Any excuse to run the Boob Story

(editorial insert before the rest of the post - this one started laughy and then dived foot-in-mouth into heavy stuff - I think this Reg story touched a nerve!)

One of my daily reads is The Register. They're an online techie news website that goes for the highly cynical point of view. But they also have a lot of fun with the news they're reporting.

Latest Hottie topic is this one on the tennis player Simona Halep. It's a curious story for a couple of reasons (ok, mebbe for more than a pair).

There's more than two good reasons why cosmetic surgery's been developed. I've actually benefitted from it myself in the past in what I refer to now as Nose Job Number Two. (The second was surgical, the first was agricultural.) I know what she's getting at too, from experience with trying to move my body fast while the ballast around my middle just wants to stay put.

(I checked the video and yep, she's got a great pair of reasons why she thinks she needs this done)
(Erm ... I only watched about a minute of the 5 they have on there ... honest !)

(ok, ok - the Whack-Thud was interfering with the Snow Patrol album I have on)

Doh - I think I digressed there ... Yep. I can see why she'd want to have breast reduction surgery in order to get more comfort (they must hurt!) and speed around the court but all my brain is seeing is a young girl looking to have unnecessary surgery performed that amounts to not much more than a mutilation. Mind you, the Amazons used to do something like it and I wouldn't argue with them.

Maybe there's other ways to tackle it, like different emphasis in the diet or using different gear to keep them under control. I'm a bloke, so I'll apologise for not being familiar with the ways the ladies stay abreast of this issue. My ballast problem (ok, when in an honest moment I'll admit I kinda look pregnant) could be dealt with by surgery (little bit of lipo :-) but a far more effective way of tackling it would be to balance my diet and do rather more exercise than I do now.

Plastic surgery's a necessary option for those for who it was intended. Like me with a nose which I had trouble breathing through or the lady who was in the news recently having had a full face transplant. That lady will now be looking forward to a future that's benefitted from the lessons learned in the rest of the plastic surgery field.

There's also the case of the lady who had post-mastectomy pictures removed from Facebook (big long link to BBC!), because Facebook deemed them "sexual and abusive". I caught this story on Radio 5 this morning and I think I heard (was driving, my attention snaps on and snaps off as required by the road) that she was considering cosmetic surgery in the future. From the limited amount I know of the implications of breast cancer, it's to restore confidence. From how she sounded on the radio, I don't think she needed that confidence boost :-)

And that shows - beauty isn't just what's on the surface. Some of the most beautiful people I know do not conform to the Hollywood Ideal or the Catwalk look. Their beauty is in what's inside. How they act, how they move, how they treat other people. Whether they work for their figure or get cursed with SkinnyGenes. I know someone who's a little bigger than she wants to be and despite all the work she's putting in, is having trouble reducing to the size she thinks she should be. Do I think she's fat ? Definitely not - she's healthy. Do I think the exercise makes her drop dead gorgeous ? Yep. The exercise enhances coordination and fluidity of movement. And she's blessed with a very warm personality too.

Ok - maybe I'd better get back to the original thing ... It raises the "what's really necessary?" question. I'll quite happily support plastic surgery to correct things like my battered nose or to give a lady recovering from major surgery the confidence she needs to help her fight for health. But cutting off bits to help someone run around a tennis court faster seems both rather unnecessary and a dangerous shortcut that'll damage a healthy young body.

However, it's her choice. From what I've put above, you'll probably gather that I'd advise a different course of action but it isn't my body that would be under the knife. (I have a few people trying to get me to go in to get my shoulder sorted - it hasn't happened yet partly cos I hate hospitals)

Before the PS, I'll add in another note :-) I usually support Yorkshire cricket because my ancestry is up there. Getting to like Somerset too cos they're locals (I almost put yokels ;-). I've got my fingers crossed for Middlesex County Cricket Club this year, who have adopted Pink as part of their One Day game uniform in support of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity.

Cancer in all of its forms is a vicious illness. I knew someone my age who disappeared from work for about 4 months. We didn't know why, he just stopped answering the "Lunch Mob" emails. He came back after a few months and showed us his scars. My initial thought was "crikey, what happened to the shark that did that to you ?" With what they'd cut, it must have been touch and go there. It was good to see him back to his old bouncy self, albeit with the experience shadow that comes with a brush with death. He left the place I work at to move back to nearer his family. Hope he's still around and causing trouble :-)

Talking of cricket - the Yorkshire v Lancashire game is starting, so it's time for me to hit "Publish Post"

PS I've put a lot of cliches in that would get me in trouble with the Equality and Diversity people - I really couldn't resist and all cliches are meant in jest :-) But I have gone far deeper into the Breast Cancer angle than I originally intended. Maybe it's cos I'm keeping an eye out for news about a couple of people ? :-)