http://business.avn.com/articles/ en Copyright 1983-2010 AVN Media Network. All Rights Reserved. AVN is a registered trademark of AVN Media Network, Inc. webmaster@avn.com (AVN Webmaster) http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Sasha-Grey-Gets-Pulled-Back-Into-Reading-to-Kids-Scandal-463872.html These days, former porn star Sasha Grey has to feel a little bit like Michael Corleone in Godfather III, who famously complained that as much as he tried to get out of the “family business,” the business kept pulling him back in. webmaster@avn.com (AVN Webmaster) http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Sasha-Grey-Gets-Pulled-Back-Into-Reading-to-Kids-Scandal-463872.html Mon, 06 February 2012 18:09:08 PST http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Sunny-Leone-Makes-AskMen-com-Top-99-Most-Desirable-Women-463862.html Truth be told, the Vivid Girl's world-class beauty alone qualifies her to be on the list, even if it was her recent appearance on the popular Indian reality show Bigg Boss 5 that seemed to open the AskMen editors' eyes to Leone's inner qualities and justify her inclusion in the Top 99. webmaster@avn.com (AVN Webmaster) http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Sunny-Leone-Makes-AskMen-com-Top-99-Most-Desirable-Women-463862.html Mon, 06 February 2012 14:25:03 PST http://business.avn.com/articles/technology/Indonesia-Claims-It-Has-Blocked-1-Million-Porn-Sites-463858.html Hailing the censorship of around one million adult websites as a victory in the war for Indonesia’s sexual soul, Communication and Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring said the country is not finished blocking porn sites from being accessed in the country. webmaster@avn.com (AVN Webmaster) http://business.avn.com/articles/technology/Indonesia-Claims-It-Has-Blocked-1-Million-Porn-Sites-463858.html Mon, 06 February 2012 12:15:28 PST http://business.avn.com/articles/novelty/Online-Sex-Shop-Caters-Specifically-to-Men-463859.html TenGaySexToys.com and has launched as a high-class sex toy store that offers a new approach to anonymous online shopping. webmaster@avn.com (AVN Webmaster) http://business.avn.com/articles/novelty/Online-Sex-Shop-Caters-Specifically-to-Men-463859.html Mon, 06 February 2012 12:09:59 PST http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Taormino-Turns-Arrow-on-Cupid-With-Guide-to-Pegging-463855.html Guys who really, really want to make their ladies feel like the rulers of their world this Valentine's Day may want to spend a little time studying Tristan Taormino's Expert Guide to Pegging: Strap-On Anal Sex for Couples. webmaster@avn.com (AVN Webmaster) http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Taormino-Turns-Arrow-on-Cupid-With-Guide-to-Pegging-463855.html Mon, 06 February 2012 11:23:00 PST http://business.avn.com/articles/technology/Fifth-Most-Popular-Bit-Torrent-Site-Taken-Offline-Voluntarily-463850.html BTJunkie, a very popular torrent index, which had an Alexa rank of 299 and a Compete rank of 987, took itself offline this weekend, leaving in its place a blue background, the company logo and a goodbye note. webmaster@avn.com (AVN Webmaster) http://business.avn.com/articles/technology/Fifth-Most-Popular-Bit-Torrent-Site-Taken-Offline-Voluntarily-463850.html Mon, 06 February 2012 08:43:53 PST http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Erotic-Film-Master-Zalman-King-Dead-at-70-463843.html Zalman King, the producer, director and screenwriter of numerous erotically-charged films, died this morning after a six-year battle with cancer. He was 70 years old. webmaster@avn.com (AVN Webmaster) http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Erotic-Film-Master-Zalman-King-Dead-at-70-463843.html Fri, 03 February 2012 18:04:22 PST http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Photographer-Barbara-Nitke-Kickstarts-Golden-Age-of-Porn-Book-463827.html Photographer Barbara Nitke seeks crowdsourcing funding for her Golden Age of Porn photo book, American Ecstasy. webmaster@avn.com (AVN Webmaster) http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Photographer-Barbara-Nitke-Kickstarts-Golden-Age-of-Porn-Book-463827.html Fri, 03 February 2012 16:10:00 PST http://business.avn.com/articles/legal/Francis-Issues-C-D-to-Madonna-NFL-NBC-Over-GGW-Song-463811.html With the release of Madonna's newest album comes a threat from Joe Francis that unless she agrees to specific demands, he will sue her over the first song on the record, 'Girls Gone Wild,' which of course also is the name of his company. webmaster@avn.com (AVN Webmaster) http://business.avn.com/articles/legal/Francis-Issues-C-D-to-Madonna-NFL-NBC-Over-GGW-Song-463811.html Fri, 03 February 2012 15:30:53 PST http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Punx-Productions-Inducts-McLean-Spiegler-Into-Hall-of-Fame-463812.html Rob Rotten's Punx Productions has named late director Clive McLean and talent agent Mark Spiegler as the 2012 inductees into its Rotten Hall of Fame. webmaster@avn.com (AVN Webmaster) http://business.avn.com/articles/video/Punx-Productions-Inducts-McLean-Spiegler-Into-Hall-of-Fame-463812.html Fri, 03 February 2012 14:41:00 PST

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Posted Feb 03rd, 2012 11:37 AM

MIAMI—Baci Lingerie USA has launched a new B2B website, BaciLingerieUSA.com, created to streamline its customers ordering experience. The new online interface includes downloads, online ordering with automatic tracking of orders, invoicing, improved search functions and browsing options.

“It’s been in beta testing for several months,” said Alicia Sinclair, Baci Lingerie USA’s national director of sales. “We started with in-house testing and in recent months opened it up to select customers to test, get their general feedback and make improvements. We are proud to say it is ready to use and are sure it will simplify the ordering process for our customers.”

The new B2B website allows customers to search by category as well as collection, and includes a download area for all images, marketing materials and important forms. Additionally, BaciLingerieUSA.com allows for customers to place orders directly on the site where an immediate copy of the order will be emailed automatically, allowing customers to track the progress of the order and obtain an electronic copy of their invoice.

“Our goal was to make as complete and comprehensive of a B2B website as possible,” Sinclair continued. “We invite all of our customers to sign up for an account and see how BaciLingerieUSA.com can save time and make life easier when placing orders. We are of course available to help with any needs along the way and welcome feedback as to how we can continue to improve the site to fit the needs of our customers.”

To sign up fro a customer account visit BaciLingerieUSA.com. Customers who have any questions or who need a Baci Lingerie USA Sales Representative assigned to them may contact Alicia Sinclair Alicia@bacilingerieusa.com, (888) 688-BACI (2224), mobile: (818) 427-2667, or fax: (855) 329-BACI (2224), BaciLingerieUSA.com.

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Posted Feb 03rd, 2012 11:00 AM

HACKENSACK, N.J.—The owners of Heeldo, a self-pleasuring strap-on dildo harness for the foot, will be on Playboy Radio on Feb. 10.

The appearance is part of a maiden marketing campaign for the new company.

In addition to the Playboy Radio interview, the product will be featured in an upcoming adult movie, as Belladonna reportedly has plans to feature it in a foot fetish video.

Many products claim to be one-of-a-kind but the patented Heelo truly is, the company claims in a press release. The harness, paired with flared based dildo or butt plug, is used for masturbation and couple-play depending on how it’s worn on the foot.

Heeldo is not just for the straight or gay crowd but both—it transcends sexual preferences—and can be used for female masturbation, male self-pegging, straight,
gay and lesbian couple play, and anyone with a foot fetish.

The inventors of Heeldo originally created it for women to use on themselves
while performing oral sex on a man. Little did they know it would wind up
revolutionizing male and female masturbation and create a revolutionary
toy for the foot fetish crowd. Heeldo is so versatile; it can even slip
over a stiletto high heel.

The Heeldo retails for $24.99 to $29.99.

The creators of Heeldo will be inLos Angeleson Feb. 10 interviewing live with Playboy Radio on Sirius XM and hosting a promotional party later that night.

For more information, visit Heeldo.com.

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CHATSWORTH, Calif.—New Sensations was the first to release a couples-oriented "Romance" line of movies, and that award-winning concept has spawned its share of imitators—so now the company is going one step further.

"What I want to do, and what I've wanted to do since the inception of my Romance line, is tackle some more deeply-rooted relationship issues," said New Sensations/Digital Sin owner Scott Taylor. "I consider the Romance line to be more of a honeymoon, and I consider my new series, which will be released through Digital Sin, which we'll be starting to shoot in February, more of an advanced version."

The as-yet-unnamed line will tackle the thorny question of what happens in a relationship once the bloom is off the rose, and the partners have to deal with sustaining the love they originally felt for each other.

"What we'll be dealing with is, now we're in the relationship; things get a little stale; what do we do to keep the excitement going?" Taylor explained. "I want to address some issues that maybe some couples go through, that they find themselves at odds with each other, or one feels the seven year itch coming on, or certain other things, but always drawing back to being together: How do you stay together? Not how do you cheat and how do you go get a girlfriend or whatever; more of dealing with the issues of a long-term relationship and what people do to keep it together and really have the best outcome of just staying together.

"It is a couples line," he continued, "but it's not going to be addressing any kind of instructional theme or any kind of 'I'm telling you what to do.' It's presented in a manner as any movie would be. It's about how they do it. It's going to be a little sexier. It's going to be a little more adventurous. We're going to deal with issues of bringing another person into the relationship; possibly some swinging. There's going to be some sensitive issues, some taboo issues that don't fit in the romance line, but they deal with really like what are some of the things that real couples do?"

It's a fact that many in the porn-viewing public watch adult movies together to help add spice to their relationship, and the new line seems to be targeting those viewers precisely.

"We're not trying to help people who are in the situation of, 'We only have sex but once every year'; we're trying to show how to bring the fire back into the relationship and what is that, and it could be in a number of ways," Taylor said. "It could be just, 'Let's go back to dating'; 'Let's have date night'; 'Let's try this'; 'Let's try that'; but I want to get into some of those issues, what a couple might face. It's an issue I've wanted to tackle for a long time."

To bring about this vision, Taylor will be using several of the performers who helped make his Romance series a success.

"There are certain people that I go to that I think are very good at expressing the emotional connection that couples have," he explained. "They have to be a good actress or actor, because if you're not convinced about the character or about the feelings of the character, the whole thing falls apart."

While much of the writing for the new series will be handled by veteran Romance writer Jacky St. James, who won AVN's 2012 award for Best Screenplay for Dear Abby, Taylor will be adding some unexpected innovations to the line as it prepares to take flight.

"I'm absolutely going to continue to use Eddie Powell in this series," Taylor assured, "and Jacky St. James, the writer of our more recent Romance movies, is going to be writing some as well. I think she's actually predisposed to be even better at this type of writing, something a little more sexy, so I'm unleashing her a little bit more. Jacky is also going to be transitioning into a director, so I've got her doing some things to prepare for that. She's got some fantastic ideas, because as a writer, you visualize what's going on; what is this person feeling; what do they look like when they're feeling that; how does it look? So she's going to be transitioning into a director."

But perhaps the big news is that Taylor has snagged one of adult's most famous—and most award-winning—directors to try his hand at this new genre: Paul Thomas, whose Ritual was nominated for several awards this year.

But Taylor is adamant that any production that doesn't meet his standards for the new line won't bear its imprint.

"Quite honestly, the way I work is, if it doesn't cut the mustard, if it isn't the right product that I envisioned, regardless of reading the script and believing that it's going to be a certain way, I won't release it under the series," he stated. "I had certain ones in the Romance series that didn't fit what I thought embodied the nature of what it was supposed to be, so I didn't release them. If it doesn't really capture what I'm trying to do, then it will be a release on its own. It'll be shot with quality, but it's got to be part of that direction, part of the idea that I have; it must fit that mold. You can't just make a movie where two people just say they like each other or love each other and it's a Romance movie. There's a definitive format to what we're trying to convey. People have other ideas and have done other romance movies throughout the industry and they have their vision; I have mine. I don't want to stray from mine. I think ours are very good and they're absolutely exactly what I'm looking to do."

The new series will begin shooting this month, and the first one is likely to hit store shelves in late March or April—possibly just in time to help long-time couples take a fresh look at their relationship and figure out how to renew the passion, one date night at a time.

Pictured: The New Sensations/Digital Sin/NS Novelties booth at the Adult Entertainment Expo.

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SIMI VALLEY, Calif.—Simi Valley mayor, pro tem judge and former mortician Bob Huber is not the only public servant from the Los Angeles suburb who wants porn producers to stay away from his beloved town. On Monday, the city council indicated its support for a planned ordinance that would make condoms mandatory for porn shoots in the Ventura County city that is a stone’s throw from Chatsworth and Canoga Park, where many adult studios are currently located. The ordinance is expected to be introduced at the council's Feb. 13 meeting.

Huber jumped on the mandatory condom bandwagon immediately following the recent vote by the Los Angeles city council passing an ordinance that ties the issuance of filming permits in the city to the use of condoms on adult sets. Mayor Villaraigosa signed the ordinance into law in late January. Voicing his concern to the media that porn producers would make the easy move into Simi Valley, Mayor Huber said at the time the industry wasn't wanted in the “family friendly” city, and added his intention to see an ordinance introduced that would also make Simi Valley a condom-only municipality.

Well, here’s a news flash for Mayor Huber: many of the people who work in the industry have lived (and worked) in Simi Valley for years! Not only have members of the industry lived in the upscale community for as many years as he has been involved professionally there, but more than a few shoots have taken place there over the years. All of it has brought much needed money into the city, not only to local businesses but also to the very same public servants who Monday voiced their moral outrage at the thought of porn in Simi Valley.

Yes, that's right: the city fathers have damned the very same families they want to protect from… well, themselves. Put another way, the same pornographers they don’t want shooting legal content in their neck of the woods are the very same people who they have no trouble taking money from to pay their own salaries and the salaries of their local police and other municipal services.

Indeed, the entire hoo-haw makes one wonder whether the city can afford to lose homeowners who work in adult entertainment. If city after city shuts their doors to adult production by forcing the condom issue, then companies will be forced to move out of Southern California altogether, whether they want to or not. If Simi Valley leaders are so adamant about this new ordinance, does that mean they don’t care whether those homeowners stay or leave? If so, that must mean the city’s housing situation is pretty healthy.

Only, it isn't. In fact, it is still struggling to keep from slipping further underwater. According to a Jan. 17 Ventura County Star article about a new home development in the city, “City Economic Development Director Brian Gabler said Los Arboles at Greenbriar is the first new detached-home development in the city in four years, adding that since fiscal year 2007-08, the city has issued only 11 single-family detached-home permits scattered around various neighborhoods.”

The article also states, “Home prices in Ventura County continued to sink in December, hitting a low last seen nearly nine years ago,” and added, “While foreclosures in Simi Valley have come down from their 2008 highs, they're still significantly higher than in 2006, before the housing crash... For example, there were 45 foreclosures in the city in August, down from 67 in August 2008 but 11 times more than the four in August 2006.”

Eleven permits in four years and home prices at a nine-year low, and yet the mayor and city council want adult producers and the many businesses that support them to leave the area? Homeowners in Simi Valley should consider what is being suggested here very seriously. The people the mayor wants to run out of the area may very well be the same people keeping the value of all Simi Valley homes from plummeting further than they already have. Maybe, instead of such overt hostility, the city should consider providing incentives to adult producers to live and work in the city. Maybe home prices will go up if they do! Maybe more jobs will actually come to the lovely community of Simi Valley!

Here’s something else for the mayor and city council to consider in the run-up to this vote. People in the adult entertainment industry are no different than any of the other people who live in your community. Hard-working and decent, they raise families just like everyone else does, hoping to make a better life for their children. They also tend to be somewhat conservative when it comes to the economy and civic life, and often take a very libertarian stance, politically and socially. They give generously to charities and actively take part in local government for the same reasons you got involved: to better the community in which you live.

In other words, they are your perfect neighbor. You might try treating them as such.

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JESUSLAND—Attention adult cabaret owners, liquor store owners and clerks and operators of casinos or other gaming establishments: The Republicans in Congress have got it in for you—as if you didn't know that already.

More specifically, the conservatives are targeting a group of people that Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (R-La.) thinks are your main clientele: Welfare recipients. And what he's doing about it is introducing a bill to prevent recipients of the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program (aka "welfare") from spending any of ill-gotten funds at your establishments—a "problem" that Boustany insists is "pretty rampant around the country."

Boustany's been on this kick for a couple of months now, having first introduced the idea as part of a payroll tax bill that the House passed back in December, but apparently the issue is so important that he's introducing it as a separate bill today.

Although the text of the new bill is not yet available, the bill that was introduced back in December, HR 3567, which was later incorporated into the payroll tax bill, would have required, "A State to which a grant is made under section 403 [of the Social Security Act] shall maintain policies and practices as necessary to prevent assistance provided under the State program funded under this part from being used in any transaction in (i) any liquor store; (ii) any casino, gambling casino, or gaming establishment; or (iii) any retail establishment which provides adult-oriented entertainment in which performers disrobe or perform in an unclothed state for entertainment."

Since most states now issue TANF benefits in the form of ATM-type credit cards, this would mean that strip clubs, liquor stores and casinos would be unable to successfully swipe the cards for payments to those businesses. And while states are given two years to put the law into effect, any state which fails to do so after that point will see its federal TANF funds reduced across the board by five percent per year of noncompliance. There is, however, no penalty contained in the December bill for the businesses themselves.

Melissa Boteach, of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, has commented that the anti-adult bill is hardly a "pressing national crisis" but rather a political ploy by conservatives to paint low-income Americans as "delinquent and criminally inclined"—a message that conservatives press on their constituents at every opportunity.

"Many low-income workers on TANF are unable to access the child care they need to make work possible and ultimately end up paying nearly half their income towards care for their children," Boteach said. "And low-wage workers are constantly facing the threat of a layoff because more than 80 percent lack access to a single paid sick day to take care of themselves, a sick kid, or an elderly relative."

"This vote represents yet another instance in the creeping trend of conservatives to demonize the poor—and then threaten anyone who votes against the legislation with supporting 'welfare spending' for strip club admissions," she continued. "The tactic enables conservatives to imply that tough economic circumstances somehow make poor people delinquent and criminally inclined."

This reduction would come on top of the fact that since the Great Recession began, TANF benefits have already been cut by more than 20 percent.

"At a time when nearly half of the U.S population is just one financial shock away from poverty, Republicans should focus on bolstering the very programs that ensure the economic security of families," opined Tanya Somanander of ThinkProgress.com. "Instead, Republicans seem committed to push a strip club stereotype for a political win while stripping vulnerable Americans of a safety net."

But that's okay; during the '76 presidential campaign, Ronald Reagan supported cuts to welfare because he'd heard of a recipient on Chicago's South Side that had "eighty names, thirty addresses, twelve Social Security cards and is collecting veteran's benefits on four non-existing deceased husbands. And she is collecting Social Security on her cards. She's got Medicaid, getting food stamps, and she is collecting welfare under each of her names. Her tax-free cash income is over $150,000."Of course, no such woman existed. And more recently, presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said repeatedly that he was "not concerned with very poor Americans, but was focused instead on helping the middle class" since he was "confident that food stamps, housing vouchers, Medicaid and other assistance would keep the poor afloat," and "pledged to fix holes in that safety net 'if it needs repair.'"

And if you believe that, he's undoubtedly got a great deal on a "welfare Cadillac" for you.

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Posted Feb 01st, 2012 01:42 PM

NEW YORK—BelAmiOnline is presenting a brand new model to the industry and the 5th American to appear on BelAmiOnline in the last 6 months. Austin Merrick is a part of BelAmi's expansion into the U.S. model market that has already seen beautiful men like American exclusives Mick Lovell, Brady Jensen and other American studs heat up the internet with BelAmiOnline’s fall and winter programming.

Austin Merrick is a lively and charismatic 21-year-old from San Diego, California who has never done anything in the adult world until his recent trip with BelAmi to Budapest and CapeTown. For the last couple months, BelAmi has set up shop in Capetown with dozens of models shooting throughout the winter and into March.  Austin had such a spark and left such an impression that after his first shoot he was asked to film more scenes. Austin is not your typical BelAmi model, nor is he your typical porn star.  In the interview, you get a good glimpse into his charming and unique personality. Watch him break dance, bust out a free style rap and describe the gifts he got from God that helped him become such a great model.

Merrick’s first interview at BelAmiOnline is live today at BelAmiOnline.  On Friday, his first ever solo and photo session video will be released, and it will all culminate this Saturday when his first ever sex scene is debuted…only at BelAmiOnline. Featuring Austin with Kinky Angel Kevin Warhol—who happens to be BelAmi's other young charismatic newcomer—it is a scene that will have everyone talking on Monday.

Check out Austin’s interniew trailer here.

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Posted Feb 01st, 2012 12:57 PM

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn.—Ntimate’s FleshWrap recently premiered for the adult industry at the Adult Entertainment Expo (AEE) and AVN Novelty Expo (ANE) at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Jan. 18-20, and was nominated for a 2012 AVN Award for Best Sex Toy for Men.

Today, the male pleasure system is now available for public consumption and is shipping to customers and resellers worldwide. FleshWrap is a pleasure-enhancing product designed to adically increases a man’s enjoyment during sex.

"FleshWrap is a true revolution in male sexual pleasure," saidJack Campbell, Ntimate CEO. "It’s a completely new category of sex product that makes sex feel radically and unimaginably better for guys. It is truly rare for a new type of sex product to be invented and taken to market."

FleshWrap is a small frame and crossbar that gently pulls and tugs the scrotum and testicles upward and forward from the body, lifting the scrotum up along the underside of the penis. The result is a firmer erection and more pleasure during sex. It is available in two versions that both have body-safe, phthalate-free polycarbonate frames.

The Standard version with polycarbonate crossbars retails for $29.99 and the Premium version features marine-grade polished stainless steel crossbars (for the feel of steel) and retails for $49.99. And every man can find the best combination and fit for himself, because both the Standard and Premium FleshWraps include two sizes of frames and crossbars.

To learn more about the FleshWrap, visit FleshWrap.com. To get more information on Ntimate’s brands and where they are retailed, contact Ntimate directly at info@ntimate.com.

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RICHMOND, VA—Women's reproductive rights have taken quite a beating over the past year, with 135 laws having been enacted in 36 states that would limit a woman's ability to get an abortion by banning it altogether, increasing waiting periods, prohibiting health insurance from paying for abortion and by targeting women's clinics for bogus building and health code violations. Other laws have restricted a woman's ability to get birth control by allowing pharmacists to reject prescriptions for it, and by attempting to defund Planned Parenthood, where many women obtain low-cost birth control pills.

Another measure anti-choice activists have used to try to stop abortions is to require women seeking a pregnancy termination to watch a sonogram and listen to a detailed description of the fetus, in the hopes that seeing that image will cause women to reconsider their decision. That was the logic behind a law enacted in 2011 in Texas, which a three-judge appeals panel ruled earlier this month could be enforced on physicians which provide abortion services.

Perhaps buoyed by Texas' "success," Virginia state Sen. Jill Vogel (R-Fauquier) has introduced a bill, SB 484, which would foist similar sonogram requirements on the state's abortion doctors. It passed the Republican-dominated Senate Education and Health Committee on Thursday by a party-line vote, 8-7, and was expected to be passed by the full GOP-controlled Senate today.

But what made that bill remarkable was an amendment offered by Sen. Janet Howell (D-Fairfax) that would have required all men seeking Viagra or similar erectile dysfunction medications to undergo both a rectal exam and a cardiac stress test before the drug could be prescribed.

"We need some gender equity here," Howell told the Huffington Post. "The Virginia senate is about to pass a bill that will require a woman to have totally unnecessary medical procedure at their cost and inconvenience. If we're going to do that to women, why not do that to men?"

Howell also pointed out that the ultrasound requirement would have the effect of "adding to the cost" of an abortion and "opening up [women] to emotional blackmail."

Howell's amendment was defeated yesterday by a nearly party-line vote, 21-19, and there's no word yet regarding whether SB 484 has been passed by the full Senate.

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CYBERSPACE—Facebook is apparently experiencing Twitter-like growth pangs with its Subscribe function, which launched last September and is currently getting some negative feedback due to an apparent plethora of unwanted spam, porn and inappropriate comments. An article yesterday in the NY Daily News tells the story of journalists who say they are being inundated by the stuff, with some deciding to turn the function off.

"Part of why people are freaking out is that Facebook for so many years was a really personal space," said Liz Heron, a social media editor for The New York Times. "It's kind of like letting a bunch of strangers into your home who are saying nasty things to you and to your friends and family."

According to the article, a journalist from the Travel Channel, Nisha Chittal, launched her Subscribe profile in anticipation that she would only hear from like-minded people interested in travel. She was wrong.

Instead of friendly messages, “She got sexually explicit messages, pornographic photos, and spammy, irrelevant messages from thousands of users around the world,” the article reported. She also got a lot of subscribers, 80,000 in less than six months compared with the 5,000 she has amassed on Twitter in three years.

“Chittal is just one of many journalists who has enabled Facebook's Subscribe feature only to be shocked, disturbed or disappointed by the results,” wrote Meena Hart Duerson for the Daily News.

Of course, according to Facebook, there are ways to control who can comment and what you can see from people. “You can also decide what types of updates you see,” the company explained upon the launch of the feature. “For example, you could see just photos from one friend, no stories about games from another, and nothing at all from someone else.

“Once you allow subscribers,” the blog post continued, “you can decide who can comment and what notifications you get. You'll also see a Subscribers tab on your profile, where you can see who subscribes to you.”

Not everyone understands the plight of the hapless Subscriber users. One commenter to the article had scant sympathy for the people profiled in the article, writing, “I get there is some sort of problem with this, but I have to chuckle when I see the responses from these woman. What were you expecting exactly, the internet is free-flowing, and there is little to no oversight. They come off as extremely naive, which is frightening considering they work in the media business.”

A tad misogynistic, but you get the point. Many people believe that if one dares to venture out into the open internet, they have no reason to complain when the bottom-feeders start filling up their news feed, profile or inbox.

However, as mentioned, the service does allow for selective filtering, so what we’re really talking about here is the learning curve necessary to understand how this tool works. Presumably, as time goes on there will only be more options, and not less. For instance, one day you’ll be able to keep all that yucky spam at bay while still allowing in the porn.

It’s called progress.

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Posted Jan 31st, 2012 03:10 PM

CYBERSPACE—Jet Set Men, the leader in gay porn parodies, is gearing up for the February release of Tosh.Hole, a gay porn parody of the Comedy Central hit show Tosh.O with host Daniel Tosh, who is portrayed in the parody by stand-out performer Ryan Lynch.

The company has just released a SFW trailer of Tosh-Hole, which can be viewed here.

Tosh.Hole is a wittily scripted parody directed by Hall of Fame director Chris Steele, who has also helmed such blockbusters as Anthony's’ Weener and To Fuck a Predator, which dominated the charts in 2011. With Tosh.Hole, Steels has captured the essence of the Tosh.O show, especially with his deft parody of Daniel Tosh’s backhanded comments. 

In addition to its humor, Tosh.Hole also serves up sublime hot boys in sweat-dripping sex scenes, bringing together muscle gods Tyler Saint James and Derek Fox, two straight newcomers to the industry who specifically chose Jet Set Men for their first ever-big studio production. Jet Set Men’s hot boy Mick Gibson also is credited with writing and performing the Tosh.Hole theme song, in additional to his mouth-watering flip-flop scene with cover model Dustin Fitch. Newcomer Drake Wild makes his Jet Set Men debut in Tosh.Hole, taking on hunk Jessie Colter in a brother-on-brother scenario that gives new meaning to the statement, “You know where you can stick that remote.”

Tosh.Hole is but the latest in a great line of xxx gay parodies from Jet Set Men, including TSA Strip Down, Jersey Score 1 & 2, Getting Levi's Johnson, Anthony's Weener, To Fuck a Predator, American Porn Star and of course the top selling gay porno of all time, The Hole, from award-winning director, Wash West.

Tosh.Holem distributed by Marina Pacific, will be available February 12 on DVD, download-to-own and pay-per-view on JetSetMen.tv.

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Posted Jan 31st, 2012 02:38 PM

LOS ANGELES—Fun Factory announced it has new POS materials to help retailers boost their sales and support their staff members.

Instructional 4-inch by 6-inch product cards are available for store shelves at no charge. Each card contains a QR code that allows customers to watch a short YouTube instructional product video directly on their smartphones while shopping in the store. The videos do not mention any other website, thereby ensuring customers are not distracted from buying at the store that day.

Fun Factory encourages all store managers to show their staff how to use these videos. Sales associates will then be ready to show customers how to pull up instructions for some of the Fun Factory toys they see on the shelves.

The cards are currently available for seven different products: Cobra libre, DeLight, Duke, MiniVibes, LayaSpot, Yooo, Smartballs and all toys of the G4 line.

Scan the QR code in the photo above for a demonstration on the Delight.

Additionally, Fun Factory now offers free demo toys to retail customers. Each floor model comes with one of the company’s newly made toy holders.

The popular Smartballs Kegel Kit comes in a brand new display, as well as all minis, G4s, Yooos, Laya Spots, Share, Delights, Dukes and many more.

Call your sales rep or email contact@funfactory.com for any of the materials.

For more information, visit FunFactory.com.

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Posted Jan 31st, 2012 12:52 PM

ATLANTA—Online adult retailer and adult social hub EdenFantasys is proud to host another star-studded Twitter party with special guest Tristan Taormino, in conjunction with publisher Cleis Press.

From 8-9 p.m. EDT today, fans will have a special opportunity to ask questions and chat with the AVN Award-winning Tristan, well-known for her books, films, and educational line with Vivid, Vivid Ed. Tonight, EdenFantasys will celebrate Tristan's latest release with Cleis Press, Take Me There, an anthology of trans and genderqueer erotica.

EdenFantasys is no stranger to Twitter parties, hosting one biweekly on Mondays since 2010. Twitter parties are a great, fun, low-key opportunity to speak with fans and followers. In November, EdenFantays worked with Cleis Press to host editor Rachel Kramer Bussel on another party, where fans had a great time talking sex, toys, and erotica.

Besides the scintillating conversation, it wouldn't be a Twitter party without prizes. During this party, three prizes will be up for grabs, including a copy of Take Me There, a Tristan plug from Vixen Creations, and a $25 gift card to EdenFantasys. Partygoers will also receive a 15 percent off coupon, valid for a week from Jan. 31.

To join the party and chat with Tristan Taormino and other adult and sex education fans, log on to Twitter from 8-9 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Jan. 31. Be sure to follow @edenfantasys to follow the chat and get a chance to win fabulous prizes.

For more information, visit EdenFantasys.com.

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Posted Jan 31st, 2012 12:46 PM

PHILADELPHIA—HotMovies affiliate program MovieDollars posted an announcement to its website today stating that, starting today, the company will no longer be able to allow affiliate-owned domains on custom theaters. The statement also notes that the company also is “taking this time to eliminate underperforming theaters.”

The statement in its entirety is reprinted here:

Attention MovieDollars Webmasters

MasterCard has begun to enforce longstanding rules and regulations on processing transactions and URLs.

Due to their rules we can no longer offer affiliate owned URLs on custom theaters.

As of today we are no longer offering the option to have custom URLs associated with white label theaters, UNLESS the URL can be transferred to our ownership and we feel there is potential for significant earnings. If you would like to do this we would need a signed agreement to transfer to us along with a clause to transfer it back to you at anytime.

All theaters will now exist on ct.vod.com.

All end users are still assigned to your theater and your affiliate ID, only the address bar is changing.

We are also taking this time to eliminate underperforming theaters. Any theater that didn't make a minimum is now redirected to one of our default custom theaters.

Those theaters will continue to have the affiliate ID on the links, but no longer exist in our system.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Email affiliate@moviedollars.com with any questions.

- MovieDollars Staff

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Posted Jan 31st, 2012 11:04 AM

SAN FRANCISCO—Good Vibrations, the trusted San Francisco-based company that takes pride in providing accurate information on sexuality and toys for grown-ups, is delighted to announce a new partnership with four regional nonprofits during the Valentine's season as part of their corporate giving initiative, GiVe. Beneficiary organizations are La Casa de las Madres of San Francisco, AIDS Project of the East Bay in Berkeley, ACCESS Women’s Health Justice in Oakland, and Our Bodies Ourselves in Boston.

Now through March 31 Good Vibrations’ customers can support these regional nonprofits in Good Vibrations retail locations:San Francisco,Berkeley,Oakland,Bostonand online. Shoppers can make a financial gift at the time of their Good Vibrations purchase and 100 percent of the contribution goes to the nonprofit of their choice. 

The mission of La Casa de las Madres of San Francisco is to respond to calls for help from domestic violence victims, of all ages, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They give survivors the tools to transform their lives and seek to prevent future violence by educating the community and by redefining public perceptions about domestic violence.  La Casa offers a continuum of comprehensive and empowering services to women, teens, and children exposed to and at risk of abuse.  La Casa provide access, tools and support—clinical and peer-based—that strengthen their ability to affect change and break the cycle of violence. All of their services are available free of charge, confidential, and multicultural. 

AIDS Project of the East Bay is a community based organization, dedicated to preventing the spread of HIV and supporting individuals infected with the virus through programs targeted at some of the most vulnerable and marginalized individuals in Alameda County. Since 1983 the APEB Wellness Center has been providing high quality, state of the art, conscientious care to support the health of our clients in mind, body and spirit, providing: Primary Health Care, Acute Care, Physicals, Vaccines and a variety of HIV related Lab work, counseling and free massage and acupuncture to our clients to compliment the services we offer in the Wellness Center.

ACCESS Women’s Health Justice in Oaklandremoves barriers and builds the power of women to achieve reproductive justice. ACCESS was founded in 1993 by clinic escorts who witnessed the many barriers women were facing—especially young or poor women—to actually obtain an abortion. The vision for ACCESS is not only to provide information and practical support on all aspects of reproductive health, but to build a community actively working to meet the real needs of women. ACCESS combines direct services, community education, and policy advocacy to promote real reproductive options and access to quality health care for California women. 

Our Bodies Ourselves (OBOS) is a nonprofit, public interest women’s health education, advocacy and consulting organization based in Boston. Beginning in the early 1970s with the publication of its landmark book, Our Bodies, Ourselves, OBOS has facilitated the publication and in-country use of women's health materials in more than 25 languages. The ninth U.S. edition of Our Bodies, Ourselves was selected by Library Journal as one of the Best Books of 2011. OBOS continues to inspire a women's health movement, providing honest and accurate information from a feminist and consumer perspective. 

GiVe is Good Vibrations' extensive donation and sponsorship program. For more than 30 years Good Vibrations has partnered with hundreds of local and national nonprofit organizations donating products, advertising and sponsorship for fundraisers and has provided much needed support for women’s shelters, HIV/AIDS research, art programs, LGBT benefits, breast cancer awareness and much more. Additionally, every several months Good Vibrations partners with a different nonprofit organization and encourages their customers to contribute directly to them at check-out, online and in the stores.  

Good Vibrations firmly believes in the power of community to uplift our individual and collective experience.  This partnership creates an opportunity for people to give back and affect change in a meaningful way. 

Good Vibrations COO Jackie Strano states, “Good Vibrations has always had a mission of being agents for social change and we have partnered with local and national nonprofits for 35 years and are proud of our years of service to our local communities. We are pleased that several of these organizations are proud to partner with us and that together we have created direct action and change.”

Staff Sexologist Dr. Carol Queen says, “With people celebrating romance and connectedness during Valentine’s Day, we invite them to experience the pleasure of generosity to these worthwhile organizations that support people through some of the more difficult aspects of relationships and sexuality. We are honored to be able to bring the GiVe program to this remarkable group of nonprofits.”

To learn more about Good Vibrations GiVe program and to see this year’s beneficiaries, visit the GiVe Partner page or contact Camilla Lombard at (415) 974-8985 ext. 201 or camillal@goodvibes.com.

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Posted Jan 31st, 2012 10:06 AM

CHATSWORTH, Calif.—Pipedream Products announces its first contest of 2012. The Fetish Fantasy Elite Plan-O-Gram contest, is open to all brick and mortar retail stores, and takes place Feb. 1 through March 31.

"The objective is for retailers to design the most creative and outstanding Fetish Fantasy Elite retail display in their store," explained Briana Honz, visual merchandiser of Pipedream Products. "Think of it as Project Runway, but with Universal Harnesses, Silicone Dildos, Silicone Rope and Silicone Ball Gags."

Stores must register in order to participate. Pipedream will provide complimentary signage and a photo of a basic plan-o-gram as a starting point. Retailers will then have to get creative and set up the best-looking and most effective in-store Fetish Fantasy Elite display.

"With this contest, we are encouraging retailers to create more than a mere Plan-O-Gram in their stores," said Nick Orlandino, CEO of Pipedream Products. "You're creating a destination center for the Fetish Fantasy Elite program. Your finished display should be powerful enough to draw customers over so they will want to spend a few minutes exploring the brand."

Stores are welcomed and encouraged to use other props including beds, mannequins, or anything they can think of to create the most powerful display. Once retailers enter the contest, by filling out the online form on PipedreamProducts.com, a Pipedream representative will contact that store to arrange shipment of the complimentary signage.

Once entered, all participants will have until March 31 to build displays, photograph and submit at least five and up to 10 pictures to Pipedream via email at merchteam@pipedreamproducts.com.

Official rules of the Fetish Fantasy Elite Plan-O-Gram visual display contest can be viewed at PipedreamProducts.com.

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Posted Jan 31st, 2012 10:04 AM

LONDON, England—Awards season is upon us once more and not one to be left out of the limelight British adult TV channel Television X have launched their annual SHAFTA nominations.

2012 sees the third annual ceremony for the Soft and Hard Adult Film and Television Awards, the only ones of their kind which are voted by the general public. Voting goes live on February 1st exclusively on www.Shafta.xxx where visitors can sample some of the action and also download free wallpapers of SHAFTA stars.

Nominees include two ex-school teachers, Johnny Anglais for Male Performer of the Year and porn producer Liselle Bailey for her series Liselle's Sordid Summer which followed Liselle and her group of porn star pals on holiday in Ibiza.

Liselle spoke of the series saying, "Taking a load of porn stars to Ibiza could be seen as a dream job… I'd say it's nearly as tricky as controlling a class of 30 teenagers!"

Controversial transsexual performer Holly Harlow has been nominated for Best New Starlet, a category usually dominated by female newcomers. Chris Ratcliff, Head of Programming at the channel, defended the choice saying, "The demand for transsexual content has seen a dramatic rise in recent years both online and through video on demand services on digital TV platforms. Holly Harlow has become one of the most watched performers and the term starlet fits her perfectly, she is feminine, sexy and a great performer."

Also for the first time Television X will be streaming behind the scenes footage from the industry event live on March 15 via www.SHAFTA.xxx. The SHAFTA Uncut show will be presented by scouse superstar Tanya Tate who will be getting up close and personal with the SHAFTA nominees and bringing fans all of the top gossip as it happens.

The full 2012 SHAFTA nominations are:

BEST SPOOF SERIES

Fang Bang - Swank Video

Freddie's G Team - Freddie's World

My Big Fat Gypsy Porno - Nigel Night Productions

Orgasm Man - Kaizen XXX

Royal Romp - Pure XXX

BEST REALITY/GONZO SERIES

Freddie's Tattooed Tarts - Freddie's World

How to Train Your Wife - Andy Ide

Jim Slip's Euroteens - Jim Slip

Liselle's Sordid Summer - Liselle Bailey

Tanya Tate's Sex Tour of Scotland - Macondo

BEST SERIES

Dollmaker - Nic Howard

Good Girl Gone Bad - Macondo

The Invite - Kaizen XXX

Lara's All Anal Adventures - Jim Slip

Secret Diary of a Porn Star - Pure XXX

MOST OUTRAGEOUS SCENE

Cock Hungary Carmen Episode 3 - Carmen Jay, Ian Scott, Lauro Giotto

Doll Maker Episode 1 - Megan Coxxx, Ian Tate

Entry Level Whore Episode 3 - Holly Harlow, Keisha Kane, Damien Duke

The Invite Episode 3 - Syren Sexton, JJ O'Neal

The Only Way Is Sex Episode 5 - Stacey Lacey, Emma Butt, Kai Taylor, Jeff Keane

BEST ANAL SCENE

Bellenders Episode 3 - Stacey Lacey, Emma Butt, Kai Taylor, Jeff Keane

Cock Hungary Carmen Episode 5 - Carmen Jay, Ian Scott, George Uhl

Cold War Whores Episode 2 - Danny D, Angel Rivas

Embarrassingly Rude Bodies Episode 2 - Anna Joy, Peter Oh Toole

Lara's Anal Adventures Episode 1 - Lara Latex, Kris Vicious, Rebecca Moore.

BEST SEX SCENE

Angel Long's Porn Apprentice Episode 2 - Angel Long, Lou Lou, Mai Bailey

Cold War Whores Episode 5 - Danny D, Ivana Sugar, Nataly Gold

How to Fuck Good Naked Episode 3 - Paige Turnah, Jamie Barry

Lara's Anal Adventure Episode 3 - Lara Latex, Anna Joy, Leo Popps

Liselle's Sordid Summer Episode 4 - Carla Cox, Daisy Rock, Johnny Cockfill

FOREIGN PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Aleska Diamond

Angel Rivas

Angel Summers

Carla Cox

Chloe Cruize

MALE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Danny D

Johnny Cockfill

Leo Pops

Mark Sloan

Pascal White

MILF OF THE YEAR

Amica Bentley

Emma Butt

Lara Latex

Rebecca More

Tanya Tate

BEST STUDIO

Andy Ide

Jim Slip Productions

Kaizen XXX

Macondo

Nic Howard

BEST NEW STARLET

Anna Joy

Holly Harlow

Kit Cox

Paige Turnah

Paris Rocks

FEMALE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Angel Long

Megan Coxx

Michelle Moist

Stacey Lacey

Syren Sexton

For additional information, images, or anything else on the SHAFTA Awards, please contact Claire Wigington.

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SAN FRANCISCO—It was a small gathering, a year after he died. It was near his birthday, too, January 25th. He would have been 67.

We all loved him, who were there. Some of us were his colleagues—actress Mai Lin and actor Jon Martin, for example; some were friends, and some others were just fans and connoisseurs who had only seen him on the screen before he unexpectedly died.

And, of course, his widow was there, too, still grieving, still trying to get used to it all. She was back on her feet again from a broken leg that had knocked her down just a scant three weeks after his passing. The healing and the healing...

There had been a huge outpouring in LA at the memorial that had been held there for the adult industry. It was a veneration really, a canonization, a shocked display of love by a group of people who do not give their love easily. It was held just a while after his sudden departure. It was a gasp and a sorrow. Another king was dead.

In Marin, the second memorial had been for the community near his home. His golf buddies were there, his musician pals, the friends of his marriage, and the merchants of the businesses he had frequented.

Near Pittsburgh, the third memorial was for his family. And it was his family. There were at least four or five people there that wore the same face John had carried through his life, though his version was by far the most enchanting.

And this last memorial was in San Francisco. It was at the Center For Sex and Culture. He was taking his place in history. His role was secure. First as an actor and then a director, John Leslie was a Titan in his own generation of sexual heroes. And he brought the exquisite side dishes of musician and painter and cook and cameraman to the feast as well

All is said and done now, and probably his most important role was that he was Kathleen's husband.

Next year, John would have been 68, but he is still gone and we see now, a year later, that we're just getting used to that idea.

UPDATE: Kathleen Nuzzo invites all who cared about John and his work to join others on his Facebook Fan Page.

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SAN FRANCISCO—It was a small gathering, a year after he died. It was near his birthday, too, January 25th. He would have been 67.

We all loved him, who were there. Some of us were his colleagues, some were friends, and some others were just fans and connoisseurs who had only seen him on the screen before he unexpectedly died.

And, of course, his widow was there, too, still grieving, still trying to get used to it all. She was back on her feet again from a broken leg that had knocked her down just a scant three weeks after his passing. The healing and the healing...

There had been a huge outpouring in LA at the memorial that had been held there for the adult industry. It was a veneration really, a canonization, a shocked display of love by a group of people who do not give their love easily. It was held just a while after his sudden departure. It was a gasp and a sorrow. Another king was dead.

In Marin, the second memorial had been for the community near his home. His golf buddies were there, his musician pals, the friends of his marriage, and the merchants of the businesses he had frequented.

Near Pittsburgh, the third memorial was for his family. And it was his family. There were at least four or five people there that wore the same face John had carried through his life, though his version was by far the most enchanting.

And this last memorial was in San Francisco. It was at the Center For Sex and Culture. He was taking his place in history. His role was secure. First as an actor and then a director, John Leslie was a Titan in his own generation of sexual heroes. And he brought the exquisite side dishes of musician and painter and cook and cameraman to the feast as well

All is said and done now, and probably his most important role was that he was Kathleen's husband.

Next year, John would have been 68, but he is still gone and we see now, a year later, that we're just getting used to that idea.

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CYBERSPACE—Almost a year to the day following the closure of Empornium and PureTNA, one of the adult BitTorrent sites that many users of the other two flocked to has also announced that it is closing after a six year run. Visitors to Cheggit.net will now find a large banner across the top of the page that reads, "WTF is this shit? Where's my porn?"

The news was first reported this afternoon by TorrentFreak, which noted, “Cheggit was created back in 2006 by ex-staff and users from Empornium who were disappointed with a controversial takeover by advertising outfit TargetPoint. Cheggit lived on until just a few days ago, when it disappeared. Now it’s back, but the news isn’t good—the end is here for Cheggit.”

TF quotes the Cheggit founder as saying he started the site with the intention of making it copyright compliant. “Back in December ’11, when I embarked on a ‘bold new vision’ for the site, I thought we could change the site and make everything just work,” he is quoted as saying. “But as time went on, it just wasn’t feasible to do that and be in compliance.”

The admin also said that the decision to close the site was not made under duress from law enforcement or as “a ponzi scheme to relaunch Megaupload.”

However, in stating that the site was no longer able to stay “in compliance,” one can easily infer that aggressive actions by federal law enforcement was probably a mitigating factor in the ultimate decision to close. That said, Cheggit is not slipping away into oblivion without giving its users time to prepare.

“I wanted to give the community a chance to exchange info and keep hooked up if you wanted to. That’s right….regardless of what you might think, this was done for the community,” insists the admin.

“Best decision?” he added. “Who knows. But I do know that it isn’t the worst thing that could have happened. I’ve been at this far longer than I care to admit, and it would have sucked to just lop it off. As much as this may suck, it doesn’t suck near as much as just going away.”

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Posted Jan 30th, 2012 12:28 PM

LOS ANGELES—Based on demand from consumers and retailers, Red Light District has announced the advanced release of Michelle Bombshell: Caught on Tape for Feb. 7.

The movie will be available in stores and online retailers in addition to MichelleBombshellXXX.com after Red Light and McGee reached a mutually agreeable settlement last week.
 
McGee shot to public prominence after several major publications and websites revealed her steamy affair with Jesse James that precipitated his eventual divorce from Sandra Bullock.

Red Light acquired the sex tape through a third party and has claimed it is the most explicit and graphic celebrity movie released to date. The footage includes hardcore sex between the heavily tattooed Bombshell and both male and female partners.
 
"We have been taken a little by surprise by the huge amount of interest this tape has created among the gossip sites, tabloids and even mainstream media,” said Red Light owner, David Joseph. "We're expecting Michelle Bombshell: Caught on Tape to be one of our best-selling celebrity releases ever.”

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ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL—Last week, Marianne Gingrich, the second ex-wife of former Speaker of the House and current GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich, went public with the not entirely surprising news that she had received an ultimatum just prior to their divorce. What was surprising was that Marianne used the phrase "open marriage" to describe what Newt wanted from her.

The mainstream media is repeating the term as though it were an accurate description of what the couple discussed, with some going so far as to unsuccessfully flash their hipster credentials by referring to it as "polyamory."

Meanwhile, those who actually have open or polyamorous relationships are wondering what to make of the situation. On the one hand, it's great to have the entire country talking about the way that some real people have real relationships... and how those real relationships often don't match the cultural mythology. On the other hand, it's being discussed largely by people who haven't got a clue about the real world relationship alternatives that have been employed throughout history or how those who crave an ethical non-monogamy are customizing them to satisfy the unique needs of their individual households.

When Goldie Taylor, an otherwise rational pundit, becomes so overcome with disgust by the topic that she could do little more than sputter and wave her hands during an MSNBC discussion on "The Last Word" with fellow guest Lawrence O'Donnell, you know there's a very hot potato being tossed around.

So, what is an "open marriage" and was Newt actually "asking" for one?

LoveMore.com, a social and educational lodestone for the responsible non-monogamy community, defines open marriage as: "A marriage of two partners that is not sexually exclusive, but permits either or both partners to have other lovers outside of the primary relationship within the marriage."

While Gingrich was technically proposing a marriage where he would have had a partner outside of the legally recognized relationship and Marianne would probably have been offered the same (but apparently unwanted) option, the spirit of the definition is not met by his actions or, most likely, by his intentions.

As sex expert Loraine Hutchins concisely phrases it, "You don't lie about an affair for six years and then ask permission. Well, you can, but it has nothing to do with open marriage and everything to do with trying to hold the wife hostage, rather than creating an atmosphere of mutuality and consent."

Unfortunately for Marianne, mutuality and consent were two elements not involved with the Gingrich conversation. While a surprising number of couples find themselves struggling with how to handle an unexpected and unauthorized crush, infatuation, or genuine love, the success or failure of their efforts hinges on the health of the relationships and individuals involved – and the true intent of the person proposing to open up the relationship. A successful open marriage places great value on honesty, especially concerning each partner's needs and desires. Given that the Gingrichs had begun spending extended periods of time apart within three years of their 1981 marriage, chances are good that these virtues were not high on the couple's to-do list.

For comparison, consider some celebrities who are truly in open marriages: cartoonists Robert and Aline Crumb, actress Tilda Swinton and the multi-talented John Byrne, talk show host Larry King and singer Shawn Southwick, and performers Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. None of these non-monogamous partnerships are perfect, but no relationship is and these include levels of trust and communication that many monogamous couplings could benefit from.

Books including The Ethical Slut, Opening Up, Love in Abundance, Redefining our Relationships: Guidelines for Responsible Open Relationships, and Sex at Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality provide advice, insights and support for those who seriously want to nurture and maintain multiple simultaneous sexual and/or romantic connections.

While no one can know for certain what was in Newt Gingrich's heart and mind when he finally confessed his six-year affair with the much younger Callista Bisek, his actions do not suggest a sincere desire for a loving and respectful open marriage. Just as he had proposed to Marianne while still married to his first wife, Gingrich had already asked for Callista's hand before he suggested divorce to Marianne in May 1999 – while his wife was at dinner with her 84-year-old mother.

By August 2000, Gingrich had a third wife. He has never interacted with Marianne since the divorce was final.

If Newt Gingrich offered his second wife an open marriage, it was likely with the understanding that Callista would be his primary emotional contact and he was willing to allow Marianne to remain and serve as a respectable public face for his political career.

It's not surprising that she turned down the opportunity.

Note: The above article first appeared on the Alternet website on January 26. It is reprinted by permission of the author and the site. Darklady's own (NSFW) website can be found here.

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Posted Jan 30th, 2012 11:18 AM

LOS ANGELES—The Screaming O and its award-winning Studio Collection have launched the Happy Valentine’s Day to ME retail co-op program to make sales soar during the most romantic of all holiday seasons. This in-store promotion gives Screaming O customers the edge while bringing shoppers the chic and discreet sex toys they crave.

The Happy Valentine’s Day to ME campaign includes a full-spectrum marketing kit that accompanies every order of the complete Studio Collection, providing retailers visual displays, signage, and product literature traditionally used in mainstream department stores. This familiar merchandising technique attracts a wider consumer demographic, especially those new to shopping at an adult boutique.

“The Studio Collection has changed the way women shop for sex toys, offering a matched set of sex toys that are stylish, sophisticated, and cleverly designed to look like common cosmetics,” The Screaming O partner Keith Caggiano said. “The Studio Collection’s cleverly discreet disguise exceeds every woman’s expectation for personal pleasure and high-style sophistication.”

Stores can enhance their local presence and reputation using The Studio Collection’s classy, fashion-forward imagery and promotional displays, better targeting new market segments through signage, local advertising, and with attention-grabbing Gift Basket contests that collect customer data while offering an attention-grabbing interactive shopping event. 

It’s easy to enroll: Simply order the full Studio Collection line from your preferred distributor and request The Screaming O’s dynamic Studio Collection in-store marketing materials and promotional shopping bags from ScreamingOStudio.com. Then create your own dynamic display and submit a photo for a chance to win cash and product prizes.

The Studio Collection Marketing Kit includes everything a retailer needs to tell the “story” behind this award-winning product line and show shoppers why each vibrating cosmetic is a must-have for an extra special Happy Valentine’s Day to ME:

6 Studio Collection branded posters

7 header signs to use in product trays

2 tri-mobile signs to hang from the ceiling

1 double tray header that can double as a poster

Pop-up counter card

Mini-brochures

Retailers who participate are encouraged to offer a Gift With Purchase, awarding a free Studio Collection Make-Up Bag to shoppers who buy three Studio Collection products at once. Sample packets of Studio Collection O Gloss also make the perfect bonus gift, and every retail store that orders a second full Studio Collection display will receive a gift basket filled with Studio Collection and Screaming O goodies to use as an in-store contest prize.

“Contests, ladies’ nights, and other interactive events are the best way for retailers to get to know their shoppers and give them reason to keep coming back for more!” The Screaming O representative Conde Aumann said. “The Screaming O’s designer promotional materials and prizes combined with stores’ event planning and marketing talents make for instant in-store excitement!” 

For more information about the retail store co-op program, email mail@thescreamingo.com or call (310) 446-1632.

The Studio Collection features high-impact showcase displays, high-fashion full-color signage, and beautiful in-store marketing accessories in its signature black, white and red metallic hues – each designed to evoke a mainstream department store feel.

Immense time and effort was spent exclusively with women in and out of the beauty industry, whose critiques and suggestions helped assure each fashionable vibe, enhancement cream, and carrying case appeals to this targeted consumer demographic.

For more information about The Studio Collection, or to order a marketing kit, visit ScreamingOStudio.com.

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Posted Jan 30th, 2012 11:18 AM

LOS ANGELES—The Screaming O and its award-winning Studio Collection have launched the Happy Valentine’s Day to ME retail co-op program to make sales soar during the most romantic of all holiday seasons. This in-store promotion gives Screaming O customers the edge while bringing shoppers the chic and discreet sex toys they crave.

The Happy Valentine’s Day to ME campaign includes a full-spectrum marketing kit that accompanies every order of the complete Studio Collection, providing retailers visual displays, signage, and product literature traditionally used in mainstream department stores. This familiar merchandising technique attracts a wider consumer demographic, especially those new to shopping at an adult boutique.

“The Studio Collection has changed the way women shop for sex toys, offering a matched set of sex toys that are stylish, sophisticated, and cleverly designed to look like common cosmetics,” The Screaming O partner Keith Caggiano said. “The Studio Collection’s cleverly discreet disguise exceeds every woman’s expectation for personal pleasure and high-style sophistication.”

Stores can enhance their local presence and reputation using The Studio Collection’s classy, fashion-forward imagery and promotional displays, better targeting new market segments through signage, local advertising, and with attention-grabbing Gift Basket contests that collect customer data while offering an attention-grabbing interactive shopping event. 

It’s easy to enroll: Simply order the full Studio Collection line from your preferred distributor and request The Screaming O’s dynamic Studio Collection in-store marketing materials and promotional shopping bags from ScreamingOStudio.com. Then create your own dynamic display and submit a photo for a chance to win cash and product prizes.

The Studio Collection Marketing Kit includes everything a retailer needs to tell the “story” behind this award-winning product line and show shoppers why each vibrating cosmetic is a must-have for an extra special Happy Valentine’s Day to ME:

6 Studio Collection branded posters

7 header signs to use in product trays

2 tri-mobile signs to hang from the ceiling

1 double tray header that can double as a poster

Pop-up counter card

Mini-brochures

Retailers who participate are encouraged to offer a Gift With Purchase, awarding a free Studio Collection Make-Up Bag to shoppers who buy three Studio Collection products at once. Sample packets of Studio Collection O Gloss also make the perfect bonus gift, and every retail store that orders a second full Studio Collection display will receive a gift basket filled with Studio Collection and Screaming O goodies to use as an in-store contest prize.

“Contests, ladies’ nights, and other interactive events are the best way for retailers to get to know their shoppers and give them reason to keep coming back for more!” The Screaming O representative Conde Aumann said. “The Screaming O’s designer promotional materials and prizes combined with stores’ event planning and marketing talents make for instant in-store excitement!” 

For more information about the retail store co-op program, email mail@thescreamingo.com or call (310) 446-1632.

The Studio Collection features high-impact showcase displays, high-fashion full-color signage, and beautiful in-store marketing accessories in its signature black, white and red metallic hues – each designed to evoke a mainstream department store feel.

Immense time and effort was spent exclusively with women in and out of the beauty industry, whose critiques and suggestions helped assure each fashionable vibe, enhancement cream, and carrying case appeals to this targeted consumer demographic.

For more information about The Studio Collection, or to order a marketing kit, visit ScreamingOStudio.com.

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

Posted Jan 30th, 2012 10:56 AM

BRISTOL, Pa.—XGen Products has released the Power Pole Pro, a spinning dance pole that doesn’t require additional fixtures or mounting software.

The pole joints of the Power Pole Pro screw together for safety, strength and stability and the pole can lock or spin, courtesy of a hidden bearing locking system.

The pole extends from 7 feet 4 inches to 9 feet and has a posable base that is easy to set up even on uneven floors or carpet.

Extenders in a variety of sizes are also available for the pole, which is tested for up to 250 pounds. An instructional video is included with step-by-step assembly instructions and dance routine videos.

For more information or to place an order, visit XGenProducts.com.

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CARSON CITY, NV—On Friday, The Supreme Court of Nevada notified the parties in Consipio v Private that oral arguments for the three remaining cases on its docket related to the lawsuit have been scheduled for March 5 in Carson City. Starting at 1:30 p.m., all seven justices of the state's highest court will hear the first (#58128) of three 30-minute-long arguments; the second (#58526) will be heard at 2:00 p.m.; and the third (#59091) will begin at 3:00 p.m.

The March 5 oral arguments stem from an order issued by the same court in September of last year that stated, in part, "Having reviewed the status of these matters, we conclude that judicial efficiency will be served  by considering them together. Accordingly, the briefing schedule in this matter shall be expedited to permit all of the related cases to be considered together."

The parties were given until late October to file all briefs. Between then and now, the underlying Consipio case has seen some significant developments, including a Dec. 8 order granting a plaintiffs' motion to change the date of the company's 2011 annual shareholders meeting from December 15, 2011 to January 11, 2012.

According to AVN coverage at the time, "In addition to changing the date of the 2011 annual meeting, the court ordered that the location of the 2011 Annual Meeting be changed from Barcelona, Spain to Las Vegas, Nevada, that there will be one independent inspector of elections chosen by the receiver for the company, Eric Johnson, and that Johnson will chair the meeting. The Court also reconfirmed Consipio Holdings' right to vote 5.6 million of Private Media common shares at the meeting."

On Jan. 5, the Supreme Court entered an order that extended a temporary stay issued Sept. 26, 2011, and granted a stay of the lower court's contempt proceedings against former Private CEO Berth Milton until the higher court can consider his arguments questioning the court's jurisdiction over him.

On Jan. 11, the shareholders meeting was held in Las Vegas, and two days later the results were released by Joseph J. Mugan, Esq., of the lawfirm of Kolesar & Leatham, Chtd., who was chosen by Johnson to be the Inspector of Elections for the January vote. The so-called Consipio slate was elected.

On Jan, 20, Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez, who has been presiding over the District Court case, issued an order canceling a hearing that had been scheduled on a motion before her titled Motion on Order Shortening Time Seeking Order of the Court Directing Receiver to Pay Outstanding Debts and to Perfect Claim Against Receivership Pursuant to NRCP 78.

"Given the Stay of proceedings issued by the Nevada Supreme Court on 1/5/12, COURT ORDERED, matter OFF CALENDAR," read Gonzalez' minute order. 

The cancellation indicates that Judge Gonzalez has interpreted the Jan. 5 Supreme Court order to pertain to all Consipio v. Private-related proceedings before the court. 

The remaining three cases before the Supreme Court involve a challenge (#59091) by the plaintiffs to Gonzalez' order appointing the receiver, a challenge (#58128) by the defendants to the Gonzalez ruling in March 2011 granting a motion to dismiss five former directors of Private from the underlying case, and the aforementioned challenge (#58526) by Berth Milton to the lower court's assertion of personal jurisdiction over him.

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NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla.—In a deal that will spare his life, 28-year-old adult performer Jason Andrews pleaded guilty to first-degree murder Wednesday and will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole for his role in a brutal slaying that took place in May 2010. Andrews and his alleged accomplice and fellow adult performer, Amanda Logue, were both charged with the bludgeoning and stabbing death of Dennis "Scooter" Abrahamsen, a 41-year-old tattoo shop owner who was killed in his Hudson, Florida home following a sex party with Logue and another couple.

As AVN has reported, Logue, 30, performed under the noms de porn Sunny Dae and Mandy Kaye, and Andrews, who appeared as a gay-for-pay model at SeanCody.com in 2008, performed in both gay and straight productions under the name Addison. According to one website owner, the pair met in 2009 when they shot a scene together for ForbiddenGem.com.

The killing was notable for its brutality and the callousness with which the killers planned and executed the  crime, including exchanging lurid text messages in the hours leading up to the attack. Logue had been hired by Abrahamson to have sex with him on camera during the party.

A sheriff’s report said that about $6,000 had been taken from Abrahamsen's home, along with a laptop computer, a video camera, a digital camera and a Home Depot credit card, which was used by the couple and resulted in their arrest in May 2010 as detectives were still trying to piece together the facts surrounding the slaying. Officials did not have enough evidence at that time to link the pair to the murder and were forced to release them.

Logue went home to her husband and child in Georgia, where she was subsequently arrested on May 26, and admitted to having had a role in the killing. But she also claimed that Andrews was responsible for the actual murder, saying he had entered Abrahamsen’s home after the other couple at the party had left but while she was still there.

Andrews, who had fled to Tennessee, was arrested that July by U.S. Marshals and the Chattanooga Police Department, who tracked him down to an upscale pool hall and cigar lounge where he had gotten a job as a manager a few weeks earlier.

Assistant State Attorney Mike Halkitis told the Tampa Bay Times that Andrews' lawyer had approached prosecutors with the plea deal in the hopes that his client's life would be spared. Logue also is facing first-degree murder charges and will be tried in May.

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SOUTH AFRICA—The best laid plans of TopTV have been dashed by South African communications regulator, ICASA, which has prohibited the On Digital Media-owned satellite television network from placing three adult channels in its lineup. The planned channels were Playboy Europe, Private Spice and Adult XXX.

"We advise that the council of the authority ... decided, after careful consideration, to refuse On Digital Media’s application for the authorization of (the proposed) video channels," ICASA said in a letter sent to TopTV today.

This is the second time in two years that plans to introduce porn to South African TV airwaves has been foiled by opposition from either the public or the government government.

"Last year," reported Reuters, "the DSTV broadcaster owned by Naspers, was forced to cancel its adults-only channel application in the face of consumer outrage and disapproval by senior government officials."

TopTV has said it is considering how to respond, but considering that Kopano ke Matla Investment Company, the investment arm of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), said earlier this week that it would pull its 20 percent stake in On Digital Media if the channels launch, the decision may have already been made for TopTV.

It looks as though South Africans will have to make do with adult DVDs and internet porn for the foreseeable future.

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DEEPINTHEHEARTOF, TX—It seems only yesterday that AVN reported the good news that the Texas Court of Appeals ruled that adult cabarets and strip clubs in Texas would not have to pay the $5 per customer "entry fee" (aka tax) which the Texas legislature had levied in order to fund such societal goods as women's sexual assault programs and health care for the poor.

But no, that was actually two and a half years ago, and since then, the Texas Supreme Court ruled, on August 26 of last year—just 17 months after the case was argued—that no, taxing  clubs that serve liquor (or allow it to be brought in) where nude or semi-nude dancing takes place to fund organizations that have nothing whatever to do with nude dancing is not a violation of the clubs' First Amendment rights. And now, perhaps in part because the Texas high court remanded the case to the district court, the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review the decision.

"So we're now going back to the Texas trial court under a state constitutional issue which I think is interesting at least—I think it's humorous, actually," said one local attorney familiar with the case. "The law as enacted allocated funds to women's sexual assault programs and indigents' health care. The Texas Constitution, in Article 7 Section 3, provides that any occupation tax—and we contend this is an occupation tax on adult cabarets that have alcohol—if you enact an occupation tax, one-quarter of all revenues from that occupation tax must go to the public schools of Texas; that's in our Constitution. So it's one of those things where they would have to go back and correct it to follow the Constitution, or somehow construe it as not an occupation tax."

Indeed; as far as Texas Comptroller Susan Combs and Attorney General Greg Abbott are concerned, there's nothing content-based about the tax.

"The Comptroller argues that the fee is directed, not at expression in nude dancing, but at the negative secondary effects of nude entertainment, especially in the presence of alcohol — rape, sexual assault, prostitution, disorderly conduct, and a variety of other crimes and social ills — and in this respect is similar to the zoning ordinance the Supreme Court upheld in City of Los Angeles v. Alameda Books, Inc.," the Texas Supreme Court noted.

But even though the Court of Appeals en banc panel, on rehearing, properly rejected that argument, the Texas Supremes decided, based on a Utah Supreme Court ruling in Bushco v. Utah State Tax Commission, as well as sections of the U.S. Supreme Court rulings in both Alameda Books and City of Erie v. Pap's AM—particularly the part where Justice Sandra Day O'Connor pontificated that nude dancing "falls only within the outer ambit of the First Amendment’s protection."

In other words, nude erotic speech isn't as constitutionally cuddly as, say, whatever Newt Gingrich is jabbering about today.

Indeed, the Pap's AM decision claimed that Erie wasn't targeting nude expression—heaven forfend!—but rather the "secondary effects" of that nude expression—even though the city had introduced virtually no evidence that Kandyland, the Pennsylvania club (which had closed during the pendency of the litigation), had caused sexual assaults or decreased property values in the surrounding neighborhood. The Supremes felt, therefore, that "the city must be allowed a reasonable opportunity to experiment with solutions to admittedly serious problems" and "must balance its efforts to address the problem with the requirement that the restriction be no greater than necessary to further the city’s interest."

But though the U.S. Supreme Court's response to Pap's owner's arguments was that putting a g-string and pasties on dancers had only a tiny effect on their expressive message—though interestingly, no one appears to have asked club attendees whether they'd agree with that assessment—imposing a tax on such entertainment on the basis of alleged secondary effects should be a different kettle of fish.

But again, no—and not only was this tax constitutional as far as the Texas Supremes were concerned, it didn't even violate Justice Anthony Kennedy's proscription in Alameda Books that, "[T]he necessary rationale for applying intermediate scrutiny is the promise that zoning ordinances like this one may reduce the costs of secondary effects without substantially reducing speech. For this reason, it does not suffice to say that inconvenience will reduce demand and fewer patrons will lead to fewer secondary effects. This reasoning would as easily justify a content-based tax: Increased prices will reduce demand, and fewer customers will mean fewer secondary effects. But a content-based tax may not be justified in this manner. It is no trick to reduce secondary effects by reducing speech or its audience; but a city may not attack secondary effects indirectly by attacking speech." [Emphasis added]

For the Texas Supreme Court, the reason Justice Kennedy's disapproval of a content-based tax didn't apply to the Texas Entertainment Association (TEA) was because of that ol' devil liquor.

"The court of appeals also concluded that the fee is content-based because it singles out nude dancing, as opposed to all nudity, and, and so 'target[s] a specific class of First Amendment speakers'," Justice Nathan L. Hecht wrote for the court majority. "The court deemed it immaterial that the fee does not apply to nude dancing where alcohol is not consumed, or to other forms of expression involving nudity. We disagree. The fee is not aimed at any expressive content of nude dancing but at the secondary effects of the expression in the presence of alcohol."

Of course, the fee isn't applied to bars that serve alcohol but where no nude dancing is allowed, but then, nobody's proposed such a tax based on the secondary effects of liquor-only businesses.

"Respondents do not deny the existence of such [secondary] effects, which the Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized, or that they are especially associated with alcohol-consumption," the Texas Supreme Court ruled. "Respondents have not challenged the trial court’s finding that the Comptroller 'presented persuasive trial evidence supporting a possible link between the business activity subject to the tax and the secondary effects' associated with sexual abuse. Rather, they argue that the fee does nothing to reduce secondary effects. But logic and the evidence indicate that the fee provides some discouragement to combining nude dancing with alcohol consumption."

And the fact that strip clubs make most of their money from liquor sales rather than entry fees? That's of no consequence, even when "logic and the evidence" somehow fail to note that suppressing liquor sales will have the effect of suppressing expressive speech when the clubs close because they've suddenly become unprofitable!

True, the Texas Supremes rejected a slew of bogus arguments by the Comptroller, including that nude dancing is meant to cause secondary effects, and one from the TEA that "the lack of discussion about reduction of secondary effects during the legislative process shows that such reduction was not the fee’s purpose," but nonetheless, their bottom line was, "The fee in this case is clearly directed, not at expression in nude dancing, but at the secondary effects of nude dancing when alcohol is being consumed. An adult entertainment business can avoid the fee altogether simply by not allowing alcohol to be consumed. For these reasons, we conclude that the fee is not intended to suppress expression in nude dancing."

"If you read the Texas Supreme Court's opinion, you'll see that they treat this tax as you would a public nudity statute or zoning ordinance, and ignore the fact that it's a tax or fee," AVN's attorney source said. "So in terms of the secondary effects question of how does the fee impact secondary effects, that's the big question. It wasn't designed to do it; it was designed to raise money for women's shelters and indigent health, but the state defends it as targeting secondary effects, so the question is, how does this fee or tax impact secondary effects?"

Good question—and one that hopefully will be resolved in the clubs' favor when the district court again hears argument in this case.

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Posted Jan 27th, 2012 01:46 PM

CANOGA PARK, Calif.—Free Speech Coalition (FSC), the adult industry trade association, has announced the addition of Cutting Edge Testing, a new testing health center located in Sherman Oaks, to its APHSS program. The center is under the direction of infectious disease specialist Dr. Peter Miao. Former AIM employees Jennifer Mooney and Bobi Seybold are working at the Cutting Edge office as medical support staff.

"We are extremely excited to have Cutting Edge added to our list of providers," said Diane Duke Free Speech Coalition Executive Director. "Dr. Miao is a well known and well respected infectious disease specialist who will provide top notch testing and care for our performers. Those are critical components of our APHSS program."

APHSS.org was created to fill the gap left by the closure of the AIM clinic, and to carry on health and safety protocols for adult productions. The program and availability index were developed by FSC, working with legal and medical experts, industry members and Internet technology consultants.

Cutting Edge will provide the most advanced HIV testing available today (PCR-RT-RNA) as well as Chlamydia and Gonorrhea at a cost of $120 for the performer panel with an estimated 24 hour turnaround time.

"We have missed providing testing and health services to performers. After spending 9 years working at AIM, many of the performers are like family," said Bobi Seybold, Cutting Edge medical support staff. "What is really exciting is the quality of care the performers will get from Dr Miao—he's the best!"

Other APHSS providers include AMTC and the Healing Wave Center. APHSS plans to continue to build on their base of testing and health centers including signing on centers in other cities and states.

"We heard from performers, producers and agents that they want more choices," said Duke. "Quality of care is the first priority and there are a number of quality providers eager to work with our industry. We will continue our efforts to find exceptional partners to join our program resulting in an increased number of choices without decreasing the quality of care."

The importance of signing onto the APHSS system cannot be stressed strongly enough. The adult industry needs to make it clear to the outside world that adult producers, directors and performers take performer health very seriously, and one way to demonstrate that is by using APHSS provider clinics and enrolling in the APHSS availability database, which both serves producers and directors with an up-to-date availability status for performers while protecting performers' medical confidentiality.

Performers, agents and producers can go to www.APHSS.org and click "sign-up" to be led through a simple registration process. Other information that is available at the website includes links to testing facilities, FAQs and contact information. Users are encouraged to view the FAQs on the website; if they have further questions, they can contact FSC.

For more information on APHSS.org or FSC, please contact joanne@freespeechcoalition.com.

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Posted Jan 27th, 2012 10:32 AM

MONTREAL—Popular gay performer Austin Wilde, known for his spectacular abs and wild personality, has renewed his exclusive contract with leading gay adult company, Next Door Entertainment.

"Austin has great talent," said Stephan Sirard, president of Next Door Entertainment. "We love working with him because he actually is wild! He puts one hundred percent into everything he does and it truly reflects how deeply he appreciates his fans."

Austin has been a performer since June 2008 and has had his own exclusive membership site, AustinWilde.com, since 2011. Wilde appears on several other Next Door sites, including NextDoorMale.com and NextDoorBuddies.com. He is also continuing to shoot new content regularly for his fans.

"I've been performing for about four years and I've never been as confident as to who I am now. I love my job, I love my fans, and I love traveling for my work," added Wilde. "I'm looking forward to continuing my journey with Next Door Entertainment and seeing what the future will hold."

Austin Wilde will have a contest on his Twitter account throughout the month of February. Twitter users will have the chance to win a free membership to AustinWilde.com by becoming a follower. Next Door Studios will be announcing one new winner every day of the month.

AustinWilde.com is available within the Next Door Buddy Profits affiliate program. For more information, contact ewan@buddyprofits.com.

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Posted Jan 27th, 2012 08:20 AM

AUSTIN, Texas—The makers of Fleshlight, the No. 1 selling male sex toy on the market, are developing a specialized case that would attached the Fleshlight to an iPad for a more “interactive” use, Gizmodo reports.

“We’ve covered the Fleshlight and its many permutations both inside and out, so naturally when we hard about a fit this natural we took it on ourselves to figure out if a real version was in the works,” the article reads. To get the scoop, the writers contacted Fleshlight COO Brian Shubin, who had this to say: “It’s another exciting product we have in development at the moment. We are always looking to improve out user experience and this will be a way to take it to another level.”

Shubin didn’t give a timeline for the new case, but speciulation about the so-called “FleshliPad” abound on the internet. Shubin urged fans to check back with Fleshlight.com for updates.

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Posted Jan 26th, 2012 06:11 PM

The following press release was received from the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance:

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance Executive Director Ricci Levy and Policy Advocate Elisabeth Fernandez-Kimmel both offered verbal testimony against District of Columbia Bill 19-567, the Prostitution Free Zone Amendment Act of 2011, at a hearing on January 24, before the D.C. Council Judiciary Committee. 

Also testifying against the bill were the local ACLU, GLAA, DC Trans Coalition, Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive, Best Practices Policy Project, and Human Rights Watch.

The Prostitution Free Zone Amendment Act will affect sex workers, or anyone thought to be a sex worker. You don't have to be guilty of a crime—just thought to be guilty. This new bill builds off the Prostituton Free Zone Act of 2005, which allowed the police to declare any public area a "Prostitution free Zone," for up to 20 days . The new bill proposes to make these zones permanent. 

These policies have done little to eradicate prostitution, succeeding only in further marginalizing sex workers, low income people of color, transgender people, lesbians and gays, and the homeless. This is a violation of D.C.'s own human rights policies and of the U.S. Constitution. Further, we believe that this legislation flies in the face of the United States' commitment to the United Nations with regard to sex worker rights.

Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance recently participated in the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) held in Geneva, Switzerland, where we and our allies were successful in having the United States fully accept Recommendation #86, which called on the U.S. to look into the special vulnerability of sex workers to violence and human rights abuses.

We reminded the District of Columbia Council that the United States fully accepted UPR recommendation #86 and, in the report released to the United Nations, the U.S. stated, "We agree that no one should face violence or discrimination in access to public services based on sexual orientation or their status as a person in prostitution, as recommendation [#86] suggests." 

Recommendation #86 is significant because this is the first time the United States has accepted that sex workers' rights are a different issue from human trafficking victims, and that sex workers' rights are human rights, and we asked each Councilmember to uphold the Constitution of the United States and to refuse to further perpetuate the human rights violations of which D.C. is guilty in the establishment of Prostitution Free Zones by voting against Bill 19-567.

Testimony can be submitted for another two weeks and no final vote has been scheduled. You can still let Washington, D.C. know we want them to vote against this piece of legislation by signing this petition.

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Posted Jan 26th, 2012 05:09 PM

SAN FRANCISCO—The Center for Sex and Culture (CSC) sent the following announcement regarding a memorial for legendary adult star John Leslie, who died just over one year ago of an apparent heart attack:

"Porn great John Leslie died last December, and we will gather around the anniversary of his birthday to remember a life that changed erotic imagery as much as any other porn star of the Golden Age or beyond.

"Join John’s longtime colleague Richard Pacheco, his widow Kathleen Nuzzo, and the Center for Sex & Culture community to honor John’s memory. A true renaissance man (of porn and many other creative endeavors), John’s life will be commemorated with film clips and a memory circle starring his friends, colleagues and fans."

There will be no charge to attend the memorial, but donations to CSC will be gratefully accepted! Some refreshments will be provided, but attendees are urged to bring something to share if they are so moved, and to please pass the announcement of the memorial on to others who worked with, cared about or were fans of John.

The memorial will take place at 5:30 pm on Sunday, January 29 at the new headquarters of the Center for Sex & Culture, 1349 Mission Street (near 10th Street) in downtown San Francisco.

For more information, email Dr. Carol Queen.

Articles about Leslie's death can be found here and here. A report of the Leslie Memorial held last year can be found here.

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Posted Jan 26th, 2012 01:51 PM

LOS ANGELES—Zero Tolerance Toys announced the release of Crossbones, the revolutionary new vibrating cock ring line that uses our patent pending Cross Bullet System.

Acting as a bulls-eye for clitoral stimulation and penis stimulation, the dual bullet technology is guaranteed to turn any man into an unforgettable lover.

Choose the Crossbones that's perfect for you: The Mighty Marble with its extra '”hit” of anal stimulation or The Pleasure Web.

Coming soon to the collection are The Flame Thrower, The Running Bull and The Diving Dolphin—you can't lose when you enhance your lovemaking with extreme intensity, ensuring satisfaction for both parties. Whether you're an experienced ring user or you've never tried one before, Crossbones is the perfect choice to “up” your game.

Are you a creature of the night with a penchant for the dark side? Try the Crossbones Pleasure Web, a vibrating cock ring shaped like a bad-ass spider’s web. Never mind vampires and werewolves, this seven-function bullet allows for such intense clitoral stimulation or extreme penis stimulation that it will bring both partners to a truly supernatural climax. Add a second bullet to intensify your experience. Dress up your sex life with this must-have accessory and start your own legend.

This multipurpose Crossbones vibrating cock ring not only keeps the wearer harder than granite and brings you Cross Bullet System simultaneous stimulation, but it also comes with a marble extension for anal tickling or clitoral stimulation.

By allowing you to run a bullet across the top of the shaft for clitoral stimulation, or perpendicular against the bottom of the penis for extreme tightening vibration, the Mighty Marble effortlessly brings extreme pleasure and intensity. Then if you're ready for the next level, insert a marble from the Marble Enhancement Set (choose from three sizes) into bottom of sleeve for added pleasure. It includes three to six LR44 batteries (depending on the number of bullets in the package) and comes with Zero Tolerance Toys’ one-year Warranty. All our toys are phthalate free, non-toxic and waterproof.

For more information, visit ZeroToleranceToys.com.

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LAS VEGAS—The law firm representing Eric Johnson, the court-appointed receiver currently overseeing Private Media Group, filed a notice with the Clark County District Court today in the Consipio v Private lawsuit announcing the results of the Private Media Group shareholders meeting held Jan. 11 in Las Vegas, at which time a vote was taken to determine a new Board of Directors that will serve for one year.

“At that meeting,” the notice states, “the Stockholders elected Directors from the two slates of Nominee Directors that had been proposed, both by management and Stockholders. Joseph J. Mugan, Esq., of the firm of Kolesar & Leatham, Chtd., was the Inspector of Elections and submitted a Certificate and Report of Inspector of Elections, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit ‘1’.

“The report sets forth the names of those persons elected as Directors of [Private] for the coming year, whose terms expire at the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until his or her successor is elected and qualified. Those persons elected to the Board of Directors of [Private] are Eric Johnson, Ilan Bunimovitz, Anna Maksimova, Michael Martinez, James McCormick and Charles William Prast.”

The results indicate that the entire slate of directors nominated by Consipio Holding BV was elected, and that the slate recommended by the current board—Stefan Gunnarsson, Jan Jensen, Eric Johnson, Berth H Milton, Bo Rodebrant, Lars Ryd—was rejected by the shareholders. The sole name common to both slates is receiver Johnson.

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Posted Jan 13th, 2012 12:40 PM

LOS ANGELES—A YouTube video featuring the ruggedly handsome Buck Angel asking fans and the general population to forgo a boycott of Girl Scout cookies called for by a young girl.

The original YouTube video, which is no longer available, the girl asked people to boycott the Girl Scouts and the organization’s annual cookie sale after the group allowed a 7-year-old transgender girl to join a troop in Colorado.

Angel, a female to male transgender and former Girl Scout, recently posted his own YouTube video, and his response is gaining quite a bit of mainstream attention. News outlets such as the Los Angeles Times and Huffington Post have reported on the debate the original video sparked, as well as publishing Angel’s video.

"Support Girl Scouts. They’re amazing,” Angel said in the video. “Thin Mints being my favorite cookies, so please buy as many cookies as you can and help them to really get the message across that it's not about anything other than showing love and respect and learning how to be a good person. That’s what Girl Scouts is about. Thank you."

Angel also noted that while he was born a girl, and accepted into the Girl Scouts as a girl, that everyone knew he was a little boy, but accepted him anyway.

The Girl Scouts of Colorado recently issued a statement on the matter: “If a child identifies as a girl and the child’s family presents her as a girl, Girl Scouts of Colorado welcomes her as a Girl Scout.”

For more information on Buck Angel, visit BuckAngel.com.

For more information on where to buy Girl Scout cookies, visit GirlScoutCookies.org.

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