Sex and Love
A progressive woman discerns if God is calling her to religious life as a Catholic nun.
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Exploring The New Sexual Norms
- The Kinsey Report on sexual behavior is 60 this year. Eyes were opened, myths debunked. What is "normal" now? more info
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- NON-PAID ASSIGNMENT
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- ENDS: 17/10/2008 12:00 AM GMT
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Max: one young man's story about HIV and failed abstinence-only programs
Max Siegel is a 24-year-old gay man living with HIV. Max contracted HIV from his first sexual experience at 17 years old but his story starts even before that. Max Siegel is a 24-year-old gay man living with HIV. Max contracted HIV from his first sexual experience at 17 years old but his story... more
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Sex education for first graders leaves out clitoris
A new course on sex education in China involves what some might consider some pretty graphic literature - especially for 1st graders (primary). Funny cartoons, witty dialogues, testicles that talk to one another, and cool-looking Mr Condoms wearing shades (gallery of pics through link). I kinda wich my sex-ed classes were this open, though I was dissapointed to see the diagram of the vagina didn't include a label for the clitoris. Should kids not be taught how they can enjoy sex?
What d'you think? Too shocking for 1st grade? Or pretty good progress? A new course on sex education in China involves what some might consider some pretty graphic literature - especially for 1st graders (... more -
British teacher leaves home for life with African tribesman
A British teacher is giving up her life in Southampton to live in a hut in a remote African village, after falling in love with a tribal elder.
Carole Woolgar, 51, said she immediately fell for Amri Shimata, a Porgoro tribal elder, when she visited Tanzania in 2003.
Having visited Shimata regularly over the past five years, Woolgar is set to swap her comfortable home for a tin-roof hut and no electricity or running water. The village's only lavatory is a "long drop", which is nothing more than a hole in the ground, and all the cooking is done on an open fire or a charcoal stove.
She said: "Since meeting Amri for the first time I have been back to the village two or three times a year - and our romance just blossomed. It had just become harder and harder to say goodbye to Amri when I came to leave so I decided I had to do something. I have no kids to worry about so that made the decision easier."
Miss Woolgar, who has never been married, has been taking lessons in Swahili so she can fit in with the close-knit community, but says the hardest thing will be giving up her "creature comforts". She said: "The village is tiny but the people are so friendly. They have absolutely nothing - you go to a house and people are sleeping on an old mat with a few plastic plates and cups to eat and drink from. They get up as soon as it is light, work in the fields and then go to sleep when it gets dark - but they are so, so welcoming. The thing I'm going to miss the most is my washing machine. The women have to walk to fetch water in buckets and then wash everything by hand. I have been trying to learn Swahili but luckily Amri speaks very good English - he even beats me at Scrabble when we play. He's a very intelligent man." A British teacher is giving up her life in Southampton to live in a hut in a remote African village, after falling in love with a trib... more -
Britney says her life is back on track
It may seem unbelievable, but it seems Britney Spears is finally coming back to her senses. In a recent documentary, the singer no longer appears disturbed but reasonable and regretful.
Over the last few years, Britney’s life has been one drama after another. A ruined marriage with Mr. Wrong, the loss of custody of her sons, hard partying, breakdowns, a spell in hospital, rehab, a shaved head, questionable ‘love’ affairs and performances notable for all the wrong reasons - particularly her disastrous show at the MTV Music Awards last year.
There have been a lot of scandals, a lot of head-shaking, and not much to celebrate….
But now, it appears the singer is getting her life back on track. In an interview with MTV, produced by her management, which will be shown on November 30 on American television, the 26-year-old singer sounded like she’s making sense - for the first time in a while!
She said: “I sit there and I look back. I'm a smart person, what the hell was I thinking?"
Read on at www.bild.com It may seem unbelievable, but it seems Britney Spears is finally coming back to her senses. In a recent documentary, the singer no lon... more -
Gay porn star confirms rape rumours
Gay adult film star Mason Wyler confirmed rumours that he and his boyfriend have been raped and attacked in their apartment in Dallas.
Originally thought by some in the adult industry to be a publicity stunt, he confirmed the attack and proved it with an incident report filed with the Dallas Police Department.
Wyler stated that events leading up to the attack started months ago when he began corresponding with a man claiming to be a captain in the U.S. Army. In September, Wyler says he left his wallet at a Dallas club and received an instant message the next day reading: “Remember me?". It was the Army captain, he says, claiming he had the wallet and wanted to return it. When the man showed up at his apartment and helped he and his boyfriend carry groceries up from the car, he let him into the house.
One thing lead to another, Wyler says, and the three began fooling around -- Wyler even let the Army captain tie him up, he says, which freaked his boyfriend out. Wyler says when he began to get uncomfortable, his boyfriend attempted to run for help. It was at that point, he says, that the Army captain took out a gun. Wyler says he and his boyfriend were raped repeatedly, with more than one assailant beating them and sodomizing both of them with foreign objects and injecting them with what Wyler says he feared at the time were drugs.
Wyler says he was eventually able to escape and make it to a neighbor’s house, where he called 911. When Wyler was admitted to the hospital, he says he was told there had been more than one assailant and traces of GHB were found in his system.
"I can understand why people would think I had it coming to me and I deserved it," he said. "But I don't want people thinking I did this for attention. I love attention, but I didn't do this for attention. This was real." Gay adult film star Mason Wyler confirmed rumours that he and his boyfriend have been raped and attacked in their apartment in Dallas.... more -
Straight spouses of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people show support
Men and women who are married or have been married to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people are making their voices heard in support of Coming Out Day on 11 October.
An estimated 2 million gay, lesbian, or bisexual individuals as well as an unknown number of transgender people have married or will marry heterosexual partners.
Kathy Callori, executive director of the Straight Spouse Network, stated that when their spouses come out or transition, straight partners feel ignored, betrayed, and sexually rejected and often embark on their own soul-searching path to healing. "They and their children too are often stigmatized or isolated in social or religious groups. They also fear their LGBT partners will lose their jobs or community status if they come out publicly," she says. Men and women who are married or have been married to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people are making their voices heard in su... more -
Ladies - who's coming to dinner?
So it’s nearly 2009. We’ve seen our first black democratic nominee and we may even see our first black president. The US may FINALLY be looking past race when making important decisions … But the question is: DO YOU? LADIES - the Friday poll question: would you marry outside of your race? Why or why not ...? So it’s nearly 2009. We’ve seen our first black democratic nominee and we may even see our first black president. The US may FINALLY... more
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Which companies are benefiting from the credit crunch?
Whether you turn on the TV or open the papers, doom and gloom is the flavour of the day. Banks are failing, businesses are facing bankruptcy and we’re all saving the pennies in any way we can. However, with fresh financial horror stories springing up left, right and centre, you may be surprised to hear that for some, the credit crunch has meant business is booming. Whether you turn on the TV or open the papers, doom and gloom is the flavour of the day. Banks are failing, businesses are facing bank... more
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Scientists confirm shark's ‘virgin birth’
Scientists have confirmed the second case of a "virgin birth" in a shark. In a study reported Friday in the Journal of Fish Biology, scientists said DNA testing proved that a pup carried by a female Atlantic blacktip shark in the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center contained no genetic material from a male.
The first documented case of asexual reproduction, or parthenogenesis, among sharks involved a pup born to a hammerhead at an Omaha, Neb., zoo. This first case was no fluke," Demian Chapman, a shark scientist and lead author of the second study, said in a statement. "It is quite possible that this is something female sharks of many species can do on occasion."
The aquarium sharks that reproduced without mates each carried only one pup, while some shark species can produce litters numbering in the dozen or more. The scientists cautioned that the rare asexual births should not be viewed as a possible solution to declining global shark populations.
"It is very unlikely that a small number of female survivors could build their numbers up very quickly by undergoing virgin birth," Chapman said.
The medical mystery began 16 months ago after the death of the Atlantic blacktip shark named Tidbit at the Virginia Beach aquarium. No male blacktip sharks were present during her eight years at the aquarium.
In May 2007, the 5-foot, 94-pound shark died of stress-related complications related to her unknown pregnancy after undergoing a yearly checkup. The 10-inch shark pup was found during a necropsy of Tidbit, surprising aquarium officials. They initially thought the embryonic pup was either a product of a virgin birth or a cross between the blacktip and a male of another shark species — which has never been documented, Chapman said.
Tidbit's pup was nearly full term, and likely would have been quickly eaten by "really big sand tiger sharks" that were in the tank, Chapman said in a telephone interview from Florida. That is what happened to the tiny hammerhead pup in the Omaha case.
"By the time they could realize what they were looking at, something munched the baby," he said of aquarium workers. The remains of the pup were used for the DNA testing.
Virgin birth has been proven in some bony fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds, and has been suspected among sharks in the wild. The scientists who studied the Virginia and Nebraska sharks said the newly formed pups acquired one set of chromosomes when the mother's chromosomes split during egg development, then united anew.
Absent the chromosomes present in the male sperm, the offspring of an asexual conception have reduced genetic diversity and, the scientists said, may be at a disadvantage for surviving in the wild. A pup, for instance, can be more susceptible to congenital disorders and diseases.
The scientists said their findings offer "intriguing questions" about how frequently automictic parthenogenesis occurs in the wild.
"It is possible that parthenogenesis could become more common in these sharks if population densities become so low that females have trouble finding mates," said Mahmood Shivji, one of the scientists and director of the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University in Florida.
The DNA fingerprinting techniques used by the scientists are identical to those used in human paternity testing. Scientists have confirmed the second case of a "virgin birth" in a shark. In a study reported Friday in the Journal of Fish... more -
105-year-old virgin: no sex is key to long life
Britain's oldest virgin has revealed the secret of her longevity on the eve of her 105th birthday - no sex. Clara Meadmore has never had sex in her life because she has always been 'too busy' for intimate relationships and it seemed like 'a lot of hassle'. Miss Meadmore, who remembers the Titanic sinking and the outbreak of the First World War, said she knew she would remain single from the age of 12, and abstained as a young woman in order to concentrate on earning a living.
The retired secretary said that during her youth in the 1920s and 1930s sex entailed marriage - and she just did not buy into it.
Miss Meadmore, of Truro, Cornwall, said she was proud of the fact she remained celibate.
She said: 'People have asked whether I am a homosexual and the answer is no. I have just never been interested in or fancied having sex. I imagine there is a lot of hassle involved and I have always been busy doing other things.'
She added: 'I've never had a boyfriend - I've never been bothered about relationships. When I was a girl you only had sex with your husband and I never married.' Britain's oldest virgin has revealed the secret of her longevity on the eve of her 105th birthday - no sex. Clara Meadmore has ... more -
How to say I Luv U in Nigeria
Your mobile phone beeps, you have received a text message.
It begins: "I swear, I will make sure I give you HIV..."
But it's not an abusive threat, it's a "romantic" text message copied from a book on sale all over Nigeria that professes to give young people the words they need to court the woman or man of their dreams.
"H is for Happiness and joy forever with an I: Incomparable love that will never V: Vanish until death do us part. I love you," the message concludes.
The book, called "Touching the heart through unforgettable text messages (vol.2)" is one of several on sale in markets around the country that give suggestions to tongue-tied young lovers.
Nigerians are compulsive text senders.
Many men complain that women send them "hot" text messages, but all they really want is money, while women say they are pestered by men sending "romantic" texts when all their suitors really want is sex.
But the book's author, 33-year-old entrepreneur Femi Emmanuel, says he writes text messages for people who are too busy, or illiterate, to properly express what is in their hearts.
He is not married but says he send "special" text messages to his girlfriend - original ones, not out of his books.
The sale of all four volumes has been such a success he has bought a car with the proceeds.
"People have really embraced the mobile phone here in Nigeria, but they may not be smart enough to know what to say in these kind of situations, or maybe they're too busy, running an office or whatever," he said. Your mobile phone beeps, you have received a text message. It begins: "I swear, I will make sure I give you HIV..." ... more -
A house divided: estranged couple's home cut in half
"A Cambodian couple who separated after 40 years of marriage may have taken things too literally when it came to splitting their assets: the husband cut the house in two.
"It is the strangest thing I've ever seen," said May Titthara, who wrote about the case for The Phnom Penh Post, an English-language newspaper in the Cambodian capital. "People there never saw this happen in a divorce. It is very interesting for them."
The husband and wife had been living together in the house in a village in the Prey Veng province of southern Cambodia, roughly 50 miles (80 km) from the capital.
The couple would not talk to the newspaper, but the village chief told May Titthara that the husband was angry because his wife wouldn't tend to him when he was ill.
Last week, the husband and his friends moved his belongings to one side of the house -- and sawed and chiseled it off, said the reporter, who interviewed the village chief and neighbors.
The couple also divided their property into four sections: for themselves and their two children.
Because the couple side-stepped the provincial courts when they parted ways, their unusual resolution could pose a problem later, said Prak Phin, a lawyer for Legal Support for Child and Women in the province.
"This was a not a legal divorce. It never went to the court," he said. "If they have disagreements in the future, they will not have a legal (recourse)."
The man moved his part of the house to his parent's property, May Titthara said. He lives with his parents, while the wife continues to reside in her precariously perched, upright half. "A Cambodian couple who separated after 40 years of marriage may have taken things too literally when it came to splitting their ... more -
Sperm donor "impregnated 30 lesbians"
Overzealous sperm donors are impregnating whole networks of lesbian couples whose children socialise together, says a reproductive technology expert in Australia.
Dr Andrew Dutney stated that in one case around 30 lesbians were impregnated by the same man. Some of the mothers are friends and even have picnics together where the children mix, not realizing they are related.
Perceived homophobia in the medical system and strict South Australian regulations around fertility assistance are thought to be the main reason why lesbian couples seek help with making families outside the 'official' system, creating these issues, experts claim. Overzealous sperm donors are impregnating whole networks of lesbian couples whose children socialise together, says a reproductive tec... more -
Prostitutes 'appear' on Euro banknotes as part of sex trade campaign
Altered Euro banknotes showing the images of prostitutes are being used to discourage Ukrainian women from getting caught up in the sex trade.
The images, which are otherwise almost indistinguishable from the genuine notes, have been produced as part of a campaign to prevent women from seeking to work illegally in the EU. They show under-dressed women leaning against the grand examples of European architecture printed on the currency's bills since its launch in 2002.
Messages warning about the real price of seeking blackmarket employment abroad are printed across the top of the “fake” notes. Altered Euro banknotes showing the images of prostitutes are being used to discourage Ukrainian women from getting caught up in the se... more -
Woman kept prisoner by husband for 50 years
A woman in Italy was kept a prisoner in her own home by her husband for 50 years. During her ordeal, she was only allowed out of the house when accompanied by her husband and was not allowed to speak with anyone else.
She managed to escape when she was admitted to a hospital at Trento, a few miles from her home in the nearby Val di Non in norhern Italy, for heart trouble. She told doctors that her jealous husband had kept her a prisoner in their home virtually since the day they married in 1958.
A police spokesman said: "It appears that the woman was kept a virtual prisoner in her own home for 50 years. She was only allowed out when her husband was with her and if he went out on his own he would lock all the doors and windows. At 5pm when he came back he would lock the place down, She was not even allowed to see her children and they were not allowed to visit. The TV was also forbidden and there were also times when he would beat her. It's a very sad story and the woman's life has been made a misery by her husband - if it wasn't for the fact she was admitted to hospital and bravely decided to speak out her ordeal would have continued."
The couple, who were not identified, are both in their seventies and are believed to have two grown-up children. A woman in Italy was kept a prisoner in her own home by her husband for 50 years. During her ordeal, she was only allowed out of the h... more -
Alaska students demand sex ed. in schools
According to a statewide study, 63 percent of Alaskan high school seniors in 2007 reported having sex. And, while Alaska has about average U.S. rates on teen pregnancies, in 2006 birth rates for Alaskan and U.S. teens rose for the first time since 1991.
Anchorage follows an "abstinence-plus" model, taught in the eighth grade, that parents can opt their kids out of. The program grew out of a task force a decade ago that included a doctor, nurse, religious leaders and educators. It stresses abstinence as the only way to guarantee protection against sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies. Teachers also teach kids about what to do if they don't choose abstinence, Vaissiere said.
Nobody is keeping track of what is being taught where in Alaska on the topic. The variance appears to be wide. But it seems most public schools in the state teach some form of "abstinence-plus." Some invite outside groups to present either side of the controversial topic, like an abstinence-only advocate one day followed by a member of Planned Parenthood on another. According to a statewide study, 63 percent of Alaskan high school seniors in 2007 reported having sex. And, while Alaska has about ave... more -
Bar owners ignored sexual harassment and rape complaints
The Hawaiian Tropic Zone in Times Square may be advertised as "The Hottest Place on Earth," but it turned into a living hell for four female workers who claim that widespread sexual harassment there escalated into rape and forcible sodomy.
The women - a former senior manager, a bartender, a hostess and an office assistant - say their sex-fiend boss subjected them to months of harassment and sickening assaults while management turned a blind eye, according to a $600 million-plus lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court yesterday.
The top manager - married 40-year-old dad of two Anthony Rakis - "is a rapist and sexual predator who was given full rein by the Riese Organization to sexually assault, molest, batter and rape the female employees," the lawsuit charges.
"In that sense, he was not unlike a pedophile at a day-care center."
In September 2006, the suit alleges, Rakis drugged and brutally raped ex-senior manager Giulietta Consalvo in a taxi.
Two days later, the suit claims, he said: "I am so sorry, my behavior was so disgusting. It wasn't me. That was the person I was a long time ago. I used to be a very bad person, but my wife turned me around."
The suit alleges Rakis begged her to "please think about my wife," who was pregnant at the time.
Several of the women eventually filed police reports, according to the suit.
Rakis lost his job months after the alleged attack, the suit says.
Reached by phone yesterday in Alexandria, Va., where he has since relocated with his family, Rakis denied the charges.
"These are false allegations. This is all kind of a shock to me, to be honest with you," he said.
Also targeted in the suit is popular Manhattan chef David Burke, who groped Consalvo and others, according to the papers. Burke, who devised the menu for the Tropic Zone, was not available for comment.
In the Tropic Zone suit, the women also claimed that the restaurant - famous for its shapely waitresses dressed in bikinis and sarongs - was turned into a disgusting meat market for drooling Riese executives.
A job interview for the 24-year-old bartender plaintiff consisted of her strutting across the stage of Caroline's comedy club in a bikini as Riese empire Chairman Danny Riese, Vice Chairman Jamie Galler and Rakis "shot Polaroids and videotaped her," the suit says.
Galler declined comment.
The Riese company owns 113 eateries in the area, including some from chains such as Dunkin' Donuts and KFC. The Hawaiian Tropic Zone in Times Square may be advertised as "The Hottest Place on Earth," but it turned into a living hell... more -
Condometrics!!
Two birds one stone! Love it! Now you can protect yourself and measure your own penis at the same time. No need to pack a condom and a ruler in your pocket anymore!! Two birds one stone! Love it! Now you can protect yourself and measure your own penis at the same time. No need to pack a condom an... more
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Mum on pill gives birth, to triplets!
A Hampshire woman has beaten odds of over 200 million to one to become pregnant with triplets, rendering her contraceptive pill completely useless.
She gave birth to identical triplets who had to be kept in hospital incubators until they'd gained some strength. The kids' dad, no doubt amazed at the potency of his super-soldiers, said: "They're tiny and amazing. We weren't even trying for children and Kirsty was on the Pill. But we're so excited. It's an instant family."
Must've been a shock to the system though! A Hampshire woman has beaten odds of over 200 million to one to become pregnant with triplets, rendering her contraceptive pill comple... more -
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