Category: Uncategorized

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Connecticut Lawmakers Approve Ban On “Ex-Gay” Therapy

Connecticut is set to ban so-called “ex-gay” therapy after the state Senate unanimously approved legislation today. Having passed by an overwhelming margin last week in the state House, the bill now heads to the Governor’s desk for his signature.

Via press release from Connecticut Equality:

The Connecticut Senate voted unanimously today to pass HB 6695, AAC The Protection of Youth from Conversion Therapy 36-0, with bipartisan support. Sponsored by Senator Beth Bye and Representative Jeff Currey, the bill has 100 co-sponsors and was approved in the House by an overwhelming margin last week.

“We are delighted with today’s vote, and grateful that the Senate, with strong support on both sides of the aisle, moved so quickly to protect Connecticut youth from the devastating consequences of so-called conversion therapy,” said Jennifer L. Levi, Transgender Rights Project Director for GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD). “This legislation will make Connecticut a safer and more welcoming place for LGBTQ youth.”

State and national medical, mental health, and child welfare organizations all oppose the practice of conversion therapy, a practice which seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Extensive professional literature shows the practice to be both ineffective in changing sexual orientation or gender identity and harmful to youth. Young people who have been subjected to conversion therapy are at increased risk of depression, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts, and illegal drug use.

Under the bill’s provisions, any licensed health professional who practices conversion therapy would be subject to discipline by the Department of Public Health up to and including the loss of their professional license.

Connecticut joins California, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington DC in banning the torturous practice.

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New Music: Steps “Neon Blue”

So, this is kind of a #ThrowBackThursday post if you happen to love 90s dance/pop music.

The UK music group Steps formed in 1997, and over 4 years had two #1 singles, two #1 albums and 14 consecutive top 5 singles in the UK and a string of hits throughout Europe. To date, the group has sold over 20 million records worldwide

The name of the group came from a marketing idea that each single would feature a choreographed music video with the steps printed inside the single.

Nostalgia seems to run in 20 year cycles, so it would seem like the right time for Steps to release a new album, Tears on the Dancefloor, and hit the road for a 22 city tour. And that’s exactly what they’ve done.

Check out the perfectly 90s pop tune, “Neon Blue,” below.

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Short Film: “The Curse Of The Un-Kissable Kid”

Director Mark Marchillo spins a totally charming tale of Joshua, a 14-year-old teen who’s coping with bullying and his own sexuality.

One day, Joshua meets a psychic at a local carnival who gifts him with a magic potion guaranteed to help him make more friends.

BUT – there’s always a “but,” right? – after he drinks the potion, it’s revealed that unless he’s able to experience a true love’s kiss within 24 hours, he will disappear.

Who thought up that kind of “help?”

He and bestie Caitlyn immediately set out to find the perfect love, but to no avail.

Finally, they set up a kissing booth, maybe bigger numbers will set the odds in Joshua’s favor!

And along comes Caitlyn’s neighbor, Harry, and that’s when the real magic sets in.

Young love, kissing AND musical numbers!

Watch below.

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Quinnipiac Poll: 58% Of Registered Voters Disapprove Of Trump Job Performance

A new poll from Quinnipiac University shows President Trump’s approval number trending further down, losing support from white voters with no college degree, as well as indie voters and white male voters.

The president is losing support among independent voters and groups which are important parts of his base. Approval ratings are:

• Negative 29 – 63 percent among independent voters, down from a negative 38 – 56 percent April 19

• A split among white voters with no college degree, as 47 percent approve and 46 percent disapprove, compared to a 57 – 38 percent approval April 19

• White men go from a 53 – 41 percent approval April 19 to a split today with 48 percent approving and 46 percent disapproving.

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Patti LuPone Calls Madonna “A Movie Killer”

Patti LuPone

Two-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone isn’t shy about sharing her thoughts on Madonna’s acting skills calling her a “movie killer” after Andy Cohen asks her what she thought of the Madonna’s performance in the film adaptation of Evita.

“I was on the treadmill when MTV used to have videos, and I saw ’Buenos Aires,’ and I thought it was a piece of sh*t. Madonna is a movie killer. She’s dead behind the eyes. She cannot act her way out of a paper bag. She should not be in film or onstage. She’s a wonderful performer for what she does, but she is not an actress.”

As Broadway fans know, LuPone was the original Broadway star of Evita, winning the first of her two Tony Awards for her star turn as “Eva Perón.”

She won a second Tony Award for her role as “Mama Rose” in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy.

Watch the dish below.

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Comey Requested More Funds And Resources For Russian Probe Just Days Before Firing

Former FBI Director James Comey

According to reports, former FBI Director James Comey requested additional resources for the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election from the man who would advise in favor of his termination just days before being fired.

Via The New York Times:

Days before he was fired, James B. Comey, the former F.B.I. director, asked the Justice Department for a significant increase in resources for the bureau’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the presidential election, according to three congressional officials who were briefed on his request.

Mr. Comey asked for the resources last week from Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, who also wrote the Justice Department’s memo that was used to justify the firing of Mr. Comey this week, the officials said.

Mr. Comey then briefed members of Congress on the meeting in recent days, telling them about his meeting with Mr. Rosenstein, who is the most senior law enforcement official supervising the Russia investigation. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself because of his close ties to the Trump campaign and his undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador.

The timing of Mr. Comey’s request is not clear-cut evidence that his firing was related to the Russia investigation. But it is certain to fuel bipartisan criticism that President Trump appeared to be meddling in an investigation that had the potential to damage his presidency.

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Behind The Scenes Of Comey Ouster: Trump Enraged Over Russia Investigation

President Donald Trump

Excellent behind-the-scenes reporting by Politico on the firing of FBI Director James Comey.

President Donald Trump weighed firing his FBI director for more than a week. When he finally pulled the trigger Tuesday afternoon, he didn’t call James Comey. He sent his longtime private security guard to deliver the termination letter in a manila folder to FBI headquarters.

He had grown enraged by the Russia investigation, two advisers said, frustrated by his inability to control the mushrooming narrative around Russia. He repeatedly asked aides why the Russia investigation wouldn’t disappear and demanded they speak out for him. He would sometimes scream at television clips about the probe, one adviser said.

Trump’s firing of the high-profile FBI director on the 110th day since the president took office marked another sudden turn for an administration that has fired its acting attorney general, national security adviser and now its FBI director, whom Trump had praised until recent weeks and had even blew a kiss to during a January appearance.

The article goes on to say Comey found out he was fired from watching TV reports while in the LA offices of the FBI.

This is only the second time in the history of the U.S. that an FBI director has been fired and Trump couldn’t even bother to call or meet with Comey.

Trump was apparently surprised by the backlash last night as the news unfolded.

Officials in the White House told Politico that the assumption was everyone had a problem with Comey, Democrats and Republicans alike.

What Trump doesn’t seem to understand is: he has now fired the man investigated his campaign and associates for connections to Russia. How Nixonian can you get?

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Russian Diplomat Mocks Comey Firing: “Was He Fired? You Are Kidding!”

As Washington, D.C. is still reeling from the firing of FBI Director James Comey, you have to know the Russians must be tickled pink.

I’m certain it’s just coincidence that Russia’s top diplomat just happened to be visiting the State Department today.

As Secretary of State Rex Tillerson introduced Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, a reporter asked whether the firing of the FBI Director would “cast a shadow” over the diplomatic talks.

With mock surprise, Lavrov responded, “Was he fired? You are kidding, you are kidding,” then smiled as he turned to leave the room.

I wonder when Putin told President Trump to fire Comey…?

Watch below.

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Kellyanne Conway: “You Always Want To Talk About Russia, Russia, Russia!”

Kellyanne Conway gets more air-time today with CNN’s Chris Cuomo in a 19 minute segment wherein she turns in her own “Jan Brady” performance arguing that “you always want to talk about Russia, Russia, Russia!”

Knowing that Trump watches cable news voraciously, and he must love seeing someone defend him so strenuously.

Watch the performance art by Conway below.

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BREAKING: President Trump Fires FBI Director James Comey

Click to enlarge

Whoa.

President Trump has fired FBI Director James Comey just days after Comey testified on Capitol Hill about the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s election interference and connections between Russia and Trump’s campaign.

The firing comes at the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. See Sessions’ letter below,  along with Trump letter of termination to Comey.

It is odd that (but not un-Trumpian), in his letter to Comey, Trump co-mingles statements of “not being investigated” in the same sentence he fires the man leading that investigation. He wrote that for the masses, not Comey.

Every time someone gets close to Trump and Trump adviser’s ties to Russia, the president does something like this.

Rather Nixonian, no?

I wonder if Trump thinks this will end investigations into Russian ties…?