Avoiding Booby traps

So a slick guy comes up, leans in real close, and whispers in your ear: “Come on baby. Trust me. Take your top off. Touch your breasts. Now let me take a picture. Come on baby, baby, come on; you’re saving a life.” Do you do it? You’d have to be crazy or very naïve. I don’t think Schick’s new Booby Wall -- even with the endorsement of the Rethink Breast Cancer charity -- is all that different than Mr. Slick’s proposition. It suggests young women take their tops off – or not – and photograph themselves touching their breasts, and then post the pictures on Schick’s Booby Wall to raise awareness of breast cancer.

Schick claims the pictures are anonymous and no one’s face will be shown. But really, what is the point of a display of this type on the net of all places?

The campaign is directed at young women and one wonders exactly what awareness young women will get from a website of other topless and semi-topless young women on the Internet. Most Internet-savvy young women are not too inhibited to touch their own bodies in the shower. Nor is there a shortage of information that breast cancer is still killing women.  Let’s face it darlings, we are living in very breast-aware times in every sense of the phrase. From breast health to breast augmentation discussions to fashions that feature them and more questionable displays, breasts are omnipresent in today’s mass media.  

To pretend that our bodies are still the dark unmapped jungles they once were is ridiculous and positively retro. Most young women have the basic info by the time they are 17, and what they don’t have they won't get by looking at or uploading questionable photos to the net. They will need a good book, or an understanding older women or doctor for these questions. As for girls from cultures where these things are not discussed, the Booby Wall gets the booby prize.

What were the people behind this screwball venture thinking? I have heard the director of Rethink Breast Cancer’s lame reasoning about generating awareness. What awareness does this generate? This project looks like it was conceived by Joe Francis of Girls Gone Wild rather than anyone looking out for women’s welfare.

We should tell women to be more wary of the Internet. It is a powerful business and marketing tool, but it is also dangerous. There is a “forever” aspect to the web that many people just don’t get. Post something on the web and it is there forever. It’s the Internet, not an Etch A Sketch.

Your name, phone, number and address are most likely on the web for anyone to see. Do you think your health information is confidential? I hope so, but in the last few years hackers have compromised health and financial files in the U.S. and Canada. So, when a company says a topless picture is anonymous, well darlings, ask any techie how anonymous it really is? It’s a silly thing to play with, if you ask me. 

We should all think a lot more before we agree to post anything on the web. A carefully thought-out web site can be a great personal marketing tool. MySpace and Facebook are undeniably fun for many people, but watch out. Facebook launched its Beacon marketing program in November. It reported on purchases that members made from participating merchants, such as Blockbuster and Fandango, even when the Facebook members were not logged on to Facebook. The program also allowed the members to be used in “ads “ for the things they purchased without their permission, and then sent the information across their personal network. There was a way to opt out, but it was complicated. Since then, and as a result of a protest by the Facebook group Move-On, the program has been switched to opt-in.

The potential revenue from this type of targeted and personalized advertising is enormous. It is interesting to note that Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's founder, apologized  in a 60 Minutes interview, but  he also made it clear that he will pursue other avenues with Beacon. As a journalist, I realize the value of targeted marketing and reaching the right people with your message. It is an important part of my mission too. But it is equally important to respect your readers or customers.

The Internet changed everything, just as air travel and antibiotics did. It even changes the way I write. My rhythm is different on the computer than it was longhand. Ironically, I never really learned to write on a typewriter. I am more prolific at the computer; for me, it’s a good thing.

I am sure we all have a list of the ways the Internet has changed our lives, and not all the changes are good. We all need to guard our privacy a lot more vigilantly -- and I don’t just mean financial information.  Seemingly innocuous things can turn ugly very quickly. Recently, 14-year-old Megan Meier committed suicide, apparently as result of being taunted over Myspace. Lori Drew, her neighbor and a grown woman, created a fictitious account in the name of a teenage boy. Under the guise of this “cute boy” character, Drew courted and then rejected the emotionally-fragile Megan. The 14-year-old was devastated. Drew engaged in this outrageous behavior allegedly because of friction between her teenage daughter and Megan. The tragedy occurred even though the Meiers attempted to supervise Megan’s computer use.

Every day, more and more people share the details of their private lives on MySpace and Facebook, confident that privacy settings and the like will protect them and their children. Well darlings, I hope so, but I still urge you need to think carefully before you post even seemingly innocent stuff on the web. Troll the web with questioning eyes. Remember anything you put there is forever and can be used and abused by the twisted.

So darlings, I will continue to email my private photos where I want them to go, except for the few I share with you all. I fear this is not the last we will see of well-meaning but ill-conceived enterprises encouraging young women to expose themselves on the Internet.  It makes me long for the days when all I had to do was warn young girls to stay away from the likes of Joe Francis and Girls Gone Wild. 

Deputy Editor of Saveur magazine
shares her favourite entertaining “cheat” Dana Bowan, Deputy Editor of Saveur Magazine, shares her tips, tricks, and insights for stylish cooking and entertaining with DolceDolce readers in this exclusive interview.

DD: What do you see as some of the hottest food trends for 2008?

DB: The one big-picture trend that has the largest impact on the quality of what we eat is increased access to great locally grown foods. Chefs have been putting homegrown ingredients on menus for years now, and home cooks have been shopping at farmers’ markets for even longer, but there’s always been a limit to what you can get. I think 2008 is going to be the year we finally start to see, with regularity, things like locally raised meats and dairy, even at casual restaurants.

Other mounting trends that I think are finally going to be getting widespread traction: fine dining is casual, comfortable environments; homemade pickles; varietal honey; heritage-breed meats, particularly chicken; and anything having to do with pork or house-cured charcuterie.

DD: How many courses do you usually serve?

DB: I usually serve three; four if you count the hors d’oeuvres I set out for folks to nosh on. I break my rule about composed plates for appetizers and desserts, where everyone gets the same thing!

DD: Name one dish that’s easier to make than it looks.

DB: Homemade pasta. Anyone who hasn’t made it for a party, should -- it’s far better than any “fresh” pasta you can buy at the store, and it’s really so easy to make. I serve it with a slow-simmered ragu and lots of parmesan.

DD: What do your serve vegetarians?

DB: Because so many of my friends abstain from meat, I always do a mental check before I start cooking to make sure that there will be enough appealing options for them at the table. It may require opting for veg stock for a risotto that I would have ordinarily made with chicken stock, or sautéing the greens with garlic instead of garlic and bacon, but it also saves them from having to be offered the dreaded, wan “vegetarian option”.

If you like Dana’s tips, check out Saveur magazine at www.saveur.com

Get a chic not savage tan

Deep dark tanning is out, but that doesn’t mean you don’t want a golden glow to chase away your winter fade. Anne Gravel, DolceDolce’s expert on all things golden and glowy, has found Solerra, the ultimate in home tanning products. According to Anne -- and she would know -- this new system, which includes exfoliation and application mitts, rivals a professional spay tan. Anne reports:  

“It’s a cinch to apply and the mitts even keep your nails from getting stained. There is no “tanning” smell at all. This is really important because most tanners have some smell that lasts at least a day no matter what you do,” says Anne. Other pluses: It won’t clog pores, streak or cause pimples. www.solerra.com.

Soft touch

SilkSkin, a line designed by former top Hollywood make-up artist Bob Sidell, is full of products that gently help to heal and improve skin. Duo Facial Polish Microbrassion is a gentle scrub designed to work as an at-home microbrasion treatment. It it’s full of magnesium crystals from the Dead Sea, ideal if ­you find other scrubs or peels too harsh. www.silkskin.com

Raccoons are cute, but you don’t want to look like one!

Azure Cosmeceuticals Hydro Peptide Eye is a light eye cream that combines the newest hydro peptides with crushed pearls to reflect light. Used regularly, it tightens and tones the eye area, reduces under-eye darkness, and makes your under-eye area lighter and brighter. I noticed a difference in a week - and it was a busy week. If dark circles are your issue, this may be your dream product. www.HydroPeptide.com

DolceDolce Diet Tips:

• Get more sleep. It’s official: studies show that if you are sleep-deprived, you may make up the shortfall with extra calories. Try to sleep for at least seven hours a day.

• When it comes to exercise, getting to the gym five times a week for weight loss is optimal. But if you can’t fit fitness into your day, a few flights of stairs, a few extra blocks and two, 15 minute blocks of free-weights morning and night will help raise your metabolism if you go at it vigorously. Go for what you can do – and always try to do more! Do not get discouraged. Life is a cumulative process.  

• Cut out a single snack a day, or opt for a lower-calorie alternative. Even 100 extra calories a day adds up to extra pounds, especially if you are not as active as you should be. Drink a glass of water and call a friend for a chat instead.

Bargain beauty

I can’t get enough of Roo in my Do – I even have a soft spot for the silly commercials. Seriously: since these well-priced hair products hit the shops years ago, they have delivered. They smell fabulous -- just like candy -- and they leave your hair looking and feeling great. Even if you are used to spending the bomb for your hair care I urge you try just one Aussie product; you might like it. I love their hair sprays. The smell is so delicious and a quick spritz stops the frizz in damp weather. How fabulous is that?

Eating Buddha’s Dinner: A memoir by Bich Mihn Nguyen

I loved this very honest and touching memoir of an angry, hungry little girl in Grand Rapids, Michigan in the 1980s. She tells of growing up with her loving, traditional and perpetually cooking Vietnamese grandmother, father and uncles before, as she puts it, “diversity was cool”. She describes her search to fit in to the Dutch suburb of her youth and the uneasy blending of her family with her Mexican stepmother’s family. The author's almost lyrical ability to describe and blend physical and spiritual hunger, in a search to find one’s self makes this book special. A savory and unsettling read, perfect for cold winter nights.

The Chinatown cheat:

Delicious BBQ Duck Salad in a snap!

I was inspired to share this by this week’s guest, Dana Bowan. Besides, I can never resist the savory aroma of the succulent barbecue in Chinatown. I love the tender pork ribs, the slightly salty soy chicken and the rich dark duck. Over the years, I have collected quick and easy recipes using all of these Chinatown treats. This week I will share my favourite duck salad. It’s simple but elegant. You can serve it as a starter or as a main course, depending on the size of the portion. I like to serve it in lettuce cups. This recipe works for cooks and non-cooks alike. You don’t even need a well stocked pantry to make it.

For 4

1 BBQ duck. Use your hands and knife to break it up. Discard any fatty skin. Do not let the butcher in Chinatown cut up the duck they will chop it bones and all into small pieces.

1 package of soba noodles cooked to the directions. Do not overcook. Drain and toss with 1 tbsp. of sesame oil and the duck meat. I prefer buckwheat soba.

Add:

½ cup of finely chopped green onion

1 cup of mandarin, segmented orange slices or seedless tangerines (canned mandarins are really good in this winter salad). Reserve some for garnish.

¼ cup of chopped cilantro. Reserve some for garish.

1 small package of salted cashews. Reserve some for garnish

Dressing:

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 tbsp. soy

1-2 tbsp. plum, duck or hoisen sauce (If you don’t cook a lot and have a bare pantry – soy and plum or duck sauce usually come with the duck. Just use what they give you; it will work fine).

Optional: 1 tsp. chili sauce of any type preferable Chinese.

Toss all the ingredients except nuts up to a few hours before serving. Pour over dressing and taste; you may want to add more of any one flavour or not depending on your personal taste and the saltiness of the duck. Add nuts before serving so they don’t get soggy. Serve on lettuce cups made from separating the leaves of a butter or Boston lettuce and garnish.

As I write, a blizzard swirls around me. I regret not picking up some BBQ pork when I was last in Chinatown a few days ago. I have a great pork and noodle soup recipe I will have to share with you soon, perfect for these last few months of winter. I find rich flavours and hot soup a healthier choice than the heavy carbs that seem so tempting this time of year. It’s my personal first line of defense against winter poundage.

I hope you will take time to chat with other women in your life about the web. It is a fabulous and a slightly scary thing. I know I don’t have all the answers, but it won’t be as simple as censorship or as easy as not thinking about it either.

In the meantime darlings, I will err on the side of caution and as the saying goes “keep my shirt on”. So please sign-up if you haven’t – DolceDolce is free. And forward us to all your friends. Until next week, stay warm and have a sweet week!