Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier to Film in Cleveland, Ohio

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Greater Cleveland Film Commission Announces Marvel's
Captain America: The Winter Soldier to Film in Cleveland, Ohio
Sequel to 2011 blockbuster starts filming next year, 2013

  

CLEVELAND, OH - (Sept. 28, 2012) The Greater Cleveland Film Commission today announced that Marvel Studios will film portions of Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier in Cleveland, Ohio. Set for release by The Walt Disney Studios in 2014, the movie is a sequel to the 2011 hit Captain America: The First Avenger starring Chris Evans. Marvel Studios will film stage work for the production in the studio's home state of California.

Filming for Captain America: The Winter Soldier is scheduled to begin next year. This film project follows on the heels of Marvel Studio's 2012 blockbuster Marvel's The Avengers, which filmed in several locations throughout Ohio in 2011, broke a number of box office records, and was the fastest film ever to gross $1 billion in sales worldwide.

 "Marvel is pleased to return to Ohio, this time with our Captain America: The Winter Soldier production. The location, talent and people of Ohio are sure to benefit our film, and we look forward to beginning production," said Louis D'Esposito, Co-President, Marvel Studios.  

 CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER will pick up where Marvel's The Avengers leaves off, as Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world. The film will be directed by brothers Anthony and Joe Russo, Cleveland natives whose credits include the movie Welcome to Collinwood, the Fox TV series Arrested Development, and the NBC TV series Community.

 The Greater Cleveland Film Commission was in talks with Marvel Studios for weeks, sharing information about Ohio's physical assets and helping them learn about the benefits of filming in Ohio -- including the recently expanded Ohio Motion Picture Tax Incentive.

 In June, the State of Ohio expanded the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Incentive, a critical tool for strengthening Ohio's growing film industry and creating jobs for Ohioans. The tax incentive provides for a refundable credit against the corporation franchise or income tax for motion pictures produced in Ohio.

 "We're thrilled that Marvel Studios is bringing another major motion picture project to Cleveland, and we're committed to showing them the very best our region has to offer,"  said Ivan Schwarz, executive director of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission.

"We proved with the filming of Marvel's The Avengers that Cleveland has the talent, architecture and amazing locations that will provide filmmakers everything they need to ensure a successful filming experience, and the economic impact of this new project can't be denied.

"Filming will create a number of jobs for Ohioans and will give our region another chance to demonstrate how skilled, professional and dedicated our workforce truly is. We especially appreciate Governor Kasich and the Ohio Film Office for their support and timely approval of these exciting opportunities."

 The Greater Cleveland Film Commission is committed to building a year-round, sustainable statewide film industry through job creation, workforce development, and attracting media production.

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 Frank G. Jackson, Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, stated, "We are thrilled to host Marvel and the filming of Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2013. We have worked diligently with the Greater Cleveland Film Commission to make our city an attractive location for films of all sizes.

"Marvel's return to Cleveland shows we can provide a film-friendly atmosphere that will ultimately lead to a permanent presence of the film industry in Northeast Ohio."

 About 1,143 full-time equivalent Ohio jobs and $35.5 million in household income are estimated to have been credited to the 27 projects that took advantage of the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit since its 2009 inception, and the tax incentive returns $1.20 into the Ohio economy for every $1 invested by the incentive, according to a Cleveland State University study released earlier this year.

 "We are thrilled that Cuyahoga County is being seen as a destination for filmmakers," said Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald. "The resources that we have to offer, including our skilled workforce, makes our region a natural fit for the film industry. Projects like this means jobs and economic development for Cuyahoga County."

 To learn more about the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, click here.

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About Marvel Entertainment: Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.  For more information visit www.marvel.com.

About the Greater Cleveland Film Commission: The Greater Cleveland Film Commission is a private, non-profit economic and workforce development organization committed to bringing film and other media production to Northeast Ohio to strengthen the workforce, support the media production industry and attract media production to the region.

To learn more about the Greater Cleveland Film Commission and for the latest updates on film and media production in Northeast Ohio, visit  www.clevelandfilm.com.

Answer to "a lack of respect for erotica" and having "to die before" we get it. [Off Taking Risks By Lisabet Sarai blog thesis]

I correct any worry in that "respect" by physically walking through the large Cleveland Public Library. Some say all fiction is not "literature" and yet when you step onto the second floor of the main and enter fiction on your right and walk ALL THE WAY AROUND, you exit through literature. And vice versa. Physically and literally the SAME SPACE.

Everything is perspective. Respect what you do. Love it. Or don't do it.

Work and publish in your own sealed love bubble to protect you and your stories from OTHERS' lack of respect and fear of sex and all things erotic. Perceptions change. Stupid kiddy stories are the biggest selling things right now: Potter, H Games, Twilight, Percy, etc.

Erotica is coming into the light, with a brilliance as yet unseen, good and bad and great; that's what 50 shades implies to me. People admitting and volunteering their participation with erotica, compared to people being indignant and whiny about and hiding their reading "Peyton Place" [fiction with few erotic moments but talked of the aftermath: bastard children, incest] or "The Story of O" back in the 1950s/60s.

Or "Forever Amber" which everyone denied reading and yet it was THE BIGGEST SELLING BOOK OF THE 1940S.

Answer to a comment thesis: Taking Risks By Lisabet Sarai

Answer to a comment thesis: Taking Risks By Lisabet Sarai

This makes me sad, up there with authors who don't read their own writings for pleasure.

Write what pleases you, excites you, scares you.

Put it away. Submit it. Author publish it. Preferably Author Pub it.

If you don't take your own stories and loves and hates and perplexing excitements seriously, who cares if anyone else does.

Validation is lovely. Got one the other day, and curiously its the same one another business fellow acknowledged as mind-blowing.

Publish to your website AND publish the short story, novella, novel yourself if you must. SOMEONE WANTS IT, SOMEONE WANTS TO READ IT.

They may email or tell you face to face. But they will vote for you by online traffic and private purchases of your wicked, wicked works.

deSade lives on. As does Hardy, and that lovely DH's Lady. And so will many of us, if for no other reason than it's kind of impossible to really delete anything from the Net. :-)

Write it, love it, send it out into the world. They imprisoned deSade, the laughed at DH, and disrespected Anais; but, their intelligence and humor and respect for real humans and real human fantasies lives on.

Respect your craft, write and publish.

Oh, and that character who go me two unsolicited approvals of my writing? Dia a cheerleader, who seduces the team coach, and then has a bang on the team bus with the entire team.

We reach people in the "oddest" and "deepest" places.

Also..."They" think anyone and everyone can write what we do, as well as we do, "they" can't.

Answer to a comment thesis: Taking Risks By Lisabet Sarai

Last night Emmy Awards 2

Last night Emmy Awards. Winner: Cable hour-long, miniseries, films. Loser: Free TV hour-long, miniseries, films.

Last night Emmy Awards 1

Last night Emmy Awards. Who won: American fetishism. And ginger-haired actors. Homeland. Sarah Palin. And Am.Historical Hatfield/McCoys. Or should that be McCoy/ Hatfields?

Helen Fisher: Why we love, why we cheat [Filmed Feb 2006, Talks | TED.com Partner Series]

Helen Fisher: The brain in love [Filmed Feb 2008, Talks | TED.com Partner Series]

Mary Roach: 10 things you didn't know about orgasm [Filmed Feb 2009, Talks | TED.com Partner Series]

Diane Kelly: What we didn’t know about penis anatomy [Filmed Apr 2012, Talks | TED.com Partner Series]

8 Things You Didn't Know About Your Penis Sensitivity, pleasure, size, and other surprising facts.

8 Things You Didn't Know About Your Penis Sensitivity, pleasure, size, and other surprising facts.

By Martin Downs, MPH
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD

Here are some things you might have wondered about your penis, but were afraid to ask.

 

No. 1: Use It or Lose It

You need to have erections regularly to keep your penis in shape. "It has to be essentially exercised," says Tobias Kohler, MD, MPH, assistant professor of urology at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, in Springfield, Ill.

To maintain a healthy tone, the smooth muscle of the penis must be periodically enriched with oxygen by the rush of blood that engorges the penis and makes it erect, Kohler tells WebMD.

If a guy is physically able to get erect, but never has erections during the day -- maybe he finds himself in very un-erotic circumstances for a long time -- he needn't worry. The brain has an automatic penis maintenance function built in.

Impulses from the brain cause erections during the dreaming phase of sleep, called the REM phase. It doesn't matter if you're having a hot sex dream or a zombie apocalypse nightmare -- your penis gets hard during that period of the sleep cycle.

But some men are physically unable to get erections, such as those who've suffered trauma to the nerves involved, or who have nerve or blood vessel damage caused by diabetes.

"If they don't do anything to maintain normal erections, they will get shortening of the penis," Kohler says. Without regular erections, penile tissue can become less elastic and shrink, making the penis 1-2 centimeters shorter.

A device like a vacuum pump, which forces the penis to swell with blood, can help men with physical erection problems maintain a healthy penis, Kohler says.

 

No. 2: Your Penis May Be a 'Grower' or a 'Show-er'

Among men, there is no consistent relationship between the size of the flaccid penis and its full erect length.

In one study of 80 men, researchers found that increases from flaccid to erect lengths ranged widely, from less than a quarter-inch to 3.5 inches longer.

Whatever the clinical significance of these data may be, the locker-room significance is considerable. You can't assume that a dude with a big, limp penis gets much bigger with an erection. And the guy whose penis looks tiny might get a surprisingly big erection.

An analysis of more than a thousand measurements taken by sex researcher Alfred Kinsey shows that shorter flaccid penises tend to gain about twice as much length as longer flaccid penises.

A penis that doesn't gain much length with an erection has become known as a "show-er," and a penis that gains a lot is said to be a "grower." These are not medical terms, and there aren't scientifically established thresholds for what's a show-er or a grower.

Kinsey's data suggest that most penises aren't extreme show-ers or growers. About 12% of penises gained one-third or less of their total length with an erection, and about 7% doubled in length when erect.

 

No. 3: The Pleasure Zone

Many men consider the underside of the glans (head) of the penis and the underside of the shaft to be most sensitive to sexual pleasure.

Researchers asked 81 healthy men to rate the erotic sensitivity of different areas of their bodies, including not only the penis, but also zones such as the scrotum, anus, nipples, and neck.

The underside of the glans and underside of the shaft had the highest sensitivity rating for a significant majority of men, followed by the upper side of the glans, left and right sides of the glans, sides of the penis, upper side of the shaft, and foreskin (for the minority of men who were uncircumcised). The study findings were reported in the British Journal of Urology International in 2009.

 

No. 4: Sensitivity Declines With Age

Studies show that the penis steadily loses sensitivity as men age, though it's hard to say by how much, exactly. That's because different researchers have used different ways to stimulate the penis and measure sensitivity.

In general, the sensitivity of the penis is gauged by the least amount of stimulation a man is able to feel. That is called the "sensory threshold."

Despite differences between studies, the data show a clear trend when taken altogether. From age 25 on, sensitivity starts to decline. The sharpest decline in sensitivity is seen between age 65 and 75.

What's less clear is whether men really notice a loss of sensitivity as they age.

Kohler tells WebMD that if they are aware of it, his patients seldom mention it.

"It is a super-rare complaint," he says. "On the other hand, difficulty with erections and difficulty achieving ejaculation are much more common."

 

No. 5: Vibrators Work on the Penis, Too

Vibrators aren't only for women. They work on the penis, too. In fact, vibration is so effective on the penis that often men with spinal cord injuries can ejaculate with the aid of a special medical vibrator. For this kind of treatment, the vibrator is usually held against the underside of the head of the penis.

"Medical-grade vibrators aren't necessarily more powerful," Kohler says. The vibrators are tuned to stimulate parts of the nervous system involved in ejaculation. "They work at frequencies or amplitudes that are more specific to the [nerve] pathways."

Most men wouldn't need a medical vibrator to trigger an orgasm. Kohler says when patients see him about delayed ejaculation -- difficulty reaching orgasm -- he suggests they try a store-bought vibrating personal massager.

Although vibrators often help men with ejaculation problems, you don't have to have any kind of medical condition to use one. You could do it just for fun.

No. 6: There's More to the Penis Than Meets the Eye

"Most guys would be proud to know that their penis is twice as long as they think it is," Kohler says.

That's because half the length of the penis is inside your body. Just like you don't see all of a big oak tree above ground, you don't see the root of your penis tucked up inside your pelvis and attached to your pubic bone.

As seen in an MRI picture, an erect penis is shaped like a boomerang.

 

No. 7: Your Penis Is a Habitat

The skin of your penis is home to a diverse community of bacteria.

Lance Price, PhD, and Cindy Liu, PhD, researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, in Flagstaff, Ariz., used genetic tests to identify the bacteria found on men's penises. Their study showed there were a total of 42 unique kinds of bacteria inhabiting the skin of the penis.

"We see that the human body is essentially an ecosystem," Price tells WebMD.

But uncircumcised and circumcised penises don't have the same variety and abundance of bacteria, the study showed. The researchers first analyzed samples from the penises of 12 men who were planning to get circumcised. Samples were taken and analyzed again after the men were circumcised.

After circumcision, there were fewer kinds of bacteria on the men's penises. Many of the kinds of bacteria found to be less common or absent after circumcision were anaerobic -- meaning that they don't need oxygen to grow.

The inner fold of the foreskin is a mucous membrane, like the inside of a person's eyelids. Price tells WebMD that certain anaerobic bacteria thrive in that environment, but not on dry skin.

"I liken it to clear-cutting a forest," Price says. "You're going to get a lot more sunlight and you're going to drastically change the environment."

The study was done in Uganda, and all of the men studied were Ugandan.

Liu tells WebMD that she would expect to see some variation in the kinds of bacteria found on men in other parts of the world. "I think there is certainly variety even among the Ugandan men themselves," she says.

But the researchers are less interested in surveying the penile bacteria of the world than in understanding changes brought about by circumcision.

Their research could help explain why circumcision has been linked to a lower risk of getting HIV. One theory is the anaerobic bacteria may prompt the immune system to respond in a way that makes cells more vulnerable to HIV infection.

 

No. 8: Most Men Aren't Circumcised

Worldwide, approximately 30% of males aged 15 and older are circumcised, according to a 2007 report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS.

Rates vary greatly depending upon religion and nationality, the report states. Almost all Jewish and Muslim males in the world have circumcised penises, and together they account for almost 70% of all circumcised males globally.

Some research shows that there may be health benefits from circumcision. For instance, circumcised men may be less likely to pass sexually transmitted diseases to their female partners or to develop penile cancer.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) stated in 1999 that medical data was “not sufficient to recommend routine male circumcision,” but that “it is legitimate for parents to take into account cultural, religious, and ethnic traditions, in addition to medical factors” when deciding whether or not to circumcise newborn boys. The AAP reaffirmed that statement in 2005.

The percentage of newborns circumcised in U.S. hospitals climbed from about 55% in 1993 to about 63% in 1999. The percentage tumbled after the AAP outlined its policy on circumcision, to 54.5% in 2009.

The AAP policy on circumcision is still being debated. In recent years, several studies have shown that circumcised men are less likely to be infected with HIV. The WHO and UNAIDS now recommend male circumcision as an HIV prevention measure. "There is compelling evidence that male circumcision reduces the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men by approximately 60%," the WHO states.

 

Further Reading:

• Erectile Dysfunction and Priapism
• New Cure for 4-Hour Erections?
• Sickle Cell Disease-What Happens
• Sickle Cell Disease-Topic Overview
• Sickle Cell Disease-Cause
• Erectile Dysfunction Clinical Trials
• Diagnosing Erectile Dysfunction
• See All Priapism Topics

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

 

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15 Facts You Didn't Know About Your Penis By: Mike Zimmerman

15 Facts You Didn't Know About Your Penis By: Mike Zimmerman

For all the attention they direct below the belt, most men actually know very little about their penises. Here's the knowledge you need to keep yours healthy, strong, and ready for action—for life.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/#ixzz27FRhYefA

• Overview
• Penis Fact #1
• Penis Fact #2
• Penis Fact #3
• Penis Fact #4
• Penis Fact #5
• Penis Fact #6
• Penis Fact #7
• Penis Fact #8
• Penis Fact #9
• Penis Fact #10
• Penis Fact #11
• Penis Fact #12
• Penis Fact #13
• Penis Fact #14
• Penis Fact #15

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_15.php#ixzz27FTI7Vad

Penis Fact #1

Smoking can shorten your penis by as much as a centimeter. Erections are all about good bloodflow, and lighting up calcifies blood vessels, stifling erectile circulation. So even if you don't care all that much about your lungs or dying young, spare the li'l guy.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_1.php#ixzz27FRxvA3G

Penis Fact #2

Doctors can now grow skin for burn victims using the foreskins of circumcised infants. One foreskin can produce 23,000 square meters, which would be enough to tarp every Major League infield with human flesh.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_2.php#ixzz27FS2n9W6

Penis Fact #3

An enlarged prostate gland can cause both erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. If you have an unexplained case of either, your doctor's looking forward to checking your prostate. Even if you're not.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_3.php#ixzz27FS6TFm6

Penis Fact #4

The average male orgasm lasts 6 seconds. Women get 23 seconds. Which means if women were really interested in equality, they'd make sure we have four orgasms for every one of theirs.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_4.php#ixzz27FSBizVd

Penis Fact #5

The oldest known species with a penis is a hard-shelled sea creature called Colymbosathon ecplecticos. That's Greek for "amazing swimmer with large penis." Which officially supplants Buck Naked as the best porn name, ever.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_5.php#ixzz27FSGYFur

Penis Fact #6

Circumcised foreskin can be reconstructed. Movable skin on the shaft of the penis is pulled toward the tip and set in place with tape. Later, doctors apply plastic rings, caps, and weights. Years can pass until complete coverage is attained....Okay, we'll shut up now.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_6.php#ixzz27FSKePFe

Penis Fact #7

Only one man in 400 is flexible enough to give himself oral pleasure. It's estimated, however, that all 400 have given it their best shot at some point.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_7.php#ixzz27FSOLem5

Penis Fact #8

There are two types of penises. One kind expands and lengthens when becoming erect (a grower). The other appears big most of the time, but doesn't get much bigger after achieving erection (a shower).

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_8.php#ixzz27FSbaBdi

Penis Fact #9

An international Men's Health survey reports that 79 percent of men have growers, 21 percent have showers.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_9.php#ixzz27FShHKbk

Penis Fact #10

German researchers say the average intercourse lasts 2 minutes, 50 seconds, yet women perceive it as lasting 5 minutes, 30 seconds. Are we that good or that bad?

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_10.php#ixzz27FSkwb7e

Penis Fact #11

Turns out size does matter: The longer your penis, the better "semen displacement" you'll achieve when having sex with a woman flush with competing sperm. That's according to researchers at the State University of New York, who used artificial phalluses (ahem) to test the "scooping" mechanism of the penis's coronal ridge. Next up: curing cancer.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_11.php#ixzz27FSp3FBj

Penis Fact #12

The penis that's been enjoyed by the most women could be that of King Fatefehi of Tonga, who supposedly deflowered 37,800 women between the years 1770 and 1784—that's about seven virgins a day. Go ahead, say it: It's good to be king.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_12.php#ixzz27FSuWeth

Penis Fact #13

Better-looking men may have stronger sperm. Spanish researchers showed women photos of guys who had good, average, and lousy sperm—and told them to pick the handsomest men. The women chose the best sperm producers most often.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_13.php#ixzz27FT0TbuD

Penis Fact #14

No brain is necessary for ejaculation. That order comes from the spinal cord. Finding a living vessel for said ejaculation, however, takes hours of careful thought and, often, considerable amounts of alcohol.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_14.php#ixzz27FT4hbUc

Penis Fact #15

The most common cause of penile rupture: vigorous masturbation. Some risks are just worth taking.

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/penis_facts/Penis_Fact_15.php#ixzz27FT8qXxq

6 Things You Didn’t Know About Her Private Parts

6 Things You Didn’t Know About Her Private Parts

Like snowflakes, every woman is unique. Know these truths before venturing south. (And sign up for my Girl Next Door newsletter for more sex, dating, and relationship advice!)



A clitoris is secretly huge

What you see is a little nub called the glans clitoris, which is packed with about 8,000 nerve endings. But there’s more! Two branches, called the crura, extend inside and backward into the body—meaning the clitoris is stimulated during sex from the inside out!

So what do you do?

Touch her everywhere, and stop zeroing in on her love button. With all those nerve endings, it can sometimes be too sensitive.

She’s not symmetrical

Just like your left testicle hangs lower than your right, many women have a slightly larger left inner labia.

Rarely are her “lips” the same length, color or texture, much like the petals of an orchid. Why do you think the vulva is compared to a flower so often?

So what do you do?

Touch them! Stroke them lightly, especially along the ridges. But be gentle. They can handle pressing, but aren’t keen on being pulled or pinched.

Deeper isn’t better

Burying yourself inside her sounds like a mind-blowing move, but most of the vagina’s nerve endings are toward the entrance. She’ll feel you back there, but it’s more pressure than pleasure.

So what do you do?

Ask her what she likes. She might prefer a mix of deep and light penetration. Or a grinding instead of thrusting. Or… listen and learn from her moans. (Click here for more advice on how you can decode her sex sounds to know exactly what she wants.)

Don’t stress about G.

The G spot isn’t an actual pinpointed spot; the term is used more generally to describe an area on the front wall of the vagina. And it’s not sensitive for every woman. So if you find it–hallelujah! If you don’t, no worries. Plenty of things feel good down there, no need to spend all your time searching for the Tooth Fairy.

So what do you do?

You can feel the spongy area of the front wall by inserting a finger and doing a “come hither’ motion. It might feel awkward for her since you’ll be pressing on her urethra, so only continue if she gives you approval.

She’s on an angle

The vagina typically rests at a 130-degree angle, tilted toward the back of her body, away from the clitoris.

That’s why the missionary position is so popular: It affords the most comfortable angle.

So what do you do?

Consider her angle when proposing other positions. One that feels good to you could be uncomfortable for her. Again, ask.

The other hole

(No, not that one.) Between her clitoris and her vaginal opening is her urethral opening. That’s right, women don’t pee out of their vaginas. It’s a whole separate business.

So what do you do?

Avoid it! Even though you probably can’t even see it, don’t bother looking for it. It’s kind of uncomfortable when you guys linger there. Keep this in mind during oral sex, too. You might need to go around or “hop over” the urethra with your tongue or fingers.

Source: Read My Lips: A Complete Guide to the Vagina and Vulva by Vanessa Schick, Ph.D., and Men’s Health relationships advisor Debby Herbenick, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Learn something? Have more pressing questions about lady parts? Ask them in the comments or email me at GND@menshealth.com.

xo.Naomi

Facebooking at facebook.com/MHGirlNextDoor
Tweeting at @MHGirlNextDoor

Image: Thinkstock

Read more at Men's Health: http://blogs.menshealth.com/girl-next-door/female-anatomy/2012/06/20/#ixzz27FP1NBz5

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Vaginas by Kaylen Jackson

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Vaginas by Kaylen Jackson

Sex is something lots of guys they think they know everything about. They assume they know everything there is to know not only about how to please a woman, but also about her anatomy and how it plays a role in sex.  You may think you know a lot about the body of a woman, but you probably didn’t know these ten things about a woman’s vagina!

 

An Orgasm Is An Excellent Pain Reliever

Next time your girl gives you the excuse that she doesn’t want to have sex with you because she has a headache, you can tell her she’s full of it. An orgasm is an excellent pain reliever, and can work as well as over the counter medicines or even some pharmaceutical grade pain relievers. You just have to actually make sure you give her a great orgasm!

 

The Vagina Cleans Itself

A woman’s genitals are designed to clean itself – meaning, douching is completely unnecessary and can actually do more harm than good. After menstruation, it cleans itself out and continues to do so throughout a woman’s monthly cycle. It also will clean itself out after sex! This helps prevent yeast or bacterial infections. However, if more bacteria or yeast are introduced than the body can handle, an overgrowth can occur. This usually can be easily treated with over the counter creams or doctor prescribed antibiotics.

 

It’s Not All About The G-Spot

The g-spot gets all the credit for giving women amazing orgasms, but there is another spot – called the A-Spot – that can be just as effective at giving a woman an earth shattering climax. The A-Spot is located deeper within the canal than the g-spot (right in front of the cervix) and it can be stimulated using the same “come hither” motion with your fingers that you would use if you were stimulating the g-spot. Just remember that since you’re going very deep inside a woman, you need plenty of good lubrication and you need her to be aroused first so it’s not painful or uncomfortable.

 

You Are What You Eat

A healthy vagina has an odor, but it is usually not very pungent. A yeast or bacterial infection can make it smell more pungent, but a funky smelling peach doesn’t always mean an infection. Many of the things a woman eats will affect the way her genitals taste and smell. For example, eating lots of pineapple and sweet fruits will make it taste and smell sweeter (which can be great for oral sex), but vegetables such as cabbage or asparagus can give it a more off putting scent.

 

The Vagina Can Actually Fall Out!

Vaginal prolapse is when the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes or vagina (or a combination of all of these) moves downward from its natural place in the body. This condition is common following surgeries such as hysterectomies, but can also happen without any prior event. In severe cases, this medical condition will cause the inner tissues to protrude through the vaginal opening.

 

Female Ejaculation Does Exist

Women – in addition to men – can ejaculate varying amounts of fluid during orgasm. Many women are able to produce very large amounds of fluid! Some skeptics report that the “ejaculate” that comes from a woman isn’t actually ejaculate at all, but urine. However, science has found that the components of female ejaculate are separate from the components of urine are very different and while the fluid does come from the paraurethral ducts, it does not come from the bladder.

 

The Vagina Can Double In Length When A Woman Is Aroused

How long a vagina is varies from woman to woman. Some women have very small, short canals while others have very long ones. The average size in an unaroused woman is 3-4 inches long, but during arousal, this number can increase and may even double! So guys, make sure your lady is aroused before penetration, because you’ll go a lot deeper and she’ll be a lot more comfortable during sex.

 

Having Sex Can Keep The Vagina Young And Healthy

Like the rest of your muscles, the vagina needs to be used and exercised or it will become weak and brittle. During prolonged periods of abstinence, especially when a woman goes through menopause or reaches old age, the delicate tissues inside will thin and can begin to break down. Regular sex, however, will help keep a woman’s genitals in peak form.

 

Vaginal Secretions Contain A Component Found In Shark Livers

Upon microscopic examination of the ingredients found in female vaginal secretions, scientists have noted that these secretions contain a component actually found in shark livers. This is called squalene, and can also be found in vegetable oils. It can be used in cosmetics, because it is an excellent moisturizer that doesn’t leave the skin feeling greasy! Squalene is most likely what makes natural secretions good for the health of the genitals, because it keeps the tissue moist and supple.

 

The Vaginal Muscles Are Extremely Powerful

All women have the ability to use their vaginal muscles – also called the PC muscles – during sex. These are also the same muscles a girl uses to stop the flow of urine, and they can be strengthened through exercises like Kegels. You might not think that these muscles would be very powerful, but they are! The world record holder for the strongest vagina is a Russian woman who was able to lift 31 pounds with her vaginal muscles only!

The Erotica Readers & Writers Association Blog: Taking Risks

The Erotica Readers & Writers Association Blog: Taking Risks: Friday, September 21, 2012
Taking Risks By Lisabet Sarai

What would it take to get some respect for erotic fiction? To transform erotica from its current scorned status as pornography with a fancy vocabulary into a legitimate branch of literature? Earlier this month, Remittance Girl addressed this issue, suggesting that “critical engagement” might help. In critiquing and reviewing erotica, we need to consider the non-sexual aspects of the erotic fiction we read, focusing on premise, plot, pacing, characterization, thematic depth and language instead of, or at least in addition to, whether the story gets us hot and bothered.

I wholeheartedly agree with her thesis, which she expanded into a fantastic treatise on appropriate objectives and approaches for critiques and reviews. I'd like to offer another, complementary suggestion. To convince readers (and critics) to take our genre seriously, we need to take risks.

What do I mean by that? Am I talking about moving beyond portrayals of vanilla sex to incorporate edgier and more controversial sexual practices? That's one kind of risk, certainly.....MORE....

Seven Things You Probably Didn’t Know About the Vagina By: Sexis

Seven Things You Probably Didn’t Know About the Vagina


 

By: Sexis (View Profile)

Vaginas. If you’ve ever spoken to another human being, watched television, read a book, or turned on the radio, you know are magical entities, enshrouded in mystery and curlicued hairs. They are a panacea, they are the bearers of curses, and they’re the perfect antidote to a bear attack (early Russian culture stipulated that a marauding bear could be easily be fended off by the display of a single vagina). Fortunately, most of us aren’t in danger from bear attacks these days, so that’s one myth we won’t be putting to the test anytime soon.

However, in the years since The Great Vagina vs. Bear Wars of ancient Russian lore, the vagina has continued to present itself as a vexing marvel of natural engineering. So, let’s play “Did you know?” with your friend and ours—the humble vagina.

1. The vagina is a self-cleaning organ. Its own lubrication ensures that it stays clean and healthy, with little outside assistance. The addition of a douche can actually imbalance the natural ph of the system so much that irritation and odor can may result. And while we’re at it, you don’t need to use soap inside your labia at all—washing the outer labia with a gentle soap and letting running water and a gentle cloth take care of the inside bits will keep them sweet and peachy, without the irritation and skin damage that soaps can cause.

2. The female orgasm is a powerful painkiller (because of the release of endorphins), so headaches are in fact a bad excuse not to have sex. Having an orgasm relieves menstrual cramps because the vigorous muscle action moves blood and other fluids away from congested organs. Extra points: According to the Hite Report, candles are the artificial device used most frequently by women when masturbating.

3. The G-spot is named for Dr. Ernest Gräfenberg, who “found” it and alerted us all to its potential boon to our sexuality. G-spot stimulation can be intense or gentle, hard or soft, orgasmic, ejaculatory, or none of the above. Most women report (at the very least) pleasant sensations from having their G-spot worked over; for some women, G-spot play can kick off amazing orgasms (especially when in conjunction with clitoral or anal stimulation), and for others it can leave them all aquiver in ejaculatory glory. Everyone responds differently, so taking some time to explore this valuable physical landmark is definitely something to put on your to-do list.

4. The clitoris and the penis start out as the same bundle of tissue. Ditto for the testicles and ovaries. Clitorises have hoods; penises have foreskins, just to hammer the point home. In fact, it’s not until sometime after the sixth week of gestation that the “sex cells” begin to differentiate based on what our chromosomes look like. And it’s even later that the body actually forms the penis or clitoris. So, even if we don’t want to admit that we have as much in common with our male brethren, we can’t deny that our bits started out in the same way.

5. Yeast infections aren’t really infections. They’re simply the overgrowth of the yeast in the vagina and vulva. These are usually caused by a system that’s out of whack, when it comes to the usual vaginal flora—things like poor diet, antibiotics, and wearing fabrics like nylon that trap moisture can all cause the yeast to proliferate in your system. The best preventatives for this are limiting sugar and bread in the diet, adding acidophilus and yogurt to your regular food intake, and wearing cotton underwear as often as possible (or even going without!).

6. Did you know about the A-Spot? This handy little spot, which has only recently been written about, was initially described in the 1990s. The “A” stands for Anterior Fornix Erogenous Zone (it’s also called the AFE zone—very sci-fi, no? Don’t worry—there’s no Stargate lurking here). It’s a tender bit of tissue at the end of the vagina, just in front of the cervix: If you’re aiming for the G-spot, then follow along the upper wall of the vagina almost to the cervix—and you’ll be hitting it right on the head; pun totally intended. Word on the street from the Sexerati is that hitting this spot can produce lubrication and orgasmic contractions. The recommended technique is to stimulate it, along with the G-spot, in long strokes on a regular basis to build up the response in the area. We aren’t so sure about it, but any excuse to spend more time during foreplay with the hope of even stronger orgasms is just fine with us.

7. A healthy vagina shouldn’t smell offensive—which means that when the odor is up, it’s a great way to tackle health issues before they become major. A stronger-than-usual smell can be an indicator of dehydration, impending yeast infections, or even that you’re taking too much in the way of vitamin supplements. Any ongoing odors that don’t respond to regular health improvements should prompt an appointment with your personal Cooch-doctor, to make sure everything is in healthy working order. Extra points: The food you eat can affect your personal aroma. (Asparagus doesn’t just make your pee smell funny.)

Originally published on Sexis

First published August 2009

20+ Things You Didn’t Know About Penises – But Should!

20+ Things You Didn’t Know About Penises – But Should!

(22 Photos)

Stacey Stapleton on Dec 4, 2010

"Black and WRITE" A Documentary Film

"Black and WRITE" A Documentary Film
By C. Mikki & Southern Girl Productions

About the Documentary: The documentary is about black authors and the publishing business. After 12 years and seven conferences, the Black Writer's Reunion & Conference (www.blackwriters.org) will host one final conference. Black authors will share stories of successes and failures in the publishing industry.


The Structure - This film will be told in documentary form, by following the 3 types of authors attending and teaching at the BWRC. This includes:
     The VETERANS- Authors who have published 25 or more books and/or have been in the publishing business more than 10 years.
     The HUSTLERS – Authors who are in the thick of hoping that their books will launch them into success. They have written 1-5 books and they trying to find the balance of working a professional job and launch a book career.
     The NEWBIES – Authors who have never published material before. They are attending the conference for the first or 2nd time but have yet to produce a book.
     Conference Director: Tia Ross shares the story of why she started the conference for black authors and why she has chosen to make 2012 the final conference.

The Resolution- Viewers of the film will be able to have a behind the scenes look at the challenges that black authors have faced in the publishing business. 

Length - The film will be approximately 70-90 minutes

TO DONATE TO THE PRODUCTION OF BLACK & WRITE" CLICK HERE

http://www.cmikki.com/

HESITATION [short story ON SALE!, a Playgirl Forum story expanded]

HESITATION [short story ON SALE!]

A businesswoman's emotional conflict between overthinking versus her erotic needs is tested when she's caught in the rain with the man who keeps her mind and emotions distracted. But, will she overthink a playful shower together, too?

_3218 words Erotic Romance short story fiction
[a shorter version published in Playgirl Magazine / Playgirl Forum]

Plus a Bonus Love Poem: A Lesson in Passion

ISBN:
978-1-938903-10-6 PDF ebook
978-1-938903-11-3 mobi/kindle

http://stories.neale-sourna.com/hesitation.html

NEW STORY, NEW SEXY FUN!! Three - By Invitation Only [Kindle Edition]

NEW STORY, NEW SEXY FUN!! By Neale Sourna (me!!)

Three - By Invitation Only [Kindle Edition]

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Three - By Invitation Only [Kindle Edition]

Neale Sourna (Author)

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Digital List Price:	$3.97 What's this?
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Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 2012

A sexy woman, a nameless man; she picks him up, as her husband watches, then she invites the new man to enjoy sex with them in their wealthy suburban home. Swingers, threeway sex, and more. _9078 words

http://stories.neale-sourna.com/three-invitation.html

Table of contents:

• Three-By Invitation Only_short story [9078 words]
  • I wanted her in the car, but...
  • Our Wedding Sex Story
  • Remember the new man?
  • Sandy’s Shop Window Sex Display
  • But, before I get to correct our new man...
  • My Anal Punishment for Sandy
  • Our present house guest was...

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Product Details

• File Size: 383 KB
• Publisher: PIE: Perception Is Everything (September 8, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00980XY3I
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled

Sent this to a friend. Thought I'd send it to myself.

Sent this to a friend. Thought I'd send it to myself.

Try to relax and keep yourself unafraid and open; something wonderful will come.

Women On The Rise Among The World's Top-Earning Authors by Jeff Bercovici, Forbes Staff

Business 8/09/2012

Watch your back, James Patterson. Sleep with one eye open, Stephen King.

James Patterson: $94 million

Unlike many of the authors on this list, Patterson earns nearly all his money from his gargantuan book sales and relatively little from TV and film royalties. He published 14 new titles in 2011.

see photosDavid Levenson/Getty Images

Click for full photo gallery: The World's Top-Earning Authors

Men still top the list of the world’s highest-earning authors, but this year it’s the women on the list who’ve been making the boldest moves, led by a trio of genre phenoms: Suzanne Collins, E.L. James and J.K. Rowling.

With $20 million in earnings, almost all of it from sales of her “Hunger Games” books, Collins didn’t quite make the most recent edition of the FORBES Celebrity 100. But that was only because she had yet to see her full portion of the proceeds from the first “Hunger Games” film.

Fifty Shades Author Likely Making Millions From Her Mommy Porn
Luisa Kroll Forbes Staff

J.K. Rowling Announces First Novel For Adults: 'The Casual Vacancy'
Erik Kain Contributor

Janet Evanovich on Becoming a Literary Success
Dan Schawbel Contributor

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, the Lionsgate picture enjoyed the third-biggest opening weekend ever. To date, it has taken in more than $650 million worldwide.

Collins’s cut of that is believed to be upward of $5 million, not including the $1.5 million she was paid for the rights. That will rise still further with sales of the DVD, released this month. And the gusher is just getting going: The theatrical version of “Catching Fire,” the first of two sequels, is set for release in 2013.

The “Hunger Games” books sold more than 9 million copies in 2011, and sales got a fresh boost this year from the film’s release, but they’re not the trilogy of the year. That honor goes to the “Fifty Shades of Grey” series, which sold 20 million copies in their first four months in wide release.

At the height of “Fifty Shades” mania, the erotic novels were estimated to be generating as much as $1.3 million per week for their author, E.L. James. And that’s not counting the $5 million she received from Universal Pictures and Focus Films for the theatrical rights. Add it all up and James is assured of a place near the top of next year’s top authors list.

(Perhaps “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer deserves a cut of that? James’s books originated as works of “Twilight” fan fiction.)

Genre fiction and young adult are clearly where the money’s at. But one author who’s conquered those realms as thoroughly as they can be conquered is moving upstream, toward the more challenging waters of adult literary fiction. That would be J.K. Rowling, author of the “Harry Potter” series and the first woman author to become a billionaire.

In September, Little, Brown will publish “The Casual Vacancy,” Rowling’s first novel for adults. The reported $8 million advance Rowling received for the book was enough to vault her back onto the Celebrity 100, with $17 million in estimated earnings.

It also helped that she found a new way to monetize the “Potter” books, selling digital copies via a proprietary online bookstore, Pottermore. Unlike most authors, Rowling never signed over the digital rights to her books. Her timing in launching Pottermore was excellent, with ebook sales surpassing hardcover sales for the first time in 2012. Pottermore sold more than $4 million worth of books in its first month of operation.

Most of the names on this year’s top authors list are familiar ones, from Patterson on down. The thriller maestro, whose young-adult fantasy and sci-fi franchises also do brisk business, took in an astonishing $94 million this year. There’s Stephen King ($39 million), Janet Evanovich ($33 million), John Grisham ($26 million), Jeff Kinney ($25 million), Nora Roberts ($23 million) and Danielle Steel ($23 million).

One newcomer is George R.R. Martin. HBO’s critically adored (and much-pirated) adaptation of his “Game of Thrones” series has turned on a mainstream audience to a fantasy universe that nerds have been raving about for years. Martin sold more than 8 million copies of his “Game of Thrones” books in 2011, including the newest, “A Dance With Dragons,” which sold 750,000 copies in hardcover.

To generate our earnings estimates, we talk to authors, agents, publishers and other experts and review data including Nielsen BookScan sales figures.

Jeff Bercovici, Forbes Staff: I cover media, technology and the intersection of the two.

Full list: The World’s Top-Earning Authors