Unique Perspectives

Let Go with A “Unique Perspective”

An American hacker has taken down North Korea’s internet, grinding emails and government websites to a halt — all while in his pajamas.

The hacker, who goes by the alias P4x, launched repeated “distributed denial-of-service” (DDoS) attacks as revenge for an unsuccessful cyberattack allegedly taken out against him by the nation’s government from the city of Pyongyang.

While it was initially assumed the sustained and disabling attack was the work of intelligence agencies in response to recent missile tests carried out by the communist state, sources said a regular Joe is responsible for the crippling cyberassault. Wired magazine described the anonymous hacker as “one American man in a T-shirt, pajama pants and slippers, sitting in his living room night after night, watching Alien movies and eating spicy corn snacks, periodically walking over to his home office to check on the progress of the programs he was running to disrupt the internet of an entire country.”

P4x told the publication North Korea’s out of date operating systems meant he could easily launch his attack from the comfort of his own home. He said, “It felt like the right thing to do here. If they don’t see we have teeth, it’s just going to keep coming. I want them to understand that if you come at us, it means some of your infrastructure is going down for a while.”

So now that you have some sense of our direction today, consider …

When Brownies Go Postal

Unique Perspective on Free FoodBritain’s Royal Mail launched an investigation after a bunch of wasted postmen were seen staggering around the streets after “accidentally” consuming brownies laced with cannabis. A colleague posted a video of some of the extremely disoriented mail carriers on social media with a caption that read: “Today almost all the posties in Clapham accidentally ate hash brownies, and I had to pick them up one by one because they were so high.

“One guy said he was walking to a door and thought he was walking forever. Say a prayer for him right now. Hopefully, he is asleep or he is singing with unicorns.”

In the now deleted video, which was shared via Instagram Stories, one of the carriers in question can be heard saying he ate four of the hash brownies by mistake, while another said, “I think it’s weed.”

Apparently, the potent brownies were sent to a vacated property and didn’t include a return address, and after a month of sitting in the sorting office, the staff decided to help themselves to the seemingly harmless treats.

While the postmen giggled their way through the ordeal, as shown in the video, Royal Mail didn’t see the funny side and is considering disciplinary action.

Seriously, who eats random food they just find somewhere (well, presuming they have another choice to avoid starving)? More importantly, who wastes good hash by putting it in brownies you do not even eat yourself? That’s just crazy.

Unique Perspectives on Other Edibles

Raw-Dogging

Raw diets have been trending for a few years now, but one man has taken it to the next level: only eating raw meat to see how long he can survive.

On his Instagram account @rawmeatexperiment, the unnamed man posts daily videos of himself in public scoffing various uncooked animal parts—including massive ribeye steaks, chicken breasts, organs and fish filets—and washing them down with jugs of raw eggs or milk. He said the goal of the experiment is to eat raw meat every day until he dies from bacteria.
The format of each video is the same. He sits in public, consuming a large portion of raw meat he’s just purchased at his local supermarket or butcher.

He wrote on one post, “Another Saturday, another raw cow heart to eat in public. Tbh it might be the raw meal I look forward to most. The taste is pleasant, and the texture is wonderful. I don’t eat much of the white fat tho. Camel milk is also brilliant. It tastes like you spilled regular milk in the desert and tried to lick it back up off the sand.”

According to his account, the man was a vegan for more than a decade. But after experiencing some health problems, a friend suggested he eat meat as a way to combat the issues. As he shifted to a raw meat diet, he said his health issues began to clear up, so he decided to make a public experiment out of his journey.

He wrote: “I support animal nutrition, but I’m not telling anyone you have to raw dog life to be healthy.”

At day 97, he’s still alive and kicking—unlike his meals.

Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee

You’ve probably heard that red wine, in moderation, is believed to have certain health benefits. But a new study has shown a couple of glasses of vino might supercharge your immune system to the point that it wards off coronavirus.

Researchers from China’s Shenzhen Kangning Hospital found people who drank white wine, red wine and champagne on a regular basis were less likely to catch COVID-19 than their non-drinking peers.

The researchers reported: “Our study suggests that subjects who usually consumed red wine and white wine and champagne above guidelines, and sometimes consumed one to two glasses per week [of fortified wine] within the guidelines, appear to have chances to reduce the risk of COVID-19.”

While white wine drinkers, who consumed up to five glasses a week, faced a 7 to 8 percent less chance of catching coronavirus, the study showed that one to two glasses of red wine a day actually lowered the risk of catching COVID-19 by 10 to 17 percent compared to non-drinkers. It wasn’t such good news for beer and cider drinkers, though, with the research showing that drinking those types of booze seemed to increase the risk of catching COVID-19.

“Consumption of beer and cider increased the COVID-19 risk, regardless of the frequency and amount of alcohol intake,” the researchers said. “Furthermore, heavy drinking is not recommended for all alcoholic beverages.”

Spuds Spo-Dee-O-Dee

We all find the aroma of a bucket of hot french fries irresistible, but would you want to smell like them?

The Idaho Potato Commission released a limited-edition fragrance dubbed Frites by Idaho, which is made from distilled potatoes and essential oils — and apparently smells exactly like greasy, salty french fries.

Jamey Higham, president and CEO of the organization, said, “Whether you’re at a drive-through restaurant or dining in, it’s near impossible to not grab a fry and take a bite before you dive in to your meal. The smell is too good to resist.”

Clearly, because the 1.7-ounce bottles, which retailed for $1.89 apiece—approximately the same price as an order of fast food fries—sold out within hours to fans who couldn’t wait to get their hands on a bottle of stinky tater juice. One review of the now sold-out fragrance marveled, “Close your eyes … take a wiff … potato farm take me away … incredible.”

Approaching this in reverse order here, we have but minimal commentary on these unique perspectives. First, why would you want to just smell french fires when for the same price you could eat them? Second, it could be that the relatively higher consumption of beer and harder alcohol has more to do with potentially virus-spreading activities than the type of booze ingested. Finally, we just have one word in response to that only eat raw food theory. ICK-ICK-ICK!

Hanging by a Thread

Stringing Himself AlongIt’s all fun and games until you end up with a six-foot nylon string stuck inside your penis during a sex game gone very wrong.

A 37-year-old virgin from Indonesia found himself hanging by a literal thread after masturbating with a length of stiff string, which unfortunately ended up getting stuck in his bladder.

The unnamed man headed to a local hospital after experiencing hours of abdominal pain and an inability to urinate.

After a failed first attempt at removing the foreign material, the man was put under anesthesia and doctors were able to remove “a black bundle of string” with a pair of forceps from the depths of the man’s bladder.

He spent two days in the hospital and made a full recovery.

Yet another example why no strings attached is the best approach.

It may seem a tad judgemental to label the unique perspective on self-love demonstrated here as clearly the act of a virgin, but we can say for certain that the fellow clearly had a quite positive response to a nurse inserting a catheter at some point in his past.

Storm in a D Cup

Breasts? Really?People who live in the U.K. are used to weird and unpredictable weather, but Mother Nature put on an X-rated show for Glasgow residents following Storm Dudley, when clouds resembling giant breasts filled the sky above the Scottish city.

After the storm passed, Brian Morrison posted a video to his Twitter account which showed a bountiful sky full of bulbous boobs.

Twitter went into a frenzy over the chesty clouds, while other users were quick to explain the strange shapes as extraterrestrial.

It turns out the clouds are technically mammatus clouds, which are made primarily of ice and are created by turbulence and cold air sinking below the cloud. The process creates puffy protrusions on underbelly of storm clouds.

Utmost respect intended here, anyone that sees boobs in those clouds may need to get out of the country for a bit and head to a city with a local strip club. Our interpretation clearly helps with their opinion, but full disclosure, we added this month’s Pet Linsey Donovan to the landscape. Maybe they were just imagining her — a few months in advance. Who knows?

At this point we should probably just close this now surprisingly long discourse, but that would hardly be like us, so we’ll add just one more point. We noticed early on here about the cocktail party vs. beer bash debate, but it brought to mind a question. Can one still find a good coffee klatch if one desires? Second question: has anyone ever attended an actual “cocktail party” that was defined as such? … We found a relatively recent article on potential themes with unique perspectives — which matches our theme today, helpfully enough — but they still sound rather snooty. We say fire up the portable grill in your friend’s driveway and have a tailgate soirée for no particular reason whatsoever. (You use your friend’s driveway because who wants to clean up after that mess?)

Yanet Garcia

Yanet Garcia — Penthouse Pet, Mexico: October, 2021

As has been (or, y’know, at least will be) the custom, we begin with a rough translation of the article that appeared in the Penthouse Mexico magazine. Come to find out, other countries tend to publish in their own languages. Go figure. … Therefore…

We officially launch Penthouse Mexico with a successful and empowered woman, who at every stage of her career has refused to stay in her comfort zone. Yanet Garcia tells us about her dreams, efforts, and her next steps.

It begins with Yanet Garcia revolutionizing the weather forecasting business by having fun before and after the numbers part of the segments, which used to be — let’s be honest — boring. Hailing from Monterrey and belonging now to a group of pioneers that make us all look forward to her segments before we must leave for work.

Darned Fine Weather with Yanet Garcia -
We cannot say for certain that the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden grew Granny Smith apples, but should that have been the case, we can definitely see the problem.

Yanet began her participation in Televisa Monterrey’s weekend news, and in just a few broadcasts became the center of attention because of her great charisma and spectacular beauty in front of the camera. Yanet tells us how her collaboration began: “I had several contacts to create my own modeling agency and help other girls fulfill their dreams. This is how Yanet Garcia Models was born. So I modeled for Televisa and something stirred in me saying, ‘I don’t want to model anymore, I want the girls from my academy to do it.’”

And so it began. Yanet took her girls to work at the television station, not knowing that an opportunity was being forged for her. “One day Mauro Morales (weather expert and presenter on Televisa Monterrey) called me saying, ‘Wouldn’t you like to be a weather presenter? Think about it!’”

Think about it she did. After giving herself a space to consider and talk with her family, Yanet made the decision to accept the challenge and participate in the casting. The test would not be easy because there were many other interesting people looking for the opportunity. Nonetheless, they selected Yanet.

“I was impressed,” she confesses to us. “Mauro trained me to be the girl who presented the weather, I learned quickly but not everything was beautiful, sometimes I felt I was doing it awful, but always with every intention of improving it.”

An even bigger door would open for Yanet in this learning process, though.

“I asked a friend to record me while giving the weather, so that I might learn from my mistakes. Well, he uploaded some videos to YouTube and just one of those went viral and that changed my life, … I became famous on social networks and many more doors opened for me in many places across Mexico and in the United States. Doing weather reports on Despierta América allowed me to reach the ears of Magda Rodríguez who encouraged me to join the Hoy program.

Although Yanet had achieved great fame on the small screen, some of her success led her to try her luck in the cinema with participation in Sharknado 5: Global Swarming and Bellezonismo. Even though Yanet decided to resume her participation as a weather host on Hoy, she forged a determining goal for herself: “I told Magda that I would go with her to Televisa for two years, but that after that I wanted to follow my dream of being an actress.”

Yanet Garcia became “The weather girl” par excellence over this period, always awaiting new stories that would be coming into her life after ending her run. True to her plan, Yanet did not in fact renew with Hoy for a third year, choosing instead to go to the United States to study acting and perfect her English. “I met my ex-boyfriend, who lives in the United States, and I went with him. Then the issue of the pandemic happened and some plans fell apart due to the closure of everything. Faced with the situation, I dedicated myself to social networks and the contracts I already had, but my mom called me to tell me to help her lose weight, I told her to go see a nutritionist, but I agreed to help her with my knowledge; not with a diet, but with healthy things like eating fruits, vegetables, and above all, staying away from junk food.”

To Yanet’s surprise, her mother managed to lose 15 kilos thanks to Yanet’s advice. “Ella Le changed her life, this was something very exciting for me, which caused her to start studying nutrition.” Now, Yanet also an official certification as a Health Coach by the IIN.

Yanet likewise began to work on content for OnlyFans, which turned all of Mexico upside down. “Many people recommended that platform to me, and I investigated carefully. I convened a work team and they explained the platform to me fully. Many people say that I ended my relationship because of this platform, which is totally false. This platform is not just about nudity. There are people who recommend things, diets, coaching, etc. as well. And I am also using my Instagram to give advice on life and exercise. I am proud that I started to monetize my work while being able to manage my entire work team.”

Soon, Yanet will be launching a line of food supplements, and she definitely plans on resuming acting.

“I’m going to the Dominican Republic to record a series of which there will be more details soon.”

As to her current state of mind, Yanet confesses, “I feel at peace because I have left my comfort zone. The more afraid you are, the better for you to do it. That is the advice I always give. Go ahead and dare to do things! There are many people who could be successful but fear holds them back. On one occasion in CDMX they invited me to act in theater. Sure, it scared me, but once you do it and experience it, you say: ‘Wow! How well I think I did it.’ … Another proof of action conquering fear comes from living in New York. This has always been my dream, and that’s why I’m here.”

Full disclosure we do not have a highly-specialized fancy interpreter roaming around the offices at Penthouse. Consequently, we have provided the English in a time-honored, “Well, we’re pretty sure that’s mostly what it says. Probably.” kind of way. Should any of you out there speak Spanish better than anyone here, feel free to correct us. We won’t mind, Fair warning, though. You might be put to work. … Now for the actual article. …

Yanet García: Relato de un sueño a la vez

Hacemos el lanzamiento oficial de Penthouse México con una  mujer exitosa y empoderada, quien en cada etapa de su  trayectoria se ha negado a quedarse en su zona de confort. Yanet García (iamyanetgarcia) nos platica sobre sus sueños,  esfuerzos y próximos pasos.

Es verdad que hay un antes y después en los pronósticos del clima, esa sección de noticieros o programas de revista que solía ser, seamos honestos, aburrida. Está la época en que te informabas y están los nuevos tiempos, en donde además te entretienes, la pasas bien.  A esta nueva ola pertenece Yanet García, la regiomontana y una de las pioneras en hacer del clima un momento esperado mientras se toma café antes de salir de casa.

Yanet comenzó su participación en Las noticias del fin de semana de Televisa Monterrey, y fue en tan solo algunas emisiones que ella se convirtió en el centro de atención, la razón: gran carisma y espectacular belleza frente a cámara. Al respecto, ella nos platica cómo inició su colaboración: “Tenía varios contactos para crear mi propia agencia de modelaje y ayudar a otras niñas a cumplir su sueño. Fue así como nació Yanet García Models. Entonces yo modelaba para Televisa y nació algo en mí que me dijo: ‘ya no quiero modelar, quiero que las chavas de mi academia lo hagan’”. Y así fue, Yanet tomó la batuta para llevar a sus chicas a trabajar a la televisora, sin saber que una oportunidad se estaba forjando para ella. “Un día Mauro Morales (experto y presentador del clima en Televisa Monterrey) me llamó para decirme: ‘¿no te gustaría ser presentadora del clima? ¡Piénsalo!’”.

Así lo hizo, luego de darse un espacio para considerarlo y platicar con su familia, tomó la decisión de aceptar el reto y participar en el casting, en donde la prueba no sería fácil pues había otros perfiles interesantes buscando la oportunidad. No obstante, fue seleccionada. “Me quedé impresionada”, nos confiesa. “Mauro me capacitó para poder ser la chica que presentaba el clima, aprendí rápido pero no todo fue bello, algunas veces sentía que lo hacía fatal, pero siempre con toda la intención de mejorarlo”.

Fue en ese proceso de aprendizaje que una nueva puerta se abriría para ella: “hablando
con un amigo, le pedí que me grabara mientras daba el clima, esto lo hacía para aprender de mis errores, y subió algunos videos a YouTube y justo uno de esos se hizo viral y eso cambió mi vida, en redes sociales me hice famosa y me abrió las puertas de muchos lugares en México y Estados Unidos, por ejemplo en Despierta América de Univision dando el clima” y luego llegó a oídos de Magda Rodríguez para unirse al programa Hoy.

Sin embargo, aunque Yanet estaba logrado gran fama en la pantalla chica, algunas inquietudes la llevaron a probar suerte en el cine con participaciones en Sharknado 5:  Global Swarming y Bellezonismo. Y si bien decidió retomar su participación como conductora del clima en Hoy, ella se forjó un objetivo determinante: “Le dije a Magda que me iría con ella a Televisa por dos años, pero que después de eso quería seguir mi sueño de ser actriz”. El resto se cuenta solo: Yanet García se convirtió en “La chica del clima” por excelencia en ese periodo, y nuevas historias están llegando a su vida luego de dar por concluida su participación.

Para el tercer año, decidió ya no renovar con Hoy y optó por irse a Estados Unidos para estudiar actuación y perfeccionar su inglés. “Conocí a mi exnovio, quien vive en Estados Unidos, y me fui con él. Después sucedió el tema de la pandemia y algunos planes se vinieron abajo por el cierre de todo. Ante la situación, me dediqué a las redes sociales y a los contratos que ya tenía, pero mi mamá me habló para decirme que le ayudara a bajar de peso, le dije que fuera con una nutrióloga, pero acepté ayudarle con mis conocimientos; no con dieta, pero con cosas saludables como alimentarse con frutas, verduras, y sobre todo alejarla de la comida chatarra”. Para sorpresa, su madre logró perder 15 kilos gracias a los consejos de Yanet. “Le cambió su vida, esto fue algo muy emocionante para mí, lo cual provocó que empezara a estudiar nutrición”. Ahora, Yanet también es una mujer que está certificada como Health Coach por el IIN.

Asimismo, una de las actividades que ha dado de qué hablar de manera reciente es que Yanet empezó a trabajar contenidos para OnlyFans, lo que a todo México puso de cabeza. “Mucha gente me recomendó esa plataforma e investigué y después convoqué a un equipo de trabajo y me explicaron sobre ese tema. Mucha gente dice que yo terminé mi relación por esta plataforma, lo cual es totalmente falso. Esta plataforma no es solo de desnudos, hay gente que recomienda cosas, dietas, coaching, etcétera. Y mi Instagram lo estoy ocupando para dar consejos de vida y ejercicio, empecé a monetizar mi trabajo para poder gestionar todo mi equipo de trabajo”.

También, en puerta está lanzar una línea de suplementos alimenticios y retomar la actuación, para muestra: “me iré a República Dominicana a grabar una serie de la que próximamente habrá más detalles”. Y sobre el momento actual que vive Yanet, ella nos confiesa: “Me siento en paz porque he salido de mi zona de confort, entre más miedo tengas, es mejor hacerlo. Ese es el consejo que siempre doy: aventarse y atreverse a hacer las cosas, hay mucha gente que es exitosa pero el miedo los retiene. En una ocasión en CDMX me invitaron a actuar en teatro, a mí me daba miedo, pero una vez que lo haces y lo vives, dices: “¡wow!, qué bueno que lo hice”. Y muestra de este miedo es vivir en Nueva York, este siempre ha sido mi sueño y por eso estoy aquí”.

Yeah. What they said.

Model – Yanet Garcia – @iamyanetgarcia
Photography – Diego Alanis – @dievkophoto
Text – Aaron Martinez – @aaron_mtz32
Makeup and hairstyle – Kevin Rivas – @kevinrivasmakeup
Agency – InkEntourage – @inkentourage

Naturally, we would encourage you to subscribe to Penthouse México via their digital offering as well. Just think of all the free translations you could send us.

Bygone Bushranger

A Bushranger Named Mary

There are many professions that have been traditionally seen as male-dominated: car mechanic, military strongman, James Bond, etc. But the job of bushranger may be the most stereotypically masculine of all. When we think of bushrangers, we tend to think of rough men with big beards and funny hats.

While women were definitely in the minority, they weren’t entirely absent in the history of bushranging.

In fact, one of the most famous of all bushrangers owed a good deal of his success to his right-hand woman.

Mary Ann Bugg was born in Gloucester, New South Wales, in 1834, the daughter of an Aboriginal woman and an English convict. A precocious girl, she was married at 14 because these were historical times and people were OK with all sorts of horrible stuff. She had one child with her first husband before ditching him and hightailing it with another man to Bathurst. After having another two kids with her new fellow, leaving him for another man, and having another three kids with him, a somewhat exhausted Mary Ann chanced to meet one Frederick Ward, a ticket-of-leave convict with some big dreams.

She was married at 14 because these were historical times and people were OK with all sorts of horrible stuff.

By this time Mary Ann was 26 years old, had borne six children and was looking for a change. For a lively young woman with a taste for bad boys, Fred Ward was paydirt.

This was because Ward would, within a few years of hooking up with Mary Ann, become the legendary Captain Thunderbolt, one of Australia’s most feared and admired bushrangers. Thunderbolt and his gang cut a swathe through the north and west of NSW for a good seven years, but he wouldn’t have been nearly as successful at his chosen profession if it hadn’t been for Mary Ann who, in an early example of how women truly can have it all, combined her duties of wife and mother to a constantly increasing brood of little Thunderbolts with her new career as a bandit.

Crafty Mary Ann became the Thunderbolt gang’s reconnaissance expert, keeping her man Ward safe by keeping her eyes and ears open and providing advance warning of any danger.

Before Thunderbolt would ride into a town, whether to pull off a job or just to rest up and drink their savings, Mary Ann would go ahead as scout. Townsfolk would see the young woman ride in on her own, dressed like a dashing stockman in moleskin pants, Wellington boots, monkey jacket, cabbage tree hat, and various other items of clothing with bizarre names that people liked to put on in the 1860s. She would check out the town, determine whether there were any troopers about, and report back to her captain.

Mary Ann also took care of the gang’s camps, making sure the men were well-fed and annoying them by cleaning bits of dirt off their faces with a hankie in front of their friends.

On occasion she ran into trouble with the law, but each time managed to extricate herself through cunning and a little bit of luck. Once she was arrested for vagrancy, but was released after questions were asked in Parliament as to what on earth the police were doing arresting a woman, well-known as the non-vagrant gender.

The combination of Captain Thunderbolt’s brilliant horsemanship and ruthless criminal ambition with Mary Ann’s sharp eyes and quick wit made the couple an unstoppable bushranging team. It can be no coincidence that Thunderbolt, with Mary Ann by his side, proved to have a much longer bushranging career than any other of his ilk — most bushrangers either met their end or got out of the business after a year or two.

Neither can it be a coincidence that after their relationship finally ended — probably because of the captain’s roving eye — Ward got himself run down and killed in 1870. Without Mary Ann, he wasn’t half the bushranger he had been with her.

Mary Ann outlived Thunderbolt by more than three decades. After his death, she returned to one of the men she had lived with pre-bushranging, having another four children to add to the three she had with Thunderbolt and the six she had before Thunderbolt, making a grand total of far too many.

Mary Ann was 70 years old when she died in 1905 in Mudgee, NSW. Less than 10 of those years had been spent with Frederick Ward — but to her dying day, she would always be, in her own words, “the Captain’s Lady.”

Given our woefully ignorant of world history because of American public education status, we had to look up bushranger history. Honestly the title sounds like a series title some lesbian company like Girlfriends Films might come up with, but come to find out, it’s a real thing. These days you can even find place dedicated to helping you do your own research, because apparently a fascination with outlaws spans oceans too. We were going to do a deep dive and compare Australian outlaw history customs with American ones, but we decided to contact the owner of Girlfriends Films instead so that we might give him our most excellent idea for a new series. We left a message but have heard nothing back so far. … In the real world, a great many of our most excellent ideas get ignored, truth be told. … Go figure.

Suresh Garimella

Green Mountain Blues [with Suresh Garimella]

Suresh GarimellaDuring my college years in Boston, I could reliably cure homesickness by visiting friends at the University of Vermont, where my state’s progressive politics and bohemian way of life were on full display. Suresh Garimella was well into my future.

I grew up a flower child, the son of artists in a bucolic small town in Vermont’s mystical Northeast Kingdom. Long-haired and in love with nature, I became a peacenik early on during elementary school, when I marshalled my fledgling indignance to inveigh against the government’s War on Terror.

The Green Mountain State has long spawned people like me, as has “Groovy UV,” our largest state school. During visits, I witnessed more than my fair share of drug rugs and kaleidoscopic room tapestries. But homebred students and outsiders alike also shared an affinity for Vermont’s core principles, like pacifism, environmental stewardship and the humanities.

UVM today produces more Peace Corps enlistees than nearly any other school. Some students go on to work as aides for Sen. Bernie Sanders or activists for Bill McKibben’s environmental group, 350.org. Some submerge themselves in Burlington’s idealistic political scene, where local leaders not only allocate funds to fill potholes but argue for divestment of the city’s economy from oil monopolies and the military industrial complex.

When I returned home in 2015 to work as an investigative journalist, I was eager to immerse myself in these values. I soon discovered, however, that Vermont’s crunchy core was being hollowed out, infused with a militaristic sludge, thanks largely to the state’s political leaders — in particular our soon-to-retire senior senator, Patrick Leahy.

In many ways, Leahy fits squarely in line with Vermont’s peacenik attitudes. As a freshman senator, in 1975 he pushed to end military funding for the Vietnam War. Nearly 30 years later, he cast a brave “No” vote on invading Iraq in 2002. One of his namesake programs, the Leahy War Victims Fund, has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to civilians injured by landmines from the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam. Another, the Leahy law, bans American money from supporting abusive foreign militaries.

And yet from his powerful perch on the Senate Appropriations Committee, much of it as chairman or ranking member of the defense subcommittee, Leahy has stuffed my state, and yours, with billions in Pentagon pork, changing the American landscape in significant ways.

His sustained advocacy for Vermont’s defense industry — not to mention his Irish lineage — has earned him the nickname “Saint Patrick” in the state’s military circles. His major projects include an ICE nerve center operating in the hometown of ice-cream magnate Jerry Greenfield. He’s also funneled tens of millions of dollars to the Vermont National Guard and put his thumb on the scales to bring 20 F-35 fighter jets to the Guard’s air unit in Burlington. (The noisy jets have spurred sustained community opposition — including that of Greenfield’s business partner, Ben Cohen, who was arrested for disorderly conduct during a 2018 protest.)

Leahy has also blessed Norwich University and the Vermont Technical Institute with millions in military grants. UVM is now similarly pivoting to defense research as part of a drastic school reorientation. This new vision is supported by Leahy and his allies, including the school’s president, Suresh Garimella, a military scientist by trade who is boosting defense research while slashing 23 liberal arts programs. This new direction clashes violently with the ideals of John Dewey, a Burlington native, UVM alumnus and pioneering education philosopher who championed a learning model that “keeps itself as far as may be from everything industrial, utilitarian, professional.”

The cozy relationship between higher education and the military state was solidified, ironically enough, by a Vermont congressman named Justin Morrill. In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln ratified Morrill’s legislation setting forth America’s land grant universities. In accepting federal funds, these schools agreed to provide mandatory military education. One was UVM, which today oversees the oldest Army ROTC program in the country.

Morrill hoped this requirement would create a decentralized network of citizen-soldiers and thereby discourage the creation of an entrenched military establishment. Instead, the military spent much of the next century consolidating power and influence in many corners of American society, including academia.

Much of this work was spearheaded during and after World War II. That’s when the War Department cultivated in professors what one advisor described as a “consciousness” around their “responsibility to the nation’s security.” The first piece of infrastructure to inculcate this mindset was the Office of Scientific Research and Development. Established in 1941 by President Franklin Roosevelt, it tasked university scientists with developing all sorts of military technology, including the atom bomb.

In 1950, President Harry Truman established the National Science Foundation, a major grant-making apparatus that, from its inception, associated scientific excellence with military supremacy.

In 1961, former President Dwight Eisenhower famously warned about the growing influence of what he deemed the “military industrial complex.” Eisenhower, a five-star general and hero of World War II, had initially wanted to use the term “military industrial academic complex,” but scrapped the language to avoid degrading the positive reputation enjoyed by America’s system of higher education.

His concerns proved prescient. By 2002, almost 350 colleges and universities were conducting Pentagon-funded research. In recent years, no less than $10 billion has been allocated annually for military research. At the same time this money spigot has widened, state support for public education has severely declined.

Vermont has long stood out as one of the stingiest funders of public education. When Garimella arrived at UVM in 2019, he came with an alternative funding playbook he’d perfected as executive vice president for research and partnerships at Purdue University, where he’d secured hundreds of millions of dollars in defense contracts. A brilliant scientist in his own right, Garimella also conducted pathbreaking military research at Purdue around thermal cooling technology.

In his short time at UVM, research funding has hit an all-time high. As part of this work, Garimella forged a partnership with the U.S. Army and upgraded the school’s supercomputer, “Deep Green,” to enable cutting-edge defense research.

During Garimella’s installation ceremony, Leahy hailed his “ability to build ties between our students and Vermont’s economy.” Leahy’s remarks came during a year in which Vermont saw the second largest jump in aerospace and defense growth out of all 50 states, a trend for which the senior senator is largely responsible. During a September conference featuring major military contractors, UVM officials spoke on how their curriculum is creating “your future workforce.”

Months after Garimella snagged the job, UVM established a scholarship program honoring Leahy and his wife, Marcelle. Its major corporate funders included aerospace giant Boeing, which ponied up $1 million. Members of UVM’s board of trustees and associated fundraising foundation have financial ties to the defense industry, as does Garimella. In addition to his UVM salary, Garimella last year made $217,490 as Chair of the Technology Committee of Modine Manufacturing Company, which has secured lucrative contracts to develop thermal management systems for military vehicles.

More military grants seem inevitable for UVM, thanks to these bonds, as well as Garimella’s influential role on the board of the National Science Foundation. Yet a more peaceful curriculum is possible. The state’s leaders must simply give it a chance.

You may of course read the principles and goals of Suresh Garimella for yourself via the UVM official site. For our part, we’d love to do an interview if for no other reason than to ask one burning question: “So, can you describe what the transition was like for you between Ohio State and Berkley?” … He must have had a nervous twitch for weeks. (And now you know why no one ever asks anyone in our department to serve as an investigative journalist. Our business cards would have to say, “Asks Odd Questions and Writes Stuff.”

Jamie Colette

Photographer Jamie C Parker

Introducing JamieLos Angeles-based portrait photographer and ICU nurse Jamie Colette accidentally found herself pursuing fine art nude photography, and she hasn’t looked back.

“Getting into erotic photography was kind of an accident. It was a running joke in Chicago that everyone would do their first topless shoot with me, and it was usually the model’s idea!” Jamie tells Penthouse.

“I think they felt safe with me, which is so humbling and flattering. I was just trying to shoot more portrait work, to get better at it, and it just evolved from there. But it’s just so much fun shooting with women. The female body is so beautiful, and I just love creating art with other women — and making them feel empowered and sexy while doing it.”

As a female photographer, Jamie’s work offers a fresh perspective on the naked female form — one that extends beyond sexuality — and showcases the duality of women.

“Women are just so powerful. Besides being physically beautiful, we are just such complex creatures. Women can simultaneously be strong and soft. We can be sexy while nude or in a full suit. I just love capturing the dichotomy of that,” she explains.

The photographer admits being a woman behind the lens comes with its advantages.

“Shooting with a female photographer often gives models a sense of comfort and safety. I find I can empathize with models, when they talk about their insecurities or even things they love about themselves,” Jamie reveals.

“I often say I shoot women the way I would want to be shot if I were in front of the camera, so I think that really gives me a different perspective.”

In terms of the way she approaches a session, Jamie says, “My approach to photography has changed over time in that I have gotten more and more comfortable with pushing boundaries — and less concerned about what people think.”

For the budding photographers out there who might be wondering what gear Jamie uses, she says, “I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark IV, and I do pretty much all my shoots with my 35mm or 50mm lens! Lighting can be so unpredictable, so I always have a Speedlight on me. It’s nice to have the option if I need it. I also love the look of flash photography in the right context.”

Naturally Jamie C has a dazzling Instragram we would encourage you to visit @colettepark — which may not be all that intuitive. Of course it could be that our budding author here simply failed to draw the connection between the woman Jamie, and what seems to be her persona, colettepark. Or we could be way off, because we found no information at all on the topic. Seems like it would have been nice, but what do we mere digital geeks know? … We DO know that although we would never simply lift a photo from an Instagram account without permission, we loved this self portrait so much that we risked running a snip of it here. You will need to visit Jamie’s IG account to see the complete shot and get the full impact. It rocks.

colettepark a.k.a. Jamie

In a manner of thanks, we can also give credit to all the models “colettepark” thanked in her reveal about her Penthouse appearance. Sadly, the magazine did another remarkably poor job of identifying the models in this layout, but we understand it includes @with.that.nina, @dom_beauclair, @miav.me, @skyebluehatesu, @indi.willi, @lenajacksonslens, @kianuki, and, @dianalorena. Thanks, Jamie Colette (as a guess)! You let us know when you’d like to run another round with Digital, and we’ll see if we can dig a little deeper in the well (with due credit to the Oak Ridge Boys). … Our theory would be that Jamie might well have to look up that reference because she does not happen to be really, really old.

Playing with Wax

Wax Sex … Got a Light?

When we say wax play, we’re not talking about waxing your body hair. We’re talking about lighting a candle and dripping, drizzling and pouring warm melted wax onto bare skin in the name of getting your rocks off.

For some couples, erotic wax play is about shared sexual exploration, which can build trust and increase intimacy in the relationship. For others, the thrill comes from the dangerously exciting sensation of experiencing short, sharp and hot flashes as molten wax hits the skin—and not knowing where it’s going to land next. And for the extra kinky folks who roam among us, wax play is about the power dynamic that comes with a sadist consensually tormenting a writhing, willing submissive by dripping almost too hot wax on their naked flesh in the pursuit of painful pleasure.

Not all Wax Candles Are Built the Same

When it comes to choosing candles for wax play, not just any candle will do. The type of candle you decide to use will ultimately decide whether your wax play experience is going to be a totally painless or moderately painful one.

Avoid using candles you normally find around the house. These are likely to be made of beeswax, which typically burns at 170 F and can injure the skin. Also, don’t use candles that are scented or have artificial coloring, as they’re likely to contain chemicals or oils and be made of paraffin wax, which burns between 120 F and 135 F, and can potentially burn or otherwise irritate the skin.

Stick to body-safe candles that have been specifically created for pouring and dripping on skin. You’ll find most wax play candles are made of soy or shea butter, which don’t generate as much heat and have a medium burning temperature.

Also, candles designed for wax play are typically categorized either as wax play candles or massage oil candles. Basically, these candles are great for dripping on the skin, but will leave traces of wax behind, whereas massage oil candles melt at a lower temperature and will be the consistency of massage oil as they’re poured onto the skin, making them ideal for a sensual rubdown.

Before You Play

If you’re going to quite literally play with fire, it pays to play it safe.

Before you start lighting candles and exposing each other to naked flames, make sure everyone’s onboard with the planned activities. Surprises are good in the bedroom, but spontaneity is not your friend when it comes to beginners wielding lit candles and hot wax. Have a chat before the lighter comes out, discuss your boundaries and come up with a safeword for cooling down the play in case things get a little too hot.

Fire can be unpredictable, so wax play necessitates even more forward planning. Prepare a dedicated space in your home for your adventure. Make sure it’s free from clutter and that there are no flammable objects looming close enough that a cheeky flickering flame could lick. If you’re going to set up on your bed, couch or rug, make sure you lay down a tarp, sheet or towel that you’re happy to have destroyed. Nothing kills a boner faster than having to pick stubborn chunks of dried wax out of the bedsheets, upholstery or carpet.

And finally, make sure you have a bucket of water, a wet face cloth and a first aid kit nearby in case of an accident. It might sound like overkill, but it’ll save you one hell of an awkward conversation by preventing an inferno and avoiding firefighters having to come to your rescue.

How to Start Wax Play

Once you’ve set up your designated play area, discussed safewords and foraged for your arsenal of body-safe candles, you’re ready to start getting sexy with wax.

Have your partner lie down on the tarp, towel or sheet and massage their body with an oil or moisturizer. This helps set a sensual mood and relax any jittery nerves, but it’s also a bit of practical prep because a slippery coating on the skin will make for a friendlier removal process at the end.

When you’re ready, light one of your candles and drip small amounts of wax onto your own arm at different heights, so you can test the temperature. When you’re happy with the level of heat, slowly splash a few drops onto your partner’s body to see how they react. This is going to immediately let you know how they’re feeling about the temperature. Stay at a slow speed and play around with dropping the wax from various heights. The higher you lift the candle, the further the wax has to travel—therefore the cooler it’s going to be when it hits the skin. If your partner is reacting positively, get creative by experimenting with the height and speed at which you allow the wax to hit the skin. Also, feel free to make patterns and layers on their body.

When you’re done turning your lover into a human candle, remove the wax by gently sliding a credit card under it to tease it off the skin. Wax can be clingy, so hope for the best that you haven’t coated any body hair—or it’s likely to be literally waxed off in the removal process.

The concept of wax play can sound a little freaky to the uninitiated, but we guess you could say it doesn’t take much to warm up to it!

We’re not saying you “should” try this adult play, but if you want to, getting the right tools will be very important. You do not want to end up in the emergency room with one of those embarrassing stories. It must be more popular than we may realize if Amazon advertises it, and think of the bright side: You will not have wasted your money if this does not work out for you. You can always cast some spells or something.

The Bond That Binds

Creating a Strong Bond

Eon Productions, started by the famous Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and makers of all 25 James Bond films, will need to get their skates — or Thunderball-style jetpack — on soon and make a call.

And it’s a big call.

Finding the right Bond is like no other casting job on the planet. You’re not signing someone for one movie. You’re recruiting someone for a whole generation in tradi-tionally the world’s most prestigious film franchise. Someone who needs to bring the next group of Bond fans along for the ride and not piss off the traditionalists too much.

Daniel Craig held the role for 15 years to complete his five films — the longest ever tenure. Roger Moore did seven Bond movies in 12 years, and Sean Connery did six in nine back when they used to bang them out a bit quicker — plus 1983’s comeback flick Never Say Never Again. Even Pierce Brosnan held the role for seven years. Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby are the only brief incumbents and perhaps highlight when you get it even slightly wrong.

Given that a Bond film premieres on average every three years or so, and they take a long time to make — from development, to casting talent and the lengthy filming process — the announcement needs to happen soon. Like yesterday.

Whoever gets the nod this time can probably expect to occupy the role for a decade. The question, though, is not only who will it be, but also the philosophy and context behind how the chosen star will play Bond, and even more importantly who exactly will they play?

Spoiler alert: James Bond died in the last movie, No Time to Die. Properly died.

Sorry, perhaps that reveal could have had more buildup. But yes, James Bond went to his maker, taking Daniel Craig with him. So unless there is some Lazarus-like resurrection or a cheesy plot twist of Bobby-Ewing-in-the-shower proportions, then Bond 26 might not even be a James.

Spoiler alert No. 2: Lashana Lynch was introduced as a new 007 in No Time to Die. A black female. So it shows there is plenty of stretch in the role.

Lashana played her part in No Time to Die, but she failed to demonstrate enough presence to carry a Bond movie alone. She may be back for Bond 26, but not in the lead role. Indeed, the bookies odds on the next Bond still seem to be favoring a male, with Bridgerton alum Regé-Jean Page the current favorite, followed by Henry Cavill, Aidan Turner and, perhaps the people’s choice, Tom Hardy. Cillian Murphy from Peaky Blinders is also in contention, while Idris Elba is an outsider.

The new star’s introduction will be interesting. Will he be the long lost son of James Bond, perhaps? God knows there must be plenty out there.

Moreover, there is the question of what philosophy they will adopt.

The days of Roger Moore’s Carry On, Bond-style sleazy corniness is long gone. Daniel Craig played things largely straight, strong and disciplined. But in No Time to Die — arguably the best Bond movie ever — he really came of age. A knowing, mature, softer vulnerability made Bond seem stronger and more real than ever. And in an age of post-COVID and #MeToo, there are a few things any new Bond will need to navigate. Will Bond be a reckless free spirit after the lockdown years, or an ultraconservative straight-edger? A green smoothie — shaken, not stirred?

Expect the next Bond to be a man, possibly Black, unlikely to be gay (yet), with empathy and compassion, a more selective approach to his love life, but strong and healthy with a ruthless streak when needed.

Ah, He/She/They Bond, we’ve been expecting you.

Now the magazine article ended there, and we consider that just fine — y’know, for one of those quaint printed publications with limited space and all. We, however, live in a much freer world, and thus decided to bend the theme a bit here by dropping in a SFW gallery of Jezebelle Bond from her PenthouseGold collection. (Jezebelle does a lot of work there that definitely qualifies as NOT SFW, just to be clear.)

We cannot be sure if you prefer our Bond to the magazine version, but you can certainly let us know. If you do not have the time to contact us now, however, we can leave you with one of the few absolutes in life, regardless. Should you ever have the opportunity to meet Jezebelle Bond in person, you will be both shaken and stirred. Of that we can assure you.

War Gaming IRL

How the War in Ukraine will Affect War Gaming Globally

While some titles draw from the jingoistic anti-USSR propaganda of the ’80s, others — especially war games — draw upon Russia’s sacrifices while battling against Nazi Germany in World War II.

As one of the world’s largest economies, Russia has become a thriving marketplace for war gaming video games and — like its Western counterparts — has largely benefited from its own thriving video game industry, including Owlcat Games, which produces the Pathfinder franchise, and Battlestate Games, the makers of Escape from Tarkov.

Following the onset of the war in Ukraine, Russian gamers have been steadily deprived of online services previously offered by Xbox and PlayStation, and efforts by pro-Ukraine activists in the West have been underway to cut Russian gamers off from PC games. Further efforts by Western governments have compounded the difficulties faced by Russian developers, who struggle to earn payments from the sales of their products.

As the current news cycle continues to foment tensions between European and Russian players, who mostly have nothing to do with the war — they simply want to enjoy video games — the impact of the conflict on video games themselves cannot be understated.

Russian game developers will undoubtedly have to turn their focus toward local markets or be forced to find workarounds…

The much-anticipated sequel to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. has been stalled in development due to the “special military operation” affecting Ukraine — especially in the cities of Odessa and Kyiv, where the developer GSC Game World is located. While gamers themselves may pine for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, the developers themselves have much bigger things to worry about — like staying alive.

Even ahead of the invasion, a number of other Ukraine-based studios left the country due to troubles following the Euromaidan protests in 2014. One of Ukraine’s premier game studios 4A Games, the developer of Metro 2033, moved its operations to Malta.

European studios, including those in neighboring Poland and the Czech Republic, have offered their assistance in relocating Ukrainian games professionals to their offices. Some, like The Witcher developer CD Projekt Red, have held fundraisers for the Red Cross in Ukraine and provided additional visibility to highlight the plight of average Ukrainians.

War Gaming Taken Personally

The game industry’s efforts in the ongoing conflict have also taken punitive, if questionable, actions against Russians by suspending sales of their games in Russia and Belarus.

Some developers have even gone as far as to censor Russian content by removing characters or altering their stories. Ubisoft, for instance, removed all biographies from the Spetsnaz operators in their action game Rainbow Six Siege. Amazon, meanwhile, halted the localization of New World into the Russian language, impacting even Ukrainian gamers who speak Russian, and EA Games removed Russian teams and players from FIFA 22 and NHL 22.

With Russia’s access to a Western audience cut off by sanctions for the foreseeable future, Russian game developers will undoubtedly have to turn their focus toward local markets or be forced to find workarounds as some studios, like Owlcat Games, already have — by setting up their businesses in not-so-hostile territory and catering to the Western market by proxy.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and the Russians are incredibly resourceful people. 

Of course beyond war gaming there are many more personal stories about how the global situation impacts individual human beings — the ones that live. Indeed, had COVID-19 not changed the world enough, now we have a (formerly presumed) super-power nation acting aggresively and independently. That macro view fails to put enough weight on the microeconomics view, however. At our core, we are all one people.

Strange Life Moments

Strange Life. Normal Life.

We have mentioned this before, but one of our favorite features in the new incarnation of Penthouse Magazine has become the “Debrief” section which features little blurbs of strange life things … for lack of a more elegant way to put it. This time around, we have some of the strangest because, well, that seems rather the point, after all.

Follow Me On Only Fins

It’s no secret dolphins are among the horniest of sea creatures, but a new study has found the marine mammals share more in common with humans when it comes to sex than everyone previously thought. Research conducted by evolutionary biologists Dara Orbach and Patricia Brennan at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts found female bottlenose dolphins experience sexual pleasure through a clitoris, like humans.

The findings suggest not only do female dolphins possess a prominent and extremely sensitive clitoris, their anatomy positions it in a better spot than that of a human, making sexual stimulation unavoidable.

“Since the entire pelvis of dolphins is so different to humans, it was surprising to see how similar the shapes were,” says Brennan.

It makes sense, considering previous research has shown female dolphins have sex all year round, even when they’re not ovulating, that they frequently have lesbian dolphin sex and masturbate each other, and that they’ve even been known to use live eels as sex toys, suggesting that the amorous animals have sex for fun and not just for reproduction’s sake.

The more you know. …

If nothing else, this does add a whole new dimension to those crazy noises Flipper always made.

Lemmy See Your TattooAshes to Ashes, Dust to Tattoos: The Ultimate Tribute

A couple of Motörhead’s roadies have paid tribute to Lemmy Kilmister by getting tattoos infused with his cremains.

In 2015, the Motörhead creator and frontman passed away at age 70, just two days after being told he had cancer. His dying wish was that his ashes be split among golden bullets engraved with his name and given to his closest friends. Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and MTV host Riki Rachtman were among the special few gifted mini bullet urns of the singer’s ashes.

But it was Motörhead’s former road crew, tour manager Eddie Rocha and production assistant Emma Cederblad, who took their dedication to a rock-star level. They paid the ultimate tribute by getting permanent remembrances of Lemmy tattooed on their skin with ink blended from his ashes. Rocha went for a portrait of the late star, while Cederblad opted for a spade tattoo tribute.

Gone by not forgotten, the legend will be further immortalized in an upcoming biopic directed by filmmaker Greg Olliver.

Full disclosure: Some of us may have already forgotten him. Why have Motörhead when you could have Skynyrd those people figure.

Strange Life PicklesI’m Kind of a Big Dill

The Portland Pickles baseball team has found themselves in a right pickle after their salty mascot shared an unintentional dick pic(kle) on Twitter.

Furry mascot Dillon took over the team’s Twitter page for a day and shared a suggestively cropped, low-angle photo that made it look like the big green guy was exposing himself. Following mass social media hysteria, the team jumped in to explain that the erect green object in the center of the shot was actually Dillon’s pickle-shaped thumb.

“It’s come to our attention that this photo can be misinterpreted as a disturbing image,” the next tweet read. “Dillon would like to go on record and say that he was trying to give his fans a thumbs-up.”

It was too late, though. The pervy pickle post went viral and jarred fans, with one person tweeting, “Can safely say that I did not expect to see mascot anatomy on my timeline tonight.”

There’s a first time for everything.

Perhaps, but a dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste. We try to use ours every day. Of course we also live a strange life.

Strange Life with a Google Street ViewPutting the Mafia on the Map

A convicted murderer who was on the run for more than two decades was caught after being spotted on Google Street View.

Mob boss Gioacchino Gammino, now 61, became one of Italy’s most wanted fugitives after escaping from a prison in Rome in 2002. Though he was on the lam, he was sentenced to life in prison the very next year for a long ago slaying.

The mobster had been using a fake name and working as a chef before setting up a fruit and vegetable shop in Galapagar, Spain, where he was spotted by authorities on Google Street View. A scar on Gammino’s face helped police confirm the henchman’s identity.

Upon being arrested again, a shocked Gammino said to the police, “How did you find me? I haven’t even called my family for 10 years!”

Google really needs to change its name to Karma. Everyone already knows that can be a real bitch in one’s personal and strange life.

Strange Life with Sultan Gustaf Al GhozaliLaughing All The Way To The Bank

A student from Indonesia has hit the jackpot, becoming a millionaire overnight after selling thousands of his selfies as NFTs.

Every day for five years, computer science student Sultan Gustaf Al Ghozali took a photo of himself. Each photo is virtually the same and features the 22-year-old staring expressionless at the camera. The student decided to take advantage of the NFT trend by uploading his selfies to the blockchain as a joke.

“I was thinking it might be funny if one of the collectors collected my face,” he says.

Ghozali priced his photos for a mere 0.0001 ETH ($3), but the NFTs went viral are now selling for more than $12,000 a pop. He reportedly sold over 200 selfies in the first day, and since December has surpassed $1 million in NFT sales.

Strange Life with Sophia UristaUrine Trouble Now

When you gotta go, you gotta go. But Sophia Urista, frontwoman for the rock group Brass Against, found herself in hot water after relieving herself on a fan’s face during a live show!

A video that went viral shows the singer bringing a new meaning to the term “livestream.” She called a fan onstage during a live performance at the Rockville metal festival in Florida, then dropped her pants and emptied her bladder all over the stranger’s bald head and face for a solid 10 seconds.

Before the incident, Urista exclaimed to the crowd, “I gotta pee. And I can’t make it to the bathroom. So we might as well make a show out of it.”

After being waterboarded with the singer’s bodily fluids, the man was seen spewing some of the liquid in the direction of the audience.

What seems like pretty standard rock ’n’ roll behavior was slammed as “disgusting” and “pure trash” by horrified internet commentators and fans. On a post that promoted the band’s upcoming European tour, one person wrote, “Will you be pissing across Europe?”

The singer issued a public apology on Twitter following the backlash. Or rather, backsplash.

Other that pointing out that the name Urista does have some similarities with the word urethra, we really have no comment on the next in a very long history of bizarre stage performances. You can follow Urista and her strange life on your own, should you desire. … We do not kink shame here.

We do have some interest in the NFT issue, however, since people (universally seeking big chnunks of change) have been saying Penthouse should definitely be in that game. Should you have a theory one way or the other, we’d love to hear from you via our Contact Form.

Lana Rain

15 Questions with Lana Rain

Companies normall start with sort of a bare basics (as it were) list of stats or fun facts about a model, but this time around ManyVids simply rolled out the questions and let ‘er rip (literally). Of course that could be because of the lengthy and extremely well-reasoned answers Lana provided. You do not see this depth of rumination in many model submissions anymore. We find that sad. … Of course that also means that Lana Rain makes us quite happy.

Thus we shall share.

When did you start creating content?

I started creating content in 2015. Over time, I realized that I had a more natural ability to create content than I did to livestream, so I started to focus more on that. Creativity was always my strong point, and I felt like I was always lacking in the social department, since I spent most of my time alone growing up messing with things like photo and video editing.

When did you start to get into anime?

That’s a much deeper question for me than one might initially think upon asking, but I’ll try my best to answer. I have always had an affinity toward anime ever since I watched it on TV as a kid. Because, unlike regular Western TV shows, especially during that era, where nothing within itself was taken seriously, anime showed me a side of life that was worlds apart from what I was accustomed to everywhere else; this is not what I needed in a world where I already felt didn’t make sense because of how everyone treated each other and themselves. I loved the attention to detail, the colorful and vibrant hair — which, at the time, was absolutely unique to me — and designs that felt like the idea of beauty in aesthetics were given consideration, all of which contrasted with what I would see people wear around me. Most importantly, continuity opened me up to my earliest experiences of storytelling and world-building. Details like power levels and differences between characters and villains were all taken into account and given importance and thoughtful consideration. By contrast, in American cartoons, everything was forgotten by the next episode like it didn’t even matter, and most elements were built upon shallow jokes. I guess cartoons sort of reflected how I felt the children in my school treated everything, which was shallow, fickle and fleeting. So all I wanted to do was run away from that because I was essentially doing anything and everything to find some sort of logic and structure in life that I could understand and attach myself to.

How do you come up with ideas for your content?

I don’t know if I could have been as creative as I am without being able to cosplay for my videos. There is something fun about picking a character — since I already love to cosplay — and then figuring out what kind of story I could apply to that character after researching the story they are from and their personality.

Who are your top five favorite characters to cosplay?

  1. Rei Ayanami Plugsuit (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
  2. Motoko Kusanagi (GitS: SAC [Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex])
  3. Exusiai (Arknights)
  4. Shinobu (Demon Slayer)
  5. Bowsette (Super Mario)

What food have you never eaten but want to try?

There are too many to count, but I’ll try to name some I can remember off the top of my head. Sea urchin pasta, meat tartare burger, all the unusual raw fish and sushi that they offer in Japan. I want to see what fruit is like in Southeast Asian countries. I know that stuff like durian and even some commonly known ones like mangoes taste way better over there. I have a close friend who swears by the fact that mangoes in the Philippines taste so much better that she says it’s basically a different fruit.

Do you believe in extraterrestrial life?

I don’t think it’s a matter of belief. For me, it’s more a matter of the fact that nothing is stopping the open possibility, especially with how little we know about our universe or the structure of our reality.

What movie can you watch over and over again?

While I enjoy some movies, I’m really not much of a movie person. The idea of rewatching movies over and over gives me anxiety for whatever reason, so probably none.

If you could have a superpower what would it be?

It depends on how realistic in terms of practicality I’m supposed to take this question. Does everyone else have superpowers, or am I the only one? If it’s the latter, then it would have to be teleportation because it doesn’t intrude upon other people’s perception of how reality works, on top of still being able to play into normal life.

What mythical creature do you wish actually existed?

It’s not a mythical creature, but the megalodon existing again would be awesome. It scares the ever-living hell out of me, but things that I feared in nature the most were also always the most beautiful to me.

What type of content can someone expect to see when they subscribe to your VIP FanClub on ManyVids?

Most of my VIP FanClub content is short masturbation clips for people who are more into that kind of stuff over detailed scripted videos.

What game have you spent the most hours playing?

I don’t really play games that often. Most competitive games that I like I’m not passionate enough about for me to take seriously, given my goals and restrictive schedule. If I play a game these days, it is really just because I care about the story, such as the NieR franchise. But if I had to think back to my past, it would probably be Pokémon Silver. I didn’t know how to read English when I was five because I was put in a French school. So, my silly young self had the genius idea to restart the game countless times to figure it out and see if I could do anything different to get past certain points. That Sudowoodo pretending to be a tree pained my existence.

Where was your favorite travel destination?

Unfortunately, I haven’t had the luxury of being able to travel much yet, but so far, out of the few places I’ve been, Colorado was definitely my favorite place. I was blown away by just how many iconic nature spots there were all over the state, and I could see mountain views from just casually driving through the state, which was a wonderful experience. Estes Park was just magical, and I barely got to scratch the surface of it. I would absolutely potentially buy a home there in the future.

Do you speak multiple languages? If so, which ones?

I’m from Quebec, so I learned French before actually learning English; I eventually forgot most of it because I stopped using it. I don’t have any particular motivation to learn it again either. I would much prefer to learn Chinese or Japanese.

What is your favorite thing to do on your days off?

The past year, I’ve been really invested in learning how to draw. Unfortunately, I had to dedicate the year to other things, so I barely got to do it, but the few times that I did went very well. This year, I plan to put more focus and hours into it, which I am honestly really looking forward to. I don’t really have time to do casual things like play video games or watch stuff unless I absolutely want to watch something, but I consider even that as productive time since I use it as well needed inspiration.

What is a quirk you have that no one knows about?

I’m not sure if this is considered a quirk, but due to my Asperger’s, whenever I become interested in something, I tend to become hyperfocused, allowing me to learn new things very quickly. Despite all the negatives I experienced throughout my life due to having Asperger’s in the kind of society we live in today, there are definitely a few things that I consider to be very useful.

Naturally it would not do for us to fail at providing a handy-dandy link to Lana Rains at ManyVids. We naturally encourage you to visit her there, but if you want to make an impression, doing a little reasearch first could not hurt. You might at least start at Fandom before wandering off. Granted, that link while handy certainly suffered on the dandy scale. It happens.

Murph Memorial

Murph Memorial: Honoring the Past

Michael Murphy - US NAVY File PhotoThis past winter, on a group chat with old comrades, one suggested we all do a Memorial Day workout together, either virtually or in person. The workout in question is a CrossFit beast named the Murph, after deceased Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient Michael Murphy, of Lone Survivor film fame. Popular each Memorial Day, it consists of 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups and 300 squats, bracketed by a mile run before and after.

Swearing proved a not-unpopular answer to that particular ask; most of us on the chat are out of the military and all over the spectrum of workout motivation. But when it became clear that the person suggesting the activity meant it as a way to focus on something positive in the future — instead of grieving an impending personal loss — we started talking about potential plans.

Twenty years ago, nearly all of us were seniors in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps; the last is our former instructor, who commissioned us as military officers the spring after 9/11. We knew we were graduating into a sharply changed world, but like any early 20-somethings, we had no idea what was in store.

If we had innocence left at the end of our adolescence, we soon lost it. We all deployed overseas, some multiple times. Our experiences varied wildly; some saw infantry combat, others flew above it, and some of us deployed in support roles. We were stewards, holding our places in line for as long as we stayed in.

I was lucky to be with a headquarters unit; the troops I deployed with survived the war, but a few fell in the years after it. My favorite watch chief, who worked with me at a subsequent unit, died of cancer about a decade after we returned from Iraq. In recent years, at least two more former comrades have had obituaries listing “sudden” death, typically code for either suicide or a drug overdose. In 2019, veterans were over 50 percent more likely to take their own lives than civilians, and substance use disorder is associated with suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts among veterans. Though I’m lucky I’ve known only a few who’ve succumbed, doubtless my old ROTC buddies — some of whom lost friends in Iraq — have stories of former colleagues that echo those fates.

Our entire generation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans was chronologically young, if emotionally aged, when we returned from the war. But now we’re staring middle age in the face, with the requisite slate of middle-aged losses and shifts in perspective; we’re deciding what to remember and what is best forgotten. In the 17 years since our first deployments ended, my friends and I have endured divorces, friends’ and parents’ deaths, cross-country moves, and career 180s. Some of these changes were hard-fought and came slowly, while others barreled our way at Formula 1 speed. We used to meet up with some regularity when we were all stationed near Washington, D.C., or San Diego, but these outings waned as we scattered to disparate corners of America. Now, when we find ourselves in the same pocket of the country for a spell, it’s a bonus. Though two of the seven of us are still in the military, none of us can lie to ourselves that we’re the same people we were when we met.

That’s been especially true in these past few years; in a pandemic, nothing is normal. The entire nation is reeling from loss piled upon loss, in addition to deaths: jobs, human contact, a sense of civil discourse. We’ve been forgetting the feeling of what we recall normal life to be. Further layers of impermanence have tested friendships, too. Political and personal values — and even attitudes toward civic responsibility — morph over time, straining bonds forged in once-shared purpose. The conflicts we fought in are in theory over, only to be replaced by remote strikes and support for proxy forces.

In the aftermath of the United States pulling out of Afghanistan last August, even the Department of Veterans Affairs acknowledged with startling frankness: “At this moment, it may seem like all is lost, like your service or your sacrifices were for nothing … Remember that now is just one moment in time and that things will continue to change.”

I related to that statement. In the aftermath of ISIS taking over Iraq in 2014, I certainly questioned my service. The survival of my fellow troops seemed the only purpose worth fighting for.

So amid the storms of 2022, a Murph on the horizon might seem like no big deal. But when the world’s problems seem overwhelming, taking on a local, personal challenge is a good place to start. So push-ups and squats have become part of my workout routine. I only started running consistently a few months ago after a four-year hiatus; my right foot finally healed after breaking a bone. I haven’t attempted pull-ups in years. Admittedly, performing several hundred of each exercise doesn’t seem likely.

But one former sister-in-arms is a CrossFit instructor and competitor. She offered us tips about breaking the Murph into chunks. There are adaptive forms of the workout, too, for those who don’t quite possess the strength and stamina for the original.

Muscles, minds, marriages and belief systems can all break down between youth and middle age. In midlife, as in war, one cuts one’s losses. By remaining adaptive, we decide what bits from the past can be honored and salvaged in order to build something new. The results — like my old bones or our relationships with each other — may be rickety, but this is a start that can help us grow in the years ahead. For those of us lucky enough to come home to celebrate decades of Memorial Days, the Murph is just one more thing that helps us measure how much our bodies have aged — and our hearts, too.

Teresa Fazio is a former Marine Corps officer and the author of the memoir Fidelis. You can find other veteran insights in these digital pages, but you should look locally for ways to support them in your community. All politics is local, as we understand it.

Noel Leon

The First Noel Leon

Age: 28
Height:
5’6″
Measurements: 36C-25-35
Fun Fact: Attended a Catholic School for Girls

Noel Leon has captured the hearts of more than a million fans from across the globe on Instagram, but the quirky model and writer from Venice Beach tells Penthouse that growing up, you’d most likely find her hiding in a corner with her nose in a book.

Openly bisexual, Noel says she finds liberation in living her truth unapologetically.

“Society will always put people in boxes. But living in a decade that actually allows women to do our thing, with men or women, while being able to not care what others think is truly liberating,” she explains.

As for some advice for the men and women who are keen to court her, Noel says, “My ideal first date would be a brutal game of tennis where I annihilate my opponent, before eating sushi in silence while reading a brutally honest PDF of each other’s red flags, pet peeves and positive attributes—bypassing the willy-nilly casual conversation. OK, maybe not all of that.  But definitely sushi and tennis.”

Game, set, love match?

So the magazine told us that, and we could of course had been happy with the openly bisexual part, dropped in some more pictures, and called it a day. … Then we watched some of Noel on Instagram, and that ignited a spark of deeper interest. We quickly put together another “10 Questions” list and sent it to her, hoping we might gain some deeper insights into the quirky and compelling woman. Noel answered, and we did.

Naturally we have included that Q&A after the quick gallery here, because although we said we wanted more than just more pictures, we did not say we meant to ignore them altogether.

How will it make you feel when people begin to recognize you as a Penthouse model?

I shun my ego from notions of notoriety. Therefore, I prefer people not recognize me in any fashion. Although, I do hope they admire my pictures in Penthouse, seeing seduction as an art form.

How have your friends and/or family reacted to you choosing nudity as part of your current vocation?

My family’s reaction has subdued over the years: from shock to indifference. However, my friends and I hold similar views, seeing nakedness as a natural state. American culture has commodified the female form, making nudity acceptable only in certain forms of consumption. Therefore, playing a part in removing the taboo is empowering.

What are your long-range plans?

I split my time between my two passions: writing and performing. I just wrote a Christmas movie based on my fist book, which will air TBD. I’m currently editing my second book, For the Love of Bagels, and working on its film adaptation. I’ve also been performing stand-up comedy (in different characters) at large venues weekly in the hopes of one day being on SNL. My ultimate dream is to write for/perform on SNL and make life-affirming dramedies.

Can you tell us about the last thing that made you laugh out loud?

The Oh, Hello Show on Broadway created by Nick Kroll and John Mulaney consistently makes me chuckle. I specifically watch their “Too Much Tuna” segment whenever I need a dopamine hit.

If someone with no concept asked you to describe a Penthouse Pet, how would you do that?

A Penthouse Pet is a woman who owns her sexuality as a creative life force.

Speaking of pets, do you have any?

I have a Pit Bill … Whitney Houston. But, she’s not a pet. She’s Whitney Houston reincarnated.

When you watch a favorite movie or TV show, do you identify with any of the characters?

I closely identify with Gilda Radner’s “Rosanna Danna”character on SNL.

If you could change one thing about your best friend, what would it be?

I wouldn’t change anything about my best friend. Because, according to the Butterfly Effect, changing even just one thing about her would throw off the entire course of history.

What would be the first thing Noel Leon would do if she won the Lottery?

I don’t entertain luck. Fortune is best visualized in the context of hard work. Hypothetically, (if after focused efforts) I amassed a Mega Lottery chunk of change, I would finance any fleeting fancy, any creative inspiration I contrived. And, I would finance other people’s passions, paying it back.

What’s your favorite kind of donut?

Do-nut ask me that. My heart belongs to bagels.

If you were wondering about the title, we have actually had a different version in our relatively short digital history. If you knew all the other strange things that happen around Penthouse, you would not even be surprised.

Honestly, this Noel had us at “shun my ego” because — and we can assure you of this — you will not find many famous personalities, Social Media or Hollywood, who would not get one of those full body shivers if they even considered that option. Of course they would never consider that options either, so they’re probably safe. … Take some time and look through the Noel Leon video clips on her Instagram page. Full disclosure, we’re still waiting on the Kindle version for the review, but you paper fans can also grab her book from Amazon. She’s an artist, a comedian, and she writes. Come to think of it, that seems unfair. She can probably cook too. She should definitely come show us, and if she cannot, we know some excellent homes with fine cooks in them she should visit.

Penthouse Club Tampa

Back And Better Than Ever

Before we get started into our clear goal of sucking up enough that we get invited to a free dinner at the Penthouse Prime restaurant, we should explain that Penthouse Clubs corporate has all sorts of highly-trained professionals that do all sorts of highly-trained professional things — like write press releases. Not wanting to in any way harm our chances for “medium rare with a view of the boobs” we have decided to comment when necessary in this itty-bitty, super easy to ignore, type. Pay no attention to the fan behind the curtain.

Boasting a premier nightlife experience, a celebrated steakhouse and the world’s most beautiful women, The Penthouse Club in Tampa, Florida, is back — and better than ever!

During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitality management company Kirkendoll Management (KM) was forced to temporarily close The Penthouse Club in Tampa, FL while the country was in lockdown. After acquiring the club in 2018, KM had been planning to remodel it in late 2020 and reopen just in time for Super Bowl LV in Tampa in February 2021. However, once businesses shut down after the initial COVID wave in March 2020, KM decided to take advantage of the mandatory closures and accelerate the construction schedule.

When The Penthouse Club — Tampa shut down on March 19, 2020, it thus began a $2 million full-blown renovation of the club, which included gutting the entire interior of the building and making significant changes to the exterior structure, all with the goal of transforming the space into the ultra-modern establishment that defines a top gentlemen’s club, nightclub, and superlative culinary destination all in one.

Penthouse Club Tampa - Old/New Outside

Complete with multiple stages, elevated VIP seating, 10 private rooms, two full bars, and Penthouse Prime — a five-star steakhouse with a dining room overlooking the main stage — a great team accomplished their vision combining elegance, comfort, and style.

Penthouse Club Tampa Old/New Inside

KM’s Chief Operating Officer (Nightclub Division) had been looking forward to the remodel for quite some time.

“The space itself is really incredible, but we felt like the previous footprint was dated and didn’t support the premium nightclub atmosphere we were looking to create,” Rolling explains. … “One of our top priorities was to relocate the entrance from the middle of the building to the corner, which allows for a much more open and connected space. No matter where you are in the club, you can still see the main stage and feel like you’re part of the party.”Chuck Rolling, [that] COO

For the record, the press release did not in fact include the illustration we have provided to the side below, a decision we made for two simple reasons. We find having thought-provoking illustrations generally preferable to not having them, and besides, who doesn’t like a happy bartender?

Happiness at Penthouse Club TampaLarge exterior signage accentuates the new corner entrance featuring the brand’s iconic PENTHOUSE wordmark, capitalizing on lighting that completely changes the landscape of the entire lot. No one can drive by The Penthouse Club on Westshore Blvd. and not notice the floor-to-ceiling LED lights that illuminate the façade of the building with different colors and patterns.

For the lighting and sound system, KM worked with idesign — leading lighting and sound engineers for nightclubs around the world — to build and program a series of custom LED panels surrounding the main stage, in addition to the exterior lighting.

“What idesign did with the lights is really more like visual artwork. Everything is fully programmable and customizable, and the lights and videos sync to the beat of the music, so it feels more like you’re at a concert than a nightclub,” says Patrick Palacios, Marketing Director of Global Licensing. “From the outside, the entire building looks like one huge, animated billboard. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Eddie Suqi, KM’s Director of Licensing for Penthouse Clubs, was on site in Tampa every day during the renovation and led the creative direction for the new club.

“It’s not often you get the chance to pull a space back to a shell and build a whole new concept. What I wasn’t anticipating was how many small details needed to be worked through to get us from a shell to something spectacular,” says Suqi.

“We weren’t just picking paint colors and bathroom tile. We were really trying to reimagine the club experience from a guest’s point of view and asking ourselves how we could improve it.”

One of Suqi’s favorite features? “We added USB ports to all of the chairs and seating areas, so you can charge your phone,” he explains. “Not a night goes by that someone doesn’t comment how useful those are. It’s very gratifying!”

Long before KM purchased the club, the steakhouse at The Penthouse Club — Tampa was known amongst the city’s night owls as a hidden gem. Open until 2 a.m., it was the best late-night option in the Westshore area and consistently had tables full of regulars.

“After we bought the club, we kept hearing how much people loved the steakhouse. We decided we wanted to bring it back and make it better than ever, so we rebranded it Penthouse Prime and outfitted a whole new kitchen and elevated dining area as part of the remodel. We offer a traditional steakhouse menu with some Tampa flare, and always feature seasonal specials and killer desserts. It’s probably the most unique dining experience in the whole city.”Eddie Suqi

At this point, much as did Lucy Ricardo on many occasions, we have some explaining to do. By now most everyone should be familiar with our hard and fast — so to speak — rule about not putting adult material out in free areas where sensitive eyes might run across it. While we still believe that absolutely, we did decide to make an exception today, simply in this one specific area: FOOD PORN! … Now at least you know why we’ve been looking for that free dinner invitation.

Experience Tampa’s hottest new nightclub in person and call ahead to reserve your VIP table or make a reservation at Penthouse Prime. Be a rebel: Leave the house with your phone at 20%. … You know where to charge up.

You can visit the The Penthouse Club — Tampa from 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 a.m. Monday-Friday and 6:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Penthouse Prime, the club’s attached steakhouse, opens for lunch and dinner, with the full dinner menu available until 2:00 a.m. every night.

In addition to encouraging you definitely to visit Penthouse Club — Tampa when you happen to be in the area, might we also suggest planning a trip to Tampa specifically for that purpose? A lot of places have beaches, but how many also have a place where you can get a 20 oz. bone-in ribeye along with a topless visual feast? … OH! Speaking of visual feasts, you probably noticed the header image we chose for this article happens to feature the four Pets who appeared live in Tampa at what we understand was quite an event, even by Florida strip club standards. In case you do not know them all by heart yet, we can give you more information on (left to right) Kenzie Anne, Hanna Carter, Carolina White and Amber Marie right in these (ever superior) digital pages. We end our celebration of Penthouse Club with this photograph of aforementioned Amber Marie, conveniently posing on the Penthouse Club — Tampa stage. Not only does Amber call the Tampa area home these days, but you might be hearing more about her soon. … Maybe. … How would we know anything?

Penthouse Pet Amber Marie on the Penthouse Club Tampa Stage

Call for reservations at Prime or to reserve a VIP table.
@phctampa | www.penthouseclubtampa.com | 813.288.9200

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