Page 1 Consider (02/09)

Manhattan Murder Mystery: Remember the hunky rocker/personal trainer, Paul Cortez, who was accused of killing his classically trained dancer turned stripper ex-girlfriend, Catherine Woods? His trial has finally gotten under way here in the city and his first day on direct examination, the Monolith frontman used his Zen-like ways to coolly deny any involvement in the beauty's near decapitation -- and even offered a few theories of his own. If the Skechers don't fit, must you acquit? (AP)

Help, Except Where It's Needed Most: The Iowa House has passed legislation to protect students from bullying in Iowa schools that includes LGBT pupils -- but with a condition. The bill states that private religious schools cannot be prosecuted for teaching homosexuality is wrong. The legislation also protects students from harassment or bullying on the bases of gender, age and race. (365Gay)

Blogs Cut Both Ways: Former North Carolina senator John Edwards learned the hard way this week of the perils of grafting the raucous culture of the Internet to the decidedly staider world of a presidential campaign. Edwards announced on Thursday, after 36 hours of deliberation, that he would keep on his campaign staff two liberal feminist bloggers with long cybertrails of incendiary comments on sex, religion and politics. Deliberations over the fate of the two bloggers, Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan, created a crisis in Edwards nascent campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 and illuminated the treacherous road ahead as candidates of both parties try to harness the growing power of the online world. (NYT)

Hollywood Cliche: So what really goes on when people like Mel Gibson, Michael Richards and Isaiah Washington go into "treatment" for foot-in-mouth disease? (NYT)

Sticky Situation: A gay hooker whose photograph was distributed by police investigating the murder of the owner of a gay porn video company, Bryan Kocis, says he is shocked he has been linked to the killing and was several hundred miles away at the time. The 19-year old is a male escort in Virginia. He has identified himself only by his first name, Harlow, and has told the Times Leader the photograph found on Kocis' computer is a head shot that he uses for publicity purposes. Don't you hate it when your escort head shot winds up on the hard drive of a murdered porn producer? (365Gay)

Kitten Killer Sentenced: A man convicted of killing four of his girlfriend's kittens by throwing them into a fire was sentenced Thursday to nearly a year in prison despite the couple's pleas for leniency. Washington County, Md., Circuit Judge John H. McDowell also urged authorities to investigate whether defendant Robert L. Tomlin's girlfriend, Kelli Green, participated in the animal abuse and then lied to police. The judge is wise to doubt this woman: She's either as big a sicko as her boyfriend, or is suffering from battered women's syndrome. Her story changes every other day -- but one thing is for certain. The five remaining cats she owns need to be taken away from her, yet the judge said nothing about that. (AP)

Uncivilized? New Jersey is due to begin performing civil union ceremonies for same-sex couples next week, but some GLBT activists aren't happy with the wording on the forms to be used. (365Gay)

Candle in the Wind: Goodbye, Vickie Lynn Hogan. May you finally find the peace you so clearly couldn't find in life. (AP)