World Of Tourism

Six packs is not such a big deal after all- an Australian investigate that examine viewers' responses to dissimilar male body types in advertisement found that an average-sized man is just as attractive as a bulked-up Adonis.

And the respondents in the University of Queensland study rated images of slender or slightly chubby maleness at least as highly as those with well-defined six-packs, according to study leader, Phillippa Diedrichs.

And he optional that successful campaign did not have to portray only rock hard biceps and ripple abs.

The results could add to the debate about media appearance of impractical body types, which has until now focused approximately exclusively on ultra-thin female models and whether they reason eating disorders among young women.

Diedrichs showed mock-up advertisement for jeans, skin-care crop and cologne - featuring muscular male models and men of more average size - to more than 600 students in their not on time teens.

Neither sex respond more positively to the musclebound bodies.

In fact, the males even found ads that show just the item - with no supplementary model - more effective than those posed by classic hunks.

Some participants "may have credited the models' muscularity to vanity or homosexuality, individuality which they may have found disagreeable or discomforting", said Diedrichs .

"The average-size male models [may have seemed] less worried with their look," Stuff.co.nz quoted her as saying.

The results echoed Diedrichs's 2008 answer that so-called "plus-size" female models sell foodstuffs as effectively as their wasted catwalk colleagues, and "directly challenge business concerns that average-size models do not appeal to customers".

Just as female models had turn out to be thinner "the ideal body for men has also been distorted, and is now characterised by a mesomorphic body type, with large defined muscles, low body fat and a v-shaped upper body", said Diedrichs.

These trends had occurred while in the general inhabitants men's and women's bodies were growing larger and fatter.

The study was in print in the journal Body Image.

Relationships are always the hot topic after New Years because people need people and at the end of the day we are all looking for a partner or we look for ways to spice up the relationship we are already in. However, as with all things in this life, there are stereotypes. We tend to believe that it's higher on a woman's priority list than on a man's and we've believed that for quite some time.

Sitcoms, movies, documentaries all depict the lonely and desperate single woman in search of true love. I don't think it's without just cause that it's depicted that way, I recently went to a wine tasting with a group of single gals and was a bit stunned at the way some of them behaved and realized that's it's those women that give the rest of us a bad name.

But this morning I was pleasantly surprised at a survey that was done in the UK. First on the list of New Years resolutions for everyone, regardless of gender, was to enjoy life more. Second on the list for men was true love whereas for women it was fifth on the list. They are saying that the recession has pushed up priorities such as debt and saving money but this is still a very interesting find and some good news for the single girls out there. Here's to 2010 and finding Mr Right, it seems it's going to be a little easier (wink).

It's war of the words and today's topic, how long should you hold out for Mr Right? I happen to believe that there is no such thing as Mr Right, I believe in Mr Right Now but that might just be my sarcastic side coming out again. I think we all have soul mates but I don't believe in just one, this one is quite limiting don't you think?

Hollywood promotes this idea of the perfect man waiting to sweep you off your feet. The reason I bring this up is because American author Lori Gottlieb has written a book, in which she declares that singletons who are still searching for Mr Right by the age of 30 should give up and settle for Mr Second Best. I think it's brilliance in a book! I think it's a competitor for He's Just Not That Into You! The men of our dreams don't exist ladies, it's time we came to that realization and I'm not saying settle down with drunk-beat you-crotch scratching-bob, I'm saying be realistic in your choice of a partner.

I tend to live with my head in the clouds, I often read Mills and Boons Novels, in fact, I want to write some, but all of these mediums whether it's TV, a romance novel, a Hollywood romance or a story from a friend claiming to have found Prince Charming himself, influence us to believe in the perfect male specimen and the reality is unfortunately very far from the fantasy.

I'm not saying don't believe in love, believe in it, revel in it, savor every moment, but remember that we as people all have faults and cracks and that finding the perfect guy is never going to happen. Deal with it!

If there's one thing that gets on my last nerve it's sexism, specifically, when men happen to believe that women are inferior. I think that after we were given the vote and the fact that there are millions of high powered career woman that juggle motherhood, careers and still find time to be a dedicated gym buddy out there, it's pretty much been proven to be incorrect and a theory that originates from the stone age.

I was recently told by a good friend of mine that she encountered the worst kind of sexists. Two men, who shall not be named, thought that it was extremely funny that a woman run was running for president, the woman in question was Hillary Clinton at the time (in case you live under a rock), needless to say my friend was horrified and because of the circumstances had to bite her tongue.....till it bled.....

If I had been there I can easily say that the outcome of that conversation would have been a little different. It started to make me wonder why men still hold on to these ancient views of what women are like? The women I know, the women in my life, are intelligent, beautiful and strong and have admittedly have had to settle because very few men can handle the whole package. So is it because we are becoming a threat, that men feel the need to degrade us? Is it because of the insecurities of men that cannot handle a partner who is their equal or maybe even a little higher on the scale then they are?

I'm being a little unfair, I know, not all men are sexist pigs, not all men are intimidated by a strong, independent woman, but I would put my last penny on the fact that a vast majority of men are. So after a my thoughts had died down and I had rationalized the explanation in my head, I came across a story.... Yes, I come across many stories, stories that shock me, anger me, make me feel a little inspired (those are few and far between) but this one, it was different. It made me stop and think and come up with alternative conclusion to my original one.

It may seem simple, but if there's one thing I've realized in this life, some of the simplest answers, the answers that are staring us right in the face, are the ones that take us a while to grasp. A woman in America put an ad on that ridiculous Craigslist and offered herself to any man willing to give her tickets to the World Series. The penny dropped.....(sound of glass shattering)It's these kind of women that give the rest of us a bad name. She claims she didn't specifically offer sex she was "hoping to bat my eyelashes and score free tickets", you are an insult to your own gender! The fact that she believes that that is a better explanation shows me that she is the reason so many men out there still think the way they do about women. All I can do is shake my head in shame.

Ladies night has become a sacred ritual performed by women from all over the world. You gather a crowd of young, energetic girls ready to go out and have some fun and of course, flirting is optional if you're tied down and finding a stud for the single gal in the group is mandatory. But as always there is one guy in the crowd that needs to take it a little too far. Let's call him the Harasser. The one buying everyone drinks, grinding up and down on all the ladies and just trying his luck in general.

We've all come across one of these guys at one time or another and after reading a story today I think these particular men are going to think twice about harassing a group of girls again. A woman in Athens was enjoying a night out with the girls when a guy came around and started waving his genitals at them, as horrific as that is, it's not uncommon. Like any other club situation she threw her drink on his penis, I would have kicked it but she was trying to, against all odds, be polite about this uncomfortable situation. After a period of him continuing his dance of the genitals she finally reached her limit and set fire to his alcohol drenched genitals.

Now in all honesty I laughed myself silly after reading this because if you are going to behave like that what else do you expect? His genitals were seriously injured and he is recuperating in a clinic, now what really amazes me is that this woman handed herself over to the police. It's a clear and cut case of an innocent woman against a clearly disturbed man. Self defense. Someone should tell this guy that his injuries are the last thing he should be worrying about. Let's just say no self respecting woman is going to give that guy the time of day ever again, if he's even been lucky enough to get a woman in the first place.

One for the girls, zero for the loser guys.

What do women want? When I speak to close male friends of mine, the look of confusion and concentration is quite hilarious and I can't understand why it's so difficult to grasp the most basic of concepts. Truth, Caring, Listening and Consideration. I've just summed up what women want in 4 simple words. But this seems to confuse the male mind even further, she doesn't want my honest opinion right? she just talks all the time, it's impossible for me to listen to it ALL, besides there's wrestling on too? Why must I open the door for her, it's the 21st century and she has arms?

I will be the first to agree that as time moves forward women are becoming more and more independent, running homes and maintaining high paced careers but I truly believe that at the end of the day, there is a part of a woman that yearns to be cared for and looked after by a man. Now as I explained this to my dear male friend, this is how he interpreted it, "She wants me to buy her expensive things". No son, you gotta keep your ears open and do a little more concentrating. I told him that it's the thought that counts, the more effort you put into something special, the more pleased she'll be. He, of course, laughed and said that I was different from other women and that those things don't mean anything to me but he was wrong.

A new survey conducted in England on numerous women, from all walks of life, concluded that women are truly interested in the cliches. What's that? You want to know what the cliche's are? Of course you do. Send her a romantic text or email, write her a poem from the heart and not downloaded off the net, run her a hot bath after a hard day at the office,offer her a coat when she's cold, hold the door open for her, wake her up with breakfast in bed, compliment her. It's really very simple guys. It doesn't get any easier than that, I can almost guarantee that with a little extra effort, that will cost you practically nothing, she'll be putty in your hands.

And one last thing, if you truly love your woman, this will come quite naturally once you get into the swing of things. Here's to good relationships, good sex and good times!