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<\/p>\nJ.D. McClatchy, Kevin McCarthy, Trixie Mattel, Hurricanes, Madonna, Hard Cider: HOT LINKS<\/b>
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RIP<\/strong>. The poet J.D. McClatchy has died<\/a>: \u201cHis death, from cancer \u2014 an illness that had been grist for poems in recent years \u2014 was announced by Random House. The author of eight volumes of poetry, Mr. McClatchy was considered one of the country\u2019s foremost men<\/a> of letters. He was also a prolific editor, anthologist, translator and critic, as well as the author of a string of acclaimed opera librettos, among them\u00a0\u201cOur Town,\u201d\u00a0for Ned Rorem\u2019s setting of Thornton Wilder\u2019s enduring drama of village life, and the Metropolitan Opera\u2019s condensed English-language production of Mozart\u2019s\u00a0\u201cMagic Flute,\u201d designed by Julie Taymor.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n KEVIN MCCARTHY<\/strong>.\u00a0House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) laughably claims Trump isn\u2019t thinking at all about Robert Mueller<\/a>.\u00a0\u201cYou know what, I see him in all these different natures,\u201d he replied. \u201cThis man<\/a> focuses just on the work.\u201d<\/p>\n YIKES<\/strong>. I downloaded the information Facebook has on me<\/a>.<\/p>\n ROGER STONE<\/strong>. Fire Sessions and Rosenstein, not Mueller<\/a>:\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m not recommending the firing of Mr. Mueller, but I am recommending a housecleaning at his Justice Department.\u201d<\/p>\n HONG KONG<\/strong>. Banks and law firms join forces on behalf of British lesbian<\/a>: \u201cGoldman Sachs Group Inc., Credit Suisse Group AG and Nomura Holdings Inc. are among 15 financial institutions that have filed an application to intervene in the case of a woman<\/a> \u2014 named in court documents as\u00a0QT<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 who sued after the government rejected her application to reside in Hong Kong as a dependent of her same-sex<\/a> partner. Hong Kong\u2019s highest court is now considering an appeal filed by the government after a court\u00a0ruled<\/a>\u00a0in favor of QT in September.\u201d<\/p>\n RETIRED<\/strong>. Hurricane names Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate.<\/p>\n Harvey, Irma, Maria & Nate are retired from the Atlantic tropical storm name list by the World Meteorological Organization Region IV Hurricane Committee, and replaced with Harold, Idalia, Margot, & Nigel. Will first appear on the 2023 list. @NWS<\/a> @NOAAComms<\/a> @NHC_Atlantic<\/a> @NOAA<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/0Z2lVU9VzA<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Natl Hurricane Ctr (@NWSNHC) April 12, 2018<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n NYC<\/strong>. The death of Chelsea\u2019s 8th avenue<\/a>.<\/p>\n ILLINOIS<\/strong>. Lawmakers advance bill requiring schools to teach LGBT history<\/a>: \u201cThe Senate Education committee endorsed the measure 8-2 on Tuesday after a House committee approved a nearly identical version of the plan. If enacted, Illinois would become just the second state to approve an LGBT inclusive curriculum.\u201d<\/p>\n BERMUDA<\/strong>. Gay tourism chief begs people not to boycott<\/a>:\u00a0\u201cAs a gay<\/a> Bermudian, I feel pretty lucky to have been born here.\u00a0I would not have moved back to Bermuda if I was not convinced it was a welcoming place where we can openly be ourselves.\u00a0For that matter, I would not have moved back if Bermuda did not have immigration rights for my same-sex<\/a> partner.\u201d<\/p>\n HARD CIDER<\/strong>. New \u2018Kinder Cider\u2019 benefits LGBT equality<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ROAST OF THE DAY<\/strong>. Trixie Mattel roasts\u2026.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n THIRSTY THURSDAY<\/strong>. Fine wine via Jamari Fox.<\/p>\n The post J.D. McClatchy, Kevin McCarthy, Trixie Mattel, Hurricanes, Madonna, Hard Cider: HOT LINKS<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
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HAWAII<\/strong>. House passes ban on gay conversion therapy for minors<\/a>: \u2018House lawmakers added\u00a0amendments<\/a>\u00a0to the bill to clarify its intent \u2014 that banning \u201csexual orientation change efforts\u201d include attempts to alter a person\u2019s gender identity, gender expression, or gender-nonconforming behaviors. The amendments also specifically identify which therapists, counselors, or health professionals are prohibited from engaging in conversion therapy. For example, if a person is a licensed therapist or mental health professional but is acting in a role as a spiritual or religious advisor \u2014 and not in a professional capacity \u2014 they will not be threatened with discipline or the loss of their license.<\/p>\n![\"Madonna\"](\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.towleroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/madonna.jpeg?resize=195%2C195\")
VERSACE<\/strong>. Madonna was one of the first at the Versace mansion after Gianni was shot<\/a>: \u2018At the time, Madonna had an expansive house on the Miami mainland, and was a frequent guest at the Versace mansion. It would not have been a stretch to imagine her stopping work on the album upon getting news of a close friend\u2019s death and flying to Miami. But how would she have gotten into the home without anyone knowing until now? One of the things the show did get correct is that it was a media circus outside of Casa Casuarina following the murder. Yet the scene in which Donatella Versace walks into the house through the front doors at the main steps was complete fiction:\u00a0The home<\/a>\u00a0had far more private entrances in the back. It\u2019s likely Madonna was able to sneak in, and if someone had found out then, we all would have known about it by now. \u2018<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/a><\/p>\n