A prominent rabbi says the outbreak of deadly bird flu in Israel is God's punishment for efforts to legalize gay marriages. Rabbi David Basri, according to Reuters, is a well-known teacher of Kabbalah or Jewish mysticism.

Colorful drag queen Vladimir Luxuria says she shares a similarity with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi: they both dab on lots of make-up and wear heels to make them look taller. Luxuria is Italy's first drag queen to run for parliament. Campaigning for the rights of homosexuals to marry and to legalize prostitution and certain drugs, Luxuria is trying for a win in the upcoming April elections.

Country music star Willie Nelson wants his newest ode to love to coincide with the hype surrounding Brokeback Mountain. Nelson says that he's "just opening the door" with the release, "Cowboys Are Secretly, Frequently (Fond of Each Other). "

A German zoo is still scratching their head as they attempt to figure out how to get six gay penguins to mate with females within the species. The females were flown in from Sweden last year in attempt to get the six penguins to mate. However, the female Humboldt penguins are too shy to make the first move, according to Heike Kueck, the German zoo director.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has demanded an apology from "Today" critic Gene Shalit, for comments it describes as "defamatory, ignorant and irresponsible. " What set off the group's outrage was Shalit's review of Brokeback Mountain that aired on Thursday. In it, he described Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) as a "sexual predator" who "tracks Ennis (Heath Ledger) down and coaxes him into sporadic trysts. " GLAAD charged Shalit Friday with promoting 'defamatory anti-gay prejudice to a national audience. '