-Breaking News: President Obama is set to sign a 'memo' today granting domestic partnership benefits to Federal Employees. HOWEVER, it appears that they won't include healthcare or retirement benefits because of DOMA! Also it will be a memo instead of an Executive Order so will expire when he leaves office. I have yet to 100% confirm these exceptions but if they are true, it is disgraceful.

-America's favorite Scot, talented Tony Award-winning actor Alan Cumming (photograph) has just been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by her majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. This order was founded by King George V and is extremely prestigious. No one deserves this honor more not only for his work in film and theater but also for his endless work in the struggle for LGBT freedom. Not sure how we now address Mr. Cumming but I think half a bow will do with a cheerful 'good SIR' and a peek up his kilt!

-The Rector of St. David's Episcopal Church in Austin Texas led his congregation in the local Gay Pride Parade on June 6! Remember, folks, this is Texas.

-Florida could see its first woman governor in 2010. Alex Sink (Democratic) holds an early lead over Bill McCollum. According to the Quinnipiac Poll, Sink leads 38% to 34% with the rest undecided.

-Quinnipiac also shows Mayor Bloomberg of New York City with a huge lead over his Democratic opponent City Controller William Thompson. The mayor leads by 22% and even has a nine point lead among city Democrats.

-Love this item from Taegan Goddard's Political Wire: One of Comrade Fidel Castro's sons seems to be a huge fan of chatting online in an effort to find the love of his life. For eight months he carried on an intimate conversation with a "Colombian woman" who turned out to be a Miami man!

-The DavidMixner.Com Poll last week had some really interesting numbers. When asked "Which LGBT Issue Should Obama Handle First?", our readers picked DADT by 42% and a combination of repealing DOMA and Marriage Equality by 39%. Only 9% picked the old stand-bye ENDA and only 8% thought Hate Crimes was a priority. Hope our lobbyists read these numbers!

-Aaron Baldwin continues to push his boycott of Rockstar because of its ties to Michael Savage's (real name: Weiner) family. He faces a lawsuit in an attempt to silence him. Baldwin is a real hero on this one!

-AMFAR had its tenth annual "Out with Pride" dinner in New York City at the Edison. The outstanding organization drew talented actors Cheyenne Jackson (photograph) and Alan Cumming (OBE). The highlight of the evening was the rousing Hughie Long-type speech given by organizer Cleve Jones urging people to march on October 11 in Washington DC.

-It is the best of times and the worst of times for the Clintons according to expert politico Bob Shrum writing in "TheWeek.com". He wonders if Terry "The Macker" McAuliffe's defeat in Virginia was another sign that the golden age of President Clinton is over while at the same time praises the advent of a new powerful Secretary Hillary Clinton. In his column "Tale of Two Clintons" he writes about Secretary Clinton:

"Despite such results, we are not entering a post-Clinton era—just a post-Bill era. Hillary Clinton is getting high marks for her leadership at the State Department. Traveling the world, she's become a powerful force in shaping a new American diplomacy. At home, she's moved to extend same-sex domestic partner benefits to Foreign Service personnel, even before the Obama administration acts on a government-wide basis. It's the right thing to do, but it's also smart politically. It plays to a Democratic constituency that could prove crucial in 2016."

-The New York Times has a must-read editorial on the recent Department of Justice DOMA brief. Entitled "A Bad Call on Gay Rights", it rips into the Obama team for allowing this brief to see the light of the day. The last paragraph is wonderful when the venerable media institution says,

"The administration has had its hands full with the financial crisis, health care, Guantánamo Bay and other pressing matters. In times like these, issues like repealing the marriage act can seem like a distraction — or a political liability. But busy calendars and political expediency are no excuse for making one group of Americans wait any longer for equal rights."

-No one in the country really would want to be in US Senator Roland Burris's position these days. In the latest Rasmussen Reports poll, 61% of the voters of Illinois plan to definitely vote against Burris. Yikes!

-Everyone in this country should be riveted to the people's revolution in Iran! The brave and courageous people in the streets deserve our support and our prayers. Here is a youtube.com video clip of their bravery. Wear green to show your support for these freedom fighters.