Thursday, December 31, 2015

John Cena Heads Into The Closet For 7 Minutes In Heaven

WWE star John Cena spends some time in the closet with Mike O'Brien

SNL writer Mike O'Brien hosts WWE superstar and actor John Cena on his 7 Minutes In Heaven web series.

Swoon.

Cena shows off that great sense of humor that's been working for him lately in his film roles in Sisters and Trainwreck.

Check the little kissy-face at the end.



Major Campaign Aides Depart Ben Carson Campaign Team


Never a good sign that a presidential campaign is going well when the major players begin their exodus.

From Raw Story:
wo top aides in U.S. Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson’s campaign have resigned, the campaign said on Thursday.

Communications director Doug Watts announced his and campaign manager Barry Bennett’s resignations effective immediately in a statement, saying they respect the retired neurosurgeon and have enjoyed helping him reach “top tier status” in the crowded Republican field.

“We are proud of our efforts for Dr. Carson and we wish him and his campaign the best of luck,” Watts wrote.

Thinking About Going To The Gym


Sometimes you just need inspiration.

This will TOTALLY be me starting tomorrow. Promise :)


(h/t Queerty)

Donald Trump Reminds Iowa Ted Cruz Is Cuban


With Sen. Ted Cruz leading in polls before the upcoming Republican Iowa caucuses, Donald Trump took time to remind folks that Cruz is Cuban.

“In all fairness, to the best of my knowledge, not too many evangelicals come out of Cuba, OK? Just remember that, OK? Just remember. In all fairness, remember that folks. When you’re casting your ballot, remember.”


Pennsylvania: Racist Employee Goes On N-Word Rant, Loses Job

A man, identified as John Pisone, goes on racist rant

According to Butler News, a man identified as John Pisone took time out of his day to go on a racist rant during a peaceful protester of a fracking operation in Pennsylvania.

Pisone, who apparently worked for MMC Land Management - a company subcontracted by Rex Energy - was fired after video of his rant went viral.

Via Raw Story:

In a video posted to YouTube on Monday by photojournalist Tom Jefferson, a man wearing work clothes and a camouflage hat is seen approaching anti-fracking activists who are protesting Rex Energy’s drilling operation in the Mars Area School District.

“Have you actually done something with your life, have you had any kind of a job?” the man asks one of the older activists, who laughs in his face.

“Just like this chimp right here,” the man continues, motioning at the camera.

“What did you say?” one of the activists asks.

“Yeah, chimp,” the man replies. “A f*cking n****r right here with a mop on his head. I don’t give a f*ck. He’s milking my f*cking tax dollars.”

Although the man was initially identified by some as an employee of Rex Energy, a statement later revealed that he had worked for MMC Land Management.

“Today, we were disgusted to learn that one of MMC’s former employees used racial slurs and made racially charged comments during a peaceful protest in Mars, Pennsylvania, outside of work hours at a location with which we have no affiliation,” the statement posted to Facebook late on Tuesday explained. “We are sorry that this incident occurred. Whether at work or not, we do not condone hate speech – EVER.”

“MMC has terminated this employee and will never do business with him again in the future.”

Here's the video:



A Facebook page for Pisone was found, but quickly deleted shortly thereafter.

Here's just one sample from his Facebook page:

Video: The Worst In Media Misinformation In 2015


From Media Matters: "For over a decade, Media Matters has fought conservative misinformation in the media. As another year comes to an end, we take a look back to just some of the inanity we've seen this year."


Wednesday, December 30, 2015

New York Times: Tamir Rice Would Be Alive Today If He Had Been White


The New York Times editorial board condemns the shooting death of Cleveland teen Tamir Rice and the Cleveland officials who declined to charge the officer in the fatal shooting.

Tamir Rice of Cleveland would be alive today had he been a white 12-year-old playing with a toy gun in just about any middle-class neighborhood in the country on the afternoon of Nov. 22, 2014.

But Tamir, who was shot to death by a white police officer that day, had the misfortune of being black in a poor area of Cleveland, where the police have historically behaved as an occupying force that shoots first and asks questions later.

[snip]

The Police Department’s disregard for life was fully evident in the way the officers behaved after shooting Tamir. A surveillance video shows them standing by the child for four minutes without giving medical assistance, which was finally provided by an F.B.I. agent who happened to be in the neighborhood. Officer Frank Garmback, Officer Loehmann’s partner, nonetheless tackled the wounded boy’s 14-year-old sister as she tried to rush to his side. One can only imagine her suffering as she watched in handcuffs from the back seat of the squad car while her brother lay bleeding on the ground.

In addition to portraying the killing as a result of a tragic misunderstanding, prosecutors have also suggested the officer’s decision to kill Tamir was shaped by the fact that the surrounding neighborhood had a history of violence and that the boy appeared to be older than 12 because he was big for his age.

These arguments sidestep the history of violent, discriminatory police actions that led up to this boy’s death. They also have the reprehensible effect of shifting the responsibility for this death onto the shoulders of this very young victim.

It's worth noting that since the officer involved in the shooting said Tamir "looked" 18 years old, and Ohio is an open carry state, why did he assume Tamir was a danger and shoot within seconds of arriving on the scene?

And where is the NRA defending the "right" of a person perceived to be an adult to carry a weapon in a state with open carry laws?

If Tamir had been a white teenage girl, he would be alive today. Period.

Video: Gorgeous Surprise Wedding For Same-Sex Couple In Hawaii


Check out this really fab surprise wedding in Hawaii. One of the grooms serves in the Air Force and the other just completed his enlistment in the Marine Corps.

Wedding are SO emotional :)

The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau — the private, nonprofit marketing organization for the tourism industry — released an emotional video on Monday featuring the surprise wedding of Christian Alarid and Shayne Barnes, an Oahu couple whose family and friends traveled to Honolulu to see the two men tie the knot. The video and teasers for it quickly went viral, with more than 6.5 million total views on social media by Tuesday afternoon.

Now known as the Alarids, the two had gotten engaged last June. They had been planning a 2016 wedding and had agreed to be models in an HVCB wedding photo shoot last August on the Big Island, after which HVCB staffers had a brainstorm. What if the bureau surprised the couple by organizing a picture-perfect surprise ceremony in Honolulu?





(h/t JMG)

Bill Cosby Arrested And Charged For Alleged 2004 Sexual Assault

Old Navy Discontinues T-Shirt Line Which Disparaged "Artists"


Old Navy recently caught hell for the horribly misguided t-shirt line above which says, "Young Aspiring Artist. Astronaut." and "Young Aspiring Artist. President."

Artists from across the spectrum found the message - that being an "artist" is somehow "less than" - offensive. And I agree.

After a huge reaction from folks on the interwebs, Old Navy has decided to rethink the idea.

From Old Navy spokesperson Debbie Felix:

"At Old Navy we take our responsibility to our customers seriously. We would never intentionally offend anyone, and we are sorry if that has been the case.

"Our toddler tees come in a variety of designs including tees that feature ballerinas, unicorns, trucks and dinosaurs and include phrases like, 'Free Spirit.' They are meant to appeal to a wide range of aspirations.

"With this particular tee, as a result of customer feedback, we have decided to discontinue the design and will work to remove the item from our stores."


New Campaign Ad From Ted Cruz - "Victories"


New campaign ad from GOP White House hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz utilizes no spoken dialogue, just images and references to court victories (2nd Amendment, Ten Commandments, Mojave Memorial Cross, "Under God" in Pledge of Allegiance) he enjoyed as a private attorney and as Solicitor General of Texas.

The ad will apparently run in Iowa, where Cruz is currently leading the packed Republican field of candidates, through January 3rd.

I'm no fan of Cruz, but I give props to the folks who came up with the ad. Effective in it's simplicity.


Happy Hump Day!


Happy Hump Day!

Because if anything ever brought the word "hump" to mind, this is it :)

Aretha Franklin's Electrifying Performance Of "Natural Woman" At 2015 Kennedy Center Honors

Aretha Franklin sings "Natural Woman" at 2015 Kennedy Center Honors

Yes, everything you heard about Aretha Franklin's performance of "Natural Woman" in a salute to Carole King at the Kennedy Center Honors last night is true.

Aretha's electrifying performance brought the house down resulting in an instantaneous standing ovation. And for good reason.

Wait for the moment when she drops her fur coat like a boss. #Killer #AllHailTheQueen


First Listen To "Grease Live!"

Vanessa Hudgens, who will be starring in the upcoming GREASE Live! presentation on FOX on January 31st, shares some quick sound bites from music rehearsals via Twitter.



Tweet Of The Day: Carrie Fisher

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Gallup Poll: Hillary Clinton Named "Most Admired Woman" For 20th Year


Former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was named "Most Admired Woman" for the record 20th time this year in Gallup's annual poll.

President Obama was named "Most Admired Man" in the same poll.

Check the results here.

This Photo Is Driving The Tea People Insane


JoeMyGod points out Obama's "zero fucks to give" expression is driving the far-right idiots out of their minds.

The image was tweeted out from the @barackobama account with the comment, "Suit up—it's President Obama's final State of the Union. Say you'll tune in: http://ofa.bo/s9ZA"

I personally love how Obama has let go of trying to be reasonable with the Teabaggers. He spent way too much time early in his administration attempting to meet them halfway.

Click here for just a sample of the insanity the image has inspired :)

Deep Dish's Top 8 "Dishes Of The Day" For 2015


Over at Deep Dish, where blogger Marc gives his readers a vote on the "Dish of the Day" throughout the year, we get a year-end Top 8 "Dishes."

(I love year-end "top-something" lists).

This very woofylicious guy was only #7 (top of the list for 10 weeks) - head over to Deep Dish to see the guy who sat at #1 for 22 weeks.

GLEE Star Mark Salling Arrested For Possessing Child Pornography


Mark Salling, former star of the FOX series “Glee,” has been arrested for possessing child pornography according to TMZ.

We’re told the LAPD’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force obtained a warrant and served it Tuesday morning, as first reported by the TV show “Crime Watch Daily.”

We’re told cops searched Salling’s computer at his Sunland home and found hundreds of images.

At the time of this post, Salling is being taken to the police station for booking. Our sources say an ex-girlfriend of Salling’s tipped off cops and they investigated before the raid to make sure it wasn’t a revenge allegation.

TMZ updated their post saying over 1,000 images of "child sexual exploitation" were found on Salling's computer in his home.

Virginia Man Severely Beaten In Vicious Anti-Gay Attack


Hideous anti-gay attack over the holiday left a Virginia hairstylist severely injured and unable to work.

Robert Drew Inge claims he’s the victim of a hate crime after he was brutally beaten inside his own home on Christmas night.

“I was thrown into my bathtub, and stomped in the face and jaw over and over while being called a ‘fa**ot,’” Inge wrote on Facebook.

He said the attacker, a man he barely knew, tackled him from behind and “slammed my fingers on my right hand into the door, breaking them and ripping them open.”

“I was attacked, beaten, held against my will, stabbed in the face with a metal object and am now recovering,” Inge added on Instagram.

Inge works as a hairdresser. As a result of the incident, he says he will likely be out of work for weeks.

“I won’t be able to work as one of the injuries I sustained was my fingers I use to cut hair being crushed,” he wrote. “I don’t know the extent of damage done to my fingers but I will be back to do hair in a few weeks hopefully, and I won’t let anything stop me.”

He also said he will need “dental work to have teeth that were stomped out of my face fixed.”

Inge adds that his attacker has been arrested.

Unable to work, his friends urged him to launch a crowd-sourcing campaign to help raise funds for his medical bills. In an update on the campaign page, Inge says several teeth will need root canals or be permanently removed.

Donald Trump Says He Will "Spend Big" To Win Early Primaries

Video: 100 Years Of New Year's Style


 I've seen this video floating around the past couples of days, but didn't give it a try until this morning.

I have to say - excellent pairing of music and fashion to each decade. Completely resonated for me. Fun 3 minutes.

Clip description:

"As we prepare to ring in 2016, Mode is showcasing 11 dapper decades of gentlemanly New Year's Eve style, from 1915 to today. Raise your glass as 100 years of men's party attire evolves before your eyes."


Monday, December 28, 2015

GoPro Video: The Best Of 2015


GoPro shares this stunning, gorgeous and awe-inspiring compilation of the "best of GoPro" in 2015.

From GoPro: "Take an epic journey that looks back on some of the best moments captured on GoPro in 2015, from high up in the sky to deep below the sea and everything in-between."

Folks, people are out there doing things. Let's get out and join them :)

Oregon's Anti-Gay Bakers Finally Pay Fine For Discriminating Against Same-Sex Couple


The anti-gay owners of the Oregon bakery, Sweet Cakes by Melissa, have finally paid the $136,927 fine levied against the business for refusing to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex wedding.

Aaron and Melissa Klein, the owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa, refused to bake a cake for Rachel and Laurel Bowman-Cryer, saying it would infringe on their religious beliefs.

In July, Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian ordered the Kleins pay $135,000 for emotional damages suffered by the couple.

"This case is not about a wedding cake or a marriage. It is about a business's refusal to serve someone because of their sexual orientation. Under Oregon law, that is illegal," the bureau's final order states.

After several months of refusing to pay the damages, Aaron Klein delivered the check (with accrued interest) to the State of Oregon's Bureau of Labor and Industries offices in Portland on Monday.

While the far right-wing zealots tried to make the case about same-sex marriage, the business was actually fined for discriminating due to sexual orientation, which has been illegal in the state for years.

It's also worth noting that a Christian crowd-funding campaign raised over $500K for the couple, so the issue actually became a money-making episode.

The state will hold onto the funds until the full appeals process is exhausted.

(h/t JMG)

Why Grand Juries Don't Indict Cops When They Kill


In light of the decision of an Ohio grand jury to NOT indict the officer who shot and killed 12 year-old Tamir Rice in December 2014, I thought this video would be appropriate to post.

Buzzfeed's Adam Serwer examines why grand juries don't indicted police officers when they kill.

Ohio: Grand Jury Declines To Indict Police For Shooting 12-Year-Old Tamir Rice

Ohio prosecutor Tim McGinty announces no charges for police who shot and killed 12 year old Tamir Rice
From CNN:

An Ohio grand jury has decided not to return an indictment in the 2014 police shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, prosecutor Tim McGinty said Monday.

Rice was holding a pellet gun when he was shot. It was "reasonable" to believe that the officer who killed the boy was facing a threat, McGinty said.

The officer was in training outside a Cleveland recreation center in November 2014. The shooting sparked controversy given Tamir's age and the fact that he had a gun that resembled a handgun.

McGinty called Rice's killing an "absolute tragedy."

"But it was not, by the law that binds us, a crime," he said. He said he has "heard the chants" that cry for justice for the boy.

"We too want justice for Tamir," he said. But it would not be justice to bring charges against the officers involved in the shooting if those charges "could not be sustained."That, however, "doesn't mean the legal system is done," he said. The civil courts may provide some accountability to the boy's family "that they deserve," McGinty said.

The shooting of a child should "never happen again," he said, and he urged that toy gun manufacturers stop making their products look so much like real guns.

Tamir had been playing near the swings of a recreation center near his home when he was shot on November 22. He died a day later.

Top 10 Scandals & Controversies Of 2015


End of the year means all those "Top 10" lists. I love "Top 10" Lists.

CNN shares this look back at the scandals and controversies of 2015.

Included on the list this year are "most hated man in America," Martin Shkeli (who jacked the price of an HIV drug by 5000%) and Josh "Sanctity of Marriage" Duggar.

Henry Rollins On Donald Trump: "A Bored Rich Guy Just Being Crass"


“I’m not a Trump fan at all, but he will say what’s on his mind. Like, ‘No more Muslims!’” Rollins snorted, amused. "You just said that. And of course in this country, a lot of people agree. Trump, one day he held up his cellphone and said, ‘Here’s Lindsey Graham’s number!’ I could not not laugh. That was FUNNY. He would be a disastrous president, but at the same time I don’t think he wants to be president. I think he’s a bored rich guy just being crass.”

- Actor/activist (and all-around hottie) Henry Rollins on Donald Trump's bid for the White House

Happy Birthday Joe Manganiello!


Happy birthday to the original Randy Report favorite, Joe Manganiello!

There will never be a hotter, hunkier werewolf :)

Daily Dance: Free Your Funk

Morning exercise

Posted by John Phillip Bughaw aka Balang on Monday, December 21, 2015

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Kentucky On The Hook For Huge Legal Bill In Marriage Equality Fight


Newly-installed (and virulently anti-gay) Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin is now tasked with having to pay the winning lawyers in the state's unsuccessful marriage equality case.

And under federal law, the governor has no choice but to pay them. To ensure “effective access to the judicial process” for “persons with civil rights grievances,” the losing side must pay the winner’s legal fees in an amount the courts decide is reasonable.

In Ohio and Michigan, for example, whose gay marriage bans were struck down with Kentucky’s, the Republican governors in those two states settled with the winning lawyers, for $1.3 million and $1.9 million, respectively.

The winning legal team is seeking $2,091,297. I would look for the amount to be somewhere in the 60-65% range.

I'd love it if someone could tell us how much it cost states to fight marriage equality all the way to the  U. S. Supreme Court.

News Round-Up: December 27, 2015


Some news stories you may have missed:

• While Laurie Metcalf is getting rave reviews for her star turn in the Broadway production of "Misery," her co-star Bruce Willis is getting racked over the coals for his "wooden" performance and needing to be fed lines via ear piece.

• The legal defense team for Kathryn Knott, convicted gay-basher, thinks it can keep the young homophobe out of jail by pushing for a mistrial.

• Donald Trump says if he becomes president (oh! my sides...) he will work to make sure the anti-gay "Religious Liberty" bill reaches his desk.

• A new Gallup poll shows the number of Americans who identify as "Christian" has dropped 5 percentage points since 2008; the number of folks who identify with no religious affiliation has risen 5 points.

• Billboard has published it's year-end Hot 100 Songs of 2015. You'll never guess where Adele's "Hello" landed.

• Best LGBT Moments of 2015? Easily one of the top was when this straight high schooler asked his best gay to senior prom.

Las Vegas: The Neon Museum


I finally made it, after almost 12 years of living in Las Vegas, to The Neon Museum.

Founded in 1996, the Neon Museum is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment.

The Neon Museum campus includes the outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard, a visitors’ center housed inside the former La Concha Motel lobby and the Neon Boneyard North Gallery which houses additional rescued signs and is available for weddings, special events, photo shoots and educational programs.

Very cool hour-long guided tour explains not only the design and architecture of the rescued signs, but also how the evolution of the signs tells much of the progress of Las Vegas and how tourism has changed over decades.

I was a little surprised that most of the neon signs don't actually function, but the story-telling and landscaping lighting for the Boneyard makes up for it.

I'd definitely recommend to residents and visitors alike. Make sure you go at night when the lighting is moody and fun; and also, unlike me, go when it's not 30 degrees out :)

Click on the pics here to enlarge. Bigger is better don't you know.




Get Up!


Ok, kids, Christmas is over; time to get ready for 2016.

No excuses - just pick one or two of these below, and just do it. Get up and move.

You'll feel better.

FYI - I'm concentrating on the butt exercises myself :)


70 Cardio Variations
70 cardio variations to seek & destroy fat:
Posted by Men's Health on Saturday, December 26, 2015

Oh, The Irony Of It All


This from the man who says if Ivanka wasn't his daughter, he'd be dating her.

Tweet Of The Day: Bette Midler

Daily Dance: Jody Watley "Dancer"


Grammy Award winner Jody Watley is back with a new dance track just to remind you that 30 years into her crooning career, she's still got moves to make.

Check her new song "Dancer" in this new video that celebrates physical communication :)


Jody Watley - DANCER- Concept Video
Get IN The Music - Werk It - Lose Yourself - Hit Them Beatz!!! "DANCER" a concept dance video choreographed and directed by Rosero Inc. Filmed by Q Burdette. Thank you to all involved for sharing your gift and passion for dance. #JodyWatley #RoseroInc #ShalamarReloaded #waacking #freestyle #hiphop #house --Cut Correct and Rhe' Remix, thank you Ray Easmon :-)
Posted by Jody Watley on Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Trailer: "Sesame Street" On HBO

Sesame Street comes to HBO this January

I was watching HBO this weekend and saw this trailer for Sesame Street, and completely forgot that HBO had stepped in to partner with the legendary children's show.

From what I understand, Sesame Workshop has a five year deal with HBO which will help the Street produce twice as much content each year and at the same time allow HBO to widen it's children's programming.

The show will still appear on PBS free of charge, with the new shows available after a nine month delay.

Apparently, in the past, PBS' funding only provided for about 10% of the show's budget. The rest was made up via DVD sales and other merchandising. But with the advent of streaming and online video, some of that funding has begun to dry up.

This 46th season of the show will welcome, as always, big stars. Look for folks like Jon Hamm, Tina Fey, Pharrell, Gwen Stefani and more.

Sesame Street comes to HBO January 16.


Tina Fey (L)

Jon Hamm (R)

(h/t JMG)

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Just Because...

My contribution to moving on from holiday music :)

Left Bear is delightfully disengaged. And then, there's Right Bear. Grrrrr....

15.02.2015 13:13

Posted by Uwe Nikolaus on Sunday, February 15, 2015

Daily Dance: Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" Reinterpreted By English National Ballet

Forty years after Queen dazzled us with "Bohemian Rhapsody," the piece continues to inspire.

From the English National Ballet - Dancers Erina Takahashi (Lead Principal) and James Forbat (First Soloist)
Choreographer - James Streeter

Norman Becomes First Oklahoma City To Pass LGBT Protections


Norman, Oklahoma - home of the University of Oklahoma - has become the first city in the state to adopt protections for LGBT citizens.

Via LGBTQ Nation:

The Norman Transcript reports that the council voted Dec. 22 for the resolution that affirms that sexual discrimination can include gender preference and sexual identity.

Freedom Oklahoma Executive Director Troy Stevenson, since federal law will apply and trump municipal law, it was not necessary to adopt an ordinance.

“As the first city in our great state to fully protect all of its residents, Norman has set a precedent for every municipality in Oklahoma and a challenge to our state legislature to follow suit,” Stevenson said.

Council member Lynne Miller said the city’s civil rights ordinance has been on the books since 1986 and that Norman was affirming that all of its residents have a right to equality.

5 Predictions For Apple In 2016


We're big Apple geeks at my house. We have just about all the Apple toys you can get - except the Apple watch, which we can't seem to figure out the advantages of  :-/

No Christmas would be complete without new toys, and this year didn't disappoint. Michael gave me a new iPad Air and I gave Michael the new Apple TV.

I'll be curious to see how many of these predictions come true.

Speaking of toys - what was YOUR favorite gift from Christmas this year? Leave answers in the comment section below. I'm curious to see what you folks all go for :)

New Approach In HIV Treatment Shows Big Success In Phase One Trials


Newly completed Phase 1 clinical trials of a new HIV treatment look promising and could lead the way to a new approach to stopping HIV using antibodies.

From the San Diego Tribune:

The drug is an antibody that neutralizes a broad range of HIV strains. The broadly neutralizing antibody, called VRC01, reduced the level of circulating virus more than 10-fold in 6 of 8 HIV-positive patients who had not received antiviral drugs.

The other two were found to have a strain of HIV resistant to the antibody. And in 15 people whose infection was already suppressed with antiviral therapy, the antibody had no effect.

In all 23 patients tested, the antibody was found safe. VRC01 kills about 90 percent of HIV strains.

Because the antibodies are made by the body, after being "trained" by the vaccine, this approach is called active immunization. Administering a prepared broadly neutralizing antibody is known as passive immunization, because it doesn't rely on an immune response from the patient. The antibody directly attacks the virus.

While active immunization is generally the best way to fight disease, an effective HIV vaccine hasn't been yet developed. So developing more and better treatments to stop HIV remains a high priority.