Media Trail

No charges over computer porn mix up

According to MSNBC. com, police say a Pennsylvania blood-bank worker won’t be charged for accidentally showing gay pornography to high-school students during a blood-drive presentation last month.

North Huntingdon police Sgt. Jeffrey Bouldin said Westmoreland County prosecutors determined the incident at the Norwin High School assembly didn’t amount to a crime. The worker was trying to project a presentation stored on his personal flash computer drive when the porn instead popped onto the screen.

Central Blood Bank sent a letter explaining the situation to parents and saying the worker violated policies by not having a supervisor review his presentation, and by using a personal computer storage device.

Attorney Peter Payne says he still plans to sue the blood bank on behalf of upset parents in the town about 25 miles east of Pittsburgh.

DVD against same-sex marriage sparks protest

KSTP.com reported about a dozen people protested on the streets of St. Paul Oct. 10 after receiving a DVD from the Catholic Church that criticizes same-sex marriage.

The group, made up of Catholics and non-Catholics, said they opposed the message and believe the church focused on the wrong issues.

A spokesperson for the archdiocese said the church accepts gay members, but is opposed to same-sex marriage.

The archdiocese has acknowledged a campaign to send the DVDs to Catholic families around Minnesota.

‘It Gets Better’ maxes out in messages

The Sacramento Bee reports video submissions to “It Gets Better,” the YouTube channel launched by Dan Savage in response to recent suicides by LGBT youths, have exceeded the channel’s capacity.

Savage launched the channel Sept. 21 with a video in which he and his husband, Terry Miller, tell their personal stories of harassment and torture at the hands of their classmates and show what their lives are like now.

Savage said that the YouTube channel is full, people are posting videos on their own and having conversations with people through the comments sections and communicating through e-mail.

Savage said that the first 200 videos uploaded were from regular people, such as a lesbian farmer from Vermont, a gay Mormon and the Youth Pride Choir of New York. But some celebrities also have made videos like comedians Sarah Silverman and Kathy Griffin, “Project Runway’s” Tim Gunn, “Ugly Betty’s” Michael Urie, musician Joel Madden and “Glee’s” Chris Colfer.

— Larry Nichols

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