Miami chosen as a finalist for 2014 Gay Games

Miami has been named one of the four finalist cities for the 2014 Gay Games.  From the press release:

Groups from Miami (Florida), Cleveland (Ohio) Boston (Massachusetts), and Washington (D.C.), have submitted letters of intent to bid for the ninth edition of the Gay Games, to be held in 2014, officials announced at the close of the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) annual meeting in Cape Town, South Africa.

“Fourteen (14) cities worldwide had expressed interest in hosting the 2014 Gay Games,” said Darl Schaaff, co-chair of the Federation's Site Selection Committee. “We are very excited to now have four highly qualified bidders for the 2014 Gay Games who met the 20 October 2008 letter-of-intent deadline.”

Cleveland?  Who wants to go to Cleveland?
The Gay Games is a huge event, drawing tens of thousands of people from all over the world to compete in sporting events, much like the Olympics--with events opened almost entirely co-ed, including male synchronized swimming (pictured).  A few actual gay Olympians compete in each Games; and it's also a major social event as well, attracting as many spectators as athletes.

There are two major organizations that sponsor Olympics-style gay sporting events: OutGames was created to compete with the Gay Games, which may not have been the greatest idea: the last OutGames in Montreal ended up $5.3 million in debt. It's anyone's guess as to whether or not they'll come back from the dead.

A final decision will be made based on community support in each city (including tax breaks, presumably, so this now falls in the lap of the city government).

Jennifer Hudson's family murdered

Debate

I counted 23 times that McCain said "my friends" tonight. Need I say more?

Shit. This wasn't meant to be posted here. Oh well. Hope you enjoyed it!

Who Can We Turn To, Knowing That There is a Spiritual War in the Heavenlies?

http://prayforsarahpalin.com/

Boycott Bolthouse Farms, says GLBT group

Unbeknownst to South Florida residents, trips to a local Whole Foods, Publix or Winn-Dixie may be funding the anti-gay, ultra-conservative Christian right.

Grass-roots activist organization Californians Against Hate is calling for a nationwide boycott of Bolthouse Farms products for its affiliation with the anti-gay movement, after shareholders donated to the anti-gay Proposition 8 in the state, which will repeal gay marriage if enacted. California legalized gay marriage earlier this year.

Read the story here: Bolthouse Farms boycott [SF Blade]

Michael Brandon: the Monster in jail

We don't usually promote stories about drug addicts, and how "tragic" their lives are, but in the case of adult entertainment superstar Michael Brandon, there is something to be learned: Brandon recently found himself in court (again) charged with selling
crystal, for which he will most likely spend several years in jail.  Brandon has been battling the addiction for many years, and even achieved sobriety at several points in the saga, but he always fell back into using again.  Life, even for a porn star, doesn't always have easy answers.

It should also be noted that crystal meth use is one of the main risk factors in HIV transmission—and it can also cause permanent brain damage.

Brandon, the "Jenna Jameson of gay porn," is a superstar in the adult entertainment field, for reasons involving certain "endowments" he possesses; but his notariety only highlights the depths to which he has fallen, as is detailed in the story. And like Michael's famous endowment, the article about him is long, so beware.  But it's worth the read.

Click here: The Rise and Fall of The Monster [SF Weekly]

Gay foster parent ruling in Key West

In Key West, a family is celebrating a victory in what never should have been a battle in the first place - a Monroe County judge declared Florida’s ban on gay adoptions unconstitutional, paving the way for Wayne Larue Smith’s son to legally be able to call him “Dad.”

But Smith and his partner Daniel Skahen have been their son’s fathers for 7 years. The legal roadblocks stemmed from Florida’s ban gay adoptions, a rule purported to preserve families that, in actuality, only serves to hurt the children who need parents most.

We reported on the initial overturning of the ban last week, before the courts had released Smith’s and Skahen’s names. Since then, the Miami Herald has taken a closer look at the family, including reports on the obvious, have-already-been-stated-and-proven evidence that gay parents are “just as good” as hetero ones.

The new ruling prompted us to revisit the landmark 1997 ruling in New Jersey that set the precedent for allowing gay couples to adopt. While we were snooping around, we found this analysis by religioustolerance.org, a GLBT-inclusive religious organization whose mission is to untangle the truth and doublespeak so frequently employed by those who tout policies purported to preserve the integrity of families, but which actually only serve to keep children homeless. Their report is fascinating, but also sparks unease, when you realize that in a decade…not much has changed. Despite a body of statistical evidence to the contrary, including now 10 years worth of case studies, the same old panicky false arguments against gay adoption are still being employed.

Scott Newton files for third mayoral term

Scott Netwon has announced he will run for re-election as Mayor of Wilton Manors, Fla.

He had previously not entered the mayoral race because he ran for election in the State House of Representatives, in District 92, which includes Wilton Manors, as well as areas of other such cities as Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach. However, he did not win the Democratic Primary in his district, coming in behind Gwendolyn Clark-Reed.

However, now that the State House election has ended for Newton, he has changed his position and will seek re-election of the job he has held since 2004.

Newton files for third mayoral term [South Florida Blade]

Rainbow flags illegal in Miami Beach--but not for long

In a move that will undoubtedly rock the South Florida universe, Miami Beach city commissioners are prepared to rule on the legality of displaying rainbow flags in public.

Rainbow flags cannot be flown outside any businesses or homes in Miami Beach, because of a city code restricting "pennants, banners, streamers, flags and flagpoles." Only flags that represent actual countries are allowed. No word on the legalities surrounding my Brazilian next door neighbor, who uses his country's flag as curtains.

City commissioners, led by fearless Mayor Matti Bower, are concerned about the loss of gay business in Miami Beach. By allowing symbols of gay pride in public, they hope to welcome back the crowds that once lined the nightclubs and shops in town. And waving gay flags in everyone's faces is the first step, apparently.

The new law that allows rainbow flags is up for vote on September 10. If city commissioners vote in favor of the new law (and they are expected to pass it unanimously), rainbow flags will be the only flags added to the list what is allowed. So no bear flags, leather flags, etc. But these things come in baby steps, baby steps.

Anti-Palin Feminist Roundup

In case anyone was mistaken in believing Sarah Palin's VP candidacy is being embraced by the feminist community, enjoy the following round-up of women giving her the smack-down:

• Gloria Steinham: "This isn't the first time a boss has picked an unqualified woman just
  because she agrees with him and opposes everything most other women
  want and need." Shazaam. [LA Times]
• Dr. Laura: "I am haunted by the family pictures of the Palins during political
  photo-ops, showing the eldest daughter, now pregnant with her own
  child, cuddling the family's newborn." If Dr. Laura doesn't like the Republican candidate, then who does? [Dr. Laura Blog]
• Oprah Winfrey: Although Winfrey has stomped around her talk show asking Americans to share "the dream" of electing Barack Obama as President, she has refused to invite Sarah Palin on until the election is over—despite requests from her femaie-friendly audience. That sounds totally unbiased, right? Although perhaps she should bring Palin on the show, so her audience can see first-hand what a nut Palin is, by her own words. [Drudge Report]
• Lindsay Lohan: "I get Sarah Palin's views against
  abortion, but i would much prefer to hear more about what she can do
  for our country rather than how her daughter is going to have a child
  no matter what." First Paris Hilton unveils an effective energy policy, and now Lindsay is talking politics? What is going on? [Lindsay Lohan's MySpace page]