Barbra Streisand takes a dim view of Sarah Palin. For months, John McCain and the Republicans went after Barack Obama for lacking the experience they felt was necessary in order to be commander in chief. Yet, on this day, an aging John McCain, who is the oldest Presidential nominee in history, chose a running mate—a person that is just a …

The things I do for you people, getting up at the asscrack of the Lord’s Day to trek out to Brooklyn’s Crown Heights for the much-hyped Straight Pride Parade. As you can see, however, I found the corner of Flatbush and Church, the parade’s supposed 10am starting point, completely deserted. Damn, and here I wanted a Straight Pride t-shirt. I …

The mandatory evacuation of New Orleans proper is scheduled to begin at 8am Sunday, the airport has announced that the final departures will be tomorrow afternoon, and in telling the hotels to close, the Mayor just said, “Tourists, it’s time to leave the city. Do not wait.” And yet the latest update (embiggen above) of the official Southern Decadence site …

Duncan Osbourne at Gay City News lays out the not-really-so-gay-friendly background on Sarah Palin. Palin became governor in 2006 after serving as a councilwoman and then mayor of a small Alaskan town. She made an unsuccessful run at becoming Alaska’s lieutenant governor in 2002. Palin has confronted a single piece of gay rights legislation in that time. In 2005, Alaska’s …

Isn’t the Interwebs wunnerful? (Tipped by JMG reader Alan)(Tip update: Alan found this via Dan Savage)

Hurricane forecasters have tightened the probable landfall zone for Gustav and are now saying it may come ashore slightly west of New Orleans, putting the city squarely on the wrong side of the storm’s worst winds and flooding. An evacuation of Louisiana’s barrier islands is underway at this writing. A mandatory evacuation of Lafourche Parish begins at 8am tomorrow. New …

Huge numbers for Obama’s speech last night. Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention was seen by more than 38 million people. Nielsen Media Research said more people watched Obama speak than watched the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, the final “American Idol” or the Academy Awards this year. Obama talked before a live audience of 80,000 people …

The haters in Florida are falling short in the polls in their campaign for a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. The Mason-Dixon poll, taken for The Orlando Sentinel, shows that 57 percent of voters support the amendment while 36 perecent said they intend to vote against it. Florida’s constitution requires a 60 percent majority to amend the document. With …

(Via Slog)

The Virginia delegation to the Republican Convention has canceled their order of a guide to the Twin Cities because it includes, GASP, a listing of local gay bars. The campaign for Virginia’s Lt. Governor Bill Bolling ordered 150 of the guides to give to Virginia delegates as gifts when they arrived in the Twin Cities. But after reviewing the guide …

Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director Patrick Sammon: “Alaska Governor Sarah Palin can help Sen. McCain win this election by appealing to independent and young voters. She’s a mainstream Republican who will unite the Party and serve John McCain well as Vice President. Gov. Palin is an inclusive Republican who will help Sen. McCain appeal to gay and lesbian voters.” The …

The Ladies Professional Golf Association has given their players two years to learn English or they will not be allowed to play. Concerned about its appeal to sponsors, the women’s professional golf tour, which in recent years has been dominated by foreign-born players, has warned its members that they must become conversant in English by 2009 or face suspension. “We …

John McCain has picked 44 year-old Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. It’s a stunning decision and one that will be greatly controversial. Here come the Hillerites! A mother of five, Palin is a former beauty queen who was runner-up in Miss Alaska 1984. Palin has been governor for two years, before that she was the mayor of …

Some Christian outfit called the Culture and Media Institute infiltrated attended the NLGJA Convention in DC last weekend. Here’s their recap. It’s spelled NLGJA, but they pronounce it “Negligee.” [JMG: Never heard this, but it IS funny.] The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) just held its annual convention here in Washington D.C., attracting hundreds of journalists – and …

Gay prison inmates in California will be able to marry their non-imprisoned partners. Gay inmates in state prisons and county jails will soon be able to marry their partners, as long as their spouse is not also incarcerated, prison and jail operators said Thursday. State prison and county jail overseers were putting finishing touches on the new policy to follow …

Almost 100 years after its 1913 construction, the neo-Gothic 57-story Woolworth Building is still among the 50 tallest buildings in the US and is the 15th tallest building in NYC. The lobby of the Woolworth is unbelievably ornate, but since 9/11 has been closed to all but those who work in the tower. Today you know the former Woolworth Corporation …

I’ll have more thoughts tomorrow, I’m beat.

In the waning minutes of his address, Barack Obama made an acknowledgment of gay rights that seemed meant to both encourage LGBT followers and reassure others that he isn’t in our evil clutches: “I know we have our differences on same sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the …

John McCain will air this kind acknowledgment of Obama’s achievement on this “historic day” immediately after the conclusion of Obama’s speech tonight. If nothing else, McCain is very, very good at playing the nice guy, all while his Rovian minions wreak behind-the-scenes bullshit.