TotallyOz

Are there fewer tourists? Bars empty or they are doing fine?

NEW YORK (CNN) -- New York authorities indicted seven people accused of running a prostitution ring on the Web site Craigslist, the state's attorney general announced Wednesday. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office said the group ran a 24-hour prostitution ring called Room Service Entertainment from Craigslist's erotic services section from June 2007 to December 2008. The 47-count indictment unsealed Wednesday named the company's co-owners as Scott Rosenberg, 45, and Josef Davenport, 31. Five women also were named in the indictment, identified as bookers for the alleged prostitution ring. The five women named in the indictment were identified as Patricia Krupa, Joanna Mercado, Sylvia Soto, Lina Vazquez and Barbara Morris. It was not immediately known if those charged had hired legal counsel. Five of the defendants appeared in court Wednesday afternoon, Cuomo's office said. Authorities are still searching for two, who have not yet been arrested. It was not immediately clear which two had not been arrested. Craigslist, an online classified-ad site, was the "sole vehicle through which the company operated," Cuomo's office said. Room Service Entertainment posted advertisements for its services every day on Craigslist's erotic services section, the indictment said. The bookers for the company "continuously created and posted prostitution advertisements on Craigslist's erotic services section because the more current the post, the more prominently the ad was featured on Craigslist," the statement from Cuomo's office said. The advertisements contained either a pornographic or semipornographic photograph and a phone number to call to "arrange a date." The bookers used codes for its services when potential "johns" called: "GFE" for "girlfriend experience" or "skiing" and "rock climbing" for drugs, Cuomo's office said. While Room Service Entertainment was running, it employed 10 drivers and 16 prostitutes on "any given day," according to the indictment. Over the course of its existence, 20 to 30 prostitutes and drivers were employed by Room Service Entertainment, the indictment said. The "johns" paid for sex by cash or by credit card, and Room Service Entertainment masked the credit card transactions through a Chase merchant account, the indictment alleged. The charges were purported to be for magicians, clowns, balloons or disc jockeys, it said. If convicted on the top count of enterprise corruption, all could face up to 25 years in prison, Cuomo's office said. "Until Craigslist gets serious about putting real protections in place, it will continue to be an environment where criminal operations thrive with impunity," Cuomo said in a written statement. "Even after so-called reform of the Web site last fall, this prostitution ring easily gamed the system and allegedly used Craigslist to spread its illegal operation throughout all five boroughs and beyond." Craigslist chief executive Jim Buckmaster released a statement saying the activities took place in 2008, "well before Craigslist eliminated erotic services and commenced manual screening of all ads posted to adult services." Craigslist representatives met in New York last week the attorneys general of Connecticut, Missouri and Illinois, all of whom asked the company to shut down its "erotic services" sections in their states. Following the meeting Craigslist said it would replace its controversial "erotic services" listings with a new section where sex-related ads will be checked by Craigslist employees before posting. Buckmaster said the new measures have driven the advertisements to other services. http://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/05/20/cr...tion/index.html

I have a few postal address in USA for business. Usually once a month, I have them all sent to me. A lot of the shit is junk mail and solicitations. A friend uses this service and loves it. It may be a good idea for any of you in Thailand who still need a USA address but with no one to pick up the mail for you. http://www.earthclassmail.com/

I watched Choi in interviews and was very impressed with him. I think he is a good representation for the fight of ending the policy. I give our service men more credit than their superiors do.

Great article! Thanks. Don't forget. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dQiLH27BxY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLWAFr4TcIs&NR=1 And, don't forget one of my favorite kisses while short and not lots of tongue, very sweet:

Looks like Chris won. I was not surprised but I was disappointed.

On a past job, before pimp or pornographer, I had a "regular" job. When I left, the staff threw me a party. They did not know I was leaving to start an escort business. They thought I was taking a new position in the legal field. They gave me a book, Oh the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss. They have filled the covers from front to back with little notes and wishes. I walked into Target the other day and saw the book on the stand. I had to take it out to read it. They were right. I have really traveled to many places that I never dreamed possible. I grew up poor white trailer park in the deep south with no one in my family ever venturing out of the state. Now, I really have been able to live a great life. Watching Cher on stage for the umpteenth time really made me think back to the book and the places I have been and still want to go. My first trips to Montreal with Marc Anthony, Tampa Yankee and Firecat are the ones that got me started with the travel fever. My first trip with Hooboy to Brazil sealed my fate. My first boyfriend in Thailand made sure that I would be back yearly until I am dead. My first time with Stefan LaCoste in Paris and eating some chocolate pastries every morning helped me to love Paris even more. My visit to Prague and Italy with a young lad from Campus Escorts in NYC helped me to love Italian food ever more than I dreamed possible. My last bike ride in Thailand from Chiang Mai to Phuket was a 30 day adventure. While the travel bug still has it hold on me, the plans have changed as to the way I adventure. I still love the saunas of Rio and Hanging out with BigDaddy in Sao Paulo but I now want to see other sides to the places I have grown to love. I want to go to the Holy Lands. It has been a dream. To be honest, I have been afraid but it was the first place I had ever wanted to visit as a young boy. I also want to go to Africa and spend time roaming around there. I don't want the 5 star hotels of either place but to find a way to see it like the locals see it. Where are some places you have been that have made your life history better? Where are some places that you are still dreaming about?

I am sure you did not mean it this way, but this reminded me of Separate but Equal. That was not right and neither is the question of marriage between two people of the same sex IMHO. Like I said, I'll never have a pony in this race.

I saw Cher in concert this week. I really enjoyed it. I loved the crowd and as always she has her share of gays. It was a striking difference in ages of the couples I saw. The MAJORITY were one older and one younger. Very noticeably. Not just random but a striking majority. Has this now become mainstream? Is this the true new trend? Is it just that the tickets are expensive and mostly successful couples can afford them?

Fund raising is very slow. But, the training has been going great. I did several weeks in LA and am now in Nevada and Utah and biking about 30 miles a day. I did one 50 mile day last week and it was a killer. I am sure the 100 mile days are going to be a swift kick in the ass. Last week I did a nice 30 mile ride in 100 degree weather. So, I am looking forward to the milder climate of California, especially at the beginning near SF. Looking forward to meeting you as well. My friends tell me I should be skinny as hell with all this riding. LOL What I fail to mention is that I also eat like your average friendly bear.

Can't wait to see you on the ride. Lunch ey? Can I get an order in early so it is prepared to my liking?

Conway, I am the last one that should give my opinion as I know I'll never have a marriage for a gay guy in the USA. But, I did like the way the Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon said: Now the main argument I hear against legalizing same-sex marriage is that in some way this will forever alter and mar traditional marriage, and what I want to know is: How? How will my girlfriend and I getting married have any affect on you and your wife, or you and your husband sitting at home? I also hear that the right to legal same-sex marriage is seen as an attack on traditional marriage, and I want to say that you are not the ones being attacked, we are. And please believe I'm not being flippant when I say this: The right to marry is about us, it is not about you, any more than the fight for integration was about white people, or a women's right to vote was about men. It is only about you to the extent that you have to live with yourself knowing that you are depriving a significant portion of the population their basic civil rights. http://www.afterellen.com/people/2009/5/cynthia-nixon

Thanks for this Lucky. Loved the article. I know of other gay parades in the gay friendliest place on earth, Thailand, that were canceled this year because of opposition. Glad that things are growing in Cambodia.

The guys are cute. Think any will arrive in Pattaya anytime? http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/200...ay-crowned.html

LOL. That is one of the funniest things I have read on this forum. Thanks. I use to sneak a peak at my sister's mags when we were kids. Of course, I think it was David Cassidy and Donnie Osmond back then. But, still enjoyable. What a bitch. Damm. She was harsh!

I saw the final season show of Prison Break and enjoyed it. The show is one of my favorites. The last few episodes I have not been able to keep up with in any way. It just changed things so fast I my mind felt like it was on a roller coaster. Even with that, I enjoyed the season. But, what of the last scene? Does this mean he is leaving the show? Was this the series final episode?

I really enjoyed the new Trek movie. I was entertained and it was really a joy to see. TY: I hated Taken. Not for me in the least even though I went and wanted to enjoy it. I just didn't.

I just finished Basketball Jones on my Kindle. I enjoyed it even thought it was not the best written work I have read. It did keep my interest and it was an easy read. I am trying to find other gay themed books of fiction. Any suggestions?

I have the opportunity to see a few shows in Vegas. I have tickets for Cher that I was given by my hotel so that is one night. I want to see Beatles Love and maybe one more. Any suggestions of new things out in the last year that is a must see? What about Chris Angels new production? Any new boys in town I should say hi to ?

When I first read t his I opened expecting to see a pic of me. Whew! Glad it was not.

Do you ever get tired of the same story time and time again? I am able to keep a phone for years without messing it up. How is it possible the BF has constant issues? He didn't ask for a new one, or even to help repair the old one, he just wanted to let me know.

This is one trip I have dreamed of for years and want to try it this year. I met some ladies that I befriended in LA who are from Kuwait. They say the gay scene there is great and that I would love the men. So, I'll visit them. While in the neighborhood, I want to visit Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. I have never been to either. Any suggestions on must sees? I am not looking for boys on this trip but to have a real cultural experience.

Can't believe they gave in. I am really shocked.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/newsbeat...000/7961224.stm

Excellent. Thank you for posting. That Perez Hilton's site is very popular. I didn't know he was that big. I have always enjoyed his stuff but didn't know the site was one of the top in the USA.