House Wife to Super Vixen

You might know her from the pages of the men's T&A magazine FHM, but bootylicious model turned Internet superstar Vida Guerra can now be seen dishing out tips to "average looking girls" in the hopes of turning them into "hot sexy vixens" on the first-ever reality show made especially for mobile phone users. The muy caliente Cuban model takes the nominated girlfriend, fiance or wife from their desperate dude and gives them some personal ass-istance to go from plain-Jane to super vixen with the chance to win a $20,000 cash prize. They say you can't make a ho your housewife, but by the looks of it, Guerra's gonna try her best.

CNN "Live From... The Ladies Room"

It appears that CNN's "Live From..." show may now be relocating its studio into the ladies room. During a speech given by our Commander and Chief on the state and condition of New Orleans post hurricane Katrina, CNN anchor Kyra Phillips unknowingly was upstaging the President in a CNN restroom. Phillips was unaware that her microphone was still on and could be heard overriding Bush's speech with an on-the-air analysis of the "state and condition" her husband and her brother's marriage saying, "[Brothers] have to be, you know, protective. Except for mine. I've got to be protective of him... "his wife is just a control freak." Moments later, someone entered the bathroom to let Phillips know her mike was on and that it "was on air." Now, not only does her brother and wife know how she feels, but so do many others, setting the stage for an awkward Thanksgiving and other holiday events to come.

Kartina's Effects on Marriage

It's been a year since Hurricane Katrina devastated the gulf coast and CBS news in Denver caught up with Betty Sanchez, a former Louisiana resident before being forced to move out of the area. Betty's husband, Carlos has stayed behind to serve in the National Guard. In the year since their marriage has been strained. Betty's personal life has changed: she's lost weight, got a new haircut, changed her glasses and has become the rock of the family. CBS asks if Carlos will be able to handle the new Betty and she laughingly says she doesn't think so. The article isn't very thorough, but it's a good reminder that more than just old buildings and government communication have been put to the test.

Marriage Reduces Bulimia Symptoms

A new study shows that those who suffer from bulimia noticed reduced symptoms when they got married and moved in with their spouse or just moved in a cohabitating situation. It should be pointed out, that while the symptoms diminished, the disease was still there. Self-assessment of body image didn't change even though the binge eating and then vomitting was reduced. Read more here from Reuters.

Upset? Swim Together

A new study out of Canada shows that killer whales reconcile their differences by swimming together. Since the summer heat is still around, maybe you and your spouse should try this the next time you have an argument. It could work, right? Think about it. You would be too busy catching your breath and keeping afloat to yell at your partner or make body gestures that would fuel further anger. What can I say, it's a slow news Friday.

Plan B

The FDA now allows women to buy the morning after pill over the counter--if they are over 18 years old. Those younger will need a doctor's note to acquire the pill. This concludes a battle that's been raging since the Plan B pill was first approved by the FDA in 1999. At that time, a prescription was required for its use as an emergency contraceptive. Click here to read the article discussing the details. This will conclude our contraception blogs and articles for the week. Seriously.

Tom & Jerry On the Patch

Do you remember Tom & Jerry, the cat and mouse cartoon duo? Did they make you want to smoke cigarettes? Well, a British television channel is going cut all smoking references made in the cartoon. We're not suggesting that they should bring back Joe Camel, but wouldn't smashing an iron skillet across a siblings head cause more immediate damage? Just curious. Other cartoons getting the non-smoking treatment include Scooby-Doo, The Jetsons and The Flinstones. This article gives the details. With the rash of crack downs and fines in U.S. television, this story may not be too absurd to cross the Atlantic. We just hope that they don't take Duff beer out of Homer Simpson's hands. Nobody wants to watch a rehabbing yellow cartoon character--it's already hard enough watching a cat and mouse on the patch.

Madden Madness

At the time of this post, the top story on ESPN.com is the release of Madden '07. Really? The top story in sports is the release of a video game? Ok, we won't argue, we're just bummed we didn't pre-order out copy. For wives across the country, you will no longer have to wake-up to your husband announcing how many days until the Madden Holiday. For husbands, here's a funny column from DJ Gallo, breaking down the player rankings in '07. Now the question for men is, how far down does Shaun Alexander fall in your fantasy draft since he's on the cover of Madden? You can predict you're only going to get about 12 weeks out of him now. Sorry, Seahawk fans, no Super Bowl trip for you this year.

New Birth Control for Women

Just as we post a story about a breakthrough in male contraception (www.hitchedmag.com/sex.php), here comes a story in USA Today about new approved birth control options for women. Of the new methods that have been approved are a new implant device and a new pill. The articles offers the pros and cons of these plus a few other options. The new implant device is called Implanon and the new pill is called Seasonique. We recommend checking out the article to know what your options are.

New Movies

While their may not be a huge blockbuster release this weekend, we thought we'd let you know what is being released in theaters this week. Snakes on a Plane (Samuel L. Jackson), Material Girls (The Duff sisters) and Trust the Man (David Duchovny). In limited release are, Factotum (Matt Dillon), 10th & Wolf (James Marsden) and The Illusionist (Ed Norton, Paul Giamatti and Jessica Biel). It's tough to go wrong with with a movie that stars Ed Norton and Paul Giamatti, that is if you're lucky enough to have it playing in your area.

Marriage Cures Funk

The research and health benefits keep piling up for those who are hitched. According to new research out of Ohio State University "found that depressed people sustained a greater decrease in depression symptoms, indicating that people who are depressed can benefit from the intimacy and companionship that marriage can provide." It's funny because the researchers were actually expecting the results to be just the opposite. So much for the marriage jokes are preconceived perceptions.

No More 2am Marriages

We know you're already married, but thought this was an interesting little tidbit. Beginning August 30th, Sin City will no longer offer marriage licenses in the middle of the night. This means couples in love who flee to the adult playground will have to get their license between 8am and midnight. Since Las Vegas or Clark County still allows you to conduct the ceremony at any time, you and your spouse can still renew your vows at 3am before heading back to the slot machines.

Bad Joke

It's commonly joked that when a couple gets married, the sex stops. Well, some research out of Germany may have the scientific proof. According to this BBC article, libidos dropped for women when they're in a secure relationship. For men, their libido never wavered. The article doesn't give any definite reasoning for the drop in a woman's libido, but does indicate that their drive for tenderness stayed strong. Not surprising, male opinions toward tenderness differed. The study was based on women who had been in a relationship for four years. It also included data of couples who had been together for 20 years. This article didn't mention it, but we can solve the drop in desire--coffee. (see previous post)

Nookie Blend

The next time your wife says she's about to drop $3 on a Starbucks coffee, thank your lucky stars. Research out of Southwestern University suggests that caffeine boosts may increase sexual arousal. Scientists at the university conducted tests on 108 female rats by giving them shots of caffeine. Results showed that "caffeine shortened the amount of time it took the females to return to the males after sex for another mating session." Slow down Java Joe and put down that coffee grinder. Before you get too excited, know that these rats hadn't had caffeine prior to the tests, and while it may have similar affects on female homo sapiens, skepticism prevails. Click here for more information provided by the BBC.

Energy Saver

It's probably not news to you that energy prices have shot up. So when we came across this website (www.hes.lbl.gov) we thought it might help you out. Basically, you punch in your zip code, answer a few questions and this site will calculate the average cost of energy in your area and compare that to what an energy efficient home would cost. The site then recommends where you can make changes or upgrades, from small appliances to windows and totals your potential savings.

Your Kid, the Pooping Cowboy

This isn't in the vein of breaking news, but we came across this product and thought it was too good to pass up. While this is only a prototype, designer Perry Dixon has developed the rocking horse toilet. This might be the potty-training breakthrough new parents have been looking for. It's got a steel-looking frame and padded toilet seat and even a handle. All parents have to do now is tell their toddlers to saddle up.

Window Shopping

Sharing a dual income means you have more money to spend. Ralph Lauren would love to see you spend your money on their products, but more importantly, they want you to change how you spend your money. A store in New York projects images of their clothing line onto the store window allowing passers-by to browse through items by tapping on the glass. They've even attached a credit card reader so shoppers can execute their transaction anytime of day or night. No more pounding on the glass waiting for the store to open.

Football Manners

The NFL season is just around the corner and since it's the most popular sport in the U.S. we figured a lot of husbands and wives will be interested to hear at least a smidgen of football news. When fans go to the games, they expect some good clean fun--perhaps a little drinking, cheering and some screaming. Well, if you're going to a Cincinnati Bengals game, you should know that a new hotline has been set up for fans to point out "jerks" in the crowd. The number is 513-381-JERK and should be used to point out obnoxious behavior in the stands, i.e. excessive drunkenness or profanity. Those who are deemed a problem could get escorted out of the stadium according to this article. As a heads up, the Oakland Raiders will be in Cincinnati on December 10th. Don't be surprised if you hear, "We're sorry, all circuits are busy. Please try again later." While 30 other teams will need this hotline, it's a start.

Sweatiquette

Do you practice good sweatiquette? It's hot, you can't help but sweat, but you can react appropriately. The New York Daily News offers five points to remember when in a sweaty situation. For example, would you know how to react if you actually had a drop of your sweat fall on someone? They say don't sweat it, apologize and offer to wipe it off with your own cloth or handkerchief--like anyone carries those around anymore. Another great tip is if someone is all sticky sweaty and they want to give you a hug as they great you. The New York Daily News recommends practicing the forearm grab, leaving a barrier between you and your overly excited acquaintance.

It's Picklin' Season

Now that the summer crops are in full swing, The OC Register offers a few pickling recipes for all those leftover fruits and veggies. Included is a recipe for red onions, snap peas, cherries, apricots or peaches, and [drumroll] pickles! Staying inside with some vinegar maybe a nice relief to these hot summer days or, you can always pickle your skin by soaking in a pool for eight hours.

Little Athletes, Big Injuries

The Chicago Tribune (registration required) has an article that explores the adult-like injuries that kids are getting--like a torn ACL--partially due to over excursion, or year-round competition. The article says

New research shows the year-round play might disproportionately affect the youngest participants. Last year children ages 4 through 14 suffered twice as many baseball injuries as those 15 through 24, according to data compiled by Pietro Tonino, chief of sports medicine at Loyola University Health System.

This article has lots of anecdotal stories ranging in sports from wrestling and football to gymnastics and lacrosse. For parents with little athletes, this is a good article to read.

Birth Control Rises

The Charleston Gazette highlights an instance of rising birth control prices from Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical Inc. to public health service providers. While the price jump wasn't mandatory, it followed Federal Medicaid guidelines for pricing. This article highlights prices jumping anywhere from $8 to $20 for a month's worth of protection. While this article only highlights this as a local story, it could be a sign of national change.

The New Rising Gas

Consumers can't catch a break. Natural gas prices jumped 14 percent as the electricity in this country has become a hot commodity. This article explains the price of gas and all that good stuff, but the bottom line is energy, whether it's from electricity, gasoline or natural gas is getting more expensive by the day. This article also includes a link on how consumers can save money through energy conservation.