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News > Fitness & Nutrition
Top Fitness & Nutrition Stories
Black Pepper May Give You A Kick, But Don't Count On It For Weight LossBlack pepper and other spicy foods are often touted as weight loss aides, thanks to ingredients like capsaicin, but saying no to the freshly-grated Parmesan is more likely to help you lose weight.
Dan Barber: Does Good Flavor Equal Sustainability?Chef Dan Barber chronicles his pursuit of a sustainable fish he could love and the foodie honeymoon he's enjoyed since discovering an outrageously delicious fish raised using a revolutionary farming method in Spain.
Buyers Of Hyped Skechers 'Toning Shoes' Can Get RefundsSkechers has agreed to pay $40 million to settle claims that it deceived buyers of Shape-ups shoes.
The Politics Of Fat In Black And WhiteNovelist Alice Randall sparked controversy with an op-ed in the New York Times in which she wrote, "chemically ... black fat may be the same as white fat. Culturally it is not." Randall argues that overweight women of all ethnicities must lose weight, but many are fat because they want to be.
Pounding Away At America's Obesity EpidemicThe dramatic growth of obesity in the U.S is the subject of a new HBO documentary series.
Doctors' Due Diligence: Measuring Kids' Blood PressureMost primary care physicians do not recognize high blood pressure in at-risk children.
Use Of Tanning Beds Common, Despite Cancer RisksOverall, nearly 6 percent of U.S. adults got at least one indoor tan in 2010.
Why It Matters That California Teens Eat Less Than Their PeersA new study says California teens eat fewer calories because of strict snack food laws in school.
Also in Fitness & Nutrition
Stand Up, Walk Around, Even Just For '20 Minutes'New York Times "Phys Ed" columnist Gretchen Reynolds has some simple advice for staying healthy: Stand up. Move around. In her new book, The First 20 Minutes, she explains the hazards a sedentary lifestyle, and details some of the surprisingly simple ways to stay fit. - READ MORE
Moms Often Overlook Toddlers' Weight ProblemsMore than two-thirds of the mothers participating in a recent study were inaccurate in their assessments. And the biggest problem was moms who thought their overweight toddlers were just fine. - READ MORE
Even A Small Slowdown In Obesity's Rise Would Save Big MoneyTrimming the rise in obesity in the U.S. by just 1 percent over the next two decades would reduce health care costs by by $85 billion. The fight isn't likely to be cheap. But new researchers shows that even a small dent in obesity rates could pay off. - READ MORE
'Wired To Run': Runner's High May Have Been Evolutionary AdvantageEndurance athletes sometimes say they're "addicted" to exercise, and research suggests that may not be an overstatement. "Our brains have been sort of rewired from an evolutionary sense to encourage these running and high aerobic activity behaviors," one researcher says. - READ MORE
Is It Possible To Walk And Work At The Same Time?When it comes to walking, the easy part is understanding the benefits: regular, brisk walks can strengthen our bones, help control blood sugar, help lower blood pressure and cholesterol and the list goes on. But the hard part? Time — finding the time to fit it into in. - READ MORE
A Need For Speed: Inside Jamaica's Sprint FactoryWhen it comes to sprinting, Jamaica reigns supreme. And what, exactly, makes Jamaicans so fast? Some say it's in the food; others point to genetics. But let's start with the obvious: In Jamaica, kids really like to run. - READ MORE
The 'Smart Fridge' Finds The Lost Lettuce, For A PriceTwo companies have debuted so-called "smart fridges," which have built-in apps designed to keep track of food expiration dates and items that get buried so deep that they'll never be found in time to eat. - READ MORE
School Bake Sales Draw Fire In Obesity BattleThe bake sale, a staple of school fundraising for generations, is getting squeezed. The epidemic of childhood obesity is leading some districts to restrict the kinds of foods sold or to ban the sales altogether, Bloomberg Businessweek's Stephanie Armour explained on Friday's Morning Edition. - READ MORE
Why Do Bike-Share Riders Skip Helmets?Researchers found that only 20 percent of riders using shared bicycles wear helmets, despite the risk of injury. We took to the streets of Washington, D.C., to ask bicyclists, with and without helmets, about their choices. - READ MORE
Man Cannot Live On Rice And Beans Alone (But Many Do)Rice and beans is a cultural icon in many parts of the world. It's pretty healthy and relatively cheap. It may keep people from starving, as TV personality Sean Hannity suggests, but it doesn't have all the nutrients a body needs for life. - READ MORE
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subset: commoncrawl


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HOME MLB Arizona Diamondbacks Gear Arizona Diamondbacks Mens Arizona Diamondbacks Mens Jerseys (13 items) Product ID: 321958
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Deborah Stone is the inspirational winner of the 2009 Barclays Trading Places award. When cystic fibrosis forced her to retire from her job in the NHS, she set up her own retail card and gift shop, The Gigglebucket, which is going from strength to strength
Christmas is a very busy time for Deborah Stone. She owns The Gigglebucket — a retail card and gift business in Liverpool as well as an Amazon shop — and has a two hair and beauty salons called Blow, writes Rachel Miller.
There are plenty of seasonal challenges to face. Stock management is one of the most difficult issues, says Deborah. "In the past we have fallen down on stock management, selling out of things really fast because online sales had taken off. So we need to constantly monitor what is selling and order more where necessary. It means we have to micro-manage stock levels every single day."
Meanwhile, it's always busy in the salon in the run-up to Christmas. The challenge there is to make sure January's not too quiet. "We run offers with discounts on hair cuts and treatments if you come back in January," says Deborah.
Deborah has overcome more than most to get where she is. She suffers from cystic fibrosis and decided to set up her own retail business when she was forced to take early retirement from her job in the NHS.
"I found out I had cystic fibrosis when I was 16," explains Deborah. "I cried my eyes out, stayed in bed and told my Mum there was no point in going to school. Even my teachers advised me not to bother doing my GCSEs." That was advice that Deborah chose to ignore. "After a couple of days, I came down and said I was going to school. That was a real turning point."
Deborah went on to get nine GCSEs (with eight A grades), took her A-Levels and obtained a degree in orthoptics. "I ended up working in the NHS and got quite high up."
However, Deborah's health deteriorated after the birth of her daughter, Isobel. "The disease meant I couldn't see patients face-to-face and so I couldn't do my job properly." While she was off sick, she considered her options. "My body was knackered but there was nothing wrong with my brain. I thought, if I am my own boss, no-one can sack me. It spurred me on to set up my own business."
Deborah spotted a gap in the market for a local card and gift shop and also quickly found an empty retail space. With lots of help from local business support organisations, including Fresh Start, she opened Gigglebucket in December 2006.
Deborah is full of praise for the business mentors that have helped her and also the staff that support her — on good days and bad. "My staff know when I am having a bad day and they will take things off me."
Thanks to this support and her own determination, The Gigglebucket has gone from strength to strength. Since 2006, Deborah has gone on to open two hair and beauty salons, Blow, with a friend.
This case study was first published on December 2009.
You can read other inspirational case studies here.


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The Chancel Choir of Carson Valley United Methodist Church is presenting its annual Christmas music program 7 p.m., Sunday.
This year's program is a Celebration of Carols by Joseph M. Martin, a service of nine scripture lessons and carols in the Anglican tradition.
The work is comprised of original compositions and arrangements of familiar carols that trace the preparation for and celebration of the coming of Christ.
At the beginning and end of the service, the congregation will have an opportunity to join in singing several familiar carols.
Pete Nelson is the pastor and Steve Farnsley is the music director …


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Khmer Cham man on the former land of Marguerite Duras' residence | Sihanoukville Province, Cambodia
Khmer Cham man on the former land of Marguerite Duras' residence | Sihanoukville Province, Cambodia
© bokehcambodia | Professional commercial photographer in Cambodia | www.bokehcambodia.com
Taken on: 29th July, 2012. Copyright: All Rights Reserved - See bokehcambodia's page of Flickr
Read more about Sihanoukville
Sihanoukville is Cambodia's premier beach location, a peninsula ringed by pretty whiteish-sand beaches and surrounded by a smattering of tiny islands. Debate rages over whether its beaches will ever seriously rival those that lure the hordes to neighbouring Thailand, but given international tourism's insatiable appetite for new places, we think they will ... eventually ... one day ... maybe; at least, the international developers who have snapped up many of the islands on long-term leases are hoping so.
Cambodia's youngest city, Sihanoukville town sprang to life in 1955 when a construction team arrived at what was then known as Kompong Som to begin work on Cambodia's first (and only) deep water port. When the port was finished in 1960 the area was renamed Sihanoukville (in honour of then King Sihanouk) but many Cambodians continue to ... Read our complete Sihanoukville travel guide


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- Includes: jumpsuit, two belts, buckle, pair of glovelettes, pair of cuffs and pair of boot covers
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You will see an additional shipping charge added to your order of either $10, $20 or $25.
The fee assessed is based upon the size of the product. Oversize items are excluded from shipping promotions.
Comments about Black Widow Theatrical Quality Adult Womens Costume:
I love this costume. Got a lot of compliments. But with it being a one-piece, it makes bathroom breaks a bit tedious. Also, the fit is very small. Definitely recommend getting a size bigger. Overall, love this costume.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Comments about Black Widow Theatrical Quality Adult Womens Costume:
I wore this costume to a Halloween Party and it was a HUGE HIT. I did spice it up with some extra accessories (wig and a few guns), but it would be a great costume without those as well. The only con I have is that it was not a great costume for bathroom breaks, you have to take the whole thing off like a body suit every time. Also, the boot covers are created for high heels so if you're planning on wearing flats, you might have a little trouble. Other than those few things, it was an amazing costume and worth the price.


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Einsturzende Neubauten
Designing Media: Blixa Bargeld and Erin Zhu
One of 31 video segments featured in 'Designing Media', the new book, DVD and website by Bill Moggridge. More info on 'Designing Medi'a available at http://www.designing-media.com
Blixa Bargeld, Erin Zhu, Interview, Alles Wieder Offen, self-publishing, music, Einsturzende Neubauten, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, industrial, Bill Moggridge, designing media, MIT press
Designing Media - Bargeld & Zhu
I read a piece in the paper about the way that Blixa Bargeld and Einstürzende Neubauten were able to survive by fan subscription, thus avoiding the traditional perils of the music industry.
Blixa Bargeld, Erin Zhu, Einsturzende Neubauten, music, band, industrial, rock, guitarist, Nick Cave, Bad Seeds, fan, subscription, internet, online, direct, financing, Bill Moggridge, designing media, Interview, MIT press, design media


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Previously my iphone 3G was stuck in a loop but managed to use RedSn0w to kick it out of the routine. Now, I have a less severe "No Service" problem. My WiFi works fine. I have tried the following options: Network resetting, airplane OFF mode, swapping another SIM card. I do not want to restore to a newer version as suggested by the AT&T people.
I have read many postings & have searched through the internet but could not find a real fix. I am sure this is a known issue and has been addressed by many friends here.
3G -16GB (White)
Version 3.1.2 (7D11)
Firmware 05.11.07
AT&T Sim card (Subscriber)
Thanks for all your feedback. Appreciated.


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A very bad wizard: morality behind the curtain
Believer Books, Sep 1, 2009 - Philosophy - 239 pages
Do we have free will? What counts as justice in the Peruvian Amazon? Is Catherine Zeta-Jones objectively hotter than Drew Barrymore? These are just a few of the questions that philosopher Tamler Sommers attempts to answer in far-spanning interviews with ten acclaimed researchers in the burgeoning field of moral psychology. Philip Zimbardo talks about his famous ?Stanford Prison Experiment? and how it relates to abuses of Abu Ghraib. Harvard neuroscientist Josh Greene reports on the ways our brains react to ethical dilemmas. Jonathan Haidt explains why we object to incest and how that relates to disagreements between conservatives and liberals. Renowned Primatologist Frans de Waal juxtaposes human behavior with that of the bonobo (a species he terms the "hippie ape.") And much more. A Very Bad Wizard is essential reading for anyone curious about the origins and inner workings of our moral lives.
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Review: A Very Bad Wizard: Morality Behind the Curtain (Believer Books)User Review - Timothy McNeil - Goodreads
I am not only open to having my beliefs challenged, I welcome it. And Tamler Sommers (along with most of the interview subjects) wholeheartedly reject my mildly informed understanding of not only ... Read full review
Review: A Very Bad Wizard: Morality Behind the Curtain (Believer Books)User Review - Darnell - Goodreads
Quality depends entirely on the scholar being interviewed. Some chapters were fascinating or challenging while others were little more than large sets of assumptions about morality. Read full review
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Brown and Turquoise Leather
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This soft textured, lightweight lace is preferred by jewelry makers for its strength and stretch. The 2-3 oz leather can be tapered to a very fine point to be used with tiny beads and comes in a classic color combination.
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Why life is hell for the Real Housewives of Melbourne
Jo Casamento A fireworks spectacular is set to go off today as the Real Housewives of Melbourne reunion episode is taped, with all six women armed with some serious ammunition, including legal letters and the...
Kate Ceberano set to release tell-all autobiography
Jo Casamento Much-loved, multi award-winning singer Kate Ceberano has flown under the radar in the past few years.
The Real Housewives of Melbourne set their own rules about catfights
Jo Casamento Don't be fooled by the big hair, spangly dresses and killer heels.
TV troubles
Wake Up's Adam Boland takes a second break
Jo Casamento Wake Up executive producer Adam Boland is taking some more time off work as his troubled morning shows continue to flounder in the ratings.
Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Kiis 2Day FM goodbye with Biggest Loser revelation and Tony Abbott teasing
Jo Casamento It is the end of an era. After an unrivalled decade at the top of FM radio, Kyle and Jackie O celebrated their final 'breakfast with the stars' on 2Day FM on Friday morning without any of the...
2Day FM
Natalie Bassingthwaighte joins the list of contenders to replace Kyle and Jackie O
Jo Casamento Natalie Bassingthwaighte has emerged as a last minute contender to replace Kyle and Jackie O in the breakfast slot.
Bath speaks out for stroke sufferers
Jo Casamento Seven newsreader Chris Bath has shared a deeply emotional story about her much-loved father, Don, a stroke victim, speaking out in frustration about the lack of support offered to sufferers and their...
Breakfast shows out to make rivals toast
Jo Casamento The battle of breakfast TV has never been more intense, with the launch on Monday of Channel Ten's new onslaught, Wake Up, prompting rivals Sunrise and Today to rearm themselves and prepare to return...
Merrick Watts' national show axed from Triple M
Jo Casamento Merrick Watts and his national Highway Patrol radio show on Triple M has been axed.
Marchetti speaks
Jo Casamento Celebrity restaurateur Robert Marchetti has broken his silence about his crumbling hospitality empire.
Top Model
On the face of it: Australia opts for traditional Next Top Model choice with Melissa Juratowitch
Jo Casamento Australia's Next Top Model missed an opportunity by crowning the fair-skinned underdog Melissa Juratowitch.
Sophie Monk to talk affairs, depression and rock-star engagements on 2DayFM radio show
Jo Casamento Sophie Monk has secured a brand new national weekend breakfast show on Austereo (2DayFM in Sydney) with Dave Thornton.
Mum's the word for Jodi Gordon and Braith Anasta
Jo Casamento Actor Jodi Gordon and her Wests Tigers footballer husband Braith Anasta are celebrating the news they are having a baby.
Finest over-40s
Jo Casamento It might not be as sexy as Cleo's top-50 bachelors list, as influential as BRW's Rich List or as hot as Who's Most Beautiful People.
'You'd be a fool to feel safe on TV'
Jo Casamento In the cutthroat world of breakfast television Lisa Wilkinson stands tall. But as even she admits, with brutal honesty, job security is not in her job description.
Doyle's sunset is sunrise for Armytage
Jo Casamento Samantha Armytage says slipping into Melissa Doyle's co-anchor chair on Seven's No.1 breakfast show Sunrise will follow a familiar pattern for her.
Doyle 'blown away' by reaction to shock Sunrise exit
Jo Casamento A tearful Melissa Doyle says giving up Sunrise hosting duties after 14 years for a new prime-time project was a family decision.
The goss
Rice makes clean break
Jo Casamento Olympic swimmer Stephanie Rice has done a 360-degree turn since she arrived in Sydney six months ago. She was a party-loving princess. Now she's a self-confessed knitting nanna.
Joel dramas
It's all too beautiful: Martin spreads message of peace over Madden dramas
Jo Casamento Seal's 'soul brother' on The Voice, Ricky Martin, defends Joel Madden's alleged drug misdemeanour as a 'beautiful awakening'.
The Goss
Our strange fascination with bodily functions
Jo Casamento It's the show that puts the ewww in television and brings out the voyeur in us all. And now it's filming here in Australia.


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AçıklamaStar Girl puts you in the high heels of an aspiring celebrity who is setting out to build her career as a superstar while having a ton of fun along the way!
You've got the looks, but it takes more than that to be a star! Be it singing, acting or modeling, make sure to strut your stuff in the career of your choice. Work hard to make it to the top, and you might even find yourself on the covers of the most popular fashion and lifestyle magazines! Just remember that first impressions are the most important, so make sure to wear only the trendiest outfits.
Of course, any star needs an active social life, so hang out with your friends and go on dates with the hottest guys in town to find your perfect match. You can even take photos and share them with your Facebook friends!
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Start an interactive conversation with the celebrities through Star Chat!
" All statements or information contained in the responses, replies and/or answers in "Starchat" are generated and powered by SimSimi (API) and are the sole responsibility of SimSimi (API) and not of Star Girl Games. The fact that a particular statement or information contained in the responses, replies and/or answers is used in "Starchat" does not mean that Star Girl Games has endorsed that statement or information in any way or verified the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any statement or information. Under no circumstances will Star Girl Games be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from anyone's reliance on statements or information contained in responses, replies and/or answers in "Starchat". "


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AS A JUNIOR IN 2012-13ITA All-Academic ... UCSD Athletics All-Academic Team ... Appeared twice in singles, once at No .4 against nationally ranked No .5 Hawaii Pacific (3/8) and again at No. 6 against Depauw University (3/27).
AS A SOPHOMORE IN 2011-12 Earned All-Academic Scholar-Athlete recognition from the ITA ... Played one singles match and one doubles match with Andrew Malozsak last season at the ITA Regional Championships in Los Angeles (9/28).
AS A FRESHMAN IN 2010-11 Named to the Athletics Director's Honor Roll at the Bronze Level (GPAs 3.00 to 3.299) ... Saw action in three matches last year, posting two wins at the No. 6 singles position versus Hawai'i Hilo (2/13) and Lafayette College (3/13) and earned one doubles victory versus D-I UC Riverside (2/6) at the No. 3 spot with sophomore Max Jiganti.
HIGH SCHOOL A 2010 graduate of Lycee Jeanne d'arc in Mulhouse, France ... Squad finished with 7-2 record and as second best high school team in France in 2008 ... Posted an individual record of 3-2 and a doubles record of 2-0 ... Also played for the Illberg Mulhouse Tennis Club in France ... Won the Super Regional Championship in 2008 ... Club squad was 30-26 and won four regional titles.
PERSONAL Born June 21, 1992 in Schiltigheim, France ... Parents are Jean and Catherine Dutreix ... Both parents attended college in France ... A physics engineering major at Revelle College ... A fan of the Los Angeles Lakers ... Roger Federer is his favorite athlete ... Lists Blade Runner as his favorite film ... Author Isaac Asimov and his tennis coach Yahiya Doumbia are his biggest influences ... Hobbies include traveling, reading, and watching movies ... Migos by R.I.P. is playing on his iPod ... He could eat sushi for the rest of his life ... Plans to become an electrical engineer or a reasearcher upon graduating.


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A tea-break allows a few minutes of respite at any time during the day. It is a moment to place a hault on the demands of a whirlwind day in our highly accelerated modern society. It enables us to take a break from emails, BBMs, phone calls, pings, tweets, status updates and simply revel in the luxuriating warmth of the soothing beverage.
In America, there is the regimented 9 to 5 corporate environment, where the mantra is maximum productivity. Tea-breaks are not widely taken or encouraged. However, in other parts of the world, it is the norm. During a typical work day, people routinely take tea-breaks for a boost of rejuvenation and socialization.
In most parts of the world, tea is a connecting elixir, where even for a few moments you can get together not just with friends, but even with complete strangers, stand around a street tea stall and exchange the latest political sexl scandal, weather fluctuations or heavier subjects such as the fastest bowler on a cricket team.
Friendly invitations are usually cloaked in terms of tea invites, a common one being, "Please visit and have a cup of tea with us."
The origin of tea spans thousands of years and cultures. Its origin is traced to China and started off as a medicinal elixir. It traveled through continents and cultures; went through compositional changes such as addition of sugar, milk, butter, herbs, flavors, powders and a plethora of condiments. However, the essence of tea stays static; it continues to unite and is internally and externally palliative.
The following are a few examples of teas around the world that I love. You will note that tea is brewed in diverse ways across the globe, with varying additives; yet the essence of it is constant. It soothes and fuses humans.
Qymak Tea from Afghanistan
Kaymak is clotted cream made from milk of water buffaloes or cows. It is used in Turkey, Balkan countries, Iran, Middle East and Afghanistan amongst other countries.
In Afghanistan, Qymak tea is made on special occasions. Green tea is brewed and a dollop of the scrumptious Qymak is added to the top that gives the tea the rich, creamy texture. Eat with a sweet Gosh Feel (elephant ear pastry) or Naan (flat bread), and you are in Jannat (paradise!)
Mint Tea from Morocco
If you go to Morocco, mint tea is a way of life. It is at every street corner, every luxurious upcoming Mall, every souk, every bazaar. The bunches of fresh mint in the beautiful filigreed silver tea-pots are beyond aromatic. However, the fun part is the pouring of the tea. The higher the stream, the more ambrosial the flavors. Caveat: You need skilled hands for the tea pouring to avoid 2nd degree burns!
Cutting Chai from Bombay
The name of this tea is deep-rooted in pop-culture lexicon. Its origin is most likely in Bombay, India. It is a concoction of black tea-leaves boiled in a big metal kettle with milk, fresh ginger, masala and sugar. The tea is boiled to a point where the flavors are pungent. The flavor is so strong that it is served by the half glass, hence the term "cutting." "Chai" is tea. So, a literal translation, is "half tea."
Earlier, it was the "go-to" beverage for the blue-collar workers, such as in the construction workers. Nowadays, it is a trendy treat for the 20-something, ultra- westernized crowd, trying to connect to their Indian roots! It is delicious, especially when eaten with bun maska (hot, buttered fluffy bun).
Gur-Gur Tea (Butter Tea) from Tibet
Consumed in Tibet and regions of Ladakh, India, it is drunk not by the cupfuls, but bowlfuls. It is made through a complex procedure of boiling and pouring in cylinders, thereafter adding fresh yak butter and a pinch of salt.
It is interesting to note, that tea originated as a medicinal elixir and continues to serve the same purpose. The dollop of butter in Gur-Gur tea is not only lip-smacking, but helps prevent chapped skin in the sub-zero temperatures of these high Himalayan regions.
Turkish Tea from Turkey
If you go to Istanbul, the streets are littered with cafes where young and old, surprisingly mostly men, sit and discuss the dire conditions in Syria over hot cups of Turkish tea called çay. (Pronounced as chai.) It is a pure form of tea, drunk black, with or without sugar depending on your disposition for sweet. It is boiled in two stacked kettles called çaydanlik. Turks are known to drink up to 50 cups a day. Uniting, right?
Milk Tea from Hong Kong
Milk tea is a remnant of the colonial British impact on Hong Kong. It is also known as the "Silk Stocking Tea" as sieved though a long stocking to intensify the flavors. A black tea mixed with evaporated milk and my very favorite, condensed milk for the thick, luxuriant consistency. You may want to ask for less condensed milk as at times can be undrinkably saccharine.
So, drink up, heal and connect.Tweet
I live in the 'burbs called Orange County, mnemonically known as OC, as popularized by the debauched yet apt namesake TV show.
Wide roads, monstrous SUVs, Starbucks at every corner, strip Malls with ubiquitous generic American brands such as Best Buy, Costco, Target, and Subway. And of course, since it is upscale suburbia-littered with just a dash of "culture," such as the painfully banal Daphne's Greek cuisine or what I call the bastardization of Chinese food-P.F. Changs!
Most people move to the 'burbs for a sense of community, the big homes for entertaining "friends," the white picket fence, the neighborhood park where all can assimilate and interact. The purpose is to be in physical proximity with other people, which should lead to interaction with other human beings!
The general consensus is life in the 'burbs is wholesome and uniting versus life in the big city is lonely and isolating. .
During my bi-coastal trips I have, on many an occasion, pondered over this premise and tried to decipher the truth or fallacy of it.
I have lived in the 'burbs for many years. But for some reason never felt at home, always felt disassociated and disconnected with my environment. Could be the result of being a migrant. Let's say I am a citizen of the world-at-large, using a term of modern, globalized vocabulary. Sounds more well-adjusted rather than the rant of a dysfunctional immigrant.
I understand and subscribe to the theory of living life inside out etc. But our environment does play a critical role in shaping us, in molding our personality, our thought processes, our preferences, hell even our choices. Would a lion cub grow up to be a vicious man-eater if he was taken out of its natural wilderness habitat and raised say in the ' burbs by PETA! Its carnal nature, even if not completely obliterated, would be significantly tempered, one would think so.
When I look around suburban environment, under the cosmetic appearance of a "community" all I see is people living inside their homes, surrounded by an assemblage of people they know and are familiar with day after day, year after year. All the talk of being a "community" is limited to immediate and extended family and a small group of friends. The streets are empty, the parks reek of territorial family gatherings and the restaurants promote family nights. There is a vacuous hole in the soul of suburbia.
In suburbia, the only gathering of people you will see is in a mall, where everyone is in a rush to consume, jump into their SUV's and guess where do they want to rush back to-their insulated homes of course! The touted sense of community in the suburbs is as mythical as the unicorn!
On the other hand during my visits to cosmopolitan cities of the world, I can feel a palpable sense of community. Yes, you may not know your neighbor's name or may not pop-in to borrow the proverbial bowl of sugar, but in modern times of stevia and agave that has truly become an extinct adage.
The communal feeling in big cities comes from the people itself. It comes from the sea of humanity that surrounds you. It comes from the brimming streets jam-packed with people. It comes from sitting in such close proximity at cafes that one has to interact with the person breathing into your latte. It comes from walking in Central Park and striking a conversation with a complete stranger from the other side of the world, who in turn is seeking the same bond as well. It comes from sharing a seat on the subway where you can help your fellow passenger with Word Search.
In big cities the concept of space becomes smaller (as opposed to gargantuan suburban spaces), to a point where it becomes non-extinct. Unlike the notion of conceptualized ghost-proximity proposed in the Utopian suburbia, there is actual physical proximity in big cities. The proximity is what unites.
I have also noted that the element of creativity, innovativeness, discovery and inspiration is intensely lacking in suburbia to a point that it is soul and spirit crushing. The dullness of it often grips my heart like the choke-hold of an LAPD cop.
Environment motivates one to innovate, create, observe, reflect. That is the reason the great thinkers, artists, painters, sculptors lived in vibrant, vivacious cities such as Paris, Rome, London, Milano, NYC. Would Hemingway and Dostoyevsky be inspired to write great masterpieces sitting at a Starbucks in OC!
So, my point, to a great extent, is validated that our environment does play a pertinent role in providing inspiration.
A mundane window display of paper towels in the corner store can strike up an intellectual discussion amongst passersby regarding the contribution of Warhol to art and pop-culture, thereby leading to a possibility of lifetime friendship and interaction. All because the big city gives an opportunity to walk amidst humans rather than sit behind the steel door of an SUV door.Tweet
Men and fashion! Two words diametrically opposed at one time.
Men's fashion! Two words fittingly analogous, in today's times.
There is no awkwardness when discussing men's fashion in modern times; no underlying innuendos questioning the sexuality of the fashionable male and no hints of being a dandy.
Being a dandy has wrongly acquired a negative connotation in our society. Actually a dandy has nothing to do with having feminine characteristics or traits. A dandy is a man devoted to extreme elegance in clothes, style and manners. In short a gentleman, an aesthetic man, an elegant man.
With Pitti Uomo in full swing in Firenze, men's most important platform for clothing and accessories in fashion, I reflect upon the evolution of men's fashion.
Over the years our darker sex has not lagged too far behind women in fashion. They are galloping fast towards the ramp like thorough bred race horses with blinders on their eyes.
In a recent study it was found that in Asia men far outnumber women in consuming high end luxury goods. This is quite an eye-opener, as we mostly associate women with fashion; it is women who are usually seen toting high-end designer brands; in fact fashion brands in the past have mostly targeted women with women walking the ramps for major fashion houses, women in glossy ad-campaigns and women as brand ambassadors.
Times have changed and men are evolving.
Let's take a stylish swivel back on the ramp and see how men have evolved.
Historically masculinity is identified as a concoction of brawn, sweat, sinewy muscles, deeply etched facial lines, a rich baritonic voice and dark tanned skin. All these physical characteristics are a sign of strength, courage, fortitude and power. Men are supposed to be rough, tough and gruff. Anything less is too feminine and not "man enough."
However, since times immemorial, even if sub-consciously, men have paid attention to their physical attributes. Even the cave man used bucolic tools to groom himself. It is an innate desire in all human beings to look good, despite the gender divide.
For example take men in ancient Rome. They were the epitome of masculinity, vigor and virility. They wrestled lions with their bare fists, what could be manlier than that? Outwardly, they wore a basic garment in the form of a tunic or toga strictly for the purposes of necessity and functionality. It was used as a cover-up for the statuesque Romans for decorum and protection against elements of nature.
Despite such outward portrayal of machismo, inwardly the Roman man did pay attention to his looks. He used cosmetics! Can you believe that, even though it was frowned upon. There was a light use of perfumes and "moderate" hair removal. Note: not full hair removal but moderate hair removal because hair, even in modern times is associated with a man's masculinity.
The Roman man evolved. Let's fast forward to the 50's man. The stylish male with the hat, overcoat, perfect tie, a sartorial dresser indeed. Manly and well-dressed.
But wait; do I smell a whiff of sweet lime cologne? Yes, indeed! He is wearing cologne to ward off uninvited female overtures. He is using a cosmetic.
In the mid-50s rode in the Marlboro man, with the deeply etched masculine lines on his face (most likely as a result of nicotine exposure rather than any andric potency!) Nevertheless, born was the rugged, un-harnessed masculinity.
Advent of the mid-60s. Gone were the uptight suits and ties, in came the "far-out" generation. A chilled-out generation, reflecting the same attitude in the fashion sense. No dress-codes, no rules, no restrictions and constrictions. A psychedelic lifestyle with a psychedelic attire to "blow" your mind.
This blog cannot be complete without discussing the decadent 1970s disco era. A vestibular fashion era with aerial platform shoes and flared pants. John Travolta epitomized the juxtaposition of flared pants and the three-piece suit. A sartorial "flare" for sure!
Miami Vice marked new-age 1980's fashion. The over-sized blazer donned oh-so casually over the t-shirt, the sockless feet in loafers became a cult fashion statement, still followed by the fashion victims stuck in the 80s.
I cannot move away from the 1980s without mentioning the raw sexuality of Mickey Rourke in 9 ½ weeks. The stubble, the piercing eyes, the dangling cigar and the come-hither smile heightened male sexuality to another level.
In the 1990s the tables turned. Women were not the only ones who portrayed sexuality; men romped in their skivvies too. The six-pack was no longer associated with a beverage and a male paunch was not a sign of wealth and success. Men hit the gym, started shopping at organic stores and became "eye-candy."
From the 2000s and onwards men have come a full circle. They have reverted back to being a dandy. They use lotions and potions; eat diet products; work on problem areas at the gym; are androgynous; shop online at Barneys; get manicures and pedicures; get waxed, stripped, threaded and shaved. He is beautiful.
In fact, the gender divide has become so blurry that it is perfectly acceptable for a pouty, porcelain skinned male model like Andrej Pejic to strut down the runway giving Kate Moss a run for her euro! The uomo has evolved.
"Wallah" is a term used in India as a suffix to describe a person who performs a specified task or business. I won't call it slang, but certainly a term that has become part of linguistics. It is used to describe a specialist in a particular task, with the specialization obtained through years of experience and apprenticeship. For example, a chai-wallah is one who is in the profession of making tea, an ice-cream-wallah is one who sells ice-cream, a dhobi-wallah is one who does your laundry, a rickshaw-wallah is one who drives a rickshaw. The person doing this specific task was probably born into a family who has done this task for generations; he too will most likely work in this profession his entire life and will do so with great pride and joy.
My last blog was about TMC (Too Many Choices). I talked about how certain things in life are most enjoyed in their simplest form such as a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice or a hot cup of fresh-brewed coffee. Too many choices are not necessarily optimal. In some instances, too many choices clutter the mind, thereby inhibiting a pleasurable experience. Too many choices are absolutely no substitute for taste.
In our present society we are brain-washed into believing that multiple choices and options are a prerequisite to maximum pleasure. This is a fallacy and I have evidentiary data to support it. I have example after example to prove that an activity can be enjoyed without having multiple options. In fact, most of these activities are so simple that they are most enjoyed in their unadulterated state i.e. without murking them up with multiple choices.
Today's blog is a follow-up of my last blog. It is an elucidation of unadulterated rapture without multiple choices.
He is the tea-man. He makes and sells simple piping hot tea. Just tea, no other options. Sometimes he may add ginger or cardamom to the boiling hot water for that extra fragrance and flavor, but that all depends on his mood! There is no corporate manual that he has to abide by and no test audience to please. There are no cup sizes in foreign languages, no flavored shots offered, no options of caffeinated or decaffeinated beverage and no complex menus to decipher. There is no paraphernalia that goes with the paper cups such as the sleeve and the lid, as he is not familiar with the term "tort lobbyists" or "burn lawsuits." What he offers is a fragrant, flavorful, sweet, milky concoction in one size, that has been brewed to perfection and poured with such expertise that can only be attained after years of experience and training. There is only one size and one flavor, but it is so pleasurable that it fits the taste of all. The concoction delights the senses and soothes the soul. A single option perfected to the "T."
He is the juice man. His skill is to make the freshest, pulpiest, sweetest, purest orange juice that one can ever taste. There are no options of a gazillion kinds of fruit, no mixtures and combinations, no sizes, no add-ons, no ratios and no fractions. Finally a "no-math-involved" glass of orange juice, just the way nature intended it to be.
He is the milk man. He delivers fresh milk with a thick ring of cream on the top that transports one to the Swiss Alps. There are no options of low fat, skimmed, non-fat, 1%, 2%, lactose free, vitamin D added, etc. etc. There are no strippings and no additions. It is milk in its pure form just the way it should be, squeezed from the udders of the cow rather than churned and manufactured in an assembly line container, stripped off its innate element. Nature has already added the necessary vitamins and minerals. We don't need to add the extra synthetic junk! If calories is your issue, put down the toxic burger and drink another glass of simple milk. Isn't it a stipulated that Milk Does a Body Good!!
He is the fruit man. Caveat: If you are looking for laminated labels advertising "certified," "organic," "preservative free," "fertilizer free," fruit, priced at the amount of some worker's daily wages in a developing nation, then this fruit is not for you.
There will be no fancy labels and no re-cycled packaging (which in most instances is a marketing ploy rather than genuine environmental concerns.) There are no lofty claims advertising fruit "fresh from the farm," which ironically is located 2,000 miles across the nation!
What you will get is a small sampling of fruit that your olfactory senses will detect from miles away. What you will get is fruit that has not been sitting in the cooler for weeks. What you will get is fruit that provides a burst of flavors and oozes with juice when you bite into it. What you will get is a sensory delight. So what if the sampling includes only apples and bananas, I will happily forego the variety for fruit that at least tastes like fruit and not cardboard with an overly polished skin.
What should I say about Tiffin-wallahs. They have become a phenomenon especially in cosmopolitan cities like Bombay and Delhi. In fact, New York City is aping the food delivery service to cater to our accelerated lifestyles. Tiffin is a stainless steel lunch box consisting of a few food compartments. In India, the Tiffin-wallahs deliver the tiffin lunches to hundreds and thousands of office workers on bicycles with such precision and timeliness that they could be the brand-ambassadors for Raymond Weil's new ad campaign for precision.
There are no menus or multiple choices for the tiffin. There are two options, vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Yes, imagine that, just two choices. What do you get in lieu of hundreds of choices that you could find in a restaurant? You get scrumptious, perfectly flavored, healthy, preservative-free, fresh, home-cooked lunch for the busy worker. No garnishes, no choices of cooking style, no less of this and more of that. Just plain good old-fashioned lunch.
And finally diverging from the "wallahs." In my last blog I discussed the bombardment of social media and its somewhat redundant and repetitive effect. Above is an example of social media in its simplest form. There is no streaming, no YouTubing, no Live-casting, no plasma flat-screens, no 70-feet screens. Here, is a family enjoying simple television viewing in their flooded living room during the heavy monsoons of India. It is not just TV viewing, but family bonding time as well. I will take this form of social media any day over the faux socialization on say a Facebook!
Options are good, but certain activities are unparalleled in singularity.
Since childhood we are taught to make choices. All of us at one point of time or the other have heard the familiar rendition from our parents, "Make the right choice," "Whatever choices you make now will impact your life forever," "Once you make the choice there is no going back," etc. etc. We are taught to carefully weigh our options and pick one.
The premise of making a choice is that you have at least two alternatives available, thereby giving you the opportunity to choose one from the other. Either you choose "this or that," go with "one or the other," settle on "A or B."
Making a choice has a positive connotation in our society as it comes with a plurality. It consists of choosing one option from multiple options, thereby honing our discriminatory skills, sharpening our minds and developing our judgment.
Somehow in modern society singularity is not seen in a positive light. A single option is never good enough. "One" simply does not have the pizzazz as "multiple." So, I stipulate having the freedom to choose from multiple choices is good in many circumstances.
But, along with the benefits of choices come the burdens as well. At times there are "too many choices," leading to the fatigue of mental capabilities and a bankruptcy of the brain. A "brain-drain" if you will.
Yesterday I went to my local, organic, over-priced, yuppie, bulk-cereal selling grocery store. I wanted a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice and since they have a juice bar thought it would be the perfect place to have it. It is only logical that an elaborate juice bar will have a simple thing such as orange juice. My salivary glands went in overdrive thinking of the whirring of the machine squeezing the warm, pulpy, sweet, tangerine juice from a succulent ripe orange. No fuss, no complications. Sweet, simple bliss.
Au contraire! The "juice specialist" reached into the refrigerator and brought out a plastic container filled with juice! As she started to pour, I stopped her in mid-pour and demanded where the "freshly squeezed" juice was. I was advised with disdain that this is all they had. There was nothing "fresh" about the cold, "sitting-for-hours-in-the-refrigerator" juice. Needless to say I was crestfallen.
But, hey we live in a world of choices, so I exercised my right to choice and ordered a mixed carrot, pineapple and apple juice. I thought it would be an easy one as the store offers an extensive convoluted mixed drink menu. The clerk looked at me with a dropped jaw and asked what "base" I wanted so that she could make the necessary division of fruit. It was my turn to drop my jaw, as I had never imagined that a glass of juice could get so very complex. It seemed that a simple drink had turned into a flow-chart of multiple choices with off-shoots in various directions. Would I now be asked to divide my drink into fractions and percentages? I shuddered with fright as my math skills border on being cipher and the calculator on my Blackberry gets stuck on the division key.
The array of choices had turned into a nightmare and needless to say my taste for the sweet juice had soured by now.
I don't know if you guys have noticed it or not, but in today's times we are constantly faced with an overabundance of choices even for simple things. Items where one would not expect or want to make a choice, such as ordering a glass of juice that should not require algorithmic equations.
It makes me wonder, do these choices really help us or are they unnecessarily using up our brain data that should be reserved for higher, more complex and loftier purposes.
Another example is coffee. I have written about coffee before as I love the heavenly elixir. I go to a coffee shop looking forward to a cup of hot, milky, divine brew. What am I faced with? Choices, choices and more choices. Complex volume sizes in faux-foreign languages; measurements of coffee shots in metric sizes that I am unfamiliar with; milk calculated in percentages; coffee whiteners made of items that I usually associate with eating rather than drinking, such as coconut; use of a "shot" glass that reminds me of a Russian vodka bar rather than a warm, soothing, literary coffee shop.
Historically, coffee shops were used as meeting places for scholars, artists and the literary. Ideas were born, debates were held, classics written and labyrinthine theories pondered upon over umpteen cups of coffee, yes plain and simple coffee. The likes of Hemingway, Picasso and Henry Miller used to hang out in cafes such as Le Select in Paris. I wonder if Hemingway could have written The Old Man and the Sea if he was spending time ordering a complex coffee drink and flustering between choices such as non-fat, 2%, low-fat, one shot or multiple shots, venti, grande or whatever the hell the third size is latte!!! Or if Picasso would have time or the energy to doodle Dance of Youth on a napkin after ordering a drink from a "not-so-easy-to-decipher" multiple-choice menu!
How about social media? We all love it and use the gazillion choices in social media. I understand it is all about visibility. But after some time doesn't it get redundant, repetitive and non-innovative. The same content is posted on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, Instagram, Pinterest, Hootsuite, Tumblr etc.
Are we creating new content in the various mediums of social media or is it simply transmission of the same content to various channels. Would the works of Leonardo di Vinci be masterpieces if he took photos and blogged, Tweeted, Facebooked and Tumblred them. Wouldn't the glory of his masterpieces be diluted by the number of choices available?
Choices are great as they give us freedom. They give us options. However, certain things in life should be kept simple. They are enjoyed most when in their simplest form such as a simple cup of coffee. Too many choices create Horror vacui, cluttering the mental faculties and debilitating the brain, thereby leaving little room for the brain to perform at its maximum capacity.
I am out of my hibernation. The reason: The cruel, barbarous, brutal mutilation of a $100,000 Hermes alligator bag! For a worshipper of FAME (fashion, art, music and entertainment), the act is as abhorrent as the destruction of the 6th century Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan by the Taliban. Okay, maybe not of that magnitude, but still a destruction of a beautiful piece of art!
Nevertheless, the annihilation did wring my heart and make my knuckles white. Oh the horror! For those of you who have not heard of it, the act was performed by Clint Eastwood's daughter on the reality show, Mrs. Eastwood and Company (the specific use of the last name obvious for rating purposes). In the show, Eastwood's daughter cuts and burns an alligator Hermes bag with a ferocious beastly expression on her face, in the name of performance art. Really, destruction of art in the name of art, justified? (An idea to be explored at a later time).
The heinous act performed on the reality television show stirred the following thoughts in my brain: First, what is it that attracts a person like me (with discriminatory tastes and a reasonable level of intelligence, to watch reality television); second, what are the limits/parameters that reality stars have to cross week after week to get viewers like me return.
Between the Kardashians, Shahs of Sunset, Jersey Shore and now Mrs. Eastwick and Company, there is an overdose of reality television. They have become part of a pop-cultural phenomenon. The shows have high ratings, so even if we are closet watchers, the fact remains that a good number of us are watching. In an intellectual tete-a-tete, most of us decry the social evils that such shows are breeding, yet we watch them.
One reason is voyeurism. It is titillating to spy on the intimate behavior of others. A spy-like feeling is evoked while watching such shows-their highs and lows, their make-ups and over-dramatized break-ups, entering their homes and boudoirs, seeing what they eat or not, how they look like with gobs of mascara running down their cheeks while crying, hearing the profanities they use, Bentleys they drive, mansions they live in etc.
Vicarious living is another reason. An average person's life between work, chores, home responsibilities, running errands is bound to take a tone of monotony, no matter how hard one tries to spice it up. It becomes rote living. There is no way around it. Reality TV provides that dose of glamour, excitement, enchantment and razzle-dazzle that an average person lacks in day to day life. It is the same as buying a Tattler magazine to get a peek inside the lives of the "oh-so-exciting" crowd.
Yet another reason for such viewing is because it makes us feel good about ourselves and our relationships. Most of the reality shows have a high level of disfunctionality (rightly so, otherwise why would I watch it!!) Despite all the wealth, fame and glamour, there is angst, anger, treachery, heartbreak and a degree of mental retardation (not from a medical standpoint of course!) This makes us feel good about ourselves and for some of us even provides hope. After all, if a dysfunctional, limited intelligence person can reach the pinnacles of success, why not me.
Such shows, also provide a certain amount of social interaction in our very isolated, heavily dependent on the World Wide Web, modern lives. The stars invite us into their drawing rooms and bed-rooms and there is an element of reel human interaction, even if for a fleeting moment.
Whatever the reason, reality TV is here to stay. There is certain stickiness to it.
Now, the question is how far do the reality stars have to go to create the stickiness. What do they have to do or more appropriately "out do" in order to get me back on that couch week after week? What boundaries do they have to cross? In fact, are there any boundaries?
Mere providing of glamour, hot surgeried-up botoxed bodies, designer clothing, long fluttering stick-on lashes is not enough anymore. The ante has been upped, the stakes are higher. Gone are the chaste days of MTV's Real World. The audience needs bombshells, hysteria, shock and awe and the studios are ready to dole our dollops of it. Extravagant weddings are broken up in less than 3 months, a gay Jewish Persian man is united with his conservative Islamic father, paternity issues are raised and resolved. Over the top tactics such as the mutilation of a $100,000 Hermes bag get the necessary notoriety necessary for a hit reality show.
In the case of the Eastwood show, other than Mr. Eastwood who even knows or cares about the other members of his family. If they portray themselves as a normal (synonym for functional) family, why would we want to watch them. There will be no ratings and in turn no renewal for the next season. So, the demolition of the Hermes bag provided the necessary shock and awe element for a hit reality show. Proof is in the pudding, I am writing about it, even though I am least interested in Mrs. Eastwood or her Company. The studio execs used the obliteration of the Hermes bag as a perfectly strategized move to Bite me with this Reality!Tweet
I have an elitist attitude towards mainstream Hollywood cinema. I always come out of the theater complaining that the movie was not intelligent enough; not real enough; not thought-provoking enough; not nuanced enough etc. etc.
My friends say I have a chip on my shoulder when it comes to mainstream cinema; that my views have become deeply distorted related to cinema; that anything related to sane and wholesome entertainment escapes my warped sensibilities.
They laugh that my taste in movies borders on being quixotic, surreal, distorted, kinky and torturous for them. My dossier of recent indie movies include lesbians making out in an oppressed foreign land, their passion expressed in sub-titles; a man fully masturbating in front of his mother, a sort of Oedipus complex; primitive stoning of a woman where her extreme pain and anguish is expressed in sub-titles.
Based on this premise, at most times I am a solitary figure at the movie theater devoid of any company. I am a forsaken indie film buff!
I do enjoy the stark realism of indie films. I enjoy the depiction of nuanced emotions embedded deep within the psyche–emotions that only several years of Freudian therapy can bring to the surface. I enjoy the honest portrayal of psychoses, complexes and neuroses that most of us have, but hide from even ourselves. Such psychological disorders in their stark nakedness are brought to the surface by brave indie directors. I like the lack of glamour, the chapped lips, the "bitten to the bed nails" and the bedraggled hair—all illustrating palpable realism.
Lately I have been on a spree of watching indie films. I saw the Iranian lesbian flick called Circumstance; Michal Fassbender as the deeply disturbed sex-addict in Shame; an Iranian son trying to take care of his dad with Alzheimer's' while going through a divorce in A Separation and Tilda Swinton playing a desperate mother to a sociopathic killer in We Need to Talk About Kevin.
I have come out of the theaters deeply depressed and melancholic. The movies leave me with a lingering despondency for several days. Of course, since the movies are well-made with intricate plots, they are hard to brush off and forget like mainstream cinema. I analyze and re-live the movies spiraling into an abyss of somber pensiveness.
Imagine the extreme sense of loneliness one would feel if at Christmas you are eating alone an over-cooked dry piece of turkey in a lonely diner with a flashing neon sign named "EAT" in the window, except the letter "E" has short fuse and does not flash.
Imagine the plight of a mother whose sociopath teenage son takes a sick delight in masturbating in front of his mother.
Imagine two young girls living an oppressed life in Iran, but find solace in each other's arms, except that one of the girls is married to the brother of the other girl.
Imagine, a sexual addiction being so overpowering that it prevents you from ever having a meaningful relation in your entire life, I mean ever!
You get the point right? The despair, drudgery, hopelessness, agony, existential angst that is the essence of most plots of indie films.
Cinema is escapism. It is entertainment. It takes us away from our lives for a few hours and transports us to another world. However, if the make believe world of cinema not only mirrors, but magnifies the shortcomings of real life, it ceases to be escapism and at some point becomes painfully torturous. It becomes an affirmation of the misery in the world, the wretchedness of human existence.
Life is hard enough. At most times it is a struggle. Do we really need a confirmation of its trials and tribulations magnified on a 40 feet celluloid screen for a whole uninterrupted two hours?
I will always be an indie film loyalist. But for the sake of sanity, I may become a temporary Hollywood neophyte.
A walk down the lingerie department of any store shows the "weight" that is placed on big breasts. There is a head-spinning variety of chest contraptions designed for the sole purposes of "enhancing," "lifting," "enlarging," and "amplifying," the female bosom. Words that conjure up images of torture at a concentration camp are used such as inserts, adhesives and tapes. There is even a bra named "dramatic/extreme lift." I call it a neck-a-boo, the merger of the boob and neck!
Descriptive culinary words such as "cutlets" are used to achieve the décolletage effect that is apt to describe the ample bosom of culinary goddess Nigella Lawson.
Plastic surgeons are laughing their way to the bank by performing multiple enlargements, enhancements and pronouncements per day. Breast enlargements have become so ubiquitous that you see hoardings and billboards of women laboriously stooping on the expressways flaunting toll free numbers of such clinics; strip malls have breast enhancement clinics alongside of take-away Chinese dim-sum; magazines are splattered with ads for procedures at throw-away prices with very little to no downtime. To add legitimacy to such procedures articles are written as to how breast enlargements can lead to elevation of the self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth.
YouTube has videos demonstrating a whopping Nine Steps to breast enhancement!! How could it possibly take 9 steps, I mean squeeze, push and voila va-va-voom!!
The old trick-of-the-trade of stuffing toilet paper down your bra for a cheap, non-intrusive lift continues to flourish.
Women's vernacular consists of phrases such as "filling the dress," "creating an hourglass silhouette" "perking it up" etc. etc.
There are many facets from which a blog on flat-chested versus "enhanced" chested women can be discussed. However, I will limit my discussion within the parameters of fashion. If enhanced breasts are appealing to you for "lifting" your spirits, "enhancing" your self-esteem or "enlarging" your ego, then Bon Grandes!!
Time for a disclaimer here. Some of you may be thinking right about now that this is a "case of sour grapes" blog for me. Maybe, I the writer of this blog has always brewed a deep-seated resentment for the well-endowed woman due to my biological misfortune of "inability to fill my dress." Let me reassure my critics, this is not the case. I have always been big-chested and believe me I still find the grapes to be sour!!
The irony is that these "enhanced women" tend to idolize women who are themselves flat-chested!! Most women look at fashion magazines, runway shows and models as an inspiration for beauty and fashion. Flip through any magazine or watch any runway show and you will see model after model with a pancake chest, displaying the latest styles and trends. Fashion runways are strewn with flat-chested models walking sullenly down the ramp.
To add to the irony, most of the large-chested models you may see on the runway or in magazines are usually associated with eroticism and definitely not with style or fashion. Most of such "enhanced women" are either posing for some erotic product such as condoms or in politically correct terms for products related to "horizontally challenged" women. I am sure this is not the effect the fashionable woman is aiming for.
Interestingly, most fashion designers opt only for flat-chested models. The fashion industry lauds flat-chested women. They are an indispensable and integral part of fashion houses. The primary reason is that these women carry off the clothes better than big-chested women. Flat-chested women look modern; they look fashionable and uber stylish. My point is further endorsed by the fact that I have never ever seen a big-chested girl walk down the Grand Palais runway for the Chanel show, or have seen one in a cerebral Prada dress or in a convoluted pose for a Marc Jacobs spread. Now in all fairness, high-end designers do want stick-thin models and unless you defy the norms of nature, it will be an oxymoron to be stick thin and also have big breasts.
I personally have never ever understood the lure flat-chested women have for big breasts. Maybe indeed it is a case of sour grapes. In my opinion big breasts are not fashionable or stylish. They can be erotic, seductive, sexy but significantly hinder your fashion and style choices.
Most clothes do not fit well on big-busted women. They are fashion-restrictive. They hamper a full exploration of fashion as the styles are limited. You are limited to only a few types of necklines and silhouettes, unless you want to walk around looking like you are perpetually ready for an audition for the Playgirl magazine. Stylish, edgy clothing is not designed for big-chested women. Buttons pop constantly and you have to have a limitless supply of safety pins for security purposes.
In addition they even put a damper on enjoyment. Dance moves are limited to avoid looking like a clip from Girls Gone Wild. Sports and aerobics in particular require extreme contraptions.
To top it all, big breasts add weight to the overall frame and no fashionable woman wants that!
In the end, all my blogs return to the running theme of conformity. Conformity dictates being big-breasted; non-conformity states shun the rules. If you are blessed with being flat-chested enjoy it and consider yourself in the elite group of the likes of Kate Moss and Karlie Kloss.Tweet
As I was putting on my make-up, I was reminded of my childhood days of coloring in color books. It is the same concept. Arrays of colorful pencils are used. There is a wide use of electrifying colors from vibrant fuchsia to smoky green to petunia pink. The coloring rules are the same too. Stay between the lines, blend the colors, don't over-color.
Fashion is like child's play. True, it is a multi-billion dollar industry and run by mega corporations. Intimidating abbreviations are used such as CEOs, CFOs, COOs to describe titles of very important people. Serious terms such as stocks, IPO offerings, listings on the NASDAQ are used to gauge the worth of a company. Board meetings are held behind intimidating mahogany double doors where board members sit around tables that are longer than the train of Kate Middleton's McQueen gown.
Shiny silver haired men and women attend the meetings wearing Savile Row tailored pin-striped cashmere suits; .walking with a determined and purposeful stride in their John Lobb loafers and Jimmy Choo heels and toting Birkin bags with such ease and comfort that one would think that the proverbial "born with a silver spoon" was replaced by "born with a Birkin bag."
Despite all the gravity and sternness there is a silly, delicious, lighthearted playful side to fashion. One possibly cannot take fashion seriously. In fact, if you do take fashion seriously it ceases to be fashion as the laxity of creativity is lost. It becomes regimented and constrained. Rules restrict creativity.
To be truly creative the adult inhibitions need to be curtailed. True fashion icons or for that matter even designers, embrace the child in them. They have fun with fashion without inhibitions. In fact, multiple fashion campaigns and advertisements appeal to the child within us by depicting a comic book, mischievous, even cartoonish element.
Givenchy's "Cat" cap for a measly $2,124 is a purrrfect example. I was so drawn to its devilish charm that was almost on the verge of cashing out my IRA until NPR's analysis on the state of fast dwindling economy acted like an allergic reaction to cat dander, thereby deterring me from cashing out my nest egg. The Givenchy cap intrigues the child in us and plays on the age-old clichés of the black cat, naughty cat and maybe even the superstitious cat.
Fashion legend Iris Apfel who is 90 years old continues to wear the grandma oversized glasses with her designer duds and the overload of clunky jewelry. She reminds me of the animated series Daria- smart, acerbic and eccentric.
Kim Kardashian is a perfect example of Betty Boop with the ample buxom and the oh-so long fluttering lashes. Except, Kim's are most likely courtesy of Shu Uemura!
Bryan Boy ups the Aladdin factor with harem pants. Instead of a rope tied around the waist, he uses the Hermes belt. If you can give a plug to a product while embracing the child in you, why not!
The Row designer looks innocently delicious with the Heidi style braid.
How can one forget Minnie Mouse and her contribution to fashion at large. Between the polka dots and the head piece her contribution is unmatched. Marc Jacobs ad campaign featuring Helena Bonham Carter is a distorted, gnarly, modern homage to Minnie Mouse.
The sartorial Carine Roitfield's French sensibilities of fashion noir are similar to Elvira's.
And the hot Rooney Mara who will bring to life Stieg Larsson's nail biting thriller is a Dora gone wild! Very wild!
And finally the style icon herself, Anna Dello Russo, whose mantra appears to be fashion without boundaries. She changes her looks faster than a chameleon. Here she is lovable as the animated Dalmatian with the black and white dots and the burst of red.
So, have fun with fashion. Forego boundaries and rules. Play with fashion and release the child in you.Tweet
Paraphrasing a quote I read-If you act like a certain person, after some time you become that person. I have also read many books purporting the value of being true to oneself. Hence, there is a dichotomy between projecting an image and staying true to oneself.
We live in a world where the image supersedes substance.
Image creation, image projection, image control, these are new age buzz terms revolving around creating an appearance, an illusion, an impression.
Image creation and control businesses are booming these days. Stars are being created overnight with little, marginal or negative talent. Case in point, reality television stars with an international fan following. Interestingly enough, their only talent being a ceaseless and impressively seamless supply of profane vocabulary. Or bloggers whose fashion lexicon includes a repetitive use of the words "chic" "stylish" and "to die for" and yet their Twitter and Facebook following has far surpassed the actual designers they are blogging about. Or for that matter most people in the entertainment industry whose "talent" is an inebriated night out on the (in)famous Sunset Strip or a one night stand with an underage Lolita or putting their fallopian tubes on overdrive by producing kids that would be akin to a bombshell being dropped on the policies of Premier Wen Jiabao.
Projection of an image has become crucial for people in the public eye for example in the entertainment industry, sports, politics or even religious leaders. Even the Pope is seen wearing Prada loafers! To give him the benefit of doubt, he lives in Italy, so most likely it is his personal style rather than projection of an image!
To some degree we are all in the public eye at one point of time or the other. We present a certain image to the various people we deal with during the day. Most of the times, the image varies from person to person. It is not an image that is uniformly consistent. We present an eager, ready to take on the world image to our bosses, a workaholic image to our co-workers, a sexy, coquettish image to our new love interest, and if you are a lawyer, a ball**** image to your clients!
For mortals like us, even though our images may not be meticulously managed by a high-priced agent, we are still projecting an image.
If we are projecting an image then how much of that image is a projection and how much of it is a true representation of our true selves, or is it an amalgamation of both. Or could it be that at some point the projected image takes over and the true self merely becomes a caricature. Could it even be that we actually become the projected image and loose ourselves?
I sometimes take an introspective look at myself. By profession I am a lawyer and I am mandated to project a certain image. An image of being aggressive, fearless, combative and for a lack of a better term a bitch!
My true self is contrary to the projected image; I am creative, sensitive and shy.
I have noticed that since I spend a greater part of the day projecting an image, it has tendency to creep into my personal life as well, where the image is not needed. It makes me wonder, have I allowed my projected image to perform a hostile takeover of myself. Does my true self exist anymore? Or have I simply become the projected image?
Since, I am writing this introspective piece there is probably still hope. Possibly a conjunction of the self and the projected image. Or on a higher, more spiritual plane letting the Self shine such that the Self is the Image.Tweet


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Kentucky, last season's national champion, headlines the list of teams set to compete in this year's NIT.
The Wildcats aren't the only SEC team snubbed by the NCAA tournament selection committee.
Alabama and Tennessee also missed the cut, marking the first time in 39 years that the Wildcats, Crimson Tide and Volunteers were left out of the same NCAA tournament.
The Wildcats (21-11) and Crimson Tide (21-12) are No. 1 seeds in the NIT, along with Southern Mississippi and Virginia.
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I am 34 and my boyfriend is 33; we have been together for a year and a half and we are both professionals. Our relationship is very loving, although we do have some volatile fights and at times, his temperament can be very difficult. I truly believe that we are in love and we have been talking about our future for nearly a year now, including marriage and possibly having children, although we were honest with each other that children may not be something that either of us would definitely want. Well, I found out about a week ago that I am five weeks pregnant. We were not using protection, as I have a large uterine polyp that I was supposed to have removed next month, due to the fact that it would potentially make it difficult for me to conceive in the future. My doctor called it 'built in birth control'. Anyway, I have never been pregnant before so I really thought this polyp was preventing that from happening. I was completely shocked to find out that I am expecting and when I told my boyfriend, at first, he was very supportive and very excited. He told me not to worry about anything and that he would take care of us. When I asked if he wanted to consider abortion, he said absolutely not, given our age and that we already planned to get married at some point. His reaction really made me feel safe and I was so grateful to him for that. We agreed that we would be legally married before the baby comes (his idea) and postpone having a wedding ceremony until later, when there was time to plan it. However, when we decided how to tell my very conservative parents, I told him I thought it was best that we be engaged first because I know that is so important to them and is the only way they will support us and this child. At first he agreed, then a few days later things completely changed, he told me that I was pressuring him to get married and that it's not fair that I do this to him and that I am not giving him a choice in the matter. Then he told me that he didn't really want this baby, he never really wanted any children and that if it was an option, he would want me to consider abortion. Now, he is not speaking to me and I am just trying to give him space to process everything, but I am wondering if this guy is gonna bolt on me. I know we never knew if we wanted children, but we talked about the fact that this could happen and always said we would take responsibility for it. I am hoping he is just still in shock or just scared. He lost his father 4 months ago and I know he is emotionally drained, but I have feeling 'pregnant and alone' and I never imagined I would be a single mother. Any thoughts from anyone who has had a man change his feeling about your pregnancy and tell you he no longer wants it?
Oh man i'm so sorry. While my fiance never had second thoughts about carrying through with my pregnancy with out daughter (She was planned) he did have his difficult moments that would have me seriously questioning our relationship. I do think that it is normal for each parent to go through their own "panic" phase before they really start to embrace what is actually happening. This is a HUGE change and for two people who weren't sure they even wanted children i can see how it can bring some pretty mixed feelings. I think if i were you i would sit down and figure out what exactly it is that the both of you want. And even though your family is very conservative i have a feeling that they would come around once they understand the reasoning for your decision. Remember they do not have to agree with it, but they need to respect it. You are a grown woman and have the right you make your own decisions. I wish you the best of luck. Keep us posted.
I am so sorry! This should be an exciting and wonderful time for you. I am sorry that it is turning into heart break. I can not say whether or not he will come around. I can tell you that all of my children were planned but when we found out we were expecting our first my husband was ecstatic... for about a week. Then he got really stressed out and grumpy and we even got into a huge fight (mind you we had been trying to get pregnant). However, he calmed down after a few days and was just as excited as I was. I think it is hard for men to look into the future and see a cute a little baby that they will love more than anything. It is easier for them to see another a mouth to feed, a college tuition, a 24/7 dependent, etc.
So many people will tell you how much you will love your baby at first sight. They will talk about the love you will feel for it and how amazing being a mother will be. The truth is, you will not fully understand this until you are holding your precious baby for the first time. Even if he bales, you will be an amazing mommy. I would hate for you to end the pregnancy and then realize that he isn't what you want in a husband. If he is willing to walk away right now when you need him the most, you probably will not be able to trust him enough to stay with him after an abortion. Stick it out. He may very well come around (it may be in a week or in a year but sooner or later he is bound to realize that he is missing out on the life of a great family) or he may not.
Do you have a close friend or family member that you can talk to about this?
Wow - first of all, congrats on your baby. :-) Even though it was a total surprise, I'm happy for you that you get to experience the joys of motherhood. Secondly, I'm sorry to hear about your boyfriend's change of heart. That has to be very discouraging and upsetting for you. It sounds like he has gone through some pretty major things with the loss of his dad and now this surprise pregnancy. Perhaps he does just need some time - try not to panic too badly at this point. Everything is probably still very shocking, perhaps even to yourself! I hope you have some friends and family you can lean on for support while he figures things out...perhaps reach out after a week or two and get together for coffee to discuss his concerns...I'll cross my fingers for you. Hugs to you.
I am so sorry to hear that you have to go through this grief on top of the stress and changing hormones you were not expecting. I can't tell you the right or wrong thing to do as I don't know the two of you personally (well, even if I did I STILL wouldn't have all the answers) but I can tell you that no matter what happens, you will love this baby very much.
By coming onto this site I would think it is safe to assume you are in no way considering abortion. It sounds like you are ready to seek advice and support from other mothers on a decision you have already made. I just want to be very clear here; this IS your decision and yours alone. If he comes back to you and tells you he will leave if you don't give up the baby, I am sorry to say this but the relationship is doomed to fail. I have a male friend who loved his girlfriend very much. They were twenty when they accidentally got pregnant and he wasn't ready. Foolishly, he thought that abortion was the only answer and persuaded her pretty strongly. She finally agreed although she did not want to and the guilt and anger towards him ended up destroying their relationship. If you want this baby, which it sounds like you do, do NOT let anyone persuade you otherwise. If you think it is the only thing that will save your relationship, I am sorry to say but it won't.
We are here for you to listen and hope and dream with you. We will give advice as we can and we will root you on all the way. You need a good support system outside of a board, though. If I were there to give you a great big hug right now and tell you everything will be ok, I would do it in a heartbeat. Since I am not, though, I am hardly enough. You need friends and family who can talk and comfort you right now when you are scared. Please keep us posted.
I am so sorry for you that you are going through this. I would definitely not do anything quickly or suddenly. Give him some space and then talk to him gently about keeping the baby. He may just feel like things are going too quickly for him...the baby, marriage, etc... Just focus on your baby. If he doesn't come around...then he is not the right man for you. I hate to be the one to say this, but relationships are always tested...when you are married and when you are not. Life will throw curves at you...whether it is an unplanned pregnancy or the death of a child. If your "boyfriend" is not there for you during this first life curve, then he will probably not be there for you at any others. Give him some space to adjust to the news, but if he still doesn't come around then you should make plans to move on without him -- as hard as that may be.
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Mother's Day Poem Throw Pillow - Personalized To My Mom Throw PillowSnuggle up on the couch with mom on a Mother's Day movie night and surprise her with our Personalized To My Mom Throw Pillow! Our Personalized Mother's Day Throw Pillow makes a wonderful addition to your mother's home decor with its beautiful floral print and kind poem! Our Personalized Mother's Day Throw Pillow is available on our premium 9.5oz Canvas Pillow Sham and measures 14" x 14". Pillow form is a soft, resilient, bouncy polyester fiber form. Includes FREE Personalization! We will personalize the front of your Mother's Day Throw Pillow with any title and two line custom message. (ie. Mom / Happy Mother's Day! / Love, Tara & James)
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Amit Varma is a writer based in Mumbai. He worked in journalism for over a decade, and won the Bastiat Prize for Journalism in 2007. His bestselling novel, My Friend Sancho, was published in 2009. He is best known for his blog, India Uncut. These days, he makes his living playing poker as he works on his second novel.
My first book, My Friend Sancho, was published in May 2009, and went on to become the biggest selling debut novel released that year in India. It is a contemporary love story set in Mumbai, and had earlier been longlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize 2008. To learn more about the book, click here.
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Click here for more about my publisher, Hachette India.
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