Destination weddings of same-sex couples is on the rise, according to ASK ME, a hotel sales and marketing company. In the last three years, the company has seen a 75% increase in Caribbean destination weddings for same sex couples. ASK ME has also seen a keen interest among hotels to welcome these couples. From taking the plunge with an underwater wedding to saying “I Do” at a beach-front all-inclusive resort, these hotels make tying the knot easy, fun, and affordable regardless of ones sexual orientation. Destination wedding packages start at $ 1,299.

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Blond-haired, blue-eyed Mark Okun knew from an early age that he was adopted, raised by short, European Jews. This new memoir details the exploits and struggles of a flamboyant and rebellious gay man whose good looks opened doors into a world of partying, drugs, sex, and rock and roll in the 1970s and 80s in New York City, Fire Island and Miami. As the AIDS epidemic hits, Okun uses the values instilled by his loving parents to find strength to survive. A decision to become sober and healthy eventually leads to a reunion with his biological family at age 42 on a television show.

A Short Jew in the Body of a Tall W.A.S.P.: A Gay Melodrama in 13 Acts details the authors childhood in Syracuse listening to stories from his Russian grandmother, hanging out with the hippies who begin showing up in 1967 by the university and running away at age 13 to Los Angeles. He ends up back home but hasnt lost his rebellious ways, cutting class and working backstage to meet musicians like Led Zeppelin and Janis Joplin. A haircut at an expensive salon in New York City inspires Okun to begin cutting hair at age 16. He attends beauty school full time and moves to New York City after graduation to begin his career.

Ups and downs lead to him moving back to Syracuse, and he comes out to his mother and becomes close to his father. He eventually moves back to New York, and his hairstyling career begins to take off. It takes hitting rock bottom and losing friends to AIDS several years later to lead Okun to AA and a sober lifestyle. Life begins to improve when he buys a boat and hangs out with the Jewish navy on Fire Island. In the wake of family tragedy, he has an unexpected encounter at an AA meeting that will change his life. A friend helps him track down his biological family, and he re-invigorates his career. This no-holds-barred memoir will resonate with anyone who has struggled or watched loved ones struggle with their role in the world and reveals the importance of love no matter what form it takes.

Author Mark Okun, who grew up in Syracuse, is a hairdresser with clients in Miami, Palm Beach and Memphis. His salon is in New York City. He and his partner of 17 years, John Wendell, live in Jersey City. Co-author Hillary Brower, a lawyer focusing on criminal defense and family law, has a law degree from Brooklyn Law School and is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey. Her career has inspired her to write short stories based on her experiences.

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For additional information, please visit http://www.MarkOkunBooks.com.

A Short Jew in the Body of a Tall W.A.S.P.: A Gay Melodrama in 13 Acts

Mark Okun and Hillary Brower

Dog Ear Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-4575-1736-5

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In April, bestselling romance author Susan Mallery invited her fans to try out for the Fools Gold Varsity Cheerleading squad, a group of super fans who earn points and win prizes for creating buzz in their hometown about Mallerys book series, the Fools Gold romances. The women who comprise the squad are regular women wives, moms, college students, retirees with a strong sense of fun and a passion for reading.

Im blessed with the most enthusiastic readers in the world, Mallery says. Hundreds of fans tried out for the squad. Of course, it helps that I dont ask them to wear short skirts or do the splits. All they have to do is talk about books to other readers, and they love it!

The Fools Gold Varsity Cheerleaders are, in essence, a street team, the hottest thing in book marketing.

I have always felt that the best form of marketing was when one reader presses my book into the hands of another and says, You will love this. I wanted to find a way to capture that and to reward it, Mallery says. This is the third year, and we have a number of women who have been on the squad since the beginning. Theyre having a lot of fun, and thats what its all about.

Mallery provides bookmarks, excerpt booklets, and temporary tattoos, which the women use as tools to start conversations wherever they are. The Fools Gold Cheerleaders earn points for every conversation, and they win prizes such as tote bags, visors, beaded purse charms, gift cards, pizza parties and more. But the best prizes by far, the Cheerleaders say, are the friendships they form with each other and with their favorite author.

Announcing the 2013 Fools Gold Cheerleaders:

Alisha W – Bentonville , AR

Allyson B – Roxboro , NC

Amanda W – Tifton , GA

Amy O – Chattanooga , TN

Andrea C – Elkins , WV

Angela M – Evans , GA

Anna B – Yankton , SD

April P – Las Vegas , NV

Beccie W – Wynnewood , OK

Brenda R – Tulsa , OK

Carey S – Terre Haute , IN

Charity G – Medina , NY

Charlotte S – San Antonio , TX

Darla P – Crown Point , IN

Deborah O – Hollywood , FL

Dee M – Kansas City , MO

Denise R – Carlsbad , CA

Denise H – Bel Air , MD

Dollie W – Metairie , LA

Donna K – Springfield , NJ

Donnita S – Cumberland City , TN

Dyan C – Miami , FL

Emily C – Alexandria , VA

Fran H – Noblesville , IN

Gabrielle L – Chicago , IL

Gay H – Collinsville , IL

Jackie D – Panama City , FL

Jamie H – Hartsville , SC

Janis P – Milwaukee , WI

Jayme M – Berea , KY

Jeanette B – Killeen , TX

Jennifer M – Modesto , CA

Jessicca H – Lansing , MI

JoAnne W – Trumbull , CT

Judie B – Sarasota , FL

Julie B – Portsmouth , RI

Karen K – Littleton , MA

Katharine P – Nampa , ID

Kendra O – Flushing , MI

Kerri W – Houston , TX

Kim C – Douglasville , GA

Kortney J – Schofield , WI

Leanne J – Lees summit , MO

Lesley L – Mechanicsville , VA

Linda S – Collinsville , CT

Lisa G – Franklin , KY

Lora R – Moody , AL

Lori H – Irving , TX

Madison F – Chicago , IL

Maria S – Mechanicsburg , PA

Mary G – Amherst , MA

Melissa S – Chandler , AZ

Melissa M – Cedar Rapids , IA

Melissa G – Butler , PA

Michele R – Myrtle Beach , SC

Millie S – Marlton , NJ

Molly M – Milwaukie , OR

Nancy R – Norfolk , VA

Pamela O – Papillion , NE

Patsy T – Thornton , CO

Paulette W – Chardon , OH

Peggy C – DuBuque , IA

Perrin L – Morgan Hill , CA

Philomena D – White Plains , NY

Rebecca S – North Canton , OH

Robin S – Greensboro , NC

Shannon F – Glassboro , NJ

Shannon C – Reno , NV

Shannon H – Pickerington , OH

Shari B – Derby , KS

Sharon B – Albuquerque , NM

Stacey C – Wake Forest , NC

Stef M – Perkasie , PA

Stephanie G – Bellingham , WA

Susan U – Valencia , CA

Suzette R – Bismarck , ND

Suzie Q – Maurice , LA

Tanya C – Voorheesville , NY

Tiffany S – Columbia , MO

Wendy K – Macclesfield , NC

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OnSpeedDating.com, the most ambitious dating service to hit the concrete grid, will host their first-ever Laugh & Love Speed Dating event on Monday, May 6th at Gramercy hot spot The Watering Hole (wateringholenyc.com).

Women looking to meet a guy that makes them laugh will have their pick of the citys single professional and amateur comedians at what is sure to be a LOL singles event.

Steve Carrell, Ricky Gervais, and Vince Vaughn may not be the most traditionally attractive men, but despite this millions of women find them unbelievably sexy, explains OnSpeedDating Co-Founder Amber Soletti. You really can’t go wrong with a man that makes you laugh and this insight was the catalyst that inspired this new singles event theme.

Upon arriving to the venue at 7:00pm, single stand-up comedians will attempt to impress women with their comic wiles as they perform three to five minute speed comedy sets. The men will then have the chance to seal the deal with the ladies theyre courting via a round of three-minute speed dates.

WHAT: Laugh & Love Speed Dating

DATE: Monday, May 6th 2013

START TIME: 7:00 pm

WHERE: The Watering Hole 106 E 19th Street, New York City

REGISTRATION & COST: Singles interested in attending can register at OnSpeedDating.com for $ 35.00

OnSpeedDating is an innovative dating service created for savvy, swinging, city-dwelling singles who are tired of events geared to traditional criteria, like age range, income and personality IQ. What sets OnSpeedDating.com apart is its ability to foster personal connections through super niche singles events themed around peoples dating “deal-breakers”; think physical preferences, political views, backgrounds, interests and even fetishes.

This online dating service produces singles parties, networking events, speed dating, wine tastings, dating advice and much more for singles of all orientations across Manhattan and the five boroughs.

OnSpeedDating.com is a division of One Stop Singles LLC, which offers larger-scale singles parties through its SingleAndTheCity.com division. SingleAndTheCity.com delivers quality and quantity by offering its diverse NYC clientele themed singles parties including a Rescue Me Fireman Singles Party, Cougar/Boy Toy Hunt, and “Size Matters” Soiree (for guys and gals with a hankering for height.) Between the two dating services, NYC singles can to attend six to eight events per month.

Upcoming OnSpeedDating events:

Players Night Speed Trivia April 24, 2013

Beauty & The Geek Speed Dating April 29, 2013

Curls Gone Wild Speed Dating May 14, 2013

Child Proof Speed Dating May 14, 2013

Mr. Right Now Speed Dating May 15, 2013

Bald & The Beautiful Speed Dating May 19, 2013

Not from NYC Gay Speed Dating May 19, 2013

Hot or Not Speed Dating May 20, 2013

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The Amendment introduced by U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy would provide equal treatment for same-sex couples under the recently proposed immigration reform legislation. Specifically, the Amendment would allow gay and lesbian American citizens to sponsor their foreign partners for a green card, a right currently provided to heterosexual couples.

LULAC works to advance the needs of all Latinos including the LGBT community and today we stand with Senator Leahy in support of an Amendment that calls for the equal treatment of all Latinos, said LULAC National President Margaret Moran.

LULAC has continuously worked to advance equal justice for all Latinos, including the LGBT community. In 2006, it launched the LULAC Equality Project in Dallas, Texas. In 2012, it unanimously passed a national resolution for marriage equality. LULAC believes that this Amendment would help strengthen the existing proposed legislation in that it ensures that no one would be left behind.

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The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nations largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 900 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULACs programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit http://www.LULAC.org.

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Soap star Mary Beth Evans, best known for her performance as Kayla Brady Johnson on NBCs daytime drama Days of Our Lives, is the new voice of RaiseAChild.US in Antelope Valley, California. Two radio PSAs (public service announcements) recorded by Evans will be playing in late May on stations KGMX, KOSS, KMVE and KTPI to promote fostering and adoption by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The two PSAs can be heard here:

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polyDNA is offering a discount of 50% on the price of Gene-Eden-VIR, an all natural HPV remedy, for those who suffer from cervical dysplasia. This promotion will last from May 12th – 18th, which has been declared National Womens Health Week by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. polyDNA is a leading producer of dietary supplements that were clinically tested and shown to be safe and effective.

the numbers of cervical dysplasia has been on the rise(and) Women who have been treated for cervical dysplasia have a lifetime risk for recurrence and malignancy. – (University of Maryland Medical Center) (2)

Medline Plus notes that Cervical dysplasia is most often seen in women ages 25 – 35, but can develop at any age. Most often, cervical dysplasia is caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV is a common virus that is spread through sexual contact. There are many different types of HPV. Some types lead to cervical dysplasia or cancer.(3)

Treatment for moderate-to-severe dysplasia or mild dysplasia that does not go away may include: Cryosurgery to freeze abnormal cells, Laser therapy, which uses light to burn away abnormal tissue, LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure), which uses electricity to remove abnormal tissue, Surgery to remove the abnormal tissue (cone biopsy). (Medline Plus)

Mike Evans of polyDNA said, You know, there are no drugs approved against the HPV symptoms (4). There are only procedures, such as cryotherapy, conization, and the Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) that surgically remove the abnormal growths. In contrast, we discovered that our product sometimes helps the patients body convert the cervical dysplasia back to normal cells, which totally eliminates the need for painful surgery.

A recent post marketing clinical study showed that Gene-Eden-VIR is effective against the latent HPV virus. By helping the body’s immune system target the latent HPV virus, people also lower their risk of developing symptoms caused by various HPV strains. (5)

Gene-Eden-VIR is highly effective against the latent HPV virus, each ingredient was chosen through a scientific approach. Scientists scanned thousands of scientific and medical papers published in various medical and scientific journals around the world to identify the safest, most effective natural ingredients that target the latent form of HPV. (6)

When someone who suffers from HPV related cervical dysplasia buys Gene-Eden-VIR at full price during National Womens Health Week, she can then write in to polyDNA using the E-mail address provided on polyDNAs website. In that E-mail, that person should provide a doctors note regarding her diagnosis. polyDNA will then refund that person 50% of the full price of her purchase.

To learn more about Gene-Eden-VIR, visit http://www.gene-eden-kill-virus.com.

References:

(1)

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HomeAid Northern California and Alameda Family Services celebrated the Groundbreaking of the renovated site for Nikas Place, Alameda Countys only emergency shelter for runaway, thrown away and homeless teens between the ages of 13 and 18. The new site, located in downtown Oakland, will require approximately $ 740,000 in renovations to bring it up to building code standards. Once completed, the new building will expand to include a transitional living program for commercially sexually exploited female minors and a support center for high risk youth. The purchase of the building was made possible by funds from the Alameda County Board of Supervisors through the leadership of Health Care Services Agency Director Alex Briscoe.

The project will be named Nikas Place after Nika St. Claire who was the shelter director for the past ten years. Nika St. Claire was killed in an automobile accident in Arizona, along with her daughter. Nika was a guiding light and mainstay of the DreamCatcher Homeless Shelter where she was a source of inspiration to dozens of runaway, homeless and sexually exploited teenagers. Nika helped DreamCatcher realize a long-standing goal to expand its shelter and services with this new facility.

A program of Alameda Family Services, DreamCatcher has been a safety net for youth who do not have the family, support system or necessary life skills, tools and resources to live on their own. DreamCatcher is one of the few resources available to the estimated 300 youth who are homeless or couch surfing on any given night in Alameda County. Three out of four leave their homes because of abuse or neglect. According to Marcus, aged 14, DreamCatcher is the first family Ive ever had.

On the street, young people are disproportionately victimized physically and sexually. According to the National Institute for Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Thrown Away Children, one out of every three teens on the street will be lured toward the sex industry within 48 hours of leaving home. We have the responsibility and the privilege of helping our youth when they are most vulnerable, said former Alameda County Board of Supervisor Lai-Bitker. By supporting DreamCatcher and Nikas Place , patrons help to ensure the programs future, and therefore the safety and prosperity of at-risk youth support from the community is essential at a time when state funding cannot be counted on.

About DreamCatcher

DreamCatcher provides shelter and protection, counseling and positive activities; it helps youth develop a sense of independence and control over their lives, which helps them on a productive path. Ninety-six percent of the youth served have been successfully placed by returning to his or her home, to a relative or a friend, or to a transitional living program or to the foster care system. Youth who have been through DreamCatcher have gone on to finish high school, enter college, find jobs, and become productive citizens of our community. For information on services, contact Alameda Family Services at (510) 629-6311.

About HomeAid Northern California

HomeAid Northern California is a 501c(3) non-profit organization founded in 1999 as the charitable arm of the Building Industry Association of the Bay Area. HomeAid has built and remodeled 18 shelters and facilities for the transitionally homeless in nearly every county in the San Francisco Bay Area in collaboration with the homebuilding industry and its vendors, partners and suppliers. In addition to providing a safe, comfortable home, the shelters typically offer counseling and job training as core components of their programs ultimately offering a hand up, not a hand out. A complete list of current and completed shelters can be found on the website at homeaidnc.org.

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Offbeatr.com, the only crowdfunding website that allows people to raise money for adult creative projects, has raised over $ 280,000 in 9 months for its adult project creators.

Since launch in August 2012 Offbeatr has seen more than:

100 projects created
4000 pledges for rewards with an average pledge amount of $ 61
10,000 registered users with over 2.5M page views

12 projects have been successful including:

Flesh Cult – a web-based RPG where you play as a succubus or incubus.
Grace Alley Mural Project – a public art project on the exterior of the Center for Sex & Culture that highlights San Francisco’s sexual history and culture.
Jurassic Beauties Collection – a DVD-Rom based portfolio showcasing Cherri Topps, one of the dinosaurs in the Jurassic Beauties lineup of characters.
Venus Rising – a MMORPG which features ancient bordellos and barbaric battles.

When we tell people we built a crowdfunding platform for adult projects they immediately think, just as we did when we started, that our projects would be all adult movies, said Offbeatr.com CEO, Ben Tao. While we do have film projects, what’s been surprising is many of the successful projects don’t feature live humans as the main subject. Instead we have sexy succubi, thoughtful dragons, and Jurassic beauties. Projects that are art related and in the form of adult games, comic books, and murals.

A big part of the success of Offbeatr has come from the hard work and perseverance from its project creators. Creators who not only have to overcome the challenge of gathering support, but also overcome rejection from “mainstream” service providers because adult content is prohibited.

“We work hard to bring a quality product to our customers, and that’s made more difficult by printing companies who refuse to print adult material. Said, Seppel, the creator of the Furoticon Online project. Our campaign centered around bringing our card game to an online format for a reason — online, people will be able to play with friends around the world. Sex is a part of most adults’ lives, and the celebration of sex through images is just as natural as that through text — but 50 Shades of Grey is in your local library; Furoticon will be difficult to get into your local gaming store.”

“Our goal when we created Offbeatr was to give project creators a chance to make their adult projects into a reality through crowdfunding,” said Tao. “These are project creators who have devoted fans and interesting projects. The only problem is they’re not welcomed on other crowdfunding sites only because their creative projects involve sex. Is it fair? No. That’s why we’re here to help, and so far it’s working.”

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About Offbeatr.com:

Offbeatr.com, a non-equity based crowdfunding platform for adult related creative projects. In addition to offering rewards in exchange for support, project creators can sell digital content to raise money for their projects.

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Kaya Responsible Travel (Kaya), a leading volunteer abroad organization, coordinates a variety of volunteer abroad, language learning and gap year programs around the world for participants of all ages and backgrounds. The organizations photography expedition takes a group of both budding and experienced volunteer-photographers through the hill tribes of the rural areas surrounding Chiang Mai, Thailand. Armed with their cameras, the aim of these volunteers is to take photos to raise awareness of the serious issues faced by the poverty-stricken communities in these areas. Photographic documentation of the human trafficking trade and those affected by it is a vital tool to allow people who are far removed from Thailand and the situation at hand get a visual idea of this unseen world and encourage them to help. Raising awareness of the issues is the first step in putting a stop to them completely, which is where Kayas volunteer abroad participants step in.

Sandra Laurin, an aspiring photojournalist from Toronto, Canada, joined the expedition in December of 2012 with plenty of experience already behind her. She had photographed her way through 54 countries already, attracted to Kaya’s volunteer project after having just shifted her focus to capturing images of the issues facing developing nations. She joined Kayas photography expedition in Thailand with the intention of capturing through her photographs the lives of the girls who are at risk of becoming victims of sex trafficking because of their backgrounds of poverty, lack of education and unrecognized citizenship.

Sandra commented:

The opportunity to go on the photo expedition was enlightening and actually changed the direction of my photography. I realized that my photos can make a difference and increase awareness of social issues. This experience that Kaya made possible has changed my “focus” in photography and in life.

After returning from Thailand, Sandra displayed her work at an exhibition in Toronto. Her exhibition was a beautiful example of how influential, inspiring, and rewarding a volunteer’s work can be. Her online exhibition of the photographs she took in Thailand will continue to raise awareness of the issues faced in Thailand by families poor enough to turn to the horrifying prospect of selling their children in order to afford to live. The full body of work Sandra produced can be seen at http://www.phototravelonline.com.

Kaya runs the photography expedition two to three times a year and is always eager to find photographers, both skilled and novice, to further this wonderful cause and make human trafficking in Thailand a thing of the past. To learn more about the photography expedition in Thailand, click here.

About Kaya:

Kaya Responsible Travel’s mission is to promote sustainable social, environmental and economic development, empower communities and cultivate educated, compassionate global citizens through responsible travel. This is achieved through Kayas coordination of volunteer abroad, language learning and gap year programs throughout Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Responsible travel is about seeing the world in a manner that most respects and benefits local people, culture and the environment its travel in the real world. For more information, please visit http://www.kayavolunteer.com.

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