Making a Difference in the Condom Business

One only needs to think about the brand names of a few of the top-selling condoms to understand that manufacturers expect men--not women--to purchase condoms. Women, however, do buy condoms, and that’s why a former Los Angeles city librarian has launched a line of condoms packaged and marketed to women.

The condoms, called Vive La Difference! Safer Sex Choices for Women, come in pink boxes and are sold in female-friendly places, such as the feminine hygiene section of drugstores. The condoms also come in assorted colors and flavors, which founder Cherie Magnus says appeal to women. The condoms are packaged with a brochure titled “The Hows and Whys of Getting Your Man to Wear a Condom.” The L.A.-based company also produces condom gift baskets, T-shirts, purse compacts and condom wallets. Hmmm, imagine getting a condom gift basket at your home oroffice.

Doughnuts and Coffee? You’d Better Eat Fast

Here’s some advice sure to ruin your breakfast--especially if you’re eating a doughnut and drinking coffee. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, the amount of sugar found in doughnuts is so high it can be a major source of cavity-causing bacteria. To make matters worse, tannins found in your coffee can etch pits and grooves into tooth enamel, producing a rough, stained surface. To avoid sugar bugs, cavities and rough, stained teeth, try eating your doughnut very fast and limit the cream and sugar in your coffee to “limit the exposure time of the sugar bacteria attack,” the dentists say. Oh, heck, just forget about it and have cereal.

The Grave Matter of Jumping to Conclusions

And we think we’ve got problems in our health care system. Apparently, 100 years ago a major fear among people was that doctors would mistakenly pronounce them dead and they would be buried alive. So concerned were some folks that legislation was proposed in New York to keep all mortuary doors unlocked (presumably so that the formerly deceased could get up and walk out), and to ensure that no body would be buried or cremated until 12 hours had elapsed from the time of death. The controversy, reported in the Feb. 11, 1899, Journal of the American Medical Assn. and reprinted for old times’ sake recently, irked doctors back then. The public, it said, was “unduly alarmed.” Better than being unduly dead.

The Good Word on 6-Month-Old Babies

Considering that at 6 months, babies can’t sit up and can barely feed themselves, it’s kind of exciting to learn that they’re capable of learning basic words. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University reported last month, in a study of 24 babies, that 6-month-olds can say a few words and understand what those words mean. “Mommy” and “daddy” are the typical first words, of course.

The researchers placed a baby in front of two video monitors showing separate images of the baby’s mother and father. When a synthesized voice spoke the words “mommy” or “daddy,” the researchers noted which monitor the baby looked at. The babies tended to match the word “mommy” with their mothers and the word “daddy” with their fathers. But when the monitors showed another female and another male, the babies showed confusion or lack of recognition.

The researchers also found that babies as young as 4 1/2 months can respond to their names or any sounds repeated regularly. But at 4 1/2 months, babies don’t understand what the sounds mean.

The research is noteworthy because previous theories suggested that babies don’t begin to comprehend language until 8 to 10 months of age.

So parents of 6-month-old babies, get out your flash cards.