Nearly all the posts are bilingual.
Presque tous les articles sont bilingues.

English spoken. On parle français. (وكمان منفهم عربي، حبيبي)

Most of this blog's contents is subject to copyright. For instance, many of the latest illustrations I've made myself. I'm the cooperative type. If you intend to borrow some material, please contact me by leaving a comment. :-)
La plupart du contenu de ce blog est soumis aux droits d'auteurs. Par exemple, nombre des illustrations les plus récentes sont faites par moi. Je suis du genre coulant. Si vous comptez emprunter du contenu, SVP contactez-moi en laissant un commentaire. :-)

Friday, September 7, 2007

Blogger's license

Hah! I've got me one of those fandangled blog thingies at last. Now, how do you drive these things?
Engine running... left, right...
Okay, now for some half-decent picture as an avatar.

This is a caricature of yours truly, courtesy of famous Lebanese artist Stavro Jabra.

One of his side interests is beautiful women. :-)

Pascal by Stavro

Ah! Je me suis enfin dégoté un de ces fameux gadgets qu'on appelle un blog. Alors, ça se conduit comment, ces machins?
Moteur... gauche, droite...
Bon, maintenant une image à demi potable comme avatar.

Voici une caricature de votre serviteur, œuvre du célèbre artiste libanais Stavro Jabra.

Un de ses intérêts accessoires est de croquer des jolies femmes. :-)

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, its a known fact that sane, healthy, and even inteligent men do like to look at beautiful women with admiration. However, one friend of mine, who is a girl said to me that a guy admiring any women with admiration is a very wrong thing. In fact most evil one. I felt quite disturbed when said so. However, there's one fact on my side, she looks extremely, and ugly. She shows to the people that she supports women's rights but when she checked my USB drive, she said I treat women as God and so I being weird, and something really not good. Once some friend of hers told her that women protest to be equally intelligent as men but seemed to be acting 'foolish' which she agreed with. the most disturbing thing which I disliked about her was when she made fun of me when I said that a female's beauty is my inspiration. What do you see abt this Pascal? Was she3 right? I don't think so.

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

I don't think so either, buddy. This girl is stuck too much in the social teachings of her country. She's not right, but you probably can't change her now because she won't listen or believe you. I suggest you follow Eolake's advice: keep your open mind, but don't share it publicly with people who can't agree today. They have to learn by themselves, slowly, and it takes a lot of life experience and personal thinking.
Instead of showing them your Domai collection, be an example of honesty and respect in your everyday life and actions, it is far more efficient in helping that change happen. Be patient.

Women acting "foolish" is identical to what I see in Lebanon. There is much progress to be made before they become free in their minds and get rid of their complexes. Women's rights is a very good first step.
I suggest you honestly support your lady friend in working for women's rights (many men do it), and keep to yourself the opinions which she's not yet ready to understand. This may help you meet a girl with a beautiful open mind, and perhaps that way you'll find the companion of your life, somebody who truly understands you.

Such women are not as rare as you think. You just need to know them before you see their inside beauty.

Anonymous said...

Pascal,

Thanks a lot for your advice. But I am not in love with the girl whom i was talking about.

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

I know you're not. You can still be her friend, contribute to the cause of women's rights, and maybe some day meet that way a woman you'll love. Women's rights militants are one of the best place to try and meet an evolved mind.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Pascal.

Anonymous said...

By the way Pascal, many people say the CHinese women look ugly. A friend of mine said that I am stupid if I find the Chinese girls to be beautiful. The other friend said they are not beautiful because they don't have big boobs. My mother said that CHinese girls look disgusting. Well, I find them to be beautiful ( not all of them course.) DOes makes me stupid? I don't think so.

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

Show these tasteless people pictures of Domai models Mei-Ling and Soo to shut them up!

In every country there are some very beautiful women, and it's not the size that makes boobs beautiful or ugly.

Anonymous said...

Well, today, my mom said that the feminity of a woman is her modesty. The masculinity means the assertiveness. Is it true? Its standardly accepted? Well, I don't think so.

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

This is a very traditional and somehow obsolete view.
Definitely not a universal standard.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for tellin' me.

Anonymous said...

My dad is a well-known doctor in the eastern region of Peninsula Malaysia. He's also well-known abroad. He's a very nice, brilliant dude who embraces open-mindedness. He's against fantacisms and likes to look at beautiful women fully -dressed. However, my dad says that women, who love to be skimpily-cladded are always stupid, stingy, violent, angry, like to smoke, drink, and do other stuffs that reduces their level to men. He says that cultured Indians don't like to see the flesh of female's skin since they find it to be 'awful.' Covering-up a woman with moderation makes her look more dignified, charming, and respectable since women are placed higher in the level of respect than men. However, in western world, women have lower level of respect than in India, so thats why they're allowed to dress-up 'skimpily' which also allows them to smoke, and do stuffs which guys do. On the other hand, in India, most women are generous to people and are very honest, and good people. Most people say that women are supposed to be shy of themselves and the more they cover-up,the more feminine they're. Its unthinkable for women to go nude. Some even say that women exposing the body look uglier than the people who don't. People who find a woman's skin to be beautiful are to be called as to be 'disgusting and perverted.'My dad also said the same thing. As accustomary in most Indian families, we've arranged marriages which I don't have any problem with but the problem here is that will select me the type of woman which I hate the most, always loving to cover-up from neck-toe, and conservative. My mom always say that women who like to expose event their slightest flesh other than their feet, palm, hair, and face at most times other than sports are not good girls. These girls love to cheat men or anyone else. These are uncultured, bitchy, cheap, unaristocratic, uncivilised, unfeminine, hooligan-like, ill-mannered, and vagabond type of females whom she would hate to allow them to her house and considers them to be equivalent to ordinary people like sweepers, and anbody of low class. Dress code is the first thing she sees of a woman. If not then she is unfit for her moral standards. According to her, women are also not allowed to roam around outside the house other than the work she does when she gets matured or else they will go stray. If they're married, then its okay for her to do so. In India, unmarried women at marriageable age are'nt allowed to stuffs like cycling with male friends, and play other games. This is still prevalent in most urban areas of India. Women look very modest and stay within their female groups wherever, they go. If not, then she is considered to be 'characterless.' Recently, in the Indian capital of New Delhi, a boy and a girl were gigling at each other, then suddenly swome policemen came and arrested them. Thsi kind tradition is maintained thanks to the fact that the divorce rate in India is extremely low. They say that if the family there is well-lived, then whats the point of changing this traditions. Women shouldn't even laugh or talk much with their male friends other than their life partners because they do, then they will continue doing it with their male frineds even after they get married and their husbands won't like it which in turn would result in divorces. In India, males are given liberty to carry out raggings on girls but if female does it then she will have a bad name in the soceity. Men there have more rights than women and their reason is thaT THE LACK OF social rights is due to the fact would increase the respect for women. If women are are given, then they're left astray. What do you think ablout all this? They also practise to follow every order of their parents as that would maintain harmony. What do you think about all this? Is it alright? Well, I don't think so.

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

"You don't think so"? Well, you're absolutely right. That's a terrifying heap of clichés, stereotypes and antiquated arbitrary traditions. Including that bit about social classes. Awfully archaic.

There's no sensible reason for women to have different status or rights than men, period. It's just an ancient arbitrary system created by the men to suit THEM, and based on propaganda which they call bu the fancy name of "tradition". What you need is to live in the West, like the USA, and see what a free life and society is really about.
Your parents know only half of the truth, and that is the worst possible kind of lies. Can they justify wives being burned alive because of the dowry? "Tradition" equals hypocrisy.

Sorry, I have to make this short, the electricity is rationed in Lebanon and might go any minute.

Anonymous said...

No, they're against the burning up of the wives for dowry. They call it not to be a part or parcel of their culture initially but now has been manipulated certain individuals which has gone rife nowadays. They're even worried about my sister's future. Now, what do you think about this?

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

Your sister's also at risk in Malaysia?

Sheesh! Now I think the best way to solve the problems of the two of you is to emigrate to the USA. Where you live seems like a hopeless place in the near future, it won't change before generations.
Good luck...

Anonymous said...

Its not in the Malaysian but the Indian culture back in my homeland in India. We're expatriates here in Malaysia. Somehow, all parents of the daughter are also worried about it in India. Fortunately, there are some lucky families in India where the daughter doesn't gets burned up. If the family from the daughter's side is successful in givng the family with sufficient amount of dowry, then her daughter is safe and sound in most cases. However, there are some good families from the male's side who don't accept dowry or don't expect for dowry. My dad didn't accept dowry when he married my mom despite of his dad's (my grandfather's) greed for all those. So,my grandad along with his wife mentally-tortured my mom by restricting her in extremely weird ways. However, my parents have the philosophies against mixed marraiges saying that not all societies would be open enough to accept me in the future if I did so. My mom says that marrying another race or even or caste or religion is against her moral standards. She would cut all of her relations from me. Now, what do you think about all this?

Anonymous said...

My mother even said that she finds kids of parents of mixed races to be looking ugly and weird by giving out the real examples and also gave a lot of real cases where the disadvantages of mixed outweigh its advantages. Do you agree with this, I don't think so? I think there are places where mixed marriages are truly respected. According to the international survey, Indian is the most cultured country in the world. What do you think about all this?

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

Castes? Oh please, don't get me started on a rant! This is the third millenium, for Brahma's sake. How can your parents still live in the 19th century? Didn't Gandhi abolish all that supreme stupidity? Don't they respect his wisdom???

I myself come from a mixed mariage, and am proud of it. Same for my mother. And my grandmother. You could say "it runs in the family". ;-) Do you think I'm ugly, even on a caricature?
My mother did endure much from her step-family, because I have primitive relatives too. But she stood for herself. Today she has only pity for those sad narrow-minded people. She's not even angry at them anymore, it's not worth it.

If you've followed all my posts on Eolake's blog, you know I'll marry a woman from any origin, if she has a beautiful soul and loves me back.
But before you do the same, out of caution, I strongly suggest you make sure you are financially independant from your parents. Otherwise, they might be tempted in blackmailing you into a marriage that pleases THEM. I've seen it in my family too.

Anonymous said...

It has been practised in our family tree through ages.

Anonymous said...

Personally, I find also find a girl in her miniskirt more attractive which allows her beautiful legs to be displayed. One of the most important things that I admire a women in terms of her physical beauty are her legs, hair, and shoulder. My guy friends would call me to be stuupid since they would suggest me to only admire their pussies and boobs. how abotu you? Is it the smae as mine.

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

Me? The face, my friend, first of all.
I need her to have a nice smile and a sweet face.

Let's face it: when you kiss a girl, you'll see her face much more often than her legs, boobs, or whatever!

The face is the mirror of the personality. I'm attracted in priority by inner beauty, which shines through the face and physionomy.
Of course, I can appreciate outer beauty as much as the next guy(!). But for a relationship, it's not by far the most important. Only spiritual harmony makes a lasting relationship.

It's amusing, though: usually, when I see a girl/woman with a personality I like, I also find her face pretty. Always.
While many women who, technically, are perfect physically, just don't attract me because of the personality that appears on their face.

The most beautiful woman in the world is one who knows how to smile, love and laugh.

Anonymous said...

So, do you mean that what we see on movies and music vids. nowadays of beautiful girls' legs is useless. Then whats the point of havin' a site like DOMAI? WHy are they all nude.

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

There are hundreds of thousands of web sites showing nude women.
The models on Domai are more than that: they are natural, confident, and have nothing of the usual vulgarity shown on sex sites, or even the light provocation of Playboy photos. Haven't you learned anything about the "simple nudes" philosophy?

The female body is beautiful. Provided it is not shown in a tasteless way, then it becomes only pornography. (I've seen some very ugly-looking porn!)
The male body is beautiful too, humans are natural works of art when normally healthy. A horse, a cat, a bird, are also beautiful. They simply have their own style of beauty.
And the beauty of women IS special and unique in itself, hence the interest of a site like Domai.

I just said that to be attracted to a woman, the shape of her body wasn't the most important thing for ME. Who would you rather marry: a loving, fun, tender, but ordinary-looking woman; or a famous fashion model who keeps nagging and complaining at home, who looks great but sounds awful?
Good looks are not my main criterium for choosing a girlfriend, or even for being ATTRACTED to a woman.

That's just my own tastes there. You can like to watch legs, shoulders, or any pretty body zone, it's okay. People are different in preferences. That's normal.
Sure, I love the Domai girls. But as I said, I also think that Bettina has Domai beauty, and she doesn't need to be naked to be very beautiful.

Perhaps this is some special wisdom that you still have to learn?

Anonymous said...

One women had a logical reason behind to say against female nudity.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think what you are talking about is not literal nakedness, but skimpiness, or "sexy" clothing??? In that case, I would say there are no pros, only cons. I am a woman, so it doesn't affect me near as much as I believe it affects men, to constantly see the bellies, cleavage, and other parts of women constantly being flaunted before them on a minute by minute basis-- from the tv, computers, and streets each and every day. It gives him less desire for the one woman he is supposed to see without clothing, (his own wife) because he is constantly being desensitized by the site of other women's uncovered bodies. So when he is supposed to be intimate with his wife, it takes more and more to keep him visually stimulated, because he sees so much skin elsewhere. I do believe it's why so many men are addicted to porn- their wives just don't look as good to them as she would if she were all he saw... How sad for so many marriages. Women do not think far enough ahead when they get dressed each day- that they are de-sensitizing the men around them... It's actually selfish for them to dress to entice, because men are so visual. No pros, only cons, to answer your question."

Is this the right thing?

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

This is very interesting. You should have sent it to Eolake, the wide public of his blog would make a very rich discussion on this subject.

Here is my opinion:

This woman certainly makes some very valid points. However, there is a very simple counter-argument: "Men are so visual" is a social phenomenon. In countries where the whole of women's bodies has to be covered and hidden, including the silhouette, men are even more visual, and often sex-obsessed. While in the rare remaining cultures where people LIVE nude all the time, like in the Amazon forest or some of South-East Asia's jungles, in places where such cultures were not eradicated by the intolerance of those wearing clothes, their nudity is just ordinary. They neither spend their life in orgies, nor are desensitized to physical love. They're just... normal! Because emotions, such as loving your spouse, are very important too.

Some people complain that skimpy clothing encourages sexuality. Others will gripe that it has the opposite effect.
My belief is, as long as you have a healthy mind, nothing will drive you into something abnormal, into either kind of excess.

Basically, we constantly return to this simple truth: uncovering the genitals is a practical necessity for having sex, but THERE IS NO DIRECT, FORCED RELATION between sexuality and how much a body is exposed, only a relation in our mind. Think of what strange things are turn-ons to fetichists!

Animals live permanently naked, and they have no moral beliefs refraining them from mating. And yet, they have dedicated moments for reproduction, no matter how closely both genders live together.
Even Bonobo chimpanzees, who love sexual pleasure, have managed to separate it from reproduction, by practicing incomplete coitus. Animals can do it, so surely WE can too.

The Signs are all there, for whom is ready to see and understand. We humans aren't too "visual", we are too "socially programmed". It's all the difference between the innate and the education.

Me, I have come to a point where I can willingly decide whether a naked wouman will turn me on or not. It is "if I want to, when I want to". I am neither a homosexual, a eunuch, nor a sex maniac. I like it, but it doesn't control me, *I* control it. Without trying to stifle that very natural thing, either.

I'd say it's a part of growing up that we have to undertake after puberty, a growing up after we're adults, to become MENTALLY MATURE adults. Since, at thiat point, we have no parents to lead/push us into that direction, we'll only travel it by our own choice, and few seem to realize this choice exists and choose it.

Anonymous said...

Pascal,

On the question on how would Indians in India would justify their view on killing women using dowry: here's your answer

Indian men living abroad especially in the west which is wealthier than India, turn into foolish, dependent, lazy buggers as they rely their parents' money to enjoy all the goodness here (esp. west). Since, as they grow up, can't able to lead the same level of life as they had when they were under their parents' shadow, they marry girls from India to trick them in order to get more wealth from her family through dowry. If her family fails to, then she gets tortured by her husband by being beaten very brutally, and not to mention get burned. There was a movie called 'provoke' in famous Indian model, Aishwarya Rai starred. So, Indian girls will now hate NRIs ( non-resident of India)the most to be married. If however, purely adopted Indian culture lives in India for awhile, he has chances to get married. This means that his love for nude women for example has to dislike heavily like rest of the Indians do.

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