Safe Sex Around the Globe

by Iva Skoch on

So Western Europe, particularly the Nordic countries, are ‘all that’? Maybe not, when it comes to safe sex.

There’s a very interesting graphic in this month’s Foreign Policy magazine regarding which countries practice safe sex and get STDs (sexually transmitted diseases).

The study (more parts of which appear here) was sponsored by Durex condoms and put together by Miguel Fontes of Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health. Over 317,000 people in 41 countries were surveyed about when they first had sex, what the rates of STD infection are, and whether they practice unsafe sex without knowing their partner’s history.

The worst of those surveyed? Norway. That country gets the worst record in terms of STD infection rate and percentage of people who practice unsafe sex. Sweden, Finland, and Denmark are also on the wall of shame. Subsequently, those are also the countries with the highest standard of living. Is there a correlation here?

Condom Truck Tips, Spills Load

by Willy Volk on

I spent the summer of 2003 working in the Public Affairs Office of the US Embassy in Malawi. Pinned above my desk was a newspaper clipping, with a headline that read, “I am not a condom.” I read that clipping every day — and laughed about it every day.

The subject of the piece — a Member of Parliament — was explaining how indispensable he was to Government and how he could simply not be tossed aside, like a worthless rubber. Hence: “I am not a condom.” Arguably, his decision to compare himself to a prophylactic was not in his best interest — but it sure did give some reporter a headline that wrote itself.

Speaking of headlines that write themselves, check out this clipping, titled “Condom truck tips, spills load.” Opening with the line, “The rubber truly hit the road yesterday…” this is one travel story I’d love to have covered — if just for the easy jokes.

Easy jokes include:

  • Condoms can’t save truck driver from accident
  • Condoms fall off driver’s big rig
  • Spilled condoms make for messy clean up

Got a better one?

Another Use For A Condom

by Willy Volk on

Recently, we showed you how to start a fire with a condom. Well, it looks like we have another novel use for everybody’s favorite stretchy, latex thing. In under 40 seconds, this clip’ll show you how to help protect a wound when you’re hiking, camping, or doing anything other than relaxing at home.

Starting fires… protecting wounds… I wonder what other uses we can come up with for condoms…

Use A Condom to Make Fire?

by Willy Volk on

So you’re out in the woods hiking alone, and you want to cook some Ramen. Dang, you forgot your matches. And your lighter. But you’ve got a condom and some water. Think you can start a fire? This guy can.