Woman accusing Trump of child rape cancels public announcement, citing threats

Attorneys representing a woman who sued Donald Trump, charging him with child rape, said earlier today the woman planned to speak publicly about the ongoing case Wednesday afternoon. At the time of the scheduled press conference, her lawyer canceled the event saying her client had received many threats.

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Confessions of a lifelong Republican entrepreneur

Sean Ammirati has many identities: serially successful start-up entrepreneur, Carnegie Mellon University professor, VC at Birchmere Ventures, best-selling writer and lifelong Republican.  He certainly proud of the first four of these identities. But the fifth thing – his status as a lifelong Republican – is now causing him severe embarrassment. The Grand Old Party of Lincoln… Read More

Snake Removal in Shawnee

There was a huge snake on our deck!

We recommend Animal Solutions Pest Control for ​KCKS Snake Removal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UeJWP-aGN4

 

Canon's new 5D Mark IV DSLR shoots glorious 4K video

Nikon may have pioneered DSLR video recording with its D90, but it was Canon's 5D Mark II, released in 2008, which really gave amateur filmmakers the power to shoot high-quality full HD video with TV and movie-worthy production values.

Canon's new 5D Mark IV succeeds the Mark III with more of everything. But most importantly, it records 4K video, something mirrorless cameras like Panasonic's GH4 has had for years and Sony's Alpha-series cameras now come standard with.

SEE ALSO: Samsung's Gear 360 is the VR video camera for the masses

The 30.4-megapixel, weather-sealed, full frame camera is a worthy upgrade for any serious photographer.  Read more...

More about 5d Mark Iv, 4k Video, Video Recording, 4k, and Canon

Adam Schiff, Whose Real Name Was Steven Hill, Died Today

Steven Hill nailed the feeling of a lawyer as a functionary in society.

Presenting The ATL 'Everyman Litigation Rankings'

At which Biglaw firms can get the most money as a Biglaw litigator, with the least impressive educational credentials?

How Your Couch Hurts Your Thyroid

By Dr. Mercola

Many couches in U.S. homes contain foam cushions that are comfortable to sit on but are hiding a dirty, dangerous secret. They're loaded with toxic flame-retardant chemicals. Such chemicals were added largely as the result of California Technical Bulletin 117 (TB117), which was passed in 1975.

It required furniture sold in California to withstand a 12-second exposure to a small flame without igniting - a requirement manufacturers met by dousing furniture in flame retardants.

We're not talking about a quick dusting of the chemicals, either. Flame retardants may make up 11 percent of the foam's weight, and many couches contain 1 pound or more.¹ The chemicals do not stay safely "sealed" inside the foam.

Rather, they can easily migrate from the cushions into your home's air and settle in household dust. The chemicals may be inhaled or transferred into your mouth via dust (the latter of which is especially common among infants and children).

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley revealed that both in utero and childhood exposures to flame-retardant chemicals known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were associated with neurodevelopmental delays, including decreased attention, fine motor coordination, and cognition in school-age children.²

However, even adults are at risk. New research suggests PBDEs may be damaging to thyroid health, particularly for post-menopausal women.

Flame Retardants Linked to Thyroid Disease in Women

Estrogen levels regulate thyroid hormones, and PBDEs are known to disrupt estrogenic activity as well as thyroid levels. Past research has suggested, for instance, that PBDEs can lead to decreases in TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone).³

In the new study, researchers found women with the highest concentrations of PBDEs in their blood had an increased risk of thyroid disease compared to those with lower concentrations.⁴ The link was particularly strong among post-menopausal women.

The researchers theorized post-menopausal women may be particularly vulnerable to PBDE-induced thyroid effects because of low estrogen reserves. The researchers concluded:⁵

"Exposure to … [PBDEs] 47, 99, and 100 is associated with thyroid disease in a national sample of U.S. women, with greater effects observed post-menopause, suggesting that the disruption of thyroid signaling by PBDEs may be enhanced by the altered estrogen levels during menopause."

Your couch may indeed, be particularly problematic for your thyroid based on these results. Research published in Environmental Science & Technology revealed that 85 percent of couch foam samples tested contained chemical flame retardants.⁶

PBDEs' Toxic Legacy

PBDEs have been banned in the U.S. since 2004 (and in the state of California since 2003) due to health concerns. However, the chemicals are very slow to break down in the environment and accumulate in your body, leaving a toxic legacy behind.

Further, many products that contain PBDEs are still being used in U.S. homes. Polyurethane foam products manufactured prior to 2005, such as upholstered furniture, mattresses and pillows, are likely to contain PBDEs.

If you have any of these in your home, inspect them carefully and replace ripped covers and/or any foam that appears to be breaking down. Also avoid reupholstering furniture by yourself as the reupholstering process increases your risk of exposure.

Older carpet padding is another major source of PBDEs, so take precautions when removing old carpet. You'll want to isolate your work area from the rest of your house to avoid spreading it around, and use a HEPA-filter vacuum to clean up.

You probably also have older sources of the PBDEs known as Deca in your home as well, and these are so toxic they are banned in several states. Deca PBDEs can be found in electronics like TVs, cell phones, kitchen appliances, fans, toner cartridges and more.

Flame Retardants Make Fires Deadlier for Firefighters

The International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) states that about 60 percent of firefighters die due to cancer. Research also shows that about 20 percent of firefighters develop cancer compared to a rate of about 8 percent for the general population.⁷

Firefighters are exposed to a number of cancer-causing toxins while on the job, flame retardants included. The chemicals have actually made fires even more dangerous than they were prior to their use.

An object treated with flame-retardant chemicals can still catch fire, and when it does, it will give off higher levels of toxic carbon monoxide, soot and smoke than an untreated object.

California female firefighters aged 40 to 50 are six times more likely to develop breast cancer than the national average, in part because of the high levels of dioxins and furans they're exposed to when flame-retardant chemicals burn.

Former veteran firefighter Eugene Hull of Columbus, Georgia told WTVM, "The fires of today are different than they were 30 years ago … it burns a lot hotter, a lot quicker and it gives off a lot more toxic smoke."⁸ Both Hull and his late brother, also a firefighter, developed cancer.

The cancer-firefighting link is so strong that 34 U.S. states have laws that make firefighters eligible for workers compensation if they develop cancer. Multiple firefighters groups are also backing bills that would ban flame-retardant chemicals in various states.

Clothing Chemicals Are Also a Concern

Chemicals are all around us, not only in your couch cushions but also in your clothing. There are more than 8,000 chemicals in the textile industry and no regulations about what types of chemicals may be added to clothing, including clothing for children.

Your skin can easily absorb chemicals it comes into contact with, so those on your clothes deserve careful consideration. Depending on what country your new clothes were manufactured in, they may contain multiple chemicals of concern.

Among them are azo-aniline dyes, which may cause skin reactions ranging from mild to severe.

If you're sensitive, such dyes may leave your skin red, itchy and dry, especially where the fabric rubs on your skin, such as at your waist, neck, armpits and thighs. The irritants can be mostly washed out, but it might take multiple washings to do so.

Formaldehyde resins are also used in clothing to cut down on wrinkling and mildew. Not only is formaldehyde a known carcinogen, but the resins have been linked to eczema and may cause your skin to become flaky or erupt in a rash.⁹

A report released by Greenpeace also found chemicals including PFCs, phthalates, cadmium and nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) - a toxic endocrine-disrupting surfactant - in children's clothing.¹⁰ None of the chemicals are listed on labels.

Are Flame Retardants Lurking in Your Couch?

Duke University scientists will test a sample of your polyurethane foam, which is commonly used in upholstered furniture, padded chairs, car seats and more. All you need to remove is a sample the size of a marble, and it will be tested for the presence of seven common flame retardants.

If you're not sure whether your couch contains these chemicals, this is a simple way to find out. Here's how it works:

1. Complete an electronic sample request to generate your Sample ID Number

2. Prepare your sample

• Cut a piece of foam, 1 cubic centimeter in size (a little bigger than the size of a marble).



• Wrap the foam in aluminum foil.



• Place each foam sample in its own re-sealable sandwich bag; be sure to completely seal the bag.



• Attach or write the Sample ID Number on the re-sealable sandwich bag.

3. Enclose the following in a box or envelope:

• Foam sample with Sample ID Number written on bag (Step 2)



• Copy of confirmation email (Step 1)

Mail to:

Gretchen Kroeger


Box 90328 - LSRC


Duke University


Durham, NC 27708

The research lab only has the capacity to analyze 50 samples per month, and they close submissions once the quota is reached. Before sending in your sample, check with the Duke University Superfund Research Center's Submit a Sample website to see if they're still accepting submissions (for best results, check in on the first of the month).

How to Reduce Your Exposure to Flame Retardants

Flame retardants are so widely used that it's difficult to avoid them completely. However, there are steps you can take to reduce your exposure, including these tips from the Green Science Policy Institute:

• Avoid upholstered furniture with the TB117 label. If the label states, "This article meets the flammability requirements of California Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation Technical Bulletin 117 … " it most likely contains flame retardants. However, even upholstered furniture that's unlabeled may contain flame retardants.

Furniture products filled with cotton, wool or polyester tend to be safer than chemical-treated foam; some products also state that they are "flame-retardant free." Organic wool (100 percent) is naturally flame-resistant.

• Avoid baby products with foam. Nursing pillows, highchairs, strollers and other products containing polyurethane foam most likely contain flame retardants.

• Avoid foam carpet padding. If possible, minimize the use of foam carpet padding, which often contains flame retardants. If removing carpeting, take precautions to avoid exposures.

PBDEs are often found in household dust, so clean up with a HEPA-filter vacuum and/or a wet mop often. Duke researchers uncovered that children who wash their hands at least five times a day have 30  to 50 percent lower levels of flame retardants on their hands than children who wash their hands less frequently,¹¹ adding credence to the theory that household dust (which then coats your hands) may be a primary route of exposure to these (and other) toxic chemicals.

Are You Struggling With Thyroid Disease?

There's accumulating evidence that environmental toxins, including flame retardants, may play a role in thyroid disease. An estimated 1 in 8 women aged 35 to 65 have some form of thyroid disease - underactive thyroid being the most common.¹²

If your thyroid dysfunction is due to environmental toxins, detoxification and changing your lifestyle to avoid hormone-disrupting chemicals may be key components of successful intervention. I suggest working with a holistic health care provider who is knowledgeable about thyroid health and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. In addition, you can find out more about how to diagnose and treat thyroid disease here.

Fintech is playing the long game

 Our team has been actively investing in fintech for the past two years. In addition to reading pitches from hundreds of companies and meeting with dozens, half of our team has worked in the finance sector in previous careers. SparkLabs Global decided to create an easy to read overview for others to get up to speed on how innovation and technology will disrupt the financial sector. Read More

Donald and John, a Boy and His Imaginary Publicist

Join Tom the Dancing Bug's INNER HIVE in May, and more than the amount of your cost to sign up will be donated to help protect journalists around the world! You get exclusive access to comics and other stuff, and journalists get to do their work exposing corruption without being put in jail.

Click here to sign up for the INNER HIVE; click here for information.

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Hillary Clinton has secured the coveted TGIT endorsement

Olivia Pope, Annalise Keating and Meredith Grey have thrown their weight behind Hillary Clinton. 

Well, at least their portrayers have.

On the heels of Clinton's much talked about visit to the Scandal set during her visit to Los Angeles last month, Kerry Washington, Viola Davis, Ellen Pompeo, and their boss Shonda Rhimes banded together for a new ad in support of Clinton that aired during Thursday's #TGIT lineup. 

After it aired, Clinton took to Twitter to thank the quartet — and the spot's director/Scandal POTUS Tony Goldwyn — for their participation. 

"Thank you for being on this team," she wrote.  Read more...

More about Tgit, Abc, Grey S Anatomy, How To Get Away With Murder, and Scandal

What Is the Dirt Cure?

By Dr. Mercola

Dr. Maya Shetreat-Klein, a pediatric neurologist in New York and an instructor at New York Medical College, had a frightening experience that is becoming all too common among parents today. After her son turned 1 year old, he began experiencing wheezing, rashes and signs of delayed cognitive development.

After visiting multiple doctors she found an allergist who uncovered her son's severe allergy to soy. Returning her son to health meant removing soy foods from their diet, so she eliminated processed foods and set out to reconnect with nature.¹

The journey led her to write the book "The Dirt Cure: Growing Healthy Kids With Food Straight from Soil." In it, she explores the intricate links between food and children's health as well as why so many children are facing allergies.

Her research brought her back to healthy soil, and the dirt cure involves three strategies she believes may improve the health of today's kids (and their parents):

1. Eating nutrient-dense food from healthy soil



2. Being exposed to certain microbes


3. Spending time outdoors in nature

The Healthiest Food Comes From Healthy Soil

There's no question your health and that of your children is directly related to the quality of the food you eat. The quality of the food, in turn, is dependent on the health of the soil in which it is grown. Shetreat-Klein told The New York Times:²

"The organisms in soil have an impact on the health of our food. Part of what makes fruits and vegetables good for us is the phytonutrients in them the things that make cranberries red or coffee bitter.

Phytonutrients are part of the plant's immune systems. Organisms in the soil that we might think of as pests actually stimulate plants to make more phytonutrients."

Many American diets are based on foods grown in mineral-depleted, unhealthy soils. This is certainly the case with genetically engineered (GE) processed foods and meat and dairy products from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

One of the more insidious aspects of the industrial food system is that, as soil becomes sicker and less able to perform its functions, farmers become increasingly dependent on the chemical technology industry they become trapped.

The use of glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide) begins a downward spiral, making it necessary for farmers to use more and more herbicides, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers that kill soil microbes especially if they're using GE seeds.

Weeds and pests become resistant to glyphosate, so farmers must use more weed and insect killers. Crops become nutrient-deprived, so they're forced to increase their use of synthetic fertilizers.

Weeds and bugs become superweeds and superbugs, and all the while the food becomes less and less nutritious. It's a vicious cycle.

In her quest for healthier food, Shetreat-Klein began growing her own, frequenting farmer's markets and even raising her own chickens, an impressive feat considering she lives in the Bronx, New York, but one she said wasn't as difficult as she'd thought it would be.

Kids Need to Play in (Healthy) Soil

The food many U.S. children eat is seriously lacking in nutrition and is ultra pasteurized, which means any beneficial microbes are killed off in processing.

This is a shame, as it's known that children who consume natural foods in their natural state like raw milk have a lower risk of respiratory infections, asthma and allergies. These beneficial microbes aren't only stripped from their food but also from their very environments.

Where children once spent long hours outdoors, they now spend long hours inside sitting in front of screens (often on floors scrubbed clean with anti-bacterial detergents).

The rising rates of asthma, allergies and other autoimmune conditions among children may be the culmination of a dirt-free childhood. The fact is, we're all microbial beings and our children need exposure to microorganisms for reasons we are just beginning to understand.

As Shetreat-Klein explained, it's not only a matter of exposure to microbes but exposure to a diverse variety of microbes that may be most important of all. She told The New York Times:³

"We used to think that children who grew up on farms were healthier than children in urban environments because they were exposed to more microbes. But studies have found that the number of bacteria in urban environments and on farms is similar.

The difference is the diversity of the bacteria. Microbial diversity seems to have a very powerful impact. Children's immune systems are very social: They like to meet and greet a lot of things.

It seems the more they meet and greet, the more likely they are to be in balance, and the less likely they are to let any one microorganism grow out of control, as occurs with infection."

Indeed, European researchers have discovered that children raised on organic farms have far lower incidence of allergy and asthma compared to those raised on conventional, industrialized farms or in the suburbs. They refer to this as "the farm effect."

According to Dr. Daphne Miller, author of "Farmacology: What Innovative Family Farming Can Teach Us About Health and Healing," "In one study, researchers cultured farm children's mattresses and found a potpourri of bacteria most of which are typically found in soil."⁴

Spending Time Outdoors Is a Natural Part of the Cycle

You needn't live on a farm to reap the benefits of healthy soil. Parks, nature preserves and backyards can all provide children and adults with much-needed access to green space and soil microbes. According to Shetreat-Klein:⁵

"In one teaspoon of soil there are more organisms than there are humans on our planet. Soil houses about 25 percent of the world's biodiversity.

What we also know from studies is that when children spend time in green environments in natural playgrounds, for example, or in parks and forests they perform better on standardized tests, they're more creative, they're happier and their cortisol levels are lower, so they're calmer and less stressed.

And I think that might be somewhat related to the kind of organisms they're exposed to when they're playing outdoors."

For instance, Mycobacterium vaccaeis a type of bacteria commonly found in soil. Remarkably, this microbe has been found to "mirror the effect on neurons that drugs like Prozac provide."⁶ It helps to stimulate serotonin production, helping to make you feel happier and more relaxed.

spending time outdoors may be important for emotional health and behavior: ⁷

Further, in a study of 2,600 children between the ages of 7 and 10, those with greater exposure to green spaces, particularly while at school, had improved working memory and decreased inattentiveness.⁸

In that case, a large part of the benefit (anywhere from 20 percent to 65 percent) was attributed to a reduction in exposure to air pollution as a result of the green spaces, but there's also past research that suggests "microbial input" from spending time in nature plays a role in brain development.⁹

Vermont Bill Introduce Certification for Regenerative Farming

Agriculture the way it's typically done today greatly accelerates the soil aging process. Soils that would have remained viable for millions of years in nature are rendered dead and lifeless by monoculture in a few short years.

Tragically, these soils will take hundreds to thousands of years to recover fully in nature and not until all agricultural assaults are ceased. Chemical farming results in waterlogged soil that's easily compacted by heavy machinery, rendered impermeable and susceptible to erosion.

One-third of the world's arable land has already been lost to soil erosion. Regeneration is possible, but as it stands most U.S. "farms" are only contributing to soil degeneration; they're not interested in changing their methods to support regeneration.

This is why a new bill announced in Vermont Senate Bill 159 is so important. The bill would introduce a state-level certification program that would allow farmers to have their land and farming methods certified as regenerative. Something referred to as "carbon farming," regenerative farming methods include planned rotational grazing, which eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers and tilling and instead supports carbon sequestration in the soil.¹⁰

Carbon sequestration refers to taking the carbon from the atmosphere and putting it back into the soil, in a stable form of organic matter. Many scientists say that regenerative agricultural practices can turn back the carbon clock, reducing atmospheric CO2 while also boosting soil productivity and increasing its resilience to floods, pests, and drought.

Organic farming is good. A recent study even found organic farming systems are more profitable and environmentally friendly while delivering equally or more nutritious foods that contain less (or no) pesticide residues compared to conventional farming.¹¹

The regenerative certification, however, goes beyond organic certification, as it informs consumers not only what's not in the food (pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, etc.) but also how the food is raised and how its production actually helps improve the land.

If SB 159 is passed, it will result in a visible seal added to foods. In order to be certified regenerative, the farm must meet one of the following criteria over a three-year period and in each successive year:

• Increase in topsoil



• Carbon sequestration


• Increase in soil organic matter

Jesse McDougall, a regenerative farmer in Shaftsbury, Vermont who first wrote the bill, told EcoWatch:¹²

"Regenerative farming can rebuild the soil, sequester carbon, produce nutrient-dense food and eliminate the need for toxic chemicals If we want the next generation of farmers to do this work, it is our responsibility to provide them with the tools that make it possible. We wrote this bill to begin building those tools."

The Use of Cover Crops Is Catching On

A key part of soil regeneration involves the use of cover crops to provide, as regenerative farmer Gabe Brown would say, an "armor" over the soil. This armor can virtually eliminate the need for irrigation when done right. Brown grows cover crops on every acre of crop land each year. The cover crops may be grown before a cash crop, along with a cash crop, or after.

But it's the cover crops that provide the carbon that becomes that all-important "armor" on the soil surface. Cover crops also act as insulation, so the soil doesn't get as hot or cold as it would if bare. This allows microbes to thrive longer. Also, the soil biology heats up the soil, which can extend your overall growing season in colder areas, and it helps prevent soil erosion. Brown especially recommends using cover crop "cocktails," or a multispecies combination, noting:

" [W]hat I'm trying to do in my operation is mimic native range with the diversity of plant life and the diversity of wildlife, insects, etc. Well, that's what we're really doing with the cover crop cocktail, these multispecies mixes. Today, I plant up to 70 different species in a mix. What we're trying to do is mimic the diversity in nature.

Think of it this way. If you plant a monoculture crop, that soil life is only being fed one root exudate. But if I plant a multispecies with 20 different species in it, that soil life is being fed the root exudates from 20 different plants. In other words, I'm accelerating biological time. We're able to regenerate soils much, much faster than scientists used to think were possible."

In 2012, a Census of Agriculture report found just over 10 million acres of farmland (out of 390 million total) were being planted with cover crops, but its use is growing. In an annual survey of farmers taken in 2014, farmers reported planting double the mean acreage in cover crops reported in 2010.¹³

Cover Crops Make Financial and Environmental Sense

Farmers who adopt the technique have reported better soil texture, less erosion, and increased crop yields. Farmer Doug Anson, who along with his family now plant cover crops on 13,000 of their 20,000 acres of Indiana farmland, told The New York Times:¹⁴

"In the part of a field where we had planted cover crops, we were getting 20 to 25 bushels of corn more per acre than in places where no cover crops had been planted That showed me it made financial sense to do this."

The U.S. government has even set up a small subsidy system to help farmers offset the costs of cover crops and other regenerative practices, but one major hurdle to cover crops becoming mainstream involves absentee land owners.

Many farmers grow crops on land they do not own but rather lease; they therefore have little incentive to want to improve soil quality on land they do not own. Landowners could, however, offer incentives to farmers to use regenerative practices that would, in turn, increase the value of their land.¹⁵

How to Embrace Your Own 'Dirt Cure'

It's clear that paying attention to our soils is crucial to our health and future. Fortunately, change is occurring both on large and small scales. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has become very committed to understanding and teaching about natural soil health and regenerative agriculture

Not only will regenerating our soils lead to improved food production, it also addresses a majority of resource concerns, such as water. When you add carbon back into the soil, either by adding mulch or cover crops, the carbon feeds mycorrhizal fungi that eventually produce glomalin, which may be even better than humic acid at retaining water, so that you limit your irrigation needs and make your garden or fields more resilient during droughts.

Considering data suggesting we may lose all commercial top soil, globally, in the next 60 years if we keep going at the current rate, such changes cannot move fast enough. The NRCS website is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning more about soil health, including farmers wanting to change their system.

At present, about 10 percent of U.S. farmers have started incorporating practices to address soil health. Only about 2 percent have transitioned to full-on regenerative land management, such as that taught by Gabe Brown, however. On an individual level, you can get involved by growing some of your own food using some of these regenerative principles on a small scale.

Gardening can help boost your mental well-being and may help promote a healthier microbiome to boot, if you allow yourself (and your kids) to get a bit dirty. Once you get started, I think you'll find that little compares to the joy of interacting with nature, watching your garden grow and flourish, knowing that you're going to get nutrient-dense foods that are not only nourishing you and your family but also helpful for the environment.

Shetreat-Klein also shared the following tips with The New York Times to begin your own "dirt cure:"¹⁶

"Take a trip to the forest with your family Community gardens are also wonderful. So are farmers' markets. They expose children to fresh foods, which taste completely different. And it also exposes them to potentially healthy microbes through the traces of soil that might be left over on the fruits and vegetables when you buy them at a farmers' market."

Dogs display strong Valentine's Day game with 5 types of hugs

Fact: dogs give the best hugs.

Emily Larlham, a dog trainer who owns Dogmantics dog training school in San Diego, California, used four of her talented dogs to demonstrate some of the types of hugs you can try out on your significant other this Valentine's Day.

Or better yet, try them out on your pet. Pets need hugs too.

This polar bear's Valentine's Day ice treat is his one true love

Knife-wielding crab has had enough of your human oppression

Gospel version of the 'Golden Girls' theme song will give you life

This might be the biggest Rubik's Cube ever, but it takes muscle to solve it Read more...

More about Viral Videos, Videos, Dogs, Cute Animals, and Valentine S Day

The ultimate vegan sex kit is a kinder way to play

Did you know that some condoms contain a milk protein called casein, making them non-vegan?

We've selected the best lotions, potions and highest quality toys for vegans (and non-vegans) to enjoy in the bedroom.

SEE ALSO: 10 essential dos and don'ts when visiting a sex shop

Image: mashable

1. Sliquid lubricants

Image: Mashable

The company was founded after the creator noticed his wife was having bad reactions to the glycerin found in most lubricants. Sliquid has two lines: organic and standard. These are top quality, water-based, and safe to use with toys. We recommend Organic Oceanics, containing natural seaweed extracts like carrageenan; this makes it extra slippery, like a silicone lube, without evaporation like water-based lubricants. Read more...

More about Valentine S Day, Gadgets, Sex Toys, Sex, and Vegan

Mom on the drums

Donna Stearns is a mom and an elementary school teacher who plays drums. Here's Donna, tearing up the drums on "Wipeout."