Dewi Persik [Not] Nude...

Another day, another FPI led controversy of insignificant proportions. The FPI and their anti-porn 'crusade' has reached another level of absurdity. The Islamic Defenders' Front has decided that a couple of topless photos of Dewi Persik are so obscene that it is time to pay her a visit at home and toss rotten eggs at her house. There is without a doubt some tossing going on, but it is not rotten eggs!

The arbiters of all things moral, the FPI, has decided to report Dewi Persik (sometimes spelled Perssik) to the police because their are nude photos of her on the internet. First things first. The FPI knows this how? Someone told them so? Or do they have a dedicated department of porn surfers in their ranks whose sole task is to surf the internet and find Indonesian porn? If the second option is the go, and apparently it is, then the FPI should be looking to contract out their services to the Ministry of [Mis]Communication and [Mis]Information. I am sure their polygamous leader and world-renowned porn expert, Tifatul Sembiring (TitS), will be most interested.

Dewi Persik's claim to fame has always been her sexy image. She has built her entire dangdut career around the concept of "if you have it, flaunt it". And, that has worked very well for her. Her personal life might not be an encyclopedia of success stories, but then again whose is? However, professionally she seems to be doing very well, thank you very much!

The FPI claim that they had to make the report because that is what the community wanted and because the Indonesian Koranic Recital Council demanded it. So, what were the Indonesian Koranic Recital Council doing looking at porn anyway? Or if they are just going on the hearsay or others, then it is about time these crotchety old men in white robes took the time to have a sneak peek at what it is they are complaining about and demanding police action on.

Seriously, Dewi Persik's breasts, no matter how perfect, are not going to damage the moral fabric of the Republic of Indonesia. Let's face it, a sustained assault on Indonesia's morality and ethics by the New Order took care of any lingering questions on that front. Quite simply, the world, and Indonesia, as we know it, is not going to end because of a topless photo of Dewi Persik appears online, particularly one where her breasts are covered by her rather long hair. Maybe if she was wearing a jilbab it would have been all OK?

There are four pictures that form the basis of the report. Three of them apparently nude and one with her kissing Ahmad Dhani. All images freely available on the internet.

This is so much a non-issue, but it does explain why there has been a run on my blog today of visitors looking for porn images of Dewi Persik. I have heard that there are a few full-frontal shots out there, but the above images will have to do for now.

Beach Volleyball: A Follow-Up...

My Good blog friend Harry over at Multibrand reposted a musing of mine on beach volleyball, particularly the excuse used by the Yemeni team for a loss during their Asian Games campaign; women in bikinis distracted them to the point of losing matches.

So, with that in mind, and in light of the comments he received to that post, I post this follow-up. The point is how distracted will the Yemenis be once they get anywhere near the women's beach volleyball circuit outside of the Asian Games.

Some pictures of the distractions that are sure to be really and truly bothersome for the Yemenis. These images might also go some way to explaining why beach volleyball, particularly the women's game, is so popular!

Miyabi Makes Her Indonesian Horror Film Debut...

The poor old FPI and any other white-robed thugs that have a problem with foreign porn actresses making horror films in Indonesia must be a little annoyed once again. It seems that the hardliners have missed Maria Ozawa, or Miyabi as she is affectionately known in Indonesia, slipping into the Republic of Indonesia to film a horror film, The Ghost of Tanah Kusir (Hantu Tanah Kusir).

Tanah Kusir is a public cemetery in South Jakarta if one is interested.

Funnily enough it is not only the FPI that have had the wool pulled over their eyes on this one. The majority of the promotional material for the film does not even make mention of Miyabi's role or the fact that she is even in it. But, there is no doubting she is there. Miyabi makes her grand entrance into the film about halfway through it. The rest of the film, I am reliably told, is a procession of Miyabi chest (or is that breasts) shots.

The same production house, Maxima, that was set to film the original foray of Miyabi into Indonesian horror / comedy (does that make the film comically horrific or horrifyingly comical) films. Unfortunately, for a lot of Indonesian Miyabi fans, Kidnapping Miyabi, did not make it into production out of fears that the FPI would violently seek to disrupt filming.

It would appear that the standard operating procedure will now be to sneak the controversial actresses into Indonesia, shoot the film, send the actresses home, and then release the film. Tera Patrick and Rin Sakuragi were recent porn stars to make their film debuts in Indonesia in this way. This is certain to raise the ire of the FPI as they would have been denied a soap-box opportunity to harp about the dangers of using porn actresses in non-pornographic films. This means that the only avenue of protest available to the FPI is to protest the screening of any film involving a foreign porn star. This ensures a stack of free publicity for the film, both in Indonesia and abroad, and guaranteeing success for the producers of the film.

Marketing genius or what?

Anyways, here are some additional Miyabi / Maria Ozawa images. Yes, I know you are expecting them.

Paris Hilton: Exposed...

I thought that Paris Hilton had a chain of fashion stores in her own name. If I am not mistaken, didn't she open one of these in Indonesia?

I am wondering if she shops at her own stores? I am also wondering if this outfit is available in Indonesia? And, the final wondering here is, if this outfit is available in Indonesia, is anyone buying it?

Hmmm...not a whole lot to the imagination here, is there?

Notice the paparazzo shadow across her back. I would hate to be a celebrity and never get a moments peace from being photographed. I am sure that there are those out there that would be arguing that hitting the streets in an outfit like this one is as good as asking to be photographed. However, Hilton, like anyone else can wear whatever they like, including this outfit, and they should be able to do it without fear of being hassled by paparazzi at every turn.

The idea that celebrities ask for it as part of being public figures, and that they have no right to personal space in the public sphere is not all that different from arguing that a woman who wears a short skirt is asking to be raped and therefore she should be afforded less protection than a woman dressed in a more 'modest' manner.

There just seems to be something inherently wrong with the logic on this one.

The truth though is that it is us, the consumers, that feed this monster. Our insatiable appetite for celebrity gossip and stupidity means there is a ready market for most pictures.

I do like the shirt though! Is she trying to tell any potential suitors what they are in for if they pursue her to the ends of the earth?

What's Up With Justin Bieber?

I am not a fan of Justin Bieber. I am a couple of generations too late for Bieber fan-dom (or is that beliebers?). Now, that said, young Will is a big fan. Whenever Justin Bieber's song "Baby" comes on the TV or the radio or even over the loud speaker system at the mall, he drops everything he is doing and starts bopping away. Is bopping away what almost two-year-olds do?

Anyways, I have noticed that young Mr. Bieber's dance moves have taken on that Michael Jackson-esque crotch-grabbing routine. The photographic evidence would seem to prove that he has a rather frequent need to check that the goods are still there, his boxers are not sitting right, or he has a nasty little "itch" that needs some pretty frequent scratching.

The sad part is that Bieber is still a boy and a role-model of sorts. I am not sure how much of a role model he is to Will, but judging by the number of fans he has, and assuming that they are not all young girls, then there are a few young boys out there that are fans too. So, is the constant crotch-grabbing an image that he needs to promote?

On a slightly different tack. The Justin Bieber story is a real lesson on how to cultivate world-wide appeal and stardom by taking a most unorthodox, at least in my view, through the use of modern technology and social networking. In that sense it is all kudos to the young man and his team of handlers.

I wonder if the crotch-grabbing thing is that Miley Cyrus / Taylor Momsen thing of being a child and trying to cultivate a more adult contemporary image?

Ho hum...

Prince William and Kate Middleton...

A Royal Engagement brings out all the classic headlines. Although, "Kinky Kate: The skanky dress that caught Prince William's eye" was probably not the first headline I would have expected to see.

Nevertheless, here are a couple of pictures (one courtesy of Getty Images) of Ms. Catherine (aka Kate) Middleton before she became the future Queen of England. Perhaps, it was destiny or something. So, maybe she was always going to be the future Queen of England, and it was just a matter of time before fate ran its course.

In any event, these photos come from 2002 and a fashion charity show held at St. Andrews University in Scotland. Even to my aging eyes it looks like she was certain to turn a few heads in the outfit.

Yet, I wonder how the future King of England feels about his wife being described as "kinky" and "skanky"? After all, she was playing the part of fashion model for charity at an event that was charging in excess of $325 a ticket. To be honest that does not sound either kinky or skanky. So what if you can see her panties, it is a fashion show, right? Maybe I am getting old.

Congratulations to them both. May it be a long and fruitful partnership that bring you both much happiness.

Now for the photos...

Lingerie Football...

The Lingerie Football League (LFL) must be an acquired taste. The Mayor of Oklahoma City, Mick Cornett, has decided that he is not going to allow Oklahoma City to host a franchise of the LFL.

This begs the question "is lingerie football a serious sport or just a bunch of women running around in their underwear?" With that question in mind, I set out to do some research. Luckily for me, Foxtel's sports channels carry the LFL. Thanks to Foxtel I have been able to watch a few games and get a "feel" for the game and whether it is serious sport.

I have to say, having watched a few games, these girls go at it hammer and tong. There are some really big hits. I am sure there are plenty of people who watch it just for the sex appeal. Yet, the players themselves, like Natalie Jahnke, consider it to be legitimate sport. Nevertheless, Jahnke does admit that sex sells.

Yet, whether the LFL is legitimate sport or just a little bit of voyeuristic opportunism, is irrelevant if it brings in the crowds and is profitable, isn't it?

But one has to give credit where credit is due. These young women train hard and get out there week-in and week-out during the season to play football. My guess is that the most exercise some people will get will be watching these young women run around in their panties and bras.

Now, for the pictures...

Lara Bingle vs. Nicole King...

I was going to write about this the other day. I was intending to put this in the "tattoo series" that I have been putting together. The hook was always going to be that Nicole King and Lara Bingle were cousins and the idea of healthy competition among family members.

To be honest, King's tattoo is pretty impressive. It is worth pointing out that along the rib cage is one of the more painful places to have ink work done. Unless you are a fat bastard like me, then it is not all that different to anywhere else on your personal canvas (aka skin).

Lara Bingle's fame sort of stemmed from being picked from relative obscurity to be the bikini in the Australian Tourism ad campaign "Where the Bloody Hell are ya?" More recently it has been about being engaged to Michael Clarke, Australian Test Cricket Captain in waiting, and then being separated from Clarke.

The fact that there is a mobile phone topless shot of her floating around the internet taken by a married former lover of hers, Brendan Fevola, ensures that she remains a searchable prospect on the internet. This is particularly so in the light of persistent rumours that there are also a few naked and full-frontal options available.

However, the icing on the cake for these two is that Bingle has come out on the Kyle Sandilands 2Day FM radio show and said that she is not related to King. They are not cousins. Bingle does not know of her, and has never met her.

Not to be deterred, King has countered that they are in fact cousins because King's mother and Bingle's father were cousins.

In the big scheme of things, I am sure it is important for them. For me, it is just a pretty good excuse to post some bikini pictures of two attractive young women, and one with a pretty nice tattoo.

Brooklyn Law School: The Lingerie Shoot...

Brooklyn Law School rented out their library to a fashion label, Diesel, for a photo shoot. The law school was under the now quite obviously mistaken understanding that the fashion shoot that was going to take place was for Diesel Jeans. The photo shoot was for Diesel, but for their intimates collection and not their jeans line. In fact there is not a pair of jeans in sight in this shoot.

Now, it is not like the idea of sexual activity and law library tables has never been thought of in the past. But, perhaps it is the first time that Brooklyn Law School has seen some of those fantasies played out in photos. I wonder if law library usage has increased or decreased after the photo shoot?

In any event, the Dean of the Law School is making the right sounds. For example, sending around an email suggesting that he is mortified by the happenings and that the law school had been duped by the fashion label. It seems that the fashion label may have breached its agreement with the law school because the law school is adamant that it only gave its permission for the shoot if the images were going to be in good taste. According to the law school, these images are not in good taste.

I will let you be the judge of good taste on this one. It is really a case of to each their own with respect to taste. Good looking and highly intelligent people are always a turn on (so I am told). So, what better way to sell that idea than a steamy lingerie shoot in a law library. I cannot recall that there was a steamy lingerie shoot in my law library while I was at school there. Although, there was always the odd whisper of some late-night briefing sessions taking place (if you are wondering University of Western Sydney).

Yet, when one thinks about it, this is a clever shoot. Who would have thought that legal briefs would have had such a literal meaning.

I am wondering why the photos and the location have got some people so incensed? It is a lingerie shoot, there was a contract in place, and as far as I can tell, nothing was damaged in the process. I think that even Brooklyn Law School would have a hard time trying to prove that this shoot in any way damaged its reputation or status.

I wonder if the University of Indonesia or Pelita Harapan University would allow such a shoot in their law libraries? University of Indonesia might be a more likely candidate because, if I am not mistaken, a former student did end up as a playboy model for the Indonesian version of Playboy Magazine (Joanna Alexandra).

The photos...