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Celeb talk drives sales of sex toys

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Smartphones have long been a must-have accessory, but sex toys are quickly becoming one of the world’s most popular gadgets.

 

 

Experts believe the willingness of stars such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Jane Fonda to divulge their bedroom secrets is behind a recent surge in the sales of “pleasure goods”.

 

 

Global sales of erotic accessories are to set to rise to 400 million.

 

 

While some of Hollywood’s most famous leading ladies have opened up about their sex lives in the new TV series, The Conversation With Amanda de Cadenet, in the UK Channel 4 has just screened a documentary More Sex Please, We’re British, focusing on its biggest online sex toy retailer, lovehoney.co.uk.

 

 

Originally founded in 2002 by Neal Slateford and Richard Longhurst, Lovehoney offers an array of goods from adult toys and sexy lingerie to erotic literature and games. It has seen its sales increase each year to a current total of £16 million (R205m).

 

 

Slateford, a former record producer for Kylie Minogue, stated that celebrities opening up about their sex lives had been a key sales driver.

Copy of Silver Swan_Woman_COUNTRY_E1-b [1]

Silver Swan Rabbit Vibrator, a sex toy for women.

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He said: “A famous celebrity will give a big interview about their sex life or their love of sex toys and we will see a flurry of sales afterwards.

 

 

“It all started with Sex In The City – which was incredibly liberating for women, especially after Charlotte became a virtual recluse after buying a rabbit vibrator at New York’s famous Pleasure Chest sex store.

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“Suddenly ordinary women weren’t afraid to talk about their sex lives and their use of sex toys.”

 

 

Global sales of vibrators and other sex toys soared to £5.5bn a year and are to set to rise to £40bn by 2020 – matching those of smartphones.

 

 

Slateford added: “It’s great that celebrities are being more honest about their sex lives. There has been such a huge change in people’s attitudes over the last 10 years.”

 

 

While sales of sex toys had been held back in the past due to an association with the sleazy, male-dominated pornography industry, women were becoming far less shy about sexual aids.

 

 

A report by retail analysts Hewson confirmed there had been a revolution in the past 30 years, driven by the fact that women have a more powerful position in the home and work place.

 

 

“Celebrity endorsement of sex toys by star such as Teri Hatcher, Eva Longoria and Halle Berry act as validators for brands and women alike,” researchers said.

 

 

Several female celebrities talked openly about their favourite sexual positions in US TV interviews screened recently.

 

 

Zoe Saldana, 33, star of Avatar and Pirates of the Caribbean, said: “I like missionary and I like being on my knees too. And I love being on top or standing up.”

 

 

Meanwhile, the X Factor star Tulisa blushed when her rabbit vibrator accidentally went off in her suitcase when she was picking up her baggage at Miami airport.

 

 

Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria, 37, revealed that some of the best sex she had ever experienced was with a sex toy.

 

 

She said in an interview: “I own two and I have a Rabbit one. I give that as a gift all the time. It’s the best gift to give – an orgasm.”

 

 

Teri Hatcher, 47, also from Desperate Housewives, said: “To be honest, I don’t know what I want a male for. I have some fabulous electronics to use instead. And any woman who tells you she doesn’t is lying.” – Daily Mail

Tevez in trouble over Fergie banner

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Carlos Tevez landed himself in fresh controversy on Monday when he was pictured waving a mocked-up tombstone for Sir Alex Ferguson during Manchester City’s Premier League title celebrations.

 The 28-year-old Argentina striker held up a banner designed to look like a gravestone and bearing the words “RIP Fergie” as City celebrated their title triumph over Manchester United during an open-top bus parade.

 Manchester City later released a statement apologising to Ferguson and criticised Tevez while the player – who it is believed took the banner from a fan – also said he “didn’t mean any disrespect”.

  “The creation of the tasteless material is in itself reprehensible and in accepting and brandishing it, Carlos has made a significant error of judgement,” said a City spokeswoman.

  “The club wishes to express its sincerest apologies to Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United Football Club for any offence or distress caused.”

Tevez for his part said he had just got carried away.

 “I got carried away in the excitement of the moment and I certainly didn’t mean any disrespect to Sir Alex Ferguson, who I admire as a man and a manager,” he said.

 There was speculation it could have been a reference to a comment made by Ferguson in 2009 when he was asked whether United would ever be underdogs to their city rivals.

 “Not in my lifetime,” the United manager said.

 Tevez left United in 2009 and joined City.

 He spent several months in exile earlier this season after refusing to come off the bench during a Champions League game at Bayern Munich in September but returned to play a key role in the title run-in after making peace with coach Roberto Mancini.

 City were crowned champions for the first time in 44 years on Sunday when two injury time goals saw them to a 3-2 win over QPR that consigned United – 1-0 winners at Sunderland – to second place on goal difference. – AFP

Killer mom: Poison was my way out

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By Fatima Schroeder

A Cape Town mother who poisoned her eight-month-old daughter to death did so because she felt there was no other way out of the bleak financial situation she found herself in, the Western Cape High Court has heard.

Phamela Somkence, 29, of Philippi was sentenced to 10 years behind bars on Monday after she admitted that she poisoned her daughter to death and attempted to kill the child’s older sister in the same way.

 The incident took place at their Browns Farm home in October 2010 when Somkence mixed poison into her daughters’ fruit juice and gave it to them before drinking the same deadly concoction in a bid to end her own life.

The young mother claimed she did it because she felt it was the only way out of the dire financial situation she was in as a result of being unemployed.

Somkence and eight-year-old Thimna survived after medical treatment, but Ichume died before reaching a hospital.

In a plea and sentence agreement concluded with the State on Monday, it emerged that Somkence was taking emotional strain at the time she committed the offences because she could not find a job.

She has a secretarial diploma.

In addition, she did not receive financial help from the children’s fathers and had received several letters of demand for outstanding debt.

Her hopes were raised a week before the murder when Thimna’s father told her he would contribute to the maintenance of his child because he had found a job.

However, he died a day after he spoke to her, shattering her hopes of alleviating their poverty-stricken situation.

In desperation, she approached Ichume’s father for financial assistance.

However, she claims that his family turned her away and allegedly assaulted her because they saw her as a nuisance.

Following the alleged assault, she obtained an order against his sister.

In addition, the relationship between Somkence and her own family had also broken down and she began to feel isolated.

The day after the alleged assault at the hands of Ichume’s father’s family, Somkence thought that ending their lives was the only way out.

One of the aggravating factors taken into account when negotiating the plea bargain was the increasing number of similar offences.

In addition, she had the children’s trust and had ample time to reconsider her actions.

Thimna will now have to live with the knowledge that her own mother tried to poison her and that her sister died after drinking the poison.

However, the mitigating factors taken into account by the court include that Somkence is a first offender and that she showed genuine remorse for what she did.

In addition, by pleading guilty, she also spared the court and the State the expense of a protracted trial, and prevented the surviving daughter from having to testify against her.

Her emotional state and “feelings of helplessness” as a result of her financial situation were considered to be substantial and compelling circumstances, justifying a departure from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.

Before Cape Judge President John Hlophe on Monday, Somkence confirmed that she understood the consequences of pleading guilty to the charges of murder and attempted murder.

She said the contents of the plea and sentence agreement had been explained to her before she signed it.

 

The murder and attempted murder charges were taken together for the purposes of sentencing and she received a term of 15 years behind bars, of which five years were suspended for five years on condition that she was not convicted of an offence involving violence.

Somkence’s advocate, Lara Joubert, informed the court that, since her client was the primary caregiver for the surviving child, provision had been made for Thimna’s care while Somkence was in prison.

A report from the Department of Social Development was handed to the court.

As the court adjourned, Somkence’s mother, Aganethu, wept uncontrollably as family members comforted her in the public gallery.

She hugged Somkence as court orderlies led her away.

Somkence’s relatives declined to speak to the media.

 

A disturbing trend of similar cases

* Thirty-one-year-old Zulpha Jacobs, pictured, has been charged with murder and child abandonment after the body of her two-year-old son Tariq was found in a shallow grave close to Imperial Primary School in Beacon Valley on December 31.

A neighbourhood watch member found his body.

* In February, 35-year-old Nyarai Chiwandire, stepped in front of an oncoming train near Eerste River railway station with her 16-month-old daughter Rosemary and six-day-old son Allan, killing all three.

* Last month, the Western Cape High Court sentenced Nonkholiso Skotha, 51, of Zwelethemba, Worcester, to 15 years in prison after she killed her nephews for not doing their house chores.

Seven-year-old Ntumeko Mboxi and 11-year-old Zama had been in Skotha’s care since their mother died in 2005.

In a plea bargain she pleaded guilty to murder and assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm.

* Thirty-five-year-old Venolia Siwa stands accused in the Pampierstad Magistrate’s Court in the Northern Cape of the murders of her five children in October last year.

She allegedly forced her children to drink a cocktail of brake fluid and cooldrink but then drowned them when she thought they were not dying quickly enough.

The eldest, Sizwe, was disabled. The other children were Lukanyo, 10, Edward, five, Reatlegile, four, and Matiki, two.

 

Cape Argus

‘Cuddle chemical’ the new Viagra?

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London – Taking a chemical that helps mothers bond with their babies may not immediately strike you as the best way to improve a man’s libido.

But oxytocin, the so-called “cuddle hormone”, can dramatically improve male sexual performance, researchers have found – producing results on a par with Viagra.

One of the scientists behind the discovery and development of Viagra was so impressed that he described an oxytocin-based treatment as having “blockbuster potential”.

Oxytocin is a hormone naturally made in the body in both men and women, and is involved in sex, sexual attraction, trust and confidence.

Extra doses of the “cuddle chemical” are released into a mother’s blood during labour – triggering the production of breast milk – and flood the brain during breastfeeding, helping mother and baby bond.

It has recently been shown to make men more sensitive and in tune with others’ feelings.

Researchers in California published a paper on the hormone’s effects after giving it to a married father of three who suffered from attention deficit disorder and had difficulty in maintaining social relationships.

His relationship with his wife was also in difficulties, and conventional drugs either were not suitable or had unwanted side-effects.

Spraying the hormone up his nose twice a day did little to help his social phobia but did wonders for his love life, the Journal of Sexual Medicine reports.

His libido went from “very weak” to “somewhat strong”, his sexual arousal from “somewhat difficult” to “somewhat easy” and the act itself was easier to perform and more satisfying.

The spray also produced emotional benefits. The man said he found it easier to be affectionate towards his wife, while she said he wanted to be closer to her and was more tactile.

But not all its effects may be quite so welcome.

The man, who is identified only as Mr B, also hugged a work colleague in a “very out of character” way. At the time the paper was written, the man had not experienced any other side-effects, despite using the oxytocin spray twice a day for several months.

However, the positive effects vanished if he stopped using the spray.

The University of California researchers said the improvements were ‘in keeping’ with those of Viagra.

They concluded: “These findings support trials directly examining the use of oxytocin to treat problems in this vital aspect of human function, especially in the context of stable, loving relationships.”

Others said that as Viagra does not work in all cases, there is a great medical need for a new drug.

Mike Wyllie, one of the team of scientists that discovered and developed Viagra for pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, said that for some men who have had surgery, the little blue pills can work in as few as 10 percent of cases.

With sales of Viagra and similar pills reaching almost £2.5-billion year worldwide, there are billions to be made.

Dr Wyllie said that a drug based on oxytocin could have “blockbuster potential”.

However, he cautioned that drug watchdogs may be cautious about approving a medicine that has emotional as well as physical effects. – Daily Mail

Malema causes presidential stir

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 Expelled ANCYL president Julius Malema said on Monday he wanted to be a leader in the ANC.

“I will lead this ANC. You must put it on the archive. I am going to be a leader of the African National Congress,” he said a news conference in Joburg.

It was his first media briefing since he was expelled from the ANC on April 24. The event was arranged by the National Press Club.

“It doesn’t matter what time it takes, I will lead the African National Congress,” he said.

“For a diamond to shine it goes through a thorough process of being polished.”

Asked what he meant by “leader”, Malema said he was speaking about being on a structure like a provincial executive committee, as he had done before in his home province of Limpopo.

He said he had returned to Joburg, not because he was interested in reclaiming the league presidency alone, but because the youth league had summoned him from Limpopo, where he had been tending cattle.

He was expelled from the ruling party for unfavourably comparing the leadership style of President Jacob Zuma to that of former president Thabo Mbeki, and for remarks on bringing about regime change in Botswana.

Malema was flanked by Floyd Shivambu, who, as league spokesman, was suspended from the ANC for three years for swearing at a journalist and for issuing a statement calling for a change of government in Botswana.

Also with him was ANCYL secretary general Sindiso Magaqa. He had his appeal against his suspension dismissed, but had the period of suspension reduced from three years to one year. He made derogatory remarks about Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba and the ANC’s stance on nationalisation.

Malema maintained that the league’s top brass was politically targeted during the disciplinary hearings, saying it was unfair that they were not allowed to disagree on policy issues. – Sapa


Can men and women be just friends?

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By Victoria Wellman

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London – It is perfectly normal to have friendships with the opposite sex and most people would swear that those friendships are platonic.

But according to a new study, there is nearly always attraction between male and female friends and the most common cost is dissatisfaction with current romantic partners.

Researchers from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Canada also found that in a test group of 400 adults, if there were feelings of attraction expressed from only one member of the friendship, it was most often from the man.

Associate professor of psychology and lead author of the study, April Bleske-Rechek, believes that because platonic inter-sex relationships are a relatively new concept in the history of human evolution, men are still controlled by their mating instincts.

The participants in the study, which was split into two parts, ranged in age between 18-52 and the findings were reported in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

The first experiment split 88 pairs of friends up into different rooms and without asking anyone to identify themselves proposed a series of questions.

This exercise aimed to glean information about the individuals’ attraction to their companions, desire to go on a romantic date and perception of whether their friends were interested in them romantically.

The results showed that men more frequently admitted attraction to their female friends while also overestimating their friend’s romantic feelings towards them.

Women, on the other hand, were less likely to fancy their friends or assume the males had those kinds of feelings for them.

Though the male answers may come across as egocentric, Bleske-Rechek explained: “Historically, men faced the risk of being shut out, genetically, if they didn’t take advantage of various reproductive opportunities. So the argument is that men have evolved to be far more sexually opportunistic.”

The study looked at how friends valued their platonic relationships even if they suspected there was a certain degree of attraction involved. The two test groups were “emerging” adults of 18 years of age to 23 and “young and middle-aged adults” aged between 27 and 52.

Across both demographics, the verdict was unanimous; that the benefits of this type of When Harry Met Sally friendship outweighed the costs, even if it meant their amorous relationships were affected.

Attraction in whatever shape or form was, perhaps unsurprisingly, named as an interference when it came to other relationships, five times more often than it was hailed as a benefit, and the more attracted someone was to a friend, the lower their satisfaction with their romantic partner.

But, as the study concluded: “Sexual attraction came up so frequently as a cost – and these were spontaneous nominations. But people seem willing to take the bad with the good because they find fulfilment in these friendships.” – Daily Mail

Kids saw ‘dad kill mom with spade’

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By Shellee Geduld

A Cape Town man is accused of brutally smashing his wife to death with a spade in front of their traumatised children.

Police claim Antonio Paulo Agostinho Saldanha ignored a protection order against him and used his young children to trick his way into the house he once shared with Claudia Agatha Saldanha.

According to court documents seen by the Daily Voice, Claudia obtained a protection order that prohibited Saldanha from threatening her, assaulting her or entering her Ravensmead home.

But he allegedly ignored this court order and on the morning of March 5, 2011, he went to her home in Poplar Street and demanded to be let in.

 

He allegedly told her that he was bringing their children – aged nine and five years old – to her because they wanted to be with her.

Police say that Claudia was home with her eldest daughter and some friends, but was too scared to open the door.

When she eventually opened the door, Saldanha allegedly forced his way into the house and started to assault his estranged wife.

Police claim he chased her through the house and smacked her and beat her with his fists once he got hold of her.

Saldanha allegedly grabbed a broom and began beating the young mom with it while their children watched in horror.

Police say Claudia grabbed a spade in an attempt to protect herself.

But Saldanha allegedly wrestled the garden tool from her and hit her with it.

When she tried to escape, he allegedly threw her to the ground and continued to beat her with the spade even after his young son tried to stop him.

 

Saldanha appeared in the Western Cape High Court last week where he faces charges of murder and ignoring a protection order.

Prosecutor Nadia Ajam told the court that a trial date has been set for later this month when his children are expected to testify against him.

*This article was published in the Daily Voice


Remove Mdluli, says Malema

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By SAPA

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Lt-General Richard Mdluli must be removed from the police service, expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema said in Johannesburg on Monday.

“He is a serious threat to state security. Mdluli said I participated in the plot against President (Jacob) Zuma. My name is there, I have never been part of any plot,” Malema told reporters.

Mdluli was moved as head of the crime intelligence unit to another position last week. So far, he has had fraud and corruption, and murder charges against him, dropped.

Malema said fabrication of information was a serious threat.

“Now our phones are being listened to. When you greet on the phone… then you must greet Mdluli.”

He said moving him to a different position did not help.

“If we can’t trust the police, who are we going to trust?”

Malema said people could not even accept police protection because then “you are driving with Mdluli permanently”.

He said people were living in fear.

“We are creating a police state. We are being policed.”

This applied only to people who expressed a different view, said Malema.

“So… if I was responsible for those things, the man must be asked nicely to resign, and then he can be offered ambassador something nice… Somalia… and then you deploy him there.” – Sapa


HIS VIVACIOUS VOICE MAKE HIM STAND HEAD AND SHOULDER ABOVE THE REST!!!!

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BY KGATLISO RAMOSE

Hip hop is a fastest growing music genre globally and not long it will be the most liked music genre alive.
 
Hip Hop now becoming a culture especially amongst the young people ,however its often associated with bad things like drugs, alcohol, sex and money .
 
Our crew spoke with one of the finest in Taung to here what his take about glorifying above mentioned things
 
‘Hip Hop its often associated with bad boys, well am not, for me hip-hop just like any music genre, is a way of expression’ he said.
 
Born and bred in one of rural areas in Taung called Maganeng where drug abuse and poverty are biggest problems amongst  youths, PRO-T real name Rebaone Gaanabo said rapping is keeping him out of the street.
 
‘”I am always home, doing my school work and playing my music and other hip-hop artist’s music, during holidays its where I concentrate on recording and writting  musi'” he continued.
 
 
Pro-T totally adopted hip-hop attire style, with those baggy jeans and over size t-shirt. He see himself as a son of the soil, doing what he love most.
 
“Image is very important especially in this game’ he said.
 
“I have to make sure that I look presentable in the sense that by only looking at me you already know what kind of a person i am. People always call me bad names like nigga and yeah’ man but they will not discourage me. And i will always be who i am respective of other people’s thought or views” ghe yelled.
 
 
WHERE IT ALL STARTED?
‘I am a Hip-Hop fanatic,so since i started writing music long time ago before i met Sloavoz and later met T- FILL and Loaf.
We started a crew called Money Makers” he said.
 
“From that moment I realised that he adopted a hip hop language too.
We recorded only one track then we parted ways due to financial problems and other guys like T-FILL and Loaf moved to other place far from home” he said.
 
He admit that it was tough continue with music after the break up.
‘It was kinda surreal coming from being a recording artist to a song writer, the transition was hard to adjust’ Pro-T said.
 
PICKING UP THE PIECES AND RE-INVENTING HIMSELF!!!
‘I contnue doing what am born to do which is writing song then I met Kgatliso Ramose and we started an entertainment company and that is where i gathered my strength to soldier on” he said.
 
Things started to add up for the young rapper who have that never-die attitude.
“Under Black Rock Entertainment(BRE) we formed a group called Black Rock,we recorded our first single during September holidays and the response from the public was awesome'” said a 17 year-old rapper.
The Maganeng-born rapper continues
‘”We recorded another song late last year. Both singles are doing great on kasimp3.com, our download site.
 
Before the interviews. the download rates were standing at 110.Pro-T thanks the support he received from his fans and asked them keep on supporting local music.
 
‘It is amazing to see our music getting a warmth and thanks to our fans for their unconditional support’ he concluded.
 
GIGS LINE UP
The whole Black Rock Entertainment crew including DJ Trust, DJ Medley, DJ Raps, Tseke and Black Rock will perform at Dj Thethi’s Annual Bash at Motimalenyora Tavern- Pudumoe on
28 July 2012.
 
Fan can get in touch with PRO-T on his facebook page, his username is Gaanabo Thabo or Black Rock Entertainment fan page
Follow us on twitter @Taung_DailyNews and keep supporting our local talents.
E-mail us if you have an extra-ordinary thing that you doing in your community.
 
 

Rugby camp incident a prank – school

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raped boy's father

By Staff Reporter

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Edgemead High School has denied that “any criminal activity took place” in the case of a 16-year-old who alleged he was sexually molested at a rugby camp in March.

The Cape Argus reported last week that the boy had apparently been given alcohol and, while unconscious, had had his eyebrows and head shaven and had later allegedly been attacked with a broomstick by older boys.

The incident was apparently part of an “initiation”.

School governing body chairwoman Mrs L Smith said in a statement on the school’s website: “The Edgemead High School was subjected to adverse media coverage on May 10, 2012, in connection with an incident which occurred during a recent first-team rugby tour to Velddrif.”

She called what is alleged by the victim “a prank”.

“This media release is deemed necessary because a considerable portion of the content of the media coverage was either completely false and/or distorted,” she wrote.

She said the incident had been fully investigated by the school’s management and the seven boys involved in the incident had appeared before the governing body.

“The school is completely confident that due process was followed throughout. Despite media coverage alleging criminal acts on the part of the pupils, no such evidence was forthcoming in the investigation, and no such evidence was provided by the parents of the pupil,” she said.

Cape Argus