Viagra: The Little Blue Pill That Can Do Everything!

According to a report from the Washington Post, US officials in Afghanistan are doing everything they can to become better friends with the Afghan warlords that have valuable information about the Taliban's plans. US operatives have offered tools, toys, school equipment, as well as helping build schools, but with the help of one little blue pill, they may have found a more effective olive branch.

Because of the cutthroat atmosphere, warlords who help the US operatives out by giving them information are putting themselves in danger. Guns and money are more traditional bribes, but they can draw attention or make their way into the wrong hands.

This is where Viagra swoops in and saves the day! In Afghanistan, older men are commonly in charge and usually have more than one wife. Having sex with one wife is difficult enough; having sex while dealing with erectile dysfunction is harder (no pun intended). Now imagine having sex with more than one wife (not necessarily at the same time) while dealing with erectile dysfunction. That has to be the hardest of all! But thanks to Viagra, Afghan warlords and US operatives are getting along better than ever before. There is nothing that little blue pill can't do!

More Than Just Another Sex Toy

I have a confession to make: I'm a picky person. In order for me to purchase something, it has to have the right color, texture, and price, in addition to other varying factors. If it's the right color, then I move onto the next requirement - texture. If it is the right color and right texture, and it just happens to be in my price range, then I buy the item. But if the color is not right, then I keep on shopping.

USA Today recently reported on the role that color plays in the way that I, as well as the majority of the population, shop. Bright, vibrant colors with unique designs grab the eye while dull, boring ones drive it away, and the more colors an item is offered in usually increases the sales of that item. And just like Apple and their rainbow of available iPods, the companies that produce sex novelties are following suit.

However, some companies are doing more than just adding a few more color choices to their catalogs - they're creating novelties that double as pieces of modern art. And what more could you ask for in this day and age than a sex toy that is as visually pleasing as it is physically pleasing?

One company's products that always stand out to me is Fun Factory. Their creations, such as their vibrator named Delight, are beautifully crafted toys that come in the most unique shapes, and it's these shapes that give the toys their art-like quality. Another company that becoming more popular is Lelo, and with their high-class designs, their products deserve their place alongside your other pieces of art, and the Nea Pleasure Object is just one of the products from Lelo that deserve to be displayed.

Sex toys have long been characterized as being ugly, bulky, and embarrassing, but with this new generation of products that are now available to us, you can be assured that you're getting off in style. And there's need to fear the embarrassment of someone (a friend, a relative, or anyone, for that matter) discovering it and being disgusted because if it looks like art (and you can convincingly play it off as being art), then they'll never know the difference.

They May Be Older, But They're Not Dead!

The nursing home industry comes in second to nuclear power plants in regulations, but none of those regulations address the sexuality of the residents, who are still very much alive and full of sexual needs and desires. This is the revelation that researchers from Kansas State University discovered when they investigated how nursing home residents' sexuality was being handled by the nursing home employees, according to a recent AP article by Margaret Stafford.

At first, the researchers were met with silence when they were exploring this topic, but that silence soon turned to disbelief once they began conducting seminars with the aim of training nursing home staffs to understand the residents' needs and help them in meeting those needs. The training helped staff members in identifying appropriate sexual behaviors and employing different strategies to accommodate residents.

Giving lonely residents the help they need in fulfilling their sexual needs is important, but staff members also need to be able to recognize when a resident is being abused, especially when you factor in the mental diseases that affect the elderly and their perception, such as Alzheimer's. This is where federal guidelines should be implemented because without a reference for what actions to take in different situations, positive or negative, nursing home employees and the family members of residents will be lost when it comes to helping their elderly relatives enjoy their last days to the fullest extent possible.

New Regulation Protects Health Providers' Moral Compass, Leaves Patients Vulnerable

In the last days of his presidency, George W. Bush and his administration have been busy issuing new federal rules and regulations. One of the most recent regulations issued by his administration is one that protects health-care providers from discrimination if they refuse to perform certain procedures, such as abortion or providing contraception.

Personally, I'm conflicted on how I feel about this new regulation. On one hand, I want health-care providers to be protected when they morally object to a procedure. But on the other hand, I fear that those seeking hotly debated procedures, such as abortion, will find themselves with no options whatsoever if every health-care provider in their health plan turns them down.

The new regulation, which was issued by the Department of Health & Human Services on Thursday, December 18, allows health-care providers to withhold information about a patient's health-care options as well. If a hospital is found discriminating against those workers, from doctors to janitors (yeah, janitors.), they risk losing federal funding.

While protecting the men and women who work in the health care industry is important, protecting the patient is just as important, and protection includes giving all information and options to patients that need it. If there's going to be a change in the number of unwanted pregnancies, young families on welfare, or in the number of those with STDs/STIs, we have to be sure that they can get the preventative help they need, such as contraception. I can understand being morally against abortion, but objecting to the provision of contraception (which could prevent the need for abortion!) is just stupid.

Happy 15th Birthday, Female Condom!

Yes, that's right - it's been 15 years since the female condom was invented! It's just too bad that in its 15 years, it never grew to be as popular as its relative, the male condom. I imagine that the crowd at the female condom's birthday party won't be as massive as the inventors had hoped, but that may change in the next few years.

Female Health Company, the inventor of the female condom, has submitted a new, redesigned version to the FDA for review and approval. This newer version of the female condom has several changes, including the use of a softer rubber material called nitrile and an adhesive foam, and they hope that these modifications will attract more consumers and increase the female condom's popularity.

From being awkward and slippery to noisy, there were many reasons why the female condom is unpopular, but these reasons are similar to why consumers dislike using the more common male condom. However, the stigma attached to women purchasing condoms is most likely the reason why the female condom caught on. Even today, society looks down on women who are having sex, so why would they purchase an item that has social contempt connected to it? As soon as society changes its views on sex in our culture, then there may be a surge in popularity for the female condom.

Welcome To Empire Advisor!

Hello there, and welcome!

You may be thinking to yourself, "I'm pretty sure I can handle the complexities of Adult DVD Empire on my own, why do I need an 'advisor'?"

While there are those out there who feel they know everything they need to about buying their favorite DVDs, Blu-rays, VODs, and novelties from ADE, there are also those who may have a question or two about the products that we offer.

But the advice given here isn't limited to just the products that can be found on ADE and the sites connected to it - I'm prepared to answer questions about sex, relationships, health, and much more!

I'll also be showcasing different novelties and titles that might pique your interest, so I hope to help you expand your sexual boundaries as time goes on.

Well, that's about it for the maiden voyage of Empire Advisor! Check back for more updates soon!

-Bethany