Daily Loaf

Be sure to check out Alive in Joburg, the short film that inspired District 9. And for reviews of all the summer’s biggest movies, go to CL’s Movies & Television site.

Somewhere near the middle of Neill Blomkamp’s District 9, corporate bureaucrat Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley) and his alien friend Christopher Johnson blast their way into the headquarters of an evil multinational corporation known as MNU in search of the only trace of fuel left on the planet that can get Johnson home. The pair turns wave after wave of MNU security goons to jelly using an assortment of alien weapons before locating their prize and making an explosive getaway with an army of MNU’s finest in land-and-air pursuit. District 9 isn’t a video game adaptation, but watching the movie I kept thinking that it might as well be.

Read the rest of this entry »

In a recent study of 445 Ugandan women whose sexual partners were recently circumcised, 40% reported improvements in their sex lives, 57% claimed no change, and 3% said their sex lives suffered. The reasons these women gave for how sex improved may surprise you: better hygiene, it took longer for men to climax, and their partners wanted more frequent sex. Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t feel like getting married in one of the six U.S. states that allow same-sex marriages? Never fear! America isn’t the only place same-sex couples can marry. Gay marriage is legal in seven other countries. However, six of those countries have strict residency requirements that make it difficult for non-citizens to obtain a marriage license. But O, Canada! On July 20, 2005, the Canadian Parliament approved a law allowing same-sex couples to marry and there is no residency requirement! Good news, eh? So, Americans, if you want a change of scenery, look to our Northern neighbors. Find the info you need after the break on Canada and other countries’ same-sex marriage rules and regs. And check out Creative Loafing’s Gay Issue 2009 for links to more info on being gay in Tampa Bay — including details on how to win a Big Gay Honeymoon during the St. Pete Pride Parade and Festival. Read the rest of this entry »

A new anti-rape contraceptive could soon hit the shelves of American pharmacies. Rapex is a hard, truncated condom with rows of razor sharp hooks on the inside. These hooks latch onto a rapist’s penis upon penetration and must be removed by a doctor. The contraceptive is similar to a tampon in regards to comfort and visibility, as well as the fact that it is inserted and removed with an applicator.

Rapex has sparked some debate among feminists, who see this device as similar to requiring women to wear chastity belts. For me, the difference is that women are given a choice to wear Rapex, whereas chastity belts were often imposed.

The product was originally developed for South African women, as close to two million women are raped in this country a year. Conceivably, Rapex could be used in America by women who are exposed to risky situations for a prolonged period, or when traveling in unfamiliar areas. The product could also reduce the occurrence of date rape, which is one of the most common forms of sexual assault in this country. Rapex could even help prevent rape among domestic partners as these cases often go unreported because they are difficult to prove. Read the rest of this entry »