Surfing the net I bump into lots of interesting tidbits related to Sex, Love and Intimacy. Here are a few of the most recent.

Did you know that Melbourne University’s (Australia) Andrew Pask and Roger Short have developed an estrogen cream that - when applied to a man’s foreskin - will boost the body’s natural defenses against HIV? It’s being touted as a “Living Condom.” As far as I can tell, it is of no use preventing pregnancy, protecting a female partner, or protecting against the other 25 or so STI’s known to mankind. And there’s no word on help for those of us who no longer have a foreskin. Let’s hope that small steps continue to lead to bigger breakthroughs.

Meanwhile, according to an article in the NY Times - The Weird Sisters - scientists are fascinated by an 85 million year old species, bdelloid rotifers, that defy what we think we know about evolution. They are asexual yet they appear to evolve in ways that can not be explained by occasional genetic mutation. Apparently, living without sex is no big deal, in terms of species. It’s surviving 85 million years that has everyone puzzled. Speaking personally, I really hope this asexuality doesn’t catch on. I’ve tried in two marriages and I can tell you it’s not for me.

There’s a great article by Naomi Wolfe in New York Magazine re-evaluating the relationship between easy access to pornography leading to men objectifying real women in the way they objectified porn stars, and treat them accordingly. The belief was that rape and other kinds of sexual mayhem would surely follow. Not true, according Ms. Wolfe’s research. Turns out, porn seems to deaden men’s libido as regards real, living, flesh-and-blood women.

Finally, a tip-of-the-hat to Dr. Marty Klein, sex therapist, public policy analyst and author of “America’s War on Sex“. Dr. K’s blog - Sexual Intelligence - has a terrific open letter to anti-gay marriage activists, debunking their lies and fear-mongering with solid information and facts. Check it out.