International Ms. Leather (or IMsL for short, pronounced "Imsel" by those in the know) brings women from all over the world for four days of workshops, networking, community organizing, shopping, performances, play spaces and, of course, bootblacking. The main event of the whole weekend is the competition for the title of International Ms. Leather, one of the venerable and most important titles in the leather community. This important figure is selected not just for their sex appeal but also for their skill, style and community organizing commitment. She serves as a profoundly important educator, spokesperson and leader to the leather community for the coming year. And this year, our very own Van Darkholme, director of BoundGods.com, will be serving as one of the judges for the title, putting his lifelong leather community experience to work as he helps decide who will help lead the leatherwomen community into a new era of kink activism and celebration.

If you're a leatherwoman (or someone who loves them), get your leather-clad ass to San Francisco March 19-22 and, as they say at IMSL, "Strap 'em on and ride!" Visit the website at IMsL.org for more information about the event schedule and registration.

This gorgeous blonde has been blazing new trails in erotic dominance and submission since she first walked into the Armory late last summer. But her life story is even more fascinating than her skill with a cane. Starting out as a lifestyle submissive, she learned to switch and then proceeded into topping full time. She now has a full-time dominant partner with whom she co-tops privately, but is searching for a 24/7 submissive as well. In this intimate interview, Maitresse Madeline talks about what turns her on, what inspires her, and what moves her so profoundly about BDSM, dominance, submission, pleasure, pain, and her very favorite toy: the mindfuck. The Maitresse also opens up about this coming Tuesday's Men In Pain update with her and Wolf Hudson — an explosive scene that resulted in tears, comfort, and profoundly cherished insight between the players.

Maitresse Madeline's frank confessions offer a rare glimpse into the real experiences that define the BDSM lifestyle, going well beyond play and into the dark and lovely corridors of the lifestyler's mind.

Eyebrows went up all over town this week when Tom Myer's editorial cartoon in the San Francisco Chronicle featured a wry reference to the goings-on at Kink.com. Here at the Armory we had a few laughs ourselves at the use of the building for political satire — we guess this means we've become a recognizable icon. Is any person or institution really famous until they've been satirized in political cartoons?

View Tom's cartoon here.

Two weekends ago we flew into Vegas to visit the set of a shoot for <a href="">Manhunt's On The Hunt amateur site. Of course, when we got there we found that it wasn't just any shoot -- in addition to us, they'd flown in twenty guys, four porn-star directors and hoped to film forty scenes in just a few days. There were only two rules: no drugs and no sex off camera. If you wanted to fuck, you had to get a director. There was a lot of competition for directors.

In the first episode of a new series on Maestro's ongoing training, we provide a rare glimpse into the deeply interactive process that makes TheTrainingOfO.com so unusual and powerful. With excerpts from the first day of Satine Phoenix's training, this video provides an intimate look at the inner workings of James's training program through the curious and attentive eyes of our Dom-in-Training Maestro. Just as Satine begins her ongoing journey with James, so does Maestro — and we will continue to be there as he gains more and more knowledge and experience under James's masterful tutelage. Stay tuned for more lessons to come...

To me, there's nothing better than a big-ol' floppy dick bouncing up and down while its owner is getting fucked senseless. Therefore, I decided to dedicate an entire blog entry in praise of these hung little lapdogs, but couldn't get past the first example because I was so completely transfixed.

Meet Jake and Mitch, courtesy of the oh-so-generous Sean Cody!

The bondage on Kink.com's sites may seem complicated, but with a few kinky bondage fundamentals you can get tying and playing in minutes. To show you how easy it can be, Hogtied.com director and rope educator Lochai enlists the aid of Bella Rossi, the busty newcomer who's been wriggling, writhing and squirting her way across a half-dozen Kink.com sites in recent months. Lochai utilizes Bella's fetching form to demonstrate two simple, sexy and practical ties: the Texas Handcuff and the Double Column Tie. Grab a length of rope, a willing victim or two, and then watch and learn. And hey, if tying rope gets your juices flowing, more power to you! Who said school can't be fun? For questions about the two ties seen here visit the Behind Kink Forums.

Visit the SF Citadel Men site for all the info, including how to RSVP for this hot party. And if you want to get filthy ideas for playing at the Citadel, or anywhere else, Kink Men's BoundGods.com is just the place!

When you're head honcho at a company like Kink.com, you greenlight a lot of unusual projects sight unseen. But sooner or later every CEO wants to know what his employees have been up to, and Peter Acworth is no exception. FuckingMachines.com director Tomcat lures Peter into the Machine Room for a hands-on tour of the most devious devices that Kink's crew of mad scientists have designed and built over the last year. The pair gets up close and personal with an arsenal of innovative machines: There's the undulating, hole-stretching Octopussy, the 1800-stroke-per-minute Satisfyher, the ultra-programmable Titan and the blinking tentacle pleasures of Pandora's box. Come behind the scenes at the Armory to see just how much fun can be had with heavy machinery and a little AC power. As Tomcat puts it: "You can't really go wrong with hot girls and hot machines."

When you're head honcho at a company like Kink.com, you greenlight a lot of unusual projects sight unseen. But sooner or later every CEO wants to know what his employees have been up to, and Peter Acworth is no exception. FuckingMachines.com director Tomcat lures Peter into the Machine Room for a hands-on tour of the most devious devices that Kink's crew of mad scientists have designed and built over the last year. The pair gets up close and personal with an arsenal of innovative machines: There's the undulating, hole-stretching Octopussy, the 1800-stroke-per-minute Satisfyher, the ultra-programmable Titan and the blinking tentacle pleasures of Pandora's box. Come behind the scenes at the Armory to see just how much fun can be had with heavy machinery and a little AC power. As Tomcat puts it: "You can't really go wrong with hot girls and hot machines."