By Sandra Guy, sguy@suntimes.com

CNA Financial Corp. is laying off about half of its Information Technology staff, while Playboy Enterprises says it will continue to cut staff at the same time it hires new employees in its new-media operations.

CNA Financial will let go 320 of its 750-employee IT department over the next 90 days, a company spokeswoman confirmed Monday.

The work that the employees did is being hired out to three companies, but CNA Financial said the shift isn’t pure outsourcing because CNA will keep “key skills” in-house and will share risks and accountability with the contract companies taking over the work.

About 10 percent of the 320 people being laid off have accepted employment offers with one of the contracting companies.

Playboy, whose work force of 573 compares with 651 a year ago and more than 800 two years ago, must still reduce its cost structure, even as it boosts hiring in its new-media and social-networking operations, a company spokesman said.

The company last week reported a first-quarter loss of $1 million, a marked improvement from a year-earlier $13.7-million loss in the same period.

Photo of Keylee Parker provided by affiliate program Playboy Webmasters

A serious issue of concern has been brought to our attention which could have a significant negative impact on your business and ours. We feel that this issue is important enough to contact you and ask your assistance in this matter. From all of us at AEBN, we sincerely thank you for your consideration of this matter and your support of our attempts to fight the .xxx sTLD.

The Issue: Proposed .XXX sTLD
ICM Registry has applied for and upon denial has now petitioned ICANN (International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) for a “sponsored” Top-Level Domain (sTLD). This sTLD would be adult industry business only as opposed to a “general” Top Level Domain (gTLD) which anyone can obtain. This may seem attractive at first, BUT there are a number of reasons this could be harmful to our industry.

First, if a business doesn’t purchase the .XXX counterpart to their .com domain names they run the risk of losing traffic and facing brand confusion or domain squatters. Sixty dollars per year is not a big deal if a business wants to protect one domain name, but for those who own multiple domain names and operate multiple sites this is extremely costly. Another expense would be the cost of defending your domain name should someone else purchase it or having to pay a premium to a domain squatter. Second, the Free Speech Coalition has informed us that a bill has already been written by the United States Congress anticipating the approval of the .XXX sTLD and was to be introduced at the federal level mandating that adult businesses be relegated to ONLY a .XXX sTLD. Without a .XXX sTLD the US Government has no way to regulate the commercial speech of the adult entertainment industry in the internet. With a .XXX sTLD the US Government can effectively regulate the speech by using ‘internet zoning’ laws similar to the ones used to drive brick and mortar adult bookstores out of business. Granted, it would have been a long process before it made it to law (if ever), however, it is a compelling example of the significant potential for censorship with a .XXX sTLD.

Another difference between a sponsored TLD and a general TLD is that a sponsored TLD is accompanied by a policy-making entity. In the case of .XXX the policy making entity is IFFOR (International Foundation for Online Responsibility) and its very name insinuates the adult entertainment industry is irresponsible. The board of IFFOR will be selected by a nominating committee put in place by ICM, the entity that is petitioning for the sTLD. ICM is run by Stuart Lawley, a person without any ties to, or knowledge of, the adult industry. Many adult industry folks may remember Stuart from an XBiz conference 3 years ago where he looked down at the audience of adult industry professionals and proudly stated that he was NOT part of the adult entertainment industry. Moreover, Lawley has stated that he will use this TLD to clean up some of the business practices of our dirty little industry. Lawley knows nothing about the industry or the people in it yet, he will oversee the selection of a board to develop policy and regulate the .XXX sTLD. He could easily obtain a gTLD, but is only interested in the sTLD complete with his policy making entity.

In order to qualify for the.XXX sTLD, Mr Lawley has to have broad-based support from the sponsorship community which is the adult entertainment industry. We do not believe he has that support, yet he is telling ICANN that he does. ICANN is trying to determine how to proceed and has put the process up for public comment. It is imperative that the adult community tell ICANN that we do not support ICM’s .XXX sTLD.

How you can help
AEBN is asking all of its affiliates to submit a public comment. It is extremely easy and should take less than 2 minutes. Please follow the instructions below and submit your comment. The comment period closes May 10th so please submit your comment today.

Here’s what you can do to help:
Go to: http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/#icm-options-report
Click on “Add a comment” in the bottom left of the screen (this should take you to an email with the recipient filled in, but if it does not, the email address is icm-options-report@icann.org).
Write “Choose option # 3″ or “Deny .XXX sTLD” or something similar in the subject line.
Cut and paste the Email Text below into the body of the email.
If you are comfortable, sign your name and company name for added emphasis.
Click “send” and pat yourself on the back for being part of a dynamic group working to defeat ICM’s .XXX sTLD.
Send this information to other industry professionals; we need everyone’s help!
Email Text:

As an affiliate program for the adult entertainment industry, my business’ foundation is internet based. If ICM’s application were granted and a .XXX sTLD were to be created it would negatively impact my business. Also it would put ICANN in the position of creating an entity to impose regulations and policy for the adult entertainment community-a situation that could easily stifle what is now a robust adult entertainment internet presence.

I do not support the creation of a .XXX sTLD and believe that the ICANN Board was well within its rights to deny ICM’s application in the 2007 Board meeting in Lisbon.

It is imperative that ICANN consider the widespread opposition from the adult entertainment community to a .XXX sTLD as it makes its decision. For that reason, I support Option # 3 of the March 26, 2010 process options submitted by ICANN for public comment.

If you wish to elaborate:

Feel free to elaborate, if you like. Please be reasonably courteous and businesslike, as this is an international policy forum.

For questions or for more information you may contact Diane Duke at: diane@freespeechcoaltion.com and tell her you are an AEBN affiliate. She would be happy to provide more information about this very serious issue.

One of the biggest names in the industry, Collin O’Neal has signed a partnership agreement with renowned affiliate program My Gay Cash nominated for best affiliate program.

Collin O’Neal, the owner, producer and global porn super star for Collin O’Neal’s World of Men is expanding his world quest for the best looking, exclusive and exotic REAL GAY MEN that made the brand so popular with members. With this partnership, Collin has chosen to spend less time on administrative tasks and marketing so that he can focus all of his efforts on travelling the world and producing breathtaking videos of REAL GAY MEN AND LOVING IT! It is with this in mind, Collin has formed an alliance with My Gay Cash, an affiliate program which specializes in membership sites and online marketing, to promote and maintain his web site: Collin O’Neal’s World of Men.

Collin O’Neal president of Collin O’Neal Productions said ‘’I am already getting ready for my next global trip to find the hottest guys that I can from all different corners of the world. Sometimes travelling so much is a real pain in my ass, but I love to find unique new talent! Anyways, I am really excited to go on this next content production trip and be able to leave my site in the hands of My Gay Cash and know that they will always have the site’s best interest at heart.’’

‘’This is a very exciting time for both organizations. It really is a perfect fit for us since many of our affiliates have thirsty traffic for porn stars, mature men, and exclusive content and we all know that Collin really does deliver outstanding scenes in these niches. Collin’s brand and our marketing program are bound to show that the industry is alive and kicking!’’, said Roger McMan manager partner at My Gay Cash.

Collin O’Neal has been directing and producing for over 6 years which has lead to many awards. Collin’s content fits the very popular niche called Pro-Am, which brings a bit of a professional lighting to amateur to ensure the consumer doesn’t miss any of the action. Collin will continue to produce content while My Gay Cash will take the online marketing lead, migrate the site to a new platform and also merge his affiliate program under My Gay Cash.

‘’Collin O’Neal’s World Of Men will migrate to a new membership platform which will offer members the same great video quality while getting more options and features. Affiliates will also benefit from the migration to My Gay Cash. Our program offers the most diversified tools in the industry and we keep developing new ones. The promotion of Collin O’Neal can be done, just to name a few, via hosted blogs, rss feeds, tube tools, and an outstanding collection of free content. Webmasters will, moreover, benefit from this new platform as it will permit the cookies to have a better shelf value hence increasing their revenue per click,’’ affirms Bianca MGC, Managing partner at My Gay Cash.

PORN WEBMASTERS CLICK HERE!

PROGRAM FACTS:
50% rev share for life (up to $55/sale)
10% webmaster referrals
excellent retention ratio (90+% of our customers are satisfied with the site!)
Converts 1/14 with TheBestPorn!
Niches including: Teens, HIGH DEFINITION, Squirting, Lesbians, Softcore, Fetish (cameltoe,speculum,anal gapes), Close-Ups
No cross sales, popups or exit consoles
Our cookies expire after 5 days (most sites set this value to 1 day)
Leak Free Tour

18CloseUp is dedicated to the up-close examination of beautiful teen bodies! Our camera explore their most intimate parts in extreme close up as they masturbate and orgasm… You’ll see every details of the perfect girl next-door’s pussy as she gets aroused, how her pussy gets soaking wet with every new drop of pussy juice, how her vagina muscles are squeezing intensely when she orgasms… You’ll explore every square inch of the most beautiful teens from the wide shot to the extreme close up, as they reveal their most intimate parts and masturbate. You’ll see our models stretch their pussy to the limit, examine the perfect curves of a beautiful face or a round and firm ass, watch their tits getting hard, or how sensitive a girl’s clit is when it contracts of pleasure. You’ll be stunned by these sexy 18yo inserting all sorts of toys in their ass and pussy, revealing their gaping pussies and assholes… All this in real 1080p full HD! PORN WEBMASTERS SIGN UP TODAY!

Article by Laura Vozzella

The converted U-Haul truck advertising Flynt’s Hustler Club is outfitted with a Plexiglas box, sort of like the Popemobile. But this vehicle is outfitted with a stripper’s pole and a bunch of itsy-bitsy-bikini-clad dancers doing – what else? – pole dancing. It was last seen rolling around Camden Yards as a game was letting out, treating fans to more action than the Orioles seem capable of providing.

Marc Felizzi of Wilmington, Del. was leaving the ballpark with his wife and two young sons when they came across burlesque on wheels.

“My 9-year-old said, ‘Look at that!’” Felizzi told me by phone this week. “And there it was, big as day.”

The post-game analysis that usually fills the family’s ride back to Wilmington was replaced by an advanced lesson in birds and bees.

“We spent a great deal of time on the ride home explaining why people dance in ‘gentlemen’s clubs’ and why people patronize them,” Felizzi wrote in a letter to the editor that appeared in The Sun. “I would have liked to have done so when my sons were a bit older, but apparently the city of Baltimore feels it’s their and the strip clubs’ responsibility to educate our pre-teens about easy access to sexual activity.”

City strip joints have long trolled for customers outside the stadiums after Orioles and Ravens games with shuttle buses that carry dancers inside. The stripper-mobile takes that come-hither marketing to the next level by putting the show on the road. Granted, the dancers keep their bikinis on, but I’m told their moves are as raunchy as any inside a darkened club.

Photo of porn star Angelina Valentine brought by affiliate program Hustler Cash

PLus, earn 15 percent webmaster referral on new webmasters that sign up under you.To make all this happen, you have to first become a WCM Partner by signing up. You will be given the exact affiliate code by CCBILL. Then set the CCBILL affiliate cookie on our site. We’ve listened to your requests, and are proud to present V.3! More support, more options, more features, more money! WCM affiliate program wants YOU to share in any money made from the sales to our websites! PORN WEBMASTERS CLICK HERE!

Playboy Inc. is celebrating their 50th year of the famous Playboy Bunny and of the Playboy Club which opened in Chicago Feb. 29th, 1960.

Playboy opened its newest club in 1964, in Los Angeles on the Sunset Strip. I became a Playboy Key Club member in 1965, and became known as a regular at the Playboy Club when it was on the Sunset Strip and also when it moved to its Century City location. Over the years that I attended the club, I became friends with some of the world’s most beautiful Bunnies. Later, as each Bunny retired, and after the clubs closed, I eventually lost contact with each of them. I often wonder what happened to the Bunnies with whom I had become friends and what they are doing today. I am currently in my early seventies, so the Bunnies I knew would today, be in their sixties. Full article

Photo provided by Playboy affiliate program. Porn webmasters CLICK HERE and make money with porn sponsor.

NEW MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES
We’re in the process of updating our membership prices. Visitors will be able to buy single-site memberships for a lower price again. Also, trial membership, and yearly memberships will be added! We’re expecting great results from the updated packages, which means more sales & income for you as well! We’ll keep you updated!

PAYSERVE
Are you looking for more websites to promote? We recommend you to check out our friends from Payserve. Besides there famous brand “Seventeen” they have tons of high quality exclusive niche sites which will convert great with your traffic. Payserve is a solid company that has been around forever, which offers you great promo material, good conversions and great retention.

Signup HERE and start making extra money today!

FREE HOSTED GALLERIES
Now in the new NATS4 link code format! These are Free Hosted Galleries, and they already include your own user ID. All you have to do is drive traffic to them. The clicks and signups will show up under your account. You don’t need to wait for our weekly newsletter to grab the fresh galleries. They can be found under PROMO TOOLS on DDF Cash. Click the SHOW AD TOOLS button, then select the Pics/Movies link of the paysite. Affiliates CLICK HERE for more porn resources.