Window, Unite Media Owes Over $15M to Creditors « The NLGJA Blog

Window, Unite Media Owes Over $15M to Creditors « The NLGJA Blog:

"Reports are now beginning to trickle in regarding the financial collapse of Window Media. ProjectQAtlanta has gotten the first look at bankruptcy filings by Window Media and Unite Media (the media unit of Avalon Equity Partners, the owners of Window Media) and the initial list of creditors shows the companies owes over $1 million in payroll and other taxes and more than $400,000 to printers.

The filings, in a federal bankruptcy court in Atlanta, show pages of unsecured and secured creditors, including employees, freelancers, vendors, and shareholders. Before any of those people get paid, the Avalon Equity and M&T Bank will be first to get paid under the Chapter 7 bankruptcy."

I'm hoping the Voice can make a comeback, as the Blade (both Washington and South Florida) and 411 Magazine staffs have been relatively successful at keeping everything running without interruption, under new names.

John Buccigross: How one of hockey's toughest men accepted his son's courageous admission - ESPN

John Buccigross: How one of hockey's toughest men accepted his son's courageous admission - ESPN:

"'Middle school and early high school is the first time I remember thinking that I could be gay, but I definitely tried to ignore it and didn't want to seriously consider it. It's pretty easy to try and convince yourself that it's not true, but it won't work, ever.' -- Brendan Burke"

In an effort to try to put his readers in Brendan Burke's shoes, John Buccigross writes most of this piece in second person, which is a little awkward to read, but this immensely supportive piece is sure to make some waves and maybe change some minds in this truly masculine arena of Pro Hockey.

Brendan Burke, son of Maple Leaf's coach Brian Burke, attended Toronto Pride with his dad this year. What an amazing story.

More reasons to vote Bart Stupak out of office

Meet the U.S. Politicians Who Want to See Gay People Dead in Uganda | Gay Rights | Change.org:

"Congressmen Bart Stupak and Joe Pitts have a lot more in common than just working together to strip reproductive rights out of U.S. health care reform. The two are also tied through an evangelical network known as “The Family,” which has dubious ties to at least two Ugandan leaders who are championing draconian legislation in the country that would institute the death penalty for homosexuality.

Speaking yesterday on NPR’s Fresh Air, Jeff Sharlet – who wrote a best-selling book documenting the political influence of the family – noted that many U.S. politicians, straddling both sides of the political aisle, are involved with “The Family.” Sharlet spoke about how members of “The Family” have been quite active in Uganda, including Ugandan Parliamentarian David Bahati, who is a member of “The Family” and one of the legislators behind the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009."

Dear Michigan: Stupak has GOT to go. Thanks. Phil.

When "balanced" really isn't.

Balancing Things Out « The NLGJA Blog:

"The story keeps this tone, including an interesting disagreement over whether LGBTs account for 15 or 19 percent of the city’s population. What’s missing, however, is a single voice of a DC minister who supports same-sex marriage. The story even acknowledges they exist, but then fails to actually quote one of the 200 religious leaders who are members of Clergy United for Marriage. It’s not that there aren’t any African American ministers who support same-sex marriage, yet they don’t make it into the story."

The National Lesbian and Gay Journalist Association analyze a Washington Post piece that doesn't quite get "balanced" correct.

In fact, "balanced" journalism is quite often skewed to the right, giving the right more face time, more soundbites, and more of the benefit of the doubt. Especially when it comes to LGBT issues, the prevailing cultural attitude is one of oppression to LGBTs. The "balanced" reporting often just reinforces that, rather than trying to challenge that. A true balance would be to make readers think critically about the issues, and not just hear an echo of their own insular, unchallenged thinking.

Gallup poll proves that when you come out, you change minds in a BIG way!

Gays Have The Power - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan:

"If gays are really serious about marriage rights, they need to accelerate the process of coming out. It's not often that a minority group has this option - African-Americans don't. But gays, like Jews, can 'pass', and by passing, we don't even give many people the option of changing their minds and hearts by better understanding who we are, and why our relationships and families strengthen society rather than weakening it."

Andrew Sullivan posted the new Gallup poll on American adult views on marriage equality--National average is that 40% support it and 57% do not, but if you ask someone if they personally know a gay person, 49% over 47% favor marriage equality if they do know a gay person, contrasted by 72% over 27% against if they do NOT know an openly gay person. The more that we come out, the more that we change those numbers. Its astonishing that just knowing an out gay person completely flips the situation. If its safe, you HAVE to come out.

Are Good Morning America producers complete idiots?

Anger rising as ‘GMA’ books Chris Brown « Call Tyrone….:

"ABC has booked Rihanna-beater Chris Brown for an interview and a performance on “Good Morning America” — right after the network canceled guy-kisser Adam Lambert.

Brown will do a taped tell-all with Robin Roberts, followed by a performance of songs from his new album. But TV insiders say the appearance, slated to air the week after next, has outraged feminists and gay activists who wonder why a convicted girlfriend abuser is more palatable to the network than an openly gay man who broke no laws with his raunchy performance on the “American Music Awards.”"

You know, canceling Adam Lambert was one thing... bringing Chris Brown on afterward though? Bad move. Gays will be switching to the Today Show for sure now. As well they should. Every pair of eyes we give to Good Morning America tells them 'Its OK to shove us in the closet,' and tells America 'a violent woman-beater is more desirable than an openly gay man.' No matter America is so fucked up.

O&A--Massachusetts could be getting an openly gay Lieutenant Governor

Check out my latest post at Out & About Illinois: Massachusetts could be getting an openly gay Lieutenant Governor.

It may defy all reason, but it seems that the Republican party may be the first political party to make an openly gay Governor—or at least Lieutenant Governor.

Moderate Republican Charlie Barker, former President and CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, has tapped his campaign chairman, openly gay Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei to be his running-mate in the Republican primaries this winter. According to the Boston Globe, while the 47 year old Tisei’s sexuality has been an open secret in Boston since the early 1990s, he only came out officially on the 19^th of November, after it came to light he was front-runner among those jockeying to be Barker’s running-mate. Regardless of the revelation, Barker chose Tisei anyway, and if they win the Republican ticket together, they’ll be squaring off against Governor Deval Patrick and former Democrat, Treasurer Timothy Cahill in a three-way 2010 election.

The announcement made waves today, and the Boston Herald reports that Deval Patrick's sitting Lieutenant Governor, Timothy Murray, immediately criticized Tisei as "the ultimate Beacon Hill insider." He also criticized Baker's own record on financial gluttony, being part of the former Republican administrations that racked up galactic amounts of debt for Massachusetts taxpayers on the "Big Dig" highway tunnel project in Boston.

Cahill’s presence in the race will split the Democratic ticket, which could mean a stronger showing for a Republican in the race. Adding to the mayhem is Governor Deval Patrick’s lower approval ratings, and less than stellar popularity.

Before they get there, however, they will...

Please go to Outandaboutillinois.com to continue reading Massachusetts could be getting an openly gay Lieutenant Governor.

TBP--Public Health cuts could leave Chicago HIV+ in the lurch

Check out my newest on the Bilerico Project: Public Health cuts could leave Chicago HIV+ in the lurch.

Chicago was recently hit with the bad news it has some of the highest HIV infection rates of any city in the nation--especially high in the adult African American men who have sex with men population. The state has already made cuts to Chicago's bare-bones AIDS/HIV budget, forcing the HIV services organizations and Public Health to plan to soon make choices between providing housing to infected homeless, and providing much needed medication.

The AIDS Foundation of Chicago is sounding the alarm that a $4.6 million cut in Public Health funding could mean the end of many of the support services that the city's HIV+ population have come to rely on...

Continue reading Public Health cuts could leave Chicago HIV+ in the lurch.

TBP--Illinois' Jacob Meister aims to be the first openly gay Senate candidate [Part II]

Check out my newest Bilerico post: Illinois' Jacob Meister aims to be the first openly gay Senate candidate [Part II].

Last week I had a delightful conversation with Jacob Meister, the openly gay Chicago lawyer who has high hopes for winning the Democratic primary and seeking the seat previously held by President Barack Obama and Carol Moseley Braun before him. We opened by talking about Meister's long history working with small businesses, and his experiences on Capitol Hill as an intern in the 1980s.

We continued to talk about his plan for education, his telecommuting tax credit plan and his 2020 Vision for America which includes building a strong stable of green jobs in manufacturing to move the United States to the forefront of the global green economy, and get all Americans back to gainful employment.

Next we moved on to the very reason why I sought an interview with the candidate: why does Jacob Meister believe that he is going to be the first openly gay man elected to the United States Senate?

"Illinois is a very progressive state," Meister tells me as we continue our interview. "This is a historic seat of firsts. This was Carol Moseley Braun's seat, and President Barack Obama's seat," Jacob says with pride. Meister is obviously quite proud to have a shot at representing the people of Illinois in the Senate. He's also quite proud to have a shot at representing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans in the Senate...

Continue reading Illinois' Jacob Meister aims to be the first openly gay Senate candidate [Part II].

Bruce Weiss Named Executive Director of Test Positive Aware Network (ChicagoPride.com)

Bruce Weiss Named Executive Director of Test Positive Aware Network (ChicagoPride.com):

"The Board of Directors of Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN) is pleased to announce that Bruce Weiss has been named Executive Director of the leading peer-led, Chicago-based AIDS service organization.

'Bruce is that rare combination of experienced leadership and unbridled enthusiasm,' stated TPAN Board President, Condon McGlothlen. 'Everyone at TPAN is excited about his arrival.'

A recipient of the 2006 Capital Pride Hero Award honoring LGBT leaders, Weiss has provided leadership to the HIV/AIDS community in Washington, D.C., for more than a decade. He served for several years as the Executive Director of SMYAL (Sexual Minority Youth Action League), overseeing major growth in their programs, staffing and funding. He later became the Director of the Whitman-Walker Clinic of Northern Virginia, a community health clinic focused on HIV and LGBT health care. Most recently, he was Director of Community Health at D.C.'s Whitman-Walker Clinic."

That's a pretty nice resume there, Bruce! Welcome to Illinois!