Exclusive first look: South Florida band All The Pretty Cars releases new music video, 'Need a Girl'

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the band All The Pretty Cars, which played Aug. 6 in Lake Worth.

Tonight I received a message from band singer Gea Gamboa:

Hello Steve,

I wanted to thank you again for the article you posted about All The Pretty Cars.

It helped tremendously and we have since received an offer to play a great festival in St Pete, Florida which we are in the process of solidifying.

I wanted to share the new music video with you before anyone else.

Monday August 13th we will be releasing the music video to our single "Need a Girl". The full EP titled "Remedy" will be out next month.

Gea, thanks and congratulations!

David Rakoff, acclaimed humorist, dies at 47

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK -- David Rakoff, an award-winning humorist whose cynical outlook on life and culture developed a loyal following of readers and radio listeners, has died after a long illness. He was 47.

Rakoff died Thursday after a long illness, Doubleday and Anchor Books announced. The statement did not detail a cause of death, but Rakoff had been open about his battles with cancer.

Rakoff wrote for The New York Times, Newsweek and other publications and was a contributor to public radio's "This American Life." In October, his essay collection "Half Empty" won the Thurber Prize for American Humor. His other bestselling books are "Don't Get Too Comfortable" and "Fraud."

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Newly pinned brigadier general becomes first openly gay flag officer in U.S. military

News release from Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and Outserve:

(Arlington, VA) Former Army Colonel Tammy Smith has become the first openly gay flag officer to come out while currently serving in the U.S. military. She was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in a private ceremony which took place today at the Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. BG Smith received her stars from her wife, Tracey Hepner.

“For years, gay and lesbian generals and admirals were forced to hide their families in order to protect their careers. It is a great day for our military and for our nation when this courageous leader is finally able to recognize her wife for her support and sacrifice in the same way that all military families should be recognized for their service to our country,” said Sue Fulton, a 1980 West Point graduate and member of the OutServe Board of Directors.

Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis praised Smith’s leadership and encouraged others would follow her lead.

“It is indeed a new era in America’s military when our most accomplished leaders are able to recognize who they are and serve the country they love at the same time. Brigadier General Smith made history today - not only as an exemplary service member who renders outstanding service to our nation with integrity and honor - but as a proud lesbian acknowledging the tremendous sacrifice her family makes in order for her to serve and advance. This day was long overdue, but I have no doubt more senior enlisted and officers will follow BG Smith in stepping forward smartly with their spouses and loved ones,” he said.

Smith is assigned as deputy chief in the Army Reserve Office of the Chief in Washington, D.C.

ABOUT SLDN: Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service members with questions are urged to contact the SLDN hotline to speak with a staff attorney: Call 1-800-538-7418 or 202-328-3244 x100.

ABOUT OUTSERVE: OutServe is the association of actively-serving LGBT military personnel. With more than 5,500 members and 50+ chapters worldwide, it is one of the largest LGBT employee resource groups in the world. OutServe works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Listen now: Miami Herald reporter Steve Rothaus guest hosts The Florida Roundup on WLRN

Friday I guest hosted The Florida Roundup on WLRN 91.3 FM in South Florida.

It was a great show. Topics included absentee ballot fraud; Florida's economy; and controversial conservative Pastor Jack of North Miami.

My guests were South Florida experts: Associated Press Florida editor Terry Spencer; reporter Ashley Lopez of WLRN-Miami Herald News; and Miami Herald reporter Patricia Mazzei, who covers Miami-Dade County.

Click here to listen to the show.

Dale Olson dies at 78; was publicity agent for Rock Hudson when movie star revealed he had AIDS

BY ELAINE WOO, LOS ANGELES TIMES

LOS ANGELES - Dale Olson, an elder statesman of the Hollywood publicity corps whose assignments over a four-decade career included representing Rock Hudson during the last months of the actor's struggle with AIDS, died Thursday of complications of liver cancer. He was 78.

Olson, who lived in the Hollywood Hills, died at a nursing facility in Burbank, said his spouse, Eugene Harbin.

A savvy promoter of Oscar-worthy movies, Olson helped craft campaigns for stars such as Maggie Smith in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" (1969), Shirley MacLaine in "Terms of Endearment" (1983) and Robert Duvall in "Tender Mercies" (1983).

During 18 years at Rogers and Cowan, he rose to head the agency's motion pictures division, leaving to run his own Beverly Hills publicity firm, Dale C. Olson & Associates, in 1985.

That year, Olson found himself in the middle of a media storm when reporters began raising questions about Hudson's health after the actor appeared shockingly gaunt at a public appearance with his former leading lady, Doris Day.

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