Vacations Are Great!

Sorry everyone, my posting this week has been spotty at best. There has been some craziness and unexpected stuff this week, and next week I'm off on vacation.

So, posting is suspended until the beginning of August!

Hope you have a great week and a bit, and I'll be back again soon.

Be safe and have fun until I return.

xo HD

Maxim-um Security

A sex offender in Miami could head back to jail for violating his parole. Was he caught in an unappropriate place? Did he forget to call his parole officer? No. He was in possesion of Maxim magazines, a racy calendar and a racy poster.

The 23-year-old was initially in jail for sexual battery of a mentally disabled relative - a heinous crime to be sure. A judge will determine if the materials he had in his possession were innocent or dangerous. The crackdown is happening all over Florida; some terrible sex-slayings lead to closer monitoring of sexual offenders on probation. This is something I agree with and support - sex offenders are incredibly dangerous and very scary. They have some very serious mental and sexual issues that need to be closely monitored. A deep disturbance somewhere along the line has lead these criminals to use their sexuality in inappropriate places with inappropriate people in inappropriate ways. It's sad and infuriating and terrifying.

That said, in this case, I can't help but wonder if "softer" erotic materials such as Maxim may help him to overcome any urges that may lead him to re-commit. Why would I say that? Studies in Japan and Denmark - two countries that have among the lowest rates of sexual crimes such as rape - indicate that wide availability of erotic materials leads to lower levels of sexual crimes.

(Google "Berl Kutchinsky", and you'll probably find his study called Pornography, Sex Crime and Public Policy. Granted, it's older, but it spawned a number of similar studies that you can probably locate as well. I don't have time to come up with more right now, but if anyone is interetsed, just leave a note in the comments section, and I'll find more studies for you).

I'm not saying that reading Maxim is going to abolish sexual crimes. I just think it's something to consider. If erotic materials give otherwise confused and sexually disturbed criminals an outlet that doesn't involve harming anyone - that could be a very good thing.

Cricket's Wickedt

Cricket Match, originally uploaded by Johnny 5.

When it comes to the fight against HIV/AIDS, any method is a good method. In India — where the CIA has predicted those infected with HIV/AIDS could hit 20 million by 2010 — they're using the well-loved sport of cricket to spread the word.

With billboards that sport phrases like "save your wicket from the unwanted googlies of life", they might actually make an impact. In a country where open discussions about sex (let alone discussions about safe sex) is still very uncomfortable for many, it could be the only way to get the message out without ostracizing too many people.

I'm not a cricket fan, and I didn't know what a wicket or a googlie was until I read about this, but I hope that — whatever it all means — it gets the message across to more than a few people.

Read the story here, on Yahoo News.

Hillary Beats Down Bush

hillaryclinton2008-1, originally uploaded by haileydai.

Hillary Clinton is none too pleased Bush at the moment.

Her complaint (one of many, I'm sure) revolves around the FDA's delay in making a decision about Plan B, aka the morning after pill. She expressed concern that decisions like these are too often made based on the ideology of the current administration, rather than science, and has taken to calling Washington an "evidence-free zone".

While that's a witty description of the state of American politics, it's sad in how true it seems to be.

Read the story from The Villiage Voice here.

Quick & Easy Es

Mr. Saturday Night Special, originally uploaded by mooseherder.

Approximately 1/3 of the male population suffers from premature ejaculation (PE); which has now been defined as ejaculation that consistently occurs before two minutes of the inital penetration. There's now a drug for that (surprise, surprise). It's called dapoxetine. It's actually an anti-depressant but the affects the drug has on seratonin release (which seems to be linked to orgasm) can double or triple a man's bump 'n' grind time.

There are a number of ways to treat PE; some psychological, some physical. But if there's now a pharmaceutical treatment, will that wrap up the problem? Some experts say no. There's concern that a pill would be used as a quick fix, without concern for long-term methods to deal with PE.

If you suffer from PE, or you're intimate with someone who's a preemie, watch this space and read the story here, at Times Online.

History Feels Nice

Slate.com has put together a slide show of the history of the vibrator.
The first take-home model appeared on the scene in 1902, disguised as a health and beauty aid.

I guess, in some ways, that disguise wasn't too far off the mark.

Complete with interesting historical images, check out the slide show here.

A Sprinkling of Good Advice

Spectacularx180, originally uploaded by haileydai.

The one and the only Annie Sprinkle released a new book in May. A copy is on its way to me so that I can read and evaluate it fairly, but I know already that it's going to be wonderful and insightful.

Annie is such a unique and fantastic figure in the world of sexuality, you can't help but love her. She also happens to be a performance artist, and one of the performances that I recall involved inviting strangers to peer into her vagina. It's the 2fer of sexuality-based performance art: it's funny and political at the same time!

Maybe performance art isn't your thing - I understand. It's not the 'thing' for many. But, you should visit her site anyway and have a look around. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll probably learn a thing or two.

www.anniesprinkle.org

Britney's Baby-Bump Blues

Everybody has to get a piece of Britney's business! You know that when a complete stranger sends out a press release about your pregnancy that you're as close to public property as you're ever going to get.

I have a love/hate relationship with things like this. On the one hand, I'm enthralled and pleased by celebrity gossip. On the other hand, I find our culture of celeb idolatry more than a little sad and misguided. But, as I don't live in a vacuum, I can't help but get caught up in it from time to time. So, when I read about this press release, I couldn't help but laugh. And then cry for a bit.

A physician from Manhattan — Holly Phillips — sent out a press release today all about Britney's pregnancy and what she should and should not be doing to keep her unborn child safe and healthy. I guess she thinks that she's gleaned enough information from Brit's TV show and other sources (like this photograph probably, which clearly shows poor lifestyle choices, or at least poor outfit choices) to know that Britney's not taking care of her bump.

Phillips advises Britney to get away from Kevin's second-hand smoke, stop eating junk food, and potentially lay off the sex if she is indeed experiencing mid-term spotting.

The response from Britney's publicist?
"This doctor should mind her own business, shut her trap and get a life."

Ah, the glamour of Hollywood!

Read the story from New York Daily News here.

(Image was lifted from the most harshly hilarious www.gofugyourself.com.)

Bi-Curious

There's some interesting (if not controversial) work going on around the topic of bisexuality these days, and a story hit the newspapers just today on this very topic.

A new study seems to indicate that male bisexuality doesn't exist. After strapping genital sensors to a group of 101 men, 33 who identified themselves as bisexual, they found that all of the men either responded to erotic films of men or women, but not both. A study of women by the same group of researches, found that many women did indeed respond to both.

So, what's going on here? There are a number of things that should be considered when reviewing these findings, most of which are pointed out in the story from the New York Times (registration required - but it's free and worth it). One, it's not a huge sample. Two, many bisexuals will tell you that it's not only genital response that makes up attraction. Finally, there really isn't enough research about bisexuality yet to draw any conclusions.

I'd wonder as well how much of the reaction to the films — in both men and women — would be cultural or social. Is it more "okay" for women to be attracted to other women, and does this have an impact on the results? I'm not sure.

Interesting stuff though - but don't get out your Jump to Conclusions Mat just yet. There's lots more work to be done in this area.

Beyond Aphrodisiacs

We've moved past the foods that just turn you on into the realm of food that helps you produce sperm. Korean Professor Kim Jeong-hee, a nutritionist at Jeonju Kijeon Women's College, has published a book called Love and Food (not available in Canada as far as I can tell) that outlines foods that will give your sex life (and reproductive prowess) a jump.

Examples (all quoted from Digital Chosunilbo):

◆ Tuna = The next best thing after oysters, it promotes sperm production and helps boost libido and stamina.

◆ Shrimp = Shrimp help the production of neutrotransmitters that adjust the mood and promote sexual desire. In China, bachelors and people traveling alone are told not to eat shrimp.

◆ Beans (particularly black beans) = Beans replenish female hormones and ease some of the symptoms of perimenopause and irregular menstruation. They also promote the promotion of sperm.

◆ Almond = Almonds heighten the libido and help prevent sterility.

You learn something new every day.
Go here, to Digital Chosunilbo, for more foods and the story.

Tight-Lipped

In a post a while back, I spoke about labiaplasty: a costmetic surgery procedure that involves the reshaping of the labia. The New York Daily News had a story on this same thing earlier this week, and it sheds some light on whether or not these procedures are effective and/or necessary.

Many women who elect for either vaginoplasty or labiaplasty claim they're doing it to improve the sensations they feel during sex. Others do it for sexual confidence. Some women do it because they feel pain during intercourse (a reason I can understand). But the vagina seems to be the last battleground of cosmetic surgery. What could be next? Cosmetic surgery to enhance the appearance of the fallopian tube?

I think that — unless you make a living from having perfectly formed labia (whatever that would look like) — the issues of beautiful labia, a gorgeous vagina, and a fantastic sex life are more often between the ears than between the legs.

Read the story here.