Tag: Finland

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Finnish Hockey Pro Killed By Partner + Reality Contestant Faked Being Trans + More

Janne Puhakka (via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed: • Attitude: Janne Puhakka (above), 29, Finland’s first out gay professional hockey player, was found dead Sunday in his home. His partner, 66-year-old Norwegian veterinarian Rolf Nordmo, has now confessed to killing him. Continue reading “Finnish Hockey Pro Killed By Partner + Reality Contestant Faked Being Trans + More”

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Finland Could Elect Gay Prez + Out NFL Players + More News

Football player (image via Depositphotos)

Some news items you might have missed: • Pink News: To date, there have only ever been 16 out gay or bisexual NFL players. Only one – Carl Nassib – came out while still playing. Check out this profile of three of the earliest – Dave Kopay, Jerry Smith, and Ray McDonald. Continue reading “Finland Could Elect Gay Prez + Out NFL Players + More News”

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Books About LGBTQ Lives 30% More Likely To Be Banned + More News

A shelf holding LGBTQ themed books in a library

Some news items you might have missed: • Washington Post: An analysis of 872 challenges to 444 books in 29 states revealed books featuring “LGBTQ characters, themes and stories” are banned the most. Continue reading “Books About LGBTQ Lives 30% More Likely To Be Banned + More News”

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News: Stormy Daniels On Trump Indictment + ‘Survivor’ Breakout Star + More

In a new interview, porn star Stormy Daniels called Donald Trump’s indictment vindication: “This pussy grabbed back,"
Stormy Daniels (screen capture)
Some news items you might have missed: • Huffington Post: In a new interview, porn star Stormy Daniels called Donald Trump’s indictment “vindication.” “I am fully aware of the insanity of it being a porn star. But it’s also poetic; this pussy grabbed back,” she said. Continue reading “News: Stormy Daniels On Trump Indictment + ‘Survivor’ Breakout Star + More”

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Finland Announces Plan To Join NATO, Sweden Expected To Follow

Finland has announced plans to join NATO
(image via Depositphotos)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has made clear in failed negotiations with leaders in Ukraine he did not want Ukraine to join NATO. According to reports, he didn’t want the military alliance that includes the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Poland and more, to get closer to Russian borders. But now, it seems Putin is going to get exactly what he didn’t want. Continue reading “Finland Announces Plan To Join NATO, Sweden Expected To Follow”

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Pride Ad Features Burger King Macking On Ronald McDonald

Burger King lays a whopper on Ronald McDonald in new Helsinki Pride ad (image via MediaPost)
In an effort to show support for Helsinki’s Pride week in Finland, fast-food chain Burger King is running a new ad campaign featuring the King himself laying a whopper on burger competitor Ronald McDonald. The usual Pride celebration has been canceled due to the COVID-19 crisis, but there are smaller events being held live as well as online streams for folks to join. The ads feature a painting of the king tenderly kissing McDonald (who we see from behind) with a tagline, “Love Conquers All.” Kaisa Kasila, Burger King’s Brand Manager for Finland, said in a statement, “We thought, what a better way to convey our values than by portraying an all-encompassing kiss between Burger King and McDonald. We wanted to show that in the end, love always wins.” “Burger King has always stood for equality, love and everyone’s right to be just the way they are,” added Kasila. “The only instance where it might not seem so, is when we’re bantering with our competitor.”

No word yet on how McDonald’s feels about the ad spots, but Kasila underscored the message that “we want to be clear – it all stems from the respect we have for them. And we know McDonald’s stands for the values we stand for, too.” Burger King hasn’t been shy about jumping in with gusto when it comes to support for LGBTQ Pride. Earlier this year, the fast-food king served up ads changing the name of the restaurant to ‘Burger Queer’ on the King’s crown.

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Finland Ranks #1 As ‘Happiest’ Nation

The Nordic nation of Finland ranks number one in global happiness for the second year in a row.

While the debate rages on over socialism, some countries with the highest tax rates come out on top

The Nordic nation of Finland ranks number one in global happiness for the second year in a row.

Via Bloomberg:

It beat Nordic peers Denmark, Norway and Iceland in a ranking of 156 countries by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

The ranking saw the U.S. drop one place, to 19th, while people in South Sudan were the least happy.

The results are based on an average of three years of surveys taken by Gallup between 2016 and 2018 and include factors such as gross domestic product, social support from friends and family, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, perceived corruption and recent emotions — both happy and sad.

According to the report published on Wednesday, Finland has witnessed modest but steady gains since 2014, and the country is now “significantly ahead” of other countries in the top 10, the researchers said.

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Podcast: Jeb Havens, Barronelle Stutzman, Texas’ “Bathroom Bill,” Finland Ready For Marriage Equality

Click play below as I recap this week’s top headlines from politics, pop culture and entertainment of interest to the LGBT community:

• Anti-LGBT florist Barronelle Stutzman loses again – this time in the Washington state supreme court over refusing to sell flowers for a same-sex wedding

• Texas gets pushback from the NBA and major stars on it’s proposed anti-transgender “bathroom bill”

• North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper shares his plan to repeal his state’s anti-LGBT law, HB2

• Finland’s Parliament kills a last ditch attempt to block same-sex marriage

• Out singer/songwriter Jeb Havens dropped his uber-romantical, world-traveler music video just in time for Valentine’s Day – “Pushy Little Compass Heart” from his album, Home Base

Hit play below – and share the link to share The Randy Report podcast!

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News Round-Up: February 17, 2017

Some news items you may have missed:

• This 22 year St. Louis police veteran (above) was told to “tone down” his “gayness” if he ever wanted to get promoted, despite placing 3rd out of 26 in promotion tests.

• Lady Gaga joined over 140 celebrities in denouncing Texas’ anti-transgender “bathroom bill.”

• Donald Trump’s second pick for National Security Adviser (now that Michael Flynn has resigned) has said “no, thank you” to the offer. According to reports, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward turned down the chance citing “chaos” in the White House, labeling the offer as a “shit sandwich.”

• Finland’s Parliament rejects a citizen’s initiative to repeal marriage equality by a vote of 120 to 48. Hurray for the good guys!

• Donald Trump heads to Mar-a-Lago again this weekend. His three trips to his southern home have thus far cost the American people almost $10 million. Guarding Trump Tower in NYC could cost $183 million a year.

• Spend a few minutes inside the trials and tribulations of transgender folks in this short film, “Headspace,” by Jake Graf. Watch below: