MrPinks

Stripping Down for Halloween

When Halloween rolls around every year, it seems a few groups of concerned citizens, often teachers and parents, are outraged at how provocative the retail costume industry has become. The once chaste versions of characters from Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, and Red Riding Hood have now been adopted and adapted by adult women. Complete with cleavage-baring corsets, garter belts, and frilled, visible panties, these “adult” costumes are sure to turn heads at parties and Halloween street parades.

Keeping its focus firmly in the over-18 realm, Los Angeles-based “contemporary costume and lingerie” design firm, Seven ‘til Midnight launched its new line dubbed ‘Costume or Play – Wear Either Way.’ Taking traditional Halloween costumes that have been reserved for adults – pirates, nurses, sex kittens, and the French maid – and putting an even more salacious twist on them, Seven ‘til Midnight has designed tear-away adaptable outfits that can be put to use in public or private, as costume or playful lingerie. Though there’s no doubt some wearers will choose the more revealing option when heading out this October, there’s going to be some pretty damn lively bedroom parties this year, that’s for sure.

LAFD vs. Charley Chase

Everyone in porn knows that Charley Chase is one of the industry’s most delightfully slutty women. In every scene she’s in she clearly has a great time, especially when doing something a little out of the ordinary. Her enthusiasm and ebullient personality are undeniably infectious, making her a performer with a legion of dedicated fans. Among those who have somehow managed to remain unimpressed by Ms. Chase’s sexual proclivities, however, is Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Brian Cummings, who has launched a full-scale investigation into exactly how and why Chase was able to climb aboard LAFD Engine 263 and perform “lewd acts” in a scene for Brazzers site Asses in Public. Investigation findings suggest the Brazzers crew had previously arranged the shoot with firefighters from Engine 263 in Venice who were fully aware of what was going on and would therefore be subject to disciplinary action.

While Brazzers has curiously remained fairly tight-lipped about the scandal – no news on ZZ Insider and the scene in question is noticeably absent from the now-dormant Asses in Public – Charley Chase has graciously stepped forward and offered her apologies to the LAFD employees hurt by the incident. In a post on her blog, Chase insists that nobody at Engine 263 had any knowledge of what she and the crew were up to and there certainly wasn’t any cooperation from their end, “but shit… it was a fun day!” The kicker is, folks, that day was three years ago! Who knows what an internal investigation will turn up with three years of bureaucratic paperwork in the way, except that Charley Chase is one of porn’s most consistently impressive performers and that Brazzers have been traipsing around in public, cameras and semi-naked women in tow, for years.

If you can put up with the smarmy, condescending delivery myFOXla reporter Ed Laskos, check out Charley Chase’s moment in the mainstream media spotlight as she does her bit to help the LAFD continue “serving with “courage, integrity, and pride.”

Gender-Bending Down Under

On the slow road to public acceptance of transsexual, transgender, or intersex people, Australia is somewhat surprisingly pulling out front and showing other countries how it should be done. Australian citizens can now choose from three gender options when applying for a passport: male, female, and indeterminate. Those Australians who cannot and do not identify as completely male or female will now, under revised application guidelines released last week, be able to place an X in the space traditionally reserved for M or F. Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd stated “This amendment makes life easier and significantly reduces the administrative burden for sex- and gender-diverse people who want a passport that reflects their gender and physical appearance,” and drew a collective sigh of relief from the island continents trans community. But what of the USA?

Like Canada, the United States permits citizens to change their identified gender from male to female and vice versa, but only after undergoing sex reassignment surgery (SRS) and providing proof with appropriate medical documentation. Even then, it’s still one or the other. Down Under, though, transsexual individuals only need to produce a letter from their medical practitioner that, according to the Australian passport office, states “that the person has had, or is receiving, appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition to a new gender, or that they are intersex and do not identify with the sex assigned to them at birth.”

Publicly funded universal health care, the best beaches in the world, remarkable wildlife, a diverse multi-cultural population, and now a place on the passport for the perennially misunderstood intersex population. No wonder they call it The Lucky Country.

Netbox, Quickflix, Vidster?

Unless you’ve been living in an Amish Paradise for the last few months, you’re probably aware that Netflix has been alienating and frustrating its remaining customers with price hikes, service changes, elapsed licensing deals, and generally tumultuous and upsetting behavior. Now CEO Reed Hastings has announced a split that will result in Netflix ceasing DVD rentals to provide streaming video alone, with new off-shoot company Quickster handling all physical media. Customers are outraged.

Over at VideoBox, on of the most consistently well reviewed adult video sites on the ‘net, and surely one of, if not the largest, customers are also voicing their dissenting opinions. Having months ago launched a trial beta version of something called VideoBox 3.0 (or VB3), the massively popular site only recently made the official switch to the new format. Customers have called the new, feature-laden design both a commendable innovation and a reason to leave the site:

– “Please, let me know when you are sunsetting VB2 in time to cancel my subscription.” – Jim

– “I don’t like the VB3 interface as it gives me less control over the content. This whole transition seems pointless.” – jfro21

– “What pisses me of the most is vb3 is so slow compared to vb2 and it is a hassle to download anything. vb3 seems geared more towards streaming than downloading.” – Nathan

– “Love the improvements, don’t think I’ll need to go back to VB2 anymore.” – TDK

– “Love it, VB2 what?” – Dante

– “Bravo guys. Now we’re cookin… Lubrication manufacturers everywhere are cheering increased sales projections.” – Shawn

So, after months and months of revisions, modifications, and adjustments, it seems VB3 is on the verge of being VideoBox members’ only browsing option. While some will petulantly throw in their membership cards for try to find a comparable alternative (not likely), I’m willing to bet most will stick around for this exciting new phase of VideoBox’s continued domination of the online video porn game. It seems Netflix (or is that Quickster) could learn a thing or two from porn providers, after all.