Sexual Harassment Scourge Extends Beyond Hollywood to Ford and Interior Dept.

Hollywood and congressional power players make headlines for harassment, but the problem is also rooted at places like Ford. 

www.advocate.com/business/2017/12/20/sexual-harassment-scourge-extends-beyond-hollywood-ford-and-interior-dept

Developers To Be Banned From Offering ‘Feudal’ Leaseholds On New Houses, Sajid Javid Announces
Developers are to be banned from selling houses with ‘feudal’ leasehold contracts, the Government has announced.

In a groundbreaking reform, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said that ‘rip off’ leasehold clauses would not be allowed on almost all new homes and that ground rents on all new leases would be set at zero.

Javid vowed the changes would end “feudal practices” that have led millions of homebuyers to be subject to extra charges.

The Government will also make it cheaper and easier for existing leaseholders to buy-out their freehold, and provide more redress for those consumers who face hefty prices.

Some four million flats and houses in England are currently governed by leasehold contracts that have been dubbed “legalised extortion” because of the way they allow ground rents to be hiked.

Leasehold generally applies to flats with shared spaces, making multiple ownership more straightforward, but developers have been increasingly selling houses on these terms – adding further costs to over-stretched house buyers.

Labour welcomed the change, claiming it had forced a U-turn after the policy was excluded from the Tory manifesto this year.

But Government insiders insisted they had been working for months on reforms to stop leaseholders from being ripped off by unscrupulous developers or managing agents.

In the worst cases of abuse of the current system, some homeowners see their freehold sold on to finance companies that then jack up their ground rent or offer them the freehold at ruinous prices.

Javid said: “It’s unacceptable for home buyers to be exploited through unnecessary leaseholds, unjustifiable charges and onerous ground rent terms.

“It’s clear from the overwhelming response from the public that real action is needed to end these feudal practices. That’s why the measures this Government is now putting in place will help create a system that actually works for consumers.”

Shadow Housing Secretary John Healey said current leaseholders needed urgent help too.

“The Government is now backing Labour’s proposals to end the routine building of new leasehold houses and crack down on escalating ground rents.

“However, Ministers must do more to help home-owners in existing leasehold houses and flats who have insufficient protection against exploitative freeholders and their agents.”

The changes follow a consultation that found the overwhelming majority of those affected favour change.

Javid will be writing to all developers to “strongly discourage” the use of Help to Buy Equity loans for the purchase of leasehold houses in advance of new legislation and to ask those who have customers with onerous ground rent terms to provide necessary redress.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/sajid-javid-announces-end-to-feudal-leaseholds-for-new-homes_uk_5a3af777e4b0b0e5a79f7b9a

Rosie Undeterred by Attacks Over ‘Bribe’ to GOP Senators

Rosie O’Donnell made a last-ditch plea to stop the Republicans’ reverse-Robin Hood tax bill. Not surprisingly, the right wing pounced.

www.advocate.com/politics/2017/12/20/rosie-undeterred-attacks-over-bribe-gop-senators

Wow, these animatronic Donald Trump memes are brutal AF
Naturally, memers have wasted no time getting on this action.

www.queerty.com/wow-animatronic-donald-trump-memes-brutal-af-20171220?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Fall In Love with Key West This Valentine’s Day

Photo by Mike Freas/Florida Keys News Bureau

Whether you’ve been with your boo for decades or days, we could all use a romantic getaway. There’s nothing sexier than shedding those sweaters and having a little fun in the sun. This winter, grab your beau and head south for the ultimate Valentine’s Day in the continental United State’s southernmost city, Key West.

The popular Florida destination has long drawn LGBT travelers attracted to the city’s weather and uniquely welcoming culture. (Its motto is “One Human Family.”) Key West offers a plethora of delicious dining, pulsating nightlife and a charming historic streetscape for any visitor, but there’s plenty to plan for couples to enjoy together.

Follow the foolproof plan below for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day in 2018.

Fury Water Adventures offers special Valentine’s Day tandem parasailing and sunset sails that include champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries. If that’s not intimate enough, leave your Speedo behind for an adventure with Blu Q, the longest-running all-gay charter. They offer an all-male, clothing-optional snorkel and sandbar adventure to soak up all that sun without any of the tan lines.

After you’ve flaunted your beach bod, indulge your appetite with some of the island’s outstanding culinary attractions. Get your reservations in early for a romantic evening at Louie’s Backyard. Enjoy a romantic meal on the multi-level deck with outstanding views of the water. Save room for a slice of their exceptional key lime pie, made with a ginger snap crust. You also can’t go wrong with a sunset view at Hot Tin Roof, the eclectic menu of Tempt at the Saint Hotel or the white tablecloth elegance at the Grand Café.

For those feeling particularly naughty, you can skip dinner entirely and head straight for dessert at the cheekily named Better Than Sex. If the decadent desserts, like the Cookie Nookie Pie and Tongue Bath Truffle, don’t get you in the mood, the romantic atmosphere certainly will.

After dessert, grab your lover by the hand and check out a show. There are nightly drag shows at Aqua (featuring the Aquanettes), or catch a performance from the 801 Girls (led by the iconic queen, Sushi) at the 801 Upstairs Cabaret. You can also see drag and comedy performances at the Crystal Room at La Te Da, including Christopher Peterson’s live-singing celebrity homage, Eyecons.

READ THIS NEXT: Shoe and Tell with Key West New Year’s Eve Drag Superstar, Sushi: INTERVIEW

If you’re still looking for a nightcap, there are plenty of gay bars to choose from. Bobby’s Monkey Bar is a laid-back local watering hole with a real neighborhood vibe. All the bears, otters, wolves and other hirsute creatures tend to gather at 1 Saloon, a favorite among bears and the leather community. Just across the street, you and your man can start heating things up at Bourbon Street Pub, a cruisier destination with a clothing-optional Garden Bar.

The fun doesn’t have to end when you decide to head in for the night. There are several gay guesthouses to choose from, ranging from mild to wild. Alexander’s Guesthouse caters to both gay and lesbian travelers, while the all-male Equator Resort is proudly clothing-optional and includes 11 complimentary adult channels in each room. Guests can ratchet up the luxury and the lust even more at Island House, another all-male, clothing-optional resort with heated pool, steam room, video lounge and more on site.

Key West may encourage you to “come as you are,” but after spending Valentine’s Day on the island, you’ll be leaving a little more in love.

The post Fall In Love with Key West This Valentine’s Day appeared first on Towleroad.

Fall In Love with Key West This Valentine’s Day

Donald Trump feiert seine Steuerreform – und tut sich damit keinen Gefallen

www.huffingtonpost.de/entry/donald-trump-steuerreform_de_5a3ac83fe4b0b0e5a79f4453

Damian Green Sacked After Sleaze Row
Damian Green forced to quit after breaching the ministerial code of conduct
Cabinet Office inquiry found Green had lied about knowing of the existence of porn on his computer
Probe found deputy prime minister had made ‘inaccurate and misleading’ statements
Concludes: ‘Plausible’ evidence he had sexually harassed an activist
Kate Maltby had accused Green of touching her knee and sending inappropriate texts
Green sent Maltby a text message after she appeared in a corset in a newspaper
Maltby’s family not surprised Green was found to have been ‘untruthful as a minister’
Police officers allege porn was found on a computer seized from his office in 2008
Resignation is the third from Theresa May’s Cabinet in just a matter of weeks
As First Secretary of State Green deputised for May in Prime Minister’s Question time
Green has for weeks vehemently denied he had done anything wrong
As she makes it to the end of 2017, it’s a measure of Theresa May’s current strength in the job right now that she can afford to sack the man who is Deputy Prime Minister in all but name.

Damian Green chaired nine crucial Cabinet sub-committees, covering everything from immigration to social reform to key Brexit policies. More importantly, he was one of the few people the PM could trust since the departure of her key chiefs of staff after the snap election fiasco.

Yet Green’s exit, cruelly dubbed ‘Grexit’ by his critics, underlines just how Brexit now dominates everything May does. It is precisely because she has successfully completed Phase 1 of talks with Brussels that she is free to fire such an important minister.

Insiders say that the PM was determined to send out a strong message that sexual harassment – and crucial in this case is that Green failed her new test of making women feel ‘uncomfortable’ – will not be tolerated.

She will also have wanted to make plain that no one, even a close ally and a friend from Oxford 40 years ago, gets any special favours from Theresa May.

It is… with deep regret, and enduring gratitude for the contribution you have made over many years, that I asked you to resign from the government and have accepted your resignation Theresa May
We are not surprised to find that the inquiry found Mr Green to have been untruthful as a minister Colin and Victoria Maltby
W H A T  N E X T?

The resignation is the third from the Cabinet in just a matter of weeks following the departures of Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, over sex harassment, and International Development Secretary Priti Patel over undeclared links to Israel.

However, Theresa May is not expected to replace Green until the New Year, according to government sources.

While Green’s statements about claims that porn had been found on his computer may have been found to be “inaccurate and misleading”, at least one was still live on his Twitter feed at time of publishing.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/damian-green-resigns-huffpost-verdict_uk_5a3ad282e4b06d1621b18baa

U.S. Sanctions Chechen Leader Over Antigay Persecution

Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov has overseen “an administration involved in disappearances and extrajudicial killings,” Treasury Department officials said.

www.advocate.com/world/2017/12/20/us-sanctions-chechen-leader-over-antigay-persecution

Lisa Kudrow adds rhinestoned razzle-dazzle to new season of ‘Grace and Frankie’
She’ll be lending her talents to the role of Grace’s bubbly, bubble-headed manicurist Sheree

www.queerty.com/lisa-kudrow-adds-rhinestoned-razzle-dazzle-new-season-grace-frankie-20171220?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29