“A Dallas gay strip joint has caused a ruckus by banning drag queens and transgendered women from its busy Tuesday nights.” [Joe.My.God]

A British man who stabbed his lover to death is playing the alcoholic card. Gary Bowes’ lawyers claim their client didn’t know what he was doing when his plunged the knife into Paul Taylor. Prosecutors say, however, that one doesn’t stab another without, at the very least, trying to hurt them. Agreed. [NW Evening Mail]

Now this is gay news: “[Madonna] has sacked two dancers and her tour manager is threatening to walk out over her spectacular moods. And for the first time, despite her incredible fitness regime, her health has started to suffer. Doctors discovered Madge is anemic, a surefire sign she is overdoing it, and she also suffered a painful knee injury.” Oh, the humanity! [The Sun]

From the editor: Good morning, reader! I know, I know, it’s probably pretty scary hearing from me so early, but don’t be scared, you’re not in trouble. I just have a question - as you can imagine, I’m constantly cruising gay news sites and blogs. And, among other things, I consistently come across stories about HIV/AIDS. We all obviously - and sadly - know that HIV/AIDS affects everyone, not just the homos. This isn’t an original question, or even innovative, but is AIDS a gay disease? Should it be packaged with other gay news, like politics and the such?

British radio DJ Kevin Greening, who died during a bondage session earlier this year, left all of his money to his former lover. His mother, meanwhile, received nothing. He must not have been one of her fans. [Daily Mail]

“We reject homosexual practice as contrary to biblical teaching and can accept no place for it within ECS. We strongly oppose developments within the Anglican Church in USA and Canada in consecrating a practicing homosexual as bishop and in approving a rite for the blessing of same-sex relationships.” - Episcopal Church of Sudan Archbishop Dr. Daniel Deng Bul at the Anglican Communion’s Lambeth Conference in England. [VirtueOnline]

“This year’s Gay Pride event in Madison yesterday was smaller than in years past, but organizers promise a bigger event next year. Madison Pride announced some financial discrepancies in April in accounts managed by it’s former treasurer, leaving the group in debt and with little to spend on this year’s event.” [WIBA]

“The partner of murdered gay student Ahmet Yildiz has been forced to flee Turkey in fear of his life. Yildiz, a 26-year-old physics student, was shot leaving a cafe on the Bosphorus strait during the weekend… His partner, who held a German passport, left the country on the advice of the consulate.” [Pink News]

“A harbor cruise scheduled to coincide with San Diego Gay Pride turned deadly over the weekend when a go-go boy fell overboard from the boat and was later fatally shot by police during an attempted rescue.” [Gay Wired]

Evangelical leader James Dobson once vowed never to vote for John McCain, a candidate many social conservatives see as too liberal. Now, with no other option, Dobson said he would consider backing the Arizona Senator: “I never thought I would hear myself saying this… While I am not endorsing Senator John McCain, the possibility is there that I might… Barack Obama contradicts and threatens everything I believe about the institution of the family and what is best for the nation. His radical positions on life, marriage and national security force me to reevaluate the candidacy of our only other choice, John McCain.” [NY Times]

“A new Quinnipiac poll shows that more voters think the Supreme Court is too conservative than too liberal, by a 31% to 25% margin. More voters also think the Court is going in the wrong direction.” [HuffPo]

An Australian city council gave the green light to a gay retirement community in Ballan, an hour outside Melbourne. The entire project will cost about £12.7, which is about $ 24.5 million. [Telegraph]

“Pierce Brosnan has landed the title of top gay icon – in the over-50 category. The former Bond star beat off competition from Bruce Willis and Richard Gere to land the crown with 33% of the vote. Willis came second in the poll, conducted by dating website Gay-parship, with 24% and Gere was third with 14%. Dame Helen Mirren topped the Lesbian Icon poll, with Susan Sarandon and Meryl Streep in second and third place, respectively.” [The Sun]

“…New Yorker writer Ryan Lizza, whose long, long article on Barack Obama’s early political days in Chicago’s ward politics (available here) was the reason for the magazine’s controversial cover by Barry Blitt depicting Obama as a Muslim, has been barred from traveling with Obama on his foreign field trip this week.” [LA Times]

“A federal appeals court on Monday threw out a $550,000 indecency fine against CBS Corp. for the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show that ended with Janet Jackson’s breast-baring ‘wardrobe malfunction.’” [Breitbart]