Seoul sexpo highlights sex toy industry

SEOUL, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- South Korea's version of Australia's Sexpo is under way in Seoul.

Organizers of the 2006 Seoul Sex Education Expo say the event is intended to enlighten the public about sexual health, while critics contend the event is a pretext to promote pornography, Chosun Ilbo reported.

The event will feature seminars on sex, medical consultations, exhibitions of sex toys and accessories, lingerie fashion show and strip shows, the newspaper said.

Chosun Ilbo says the original Sexpo has been held in Australia for a decade as a promotion venue for the adult industry.

The Seoul Sexpo says it hopes to "provide accurate information about sex, foster a more open approach towards sex, and search for a means of revitalizing the flagging domestic adult industry," the newspaper reported.

Seoul South Korea Love hotels get a scrub

Seoul refurbishes its hooker havens to house World Cup soccer fans.

When visiting Seoul, South Korea, for the World Cup in 2002, soccer fans checking into their hotel rooms might smell the lingering odors of perfumed despair. They might discover a pair of stray handcuffs sex toy hanging in a closet. They might also notice that the bathroom contains a 10-gallon container of Vaseline. That's because government officials plan to use Seoul's notorious "love hotels" as legitimate tourist accommodations.

According to officials, the metropolitan area's 370 seedy love hotels -- traditionally used by hookers and those engaged in extramarital trysts -- will be transformed into "world inns" in preparation for the popular soccer championships. The next World Cup is the first to be held in Asia, and will be co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.

"Using the motels can help resolve the dire shortage of lodging facilities during the World Cup as well as find a good use for love hotels, which have become the source of moral headaches in the capital," a city official told the Korea Herald.

Authorities recently heard protests from civic groups and a young men's Christian association, asking the city to close the sleazy hot-sheet hovels located near residential districts where children live and play. To appease this crusade, the city intends to dispatch workers with hundreds of gallons of disinfectant and an arsenal of mops and sponges to clean up the hotels.

In addition to getting a good scrubbing, the hotels will be equipped with a modern booking system and translation services for foreigners. A new reservation system will connect the world inns to the 10 other Korean cities hosting World Cup soccer matches.

But if we can learn anything from history, an international sports championship held in a city of 11 million will always remain a magnet for prostitution and random consensual coitus. The room rates will just be higher than usual.

Apple reportedly angered by 'iGasm' sex toy ads

Apple's legal team appears to have its panties in a twist over an unusual subject: sex toys. We all know that there are a few things that Apple likes to keep to itself. Its name, for example--remember that little Beatles spat?

Now, Macworld is reporting that Apple's not, shall we say, excited about an ad campaign for the "iGasm" from naughty-appliance manufacturer Ann Summers. (WARNING: You might not want to click on that link at the office.) It's a little $60 gadget that encourages open-minded consumers to "take your appreciation of music to a whole new level" through a vibrating add-on; we'll leave the rest up to your imagination.

Apple does have a point. The salacious "iGasm" advertisement does look more or less exactly like its easily recognized iPod ads, except that, well, there's something resembling a white earbud cord meandering down to the scantily clad nether regions of the female silhouette depicted.

The promotions, consequently, are rubbing Apple's lawyers the wrong way. They're allegedly demanding that Ann Summers strip down all ads for the iGasm or face legal action.

According to the Brit tabloid News of the World, Ann Summers CEO Jacqueline Gold's response was, "Perhaps I can send them an iGasm to put a smile back on their faces!" We has been unable to verify that statement.

The Art of The Dogging

Dogging etiquette

Don't attract unwanted attention
Driving around aimlessly at a dogging spot desperately looking for action is a sure way to bring law enforcement down on you. And, of course, this will ruin it for every other dogger there. When you show up at a dogging spot, be discreet and patient. If you're in the right place, something will go down.

Relax
Don't be aggressive or overly persistent, or you will frighten everyone away.

Use protection
Always use condoms. A no-brainer, really, as you are potentially going to have sex with a stranger or strangers.

Be respectful
Respect the women at a dogging event. Without them, it would be a sausage fest. This means no touching the ladies without expressed consent.

Clean up after you're done
Remove all traces of sexual activity such as condom wrappers, condoms, tissues, panties... whatever. The second that regular park-goers find a used rubber in the pristine grass, the cops will start clamping down on doggers.

Keep it legal
In the U.K., dogging is not exactly illegal, as the law is a little sketchy about public nudity. In the U.S., this practice is going to be more of a challenge to do legally. Know the laws of the land when it comes to public displays of affection. Even if you like being watched, you don't want Mr. John Q. Law peeking through your window.

Know how to protect yourself

There are a few simple things you can do to protect yourself when dogging.

Store valuables
All your valuables should go in the glove box; lock them up, if possible. Your powered-up and charged cell phone should always be ready for use... just in case.

Keep the car doors locked
Do so unless you trust the person or people outside. Always have a dependable flashlight stashed somewhere in the car.

Leave the engine running
Many doggers leave the car ignition on in case an emergency warrants getting away in a hurry. I'm not suggesting that you peel out in the middle of the event or anything; it's just a safety measure to let other people know that you will leave at the first sign of trouble.

Some doggone fun

In the last couple of years, dogging has really taken off in popularity. The thrill of watching or having people watch you have sex, and the excitement of getting caught teamed with the safety of having a cell phone on you if something goes wrong makes the idea feasible. It's fun.. but remember that it's not legal. That's probably half the fun of it.

Dogging - The New Sex Trend in U.K.

Here's something for all of you looking for a one-night tryst but don't want to venture further than the public park. It's called "dogging," and it's essentially having sex in a car parked in a public place with other people watching or even joining in.

This pastime originated in the U.K., where it is no less than a craze, but now it's rapidly gaining popularity in the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, Ireland, and New Zealand.

The name is derived from Peeping Toms who would follow, or "dog," couples hoping to catch them having sex. Then dogging was done in the tube stations late at night. In its most recent incarnation, it's being done in parking lots and parks.

Now if you're interested in getting involved in the dogging scene, here's some information about the rules, where to find the scene and how it's done.

How to find it

Online
Doggers usually find each other amid Internet forums and newsgroups. It's much quicker than popping into every park in the area looking for action. Some dogging forums will post time and place of these events. Other times they ask doggers to reply with their cell phone number then use text messages to reveal the location, to ensure it remains secret.

In the U.K., doggers' websites list the most popular secluded locations, like public parks and parking lots.

Bluetooth
Or you can always opt for "Toothing." Using Bluetooth technology, you can find other PDA phones in your vicinity while in a specific location like a parking lot, a nightclub or public transport, and send out a general proposition seeing if anyone is up for some action.

Know how it's done

Doggers use a series of simple signals to let others know what they're up to.

Let others find you
If you want to invite voyeurs to approach your car and get an eyeful, park in a somewhat visible spot, then flash your headlights or leave the interior car light on. This will tell everyone that you're doggers and you're about to put on a show.

Give them a clear view
When there are voyeurs outside the car watching you, roll down the windows a smidgen if you want them to get an even better view of the action.

Open your door to invite others
If you want them to share in the sexual activity, the accepted way to do this is by opening the door and letting one of them in or by getting out of the vehicle.

Why Women Preferred A Man Grinding Behind Her?

When you've been married for more than 15 years, you sort of lose touch with the dating scene. Or at least you should be out of touch with the dating scene.

If you're still dating after being married for 15 years, I know a couple of good divorce lawyers who would love to speak to you -- at $300 an hour.

Back in my dating years I, of course, considered myself pretty smooth -- but then again I have yet to meet a man who doesn't think he is.

My style was sincere, funny and respectful, which I hoped made me stand out from the other guys in the room who were crude, rude and grabby.

It turns out, I had it all wrong, at least according to a new survey conducted by a medical resident at Queen's University, Kingston.

Jonathan Huber surveyed 143 women in clubs between the ages of 18 and 28 about what works when a man is trying to get their attention at a bar.

While most women in the survey said they preferred a man introduce himself and start a conversation when they first meet, about 30% said "grinding" is an acceptable way to pick someone up.

"Grinding" is exactly what it sounds like -- a man introduces himself to a strange woman by coming up behind her on the dance floor and rubbing his pelvis against her.

In case you think this is a bit exaggerated, 84% of the women in the survey say this is how they have personally experienced new men introducing themselves.

And to think I wasted all that money on business cards.

Just in case you think this is a man thing somehow coded in our leftover male monkey DNA, a little less than half the women surveyed said they, too, first introduced themselves to men at a bar by rubbing a man's behind.

Back in the day, I do recall once having my butt pinched by a woman on a dance floor, but the contact was brief and to the point, and over so fast it left me wondering if I had imagined it.

Compared to grinding, a pinch now seems to almost qualify as witty conversation.

Another startling finding in the survey is 3.5% of the women asked said touching their breasts was an "acceptable alternative to hello".

Now, 3.5% is not very high, but if you're in a bar with 200 women, that means statistically somewhere there are seven of them who will let you shake more than their hands when you introduce yourself.

Of course, the secret is always figuring out which ones they are.

Is this just sour grapes from someone who has been thrown clear of the dating scene?
You bet.

Dating in what was considered the sexually liberated late '70s and early '80s is going to seem like going to a party to waltz to my grandchildren.

I can see that as a magical moment a modern couple's golden wedding anniversary celebration, as they tell the grandchildren how they first met: "Your grandfather, the old romantic, had just finished grinding his way down all the other women at the bar, but when he ground his pelvis into my behind, sparks flew and I knew it was something special. He never was much of a talker, but boy could he sneak up behind you on a crowded dance floor and start polishing the Captain's Quarters."

Sex Toy Materials 3: Silicone/Rubber Mixes

• Pure silicone toys are non-porous, but when silicone is only one of many ingredients, you should treat them like jelly rubber toys.



• The benefit of having a silicone mix is that the material will last longer without breaking down or tearing.



• They may contain rubber softeners such as phthalates, which have been associated with negative health effects.



• Use with condoms for safety and to aid in cleanup.
  Do not use silicone lube with silicone/rubber mix toys as it can melt the toy. Be sure to use a condom over the toy if you want to use silicone lube.

Silicone is such a popular sex toy material that manufacturers of less-expensive sex toy options have realized that it can increase their sales to have the packaging say that the toy is silicone. By law, it only has to have 10% of a material to be called that material (just like with 10% fruit juices).

Because we want our customers to make informed decisions, we hope that you will check before buying something labeled silicone. You should be able to trust that the product is truly capable of being disinfected.

Aphrodisiacs — Do they really make you randy?

Although aphrodisiacs are based more on cultural myths than fact, their allure continues to this day, as people still experiment with them to pep up their sex lives. Throughout history, people all over the world have tried certain foods, beverages, drugs, and chemicals in the hopes of being bestowed some magical aphrodisiac powers. The fact that some look similar to men's and women's genitals, or are even derived from animal sex organs, was no accident. Named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, aphrodisiacs are substances that supposedly elicit sexual desire and arousal, enhance sex drive and sexual "performance," and extend sexual energy.

The following have been believed to be aphrodisiacs at one time or another:

• Spanish Fly — the most famous reputed aphrodisiac of all
  Made from ground up beetles of the Lytta vesicatoria species, its active ingredient, cantharidin:
  
  
  
  • irritates the bladder and urethra, causing increased blood flow to the genitals and sensations of warmth there, but can permanently scar urethral tissue and infect the genitourinary tract
    
  • may lead to an abnormally prolonged or constant erection (priapism) or an engorged vulva and vagina, both of which are often painful
    
  • can be poisonous or even fatal with prolonged use
  
  
• oysters, clams, and other seafood resembling sex organs
  
• ground rhinoceros horn
  The term "horny" was apparently coined from this "sexual enhancer."
  
• bananas, celery, asparagus, and other phallic foods
  
• honey
  It's reminiscent of sweet vaginal fluid.
  
• ginseng
  
• chocolate (including green M&M's?)
  
• strawberries and champagne
  
• chilies, curries, and other spices and spicy foods
  They make the heart beat faster and produce perspiration, which commonly occur during sex.
  
• raw bull's testicles
  
• Yohimbine — an extract from the bark of the West African yohimbe tree

Although more human research is needed, results from animal studies indicate that it may have the potential to be particularly helpful for men who have difficulties maintaining an erection. It's not as likely to enhance sexual arousal or desire.

According to a review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), however, no purported aphrodisiac has been scientifically proven to be effective at meeting its claims. In fact, as in the case of Spanish Fly, some can be harmful and even potentially dangerous. It's also important to remember that, because aphrodisiacs, similar to other herbal supplements, are not regulated by the FDA, it can be hard to know exactly what you're getting when you pick up a bottle of "liquid love/lust" from your local sex shop. If you do decide to give store-bought aphrodisiacs a try, make sure you know enough about all the ingredients and buy from a company with which others have had good experience.

Sometimes drugs are used as aphrodisiacs. Alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, and barbiturates, for example, help reduce or remove inhibitions and/or produce pleasurable feelings and sensations that could lead one to feel sexually aroused. However, instead of this intended outcome, decreased or no sexual response and functioning could occur, often when taking moderate or larger amounts, or from long-term usage. Dependency and other more serious harms can also result. In addition, people's judgment is often impaired, leaving them more vulnerable to sexual assault, as the recipient or perpetrator.

Another drug, amyl nitrate (a.k.a., "poppers"), apparently intensifies and prolongs sensations of orgasm, probably by increasing blood flow to the genitals and distorting time perception. But, it can also cause dizziness, severe headaches, unconsciousness, and a drop in blood pressure that could become dangerous.

Regardless of whether or not aphrodisiacs work, the power of suggestion, psychologically and emotionally, is key. If one believes using any particular substance, alleged aphrodisiac or not, will help enhance his or her sex life, and s/he is receptive to that longing, then it can help bring about sexual desire and arousal, at least in the short-term. Of course, a good night's sleep, time, privacy, confidence in your contraception, self-confidence, and a turned-on partner may do the same thing.

When Job Stress Saps Your Sexual Energy

What can you do when work woes lead to a lackluster libido? Or your husband falls asleep during sex? And which lubes are safe? Supersextoy answers your queries.

Q: As a general manager for a big office, I am under a lot of stress. Due to my work, my sexual appetite is not what it once was. My wife and I have been married for five years and we have always been very close sexually, but lately my life has been all work, all stress and no intimacy. Anything to recommend?

A: Yeah, I have some things to recommend: Put down the damn BlackBerry, stop taking your work home, shut off the cell phone.

Too simple and trite? "Oh, I just can't. My job depends on it!" Please. Stop whining. Look at the woman you married five years ago and tell me what is more important.

Where does this work-warrior culture come from, anyway? Do you think bragging over working 70 hours per week somehow makes you a brave modern knight, your PDA slung from your belt like your own Excalibur? Do you think you are going to heaven because you are still working at 9 p.m. and taking red-eyes to Boston? Sorry, pal.

Have you ever tasted fine olive oil and salted bread and fresh, cool wine while sitting on a white-washed terrace overlooking the blue Aegean with your wife sitting next to you, her beauty and her love a blessing you can't believe you deserve? That's heaven.

Can't afford the trip? Then take her out to dinner and talk about nothing work-related at all. Talk about a dream. Talk about the blue Aegean. The office will still be there tomorrow. No one is that important.

Stress experts agree that a major cause of stress is the feeling that we do not have control. But that feeling often is an illusion. We do have control. We can control how much stuff we buy, how much money we have to make to support that stuff. We can change our work environments.

Psychologist Alan Nagamoto, director of the UCLA stress clinic, suggests trying "to identify the specific source" of stress. If it is work, what is it about work? A collection of small things? One big thing?

Once you have identified the source, he says, ask yourself: "Is this anything I can do something about? Is it under my control?" Next, attempt a proper "adaptive solution." (Martinis don't count.) Sometimes that could mean doing nothing. Or it could mean making small or large changes - everything from delegating some tasks to finding a new job - to reduce stress.

Though it sounds cliché, a good workout and talking with trusted friends are good quickie stress-relievers. So is sex. Research proves it. Buck up and take your medicine like man.

By the way, your health could depend on controlling stress. Stress activates the autonomic nervous system, our fight-or-flight response. In the context of evolution, we are designed for short bursts of either running away or duking it out with the lion that is stalking us. Our bodies aren't made to run or fight all day, every day.

Besides, when we think we're on somebody's dinner menu, we tend not to think of getting it on with the cute wildebeest on the other side of the herd.

Q: My husband is 6-feet-tall and weighs over 400 pounds. He has sleep apnea and he can't stay awake during sex. He doesn't know this is happening, and I am turned off. How can I get turned back on?

A: Lady, your getting turned on is the least of your worries. The apnea, the obesity, the inappropriate sleepiness all make your husband a big risk for heart attack, diabetes, stroke and impotence.

No kidding, get him in to see his physician, ask the doc about a sleep specialist and a weight-loss program. It may take awhile, but in time, your sex problem should resolve.

Q: Are there certain lubricants that aren't good for women, like the ones that are petroleum-based? Can some promote yeast infections?

A: Time was, there was just K-Y. Now selecting sex lubes is like selecting wine. Stores shelves are full of different lubes.

If they are sold as a "sexual" or "personal" lubricant, they're likely safe. If they are sold as a "novelty," they may not be safe.

Many novelty lubes are flavored, and if they are, they may contain sugars that can promote yeast infections. This doesn't mean all flavored non-novelty lubes will, so read labels if you just can't face having sex that doesn't taste like choco-banana.

Petroleum-based products such as Vaseline don't make good sex lubes either, partly because they weaken condoms.

Silicone lubes can feel great, and they last a long time, but never use them with a silicone sex toy. They'll integrate with the toy and "melt" it, creating a gooey mess on the surface.

Water-based lubes may not last as long as the silicone-based ones, but they are safe for condoms, sex toys and you.

Sex Toy Materials 2: VixSkin Silicone

Handcrafted by popular silicone dildo manufacturer Vixen Creations, VixSkin is nothing less than a major innovation in sex toy design. These toys boast the superior hygienic qualities of silicone while retaining the realistic look and feel of cyberskin. Because they are made of 100% silicone, Vixskin dildos are easy to clean, unlike more porous materials which can harbor bacteria. Vixskin toys are backed by a lifetime warranty from Vixen Creations.