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| Chris Evans attends The Ever Changing Face of Beauty video installation February 14, 2012 in New York City |
Chris Evans discusses playing Captain America and the upcoming “Avengers” movie
Gov. Chris Christie vetoes marriage equality in New Jersey
Gov. Chris Christie has followed through on his promise to reject a bill allowing same-sex marriage in New Jersey by quickly vetoing the measure Friday and renewing his call for a ballot question to decide the issue.
The veto came a day after the state Assembly passed the bill. The state Senate had passed it on Monday. Christie, a Republican who opposes same-sex marriage, had vowed “very swift action” once the measure reached his desk.
In returning the bill to the Legislature, Christie reaffirmed his view that voters should decide whether to change the definition of marriage in New Jersey. His veto also proposed creating an ombudsman to oversee compliance with the state’s civil union law, which same-sex couples have said is flawed and promotes discrimination.
“I am adhering to what I’ve said since this bill was first introduced — an issue of this magnitude and importance, which requires a constitutional amendment, should be left to the people of New Jersey to decide,” Christie said in a statement.
Senate President Steve Sweeney was blunt in his criticism of the governor.
“He had a chance to do the right thing, and failed miserably,” Sweeney said.
Steven Goldstein, chairman of the state’s largest gay rights group, Garden State Equality, said Christie’s national political ambitions guided his action.
“He won’t veto the bill because he’s anti-gay,” Goldstein said in a statement issued before the veto was issued Friday. “He’ll veto the bill because the 2016 South Carolina presidential primary electorate is anti-gay.”
Goldstein, who said he has a cordial relationship with the governor, promised to continue fighting him vigorously on the issue. “And we will win, so help me God,” he said.
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Obama Administration won’t defend denial of military benefits for same-sex married couples
The Obama Justice Department has concluded that laws banning same-sex couples from receiving military and veterans benefits violates the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment, and will no longer defend the statute in court, Attorney General Eric Holder wrote in a letter to Congressional leaders on Friday.
“The legislative record of these provisions contains no rationale for providing veterans’ benefits to opposite-sex couples of veterans but not to legally married same-sex spouses of veterans,” Holder wrote. “Neither the Department of Defense nor the Department of Veterans Affairs identified any justifications for that distinction that would warrant treating these provisions differently from Section 3 of DOMA.”
Read more at TalkingPointsMemo.com
Maryland House of Delegates may pass marriage equality this afternoon
The Maryland House of Delegates appears poised to pass same-sex marriage legislation when it meets late Friday afternoon.
Del. Tiffany Alston, a Prince George’s County Democrat who previously opposed the bill and voted against it in committee, emerged from House Speaker Michael E. Busch’s office and later offered a two-part amendment.
The first part prevents the law from going into effect if there is pending court litigation. A second part of the amendment would require judges to strike down the entire law should any part of it be illegal.
“(Alston’s) vote was contingent on the passing of that amendment,” said O’Donnell.
The House is scheduled to return for a final vote Friday at 4:30 p.m.
Michael Jackson’s estate alleges former manager talked him out of millions
From TMZ: Michael Jackson’s Estate is going after Tohme Tohme, MJ’s former manager, claiming he fleeced the singer out of millions of dollars.
TMZ has obtained legal docs filed by the Estate, claiming Tohme got Michael to sign agreements that earned him a fortune for doing nothing.
According to the papers, Estate attorney Howard Weitzman claims Tohme got MJ to agree to pay him $35,000 a month plus expenses as a flat fee — regardless of what work Tohme performed. On top of that, Tohme inked a deal that gave him 15% of any money Michael made.
And there’s more …Tohme introduced Michael to a lender that refinanced Neverland. In return, Tohme got Jackson to pay him $2.4 million — just for the introduction. And Tohme got MJ to promise him 10% of any profits if the Ranch was sold.
Tohme also got MJ to agree to pay him $100,000 a month for the “This Is It” tour.
Estate lawyers are anticipating a lawsuit by Tohme against the estate for the money he claims he’s owed, and the Estate wants to shut him down before a suit is filed.
The Estate is also asking for damages.
Jackson fired Tohme 3 months before he died.
NYC: “My Tawny Valentine” starring David Drake opens tonight!
Obie Award-winning playwright/performer David Drake (The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me) returns to the New York stage in the premiere of My Tawny Valentine, which begins a limited run tonight – Feb. 17 – at The Laurie Beechman Theatre.
Written by and starring Drake, this drag tragicomedy with music is directed by Robert La Fosse (Tony Award nominee for Jerome Robbins’ Broadway).
My Tawny Valentine, according to press notes, “marks the unheralded return of Tawny Heatherton, a lovably eccentric showbiz survivor and ‘one hit wonder’ of the disco zeitgeist of the early 1980s. Tawny brings her singular blonde-swept brand of sunny, funny optimism while recalling stories of wandering the globe performing her disco ‘hit,’ her headline-grabbing turn as the unwitting ‘Pyro Girl of Long Island,’ her short-lived stint as a ‘Hee-Haw Honey,’ and reuniting with her long-lost aunt Joey Heatherton at the Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino.”
Drake starred in Vampire Lesbians of Sodom (succeeding Charles Busch for 856 performances), originated the role of Miss Deep South in the hit Pageant, and co-starred with Jim J. Bullock in End of the World Party at the 47th St. Theater, and with B.D. Wong in A Language of Their Own at The Public. As a stage director, Drake has twice been a Directing Fellow at the Sundance Theater Lab, and has directed new works at The Public’s Under the Radar Festival, Joe’s Pub and Rattlestick, among others. Most recently in New York, he was a director of the 2009 world premiere of Taylor Mac’s The Lily’s Revenge.
David is brilliant in creating unforgettable characters. Make sure you see “My Tawny Valentine“! Due to popular demand additional shows have already been added.
Show times are Feb. 17, 23 and 24 and March 1-2 at 7:30 PM.
The Laurie Beechman Theater is located inside West Bank Cafe at 407 West 42nd Street. Tickets are $20 plus a $15 food/drink minimum. To purchase tickets, call (212) 352-3101 or visit www.SpinCycleNYC.com.
Here’s just a “taste of Tawny” – who finds the light everywhere she goes…
Apple fans – new OS coming – Mountain Lion
New procedure: “fat freezing” with no operating room time
There’s a new procedure that boasts it can kill fat cells for good, no surgery needed.
If getting rid of that problem area by changing your diet or hitting the gym five days a week isn’t working, you may be able to freeze it off, without setting foot into an operating room.
“It’s pretty amazing,” explained Dr. Samuel Sohn, a plastic surgeon.
The procedure is called coolsculpting and Dr. Sohn is one of a handful of plastic surgeons in the Las Vegas valley performing it.
Here’s how it works: a patient’s problem area is marked, a gel is put over it, and an applicator suctions the skin and fat.
Crystals form in the fat cells causing them to burst. About an hour later, patients go home with no recovery time needed.
“Typically with each treatment you would expect that an individual would have between 20% – 25% fat reduction per treatment,” said Dr. Sohn.
Dr. Sohn has been offering coolsculpting at his Henderson office for about six months. He says patients see results in about three weeks. It’s because of that time frame that he says the demand is increasing nationwide.
“It just smooths everything out and really finishes off all the hard work you’re doing,” said Ellen.
Coolsculpting costs anywhere from $500 to $2,000. The procedure was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration last year.
As far as side effects, Dr. Sohn says some patients can experience redness and mild numbing in the treated areas. As with any procedure, everyone reacts differently so you just need to consult with your doctor.
Gloria Estefan “Hotel Nacional” featuring Susan Lucci
Gloria Estefan’s new video “Hotel Nacional” is a tribute to cult film favorites such as “Rocky Horror Picture” “The Birdcage” “Some Like It Hot” and many more… It also features special guest Susan Lucci.