From the Daily Mail:
Good Lord! The erotic photos taken in 13th century church that got the vicar hot under the dog collar
“Photographer Andy Craddock, his girlfriend and a couple of models used the vicar’s church in Cornwall as the backdrop for an erotic photoshoot.
Now solicitors acting on behalf of Mr Yates have written to the photographer accusing him of blasphemy.
(snip)
They say that the publication of the pictures on his website, which include naked girls alongside religious symbols, is blasphemous, regardless of his intentions.
They have also threatened him with legal action for trespassing, saying public access to the church is ‘for worship or related church activities’ and he did not have permission for his photography.
(snip)
The 13th-century church in St Michael Penkivel provided the backdrop for Rowan Atkinson’s 2005 comedy Keeping Mum, which also starred Dame Maggie Smith and Kristin Scott-Thomas, about a serial-killer in a quiet village.
(snip)
‘How is it worse having someone naked in the church than having a film set there about murder and death? If the parishioners are upset by the naked girls on their altar, why are they not as upset about murders set around the church and the village?’”
I think Craddock makes an excellent point about the murder movie. When I look at church porn I sometimes wonder how the crew gets away with it. Apparently not everyone does.
His pics are smoking hot. Are you a pervert like me and want to see more? Click here for his site.
—
From Carnal Nation:
Scariest Halloween Goblin: Sex Offenders
“‘In the never-ending quest to boost their “tough on crime” and “family values” credentials, politicians and police departments across America have turned this year’s Halloween into the scariest one yet.
What could be scarier than a vampire, zombie, or Michael Jackson?
A Registered Sex Offender.
(snip)
Since virtually no one will stand up for these people’s rights, communities are restricting them on Halloween more than ever. In New Jersey, they may not leave their home tonight after 7pm, and they may not open their doors to trick-or-treaters. In South Carolina, sex offenders on parole or probation must be home and may not have their outdoor lights on between 5-9pm. In Lubbock County, TX, some 80 offenders cannot even stay home tonight and mind their own business—they must attend a Corrections Department meeting from 5-9pm.
Although no one listens, experts keep stating that such coercive programs address a non-existent threat. For example, the recent study from the University of Oklahoma’s Center on Child Abuse and Neglect shows that children are no more likely to be sexually exploited by a stranger on Halloween than on any other autumn day.”
I have a friend who is a convicted sex offender. Though he committed his crime, served his sentence and got therapy over a decade ago, new sex offender laws still affect him. This Halloween he was not legally permitted to leave his home between certain hours and had to turn his outside lights off.
Is that fair? Some people say yes because of his crime. But a person can commit rape or murder, serve time, get released and move in right next door to you and you’d never know.
And there’s the issue of what constitutes a sex offender. A sex offender can be a person getting drunk and mooning people out the back of a car window. Not always yes. But not all sex offenders are evil monsters. But portraying them as such certainly gets politicians elected.
—
Also from Carnal Nation:
Help Spread the Word: Kinky Is Not a Diagnosis
“As some of you may know, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a document produced by the American Psychiatric Association. It serves as the official list of how we define mental health and mental health disorders. In a nutshell, if it’s in the DSM, it’s officially a disorder.
The hope, at least for most ethical, well-trained, and compassionate professionals, is that the diagnoses are based on clinical evidence, scientific research, and fact. That’s a tall order, given that our understanding of mental health processes is constantly growing. So every few years, the APA gets a bunch of folks together and revises the document. It doesn’t happen often and it has been about 10 years since the last version (the DSM-IV-Text Revision) came out. The DSM-V is currently being developed and is scheduled to be published in 2012.
(snip)
The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom is circulating an online petition to remove BDSM practices, fetishes and cross-dressing from the DSM. These sexual practices, preferences and desires are not, in and of themselves, the result of or the cause of mental health disorders. It’s true that some people with serious conditions also engage in these behaviors, but so do many millions of other people and the empirical evidence simply doesn’t support the erotophobic belief that these sexual expressions are inherently unhealthy or dangerous.
Further, quite often, the problem is with the lovers, family members and communities of the people who engage in uncommon sexual practices. The distress comes from the external sex-negativity rather than the sex itself. Until and unless the DSM makes it possible to distinguish between the behavior and the supposed disorder there is no reason to attach the stigma of a mental health disorder to people when it’s not warranted, especially given the impact that can have on child custody, employment, self-esteem and medical care.”
Direct link to the petition here.
Kinky people unite! If you don’t want your name to show up online there’s an option for that.
—
From the EFF:
Cook County Sheriff Loses Craigslist “Erotic Services” Ads Case
“Yesterday, a federal court tossed a lawsuit against craigslist over erotic advertisements. In March, Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart alleged that craigslist was liable for the illegal ads posted by its users in its “erotic services” (now “adult services”) category. As craigslist argued in their motion for judgment on the pleadings, and as EFF and others pointed out at the time, Dart’s complaint had virtually no chance of success because Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act plainly immunized Internet intermediaries like craigslist from civil liability for material posted by third parties.”
Good news for Craigslist and for the sex workers who use their site. Thanks to reader Nanette for the tip!
—
Via Google News:
Berlin brothel cuts rates for ‘green’ customers
“Part of Berlin’s red-light scene is going green. One bordello, hoping to stave off falling demand in the economic crisis, has begun offering discounts to customers who pedal bicycles to the door.
“It’s very difficult to find parking around here, and this option is better for our environment,” said Thomas Goetz, who owns the brothel Maison d’Envie, or House of Desire.
Local residents in Prenzlauer Berg — a part of former East Berlin now home to scores of trendy boutiques, restaurants and clubs — had staunchly supported the Green party in recent elections and have welcomed the bordello’s offer to emphasize the environment.”
I find this adorable.
Posted by Vixen as News at 9:39 PM CST