1. Bondage? "Behavior that is unbecoming of a diplomat"
2. Westchester dominatrix says "I'm not guilty of prostitution"
3. Albert W. Hsu Arrested For Soliciting, Rape and Abduction of Mistress on Internet Sex Site
4. Polyamory: A build-your-own-love kit
5. Kink hearing
6. Weirton Officials Say Alternative Mansion Must Close
7. 'Perv' Sep Up Ex to be Raped
Bondage? "Behavior that is unbecoming of a diplomat"
Associated Press report
via The Seattle Times
March 12, 2007
JERUSALEM – Israel has recalled its ambassador to El Salvador after he was found naked, bound and drunk, according to Israeli media reports confirmed today by a government spokeswoman.
The longtime diplomat, Tsuriel Raphael, has been removed from his post and the Foreign Ministry has begun searching for a replacement, said ministry spokeswoman Zehavit Ben-Hillel.
Two weeks ago, El Salvador police found Raphael in the yard of his residence, tied up, gagged with a ball and drunk, Israeli media reported. He was wearing sex bondage equipment, the media said. After he was untied, Raphael told police he was the ambassador of Israel, the reports said.
Ben-Hillel said the reports were accurate and that Raphael has been recalled, although he did not break any laws.
"We're talking about behavior that is unbecoming of a diplomat," she said.
The ambassador did not file a police complaint in the incident, she said.
[continued]
To read this entire article, go to: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003614375_webunbecoming12.html To respond, write to: opinion@seattletimes.com
Westchester dominatrix says "I'm not guilty of prostitution"
Associated Press report
via The Boston Herald
March 9, 2007
BEDFORD, N.Y. – A self-described dominatrix who presided as "mistress" of a Victorian home on a four-acre Westchester County estate has pleaded not guilty to a charge of prostitution.
As a lone supporter shouted, "The government doesn't belong in our bedroom!" Sandra Chemero, wearing stiletto heels, purple pants and a dark wool coat, appeared in Bedford Justice Court on Thursday on the charges of prostitution and criminal possession of a weapon, a stun gun.
There's nothing illegal about employing whips, chains and leather straps while working as a dominatrix. Chemero, 46, was arrested last week after a police investigation turned up evidence of prostitution.
Judge Kevin Quaranta allowed Chemero to post $1,800 and remain free until a hearing April 8.
Chemero, 46, began renting the Bedford Hills property she called "The Sovereign Estate" last year from the Khal Adas Kashau yeshiva next door.
The tony suburb is home to the likes of Martha Stewart, Ralph Lauren and Glenn Close.
"The complaints were not sufficient. Obviously, we deny all allegations," Chemero's lawyer, George Galgano, said Thursday.
Chemero used a Web site to advertise her wares, promising the house on four acres in New York's northern suburbs was "a place like no other. … There is something unique about serving your mistress in a home designed and appointed especially for her enjoyment".
[continued]
To read this entire article, go to: http://news.bostonherald.com/national/northeast/view.bg?articleid=187502 To respond, write to: letterstotheeditor@bostonherald.com
Albert W. Hsu Arrested For Soliciting, Rape and Abduction of Mistress on Internet Sex Site
by David Lohr
The Crime Library (CourtTV)
March 8, 2007
NORWALK, Conn. – A prominent businessman was arrested last week for impersonating his mistress and posting an ad on the Internet requesting someone abduct and rape her.
On Feb. 26, an unidentified woman notified the New Canaan Police Department that someone posing as her posted an explicit personal ad to an adult Internet Web site. When the woman guided investigators to the Web site, they were stunned by what they found.
The Web site was Collarme.com, a bondage and fetish site that hosts personal ads and offers users the ability to chat and communicate with one another. According to the Web site's homepage, the site is "the largest BDSM community on the planet." Long-time readers of Crime Library will recall that it was one of the adult Web sites abuser and wife-murderer, Woody Woodring, used when searching for a mistress.
When investigators viewed the ad, they were shocked to discover that it not only contained the woman's photograph and personal contact information, but it also listed her home and work addresses, motor vehicle license plate number and information on which train she takes to work everyday. The premise of the ad was even more surprising. According to police, the ad said the woman wanted to be "kidnapped and raped" as part of a sex fantasy. The ad also dictated that the respondent not make contact beforehand because it "would ruin the fantasy."
"We acted on it as quickly and as urgently as we could to protect the safety of the victim," Lt. David Bender told the Associated Press on Tuesday. "We felt she was in grave danger."
"Albert Hsu was charged with trafficking in personal identifying information, attempted kidnapping-first degree, attempted sexual assault-third degree, reckless endangerment-first degree, criminal impersonation, and harassment- second degree.
On Monday, Hsu was arraigned before Judge Barbara Bellis at state Superior Court. During the brief proceeding, Special Deputy Assistant State's Attorney, Ricki Goldstein, asked that the court increase Hsu's bond to $2 million dollars.
"The defendant set the victim up to be abducted and raped by a complete stranger," Goldstein said. "There is an admission; there was a confession to police officers." Goldstein also said Hsu was taking subscription psychotropic drugs and that he should be considered suicidal.
[continued]
To read this entire article, go to: http://www.crimelibrary.com/news/original/0307/0801_albert_hsu2.html To respond, write to: the author at crimewriter74@hughes.net
Polyamory: A build-your-own-love kit
by Glory Fink (opinion column "Pillow Talk")
The Student Printz (University of Southern Mississsippi)
March 8, 2007
The winds of change are blowing, my darlings. Already our country is preparing for the 2008 Presidential Campaign, China's stock exchange is affecting Wall Street and North Korea has agreed to neuter their nuclear program in exchange for banking privileges and food.
On a more local level, the face of suburbia is changing. More couples than ever are concluding that monogamy doesn't work for them, and they are doing something about it. No, they aren't getting divorced. In fact, mom and dad are getting a new girlfriend or boyfriend. Now, mom, dad and girlfriend/boyfriend are called polyamorous.
Polyamory is a new word to identify a type of romantic relationship older than marriage itself. Polyamory is best described as loving more than one. You may have heard of polygamy, which is a marriage involving one husband and multiple wives. Or even polyandry, a marriage with one wife and multiple husbands. HBO's "Big Love" and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett's open relationship aside, polyamory is not tied to marriage or even restricted to male or female dominated relationships.
Polyamory is not swinging where committed couples simply engage in recreational sex with other committed couples, nor is polyamory cheating. To cheat, someone must break the agreed upon rules of a relationship. In a polyamorous relationship everyone in the relationship not only knows about everyone else but also agrees to everyone's involvement and the rules of the relationship. Completely open and honest communication is the key to a successful relationship no matter if it is polyamorous or monogamous one.
Perhaps the idea of this relationship is not new to you. You may have already fantasized about being in a loving relationship where you weren't forced to choose between two wonderful people and jealousy wasn't the name of the game. Since Victorian times monogamy was held up not only as an ideal but as a moral imperative. The civilized world believed a person only had a limited amount of love to give, and so he or she should give all of that love to one person.
[continued]
To read this entire article, go to: http://media.www.studentprintz.com/media/storage/paper974/news/2007/03/08/Opinion/Pillow.Talk-2763041.shtml To respond, write to: printz@usm.com or comment at bottom of article
Kink hearing:
The pornographer's purchase of the Armory faces more roadblocks
by Deborah Giattina
San Francisco Bay Guardian
March 6, 2007
Despite the fact that a city planning official publicly stated that he saw no reason to block the sale of the San Francisco Armory to the online adult-content production company Kink.com, the Planning Department has scheduled an informational meeting to hear public comment about how the company's presence in the Mission District will impact the community.
The Mayor's Office called on the Planning Department to schedule the hearing, stating in a Jan. 29 press release, "While not wanting to be prudish, the fact that kink.com will be located in the proximity to a number of schools give [sic] us pause."
After 30 years of failed development proposals – from a mixed-use arts space in 1980 to a more recent proposal of market-rate condos – it seems the one buyer that can meet the Planning Department's strident zoning requirements and afford the cost of a seismic retrofit could potentially face an entirely different set of roadblocks.
After Kink's CEO and founder Peter Acworth announced in January his company's purchase of the languishing historical landmark from a private owner for $14.5 million, community groups complained that using the space to make bondage films would entice prostitutes and strange men to the vicinity of the building, located at the intersection of 14th and Mission streets.
The Mission Armory Community Collective (MACC) quickly formed and organized a protest in front of the Armory on Feb. 9 while, unknown to the group at the time, cameras were already rolling inside the vast Moorish fortress.
Among the approximately 50 protesters outside the Armory that drizzly, cold day was Valerie Tulier, a member of MACC and a longtime community activist who also works in state senator Carole Migden's office. Tulier told the Guardian at the protest, "What's bothersome is the arrogance of being able to think you can plop down this kind of business amidst a poor community of color that has vulnerable families and people who are in recovery programs…. There are no social or economic benefits for this community."
Last week Acworth e-mailed friends asking them to post support online at sites such as Tribe.net, explaining, "In order to prevent the city from attempting to rezone the Armory, it is important that we show up in force and that we outnumber the protestors."
It's unclear whether the Planning Department has any jurisdiction over the sale of the building in this case, since Kink meets the zoning requirement of heavy commercial use and plans to leave the overall structure of the national landmark intact.
Antonini said that rezoning is a possibility, since the Planning Commission is currently considering the Eastern Neighborhoods Plan update and has been scheduling a series of informational meetings on development plans, such as the Feb. 1 hearing on the Transbay Terminal project.
A Kink.com representative, vice president of marketing Reena Patel, told us the company looks forward to working with the community and that "Peter wants their insight.
[continued]
To read this entire article, go to: http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?page=2&entry_id=3027&catid=4&volume_id=254&issue_id=284&volume_num=41&issue_num=23 To respond, write to: comment at bottom of article
Weirton Officials Say Alternative Mansion Must Close
by Renee Cardelli and Natalie Pasquarella
WTOV TV (Steubenville OH – Wheeling WV)
March 6, 2007
Weirton officials have rejected an appeal from an alternative bed-and-breakfast and upheld a decision to revoke its business license.
On its website, Rosemont Manor offers to cater to wedding receptions and parties. But another website advertises the same building as House on the Hill, which hosts alternative lifestyles like swingers, nudists and S&M.
The board said the property the mansion sits on is zoned as residential and is not allowed to be used for adult-themed parties and activities. The board said the type of business she conducted was not what she stated on her permit.
Rose Susko, owner of the mansion, went before the board on Tuesday to appeal a previous decision that she was in violation of code.
The Weirton Zoning Board unanimously decided to deny Susko's appeal and said the establishment was in violation of zoning code.
Susko said, "To have my zoning permit taken away and my license renewed because of this is simply wrong."
Bob Mvros of the Weirton Zoning Board said there were no moral issues involved.
"Alternative lifestyles didn't bring anything into it. All it was is that (Susko) was doing more than she stated she was going to do," Mvros said.
[continued]
To read this entire article, go to: http://www.wtov9.com/news/11185456/detail.html To respond, write to: the editors at tmccaoy@wtov.com
'Perv' Set Up Ex to be Raped
by Jana Winter, Roddy Boyd, and Kate Sheehy
The New York Post
March 6, 2007
A renowned hedge-fund honcho hatched a heinous revenge plot against his former mistress by posing as her on the Internet – saying she wanted to be kidnapped and raped as part of a sicko sex fantasy, officials said yesterday.
Albert Hsu, 43, a wealthy, married dad of two and former Cub Scout leader, posted his fiendish ad on a hardcore, S&M Web site, Connecticut authorities said.
He allegedly included the woman's name, photo, address, license-plate number, train schedule to and from work and even the rail car she usually sits in.
"The defendant set the victim up to be abducted and raped by a complete stranger," prosecutor Ricki Goldstein said in Norwalk, Conn., Superior Court.
Hsu, who co-founded Anchor Point Capital in New York City after overseeing billions in investments for everyone from Xerox to Atlantic Philanthropies, meticulously planned the scheme down to the last detail, officials said.
Posing as his ex in the "ad," he allegedly begged anyone responding to not contact her or give her a head's-up before the attack because it "would ruin the fantasy" for her.
His motive appeared simply to be pure "hate," Goldstein said.
She said Hsu had already lined up one potential attacker and has confessed to the crime.
His evil plan came to light after his unidentified victim alerted authorities to the terrifying posting about her on www.collarme.com Feb. 26, authorities said.
The money man's court-appointed lawyer, Dawn Bradanini, said her client was "thoroughly embarrassed by this."
She asked for a lower bond "based on the lack of history of a serious nature."
Goldstein said Hsu had previously been charged with assaulting his wife. A bail official added that he has a history of mental problems and is on medication . He was placed on suicide watch.
[continued]
To read this entire article, go to: http://www.nypost.com/seven/03062007/news/regionalnews/perv_set_up_ex_to_be_raped_regionalnews_jana_winter__roddy_boyd__kate_sheehy.htm To respond, write to: the author at jana.winter@nypost.com or the editors at letters@nypost.com
HOW TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Feedback letters are an effective way to convey a positive image of alternate sexual practices such as SM, swinging, or polyamory. You can help to correct negative social myths and misconceptions about these types of practices. These letters help achieve the advocacy goals of the NCSF.
Generally, for a letter to be published, it's important to include your name (or first initial, last name), city and daytime phone (for verification only). For more information, see: https://ncsfreedom.org/media/writelettertoeditor.htm
Please alert us to positive, negative or neutral stories about SM, swinging and polyamory at media@ncsfreedom.org