Geidner has more at Buzzfeed: Reid is likely to file a cloture petition on the bill this evening, a Democratic leadership aide told BuzzFeed Thursday, which would set a vote on the motion to proceed on debate of ENDA for Monday evening. If the motion to proceed, which requires 60 votes, is agreed to, the Senate would debate and eventually …

They’ve just started and it’s getting ugly already.

Flying into Palm Springs you see endless beige deserts and rolling barren mountains. Then, quite suddenly, the landscape is punctuated by randomly connected squares and rectangles of bright green. Somewhat like this view from my hotel room. It’s hot here! And not just because I ran into a couple of dozen bears at the airport.

“I’ve had no criticism. I’ve had savage, lying, deceptive personal attacks, but no actual criticism because they’ve never addressed any of my actual ideas. Character assassination seems to be the only political method that is in use today, and I don’t play that game, and you can’t defend against it. All you can do is try to offer ideas, and …

Members of the Hawaii House may attempt to tack a sort of “wedding cake” amendment on to the marriage bill that would allow businesses with five or fewer employees to refuse to serve LGBT customers. Some House lawmakers want an exemption in the same-sex marriage bill that gives small businesses, especially those in the wedding industry, an “opt out” option. …

Hawaii’s House Judiciary and Finance Committee will hear marriage equality testimony today. And the hearing looks to be another agonizing marathon like we saw in the Senate on Tuesday. To accommodate the expected high numbers of people wishing to testify on SB1 and to allow testifiers to plan their time accordingly, the House Judiciary and Finance Committees plan to begin …

“There’s no point to a trimmed and well-groomed beard, which resembles exactly the sort of suburban lawn that often led to the growing of the beard in the first place. (That’s why my hero among this year’s pennant-winning crop is Mike Napoli, whose dense and colorful beard is as gonzo as his all-or-nothing, free-swinging style at the plate.) One of …

By a vote of 14-9, the Pennsylvania House Education Committee has approved Rep. Rick Saccone’s bill which mandates that “In God We Trust” be posted in every public classroom.  Start the clip below at 8:00 as Democratic reps shred Saccone’s reasoning for the bill. All of the Democrats on the committee voted against the bill, but Republicans currently hold a …

In 2009 a Missouri State Highway Patrolman was killed in the line of duty when he was struck by a car on an icy road as he assisted stranded motorists. On Tuesday the state Supreme Court ruled that his partner is not entitled to any survivor benefits. His partner of 15 years, Kelly Glossip, filed suit after he was denied …

As a JMG exclusive, here’s the latest from gay crooner Matt Alber, who this time takes it to the dance floor as four different characters. Two mixes are available today on iTunes and proceeds go the San Francisco’s Larkin Street Youth Services. Definitely take a listen, I’ve been playing this all week.

A California woman has gotten the first-ever ticket for driving while wearing Google Glass. Via Dennis Romero at LA Weekly: Google Glass enthusiast Cecilia Abadie says she was ticketed for using the internet-connected device even though, she claims, it wasn’t active when she was driving. The computer scientist posted her California Highway Patrol souvenir for the world to see on …

In what may be his final victory against smoking in New York City, yesterday Mayor Bloomberg applauded after the City Council approved a ban on the sale of tobacco products to people under the age of 21.  Thomas Farley, the city’s health and mental hygiene commissioner, said the law, the Sensible Tobacco Enforcement Act, represents a “historic advance in our …

“The coming of Halloween is a good time for Christians to remember that evil spirits are real and that the Devil will seize every opportunity to trumpet his own celebrity. Perhaps the best response to the Devil at Halloween is that offered by Martin Luther, the great Reformer: ‘The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not …

Former US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who championed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, has been named president of Boy Scouts USA. From their website: Gates’ appointment was made upon the recommendation of national volunteer and professional leaders including the BSA national nominating committee. This move means that upon approval of voting members of the National Council, Gates would …

According Fred Sainz at the Human Rights Campaign, the Senate will hear ENDA next week. Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed: “Late last night, Leader Reid informed Leader McConnell that the Senate will consider ENDA next week. It’s still unclear as to when Leader Reid will file for cloture,” Sainz said of the bill, which bans sexual orientation and gender identity …