Every person be it men or women are proud of one’s sexuality. Complimenting clothes validates your partner’s tastes, admiring the eyes reinforces his or her beauty, but praising the body many are reserved about, boosts sexuality. In a wider aspect, sexuality goes beyond your sex appeal to fulfilling your sexual needs and also that of your partner. Though your mind may fantasize a perfect sexual life with your partner, there are millions of unfortunate men in the world who are deprived of this sexual bliss as they suffer from the sexual dysfunction called impotence. There are several causes leading to impotence ranging from psychological, physical to lifestyle factors. Though you can have chances of moderation in dealing with stress and anxiety or refraining from smoking and alcoholism; it is difficult to impossible in dealing with physical liabilities leading to impotence, medically termed erectile dysfunction (ED). It is the condition when a man is unable to achieve or sustain an erection long enough to satisfy himself or his partner consistently. If the condition persists, do not feel embarrassed to consult your doctor on the issue so that he can help you determine the reason behind it. The most common physical cause behind erectile dysfunction is arteriosclerosis or the hardening of penile arteries which restricts the flow of blood to the penis resulting in failure in achieving an erection. Over the last decade, there has been considerable advancement in treatment for erectile dysfunction amongst which oral medication has surfaced as the most accepted form of therapy. Although many drugs have survived the competitive markets and many disappeared, one oral prescription drug named Levitra has acquired the trust of many sufferers of impotence. Levitra is an FDA-approved medication and has been clinically shown to improve erectile function even in men who had other health factors, like diabetes or prostate surgery. Levitra performance is achieved due to the presence of its active ingredient Vardenafil HCL. It works by relaxing the muscles in the penis and helps increase blood flow to the penis to get and keep an erection satisfactory for sexual activity. According to a recent news release by Bayer/GSK, 90 percent of men reported improved erections. Each Levitra pill may work in as quickly as 25 minutes and may work for up to 24 hours. But it is mandatory to use Levitra only after checking your health status on active sex and with prescription from a doctor. More information on Levitra online may provide the latest updates, references on drug interactions and possible side-effects and buying guide. You can buy Levitra from online pharmacies from the privacy of your home and also at cheap prices. But when you buy cheap Levitra, check the credentials of the drug and authenticity of the dealer before placing your order. All in all Levitra has proved itself over the years as bliss for male sexuality. size genetics There is a simple way to eliminate the need for keeping a large inventory of hard copy press kits and reduce your dependency on the shipping company guy: publish your clients’ press kits online. size genetics extender testimonials Making the move from hard copies to press kits published online that are always-accessible is essential in today’s age of e-mail. The corporate world lives by e-mail; reporters and other media professionals are no different. These people are busy and time is always of the essence when they’ve got deadlines breathing down their necks. The decision to use your client in a story instead of someone else is contingent on whose information is easiest to get. If it takes all night for your client’s press kit to reach their desk, you might get bumped. jes extender review I know what you’re saying right now. “But, Drew, I e-mail my clients’ press materials to the media.” Well, that’s great, but just because reporters use e-mail doesn’t mean they open every stranger’s message that arrives in their inbox and it especially doesn’t mean that they even bother opening your attachments. Why? Because it’s too risky.
Chapter Seven Lilli Ann [Work and Play and Colleen] Many things were starting to happen after the tournament was over. It seemed my life had stopped for a moment in time. I had been working five to six days a week, mostly five. Met a guy, my age called Dan, at the karate studio one evening, he was just watching, and we got talking, and I helped him get a job at Lilli Ann. He was assigned to Mr. Green and would eventually be reassigned down stairs in the packing department. I was assigned in another department, which was one floor lower than his. He started falling in love with a Spanish gal, and wanted me to help him out by asking her why she was so down right rude to him. And so I did, it must have worked because they started dating, thereafter. Well Dan’s brother came into town, he was eighteen-years old, and again Dan and I were both twenty-one. The landlord would not allow two people in their apartment so I talked to my landlady and they ended up renting out the big room. I liked them both, but Dan was a little more level headed. His brother smoked pot night and day, Dan occasionally. About this time my mother said she was coming down to visit me after Christmas, which was not too far off. And so many things were happening. And as the weeks passed by I would often go downtown San Francisco after work and go to the double feature movies, they were older ones but very cheep, .75 cents during the day, before 6:00 PM, and afterwards walk around. I can remember a few times walking down a side street by a little café and Hell’s Angels were hanging out there. One time one of the Hell’s Angels, gave me a strange look but paid me little heed, and went back playing some kind of game. I had to walk around all the motorcycles for they hand them parked in the street, on the sidewalk, and every which way… and them seeing me trying to dodge the bikes to get around them, probably gave them a little groan, one that might have meant, ‘…don’t tip them over sunny.’ And I didn’t bump any. At work a few of the Spanish gals up in Mr. Green’s area were eyeballing me up, but I found out they were married and so I paid little attention to them afterwards. And a few Japanese girls, older women talked to me often, but I never got to dating any of them. Then one evening, after work, Colleen with her sparkling white Catholic seen me waiting for a ride by a street car stand, and asked where I was going, I said down by mission street, and offered to give me a ride. She was around thirty-three years old, whit a healthy looking body, and was hunting I presume—that is, looking for something. Colleen As she drove down Mission Street, she knew exactly where Lilli Ann was, I guess many people did, it was very famous for women’s exclusive clothing, they had dresses in Harpers Bazaar, some famous magazine, and advertised in London, Paris, New York, and here in San Francisco. I closed the window a bit in the car, the air was cool this morning, I told her, but I shouldn’t complain, it was nothing like Minnesota; for weather in December at 57 degrees is like heaven sent; I had heard them say on the radio, that it was going to get to 66 degrees before the end of the day. Not bad, in Minnesota we’d have about forty inches of snow by now, and most likely it would be about three to five below zero. January was the coldest month, in Minnesota usually, reaching many times ten degrees below zero or lower, and February had all the snow it seemed, sometimes twenty inches in one month; sometimes sixteen inches in one day. Some years we had ninety inches of snow. I was inclined to ask her for a date, even though she looked much older than I, but she said first, as I opened the door to get out, “Do you drink wine?” “Occasionally,” I said, for I used to drink some back home, but it was that cheep Ripple crap or Thunderbird, rotten gut stuff. But I didn’t want to tell her that. “The dry wine is even better than the sweet if you have the right bottle, and it’s aged some…” she added as I stood up next to the car, “I’ll pick you up after work, say 4:30 PM, does that sound good?” What could I say, the Cadillac girl was leading, and I had nothing better to do. I hadn’t gone to karate practice going on three weeks now. I think Yamaguchi was a little disappointed in me, surely not his black belt bunch though. “Ok,” I said as I started to turn around and walk inside of the three story building. Things were always happening so fast these days I hardly ever questioned anything. Dan had me meet a friend a week ago, some guy who was selling dope, pot or whatever, we talked and he offered me a job at twice the amount I was making, but I turned him down, I didn’t want to be his or any bodies body guard, end up dead with some heroin stuck in my ass, or down my throat. This was safer, work here at $.1.75 per hour, and just enjoy life; live longer. It was funny, when I stopped to talk to a young man, my age who wanted a quarter, and back in those far off days, they were all over San Francisco, --at any rate, I told him to go get a job, and he asked how much I made in a week, I said $70-dollars, and he laughed, saying: “I make more than that in a day, $75.” Oh well, I guess I still have values. I just couldn’t sit down on the street corner and beg; it wasn’t even a thought. Or should I say, it never occurred to me. ٭ The day went fast, Dan was flirting with his new Spanish girlfriend, who worked in the office at Lilli Ann; I think she was happy I set them up, but I was a little jealous now, I guess I would have like to date her, but I was always drinking, going to movies, and before karate, running around town. No real time I suppose. I think she was wondering why I didn’t smile as much as I did before when I met her halfway going up and down the stairs a few times a day. But I tried. My mother wrote and said he’d be in town now in January. Not too far off. It was 4:35 PM, I just slammed the heavy door behind me to Lilli Ann, and there on the street was that white Catholic, and Dan was not too far behind me, he’s seeing me go to the car, I told myself, not looking in back of me, I’ll hear about it tomorrow. “See yaw later Chick,” Dan said, I think it was to get Colleen’s attention; I turned around and smiled a bit and shook my head. “I did show up, didn’t I, I bet you thought I wouldn’t?” Said Colleen. “Not sure what I thought,” I admitted, and I seem to put on a dumb look. “I always like wine in the fall, --woops, soon to be winter in a week or two.” “Always --” I said-, opening up her car door, and getting in. “Always my new friend, now let’s go to the Bay and look at the Golden Gate.” I nodded my head yes, for I even liked walking along the bank and dock area, by the railroad tracks also. As we got to a certain spot, evening was starting to set in, the once white clouds were turning light-gray, and I opened up the window a little. I loved to grab the moment, absorb what was happening. San Francisco was so very much different than my conservative St. Paul, and it seemed like I was starting to own it a little. There in front of me was the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge, I would never forget it. I had walked across it, seen it a dozen times, and I just never got tired of it; but one thing, I only walked across it once, it is far…longer than one imagines. It was a settling evening. The cars with their horns, the people at work, I was starting to calm down. The night was creeping in. On one hand I was hoping it would never end, and on the other hand, it was a fast pace city for me, it could slow down a bit. “Are you thirsty Chick,” said Colleen. “Oh yes, very much…” I took the bottle from her and drank right out of the top. She pulled out two glasses, then hesitated, and put them back in her back seat saying, “We really don’t need them I see.” I guess I might have seemed a little uncouth, but it was me. For awhile we talked about the earth quake everyone was talking about; how the evangelist’s were saying San Francisco was going to be sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Many people were taking long vacations to get out of town. It was supposed to be on a certain week end coming up (or within the month of January). They talked about it at the bar, at Lilli Ann, every where. She smile, said, “Of course,” as she took a drink. I think she was thinking about her youth; --for whom at twenty-one runs around looking for a glass when you got a bottle. We sat just drinking, and looking at the Bay and the bridge, silent for awhile, some people don’t like too long of a period of silence, but it can be golden, --she lit a cigarette, and so did I, and we took turns drinking. She told a few dirty jokes, and I pretended to think they were funny, and when she laughed I laughed, not because they were funny, but because she was. She commented, “You’ll have to let me know when they have the fabric sales down at Lilli Ann, I want to buy as much as I can.” I didn’t quite understand what she was talking about then, but I did find out later on that they had sales about every four months, and employees could buy fabrics not usable. I would however purchase some for her, during our short time romance. “Let’s go eat,” she commented. “Where…” I said. “I’ll pick up something at a store or restaurant.” “That’s perfect,” I replied, as I put the cork back into the bottle, there was not much left to the wine. Colleen stopped in front of a fancy restaurant, --went inside and ordered some burgers made up for us. “Dolores Street right,” she asked, and I gave her the address, “They’ll taste better relaxing at your apartment.” She said. I explained she was welcome but I only had a small room, and my friend, whom was Dan, she remembered the person who had said, “By Chick”, lived in the other room next to me, --I explained we shared bathrooms. “So she rents out rooms,” she commented. “Yaw, why, you need one?” “Not quite yet, but could be soon, or in a month or so,” she ended her replied with. As she stopped in front of the mansion I lived in, my hunger had changed from food to lust, or so it seemed, the burgers did not seem at all appealing; none the less, we went directly to my room. As we entered the room she looked about, “Quite cute, and yes, you were not kidding, it is small, but cozy, enough for a single man. I had a little dresser by the side of the bed where I kept an ashtray, and a light, along with a little radio. A closet in along side of the bed, a little to the right of the doorway you might say, a window behind me overlooking my bed, and the door to the bathroom on the right also, of the bed; --if I was laying on my back I’d be looking at the doorway in front of me She put the burgers on the small table, took a last drink of the wine, gave it to me, there was one swallow left, I drank it, as she undressed, then she jumped under the covers. She had big breasts and a semi tight body for her age. She was not thin, nor fat, quite healthy looking. I got a hard-on immediately, and like a dog in heat, we pulled our lust together and she grabbed my item and directed it to her warmth. We made love for about 45-minutes, and I fell to my side a bit, rested, and pulled her over to me again, and stuck my penis back into her private area. She was very warm inside, and my body shook as I climaxed. “We should get some sleep Chick,” she said with a chuckle. It seemed she found what she wanted, but I felt a little out classed for some reason. She had a degree I had found out while sitting by the Bay over looking the Golden Gate and she worked as a legal assistant. I couldn’t sleep, so I looked at some of the roof tops of the houses out my window; San Francisco was very complicated for me, all its old and new mixed into a whole, and Colleen laying next to me. But I told myself to go to sleep, tomorrow was another day. As I rolled my body back under the covers, I could not hear anymore car horns, the radio was quiet, Dan and his brother must have fallen asleep, and his girlfriend gone home. The wind was making a bit of noise on the window sill, but that was tranquilizing, if anything. Chapter Eight The Christmas Party Well, Dan was dating the Spanish lady, and Colleen was coming over picking me up on regular bases now. She even got to know the Colonel a little, and Dan and his brother Jack. I think she was eyeing up the little bedroom by Dan’s big room. In-between our dating that is. During this period in San Francisco I was working, and I wasn’t seeing Goesi much, going to the movies as I usually did, and we had a Christmas party coming up in a few days. Mom had written and I expected her to be flying into San Francisco, in two weeks. From here she’d stay a week then fly down to see my brother in Montclair, Southern California. The weather got a little colder also, but why argue it was still in the 50’s during the day, and low 40’s at night. Some rain but not much. I now was running the dogs for the Colonel; I had a hell of a time taking the “Beast,” out. I called him that because he was up to my waste when on all fours, and had teeth almost like a saber tiger; he looked more like a wolf than a dog. He ran like a horse, and I had a choke chain on him; --thank god I could run with him, I think he liked that. And people jumped every which way when they seen us coming: --and a few times he got away from me whereas the panicked started all around me, people jumping far away from the on coming beast, I didn’t blame them. The Confrontation I knew when I left San Francisco, I’d miss the dogs. Matter-of-fact, one night a neighbor came over and was hollering at the Colonel, and threatened her about the dogs, I was in the hallway upstairs listening, had a few beers in me, I came down slowly, and she told the guy to go because I was the one running the dogs, which the guy noticed, and that with my karate, and temper it might not work out too good if he sticks around;” adding, she said, “I think he heard you hollering at me.” “So what, let him come…” and then out of the blue I was five feet from him on the outside stairway, he was two steps down, and the Colonel was against the beam of the door way. “You better take care of them dogs and shut them up before…” “Before I kick you ass, that that…” I leaped toward the man with my hands in the air as to block the man if he thrust the knife at me, and landed on the second to last step, about two feet in front of him, and in a circular motion, threw several blocks to off set his focus, he jumped back, pulled out a two inch knife, he was terrified. “You better not come closer,” he said. I started laughing. “And you mister, better shut your mouth, go home and never, I mean never come around here again, and if I find out you’ve cause any trouble for my landlady, I’ll find you and stick that knife up your ass…….get out of her NOW!!” He moved as fast as he could. Yes, I had my wild moments, as most people have. Said the Colonel, “I hope he doesn’t cause trouble for me, but I sure liked the way you handled him,” and she had a smile half a mile wide. jes extender testimonials First of all, everyone knows not to open an e-mail from someone you don’t know; especially if there’s an attachment. This is e-mail safety 101. Strange e-mails with attachments usually mean one thing: virus. At least, that’s the take of most business’s firewalls and anti-virus protection systems. You may think you’re making waves by mass e-mailing your media lists with attached press releases, but how many calls are you getting back? Not many, since your important e-mail has been tossed out with the “wasser” worm and those annoying “enlargement” e-mails. enlargement extender So what’s the solution? Reject technology and start snail-mailing and faxing again? No. Embrace technology and publish your press kits online. sizegenetics penis extender Now, an online press kit is not a Web site. Don’t be confused by the term “online.” Though an online press kit can be displayed online and present information like a Web site, it is really a virtual folder or briefcase that allows you to upload and store your press materials on the Internet. Once in your online press kit folder, these documents and images can be distributed as links – not attachments. size genetics extender
Have you ever seen the effects of asbestosis, mesothelioma, or any of the various asbestos-related cancers that have killed or destroyed the livelihood of a close fried or relative? Believe me, some very powerful and influential figures have succumbed to these illnesses, so it is not just confined to manual workers working in factories or building sites where asbestos was involved. As early as 1898 the then Chief inspector of Factories in The United Kingdom in his report to Parliament submitted in his report regarding the ‘evil effects of asbestos dust.’ He described it even all those years ago as having a sharp, glass like nature, very susceptible to disintegrating into minute particles, which then very easily permeated every nook and cranny in a building, or even a district where such a product was in use. Litigation due to industrial exposure to asbestos remains the longest, most expensive joint claim in the world, with over 6,000 defendants, and at the latest count well over 600,000 claimants. With the current rate of detection of asbestos related diseases set to rise over the next decade, estimates of the litigation costs on the US alone is expected to rise to well over $250 BILLION. You would have thought that with such amounts at stake, anybody still manufacturing products based on asbestos or any asbestos-related products would be taking an enormous financial risk. In early times items made of asbestos were held in great esteem, especially by Kings and Emperors, and of equal value to gold. Many in fact were cremated in an asbestos shroud, to keep their ashes separate from any other combustible materials. How rash was that! In fact, talking of rashes, although asbestos fibres when coming into contact with the skin causes rashes, there are stories from ancient times that asbestos was actually prescribed for ailments of the skin – especially the itch. Although there are many forms of asbestos, they all have the same characteristic to a greater or lesser degree, that eventually however they may be packaged up within another material, they will all form asbestos dust particles at some point in their life. Due to asbestos’s fire-retarding properties, until the late 1980’s there were many applications within public and private buildings where asbestos in one form or another was used. Acoustic ceilings, putty, vinyl floor coverings, fire-retardant fillings, adhesives and ceiling tiles, acoustic curtains in theatres, and in brake disk pads in cars, busses and trains, clutch plates, gaskets, fire blankets – the list is endless, as is the lurking danger. In fact, many a worker in the American shipyards during the Second Word War were heavily exposed to this asbestos danger, and even some top people were affected and struck down with asbestosis, mesothelioma, or asbestos-induced cancers of some sort. Now, with many asbestos based products no longer allowed in new construction, there must be thousands upon thousands of sites where asbestos is still lurking, and even demolition and or removal creates its own hazard conditions. Interestingly, in the interest of ‘profit’ there are still a number of applications where asbestos is still in use, and can even be found in some consumer products, such as talcum powder. In all, the list of asbestos based products is still scarily quite long. Asbestos-cement corrugated and flat sheets; asbestos clothing for heat resistant applications, pipe line wraps, roofing felt, and many applications in the auto industry, including automatic transmission system components, clutch plates, friction pads such as disk brake pads and so forth are still being manufactured. How many of us have smelt the acrid fumes when a train applies it’s brakes in your local station? Because of all this historical use of asbestos, we are all constantly exposed to certain levels of asbestos dust. These are usually quite low levels (between 0.00001 to 0.0001 fibres per millilitre of air we breathe) with the higher levels predominately in towns and cities. Some drinking water can also contain asbestos fibres from natural sources, but this is usually very closely monitored. Where asbestos removal takes place, whole buildings have to be hermetically sealed to try and trap the bulk of the dust. If you have been unfortunate enough to breathe large quantities of asbestos dust, either in a short burst, or over a period of years the effects are usually very much the same. 1. This dust, on the lungs and the membranes inside us, will eventually cause scar like tissues in the lungs, and in the pleural membrane (lining) surrounding the lungs. This ‘asbestosis’ as it is known will usually cause coughing, difficulty in breathing, and sometimes, enlargement of the heart. Asbestosis is very serious, and often results in death. However, it is usually confined to those who worked in the asbestos industry. 2. Lower levels of intake of this deadly dust may cause changes called plaques in the pleural membranes. Effects here are not as serious as with asbestosis, but restricted breathing may still take place. 3. Any irritation of the lungs, or any other membrane in the body will have a marked increase in the formation of cancers, and lung cancer and mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the thin lining (pleural membrane) surrounding the lungs is a well-know side effect of breathing asbestos dust. 4. Children are particularly at risk, as how many of them may play around old buildings, and take great pleasure in smashing up old sheets of asbestos, not realising that they are really playing with something more deadly than an unexploded time-bomb. As a successful property renovator, and provider of buildings for my property club members, asbestos is of a very serious concern to me. In all, asbestos, although having served mankind “Faithfully?’ down throughout the ages, has now been identified as the spectre of danger that it presents, but unfortunately we have been mining the stuff for centuries, so it will not go away quietly, and without a fight. Hence the massive levels of lawsuits piling up surrounding all forms of asbestos. Copyright 2006 Geoff Morris andromedical penis extender When you prepare your sharp, concise e-mail pitch to the media, you simply insert links to your clients’ press kits. When the reporter clicks the link, the document can be opened and saved on their computer. It opens like an attachment, but the documents themselves live online. Instead of piling them onto your e-mail, you’re simply providing directions (a link) to get to them. They become part of the e-mail message, so a media outlet’s virus protection system won’t automatically kick it out of the system. hyper penis Virtually anything can be uploaded to an online press kit: press releases, high-resolution images, video and audio clips, graphics and more. Plus, since you have control over your online press kits, you can always be sure they’re up to date. vimax extender testimonials Now you’re thinking “Wow, these things sound great, but I bet they are expensive.” Not necessarily. Though there are online press kit programs available that cost into the thousands, they usually include extra features you don’t really need and will probably never use. Think of the online press kit market as the binder or folder aisle at your favorite office supply store. Sure there are binders with all kinds of extras, but you pass those by for what you need and the price you can live with. size genetics extender
Control Appetite In studies of 105 subjects, it was found that people who inhaled a chocolate-like aroma when they felt hungry lost almost 3 pounds in 2 weeks. A research study of 3,193 people found that a whiff of banana, green apples or peppermint scents find out an average weight loss of 30 pounds in 6 months. By sniffing the above aromas often, and remembering to smell all foods before you eat. This will make your brain believe that you're eating more, while in reality lessening your appetite. Boost Energy Levels The following scents stir the portion of the brain that enhance wakefulness... Jasmine causes a high level of beta waves in the brain, which will rev-up alertness, drinking jasmine tea is agreat pick-me-up. Stawberries and buttered popcorn will cause people who exercise to burn more calories. Peppermint will also work to boost alertness. Chewing peppermint gum or eating a peppermint candy can result mid-day wake up call. Freshly Brewed Coffee aroma and its connection with caffeine helps the brain feel the energizing effects without the caffeine rush. Improve Your Romance Men and Women are sexually aroused by scents, but smells that stimulate are not the same. For men: The blood flow to the penis is increased by 40% smelling lavander or pumpkin pie. Get a sniff of doughnuts, black licorice, vanilla or women's fragrances will also cause sexual stimulation in men. For women: The scent of cucumber and licorice are arousing. Turn offs for women are scents of cherries, barbecued meat, and believe it or not men's cologne. Lower Your Anxiety Fresh, natural aromas, in general cause a calming effect. A study of very confinded subject (small dark closet or room) showed people became very agitated, but when scents of green apples and cucumbers were pump in the subject seemed to calm down, their is some correlation these ordors have with the emotional center of the brain. If you feel a condition may arise where you may feel anxious, wash your hair with green-apple-scented shampoo and/or place a portion of the shampoo on a cloth and bring it with you. Increase Memory Power Studies show people who smell a floral scent have a 17% boost in new information retention. So, when reading new information take a whiff of a floral aroma, then smell it again to recall it. Neurologist refer to this as state-dependent learning. The information you learn from one state--from smelling honeysuckle aroma--will increase your rention of that same information when getting a sniff of honeysuckle. sizegenetics testimonials Face it – technology is only going to get better and faster. Don’t be left in its dust trying to wave down that brown truck with your emergency overnight press kit. By going online with your clients’ press kits, you’re not only making them easy to access, but easy to cover by the media. The media loves that – and so will your clients. auto extender x4 extender size genetics extender
Condoms, jimmies, rubbers…you might think you’ve heard them all. Condoms are one of the world’s most common prophylactics. Here are 5 things that you might not otherwise know about condoms and their names. 1. English Nicknames One of the most known nicknames for condom is rubber. However, if you go to a convenience store in Australia or New Zealand and ask for a rubber, you will be handed an eraser. This could make for awkward moments for Kiwis or Aussies traveling abroad who just want to erase a mistake: “Could I have a rubber, mate?” Other English nicknames include jimmy hat, raincoat, or hazmat suit: a suit you don for dealing with hazardous materials. The term “love glove” led to the famous safe sex slogan “No Glove, No Love.” 2. International Nicknames English isn’t the only language that had odd nicknames for condoms. In Denmark, they are called gummimand, which literally means “rubberman.” In Germany, they are called lummeltute, or “naughty bags.” Hungarian terminology emphasizes the protective aspect by calling a condom an ovsver, or a “safety tool.” Hong Kong similarly demonstrates the protective value by calling a condom a pei dang vi, or a “bulletproof vest.” In Portugal they call condoms “Venus’ shirts” or camisa de Venus: remember, Venus is the goddess of love after all, so it makes sense! Other countries can be more literal with their meanings: in Nigeria, a condom is an okpuamu, or a “penis hat.” In Indonesia, instead of a hat, it’s a “penis gourd” or a koteca. In English a condom is sometimes called a raincoat: in Greek it is sometimes called a kapota, or an overcoat. In Spain, a condom is called a globo, or balloon. Remember, although you can use a condom for a balloon, you can’t use a balloon for a condom! 3. National Tensions Some nicknames of the condoms demonstrate international tensions. In Germany, a slang term for a condom is a “Pariser,” or a Parisian. In English, condoms are sometimes called French Letters. Why is France associated with condoms? This might be because other countries associated all that was decadent with France. As a side note, a French Letter will protect you against the French Disease; or, to put it more plainly, a condom will help protect you against syphilis. Syphilis was called the French Disease because of the outbreak in the French Army in the sixteenth century; it was the Italians that coined that phrase (morbus gallicus). The French, however, might have gotten their linguistic come-uppance with their terminology. The French called syphilis “la maladie anglaise,” or the English Disease. They even called it the Italian disease or the Neapolitan disease too. Other countries were equally derisive, with the Arabs calling syphilis the English disease and the Russians calling it the Polish disease. Although most nationally-derogatory terms for syphilis are now in the past, the French still call condoms “la capote anglaise,” or the English raincoat. 4. Condom, France Yes, there is a town in France called Condom. As far as linguists know, it has nothing do with the etymology of the word condom. There is a folktale that the English got their word condom from this location. English travelers came and saw French farmers sewing prophylactics from sheep guts. Whether or not this is true, you can still get sheepskin condoms (made from sheep intestines). They are softer than latex or polyurethane condoms and increase sensation. However, sheepskin condoms do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases, they simply work to prevent pregnancy. 5. The Real Origins of the Word Condom Unfortunately, we don’t know the real origins of the word “Condom.” Was it named after a Dr. Condom, or a Dr. Quondam, as some tales tell? Is it named after a British army officer, Cundum? Or is it named after the Italian court adviser, Gondi? (A “gondon” or “goldoni” is another word for condom in Italy). Whatever the origins of our word condom, and whatever you choose to call it, wear a condom. Condoms prevent unwanted pregnancies and prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.