6 Surprising Things You Didn’t Know About Condoms

For a very long time, co ndoms have been known to be highly preferred for safe intimacy and s exual relationship.

However, quite a lot of people do not know some important things about co ndoms, how it came about and some shocking things that surrounds its usage. Here are 6 things you never knew about co ndoms.

1. Only 5% Of Men Around The World Wear co ndoms

Although it is a general belief that a co ndom helps in safe intimacy, it is, however, surprising that only 5% of men around the world use it. This percentage is really low considering the goal is 100%.

2. There Are Four Different Kinds Of co ndoms

The commonest of all the types of co ndoms is the latex. For men with allergies, non-latex co ndoms are made from polyurethane. For those who are allergic to both latex and polyurethane, the third type is made of polyisoprene. Then there are lambskin co ndoms, which are actually made from lamb intestines, not skin. Finally, you can always pick up female co ndoms, which function drastically differently but are still designed to protect against pregnancy and STIs.

3. Modern co ndoms Are Made From Tires

All thanks to Charles Goodyear for the first rubber vulcanisation process produced in 1855. Ever wondered why the present-day latex co ndoms are sometimes called “rubbers” by people like your grandfather and carnival barkers? It is because it was produced from tires.

4. co ndoms Basically Have Not Been Redesigned Since They Were Invented

Since the evolution of the first co ndom in the 1920s, it has never been redesigned despite all the advances made with bumps and ridges. It has been the way it was first produced.

5. co ndoms (On Average) Do Not Really Affect How Good The s ex Is

For those who think co ndom affect how good a s exual experience is, it is a fallacy. Surveys have shown that couples were just as satisfied with s ex whether or not they used co ndoms. So considering co ndoms are 98% effective at preventing pregnancy and make s ex more safer, “it doesn’t feel good” isn’t an excuse not to use one.

6. Women Account For Almost Half Of co ndom Sales

A popular survey has shown that women buy more co ndoms than men. This means the women buy for their men than men buy for themselves. Women account for at least 40% of co ndom sales. Which is good, because you should pretty much always have them at hand.

Let’s Put The Date Back Into Dating: The 4 Stages To A Successful Courtship

Call me old-fashioned, but I think it’s time we put the “date” back in dating!

Dating is more complicated these days because singles have replaced talking with texting, going out with hanging out, and romance with rushing to hook up.

So I’m asking the men: Please step up and lead the way. Now I know the sisters have some work to do to be better dates, and don’t worry, I have some tips to give them in the next article. But fellas, the sisters have been telling me how you’ve been acting on dates. It’s some crazy, jaw-dropping stuff! We can do better.

Let’s start at the beginning and move through the different stages of courtship.

Make a good first impression.
If you’re using online dating to meet women, please know that every sister on these sites isn’t there to hook up! And please, don’t say you’re looking for a serious relationship when you’re not. The sisters don’t appreciate you wasting their time.

They also don’t want to see photos of you in your sweaty gym clothes or with your arm around another sister, standing on the altar at church! Who is that woman? The sister can’t tell if she’s your ex-girlfriend or the pastor’s wife!

You’re on a dating site, so please put your best foot forward. The sisters are thinking about what a date with you would be like and you in that all-purple suit you wore on Easter ain’t cutting it!

Take some professional photos, hire an image consultant who can make sure your swag is on point and use casual selfies of you in your bathroom sparingly. You’ve only got a few seconds to impress a lady online. Don’t waste them.

Be present on a date
Now that you’ve gotten her attention, ask her out on a date. Don’t text her and say, “You want to hang out?” Pick up the phone and make the call. She’ll be so impressed because most men don’t do that anymore.

Once you’re on the date, put away your smartphone please. I’ve heard stories from sisters that some guys check their text messages all night and then brag about it with lines like, “Yeah, you know, these women be blowing up my phone!” She’s not impressed by the fact that your iPhone is filled with women’s phone numbers. It doesn’t make her want you more. It’s a turn off.

Instead of checking social media, focus on your date.

Give her eye contact, smile, and show her you’re interested in her. Remember, the way to woman’s heart is through her ears. Compliment her and show her a good time.

Slow down
I’m appalled at the number of stories I’ve been hearing about men who are rushing to get women in the bed. Some wait until date number three and tell the woman, “Isn’t that why everyone is online? To hook up!” Others just come right out and ask for what they want on the first date.

I don’t advocate s*x before marriage anyway, but really ya’ll? What happened to romance? Holding hands? Talking all night on the phone until one of you falls asleep? Going for ice cream dates or giving her flowers when you meet her for dinner. Romance is not old-fashioned! Please pay attention to a woman’s heart and stop putting all the focus on her body. The sisters are feeling used. Let her know, guys, that Black women matter by treating her with respect and honor!

Be honest.
Instead of disappearing on a woman after you told her you’d call, or vanishing into thin air after you’ve been seeing each other for a few months, never to return her text messages again, please just be honest. If you don’t want to see her again, just say it. It goes something like this: “Things aren’t working out. I think you’re great, but it’s just not a match. I think we should part ways.”

You leave the sisters hurt and confused when you just disappear, and I know that you are a better man than that.

Listen, brothers. I know that you’re tired of the games women have played in relationships and you’ve been burned by bad dates too. You’re expected to pay for all of the dates and if they don’t result in anything worthwhile, you can feel like it’s not worth it to be a gentleman.

But I’m begging you, please bring back the date into dating.

The women are losing their faith in you. They don’t think there are men out there who are serious about relationships. Prove them wrong! And besides, there’s another generation watching you. We need you to be leaders and leave a great legacy for young men to follow.

MUST READ: Check Out The Deadly Virus Other Than HIV Than Even Condom Can’t Protect You Against!!

Condoms have been hyped as master-protectors against sexually transmitted infections. However, health experts are warning that in as much as condoms significantly decrease transmission rates of the most life-threatening viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B and C, it’s not foolproof.

At a meeting of cancer specialists at the University of Nairobi last week, reproductive health expert, Nelly Mugo, said that even as we take protective measures using condoms against most STIs including HIV/Aids, the rubber sheaths cannot provide 100 per cent protection against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). “Condoms offer 60 per cent of HPV thus the virus can spread through skin-to-skin contact with infected areas of the skin not covered by the condom such as the scrotum, anus, or vulva,” Dr Mugo said.

The 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, released last week, shows that male condoms are the most popular method among sexually active unmarried women. Unmarried men too seem to prefer condoms as the popular method to protect against STIs. But for a virus whose disease has no symptoms, the inefficacy of condoms allows for faster and wider spread, especially amongst those with multiple s*x partners.

The only 100 per cent effective way to prevent HPV transmission is abstinence from any s*xual contact, including oral, an*l, and vaginal s*x. See also: Morning after:That ‘oops’ moment when women’s emergency pills backfire Since abstinence may not be a realistic option, Dr Mugo advises remaining monogamous while in a relationship, vaccination and screening for women. Women can also pass viruses without having any symptoms.

But the chance of females infecting men is estimated at less than five per cent of the rates of male-to-female transmission. There are more than 100 types of HPV and about 13 of these are cancer causing, with HPV types 16 and 18 causing approximately 70 per cent of all cervical cancers worldwide. Sadly, it’s physically difficult to tell whether your partner has the HPV virus unless they have private part warts, yet those who do not have visible signs can also spread the virus.

The other interesting aspect of this particular virus is that you do not need to have s*x for it to be passed on from one person to another. The virus is found in the flora of the man-hood, scrotum, vag1na, vulva@, or anus of a person who has the HPV. One can get infected through kissing or touching an infected s*x organs or through oral s3’x.

Since cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among adult women, in the developing world, and the second most common cancer among women worldwide, preventive measures include getting a pap smear for women and/or getting vaccinated.

Better still, it’s important that you be honest with your partner about your s3’x history. Immunizing all girls before becoming sexually active ideally aged nine to 13 years in order to lower the risk of HPV took off in Kenya under a pilot project in Kitui County in 2013, targeting 20,000 girls.

Dead Cat Mourned, Gets Lavish Funeral In Japan

A Japanese cat which served as the master of a train station for eight years has been mourned by officials at a lavish funeral. The female tortoise-shell cat named Tama attracted international attention when it was awarded the position in 2007.

According to ABC News, 

for eight years Tama lived at Kishi station in western Japan, quietly patrolling the station dressed in a custom-made cap and uniform.

When she first started, the line was almost bankrupt and had just lost its last human member of staff.

But as her fame spread, thousands of tourists flocked to see her. The extra passengers and merchandising helped to save the railway.

Another cat has become an apprentice stationmaster following Tama’s death from heart failure on June 22.

Egypt Court Sentence 3 To 1year In Prison Over Racy Music Video

An Egyptian court has sentenced three people involved in a racy music video to one year in prison with labor for “inciting debauchery.”

The Associated Press reports that

the music video, titled “Hands Off,” contains scantily-clad dancing and shaking but no indecency. Reda al-Fouly, the woman dancing in the low-budget video, was arrested last month along with the clip’s cameraman after it went viral on social media.

Wael el-Sekedi, the third person sentenced in the case, is believed to have fled the country after some social media users called the video scandalous, according to the prosecutor.

The three were sentenced on Sunday.

The original clip on YouTube has been viewed nearly 1.9 million times.

Meet The ‘World’s Ugliest Dog [PHOTO]

Quasi Modo, whom the owner claims has a back too short for its body, walks on the stage at The World’s Ugliest Dog Competition in Petaluma, California

If you have to be ugly, you might as well be the best at it. A 10-year old, hunchbacked, mixed breed dog named “Quasi Modo” was awarded first place at the World’s Ugliest Dog Competition on Friday, according to a press release for the Petaluma, California, event. Quasi, whose short spine makes her resemble a hyena, “epitomized excellence in ugliness” Chief Judge Brian Sobel said. The designation won $1,500 for her owner.

This wasn’t Quasi’s first rodeo. Last year, the spunky Florida pup won second place, losing out to small, wild-eyed dog named Peanut. Quasi’s pageant bio says that despite the multiple birth defects that contribute to her odd appearance, she is a happy dog who loves to run and play. She also works as an “ambassador for teaching people about acceptance and tolerance for things that are different,” according to the bio.

Veterinarian Virginia Sayre and her husband, Mike Carroll, adopted Quasi from Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control about nine years ago, according to a Palm Beach County press release. The lovable dog “gets along well with everybody,” but sometimes other people are alarmed by her appearance, Sayre told The Palm Beach Post last year.

“People who love dogs get her, but I’ve had grown men jump on top of a truck to get away from her. They don’t know what to make of her,” Sayre said. Though the press release and the Associated Press both initially identified Quasi as male, the dog is female, Andrian Guthrie, who worked at Palm Beach County Animal Care when Quasi lived there, told The Huffington Post in an email.

Here’s Blosom, The Tallest Cow To Ever Live [PHOTO]

Talk about a moo-ving tribute. Blosom — one “s” — is recognized by Guinness World Records as the tallest cow to have ever lived. Sadly, the giant Holstein, who stood just over 6 feet, 2 inches tall, died May 26 at the age of 13 after suffering an irreparable leg injury. Read more from Scoop:

However, video and photos honor the bodacious bovine, who will be featured in the 2016 Guinness Book of World Records.  “The funny thing about Blosom was how unaffected she was by all the attention that seemed to surround her. As long as she had her oats, daily chin rubs and ear scratches, life was good,” owner Patty Meads-Hanson said in a Guinness World Records news release.

Meads-Hanson said the cow originally belonged to her father, who raised Blosom on the family farm in Orangeville, Illinois, from the time she was 8 weeks old. Blosom was officially measured there shortly before she died, and entered into the record books as the tallest cow to ever live.

The previous record-holder for the tallest cow was Mount Katahdin, who claimed the title in the early 1900s. That cow was just 0.8 inches shorter than Blosom, according to Guinness World Records.

22-Year-Old Woman Falls In Love With Her Mother’s Husband, Runs Away With Him

Police are looking to find a woman and her stepfather after they ran away together as a couple, police in Kenya said. 36-year-old Caroline Achieng of Kibera, told detectives that her husband has cut off all contact with her after running away with her 22-year-old daughter.

According to Odd News Blog, the husband and daughter skipped town after Achieng learned that they were having s*x behind her back. The daughter even became pregnant and underwent an abortion.

Achieng said that her husband tricked her into paying for her daughter’s abortion, claiming that she suffered from stomach ulcers and had to be treated at a hospital in Kijabe. Achieng appealed to the public for information about the whereabouts of her husband and daughter.

Solar-powered Plane Makes Second Bid To Cross The Pacific Ocean

A solar-powered plane is making its second bid at a record-breaking flight across the Pacific Ocean. Solar Impulse took off from Nagoya Airfield in Japan at 18:03 GMT on Sunday and is scheduled to land in Hawaii in approximately 120 hours. BBC reports:

Solar Impulse said on its website that pilot Andre Borschberg had passed the point of no return. The team has spent nearly two months waiting for a clear weather window to cross the Pacific. “Andre Borschberg has passed the point of no return and must now see this 5 days 5 nights flight through to the end,” Solar Impulse said on its website.

The pilot now no longer has the option to turn around and return to Japan, if the weather forecast changes. The first attempt to fly over the ocean was cut short after a change in the forecast forced an unscheduled landing. And another attempt to take off last Tuesday was cancelled at the last moment because of concerns about the conditions.

This time, the team will not be widely publicising the take-off until the plane is several hours into its flight, as it may need to turn back if the forecast changes.

Second NY Prison Escapee Caught

Second New York State prison escapee, David Sweat is in custody after being shot by police, US officials report. Convicted murderer Sweat, 35, was shot twice and captured less than two miles (3km) from the Canadian border. BBC reports:

His prison-break partner Richard Matt, 49, was killed by police on Friday. The two murderers escaped three weeks ago from the maximum security Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora through the sewer system after using power tools to break out of their cell.

The spectacular escape set off a massive manhunt.  Sweat was shot and seized in the town of Constable on Sunday, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo told a news conference.

He said Sweat was shot twice in the torso and was now in hospital in stable condition. The convict was spotted by a police officer on patrol and shot when he tried to run away. “The nightmare is finally over,” the governor said.