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Gadgets Aboard Air Force One

GeekSugar — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 07:05:08 -0700

Thanks to the Official White House Photostream, we not only get to take a visual trip inside the White House, witness the day-to-day goings-on of the administration, but we also get to see inside the Air Force One plane. We already know that The White House is filled with gadgets, but what happens when the administration takes flight? Here's what I found upon closer inspection. Photo courtesy of The Official White House Photostream

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Strength Training: Are Forced Repetitions Beneficial?

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 10:00:00 -0700

I'm a huge fan of strength training with a buddy, and recently at the gym, I've been hearing a lot about forced repetitions where your weight lifting partner does more than just spot you. If you're not familiar with this term, allow me to explain. If a woman is lifting weights and she has reached her limit and can't do another repetition on her own, someone will assist her with one or more repetitions. These are called forced repetitions. The reason people who strength train do this is because they think this extra bit of effort will help their muscles become stronger.

To find out if forced repetitions are beneficial when it comes to strength training read more

Unfortunately, forced repetitions aren't making you stronger. I'll explain why. Say you are doing chest presses with a barbell that has 20 pounds of weight. If you get help to do a couple more presses, you're not lifting the full 20 pounds that you were when you were doing the exercise on your own. So in actuality, you're lifting less weight and not working your muscles as hard. Not only that but your muscles are fatigued and forcing them to keep repeating the move could result in a torn muscle. Need scientific proof? In a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, researchers examined 22 male athletes who did forced repetitions while weight lifting over a six-week period and found no benefit. So there you have it.

Fit's Tips: If you're looking to tone up and become stronger, a better strategy would be to gradually increase the amount of weight you can lift on your own.

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Pres. Obama, Aboard First Air Force One Flight, Orders Burger

YumSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 05:30:48 -0800

The inauguration may be behind us, but we're only beginning to get to know President Barack Obama's discerning palate.

In this clip from a National Geographic Channel series titled On Board Air Force One, the then-president-elect rides aboard the presidential plane for the very first time. Dinner is served on the plane, and the nation's leader barely takes a glance at the menu before proclaiming, "I'll see how you guys do a burger."

To watch the video and see how our new president prefers eating his burger, read more.

As it turns out, President Obama orders his burger medium well, with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and dijon mustard as the star condiment. The famously health-conscious president requests a salad on the side, but adds, "I'll still take the fries."

Obama's burger preferences are acceptable - with the exception of the medium well part. I'm a little disappointed the president doesn't like his meat a little more rare (it's juicier that way, in my opinion).

Do you approve of how the president orders his burgers? Do you prefer a rare or well-done patty?

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What Are Your Feelings on Forced Mingling?

YumSugar — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 06:18:47 -0800

Recently I attended a 60's themed party at a friend's house. The house was decorated, the drinks were plentiful, and the guests wore costumes. Sounds like the perfect recipe for a fabulous party, right? Wrong. Nobody really knew anybody at the event, and everyone hung out in cliques on the outskirts of the kitchen. Instead of being awesome it was awkward. The hostess in me was dying to organize some sort of forced mingling: a card game, introductions, dancing... anything to get the party going. Although I believe in making your guests feel comfortable, if your friends from college refuse to talk to your friends from high school, it's your duty, as a hostess to encourage the flow of conversation between all of your guests. I've been known to choose names out of a hat for teams in a pool tournament, require that everyone play a drinking game, and force friends to sit Spanish-speaker, English-speaker, Spanish-speaker. In my opinion it's up to you as a hostess to make things go smoothly and if you have to force invitees to mingle, do so.

How about you? Have you ever done something crazy to get your party started? What are your feelings on forced mingling?

MFEO: The Force Unleashed and Dual Glow Sabers

GeekSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:30:25 -0700

There are very few things that were made for each other. Peanut butter and jelly, milk and cookies, bananas and chocolate. But now, I think I've found a new pair. It's the newly released Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and the soon-to-be-released dreamGEAR Dual Glow Sabers. Let's be honest, how many hours did you spend as a kid battling it out Jedi style with your little bro? I personally preferred wrapping paper tubes as the light saber stand-in, but these are a Star Wars fan's dream come true. The best part? They're only $20 bucks.

And you don't have to use the sabers just on your Star Wars titles either. You can utilize them in any game that uses a slashing motion. But who has time for "other" games when we're only a month and a half away from Halloween? Although I could pick up the sassy Amidala costume, my hand made Leia costume is calling - and somehow, these will need to be incorporated. I'd better get to sewing.

Me and Orson Welles: A Likeable Film For Theater-Lovers

BuzzSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:00:33 -0800

Zac Efron can act, people! Okay, so he's not going to win an Oscar for his performance in Me and Orson Welles, but he does take a step away from the tween territory of High School Musical and 17 Again to prove that he can hold his own among more experienced performers.

Efron stars as the "Me" in Me and Orson Welles, an over confident aspiring young actor named Richard whose only prior work includes a couple of high school productions - until he lucks into a bit part in Welles's stage production of Julius Caesar. Richard has a romanticized view of theater, but once he enters Welles's company, he's forced to learn the real nature of what goes on behind the scenes.

For more on the film, read more.

Ready to burst his bubble is his new mentor, Orson Welles (Christian McKay). A philanderer and liar with an inflated ego, Welles takes Richard under his wing but knocks him down at the same time. Throw into the mix Welles's tenacious assistant Sonja (Claire Danes) who makes goo-goo eyes at the young guy, and it's clear that Richard is in way over his head (even though he seems clueless about it).

British actor Christian McKay as Welles is larger than life - he plays the role as if the director is always acting and putting on a show, even in his personal moments. Welles could be an unlikeable character, but McKay makes him a guy you love to hate. Even though Efron is the more recognizable face and handles his role well, McKay's performance is the one most critics will talk about.

The film is enjoyable, but it fails to pull you in. My biggest concern is that it won't find an audience. Older viewers might appreciate Welles and the music of the era, but the appeal of Efron might be lost on them. On the other hand, Efron's fans might find the Welles element to be a snooze. Honestly, it's probably best suited to those who have a passion for theater. I enjoyed watching rehearsals with the Caesar cast (which features a ragtag mix of faces, including Ben Chaplin and James Tupper). The office politics and mini-breakdowns that take place before the curtain goes up make the film fun.

My advice? If you do choose to see it on the big screen, catch it quickly before it goes to rental.

If you'd like to review a movie you've seen recently, check out the Movie Reviews Group in community. I may even feature your critique on the site!

Hump Day: What to Do When He's Not Well Endowed

TresSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:24 -0800

Welcome to Hump Day, TrèsSugar's sex advice column. If you have questions about sex, send them to TrèsSugar, and our friend Dr. Charlie Glickman from Good Vibrations will offer his sound advice!
Today's question:
What are some good techniques to use with a partner who has a relatively small penis?

To see Dr. Glickman's answer, read more.

There are a few different things you could try to make intercourse better. The first thing is to have lots of buildup for both of you. The more excited he is, the harder his erection will be. That can maximize the sensations for you since the vagina tends to be most sensitive near the opening. And the closer you are to orgasm before intercourse, the easier it might be to have an orgasm once he’s inside you.

Some positions may work better for you than others. If you try rear entry (aka doggie style) and arch your back, you’ll probably be able to get deeper penetration. Some women report that crossing their legs (after he’s inside) in this position makes things snugger, which creates more intense sensations for both people. If you prefer face to face contact, prop your hips up on a pillow or the amazing Wedge. Bending your legs so your knees are against your chest also maximizes penetration. Since both the vagina and the penis vary in dimensions, you’ll have to experiment a bit to find the ones that feel best to you. Sadie Allison’s book Ride’Em Cowgirl is full of useful tips and fun ideas.

If you’re having trouble getting enough stimulation for your pleasure, you can always make sure that you get your needs taken care of first or keep the fun going after his orgasm. There’s a commonly held belief that simultaneous orgasm is the ultimate sexual experience, and while it can be fun, if that ideal is getting in the way, then ditch it. If he gives you oral sex or uses his hands first and then you switch to intercourse (or vice versa), then you’re both getting pleasured and I think that’s a great thing.

Quite a few partners of men with smaller penises find that oral sex can be a lot easier. After all, if you have a sensitive gag reflex or a narrow jaw, a smaller penis can be much more fun to play with. I definitely encourage you to get creative when it comes to blow jobs. Check out this excellent DVD on oral sex. Similarly, a slender penis can make anal sex more pleasurable, too. While a lot of people aren’t into anal play, if you happen to be, you might find that it feels better when you’re with someone on the slimmer side of things. You can check out this DVD on anal play.

As you can see, there are lots of choices. You may need to talk with each other to figure out what will work best for the two of you. While you might have some worries about talking with your guy about his penis size, I can guarantee that he already knows about it. If you approach the conversation from a desire to make sure that you’re both having fun, it’ll go a lot better. And whatever you do, don’t make fun of him or shame him for his body. Lots of men are hyper-sensitive about penis size and that’s not going to be a constructive thing to do.

Lastly, for the record, most penises are about five-six inches (12.7-15.24 cm) long and about five inches (12.7 cm) around. Lots of people have distorted expectations about penis size, especially if they watch porn. But a lot of people in porn movies (both male and female) are short - it makes penises look larger, just as they used to make cowboy movie sets small to make the actors look bigger. That sort of forced perspective is a trick of the camera, and unfortunately, it can lead to unrealistic expectations.

I hope that helps. Have fun!

You Can Polish Your Jewelry - Literally

BellaSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:00:39 -0800

Do you love nail polish? Do you love jewelry? Well then, wouldn't it be something if the two combined to join forces? That's just what Tracey of GingerKittyDesigns has crafted up on her Etsy store. By the way, I am beginning to dig Etsy more and more each day. Where else can you find quirky New Moon-inspired beauty goods or denture soap? From necklaces made with Essie's popular Starry, Starry Night, an opaque blue with silvery glitter within, to drop earrings to custom pendants made with the shade of your choice, Tracey has lots of options for the nail polish-obsessed gal. What do you think? Do these polished pendants nail it?

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Speak Up: What's Your Take on the Reebok EasyTone Ads?

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:00:24 -0800

In a sea of words, a title like "Make Your Boobs Jealous!" really jumps out at you - something I can attest to after coming across these new ads for Reebok EasyTone.

If these shoes do what Reebok claims, the shoes themselves seem pretty neat - balance pods create natural instability in your step, which forces muscles to adapt and encourages toning in the butt, legs, and thighs. So far, so good, but as my buddy Très points out, the ads focus mostly on two talking breasts!

To see these controversial commercials and judge for yourself, read more.

In the commercials, the camera constantly focuses in on the butt of the actresses, and two out of three times you don't even see a face. And in the commercial where a face is shown, the actress playfully teases with the cameraman that he must like what he sees since he's zooming in so much. Some of the tag lines seem questionable too: "88% of men will be speechless, 76% of women jealous, and 0% will know the reason is on your feet." I don't know about you, but my reason for staying fit is not to make the women around me feel inadequate.

I shared the commercials with a friend and she thought I was being a bit too serious. She got a good laugh out of them and thought they were playful and funny. She especially loved the one where a woman's breasts are given life as they complain about not getting any more stares. Why? Because the butt has taken all the attention away, thanks to EasyTone sneakers! Cue tag line: "Make your boobs jealous!"

When I asked why she wasn't the least bit offended, she left me with the reasoning that "sex sells" and "women want to feel beautiful." I'm going to ask myself if I am being way too serious, but in the meantime, I'd like to know what you think of these ads. Check them out below and share your thoughts with me in the comments section.

Sugar Shout Out: Nuremberg Zoo Debuts Siberian Tiger Cubs!

PopSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:55:00 -0800