Saturday, July 6, 2013

Body Motivations - Part II

A while back I posted a casual entry called Body Motivations, which touched on the right of businesses to advertise to their target audience using male almost-nudes in their campaigns and in-store advertising. Of course, I used that premise as an excuse to post various advertisers ad campaigns as examples, a visually pleasurable tour, to say the least.

As I grow older and struggle with maintaining personal fitness, I find it necessary to inspire myself through any means available. A good dance song that makes me want to move (exercise), or a good visual stimulation such as a great male nude photo. Such pictures are not just for "gentleman's time," but are good for goal-setting and comparisons.

In my quest for inspiration, I have run across some more examples of photos that inspire, and I just thought I'd share:


Yes, that's Mark Wahlberg - one of the few that managed to survive teen-idol status and graduate into someone who is still very handsome and respected in the Arts/Entertainment community. And he still inspires, even today:


There is no shortage of Underwear makers who utilize the male form to advertise their product (for which I am grateful):


In particular, I am grateful for Andrew Christian, who is NOT afraid to cater to the gay male as their target audience.


Sorry, that picture was uploaded in error, as it it obviously has very little to do with body motivation.  THIS is the picture I meant to post: 


There's just something about anatomically correct underwear, football, and men that's just, well, um, inspiring. And I say, three cheers for Andrew Christian, because they have inspired millions, in print media, as well as in streaming/internet content!
Of course, the general public, at least in America, shuns male nude models in advertising, especially in public. There are many excuses, but the bottom line seems to be that either puritanical ideas of "religion" or "the-children-might-see" mentality tends to discourage the use of male nudes in advertising. However, it does seem perfectly okay to display women in various forms of undress in everyday advertising!  (Don't worry, women are NOT the subject of THIS blog entry...)

In other parts of the world, it would appear that people are far less uptight about showing body. The Leopold Museum, housed in the Museumsquartier in Vienna, Austria, home to one of the largest collections of modern Austrian art, featuring artists such as Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka and Richard Gerstl, had an exhibition (if you'll pardon the pun) of "Naked Men" by Ilse Haider in 2012. The posters they used to advertise the show caused controversy, causing a requirement of a "red stripe" to conceal the man bits.



Sometimes it really does seem that America is awfully uptight, especially when we can see naked Hindus in public events:


Or bike rides that would NEVER happen in America...


Except I'm wrong. THIS happened in Chicago:


But from the looks of that photo, most of those guys NEEDED body motivation. So, here's some body motivation to my fellow cyclists:


And, of course, if you need motivation to be fashionably dressed, this may be motivation enough:


I've never been into sports, and especially not wrestling, but Chris Weidman makes me want to wrestle something: 












Thursday, July 4, 2013

Perspective Changes Everything

Felony Arrest Of Student Who Bought Water Riles Many In Virginia


SHOULD READ:


It's night time in a parking lot and six people approach a young lady's car and bang on the windows and shout at her. I'd be scared too.

My position is simple: Why six people?  Why plainclothes?  I'd be skeptical of anyone not recognizable as police approaching my vehicle, whether they flash "badges" in the dark of the night or not.

Maybe I've seen too many movies or read too much "Crime Blotter."

But doesn't perspective change everything? Here's a young lady buying perfectly innocent items at a grocery store - no reason at all to think she's in trouble.

So why would there be cops?  Isn't probable cause called for?  Shouldn't a cop have been present at the purchase and therefore be able to see what was being purchased?  Were they guessing, outside, in that parking lot?  There doesn't seem to be any real police work here.

Here's a young lady in a parking lot, getting into her car, after visiting a grocery store for actual groceries, around 10pm (therefore it's dark and presumably scary), and a person, or persons, approach her vehicle. Why would she think they were police? 

No uniforms? A quickly flashed badge in the dark? This sounds like how all the stories of rape and muggings and assaults begin... 

I'd get the hell out of there, too!