Paul Manafort, Nico Hines, Justin Trudeau, R2-D2, Frank Ocean, Shakur Stevenson: HOT LINKS

2016 ELECTION. Hacker publishes list of phone numbers, private emails of House Democrats.

PREPARING TO LOSE. Trump says the only way he can lose Pennsylvania is if Hillary Clinton ‘cheats’: “We’re gonna watch Pennsylvania. Go down to certain areas and watch and study and make sure other people don’t come in and vote five times. The only way we can lose, in my opinion – and I really mean this, Pennsylvania – is if cheating goes on. I really believe it.”

UKRAINE. Ledgers show cash for Trump’s campaign chief: “Handwritten ledgers show $12.7 million in undisclosed cash payments designated for Mr. Manafort from Mr. Yanukovych’s pro-Russian political party from 2007 to 2012, according to Ukraine’s newly formed National Anti-Corruption Bureau. Investigators assert that the disbursements were part of an illegal off-the-books system whose recipients also included election officials.”

JUSTIN TRUDEAU. Canadian PM marches in Montreal Pride parade.

BLUEGRASS. Nobody seems to care that Kentucky has a gay Senate candidate: “What went unnoticed this recent Saturday afternoon was that Gray was probably first openly gay person to speak at Fancy Farm. Records aren’t easy to come by for something that began in 1880, but veterans of the event say they can’t recall an openly gay speaker. This is how Gray’s campaign has gone: He’s making history, and nobody seems to notice. Or, for that matter, care.”

SIGNORILE. Why The Daily Beast thought its article endangering gay Olympians was perfectly acceptable: “A hook-up app is a 2016 version of a gay bar, a gay bath or even a 1950s’ public restroom (the only place some gay men could meet for sex in many places in this country during that era), depending on how and why individuals are using the particular app. What Hines did is equivalent to going undercover into a public restroom or a gay bar or sex club and luring people into revealing information about their sexual lives — people who may be deeply closeted because they could be fired, ostracized or arrested — basically entrapping them, and then making the details public. It serves no purpose journalistically, however interesting it might be to some people, as there’s no reason we need to know the information — surely not if it means someone’s life might be terribly affected. That’s far different from a politician or another public figure with enormous power who is closeted and is doing something harmful to queer people.”

CHICAGO. Man attacked in Logan Square in alleged anti-gay attack.”Levi Frerichs said he was walking in Logan Square last week in the 2700-block of North Spaulding when three boys and two girls came up from behind and started punching him.”

DEATHS. R2-D2 actor Kenny Baker has died: “The British actor who played R2-D2 in the Star Wars films has died at the age of 81 after a long illness. Kenny Baker, who was 3ft 8in tall, shot to fame in 1977 when he first played the robot character….His niece, Abigail Shield, paid tribute to her uncle. She told the Guardian: ‘It was expected, but it’s sad nonetheless. He had a very long and fulfilled life. He brought lots of happiness to people and we’ll be celebrating the fact that he was well loved throughout the world. We’re all very proud of what he achieved in his lifetime.'”

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WINNIPEG. Canadian volleyball coach loses job because he’s gay: “My agent told me the team said they didn’t want to take you because they were nervous about other teams’ fans being hostile toward you because of being gay. I was just, ‘Oh.’”

AUSTRALIA. Sydney woman raising her kids to be gender-neutral: “Gender stereotypes are so forcefully pushed on kids in so many different ways — in the use of gender specific language and stereotyping in schools, in the media and in marketing … and I think it’s really important parents consider the detrimental impacts of that.”

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT. A new app sends an alert when Frank Ocean’s Boys Don’t Cry album finally drops: “The R&B singer’s sophomore album “Boys Don’t Cry” was supposedly set to release in July, then Aug. 5 and now fans are frantically speculating Nov. 13, thanks to a cryptic library due date card featured on Ocean’s website.”

ISN’T IT OBVIOUS? Why do gay men love the Olympics?

LEVI KREIS. Those of you who are in Provincetown for Carnival week can see Levi Kreis make his Ptown debut in concert on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Crown & Anchor as part of its big Broadway series. Highly recommended!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMobvkzo7xU

SOUTH AFRICA. The nation just got its first LGBT video-on-demand streaming channel: “Traditional TV channels have historically offered only small smatterings of one-dimensional LGBT content that ironically reinforces stereotypes instead of shattering them. PrideTV reverses the trend to restrict access to LGBT themes by South African and African broadcasters.”

HEDWIG. The hit musical about the trans East German rock star is headed out on a national tour and just posted this new spot featuring Darren Criss and Lena Hall.

TEGAN AND SARA. “Hang on to the Night”.