. The Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen was among the first to use the Art Camera to digitize a series of artworks, including the Portrait of Armand Roulin by Van Gogh.”
SPUDS. Potatoes could cause strokes and heart attacks if eaten too frequently, says study: “Everyone knows chips are a dietary no-no. But now experts are warning that eating too much of the humble potato in any form – baked, boiled or as mash – could potentially be bad for our health. Research claims that eating potatoes four times a week could be harmful and contribute to the condition that causes strokes and heart attacks, Britain's biggest killers. The study, reported in the BMJ, is the first to identify potatoes as a key source of hypertension, better known as high blood pressure.”
REAL ESTATE. Brighton UK's oldest gay pub is on the market: “Dean Holmes has put The Bulldog on the market after nearly 20 years of running the well-known gay venue in St James's Street. The freehold on the late-night venue has been made available for £1.1 million.”
ENVIRONMENT. Edible six pack rings are the best idea ever. “Most of these plastic six-pack rings end up in our oceans and pose a serious threat to wildlife. Together with Saltwater Brewery, a small craft beer brand in Florida whose primary target are surfers fishermen and people who love the sea, we decided to tackle the issue head on and make a statement for the whole beer industry to follow. We ideated, designed, prototyped and manufactured Edible Six Pack Rings. A six-pack packaging design that instead of killing animals, feeds them.”
HUMP DAY HOTTIES. Amsterdam couple Florian Joahn and Jean Paul Paula.
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