TresSugar

Gonorrhea of the Throat?

DearSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:00:00 -0700

I don't know how many women I've talked to that say they'll engage in oral sex with a guy no problem, but if they're going to have sex, they make him get tested first. Um, hello?! For all those ladies out there with that mindset, I have four words for you - Gonorrhea of the Throat. Remember that oral sex still allows secretions to be passed from one partner to another, and since some people with STIs such as gonorrhea don't show symptoms until the condition has progressed, they can unknowingly pass it on. Now can you see why I'm so pushy about advising that you and your partner get tested before any intimacy occurs?

I know gonorrhea of the throat sounds utterly painful, but symptoms only include a sore throat, and some people experience no symptoms at all, although people with this condition often have signs of regular gonorrhea as well. To diagnosis this STI, a doctor will take samples of secretions from the infected areas and luckily, all types of gonorrhea can be treated with a healthy dose of antibiotics.

Seriously ladies, if this doesn't make you request that a new partner get tested, I don't know what will. Any type of intimacy where you have the possibility of being exposed to another person's blood, semen, vaginal secretions, or breast milk should only occur if you know your partner is STI free.

Dear's Advice: If getting tested before oral sex isn't happening, you can still protect yourself by having the man wear a condom, or a woman place a dental dam over her lady business. I know that doesn't sound very sexy, but it's better than finding out you have gonorrhea of the throat!

Source

Quiz Nation! What Do You Know About Deep Throat?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:30:21 -0800

If Mark Felt never came forward as Deep Throat in 2005, today would have been the day we found out that he was the secret source who provided information to the Washington Post about Richard Nixon's involvement in Watergate. Journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein said they would withhold his identity until the day he died. Take this quiz to find out what you know about the man whose identity was the best kept secret in America for 30 years.

Source

Take the quiz

According to NGOs, 90 Percent of Afghan Women Are Abused

TresSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0700

This sobering CNN video takes us into one of only a dozen women's shelters in Kabul, Afghanistan. According to nongovernmental agencies, 90 percent of Afghan women are victims of domestic abuse.

One woman is at the shelter trying to escape 15 years of abuse from her husband for not being able to conceive a child. As she speaks, a slash on her throat is visible and highlighted by stitches. She would like to see her family again, but she fears she will be killed if she goes home. Another woman has tried to kill herself three times to escape the abuse of a man who often chained her to a wall, setting her free only when it was time for her to cook. In a country where women are viewed as property, even children aren't spared. A 9-year-old tells her story of being raped at age five.

Manizha Naderi, the director for Women for Afghan Women, risks her life to take them in. Listen to her explain the way that the expectation for how women are treated is handed down from generation to generation. By providing a safe space, Naderi lets them know they have an option.

Women and Anger: Serena's Outburst at the US Open

TresSugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:49:03 -0700

Anger in tennis is not without precedent: Jimmy Connors and John "Superbrat" McEnroe were criticized for their oncourt outbursts at linespeople when they didn't agree on a call; they were also beloved for their passion. But a couple days ago at the US Open when Serena Williams disputed a call by getting in the linesperson's face and allegedly telling her she wanted to shove a tennis ball down her throat, some people didn't think that her punishment was enough.

Williams was fined the on-site maximum $10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and $500 for racket abuse, and her action caused her the match point. Kim Clijsters went on to win the match and ultimately the US Open.

Some say Serena's endorsement deals are not in jeopardy, and the crowd booed a reporter who insisted Williams address the issue after winning the US Open doubles match with her sister. But tennis historian Bud Collins was quoted as saying that he couldn't believe that Serena got to play doubles, and that she should be suspended for the rest of the year.

I am shocked that an athlete of Serena's caliber would say something like that in anger, and emotional outbursts or threats make me look askance at the person freaking out. I'm curious though, do you think people are more shocked when they see women get angry than when men flip out?

Jury Convicts Man For Rape of Sex Workers

TresSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:00:00 -0700

The argument that a woman who does sex work cannot be raped did not sway a jury in West Virginia. This week, the jury convicted Thomas H. Gravely of multiple counts of sexual assault on three prostitutes. The women testified that the father of five threatened to kill them as he attacked them, and jurors viewed a taped confession during which Gravely admitted to holding a knife to their throats and strangling them while he had sex with them.

The defendant did not testify, but his attorney gave a dramatic closing argument, calling the victims "tramps" and "whores." He said:

I would be horrified if any of the women in my life were raped, but I'm talking about decent, honorable women. Not whores who have sex with many, many men for money.

The attorney said that convicting Gravely of rape would lessen the dignity of every woman because the sex workers had turned sex into something disgusting. I guess the defense attorney forgot that "every woman" includes sex workers, too. Thankfully, the attempt to dehumanize the victims did not succeed and Gravely was convicted of the horrible crimes.

Princess Culture Might Not Be Healthy For Girls

TresSugar — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:10:00 -0700

I know a very smart, independent, tomboyish 5-year-old who is enthralled by the idea of being a princess. It was Fiona from the Shrek films that got her hooked.

Girls have always loved playing with dolls and pretending they're princesses, but it appears to be crammed down their throats even more now by toy manufacturers and movie studios. There are princess baby clothes, princess-related Barbie items, and the entire Disney Princess franchise, featuring characters from Sleeping Beauty to Mulan. Even tough chick Dora the Explorer wears crowns sometimes!

Many people who are trying to raise nonbratty girls with aspirations beyond being pretty and glamorous worry that selling the princess ethos to girls might be a bad idea. Jean Twenge, an associate professor of psychology at San Diego State and author of The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement, worries as well. She argues, "It just encourages parents who put their kids on a pedestal - and who encourage their kids a lot and rarely criticize."

Twenge and her co-author W. Keith Campbell found that although a study of college-age men and women showed that men in that age group are more likely to exhibit narcissistic traits, the rate at which college-age women were developing narcissistic traits was four times that of the men.

Is the fantasy of being a princess just an inevitable rite of passage for girls? Or would girls be better off heeding, "Do not pass Princess Lane, do not collect crown"?

Source

Say What?

TresSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:00:00 -0700

"I could have turned everything into a crime scene, like OJ, cutting everybody's throat. You see a 19-year-old-boy driving your Escalade, and you know that a 19-year-old boy is in your bed with your wife . . . I mean I totally understand OJ. I get it."

- Hulk Hogan, who says his divorce and his ex-wife's new boyfriend made him understand why men kill their wives. Hulk's rep went on to clarify the remarks: "Hulk in no way condones the OJ situation. As part of a larger conversation, he referred to it to exemplify his frustration with his own situation." That makes it all better. Not.

Source

Man Mistaken For Rapist Befriends Woman Who Jailed Him

CitizenSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:30:01 -0700

When a woman points to a man and says she is 100 percent certain that he broke into her college apartment, put a knife to her throat, and raped her, the justice system works to put the monster behind bars. But Jennifer Thompson, who said just that, was mistaken, and her misidentification sent an innocent man to jail for 11 years. Even though Jennifer said she memorized her rapists face and voice, Ronald Cotton was finally released after DNA exonerated him.

Theirs is a story of mistake but also forgiveness. Jennifer felt guilty and also fearful that Ronald would try to punish her for taking 11 years of his life. But he had forgiven her long ago, accepting that she had made an honest mistake.

Now the pair has written a book, and they work together to spread the word that eyewitnesses can make mistakes and advocate for a more accurate police lineup process.

To see a moving trailer for the book, read more.

Source

Front Page: Bush Approves $17.4 Billion For Auto Makers

CitizenSugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:48:00 -0800

President Bush announced a $17.4 billion rescue package for the automakers that would let them to avoid bankruptcy. The plan also leaves many big decisions for the Obama administration. - Wall Street Journal
W. Mark Felt, Watergate's "Deep Throat," has died at the age of 95. - San Francisco Chronicle

Investors who actually made money as a result of Bernard Maddof's alleged $50 billion Ponzi scheme will probably be forced to give up some of their profits. - New York Times
Hammas, the Islamist militant group, says it has ended its six-month Gaza Strip ceasefire with Israel. - BBC News

Source

Smokers Can Sue Tobacco Companies For "Light" Cigarettes

LibertySugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:30:00 -0800

The Supreme Court declined to go light on tobacco industry today, ruling 5-4 that plaintiffs can sue the companies for deceptively advertising "light" cigarettes. While the court did not decide whether tobacco companies did anything wrong, today's decision means that smokers have a chance to prove that by using the terms "light" and "lowered tar" the companies violated a Maine state law against fraudulent advertising.

The tobacco companies unsuccessfully argued that federal cigarette-labeling laws, which bar additional state regulation “based on smoking and health,” preempted the Maine fraud statute.

The National Cancer Institute says that although light cigarettes feel smoother and lighter on the throat and chest, they are not healthier than regular cigarettes. Also, light cigarettes make up about 80 percent of the US cigarette market. Do you think this is a valid lawsuit?

Source