Saturday, September 21, 2013

Brawl At California Apple Store

There was a brawl outside a Pasadena Apple store yesterday after a man refused to pay dozens of homeless people the $40 he'd promised each of them for waiting in line for the new iPhone.
Two people were already arrested for fighting in the long line outside the Pasadena store before dozens of people hired from a nearby homeless shelter attacked a man who refused to pay them for their hours-long wait, cops said. “He was cheating us,” Calvin Windell Pleasant told the Los Angeles Times. The destitute group said they were driven to the Colorado Blvd. store by vans from a Los Angeles shelter, where a man promised $40 each for them to wait in line for the coveted smartphones. But when the doors opened, the businessman only managed to buy a handful of phones before the store ordered him out and deemed the rest of his vouchers useless. And when he refused to pay the rest of the 70 to 80 people he hired to stand in the line, the furious group pounced.
Police removed the man for his own safety. Some commenters on news sites are criticizing him for exploiting the homeless. The fracas was, of course, recorded by many other patrons still waiting in the line.

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Linda Harvey: US Should Be Like Russia

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CA Trans Teen Elected Homecoming Queen

Last night the student body of a California high school elected a transgender girl as their homecoming queen.
Cassidy Lynn Campbell broke down in tears Friday night when she learned that she had been crowned homecoming queen. The senior at Marina High School in Huntington Beach was born male but told The Times she always felt like a girl. In high school, she began taking hormone blockers and estrogen injections prescribed by an endocrinologist and made the transition to living as a girl. She decided to run for homecoming queen, in part, to make a statement. "If I win it would mean that the school recognizes me as the gender I always felt I was," Cassidy, 16, told The Times before the election. "But with all the attention, I realized it's bigger than me," she said. "I'm doing this for the kids who can't be themselves."
After Campbell's crowning, students in the stadium began chanting her name and ran onto the field to hug her. (Tipped by JMG readers Brandon and Ryan)

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Headline Of The Day

Whoa. The Guardian reports:
A secret document, published in declassified form for the first time by the Guardian today, reveals that the US Air Force came dramatically close to detonating an atom bomb over North Carolina that would have been 260 times more powerful than the device that devastated Hiroshima.

The document, obtained by the investigative journalist Eric Schlosser under the Freedom of Information Act, gives the first conclusive evidence that the US was narrowly spared a disaster of monumental proportions when two Mark 39 hydrogen bombs were accidentally dropped over Goldsboro, North Carolina on 23 January 1961. The bombs fell to earth after a B-52 bomber broke up in mid-air, and one of the devices behaved precisely as a nuclear weapon was designed to behave in warfare: its parachute opened, its trigger mechanisms engaged, and only one low-voltage switch prevented untold carnage.

Each bomb carried a payload of 4 megatons – the equivalent of 4 million tons of TNT explosive. Had the device detonated, lethal fallout could have been deposited over Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and as far north as New York city – putting millions of lives at risk.
Only one of the four safety mechanisms operated properly and prevented detonation, according to the report. At the time of the incident I was barely a year old and we lived quite close to Goldsboro, so at least it would have been quick.

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NYC Woman Sues Over HIV Ad

Claiming that she never signed a release, a Brooklyn woman has filed suit against the stock photography company Getty Images after she appeared in an HIV awareness campaign published by the state of New York. The woman's lawyer says that the state will also be sued.
Avril Nolan, 25, a Greenpoint resident who does not have HIV, alleged through her lawyer Wednesday that Getty Images, a photo agency, sold a photograph of her to the New York State Division of Human Rights without her approval. The state agency then took out an ad in the April 3 edition of amNew York that featured the photo of Nolan standing in front of a graffiti-covered storefront, along with the messages: “I am positive (+)” and “I have rights.” Nolan, who is originally from Ireland and works in public relations, charges that the ad forced her to have awkward conversations with her employer, friends and “potential romantic partners,” according to her suit against Getty, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court. It seeks $450,000 in damages. “She was mortified,” said Nolan’s lawyer, Erin Lloyd. “It has caused a lot of anxiety.” Getty did not respond to a request for comment. Lloyd said she will pursue claims against the Division of Human Rights for defamation and violation of Nolan’s civil rights.
The photographer claims to have misunderstood the contract with Getty Images.

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Friday, September 20, 2013

Chris Cuomo Vs Bill Donohue

CNN host Chris Cuomo really got into it with Catholic League blowhard Bill Donohue today, calling Donohue out on his history of defending the Catholic Church's pedophilia scandals. Cuomo: "The pope is giving you a different message. He's saying: 'Don't make these statements about the homosexuals. Don't make these statements about the Jews. Get back to the what your church is about. Jesus wasn't about what you are doing right now.' Are you going to hear that message or not?" And Donohue goes off in typical style. You might want to watch both clips, if you can bear it.

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Author Of Russia's Anti-Gay "Propaganda" Bill Crashes LGBT Film Festival

Gay Star News reports that Vitaly Milonov, the author of Russia's "homosexual propaganda" ban, yesterday crashed an LGBT film festival in St. Petersburg.
The homophobic United Russia city parliament deputy Vitaly Milonov reportedly arrived with an entourage of five to six people calling guests 'animals, 'un-Russian' and 'faggots', according to QueerFest organizers. The Russian lawmaker, who co-sponsored the 'non-traditional relationships' law, previously said a gay activist must die for his 'extremism'. According to organizers, Milonov and his group also shoved around two guests, slapping them in the face. After Milonov and his group started attacking guests, police reportedly arrived shortly after, harassing venue owners to show ownership papers.
Queer Fest reports that the police left after "finding no cause for action and everything in order."  Organizers acknowledge that merely holding their event puts them at risk of fines and arrests. Theirs is the first LGBT event to test Russia's new law.

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NEW YORK CITY: Queer Nation & ACT UP Disrupt Another Stoli Promotion

Last night at Marquee in midtown.

Defund Obamacare Dem Explains

"It is irresponsible to add unrelated provisions to legislation to keep our government running. I have always preferred straightforward legislating that avoids political games. However, I believe we should avoid shutting down the government, and I voted for a continuing resolution to keep the legislative process working toward that end today." - Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT), who was one of two Democrats who today voted for the bill that both defunds Obamacare and authorizes funding the rest of the federal budget.  Tea Party site Daily Caller notes that Matheson won reelection in November by fewer than 3000 votes in the most heavily-Republican district currently held by a Democrat. And that's probably the real story.

RELATED: The Human Rights Campaign ranks Matheson lower than any Democrat in Congress, with only a 5% approval rating. He is a cosponsor of ENDA, but opposes marriage equality.

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Rand Paul: I'm Like Charlie Sheen

Because winning.

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New Hat Fever In NYC

Mashable reports:
Apple's flagship store in New York City always attracts a big crowd on launch days, but the line for the new iPhones this year hit a new record. There were 1,417 people in line for the launch at the flagship store as of 8 a.m. ET Friday, according to Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray, who has surveyed Apple store lines every year since the original iPhone launched in 2007. That is the longest the line ever at the flagship store for an iPhone launch — beating the line for the iPhone 4 — and it marks an 83% increase from the number of people who waited in line there for the iPhone 5.
CBS even had their helicopter hovering overhead.

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ITALY: MPs Kiss For Hate Crimes Bill

The above tweet translates as: "#homophobia #M5S Equal rights and dignity regardless of gender because a kiss and a hug do not have to be scary." The Local explains:
Five Star Movement (M5S) politicians staged a kissing protest in parliament during a debate on an anti-homophobia bill, calling for more rights for gay people. The bill was passed on Thursday by the lower house and aims to see a 1993 anti-discrimination law extended to crimes motivated by homophobia or transphobia. A total of 354 politicians voted in favour of the bill and 79 against, La Repubblica reported. The parliamentary debate was interrupted when dozens of M5S politicians stood in unison and began kissing and hugging each other. Fellow politicians from Beppe Grillo’s party held signs that called for “more rights” for gay people.
The bill faces strong opposition in the Senate. Kissing below.

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Thailand To See Marriage Equality Bill

Thailand's federal government says it is ready to put forth a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. But not in name.
"We will put forward the same-sex civil-union bill in Parliament," Naras Savestanan, director general of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, announced yesterday with the chair of the House committee on justice and human rights, Viroon Phuensaen, by his side. Naras said his department and the House committee had decided to put this bill before Parliament with the hope that same-sex partners would be able to enjoy the same rights as heterosexual couples. "The rights cover tax benefits, pension benefits and more," he said, adding that once this bill takes effect, the civil union of same-sex couples would legally equal the registered marriage of men and women.
Thailand would become the first Asian nation with equal marriage/civil unions, unless you count New Zealand, which some people would. No time frame for bill has been revealed.

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Chipotle Parody

A commercial comes first. Here's the original.

(Tipped by JMG reader Jeff)

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CALIFORNIA: Pastor Faith-Heals With His Penis, Faces Multiple Felony Sex Charges

A California pastor faces multiple felony sexual assault charges after telling female parishioners that he could heal them. With his penis and tongue, apparently.
Jorge Juan Castro, 53, was arrested last Friday on allegations that during his eight years as associate pastor at Las Buenas Nuevas Church in Norwalk, he repeatedly sexually assaulted at least 20 parishioners. He told the alleged victims who questioned the sex acts that they were part of the faith-healing process, said L.A. County Sheriff's Capt. Robert Esson. "He claimed to have healing hands and ulitized that process to eventually sexually assault them," Esson said. "He preyed upon them from a trust position. He warned them they'd be the subject of ridicule in the church if they told others." After surveillance by undercover major-crimes detectives, Castro was arrested Sept. 13 at his home in Norwalk and booked on charges of rape, penetration by a foreign object and oral copulation. He is already charged with six felony counts, but that number is expected to rise.
Castro reportedly threatened to have his victims deported if they complained.

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From Sarah Palin's Facebook Page

Palin writes: "Thanks to my Aunt Billie in Texas for sending me her friend's clever caption."

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Gennifer Flowers Resurfaces

"We have some unresolved issues that it would be nice to sit down and talk about now. He was the love of my life and I was the love of his life and you don’t get over those things. If we had the opportunity to sit down and visit with each other in person, I’m not saying the romance would be rekindled but we will always have something. Whatever you might call it. Bill and I would be together today if it wasn't for politics. It was me, Bill and Hillary. Then they had Chelsea and the stakes got too high. I don’t know Huma or the Weiners. I just know what Bill told me and that was that he was aware that Hillary was bisexual and he didn’t care. He should know. He said Hillary had eaten more pussy than he had." - Gennifer Flowers, who has crawled out from under a rock to promote (surprise!) her new gig as a sex advice columnist for Penthouse. The second headline is from Wonkette's hilarious piece.

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Gays Caused The Colorado Floods

"Let me ask you this: is it a coincidence that this was the worst year politically in the history of Colorado, at least if you use God’s law as a means of determining human ethics, our legislators did the worst possible things this year than I have ever witnessed in the twenty years I’ve been in Colorado. Our legislators committed homosexual acts on the front page of the Denver Post, do you remember that? So here we have the very worst year in Colorado’s year in terms of let’s kill as many babies as possible, let’s make sure we encourage as much decadent homosexual activity as possible, let’s break God’s law with impudence at every single level, at every single level let’s make sure that we offend whoever wrote the Bible, so we have the worst year possible politically in the state of Colorado and it happens to be the worst year ever in terms of flood and fire damage in Colorado’s history." - Christian radio host Kevin Swanson. (The link is mine.)

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House GOP Votes To Defund Obamacare


The bill is tied to "must pass" legislation that will prevent the shutdown of the entire federal government, which last happened in 1996.

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Bill Donohue: Here's What The Pope Meant

"The pope is right that single-issue Catholics need to rise above their immediate concerns. He did not say we should not address abortion or homosexuality; he simply said we cannot be absorbed by these issues. Both the left and the right should heed his message. The article in the New York Times says U.S. bishops will feel the pinch of these remarks as they often appear 'to make combating abortion, gay marriage and contraception their top public policy priorities.' This is inaccurate. It is not the bishops who have made these issues front and center—it is the Obama administration. It would be more accurate to say the pope would find fault with the bishops if they did not resist these state encroachments on the religious-liberty rights of Catholics." - Catholic League blowhard Bill Donohue.

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The Gay Braveheart Battle Speech

Buzzfeed's Copyranter writes:
Every September, Lisbon hosts Queer Lisboa, “the sole Portuguese Film Festival dedicated exclusively to screening gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and transsexual themed films.” And every year, for several years now, Queer Lisboa comes out with an epic promo video ad. Last year, it was “The Death of the Gay Cliche.” In 2011, it was “Mister Pink,” a brilliant redo of the famous scene from Reservoir Dogs. Now this year, William Wallace gradually gets queenier (as do his charges) as he gets more impassioned.
You'll love this. Hit the link for clips from previous years.

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Tweet Of The Day - Monica Roberts

Today is the second anniversary of the repeal.

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RUSSIA: Disgusting Clip Uses Regnerus Study To Claim Gays Rape Their Own Kids

Americablog's John Aravosis has unearthed a repulsive anti-gay clip out of Russia. He writes:
A newly-discovered anti-gay video making the rounds in Russia (see the video below with subtitles) claims that gays adopt children so that they’ll have a readily available source of kids to rape. Even more troubling, the video bases its adoption-child-rape assertion on a debunked faux-scientific “study” from Mark Regnerus, a religious right researcher whose “gay parenting” study was roundly rebuked for only including two kids who actually grew up with gay parents. Yes, a whopping review of 2 children makes a scientific “study” of gay parenting. The “study” was also called “bullsh*t” by an auditor after it was published. Of course, what’s more, even the very anti-gay Regnerus “study” does not conclude that 1/3 of gay parents rape their own kids, which this new video claims.
Regnerus must be very proud.

(Tipped by JMG reader Str8Grandmother)

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Crackpot Pennsylvania Sheriff Gets Fired

Remember that crackpot Pennsylvania sheriff who posted the "fuck all you libtards" video that featured him firing a machine gun? Shit-canned. Stand by for screams of outrage from you-know-where. (Tipped by JMG reader Samuel)

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Kitty Paws Can Unlock New iPhone

A product tester at Techcrunch added a cat as an authorized user for the new iPhone.
The cat’s paw worked, and while it encountered more frequent failures than did a fingerprint, it was able to unlock the phone again repeatedly when positioned correctly on the sensor. Note that no other paw pads would unlock the device, and that cats essentially have unique “fingerprints” just like people, so this doesn’t make the Touch ID sensor any less secure.
This 11-second clip as gotten 200K views in 24 hours.

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SAN ANTONIO: Anti-Gay Groups Launch Recall Drive Against City Officials

Almost immediate after San Antonio passed an ordinance that added LGBT residents to employment and housing protections, anti-gay groups have launched a recall drive against Mayor Julian Castro and the members of the city council who voted for the measure. The San Antonio Current reports:
After council members in Districts 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 (plus the Mayor) cast ‘yes’ votes to include LGBT groups in the City’s current Non-discrimination ordinances, a strategy to unseat the majority of council began. Martinez says the plan ranges from knocking on doors to showing up wherever council members may be— from public and community meetings to member-hosted events—with the mission to collect signatures. The faction says they’re even planting themselves outside district field offices with the hopes of wrangling in more petitioners. The ordinance opponents need 6,000 signatures from registered voters (valid 180 days from the first signer) to begin the recall process for council members and 75,000 for Castro.
City Councilman Diego Bernal reacts: "If these people want me out of office simply because I want to treat everyone in this city fairly and equally, it says more about them than it does about me."  Organizers of the recall drive were reportedly emboldened by the recall of two pro-gun control Colorado legislators earlier this month. San Antonio's ordinance, which is similar to those in 21 states and dozens of cities nationwide, has been attacked by the Family Research Council and Pat Robertson, who claims that Christians will now be jailed.

RELATED: Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has retreated on his vow to sue San Antonio over the ordinance.

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The War On Xmas Has Begun

Celebrate Jesus with a hate group button! Glory!

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HomoQuotable - Michelanglo Signorile

"By saying that 'it is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time,' Francis is slamming people like Maggie Gallagher, former president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), who has made it her life work to constantly talk about gay marriage -- touting her Catholic beliefs -- and stop marriage equality by pitting groups against one another. Francis is slapping at blowhards like Bill Donohue of the Catholic League, who, if he didn't talk about gay marriage and abortion all the time, would not be invited onto TV talk shows to discuss much of anything. [snip] And in saying 'I have never been a right-winger' in the same interview in which he's criticizing the church for being too 'obsessed' with gay marriage and abortion, Francis is hitting at those Catholic leaders who use gay rights and abortion to wield political power, putting them on notice. Again, his comments don't change the church's doctrine, but they do a lot to change its focus. That can only be seen as a huge shift." - Michelangelo Signorile, writing for the Huffington Post.

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Rep. Jackie Speirer Uses Steak & Vodka Props To Slam GOP Food Stamp Cuts

Just watch this. Watch the whole thing.

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG: Speirer introduces House resolution against "ex-gay quackery."

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ARKANSAS: Wording Of Ballot Measure To Repeal Marriage Ban Gets Accepted

After rejecting two earlier versions, Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDonald has approved the wording of a ballot measure that would repeal that state's ban on same-sex marriage. Even if successful, however, that repeal would only be the first step.
The proposal from Christina Harrison with Arkansans for Equality would repeal a constitutional amendment that prohibits same-sex marriage in the state. The measure would not legalize gay marriage in and of itself, unlike another proposal whose wording the attorney general rejected earlier this week. McDaniel also rejected the wording of another gay-marriage proposal on Thursday. That measure seeks to legally recognize marriage in Arkansas as a union of two people regardless of sex. McDaniel rejected its wording, citing "deficiencies" in the proposal's ballot title and text.
Amendments to the approved version must be green-lighted by McDonald before the petition signature drive can commence.

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BRITAIN: Christian Bed & Breakfast Closes After Fines For Rejecting Gays

Two years after they were fined £3,600 for refusing to rent a room to a gay couple, the Christian owners of a British bed and breakfast say they are closing down due to a plummeting occupancy rate.
They say they have been forced into selling their nine bed hotel for £750,000 because last winter they "were actually shivering and were hungry." But Mrs Bull fears they will be forced to accept much less for it, because their lack of visitors has left them on the brink of bankruptcy. She said: "We were optimistic in the spring. Why wouldn’t we be with the summer ahead of us? We have had a better summer than we thought but nowhere near good enough to pay our way. We were not even half-full. We must have been the only place in west Cornwall that had rooms left." Mounting bills and political pressure has left the Bulls feeling their belief system as well as their business has been demolished. Mrs Bull added: "It was a gradual process; we just noticed more and more that we couldn’t make the mortgage repayments."
While the couple blames their woes on the loss of their "religious liberties" and claims to have received death threats, the above-linked Daily Mail tabloid notes that internet reviews from recent customers have savaged the hotel for being "unclean and shabby" and for proselytizing to guests. (The front desk was probably the first clue.) Nevertheless, this news will doubtlessly be added to the litany of homofascism claims by American hate groups.

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Tony Perkins Lies Again About The SPLC

"As the Court knows, Mr. Corkins’ stated intention was to kill as many FRC staff as possible to send a political message. But for Leo’s heroic conduct, and the protective hand of the Lord, this crime might have ended as one of the worst acts of domestic terrorism the District of Columbia has ever seen. He was clearly inspired by the [SPLC]’s labeling of FRC as a 'hate group' based on our belief that marriage can only take place between one man and one woman." - From Tony Perkins' speech to the court yesterday at Corkins' sentencing. As we've noted here many times, merely opposing same-sex marriage does not earn a listing by the SPLC, otherwise hundreds of groups would be so listed. Not even NOM is on their list.

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Thursday, September 19, 2013

LDS Quietly Enters Hawaii Marriage Battle

After pretty much staying out of recent marriage equality battles, the Mormon Church is quietly entering the fight in Hawaii, where the marriage movement began twenty years ago. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that this time, the LDS is taking a much softer approach.
In a letter dated Sept. 15 and read to congregations, LDS leaders across the state urged Mormons to "study this legislation prayerfully and then as private citizens contact your elected representatives in the Hawaii Legislature to express your views about the legislation." The letter did not tell members which side of the issue to take, only to study the church’s "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," a document that endorses one man/one woman as the ideal for marriage. Whether Mormons favor or oppose the potential change, the letter said, they should push for "a strong exemption for people and organizations of faith" that would protect religious groups "from being required to support or perform same-sex marriages or from having to host same-sex marriages or celebrations in their facilities; and protect individuals and small businesses from being required to assist in promoting or celebrating same-sex marriages."
A political scientist at Brigham Young tells the Tribune that the language in the letter heralds "a kind of resignation that there’s a shift in society that we can’t stop." The Hawaiian legislature meets in a special session next month to make their vote on marriage.

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Putin: Russia Doesn't Discriminate

Vladimir Putin today declared that Russia doesn't discriminate against gay people.
Putin on Thursday insisted the law bans only "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors." He argues that it is "no infringement on the rights of sexual minorities." The law has prompted calls for boycotts of the 2014 Winter Olympics hosted by Russia in Sochi. Putin says while some European nations have allowed gay marriages, "the Europeans are dying out … and gay marriages don't produce children." He added that heterosexual couples should have more children to reverse a population decline, saying "let us make our own choice, as we see it for our country."
No discrimination except for that "you can't be gay in public" thing. Or write about it. Or talk about it to the media. Or maybe even, keep custody of your children.

REMINDER: Don't forget that it was the "pointless boycott of Stoli" that vaulted this issue into the international headlines just a couple of months ago.

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Ellen Meets Home Depot Proposal Guys

Their clip now has 9.4 million views.

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Feminism Causes Male Suicide

"In 2010, more than 38,000 people killed themselves in the United States – and over 30,000 of them were men, Helen Smith, a forensic psychologist, points out in her book Men on Strike. It’s the problem of a culture that often treats men as if there is something inherently wrong with masculinity, with what makes them different from women — and looks to feminize them. Men who are less interested in marriage and responsibility are only being rational in that context, Smith argues." - From a National Review article on Smith's book. In the linked interview, Smith goes on to blame food stamps, paternity suits, and uppity college-educated women. Free Republic, of course, has posted the article in their Homosexual Agenda section.

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Turmoil At GMHC

Earlier this week the Gay Men's Health Crisis issued a press release noting that CEO Marjorie Hill was stepping down. The notice didn't seem particularly newsworthy, so I didn't mention it here. However today DNAinfo reports that there may be more to the story than a routine change in leadership.
Sources within the organization said GMHC chairman Mickey Rolfe and the board ousted Hill amid accusations that she had harmed the decades-old organization by costing it millions of dollars in grants, losing dozens of talented staffers through layoffs and using an acidic management style. "We couldn't keep a CEO there who had such a contemptuous relationship to staff and clients," said one insider, who asked for anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. Hill did not respond to requests for comment. The executive's problems at GMHC, which provides health and social services to HIV-positive people and organizes the city's annual AIDS Walk, began to come to a head in July, when staff learned Hill would take a paid three-month sabbatical — just one week after many staffers had their salaries slashed, sources said. Hill, who was paid more than $230,000 in 2012, according to tax documents, departed as staffers were seething about the news their salaries would be cut and their annual health care costs would rise by $1,000, sources said.
A commenter on the above-linked article argues that Hill's salary doesn't seem out of a line for an organization of GMHC's size. Whatever the other issues may have been, I'd agree on that point. ACT UP New York is cheering her departure on their Twitter account.

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NALT Project: The Robertsons Of Seattle

Truth Wins Out has their heartbreaking back story.

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Satan Approved™

But will Miley be there?

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58 House Republicans Introduce Bill Banning "Adverse Action" Against Opponents Of Same-Sex Marriage

With 57 GOP cosponsors, Rep. Paul Labrador (R-ID) today introduced the "Marriage And Religious Freedom Act." The bill would ban the federal government from taking any "adverse action" against the opponents of same-sex marriage.  The libertarian Volokh Conspiracy blog casts a disdainful eye:
“Adverse actions” include action by the IRS to strip a group of favorable tax treatment, like tax-exempt status. But it also includes actions related to employment, accreditation, grants, contracts, or benefits otherwise available under federal law. And it broadly prohibits “discrimination” against those who oppose same-sex marriage and non-marital sex. “Person” includes nonprofit and for-profit corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, and joint stock companies. MARFA raises very interesting questions of statutory construction, public policy, antidiscrimination law, and potential applications and burdens for married same-sex couples. It also raises potential Establishment Clause issues in its partiality toward certain religious doctrines (i.e., applying only to those who oppose, rather than favor, same-sex marriage for religious reasons). After United States v. Windsor, there are also potential Equal Protection problems in MARFA’s targeted protection of acts motivated by opposition to same-sex marriage.
NOM, of course, is on board.
“This is a critical piece of legislation to protect religious liberty as a cornerstone of our country and deserves our full support,” said Brian Brown, NOM’s president. “Efforts to redefine marriage pose a direct threat to the free exercise of religion. This legislation would protect the right of organizations to communicate their views about marriage without threat that the tax code will be used to punish them. We applaud Congressman Labrador and his colleagues for their leadership on this important issue.”
The Human Right Campaign is pissed.
The purpose of the legislation introduced today is simply to let federal employees, contractors and grantees refuse to do their jobs or fulfill the terms of their taxpayer-funded contracts because they have a particular religious view about certain lawfully-married couples – and then to sue the federal government for damages if they don’t get their way.  For example, if passed, the Marriage and Religious Freedom Act would permit a federal worker processing tax returns, approving visa applications or reviewing Social Security applications to walk away from their responsibilities whenever a same-sex couple's paperwork appeared on his or her desk. It would also allow a federally-funded homeless shelter or substance abuse treatment program to turn away LGBT people. Despite the cosponsors claims, there is no evidence that federal programs have or would discriminate against individuals because of their religious beliefs about marriage. Protections against discrimination based on religious belief are explicitly and robustly provided under the First Amendment and federal nondiscrimination statutes.
RELATED: Labrador was elected to his first term in 2010 with the support of the Tea Party and the Mormon Church.

UPDATE: The bill actually has 60 cosponsors as it is being supported by two Democrats: Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC), and Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL).

UPDATE II: Labrador writes on his US House website.
“Regardless of your ideology, we can all agree about the importance of religious liberty in America,” said Rep. Labrador. “Our bill will protect freedom of conscience for those who believe marriage is the union of one man and one woman. This is not a Republican or Democrat issue. As President Obama said, ‘Americans hold a wide range of views’ on marriage and ‘maintaining our nation’s commitment to religious freedom’ is ‘vital.’ We agree. Our bill will ensure tolerance for individuals and organizations that affirm traditional marriage, protecting them from adverse federal action. I’m proud to be joined by my colleagues in introducing this bill, and will strongly advocate for its passage.”
UPDATE III: The ACLU reacts via press release.
“Religious liberty is a fundamental American value. It guarantees us the freedom to hold any belief we choose and the right to act on our religious beliefs, but it does not allow us to harm or discriminate against others,” said Ian Thompson, American Civil Liberties Union legislative representative. “The proponents of this legislation seek to reincarnate DOMA and, in doing so, perpetuate discrimination against lawfully married same-sex couples and their children. Gay and lesbian couples raise children, vote, and pay taxes just the same as everyone else, but this legislation would allow these couples to be treated differently based on who they are, giving a free pass to federal workers, recipients of taxpayer-funded grants and contracts, and others to discriminate against lawfully married couples.”

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HRC Praises Pope Francis

"With these latest comments, Pope Francis has pressed the reset button on the Roman Catholic Church's treatment of LGBT people, rolling back a years-long campaign at the highest levels of the Church to oppose any measure of dignity or equality. Now, it's time for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to catch up and drop their opposition to even the most basic protections for LGBT people. Otherwise, they risk being left far behind by American Catholics and this remarkable Pope. At a moment when Pope Francis is re-dedicating the Church to tirelessly helping the poor, it's unacceptable for American bishops to continue wasting millions of parishioner dollars on harmful anti-LGBT political campaigns that target members of their own flock. For the sake of LGBT Catholics, it's essential that Pope Francis' inspiring words lead to transformative change throughout the Church hierarchy." - Human Rights Campaign head Chad Griffin, responding to today's message from Pope Francis.

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Sen. John McCain Defends Gays And Pussy Riot In Pravda Op-Ed Column

"I believe you should live according to the dictates of your conscience, not your government. I believe you deserve the opportunity to improve your lives in an economy that is built to last and benefits the many, not just the powerful few. You should be governed by a rule of law that is clear, consistently and impartially enforced and just. I make that claim because I believe the Russian people, no less than Americans, are endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

"A Russian citizen could not publish a testament like the one I just offered. President Putin and his associates do not believe in these values. They don't respect your dignity or accept your authority over them. They punish dissent and imprison opponents. They rig your elections. They control your media. They harass, threaten, and banish organizations that defend your right to self-governance. To perpetuate their power they foster rampant corruption in your courts and your economy and terrorize and even assassinate journalists who try to expose their corruption.

"They write laws to codify bigotry against people whose sexual orientation they condemn. They throw the members of a punk rock band in jail for the crime of being provocative and vulgar and for having the audacity to protest President Putin's rule. [snip] President Putin claims his purpose is to restore Russia to greatness at home and among the nations of the world. But by what measure has he restored your greatness?" - Sen John McCain, responding to Vladimir Putin's op-ed in the New York Times.

RELATED: According to Politico, McCain wrote for the wrong Pravda.
The Arizona Republican published his anti-Putin piece on Pravda.ru on Thursday, an English and Russian news website that was founded in 1999. But McCain said he was hoping to publish in the Communist newspaper Pravda, meaning “truth” in Russian, which was founded in 1912. That publication, after being banned when the Soviet Union collapsed, was rekindled and is still circulated by today’s Russian Communist Party. Pravda.ru and the paper are unrelated media outlets, except for the name.
The "wrong" Pravda defends themselves:
We did not want to disclose in advance our agreements with McCain's spokesperson about the publication of his column. In light of recent events, I want to remind everyone that the Soviet Pravda has two successors now: Pravda.Ru and Pravda of the Communist Party. We proved at court that we were the same successor to newspaper Pravda, established in 1912, as the current, low-circulation press body of the Communist Party.

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Creepiest Anti-Obamacare Ads Ever?

Courtesy of the Koch Brothers:
Generation Opportunity, a Virginia-based group that is part of a coalition of right-leaning organizations with financial ties to billionaire businessmen and political activists Charles and David Koch, will launch a six-figure campaign aimed at convincing young people to “opt-out” of the Obamacare exchanges. Later this month, the group will begin a tour of 20 college campuses, where they plan to set up shop alongside pro-Obamacare activists such as Enroll America that are working to sign people up for the insurance exchanges. Generation Opportunity intends to host events at college football tailgate parties festivals, where “brand ambassadors” (read: hot young people) will pass out beer koozies that read “opt out,” pizza and literature about the health care law. Some events may have impromptu dance parties with DJ’s, complete with games of cornhole and competitions for prizes, organizers said. Their message: You don’t have to sign up for Obamacare. And they want students to sign a pledge not get insurance plans set up by the law.
Even the hardcore teabaggers are upset, saying that these ads only makes them look stupid.

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Matt Barber Vs Dan Savage

Matt Barber and Porno Pete are quivering with rage over Dan Savage's involvement with the NALT Project, in which gay-friendly Christians declare that they are "not all like that."

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Brian Brown Is In Hell('s Kitchen)

A JMG reader sends us this photo of Brian Brown, who was just spotted in Hell's Kitchen at 41st Street and Ninth Avenue. So he's either on his way to the New York Times building or...the Port Authority bus terminal.

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Interactive Age Map For NYC Buildings

JMG reader David points us to this nifty interactive map that reveals the construction date of New York City buildings. My Upper East Side building went up in 1910 and my super once explained that it was built as "overnight dorms" for the doctors at what is now Sloan-Kettering, which is down the street. According to the super, this was a "shit neighborhood" at the time and doctors wouldn't live around here. Anyway, cool map.

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FRC Shooter Sentenced To 25 Years

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Pope Francis: Don't Interfere With Gays

In a lengthy interview published today, Pope Francis declared that the Catholic Church should not "interfere spiritually" with the lives of gay people. CNN reports:
When Francis was a bishop in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he received letters from gays and lesbians who said they were "socially wounded" by the church, he said. "But the church does not want to do this," Francis said in the interview. The pope then recalled his comments in July, when he told the media aboard a flight to Rome, "Who am I to judge" gay people?" By saying this, I said what the catechism says," the pope told Spadaro. The catechism, the Catholic Church's book of official doctrine, condemns homosexual acts, but says gays and lesbians "must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity."

"Religion has the right to express its opinion in the service of the people, but God in creation has set us free: it is not possible to interfere spiritually in the life of a person." Francis said that someone once asked him if he "approved" of homosexuality. "I replied with another question," he said. "`Tell me, when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?’ We must always consider the person. Here we enter into the mystery of the human being."

“We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods," he told his Jesuit interviewer. "I have not spoken much about these things, and I was reprimanded for that." But the pope said the church's teachings on those issue are clear, and he clearly believes in those teachings, so what else is there to say? "It is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time," Francis said
More from the New York Times:
The 12,000-word interview ranges widely, and may confirm what many Catholics already suspected: that the chameleon-like Francis bears little resemblance to those on the church’s theological or political right wing. He said some people had assumed he was an “ultraconservative” because of his reputation when he served as the superior of his Jesuit province in Argentina. He pointed out that he was made superior at the “crazy” young age of 36, and that his leadership style was too authoritarian. “But I have never been a right-winger,” he said. “It was my authoritarian way of making decisions that created problems.”
Stand by for Bill Donohue to denounce the Pope.

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Crackpots Petition US Supreme Court To Reverse Virginia Sodomy Ruling

A coalition of crusty crackpots including Eugene Delgaudio and freakshow Virginia Del. Bob Marshall have filed a petition to the US Supreme Court demanding their reversal of a ruling by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals which upheld the legalization of sodomy. As you surely know, in 2003 the Supreme Court overturned all statewide bans on sodomy in their landmark ruling, Lawrence Vs. Texas. Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (who is running for governor), has filed his own SCOTUS petition on the Virginia case, which involved a man who was charged under the now totally illegal sodomy statute because he solicited oral sex from a 17 year-old girl.

Delgaudio trumpeted today's filing via email:
Public Advocate is taking legal action in Virginia to defend children from a dangerous court decision. They chose to apply an unrelated decision in Texas to justify their agenda of social “progress.”  The Texas case, Lawrence v. Texas, struck down a similar anti-sodomy law. However, it was never intended to be binding on any other state. The worst part, MacDonald v. Moose should have been an open and shut case. William MacDonald was convicted of demanding a 17-year-old girl perform an unnatural sex act upon him. And his appeal presented nothing to deny this.  However, his lawyers argued -- and the Fourth Circuit agreed -- that it was unfair to criminalize his actions, since it involved sexual acts defended by the Homosexual Lobby. That is the heart of this matter. The Homosexual Lobby is desperately trying to normalize their abnormal behavior in the eyes of the American people. MacDonald v. Moose was just the latest attack.
Obviously, this is an attempt to overturn Lawrence itself as the Supreme Court could not allow sodomy bans in only one state.  Read the full SCOTUS petition.

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG: In 2011 Del. Bob Marshall claimed it is a felony for a state office to fly the rainbow flag. Marshall has also called on Virginia to issue its own currency, and has claimed that God punishes women who have abortions by giving them deformed children. After the DADT repeal bill passed, Marshall tried to have gays banned from the Virginia National Guard.  More recently, Marshall attempted to block the appointment of an openly gay state judge because the nominee has "an illegal husband."

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PA County Bans All Religious Advertising On Transit To Block Atheism Message

Pennsylvania's Lackawanna County has passed an ordinance banning all religious advertising on public transit in order stop a local atheist group from running the above message. The wording from the County of Lakawanna Transit System (COLTS) reads:
COLTS will not accept advertising that promote the existence or non-existence of a supreme deity, deities, being or beings; that address, promote, criticize or attack a religion or religions, religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs; that directly quote or cite scriptures, religious text or texts involving religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs; or are otherwise religious in nature.
The Friendly Atheist writes: "All this just to prevent an ad that says 'Atheists.' from going on county buses." (Tipped by JMG reader Bentley)

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Magneto Marries Professor X

Last week Ian McKellen officiated at the wedding of Patrick Stewart to Sunny Ozell in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

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NEW JERSEY: Two GOP Legislators Break With Christie On Gay Marriage

Two GOP members of the New Jersey Assembly, Rep. Declan O'Shannon and Rep. Holly Schepisi, say they will defy Gov. Chris Christie and vote for marriage equality.
O’Scanlon said there are likely to be more crossover votes. “The narrative that the governor strong-arms Republicans in the Legislature is false,’’ O’Scanlon said Wednesday. “I think you’ll see some other folks vote for it, but I don’t know exactly how many at this point. We’re some time away from that vote actually happening,’’ he said. In this week’s Monmouth University/Asbury Park Press poll, residents gave Christie a grade of C on marriage equality. Christie called the grade “pretty good’’ but said he doesn’t “sit up at night worrying what my grade is going to be.’’ “Listen, this is an issue that divides people. So to get a C, that means half the people think you’re good (on the issue of marriage equality),’’ Christie said.
The New Jersey legislative session ends in mid-January and a two-thirds majority vote is required to override Christie's veto. I haven't seen a whip count recently, so if anybody has a current one, please send it to me. The vote in February 2012 was 24-16 in the Senate and 42-33 in the Assembly.

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Great Comment From Britain's Deputy PM

The clip comes via the anti-gay Coalition For Marriage, which is super upset about British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's comment. Whee!

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Manhattan's Coming Super-Skyscrapers

The astounding condo sales for the nearly completed One57 at the southern edge of Central Park has spurred the construction of three more super-skyscrapers, all of which will be even taller and will challenge national height records for residential buildings. Gizmodo has published a breakdown of the coming towers and the one in the center of the above image caught my attention the most.
The most recent entrant in New York's supertall sweepstakes comes from SHoP Architects and JDS Development Group, which announced a plan to build a 1,350-foot skyscraper at 107 West 57th earlier this month. Though it’ll only be the second tallest building in the city (and the fourth in the country), it distinguishes itself in another way. It's only 40 feet wide: While for a townhouse that might not be all that remarkable, it’s unheard of for a supertall skyscraper. The reason most supertalls have wider bases is to support the lateral force of wind and seismic movement on its upper floors. Though SHoP was unable to comment on the structural design of the tower when we contacted them, it’s bound to be pretty unique. And because each floor is only 40 feet across, each unit will take up an entire level of the building. In other words, it’ll be an entire skyscraper of luxury penthouses.
One hundred feet higher than the roof of the Empire State and forty feet wide. Will they have to nail everything down in their apartments?
RELATED: Very tall buildings are typically constructed to sway in the wind at 1/500th of their height.  Toronto's CN Tower, for example, reports a sway of  "three feet, four inches from center" at the Sky Pod observation deck level at 1467 feet.

PREVIOUSLY ON JMG: I wrote about the 96-story 432 Park tower back in March.

UPDATE: Here's a groovy 360 degree view from the top of One57.  Click and hold for the image to rotate.

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Tweet Of The Day - Graham Norton

(Tipped by JMG reader Duke)

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AUSTRALIA: Prime Minister Tony Abbott May Challenge Marriage Bill In ACT

Newly elected Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has indicated that he may attempt to challenge the just-introduced marriage equality bill for the Australian Capital Territory. The ACT is Australia's version of Washington, DC.
The federal government is considering whether it should block the ACT's proposed same-sex marriage legislation. The ACT government introduced a bill to permit same-sex marriages into the Legislative Assembly on Thursday morning. It is expected to pass the 17-member Assembly with the support of all eight Labor and the only Greens member. Mr Abbott later said the Commonwealth had constitutional responsibility for marriage and Attorney-General George Brandis would seek advice on the ACT bill. The ACT is entitled to do what it can within the law," Mr Abbott said. "And, as you know, under the constitution the Commonwealth has responsibility for marriage. The attorney will be seeking advice on precisely how far that extends."
Abbott can thwart the bill either by a challenge to the High Court or by repealing it through a vote by both houses of the national Parliament.

UPDATE: Here's how one anti-gay group is spinning a potential challenge to the High Court.
Barrister Christopher Brohier, of Lawyers for the Preservation of the Definition of Marriage, says there are all sorts of scenarios whereby the laws could be taken to the High Court. "A group or a married couple for example might argue that say their marriage is affected because before the legislation if they went out to a party and a man said 'I'm married', everybody would know he's married to a girl. But after the legislation he might say well, 'I've got to explain that I'm married to a girl rather than a boy and that has an effect on me personally'."

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One Million Moms Vs Motorola


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New Gallup Poll On Russia

Source. Image by Memeographs.

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Open Thread Thursday

Time for our quarterly book report. What are you reading?

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

DC Shooting Means Jesus Is Coming

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ZAMBIA: Two Men Face 15 Years In Prison For "Acts Against The Order Of Nature"

Two Zambian men are about to go on trial for committing homosexual acts. Amnesty International reports:
Philip Mubiana, a hair dresser and James Mwape, a brick layer, were charged with committing acts “against the order of nature”. They have been in custody for more than four months after being denied bail. If convicted they face a minimum of 15 years in jail. Laws prohibiting consensual, private, same-sex sexual activity criminalise the legitimate exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, conscience, expression and privacy. These are protected in numerous treaties ratified by Zambia including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
It's also a crime in Zambia to advocate for LGBT rights and in a separate case, a local activist is under arrest for giving an interview with the local press.

RELATED: Zambia, which gained independence from Britain in 1964, declares itself to be a Christian nation in its constitution. According to the Pew Forum, 97% of the population identifies as Christian.

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