Media-Whore D'Oevres

"Who once generously gave a gentleman something during a charity event for an organization in his late mother's name? (What he gave, actually, was a blowjob in the bathroom. Ma would have been so proud.) Which young Broadway leading lady has for several years fallen in love with every guy who plays opposite her, even though—or maybe because—it's always a gay? Which reality star can be seen being fisted by an admirer in a kooky video that's making the underground rounds? Should we give him a hand? Which beloved Broadway diva was supposedly the girlfriend of grand dame Judith Anderson all those diva years ago? What comic in his 60s concerned onlookers when his speech at a roast last year was punctuated with loud snorts and grandiose nose wiping? Wouldn't I be crazy to give away any more just now?" (Musto)

"Pakistan appeared on Tuesday to be heading for a transition to an elected civilian government after President Pervez Musharraf told visiting United States senators that he accepted the resounding defeat of his party in elections and would work with a new Parliament. Many Pakistanis expressed relief that the overwhelming victory of the two major moderate opposition political parties in the parliamentary elections on Monday signaled a change in direction after eight years of military rule under Mr. Musharraf, even though in the past the parties had rarely produced models of stable government." (NYTimes)

"More than a year after the country's Islamic Courts regime was routed on the battlefield by Ethiopian troops, insurgents continue their campaign against the foreigners and their local allies. Much of the violence is blamed on one group known as the Shabab, which represents the most militant aspects of Somali Islamism and a handful of foreign jihadists affiliated to Al-Qaeda. However, the Shabab is no longer a cohesive force. Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the leader of the Islamic Courts, claimed in January that part of the Shabab had broken away. The rift seems to be an extension of the Islamic Courts' internal differences. Opinion was very much divided on the Islamic Courts, with many observers applauding them for bringing stability to Somalia after so many years of chaos. Others equated the courts to Afghanistan's Taliban regime and accused them of harbouring Al-Qaeda terrorists. These opposing views were personified by the Islamic Courts' most prominent leaders, Sheikh Ahmed and Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys. The former is seen as a comparative moderate, while the latter is considered a Salafist firebrand who is close to Al-Qaeda." (Janes)

"I always have to give a shout to my good friend and wonderful designer Duro Olowu, who showed his fresh line in London last week. I love what he does!!!!!! His collection this season reflected so many characteristics of his trademark colorful mish-mash of textures and colors and captured the elegance of African life and style (Duro is from Nigeria), especially the clashing prints, camous and layering, and highlighted his chic African-urban-inspired fashion sense. Duro, who lives in London just got married last month here in New York City to my friend curator Thelma Golden (from the Studio Museum in Harlem) -- and I introduced them!!!!" (Papermag)