Category: Uncategorized

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History Made As LGBT Group Marches Behind Their Own Banner In NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade

For the first time in the 255 year history of the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade, LGBTs were allowed to walk in the parade behind their own banner.

NBC New York reports:

For years, organizers said gay people could participate but couldn’t carry signs or buttons celebrating their sexual identities. Organizers said they didn’t want to divert focus from honoring Irish heritage.

Mayor de Blasio marched with the Lavender and Green Alliance, marking the first time he had participated in the festivities as mayor. He boycotted the parade his first two years in office because the march excluded gay and lesbian advocacy groups.

“Today everyone is celebrating together,” de Blasio said. “The city is at peace and unified.”

Gov. Cuomo and the entire New York City Council also joined in the parade and were watched by more than 2 million spectators who lined Fifth Avenue from St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Midtown to the 79th Street Transverse in Central Park.

Included in the festivities were DOMA plaintiff Edith Windsor and Irish activist Brendan Fay.

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Trailer: “Kings, Queens, & In-Betweens: A Documentary on Gender, Identity, & Drag”

Five years in the making, Kings, Queens, & In-Betweens – addressing issues of identity in sexual orientation and gender – will debut at the Cleveland International Film Festival on April 2nd and 3rd.

Via press release:

KINGS, QUEENS, & IN-BETWEENS is a documentary about gender through the lens of drag, featuring the compelling stories of 8 performers from Columbus, Ohio — “the crown jewel of drag in the Midwest.”

KQIB peels back the layers of identity through the art form of drag and shines a light on the distinctions between gender, sex, and sexuality. Through humor and poignancy, KQIB makes a complex subject approachable for mainstream audiences.

As a pre-festival reviewer wrote: “In this fab documentary…Gender is the New Frontier, and here are the pioneers who are defining, redrawing, and crossing those borders. Call them what you will (and they do not give a damn what that is), they are two things for certain: they are Strong and they are Fabulous. KINGS, QUEENS & IN-BETWEENS will introduce you to your new heroes.”

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Congressman Matt Cartwright Eviscerates Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder Over Flint Water Debacle

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder had his butt handed to him today while testifying before the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on the Flint water debacle that has left thousands with lead poisoning.

Check this one heated exchange via The Detroit News:

“I’ve had about enough of your false contrition and your phony apologies,” Rep. Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania told the governor.

“Plausible deniability only works when it’s plausible, and I’m not buying any of this that you didn’t know until October 2015,” Cartwright said. “You were not in a medically induced coma for a year.”

“People who put dollars over the fundamental safety of people do not belong in government, and you need to resign, too, Mr. Governor,” Cartwright said.

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Congressman Matt Cartwright: “Governor Snyder, plausible deniability only works if it’s plausible.” He goes on to say, “You need to resign, too.” Watch the complete Flint Water Crisis hearing here: http://cs.pn/1MnmC3z
Posted by C-SPAN on Thursday, March 17, 2016

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New Trailer: “X-Men: Apocalypse”

Excuse me while I geek out a bit.

Squee!!!

Clip description:

Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshipped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible.

Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign.

As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) with the help of Professor X (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.

In Theaters – May 27, 2016

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Donald Trump: “I Think You’d Have Riots” If I’m Not The Nominee

Republican front-runner Donald Trump, speaking to CNN’s Chris Cuomo, threatened the possibility of “riots” at the GOP convention this summer should he be denied his party’s nomination:

“I think we’ll win before getting to the convention, but I can tell you, if we didn’t and if we’re 20 votes short or if we’re 100 short and we’re at 1,100 and somebody else is at 500 or 400, because we’re way ahead of everybody, I don’t think you can say that we don’t get it automatically.

“I think it would be — I think you’d have riots. I think you’d have riots. I’m representing a tremendous, many, many millions of people.”

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Marco Rubio Gets Applause For Returning To His Job

After ending his presidential campaign Tuesday night, Sen. Marco Rubio returned to the U.S. Senate today.

His staff greeted him with applause as he made his way to his office.

Having missed 34 of 37 roll call votes in the Senate this year, you have to wonder if he remembered how to find his own office.

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The Economist Ranks A Trump Presidency As A Top Risk To Global Stability

For all those folks who think the United States would be better off economically with Donald Trump in the White House, think again.

The Economist’s Intelligence Unit ranks the idea of a Trump presidency as one of the ten worst risks to financial stability in the world.

From the BBC:

Donald Trump winning the US presidency is considered one of the top 10 risks facing the world, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. The research firm warns he could disrupt the global economy and heighten political and security risks in the US.

However, it does not expect Mr Trump to defeat Hillary Clinton who it sees as “his most likely Democratic contender”. He is rated as riskier than Britain leaving the European Union or an armed clash in the South China Sea.

China encountering a “hard landing” or sharp economic slowdown and Russia’s interventions in Ukraine and Syria preceding a new “cold war” are among the events seen as more dangerous.

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SeaWorld Announces End Of Killer Whale Breeding Program & Theatrical Shows

NPR is reporting that SeaWorld will soon end it’s practice of breeding killer whales in captivity, and instead shift focus to rescue operations.

SeaWorld’s treatment of its killer whales, or orcas, was put in the spotlight three years ago by Blackfish, a documentary that examined the death of SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau, who was killed by an orca named Tilikum. Since then, in a steady campaign on social media, critics have demanded SeaWorld end its orca breeding program.

In an agreement with the Humane Society of the United States, SeaWorld says it now will do so. In a news release, HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle said, “Today’s announcement signals that the era of captive display of orcas will end.”

SeaWorld President and CEO Joel Manby said in the same news release, “As one of the largest rescue organizations in the world, we will increase our focus on rescue operations — so that the thousands of stranded marine mammals like dolphins and sea lions that cannot be released back to the wild will have a place to go.”

In addition to ending the breeding programs, SeaWorld will end the live theatrical orca shows at its San Diego park in 2017, and the San Antonio and Orlando parks will end the shows by 2019.

(h/t JMG)