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With the New Year comes a desire to be a better, more accomplished person. Many of us are wondering, “What can I do this year, to make it different from another year? What goal should I try to achieve?” Some of these goals reflect our sexuality. Many feel inadequate sexually in some way. Perhaps you feel you aren't having enough sex, or aren't sexy enough. Realize that you are a majority with these feelings. If you feel that you do want to try something new, and your partner agrees, here is a list of things to try. If you've tried this already and it didn't tickle your fancy, move on to the next, or be willing to try it again, in a different way. I am also going to include ways to do this by yourself, for those without a regular sex partner, or one that does not want to move in this particular direction at this time. All of these methods require research: reading, video, or talking to someone with experience. Be ready to indulge in learning before trying. Grow in many ways, opening your mind and heart. BDSM, “Bondage and Discipline, Sadism and Masochism.” This includes an enormous variety of erotic sensations.

Granny gather up your girlfriends, and head to Hollywood. Casino that is. This appears to be the best – and perhaps the only -- way that Columbus and Franklin County residents can avoid an unexpected potential $97 million increase in the cost of the publicly financed Nationwide Arena, according to a Press Release by, and exclusive interviews with key members of, the Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government. In a Press Release provided to The Columbus Free Press by Coalition spokesperson Jonathan Beard (Beard also serves as Chair of the Editorial Board of the Free Press), the Coalition reports that Ohio’s four casinos are not generating enough tax revenue to the state of Ohio to fully cover bond payments due from the Franklin County Facilities Convention Authority for that agency’s purchase of Nationwide Arena. Ohio Department of Taxation reports show that actual statewide casino revenues have landed far from the rosy amounts originally projected. During the 2009 campaign for Ohio casinos, backers projected $1.9 Billion in casino gambling revenue in Ohio. By 2011, the state of Ohio revised its budget forecast for the casinos downward to just $1.1 Billion.

Located in the Short North, in a renovated historical building across from Goodale Park, the Pizzuti Collection houses world renowned artwork from the collection of Rob and Ann Pizzuti. The artwork varies from underrepresented contemporary artists from around the globe to some of the biggest names in the art canon. These artists are not afraid to speak about the politics of the world around them and Pizzuti gallery is not afraid to share their voices with Columbus. One of the walls of the gallery state “Politics and other host issues are not avoided; rather difficult, challenging and tough are adjectives that describe many of the important works in the collection.” The Cuban Experience exhibition on the main floor displays a spectacular assortment of the various Cuban voices and political points of view. Teresita Fernandez’s piece “Stacked Smoke” is a wall of frosted plexiglass blocks stacked six feet by six feet. Images of clouds or billowing smoke are printed in browns and light blue. At first the piece gives a sense of both beauty and dreamy view of a digital blocked sky. It is clean and stacked in a minimalist style. That mood changes upon closer viewing.

During this holiday season nearly 134,000 Ohioans face the prospect of ringing in the new year hungry. Governor John Kasich has decided, despite Ohio’s stagnant job growth and high unemployment, that work requirements will be mandated in 72 counties for childless adults aged 18-50 in order to qualify for food assistance. Ohio is still down 221,000 jobs from where it was in November 2007. Where these 134,000 people will work is a puzzling proposition. What is known is that they will no longer qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – what used to be called food stamps. Kasich could have accepted a federal waiver that would have extended the federal food aid for all the counties in Ohio for at least one year without the work requirements.

Hal & Al’s has been a staple and generous supporter of the vegan community since it opened in 2009. The ENTIRE dining menu is VEGAN. They also happen to be one of the coolest venues in town for local music and for those who like beer, have one of the largest selections of beer I’ve seen in this town. They are a big supporter of local food like Luna burger, local brewers and even supply a local source of root beer- which has been a wonderful thing because it is the only place I know in town to offer a creamy vegan root beer float for special events or a vegan spinach and artichoke dip. They have continually supported the 300 Vegans for Independence after party with creative ideas in food partnerships in support of a mass turnout. If you are inclined toward fried foods this is the place to get some interesting fried options- such as deep fried sour kraut balls, Oreos, pretzels, pickles, mushrooms or a sampler if you can’t decide. They even do a comprehensive traditional veganized brunch menu on Sat and Sun from 12 to 4 that also include house-made vegan donuts! Party on at Hal & Al's!

Christina C. (aka DJ ORORO) spins Funky/Disco/Soulful/Deep House. DJ Ororo is one of four people who, along with all their house heads, form ReStart, which they do at a lovely little spot called Brothers Drake. It's located at 26th E. 5th St. They are there the second and fourth Monday of every month. Brothers Drake has the best mead in the city, has awesome people to hang with, it's free and most of all....they have great DJ's and great House Music. And her DJ name? She collects X-men comics and Storm is her favorite character – her name in them is Ororo. 1) Put together your fantasy band - it can contain any musicians dead or alive: My fantasy band includes Marvin Gaye on vocals, Prince on vocals and every instrument known to man and Sade on vocals with Sweetback as the house band. 2) Tell us about the most exciting musical concert/event you ever attended: Best Show I've been to? Seeing Ghost Face, The Roots and George Clinton was one of the best shows I have been to.

It wasn't supposed to be this way, it really wasn't. You've GOT to believe me, I beg you. But what you're about to read is the first negative review of a Christmas benefit in the history of this fascist construct of white male supremacy called The United States of America. Like I said, though: it wasn't supposed to be this way. "Not So Silent Night" at the Lincoln Theater last Saturday night, I thought, was going to be a program of Christmas music by locals. Fair enough. I was so in the mood that even several days prior I thought without reservation, hey, I don't care who they are or how much they mangle Rudolph The Red -Nosed Oppressed Reindeer, EVERYBODY gets a good review. Everybody. Sort of my personal 'give-back' to the community I abuse the other 50 weeks of the year. Hey, you didn't build that amplifier! I even found one of my Santa hats to wear. I even stuffed my pocket full of candy canes.

Dear Lady Monster, I'm in my 20s and I keep losing my hard-on. No matter when- during a hand job, blow job or actual sex. Sometimes I cum even when I'm not totally hard, but my girlfriend gets disappointed, wanting to feel pleasure. I feel like I'm losing her because I can't keep it up. Wilted Willie Dear Willie, Not to worry. Really, don't worry. Worry and performance anxiety is probably the greatest cause of losing an erection during sex and sexual play. One of the best ways to combat this is to talk to your partner. Open up about feeling anxious, or ask them how you can please them. Distract yourself from your anxiety. Erections vary, they are not a constant. They are affected by emotion, visual and mental stimulation.

During the holiday season of 2000, millions of Americans were still waiting for a PlayStation 2, a video game console manufactured by SONY. The billion-dollar multinational corporation from Japan was telling American children the reason behind the delay was “manufacturing issues.” But as the decade of the cell phone, the flat screen TV, the personal computer and video games moved on, the exact reason why the PlayStation 2 that year was so hard to find began to emerge – an answer that came from deep in the jungles and mining regions of Africa. Back then, to fulfill the personal-tech desires of hundreds of millions of consumers, SONY and other manufacturers needed electric capacitors. These capacitors were made with a black metallic ore called coltan, which is refined into tantalum. Tantalum is able to withstand extreme heat, and is needed to make cell phones, computers and video game consoles.