Gays are good for business: Rehoboth is having brisk summer

EdgePhiladelphia: Even with the economy hovering on the verge of recession and high gas prices continuing to dampen cross-country and national tourism, beach resorts closer to home have experienced a profitable summer. Rehoboth Beach is certainly among them.

Philadelphia resident Joe Hoffman has a share in a beach house with 10 others who carpool to the beach every week-often for three day weekends. He said Rehoboth provided him with a more affordable option this summer.

“I scaled back all my vacation plans this year,” Hoffman said. “Gas prices are disgusting, but you all ride together and stay for a longer weekend. It becomes more affordable.”

Rehoboth has seen an increase in younger visitors from both Washington and Philadelphia over the last two summers. Local realtors point to plentiful and still affordable housing as a major draw.

“There’s more housing than ever,” Rehoboth real estate agent Chris Riss noted.

He further pointed out the building boom between 2000 and 2006 attracted a significant number of gay home owners and renters.

“With more properties available to rent for the season, the price to rent a house or a share in it is less in real terms today than it was 10 years ago,” Riss said.

Southern Decadence Cancellations due to Hurricane Gustav

For those that live elsewhere, Southern Decadence is the gay Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Touted by my friends that live there as the real Mardi Gras to attend, now that the tourists have taken over the other one…

LATEST UPDATE: AUGUST 30, 2008~1:30pm
SOUTHERN DECADENCE CANCELLATIONS
The Mayor’s Office of the City of New Orleans and the New Orleans Police Department have asked that all major outdoor events of Southern Decadence Weekend remaining on Saturday and Sunday be canceled. The Mayor’s Office is recommending all tourist and locals evacuate the city. A mandatory evacuation has not been ordered at this time.
The 4th Bourbon Street Extravaganza on Saturday, August 30 has been canceled. However, the majority of events scheduled in the clubs are still on for Saturday evening.

The Southern Decadence Parade and Southern Decadence Bead Toss on Sunday, August 31 have been cancelled. Please check with your favorite club for Sunday openings, activities and events.
The Southern Decadence Survivors Outer Loop Bar Crawl on Labor Day has been cancelled. Please check with your favorite club for Monday openings, activities and events.
Starlight By The Park, 834 N. Rampart; and JohnPaul’s, 940 Elysian Fields Avenue, are staying open for those remaining in the city. Should your bar or club remain open please e-mail info@southerndecadence.com, and your bar or club will be added to this list.

37th Official Southern Decadence 2008
August 27-September 1, 2008

Reports from Air Force Reserve and NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 120 mph … With higher gusts. Gustav is a Category Three hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Some restrengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours…and Gustav could regain category four strength later today or tonight. Fluctuations in strength are likely…but Gustav is forecast to remain a major hurricane until landfall.
…
An extremely dangerous storm surge of 18 to 25 feet above normal tidal levels is expected near and to the east of where the center of Gustav crosses the northern Gulf Coast. A storm surge of 1 to 3 feet above normal tide levels is possible in the Dry Tortugas as Gustav passes to its west.

Gustav is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches over portion of Louisiana…southern Mississippi and southern Arkansas…with isolated maximum amounts of up to 20 inches possible through Wednesday morning. Additional rainfall amounts of about an inch are possible over Florida Keys and south Florida.

Gayle King: Oprah And I Aren’t Lesbians

Huffington Post: Gayle King is single and ready to mingle. Promoting the ABC show “Oprah’s Big Give” on Letterman, King laughed off reports she and best friend Oprah Winfrey were more than friends. After joking about how she got all dolled up to be on the show (“are you looking at my breasts?”), King, divorced with kids, told Dave she has a hard enough time getting a date on a Saturday night without men thinking she’s already spoken for. “Now I have to explain: Look, I’m available!”

TV boss apologizes for coverage of gay Olympic hero

Pink News: The head of Olympics at American television network NBC has apologized for the way in which they reported the story of Matthew Mitcham.

The 20-year-old Australian diver won gold at the Beijing Games last week.

However, NBC caused outrage by appearing to censor pictures of the athlete celebrating his win with his boyfriend Lachlan.

The only out gay contestant at the Games, NBC made no mention of his sexuality when discussing his triumph at the 10 metre platform diving event.

After the Australian national anthem was played Matthew went into the stands to embrace his mother and kiss Lachlan, an event missed out of the NBC coverage broadcast across the US.

After protests led by gay entertainment blog AfterElton.com, the network initially claimed they were unaware that there was an issue over their coverage.

“Anyone watching NBC’s coverage of the Beijing Olympics is aware how much time the network devoted to many athlete’s personal stories,” said AfterElton.com.

“Michael Phelp’s record setting eight Olympic gold medals and his relationship with his mother, Usain Bolt’s gold medals and world records, and even Sanya Richard’s relationship with her fiancée who plays for the New York Giants.

“Was Mitcham’s win simply not that noteworthy? Given that he single-handedly kept the Chinese from winning every men’s diving gold medal, that explanation is highly unlikely.”

NBC responded: “It’s not possible to cover the entire personal story of every athlete regarding their performance. It’s just not possible to single out coverage.”

However, yesterday the network’s head of Olympics conceded that NBC had been at fault.

“We regret that we missed the opportunity to tell Matthew Mitcham’s story,” Gary Zenkel told AfterElton.com

“We apologise for this unintentional omission.”

Win a walk-on part in The L Word

A human rights organization that works to end violence and discrimination against women and girls is auctioning a unique prize to raise funds.

Equality Now is offering a walk-on part for the final season of The L Word to the highest bidder.

The award-winning drama featuring the lives and loves of lesbian, bi and trans women in LA has been a huge hit in the US and Europe.

“The L Word will culminate early next year in eight final episodes, marking the end of an era chronicling the lives of these iconic characters who have played a pivotal role in changing cultural perceptions of lesbians and the transgender community on and off screen,” the show’s producers said.

The winner will get a behind-the-scenes look at how one of television’s hottest series gets filmed, meet some of the actors, tour the production facility, and eat lunch with the cast and crew. And they can bring a friend.

Starting bid for the walk-on role is $1,000 (£547).

Click here to bid.