I’m absolutely into this contest because my phone could use some sexing up. (Well, actually I have an iPhone so it’s already pretty sexy). I like that anyone can enter the contest – if you enter, put a link to your entry in the comments below. You have until April 15th to submit.

In an age where vibrations announce flirtations in the form of text messages & conquests are captured with cell phone photos and video, 3rd Ward is challenging people to take it up a notch – a bed post notch!

This nationwide open call is a search for well-executed, erotic expressions made only with a cell phone. Videos, photos and texts will all be accepted. It’s time somebody showed sloppy celebrities and indiscreet politicians how it’s done. Redefine your phone.

$500 will be awarded for the most intriguing submission and all work will be curated into a group show with a huge opening reception! Select submissions will also be published in 3rd Ward’s quarterly publication.

For this Call we are joined by judge Chase Lisbon of supercult.com and nerve.com.

In one of those funny little life coincidences, I’ve recently run across two very interesting articles about animal courtship and reproduction. Reading about how these animals hook up makes selling sex toys seem like a breeze! Hippos, for instance, throw feces at each other. Flatworms penis-joust and squid implant sperm directly into the skin!

All-in-all, none of it sounds very pleasurable which is why I’m glad I’m human:

“More than anything, it’s about being fast.” It seems the males are quite literally under great pressure. A few years ago, Australian biologists discovered sperm packets under the skin of a freshly caught 15-meter (50-foot) female giant squid. Covered with a “gelatinous” substance, they had presumably been “injected” by a male, the researchers reported, “under hydraulic pressure,” with a penis “up to 92 centimeters (three feet) long.”

Flatworm penis-jousting and other amazing animal courtship rituals:

More good news! The FDA has approved the second version of the Female Condom. The new condom will cost about 30% less than the current one, which is great news for, well, everyone really. This means that they will be easier for clinics to carry and for not-for-profits to distribute all over the world. I can’t tell you exactly when Babeland will be getting them, but I’m sure we’re working on it.

In case you aren’t familiar with the female condom, it’s a nifty non-latex alternative to male condoms. As you can see in the picture, it’s a sort of sleeve of polyeurothane that people with get inserted inside. It’s basically a vaginal wall or rectal wall protector. Add a bit of lube on the inside and it’s a much roomier feeling for people used to wearing male condoms. Why would someone want to use this instead of traditional condoms?

1. The person who is getting penetrated is in control!

2. It’s a durable, non-latex material

3. It can feel better for the penetrator than traditional condoms

Here’s what one Babeland reviewer had to say about why they love the Female Condom:

They look so big and strange at first, but only because you are comparing them to men’s condoms. But they have totally changed my sex life. Since I use condoms as my birth control, in the back of my mind I’m always nervous about trusting the man to be in charge of the condom while having sex. Especially since I’ve had them break on me too many times! The Reality condom is crazy strong — I’ve tried to rip one with fingernails and they hold up — and I really can trust them to keep me safe. So I can relax and not worry while I’m fucking my boyfriend.