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J. Harrison Ghee
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Soap Dish #12 (In Which We Celebrate The 20th Anniversary Of Port Charles)
From: Deep Dish
Today we celebrate the 20th anniversary of ABC's Port Charles, which was a spin-off of General Hospital that focused on seven young interns (Eve, Chris, Julie, Joe, Matt, Karen and Jake) as well as longtime GH characters Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring), Kevin Collins (Jon Lindstrom) and Scotty Baldwin (Kin Shriner). So sit back and enjoy the first 22 episodes of Port Charles from June 1997 (click here for previous Soap Dish posts).
CAST
Danielle Ashley - Renee Griffin
Gail Baldwin - Susan Brown
Lee Baldwin - Peter Hansen
Scotty Baldwin - Kin Shriner
Serena Baldwin - Carly Schroeder
Dr. Ellen Burgess - Debbi Morgan
Lucy Coe - Lynn Herring
Dr. Kevin Collins - Jon Lindstrom
Dr. Victor Collins - Nicholas Pryor
Greg Cooper - David Holcomb
Mike Corbin - Ron Hale
Audrey Hardy - Rachel Ames
Dr. Matt Harmon - Mitch Longley
Dr. Tony Jones - Brad Maule
Dr. Eve Lambert - Julie Pinson
Dr. Jake Marshak - Rib Hillis
Dr. Julie Morris-Devlin - Lisa Ann Hadley
Dr. Alan Quartermaine - Stuart Damon
Dr. Monica Quartermaine - Leslie Charleson
Dr. Chris Ramsey - Nolan North
Frank Scanlon - Jay Pickett
Dr. Joe Scanlon - Michael Dietz
Mary Scanlon - Pat Crowley
Mac Scorpio - John J. York
Rex Stanton - Wayne Northrop
Dr. Karen Wexler - Jennifer Hammon
Rhonda Wexler - Denise Galik-Furey
Below are three promos for the show from May and June 1997.
Episode 1: Sunday, June 1, 1997
Here is TV Guide's review of the prime-time premiere: "The prime-time debut of this General Hospital spin-off (which joins the daytime lineup on Monday) features seven gorgeous residents at soapdom's most famous hospital. Expect typical daytime drama with a heavy infusion of ER. In the opener, one resident performs brain surgery with a power drill while another performs a striptease to divert the louse who's holding staffers hostage. Meanwhile, a pregnant Lucy Coe (Lynn Herring, a GH regular) hangs by her fingernails in an elevator shaft - and she's the comic relief. Charles is middlebrow melodrama, but marketable. My score (0-10): 5"
Karen is reunited with her childhood friend Joe. The new interns are held hostage by Greg Cooper, who was turned down for an internship. Cooper hits Audrey Hardy in the head with his gun, and Joe has to use a drill to relieve the pressure on her brain. After his daughter Serena is kidnapped, Scotty heads to Port Charles to confront Lucy, who is arrested.
Episode 2: Monday, June 2, 1997
Lucy tries to convince everyone that she had nothing to do with Serena's disappearance. Scotty is knocked down by a hit-and-run driver.
Episode 3: Tuesday, June 3, 1997
Lucy finally tells Kevin that she is pregnant. Alan asks Ellen to become the new Chief Resident.
Episode 4: Wednesday, June 4, 1997
Karen learns that Joe has been suspended and that she has been called to testify at his hearing.
Episode 5: Thursday, June 5, 1997
A towel-clad Julie distracts Frank. Scotty leaves the hospital and collapses in Lucy's arms.
Episode 6: Friday, June 6, 1997
Jake and Danielle have a passionate reunion. An angry Eve goes to the lighthouse to get Scotty to sign the release forms.
Episode 7: Monday, June 9, 1997
Joe and Frank's mother, Mary, drops by unannounced and meets Julie, who agrees to rent their basement apartment. Eve agrees to help Scotty find Serena. Danielle tells Jake she's moving to Port Charles to be with him.
Episode 8: Tuesday, June 10, 1997
Kevin asks Lucy to marry him. Joe tells his mother about his suspension. Mary introduces Mike Corbin to Frank.
Episode 9: Wednesday, June 11, 1997
Jake introduces Danielle to Chris, Eve and Julie. Lucy tells Victor that she and Kevin are expecting a baby.
Episode 10: Thursday, June 12, 1997
Julie accepts Frank's invitation for dinner, but she later has to cancel their date. Unaware that Frank has already promised the basement apartment to Julie, Joe offers it to Eve. Mac tells Lucy and Scotty that the car that hit Scotty was used by the same people who kidnapped Serena.
Episode 11: Friday, June 13, 1997
Danielle tells Rex that it's time to give Serena back. Frank helps Julie move in, but Eve then arrives and asks what they are doing in her apartment.
Episode 12: Monday, June 16, 1997
Lucy and Scotty read the ransom note in which the kidnappers demanded five million dollars for Serena's return. When Eve realizes she doesn't have enough money for the rent, she offers to share the apartment with Julie, who agrees.
Episode 13: Tuesday, June 17, 1997
All the interns gather for Joe's hearing.
Episode 14: Wednesday, June 18, 1997
At Joe's hearing, Scotty says he is acting as Joe's attorney and threatens to sue the hospital. Audrey thanks Joe for saving her life. Alan later informs Joe that his internship will not be terminated.
Episode 15: Thursday, June 19, 1997
Lucy and Scotty discuss the plan for the ransom drop during the Nurses' Ball. Danielle tells Rex that she has fallen for Jake.
Episode 16: Friday, June 20, 1997
While Julie is taking a shower, Frank catches Eve sneaking a peek at Julie's checkbook.
Episode 17: Monday, June 23 , 1997
Matt catches Ellen crying. Danielle takes Lucy's discarded dress back to Rex, who says they are rich.
Episode 18: Tuesday, June 24, 1997
Rex reminds Danielle that their scheme is necessary to right a wrong done to her long ago. Lucy explains to Kevin and the FBI agents how the kidnapper arranged for her to make the ransom drop by sewing five million dollars worth of diamonds into the dress she discarded. Scotty is happily reunited with Serena.
Episode 19: Wednesday, June 25, 1997
Scotty introduces his daughter to Lucy. Julie invites Frank to go out with her and the other interns to celebrate their first paychecks.
Episode 20: Thursday, June 26, 1997
Eve breaks into Chris' apartment to look at Julie's file. Mike buys the Recovery Room, the bar near the hospital. Mike offers to let Matt have the wheelchair-accessible apartment above the bar. Scotty introduces Serena to her sister, Karen.
Episode 21: Friday, June 27, 1997
Mary and the interns help Mike celebrate his purchase of the Recovery Room. Danielle tells Rex she can no longer be a part of his scheme. She later arrives home to find her "uncle" Rex there.
Episode 22: Monday, June 30, 1997
Rex lets Danielle know that he could destroy her relationship with Jake at any time. A financially strapped Eve steals some of the unused ransom money from Scotty.
Kylie Minogue’s 49 Best Songs, Ranked!
From: NewNowNext
35
“Speakerphone”
In this earworm Kylie plays erotic Operation with us—connecting our collarbone to our neck bone to our jawbone and commanding us to “set [our] mind on Freaky Mode.”
It’s an anatomy lesson and an innuendo-laden tribute to cellular technology.
365 Groovy Books Worth Reading
From: Deep Dish
92
I Blame Dennis Hopper: And Other Stories from a Life Lived In and Out of the Movies
by
Illeana Douglas
2015
I've always enjoyed Ms. Douglas as an actress in such movies as Grief, To Die For and Grace of My Heart, and her amusing memoir is a fun read (the title refers to her parents’ decision to run a hippie commune after seeing Dennis Hopper in the film, Easy Rider).
100 Hottest Out & Proud Celebs
From: OUT
Michael Stipe
Musician
The former lead singer for R.E.M. has been living openly for more than two decades. Reflecting on his 20 years as a self-identifying queer man in 2014 in The Guardian, Stipe writes:
"What I feel we have arrived at with all this, is that queerness – as I am happy to call an all-embracing, foundational tenet – is really a state of mind brought about by an understanding: it is understanding difference, accepting your own truth, desire and identity, and lovely, lovely choice."
John Michael Stipe (born January 4, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, film producer, music video director, visual artist, and philanthropist. He is best known as the lead singer and main lyricist of the alternative rock band R.E.M. from their formation in 1980 until their dissolution in 2011.
Possessing a distinctive voice, Stipe is noted for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual aspect, often selecting album artwork and directing many of the band's music videos. Outside the music industry, he owns and runs two film production studios, C-00 and Single Cell Pictures.
As a singer-songwriter, Stipe is considered to be an influence on a wide range of artists, including Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. Bono of U2 described his voice as "extraordinary".
100 Most Eligible Bachelors, 2017
From: OUT
Nick Fager
Nick Fager is a therapist residing in New York City, whose practice focuses on LGBTQ issues.
School Employee Fired For Homophobic Facebook Post: Gays “Should Be Killed Or At Least Relocated”
Chris Dodds said he hoped Columbus Pride “turns out like the Boston Marathon a few years back.”
From: NewNowNext
From: NewNowNext
A school employee in Columbus, Ohio is set to lose his job after posting anti-LGBT comments on social media ahead of the city’s annual Pride parade.
Chris Dodds, a garage assistant supervisor who has worked for Columbus City Schools since 2004, posted the homophobic message on the pride event’s Facebook page last week.
“I hope this event turns out like the Boston Marathon a few years back,” he wrote, adding that he thought all LGBT people “should be killed or at least relocated.”
The school district quickly caught wind of the bigoted post and ensured families that he would be terminated.
“Columbus City Schools values and celebrates its diversity,” said Scott Varner, a spokesperson for the district. “Please know that we are working with authorities to address this matter and his actions. We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind.”
Varner added that the school district was “gearing up for an even larger contingent of teachers, staff, students, families and allies” to march at the Pride parade, estimating upwards of 400 people to participate.
Thankfully, Dodds’ threats did not come to pass as more than 500,000 people safely gathered at the Pride celebration this past Saturday. While the festivities were reportedly joyous, police did arrest four protesters who blocked the parade route to speak out against the acquittal of the police officer who shot and killed Philando Castile in 2016.
The demonstrators linked arms and explained that they wanted seven minutes of silence to commemorate the seven bullets used to kill Castile. Though the parade marchers stopped and were listening to what they had to say, police showed up on bikes and aggressively removed the protesters from the route.
Nyle DiMarco Celebrates Pride By Jumping Around On A Trampoline In Calvin Klein Briefs
From: Queerty
We all celebrate Pride in our own highly individual way. If you’re Nyle DiMarco, that way happens to involve jumping up and down on a trampoline in tight Calvin Klein briefs for Paper magazine — and we’re okay with that.
You’ll be too.
In the video below, you can watch the America’s Next Top Model winner bounce around in his unmentionables. And while you’re at it, we recommend singing under your breath, “Pride — a deeper love! Pride — a deeper love!” There you go. There you go. Yeah, you got it. Oh, yeah.
Watch:
Bears Abound! Here Are 99 Hairy Chests We Love
From: OUT
Ed Westswick
Actor
Edward Jack Peter "Ed" Westwick (born 27 June 1987) is an English actor, musician, and model, best known for his role as Chuck Bass on The CW's teen drama series Gossip Girl (2007–2012). He has appeared in films such as the romantic crime drama Breaking and Entering (2006), the comedy-drama Son of Rambow (2007), the sci-fi drama S. Darko (2009), the romantic comedy Chalet Girl (2011), the biopic J. Edgar (2011), the romantic drama Romeo and Juliet (2013), the action thriller Last Flight (2014), the crime drama Bone in the Throat (2015), and the horror comedy Freaks of Nature (2015). He starred as Kent Grainger on ABC's crime drama series Wicked City. He currently plays Vincent Swan in the BBC Two television comedy series White Gold (2017).
6 White House HIV Policy Advisers Resign In Protest To Trump
Important HIV/AIDS policy advisers walk
From: Gay Pop Buzz
In a stunning development, six members of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) have officially tendered their resignations as a strong sign of protest against Trump and his administration.
In an opinion piece in Newsweek entitled, Trump Doesn’t Care About HIV. We’re Outta Here, members voice their reasons for walking and their frustration with the White House’s lack of focus on this important public health topic.
Authored by Scott Schoettes, former PACHA member and HIV Project Director at Lambda Legal, he cited the following as a primary reason for the group walking:
“Five of my colleagues and I resigned this week from the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA). As advocates for people living with HIV, we have dedicated our lives to combating this disease and no longer feel we can do so effectively within the confines of an advisory body to a president who simply does not care.”
Speaking for the six members, Schoettes adds:
“President Trump has not appointed anyone to lead the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), a post that held a seat on the Domestic Policy Council under President Obama.This means no one is tasked with regularly bringing salient issues regarding this ongoing public health crisis to the attention of the President and his closest advisers.”
It was reported in February that the Trump Administration has said nothing about ONAP and questioned what the fate of this office might be.
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| Current ONAP page from White House as of 6/20/17 at 10:14 am EST |
ONAP has been in operation since 1994, beginning with the Clinton administration and continuing through both terms of the Bush’s presidency and Obama’s.
This is a critical office within the U.S. government, serving as a partner to numerous HIV/AIDS education, healthcare and advocacy groups.
At the time of this post, nothing appears on the official ONAP page for the White House (see screen shot above)
The article announcing the resignations concludes with the following:
“Because we do not believe the Trump Administration is listening to—or cares—about the communities we serve as members of PACHA, we have decided it is time to step down.
We will be more effective from the outside, advocating for change and protesting policies that will hurt the health of the communities we serve and the country as a whole if this administration continues down the current path.”
NEW YORK METS AND LGBT NETWORK WELCOMED THOUSANDS TO CITI FIELD FOR MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PRIDE NIGHT
The Long Island-New York LGBT Network and the New York Mets hosted Pride Night, Saturday, June 17. Thousands celebrated the Second Annual Pride Night at Citi Field in an action-packed gamed where the New York Mets took on the Nationals. In 2016, the LGBT Network and the New York Mets made history hosting the first-ever Pride Night held in a New York major league ballpark.
From: Bear World
From: Bear World
The Pride Night festivities began with a “Pride in the Plaza” celebration in Met’s Plaza outside the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, featuring a performance by the award-winning non-profit “Broadway Sings for Pride,” a Broadway meets Baseball show. Free rainbow and American flags were handed out to all fans in the plaza.
A special pre-game ceremony took place during the National Anthem as 800 Pride Night ticket purchasers lined up in the outfield in different color Pride Night shirts to form the largest human rainbow flag, the iconic symbol of unity and pride for the LGBT community. The NYPD Ceremonial Unit Color Guard was on the field with representatives from the Nassau County Police Department’s LGBTQ Society.
Thousands of fans wore commemorative Pride Night shirts with a portion of each ticket sale going to support the LGBT Network’s anti-bullying programs in Long Island and New York City schools. The New York tristate area is home to an estimated 2 million LGBT residents and families who have long felt left out and not safe in major league ballparks and arenas.
David Kilmnick, LGBT Network CEO, said “Bullying is still a major-league problem for LGBT youth. Over 82 percent report being verbally and physically harassed in the past year. It’s not only the school hallways where our young people report feeling unsafe, but also on the ball field. We are grateful and thankful to Major League Baseball for taking the lead in professional sports including the LGBT community in its diversity priorities and initiatives. As a life-long Mets fan, I am proud that the New York Mets have taken the lead in promoting inclusivity in the ballpark and are the champions of the New York sports world in making sure that everyone is welcomed and celebrated at Citi Field.”
In a statement, Mets Executive Vice President/Chief Revenue Officer Lou DePaoli said, “New York is the most diverse and inclusive city in the world, and the Mets welcome all fans throughout the season. We are particularly proud to welcome the LGBT community on Pride Night at Citi Field.”
Billy Bean VP, Social Responsibility & Inclusion, MLB’s Office of the Commissioner, said, “Congratulations to the New York Mets and the LGBT Network of Long Island/Queens for working together to create this special event at Citi Field. Mets fans encompass every demographic that make up the great city of New York. It makes me very proud to see their organization display such a powerful example of inclusion, and a message of acceptance for anyone who loves the game of baseball.”
History's 125 Hottest Gay-Porn Stars
From: Boy Culture
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| Wanna wrassle? |
35
Jon Vincent
aka
John St. Vincent
aka
Dave Phillips
aka
John St. Vincent
aka
Dave Phillips
(Jeffrey James Vickers)
1962—2000
Heroin O.D.
Heroin O.D.
If you like 'em manly, by whatever definition, Vincent was your man. A hulking, aggressive top, it has been said that working with him was a challenge for even the most experienced taker. He sizzled in dozens of films, most memorably Deep Inside Jon Vincent (1990), Bi Intruder (1991) and Every Incha a Man (1998). Was rumored to have dated Joey Stefano. Imagine that match-up. His bio was A Thousand and One Night Stands by H. A. Carson
Olivia Newton-John’s 69 Greatest Songs, Ranked!
From: NewNowNext
55
LET IT SHINE
1975
Olivia had another huge hit on the country chart and AC chart, but it didn’t perform as well on the pop chart. (U.S. #30 UK N/A)
GA GOP House Candidate Karen Handel to Mom of Lesbian: ‘My Faith Calls Me’ to Oppose Your Gay Kid
From: Towleroad
Karen Handel, the GOP candidate in Georgia’s special election, was approached by the conservative mother of a lesbian who wanted to know where Handel stood on her daughter being able to adopt children.
Asked the constituent: “I’m really torn around the LGBT thing. My daughter is part of the LGBT community, and as a mom, I’m like, well, ‘What protections do I have for her having a family in the future, for being able to adopt or have kids?’ There’s part of me that has a conservative nature, there’s the other part of me that’s like, well, I accept my daughter, so…I’m kind of split and torn.”
“I have to be honest. My faith calls me to a different place on the issue. My faith also calls me to be compassionate and so I always try to do that.”
When the woman says that she fears Mike Pence’s stance on LGBT issues, Handel replies that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled and then stands up and attempts to send the woman on her way with a handshake.
In related news, Donald Trump urged voters to vote for Handel on Twitter yesterday morning:
The Dems want to stop tax cuts, good healthcare and Border Security.Their ObamaCare is dead with 100% increases in P's. Vote now for Karen H— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2017
Watch:
Dear Justice Anthony Kennedy: Please don’t retire now. Pretty please.
From: Queerty
Dear Justice Kennedy,
We know that Supreme Court justices traditionally announce their departure from the bench when the Court ends its term in late June. Fresh off their victory at the appointment of Neil Gorsuch–the only victory that Republicans can claim despite controlling two branches of government–they began speculating that you would be the next justice to step down. We don’t need to remind you that June also marks the second anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, your masterpiece ruling in favor of marriage freedom.
President Trump, in his typical hamfisted way, has spoken openly about the rumors, while Sen. Charles Grassley, the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told reporters this spring that “I would expect a resignation this summer,” pointing to you in everything but name. Some of your former clerks suggest that you won’t stay on the Court much longer as well.
At 80 years of age, and with nearly 30 years on the Court, you have served the nation well and deserve a restful retirement. But sometimes our wishes and our duties to the nation and the constitution are in conflict. We would suggest that this is one of those times.
You’ve contributed many opinions over the years, but there is no doubt that your greatest legacy will be your advancement of LGBTQ equality, of which you are rightfully proud. Never has the Court had a more eloquent and fervent advocate protecting the rights of sexual minorities. The four landmark rulings of the past 25 years are all owed to you. First came Romer v. Evans, the challenge to an antigay ballot measure in Colorado. In that 1996 case, you wrote banning nondiscrimination measures was “inexplicable by anything but animus,” incredibly powerful words from a Court that ten years earlier had upheld sodomy laws. Then came your ruling on those very same sodomy laws, which the majority struck down in 2003. In that opinion, you wrote that the law protects adults, including gay adults, who are engaged in sexual acts in the privacy of their own homes. These opinions, which followed major shifts in public opinion, were made all the more poignant by the fact that you were appointed by a Republican and were considered a conservative Catholic legal scholar.
Those two opinions alone changed the landscape for us, giving us legal protections that we never had before. But they were just the start. Then came the marriage rulings. First, you wrote the majority opinion striking down the odious Defense of Marriage Act, and then two years later came back with the eloquent majority opinion that made marriage legal once and for all. We are hoping it is the final word on marriage equality.
As you know better than anyone, your retirement would put many of those gains in jeopardy. The list of your potential replacements makes your late colleague Antonin Scalia look like Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The very animus that you decried in your first major gay ruling is still alive and well among your fellow judges. Most of your rulings were 5-4 decisions. Your departure would tip the Court in the direction of the dissenters, making them the majority. Also, remember the undemocratic way the Republican Party is recreating its majority. We know you rise above partisanship, and are secretly appalled that the Senate blocked President Obama’s extremely well qualified appointee who was then replaced by a Trump appointee–despite the fact that Trump won far fewer votes not just than Obama but Hillary Clinton as well. This court stacking could take years to undo.
So we ask you: Please don’t go. Not in the middle of a Trumpian constitutional crisis. Not yet, at least. We ask you to at least wait until after the midterm election when we have fighting chance of a Senate majority that will block any closed minded appointees. Your presence on the Court is the only thing that guarantees our rights remain whole, and that progress continues apace. The type of conservative judge who would replace you may not be able to overturn your rulings outright, but he or she will pick away at them, limiting and eroding them at every possible turn. The generosity of spirit and common decency that your rulings reflected likely will not be found in your successor. The extreme GOP ideological vetting process for that person will guarantee a sterling record of antigay rulings.
We know it’s asking a lot. But we’re not just thinking of ourselves. We’re thinking of your legacy. Waiting a few more years to ensure that it lasts seems a fair request.
We respectfully hope that you agree.
Man In Motion: Nyle DiMarco + Undies + Trampoline = Yes
From: Boy Culture
Nyle DiMarco stripped to his tightie-whities and bounced on a trampoline for this display of gay pride.
Don't question it, just watch ...
‘Animal House’ Actor Stephen Furst Dies at Age 63
From: Variety
Stephen Furst, best known for getting his start in “Animal House,” has passed away due to complications with diabetes, Variety can confirm. He was 63 years old.
Furst died in his Moorpark, Calif. home on Friday. His sons Nathan and Griff Furst confirmed their father’s death on Facebook Saturday evening.
“Steve has a long list of earthly accomplishments,” began his boys. “He was known to the world as a brilliant and prolific actor and filmmaker, but to his family and many dear friends he was also a beloved husband, father, and kind friend whose memory will always be a blessing.”
Those other accomplishments include the National Lampoon spin off “Delta House,” as well as starring roles on “Babylon 5” and “St. Elsewhere,” to name a few. In 2016, the actor made headlines for protesting the Academy’s rule change. Furst was also a spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association.
“To truly honor him, do not cry for the loss of Stephen Furst,” requested Furst’s sons. “Rather, enjoy memories of all the times he made you snicker, laugh, or even snort to your own embarrassment. He intensely believed that laugher is the best therapy, and he would want us to practice that now.”
Furst is survived by his wife, Lorraine.
The Furst family’s entire statement can be viewed below:
Otto Warmbier Dies After Return From North Korea
From: NBC News
Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old student who was returned in an unconscious state last week from North Korea, died Monday, his family said.
"Surrounded by his loving family, Otto died today at 2:20 p.m.," his parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, said in a statement.
Otto Warmbier's doctors at University of Cincinnati Medical Center said last week that he had extensive brain damage dating back longer than a year. They said he was in a state of unresponsive wakefulness and wasn't aware of his surroundings.
The doctors who treated Warmbier said they had agree not to speak about his outlook, but they had said he did not require help breathing.
The Warmbier family did not say how Otto died.
"We would like to thank the wonderful professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who did everything they could for Otto. Unfortunately, the awful torturous mistreatment our son received at the hands of the North Koreans ensured that no other outcome was possible beyond the sad one we experienced today," the family said in their statement.
"It would be easy at a moment like this to focus on all that we lost — future time that won't be spent with a warm, engaging, brilliant young man whose curiosity and enthusiasm for life knew no bounds," the family added.
"You can tell from the outpouring of emotion from the communities that he touched — Wyoming, Ohio and the University of Virginia to name just two — that the love for Otto went well beyond his immediate family."
Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia, was detained in Pyongyang in January 2016 while on a tourist trip to North Korea. He was charged with committing a hostile act against the government after officials said he had tried to steal a propaganda banner from a hotel. After a one-hour trial, he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years' hard labor.
Warmbier's father, Fred, said his son was "brutalized" by the North Koreans.
In their statement, the family said that "when Otto returned to Cincinnati late on June 13th he was unable to speak, unable to see and unable to react to verbal commands."
"He looked very uncomfortable — almost anguished. Although we would never hear his voice again, within a day the countenance of his face changed — he was at peace," they said. "He was home and we believe he could sense that."
Young Pioneer Tours, the Chinese travel agency that organized the 2015 trip to North Korea that included Warmbier, told NBC News on Monday night that it would no longer offer North Korean tours to U.S. citizens, saying, "The assessment of risk for Americans visiting North Korea has become too high."
In an emailed statement, the company called Warmbier's detention and treatment "appalling."
"Despite constant requests, we were denied any opportunity to meet him or anyone in contact with him in Pyongyang, only receiving assurances that he was fine," it said. "There has still been almost no information disclosed about his period in detention."
Politicians condemned North Korea.
"Melania and I offer our deepest condolences to the family of Otto Warmbier on his untimely passing," President Donald Trump said in a statement. "There is nothing more tragic for a parent than to lose a child in the prime of life.
"Otto's fate deepens my Administration's determination to prevent such tragedies from befalling innocent people at the hands of regimes that do not respect the rule of law or basic human decency," the president said. "The United States once again condemns the brutality of the North Korean regime as we mourn its latest victim."
Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, a member of the Homeland Security and Armed Services committees, said Warmbier was "murdered by the Kim Jong-un regime."
"The United States of America cannot and should not tolerate the murder of its citizens by hostile powers," McCain said in a statement issued through his Washington office.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also had condolences for the Warmbier family.
"We hold North Korea accountable for Otto Warmbier's unjust imprisonment, and demand the release of three other Americans who have been illegally detained," Tillerson said in a statement.
Dr. John Torres, NBC News' medical correspondent, said he believed there was likely a reason that North Korea released Warmbier.
"It's usually pneumonia in a case like this," Torres said. "He was probably sick and getting sicker."
Patients who spend prolonged time in bed are very vulnerable to pneumonia
Columbus, OH School Staffer Hopes Pride Festival ‘Turns Out Like the Boston Marathon’
From: Towleroad
Chris Dodds, a garage assistant supervisor for Columbus City Schools, posted a message to the Facebook page of the Columbus Pride Parade and Festival that should get him fired.
Said Dodds, who has worked for the Columbus school system since 20014:
“I hope this event turns out like the Boston Marathon a few year’s (sic) back. All fag’s (sic) should be killed or at least relocated.”
The Columbus Dispatch reports that the school is looking into it as is law enforcement:
“Columbus City Schools values and celebrates its diversity. Please know that we are working with authorities to address this matter and his actions. We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind,” said Scott Varner, a spokesman for the school district. “We are currently working toward Mr. Dodds’ termination.”…Denise Alex-Bouzounis, a spokeswoman for Columbus Division of Police, said: “We are aware and (are) looking into it.”Karla Rothan, executive director of Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival and Parade, said hate is nothing new.“We get protesters quite often. We’re used to it,” she said. “I think we’re going to come out and have a wonderful day. We make (police) aware of any threat. We let them handle it.”Samuel Shamansky, a Columbus defense attorney, said Dodds’ post just falls short of meeting the standard for aggravated menacing under Ohio law. The law states “no person shall knowingly cause another to believe that the offender will cause serious physical harm to the person.”
A visit to Dodds’ Facebook page reveals that he’s also a Trump fan who supports the Confederate Flag.
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