1. Saw two blond women stopped by the police on Saturday. The officers, four of them, were all smiles. The women were laughing. Wish my encounters with the police were such jocular events.

2. There’s a guy in my office who doesn’t wash his hands after he uses the urinal. Nasty.

3. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a lot of ’splaining to do.

4. I so want to buy the “I Love Lucy” DVD set.

5. Any AIDS Walk stories?

6. To march while gay seems to be against the law in Moscow.

7. I prefer my local watering hole on Sunday night as opposed to Saturday.

8. Is it wrong to lust after the local coffee boy?

9. RNC chairman Michael Steele is giving Richard Pryor a run for his money.

10. No bad dogs. Just terrible owners.

The continent’s gaudiest, loudest and most popular music competition isn’t just a battle of the bands. It’s a 24 million euro ($32.5 million) showcase for the 42 participating nations, which typically attracts 100 million viewers from around the world.

As last year’s winner, Russia is hosting the annual competition for the first time. The contest hasn’t only fired up pop music fans and spawned a host of parties, it has raised issues such as racial tolerance and gay rights only occasionally debated in Russian society.

“You can’t deny that the politics has been very upfront this year,” said BBC broadcaster Paddy O’Connell, who is doing commentary on the competition this year.

Some contestants have tried to use the competition as a venue for settling international scores. Two months ago, the pop group Stephane and 3G from Georgia vowed to perform “We Don’t Wanna Put In,” a thinly veiled jab at Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

They pulled out when organizers warned that politically charged songs would not be permitted. Russia and Georgia fought a war last year.

But Eurovision has also appealed to the gentler impulses of many competing nations, resulting in some odd alliances between traditional foes.

Israel has made an appeal for peace and harmony with “There Must Be Another Way,” sung in Arabic, Hebrew and English by Arab-Jewish duo Noa and Mira.

Russia’s “Mamo,” composed by a Georgian songwriter and partially performed in Ukrainian, is a multicultural cocktail apparently designed to reunite Russia with its former Soviet brethren.

The message of cultural diversity was tarnished when the singer, Anastasia Prikhodko, said on a popular Russian reality TV show that she did “not like black and Chinese people.”

Some fans also complain that solidarity can get out of hand. Former Soviet Eastern bloc nations tend to support one another, helping the region win five of the last eight contests.

The competition is decided by a panel of judges and telephone voting by participating countries. Fans cannot vote for their own nation’s entry, leading to suspicions of regional cabals.

The United Kingdom, an erstwhile Eurovision titan with five victories under its belt, has foundered in recent years and in 2008 placed last.

But the British may have better chances this year, despite the U.K.’s chilly relations with Moscow. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who penned Britain’s entry, has won the support of an unlikely ally: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

“Putin himself has been pacing the hall here and he told us who he was going to vote for,” O’Connell said. “As a result, a lot of the leading Russians here, including some of the hosts, have said they are going to vote for Britain.”

Not all the drama is expected inside the performance hall. Hours before the finale, gay rights activists plan to hold a parade in defiance of authorities. Nationalist and religious foes of gay rights have planned rallies of their own.

Irina Fedotova and Irina Shipitko were handed a written rejection from an official in a registry office in central Moscow on Monday.

The office director, Svetlana Potamoshneva, said Russian law recognizes a marriage “only” between a man and a woman. Despite the rejection, the couple said they would not give up.

“We won’t stop in midstream,” Fedotova told journalists later, adding that she and her partner plan to get married in Canada. She said Russia recognizes marriages registered abroad, thus allowing the couple to formalize their relationship.

Despite the rejection, the couple – wearing suits and bow-ties and holding flowers – held hands and kissed, and said they would continue to fight for recognition of gay rights in Russia.

“This is delayed justice,” said Nikolai Alexeyev, Russia’s gay rights movement leader.

Russia decriminalized homosexuality in 1993, but opposition to gay rights remains widespread. Russian spiritual leaders have claimed that homosexuality threatens the country’s traditional values.

The marriage attempt precedes a gay pride parade Saturday, scheduled to coincide with the finals of the Eurovision Song Contest. Gay rights activists hope that the European media gathered for the event will help them draw attention to their cause.

Moscow authorities have banned the gay pride parade, and anti-gay rights religious and nationalist groups have threatened to stage street demonstrations.

“The gay parade is … an act of spiritual terrorism,” Mikhail Nalimov, chairman of the Union of Orthodox Christian Youth.

His deputy, Dmitry Terekhov, said the parade was in part aimed at converting people to homosexuality.

In 2006, gay activists who tried to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier just outside the Kremlin wall were arrested by riot police and harangued by religious and ultranationalist group members.

Last year, at least one gay rights activist was assaulted during a small protest in Moscow while uniformed police officers stood by and watched.

This year’s Eurovision Song Contest is being hosted by Moscow and will be broadcast throughout Europe.

LGBT civil rights have set May 16 for the parade – the same day as the song festival finals will be held.

City officials have refused to grant a permit for the parade and gays say they will march anyway. A city spokesperson said that any attempt to hold a parade would be “firmly dealt with.”  “Such events will be firmly stopped by the authorities,” Moscow city spokesperson Leonid Krutakov said.

Gay rights leaders have asked entrants to the Eurovision competition to use the telecast to speak out for LGBT rights.

Pop singer Gordon, a member of the Dutch group The Toppers, is the first to do so.

In an interview with Dutch public broadcaster NOS he said he will refuse to take the stage at the Eurovision Song Contest final if police stop the parade.

Laws against homosexuality were repealed at the end of the Communist era but Moscow city officials have refused to allow gays to hold a pride march for years.

Moscow Pride has seven cases already pending before the European Court of Human Rights.

LGBT civil rights leader Nikolai Alexeyev said he filed a request Tuesday for permission to march through Moscow to the square in front of the former KGB headquarters.

Last week, city officials said that any attempt to hold a parade would be “firmly dealt with.” “Such events will be firmly stopped by the authorities,” Moscow city spokesperson Leonid Krutakov said.

May 16th coincides with the finals of the Eurovision Song Contest, which is being hosted by the city and will be broadcast throughout Europe. Pride organizers have called for finalists to express support for pride during the telecast.

Laws against homosexuality were repealed at the end of the Communist era ,but Moscow city officials have refused to allow gays to hold a pride march for years.

Moscow Pride has seven cases already pending before the European Court of Human Rights.

The latest was filed against President Dmitry Medvedev. The others involve Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov.

Despite Mayor Luzhkov’s refusal to grant a parade permit last year, the third Moscow Pride took place on Sunday, June 1. Gay activists picketed the monument to the Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky and then hung a huge banner from an apartment in front of Moscow City Hall.

The banner read: “Rights to gays and lesbians! Homophobia of Moscow Mayor should be prosecuted.”

In 2007, the mayor refused a parade license, citing security concerns. Gays, many of them from the European Union,  marched anyway. About 20 people were arrested, including Alexeyev, two European parliamentarians and British gay advocate Peter Tatchell.

Charges against the foreigners were later dropped and Alexeyev was fined $1000 rubles – about $40.

AIso in 2007, a Moscow court tossed out a lawsuit accusing Lushkov of libel over claims he made that gay rights marches were “satanic.” The court ruled that Moscow Pride leaders had failed to prove that the remarks were incendiary or intended to vilify gays in general. 

Last January, a Moscow judge acquitted 13 gay activists arrested last month for staging a protest outside a polling station during national elections.  But last month, a Moscow court said the mayor had not exceeded his authority in banning gay demonstrations including pride marches.

And last December Luzhkov said he will continue to ban gay pride parades in the city to prevent spreading HIV/AIDS.

“We have banned and will continue to forbid this propaganda by sexual minorities, as they could turn out to be one of the factors in the spread of HIV infections,” Luzhkov told an international AIDS conference.

“Certain homegrown democrats believe that sexual minorities can be a primary indicator and symbol of democracy, but we will forbid the dissemination of these opinions in the future as well.” 

The European Court is slow to take up cases.  It could be more than a year before any of the lawsuits is heard.

Moscow Pride had announced pride this year will take place on May 16th, but this week a City Hall spokesman said any attempt to hold a parade would be “firmly dealt with.”

“There have been no official applications for permission to hold gay parades during the May holidays and all attempts to hold such events will be firmly stopped by the authorities,” Leonid Krutakov told the Novosti news agency.

May 16th coincides with the finals of the Eurovision Song Contest which is being hosted by the city and will be broadcast throughout Europe. Pride organizers have called for finalists to express support for pride during the telecast.

Laws against homosexuality were repealed at the end of the Communist era, but Moscow city officials have refused to allow gays to hold a pride march for years.

Moscow Pride has seven cases already pending before the European Court of Human Rights.

The latest was filed against President Dmitry Medvedev. The others involve Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov.

Despite Mayor Luzhkov’s refusal to grant a parade permit last year, the third Moscow Pride took place on Sunday, June 1. Gay activists picketed the monument to the Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky and then hung a huge banner from an apartment in front of Moscow City Hall.

The banner read: “Rights to gays and lesbians! Homophobia of Moscow Mayor should be prosecuted.”

In 2007, the mayor refused a parade license citing security concerns. Gays, many of them from the Europen Union,  marched anyway. About 20 people were arrested at the May 27 parade, including Alexeyev, two European parliamentarians and British gay advocate Peter Tatchell.

Charges against the foreigners were later dropped and Alexeyev was fined $1000 rubles – about $40.

AIso in 2007, a Moscow court tossed out a lawsuit accusing Lushkov of libel over claims he made that gay rights marches were “satanic.” The court ruled that Moscow Pride leaders had failed to prove that the remarks were incendiary or intended to vilify gays in general. 

Last January, a Moscow judge acquitted 13 gay activists arrested last month for staging a protest outside a polling station during national elections.  But last month, a Moscow court said the mayor had not exceeded his authority in banning gay demonstrations including pride marches.

And last December Luzhkov said he will continue to ban gay pride parades in the city to prevent spreading HIV/AIDS.

“We have banned and will continue to forbid this propaganda by sexual minorities, as they could turn out to be one of the factors in the spread of HIV infections,” Luzhkov told an international AIDS conference.

“Certain homegrown democrats believe that sexual minorities can be a primary indicator and symbol of democracy, but we will forbid the dissemination of these opinions in the future as well.” 

The European Court is slow to take up cases.  It could be more than a year before any of the lawsuits is heard.

“Moscow Pride will take place on May 16th, the day of the Eurovision song contest final,” gay pride organizers said in a statement posted on the website gaypride.ru.

The song festival, broadcast throughout Europe, is immensely popular. Each nation picks a singer or musical group to represent it and gay activists Monday called on competitors to publicly back LGBT rights in Russia on stage.

Laws against homosexuality were repealed at the end of the Communist era, but Moscow city officials have refused to allow gays to hold a pride march for years.

Moscow Pride has seven cases already pending before the European Court of Human Rights.

The latest was filed against President Dmitry Medvedev. The others involve Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov.

Despite Mayor Luzhkov’s refusal to grant a parade permit last year, the third Moscow Pride took place on  June 1, 2008. Gay activists picketed the monument to the Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky and then hung a huge banner from an apartment in front of Moscow City Hall.

The banner read: “Rights to gays and lesbians! Homophobia of Moscow Mayor should be prosecuted.”

In 2007, the mayor also refused a parade license, citing security concerns. Gays, many of them from the Europen Union,  marched anyway. About 20 people were arrested at the May 27 parade, including Alexeyev, two European parliamentarians and British gay advocate Peter Tatchell.

Charges against the foreigners were later dropped and Alexeyev was fined $1000 rubles – about $40.

AIso in 2007, a Moscow court tossed out a lawsuit accusing Lushkov of libel over claims he made that gay rights marches were “satanic.” The court ruled that Moscow Pride leaders had failed to prove that the remarks were incendiary or intended to vilify gays in general.

Last January, a Moscow judge acquitted 13 gay activists arrested last month for staging a protest outside a polling station during national elections.  But last month, a Moscow court said the mayor had not exceeded his authority in banning gay demonstrations including pride marches.

And last December, Luzhkov said he will continue to ban gay pride parades in the city to prevent spreading HIV/AIDS.

“We have banned and will continue to forbid this propaganda by sexual minorities, as they could turn out to be one of the factors in the spread of HIV infections,” Luzhkov told an international AIDS conference.

“Certain homegrown democrats believe that sexual minorities can be a primary indicator and symbol of democracy, but we will forbid the dissemination of these opinions in the future as well.”

The European Court is slow to take up cases.  It could be more than a year before any of the lawsuits is heard.

It is the seventh case that Moscow Pride has taken to the court, none of which has yet been heard.

Last year, Moscow Pride went to court in Moscow accusing Medvedev of failing to respond to pleas to intervene in the continued refusal of Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov to grant a Pride permit.

Russian law requires the President to reply to appeals within a 30 day period. Last July, a Moscow court ruled that Medvedev is immune from prosecution.

The Court said that the case against Medvedev could not be considered in civil proceedings, but it did not specify how citizens could make the head of state accountable.

Despite Mayor Luzhkov’s refusal to grant a parade permit last year, the third Moscow Pride took place on Sunday, June 1. Gay activists picketed the monument to the Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky and then hung a huge banner from an apartment in front of Moscow City Hall.

The banner read: “Rights to gays and lesbians! Homophobia of Moscow Mayor should be prosecuted.”

In 2007, the mayor refused a parade license citing security concerns. Gays, many of them from the European Union,  marched anyway. About 20 people were arrested at the May 27 parade, including Alexeyev, two European parliamentarians and British gay advocate Peter Tatchell.

Charges against the foreigners were later dropped and Alexeyev was fined 1000 rubles – about $40.

Also in 2007, a Moscow court tossed out a lawsuit accusing Lushkov of libel over claims he made that gay rights marches were “satanic.” The court ruled that Moscow Pride leaders had failed to prove that the remarks were incendiary or intended to vilify gays in general.

Last January, a Moscow judge acquitted 13 gay activists arrested for staging a protest outside a polling station during national elections.  But last month, a Moscow court said the mayor had not exceeded his authority in banning gay demonstrations including pride marches.

And last December, Luzhkov said he would continue to ban gay pride parades in the city to prevent spreading HIV/AIDS.

“We have banned and will continue to forbid this propaganda by sexual minorities, as they could turn out to be one of the factors in the spread of HIV infections,” Luzhkov told an international AIDS conference.

“Certain homegrown democrats believe that sexual minorities can be a primary indicator and symbol of democracy, but we will forbid the dissemination of these opinions in the future as well.”

The European Court is slow to take up cases.  It could be more than a year before any of the lawsuits is heard.

Speaking at an international AIDS conference in the Russian capital Mayor Yuri Luzhkov said he will continue to ban gay pride parades in the city to prevent spreading HIV/AIDS.

“We have banned and will continue to forbid this propaganda by sexual minorities, as they could turn out to be one of the factors in the spread of HIV infections,” Luzhkov told the conference.

“Certain homegrown democrats believe that sexual minorities can be a primary indicator and symbol of democracy, but we will forbid the dissemination of these opinions in the future as well.”

Luzhkov also stunned conference attendees by saying condoms were not reliable in protecting against HIV.

“Certain manufacturers state that condoms are reliable protection against AIDS, but modern science has proven this is untrue.”

Luzhkov’s remarks came only days after the federal government’s own AIDS Czar said HIV/AIDS is growing by 10 percent a year and that about 1 million people are infected.

The 72-year old mayor’s assertions are the latest in a long running battle with gays in Moscow over his refusal to grant permits for pride celebrations.

Despite Luzhkov’s refusal to grant a parade permit earlier this year the third Moscow Pride took place on Sunday June 1. Gay activists picketed the monument to the Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky and then hung a huge banner from an apartment in front of Moscow City Hall.

The banner read: “Rights to gays and lesbians! Homophobia of Moscow Mayor should be prosecuted.”
Last year the mayor refused a parade license citing security concerns. Gays, many of them from the Europen Union,  marched anyway. About 20 people were arrested at the May 27 parade, including Alexeyev, two European parliamentarians and British gay advocate Peter Tatchell.

Charges against the foreigners were later dropped and Alexeyev was fined $1000 rubles – about $40.

Lawsuits against the city failed and pride organizers have taken their cases to the European Court of Human Rights.

Last year, in another case against the mayor a Moscow court tossed out a lawsuit accusing Lushkov of libel over claims he made that gay rights marches were “satanic.”

The court ruled that Moscow Pride leaders had failed to prove that the remarks were incendiary or intended to vilify gays in general.

In January, a Moscow judge acquitted 13 gay activists arrested last month for staging a protest outside a polling station during national elections.  But last month a Moscow court said the mayor had not exceeded his authority in banning gay demonstrations including pride marches.

The current complaint involves the banning of a 2007 demonstration outside the Moscow building that houses an EU office where gay activists hoped to draw attention to the mayor’s refusal to allow a gay pride parade.

The court already has complaints before it over pride parade bans in 2006 and 2007 and event organizers say they intend to file another complaint over the city’s refusal to grant a parade permit this year.

The court, based in Strasbourg, France, has not indicated when it will hear any of the cases. In similar cases brought by gays in other European cities where pride parades were barred the court has ruled for the LGBT groups.

Mayor Lushkov has been a vocal opponent of the growing visibility of gays in Moscow.

Last year the mayor refused a parade license citing security concerns. Gays, many of them from the Europen Union,  marched anyway. About 20 people were arrested at the May 27 parade, including Moscow gay leader Nikolay Alexeyev, two European parliamentarians and British gay advocate Peter Tatchell.

Charges against the foreigners were later dropped and Alexeyev was fined $1000 rubles – about $40. (story)

Last year, in another case against the mayor a Moscow court tossed out a lawsuit accusing Lushkov of libel over claims he made that gay rights marches were “satanic.” (story)

The court ruled that Moscow Pride leaders had failed to prove that the remarks were incendiary or intended to vilify gays in general. 

In January, a Moscow judge acquitted 13 gay activists arrested last month for staging a protest outside a polling station during national elections. (story)