clothes maketh the woman

Muhammed Ali's advice to his daughters...
An incident transpired when Muhammad Ali’s daughters arrived at his home wearing clothes that were quite revealing.

Here is the story as told by one of his daughters:
“When we finally arrived, the chauffeur escorted my younger sister, Laila, and me up to my father’s suite. As usual, he was hiding behind the door waiting to scare us.
We exchanged many hugs and kisses as we could possibly give in one day.

My father took a good look at us. Then he sat me down on his lap and said something that I will never forget. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Hana, everything that God made valuable in the world is covered and hard to get to. Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected.
Where do you find pearls? Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell.

Where do you find gold? Way down in the mine, covered over with layers and layers of rock. You've got to work hard to get to them.”

He looked at me with serious eyes. “Your body is sacred. You’re far more precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered too.” From the book: More Than A Hero: Muhammad Ali's Life Lessons Through His Daughter's Eyes.

reminds me of something i heard

censorship is like a bikini

what you reveal is interesting

but what you conceal is fascinating

the video on cosmetic surgery

the usual reactions

1 squeamish and refused to watch
2 squeamish but still watching
3 the macho - i will watch no matter what
4 luckily no one fainted
5 wish i had a camera - to snap a pic of namira hiding under the table

but do not forget the learning points

1 shd cosmetic surgery be banned?

the point of contention is --- should it be banned. not wheter cs is good or bad

give me short ugly and overweight, anytime

NOW... AS MUCH AS I CONSIDER THESE FOLKS LOST SOULS - FOR BEING SO SUPERFICIAL AND LACKING IN SELF ESTEEM ... WE LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD...AND WE WOULD BE DELUDING OURSELVES IF WE SAY THAT LOOKS DON'T COUNT...

A number of studies show that tall, good-looking people do better in life and in love. It makes some sense, even in the job markets. Who would not rather have an attractive salesman or clerk instead of an ugly or overweight one?

The bias toward better-looking people is cruel, but it is a fact of life. As jobs disappear, the Adonis is more likely to find work than a hag is.

According to Reuters, “some surgeons and patients are now citing increased interest in surgery among people wanting to look younger and “fresher” for the ever-competitive job market.” Whether the surgery will ultimately help a significant number of people find jobs, it will keep plastic surgeons off the bread lines.

The news points to the vicious cycle caused by the recession and resulting job loss. An individual who is out of a job may have very little money. If that money is spent on surgery, the patient may have nothing left for essentials like housing and food. The trend could even increase mortgage delinquency rates.

The desperate are often willing to take chances, even those with long odds. In most cases, these are bad decisions, but they still may have some benefits. Even those who are out of work, but surgically improved, will feel better looking in the mirror, and the ranks of the unemployed will appear to have a better class of people.

anuja yining and nani

thank you for your kind words

this one is for you.... question is on beauty
please take note that if the queestion is on image the topic will be broader
because you can talk about image of companies public figures etc

Should we be concerned about the increasing popularity of cosmetic surgery?


Plastic/ cosmetic surgery
• Breast implants, liposuction, facelift, collagen injections, tummy tuck….

Popular
• Most plastic surgery operations done in 1 USA 2 Brazil 3 UK 4 France
• In countries like S Korea, popular with teens
• the young/ old/ women/ even men

We should be concerned

• our media-dominated society places a premium on good looks and people are influenced by this mindset
• we are becoming superficial / artificial
• People who want to break into certain glamorous professions where looks matter see this as a surgical recourse
• What is valued in society has gone through a drastic change – what kind of signals are we sending to our young?
• Risks of surgery – bleeding, scarring…. When doctors are overworked/ demand escalates…
• High expectations, disappointment, post-operative depression
• Danger of beauty parlours jumping on the bandwagon
• Over – reliance on quick fixes
• What happens to the plain Janes who cannot afford the procedure?

No need for concern

• Affordability, accessibility, advanced surgical procedures … people are more confident about the procedure
• If it boosts their confidence/self-esteem
• Since doctors/hospitals have a reputation to upkeep, chances are they would ensure they maintain high standards
• Even the tourist industry has jumped on the bandwagon – need to rejoice rather than be concerned. In countries like Thailand – it is a big money-spinner; hospitals provide package deals for tourists (with resort-like accommodation)

Further points of discussion

• Is there a need for a regulatory body; is it a viable option in the first place?
• Should we safeguard the young by having an age requirement for some procedures?
• As in many other areas, perhaps the concern will start to dissipate once it becomes a common trend….
• Isn’t it a little too late to be concerned ?

importance of looks - beijing olympics

OLYMPIC organisers on Wednesday defended a decision to fake a key part of the Games opening ceremony, as China enforced a virtual media blackout on the lip-synching controversy.
Nine-year-old Lin Miaoke became a celebrity in China after she 'sang' a patriotic ballad in front of 91,000 people and a television audience of over one billion during last week's spectacular show.
But it later emerged the real voice belonged to chubby seven-year-old Yang Peiyi, who was deemed not attractive enough to go on stage, and that the switch was ordered by a politburo member of China's ruling Communist party.
Mr Wang Wei, vice-president of the Beijing Olympic organising committee, said an artistic decision was made by the producers of the ceremony and that he did not believe it was unethical.
'I do not see there is anything wrong with it,' he said.
International Olympic Committee executive director Gilbert Felli also defended the use of a more photogenic double, comparing it to an athlete taking part in Olympic qualification and then being dropped for the main event.
'You have to be sure that the performers and the song, it is at the highest level,' he told reporters.
Asked how Yang's parents would explain the decision to her, Felli added: 'That is what it is in sport, in life.'
Photographs of Lin in a bright red party dress apparently singing the patriotic song 'Ode to the Motherland' were published in newspapers and on websites all over the world.
The official China Daily on Tuesday said 'songbird' Lin was on the way to becoming a major star, and it quoted her father as saying his daughter had become an international singing sensation.
However the tributes stopped after Chen Qigang, the musical director of the opening ceremony, revealed in an interview that pigtailed Lin was only selected to appear because of her 'flawless' appearance and did not sing a note.
'The reason was for the national interest,' Mr Chen, a renowned composer and French citizen, said in an interview that briefly appeared on the Sina.com news website before it was apparently wiped.
'Lin Miaoke is excellent in those aspects. But in terms of voice, Yang Peiyi is perfect,' he said.
Chinese newspapers and broadcasters made no reference to the two young girls on Wednesday. References to the story were also blocked or deleted from the Internet.
Later in the day, the official Xinhua news agency put out a brief item on the official reaction to the issue, but it only appeared on the English-language service.
China's media is under the control of the central government, which also tightly polices the Internet and often deletes or blocks access to items considered unflattering to the country's leaders.
The song saga may have embarrassed the nation's top leaders after Chen also revealed the decision to switch the girls was made by a very senior official.

Australian doctors warn against 'designer vagina' craze

SYDNEY - AUSTRALIAN doctors have raised concerns about clinics offering vaginal cosmetic surgery, warning the trend towards so-called 'designer vaginas' may be exploiting vulnerable women.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said procedures being offered included 'vaginal rejuvenation, revirgination, designer vaginoplasty and G-spot amplification'.
'What is involved in these procedures is often unclear since recognised clinical nomenclature is not being used,' it said in a position paper released this week.
The college labelled the procedures dangerous, expensive and unwarranted, and said it strongly discouraged surgery that was not backed by scientific evidence or clinical trials.
'The real risks of potential complications such as scarring, permanent disfigurement, infection, dyspareunia and altered sexual sensations should be discussed in detail with women seeking such treatments,' it said.
The college said women should understand that there were a large number of variations in the appearance of normal female genitalia.
'The college is particularly concerned that such surgery may exploit vulnerable women,' it said.

WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE TO PUT OTHERS DOWN?

My mother's theory was that they felt inferior and this is their defenceand coping strategy.....of course she didn't exactly put it in those words butyou get the idea. I once came home crying after another day of relentless teasingabout my height, or lack thereof.Her simple words of consolation - you are in the university and they are not...This is the only way they can feel superior to you....Such wisdom....has the calming effect of a pacifier
It really was not very difficult to deal with these people when I started feeling pity for them, instead of anger and exasperation.Then I started laughing with them, when they poked fun at me....and lifereally got a lot easier after that.My message to you kiddos, is to perhaps pray about it and then move on..... i became happier when i learned to laugh at myself becos short jokes can really be quite funny sometimes ...

but pl don tolerate teasing someone with a disability etc - that's pretty low