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Trump To Nominate 4th Mar-A-Lago Club Member To Ambassadorship

In yet another example of government positions being for sale in the Trump administration, the Palm Beach Post is reporting that Donald Trump will soon nominate handbag designer Lana Marks, a Mar-a-Lago Club member, to become the U.S. ambassador to South Africa.
Donald Trump

In yet another example of government positions being for sale in the Trump administration, the Palm Beach Post is reporting that Donald Trump will soon nominate high-end handbag designer Lana Marks, a Mar-a-Lago Club member, to become the U.S. ambassador to South Africa.

Marks would become the 4th Mar-a-Lago Club member to be given an ambassadorship.

From The Palm Beach Post:

The potential nomination of yet another Mar-a-Lago member to a top post in the administration may again raise questions about whether Trump is doling out favors to those who can afford Mar-a-Lago’s $200,000 membership fee, annual dues of $14,000 and a $2,000 minimum dining requirement.

In more than a dozen past lawsuits against her in Aspen, New York, California and South Florida, Marks has repeatedly been accused of stiffing her attorneys, accountants, landlords and employees. She is also embroiled in bitter, international legal battles in South Africa and Israel with her siblings over a family trust and the care for their 89-year-old mother.

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Donald Trump Shifts Tone On Saudi Arabia’s ‘Explanation’ Of Journalist’s Death

Donald Trump

After days and days of defending the Saudi Arabian government, Donald Trump is finally shifting his position (in the face of mounting evidence) regarding the Saudi’s story regarding the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggie.

Frpm The Washington Post:

President Trump retreated late Saturday from his stance that Saudi Arabia’s story about the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside their Turkish consulate was credible but still gave a strong vote of confidence to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, arguing the United States’ relationship with the kingdom is key to his administration’s policy objectives in the Middle East.

“Obviously there’s been deception and there’s been lies,” Trump said in an interview with The Washington Post when pressed on the many discrepancies in the changing accounts from the Saudis. “Their stories are all over the place.”

He did not call for the ouster of Mohammed and instead praised his leadership, calling the prince “a strong person, he has very good control.” During the 20-minute interview, Trump repeatedly talked about the importance of the economic ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia and Mohammed’s role in that relationship.

During an appearance on Fox News this morning, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said that he does not believe Saudi Arabia’s explanation that Khashoggi died in a fist fight gone wrong at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

“There’s no way 15 people were sent to Turkey to kill a dissident without the approval of the crown Prince,” Paul said, referencing the fifteen Saudis reportedly involved in Khashoggi’s death.

“I think we really need to discontinue our arms sales to Saudi Arabia and have a long and serious discussion about whether or not they want to be an ally or they want to be an enemy,” added Paul.

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Trump Administration Proposes Defining Transgender People Out Of Existence

The Trump/Pence administration continues it’s assault on the LGBTQ community as the Department of Health and Human Services proposes a new, extremely narrow definition of ‘sex’ that would virtually erase the existence of 1.4 million transgender Americans.

The move would exclude transgender people from federal non-discrimination protections.

From The New York Times:

The Trump administration is considering narrowly defining gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth, the most drastic move yet in a government-wide effort to roll back recognition and protections of transgender people under federal civil rights law.

A series of decisions by the Obama administration loosened the legal concept of gender in federal programs, including in education and health care, recognizing gender largely as an individual’s choice and not determined by the sex assigned at birth. Conservatives, especially evangelical Christians, were incensed.

Now the Department of Health and Human Services is spearheading an effort to establish a legal definition of sex under Title IX, the federal civil rights law that bans gender discrimination in education programs that receive government financial assistance, according to a memo obtained by The New York Times. The agency’s proposed definition would define sex as either male or female, unchangeable, and determined by the genitals that a person is born with, according to a draft reviewed by The Times.

According to reports, the HHS Department is also trying to persuade the Departments of Education, Justice and Labor to adopt the policy in an effort to provide a more unified front in the certain-to-be-filed lawsuits.

The Human Rights Campaign quickly issued a statement denouncing the proposal.

“Setting a destructive precedent, the Trump-Pence administration intends to erase LGBTQ people from federal civil rights protections and eviscerate enforcement of non-discrimination laws,” said HRC President Chad Griffin.

“Defining ‘sex’ in this narrow language tailored to the talking points of anti-equality extremists is part of a deliberate strategy to eliminate federal protections for LGBTQ people,” added Griffin. “This is a direct attack on the fundamental equality of LGBTQ people and, if this administration refuses to reverse course, Congress must immediately take action by advancing the Equality Act to ensure that LGBTQ people are explicitly protected by our nation’s civil rights laws.”

The HRC suggests the administration’s policy change could have drastic consequences for LGBTQ people across the federal government. For example:

• Same-sex couples and their families could be turned away from emergency shelters
• A transgender person could have their insurance deny them coverage for transition related care
• A gay man could be harassed about being gay at a job skills training
• An elderly same-sex couple could be denied in home meal service
• A transgender woman could be turned away from a hospital for a broken ankle

The answer to all of this would be the passage of The Equality Act which adds clear, comprehensive non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people to our nation’s civil rights laws.

The legislation has 246 cosponsors in Congress, and 117 major corporations have announced their support.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who could become the Speaker of the House after the midterm elections, has publicly stated she feels the passage of The Equality Act would be a high priority and one that is very personal to her.

LGBTQ discrimination is a real and persistent problem in the U.S.

Polling by the Human Rights Campaign has found that nearly two-thirds of self-identified LGBTQ Americans report experiencing discrimination.

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Trump Informs Twitter “I Will Always Capitalize The Word Country!” (Except When He Doesn’t)

Out of the blue, Donald Trump informed the Twitterverse yesterday that he “always” capitalizes the word “Country.”
Donald Trump

Out of the blue, Donald Trump informed the Twitterverse yesterday that he “always” capitalizes the word “Country.”

Except, he doesn’t.

Clearly, the stage was primed and ready for the citizens of Twitter to respond:

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InstaHunk Round-Up: Weekend Edition

Ryan Worley of the Chippendales

Happy Saturday, you shiny happy people!

I hope everyone has time to kick back and chill a bit on this fine fall weekend.

Even though Autumn is my favorite season, hubby Michael and I are out in Palm Springs (for our 24th anniversary celebration) trying to squeeze just one more summer weather weekend out of the year.

But my friend Ryan Worley, of the world famous Chippendales, found a perfectly autumnal looking place to snap a quick pic (above).

Have a great weekend everyone! Here’s a little more eye-candy from my fave InstaHunks.

A post shared by Eliad Cohen (@eliad_cohen) on Oct 20, 2018 at 8:18am PDT

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CNN’s Chris Cuomo Calls Out Montana Congressman: “Come Body Slam Me – I Welcome It”

CNN host Chris Cuomo (and his biceps)

I write a lot about bullying, especially in regard to LGBT bullying that still happens are too frequently.

Sadly, we’re currently living in a time where some public figures, even some of our leaders, show respect for bullies.

Whether its dictators like Russian President Vladimir Putin or North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, Donald Trump seems to revere them even though they’re famous for demeaning and diminishing those they see as beneath them.

This week, that dynamic was put on display yet again while Trump campaigned in Montana.

During the appearance, the Trumpster praised Montana’s only congressman, Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte, for “body slamming” a reporter, Ben Jacobs of The Guardian, last year for asking a question he didn’t like about healthcare.

“Any guy that can do a body slam, he is my type!” Trump said as the crowd cheered.

For his actions, Gianforte eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of assault in June 2017 for his attack on Jacobs. He was sentenced to a 180-day deferred sentence, 40 hours of community service, 20 hours of anger management and a $300 fine along with an $85 court fee.

Hunky CNN host Chris Cuomo called out Trump and Gianforte last night on his evening show, Cuomo Primetime.

“There is no question about what he did being wrong and illegal,” said Cuomo said of Gianforte’s bodyslam. “But the president celebrated him at a rally. Why does Trump praise bullies? Time and again, he celebrates punks who go after the little guy,” he continued.

“Everything Gianforte did is weak, okay?” Cuomo continued. “He attacked someone who wasn’t a threat, was at every disadvantage, Gianforte showed no control, no confidence, no respect for his office or his constituents or for the law. He is weak. And if he doesn’t like it, he can come body slam me as well. I welcome it.”

By the way, in case you hadn’t noticed Cuomo is totally jacked. Don’t expect Gianforte to show up at Cuomo’s door anytime soon.

Cuomo contrasted Trump and Gianforte with LeBron James, who during a recent basketball game was overheard telling his teammates, “Anytime you fall, your brother will come pick you up.”

Because that’s what true leaders do. Someone falls, you lift them up.

“Crazy and sad days when the lessons we teach our kids – ‘don’t be a bully;’ ‘strength isn’t knocking down, it’s lifting up’ – now those lessons must also be directed at our president,” said Cuomo as he closed the segment.

These are crazy times. But fortunately, there are lots of people (like Cuomo) who aren’t afraid to call bullies out for their weakness.

As the internet meme goes: “This is Chris. Chris doesn’t tolerate bullies. Be like Chris.”

And while I’m on the subject, let’s admire Cuomo not only for his positive message, but for his positively buffed biceps.

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Houston Chronicle Endorses Democrat Rep. Beto O’Rourke Over Sen. Ted Cruz

Sen. Ted Cruz (L) and Rep. Beto O’Rourke (R)

The editorial board of the Houston Chronicle, the hometown newspaper of Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, has endorsed his Democratic opponent, Rep. Beto O’Rourke.

With eyes clear but certainly not starry, we enthusiastically endorse Beto O’Rourke for U.S. Senate. The West Texas congressman’s command of issues that matter to this state, his unaffected eloquence and his eagerness to reach out to all Texans make him one of the most impressive candidates this editorial board has encountered in many years.

Despite the long odds he faces – pollster nonpareil Nate Silver gives O’Rourke a 20 percent chance of winning – a “Beto” victory would be good for Texas, not only because of his skills, both personal and political, but also because of the manifest inadequacies of the man he would replace.

Ted Cruz — a candidate the Chronicle endorsed in 2012, by the way — is the junior senator from Texas in name only. Exhibiting little interest in addressing the needs of his fellow Texans during his six years in office, he has kept his eyes on a higher prize.

He’s been running for president since he took the oath of office — more likely since he picked up his class schedule as a 15-year-old ninth-grader at Houston’s Second Baptist High School more than three decades ago. For Cruz, public office is a private quest; the needs of his constituents are secondary.

RealClearPolitics’ average of polls shows Cruz ahead of O’Rourke by 7 points.

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Florida Judge Dismisses Charges In Phony Police Sex Sting

In August, I reported on a police sting operation that resulted in the arrests of 13 men having consensual sex in a private area of the Pleasure Emporium Adult Boutique in Hollywood, South Florida.

Now, Judge Ginger Lerner Wren has dismissed all the charges against two of the defendants.

At the time of the arrests, police officers had gone to the trouble of paying $25 to enter locked, private rooms at the back of the Pleasure Emporium in South Florida where men were masturbating and engaging in oral sex.

The state had argued that an unsuspecting patron of Pleasure Emporium could accidentally observe the sexual activity.

But the judge disagreed.

“The Court finds that the Pleasure Emporium is not a public place under F.S. 800.03 where the patrons who access the private viewing theaters where consensual sexual activity occurs in the presence of other consenting adults objectively and subjectively possess a reasonable expectation of privacy,” Judge Wren wrote in her ruling.

Following the raid, the police department released the names and photos of those arrested to the media. Several major media outlets published that information which, in effect, outed some of them to their coworkers and families.

One man was apparently fired from his job due to the public outings.

Rhonda F. Gelfman, a lawyer who represented one of the defendants, told South Florida Gay News, “We are quite pleased with the court ruling, and justice was appropriately served,”

Unfortunately, some of the other defendants have already pleaded guilty to their charges.

Gelfman said that while it might be difficult to get their guilty pleas thrown out, “We may be able to assist them.”

Meanwhile, the Sun-Sentinel reports that while the Hollywood Police Department is spending it’s time busting gay men for consensual sex, the HPD is none too worked up about investigating actual sex crimes.

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Britney Spears Announces New Las Vegas Residency

Chippendales’ Chaz Vorrias and Jon Howes escort Britney Spears to The Park MGM
(photo: Denise Truscello)

Las Vegas loves Britney, and Britney loves Sin City right back.

Last night, on the Las Vegas Strip, Britney Spears took part in an elaborate announcement event to share the news she’s returning to ‘the Entertainment Capital of the World’ with a new residency, titled Britney: Domination.

The new concerts will take place at the Park MGM’s Park Theater beginning in February, and will run through August.

Tickets go on sale on October 26th. For info, head over to ParkTheaterLV.com.

The announcement, live-streamed via Ellen DeGeneres’ YouTube channel, featured a huge build-up with video screens on trucks driving up and down the Strip, a massive light show and Britney music videos being projected on the side of the Park MGM resort.

Watch the live-stream below.

“I am so happy to be returning to my second home – Las Vegas!” said Britney. “I’m working on a brand-new show and I’m so excited for my fans to see it! It’s going to be so much fun being back on stage and I can’t wait to perform at Park Theater.”

Brit’s first Vegas run, Piece of Me, launched in 2013 at Planet Hollywood with an initial announcement of 50 performances over two years. That eventually stretched into almost 250 shows before closing in 2017.

According to Billboard, Piece of Me grossed more than $137 million during it’s four year run. Expect Brit to surpass those numbers with Britney: Domination.

Britney: Domination 2019 Show Dates:

February – 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 22, 23, 27

March – 1, 2

May – 8, 10, 11, 15, 17, 18, 22, 24, 25, 26

July – 24, 26, 27, 31

August – 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17

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Trump Praises Violent ‘Body-Slam’ On Reporter

Donald Trump

At a campaign rally last night in Montana, Donald Trump praised the state’s lone congressman, Rep. Greg Gianforte, for his now-infamous physical assault on journalist Ben Jacobs of The Guardian in the spring of 2017.

Via ABC News:

“Any guy that can do a body slam, he is my type!” Trump said to cheers.

“I was in Rome with leaders when I heard about it, and I heard that he body-slammed a reporter,” Trump said.

Trump said he was afraid Gianforte would lose after the moment, but then recalled, “Wait a moment, I know Montana.”

Gianforte pleaded guilty and was sentenced to community service for the incident. He apologized on the night of his election victory, saying, “When you make a mistake you have to own it.”

Journalists everywhere were justified in their horror at an American president cheering on physical violence against a reporter.

This comes after Trump has spent days defending the Saudi Arabian government amid mounting evidence they were involved in the disappearance of Washington Post columnist, Jamal Khashoggi.