The female staff members of TNG are throwing a Happy Hour Meet-up at Nellie’s from 6-9 for Beat the Clock Happy Hour.

A parent. A friend. A coworker. You likely know someone who has it. HIV/AIDS touches the lives of people across the nation and throughout globe. In the United States, more than 56,000 people are newly infected each year, and more than 14,000 American lives are claimed annually.

Today is Word AIDS Day, an observance for all of those who have lost their lives to the disease and an opportunity to recommit to the fight for prevention. World AIDS Day was founded on Dec. 1, 1988, to increase awareness and fight prejudice surrounding HIV/AIDS.

Today the D.C. Council voted in favor of marriage equality. In the first of two votes held at noon today in the John A. Wilson Building, the Council voted 10 – 3 to legalize same-sex marriage.

“What a splendid moment this is for all of us,” said Council member Jim Graham (D – Ward 1). “When one of us is denied a right, we are all denied the right.”

“Since 1991, it has been a long road to get to where we are today,” said Council member Jack Evans (D- Ward 2) “I do hope we can work with the Archdiocese to get to some middle ground,” without compromising the bill.

Marriage equality advocates have been facing tumultuous state-by-state battles across the country. Throughout this rollercoaster fight for basic civil rights, one thing has not changed: there are more than 750,000 same-sex couples living in the United States, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

What do you get when you mix Amy Poehler, young girls and dance parties? Smart Girls at the Party, of course! …

Basically, I am obsessed with this video for no real reason.

This has been quite the week for legendary deaths. First Farrah Fawcett. Then Michael Jackson. And now Billy Mays – the king of infomercials. You recognize his voice from a mile away. He almost convinced you to order the ShamWow. Who doesn’t need a towel that can soak up an entire ocean? Mays died Sunday from heart disease. He will be missed.

As Gem says, this video is “a minute of staring at Rachel Maddow’s pretty face while she talks about how gay she is.”

Tarra and Bella, an elephant and a dog, show us the true beauty of friendship.

Garfunkel and Oates are back to take on Pat Robertson and defend gay marriage.