Who are the best - Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi

Barcelona versus Real Madrid is arguably football's greatest rivalry, but within the fascinating duel of Spain's superpowers there is an individual battle between two tremendous talents: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

They could not be more different. While the Argentine is an old-fashioned, street-style footballer who evokes a bygone era with his dazzling dribbles and mesmerising magic on the ball, the Portuguese is the complete modern player - all pace, power, precision and potency.

 Messi and Ronaldo will go head to head - along with Xavi - for the Fifa Ballon d'Or in January and while the Argentine is expected to triumph in Zurich, 2011 has been a brilliant year for both players. Individually, Cristiano has the edge over the last 12 months, having netted an incredible 60 goals in 60 games, although collectively, Messi can claim the bragging rights, having led his brilliant Barcelona side to five more trophies under Pep Guardiola - La Liga, the Champions League, the Spanish Supercopa, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup.

CRISTIANO RONALDO FOR CLUB & COUNTRY IN 2011

Competition Games Goals Assists Bookings Trophies La Liga 34 43 12 2 0 Cups 7 5 0 4 1 CL 10 5 4 1 0 Internationals 9 7 1 1 0 Total 60 60 17 8 1

Ronaldo recently broke the record for the number of league goals in a calendar year. The former Manchester United man has netted 43 times in La Liga in 2011, surpassing Messi's mark of 42 goals set in 2010. And those 43 strikes have come in just 34 games, 27 of which were part of last season's record-breaking total of 40, which set a new Pichichi record in Spain's top flight. But that may yet be beaten this term as Cristiano has already scored 20 in just 16 league games for Jose Mourinho's side in 2010-11.

Ronaldo is often accused of failing to produce against bigger teams, however, and that point was raised recently as the 26-year-old disappointed in the 3-1 Clasico defeat to Barcelona. These stats appear to back up the claim, too, because Cristiano is less prolific against top-class opposition in the Champions League than in La Liga, where standards drop outside the top four or five sides.

For Portugal, the forward enjoyed a happy year in front of goal, scoring seven in nine games, but apart from the winner in a 2-1 success over Messi's Argentina, the other strikes came against lesser lights such as Cyprus, Luxembourg, Denmark and Bosnia.

And although he has shown a more generous side to his game of late, his total of 17 assists is still some way short of Messi's 28.

Madrid are getting closer to Barca, though, and much of that is down to Ronaldo. At his brilliant best, he may just inspire them to even greater things in 2012.

LIONEL MESSI FOR CLUB & COUNTRY IN 2011

Competition Games Goals Assists Bookings Trophies La Liga 36 31 16 2 1 Cups 10 12 4 4 3 CL 11 12 5 1 1 Internationals 13 4 3 1 0 Total 70 59 28 6 5

At the moment, however, Messi is still the main man. His international stats may be less impressive, but overall his numbers are very similar to those of Ronaldo. He has more assists than his rival, struck just a goal less than the Portuguese in 2011 - albeit in more games - and offers so much to a Barca side in which he is the undoubted star.

Messi may have hit 12 goals less than Cristiano in the calendar year, but his superior strike rate both in the cups and the Champions League proves he can perform against any adversaries. Indeed, in key games such as the Champions League semi-final and final, the Argentine delivered.

He falls down only internationally, hampered by a system which fails to get the best from his astonishing abilities. That remains a concern for Argentina as the South Americans look to take advantage of possessing the world's finest footballer in their ranks. No wonder, then, they have tried to copy Barcelona's formation in the past, attempting to replicate a system in which Guardiola moved Messi further forward, playing him inside, supported by Xavi and Andres Iniesta behind him. It's a frightening prospect for any side, and one which has led Barca to 13 trophies under their current coach - including five in the past 12 months. But as Pep always says: they couldn't have done it without Messi.

So even though Cristiano outscored Leo in 2011, it's the Argentine who ends the year on top because of his ability to perform on the grandest of stages - and the silverware he has claimed in the process.

But as their clubs commence battle again in the New Year and their own personal duel continues, it remains to be see who will come out on top in 2012.

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Chris John's Biography

 

Yohannes Christian John (born September 14, 1979 in Banjarnegara, Central Java, Indonesia) is an Indonesian professional boxer, and the current WBA (Super) featherweight champion.

John is the third Indonesian to win a boxing world title, following Ellyas Pical and Nico Thomas.

John started boxing in his early childhood and was trained by his father Johan Tjahjadi (aka Thjia Foek Sem), a former amateur boxer.

Statistics
Real name	Yohannes Christian John
Nickname(s)	The Dragon The Indonesian Thin Man
Rated at	Featherweight
Height	5 ft 6.5 in (1.69 m)
Reach	65 in (170 cm)
Nationality	Indonesian
Born	September 14, 1979 (age 32) Banjarnegara, Indonesia (Resides in Semarang)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	48
Wins	46
Wins by KO	22
Losses	0
Draws	2

Professional career

John turned professional in 1997 and is known as "Thin Man" before he proclaimed his new nickname "The Dragon" that he uses until today.

In 2005 John split with trainer Sutan Rambing then joined Harry's Gym in Perth, Australia, where he is currently trained and managed by Craig Christian.

In the year 2008, Chris John was interviewed by ESPN and he stated that he will fight another 5 or 6 fights and will retire. Should he do so, he will be rated amongst the most anonymous world champions in the history of the sport, primarily due to his unwillingness to fight outside Indonesia and his unwillingness match up against the top ranked fighters of his day.

On October 24, Chris reached and won his 10th milestone world title defense fight, which was also his 5th mandatory fight, against Japan boxer Hiroyuki Enoki in Tokyo, Japan.

On February 28, 2009, Chris John again staked his world title against Rocky Juarez in Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, which served as the main undercard for the Marquez-Diaz lightweight title bout. This was the first time he had fought on American soil. John seemed to take control of the fight in the middle rounds, but Juarez rallied to take the final two, resulting in a seemingly controversial draw. HBO's Harold Lederman and Max Kellerman both had the fight scored 8 rounds to 4 for Chris John. John had a rematch again Juarez in Las Vegas on September 19 and the fight was won by the Indonesian via a very clear 119-109, 117-111, 114-113, 12 round unanimous decision.

John defended his title for the 13th time on December 5, 2010, by defeating Argentinian David Saucedo by unanimous decision.

Trainers

• 2005–present: Craig Christian
• 1997 - 2004: Sutan Rambing
• 1984 - 1997: Johan Tjahjadi (John's father)

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Liem Swie King's Biography

Liem Swie King (Chinese: 林水镜; born 28 February 1956 in Kudus) is a former Indonesian badminton player who excelled from the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. He won 1978, 1979 and 1981 All England. He played in Thomas Cup for five times. In 2002 he received IBF highest award. Along with Morten Frost (Denmark), Han Jian and Luan Jin (China), and Prakash Padukone (India), he was one of the world's leading singles players of that era. A world level player in men's doubles as well as men's singles, he was known for the ferocity of his jumping smash.

Early Life

Liem was born on 28 February 1956 in Kudus, Central Java. His parents were Ng Thian Poo and Oei See Moi from Fujian. He was the only son of 8 children. During elementary school, he studied at Sekolah Tionghoa, and later moved to SD Negeri Dema'an II in 1965. In 1974, he changed his name to Guntur in order to accept government instruction.

Career

Liem won Central Java badminton championship at the age of 15. In November 1972, he participated in First Djakarta Badminton Open Tournament. It was his first international tournament. Three years later, he won Moenadi Cup, the Central Java Governor Cup. In 1973, he strengthened Central Java on Pekan Olahraga Nasional VIII and reached the final. After that in the same year, he won Kejuaraan Dunia Bulu Tangkis Piala Garuda (Garuda Cup Badminton World Championship) in Tegal.

While in senior high school, in early 1974 he won national championship. In the same year he participated in All England for the first time. In 1976 and 1977 he became the runner-up. Liem won the prestigious All-England Men Singles Championships in 1978, 1979 and 1981 during a six-consecutive-year run to the finals (1976–1981) of what was then perhaps the world's most prestigious badminton tournament. He was the runner-up at the then triennial World Championships in both 1980 and 1983 to fellow Indonesians Rudy Hartono and Icuk Sugiarto respectively. He was a member of the Thomas Cup winning Indonesian teams of 1976, 1979, and 1984, playing both singles and doubles on the latter two occasions. He also played in the Thomas Cup in the years 1982 and 1986. He was a bronze medalist in the men's doubles together with Hariamanto Kartono at the 1985 IBF World Championships in Calgary.

He retired from badminton in 1988, and now owns a health spa in Jakarta.

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Michael Jordan's Biography

Born: February 17, 1963
Brooklyn, New York
African American basketball player

Basketball superstar Michael Jordan is one of the most successful, popular, and wealthy athletes in college, Olympic, and professional sports history.

Michael Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York, one of James and Deloris Jordan's five children. The family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, when Michael was very young. His father worked as a General Electric plant supervisor, and his mother worked at a bank. His father taught him to work hard and not to be tempted by street life. His mother taught him to sew, clean, and do laundry. Jordan loved sports but failed to make his high school basketball team as a sophomore. He continued to practice and made the team the next year. After high school he accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina, where he played under head coach Dean Smith.

In Jordan's first season at North Carolina he was named Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Rookie of the Year for 1982. The team won the ACC championship, and Jordan made the clutch jump shot that beat Georgetown University for the championship of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Jordan led the ACC in scoring as a sophomore and as a junior. The Sporting News named him college player of the year for both years. He left North Carolina after his junior year and was selected by the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) as the third pick of the 1984 draft. Before joining the Bulls, Jordan was a member of the Summer 1984 United States Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal in Los Angeles, California.

Early pro years

When Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls they were a losing team, drawing only around six thousand fans to home games. Jordan quickly turned that around. His style of play and fierce spirit of competition reminded sportswriters and fans of Julius Erving (1950–), who had been a superstar player during the 1970s. Jordan's incredible leaping ability and hang time thrilled fans in arenas around the league. In his first season he was named to the All-Star team and was later honored as the league's Rookie of the Year.
A broken foot sidelined Jordan for 64 games during the 1985–86 season, but he

Michael Jordan.
Reproduced by permission of

Getty Images

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returned to score 49 points against the Boston Celtics in the first game of the playoffs and 63 in the second game—an NBA playoff record. The 1986–87 season was again one of individual successes, and Jordan started in the All-Star game after receiving a record 1.5 million votes. He became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain (1936–1999) to score 3,000 points in a single season. Jordan enjoyed personal success, but Chicago did not advance beyond the first round of the playoffs until 1988. Jordan concentrated on improving his other basketball skills, and in 1988 he was named Defensive Player of the Year. He was also named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) and became the first player to lead the league in both scoring and steals. He was again named MVP in that year's All-Star game. By adding such players as Scottie Pippen, Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, and John Paxson around Jordan, the Bulls' management created a strong team that won the 1991 NBA title by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers. The next year, the Bulls repeated as NBA champions by beating the Portland Trail Blazers. In 1992 Jordan also played on the "Dream Team," which participated in the Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. The Olympic Committee had voted to lift the ban on professional athletes participating in the games. The team easily won the gold medal, winning their eight games by an average margin of 43.7 points.

Unexpected retirement

In 1993, after a tough playoff series with the New York Knicks, the Bulls met the Phoenix Suns for the NBA championship. When it was over, Jordan was again playoff MVP, and Chicago had won a third straight title. That summer Jordan's father, James, was murdered by two men during a robbery attempt. Jordan was grief stricken, and his father's death, combined with media reports about his gambling, led him to announce his retirement from professional basketball in October. Jordan had won three straight NBA titles, three regular season MVP awards, three playoff MVP titles, seven consecutive scoring titles, and he was a member of the All-Star team every year that he was in the league. In just nine seasons he had become the Bulls all-time leading scorer.
In 1994–95 Jordan played for the Birmingham Barons, a minor league baseball team in the Chicago White Sox system. Although the seventeen-month experiment showed that he was not a major league baseball player, the experience and time away from basketball provided a much-needed rest and opportunity to regain his love of basketball.

Return to glory

When Jordan returned to the Chicago Bulls during the 1994–95 regular season, people wondered, "Could he do it again?" He played well, but he was obviously rusty. The Bulls were defeated in the playoffs by the Orlando Magic. After a summer of playing basketball during breaks from filming the live-action cartoon movie Space Jam, Jordan returned with a fierce determination to prove that he had the ability to get back on top. The 1995–96 Bulls finished the regular season 72–10, an NBA record for most wins in a season, and Jordan, with his shooting rhythm back, earned his eighth scoring title. He also became the tenth NBA player to score 25,000 career points and second fastest after Chamberlain to reach that mark. The Bulls went on to win their fourth NBA championship, overpowering the Seattle Supersonics in six games. Few who watched will ever forget how Jordan sank to his knees, head bent over the winning ball, in a moment of bittersweet victory and deep sadness. The game had been played on Father's Day, three years after his father's murder.
The defending champions had a tougher time during the 1996–97 season but entered the playoffs as expected. Sheer determination took the Bulls to their fifth NBA championship. Illness, injury, and at times a lack of concentration hurt the team. In the fifth game of the finals Jordan carried the team to victory despite suffering from a stomach virus. In the 1997–98 season the Bulls were again in the playoffs, and again they faced tough competition. As before, they were able to clinch the NBA championship, and Jordan claimed his sixth NBA finals MVP award.
Jordan's other professional life as a businessman was never off track. Profitable endorsements (ads in which he voiced his support for certain products) for companies such as Nike and Wheaties, as well as his own golf company and products such as Michael Jordan cologne (which reportedly sold 1.5 million bottles in its first two months), made Jordan a multimillionaire. In 1997 he was ranked the world's highest paid athlete, with a $30 million contract—the largest one-year salary in sports history—and approximately $40 million a year in endorsement fees.

Retired again

Jordan retired for a second time in 1999, ending his career on a high note just after the official end of a labor dispute between NBA players and team owners. Many people saw him as the greatest basketball player ever, and his retirement was called the end of an era. In 2000 Jordan became part-owner and president of basketball operations of the Washington Wizards. This made him only the third African American owner in the NBA. He also gained an ownership stake in the Washington Capitals hockey team. Also in 2000, Jordan celebrated the first year of his $1 million grant program to help teachers make a difference in their schools.
In September 2001, after months of rumors, Jordan announced that he was ending his three-year retirement to play for the Wizards at age thirty-eight. At a news conference to discuss his comeback, he said, "Physically, I know I'm not twenty-five years old, but I feel I can play the game of basketball on the highest level." The Wizards, who had won only nineteen games the season before, improved with the addition of Jordan. After being voted to play in his thirteenth All-Star game (during which he missed a slam dunk), Jordan had the Wizards in the race for the playoffs until suffering a knee injury and missing the last part of the season. He was also distracted in January 2002 when his wife Juanita, whom he married in 1989, filed for divorce. (They have three children.) The next month the divorce was called off. Jordan said he planned to play one more season for the Wizards.

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Michael Schumacher's Biography

Name	: Michael Schumacher
Nicknames	: Schumi, Schuey
Date of Birth	: 3rd January 1969
Place of Birth	: Hürth-Hermülheim, Germany
Height	: 1.74m
Weight	: 68kg
Residency	: Vufflens-le-Château, Switzerland
Marital Status	: Married
Wife	: Corinna Schumacher (nee Betsch) since Tuesday 1st August 1995
Children	: Gina-Maria, daughter (DOB 19/01/97) and son Mick (DOB 22/03/99)
Family	: Rolf, Father, Elizabeth, Mother and Ralf, Brother (DOB 30/6/75)
Interests	: Soccer, tennis, swimming, skiing

His Manager...
Michael's manager since 1989 has been Willi Weber. Schumacher was to receive a free drive in his WTS team for three years, Weber in return is reported to receive 20% of all income Michael earns from motor races. The initial agreement was to last 10 years, however it was later extended for a further several years.

His Helmet...
Michael explains how his helmet's paint scheme came about:
"From the area of the visor you see the traditional German black-red-gold. I chose the colours years ago with a friend of mine and I changed it only slightly, mostly to include sponsor decals. The blue circle with the white stars on the top was his idea. After joining Ferrari I added the prancing horse on the back. "

Since the European GP in 2000, Michael has raced with a modified helmet design. The blue circle on the top in now painted light red. The white Marlboro stripe around the top is also now red. The change was made to prevent confusion between himself and Barrichello, whose design was confusingly similar.

F1 Teams Driven for...

Year	Team	Teammates
1991	Jordan	1991 Andrea de Cesaris
1991-1995	Benetton	1991 Nelson Piquet 1992 Martin Brundle 1993 Riccardo Patrese 1994 Jos Verstappen/JJ Lehto/ Jonny Herbert 1995 Jonny Herbert
1996-2006	Ferrari	1996-1999 Eddie Irvine 2000-2005 Rubens Barrichello 2006-2007 Felipe Massa

Schuey entered only one race for Jordan - which was his F1 debut at Spa Francorchamps in 1991. He qualified 7th but in the race the clutch burnt out and he didn't make it off the grid. He was standing in for Bertrand Gachot, who had been jailed in London just before the GP for an assault with CS gas on a taxi driver!

Michael is Ferrari's most successful driver ever, ahead of Niki Lauda. 

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Who should win the Ballon d'Or?

With El Clasico a matter of days away, it's fitting that Barcelona and Real Madrid's biggest superstars have been pitched against each other following the announcement of the Ballon d'Or nominations, with Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi each shortlisted as potentially the best player in the world.

It is the third consecutive year in which the Camp Nou duo have been selected on the shortlist, with Ronaldo taking the place of last year's third place nominee, Andres Iniesta.

It has been another enthralling 12 months for La Liga's biggest rivals, with Barcelona picking up the league title, the Champions League and the European Super Cup, while Jose Mourinho's side denied them a clean sweep of silverware by winning the Copa del Rey at the Mestalla back in April.

LIONEL MESSI

MAJOR HONOURS La Liga, Champions League, European Super Cup

Appearances in 2011: 61 Goals: 55 Assists: 25 Goals per game: 0.90

THE CASE FOR... An incredible amount of goals, including two at the Bernabeu, one in the Champions League final, and more assists than anyone else. THE CASE AGAINST... Struggled to shine for Argentina at the Copa America

Last year's winner and, for many, one of the greatest players in the history of the game. Messi has once again spearheaded Barcelona's pursuit of excellence and has performed when it mattered most, delivering match-winning performances across the year to help make the Catalans the team to beat in world football.

CRISTIANO RONALDO

MAJOR HONOURS Copa del Rey

Appearances in 2011: 53 Goals: 52 Assists: 17 Goals per game: 0.98

THE CASE FOR... Set a new Pichichi record and helped Madrid to their first piece of silverware since 2008. THE CASE AGAINST... Less decisive in the Clasico fixtures than his Barcelona rivals, and got far less assists than Messi.

Has looked like a one-man band at times in helping Real Madrid close the gap on Barcelona, scoing a glut of goals and adding a greater work ethic to his game. The Portuguese superstar is no longer the show pony of old and has turned into a force unable to be reckoned with. La Liga's star performer so far this season.

XAVI

MAJOR HONOURS La Liga, Champions League, European Super Cup

Appearances in 2011: 55 Goals: 7 Assists: 11 Goals per game: 0.12

THE CASE FOR... Still the best midfielder in the world and was masterful in the middle as Barca dominated both at home and on the continent. THE CASE AGAINST... Surely missed his best chance of winning the prize following Spain's World Cup success.

Incredibly consistent for both club and country, Xavi is still by far and away the best midfielder in the world. The 31-year-old has been typically metronomic alongside the likes of Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Sergio Busquets and Thiago Alcantara in the Barcelona midfield, and was a key component to another season laden with success at Camp Nou in 2010-11.

Source

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Tips How to Eliminate Premature Ejaculation

Tips How to Eliminate Premature Ejaculation:
Stop and start technique
This technique simply means to bring yourself to (near) the point of no return, and stopping all stimulation before it's too late. For some men, this includes removal of the penis from the vagina, although for others this may not be necessary.

After the urgent feeling to ejaculate subsides, usually after 30 seconds, then thrusting and intercourse can be resumed. This stop and start technique can be repeated several times.

Communication is the key here, guys. Let your partner know that you are getting close to orgasm and to slow down or temporarily stop.

In addition to intercourse, the stop and start technique can also be practiced with your hand, with or without lubricant.


Remember to breathe...
Believe it or not, breathing deeply and relaxing your body during intercourse can help! This works best for premature ejaculation that is caused by anxiety or tension.

Because of its relaxing effect, some men report that drinking one (just one ,guys) glass of red wine before lovemaking can help.

For others, distracting oneself by thinking about other things like the office or football can also help to prevent premature ejaculation. Just remember not to think out loud!

The squeeze technique
This technique involves gently squeezing the base or end of the penile shaft and stopping sexual stimulation until the urge to ejaculate passes. The squeezing can be done by either the man or his partner, and can be repeated until ejaculation is desired.

Wear a condom
One of the most overlooked simple cures of premature ejaculation is to wear a condom. Besides being a good practice against sexually transmitted diseases and as a contraceptive, a condom can help reduce the sensation and thus prolong sex.

Masturbate first
Masturbating first a couple of hours before making love can result in the increased ability to last longer. Unfortunately, this often reduces the man's desire for sex.

Different sexual positions
Some men reach orgasm and ejaculate faster in the traditional missionary position (man on top). These men may last longer when their partner is on top. Remember, however, that sexual position preference varies very widely.

Changing positions every so often can also help, perhaps by giving the man brief pauses during lovemaking every now and then.

Desensitizing cream
Desensitizing cream works by lessening the sensation felt by men during intercourse. Although it lengthens staying power for many men, it comes with a price: most of these men said that the cream also makes sex less pleasurable.

Be sure to tell your partner that you are using desensitizing cream. Unfortunately, the dulling effect can also be transferred and felt by the woman, making it longer for her to reach orgasm (which may be one of the reasons a man feels he's not lasting long enough in the first place!).
 
Pelvic muscle exercise
Would you believe that an exercise usually reserved for incontinent women can help a man prevent premature ejaculation?

In a woman, pregnancy and childbirth are the main cause of the weakening of the pelvic floor muscle. This usually leads to female incontinence.

The same pelvic muscle is also involved in the ejaculation process (if you must know, the contraction of the pelvic muscle forces the seminal or ejaculate fluid from the prostate gland). This means that for a man, the same pelvic muscle exercise can help gain control over his premature ejaculation.

The pelvic muscle exercise is simple: "flex" the pelvic muscle as if you are holding back from or stopping urination. Hold the muscle for about three to five seconds, relax for about three seconds, and repeat. With practice, you should be able to work your way up to hold your pelvic muscle for ten seconds and do as many as one hundred contractions per day.

Remember, you can do this discreet exercise at almost anytime and in any place.

Herbal treatment
There are many herbs for men's sexual health available in the market today. Some of these, such as yohimbe and maca extracts, are basically stimulants and may have unwanted side effects, especially for older men.

A very promising herb is purified Tribulus terrestris extract, available under the brand name Libilov. Taken regularly, Tribulus has been proven by many scientific medical studies to help men overcome premature ejaculation without side effects. Moreover, the herb helps boost sex drive, increases stamina and control, and even improves sensation

Testicular restraint
Gently restraining the testicles from moving during intercourse can help some men from ejaculating prematurely. Although some found it uncomfortable or too much hassle, testicular restraint is generally safe. It can be purchased discreetly through erotic mail-order companies.

Taking cues from the squeeze technique and a vacuum device for impotence, an erotic device called a penis ring or band works to prevent premature ejaculation in some (adventurous) men. Here, a stretchy rubber ring on the base of the penis does the squeezing. Some men, however, feel slight discomfort during intercourse when wearing this ring.

Premature ejaculation can be treated
The tips above have been reported to help about 95% of men to prolong their lovemaking. Remember to be sure to contact your health provider if you feel that you have a severe premature ejaculation problem.

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