Monthly Archives: July 2006

Landmark Reports Details Gitmo Outrages

Today the Center For Constitution Rights issued a landmark 51-page report on the abuses at Guantanamo Bay, titled “Report on Torture and Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment of Prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.” The report details the beatings, torture, and rape of prisoners using declassified and unclassified materials. Download the PDF file of the report here. CCR Legal Director Bill …

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Ric Weiland

Ric Weiland, the massively wealthy benefactor of gay and HIV-related causes, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on July 1st at the age of 53, after suffering long bouts of depression. Weiland was one of the five original Microsoft employees, hired by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975. Weiland developed BASIC and COBOL for Microsoft, launching …

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Boom

I had to walk to work this morning after a residential building exploded and collapsed on the Upper East Side at 62nd and Madison, near my subway line. The explosion came just as I was heading down the stairs into the 68th Street Station and startled me so much that I dropped my newspaper. The woman in front of me …

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Three Packed Cups

Over the last month I watched more soccer than in the previous 46 years of my life. My office mysteriously acquired cable TV shortly before the World Cup began (hello, I have English employers), and my co-workers very kindly endured my non-stop critique on the varying hotness of the players, expressing bafflement when I told them that English footballer Wayne …

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P.O.Q.D.

The NY Times is reporting today that this week the FDA will approve the long sought-after holy grail of HIV therapy, the once-a-day pill. In a rare bit of pharma-collaboration, Bristol-Myer Squibb’s Sustiva will be combined with Gilead’s Truvada to create the pill. Truvada is already a two-drug pill containing Viread and Emtriva. All three drugs will be layered within …

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Grand Central Responds

Joe – Thank you very much for your note. The commuter weigh station is located on the lower level dining concourse right near Two Boots Pizza. We encourage passersby to stop in, particularly during bathing suit season. Of course, I’m kidding. Thank you very much for pointing out the error on page 14. I can assure you that you are …

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Goyz In the Hood

My ‘hood, the Upper East Side, is a very Jewish neighborhood in a city with the second largest Jewish population in the world. It is home to two major landmarks of Jewish culture, the historic Central Synogogue on E. 55th Street and the Prada flagship store on E. 70th. Or as it is known to my mailman and the other …

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Dicktionary

Merriam-Webster is giving a sneak peek at some of the “new” words being added to the 2006 Collegiate Dictionary, due at the end of summer. Mo’s must be running that joint because words being added include: unibrow, drama queen, assplay, supersize, big-box, polyamory, and himbo. All of which were clearly culled from Manhunt profiles. Not making the cut: versabottom, UB2, …

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Homophonia

Dear Grand Central Partnership, Thanks very much for the cool restaurant guide that you guys were handing out this morning. Quick question. It says here that Grand Central is more than “just a weigh station for commuters.” Hey, where are the scales? Joe, The Pedantic Blogger

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The United States Of Christ

This is the new America. It’s what’s coming for all of us. We may as well get ready for it. The democratic election process? Fucked. Constitutional protections? Fucked. Respect for sovereign nations? Fucked. Get ready for life under the Christianists. Start sewing that red, white and blue burka. Thanks to their fraudulently installed government, we’re already more than halfway there. …

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Open Thread Thursday

Tell me where it hurts..

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A Note Of Thanks

To the tall queen seated in Section 228, Row D, Seat 17: I just want to thank you. You, the tall queen seated directly in front of us at Madonna’s sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. You, the tall queen with the fauxhawk, the popped collar, the capri pants and flip-flops. You, the spastic tall queen who …

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HomoQuotable – Barney Frank

His Excellency Vladimir V. PutinPresident of the Russian Federation4 Staraya SquareMoscow 103132 Russia Dear President Putin, We write as members of the United States Congress to express our dismay over the riots and violence against gay and lesbian marchers in Moscow during a gay pride parade in late May. It seems to us evident that any government of the people …

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Rules Of Friendship #17

Friend: You think my boyfriend is stupid, don’t you? Honestly, is he the dumbest guy I have ever dated? Joe: Oh…don’t make me choose..

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The Homo Land

“This is not the homo-land, this is the Holy Land.” – New York-based Rabbi Yehuda Levin, head of a pan-faith coalition working to prevent World Pride from taking place in Jerusalem next month. Last fall, I happened to be seated next to the representatives from Jerusalem Pride at the plenary session of InterPride’s annual convention. I sat there taking notes …

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Instinct

Paul struggles to push his way through the crowd at the Dugout to speak to me…. Paul: Hey Joe! Did you see that song I po-…um….somebody is feeling my ass. Joe (looks over Paul’s shoulder): Oh my. He’s hot, actually. You should totally arch your back! Paul: Oh, I already am! Filed under: I love my people.

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Nickel For Your Thoughts?

The New York Times recently reported that due to rising zinc prices, the cost of manufacturing a penny has now risen to about 1.4 cents, giving impetus to the decades-old movement to abolish the penny. Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Arizona) is resubmitting his 2002 bill to kill the penny and force all retailers to round to the nearest nickel. (Guess whose …

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Instant Disco History #7: New York City

New York, New York, big city of dreams. But everything in New York ain’t always what it seems. You’re no tramp but you’re no lady. Talkin’ that street talk. If you wanna please me, I don’t mind if you tease me, just take me for a night in New York. New York City is the hottest place for a honeymoon …

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Kreme Kraving

Can it be coincidence that the History Channel runs a documentary about (of all things, of all times) Krispy Kreme donuts on a Sunday morning? That’s a pretty, um, sweet slot, isn’t it? But I’m not a hater. Not AT all. If I’m ever on death row, Krispy Kreme will definitely be part of my final meal. Um…and my next …

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