Former Cyprus F.M. Arrested On Gay sex charges with a 22 &16 yrs olds

Jonny Payne  PinkPaper.com

The former Cypriot Finance Minister who was detained by police for a week following alleged gay sex offences has described his experience as “a difficult ordeal”.

Michalis Sarris was released by officials in the Turkish north of Cyprus on a €47,000 bail on Friday following a weeklong detention after Turkish Cypriot police raided a house in Nicosia.

Sarris, 65, was detained under article 171 of the Criminal Code, which remains unchanged from the island’s British colonial rule and makes reference to “unnatural acts” with regards to homosexuality.

The former minister appeared in court on Friday charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, committing an act against the order of nature, and two separate incidents of incident assault, the Cyprus Mail reports. 

The charges involve two unnamed youths, a 22-year-old man who failed to turn up to court, and a 16-year old boy. Police claim a 17-year-old who was arrested at the house in Nicosia alongside Sarris and a 29-year old man, had admitted to having sex with Sarris. But the teenager said he was beaten into a false confession.

Speaking after his release on bail, Sarris said in a statement: “It was a difficult ordeal for myself, my family and my co-workers following unsubstantiated charges.

“The complete lack of any sort of evidence, the medical examinations and the entire witness testimony demonstrate that there was absolutely no sort of crime or illegality,” Sarris added, the Cyprus Mail reports.

Under current legislation, a person found to have committed a gay “unnatural act” in the Turkish north of Cyprus could be jailed for up to five years. It remains the only area in Europe to consider homosexuality as illegal.

Marina Yannakoudakis, a Conservative MEP for London, protested against the ban on homosexuality in the region during a meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Derviş Eroğlu on Friday. Eroğlu made assurances that he was seeking an end to the ban and would sign this repeal into law.

Sarris is due to appear in the TRNC court on 16 November to face trial.

As Reported Earlier:Mitchel Musso charged with DUI /Might face jail

BY ALEXIS CHIU  people.com

Mitchel Musso

Landov

 Faceboo    Could one of Hannah Montana's sidekicks end up in jail? 

Mitchel Musso, 20, has been charged with two counts of drunken driving, TMZ reports. 


The Disney Channel star – best known for his work as Miley Cyrus's pal Oliver Oken on Hannah Montana – was arrested in Burbank, Calif., on Oct. 16 after he allegedly failed to slow down for police directing traffic for an unrelated accident. 


Authorities allege Musso's blood-alcohol level was higher than .08, though he is under the legal drinking age of 21 so any alcohol in his body would be considered illegal. Musso faces a maximum of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted on both misdemeanor counts. 


Musso, who also stars in the Disney series Pair of Kings and Prank Stars, was released on $5,000 bail after his arrest. He is due back in court Nov. 11.

Senator Alesi, Supporter of Gay Marriage, Voted ‘No’ in ’09 } but saw the light on 2011

NYTimes.com

 Last week, a panel discussion at The New York Times offered an unusual insiders’ view of the fight for passage of a bill legalizingsame-sex marriage.

WMHT/New York NOW

TORN State Senator James S. Alesi before his 2009 vote on same-sex marriage.

 .

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo; the City Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn; the political consultant Bruce Gyory; and State Senator James S. Alesi of Monroe County shared their experiences as the bill inched forward.

Mr. Alesi — one of four Republicans who voted yes, giving the measure the support it needed for passage — also shed light on a question that had never been fully answered: Why had he voted against same-sex marriage when the legislation first came up in 2009? He had seemed supportive of the measure and appeared anguished and uncomfortable when he cast his no vote.

The reason, Mr. Alesi said, was pure political calculation.

BEFORE we went in to vote on that night, we knew that bill had no chance of passage. And in fact there were eight Democrats at that time that were going to vote against that bill. Thirty Republicans couldn’t carry the day even if every one of them had said yes.

So it’s kind of shameful to admit, but in the world we live in, politics decides a lot of how you act. And knowing that the bill wasn’t going to pass because the other side didn’t have enough votes meant that you don’t put yourself out there politically for a bill that is going to fail, when your conservatives and your right-wings will work against you in the next election.

What was at stake there, and again this is a political statement, but you have to tell the truth about this because we’re talking about real history — was that the Republican conference was trying to do everything it could to get back in the majority, which as everyone knows is what happened.

The last thing I said before going out the door — and remember my name begins with “A” so I am the first Republican to vote on a roll call vote — there were then six of us, without naming names, that wanted to vote yes on that bill, but we knew that it would be used against us in the next election, and again you don’t take a bad vote on a bill that’s not going to pass, I hate to say that, I really hate to say that, but that is the truth, whether it’s marriage equality or it’s a budget bill, so I made sure that my conference knew that I was going to cast the first vote, and I knew there were a half-dozen others that wanted to vote “yes” on it.

I said in my conference, “I’m going to vote ‘no’ for the sake of this conference, but if anybody in this conference votes ‘yes’  then I will leave, I will quit the Senate.”

I went out, and as I sat there I knew I was voting against what I believed. I knew I was voting against what was in my heart. I knew I was voting against what I thought was right not just for me, not only for New York, but for America.

It was very, very hard for me.

Some people say it was theatrical. If that was theatrical I’m in New York so I’m going to get my SAG card. It was very hard.

I did promise myself I would never vote “no” again, no matter what the circumstances were.  

A version of this article appeared in print on October 23, 2011, on page WE4 of the New York edition with the headline: Why a Supporter Voted ‘No’ in ’09.

Zachary Quinto to star as gay on 'American Horror Story'

 by Olivia Allin
Zachary Quinto is slated to guest star in four episodes of the new FX series "American Horror Story" as a recently deceased gay man.
In "American Horror Story," which was created by "Glee" executive producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, Quinto will portray Chad, the former gay owner of the haunted house who befriends Vivien (Connie Britton).

Quinto, who recently came out as gay, is mostly likely known for his roles as the villain Sylar on the "Heroes" television series and as Spock in the 2009 "Star Trek" film.

The actor will make his first appearance in Wednesday's episode, which is the first of a two-parter, the second episode will air on Halloween night. There will also be a marathon of the first four episodes leading up to the October 31 showing.

The gruesome horror series has received rave reviews and was one of the most-watched cable series on Wednesday, with 2.59 million viewers, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The 34-year-old actor gave an interview to New York magazine about his latest film, "Margin Call," and said that it was his role in the Broadway revival of "Angels in America" as Louis Ironson that made him realize how important it was to contribute to the gay community.

The play is about people and their loved ones dealing with AIDS in the mid-1980s. Quinto said that his eight-month stint in the play was "the most challenging thing I've ever done as an actor and the most rewarding." He added, "And at the same time, as a gay man, it made me feel like there's still so much work to be done, and there's still so many things that need to be looked at and addressed."

Previously, the actor had remained quiet about his personal life. The magazine notes a profile of the actor from the New York Times in 2010 where Quinto talks about his passion for gay rights and The Trevor Project but added that although " the blogosphere is rife with speculation about his sexuality," Quinto "prefers not to feed that rumor mill with either substantiation or dismissal."

Last year, Quinto recorded a video for the "It Gets Better" campaign, which includes videos from celebrities and non-famous people offering encouraging words to those bullied about their sexuality. It was started last year following a slew of suicides of bullied gay teenagers.

The actor recently played Anna Farris' boyfriend in the comedy "What's Your Number?" In the past, he also appeared as Tori Spelling's gay best friend on "So NoTORIous." The actor is set to reprise his role as Spock in the upcoming "Star Trek" sequel, which is still in the works.

Zachary Quinto's debut on "American Horror Story" will air on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on FX. Watch a clip below.

(Copyright ©2011 OnTheRedCarpet.com. All Rights Reserved.)

http://www.ontheredcarpet.com

Philadelphia is cursed with the worst sports fans in the history of everdom, and that includes the Flyers BuT...

(Photo credit: Andre Ringuette)

True story. Guy walks into a bar. He immediately pulls down his pants, starts cursing a blue streak, and vomits on the floor before stumbling out the door. Bartender says: “Hey, I didn’t know there was a Flyers game today!”

Philadelphia is cursed with the worst sports fans in the history of everdom, and that includes the Flyers Their arena smells, their colors look like butt, and those are the nice things we have to say.

The Low Down: 

There’s no question 

Unfortunately, they’re also a consistently solid squad, bringing a hard game to every outing. The Broad Street Bullies may be long gone, but the Flyers remain a serious team – this year included. Unlike the Caps, they don’t need to “get up” for any particular game; they’re ready to play from the first puck drop. Just like Mike Knuble… except for the fact that we adore Kanoobs and hate them. So what’s the secret to their success?

Their Secret Weapon

The Power of Pugly? No, much credit of late must go to coach Peter Laviolette, who in his nine years as NHL coach has lead three teams to the playoffs six times, capturing Lord Stanley’s Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006. You don’t get those results through luck alone.

This is Laviolette’s third season with the Flyers (Hawks’ fans no doubt remember him well) and so far his overhaul of last year’s roster appears to have built on the core Flyers strengths, much as Boudreau and GMGM (to a lesser degree) have attempted for the Caps.

And we suspect this is due in large measure to a truly secret weapon: Flyer scout Patrick Burke. Just one of 15 on the scouting team, Burke is said to have one of the sharpest eyes for talent around. He should… it’s in his genes.

What Makes Them Hot

Chris Pronger

#1: Chris Pronger. A newly minted captain, Pronger is among the most effective defensemen anywhere on ice this season. 1 goal and 4 assists make him 20th in the league in points – not bad for a big rig who’s pushing the upper edges of 30’s. Harder to put your finger on, but we think there’s something about knowing you’re leading your team in the Winter Classic that makes a guy feel a little invincible. And with a name like “Pronger”…well, ‘nuff said.

#2: Jaromir Jagr. Defeating every anti-bacterial effort to make this 38-year-old scab dry up and go away, Jagr is back on the ice, already getting three assists this season, and now we’re facing him again. Given the Caps at-times chaotic performances in the zone (1st period against the Pens’ forecheck, anybody?), Jagr and linemate Claude Giroux could give Tomáš (or Neuvy) (or Holtby) (or Saborin) fits. We know it’s righteous to lay down the Jagr-hate in this town, and why not? He’s a stain. He’s the wanker always trying to “Friend” you. He’s basically the Brinks bank robber with a Munster mullet. 10 shots with no points against Ottawa? Let’s just make sure he doesn’t add any more points to his tally Thursday.

 #3: Ilya Bryzgalov. OK, I grew up in Detroit where “z” is considered a vowel, but this guy’s name is still a puzzle. So are his tweets. Obvs a big fan of the Lion King, @bryzgoalie30 reads less like a professional athlete and more like a 10-year-old with Twitterrhea. “Childhood is when you are running from the bathroom in the middle of the night, happy you didn’t get eaten,” are among the updates that make more sense. I do NOT want to see what’s in his bathroom. If there is something about this cat, it’s why he’s been spending so much time in the crease. Boasting a .935% save rate so far this season, he’s not infallible but pretty damn close. Worse,Sergei “Bob” Bobrovsky showed a lot of promise in camp this year, giving Laviolette a choice between good and good.

What Makes Them Not

Brayden Schenn

#1: Zac Rinaldo. Sounding like the dumpy one in a Disney boy-band is Rinaldo, a 5’forgettable, 170-pound pest with exactly 0 goals or assists so far. But he almost gave Kings defenseman Drew Doughty a concussion recently, so there’s that. Sasha may or may not care, but this guy doesn’t even rate: a zero save for his willingness to get in the way of good players. We strongly encourage everyone to ignore this jerk at all costs. Maybe like the recession, he’ll just go away. Oh, wait; he just did, sent packing by Laviolette to the Phantoms. (Were you reading our draft, coach?) But we had so many more Rinaldo jokes! Ugh, called up in his place is Brayden Schenn, which isn’t the best news. Schenn’s a skilled center (8 goals 10 assists last year) who hasn’t seen much ice time lately. Whether he takes Rhino’s spot on the fourth line or bumps someone else will be interesting to see.

#2: Ouch. Still on injured reserve are Blair Betts and Ian LaPerriere, which is too bad for the Flyers because they could use these two. Betts isn’t a big scorer, but he’s consistent, as is right winger LaPerriere, who’s out with post-concussion syndrome. And while technically healthy, Matt Carle just has not been performing up to par.

#3: Phans. You know what’s funny? Booing a Cancer Awareness PSA. Fun-nee! Or laughing at injured players on the ice. Hi-LAR-ious! Or beating up rival fans in the stands. Oh, you scamps! Look, Philadelphia: get over it. Nobody wants to be you, nobody wants to live in you, nobody wants to play for you. You are a colossal super-collider of suck, and everyone knows it. Just save us all the bother, sit down, and shut it.

What To Watch For

On the Caps bench, we may, or may not, have put to rest our sluggish opening stanzas. While it’s hard to argue with 5-0, we’ll take a slug or two anyway (just call us Jay Beagle) – the Flyers are in just about everyone’s top 5 list at the moment, and if we give them an opening, it will be very hard to claw back. It wasn’t just a couple star players that participated in the Senators thrashing, it was most of the Flyers unit. We’re also watching for news on Neuvy’s bad paw.

Over on the jerky side, let’s see where Schenn and if Jody Shelley play – Shelley’s just off one of Shanahan’s five-game suspensions for boarding and just generally being an ass (although technically you can’t really be suspended for that – yet.)

russian machine never breaks.com/

Pete Seger at OWS} Who is he? Just read the intro.

Renowned folk singer Pete Seeger performed Friday evening at the Occupy Columbus Circle in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street.

“The Weavers” band member played his instrument while the crowd sung to “This Little Light of Mine” and “We are the 99 percent.”

WATCH: Video from Youtube, which appeared on October 22, 2011.

Pete Seger for the younger generation(so weird Im saying that, I always thought I was one of the younger generation-but have to face the facts I’m a young baby boomer). Born at the end of the boom, never the less a boomer. You know the boomer, the ones that repressed their sexuality or others’. The ones that did pot, but passed laws to prohibit anyone from doing some.  Thanks goodness that there is a new generation out there, growing up or born in the information age. Very hard to lie to them, because they can check the facts by just a 'google.’

To those younger ones I love, because of their open minds, Pete Seger..is a monument of peaceful revolution by music and brotherhood. “ From California, to the NY Island, This land was made for me and you.” If you heard that song you heard Pete Seger. 

Now an old but beautiful pete Seger, one who will never get old

Proudly, adamfoxie* blog introduces this little ‘vid' to mark Pete’s occasion  on another possible revolution:

MBachmann’s Staff Quits on Her for by passing NH} She Seems To Be Cooked

 

By ALEX ALTMAN | @aaltman82 

 

 

JEFF CHIU / AP

Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., speaks at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, Oct. 20, 2011.

Michele Bachmann’s campaign staff in New Hampshire has quit en masse, frustrated by the Minnesota Congressman’s inattention to the state.

The exodus, first reported by WMUR’s James Pindell, marks the nadir of Bachmann’s free-fall since capturing the Iowa straw poll in August. While an embarrassing development, the defections may also have been inevitable. Bachmann has pinned her presidential hopes on winning Iowa, the state where she was born and where her message best meshes with the makeup of the electorate. But zeroing in on Iowa and its heavily Evangelical caucus-goers, coupled with her invisibility in the first-in-the-nation primary state, amounted to a tacit concession in New Hampshire. 

Bachmann’s camp swatted down reports of the exits. “That is a shocking story to me. I don’t know where that came from,” Bachmann said after calling into an Iowa radio station. (Audio here.)Asked if any staff had quit, she said, “Not to our knowledge.” Her spokeswoman, Alice Stewart, didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry from TIME. But one of the staffers, Jeff Chidester, confirmed to New Hampshire’s Union-Leader that he and at least three other staffers had left the campaign. One of those staffers has already signed on as a field representative for Rick Perry, according to multiple reports.

Before Bachmann’s four-day swing through the Granite State earlier this month, which dovetailed with the presidential debate at Dartmouth College, she’d visited New Hampshire just once since June. The absence damaged her already fragile standing in a state that expects serious contenders to visit regularly. Over the summer, as her nascent Tea Party-fueled candidacy drew notice, Bachmann regularly polled in double-digits in New Hampshire. In a RealClearPolitics average of recent polls in the state, she’s notched less than 4%, good for just seventh place in the state.

The departures are the latest in a long string for Bachmann, whose struggles to retain congressional staff have carried over into her bid for the Republican nomination. Citing fatigue, Bachmann’s former presidential campaign manager, Ed Rollins, jumped ship along with his top deputy just months after signing on. Rollins left a trial of carnage in his wake, declaring that Bachmann lacked the “resources and ability” to compete beyond Iowa. More recently, Bachmann lost veteran pollster Ed Goeas. For her Granite State staff, there must have seemed little reason to go on fighting