Classic Cars with Bear & Wren

Senior citizens are not the only things that come to Florida to retire.  Classic cars abound here and we were delighted to stumble across nearly 100 of them at Bay Fest 2011 on Anna Maria Island a few weeks ago.  We parked up early and spent the morning admiring beautiful machines and hearing stories from their owners.   Here's the view from my camera and further down you can see the view from Jamie's!

                    Bay Fest Bear-Style from here on down!

Anna Maria Island on Dwellable

Made In India

It recently came to my attention that Durex brand condoms are made in India.  I know this because it is printed on the back of each packet. Given that the tag ‘Made In India’ is not always associated with quality and dependability here in the States, this discovery was a bit thought provoking.    It struck me as ironic as well that the second most populated country on the planet is manufacturing a product designed to prevent population increase.  Durex claims to the number-one selling condom brand in the world which made me wonder if that is also the case in India.  Turns out, it’s not.

Thanks to a bold advertising campaign in 1991, Kama Sutra condoms burst onto the scene in India exchanging the view of condoms as protection and prevention for images of sensuality and sexuality. Utilizing two of the country’s top models and edgy cinematography, the campaign which focused on sex with pleasure was a massive success making Kama Sutra brand as familiar to Indian consumers as Durex is to America shoppers.   Which got me wondering, can you buy Kama Sutra condoms in the US?

  It seems that you cannot. After an hour of searching the internet looking for outlets, I could only find the condoms listed on websites outside the United States.  You can have them shipped in from Canadian or Greek pharmacies, online Indian bazaars or from the manufacturer itself but forget nipping down to Walgreens for a box.

To ask why you can’t buy Kama Sutra condoms in the US would certainly begin a long lesson in international trade agreements.  Durex, which is headquartered in England (at one point in the city of Knutsford) and has manufacturing facilities in over a dozen countries, entered India’s condom market in 1997, though it’s not clear if that is just the retail division or if manufacturing began in 1997 as well.   A quick glance through ads and blogs shows there are many companies producing condoms across the globe, most of which American consumers will only encounter while traveling abroad.  

In an attempt to once again catch the eye of Indian consumers, in 2009 Kama Sutra launched a desktop application that responds to keywords and phrases in its constantly evolving database by launching a two-second flash movie that has the Kama Sutra logo and the words “Be Safe.”  The app comes from a website called SendSomeRubber.com where you can send application invites to your friends or download it for yourself.  The application’s creator is Bangalore creative products firm, Hungry & Foolish (H&F). 

And as if they were not doing enough for love and pleasure, each Kama Sutra condom wrapper has a sexual position from the ancient Indian Kamasutra text.  Now that’s a well thought out product.

Who knew the proliferation of prophylactics could be such a complex topic.  I guess I should be happy (and relieved) that Durex condoms receive high ratings for dependability at Consumer Reports.  A few of those 1.2 billion folks in India probably feel the same way.  Let’s hope the Kama Sutra lovers are happy, too.

Visit these links for some stimulating reading!

http://www.kamalounge.in/main_lounge.asp

http://www.durex.com/Pages/default.aspx

http://inventorspot.com/articles/kamasutra_condoms_17051

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/shopping/december-2009/sex-and-the-supermarket/top-condoms/index.htm

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2009-06-03/news/27641180_1_kamasutra-condom-usage-jk-ansell

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/kamasutra8217s-creative-foreplay/127873/

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-15/man-woman/30154782_1_condom-brands-ks-online-store

www.sendsomerubber.com

All photos are from searches on Google Images. 

How To Ruin a Perfectly Good Monday in Ten Easy Steps

Step One:  Try to find an internet provider in central Florida that doesn't bait and switch on their website.  This will take several hours with the same result: you cannot have basic internet at a decent price without bundling services. Bundling used to be just for wrapping babies but now it isn't.  And you end up with a contract that is more complex than attempting to bring peace to the Middle East.

Step Two:  Try to set up online access to your dental insurance.  You will be told you do not exist.  When they finally find you, they cannot discuss your benefits with you but they will send a booklet that should arrive in a week to ten days.

Step Three:  Try to find a bank or credit union that does not punish you for letting them use your money to make money for their stockholders.  I know Occupy Wall Street is all over this but they are too busy protesting to help me find free checking in my new city.  Good luck to anyone in Florida  finding a bank/credit union that will cut you a money order or bank check for under a four dollar fee.

Step Four:  Try to get a check list and fact sheet from the exterminator and your landlord regarding precisely what you must do to prepare for your carriage house apartment to be tented and filled with poisonous gas for termite extermination. 

Step Five:  Try to find a trunk mount bike rack that will carry three bikes and fit a 2007 Ford Taurus. Despite what various websites tell you, the fine print says no.

Step Six:  Try to find bike racks that don't require an adapter to carry women's bikes.

Step Seven:  Try to find a place that sells and installs trailer hitches for a 2007 Ford Taurus for a hitch mount bike rack you have yet to find.

Step Eight:  Try to get a replacement title for your vehicle.  Florida charges $77.00, which is more than twice what Maine charges and fifteen times more than Texas.

Step Nine:  Check the pitiful remains of your 401(k) because misery loves company.

Step Ten:  Attempt steps one through nine without the aid of chocolate, wine or pizza.

(Caution:  do not bundle more than two of these steps at a time.)

Sarasota and St Pete Saturday Markets



St. Pete Beach on Dwellable