The Daily Newds

• "The Body Familiar" is a new photographic exploration of an age-old subject: the nude. Images range from the erotic to the disturbing, but the show is designed to challenge the viewer to examine his or her own boundaries and what we expose to the world. At the Griffith Museum of Photography in Winchester, MA.
• The new Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue has hit the stands. Funny how our culture celebrates the parade of sexy and all-but-naked models yet frowns upon wholesome, natural nudity. To me the real issue here is the continuing onslaught on our perceptions of body image. While these women are certainly beautiful and I have no problem with the swimsuit issue per se, I do wish that there were more depictions of average people to provide some balance. But average just doesn't sell.
• Speaking of body image, Janet Jackson has been ordered to lose weight, or else she will be dropped by her record label. I'm not a fan of the Jacksons, but can't they just leave this woman alone? She became a symbol of immorality for the religious right when she (gasp!) exposed her nipple on national television, and she endured what had to be a personally horrifying ordeal of watching her brother brought to trial on child molestation charges. Now she puts on a few pounds and suddently she is no longer marketable. Janet, take your millions and get out of the business, then join a naturist group where you will be accepted for exactly who you are. I'll bet she looks just fine naked with a few extra pounds...
• Sleepwalking is reported to be on the rise, and nude sleepers are likely to travel farther. Unfortunately, if the naked traveler manages to wind up in an interesting place, he or she is unlikely to remember anything.
• Now this is scary. Someone is advocating for the government to seize Google's database by force in the "porno wars" for the sake of the children. I'm not a fan of pornography (naturism is truly "anti-pornography"), but I don't think it's wise so surrender our Constitutional rights. Live free or die.