The inaugural Rainbow Rampage takes place from June 28th to July 4th, is a twist on a traditional motor rally and more akin to a giant gay road trip.

The rally downplays the racing aspect and is designed more to celebrate the cities that stretch along the race’s route.

The rally covers some 2300 miles across Europe and starts in Brighton before crossing the channel to the first rally pit stop: Paris.

From the French capital, rally drivers and passengers then make their way to other major European cities; Amsterdam, Hamburg, Berlin, Prague and Vienna.

The route has been designed along non-highway roads, enhancing the touristy aspect of the race.

The week-long adventure concludes in the Hungarian capital Budapest, arriving just in time for the city’s Gay Pride Parade, where all participants are invited to take part.

All those taking part also get to spend their last night of the rally in a luxury spa hotel in Budapest.

An American version of the race has also been organised and the week-long event takes place in September.

The US Rainbow Rampage takes advantage of that country’s abundant natural attractions.

Starting off in Seattle, contestants then drive to Crater Lake, South Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Las Vegas, Joshua Tree National Park and in the penultimate city of Los Angeles.

The Rampage concludes in America’s gay capital, San Francisco where participants can join in the annual LoveFest.

Organisers of the Rainbow Rampage say that while they hope the race raises awareness of gay issues and sexuality, it is primarily designed for the participants to have a ball, describing it as “a fabulous expression of spirit.”

“We welcome participants of every color and stripe to represent the full spectrum of gay identities, personalities and style for the ultimate gay party,” said organiser Guy Zucker.

He expects up to 40 teams (of up to four people in each car) to participate in the respective European and American events.

While it is only voluntary for contestants to incorporate the charity programme with their race participation, organisers have already been approached by a few organisations.

“We are in touch with a few of them – all related to the gay community,” said Mr Zucker.

“We are still in the process of choosing the one that we will think can benefit the

most from this event.”

By keeping entry requirements to a minimum, organisers hope to attract a wide range of contestants.

“By staging two similar events with few entry rules – any road-legal vehicle may enter – there are bound to be a terrific variety of vehicles and drivers making each event completely unique.”

For more details visit their website

The website Ditch the Label (www.DitchtheLabel.com) was ‘virtually’ launched last Saturday night in a co-ordinated browsing of the new site, after being advertised via its original Myspace and the founder’s personal Myspace sites.

The founder of DitchtheLabel is 17-year old student, activist and part-time model, Liam Hackett.

He developed the site primarily aimed at marginalised teenagers looking to break free from social stereotypes based on race, sexuality or gender.

The site aims to challenge negative stereotypes and provide a forum in which young people can share their experiences of prejudice and social labelling.

Based in Manchester, the prodigious teen first launched the website via Myspace in July 2007 and since then, the Myspace page has attracted more than 50,000 visits.

Liam looked into developing a more permanent website that would allow a greater expansion of the campaign.

The new DitchtheLabel site was conceived after Liam secured a business grant from the local Chamber of Commerce, who recognised the site’s appeal and potential.

He was only the second person under 18 in in his region to obtain a business grant.

Despite its early days, the website looks like it will become a flourishing internet resource for teenagers looking to break outside social stereotypes.

Liam told PinkNews.co.uk his own experiences dealing with his sexuality as a primary catalyst for launching DitchtheLabel and how he wished a similar resource existed when he was younger.

“The campaign hopes to change the negative stereotypes associated with labels of race, gender, sexuality, appearance and lifestyle and together, we believe that we can significantly reduce bullying and therefore, increasing self-confidence and feelings of self-worth

to thousands of young people worldwide,” Liam says.

“I myself have been subjected to bullying due to my sexuality and I grew up believing that being gay was wrong and disgusting.

“Since leaving school and meeting new people, I’ve grown to understand that sexuality is as significant as the colour of your eyes and nobody really cares anymore.”

The site has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback as it is specifically aimed at teenagers who are coming to terms with their own identities and who are forced to interact with a wide range of people.

At the moment, a majority of the site’s supporters are American.

Liam says that school visits may be planned in the future. He also aims to expand the site so that it is largely more interactive and community-based.

Visit the site or get involved at www.DitchtheLabel.com.

Up for grabs is an array of rare and unusual prizes, including a chance to be a VIP guest to the stars of Strictly Come Dancing, an afternoon in the studio with BBC Radio 2′s Paul Gambacinni and snowboarding lessons for four with the UK’s number one snowboarder, Jo Chastney.

Other lots include the chance to be named as a character in the new novel by acclaimed crime writer, Val McDermid and a framed, signed copy of k.d.lang’s new album Watershed, along with a complete set of her entire back catalogue.

There is also a host of once-in-a-liftime experiences up for auction.

These include tickets for four to the opening of the new Take That musical Never Forget, a privately-escorted tour of the Tate Modern with a curator, a chance to listen to principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, Valery Gergiev, conduct Mahler, or a day for two on an exclusive boat at the Eurogay Sailing Cup.

Stonewall Events Manager Michaela Greene said:

“These prizes would make the perfect gift for someone you want to really treat for a special occasion.

“The unique experiences are available to a number of guests, so why not get together with your mates and split your bid between you?

“A great way to get the prize for less, but still enjoy the fantastic experience.”

The prizes will be auctioned at the Stonewall annual Equality Dinner next month but anyone can bid on the prizes.

You can view the entire list of prizes and bid by either by

clicking here or calling Michaela on 020 7593 1874.

The auction will be open until midday on Thursday 3rd April and the winning bids will be announced on Friday 4th April.

Scroll down to watch a clip from the Take That musical:

The Sun Chronicle reports that Jason Hair-Wynn, who married his partner in 2005 in Massachusetts – which is currently the only American state to have legalised same-sex marriage – is now having to face reapplying for a new passport.

Hair-Wynn received a letter from the State Department which outlined that the federal Defence of Marriage Act (DOMA) prohibited the legal recognition of his new name.

As it stands, the American government only recognises heterosexual marriages.

Hair-Wynn had planned to travel to Ghana as part of his AIDS education and volunteer work in the summer but wanted to update his passport with his married name.

He had already changed his name successfully on his driver’s licence and his social security documents, but had not anticipated obstacles with the US State Department.

Hair-Wynn will now change his name back and reapply for his passport.

He will perform 22 shows on the North American leg of his world tour.

Commencing in June, he will perform in cities such as San Jose, Las

Vegas, Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver, Minneapolis, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and New York.

The former Wham! frontman, is also planning a new album which will feature a duet with Sir Paul McCartney.

Michael has spent the past 12 months touring 12 countries in Europe, playing to in excess of 1.3 million fans.

His current tour conincides with his soon-to-be released double album, entitled Twenty-Five which features, among others, collaborations with Sir Paul and Mary J Blige.

It’s hoped his return to the US will be under more auspicious circumstances than 1998.

On that occasion he was fined $810 (£403) and ordered to do 80 hours

community service after being convicted of ‘engaging in a lewd act’ in a California public toilet.

He publicly came out of the closet shortly after.

After failed attempts to gain a visa through the Israeli Interior Ministry – a process which can take years – the man was granted a visa after he applied directly to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).

The unnamed 33-year-old Palestinian from Jenin is planning a reunion with his Israeli partner in Tel Aviv once he gets his documents.

They have been appealing for a visa for five years.

The permit was issued by Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Major General Yosef Mishlav, whose agency falls under the defence ministry.

Mishalv’s office stressed that “the permit has been issued to the applicant as an exception, until the Interior Ministry rules on the matter.”

As such, the man needs to be reissued with a new visa on a monthly

basis, until a final decision can be made.

Homosexuality remains a taboo practice in the Muslim-populated areas of the West Bank cities and gay men face persecution or violence.

Israelis have a more tolerant attitude towards gays and their country is regarded as an oasis of tolerance in the region.

Same-sex marriages conducted abroad are recognised, Israel allows foreign partners of gay citizens to receive residency permits and there is a range of legislation protecting LGBT people.

However, some ultra-Orthodox Jews oppose Gay Pride parades in Jerusalem.

The BBC reports that the Chruch’s governing synod described moves by the Greek government to afford unmarried or defacto couples the same legal rights as their married counterparts as a “catastrophic bomb” which threatened Greek society and compared the move to “prostitution.”

The Greek government is hoping new legislation will align with similar laws throughout Europe.

However, this proposed bill has to date only included heterosexual unmarried couples.

Gay rights group Olke plans to actively lobby the Greek government and have slammed what they perceive as an unlawful draft bill, to legally recognise heterosexual unions only.

Greek government policy is still steadfastly anti-gay.

Gay marriage has long been opposed and gays are still barred from entering the military.

However, homosexuals in Greece are still seeking a greater voice within their country in recent years, which culminated in the first Gay Pride parade in 2005.

A Greek lesbian couple in Athens are due to attempt to marry in a civil ceremony in the country’s first same-sex marriage.

The law does not explicitly proclaim a civil union must take place between a man and a woman, the couple are hoping to take advantage.

The ceremony is set to take place in the Kessariani quarter of Athens and will be officiated by the town’s mayor, Spyros Tzokas – a man whose party, Syriza, is radically left-wing.

Mr Tzokas spoke out as having no objections to the union as long as the marriage respected the law.

Through the technology known as grid computing, PC users are now able to assist scientific research halfway across the world, equipped only with their computers and their Internet connection.

Gay dating site Fitlads.net is asking its members to install a small piece of software, by invitation from the research laboratory working on the project.

This software detects when the user is online and utilises the spare capacity of the machine the use of the FightAIDS@Home project without compromising general PC activities.

The FightAIDS@Home project was first launched in 2002 in the US, to limited exposure.

In 2005, the project was registered with the World Community Grid, which has subsequently turned many more people onto this ambitious project.

Described on its website as “the first biomedical distributed computing project ever launched”, the Olson Laboratory at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California developed FightAIDS@Home.

Already, the project has made significant strides in creating a more reliable system to classify molecules that can potentially overcome the challenges viral mutations pose to effective treatment of HIV and AIDS.

The project has been able to do this by harnessing the technology now known as “grid computing”.

This means anyone around the world can download a programme provided by the Scripps Research Institute that allows their PC to be a part of a collective “virtual supercomputer” with the aid of hundreds of thousands of other computers all over the world.

This process of volunteer computing allows independent and geographically dispersed Internet users to share a network that enables the scientists back in California to use the collective spare capacity available.

This is often referred to as “idle time” and this collective computing assists in the completion of complex scientific problems.

With the aide of this supercomputer, the resources of the FightAIDS@Home project have been channelled into research and not into the purchase of costly traditional multiprocessors.

This arrangement is effective on a number of levels.

Grid computing enables multiple tasks to be completed simultaneously and independently, without the need to communicate intermediate results between internal processors.

Environmentally, the process of grid computing also results in reduced costs in electricity and cooling as often required for the running of a single supercomputer.

The World Community Grid counts IBM as one of its key corporate sponsors. Its agenda, according to its website, is to makes its technology available to “tackle projects that benefit humanity.”

The software itself is downloaded and used without compromising the quality of the running of an average computer.

It is through the specialised software and the sophisticated technical infrastructure supplied by the World Community Grid that PC users here in the UK can take part in the project.

For those interested in taking part in the

FightAIDS@Home project, visit

http://fightaidsathome.scripps.edu/

Nominations for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts TV awards were announced yesterday.

Simon Amstell, host of the rock comedy panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks, was named as a best entertainer nominee, alongside Alan Carr, who co-hosts The Friday Night Project, and Stephen Fry for his intellectually-arousing game show QI.

It is the first time Amstell and Carr have been nominated for a BAFTA.

Amstell, who still works as a stand up comic, has made waves since becoming host of Buzzcocks in October 2006.

Carr, whose The Friday Night Project is currently in its sixth season, has been nominated with his co-star Justin Lee Collins.

The success of FNP provided the springboard for Carr to begin solo hosting duties on his own comedy variety show, Alan Carr’s Celebrity Ding Dong, which screened earlier this year on Channel 4.

QI is one of BBC4′s most popular programmes and the witty and articulate Fry has garnered a wide-ranging audience for this quirky game show.

QI has previously been nominated for four BAFTAs.

In other nominations, gay actor Antony Sher picked up a nomination for Best Actor in his role in BBC4′s TV film Primo based on Primo Levi’s account of his time in Auschwitz in his book If This Is A Man.

The film was adapted from Sher’s award-winning stage play, which unfolds through a series of monologues.

Acclaimed actress and national treasure Dame Judi Dench earned her record 24th BAFTA nod for her performance in the period drama Cranford.

This will be the 10th year in which the TV BAFTAs will be presented separately from its film counterpart.

From 1968 to 1997, the awards were awarded under one umbrella, incorporating both film and TV.

However, in a move to streamline the two ceremonies, the television BAFTAs have been presented in April or May since 1998, whereas the film awards are presented in February, to coincide with the Hollywood awards seasons, including the Oscars, Golden Globes and Screen Actors’ Guild Awards.

This year’s TV BAFTAs will be handed out on Sunday 20th April in London.

Click here for a full list of nominations.