tagged w/ Condoms
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VATICAN CITY — In a seismic shift on one of the most profound – and profoundly contentious – Roman Catholic teachings, the Vatican said Tuesday that condoms are the lesser of two evils when used to curb the spread of AIDS, even if their use prevents a pregnancy.
The position was an acknowledgment that the church's long-held anti-birth control stance against condoms doesn't justify putting lives at risk.
"This is a game-changer," declared the Rev. James Martin, a prominent Jesuit writer and editor.
The new stance was staked out as the Vatican explained Pope Benedict XVI's comments on condoms and HIV in a book that came out Tuesday based on his interview with a German journalist.
The Vatican still holds that condom use is immoral and that church doctrine forbidding artificial birth control remains unchanged. Still, the reassessment on condom use to help prevent disease carries profound significance, particularly in Africa where AIDS is rampant.VATICAN CITY — In a seismic shift on one of the most profound – and... more
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jubal
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After decades of fierce opposition to the use of all contraception, the pontiff will end the Catholic Church’s absolute ban on the use of condoms.After decades of fierce opposition to the use of all contraception, the pontiff will... more
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http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/11/20/pope-oks-condoms-in-some-cases-cites-use-by-male-prostitutes-av/
Pope Benedict XVI has said that in special cases, such as that of prostitutes trying to prevent HIV infection, condoms could be justified under Catholic ethical thinking, especially if their use leads to an awareness that engaging in such a "banalization of sexuality" is morally harmful. More at the link.
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Current.com staff update by sbacker:
In a new book Pope Benedict says that the use of condoms to stop the spread of AIDS may be justified in certain cases, a statement that could start of sea change in the Vatican's attitude to condoms.In excerpts published in the Vatican newspaper the pope cites the example of the use of condoms by prostitutes as "a first step toward moralisation" even though condoms are "not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection."While some Roman Catholic leaders have spoken in the past about the limited use of condoms in specific cases to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS as a lesser of two evils, this is the first time the pope has mentioned the possibility himself in public.To justify his change on the matter Pope Benedict caused surprise by taking as his example a male prostitute who used a condom to protect his client. But in so doing he avoided breaching the Catholic church's opposition to artificial contraception as birth control is not an issue in male homosexual relations.But what remained unclear was whether the pope was starting to relax the chur's policy on the use of condoms in heterosexual relations, if only by couples in which one partner was HIV-positive.Last year, the pope caused an international uproar when he told journalists taking him to Africa that condoms should not be used because they could worsen the spread of AIDS.The new book, called Light of the World, is made up of Benedict's responses to questions by German Catholic journalist Peter Seewald over a month of meetings at the papal summer residence.http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/11/20/pope-oks-condoms-in-some-cases-cites-use-by-mal... more
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jubal
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After decades of fierce opposition to the use of all contraception, the pontiff will end the Catholic Church's absolute ban on the use of condoms.
He will say that it is acceptable to use a prophylactic when the sole intention is to "reduce the risk of infection" from Aids.
While he will restate the Catholic Church's staunch objections to contraception because it believes it interferes with the creation of life, he will argue that using a condom to preserve life and avoid death can be a responsible act – even outside marriage.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/the-pope/8148899/Pope-approves-use-of-condoms-in-fight-against-Aids.htmlAfter decades of fierce opposition to the use of all contraception, the pontiff will... more
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Deepika Padukone might have buried the hatchet with Ranbir Kapoor publicly, but her confessions on Karan Johar’s Koffee With Karan suggest otherwise. Deepika Padukone who’s appearing with Sonam Kapoor on Karan Johar’s Koffee with Karan has a special gift for ‘dear friend’.
When KJo asked Deepika what she’d like to gift Ranbir, she replied without batting an eyelid, “a pack of condoms”.
http://mukundcreations.com/blog/index.php/2010/11/deepika-padukone-wants-to-gift-condoms-to-ranbir-kapoor/Deepika Padukone might have buried the hatchet with Ranbir Kapoor publicly, but her... more
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This week a US study showed that a new contraceptive gel is set to revolutionise the birth control market. No longer will women across the world have to swallow pills, wear patches or get injections to stop those little tadpoles from impregnating them – all that is needed is a tiny 3mg dollop of the clear gel rubbed into the abdomen, thighs, arms or shoulders and is quickly absorbed, with no residue.
The recent tests was carried out at the not-for-profit Population Council research centre in New York, and involved 18 women in their 20s to 30s. Over seven months, none fell pregnant and the gel had "very high acceptability”. Not only is the gel efficient, but so far the tests have shown that women have suffered none of the usual annoying side effects of the pill such as nausea and weight gain. It’s also suitable for those who are breastfeeding, because unlike the Pill it doesn’t produce hormone levels that usually interfere with milk supply.
Preventing unwanted pregnancies is something that humans have been trying to do since the beginning of time. Here are some of the best and the worst attempts.
Scary history of birth control
1559 BC
Crocodile poo. Yes, that’s right, according to Ancient Egyptians writings some women believed that stuffing some crocodile dung into their vaginas would block the sperms. Medical ancient medical manuscript such as the Ebers Papyrus, described a method that might actually have worked; women were advised to grind dates, acacia tree bark, and honey together into a paste and apply it with seed wool to the vulva. Modern science has shown that, since acacia ferments into lactic acid, a well-known spermicide!
200 BC
The Greek gynaecologist Soranus (yes that was his name) knew that women were fertile during ovulation and promoted the rhythm method i.e. basing your sexual habits around the woman’s ovulation cycle, unfortunately Soranus incorrectly assumed that ovulation occurred during menstruation, rather than prior to it, oops. It wasn’t until the 1930s researchers were able to determine which days were safe to have sex using this method.
100 BC
Prostitutes in 1st-century BC are said to have ground their pelvises in a manner that increased their partner's pleasure, with the assumption that the movement simultaneously diverted the sperm away from the womb.
As well as dislodging the sperm by jumping backwards seven times after intercourse; and sitting down on bent knees in order to provoke sneezing!
100-500 AD
Women along the Mediterranean inserted sea sponges rinsed in acidic lemon juice or vinegar before intercourse, others used the scooped out lemon as a type of suppository.
1200-1400 AD
During the European dark ages it was dark indeed as superstition replaced science. European women sported amulets fashioned from a weasel's testicles, mule earwax, or a bone taken from the right side of a black cat. If the latter charm failed to work its magic it was simply “because the cat wasn't black enough."
1500 AD
Chastity belts, these devices—more shackles than belt —first appeared in Europe in the 15th century. They were designed to keep women sexually pure by making it physically impossible for them to have sex and conceive. The belts, which featured small openings to allow for urination and defecation, were often made in only one size, so larger women were forced to endure the pain of a tight fit. Chastity belts were also used to prevent masturbation.
1600-1800 AD
The mythical Dr Condom (Cundum or even Quondam) is believed to have been an English physician to whom the contraceptive of the same name is attributed, is said to have invented the sheath after Charles II became annoyed with the number of illegitimate children he had. By the 1800s most condoms were made from animal skin or intestines to prevent a syphilis infection. Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (1725-1798) was among the first to use condoms to prevent pregnancy. The famous womanizer called the condom an "English riding coat."
1840-1920 AD
In 1844, the American inventor Charles Goodyear (1800-1860) patented the vulcanization of rubber, which led to the mass production of condoms, as we now know them.
1925 AD
The first commercially produced diaphragm is made by Holland-Rantos in the USA, unlike the condom the woman can use it without the cooperation of her partner giving women for the first time, the control over her own contraceptive protection.
1960-now
The Pill arrived. Developed by Americans, but initially tested on Puerto Rican and Haitian women in the 1950s, the first version of the pill contained the hormones oestrogen and progestin, which were synthetically produced to mimic the body's natural hormones.
Take-up of the pill was fast and to this day more than 100 million women worldwide are believed to take the pill.
This week a US study showed that a new contraceptive gel is set to revolutionise the... more
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by Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger
Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) in New York City may soon have to level with the public about their real agenda. At the Ms. Blog, Michelle Chen has an update on proposed legislation which would force CPCs in New York to disclose that they aren’t reproductive health centers.
CPCs are anti-choice ministries that masquerade as full-service reproductive health clinics. They typically set up shop near real clinics to trick unwary clients. Real clinics dispense medical advice from doctors, nurses, and other licensed health care professionals. They are required to tell clients about the risks and benefits of all their treatment options. They don’t push clients towards abortion or adoption. CPCs are typically staffed by volunteers. Instead of medical advice, they hand out over-the-counter pregnancy tests and medically inaccurate information about the risks of abortion. They use pseudoscience and high pressure sales tactics to derail as many women seeking abortions as they can.
Chen reports that if the bill becomes law, New York CPCs will have to post signs disclosing that “they do not provide abortion services or contraceptive devices, or make referrals to organizations that do.” If the facility lacks licensed on-site medical professionals, the center would have to inform prospective clients of this fact. This is an excellent piece of consumer protection legislation. If CPCs are honest about who they are and what they do, they should have no problem with the law.
Christine O’Donnell: not (just) a joke
In an essay for the Women’s Media Center, organizer Shelby Knox explains why Delaware’s Republican Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell represents more than an anti-masturbation punchline:
Not ironically, O’Donnell is a loyal disciple to the religious agenda that equates sexuality, especially female sexuality, with evil and the decline of humanity. [...] To most mainstream Americans, O’Donnell’s concerted battle against solo sexual pleasure in particular is so fringe, so bizarre, it’s laughable. Yet, those of us deeply familiar with the ideology of the extremist right wing have long understood the condemnation of sex and sexual pleasure for anything other than the purpose of conception within marriage to be the underpinning of public policies that invite (Christian) God and (big, big) government into our bedrooms.
Knox notes that the same underlying suspicion of human sexuality finds expression in more mainstream areas of American politics, like federally-funded abstinence-only education, which substitutes religious homilies and gender stereotypes for science-based sex ed. (I would add federal funding for some of the nation’s aforementioned “crisis pregnancy centers” to Knox’s list of examples of anti-sex religious ideology replacing science-based health services.)
This week, O’Donnell drew audible gasps from a crowd when she claimed that the separation of church and state isn’t part of the U.S. Constitution, as Monica Potts reports for TAPPED.
O’Donnell may seem bizarre to the average voter, but Knox reminds us that she’s pretty typical of a rising tide of anti-sex, anti-science conservatism that we ignore at our peril:
But more accurately she’s the poster girl for more than 78 candidates running this election season who share her anti-sex, anti-woman views. These candidates believe abortion should be illegal in all cases, without exception for rape and incest. Some have promised a GOP majority would signal a return to funding failed abstinence-only policies. Ken Buck, the GOP Senate candidate in Colorado, even went so far as to refuse to prosecute a rape because the accuser had “buyer’s remorse” over an abortion he alleged she’d had a year before the assault.
Condoms and porn
A porn actor in California became the latest performer to test positive for HIV last week. His diagnosis sent shockwaves through the San Fernando Valley’s porn industry because the actor was reportedly a star who worked with a lot of big names in an industry where condoms are the exception rather than the rule.
The case has reignited controversy over the fact that straight porn companies aggressively flout California law that mandates condoms on porn sets. The industry maintains that it doesn’t need condoms because it has a rigorous testing program for talent. As I report in Working In These Times the industry is being allowed to investigate the HIV outbreak on its own, which is a little like asking BP to monitor oil spills. The same industry-allied non-profit that administers the tests, and does PR about how great the testing program is, also investigates cases of HIV in the industry. Does anyone else see a potential problem?
Concussions in the NFL
Football season is in full swing, but for Dave Zirin of The Nation and many other football fans, it’s getting harder and harder to reconcile their love of the game with our growing awareness of the toll that it takes on players:
In August, to much fanfare, NFL owners finally acknowledged that football-related concussions cause depression, dementia, memory loss and the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Now that they’ve opened the door, this concussion discussion is starting to shape how we understand what were previously seen as the NFL’s typical helping of off-field controversy and tragedy.
Zirin appends a list of over 30 players who have sustained concussions since the pre-season. Peter King of Sports Illustrated is calling for the NFL to start kicking excessively violent players out of the game, but Zirin says that’s not enough to stem the tide of concussions. Devastating brain injuries can come from routine, legal hits. A lot of the cumulative brain trauma leaves players demented in their fifties is actually sustained during practice.
The carnage is built into the game. Concussions are unavoidable given anatomy of the human brain and the physics of huge guys crashing into each other. Helmets only help so much because they can’t prevent the brain from smashing against the cranium. Zirin thinks football fans need to do a lot of soul searching. He argues that every fan should think hard about whether it’s really that much fun to watch guys get their brains pulped in the name of sport. Zirin’s not ready to give up football yet, but he thinks the gnawing guilt may eventually outweigh his love of the game.
This update brought to you by the Media Consortium, and the letter C.
This post features links to the best independent, progressive reporting about health care by members of The Media Consortium. It is free to reprint. Visit the Pulse for a complete list of articles on health care reform, or follow us on Twitter. And for the best progressive reporting on critical economy, environment, health care and immigration issues, check out The Audit, The Mulch, and The Diaspora. This is a project of The Media Consortium, a network of leading independent media outlets.by Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger
Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) in... more
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A weakly random round up of WTF articles. This week: Anna Chapman is back, a Claymation booty clap, Rachael Ray dresses up as Jessica Rabbit, Wendy Williams fries her wig, a man gets 10 years for Simpson porn, and the What Would Jesus Do thong.A weakly random round up of WTF articles. This week: Anna Chapman is back, a... more
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"Today several new records are building whereas old ones are breaking, but a unique record is becoming at Commonwealth Games Village, and the record is of using condoms.""Today several new records are building whereas old ones are breaking, but a... more
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A shop owner in Surrey was sentenced to 12 months for selling counterfeit Vodka and Condoms. The fake Vodka had enough methanol to blind or kill someone, while the condoms could have caused unwanted pregnancies or STDs for the buyer.
"At Guildford Crown Court shop owner Karandip Arora, 38, of Hounslow, Middlesex, was sentenced to a 12-month suspended prison sentence and was ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work and pay prosecution costs of £1,892."-Mirror
Trading standards team were worried about what the outcome could have been if they didn't step in.A shop owner in Surrey was sentenced to 12 months for selling counterfeit Vodka and... more
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The comparison of a major city jail and a bar bathroom is not the most apt. But, as the San Francisco Chronicle reported, both will now have condom machines.
The 16 dispensers, funded by U.C. San Francisco and an unnamed Southern California nonprofit, are the next step in a safe sex program at the county lockup in San Bruno. Condoms have been informally distributed among inmates for more than 20 years. Now, however, you don't need a social worker to hand you a jimmy -- just a handful of quarters.
City officials are reiterating the same argument as those who disseminate condoms to high-schoolers: Prophylactics don't encourage sex; sex happens. Prophylactics encourage safe sex.The comparison of a major city jail and a bar bathroom is not the most apt. But, as... more
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IT'S not every movie star who has a condom named after them.
But Daniel Radcliffe's Harry Potter has become a brand of condom in Switzerland and Warner Bros is not happy.
The Swiss condom brand "Harry Popper" is reportedly being sued for copyright infringement by the studio.
Gawker.com details the hubbub with a broken-English quote from the Swiss newspaper Bote: "For Warner Bros. is obvious: The sorcerer Harry Potter have a 'very positive image.' Condoms have no business there. Especially not now. According to Warner Bros. in November to plan the launch of the new Potter movie. Also a new video game is in preparation. The lawyer for Warner Bros. bluntly: 'The image of my client is in danger.'
There is no denying the correlation between the latex protectors and the popular wizard movie. If the name didn't do it for you, the illustration of a condom swinging a wand and wearing round-frame glasses will.IT'S not every movie star who has a condom named after them.
But Daniel... more
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eden49
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New York - Although still available online, a judge in New York has put an end to the sales of condoms adorned with images of either Sarah Palin or President Obama sold by two street vendors in New York -- the men have been condemned to a day of community service.
Two unlicensed street vendors have been told to stop selling Barack Obama and Sarah Palin condoms in the streets of New York. While the men claimed that their products contained political messages, which should exempt the vendors from needing an appropriate license, the judge saw things differently and ruled that selling condoms was pure business.
The men got off with a slap on the wrist, though, because they were sentenced to merely one day of community service -- very little considering they had been selling the goofy condoms for about two years. The story has been reported in the New York Daily News, yet it is Politico who supplies us with the information that the condoms are still available online, at this dedicated website.
The Palin version features a photograph of the ex Alaska governor in front of a caribou, beneath the slogan "When abortion is not an option," while the Obama package shows a portrait of the president with the text "ultimate stimulus package", yet also warning that "hope is not a form of protection."
I don't see how this is illegal, they are both political figures.New York - Although still available online, a judge in New York has put an end to the... more
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Awhile back I did an article on Nintendo Theme Gameboy Condoms that was created for fun by a college student. Looks like our friends overseas think there is a legitimate market in nerds but not for condoms, for Male Enhancement Pills. I present to you, Street Fighter Male Enhancement Pills! And yes, you can purchase them. The cover on the pack explicitly shows Ryu going to town on Chun-li, I mean really explicit! Like I’ve never seen Ryu’s balls, but now I have or at least an artist’s interpretation of Ryu’s balls.
http://nerdreactor.com/2010/08/03/go-for-broke-street-fighter-condoms/Awhile back I did an article on Nintendo Theme Gameboy Condoms that was created for... more
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For adults looking to earn some extra money, there was a job advertisment last year that may have tickled their fancy: tester for Durex condoms.
Durex said it would pay 5,000 people across the UK £500 to help evaluate its latest range of products.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the unusual job offer made a few headlines.
For a brand that for 81 years has been the best-selling condom in the UK, it was just the latest example of its skill at self-promotion.
But now Durex is in the news for strictly business reasons, with the annoucement that its owner - UK group SSL International - has agreed to be bought by Anglo-Dutch consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser for £2.54bn.
With SSL's shareholders widely expected to back the deal, Reckitt says Durex will be added to its so-called "powerbrand" group of best-selling products, which includes Vanish stain remover and Finish dishwasher tablets.
Ignoring the temptation to speculate whether doing domestic cleaning can have an aphrodisiac effect, it is the latest development in Durex's colourful history.
Also, all Durex condoms are made in Asia, quite cruel dont you think when in most asian countries it is cheaper to have sex with an STD ridden prostitute than it is to buy condoms!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10712088For adults looking to earn some extra money, there was a job advertisment last year... more
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Gush for a cause! Practice Safe Policy, creators of the Obama, McCain, and Sarah Palin Condoms, is taking action to help raise money for the relief effort in the Gulf by donating 20% of the proceeds of their Special Edition Oil Spill Condom to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund. More information about this can be found at oilspillcondoms.com/donateGush for a cause! Practice Safe Policy, creators of the Obama, McCain, and Sarah Palin... more
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Believe it or not nerds do have sex, and when they do, they want a chose a brand that is reliable and is as nerdy as they are. That’s why Visual Communications student Ben Marsh created the fake mock-up video game themed condoms, Play. Not only does the design awesomely resembles the old school Nintendo Gameboy, but the packaging for the individual condoms resembles actual game cartridge.
Each box of Play comes with 6-Varieties of Condoms:
* Ribbed – The Long End of Zelda
* Heat – Dong
* Tingle – Bone Zone 2
* Thin – Super Mario Land of Love
* X Safe – Sextris
* Large – Donkey Shlong
http://nerdreactor.com/2010/07/04/nintendo-gameboy-themed-condoms/Believe it or not nerds do have sex, and when they do, they want a chose a brand that... more
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School: We’ll Give Condoms To Kindergartners If They Ask. It Doesn’t Matter What Parents Say.School: We’ll Give Condoms To Kindergartners If They Ask. It Doesn’t... more
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