Pretty amazing.
I can’t even solve one Rubiks cube…
Rock on.
(via AmericaBlog)
Delaware: State House approves bill to legalize marriage equality
The Delaware state House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a bill to legalize same-sex marriage by a vote of 23-18.
The measure, introduced less than two weeks ago, and a little more than a year after Delaware first began recognizing same-sex civil unions, was approved by a vote of 23-18 and now heads to the state Senate.
Democratic Gov. Jack Markell has promised to sign the bill if it passes the Democrat-controlled General Assembly.
Rhode Island: Senate panel approves marriage equality, bill moves to full Senate tomorrow
The Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee voted 7-4 today to pass a marriage equality bill.
The Senate bill would allow gay weddings in Rhode Island beginning on Aug. 1.
The full chamber of 38 senators will vote on the same-sex marriage bill Wednesday during a session at 4pm.
Democrats hold a 32-5 majority in the Senate, although three of the party’s leaders – Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed of Newport, Majority Leader Ruggerio and Judiciary Committee Chairman McCaffrey of Warwick – are all opposed to gay marriage.
By contrast, the Senate’s five-member Republican caucus announced their unanimous support for the same-sex marriage legislation earlier Tuesday. The top Republican in the lower chamber, House Minority Leader Brian Newberry, also voted in favor of same-sex marriage in January.
(via WPRI)
AP Twitter account hacked with fake “White House bomb” tweet
A fake tweet from the account of the Associated Press sent stocks tumbling more than 140 points within minutes, erasing all of the day’s gains and then some, before bouncing back just as rapidly.
The erroneous tweet, which was posted around 1:07 p.m. ET, said “BREAKING: Two Explosions in the White House and Barack Obama is injured.” The tweet was up for a few minutes before AP’s account was suspended, and presumably seen by many of AP’s nearly 2 million followers. The tweet was also retweeted by almost 1,500 other Twitter users.
By 1:10 p.m. ET, the Dow was down almost 13 points, or 0.1% on the day. Just prior to the tweet, the blue-chip index had been up about 0.9% for the day. Stocks fully recovered from the plunge a few minutes after hitting the low of the day, as investors realized the tweet had been made by a hacker and was not true. You can see the affect of the tweet in the screen capture of today’s stock activity below.
(via CNN Money)
Employment Non-Discrimination Act to be reintroduced in US House Thursday
According to the Washington Blade, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act is set to be reintroduced this Thursday:
The Senate version of the bill will have five original sponsors: Merkley and lesbian Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) will be two Democrats, Sens. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) will be two Republicans and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) will round out the quintet.
The number of original co-sponsors in the House remains to be seen. Conchita Cruz, a Polis spokesperson, said many House members have told her boss “they want to make sure that they are included” as original co-sponsors.
The bill will be reintroduced in the House by Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), the most senior openly gay member of the chamber, who’s taking over the legislation now that former Rep. Barney Frank has retired. In the Senate, the legislation will be reintroduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). The lawmakers’ offices confirmed they would introduce ENDA concurrently on Thursday.
Read more at the Washington Blade.
Rhode Island: GOP Senate caucus announces support for marriage equality
As the Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee gets ready to consider a marriage equality bill today, we get word from Towleroad that the state Senate Republican caucus has announced it’s support for the bill.
From Rhode Island United for Marriage:
It’s a big day in Rhode Island, and we’re excited to kick it off with some really exciting news for our campaign! This morning, the Senate Republican Caucus – including Senators Dennis Algiere, David Bates, Dawson Hodgson, Nicholas Kettle, Chris Ottiano – released a statement announcing unanimous support for S38, the bill that will extend marriage to loving same-sex couples:
We support Senate Bill 38 because it rightfully extends the civil aspects of marriage to all Rhode Islanders while protecting the freedom of religion our state was founded upon. Gay and lesbian couples deserve to be treated equally under the law, and at the same time churches, synagogues and mosques in our state must be free to exercise their faith and their sacraments as they see fit. This bill strikes the right balance and should be passed by the Senate.
Said RI4M campaign director Ray Sullivan:
“We are proud and humbled to have earned the support of the entire Senate Republican caucus for Senator Nesselbush’s legislation. We applaud their courage and their conviction in standing up for all loving, committed couples and their freedom to marry. That this is the first legislative caucus of either party to unanimously support marriage equality is a testament to the bravery and strength of character of these five senators. We thank them for their support, and look forward to their voting in favor of S38.”
(via Towleroad)
France becomes the 14th nation to legalize marriage equality!
By a vote of 331 to 225, the French Parliament has given its final approval of marriage equality. It was the final hurdle for same-sex marriage in the country, officially making France the 14th country in the world to offer equality to LGBT couples.
France joins New Zealand, Uruguay, The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, and Denmark as the 14th nation to offer its citizens nationwide marriage equality.
Happy Dance!!!
Forward, kids.
Super Bowl champ & LGBT ally Scott Fujita retires from NFL
NFL linebacker, Super Bowl champ and LGBT ally Scott Fujita, who has been speaking out since 2009 for marriage equality formally retired from football yesterday, making the announcement with photos from Peru he posted to Twitter.
From ESPN:
Linebacker Scott Fujita signed a one-day contract with the New Orleans Saints on Monday and then announced his retirement after 11 seasons in the NFL. Fujita signed his contract in Machu Picchu, which is located in the Andes Mountains in Peru. He’s there with former Saints teammate Steve Gleason, who is battling Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
In a statement from the team, Fujita said he couldn’t think of a better place to be to announce his retirement.
“What better place to reach the end of the road than here at 10,000 feet above sea level, in the Peruvian Andes overlooking Machu Picchu with my dear friend Steve Gleason?”
Earlier this year, Fujita said in the New York Times:
I support marriage equality for so many reasons: my father’s experience in an internment camp and the racial intolerance his family experienced during and after the war, the gay friends I have who are really not all that different from me, and also because of a story I read a few years back about a woman who was denied the right to visit her partner of 15 years when she was stuck in a hospital bed…
…Believe it or not, conversations about issues like gay marriage take place in locker rooms every day. In many respects, the football locker room is a microcosm of society. While there is certainly an element of bravado in our sport, football players are not the meatheads many think we are. For some of my friends who raise personal objections to marriage equality, they still recognize the importance of being accepting. And many of them also recognize that regardless of what they choose to believe or practice at home or at their church, that doesn’t give them the right to discriminate.
(via Towleroad)
Nevada: Bill to repeal marriage equality ban passes in state Senate
A bill repealing the state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage passed the Nevada Senate Monday by a vote of 12-9.
Senate Joint Resolution 13 repeals the constitutional amendment enacted by voters in 2002.
From Buzzfeed:
Sen. Kelvin Atkinson declared on the floor during the debate, “I am a black, gay male.” Because he was speaking about his sexual orientation publicly for the first time Monday night, he said he had heard negative comments about the marriage amendment repeal from others prior to the vote. But, he said, “People should mind their business and allow people to do what they want to do.”
Sen. Patricia Spearman (D), openly gay freshmen senator was the first to speak, saying “This is a vote to let the people vote for equality.”
Sen. David Parks (D) who is also openly gay, urged the passage saying the daily lives of heterosexuals would go on, but the passage of SJR13 would dramatically change the way he and his friends live.
Along the lines of equality, Sen. Aaron Ford (D) stood up to say his heart was pounding, and he compared this issue to the debate over interracial marriage.
“I…urge you to support the notion of equality,” he said. “That which denied me, and people who look like me, the opportunity to marry whomever we wanted to based on some arbitrary definition of what it’s suppose to be about.”
Sen. Ford is one of a few black members of the Nevada Legislature.
Sen. Justin Jones (D), said he couldn’t look a gay family member in the eye if he voted against SJR13’s passage.
One argument from the opposition – the voters have already decided to ban gay marriage eleven years ago. But many spoke saying, public support of the ban is wavering.
“This country is changing. Nevada is changing. And we must change with Nevada,” Sen.Ruben Kihuen said.
Senator Ben Kieckhfer was the lone Republican to vote in favor of passing the resolution.
SJR 13 is now on its way to the Assembly. If passed by lawmakers this year and in 2015, it would go to voters in 2016 who will ultimately make the final decision.
(source)
Trailer: “Thor 2: The Dark World”
In theaters November 8, 2013.