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Truth? Trump lies. Does anything come even close to confirming your dystopian current reality than Donald Trump’s Truth network launched to balance the ills of social media? Published by Reuters By Dan Whitcomb LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Former U.S. President Donald Trump will launch his own social media app, TRUTH Social, that he said would “stand up to Big Tech” companies such as Twitter and Facebook that have barred him from their platforms. TRUTH Social will be created through a new company formed by a merger of the Trump Media and Technology Group and a special acquisition company (SPAC), according to a press release https://www.tmtgcorp.com/press-releases/announcement-10-20-2021 distributed by both organizations. “We live in a world where the Taliban has a huge presence on Twitter, yet your favorite American President has been silenced. This is unacceptable,” Trump said in a written statement included in the release. “I am excited to send out my first TRUTH on TRUTH Social very soon. TMTG was founded with a mission to give a voice to all. I’m excited to soon begin sharing my thoughts on TRUTH Social and to fight back against Big Tech,” he said. The social network, set for a beta launch next month and full rollout in the first quarter of 2022, is the first of three stages in the company’s plans, followed by a subscription video-on-demand service called TMTG+ that will feature entertainment, news and podcasts, according to the news release. In a slide deck on its website, the company envisions eventually competing against Amazon.com’s AWS cloud service and Google Cloud. A Trump representative who declined to be named confirmed the contents of the TMTG news release to Reuters. Trump spokesperson Liz Harrington also tweeted a copy. “For so long, Big Tech has suppressed conservative voices,” the former president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., told Fox News in an interview. “Tonight my father signed a definitive merger agreement to form what will ultimately be the Trump Media and Technology Group and TRUTH Social – a platform for everyone to express their feelings.” Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms banned Trump from their services after hundreds of his supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. That protest came after a speech by Trump in which he falsely claimed that his November election loss was due to widespread fraud, an assertion rejected by multiple courts and state election officials. The deal will list Trump Media & Technology Group on Nasdaq through a merger with Digital World Acquisition Corp, a blank-check acquisition firm led by former investment banker Patrick Orlando. Trump Media & Technology Group will receive $293 million in cash that Digital World Acquisition Corp had in trust, assuming no shareholder of the acquisition firm chooses to redeem their shares, according to the statement. Orlando, who has worked at Deutsche Bank and BT Capital Markets, has launched at least four SPACs and has plans for two more, according to his firm’s website and regulatory filings. But none of the SPACs have completed a deal yet. A China-based SPAC that Orlando led failed last month to complete a merger with Giga Energy Inc that would have valued the transportation solutions provider at $7.3 billion, because it could not deliver the cash required, according to regulatory filings. Shareholder redemptions reduce the amount of cash that Digital World Acquisition Corp will have available to give to Trump Media & Technology Group at the closing of the deal. The companies said in the statement that the completion of the merger is subject to redemptions not exceeding an agreed minimum cash requirement. The statement did not disclose what the requirement is, though that detail is typically contained in a regulatory filing that should follow on Thursday. The deal values Trump Media & Technology Group at $875 million, including debt, according to the news release. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles, Steve Holland and Mohammad Zargham in Washington and Greg Roumeliotis in New YorkEditing by Gerry Doyle) Trump Lies. TRUTH on Towleroad Madonna has ‘almost finished’ writing biopic screenplay More New York lawyers plead guilty in Molotov cocktail case More Jamie Lee Curtis Was Surprised, But Looking Back Now Sees Signs Her Daughter With Christopher Guest Was Trans More Tan France owns over 50 coats More Angelina Jolie on Eternals diversity: ‘This is how it always should have been’ More Tom Daley Bum Flashing On Camera Is Unavoidable, Diver Insists. Hazards of the Job. More You ingest about five lipsticks a year. Want to know what’s in them? More Oversight panel rebukes Facebook, will review VIP system More Facebook’s oversight board seeks more transparency on high-profile users More Ed Sheeran stunned after spending the day with ‘naked’ pop star More Taliban Praise Suicide Bombers, Offer Families Clothing, Cash, and Land. This is Not What Well-Intentioned Reform Looks Like More Load More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Madonna has “almost finished” writing the screenplay of her life story. The ‘Material Girl’ shared the update with a series of selfies posted to social media to her 16.7 million followers, and one picture showed her reading a draft of her script for her upcoming biopic. She wrote alongside the Instagram post: “Grateful for the success of Madame X, that my script is almost finished, and for the support of my beautiful children!” ‘Madame X’ is her recently concert documentary, which was directed by Ricardo Gomes and showcased the pop star’s tour. In addition, the ‘Like A Virgin’ singer referenced screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson – who wrote ‘Secretary’ – in the hashtags, and Erin featured in one of the photos included in the post. Last week, Madonna said that the writing process had proven “challenging” and “like psychotherapy”. She said: “Writing my script is the most draining, challenging experience I’ve ever had. “It’s kind of like psychotherapy in a way, because I have to remember every detail from my childhood till now. “Remembering all the things that made me decide to be who I am, my journey as an artist, my decision to leave Michigan to go to New York, all the things that happened to me when I was young and naïve, my relationships with my family and friends, watching many of my friends die — sometimes, I have writing sessions where I go to bed and I just want to cry. You know what I mean? “The thing is, I realise I forgot a lot of things, and reliving, digging deep, trying to recall emotions that I felt in certain moments, both joyful and traumatic experiences . . . I realise I’ve lived a crazy life.” It was announced that she will be co-writing the script with Diablo Cody, who won an Academy Award for the 2007 movie ‘Juno’. Casting has not yet begun but Madonna has been listed as a co-screenwriter, producer and director. View the full article

Published by Reuters By David Thomas (Reuters) – Two New York lawyers pleaded guilty on Wednesday for their roles in a Molotov cocktail attack during May 2020 protests sparked by George Floyd’s death. Prosecutors said one of the lawyers, Urooj Rahman, threw a gasoline-filled bottle into an empty police vehicle, attempted to distribute Molotov cocktails to others, and then fled in a minivan driven by Colinford Mattis. The incident came during Brooklyn protests after Floyd, a Black man, was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis, sparking widespread protests against racism and police violence. Rahman, 32, and Mattis, 34, each pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn to a single count of possessing or making a destructive device. “I deeply regret my conduct and wish I had made better choices on that night,” Mattis said. Rahman also expressed regret, and both acknowledged that they would likely be disbarred as a result of their guilty pleas. U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan set their sentencing for Feb. 8. They face up to 10 years in prison under a terrorism-related sentencing provision. “The terrorism enhancement is going to be a big issue. I have no idea where I’m going to come out on that,” Cogan said. Rahman’s lawyer, Paul Shechtman, said the pair “do not deserve a prison sentence for conduct that occurred in the heat of the moment on one of the most heated nights in modern American history.” Mattis, an associate at Pryor Cashman, was furloughed in April 2020 in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic and then suspended following his arrest. Rahman represented tenants in the Bronx as a public interest lawyer. (Reporting by David Thomas in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder, Matthew Lewis and Peter Cooney) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jamie Lee Curtis didn’t have an “inkling” that her youngest child was trans. The ‘Halloween Kills’ star and husband Christopher Guest were surprised when their daughter Ruby came out last year but the 63-year-old star admitted she can now look back on the 25-year-old video editor’s life and recognise some signs. She said:”I knew Ruby had had a boyfriend. I knew that Ruby had used the word bi. But gender identity and sexual orientation — those are two separate things. And I knew that Ruby played female avatars in video games. “But when you ask, ‘Did you have an inkling that Ruby was trans?’ I would say no. But when I replayed Ruby’s life, I went, ‘Hmm, that, that, those, hmm.’ “ Ruby found it “intimidating” to come out to her parents, but they were very supportive, although she couldn’t bring herself to do it in person after summoning them together. She recalled to People magazine: “It was scary — just the sheer fact of telling them something about me they didn’t know. “It was intimidating — but I wasn’t worried. They had been so accepting of me my entire life.” Ruby left the room and texted her mother. The ‘Knives Out’ star continued: “I called her immediately. Needless to say there were some tears involved.” Ruby admitted she may have come out as trans much sooner if she hadn’t had a “”negative experience” with a therapist after years of thinking she was “different”. She said: “When I was about 16, a friend of mine who is trans asked me what my gender was. I told them, “Well, I’m male.” After, I’d dwell on the thought. I knew I was — maybe not Ruby per se, but I knew I was different. “But I had a negative experience in therapy, so I didn’t come out [as trans] immediately when I probably should have. Then, seven years later, still being Tom at the time, I told the person who is now my fiancé that I am probably trans. And they said, ‘I love you for who you are.’ “ View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tan France owns more than 50 coats. The ‘Queer Eye’ star loves buying new outerwear but just adds the pieces to the others in his wardrobe, rather than replacing out old garments. He told Page Six Style: “Coats are the thing I buy more than anything else, other than footwear. “I’d say I have at least 50-70 pieces of outerwear, but over 20-30 of those I’ve had for over five years and still wear each fall and winter.” Tan’s shopping struggle to find the perfect coat has inspired his new seven-piece genderless outerwear collection Was Him. He explained: “If I wanted chic, well-fitting longer coats, I always had to pop across to women’s departments of the store, as I could rarely find what I was looking for in the boring men’s departments. “Being British, I’ve always loved structured tailoring, especially when it comes to outerwear. I’m now a dual citizen, and married to a Wyoming rancher, so I wanted to bring that duality to this debut collection. “You’ll see details like the ombré green patch pockets and the [colour-blocking on the] navy coat, which represent the changing of the shades of grass to hay on my in-laws’ ranch.” Meanwhile, although the style expert insisted becoming a father to three-month-old Ismail – his first child with husband Rob France – hasn’t changed his sense of fashion, he admitted he now carries a change of shirt everywhere with him. He said: “Honestly, the only thing [fatherhood’s] done is encouraged me to keep a second shirt with me when I’m out and about, because my son Ismail spits up every now and then. Other than that, I haven’t really toned down my style. “I want my son to look at me as he grows, and to see that making an effort with your style can really help your self-esteem, so I don’t plan on changing my ways any time soon.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Angelina Jolie says the diversity in the ‘Eternals’ cast is “how it always should have been”. The 46-year-old actress – who plays Thena in the upcoming Marvel blockbuster – appears as part of a superhero ensemble featuring queer characters, people of colour and deaf actress Lauren Ridloff. She told Variety: “What’s really quite stunning is that when we walked out all of us together, it didn’t feel like, ‘This is so new and cool,’ it felt like, ‘This is how it always should have been’. “Why did it take so long? It felt so right.” Jolie was asked why she feels it takes so long, and while she has “many things” to say on the subject, she focused on the idea that people should watch the film without actually focusing on its “diversity”. She added: “I could say many things, and I could go on for a while, but I think… it is so good to just bust a hole right in that… “What I hope is that when people watch this film, they’re not seeing it and saying, ‘Oh, this is a film about diversity. This is a film that shows this person can be a superhero.’ “They’ll just say, ‘Well of course that person’s a superhero, and of course that person also is. Of course.’ “And more shame on us for every questioning that they couldn’t be because, ‘Of course.’ “ ‘Eternals’ – which is set to hit the big screen next month – is written and directed by ‘Nomadland’ filmmaker Chloe Zhao. As well as Jolie and Ridloff (Makkari), the cast of heroes also features Gemma Chan (Sersi), Richard Madden (Ikaris), Kumail Nanjiani (Kingo), Lia McHugh (Sprite), Brian Tyree Henry (Phastos), Barry Keoghan (Druig), Don Lee (Giglamesh) and Salma Hayek (Ajak). Meanwhile, Kit Harington will feature as Dane Whitman, also known as the Black Knight. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Daley insists flashing his bum while diving is just “one of those things”. The Olympic gold medal winner blames his tiny trunks for his bum often falling out in full view of the TV cameras. Tom, 27 – who made his Olympic debut in Beijing in 2008 – explained on the ‘Table Manners’ podcast: “Basically the trunks just need to have a drawstring so they don’t fall off first of all. At 35mph they’ll come off, and if you don’t tie them up, they’re off, down by your ankles. “At a competition, yeah, my bum’s been on the big screen. But it’s like one of those things that happens and they don’t show it on the replay, but still.” Tom – who made his Olympics debut when he was just 14 – previously explained how the skimpy outfits for his sport impacted his body image. The sportsman admitted to having a “strange relationship” with food during the London Olympics in 2012 – when he became one of the so-called faces of the Games for the host country – and admitted that he used to make himself vomit. Speaking about his eating habits, Tom – who is married to TV producer Dustin Lance Black – said earlier this month: “You have these body issues as an athlete. Lots of people would look at athletes and be like: ‘What are you talking about? You’re an athlete, you’re in shape, you have nothing to worry about’. “But especially as a diver, you’re up on the diving board and you’re so naked, so visible, so it’s quite hard to be content with your body, because you always want to be better.” View the full article

Published by DPA What goes on your lips goes into your mouth. Having examined various lipsticks available on the market, product testers are now warning about potential health risks. Christin Klose/dpa Nobody wants to eat lipstick. And yet those of us who wear it end up consuming an average of about five lipsticks every year, according to estimates from EU researchers. Product testers at the German consumer protection organization Stiftung Warentest say people who wear lipstick daily ingest 57 milligrams of lipstick per day on average, citing EU figures. Given this estimate, the organization’s testers took a closer look at some of the ingredients in lipstick and found that the whitening colour pigment titanium dioxide was in all of the 17 lipsticks they tested, in both cheap and expensive as well as in “natural cosmetics.” If this substance is regularly ingested, it can cause hereditary genetic damage, leading to problems in the genetic material of cells and possibly even cancer. Titanium dioxide, which was for a long time considered safe, is no longer deemed safe for use in food by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) since May 2021. Consumers can tell if titanium dioxide is contained in lipstick by looking for the ingredient code CI 77891, sometimes supplemented by “titanium dioxide.” Currently, it is still added to many lipsticks on the market, says Thomas Koppmann, project manager of the test. But with the EFSA’s reassessment, this will change quickly, he estimates. Lipsticks are not only supposed to create the right shade, but also provide some care for your lips and the right level of shine – which is why manufacturers add mineral oil components. The testers at Stiftung Warentest are critical of these, too, because these components can accumulate in organs and tissue. Although the health consequences are still unclear, EFSA considers the quantity which people already ingest through food to be “potentially worrying.” These substances and similar synthetic hydrocarbons are generally prohibited in certified natural cosmetics. After all: coverage and care usually good Mineral oil ingredients, also known as MOSH ingredients (Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons), are listed on the product packaging as petrolatum, ozokerite, cera microcristallina or paraffin, for example. For the above reasons, none of the examined lipsticks were rated as “good.” Two lipsticks were rated “poor” by the testers due to the increased amount of MOSH. The rest received a “satisfactory”. “From the point of view of precautionary consumer protection, we do not unreservedly recommend any lipstick in the test,” reads the test verdict. From a cosmetic and lip care perspective, however, the testers could find few faults with the visual results and with the impact on lips. View the full article

Published by AFP Facebook has been hit with fresh criticism for its handling of a key program Washington (AFP) – Facebook’s oversight panel announced Thursday a probe of the company’s system to reportedly exempt high-profile users from its own rules, accusing the embattled social media giant of a lack of transparency. A series of damning Wall Street Journal stories driven by a whistleblower’s leaks have drawn outrage and fresh lawmaker scrutiny of Facebook’s impact on mental health but also how it treats celebrities. The so-called “cross-check” or “XCheck” system shields millions of elite users from rules that Facebook claims to apply equally at the social media giant, according to Journal reports citing internal documents. The network’s semi-independent oversight board said in a blog post that it “has accepted a request from Facebook… to review the company’s cross-check system and make recommendations on how it can be changed.” Facebook has faced a storm of criticism over the past month after former employee Frances Haugen leaked internal studies showing the company knew of potential harm stoked by its sites, prompting US lawmakers’ to renew a push for regulation. The Facebook-funded oversight board, composed of experts with the final say on what is removed or allowed to stay on the platform, also criticized the company for failing to be “fully forthcoming”. “On some occasions, Facebook failed to provide relevant information to the Board, while in other instances, the information it did provide was incomplete,” the panel said, referring to queries about the cross-check system. Specifically it cited the platform’s ban on former US president Donald Trump, which it reviewed and ultimately upheld but with sometimes incomplete information from Facebook. ‘Paper over and deflect’ Facebook subsequently set Trump’s ban at two years, saying he deserved the maximum punishment for violating platform rules over a deadly attack by his supporters on the US Capitol. At the end of Trump’s two-year ban, Facebook will enlist experts to assess whether his activity at the social network still threatens public safety. “The credibility of the oversight board, our working relationship with Facebook, and our ability to render sound judgments on cases all depend on being able to trust that information provided to us by Facebook is accurate, comprehensive, and paints a full picture of the topic at hand,” the board wrote. Facebook, in a statement, pledged to be clearer in its replies to the panel’s queries. “We believe the board’s work has been impactful, which is why we asked the board for input into our cross-check system, and we will strive to be clearer in our explanations to them going forward,” the statement said. Facebook has pushed back fiercely against the criticism, saying journalists have selectively chosen parts of its internal research in order to cast the company’s work in a negative light. A double-standard regarding content moderation would defy assurances that Facebook gave to the board. The Journal cited examples of posts from high-profile people, including one from soccer star Neymar showing nude images of a woman who accused him of rape and that Facebook subsequently removed. High-profile users’ posts are drivers of engagement on the platform, so keeping celebrities on Facebook is important for a company interested in continuous growth. An activist group calling itself The Real Facebook Oversight Board attacked the panel’s work and even its reason for existing. “The Oversight Board always was a PR stunt by Facebook to paper over and deflect from the company’s own failure to keep hate, racism and disinformation off its platforms,” it said in a statement. View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Facebook Inc’s independent oversight board demanded more transparency from the social media giant on Thursday, saying the company was not “fully forthcoming” on how it deals with certain high-profile user accounts. The comments follow a Wall Street Journal report last month that said millions of Facebook accounts belonging to celebrities, politicians and other high-profile users were exempted from some internal checks. The board said that Facebook has not been transparent with the company’s ‘cross-check’ system, an internal program the social media network says is used to double-check enforcement actions against certain users. “Facebook needs to commit to greater transparency and to treat users fairly,” the board said in a tweet. In relation to its May decision to uphold the indefinite suspension of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s account after the Jan 6. riot, the board said when Facebook referred the case, it did not mention the cross-check system until it was asked. “Given that the referral included a specific policy question about account-level enforcement for political leaders, many of whom the Board believes were covered by cross-check, this omission is not acceptable,” it said. Facebook, in the form of a policy advisory opinion, has asked the board to review its cross-check system and make recommendations on how it can be changed. A company spokesperson said the board’s work had been “impactful,” which is why it asked for input into the cross-check system. Facebook created the board mainly to address criticism over how it handles problematic content and is responsible for independent verdicts on a number of thorny decisions related content moderation. Going forward, the board will publish quarterly and annual transparency reports to provide assessment on whether its recommendations were implemented. In its first quarterly report, the board said over half a million Facebook and Instagram users submitted appeals between October 2020 and the end of June 2021, of which more than a third were related to content concerning Facebook’s rules on hate speech. (Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli, Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Arun Koyyur) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Ed Sheeran was freaked out by spending the day with a “naked” pop star. The ‘Shape of You’ hitmaker – who won’t reveal the mystery man’s identity – couldn’t believe what he was seeing as the fellow celebrity stripped off at a club and “walked around” in the nude. As quoted by the Daily Star newspaper’s Wired column, he said: “We were just in a club with a shower in it and I turned around and he was naked. “I remember looking at his entourage and everyone was on their phone. “He is naked and walking around doing stuff, gets in the shower and the hot tub naked, he gets out of the hot tub and I was like, ‘Does nobody think this is weird?’ “And he puts his clothes on and then the night resumed. That was quite a strange situation.” Meanwhile, the ‘Bad Habits’ star has previously revealed is plans to give fellow singer Sam Smith a 6ft-tall marble penis after they saw the unusual decorative piece in the flame-haired hunk’s pub at his home in Suffolk, England, recently. Ed, 30, said: “I’m having a life-size one made for Sam Smith as well because Sam saw one of them in my pub at home and said, ‘Oh my God, I’d love one of them’. So I’m having one the size of them.” This won’t be the first time he’s gifted a marble penis to a friend, as he also gave Sir Elton John one for his birthday in March. Elton, 74, said previously: “For my birthday this year, he [Ed] gave me a giant marble penis. “I don’t know if that’s because I’ve always been a p***k or what. It’s really big, it’s beautifully made.” When it comes to raunchy gifts, Ed has a history after Courteney Cox previously revealed he’d sent her a “leather gimp mask”. Ed – who is close friends with the 57-year-old actress – revealed how he thought up an X-rated prank when she told him she could buy anything she wanted from her Alexa device. He explained: “So, she walks out the room, and I go, ‘Alexa, order me a leather gimp mask’. “Unbeknownst to me, Courteney’s assistant opened the post, and she finds this mask and instantly goes, ‘Oh, I don’t think I was meant to see that,’ and leaves it on Courteney’s bed.” View the full article

Published by Reuters KABUL (Reuters) – The Taliban praised suicide bombers who died during the war against the former government and its Western allies and offered their families sums of cash and promises of land, the movement’s interior ministry said in a statement. Sirajuddin Haqqani, the acting interior ministry who has a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head as a “specially designated global terrorist”, met the families at a ceremony at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, which was itself targeted by suicide bombers in 2018. Official photographs of the meeting on Tuesday obscured his face. “In his speech, the minister praised the Jihad and sacrifices of the martyrs and Mujahidin and called them heroes of Islam and the country,” the ministry said in a statement on Twitter. Families of the suicide bombers were given clothing, 10,000 afghani ($111) and promised plots of land, spokesman Qari Sayeed Khosti said. Haqqani took over from his father Jalaluddin Haqqani as head of the Haqqani network, a militant group affiliated with the Taliban that was blamed by Western intelligence services for some of the bloodiest suicide attacks of the war. He is wanted for questioning by the FBI in connection with an attack on another hotel in Kabul in 2008 in which six people including an American citizen were killed. Following the Taliban’s victory over the Western-backed government which collapsed in August, Islamic State militants have carried out a series of suicide bombings against mosques and other targets, killing hundreds of civilians. ($1 = 89.5700 afghanis) (Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) Suicide Bombers Taliban on Towleroad TWIST: Judge Says 45 Kevin Spacey Emails With His Team in ‘Crisis Mode’ During Initial Must Be Shared with Accuser Anthony Rapp More Seriously, It Is 2021, And You Are About To Enjoy New Duran Duran Music From The ‘Already Acclaimed’ Album ‘Future Past’ Out Friday: WATCH More Over 20 ‘exit’ gaming giant in Activision Blizzard Management Shake-Up After Harassment Accusations, Sued By State of California More U.S. Senate Republicans Voting Rights Position is Clear. Filibuster. Poised to stop Democrats’ bill More Sara Gilbert And Linda Perry’s Divorce Is Negotiated and Finished; Share Custody; Neither To Pay Support More It’s Always A Dancer… JoJo Siwa Splits With ‘Best Girlfriend in The World’ Just 9 Months After She ‘Changed My Life Forever’. Why? Her ‘DWTS’ Partner. More Iowa Democratic Party leader says he was target of racist threats, some Explicitly violent More Court Rejects Trump-Affiliated Lawyer’s Appeal of Decision That It Was Legal For Pasadena Venue To Cancel Event Based On Anti-LGBTQ Positions More Romantic Partners Who Watch Porn Together Have Higher Relationship Quality; Contradicting Claims It Causes Them to Fall Apart, Study Finds More ‘Mayor Pete’ Trailer; Papa Pete Pwns Tucker; 4-Stars for Dr. Rachel Levine; JoJo Siwa’s Perfect 10s; Lynda Carter’s 8 Wonder-full Words: GOOD NEWS More Trump attacks Colin Powell, A Day After His Death, No Doubt For Saying Trump Should Resign After Instigating An Insurrection More Load More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Kevin Spacey will have to cough up nearly four dozen personal emails sent between him and his team after a judge sided with the actor’s sexual assault accuser Anthony Rapp. According to legal order obtained by Radar, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan has ordered the Baby Driver actor to produce 45 emails sent in 2017. The correspondence took place between Spacey, his manager, PR people, media consultants, and his lawyers when they were in crisis mode after being notified that Buzzfeed was publishing Rapp’s allegations. Judge Kaplan ruled the emails do not fall under attorney-client privilege. “None is a communication between the defendant [Spacey] and his lawyers without one of more of the manager and the PR people at least copied on the email,” the documents read. “Such communications are not lawyer-client communications made in confidence and/or generated for litigation.” mega The email chain allegedly began on October 29, 2017, when “a reporter emailed one of the defendant’s PR people and one of his lawyers to the effect that Buzzfeed, an Internet site, was about to run a story reporting Rapp’s assertion that the defendant made a sexual advance on him in 1986 when Rapp was 14 years old.” In the documents, the judge observed that Buzzfeed’s email “triggered” a firestorm between “the defendant, his manager, his two lawyers, and the two PR people concerning whether to respond and, if so, what to say.” The judge pointed out it appeared Spacey and his team were more concerned about the PR nightmare and saving his image than having the actor’s lawyers take the reigns. Spacey, his manager, and PR consultants were “seeking and providing the business and reputational advice that those experts long had provided to the defendant with respect to his career,” Judge Kaplan states. “The lawyers were involved principally to raise the alarm if the lay advisers or the defendant proposed going down a path that might expose the defendant to, or increase already existing legal exposure.” mega He concluded his legal order by stating the emails “were not generated primarily for litigation but instead reflect a discussion of public relations strategy,” adding, “Their communications therefore are not protected by attorney-client privilege.” Rapp sued Spacey for sexual assault in September 2020 after claiming the actor made a sexual advance on him in 1986 when he was just 14 years old. mega Kevin Spacey Emails on Towleroad Seriously, It Is 2021, And You Are About To Enjoy New Duran Duran Music From The ‘Already Acclaimed’ Album ‘Future Past’ Out Friday: WATCH More Over 20 ‘exit’ gaming giant in Activision Blizzard Management Shake-Up After Harassment Accusations, Sued By State of California More U.S. Senate Republicans Voting Rights Position is Clear. Filibuster. Poised to stop Democrats’ bill More Sara Gilbert And Linda Perry’s Divorce Is Negotiated and Finished; Share Custody; Neither To Pay Support More It’s Always A Dancer… JoJo Siwa Splits With ‘Best Girlfriend in The World’ Just 9 Months After She ‘Changed My Life Forever’. Why? Her ‘DWTS’ Partner. More Iowa Democratic Party leader says he was target of racist threats, some Explicitly violent More Court Rejects Trump-Affiliated Lawyer’s Appeal of Decision That It Was Legal For Pasadena Venue To Cancel Event Based On Anti-LGBTQ Positions More Romantic Partners Who Watch Porn Together Have Higher Relationship Quality; Contradicting Claims It Causes Them to Fall Apart, Study Finds More ‘Mayor Pete’ Trailer; Papa Pete Pwns Tucker; 4-Stars for Dr. Rachel Levine; JoJo Siwa’s Perfect 10s; Lynda Carter’s 8 Wonder-full Words: GOOD NEWS More Trump attacks Colin Powell, A Day After His Death, No Doubt For Saying Trump Should Resign After Instigating An Insurrection More Lovers While Filming 1983’s ‘The Hunger’, The Sarandon Bowie Connection Before He Died Let Them Say, ‘What Needed To be Said’ More Load More View the full article

Duran Duran has released ‘Anniversary’, one of a few singles off the album dropping on Friday called ‘Future Past‘. According to the publicity, [This post contains video, click to play] How many of the celebrity look-alikes can catch on your second or third play. I think that was Greta Thunberg. Duran Duran had it hen Most importantly it’s a Duran Duran song. It’s their sound. You can dance to it. And there are the dark undertones, the Smiths notes for moody teens pondering a closet. We filled out your play list with more hits than you remember they had and a few contemporaries that fit. Among them: Tears for Fears, Bronski Beat, Soft Cell, Dazz Band, English Beat, Yaz, early Wham, The Fixx, Inxs, Pet Shop Boys, And Some very New Erasure. Billboard’s Larry Flick Livestream Tomorrow Oct 21 Tomorrow, on October 21 at NOON PT/3PM ET, a special livestream event via Dreamstage will include an exclusive, live Q&A with the band and renowned Billboard editor, Larry Flick, as they reveal untold stories about their time together. Documentary: They will be joined by Alison Jackson for the global premiere of ‘Double Take’–a half-hour documentary film by award-winning directors Gerry Fox and Una Burnand, that gives viewers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the artistry and hard work that went into making the band’s sensational music video for their latest single, ‘ANNIVERSARY’. The performance will replay at 8pm ET/5pm PT, followed by a 72 hour VOD period. The livestream will be the first event to be broadcast from the Now Arcade at the Outernet in Soho, London, prior to the venue’s opening later this year. Tickets are available HERE. Earlier this year, Duran Duran captivated American audiences with their spellbinding performance at the Billboard Music Awards, where they debuted their single ‘INVISIBLE’ as well as classics, ‘Notorious’ and ‘Hungry Like The Wolf,’ (WATCH). They also appearedon NBC’s The Today Show (WATCH), The Tonight Show (WATCH), and paid a visit to Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live! With Andy Cohen. FUTURE PAST will be available on all digital platforms, as well as in a variety of physical formats: standard CD, cassette, a limited edition deluxe hardback book CD featuring three additional tracks, and colored vinyl. Duran Duran on Towleroad Over 20 ‘exit’ gaming giant in Activision Blizzard Management Shake-Up After Harassment Accusations, Sued By State of California More U.S. Senate Republicans Voting Rights Position is Clear. Filibuster. Poised to stop Democrats’ bill More Sara Gilbert And Linda Perry’s Divorce Is Negotiated and Finished; Share Custody; Neither To Pay Support More It’s Always A Dancer… JoJo Siwa Splits With ‘Best Girlfriend in The World’ Just 9 Months After She ‘Changed My Life Forever’. Why? Her ‘DWTS’ Partner. More Iowa Democratic Party leader says he was target of racist threats, some Explicitly violent More Court Rejects Trump-Affiliated Lawyer’s Appeal of Decision That It Was Legal For Pasadena Venue To Cancel Event Based On Anti-LGBTQ Positions More Romantic Partners Who Watch Porn Together Have Higher Relationship Quality; Contradicting Claims It Causes Them to Fall Apart, Study Finds More ‘Mayor Pete’ Trailer; Papa Pete Pwns Tucker; 4-Stars for Dr. Rachel Levine; JoJo Siwa’s Perfect 10s; Lynda Carter’s 8 Wonder-full Words: GOOD NEWS More Trump attacks Colin Powell, A Day After His Death, No Doubt For Saying Trump Should Resign After Instigating An Insurrection More Lovers While Filming 1983’s ‘The Hunger’, The Sarandon Bowie Connection Before He Died Let Them Say, ‘What Needed To be Said’ More U.S. Senate set to hold test vote Wednesday on election reforms More Load More View the full article

Published by AFP Activision Blizzard promised change with a management shakeup following the long-running allegations of following accusations of harassment and discrimination against women Washington (AFP) – More than 20 employees of “Call of Duty” maker Activision Blizzard have “exited” the gaming giant, the company said in a staff email, following accusations of sexual harassment and discrimination against women. In August, the California-based videogame maker had promised a review of its practices following employee walks out over management’s initial dismissal of a state lawsuit that described a “pervasive frat boy workplace culture”. In an email sent to staff Tuesday, the company’s chief compliance officer Fran Townsend said “more than 20 individuals have exited Activision Blizzard and more than 20 individuals faced other types of disciplinary action” over concerns reported both recently and a few years ago. The Financial Times reported Tuesday that more than 20 employees had been fired, including game developers and a few supervisors. Activision also said it would expand its compliance team as it fields an increasing number of complaints and aims “to build a more accountable workplace and culture”. Reports could be filed anonymously, the company said in the staff email, adding it would “not hesitate to terminate or discipline” anyone found violating its policies. Activision’s latest shakeup comes amid growing complaints about the treatment of women in the gaming industry in recent years. According to the ongoing lawsuit filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, women make up only about 20 percent of Activision’s staff and “very few women ever reach top roles at the company”. In addition to reviewing workplace conditions, Activision has pledged to examine its depiction of women in its popular games. The US Securities and Exchange Commission launched a separate, federal investigation last month into whether the company had properly disclosed harassment and discrimination claims to investors. That same month, Activision and the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reached an agreement over settling claims, with the company to pay $18 million into a compensation fund. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Democrats on Wednesday will try for the third time this year to advance a voting rights bill aimed at thwarting new balloting restrictions passed in Republican-led states, fueled by Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election. The chamber’s 50 Republicans are expected to block the measure from advancing, a move that could bring new pressure on Democrats to change the Senate’s “filibuster” rule that requires a supermajority of 60 votes to pass most legislation. Senator Angus King, an independent who aligns with Democrats, told reporters that if Republicans again block the bill, “we would either have to figure out a rule change or we have to try to have discussions toward a compromise solution.” Many Democrats have been calling for a scaling back or elimination of the filibuster to make it easier to pass President Joe Biden’s agenda over the objections of top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell. Biden, himself a veteran of the Senate, has voiced objections to doing so – although he suggested he was open to considering it during the recent showdown over hiking the debt ceiling. There are several reform ideas percolating that could stop short of a full ban on legislative filibusters. Those could include carving out an exemption just for the voting rights bill or limiting the number of filibusters against a bill. But with no sign of Republicans willing to compromise, King told reporters on Tuesday that Democrats’ deliberations on next steps “cannot go on for months and months … it’s got to happen in this calendar year” so that states have enough time to prepare for any election law changes before the November 2022 congressional elections. Moderate Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have voiced objections to ending the filibuster. Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer enlisted Manchin to seek a deal with Republicans on the voting rights bill. It was unclear whether a failure would persuade Manchin to support a rules change. SLEW OF STATE LAWS At least 18 states have enacted 30 laws restricting voting access this year, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, following false claims by Trump, the Republican former president, that he lost the 2020 election to Biden because of widespread voting fraud. Democrats and voting rights advocates denounce the measures as partisan power grabs that will make it harder for Black and Hispanic voters – important voting blocs for Democrats – to cast ballots. “No honest observer can look at the way the states have changed election laws this year and pretend that there’s nothing malicious afoot,” Schumer said in a Tuesday floor speech. McConnell predicted that none of the senators in his caucus would support opening a debate on the Democrats’ voting rights bill. “What our Democratic friends have been wanting to do forever is to have the federal government take over how elections are conducted all over America. There’s no basis for that whatsoever,” McConnell told reporters on Tuesday. Since leaving office, Trump has continued to repeat his baseless election fraud allegations. Multiple courts, state election officials and members of Trump’s own administration rejected his claims. The vote on Wednesday will be for a bill scaled back from the prior version blocked by Republicans. It would set broad standards for how states conduct elections, including ensuring all qualified voters can request mail-in ballots. It also aims to expand voter turnout by making Election Day a federal holiday and would outlaw partisan drawing of congressional districts, known as “gerrymandering,” that both parties have engaged in for decades. (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Scott Malone and Peter Cooney) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Although the couple split up nearly two years ago, Sara Gilbert and Linda Perry’s divorce was only finalized this week. According to court documents obtained by People, a judge signed off on the couple’s settlement on October 15. This comes two years after Gilbert first filed for divorce from Perry in 2019. The court documents make it clear that the two will share joint legal custody of their son, Rhodes Emilio Gilbert Perry, who is only 6-years-old. In the docs, Gilbert and Perry were “ordered to regularly confer and share information concerning Rhodes’s care, wellbeing, physical and mental health, education and welfare.” The documents also make it clear that it will be “the responsibility of the party in whose home Rhodes is then residing” to basic decisions regarding their son. Neither Gilbert nor Perry will receive or have to pay alimony, according to the outlet. The newly divorced couple reportedly first started dating in 2011 and then made the decision to get married a few years later in 2014. Rhodes was born in 2015. Although Rhodes was the first child shared by the couple, Gilbert was already a mother-of-two, sharing her son Levi Hank and her daughter Sawyer Jane with her ex-partner Ali Adler. The outlet also confirmed and reported in December of 2019 that Gilbert was the one who filed for divorce from Perry. She cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for divorce. mega When the couple officially separated in August of 2019, they had been married for almost 6 years. “Everything happens for a reason,” Perry reportedly told the publication a few weeks after the divorce filing was made available to the public. “All I can do is continue my journey.” mega “I’m still on an incredible adventure with Sara. I love her. I adore her,” Perry also reportedly said last year. “We have a beautiful child together. So that journey has not ended, it’s evolved into something else.” Neither Gilbert nor Perry have made any new statements or comments about the divorce settlement. mega View the full article

Shaken. Stirred. Shook. Jojo Siwa Splits with Kylie Prew. It was only months ago that we carried the news of Jojo Siwa, “You’ve changed my life for forever. I love you more and more every day. Thank you for being the best girlfriend in the world.” At 18 years old it was brave, impetuous and exactly what you all should be doing when you announced it to the world. You are in good company. All good news here. Love some more is the message to all lovers scorned, on the move, or acquired: Love some more. Published by OK Magazine After fans speculated JoJo Siwa and girlfriend Kylie Prew were having trouble in their relationship, a source squealed the duo have called it quits. The reason may be surprising, as an insider alluded Siwa’s relationship with her Dancing with the Stars partner Jenna Johnson could be partly to blame. MEGA “They split,” a source spilled to The Sun, adding: “Kylie became jealous of the relationship JoJo has fostered with Jenna. JoJo is a mess.” IS JOJO SIWA HOLLYWOOD’S LATEST WILD CHILD? YOUTUBER’S SECRETS AND SCANDALS REVEALED The insider claimed JoJo’s “busy” schedule also led to their demise, noting “JoJo has always been a workhorse” and has had trouble putting her relationship first over her career. Siwa made history when she joined season 30 ofDWTS. In a series first, the 18-year-old singer — who recently came out as pansexual — was chosen to dance alongside a female professional partner. ABC/Christopher Willard On Monday’s episode, the Nickelodeon star and Johnson danced a flawless foxtrot. Set to “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee (Reprise)” from the 1978 cult classic Grease, the duo earned a perfect score from the judges. The bubbly blonde took to social media to gush over the amazing feat. “WOW!!!!! I have literally no words!!!!I am on cloud 528183629 right now!! Tonight @jennajohnson and I got the FIRST perfect score of the season on @dancingabc !! 4 10’s!!!,” she wrote via Instagram on October 18. JOJO SIWA TAKES ANOTHER SHOT AT NICKELODEON FOR NOT LETTING HER PERFORM NEW MUSIC ON TOUR: ‘I’M A HUMAN, NOT JUST A BRAND’ The Nebraska native continued: “I’ve cried and smiled SO much tonight. The amount of respect that I have for all 4 judges @derekhough @carrieanninaba @brunotonioliofficial @lengoodmanmbe is massive so to get a perfect 10 from all 4 of them tonight means SO much to me!!!” ABC/Christopher Willard The Dance Moms alum began to drop hints regarding her sexuality at the start of the year when she lip-synced along to Lady Gaga‘s “Born This Way” on TikTok and then donned a t-shirt that read “Best Gay Cousin Ever.” Jojo Siwa Splits on Towleroad Over 20 ‘exit’ gaming giant in Activision Blizzard Management Shake Up After Harassment Accusations And Sued By California More U.S. Senate Republicans poised to stop Democrats’ voting rights bill More Sara Gilbert And Linda Perry’s Divorce Is Negotiated and Finished; Share Custody; Neither To Pay Support More Iowa Democratic Party leader says he was target of racist threats, some Explicitly violent More Court Rejects Trump-Affiliated Lawyer’s Appeal of Decision That It Was Legal For Pasadena Venue To Cancel Event Based On Anti-LGBTQ Positions More Romantic Partners Who Watch Porn Together Have Higher Relationship Quality; Contradicting Claims It Causes Them to Fall Apart, Study Finds More ‘Mayor Pete’ Trailer; Papa Pete Pwns Tucker; 4-Stars for Dr. Rachel Levine; JoJo Siwa’s Perfect 10s; Lynda Carter’s 8 Wonder-full Words: GOOD NEWS More Trump attacks Colin Powell, A Day After His Death, No Doubt For Saying Trump Should Resign After Instigating An Insurrection More Lovers While Filming 1983’s ‘The Hunger’, The Sarandon Bowie Connection Before He Died Let Them Say, ‘What Needed To be Said’ More U.S. Senate set to hold test vote Wednesday on election reforms More Trump questioned under oath in lawsuit over alleged Trump Tower assault More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sharon Bernstein (Reuters) – The chair of the Iowa Democratic Party said on Tuesday he received racist messages and emails, including a threat of lynching, after writing an opinion piece critical of Republican former President Donald Trump. Ross Wilburn, who is Black and sits in the state legislature, told reporters that after his piece ran in the Des Moines Register on Oct. 9, the same weekend Trump was in town for a rally, he received two phone messages and an email that used racial epithets and, in one case, threatened him with violence. “Unfortunately, these kinds of threats are not uncommon for myself or other people of color serving in public roles,” Wilburn said. The incident, which he said is being investigated by Ames, Iowa, police, is the latest example of threats and harassment against public officials in the highly polarized U.S. political environment. On Monday, the National Association of County and City Health Officials asked the U.S. Department of Justice for help protecting public health officers targeted since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic by opponents of measures aimed at slowing the spread of the virus, including stay-at-home orders, mask-wearing and vaccines. The organization said at least 300 public health department leaders had left their positions since the pandemic began, many because of threats and verbal abuse. Educators are also coming under fire, amid protests and violent rhetoric over claims fueled by right-wing media that schools are teaching critical race theory, an academic model for describing systemic racism that is little used in public schools but that opponents say makes white children feel bad about themselves. Educators have also been threatened over public health measures, including mask-wearing at school. In Iowa, the threats and harassment against Wilburn were condemned by state Republican leaders. “This type of hate must never be tolerated,” Republican Governor Kim Reynolds wrote on Twitter. “Whoever is responsible should be held accountable. Racism of any kind is unacceptable and not who we are as Iowans.” Iowa Republican Party Chair Jeff Kaufmann said he is pleased that authorities are investigating the threats. “I strongly condemn the racist threats made toward Chair Wilburn,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. “We can have a spirited debate on issues and candidates without threats of violence.” (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Peter Cooney) View the full article

Court Rejects: John Eastman is Chairman of NOW (National Organization for Marriage) the leading organization against marriage equality. He took over for the notorious Maggie Gallagher and has continued to take audacious moves against LGBTQ rights and played a key role in Trump’s Insurrection and attempt to overturn the election. In fact he’s the author of the notorious memo that concluded Mike Pence could and should just refuse to certify. (As a bonus he also pushed the entirely fabricated ‘Kamala Harris’ birther hoax in the last election cycle that led to a massive Newsweek mea culpa. Eastman’s appeal was another effort to make the right wing out as the victims of the libs. He claimed that it was a first amendement violation for the non-profit leasing a City of Pasadena venue to cancel his events based on his positions against marriage equality and expanding LGBTQ rights. Published by Reuters By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear a California Republican club’s challenge to a private organization’s cancellation of a 2017 event at a city-owned property in Pasadena that was to have featured a conservative lawyer later aligned with former President Donald Trump. justices turned away the Pasadena Republican Club’s appeal of a lower court ruling that found that the cancellation of attorney John Eastman’s planned appearance did not violate the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, which bars government discrimination on free speech or religious grounds. Eastman played a role in Trump’s failed bid to overturn his 2020 re-election loss based on false claims of widespread voting fraud. The property at issue, the Maxwell House, is owned by the city of Pasadena, which leased it to the Western Justice Center, a nonprofit organization that focuses on conflict resolution. Space in the Maxwell House is made available for rent for events including weddings. The Pasadena Republican Club had wanted to rent space there so Eastman could appear as a guest speaker, but the Western Justice Center canceled the event because his opposition to same-sex marriage and other expansions of LGBT rights ran counter to the group’s values. Eastman was a professor at Chapman University School of Law at the time. Eastman is the chairman of the board of the National Organization for Marriage, which was active in the fight against legalizing gay marriage. In the Republican club’s 2018 lawsuit, its lawyers said the First Amendment applied because the Western Justice Center was effectively an arm of the government based on its lease of city property. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in February ruled against the Republican group. Eastman achieved a higher profile with his affiliation with Trump. He spoke at a rally where Trump addressed his supporters before the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Eastman also wrote a memo outlining how, in his view, then-Vice President Mike Pence could thwart the formal congressional certification of Trump’s 2020 re-election loss. Pence ultimately declined to follow Eastman’s advice. Eastman left his post at Chapman University days after the riot amid criticism of his actions. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham) Court Rejects on Towleroad Romantic Partners Who Watch Porn Together Have Higher Relationship Quality; Contradicting Claims It Causes Them to Fall Apart, Study Finds More ‘Mayor Pete’ Trailer; Papa Pete Pwns Tucker; 4-Stars for Dr. Rachel Levine; JoJo Siwa’s Perfect 10s; Lynda Carter’s 8 Wonder-full Words: GOOD NEWS More Trump attacks Colin Powell, A Day After His Death, No Doubt For Saying Trump Should Resign After Instigating An Insurrection More Lovers While Filming 1983’s ‘The Hunger’, The Sarandon Bowie Connection Before He Died Let Them Say, ‘What Needed To be Said’ More U.S. Senate set to hold test vote Wednesday on election reforms More Trump questioned under oath in lawsuit over alleged Trump Tower assault More New York city hall to remove Jefferson statue over slave-ownership More Trump aide Steve Bannon faces U.S. House committee contempt vote More Tom Holland: Spider-Man: No Way Home feels like ‘end of a franchise’ More Boy George Harry Styles; Old Star Says Young Star ‘Too Scared’ To Be Him In Biopic and ‘Ran’; Yungblud in talks. More Lance Bass Twins Photo is First of Alexander and Violet. ‘Covered in Ick but I’ve Never Been So Happy’ More Load More View the full article

Gif from NoTORIous for illustration purposes only. Indicates nothing about relationship status or energy. Published by PsyPost New research indicates that shared pornography use in adult relationships is associated with greater relationship functioning. In other words, couples who frequently watch pornography together tend to be more satisfied with their romantic relationship and their sex life. The findings, published in Frontiers in Psychology, call into question claims that pornography use inevitably causes relationships to deteriorate. The new research represents “the culmination of several lines of thinking that my colleagues and I have been developing over the years,” said study author Taylor Kohut, a lecturer a… Read More Watch Porn on Towleroad ‘Mayor Pete’ Trailer; Papa Pete Pwns Tucker; 4-Stars for Dr. Rachel Levine; JoJo Siwa’s Perfect 10s; Lynda Carter’s 8 Wonder-full Words: GOOD NEWS More Trump attacks Colin Powell, A Day After His Death, No Doubt For Saying Trump Should Resign After Instigating An Insurrection More Lovers While Filming 1983’s ‘The Hunger’, The Sarandon Bowie Connection Before He Died Let Them Say, ‘What Needed To be Said’ More U.S. Senate set to hold test vote Wednesday on election reforms More Trump questioned under oath in lawsuit over alleged Trump Tower assault More New York city hall to remove Jefferson statue over slave-ownership More Trump aide Steve Bannon faces U.S. House committee contempt vote More Tom Holland: Spider-Man: No Way Home feels like ‘end of a franchise’ More Boy George Harry Styles; Old Star Says Young Star ‘Too Scared’ To Be Him In Biopic and ‘Ran’; Yungblud in talks. More Lance Bass Twins Photo is First of Alexander and Violet. ‘Covered in Ick but I’ve Never Been So Happy’ More Covid Memorials Also Spreading; London’s Mural, Italian Trees, Sculptures in Syria and Spain, And A 1918 Flu Monument Drafted For Double Duty More Load More View the full article

Good Vibes Below Four-Star Admiral Dr. Rachel LevineButtigieg Doc “Mayor Pete” TrailerHappy Birthday, DivineChic Full Gay: A response to Chick-fil-ALynda Carter Ends Discussion on TransIndia Updates LGBTQ Medical TextbooksJoJo Siwa Hits Perfection Four-Star Admiral Dr. Rachel Levine Dr. Rachel LevineAssistant Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, the first out trans Senate-confirmed official, was sworn in as Four Star Admiral in the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. the first out trans four-star officer in U.S. history. That’s a lot of titles and firsts to juggle. Protocol in the US is to default to the Secretary title, but this additional honorific makes her not only the highest ranking official in the U.S. Public Health Service, it also makes her the first woman to get four-stars in the service. The Public Health Service is a federal uniformed service charged with protecting and advancing public health and safety “I am humbled to serve as the first female four-star officer of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and first openly transgender four-star officer across any of the 8 uniformed services,” Levine said. “This is a momentous occasion and I am pleased to take this role for the impact I can make, and for the historic nature of what it symbolizes. May this appointment be the first of many like it as we create a more inclusive future.” Levine’s boss, Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, lauded her accomplishment as well. “Admiral Levine’s historic appointment as the first openly transgender four-star officer is a giant step forward towards equality as a nation,” he said. ” This is a proud moment for us at HHS.” “Wow!!!!! I have literally no words!!!!,” Siwa exclaimed on Instagram after the scores were revealed. “I am on cloud 528183629 right now!! … I’ve cried and smiled so much tonight.” She added, “This dance and this moment is something that I will cherish forever and ever!!!!!!!” Mayor Pete: Previously on Towleroad ‘Chucky’ is Back… This Time With Young Gay Protagonist, Jake; It’s a Horror Cult-Classic Meets Burgeoning Gay Love on USA/SYFY TV Series Brian Bell October 17, 2021 Read More Tom Hardy on ‘Venom’ As LGBTQ Icon; Takei Rips Dean Cain’s Super Bi-Panic: Co-CEO Repeats At Netflix Trans Lives Don’t Matter As Much As Ratings; Brian Bell October 16, 2021 Read More Action Roundup: Gay James Bond Character; Venom’s ‘Coming Out Party;’ ‘Queer Family’ of ‘Marvel’s Eternals’ Brian Bell October 1, 2021 Read More Cassandra Peterson, Horror Icon Elvira, Comes Out, Reveals 19-Year Relationship in New Memoir Brian Bell September 22, 2021 Read More ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ is The Gay Coming-Of-Age Tale For Everyone With an Inner (and Outer) Drag Queen Brian Bell August 25, 2021 Read More Elliot Page Awarded for Prejudice-busting Work and Life On And Off Screen; Sheds Light on Dark Prejudices; Shares Unseen Prides and Joys Brian Bell August 11, 2021 Read More View the full article

Published by AFP The national flag at half mast on top of the White House after the death of former secretary of state Colin Powell Washington (AFP) – As much of the world remembered Colin Powell with respect and affection, Donald Trump on Tuesday attacked the late US statesman, calling him a disloyal Republican who made the case for war in Iraq. Powell, who died aged 84 on Monday, was a frequent critic of Trump and called on him to resign after the January 6 Capitol insurrection that the then-president instigated. “Wonderful to see Colin Powell, who made big mistakes on Iraq and famously, so-called weapons of mass destruction, be treated in death so beautifully by the Fake News Media. Hope that happens to me someday,” Trump said sarcastically in a statement. Powell, who was the United States’ first Black secretary of state, died of complications from Covid-19 after suffering cancer. He was widely hailed a national war hero, global diplomat and trail-blazing African-American leader. Trump branded Powell a “classic RINO” — Republican In Name Only — and added “he made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!” Powell found it hard to live down his February 2003 speech to the UN Security Council about the alleged existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq — evidence which was later proven to be false. Trump rarely holds back from attacking former enemies even immediately after their death. After Senator John McCain died in 2018, Trump repeatedly disparaged the much-admired Arizona Republican who was also among his fiercest detractors. “I have to be honest: I’ve never liked him much,” Trump said about McCain in one address in Ohio that was nominally about a rise in manufacturing jobs. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Susan Sarandon spoke to David Bowie just a week before he died – but she can’t remember the conversation. The ‘Thelma & Louise’ actress rekindled her friendship with her former lover – who she had a relationship with while filming ‘The Hunger’ in 1983 – in the months before he died of liver cancer in January 2016 but she admitted it is “frustrating” that she’s got no knowledge of the final words they exchanged because she was taking strong medication at the time while on the Greek island of Lesbos. She said: “I wasn’t sleeping so I took a pretty strong sleep aid. And I had this dream that David had called me and that we’d had this conversation. Then later I thought, ‘Did he actually call me?’ “And I went to my phone and he had. But I have no recollection of what that conversation was. “He died a week later. It’s all so frustrating.” But the 75-year-old actress – who last saw the ‘Heroes’ singer at the premiere of his musical ‘Lazarus’ in New York in December 2015 – feels “so fortunate” that she was able to reconnect with her old flame and “said some things that needed to be said” in the months before he passed away. She told the Mail on Sunday’s You magazine: “I was fortunate enough to be closer to him right before he died, the last couple of months. He did find me again. We talked to each other and said some things that needed to be said. “I was so fortunate to be able to see him when he told me what was going on with him.” Even after David passed away, Susan has stayed in touch with his widow Iman. She said: “I love his wife Iman, someone who was so equal in stature to him. “That was clearly who he was destined to be with. And I’ve kept in touch with her.” Sarandon Bowie on Towleroad Trump attacks Colin Powell, a day after his death More U.S. Senate set to hold test vote Wednesday on election reforms More Trump questioned under oath in lawsuit over alleged Trump Tower assault More New York city hall to remove Jefferson statue over slave-ownership More Trump aide Steve Bannon faces U.S. House committee contempt vote More Tom Holland: Spider-Man: No Way Home feels like ‘end of a franchise’ More Boy George Harry Styles; Old Star Says Young Star ‘Too Scared’ To Be Him In Biopic and ‘Ran’; Yungblud in talks. More Lance Bass Twins Photo is First of Alexander and Violet. ‘Covered in Ick but I’ve Never Been So Happy’ More Covid Memorials Also Spreading; London’s Mural, Italian Trees, Sculptures in Syria and Spain, And A 1918 Flu Monument Drafted For Double Duty More Facebook plans to hire 10,000 in EU to build ‘metaverse’ More Amsterdam Airbnb Drops 80 Percent With Overtourism Measures; Also Ban Tourists From Drugs At Coffee Shops, Limit ‘Red Light’ Tours More Load More View the full article