GLOBAL COCKTAILS

Already planning on heading to Europe for one of the many Pride celebrations? Book your transatlantic flight from the US or Canada with Air Berlin and receive a Europass for $199. The Europass entitles you to four flights within Europe, a perfect reason to take off an extra week or two! On July 2, the airline announced their commitment to the LGBT community when they became the latest airline to join the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association. Click here to take advantage of this offer.

Check out our Pride Calendar to help plan your trip.

If you haven't gone out and picked up your copy of PASSPORT magazine's 2010 Swimwear Issue, then what are you waiting for!? Our team went down to beautiful Buenos Aires, Argentina to find the hottest models to show off this season's sexiest swimwear (or lack there of). Check out some out takes below of our models at the Axel Hotel. Click an image below for an exclusive behind the scenes video of the shoot.

Before he became the Republican Senator from Massachusetts, Scott Brown, was an eager student at Boston College Law School who just so happened to be a total babe.



In 1987, he won Cosmopolitan's "America's Sexiest Man" contest, which resulted in the nude photo spread above. This seemed to give Cosmo free range over reporting on Brown's campaign body with joke campaign slogans like: "Who Needs Joe Plumber When You Can Have Scott Six-Pack?" "Vote for Brown. He Has One Hell of a Stimulus Package," and "Scott Brown: A Name You Can Trust, Abs You Can Believe In."

While we can't deny enjoying the photos, we have to ask ourselves if the American public would elect a woman to the Senate if she posed nude for a magazine?

Before you go out and pick up the new T-Mobile My Touch, the Human Rights Campaign wants you to check their Buying for Equality Guide, which outlines whether the company you are purchasing something from has LGBT-inclusive policies. The campaign, “Support Those That Support Us,” is aimed at making sure that the LGBT community, which has an estimated $712 billion in buying power this year, makes informed purchasing decisions.

When buying a phone, AT&T and Sprint Nextel/Boost Mobile scored top marks whereas Verizon/Alltel and T-mobile do not. Despite repeated attempts, US Cellular has not responded to questions about their policies.

“Wireless providers are in overdrive promoting their products and services for the holiday shopping season. LGBT and other equality-minded consumers must hold them accountable by supporting those that support us and avoiding companies and products in the ‘red’ on equality,” said Eric Bloem, Deputy Director of HRC’s Workplace Project. “Businesses know that LGBT-inclusion is good for their bottom-line, causing a race to the top in many other industries — it’s time for the wireless industry to catch up.”

Before you head out and make your final (or first) holiday purchases, check out the Buying for Equality Guide released earlier this year.

Beginning January 6, Megabus is teaming up with NYC & Company to offer 100,000 free seats in an effort to boost travel in the new year. About 40,000 of the seats will be designated for trips to the Big Apple. The remainder will be available for other Northeast and Midwest destinations. Travelers can book a free ride now using the promo code "GETAWAY" for trips. [BaltimoreSun]

The Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau is giving three lucky people the chance to experience the AT&T Performing Arts Center. This multi-venue center was opened with a week-long party in October. With its completion, Dallas is steps closer to having the largest arts district in the United States. The complex houses venues for theatre, opera, contemporary dance, ballet, music, and other events. Sign up on the GLBT Dallas website to enter to win tickets to the opening night of the Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre.

Mitchell Gold, founder of Faith In America, will make a special presentation in Fayetteville, Ark. on Dec. 12 to 10-year-old elementary school student Will Phillips for his commitment to equality for all.

A nationally recognized leader in the furniture industry, as well as civil rights advocate for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community, Mitchell Gold will be the guest speaker for a thought-provoking discussion at the Fayetteville Public Library on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 11 A.M.

Gold will make a special presentation to Will Phillips, the ten-year-old at West Fork Elementary School near Fayetteville who recently made national headlines when he took a courageous stance for justice and equality for LGBT citizens by refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in his fifth-grade class.


Mitchell Gold and his business partner Bob Williams were recently profiled in Passport Magazine:

Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams are synonymous with furniture that is livable, durable, and beautiful; in short, some of the highest quality pieces available today.

Two years ago, they published a book, Let’s Get Comfortable, featuring complete setups using their pieces. Now people walk into one of their signature stores—in cities across the country—carting the book, and they just point to the room they want. “It’s amazing how many people want to replicate those arrangements,” says Gold.

The two met in 1987 at Uncle Charlie’s, a gay bar for young professionals on Greenwich Avenue in New York City that has since closed. Gold was a merchandising executive at a big furniture maker called The Lane Company, and Williams was an art director at Seventeen magazine. Within a year, they had moved in together, and work was next. (Keep Reading)

Atlanta is estimated to have the country's third-largest percentage of gay, lesbian, and bisexual residents among large US cities (12.8%), so it's no surprise that the city's mayoral candidates are trying to woo LGBT voters. The mayoral runoff election, pitting Councilwoman Mary Norwood against former state Senator Kasim Reed, has turned into a competition about which candidate is more supportive of the LGBT community.

Norwood has protested California's passage of Proposition 8 and claims she is, "the only mayoral candidate who supports full marriage equality." Her website has a rainbow flag displayed prominently on the top banner. Reed supports civil unions instead of gay marriage, but is avidly touting his pro-gay-rights legislation record. He has been trying to paint Norwood as a Republican for several weeks.

Gay turnout is expected to be boosted by Alex Wan, an openly-gay man running for an Atlanta council seat, and lesbian Simone Bell, who is looking to get a position in the Georgia House of Representatives. [la-na-atlanta-gay30-2009nov3003270019.storyLA Times]

-Nikki Dowling

"We thought we'd take this opportunity not only for gay couples Australia wide ... but just for human rights,"




Warren McGaw said. Australia's first legally binding civil partnership ceremony has been held in Canberra, Australia. The assembly passed a bill earlier this month allowing gay couples to confirm their relationship with a legal ceremony.

McGaw and Chris Rumble, who after a 20-year-relationship, celebrated their civil partnership at the Old Parliament House rose gardens Wednesday afternoon.

The partnership is not without opposition. The federal government wants to block the new laws and has asked to amend the legislation. Regardless if the bill is overturned, the couple will still be federally recognized. [ABC]

The little boy wizard has lots to show-off in the new book One Day in the Life of Daniel Radcliffe. Photographer Tim Hailand followed Radcliffe around for the day. Some feature photos include Radcliffe eating breakfast, rehearsing, and getting out of the shower. While he may be famous for showing all in the London and New York performances of Equus, unfortunately, you won't get to see his 'wand' in this book. Portions of the proceeds will go to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.