Joe.My.God. LGBT News

(Via JMG reader Baltimatt)

Going viral on YouTube today is this year’s Christmas ad from Britain’s John Lewis department store chain, whose holiday commercials are a beloved tradition. Via the Guardian: John Lewis unveils its latest festive advert, featuring a young boy and what appears to be his pet penguin playing together in the lead up to Christmas Day. After the success of last …

A new study debunks the eternal urban legend that there is one rat for every person living in New York City. Jonathan Auerbach, a 26-year-old statistician studying for a doctorate at Columbia University, recently won a competition sponsored by the 180-year-old Royal Statistical Society of London. Mr. Auerbach claimed the prize with a paper in which he made the case …

A coalition of far-right groups has sent a letter to incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urging him to keep the filibuster rule change made by the Democrats last year. A group of 26 conservative academics, advocates and leaders wrote in a letter that they see “very little upside” to restoring the old rules, which had allowed the minority party …

Via Pink News: A moving advert has been released as part of a voter registration campaign ahead of next year’s referendum on equal marriage. The Republic of Ireland, which introduced civil partnerships in 2011, is set to vote next May on extending civil marriage to same-sex couples, with early polls suggesting a landslide victory for equality. However, referendums have a …

Another track from her girl groups tribute album.

What are your plans for Thanksgiving?

Via John Wright at Lone Star Q: A state district judge in Houston has ordered the city to stop providing benefits to the same-sex spouses of employees, but city officials say the decision will have no impact because a federal judge has already ruled that the benefits must remain in place. State District Judge Lisa Millard issued a temporary restraining …