EYE CANDY: Pablo Hernandez (plus)

Pablo Hernandez is a smoking hot actor and model who has appeared as Eye Candy here before (October 8, 2012). He has his own official website: Pablo Unwrapped where there are even more pictures of this handsome 26-year-old from Miami.

Trailer for Patrik-ian Polk's Blackbird released!

The new film from Patrik-Ian Polk is Blackbird, and it is the first film that Oscar-winner Mo'Nique has starred in since winning the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for Precious. Blackbird is based on a book by openly gay, African-American author Larry Duplechan that is considered a classic of Black gay fiction.

2014 INDIAN WELLS: Finals are Pennetta-Radwanska, Federer-Djokovic XXXIII

The finals of Indian Wells 2014 are set and almost all the big names on the women's side have departed, with the final to be contested between Agnieska Radwanska and Flavia Pennetta. Pennetta had one of the biggest upsets of the year when she beat top seed Li Na in straight sets.
Both semifinals results were surprising, with Radwanska getting revenge on her loss to Simona Halep in Doha. Interestingly, Radwanska leads Pennetta 4-2 in their head-to-head but the Italian beat the Pole in Dubai in straight sets. So, in order to win the title at Indian Wells Radwanska would have to reverse a second recent defeat. I believe she will do so. MadProfessah's pick: Radwanska.

On the men's side, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will face off in their thirty-third match of their careers and second time in 2014. Federer currently leads the head-to-head 17-15 and beat Djokovic a few weeks ago in the semifinals of the Dubai tournament. Federer has won the tournament four times and Djokovic has won the tournament twice. Their match on Sunday should be very close but I'll give a slight edge to a resurgent Federer, who is playing some of his best tennis, against his higher ranked opponent who is not.
MadProfessah's pick: Federer.

POLL ANALYSIS: Support For Marriage Equality Is Accelerating!

Andrew Flores of the Williams Institute has a piece of the Monkey cage blog that analyzes the latest polls on marriage equality and makes a compelling argument that support for marriage equality is increasing at an increasing rate. (For you Calculus fans, we say that the graph of public support for marriage equality is "concave up"). The key point he makes is that since the Supreme Court issued its two marriage equality decisions (United States v. Windsor striking down the Defense of Marriage Act and Hollingsworth v. Perry effectively nullifying California's Proposition 8) in June 2013 (a date I like to call Gaytterdämmerung) popular support for marriage equality has ratcheted upwards at an accelerating pace.

The graphs below compare  the polling trends using a linear model or a polynomial model. It turns out that a polynomial model fits the polling data pre-Windsor and post-Windsor better than the linear model does for either time period..

This is a direct refutation of the idea that Kevin Drum posited recently that popular opinion on marriage equality has evolved about as rapidly as it did on interracial marriage. It also challenges an idea that Nate Silver promoted awhile back that the shift was due to opponents dying off and being replaced by a younger cohort which is overwhelmingly in support of marriage equality, leading him to predict an increase in support of roughly .5 percentage points per year in national polls.

Having a good estimate of the rate of increase in support for marriage equality is important, because as Flores says:

This has important implications for where public opinion is headed. If the stable linear trend were the right one, then by 2016 just over 56 percent of the public would be expected to support same-sex marriage. However, the accelerated trend predicts that support for same-sex marriage will be about 5 points higher by 2016. It is appropriate to infer that opinions are trending positively and changing exponentially as time goes on.

Regardless how you slice it, this is "good for the gays"!

(However, as a mathematician I truly wish that he hadn't used the word "exponentially" in that last sentence. There's a huge difference between polynomial growth and exponential growth. I think he meant the former when he said the latter. Regardless, it is still a good piece that I encourage you to read in full!)

2014 NEBULA Awards: Nominations Announced!

The nominations for the 2014 Nebula Awards have been announced. The Nebula award and the Hugo award are the highest awards given in recognition of excellent in writing science fiction and fantasy. The Nebula awards are given by the writers and the Hugo awards are given by the fans.

This year's nominees for the Nebula award for best novel are:

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, Karen Joy Fowler (Marian Wood) 

The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman (Morrow; Headline Review) 

Fire with Fire, Charles E. Gannon (Baen) 

Hild, Nicola Griffith (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) 

Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie (Orbit US; Orbit UK) 

The Red: First Light, Linda Nagata (Mythic Island) 

A Stranger in Olondria, Sofia Samatar (Small Beer)

The Golem and the Jinni, Helene Wecker (Harper)

The only nominees I had heard of on this list are by Leckie and Gaiman. Gaiman, because he has won before and Leckie because Ancillary Justice is in the military sci-fi genre that I greatly enjoy and thus Amazon.com keeps on suggesting her books when I am browsing for the latest book by James S.A. Corey, Peter Hamilton or Alastair Reynolds.

It seems like the more and more mysteries I read (I'm currently working my way through the Inspector Alan Banks books by Peter Robinson, the Harry Hole books by Jo Nesbo and the Chief Inspector Henri Gamache books by Louise Penny) the weaker my connection to science fiction becomes. Apart from the books by James S.A. Corey (Abaddon's Gate, Caliban's War and Leviathan's Wake) I have not founda new author recently who makes me eager to read their books. (I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in Corey's The Expanse series, Cibola Burn.) For example, I had to go and look up that last year's winner was 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson.

Gaiman has been hit or miss for me (mostly miss lately although I did like American Gods) so I'm not going to rush out to read The Ocean at the End of the Lane, but reviews seem to indicate that it's not really science fiction anyway, but some kind of horror-fantasy hybrid. However, Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice sounds cool enough I will put it on my Amazon wishlist:

On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest.

Breq is both more than she seems and less than she was. Years ago, she was the Justice of Toren--a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of corpse soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy.

An act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with only one fragile human body. And only one purpose--to revenge herself on Anaander Mianaai, many-bodied, near-immortal Lord of the Radch.

From debut author Ann Leckie, Ancillary Justice is a stunning space opera that asks what it means to be human in a universe guided by artificial intelligence.

Any thoughts?

CELEBRITY FRIDAY: Actor Who Plays Hodor On Game Of Thrones Is Openly Gay!

This week for Celebrity Friday we have news of someone who plays a memorable (but not really prominent) character on Game of Thrones coming out of the closet. Apparently, Kristian Nairn, the guy who plays Hodor on the show is openly gay.

The revelation stemmed from questions regarding the bear community's appreciation for his portrayal of burly strongman Hodor, protector of the young prince Bran Stark. Hodor has been a recurring character on the HBO series since its debut in 2011.

While Nairn considers being gay only a small part of his identity, he does understand the importance of coming out. "In this day and age, it's important to stand up and be counted," he told the site. "I have and always will stand my ground."

Additionally, he mentioned that the Game of Thrones cast has been overwhelmingly supportive of him as a gay man.

The character of Hodor is a fan favorite, primarily because he only says one thing, "Hodor," over and over again, with different inflections of course.

Lambda Legal Files Marriage Equality Lawsuit In Arizona!

Good news out of Arizona regarding LGBT equality! Lambda Legal has filed a lawsuit seeking to gain the right to marriage for same-sex couples in Arizona.

In the lawsuit, Lambda Legal, joined by pro bono co-counsel from Perkins Coie LLP, argues that the Arizona constitutional amendment and state statutes barring same-sex couples from marriage violates the Equal Protection Clause and the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution.  

The lead plaintiffs, Nelda Majors, 75, and Karen Bailey, 74, of Scottsdale, have been together for more than 55 years, and together have raised two children, Karen’s great grand-nieces Marissa and Sharla, as their own daughters since the girls came into their home as toddlers. Marissa is now 15 and Sharla 21. 

“Karen and I have been together since 1957,” Majors said.  “We’re a committed, loving family, have raised two amazing girls together, have seen each other through thick and thin, in sickness and in health. After five decades together, we want to celebrate and affirm our deep love for each other as other couples do, before our friends and family, through marriage. We’re also getting up there in years. I want to know that, should anything happen to me, there would be no question about Karen being allowed to be with me at the hospital, and vice versa. If we were married, there would be no question and we both would feel more secure.” 

“Arizona’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples serves no legitimate state interest, brands these loving couples and their children as second-class citizens, and encourages private bias and discrimination,” Pizer said. “And because the State does not even offer a lesser status such as civil union or domestic partnership, these loving couples live every day with the uncertainty that their families and relationships lack even basic protections.”

The name of the lawsuit is Majors v. Horne. As I have said, repeatedly, the fact that in the 9th U.S. Circuit (Washington, California, Oregon, Arizona, Idaho, Nevada and Montana) laws in these states that classify based on sexual orientation must receive heightened scrutiny that they are not violating the equal protection rights of LGBT people makes it very likely that bans on same-sex marriage in these states are toast. The deadline to appeal the decision that declared sexual orientation subject to heightened scrutiny passed last Friday, and this lawsuit I'm sure is a consequence of that decision.

UPDATE: Father Of Murdered Black Lesbian Arrested

There is a shocking update in the story of the Black lesbian couple whose bodies were found dumped near a dumpster in Galveston County over the weekend. James Larry Cosby, the father of one of the victims, has been arrested in connection with the crime.

The Houston Chronicle reports:

James Larry Cosby, 46, of Houston, is charged with two counts of tampering with evidence in the deaths of his daughter, Britney Cosby, and Crystal Jackson, according to the Galveston County Sheriff's Office. Both women were 24. 

Deputies said Cosby is in the Galveston County jail in lieu of $500,000 bail. Charges against him, deputies added, may be upgraded to capital murder as the investigation continues.

Cosby was arrested early Thursday morning after investigators interviewed him about the case following a vigil in Houston for the slain women, said Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset.

Tcochesset said statements Cosby made to investigators as well as evidence in the home where he lived with his daughter and his daughter's great-grandmother led to his arrest. He declined to elaborate about what Cosby said or what evidence was found because the case is still being investigated.

Kudos to the Galveston County Sheriffs for making an arrest so quickly in the case. This situation just seems to be getting more and more tragic.

Hat/tip to Joe Jervis

Marriage Equality In England and Wales Goes In Effect Today

Good news from "across the pond"! Marriage equality in England and Wales has now gone into effect. And the Queen just gave her royal assent for Scotland's marriage equality law.

Pink News reports:

The bulk of same-sex marriage legislation came into effect at midnight, meaning couples who have entered into same-sex marriages overseas are now recognised as married. 

Before today, same-sex couples who got married overseas had their marriages treated as a civil partnership in England and Wales, but the Equalities office says from today “they will instead be recognised as being married”. 

Unwed couples still have to wait until March 29 before getting married, as new marriages require a 16 day notice period, but they can now declare their intent to marry. 

However, couples who have already entered into civil partnerships in the UK have to wait until later this year before they can convert them to marriages.

Jolly good show, what what!

2014 INDIAN WELLS: great day if tennis continued with Federer-

I'm watching the 4th round match between Roger Federer and Tommy Haas live at Indian Wells.

Earlier I saw a great come from behind doubles match with Svetlana Kuznetsova and Samantha Stosur against Kimiko Date-Krumm and Barbara Zahvalova Strycova.

The sapphic duo won 1-6 6-3 10-6.

2014 INDIAN WELLS: I am there

I am watching Murray-Raonic live on Stadium 1. Later I get to see Federer-Haas as well.

Sent from my iPhone 4...

GODLESS WEDNESDAY: Religious Folks Freaked Out By Truth In Cosmos

The new versio of Cosmos aired on Sunday (on 10 channels owned by Fox, interestingly enough) but religious people are freaking out that the truth the Catholic Church actively persecuted people for questioning the official view of the Universe in the 16th century was reported in the first episode.

For example, reactions like this were common on Twitter:

It also can't help the show is being hosted by noted atheist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Do religion and science have to be in conflict? Or are religious people by nature of their belief in something without proof inherently gullible (some would say insane or stupid but I guess I won't go that far).

Cosmos airs Sundays at 9pm.

Game Of Thrones Season 4: Trailer #3!

Season 4 of HBO's Game of Thrones starts Sunday April 6th. Here is the third trailer for the season, which I suspect will be the best season of the show, since it is basically covering all the best parts of Book 3, A Storm of Swords (except for the infamous Red Wedding scene, of course).

2014 INDIAN WELLS: Both Defending Champions (Nadal and Sharapova) Lose!

Whooops! At the 2014 BNP Paribas Open Monday was a day of upsets as defending champion (and World #1) Rafael Nadal lost to Aleksandr Dolgopolov in a 3rd set tiebreak. This was a pretty big surprise since Nadal went undefeated on North American hard-courts in 2013, winning 2 ATP Masters series shields and the 2013 US Open. However, in his first match with Radek Stepanek Nadal was clearly not at his best, eking out a win 7-5 in the third set. He is not serving at 100%, which some people think may be due to a lingering back injury.

Amazingly, Nadal was not the only defending champion to lose on Monday because World #5 Maria Sharapova lost an ugly 3-set match to qualifier Camila Giorgi 6-3 4-6 7-5. Giorgi is clearly a big match player since last year she ousted former World #1 Caroline Wozniacki at the 2013 US Open.

The highest remaining seeds in the draw on the men's side are World #2 Novak Djokovic, World #3 Stanislas Wawrinka and World #5 Andy Murray. Roger Federer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet are still in the draw. Wawrinka and Federer are into the quarterfinals in the doubles!

On the women's side of the draw the top seed is Li Na and Agnieska Radwanska is still in the draw, but Victoria Azarenka and now Sharapova are both out. Simona Halep and Jelena Jankovic are still around. Sloane Stephens eliminated Ana Ivanovic Monday night in straight sets.

There Are 7 Openly LGBT Billionaires (Combined Net Worth $16B)

Forbes magazine reveals that there are now seven openly LGBT billionaires in the world. Previously, I had blogged about the openly transgender billionaire, Jennifer Pritzker. At that time I had only identified three billionaires: David Geffen, Peter Thiel, Jon Stryker and Pritzker. But now they have been joined by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana (the owners and creators of the Dolce Gabbana brand) as well as Michael Kors.

Not surprisingly, since men dominate the list of 1645 billionaires in the world, there are currently no openly lesbian billionaires.

For those of you counting at home, this means that just 0.7% of the world's known billionaires are openly LGBT.

Marriage Equality States Currently Have 204 2016 Electoral Votes

Keith Boykin has an interesting analysis of the changing math of marriage equality at his Tumblr blog. Basically he looks at the 17 states in which marriage equality is currently legal and realizes that their electoral vote total is 204, which is getting pretty close to the magic number of 270 which is used to elect the President of the United States.

If you add the states with civil unions (CO-9 electoral votes, NV-6 electoral votes, OR-7 electoral votes) or domestic partnerships (WI-10 electoral votes), the number rises to 236. And if you add the two states where judges have recently struck down gay marriage bans (UT-6 electoral votes and OK-7 electoral votes) but action is pending, the number increases to 249. Utah and Oklahoma aren’t likely to vote Democratic in any upcoming presidential election, but the 204 electoral votes in the states that do have same-sex marriage reflects how the Democratic Party has shifted so dramatically since Republicans tried to use marriage as a wedge issue to defeat John Kerry just 10 years ago. With 204 electoral votes at stake, it’s inconceivable that any Democratic presidential candidate would ever again oppose marriage equality.

It is very possible that by the time the 2016 Presidential election happens in November 2016 same-sex couples will be able to get married in enough states that equals 270 electoral votes, depending on when the Supreme Court gets the appropriate marriage equality case.

Hat/tip to Clay Cane

Houston Black Lesbian Couple Found Murdered; Police Sketch of Suspect Released

The LGBT blogosphere is buzzing with the sad news that an African-American lesbian couple have been found murdered in Galveston County, Texas. The two women, both 24, have been identified as Crystal Jackson and Britney Cosby. Cosby has a 5-year-old daughter and the two women had been living together and raising the child together.

Police have released a composite sketch of the person they think had been seen riding in the women's car, a 2006 Kia Sorento SUV.

Galveston County Sheriff's Office is asking for anyone with information to call 1-866-248-8477.

EYE CANDY: Sesamir Yearby

Sesamir Yearby is a 31-year-old model from Chicago. According to the ExploreTalent website he is 6-foot-2-inches tall and weighs 204-pounds.

Hat/tip to Funky Dineva

INDIAN WELLS 2014: Sloane Stephens Up Close

I'm at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA. Look who we ran into: Sloane Stephens!

Season 1 Finale of HBO's Looking Tonight

The first season of HBO's gay "dramedy" series Looking ends tonight when the 8th episode airs. The show has already been renewed for a second season and revolves around the loves and lives of three openly gay guys living in the San Francisco Bay Area. The lead character is played by openly gay actor Jonathan Groff and the central tension of the show is about whether his somewhat neurotic videogame programmer Patrick will choose Richie (Raul Castillo, who is straight in real life), a cute and very decent working class Latino barber with apparently little ambition, or Kevin (played by openly gay Russell Tovey), his handsome, British boss who has a longtime boyfriend and some palpable physical attraction towards Patrick. The series is co-created by Andrew Haigh (who directed Tovey in the sleeper gay hit film Weekend).

The other storylines involve the "co-lead" characters Dom (openly gay Australian actor Murray Bartlett), a just-turned-40 waiter who is starting to realize he needs to do something with his life before he can no longer get by on his good looks to hook up with twinks) and Augustin (Frankie J. Alvarez), an unlikable artistic type who is Patrick's college buddy and used to be his roommate until he moved out to Oakland to live with his very attractive (and Black) boyfriend early in the season.

The show is only 30 minutes long so I would prefer to see more of the Richie-Patrick-Kevin triangle as well as the potential courtship between Dom and older man Lynn (played by Scott Bakula).

Also ending its first season tonight is HBO's True Detective which stars newly minted Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as two detectives in a very atmospheric show about child murders and police misconduct in the Louisiana countryside and bayous. Apparently, neither Harrelson or McConaughey will appear in Season 2, so this may be the last time to see these two great actors facing off each other on "the little screen."