Sharon Stone -- 51 and Topless

I figured if these photos can be published in The Huffington Post, then there is no reason why they cannot be published in The RAB Experience either.

The photos can be found in Paris Match and come with an accompanying article that is in French. I know some of my readers understand that a picture tells a 1000 words and will not therefore need to read the article.

I have often wondered what drives a 51-year-old to pose topless for a magazine. But, Ms. Stone certainly looks pretty good in a bandage corset, black underwear, and a pair of black stilettos.

If you are wondering why this post has appeared, then the answer is simple; a previous post on Madonna which included a nude image of her has been my most visited post over the previous 7 days. So, I am wondering whether a couple of topless shots of Sharon Stone will gain the same kind of interest.

It's all about the visitor statistics :D

Enjoy.

Kinky Sex -- The Key To Happiness?

One might wonder what the key to happiness is. At least in some ways that question seems to have been answered, kinky sex. Any desires Australia might have harboured of conforming to some perceived drab and dreary sexual norm has been shattered by a recent sex survey which found that there are many Australians who enjoy bondage, discipline, and sadomasochism (BSDM). This kind of sexual practice involves role play.

This was not a survey of just a few hundred people. The survey questioned some 20,000 people and found that contrary to wide-held beliefs that the practitioners of these kinds of sexual pleasures were not damaged and dangerous as a result of their preferences. The study also found that BSDM was also not practiced as some kind of reaction to previous sexual abuse. But never fear the practitioners account for a mere 2% of Australians.

The survey was conducted by public health researchers from the University of New South Wales. The findings have been published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

The fact that 2% of Australians partake in BSDM is not so surprising, but the fact that the findings of the survey suggest that they are happier than most others is a surprise. I took a couple of psychology courses at university and was always taught that BSDM was deviant sexual behaviour and that the practitioners were in some way damaged goods and in need of specialized intervention in order for recovery to be achieved.

It may now be the case that people looking for a little happiness might want to consider a healthy bondage or discipline session.

The findings might be good for business for those sex shops that supply the necessary equipment for a good ol' bondage and discipline session.

More on Naked Kids as Art

The girl whose picture sparked the latest outbursts in the sexualization of children / child porn debate has come out in her own defence. The girl, Olympia Nelson, at the time the picture was taken was a mere six years old. She is now a much more commanding 11 years old. At 11 years old I am still not convinced that she knows or understands the implications of the photo or the debate that surrounds them.

The photos were taken by the Olympia's mother, Polixeni Papapetrou. I am not sure this makes a difference to the idea or arguments relating to exploitation. However, it does add to the dynamic of the argument the question, who should be able to make decisions relating to the photographing of minor children?

Nevertheless, the interesting part of this story is that Olympia Nelson is "really, really offended" that the PM, Kevin Rudd, cannot stand the images of a naked six year old Olympia. I prefer Brendan Nelson's (no relation as far as I know) characterization of the cover of Art Monthly Australia being the equivalent of a two-fingered salute to the rest of society.

The arguments being presented from both sides have some validity but none seem to be structured with a view to finding or striking some balance between the value of protecting children and any artistic value such images might have.

Art Monthly Australia have missed an opportunity to advance the argument by including other images of bondage involving a Japanese schoolgirl and a woman on the receiving end of some oral sex from an octopus. Sounds a little fetishy to me but I am sure it will peak some one's interest. Nevertheless, this is hardly a good means of getting people on side with your position.

The idea that these publications receive federal funding and therefore must comply to a certain standard would seem that the government offers funding as a means of dictating norms. There are probably arguments relating to free speech on this front but there are equally valid arguments that if the government is paying for it then it perhaps has a right to expect certain content acceptability provisions are to be put into place.

It would seem that this debate still has a ways to go before any resolution is found.