Elizabeth Taylor was a frequent visitor to West Hollywood gay bar The Abbey in recent years, and the bar has set up a shrine in her name, and is planning a special this weekend, TMZ reports:

“We’re told the bar’s offering a special drink in Liz’s memory this weekend … and they’re donating ALL the proceeds to Elizabeth’s AIDS foundation. It’s called the ‘Blue Velvet Martini’ — which they picked in honor of her role in the 1944 hit ‘National Velvet’ — and if you wanna try out their recipe … it’s made with Blue Angel vodka and blueberry schnapps. Sources at the bar tell TMZ, regulars have been adding to the shrine non-stop since Elizabeth passed — sending flowers and gifts since yesterday morning.”

California to create new rules for condoms in adult films
by Jessica Geen PINK NEWS

New rules are being drafted for condoms in porn films Health and safety officials in California are drafting new rules on the use of condoms in adult films. Officials for California’s Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) met last week and it was announced that new safety amendments to the state’s Bloodborne Pathogens Statute are being drafted.

The new rules would strengthen workplace safety requirements, although the wording of the proposed amendments has not yet been released. They are expected to be presented at a Cal/OSHA advisory meeting in June.

In October, 24-year-old porn actor Derrick Burts contracted HIV after working on gay and straight adult film sets. He has since called for condoms to be made compulsory across the industry.

The straight porn industry currently requires performers to be tested regularly and checks them against a database called AIM but this is not a requirement in gay porn.

Condoms are normally used but there is still a market for bareback films.

According to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Los Angeles public health statistics say that workers in the adult film industry are ten times more likely to be infected with a sexually transmitted disease than the general public.

Up to 25 cases of HIV are said to have been found in adult film actors since 2004.

Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, commented: “This is the first time the public has heard of Cal/OSHA’s plans to draft and introduce what [we see] are much-needed safety amendments to California’s Bloodborne Pathogens Statute in order to better protect workers and performers in the adult film industry.

“As a global HIV and STD medical care provider, we’ve seen it as our duty to pursue action on this issue of safety in the workplace.”

Hey dudes… here’s a story close to Sgt. Coach’s heart… Locker Room Etiquette (for which I have none). When my dick says “NOW Buddy” I respond… if there’s an audience… FUCK YEAH. Here’s a story from Queerty. What do you think of all this?

We all know ABC News’ What Would You Do? cameras are willing to film people’s reactions to seeing two affectionate male soldiers or a father attacking his son for being gay. But what I’d really like to see if those cameras inside a gym locker room, finding out how people react to seeing other guys screwing around in the showers and steam room. In London, two men were just arrested for doing just that in the sauna at a Virgin Active gym; they’ve been charged with “outraging public decency” after employees rang the cops.

Now I know plenty of other gay guys (some are my best friends) who engage in locker room activities. Some are more discreet than others, choosing to play only behind enclosed shower stalls, while others don’t care if there’s a hand under their towel in full display of others taking a steam. And I also have plenty of friends who, while they don’t take part in locker room play, have no problem with it — so long as it doesn’t impact their ability to shower, shave, and change. Others aren’t so accommodating. (One friend repeatedly reports locker room play to his gym’s management.)

So I’ll pose the question to Queerty readers: Is cruising in the locker room something to be tolerated (or even encouraged), or cracked down on? Does it matter of the gym is in a gayborhood, or obviously caters to a gay clientele? Should we insist those who get caught be arrested? At the very least, lose their gym memberships? Does it harm The Gays’ reputation, or should that not matter? Maybe it’s just an innocent pastime we should honor and, if we don’t like it, ignore?

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