Beauty Pageants

[GeneChing]

Miss Columbia, Catalina Robayo, went commando.

Here's the most tasteful pic I could find that didn't have a censor star over it.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Originally Posted by GeneChing

Miss Columbia, Catalina Robayo, went commando.

Here's the most tasteful pic I could find that didn't have a censor star over it.

Yummy !

[sanjuro_ronin]

It was a thing of beauty really, nicely upkept and quite inviting.

[David Jamieson]

Originally Posted by sanjuro_ronin

It was a thing of beauty really, nicely upkept and quite inviting.

...what you don't know is the acrid sulphuric smell belching out of her lady garden like a dragon with beer f@rts.
Nearly rendered the other girls unconscious.

now take that image to the bathroom with ya!

you're welcome.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Originally Posted by David Jamieson

...what you don't know is the acrid sulphuric smell belching out of her lady garden like a dragon with beer f@rts.
Nearly rendered the other girls unconscious.

now take that image to the bathroom with ya!

you're welcome.

You need to date a different type of women my friend !

[GeneChing]

...but more On Topic for this forum...um...I think...

Jon Carroll
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Super Girl est morte

The problem did not begin with Duan Linxi, but she didn't help. She was the reigning champion of "Super Girl," a wildly popular Chinese variety show that was more or less a direct knockoff of our own beloved "American Idol." Apparently she has an androgynous look and other cultural signifiers that upset the powers that be in Chinese television, which promptly canceled the show.

Officials said that next year, in the "Super Girl" time slot, Hunan state television would present shows about, in the words of the New York Times, "healthy morals, public safety and practical information about housework." Man, talk about a ratings downer.

Official Chinese state television also sponsors talent shows on its channels, but they are not nearly as popular as "Super Girl." It is speculated that the government was miffed because it couldn't get a ratings edge on "Super Girl." Government just doesn't do mass culture very well - look at the ads in this country from politicians underlining their street cred by doing moderately dopey things with grins on their faces.

Officials have been nibbling at the show for years; in 2007, they banned text-messaging votes, leaving only the audience in the studio to vote for their favorites. Still, its popularity persisted and grew.

From the Times: "In an online essay published Saturday, one of the show's judges, Song Shinan, suggested that China's cultural authorities were unhappy about being cut out of the selection process and threatened by the kind of women who rose to the top. 'One thing that has progressed is that "idols" are no longer the product of political needs but of commercial needs,' Mr. Song wrote. 'The promotion of "role models" from above is dying. These girls truly represent the voices of our times and are the idols of the people.'

"He acknowledged that the show could be cruel and frivolous, but said that it ultimately celebrated the triumph of the individual over the state. 'In the frenzy of the "Super Girl" fan there is the blind, naive and even the violent and dark side,' he said. 'But there also is a path leading to freedom rather than slavery.' "

So that is the battle in China now: Commercialism is freedom. Commercialism is the answer to stultifying big government. Censorship is answered by song! Souvenir T-shirts on sale! One of the government officials called the show "poison for our youth" - that would be a great name for a band! Go crazy.

Over in this country, we're trying to run the nation without a functioning government, leaving commercialism to be well and truly free. Is that working out any better? Is it in fact a new kind of freedom? I am not experiencing it that way.

Maybe we'd better rethink this whole idea of "nations." Maybe we just need engineers and janitors.

As for the promotion of role models from above - surely a 20-year-old singer relentlessly hyped by commercial interests is just as much an imposed role model as Miss Official Chinese Pretty Person. It's just a matter of sensibilities. Or it's a matter of money. Someone is making big yuan out of this deal. Maybe this is just a squabble over exploitation rights.

Maybe someone should do an explanation of international politics based on the customs and practices of the music business. That might make a lot of apparently random stuff seem a lot more straightforward. If it's ganefs all the way down the line, the pieces fit together pretty neatly.

The Chinese Communist Party needs a better marketing team. Sure, the gerontocracy is great, but you have to be concerned about image. Lot of young folks in China, and they vote. Well, not vote, exactly, but they do watch TV.

As for Duan Linxi, her problem was timing. This is the Times again: "But at a time when the Communist Party has been avidly reviving revolutionary mass culture from the Maoist era, some critics say the sassy and startlingly individualistic performers who scored well on 'Super Girl' represented something of a threat."

I saw a Chinese propaganda extravaganza in Shanghai in 1988. There were women in flowing sleeves and too much makeup carrying farm implements; there were impossibly rosy-cheeked men marching in formation but always happy; there were massed choirs, oh my yes. If this is the revolutionary mass culture being revived, I'd say it doesn't stand a chance in 2011.

"Super Girl" is gone, but another superish girl will arise to take her place. You must give the people what they want, even if it's all feathers and gas. For the power of commercialism is the power of the people. Sort of. Once in a while. When someone gets lucky.

Super Girl meets her demise, and a whole nation mourns, or at least complains.

Faith, he is posted hence on serious matter. It was great ignorance, Gloster's eyes being out, to let him live: Where he arrives, he moves all hearts against jcarroll@sfchronicle.com.

[HD][2011快女] Duan Linxi 段林希 - 《是否我真的一无所有》

[GeneChing]

Miss Universe pageant allowing transgender women
By COLLEEN LONG, Associated Press – 18 hours ago

NEW YORK (AP) — A rule change that would allow transgender women to participate in the Miss Universe beauty pageant next year is a step forward for equality, advocates said Tuesday after pageant officials announced the policy shift.

Pageant officials said they are working on the language of the official rule policy change but expected final word to come soon. The rules will have to be approved by Donald Trump, who runs the Miss Universe Organization, and NBC. Trump and NBC co-own the contest.

The announcement of the policy change comes a week after the organization decided to allow Jenna Talackova to compete for Canada's spot in the Miss Universe pageant this year.

Talackova, a Vancouver resident, underwent a sex change four years ago after being born a male. The advocacy group GLAAD called on the Miss Universe Organization to review her case, as well as open the competition to transgender women, after she was disqualified from competing in the Miss Universe Canada contest next month.

"We want to give credit where credit is due, and the decision to include transgender women in our beauty competitions is a result of our ongoing discussions with GLAAD," said Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization. "We have a long history of supporting equality for all women, and this was something we took very seriously."

The Miss Universe Organization produces the pageant, as well as the Miss USA and the Miss Teen competitions, according to the organization's website. The Miss Universe pageant began in 1952 as a local "bathing beauty" contest, headed by California-based Catalina Swimwear, the site says.

Trials for next year's Miss Universe pageant begin this summer.

"Everybody should be allowed to participate in every aspect of society," said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. "Absolutely it's good news, it's another pernicious structural discrimination barrier taken down."

Susan Stryker, director of the Institute for LGBT Studies at the University of Arizona, said she hoped to see similar progress in areas that would impact more people — like employment discrimination issues and anti-transgender violence.

"The next question is, can't we move beyond beauty pageants and make changes in areas that have more relevance," she asked.

She pointed out that while trans people should be able to take part fully in society, there are issues with beauty pageants overall, questions of "whether beauty pageants are the best way to advance the cause of girls, of women."

But she said trans women participating in the pageants could make a difference, and help shatter stereotypes and educate the public. She pointed to Chaz Bono, a transgender man, and the impact of his appearance on "Dancing with the Stars."

"To that extent, it's just a great thing to have a positive media representation even if it is inconsequential," she said.

Contest officials worked closely with GLAAD to change the policy, and the advocacy group on Tuesday praised the decision and the work by Talackova to remain a contestant.

"The Miss Universe Organization today follows institutions that have taken a stand against discrimination of transgender women including the Olympics, NCAA, the Girl Scouts of America and The CW's America's Next Top Model," said GLAAD's senior director of programs Herndon Grad****. "At a time when transgender people are still routinely denied equal opportunities in housing, employment and medical care, today's decision is in line with the growing levels of public support for transgender people across the country."

Talackova's sex change initially led organizers in Canada to disqualify her from the 61st Miss Universe Canada pageant in May, citing a rule that she must be "naturally born" a woman.

Talackova pleaded with the pageant's leaders to drop the rule.

"I am a woman," Talackova said last week. "I was devastated, and I felt that excluding me for the reason that they gave was unjust. I have never asked for any special consideration. I only wanted to compete."

Associated Press writer Deepti Hajela contributed to this report.

Here's some pix of Talackova.

[GeneChing]

She's a bad girl. Naughty, naughty. She might just make it like Vanessa Williams did.

Former Miss USA Rima Fakih pleads no contest in driving impairment case
April 12, 2012 |

Former Miss USA Rima Fakih appears Wednesday in 30th District Court in Highland Park with city attorney Todd Russell Perkins, left, and her attorney, W. Otis Culpepper, at her impaired driving trial.

By Melanie D. Scott

Former Miss USA Rima Fakih pleaded no contest to driving while visibly impaired, avoiding a trial that was to start Wednesday on a more serious charge of operating while intoxicated.

Fakih, 26, stood next to her attorney, W. Otis Culpepper, on Wednesday in 30th District Court in Highland Park as Culpepper announced she would accept a plea deal.

"You have to pay the price for making mistakes, but you move on and make sure you learn from those mistakes," Fakih said after the hearing.

Two other charges -- open intoxicants, a misdemeanor, and careless driving, a civil infraction -- were dismissed as part of the plea deal.

Fakih, who two years ago was the first Arab American to be crowned Miss USA, will be sentenced on the misdemeanor conviction May 9. A no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes.

"The settlement that was reached is fair to all sides," Culpepper said. "She doesn't have to go through all of this anymore."

Culpepper said he expects Fakih will be placed on probation and hopes she can serve that probation in California, where she now lives and is pursuing an acting career.

Fakih was arrested Dec. 3 after a Highland Park police officer said she was driving a black 2011 Jaguar XJR at a high rate of speed near 6 Mile and Woodward.

The officer said the car was traveling at 60 m.p.h., and that Fakih changed lanes several times without using a turn signal.

Police pulled her over in the area of Woodward and Highland. The officer said Fakih appeared disoriented and had slurred speech. Police found a wine bottle and an open bottle of champagne in the car, reports said.

A breath test revealed she initially had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19%. The level at which someone can be convicted of drunken driving is 0.08%.

Fakih was born in Lebanon and moved to the U.S. at age 7. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Originally Posted by GeneChing

She's a bad girl. Naughty, naughty. She might just make it like Vanessa Williams did.

She looks quite doable

[GeneChing]

[QUOTE=sanjuro_ronin;1166706]She looks quite doable

And what do you think about Jenna Talackova?

[sanjuro_ronin]

[QUOTE=GeneChing;1166719]

Originally Posted by sanjuro_ronin

She looks quite doable

And what do you think about Jenna Talackova?

More hardware than I am comfortable with

[David Jamieson]

[QUOTE=sanjuro_ronin;1166724]

Originally Posted by GeneChing

More hardware than I am comfortable with

I'm betting the hardware has been uninstalled and replaced with virtual lady plumbing. it doesn't work of course, but it looks alright by comparison.

To be fair, I don't think I'd be down with doing a transgendered dude. If I didn't know, I simply wouldn't know and wouldn't have to hurdle any mental blocks etc.
Plus my wife would be livid! lol

[sanjuro_ronin]

[QUOTE=David Jamieson;1166738]

Originally Posted by sanjuro_ronin

I'm betting the hardware has been uninstalled and replaced with virtual lady plumbing. it doesn't work of course, but it looks alright by comparison.

To be fair, I don't think I'd be down with doing a transgendered dude. If I didn't know, I simply wouldn't know and wouldn't have to hurdle any mental blocks etc.
Plus my wife would be livid! lol

But if it's no longer a dude, then...?
I don't know IF I WANT to know !
All this is too complicated for me.
I am a simple "meat n potatoes" kind of guy.

[ShaolinDan]

Gee. Isn't modern medicine fantastic?

[GeneChing]

I used to live in SF. If you only knew how many men I've seen fooled. Some of them were never the wiser...

Originally Posted by David Jamieson

I'm betting the hardware has been uninstalled and replaced with virtual lady plumbing. it doesn't work of course, but it looks alright by comparison.

It would work for what you'd use it for.