Author: Brett

School Forces Staff to Sign an ‘I’m Straight’ Pledge

Brett

http://gawker.com/5855925/

Here’s a plan that should offer foolproof results: Shorter University, a Christian Baptist institute of higher learning in Rome (Georgia, not Italy, but same difference, really) has sent all 200 of its employees a “personal lifestyle pledge.” The pledge promises that the signee will refrain from all acts of homosexuality — as well as lesser transgressions like adultery, premarital sex, doing drugs, and drinking in the presence of students — but mainly homosexuality.

NOM Tries (and Fails) to Explain Why It Manipulates Photos

Brett

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/11/01/NOM_Tries_and_Fails_to_Explain_Why_It_Manipulated_Photos/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AdvocatecomDailyNews+%28Advocate.com+Daily+News%29

When most people look at the photo behind Rachel Maddow, they see a campaign rally for Barack Obama in 2008. But when the National Organization for Marriage found the same picture, they claim to have seen “tens of thousands of New Hampshire voters who are part of our effort” to repeal marriage equality.

NOM’s president Brian Brown tried to explain today in a blog post why his group had taken the copyrighted image and manipulated it to look like those same thousands of people were actually at a much, much smaller NOM rally in New Hampshire. They’ve since removed the image, Brown says, “to avoid the distraction” — not because of the copyright issues raised by those who caught NOM’s fakery.

 

White House Staffers Lose More Than 110 Pounds, Credits Michelle Obama’s Healthy Eating Focus

Brett

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-staffers-lose-more-than-110-pounds-credit-michelle-obamas-healthy-eating-focus/2011/11/01/gIQAzlmSbM_story.html

While the first lady’s campaign to lower childhood obesity rates will need time to produce results, if ever, the White House is one place where her message about eating balanced meals and getting more exercise is not only resonating, but showing results, too.

“She is a great inspiration for me to focus every day to try harder, and I have,” Morrison said.

Some of Morrison’s colleagues are also taking the message to heart — and the proof is in their waistlines. Four members of the White House residence staff — Morrison, two chef colleagues and an assistant curator — have lost more than 110 pounds since July 2010. They have kept the weight off so far.

Race, Religion and Same-Sex Marriage

Brett

Without drawing much attention to it yet, one of the leading groups promoting same-sex marriage has taken an interesting tack, one that implicitly acknowledges the complicated relationship between gay Americans and another minority group not firmly on their side.

Two weeks ago the Human Rights Campaign inaugurated a new effort to move public opinion nationwide by unveiling a video testimonial, being distributed on the Internet for now, in which Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark, speaks up for same-sex marriage, not yet legal in New Jersey.

 

Amazon Continues Prime Instant Video Licensing Charge with Disney-ABC deal

Brett

http://thenextweb.com/media/2011/10/31/amazon-continues-its-prime-instant-video-licensing-charge-with-disney-abc-deal/?awesm=tnw.to_1BcCB&utm_campaign=&utm_medium=tnw.to-other&utm_source=t.co&utm_content=spreadus_master

Amazon has continued in its attempts to bring the most popular US TV shows and films to its Prime Instant Video service with the announcement of a new licensing deal with Disney-ABC Television Group that will see content from ABC Studios, the Disney Channel, ABC Family and Marvel content become available to Amazon Prime members.

Conan O’Brien Will Officiate a Gay Wedding on His Show Next Week

Brett

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/10/conan_obrien_gay_wedding.html

To commemorate his one-year anniversary at TBS, Conan O’Brien is taping his late-night show Conan at New York’s Beacon Theater next week, but that milestone won’t be the only cause for celebration. Vulture hears that O’Brien will be officiating an on-air wedding during one of those episodes, and it’s the sort of marriage ceremony that couldn’t have taken place back when O’Brien used to tape his show in New York: a legal wedding between two men.

Bevan Duffy Fighting to Finish Milk’s Mission

Brett

http://www.advocate.com/Politics/Bevan_Dufty_Fighting_to_Finish_Milk_Mission/

The politician, who recently served in Harvey Milk’s seat on the Board of Supervisors, hopes to become San Francisco’s first openly gay mayor. But Dufty may not have a lock on the city’s gay electorate.

San Francisco may be the only place in the world where candidates fight over who has the most gay rights cred. The City by the Bay is so progressive that an openly gay candidate for mayor — an ultra-left Democrat who recently served in Harvey Milk’s seat on the Board of Supervisors — was passed over for endorsement by the city’s LGBT Democratic organization.

No Gay President This Time: David Norris Concedes Defeat

Brett

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/10/28/No_Gay_President_This_Time_David_Norris_Concedes_Defeat/

David Norris had led polls early in the race to become Ireland’s president, before he dropped out and then jumped back in amid a scandal. But the senator, who could have become the world’s first openly gay president, has conceded defeat today.

Early poll results show him finishing a distant fourth, and so Norris became the first candidate to congratulate Labor Party candidate Michael Higgins on what appears to be his win.