Sex tapes are now a part of pop culture. Kim Kardashian can credit her career to a sex tape. Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson shot to higher heights of fame because of a honeymoon sex tape. But, when it comes to a purported sex tape of one of America's first sex symbols, Marilyn Monroe, no one is buying.

Spanish memorabilia collector Mikel Barsa put the short film up for auction in Buenos Aires at the Borges Cultural Center asking a starting price of $480,000.

Barsa told The Associated Press that it is still possible he could sell the film to a buyer from Denver he declined to identify, but the price would be about half the opening bid he had requested.

A threatened suit from the Monroe estate, however, have given him second thoughts about going through with the sale, he told the AP.

Since Barsa announced the auction, experts in the screen legend have questioned whether the young woman in the film really is Norma Jean Baker.

Barsa told the AP that the scratchy, black-and-white six-minute film shows the young actress before her Hollywood breakthrough. The report says the film may have been shot around 1946 or 1947, when she was "poor and desperate to break into show business.

The problem with old sex tapes is that the stars usually aren't around to prove they're actually in it.

Scott Fortner, a blogger and Monroe expert who has collected several of her items like clothing, childhood possessions and an array of the star's memorabilia, shared a series of pictures with ABCNews.com where he pointed out the differences between Monroe and the woman in the film.

"For me the main aspect is the widow's peak," Fortner said. "The woman in the film has a straight hair line; Marilyn has always had her widow's peak."

He added that there is an inconsistency with Barsa's timeline with regards to when the film was made.

When you think of N.C.-based sex toy company Adam and Eve, I'm pretty sure medicine doesn't cross your mind; however, The University of Minnesota Medical School has 50,000 reasons to thank Adam and Eve.

Adam & Eve, a North Carolina company that produces pornographic films and bills itself as "the largest and oldest retailer of adult sex toys in the United States," said it donated the money toward the creation of the Joycelyn Elders Chair in Sexual Health Education at the University of Minnesota Medical School, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Tuesday.

The school said the money and other donations will finance the nation's first university chair dedicated to creating lifelong sexual education curricula. The position is expected to be officially created in five years.

"We support sexual health education," said Chad Davis, marketing director for Adam & Eve. "That's how we started, distributing condoms. We believe in safe sex and people being educated about safe sex practices."

What a great donation, and kudos to the University of Minnesota for being smart enough to accept it.
In case you're wondering who Joycelyn Elders is, let me refresh your memory:

In 1994, she was invited to speak at a United Nations conference on AIDS. She was asked whether it would be appropriate to promote masturbation as a means of preventing young people from engaging in riskier forms of sexual activity, and she replied, "I think that it is part of human sexuality, and perhaps it should be taught." This remark caused great controversy and resulted in Elders losing the support of the White House. White House chief of staff Leon Panetta remarked, "There have been too many areas where the President does not agree with her views. This is just one too many."

Finally, there is some good news for women. birth control will now be available with no copays.

The requirement is part of a broad expansion of coverage for women's preventive care under President Barack Obama's health care law. Also to be covered without copays are breast pumps for nursing mothers, an annual "well-woman" physical, screening for the virus that causes cervical cancer and for diabetes during pregnancy, counseling on domestic violence, and other services.

"These historic guidelines are based on science and existing (medical) literature and will help ensure women get the preventive health benefits they need," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

The new requirements will take effect Jan. 1, 2013, in most cases. Tens of millions of women are expected to gain coverage initially, and that number is likely to grow with time. At first, some plans may be exempt due to a complex provision of the health care law known as the "grandfather" clause. But those even plans could face pressure from their members to include the new benefit.

Of course, there are many people who are outraged by this — though you never hear outrage about insurance companies paying for Viagra, but I digress.

The American Idol winner beat an 'alienation of affection" lawsuit from Cook's wife, Paula. But now, she could be linked to the Cook family forever as she announces her pregnancy in Jacksonville, Fla. (See video below.) Anyone with eyes could see that Fanny was in the family way, but listen to what she says about it.

Three years ago, a good friend of mine discovered that she was pregnant. She was also Ssngle, working a job that barely covered her living expenses and dealing with a man who had a less than stellar reputation of being dependable. A pregnancy, she’d said, was the last thing she needed. Sure, she could’ve gotten government assistance to take care of her child, but she wanted to have a stable life — like the one she had while growing up — and a father in the home.

She acknowledged that she made a mistake, slipping up with her birth control, getting caught up in the moment and not using protection properly. One thing she knew for sure: There was no way that she could afford to take care of herself while pregnant (her job didn’t offer adequate health insurance) and she definitely could not care for a child. She made the hard decision to have an abortion.

Watching as she struggled with that decision proved something that I’ve always thought: This is the hardest thing that a woman will ever have to decide.

But. It. Should. Be. That. Woman’s choice.

Thank you, North Carolina for injecting yourself where you don’t belong.

Governor Beverly Perdue used her veto power to try and put a stop to this law but Thursday, the Republican-led legislature voted to override the Governor's move.
Now women seeking abortions have to follow a checklist of steps first.
Both sides of the abortion issue in North Carolina weighing in.
"There is a victory for life today and I couldn't be happier," said David Hains with Catholic Voice North Carolina.
But pro-choice advocates said this is dark day for women across the state.
"This is a tragedy for women in North Carolina," said Melissa Reed, Vice-President of Development for Planned Parenthood North Carolina. "For a woman of very little means, she may have to take two or three days off work, find childcare for her other children."
The new law makes three major changes: there is now a 24 hour waiting period after women seek an abortion, they must receive state mandated counseling and view an ultrasound of the fetus beforehand. Even after viewing the sound, women will have to wait additional four hours before the procedure is performed.

The death of a 24-year-old Charlotte mother seems to highlight a need for more domestic-dispute training in the law enforcement community.

According to The Charlotte Observer, Ebony Taylor, the stabbing victim, and Gregory Parker, the accused killer, had a documented history of violence.

Taylor accused Parker of pointing a knife at her and confining her against her will.
Last week, Taylor was jailed, accused of throwing bleach on Parker's head.
On Tuesday night, she was released from Mecklenburg jail. Four hours later, she was dead.

Also:

In the February incident involving Taylor, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrested Parker and charged him with assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment.

With charges that serious, why was he even allowed to bond out of jail? In Mecklenburg County, there were nine domestic violence homicides in 2010, two more than 2009. So far, there have been two domestic violence homicides in Mecklenburg County in 2011. Statewide, that number is 29.
Since Jan. 1, 2002 there have been 75 domestic violence related homicides in Mecklenburg County, according to the Women’s Commission.

There is help in the county, but it seems that many victims never hear about them.

More info: Mecklenburg County Community Support Services' Women's Commission: 704-336-3210. United Family Services' Shelter for Battered Women 24-hour hotline: 704-332-2513.

Charlotte had former officer Marcus Jackson and now Monroe, just a few miles down the road in Union County, is facing a police scandal of its own.

A Monroe Police officer, Sgt. Joe Pressley is accused of taking indecent liberties with a girl in early spring of this year while he was off duty, but he hasn't been charged.

"Police officers are not above the law and must be held accountable for his/her actions or non-actions," Monroe Police Chief Debra Duncan said in a statement. "However, it is important to remember that as with all persons accused of a crime, there is a presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law."

Duncan said Pressley will remain on administrative leave with pay until the investigation is complete.

The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the allegations.

But didn't Roy Cooper say the SBI was struggling for money? Will this investigation be quick? Or swept away for lack of funding?

Looking at the Monroe office and remembering what happened in Charlotte with Jackson, it makes you wonder how many possible predators are walking around in blue uniforms.

When 16-year-old Phylicia Barnes's  body was discovered  four months after she disappeared  in the Susquehanna River near the Conowingo Dam in Maryland, questions began swirling. Who would want to kill the honor student?

Then police in Baltimore released a snippet of information that should've set the world on fire:

The FBI believes a child pornography ring could be linked to the murder of a North Carolina teen who disappeared while visiting family in Baltimore.

But Barnes's case was lost in all the Casey Anthony hype, despite the fact that the FBI said this:

FBI agent Jacqueline Dougher told WSOC-TV that investigators have “reason to believe” the accounts contain evidence of child sex crimes or child pornographers who may have targeted Barnes before her murder.

Barnes’s body was found along with that of 53-year-old Darryl Harper, but police said there is no connection between the two. Police still have not released the cause of Barnes’s death, saying that information could “jeopardize the investigation.”

But, we're still talking about Casey Anthony. Sex trafficking is one of the most under-reported and least talked about crimes in our country, it seems. Could it be because many of the victims are minorities — Hispanic, Asian, African or runaway girls with bad reputations? According to ABC News, Americans have their heads in the sand when it comes to sex trafficking.

It is a problem many associate with developing countries, but is one that is increasingly plaguing the United States.

"I think many Americans are more willing to accept that there are girls enslaved in Cambodia or Delhi, and really can't imagine that it's happening right here," actress Demi Moore said at a briefing on Capitol Hill Tuesday. "As a society, we owe it to them to ensure this doesn't happen to anyone else."

Moore and her husband, Ashton Kutcher, recently created The Demi and Ashton Foundation to raise awareness about the issue of sex slavery worldwide.

According to the Justice Department, more than 250,000 American youth are at risk of becoming victims of commercial sexual exploitation. But we want to know where Casey Anthony is?

You've seen the headlines: male teacher accused of having sex with a student. You've seen the public response: very passionate about throwing this man in jail.

In April, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg teacher, Raphael Yeary, was — according to the Observer — arrested and charged with three counts of felony sex offense involving a student and two counts of disseminating material harmful to minors.

No one has come out in the public to defend Yeary or other male teachers facing charges similar to this — not that anyone should if the allegations are true. But let's look at what happens when a female teacher faces the same type of charges.

In Ohio, a 33-year-old female teacher has been charged with 16 felony counts of sexual battery and three counts of offenses involving underage persons, a first-degree misdemeanor, for allegedly buying or providing beer.

But this is how her story is playing out:

Rittgers issued a statement saying that Schuler was a victim.

“Stacy Schuler is a 33-year-old teacher who devoted her life to helping and caring for others. It has come to light that during the period of the alleged misconduct, Stacy Schuler had become impaired and thereby unable to prevent the young men from taking advantage of her. In the fall of 2010, the young men involved in this case traveled across the county in order to take advantage of her impairment,” the release said.

“Stacy Schuler’s defense from a legal standpoint is based upon her inability to protect herself from the young men involved in this case,” the release said.

Fornshell said he’s “wondering” if this was a tactic to see if people would not be able to return to testify if the trial is delayed should the motion be granted by Judge Robert Peeler.

Fornshell said some of the male students will be going to college this fall and may have difficulty returning to testify at Schuler’s trial.

Why are the rules different? Women who commit these crimes are treated differently, their mental state often comes into play. Remember Mary Kay Letourneau? She's married to her "victim." Just imagine if she was Marvin Letourneau and had gotten a middle-schooler pregnant. I imagine Marvin would still be in jail.

Conventional wisdom says when a pregnant woman is killed, it's usually the father of the child, boyfriend or intimate partner who did the killing. So, most of the people following the Michael Mead murder trial thought it would end with a guilty verdict. After all, Lucy Johnson was pregnant and engaged to Mead, who according to news reports, didn't want the baby.

During the six-week trial, prosecutors said Mead was upset with Johnson because she was pregnant and refused to have an abortion. He killed her, they said, and then set fire to her home to cover up the crime.

Does this mean that police allowed statistics to cloud their investigation? Johnson was shot in the head and then her house was set on fire, according to Gaston County DA, in an attempt to hide the crime. But who committed the crime? Will Johnson's killer ever face justice?