Madrid bans models from cat-walk because they're too thin

Fri Sep 8, 10:30 AM ET

MADRID (AFP) - Excessively skinny fashion models will be barred from a major Madrid fashion show later this month for fear they could send the wrong message to young Spanish girls, local media reported.

Madrid's regional government, which is co-financing the Pasarela Cibeles, has vetoed around a third of the models who took part in last year's show because they weigh too little.

The authorities collaborated with a Spanish health organisation to come up with a minumum body mass -- a height-weight ratio -- of 18 for the models.

Spanish daily ABC said it was the first time such restrictions had been imposed on a fashion show, although a recent wedding dress exhibition in Barcelona banned fashion models who took a dress size below 38 (British size 10, US size eight).

Several models at last year's show provoked a row when they claimed their careers would be under threat if they put on weight.

Organisers said they wanted to "help ensure public opinion does not associate fashion, and fashion shows in particular, with an increase in anorexia, a disease which, along with bulimia, is considered ... as a mental and behavioural problem".

The event will take place on September 18-22.

I think this article is a very accurate representation of reality. It shows how women are portrayed based on the idea of absolute flawlessness, and how this has dire impacts on the youth of our generation. They create extremely unrealistic portrayals of emancipated, beautiful, young women and expose them on television and other media only to reinforce the idea that "thin is in". It almost becomes a socially agreed definition of beauty, which can prove to be extremely harmful according to the social cognitive theory that shows how people actually learn by modelling the behavior of others. Through the process of imitation and identification, young girls aspire to be as thin as these models - even subconsciously - because at times they are not even aware of it. This leads them to develop unhealthy mental behaviors; they end up starving themselves to deprivation to achieve the kind of look they think will be accepted by their society.

I am glad that the Madrid regional government has taken at least a few steps to ban such unrealistic portrayals of women, for the television medium has long been attributed as the major cause for anorexia and bulimia. Perhaps these images of women being stick-thin and strutting on the walkway will be eradicated, and young girls will come to terms with their natural figure and accept themselves the way they are. The socially agreed-upon meaning of "beauty" would then take on a more realistic definition: of women who have come to terms with reality; of women who are healthier and meatier with curves.

Day 1/The Day/The Big Day/Cold Turkey Day/Quit Day

My real age is 23 [on paper its 22]. The first time when I smoked was when I was 12. The first time I inhaled a cigarette [instead of just puffing] was the same year - 12. I would buy a couple of Gold Leaf cigarettes, and cycle away in some fields close to my residence area. Each day I bought a new pack of matches [Rs.1] and threw them away. For me there was no peer pressure to smoke. I guess I just wanted to do "something bad". It was the same time when I had developed that annoying little moustache, and of course, my voicebox grew in size so that it became an Adam's apple.

The first time I was suspected of smoking was when I was 14. My mother found a cigarette in a cassette cover and a smashed matchbox in my school bag's pocket that I had forgotten to throw away. I always had a pack of mint candies [HOEST] and in time my mother realised what the purpose of these candies was.

When I was 16, my being a smoker was no secret in the house. For one, the bathroom always smelt of smoke [I didn't bother going to the fields by then]. In school, I had classfellows who wouldn't stand next to me because I smelt of smoke. Of course, I used the school washrooms to smoke. One day I got late for my English class and my teacher, Hasan Shikoh, came after me and found me on the way. He detected the smoke immediately. Thank goodness he didn't make too much of a fuss. That was my closest call to being caught smoking in school.

The same year, my mother, upon realising I was becoming a hardcore smoker, got really upset. She came to my room and lit up a cigarette and said, "If you continue to smoke, I will take up smoking as well." I snatched the cigarette from her and promised her I would quit. That was the first time I tried to quit. It was also the most successful attempt because I stayed clean for a good 3 months.

The reason why I started smoking again was extremely stupid, but hey, I was a teenager with raging hormones! I used to work part-time everyday after school and there was this girl who was my age, did charity work in the same hospital, was filthy rich, and had taken up smoking very recently. Indeed, she was of the opinion that smoking is really cool. So when I got my first chance to be in a locked room with her, it was to smoke. She smoked Dunhills, so I had to get a Marlboro pack for me. There it was. I was a smoker again.

I didn't bother to be secretive about it. I made my peace with my mother, a caffeine addict, by telling her "I would quit smoking if you can stop being addicted to tea." She usually needs two huge mugs of tea every morning to get out of bed.

So its been 11 years since I've been a smoker. My lifestyle includes cigarettes in everything. And the biggest reason for me to stay a smoker: nicotine addiction. Most non-smokers don't understand nicotine addiction. Every human being has a certain level of nicotine in their blood - even people who don't smoke. When a person smokes, he or she actually increases the level of nicotine required in their blood. Now each time when the nicotine goes lower than that level he has become accustomed to, he craves cigarettes. Its what they call a physical [or biological] dependence [not just psychological].

And its been 7 years since I've been trying to quit. Most smokers plan to quit at one time or another, but they keep postponing. I've done that a lot, but I've also tried to set a Quit Day and quit smoking a number of times. Hardly any time did I go beyond 2 weeks without lighting up again.

The fact is, I'm HEAVILY addicted to nicotine. I can get rid of cigarettes and all psychological reasons for smoking [eg. talking over the phone and nothing to hold in my hand], but the moment I stop using Nicotine gum [Nicorette] or Nicotine lozenges [Nicotinell], I go back to smoking.

Despite all this, I'm trying to quit smoking again. And today is the Day 1 where I go cold turkey - cutting off cigarettes completely. I had three cigarettes the day before, in an attempt to cut down before the Quit Day. I don't have any reason why this attempt would be successful, especially because all my close friends here are smokers - 6 people : all smokers. The first week is the hardest, and then each day is hard - any setback could throw me back at smoking. And with the semester taking its toll with assignments, projects, group meetings for research papers etc., I really have to learn how to use my will power efficiently. But quitting smoking is something that needs to be done. And for now, I'm determined to make it happen.

Brain gender

Your Brain is 80% Female, 20% Male

Your brain leans female You think with your heart, not your head Sweet and considerate, you are a giver But you're tough enough not to let anyone take advantage of you!

It doesn't come as a surprise to me, and I'm sure to none of my friends either. Whatever the case, this sucks! If you have the guts to find out about yourself and then share, be my guest:

What Gender Is Your Brain?

Pakistan a Banana Republic?!

A nationwide power blackout which started in Ghazi Barotha last Sunday [24th Sept] caused rumours to spread that a coup was taking place, taking over Musharraf while he was in the US, launching his autobiography "In the Line of Fire". His statement to the press: "It is a nonsense. What should I say about this. Look we aren't, thank God, a banana republic, where such things happen suddenly."

That is funny, because he came to power by taking over Nawaz Sharif in a coup himself, and what's funnier - he used the term 'banana republic'.

According to Wikipedia: Banana republic is a pejorative term for a small, often Latin American or Caribbean country, which is politically unstable, dependent on limited agriculture, and ruled by a small, wealthy and corrupt clique.
This doesn't seem all too accurate now, but Pakistan IS dependent on agriculture, has a history of being politically unstable, and is mostly ruled by corrupt politicians.

The interpretation of Answers.com seems more befitting: A small country that is economically dependent on a single export commodity, such as bananas, and is typically governed by a dictator or the armed forces.
Small country, check. Dependent on a few exports, check. Governed by the armed forces, CHECK!

However, given Musharraf's understanding of the English language, what he probably meant by 'banana republic' was a country which is 'going bananas' because the ruler is out of town. So do you think Pakistan is not a banana republic? Or is it?

And so it is... [music video]

Edit: I removed the music video for I believe it was making the site very slow. Click below if you would still like to see it.

Damien Rice - Blower's Daughter

I won something =)

http://www.nus.edu.sg/comcen/imagine/hangout/index.htm

I'm an absolute "ectomorph"

• ECTOMORPHS are generally small-framed and thin. Their shoulders and hips are generally narrow. They have trouble gaining weight and building muscle. Ectomorphs should do enough cardio exercise to work their heart and lungs but not so much if they are concerned about building muscle and maintaining weight. Weight workouts should be on the heavier side if the goal is to build muscle. Weight training the upper body is helpful to keep proportions more even. Generally, lighter weights and more reps do the trick. Ectomorphs are generally tall and thin and have long arms and legs. These people have difficulty gaining weight and muscle no matter how much they eat or how hard they weight train. They have the body type you tend to see in ballet dancers, runway models, long-distance runners, and some basketball players. A very small proportion of the population has this type of body.
• MESOMORPHS tend to be of normal weight, neither fat nor skinny. They tend to pack on muscle easily and can lose weight easily up to a certain point. It is hard for them to become "skinny." Generally, their shoulders are wider than their hips. Mesomorphs should do longer-duration, higher-intensity cardio work if the goal is to lose weight. Building muscle is easy, but if the goal is not to gain size then moderately heavier weights and higher reps will be the way to go during weight-training sessions. Mesomorphs are generally muscular, shorter, and have stocky arms and legs. These people are strong and tend to gain muscle mass when they do strength training. They may find it difficult to lose weight, but they excel in power sports like soccer, softball, vaulting in gymnastics, sprinting events in track and field.
• ENDOMORPHS tend to be pear-shaped, meaning their hips are usually wider than their shoulders. They gain weight easily and tend to be curvier than the other body types. Endomorphs are generally shaped like apples or pears and carry more body fat. Their bodies resist losing weight and body fat no matter how restrictive they are with their eating. In fact, the more they "diet," the more their metabolisms slow down to resist weight loss. These people are better able to handle long periods of starvation and famine (which was a benefit to our ancestors). Sports they excel at are distance swimming, field events, and weight lifting.
  

Most of us aren't purely one body type or another; we are a combination of at least two. That means you're going to have to adjust your workout to strike the right balance of exercise and diet. I find it helps to keep a food and workout diary so you can more easily analyze what works and what doesn't.

Caffeine Information

Hey AIESEC!

Newbie @ers in LC NUS busy with Insight XP test

AIESEC Singapore at Lau Pa Sat [23rd September 2006]