Broken Marriage

The latest from the Political Grapevine:

Broken Marriages

Nearly seven months after Massachusetts began marrying same-sex couples (search), the state now has its first same-sex divorces. In Suffolk County, two men — a religious educator and a professor who exchanged vows on May 22 — have signed divorce papers saying, "our interests have grown in different directions," and the marriage has "irretrievably broken down."

The men say the ugliest part of their divorce was fighting for custody of their three cats. The professor eventually got full custody. But, their settlement states, "in recognition of the emotional hardship of such relinquishment ... [the professor agrees to provide his ex] with periodic updates, photographs, and any health-related information pertaining" to the cats.

Risky Business?

Meanwhile, gay couples in Canada are being told that behaving like lovers is risky. Health authorities in Vancouver are advising gay couples to stop kissing on the lips because of a deadly meningitis outbreak in the city's gay community.

Three gay men have died in the past two months alone, and another four have been hospitalized.
Doctors tell Canadian public television that because meningitis (search) spreads through saliva, it can be transmitted by kissing. Public health officials are now visiting Vancouver's gay bars and restaurants, informing patrons about the outbreak.

Not Advocating Violence?

A sociology instructor at the University of Louisville — lecturing students about the role of moral values in this year's election — insists he wasn't advocating violence against conservative voters when he said, "It was the religious zealots who say they are voting on morals. I think we should all buy AK-47s and shoot them all! That's what I would suggest, if it were allowed."

Instructor John McTighe (search), quoted by the Louisville Courier-Journal, says he was taken out of context. The university, meanwhile, has suspended his contract, pending an investigation.

Shear madness?

Police have been called to an elementary school in Philadelphia after school officials found a device in a girl's backpack that violated the school's anti-weapons policy. Police pulled 10-year-old Porshe Brown out of class, handcuffed her, put her in a paddy wagon, and took her down to the local police station. So what exactly did the girl have in her backpack?
Why, a pair of scissors. Eight-inch shears, to be exact.

Brown's mother denounced the response as "way too harsh." Police and school officials have now apologized, calling it, "extremely unfortunate."

— FOX News' Michael Levine contributed to this report