Author: Randy Slovacek

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THE AVENGERS movie grosses over $200 million in three days

THE AVENGERS movie grossed an unprecendented $200.3 million in its Friday-Sunday box-office debut, its studio estimated.

The film is the first to break $200 million in three days. It smashed the mark held by the previous weekend record-holder, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.”

I loved the film.  It was exactly what it needed to be.  The action sequences were fantastic and the use of humor between the characters made the movie that much better.

I may go back again but at an IMAX theater.

Go see it if you haven’t already. 

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Billboard on Sunset Blvd: No kisses for Hershey

Photo: Brian Edwards

The billboard is part of a boycott of Hershey candy to protest the refusal of a boarding school with ties to the company to admit a teenager because he is HIV-positive.

The AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania sued the school in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia last year, contending that the school violated the Americans with Disabilities Act in denying admission to the boy, whose name has not been made public.

Lawyers for the group say the boy is an honor roll student who controls the HIV with medication and poses no health threat to the other students. A person can have the virus that causes AIDS but not have the disease.

Ronda Goldfein, attorney for the AIDS Law Project, said she is not involved with the boycott effort but the protests have been a morale booster for the boy and his mother.

“For a 14-year-old to hear that he’s danger, he’s a threat, that has really been hard for him,” Goldfein said.

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Vice Pres Joe Biden: “comfortable” with marriage equality

Vice President Joe Biden became the highest-ranking official in the Obama administration to signal support for same-sex marriage on Sunday during an interview with “Meet The Press.”

Biden stopped just a touch short from outright saying that he backs marriage equality. But the implication was beyond clear that he has completed the so-called evolution on gay marriage that President Obama has yet to finish.

“And you’re comfortable with same-sex marriage now?” “Meet the Press” host David Gregory asked.

“I am vice president of the United States of America,” Biden replied. “The president sets the policy. I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women, and heterosexual men and women marrying another are entitled to the same exact rights, all the civil rights, all the civil liberties. And quite frankly, I don’t see much of a distinction– beyond that.”

A spokesperson for the vice president emailed over further clarification on the “Meet the Press” remarks, stating in part that Biden had not fully endorsed same-sex marriage.

“The vice president was saying what the president has said previously – that committed and loving same-sex couples deserve the same rights and protections enjoyed by all Americans, and that we oppose any effort to rollback those rights. That’s why we stopped defending the constitutionality of section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act in legal challenges and support legislation to repeal it. Beyond that, the Vice President was expressing that he too is evolving on the issue, after meeting so many committed couples and families in this country.”

LGBT Advocacy groups responded:

“I’ve known Vice President Biden since interning for him in the Senate in 1976. The personal and thoughtful way he has spoken about his coming to support the freedom to marry reflects the same journey that a majority of Americans have now made as they’ve gotten to know gay families, opened their hearts and changed their minds. President Obama should join the Vice President, former Presidents Clinton and Carter, former Vice Presidents Gore and Cheney, Laura Bush, and so many others in forthright support for the freedom to marry.” – Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom To Marry.

“We are encouraged by Vice President Biden’s comments, who rightly articulated that loving and committed gay and lesbian couples should be treated equally. Now is the time for President Obama to speak out for full marriage equality for same-sex couples.” – Human Rights Campaign

Read more at The Huffington Post

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Libertarian Party chooses former NM Gov. Gary Johnson as presidential candidate

The Libertarian Party on Saturday chose former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, who was once a Republican White House hopeful, as its presidential candidate in the November 6 election.

Johnson, who announced in December he would run for president as a Libertarian after mounting a long-shot candidacy for the Republican nomination, won 70 percent of the votes cast by 632 delegates at the party’s convention in Las Vegas, Libertarian Party spokesman Stephen Gordon said.

Johnson, who became the front-runner after winning straw polls at 12 previous state debates, beat Air Force veteran R. Lee Wrights, after the field narrowed to two candidates from six at the start of the convention on Thursday.
(source)

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NC: President Clinton speaks out against Amendment 1

The full message, via Coalition to Protect NC Families:

“Hello, this is President Bill Clinton. I’m calling to urge you to vote against Amendment One on Tuesday May 8. If it passes, it won’t change North Carolina’s law on marriage. What it will change is North Carolina’s ability to keep good businesses, attract new jobs, and attract and keep talented entrepreneurs. If it passes, your ability to keep those businesses, get those jobs, and get those talented entrepreneurs will be weakened. And losing even one job to Amendment One is too big of a risk.”

“It’s passage will also take away health insurance from children and could even take away domestic violence protections from women.”

“So the real effect of the law is not to keep the traditional definition of marriage, you’ve already done that. The real effect of the law will be to hurt families and drive away jobs. North Carolina can do better. Again, this is Bill Clinton asking you to please vote against Amendment One. Thanks.”

Crossing my fingers this isn’t coming too late. The polls show an uphill climb for the good guys here. But I’m still thinking good thoughts.

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Mitt Romney wants 4% unemp – Reich tells him how to do it

Speaking in Pittsburgh yesterday, Mitt Romney said that “anything over 4% [unemployment] is not cause for celebration.”

The United States last achieved a sub-4% unemployment rate in December 2000, the end of President Clinton’s term.

On Twitter, Robert Reich, a Secretary of Labor under President Clinton, reminded Romney how America got there:

Romney, however, has a different plan.  As a matter of fact, it’s exactly the opposite. His tax plan would give massive tax cuts to the rich. (The top 0.1% for example, would receive a $264,000 tax cut.)

Meanwhile, in a closed-door fundraiser, Romney revealed he planned to make massive reductions in education spending. He is also proposing cutting funding for infrastructure, including the possible elimination of the Department of Housing and Urban development.

Romney now says he wants to emulate former President Ronald Reagan. However, to follow in the footsteps of Reagan would be to not achieve his “4%” goals today.  The average yearly unemployment rate exceeded 7% for most of his presidency and never dropped below 5.5%.
 (via ThinkProgress)

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New True Blood stills released – Joe Manganiello & Chris Meloni

Chris Meloni in TRUE BLOOD

Getting a little excited about Chris Meloni heading to Bon Temps soon as he joins TRUE BLOOD this season as a member of the (spoiler) vampire authority!. A new batch of True Blood stills show off the show’s newest vampire plus the always favorite werewolf Joe Manganiello.  Click the pics for larger view.

Joe Manganiello in TRUE BLOOD