Monday, January 24, 2011

Porn Uncensored: An Expose

Porn Uncensored: An Expose

By Cameron Rowe
The News No One Reports

Note: I removed the adult content warning since the article will not be published.

I’ve done two stories on the porn industry, the last an updated version of the first, and decided to go deeper into the story. Go as far as the Rabbit Hole would allow. Unfortunately, the investigation affected me profoundly. I had a moment of clarity. A moment where the horror I was investigating got personal. If a story gets personal to a journalist, a journalist should refrain from continuing since the impartiality is gone. For me, it got to that point not long ago.
            For the life of me, it is beyond my comprehension how people survive in this business of porn without becoming emotionally involved to the point of feeling their pain. Porn star Sasha Grey’ story was the beginning. Something inside me felt compassion to this hard-edged woman. Her outward persona fell away and I saw a scarred and scared little girl that didn’t have to end up this way. On the Tyra Banks show, she was defiant but her YouTube videos were void of humanity. She probably started out with the best intentions, but, as the saying goes, hell is paved with good intentions.
Defiance in the face of the truth that other woman told her hit me as a silent cry for assistance. Perhaps, Miss Grey will have her own moment of clarity. I hope so. I think deep down they all do; whether they act on it or not is personal choice—free will is a bitch as the Devil said in the movie “Devil’s Advocate”. She also reminded the immortal truth Eminem once said in a song, “Super stardom is close to post-morderm”.
Even more than Sasha Grey, Jenna Jameson’s book was heart-breaking. The biggest star, the most successful, the one all seem to know, was even more deeply affecting. I didn’t even like her. She was the star. She was the story porn wants everyone to see. But, the axiom of the truth always being found out came from her. She came from a broken life and, despite any impediments, she thought she had made it. Behind the fame and fortune sits a woman that is maybe porn’s Marilyn Monroe. Just maybe in her ambition is the foretelling that one day we’ll wake up and find she’s dead. The roses won’t bloom in death. At the gut level, Jameson did what she thought she had to and thought she had no choice. There is always a choice. Instead of putting her troubled past of gang rape past her she went headlong into it. Made something horrible into something uglier.
            Julie Meadows affected me. Affected me most of all. She thinks it is over but it isn’t. She’s really still in because maybe that’s all she knows. She’s smart and could’ve been something else and extremely successful at it. What hit me about her was that I believe she knows she had other choices and past them up for maybe what she thought was the easiest decision. Jameson wouldn’t recommend a porn career to anyone unless they are a strong person. Jameson came with baggage; never read Julie did. If she did, I don’t know.
            Eliot Spitzer, the disgraced former governor, rendezvous with call girl Ashley Dupre hurt him but he’s back on his feet. Ashley Dupre isn’t. Like all these porn stars, she said on Dr. Phil that no one will hire her because the social conviction she now has to live with the rest of her life. NBC cancelled her appearance on The Apprentice. She was the hooker for “Client No. 9”. End of story.
            Viewers of porn, without exception I could find, say the most sickening thing about the women in porn. “I’d do that whore”, “I’d do that b----“ reverberates in user comments. Viewers watch to get off. Plain and simple. Some male porn actors say the only reason they are in porn is to have sex, a nice way of expressing it, with all the “hot” women that wouldn’t have anything to do with them in high school. Spread your legs is good for your career those in porn have undoubtedly said. Easy money I know they say.
            It isn’t easy money at all. If you do porn, television and Hollywood isn’t going to come calling. You’re meat. You’re some person’s fantasy. You’re some person someone got off to or get turned on. You’re some person that did the most intimate of acts for the camera for anyone to see. That is your legacy. It is that simple for a porn star. I’m sure Meadows and others will twist that into something else like “I was empowered” or “I live a nice life” or some other banality of indifference. They can’t escape the fact that the only reason porn exists is so viewers can get off or get turned on. You have that life, if you didn’t lose it all like some, if not a lot, of porn stars do, is that more people got off or got turned on watching you spread your legs for whatever guy they put you with. Not a legacy I’d want for a daughter. Jenna said she’d lock her daughter in the closet if she decided to do porn.
            Doing porn might seem like an easy way to riches but riches won’t make you happy. One day you’ll look back and said, “I did that for $2,000? I let some guys on Viagra bang me like a screen door in a hurricane I never would have had sex with in real life was for this?” When the scene is over and the cameras are turned off and the lights go dark, how will you feel? Did you do your best in life? People that get awards and real recognition work hard. Porn is hard work but any woman appealing can get in it since it requires little special skils. Unfortunately, the social stigma that you’re a piece of meat they still make money off of is it. I think everyone in porn, male or female, will find all they did was get screwed and screwed till the end of time.
I seriously doubt but a few people outside the industry will feel anything but you’re easy. America is the land of second and third chances though porn will not make those easy chances to get whether you are a viewer who destroyed your marriage over it or a porn star that is on the outside of the business. A viewer will get past it; a porn star most likely will never remove the social stigma. These poetic words are true: “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” Your claim to fame was you spread your legs so viewers could get turned on and/or get off is your legacy. Was the money worth it? Can you live with that? Can anyone? Honestly, can anyone?

January 24, 2011.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Porn Uncensored - The Full Article to be Released

I will be releasing the Uncensored version. It will include a veteran male porn star that said, "I do porn so I can f@#$ all the women that wouldn't date me or give me a second look in high school". His name will be there.

I will also tell exactly what goes on during a porn shoot. Kinda wonder if the authorities will be interested in the violations of laws regarding...you'll have to wait.

And, I'll air some dirty laundry about some production houses. Not Vivid but others. Female porn stars hate it on the set. Why? 

And, what does staff think of a porn star? You'll find out.

Also, let's blow the lid on the prostitution in porn. It'll be fun. I'll tell what some porn stars are willing to do for money. And, maybe some names will be dropped.

Also, did Sharon Mitchell of AIM give a damn about rape on a porn set being reported to AIM? We'll see.

I told you I held some things back. Now, I'm not going to. There's more.

Look for "Porn: Uncensored". Back to writing.

Cameron Rowe

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Pro-Porn Individulas hate "The Porn Industry: An Expose"

I replied:

"Merry Christmas to All,

Disclaimers on my emails are necessary to protect sources who wish to remain anonymous. That's journalism.

You are more than welcome to quote from my article and dissent. I encourage it. But, I outed porn and Pink Cross. Big deal. I outed Scientology (they hated it) as well. So?

I have no problem covering the stories others don't want to. And, yes, I investigate first. If I didn't, people would try and cover up things.

Ex-porn stars made those claims. The claims are theirs. But, I do believe them. They have no reason to lie to me.

The AHF, which I looked at, is probably taking over testing. They don't have someone like Mitchell running around like a doctor and setting on porn sets. She hated me dissecting her "doctorate" last year. So? Clean up your act, AIM and porn industry.

Cameron Rowe"

Monday, December 20, 2010

Your Brain on Porn





http://www.uni-kiel.de/sexmed/Mitarbeiter/Dr._phil._Dipl.-Psych._Jorge_P/Ponseti%20et%20al%202006.pdf

The Porn Industry: An Expose

The Porn Industry: An Expose

By Cameron Rowe
December 20, 2010

Note: Porn in California is basically shutdown to the Adult Industry Medical HealthCare Foundation’s closing. Vivid has halted production for the time being.

Porn is a Big Business

The worldwide adult entertainment industry is estimated to be a $97 billion business with California holding only $10-13 billion of the revenue with a lot larger impact on California’s economy. According to 60 Minutes in 2003, it is a $10 billion business in California and they pay $36 million in taxes. In 2010, TMZ reported Vivid paid Montana Fishburne, the daughter of actor Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), $1 million for one video. Later they offered $5 million for a multi-year deal. In 2006, according to UK’s Daily Mail Online, Jenna Jameson sold her porn empire to Playboy for $30 million. Jill Kelly had to sell her Jill Kelly Productions for a mere $2 million to avoid bankruptcy but still the money flowed. Jill Kelly Productions used condoms and fell out of favor with audiences that wanted Gonzo.

Undoubtedly, production companies like Vivid Entertainment and Wicked Pictures are the most profitable. Vivid is a $100 million a year company. However, the 1972 classic porn movie “Deep Throat” was reputed to have made $600 million to $1 billion all by itself. If that movie cost $50,000 to make, the profit was so large it would boggle a calculator. The LA Times tried to debunk the figure but the article by Mark Hiltzik. The makers of the movie did claim $600 million or more but it was reputed to be made by the mob so who knows. It would be difficult to prove or disprove the figures since only a select few know. But, the $1 billion figure has been reported often.

Porn still makes a lot of money. If Vivid is willing to pay $1 million for a sex tape and sold 25,000 copies, it had to make a lot of money. The Paris Hilton sex tape made a fortune but wasn’t made by porn but an amateur. Porn videos are sold over and over again on different DVDs and websites. One scene could end up on hundreds of places making the figures almost unattainable. Basically, it is akin to cutting a scene from Star Wars and selling a twenty minute clip everywhere.

DirecTV reportedly makes $500 million a year on pornography. DISH Network’s figures are unknown but both satellite providers have an adult channel ($30+ a month) and Video-On-Demand (VOD) can cost you $9.95 or more. Comcast, the largest cable provider, has VOD pornography and it cost $9.95 or more. The San Francisco Gate said, in 2004, Comcast was cashing in on porn. The article said porn was the half of the cash flow of VOD. And, that was in 2004.

Florida Governor-Elect Rick Scott has investments in porn Quepasa, know as the Playboy Mexico that is a social networking site, according to an Orlando NBC station named WESH.

Another company called AdultVest, Inc. was supposed to allow millionaires the ability to invest in porn secretly. Basically, you had to have a $1 million net worth to even get in to invest. According to Business Insider, they claimed a 50% return by investing in porn domain names. None have sold. According to the same magazine, the hedge fund is broke and accused of fraud. It is being investigated by the FBI and SEC. An investor claimed Francis Koenig looted the company according to the article.

Sources:

How Much Do Porn Stars Make?

The biggest porn stars are usually contract performers for a major production company like Vivid or Wicked. The average female porn performer working in one scene makes about $1,000-1,500 a day. The average male porn performer makes $200-$400. Both, in this case, are independent contractors not employees. Jenna Jameson, Shy Love or Belladonna can make more since they own their own production company. Residuals, getting a cut every time the scene is shown or sold, is not something porn production companies pay. Top stars can make a lot but most porn performers are your average ones chasing gold. Small studios probably don’t pay that much.

Jerry Butler’s book “Raw Talent” (circa 1980s) claimed the $1,000-$1,500 figure for women and $300-$500 a day for men. The legend Seka supposedly wanted $100,000 to do another movie. The late superstar Savannah supposedly made $10,000 a movie. This was in the 1980s but times have not changed for the average porn performer.

Female porn stars that basically build a brand of themselves can make up to $1 million or more but that includes conventions, movies, stripping, endorsement, personal appearances, clothing lines, etc. A lot make in the $400,000 range for top stars. They do work a lot to do so though. Branding is the new wave in porndom because movies don’t make the money, all the other things they do brings in the cash. Some of those endorsements are well-known companies according to insiders.

A lot of porn stars are not hard to “date”. It is expensive. Websites even gave figures on how much it costs. It is also known that some porn stars prostitute on the side. You can even book them through an agency via a website for “VIP Members”. Lela Star was listed at $2,000 an hour and it said, “Both. Full Service”. One porn star was $2,500 an hour. They will come to your hotel in specific cities. Prostitution? I think “Prostate Massage” might say yes. Champagne ready before they arrive is required. And, tips are appreciated. No, the website will not be published. As far as is known, it is not required to be reported to the police. Sure they know about it already. “Dating” seems to be way more profitable than making a porn video. And, no taxes if cash unless they are honest.

The rigors of prostitution, and it happens among porn stars and performers, is well documented. Prostitutes have always run the risk of murder, beatings, rape, injuries and sexually transmitted diseases. According to Hookers for Jesus, there is sex trafficking in America so they porn stars that claimed they were forced into prostitution could be telling the truth. Not enough information to know. However, it is real easy to get a “Date” if you have the money. And, I doubt a “prostate massage” (and others) is legal. Of course, you might just find an FBI agent in that hotel room rather than a porn star.

Independent contractors have to pay their own taxes. If one makes $1,000, they have to deduct an easy forty percent to pay state, federal, and Social Security taxes. Again, male performers make a lot less. That leaves an amazing $600 left. Talent still needs to keep themselves fit, tanned, etc. so that would eat into that pay as well. Jenna Jameson clearly is an exception to how big the business can be for a porn star.

http://www.pamelapeaks.com/Data/TalentEscortServices.htm

How Long to Shoot a Porn Video?

Ex-porn stars have said it takes four to eight hours to shoot a twenty to thirty minute scene. That makes that pay now $250 an hour to as little as $125 an hour. Remove forty percent for taxes and that is $150 an hour and $75 an hour, respectively. Small porn production companies might pay only $500 a day so that is $300 after taxes. The performer still has the other costs of looking good. For the average porn performer that doesn’t sound like a lot of money when you can “date” and make $1500-$2,500 an hour. Not bad for an hour’s work if you delve into prostitution.

On porn bulletin boards where porn performers talk about pay and where to go to make a video, some have stated “Dates” are far, far more profitable and you just do a few porn videos a year to keep your star status.

The average video of twenty to thirty minutes takes four to eight hours to shoot. Even on porn bulletin boards they have admitted to taking that long. Former porn star Jersey Jaxin said the four to eight hours was the normal shoot time.

Are Their Downsides to Working in Porn?

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV do happen. The real figures on the percentages of STDs and other illnesses are not readily known. In fact, it was almost impossible to find out. In California, it appears STDs are ten times more common in porn than in real life. That could be wrong or correct. Here are some stats according to New Scientist quoting LA County Health Department figures since 2004 (to 2009):

22 performers have tested positive for HIV
2,378 cases of Chlamydia
1,257 cases for Gonorrhea
15 cases of Syphilis

The LA County Director of Public Health said, “Sexually transmitted diseases are rampant [in the porn industry]”. It is questionable if those statistics were from porn or elsewhere among porn performers. Still, those numbers are shocking.

Lara Roxx went to California from New York to make an “easy” $1,000 for a porn shoot that her agent advised against. She claimed she was supposed to perform straight sex but they said the needed a double penetration scene or they didn’t need her. Since she needed the money to even get home, she did the revised scene and contracted HIV from porn star Darren James. He infected her and two other female performers. This happened in 2004 and shut down the porn industry.

Besides the STD fears, porn actresses have been murdered, raped and one was killed in a bondage scene. The legendary John Holmes died of AIDS (mostly because he was into sleeping with the lowest class of hookers). Many have committed suicide including porn superstar Shauna Grant and French porn star Karen Lancaume. Drugs seems to be prevalent even on porn sets. Former porn star Jersey Jaxin said, “85% of performers drink or use hard drugs before a shoot.” (paraphrase) She also said a lot of the men use Viagra due to the long shoot times to produce a video. Other ex-porn stars said the nearly the same.

Zoey Zane was murdered by Israel Mireles presumably in El Dorado after he raped her; the aggravated sodomy charge was dropped. She was found 50 miles from El Dorado after last being seen leaving a bar. He was convicted of capital murder and rape and sentenced to life in prison. He worked near the bar at an Italian restaurant and they found blood in his hotel room and his abandoned car. Emily Irene Sander, aka Zoey Zane, was only 18 years old.

Even Jenna Jameson has supposedly been gang raped three or four times. Porn superstar Haley Paige was most likely murdered by her husband after she disappeared for three weeks in 2007; her husband killed himself before police could question him. Ms. Paige’s father supposedly sent her to Asia to be a sex toy for men when she was in her teens. Vanessa Freeman was murdered by a prostitution client in 2007. Rebecca Steele died penniless from a drug overdose in a hotel room while dying of AIDS.

The worst might be Natel King, aka Taylor Summers, who did porn for college. She was murdered in a bondage scene by pornographer Anthony Frederick in 2004. She was found in a black fabric with duct tape, bound with straps, a ball gag in her mouth, and multiple stab wounds to her neck, chest and hands. Police said she struggled. She was found in deep ravine in Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania near Philadelphia. She was on her side but her chest was on the ground. Anthony Frederick was found guilty of murder in August, 2005 and sentenced to 24-51 years in prison. Some said it may have been a snuff film shoot. No video was found. It possibly could have been sold to a client if it existed. Frederick gave no motive for the murder. She was only 23.


AIM (Adult Industry Medical) HealthCare Foundation and “Doctor” Sharon Mitchell

Porn star Darren James sued AIM and some AIM officials in 2005 for invasion of privacy and his suicidal attempt after his name was released that he had HIV. The lawsuit was settled out of court with a confidentiality agreement. Usually, that means the plaintiff won. James did say he wished he was the only one that got infected. The LA Times reporter Rong Gong-Lin II covered the story. (Note: No link since I could not pull the article from the LA Times but I made a copy of it in 2009.)

The porn industry, Gene Ross of AdultFYI, claimed Lara Roxx was actually infected with HIV not James. This could be industry spin since they are not the LA Times. Gene Ross admitted to calling her and demanding an interview and claimed she wanted money for one. Now, that is his side of the story. He posted the conversation. The impression of his wording of the non-interview was that of being harassing. She hung up on him. He claims some picture was taken of her anus the same day she worked with James. Another shoot after James, was supposed to happen but she had a rash she claimed she got from working with James and Marc Anthony and waxing. She didn’t do the scene because the male performer refused to work with her. If the rash was herpes, Ross has no proof the picture was the day she shot a scene with James just someone’s word. Ross doesn’t even offer proof the picture was Lara Roxx’s either. Unfortunately for AdultFYI, Darren James ultimately claimed responsibility. That and it looks like horrible spin by Ross that should lead one to believe the LA Times and Darren James’s version therein.

According to NPR, AIM (Adult Industry Medical) HealthCare Foundation is being sued again by a mom and daughter who performed in porn and are alleging AIM allowed the mother’s results to go viral and someone posted her real name. The case is a class action against AIM. Highly doubtful lawyers would take on a class action unless they thought they would win. They claim AIM allows Much like the Darren James lawsuit, it’ll probably be settled out of court.

AIM was created in 1988 by Sharon Mitchell and Dr. Steven York, an internist, according to AIM to test performers to make sure the porn industry was safe. Just this December, AIM was shut down by the LA County Health Department after its application for a “medical clinic” license was rejected. AIM had been operating under a “doctor’s office” license till California said they needed the other license. That alone should tell anyone AIM was either incompetently run or the LA County Health Department was incompetent. Mitchell still wears a white lab coat walking around like a doctor.

Sharon Mitchell claims to be a sexologist. However, her Ph.D. in human sexuality comes from the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality. The Institute is still not accredited by a proper agency according to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Last year, it had no accreditation whatsoever including a state run one that really doesn’t count anyway. California’s Bureau of Postsecondary and Vocational Education clearly states it is up to the student to see the Institute is a diploma mill, degree mill and/or meets their academic needs. It doesn’t. Unless it is accredited under CHEA, employers won’t consider it. California is lax about kicking out schools without national accreditation that counts.

According to the American College of Sexologists, Sharon Mitchell is listed as having HIV/SEX/Drug-Alcohol Addition specialties. California does not regulate sexologists and neither does any other state except Florida. How Ms. Mitchell has those specialties is beyond the scope of an apparent diploma mill/accreditation mill. Even in California, that could be illegal to claim medical credentials if that is what she’s claiming. A serologist in Florida has to have a real degree and pass a state exam to be called a doctor of sexology or you are committing a crime. Florida did that because of basically prostitution and “therapy” that was not regulated.

Sharon Mitchell is no doctor, no medical professional, and has an apparent diploma mill degree. The American College of Sexologists will accept anyone if you pay the fees and have such a degree. If you go to their website, those sexologist in Florida are MDs, MSWs and so forth. One sexologist in California I looked up had a website that looked mostly like a porn video store. If Ms. Mitchell used that degree to apply for a job with a private employer, they would laugh at the degree since it is not accredited.

She admitted she was addicted to Heroin for sixteen years. Not sure how many porn movies she was in since various places have said 900+ and over 2,000. Mostly in New York City’s tame porn industry. She did win awards for her work from AVN so she is a porn star just not a doctor of any flavor. Even she contracted STDs during her porn career including herpes. In 1996, which is sad, she was attacked and raped by a stalker who almost killed her. After that she basically quit the business and appeared only sporadically in porn. Mitchell was lucky since Chasey Lain has not beat crack (the person said she looked like a “crack whore”) according to reports.

AIM vs. LA County Health Department and AIDS HealthCare Foundation

AIM is losing the war of licensing according to mikesouth.com. AIM is reportedly going to drop its 501(c)(3) status and become a for profit company to get the “clinic license”. The website noted that the LA County Health Department might have big problems with the change and the AIDS HealthCare Foundation (AHF) might end up as the testing company for porn. The AHF, compared to AIM, is huge. A shocking turn of events. Mikesouth.com was critical of AIM, and so has some porn production companies, that it did it to itself. Even that website admitted AVN shouldn’t parade her “doctorate” in articles. It seems some in porn are turning on AIM. The website also said Vivid released all its contract girls and other staff and is basically shut down.



What is Legal in Porn?

Obscenity Laws

Max Hardcore was a crusty old geezer in a cowboy hat that violated federal obscenity laws a jury found. The St. Petersburg Times, on October 4, 2008, reported Paul F. Little, aka Max Hardcore, was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for violating Obscenity Laws. He also has 3 years probation after his prison stint. Jurors convicted him on 10 counts of selling obscene material on the Internet and 10 counts of mailing it to Tampa via the United States Mail. The Judge didn’t give him the hardcore sentencing he deserved but he had to forfeit 3 websites to the government, pay a $7,500 fine, and Max Hardcore Entertainment was ordered to pay a $75,000 fine. Little was worth as much as $1.4 million but is now broke. The Judge did not care. In fact, the Judge went easy since he faced 4 years and 9 months in jail and between $1.2 to $2.4 million in fines.

The porn he produced was described as “messy” and violent. Some of the women in his videos claimed they were underage, one said 12 years old actually, then subjected to some violent, near rape actions at his hands. The fifty year old Max loved the “school girl” image and even put “Euro” on the label. He claimed that meant to be only sold in Europe not America but the Judge said that label “Euro” meant it was more hardcore than usual and only the naïve would believe otherwise. Some of his videos were “pretend rape with underage girls”. All the women in his videos were 18 or older but the Judge and Jury threw the book at him. Even Hustler’s Larry Flynt refused to help Max Hardcore in court.

The 1973 U.S. Supreme Case Miller v. California was used to convict Little. It says obscenity occurs if the work lacks “literary, artistic, political or scientific value” in a “community”. See CNBC’s video. Patrick Trueman, the former US DOJ Chief of Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, said porn producers violate obscenity laws everyday if they were enforced by state and federal laws. Cities use zoning laws to keep porn out. Watch the video for more.

New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani used zoning laws to clean up all the porn shops in Times Square. If it can be done in New York, it can be done anywhere. Also, apartment complexes and similar businesses can put a “no-porn clause” in the lease, which is perfectly legal to do. Zoning laws such as no adult business within 1,000 feet of a school or church can effectively kick porn out of a community.

Neesa, a porn actress, claims she was raped by Max Hardcore (see her YouTube video) in the summer of 2002. She also claims 12 other police complaints of rape were filed against him by other female performers. He’s rather infamous in the porn industry with only a few wanting anything to do with him; Hustler’s Larry Flynt didn’t. The other 12 police complaints could not be found, since rape complaints are usually protected till a prosecution, but Neesa is not releasing names. No proof but her claim so it is up to you to decide.

John Stagliano was charged with crimes with his companies associated with Evil Angel porn production company for trafficking obscene material in interstate commerce in 2008. Politico said, “U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon ordered the acquittal of Stagliano and two companies related to his Evil Angel studio…” on July 16, 2010. Some say the DOJ under Eric Holder blew the case. We’ll probably never know.


What is Illegal in Porn via California Laws?

Condoms are required in porn production in California. Just read the law:

The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has established Vital information
for workers and employers in the adult film industry as follows:

“In addition to general health and safety hazards associated with film and video production,
workers in the adult film industry face particular hazards because actors perform sex acts in the
course of making the films or videos. Many diseases can be transmitted through blood, semen,
vaginal fluid and fecal material, or by mucous membrane contact.

One important group of diseases is those caused by bloodborne pathogens, including HIV,
hepatitis B and hepatitis C. In addition to actors, employees in this industry at risk of becoming
infected include people who clean up after scenes and people who assist in developing scenes,
whether or not they are shown on film. If any sharps, such as razor blades or wires, are used (for shaving, piercing, etc.), they pose a particular risk for spreading infection because they can
puncture the skin.

Other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are not considered bloodborne pathogens, but can be
transmitted through contact with mucous membranes, semen, vaginal fluids or feces.”
In addition, California has established explicit procedures for the adult film industry with regards
to blood pathogens (§5193. Bloodborne Pathogens) as follows:

“The Cal/OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard requires employers to protect workers from
serious diseases including HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, which can be transmitted through
exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials. The major requirements of this
standard include:

Controlling exposures

The bloodborne pathogens standard requires employers to use feasible engineering and work
practice controls to protect workers from coming into contact with blood or other diseasecarrying
body fluids (referred to in the standard as "other potentially infectious material", or
"OPIM"). Semen and vaginal fluid are always considered OPIM. Any other body fluid is
considered OPIM if it’s visibly contaminated with blood. Saliva is considered OPIM in
connection with dental procedures because these procedures routinely cause saliva to be
contaminated with blood.
The kind of contact prohibited by the standard is contact between skin or mucous membranes
and blood or OPIM.
The methods an employer will use to protect employees from contact with blood or OPIM must
be spelled out in detail in a written exposure control plan, which is described in the bloodborne
pathogens standard.
“The bloodborne pathogens standard is built on the rule of universal precautions. This means
blood or OPIM is always treated as hazardous, no matter who the source is. This is important
because the available testing methods do not always guarantee that disease will be detected. This
is particularly true right after a person has become infected. Depending on the test and the
disease, it may take anywhere from two weeks to six months to be able to detect an infection.
There is also a risk of "false negative" results, particularly if tests have not been properly
administered, or if specimens have not been properly stored. Also, many bloodborne diseases are
not routinely tested for.
Examples of engineering and work practice controls used in the adult film industry include:

·  Simulation of sex acts using acting, production and post-production techniques
·  Ejaculation outside the partner's body
·  Use of barriers, which protect the partner from contact with semen, vaginal fluids,
mucous membranes, etc. Examples of barriers include condoms and dental dams
(Condoms and dental dams can also be considered personal protective equipment for the
partner who uses them)
·  Plastic and other disposable materials to clean up sets
·  Sharps containers for disposal of any blades, wires or broken glass.
·  Personal protective equipment

If, after using all practical engineering and work practice controls, workers are still exposed to
hazards, employers must provide, and ensure employees use, appropriate personal protective
equipment. Personal protective equipment can include:
·  Condoms
·  Dental dams
·  Gloves
·  Eye protection.

Hepatitis B vaccine
Employers in this industry must provide the hepatitis B vaccine series to employees who may be
exposed to blood, semen, vaginal fluid or OPIM. This series consists of three shots, generally
administered into the arm muscle, over a period of six months. About one or two months after
the third shot, the healthcare provider will draw blood to ensure the employee has developed a
strong enough immune response (antibody titer, which refers to the concentration of antibodies
in the blood) to protect against infection. In some cases the healthcare provider will recommend
an additional series of shots. To learn more about the hepatitis B vaccine, click here.

Confidential medical record
Every employer covered by this standard must ensure that a medical record is maintained for
each employee, which must be kept confidential.

Procedures for exposure incidents

If an employee has unprotected contact with someone else's blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or
OPIM, the employer must provide them with a medical evaluation and follow up [5193 (f)] at no
cost to the employee. If the source individual consents, he or she can be tested, and the results
can be disclosed to the exposed employee, but that employee must be informed of requirements
to keep the person's identity and infection status confidential.

If there is reason to believe a person has been exposed to HIV, the doctor may recommend the
person be put on drugs to prevent infection (post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP), such as AZT. If
there is reason to believe a person has been exposed to hepatitis B, and has not been completely
vaccinated, the doctor may recommend hepatitis B immunoglobulin, and may start the vaccine
series. There is currently no post-exposure treatment recommended for hepatitis C.”

How Does Porn Affect Viewers?

Porn does have an effect on those that view it. It distorts the view of normal sexuality and even affects the brain. Sexuality is directly wired into the brain’s pleasure center. Porn actually releases chemicals in the brain while it is being watched that acts exactly like a drug. People that watch tame porn will eventually need a bigger “hit” to keep the same high porn does produce.

The drug in the brain porn release is called endorphins, which are a powerful analgesic, that directly affect the brain’s pleasure centers. In fact, someone loaded with endorphins in their brain wouldn’t want anything else. The psychiatric disorder “Bipolar” releases endorphins into the brain during mania and causes, just like porn, little self-control and limits inhibitions.

In the late 1990s, the psychiatric profession was talking about making Internet addiction a disorder. And, they did. Sexual addiction already is a disorder that is extremely difficult to overcome. Porn directly attenuates the imagination. It is described as a powerful addiction by literally hundreds of thousands of people on the Internet that would like to stop watching but can’t. It has a strong effect and the more you watch, and the more graphic it is, the more control it has on a person.

When I wrote the article last year on Porn, I watched porn. I felt its powerful effects. Even though I was studying porn, which was to examine porn stars actions and tell if they were real like orgasms, I found myself not able to erase the thoughts for awhile. It just sticks there. Some porn did not have much effect, such as very young women, but the ones I found attractive did. I will admit I got a high from it watching certain porn stars such as Ginger Lynn (80s porn) and Nicole Sheridan to name two. I actually was totally bored watching porn star Shy Love since her performance was so fake. It also made me feel dirty afterwards. And, their names stuck in my head as well. Odd. If I had to critique porn, I’d say the amateurs were more engaging than the ones like Vivid produces. Mainly because it was voyeurism.

Some people have said, on various shows exploring porn’s affects on their view of sexuality, that women like what porn has to offer such as rough sex, gangbangs, etc. Oral sex, in their minds, has to be as porn presents it. Swallowing is a requirement. Anal sex should be accepted by all women. Inhibitions went by the wayside in their minds after watching graphic pornography. Women should do what they want not what they are comfortable with—a huge departure from the norms of human sexuality. Porn, in a work, perverts the beauty of human sexuality. Porn does it so why not my wife or girlfriend? The fantasy becomes reality eventually.

Other distortions include breast size, since a lot are fake, and penis size. In human sexuality, four inches can please a woman. Also, feeling a man ejaculate inside a woman is impossible for most women so that is trickery. The vagina becomes warm during sex so feeling ejaculate, which isn’t as warm, is nearly impossible. And, ejaculating outside the vagina is actually harmful to a man’s sexuality. A little is a good thing but a lot is a bad thing as they old saying goes. Porn’s preoccupation with anal sex really denoted, to me, a homosexual experience. Most real women don’t find it appealing or pleasurable. Neither do men. The excessive use of tattoos was humorous.


Endorphins and Sexual Addition

Internet Porn: Worse Than Crack?
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2004/11/65772

http://men.webmd.com/guide/is-pornography-addictive

http://www.sexualrecovery.com/resources/articles/understanding-compulsive-masturbation.php 

Is Porn Faked by the Performers or is it Real?

The porn industry actually exposes itself on this question. Videos called “Real Female Orgasms” did show female performers having real orgasms. However, the other ones did not. It is easy to tell. If a woman really had an orgasm, her breasts get fuller and her nipples get harder. Porn stars with real breasts, more often than not, did not exhibit that rule. Megastar Shy Love was having an orgasm the moment intercourse began. A bad fake. Except for amateurs and production houses not as sophisticated like Vivid, most of the female performers were not enjoying it. Intercourse with the male performers really looked more like they were in pain not pleasure.

Remember, porn videos take four to eight hours to shoot so the fakery, such as nipples that are always erect, is extremely common. The male performers, on the whole, were unattractive. When I watched porn for the article last year, I had it in my mind that those men doubtfully would ever be with those women in real life. And, why does porn have such older men with such younger women? Maybe porn can’t find men that can perform that are younger. I don’t know. Just think it is odd the guys are twice as old as most of the female performers. Yes, some of the women are not attractive at all but only a handful of men were. Ron Jeremy is a good example of how porn gets the bottom of the barrel for male performers and that was in the 1980s and 1990s.

Some of the women in porn have horrible breast implants since you can see the scars. Guess some use the worst plastic surgeons they could find. One of the things I did notice was that amateur porn was just as popular. Mainly because it was real people not professionals. A lot had too much makeup on. It was caked on. How does one’s hair remain so perfect in some videos, and makeup, during the acrobatic sex they have? I won’t name names though some female performers actually had me laughing watching the ordinary machinations of oral sex then intercourse then anal sex. No wonder Shy Love can write scripts and direct. No offense to Shy Love but her performances were so unrealistic they did make me chuckle. Sue me.

Conclusion

The porn industry in California is in flux since Gonzo is preferred by viewers. AIM being shuttered then deciding to become a for profit company probably will start a war with Cal/OSHA or the LA County Health Department. Porn suffers from self-inflicted wounds. They pushed the envelope so far that there is no turning back unless regulators make them. Of course, if that happens, porn moves out of California to other states. It might take a few years but those other states will probably end up regulating them as well.

It appears the AIDS HealthCare Foundation (AHF), which is powerful politically, could end up as the testing place for performers in California. That would destroy porn’s self-regulation with AIM. Already they threat has hit hard since, as mikesouth.com reported, Vivid released all its contract performers and its marketing personnel and some staff.

Piracy, which has hurt the music industry, is also hurting the porn industry. Free porn on the Internet, which is in other countries, is hard to stop. In fact, as the MPAA found out, piracy was impossible to stop. Why pay for it when you can get it for free? Even Vivid CEO Steve Hirsch admitted their videos are out there for free and they find new ones everyday. That has to hurt the bottom line. It is strange the advent of high speed Internet and the music industry’s decline happened at the same time. Porn is now feeling those effects. So is the mainstream movie industry.

Porn’s future might just end up being 3D simulations people can manipulate. One website is already incredibly advanced in that area. You can design your own performers and play out your fantasies. Another device even adds the personal interaction. The other future is that Europe and certainly Eastern Europe, where laws are really lax, will dominate the porn industry (it already does for the most part).

If porn in America is a $10-13 billion industry and the world total is a $97 billion industry, it is already happening. Most of the websites are overseas not in America. And, they don’t want kids on their sites. As one operator in Amsterdam told me, “We make fortunes off of adults. We don’t need kids and the problems that come with them using our sites.”

The future is simply the Internet and the technology that is making people’s fantasies easily obtained through software and hardware that requires no performers since they create them. Why watch when you can make your own with your own taste intact? That future requires no DVDs. That future may also not require the American porn industry either. Just like FireFox is ending Microsoft’s Internet Explorer as the dominant player, so is the Internet and software. And, prostitution is a bigger business anyway. Eventually, every business model is obsolete. Simple market forces. And, something new always takes the place of something old. As Agent Smith said in the Matrix, “It is inevitable.”

Copyright December 20, 2010 by Cameron Rowe Entertainment.

Monday, December 13, 2010

California's AIM (Adult Industry Clinic) Clinic Shut Down Over Licensing but Porn Production Continues

California's AIM (Adult Industry Clinic) Clinic Shut Down Over Licensing but Porn Production Continues

The LA County Health Department shut down the Adult Industry Medical (AIM) Healthcare Foundation after it's license application for a "medical clinic", filed in July, 2010, was denied. AIM was operating as a "doctor's office" until California's Department of Health and Public Licensing and Certification decided AIM was doing a lot more and needed to be licensed as a "medical clinic". LA County's Health Department issued a "cease and desist" order to AIM on December 9th, 2010. 

The AIDS HealthCare Foundation's Michael Weinstein said LA County's Health department has done nothing for years and called AIM a sham. He said it is now time to go after (porn) producers. He said they've been breaking the law for years. They want mandatory condom use.


Porn Shut Down? Not much.

Vivid Entertainment's CEO Steve Hirsch said porn production at Vivid was shut down due to AIM closing testing facilities according to the AP. He said once AIM is back Vivid will began production. AIM is funded by the porn industry, and porn performers. Only Vivid, that I could find, said they will shut down porn production due to AIM's closure for testing. Maybe others as huge as Vivid will shut down but the small players are doubtful. Again, the LA County Health Department, which could have, didn't shut it down after someone (Derrick Burts) tested positive for HIV.

The Porn Performer That Shut Down AIM?

News reports are crediting him with something no one has ever done: shut down AIM. In this reporters opinion, the LA County Health Department finally found the Kahunas to do their jobs. Didn't hurt AIM's license was denied.

Source: AP.

Derrick Burts, a porn performer, according to an AP press release, initiated the shut down of AIM and slammed the porn industry since it protects no one. In one month, he said he tested positive for three STDs including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and herpes. Then, he tested positive for HIV. He also said the porn industry offered him no help with his medical conditions and he slammed "millionaires Steve Hirsch (Vivid CEO) and Larry Flynt (Hustler)" for not helping performers. He also demanded mandatory condom use (which is state law that is not enforced I found). He also slammed AIM and said they put on a portrayal that they are there to help and aren't. His video is below:


AIM's Dr. Sharon Mitchell

Well, she's NOT a medical doctor. She got a degree from a non-accreditated college in California in Sexology. She does prance around in a lab coat (http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978786632) but has NO medical credentials. The other founder of AIM, Dr. Steven York (Internist), is the medical director of AIM. Mitchell starred in over 2,000 adult movie. Brooke Hunter, credited as an AIM spokesperson (http://newswire.xbiz.com/view.php?id=128302), is also a porn actress.

You can still get tested

Go to www.aim-med.org according to Brooke Hunter's Twitter (http://twitter.com/brookehunterxxx). I did and found I could get tested at a lot of places (through LabCorp). Just not at AIM.

Conclusion

The LA County Health Department (and Cal/OSHA) hasn't enforced the law I could find. They had to shut down AIM since California refused a license. The lack of a "medical clinic" license shut down AIM not anyone else. It is doubtful California will shut down the porn industry since it has a huge economic impact that some say is $10-20 billion. The worldwide porn industry is a reputed $97 billion so porn isn't going away. Like in the 1990s, a little shut down then back to business. 

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Pink Cross Foundation and Shelley Lubben: An Expose Part 3 Financials


Pink Cross Foundation and Shelley Lubben: An Expose Part 3

The Financials

Note: Charities recognized by the IRS are 501(c)(3) organizations and are tax-exempt. Donations to them are also tax-exempt.  These charities are required to provide financials to anyone. Almost all post financials on their respective websites. And, most are extremely complex requiring experts to sift through them.

Pink Cross Foundation did post their 2008 and 2009 financials on their website. I am not a forensic accountant just a reporter so we’ll go through the financials line by line and see what we find. Their financials were not complicated at all. If you can file a 1040, you can easily follow along. I also downloaded both returns from guidestar.org.

Pink Cross Foundation financials are here: http://www.thepinkcross.org/page/financial-reports

Pink Cross Foundation Mission Statement

According to the 2008 tax return, it is: “To provide emotional, financial and transitional support to adult industry workers. And to reach out and educate the general public of the harms and effects of pornography. To combat community deterioration due to pornography”. Now, what ThePinkCross.org said in 2008 as the mission statement on their website is unknown. A proper investigation should not tell the party being investigated they are so no cover-ups, if any, can be staged.

Pink Cross Foundation Mission Statement Today

“Pink Cross Foundation, a humanitarian outreach and international movement will respond to needs of people who are victims of pornography. Our mission is to share the good news of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. We also combat community deterioration due to pornography and prostitution through attempts to educate legislation in order to enforce health and safety laws within the pornography industry, to protect adult industry workers from sexually transmitted diseases and other job-related abuses, to ameliorate the secondary negative effects of pornography on the general public and to toughen laws to protect children from accessing online pornography. This ministry is motivated by the amazing love of God.”

The 2009 tax return is totally different from 2008 and their website. You are welcome to download them or ask me to send them to you are you can compare. I’m not retyping it due to length. The new statement does include “political action” called, “ 3) in defense of human and civil rights for adult workers as well…”

Pink Cross Foundation Website vs. Shelley Lubben’s Website

A charity website and a commercial website are not supposed to be a marriage due to IRS rules. However, thepinkcross.net redirects to shelleylubben.com, but only thepinkcross.org is listed on the tax return. On thepinkcross.org, some article(s) does link to shelleylubben’s website and her new book.  Shelley Lubben’s bio on thepinkcross.org also does link to her site.

Show Me the Money 2008 Tax Return

Pink Cross Foundation used the 990-EZ tax return and listed the address as 7101 Elias Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93308. It is a nice single family home worth $250,000+ according to Zillow.com. It has a pool, four bedrooms and 1.75 bathrooms and is 2400+ square feet. Pink Cross Foundation basically runs their offices out of the Lubben’s private home. The address is posed here since it is on their 2008 tax return. Shelley Lubben signed the tax return and it had a tax professional sign it as well. The have no offices according to the return.

The Pink Cross Foundation listed $64,520 in gross receipts which all came from donations and gifts. No grants since there was no grant donation statement. This is not bad for a non-profit that just was formed in 2008. The big item on this tax return is that Shelley Lubben took $24,250 in compensation, which is 37.6% of gross receipts. It is the single biggest expense. The charity spent an extremely large $1,971 on financial assistance and gift cards, which is 3.1% of gross receipts. So, based on their accounting, 96.9% was spent on administration.

The better business bureau (BBB) recommends no more than 35% of gross receipts spend on Line 14, 15 of a 990 tax return. The federal government recommends, under CFC (Combined Federal Campaign), only 25%. So, 37.6% is above both the BBB and CFC. Some new charities can be higher if administration and fundraising goes over that percentage. The tax return does not say how much was spent on fundraising.

However, on the next year’s return, they listed travel expenses. This return had no travel expenses. Therefore, if Ms. Lubben used her compensation to cover her travel expenses, which the return does not list, the charity could have been under the BBB percentage. They spent $10,075 the next year. If she spent that amount from her compensation, or even half, the percentage of Line 14, 15 would’ve been under the BBB’s percentage and could’ve been under the CFC’s percentage by default.

Note: Employees deserve to be paid. However, if they don’t need the money, it might look better to forego pay for the first couple of years. If she used a good chunk of her salary for travel expenses, she needed the money.

Based on Statement 1, Federal Statements, it is impossible to know exactly where the charity money spent on the charity went. Conferences, Conventions (their outreach), and Meetings was put together so it is impossible to know how much went to outreach. Even of all $9,481 was spent on outreach, that is only 14.7% of gross receipts. Contract services were $2,450 dwarfing that charitable financial assistance and gift cards by $479. Now, they did spend $3,701 on event facilities and equipment.

A huge expense was supplies that totaled $7,105, or 11.0% of gross receipts. However, they do spend money on brochures at conventions so that could easily be a decent expense.

The simple fact is, without an audit, only 3.1%, or $1,971 went to financial assistance and gift cards. They fail to explain how much was spent on outreach. Again, if all $9,481 of Conferences, Conventions, and Meetings in addition to financial assistance and gift cards was spent on outreach, that is 17.8% of gross receipts.

New charities have to invest in computers and other equipment to make the charity work. However, more money could have been given on financial assistance to ex-porn stars. Then again, we don’t know what financial assistance means since it doesn’t say. We also don’t know how much Ms. Lubben spent on travel expenses from her salary. You can decide if this tax return is proper. Not enough information for this article to say.

Show Me the Money 2009 Tax Return

Note: A lot of things are blanked out on this return. They had three big donors but you won’t find out who they are (and they don’t have to say per federal law). We did pull them from GuideStar.org but the donor’s list was not in the file. And, this return is more complicated since a full 990 but the Pink Cross Foundation is not a huge charity.

Pink Cross Foundation used the 990 tax return and listed the address as 7101 Elias Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93308. Garret Lubben, her husband and secretary-treasurer, was on the tax return this year but it was prepared by Business Management Services. They both signed the return found on GuideStar. So, the penalties of perjury do apply.

2009 was a good year for the Pink Cross Foundation since their gross receipts almost doubled to $125,100 from $64,250 (a typo but not a big deal). Shelley Lubben had an incredibly good year as well since her compensation went from $24,250 to $49,726, which is an amazing pay raise of 105.1% in this bad economy. That is 39.8% of gross receipts. This is above the BBB’s 35% and the CFC’s 25%. Again, they listed no fundraising expenses. And, the tax return listed travel expenses unlike in 2008. A lot of travel expenses.

On Part IV of the return, it asks if they engaged in lobbying activities. Since Ms.Lubben appeared at California State committee to push for a tax on adult entertainment, that is untruthful.

On question 28, C, it asks if a family member a party to a business transaction. It answered “NO”. However, Garrett Lubben, her husband, singed the return and it was prepared by a tax professional, which they had to pay. He’s also a director since he’s secretary-treasurer. Therefore, that has to be a lie since he’s secretary-treasurer.

On Part VI, is asks about officers and directors involved in the charity having a family relationship with another officer or director. They answered “Yes” confirming a lie to Question 28, C.

On the tax return, the Pink Cross Foundation again admitted having no offices.

In-Kind Contributions NOT Accounted For At All

In section VIII, No. 1(f) is blank. The Pink Cross Foundation has a wishlist on Amazon.com called “Pink Cross Outreach”. You can buy these products, including Bibles and gift cards, and it is mailed directly to the Pink Cross Foundation. The wishlist has items that appear to go into the gift bags they pass out at porn conventions. This would be “in-kind contributions” since they are goods it appears.

The tax return also does not include “in-kind contributions” such as volunteers (calculated on what their services would cost normally). Basically, in-kind contributions can include goods and services. You report most as a donation then as an expense. They basically cancel out each other out and are NOT tax-deductible for those making the donations of services or goods.

Therefore, the tax return does not include any in-kind contributions or expenses. Example would be if I bought Pink Cross a Bible on Amazon.com and it was given away this would be reported on Section VIII, No. 1(f) and then deducted as an expense. Basically, I gave someone a Bible but they actually did all the work but pay for it. It is a zero-sum gain but it is required to be reported. Even if it is just one thing. Services are not tax deductible.

The tax return does not list any “in-kind” donations so if they had any, this should trigger an IRS audit and they could be fined. She uses volunteers at porn conventions so where are the figures or do they know what in-kind contributions happen to be?

Lobbying Expenses

The Pink Cross Foundation did lobbying last year but on Section IV, Question 4, they said they didn’t. This is a lie and they would have to fill out a Schedule C. It should have have been completed and, like any other financial, is open to public inspection. This allows the IRS to determine if a charity can retain a 501(c)(3) status. It is known they tried to influence legislation, attended a California subcommittee, or committee, on that proposed legislation. Failure to fill out this form by lying and saying no lobbying was performed could cost them their 501(c)(3) status. Also, if you spend more than 20% of your gross receipts on lobbying, you may have to pay a tax or lose tax-exempt status. If you donate to a PAC, or Political Action Committee, it is not tax-deductible. Charities have to be extremely carefully they don’t cross the line in trying to influence political decisions.

Use of volunteers, mailings, advertising, direct contact with legislators, has to be accounted for on Schedule C. The Pink Cross Foundation did mail at least one legislator since I remember seeing the document. The video of the hearing did have at least one volunteer. This is a red flag. Of course, if the IRS claimed, “Tax evasion”, Garrett Lubben is responsible since he signed the return. It is interesting the tax return with lies on it wasn’t signed by the President, Shelley Lubben. The 2008 return she signed. On the return, Ms. Lubben claims to be the “president” but is “executive director” on their website. Which is it?

Addition Tax Things

The Pink Cross Foundation did pay $4,868 in payroll taxes and it was included in Ms. Lubben’s compensation since an employer would include it in an employee’s compensation. Total compensation is proper to count (no payroll taxes listed in 2008 so we’ll go with her, or their, figures).

Advertising and promotion was only $500 down from $941 the previous year. A big drop. But, they may not need as much.

However, office expenses was a new expense of $6,210. What office? Their home is their office. Hope they made sure that office is separate from the household or it could an illegal expense. It is suspect.

The Pink Cross Foundation did charity work of $40,651 on outreach/immediate assistance, care packages/outreach, financial assistance and utility expenses. That still doesn’t come close to Ms. Lubben’s almost $50,000 in total compensation.

Also, they spent $10,075 on travel. Compared to $5,820 in financial assistance and $8,287 in utility assistance, that is a lot. Direct help is apparently $14,107 or 11.3%. The Outreach/Immediate Assistance is $14,929 but it doesn’t list how much of that was “immediate assistance”.  Let’s say $8,000 was “immediate assistance”. Add $8,000 and $14,107 and you get $22,107 or 17.7% of gross receipts.

The website fees more than doubled from $1,565 to $3,554, which is listed as thepinkcross.org (same as 2008). This expense should go up since the more people view the website, they know about the charity.

The Final Word on the 2009 Tax Return

There are definitely problems with this tax return, IRS tax return problems. Ms. Lubben doubled her salary and no idea how much lobbying they did (and lied about on the return). There are also no in-kind contributions and expenses (there were volunteers at Pink Cross) but not accounted for neither were the donations through Amazon.com. The IRS should audit this return.

2010 Tax Returns

Unfortunately, that is not available yet. However, the Pink Cross Foundation has a wishlist on Amazon.com called “Pink Cross Outreach”. If you buy items there, it is sent directly to them. It is strange Ms. Lubben’s book was added to the “wishlist” as of November 21, 2010. This sounds like she is promoting her commercial endeavor, Shelley Lubben Communications, through a charity, which is illegal.

The Pink Cross Foundation should pay for an independent audit and file amendments to the 2009 return on things they did not account for as already noted. Also, they should hire an accountant to do their tax returns.

Other Tax Questions

Does thepinkcross.net belong to Pink Cross or Shelley Lubben? The website address does redirect to shelleylubben.com. According to WHOIS, ownership is hidden. Pink Cross does not appear to be trademarked so this could be legal. However, it really should go to thepinkcross.org not her personal website just for reasons that there is no conflict of interest between a commercial endeavor and a charitable one.

Does the Pink Cross Foundation Help Porn Actors/Actresses Out of Porn and How?

The Pink Cross Foundation has a form called “Recovery Assistance Program” that Anthony Kennerson sent me from http://www.redgarterclub.com/SDChronBlog2dot5/?s=Shelley+Lubben that Julie Meadows found. After reading this, we can’t recommend Pink Cross as a charity. The pictures of this form are included.

They do have Short-Term Assistance but only for $500 a maximum in one year. The form requires a lot of information to be approved. Long-Term Assistance is a maximum of $5,000 a year.

You have to be approved but the form does not explain what that approval process happens to consist of nor does it include a way to challenge a disapproval. It also takes seven (7) business days to make a determination. If someone is homeless and a former porn performer, what do they do for seven days? Also, on the form, they put disclaimers that they may or may not help even if approved. They should just explain up-front, we apologize no funds are available to help you.

Short-Term Requirements

You have to leave the porn/sex industry, have financial need, a desire to change, be 18 years old or older, open to our resources for help, photocopy of driver’s license or photo ID. Not sure if you have to fill out the rest of the form for short-term. Doesn’t say.

Long-Term Requirements

You have to leave the porn/sex industry, have financial need, a desire to change, be 18 years old or older, open to our resources for help, photocopy of driver’s license or photo ID, willingness to be accountable to Pink Cross Foundation mentorship team (who is that?), full-time employment (if employed full-time, why need much help?); stop receiving funds, royalties, and gifts from prior industry and sex work (not sure they have royalties or gifts in porn); cannot take jobs related to anything in the sex industry; will not promote sex industry; will abstain from illegal drugs and excessive alcohol use (so you can have a beer but not a case). If porn owes you money, you have to give it up. But, to whom? Hopefully not Pink Cross.

Their recovery program is a 1-year recovery plan. One question: does anyone with medical or psychological credentials run this program? Who exactly are the “mentors”?

The will help with housing by referral and will help with rent, security deposits and moving expenses. If you live somewhere, why would you move? Do you have to?

Counseling. Mentorship with a Pink Cross Foundation member and referrals to local counseling programs. The will find them at no cost. If they have funds, they will pay a portion of counseling costs up to six (6) months. Questions: who at Pink Cross has counseling credentials? Why only six (6) months of counseling for a 1-year program? Why are they paying only a portion? Doesn’t make sense. I guess you’ll pay for counseling if they are broke or pay the other portion out of the job you are required to have for the 1-year program.

Transition Assistance: for the first month out of the industry, we will provide some financial assistance to assist with purchasing of clothes, utilities, food, rent, etc, Why only some assistance?

Schooling if applicable and resources available.

Why not just tell someone up-front you can’t provide something? Most of this they aren’t providing in full anyway. This is a draconian program. Get a job and we’ll help. Give up any money porn owes you or we won’t. So, you got screwed by porn and have to give up the pay? Pardon the pun. Also, you will be accountable to some “mentor” of Pink Cross. What does Pink Cross do if you have a spouse in porn but you only want to leave? No idea.

The application also wants your real name, driver’s license, porn star name/names, SSN (why exactly?), DOB, address, know if you are eligible to work in the United States, and know if you have been convicted or pleaded guilty to a felony in the past five (5) years. Needing a copy of your SSN card before they approve you isn’t right. They also want to know what that felony it was as well.

You have to list your schools or colleges, degrees or diplomas, and graduation date. Hope the one they list is not a diploma mill like Shelley Lubben’s.

The need to know your skills and qualifications like licenses, skills, training, and awards. “I was in Best Gangbang of 2008 at the AVN Awards” probably doesn’t count. Hey, I need a joke after looking through this thing.

The do need your job title, responsibilities, salary and start date. Yes, a porn actress or porn actor strung out on booze or dugs has a real job. They also want references. You have to mail or fax in the application, wait seven (7) days, and then you’ll know if accepted. On Howard Stern’s show, Ms. Lubben claimed 100 or over 100 they’ve helped leave porn. Doubt that is true.

Final Thoughts

The big question is whether the Pink Cross Foundation is promoting Shelley Lubben, and paying her well at any rate, or doing the job they told the IRS to be a charity? I don’t believe they do. Personally, in an email (in early 2009 if I remember correctly), I advised Ms. Lubben just to work on helping porn stars get out of porn. She said “NO” that God had called her to do that and work on the political aspect. Why is giving porn actresses at conventions free lipstick, perfume, a Pink Bible, etc. so important? I can understand a gift bag with a brochure, Pink Cross Bible, and something small as a gift (under $5) would be okay. Also, who gets the gift cards? And, is the financial assistance really that big a pain in the rearend to get? Based on that application, it is almost as if the Pink Cross Foundation is trying NOT to help people who want out of porn/the sex industry. Just maybe, Nina Hartley’s comment that Shelley Lubben is just performing in another venue is true.

Note: Shelley Lubben, not anyone else, is welcome to dispute my article in an official capacity. I want it in writing (and with an affidavit if she’s willing to put her charity and herself on the line). If I missed anything on the tax returns readers find objectionable, please let me know. All comments are welcome. But, I can tell if it is propaganda or not and will call it out.