Links Rewarding Awesomeness
Heavy? That’s ridiculous. I pride myself on my work ethic and on being as fit as anyone in the race.
Lindsey Vonn
I’ve got some good tidbits for you today, starting with my continued crusade to celebrate women’s fit and healthy bodies over skeletal and starving ones.
I. Back in January, Austrian coaches said that Lindsey Vonn dominates Women’s Downhill because she’s heavy, as in overweight. She cites that insult as inspiring her to win Gold. For the record, she’s 5’10″ and 160 lbs., and is considered by many to be the fittest woman in the sport. Check out this video of her shoot for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. She is perfection.
Sam Allis writes in the Boston Globe:
And for the record, Vonn definitely belongs in this year’s soft porn Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Whiny competitors have accused her of being too beefy. Weight helps in the downhill. Duh. This dumb charge is rebutted in grand fashion by her bikini photo in the mag. Eat your hearts out, ladies.
This is a blog you need to read. It’s real, it’s honest, and it’s both entertaining and moving. From the About page:
Travis Dillinger went from “In a Relationship” to “Single”
After a break up and more than a few beers, I decided to start this little project/social experiment/playing with fire. I started this to see if I could get involved with 100 different girls in 100 days. A lot of it has to do with the things men will do to get women, but it’s more honestly about me playing the field and the numbers game that goes along with that.
You should know that Travis Dillinger is 28, 5′9 and has green eyes. You should also know that Travis Dillinger is an alias.
And his Twitter bio:
Dated 100 girls in 100 days. Waiting on my book deal. Don’t cast Mark Ruffallo as me.
And an excerpt from his final assessment:
A lot of this has to do with me still searching for that teenage feeling, that girl that comes out of nowhere, and knocks your socks off. As I get older, drunker, and more cynical those girls get fewer and farther between. You can meet great girls that are funny, smart, sweet, and incredibly flexible, and you’d date them because, well, you have no reason not to. I’m just trying to find my way home through all of this.
Settle in to read it when you’ve got a good hour or two. You can brew a cup of tea, but if you want to get into the proper spirit, I’d go with something higher proof.
III. Don’tEvenReply.com: Emails From an Asshole
I love these blogs that are set up as continuously running gags. This guy looks for classified ads, and then replies in such as way as to drive the poster of the ad completely insane. Nearly every one of these exchanges ends in profanity too extreme to print, which of course, is hilarious. I laughed so hard reading this website it made me feel kinda depressed that I was home alone. So now I’m sharing it with you.
An excerpt where he responds to a “Disguisable Weapons Wanted” ad:
Here you go:
Looks like a normal spoon, right?
Wrong. It is actually a deadly 2.5″ half-smooth, half-serrated knife with tactical grip. One minute you are enjoying a bowl of cereal, and the next you are fighting off attackers with this deadly and disguised weapon.
I am asking $50 for the blade. Let me know if you want to stop by and take a look at it.
Mike
From Jeff ****** to Me:
that is stupid as hell and looks like crap. unless you have anything better to offer, dont waste my time.
From Me to Jeff ******:
Jeff,
I am sorry you feel that way about the spoon blade. I do have some other weapons that I think you will feel differently about.
Mike
From Jeff ****** to Me:
fine. but if it is another knife duct taped to a spoon then you can fuck off.
HAHAHA it gets better, you’ve gotta go check it out!
IV. GoodCrush.com
Here’s an idea I can really get behind. It’s a way for college students to get in touch with crushes, and find out if they’re crushing you back. What I like about it is that if two people are willing to say they’re crushing on each other, it’s less likely to be a beer googles aided random hookup after which they are both dead to each other on campus.
They’ve got a bunch of schools already signed up, but will happily add yours! Keep me posted if anything comes of it!
Related posts:
If anything helps Vonn, it is not gravity. All objects, regardless of mass, accelerate at the same rate due to gravity. Looks like the Boston Globe needs some fact checking. It could be strength, endurance, or flexibility, but it is not gravity.
it isnt gravity itself that helps, but more mass does equal more momentum
once a larger mass is moving, it is more difficult for other forces like wind resistance or the friction of the skis to slow her down
On Vonn: What counts in defining if women are fat is % of body fat. Athletes have higher weight and much lower body fat than regular people because they train properly.An average 5'10 woman is probably chubby at 160lbs, unless she has some muscle. Vonn is not at all chubby, because she has more muscle. That said, specific sports usually have specific windows of maximum efficiency in terms of dimensions and I don't know how Vonn fits into those for her specialties.
On Vonn's attractiveness: As a skier, most her extra muscles are primarily in her legs, making her better suited to the .7 hips to waist ratios that men adore. A similar thing happens with female tennis players, although some tend to have very muscular arms, too (and that is slightly off-putting to most men). Further examples: Female sprinters: awesome. Female-marathoners: yuck. Victoria's secrets models:awesome. Catwalk models: yuck. It's all about the ratio.
The risk I see is that women will see that Vonn is a size 12 dress (or whatever she happens to be) and 160lbs and assume that being fat is fine. It is not! For most women who don't train hard enough, a size 12 dress and 160lbs means an inadequate hip to waist ratio and too much excess body fat! Excess body fat is bad not only for looks but for health, too.
On the crush matcher: how long do you think it will take for a hot chic or guy to state a crush on a bunch of undesirable guys or chics in order to make fun of them?
That's horrible! I think there's insurance against that in the form of needing to use a legit email. For example, when Facebook was only for college kids, you could only get on with a “.edu” address. So if there's a match, I assume both email addresses are shared, in fact they're probably the only info shared. The site really only provides room for an email address.
I remember when Juicy Campus was up and running, many, many people had their feelings hurt being raked over the coals by cruel anonymous peers. Ugh.
Juicy Campus is coming back. It might not have the same name, or the same owners, but something like that is just too easy and too lucrative.
Hmmm, there's some interesting stuff here.
1. I've heard before that guys don't like muscular arms. Michelle Obama's arms were very criticized by men, even thought I think they are INCREDIBLY AWESOME! Why do you think that is?
2. Re sprinters vs. marathoners, is it that the latter is so skinny? Or VS models vs. runway models? VS models are much fleshier, much bigger boobs, obvs, but in general a higher BMI from what I can tell.
3. I've seen articles where they take a group of people with the same height and weight, and it's amazing how different they can look. As you say, it's partly about fat ratio, but also about natural body type (apple vs. pear), and how weight gets distributed. Obviously, people know when they are fit. Anyone who stuffs their face figuring they can go up to 160 and look like Lindsey Vonn is insane!
I just really resent the MSM's treatment of the weight issue – no one should have been calling her overweight, though it was her competitors' coaches, so hardly an objective source.
Oh boy, I hope you're wrong. The reason it closed was because all the advertisers pulled out. It got so much press for the cruelty it perpetrated that no one wanted to be associated with it.
And with this bully legislation up in the Senate, I don't see that happening soon.
Some of the guys criticizing of Michelle Obama had nothing to do with her arms (it was just a political excuse).
Guys like toned arms (see Michelle Obama or Jennifer Aniston, for example). If they get too thin and veiny (i.e. Madonna) or too much pumping iron (Serena Williams), then it gets unattractive.
In Vonn's case, she's quite muscular in the legs, thighs and butt area, which would be expected in a sport with such stress on those areas. She's managed to keep them muscular without going into bodybuilder territory. She looked pretty good in those SI photos, and she is by no means overweight.
Another set of female athletes who have that lower leg musculature are the women figure skaters, though it's not immediately apparent. A good example was Michelle Kwan…look at old Torino Olympic footage of her doing practice skating in her tights, and any guy will go “wow”. Very muscular lower body, but again, not bodybuilder level (thank goodness).
Yeah, I think muscular women look amazing, though I have always found Madonna kind of gross looking. Of course, no one cares what women think about other women – it's men who determine standards of beauty.
The problem is that in our culture, what men normally would find desirable gets warped by the media. I've read, for example, that men prefer a certain waist to hip ratio (hourglass) EXCEPT in cultures where a thin, boyish shape is higher status. In that case, many will make the switch. I'm actually encouraged by the Victoria's Secret models, Lindsey Vonn in a bathing suit, or the recent pics I posted of Christina Hendricks. These sexy women are making voluptuous OK again, and that means more women will feel comfortable with their bodies.
I must ask, though, in which culture are boyish shapes attractive? The only clique in which I can think so is catwalk fashion, and that clique is dominated by gays and women. In which culture does the average man prefer a woman with no curves?*
On the other hand, I have noticed that most women complaining about “the media's bad influence on beauty standards” are overweight, not “curvy”.
*As a test, I would love to have a poll on Snejana Onopka old pics (she did some nude posing back then) vs a present day catwalk model Snejana Onopka pic. I don't think any man would like the latter over the prior.
Boyish shapes are preferred by women and gay men in fashion, primarily. Unfortunately, this leads to even non-runway models, actresses, etc. striving for extreme thinness. The anorexia epidemic came out of this.
Really, women getting that thin are trying to live up to the expectations of other women. They believe they look more desirable this way, and certainly very famous women who are super skinny, e.g. Kate Moss get plenty of attention from men, so it's a vicious cycle.
I'd never heard of Snejana Onopka before – here's a link to before and afters:
http://gone-hollywood.com/2009/06/supermodel-sn...
She's obviously much more beautiful in the early photos, but to be honest, lots of guys would tease a girl with that body for being a little “chubby” around the middle. It's cultural conditioning, but it's still real.
The media has considerable power to affect standards of beauty, both positively and negatively. Currently, I see an improvement in the appreciation of women with rounder breasts and hips, e.g. Katherine Heigl, Scarlett Johanssen. It's not about encouraging people to be overweight, it's just widening the definition of what is beautiful, or even acceptable, in our society.
“Boyish shapes are preferred by women and gay men in fashion, primarily. Unfortunately, this leads to even non-runway models, actresses, etc. striving for extreme thinness.”
“Really, women getting that thin are trying to live up to the expectations of other women. “
Exactly. It's gay men and other women who are misleading average girls. If girls asked men or even judged by men's reactions, they would be fine.
“e.g. Kate Moss get plenty of attention from men, so it's a vicious cycle.”
Kate Moss is attractive, but she would be much more attractive with wider hips and some boobs. She's a 7 or 8 with lots of fame, that's why she gets attention. 10s are: young Monica Bellucci or present day Candice Swanepoel (one of the VS models). Also note that women in the 7-9 range usually get more attention than 10s, as only the most alpha men will confidently approach 10s.
“…lots of guys would tease a girl with that body for being a little “chubby” around the middle.”
I honestly don't think this is true. Unless the guys were “negging” her the wrong way (you never neg a girl on fatness, unless she's really skinny and it's obvious it's a joke), I can't see how more than 5% of straight men would call her chubby.
OK, glad to hear it. This is an area where women are very hard on each other. They are ashamed if they don't have washboard abs. Onopka has a softness that I think is very feminine. She is slender but not hard or muscular. Femininity relies to some extent of vulnerability, IMO.
Wow! She was pretty skinny in her before photos, and looked healthy. Now she looks like a walking skeleton.
I think most men have no issues with a woman of the level of musculature of a Lindsey Vonn (she is quite an attractive woman). It's only when it gets to body builder level that it becomes an issue.
Very few men of my acquaintance find the runway model women attractive. There's a big difference between the SI models and the runway models. This year's SI swimsuit website has a several “Dancing with the Stars” dancers and Olympic athletes, and they don't look like Milan runway models. And the SI magazine is targeted to what guys find attractive.
Not to quash the talk about all the 'hot chicks' but did anyone notice that 'Mr. Dillinger' seems to be a functioning alcoholic? And that's by his own description. Fun indeed, but a little bit goes a long way. No wonder he's catnip to the gals too. Cheers, 'VJ'
Amazing stuff here: Jezebel interview's Lori Gottlieb's ex-'Tim'. To hear him tell it, she's a perpetual harridan train wreck who'll never even take her own good advice: [HT: Obsidian]
http://jezebel.com/5467630/email-interview-with...
Just too funny for words. Why any guy would want something that sounded remotely like this psychiatric swirling hell is beyond me. Advantage: Blogging heads… Forewarned is forearmed!
Cheers, 'VJ'
Hi Rebecca, thanks for commenting! I agree, it's disgusting. In fact, she's wearing a really cool outfit, but I couldn't look away from her skinny legs long enough to really see it. How on earth does this sell clothes?
This really comes back to economics – if you want to see what men like, look at what they're buying. The SI swimsuit issue probably outsells every other magazine issue in the world by a factor of 10 in any given year. I think it's fair to conclude that this is what guys like.
In real life, many skinny women are sought after by guys, but my guess is that this reflects the social status granted to these women by other women, e.g. sorority membership, than real preference on the part of men. They're the most confident women, and they do draw attention from Alphas.
It's one thing to see a skeletal woman wearing clothes – that's bad enough, but the idea of having sex with a woman who is starving or too thin seems unappealing. There's a reason men prefer a certain waist to hip ratio – it signals fertility.
Haha, yes, he's a bit of a train wreck. I certainly wouldn't encourage any of my readers to contact him directly! Best enjoyed from afar, I'd say.
Haha, that article is incredible! Psychiatric swirling hell is so true – she sounds like she's another one suffering from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. She raked this guy over the coals, calling him “the fat guy,” and his natural deficiencies weren't enough for her – she felt the need to exaggerate. I'm glad he gave that interview to Jezebel.
The worst part is where he can either respond to his boss's request for immediate attention, or leave work to meet her demand to come kill a spider (a la Annie Hall). He leaves work and is fired.
WHAT A CHUMP.
This just in. Designer uses curvy runway models at Milan Fashion Week.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/24/milan-...
I think you may have spoken too soon, Susan.
JIM WIEDMANN IS NOT DONE PULLING ASS!
http://roissy.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/the-core...
PS,
Great posts from you lately—you've been en fuego.
BAAAAAHHHHHHH!
And the all-powerful Wizard is running Oz.
Seriously, the New Roissy thinks he's fooling us, but he's not. Because that post contains a concept as foreign to Jim Wiedmann as kindness, honesty, or integrity:
GUILT
Since he's demonstrated that he doesn't have a conscience, how is that possible?
Jim has wandered into the realm of fiction.
What does Roissy have to do with this post? I read Roissy, and find many of his posts interesting, but what is the point of linking to him here?
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I read an article the other day about a study done on the .7 magic ratio.
http://www.lemondrop.com/2010/02/26/science-rev...
The researcher said, “It's not the size of the woman, it's the configuration. You could be a size 2 and still have a WHR of 0.7, or you can be a size 22 and have a WHR of 0.7. And the best part is men are going to find both of those women more attractive than women who are a size 2 or 22 and don't have the ratio.”
I just so happen to have this ratio (which shocked me), and I will say it is a bitch trying to buy jeans! Apparently, as magic as that ratio is, big hips-small waist has yet to catch on in clothes-making.
LAC, thanks for that link, that's very interesting! Of course, I'm very familiar with the .7 ratio, and its evolutionary significance, so once I asked a young woman I know if I could calculate hers. She has a beautiful body, and turns a lot of heads. I was surprised to find her ratio was over .8. Her hips were too slim to be ideal. I mean, she looks great, she's not complaining, but I thought it was interesting that she may not be triggering those subconscious reactions in men. It may be that it's women who give her the most positive reinforcement for her body. As I say, though, she looks pretty amazing in a bikini, and she doesn't lack male admirers, so it's obviously a bit more complicated than this one number.
You know, I agree. I always find conclusions like that interesting just because I don't necessarily see them borne out in my own experience.
For example, the 2 friends of mine most popular with the fellas are not built like that. One is built like a CK model (flat-chested, blonde, tall, stick-thin), and the other is only curvy if we count her great rack (otherwise she's just kinda boxy) and not conventionally attractive–but is the most charismatic woman alive. CK Model is beating them off with a stick (cause she's not interested), and the other likes to have as much NSA as her conscience will allow but is always looking for someone together enough for the long haul.
For me, I've always had the ratio, but my luck depended primarily on race and location. White guys? Not generally fans of the curves. Every other race? Yes. Midwest? Meh. New England: stock goes up 400%.
That is so interesting! So a curvy woman will get tons of non-white guys in New England? The differences in preferences among males by race is interesting, and I'm sure it's been studied. Obviously, this would speak to culture (nurture) rather than genetic programming (nature). So it probably doesn't make sense to consider one without the other.
As for your CK model friend, I think her secret is not being interested. The girls who don't give a sh*t always have a long line of suitors, though rarely the best relationships.
Uhh, well technically yes, but my stock went up with white guys in New England. Everywhere else it was super-loser white dudes or non-white (though, to be fair, none of those non-white people were anything I'd call “eligible.” If Mekhi Phifer had turned up, I'd have been all over it). I dunno what it is about New England–maybe the concentration of Betas, who knows.
I'll have to think on your not interested remark. I always assumed it was cause she's kinda the stereotypical physical ideal in a lot of ways…but I get what you're saying.
I also have a friend who has literally been engaged twice, married, and divorced (all to different people) in the same year, and I have never seen her single in 17 years (since junior high). I wouldn't say she's picking quality, but what is in her water that can make everything she encounters with a penis propose? An enigma.
LAC, if you don't mind my asking, what race are you? I'm curious because I'm actually thinking of writing a post on interracial dating, and as I research it I'm finding that it's quite complicated, e.g., black men/white women is common, but black women don't like white men.
As for your friend, WTF? Man, that comes under the heading of “be careful what you wish for.” She must have some powerful pheromones, though!
Caucasian, primarily. Though I am related to Pocahontas, so I have at least a little bit of something else back there, but most of us do. My last ex was Costa Rican, my current bf is Caucasian as well.
I know a fair amount of interracial couples. White-asian, black-white in both variations, mixed-race-white/hispanic/black/asian, Jewish-non-Jewish, hispanic-white in both straight an gay versions.
Here is an observation I made years ago on this topic I thought you might find interesting: in Paris, the largest majority of interracial dating was black women-white men. I also only saw men with children in public, never women.
Personally, I find that the more educated the black woman is, the more likely she is to have a non-black partner. I can only assume that this is due to the dirth of eligible black men in some parts of the country that we hear so much about. Or, it can really just be about logistics: unless you go to an HBCU, you're going to be around a lot of white people in grad school.
My bff is a funny example of this: she's black and getting her Ph.D, and all the white guys she dates are like engineers, all the black guys she dates have illegitimate children and work in retail (if at all). I think she would ideally prefer a black mate, and for that reason is going to finish her studies at an HBCU in ATL where there will be more options.
It's more like white men don't like black women, à la John Mayer's David Duke cock. The situation is actually reversed for Asians with Asian women/white men being common but not vice versa.
Do you know where the .7 ratio comes from originally? The first I heard about it was from an analysis of the measurements of Playboy playmates. Those are, of course, ultimately picked by Hugh Hefner himself. He must like 24/34.
Well, I've read that of the b/w couples, 80% are WF, BM. I have also read that black women are raised to be loyal to black men, and dislike it when black men date out. You're right about Asian couples, tho. There it's AF, WM.
I think it comes from studies where men look at all kinds of ratios, and consistently prefer .7. As for Hugh Hefner, he has become known for “masculinizing” Playboy bunnies. He has admitted to experimenting with bisexuality. Check this out:
http://www.femininebeauty.info/hugh-hefner
Meh, it just looks like picked playmates that have masculine bone structure. Some look like they're from the 80s when standards were different. If you had a collection with all the playmates, you could blow that gallery out of the water with playmates with feminine faces.