THIS year’s anniversary celebrations will be a “cover-up show” for TVB (Hong Kong’s Television Broadcasts Limited).
TVB general manager Stephen Chan has issued an order to all the female artistes to “cover up” their breasts.
The order applies to all the events regardless whether or not they are organised by the television station.
It is learnt this was one of the strategies to save TVB’s image.
The 42-year-old television station had recently received many complaints and criticisms for its “liberalisation” in its programmes and dramas.
Among them were a scene of Fala Chen changing clothes and showing off her bra in The Stew of Life, Jess Shum Cheuk Ying doing pole dancing and Macy Chan running in a bikini on the beach in D.I.E. Again.
Audiences have also complained that TVB had been a negative influence on the people by intending to sell sexy and lust to boost its ratings.
With the arrival of the anniversary celebrations, which were kicked off by TVB chairman Sir Run Run Shaw at a lighting ceremony on Oct 20, Chan had ordered the actresses to “behave”.
The news of Chan’s order has gone viral on the Internet with easily 100 Chinese portals in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and as far as Canada and Australia carrying the same article pertaining to the issue.
The article, the source of which could not be traced, said even Miss Hong Kong contestant Samantha Ko had covered up her body following the order.
Ko, who is known for her 34G breasts, has always shown off her gifted figure since she participated in the beauty competition last year.
Hong Kong media have given her a nickname – Dai Yu Ngau (big milk cow).
She was captured wearing a high round collar-neck shirt at a public function in the Special Administrative Region recently. - DC
Katie Price is "filthier" in bed when she's sober.
The glamour model - known as Jordan - opened up about her sex life during an X-rated appearance on Gordon Ramsay's TV show 'The F-Word'.
As she prepared a meal of chicken kiev and mash, Katie told Gordon: "People say that if I'm sober, I'm better, well-performed in bed. More filth should I say!"
Katie also tried to convince the celebrity chef she preferred the "simple" life, free from luxuries and glamour, despite spending thousands of pounds on hair extensions every three months.
She said: "I'm not high maintenance, believe it or not. My hair every three months costs £15,000 but that's because I go to LA and the flight costs a lot."
Katie - who has three children Harvey, seven, Junior, four and two-year-old Princess Tiaamii - also spoke about her diet, claiming having children forces her to eat healthily.
"I'm very strict that the kids have fresh food. But if it's just me I'd eat takeaways every night, curries, Thai."
Meanwhile, Katie's ex-husband Peter Andre has revealed he is looking for an "elegant and classy" new girlfriend in time for Christmas.
The 36-year-old Australian pop star added: "This woman has to think about what she is taking on, three kids and this lifestyle. It's a lot to ask, but I am definitely ready for it. I'd love a new girlfriend for Christmas. I'm not in a rush though, I am loving being single." - Bang! Extranet
The Los Angeles Galaxy soccer player quashed speculation he has grown a beard out of superstition because his team have reached the play-offs, and has revealed the real reason is because he wants to dress as the mutant Marvel superhero - played by Hugh Jackman in the 'X-Men' films - for Halloween.
The 34-year-old sportsman - who has sons Brooklyn, 10, Romeo, seven, and four-year-old Cruz with his wife, former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham - said: "Halloween is coming up and I was thinking of Wolverine from 'X-Men'. It's not some play-off ritual. I'm just lazy and can't be bothered to shave. And everybody keeps telling me to cut it and I'm stubborn."
While David is proud of his beard, he recently topped a poll for having the worst facial hair in showbiz.
Siobhan McDermott - head buyer of feelunique.com, who commissioned the poll - said: "Bad facial hair can be disastrous for even the best looking men."
Although David's facial growth has been met with disapproval, he has received support from the Beard Liberation Front.
The group's organiser Keith Flett said: "He's got a retro beard, if you look at it, it's almost like mutton chops. It's the kind of stuff soccer players had in the 70s. It's an interesting choice because he could have gone for the designer style beard that is trendy and fashionable." - Bang! Extranet
Her name is Lisa Staufer and she's 16, but she definitely isn't a girl. This was but an online identity assumed by a 52-year-old US man who used it as a cover to obtain sexually explicit pictures from a 15-year-old victim.
According to a report from the online news website Vancouverite, a man named Michael Speelman admitted to the authorities that he had assumed the identity of 'Lisa Staufer' since 2004.
Posing as 'Lisa', Speelman established a romantic relationship with a 15-year-old female victim. During the course of the relationship, Speelman managed to obtain nude and sexually explicit images of the victim, the Vancouverite reported. He also sent his victim images that were supposed to be of 'Lisa'.
In March 2006, Speelman feigned the death of 'Lisa' but continued to contact the victim by pretending to be 'Sarah Staufer', Lisa's mother.
Posing as 'Sarah', Speelman then sent the victim one of the sexually explicit photos that 'Lisa' had received earlier, and threatened the victim with sending the image to her family.
Speelman's ruse was finally uncovered when the victim noticed an online account associated with Lisa and started a chat, the Vancouverite reported. In the conversation, Speelman admitted to posing as 'Lisa' and faking her death. He also exposed himself to the victim in the video chat.
FBI agents later recovered a photo album and an envelope and Cds containing explicit photos of the victim. Another CD containing pornographic videos of minors and 13 grams of marijuana were also recovered in the search, according to the Vancouverite report.
Speelman now faces five to 20 years in prison for the transportation of child pornography.
Previous cases of children falling prey to adults online include the 2006 suicide of a 13-year-old US girl Megan Meyer.
A mother of the teen's friend had assumed an online identity of a boy on social networking site MySpace and claimed to be attracted to the teen. The 'boy' later turned against Megan and ultimated her, ultimately leading to the teen's death.
When 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall told her mother she was going to a friend's house to stay over for the night, she did not know that the person she was meeting is a known sex predator.
Hours later, the teenage girl was dead and her body thrown into a ditch near Sedgefield, a county in northeast England.
According to the English newspaper the Daily Mail, a 32-year-old man later told police that he was responsible for the killing.
He also said that he had posed as a 16-year-old boy on the social networking site Facebook and struck up a friendship with Ashleigh.
On Sunday (25 October), Ashleigh left home at about 7pm, telling her mother that she would be staying over at a friend's place and would be back the next afternoon.
When the teen failed to return, her mother tried calling her mobile phone repeatedly but there was no answer.
On Monday, police arrested a man at about 5.40pm for suspected traffic offences. The man later told officers that he had killed Ashleigh.
Further investigations revealed that the man was a registered sex offender, who had previous convictions for attacks on young women.
According to a police spokesman quoted by the Daily Mail, it was understood that the victim's family had since looked through her computer and discovered conversations the teen had with an unknown man.
Ashleigh, who was a studying childcare at Darlington college, was said to be a popular student, the Daily Mail reported.
A friend who spoke to the Daily Mail said that he "heard that she had been talking with a man on Facebook. He told her he was 16, but obviously it looks like that was a lie."
This is the second case in recent weeks to involve an adult posing as a younger person online in an attempt to initiate a relationship with a teenager.
Earlier, a US man was arrested for possession and distribution of child pornography, and was later found to have posed as a 16-year-old girl in order to obtain explicit photos from a 15-year-old female victim.
A student who was ‘caught’ for close proximity was hoodwinked into having sex with one of the men claiming to be state religious enforcement officers as an inducement to conceal her rendezvous with her boyfriend.
However, when the undergraduate discovered later that the man and two of his cohorts were bogus officers she lodged a police the report the next day alleging rape.
State CID chief Asst Comm Mohd Fauzi Abduri said late Thursday that the student and her boyfriend were in a car at the Teluk Kepatang beachfront here at 10pm on Wednesday when three men claiming to be religious enforcement officers ordered the couple out of the car on the pretext of checking their identification papers.
One of the men then said the fine of RM6,000 imposed on couples caught for close proximity could be waived if she had sex with him, said ACP Mohd Fauzi.
The frightened student agreed.
In her report she alleged she was raped at a secluded area at Tok Jembal, about four kilometers from the site where she had been with her boyfriend.
Based on the police report, police arrested the man who was living close to the beachfront, ACP Mohd Fauzi said.
The man was a salesman. Police are now looking for his two accomplices, he added.
Scientists ave discovered that a substance found in turmeric, a basic curry ingredient can kill cancer cells within 24 hours.
Researchers at Ireland's Cork Cancer Research Centre who treated oesophageal cancer cells with curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, observed that it triggers lethal death signals in the cells.
The cells eventually digest themselves and die.
The results of the study were published in the British Journal of Cancer on Wednesday.
Curcumin gives turmeric (curcuma zangais) its orangy-yellow colour. The rhizome, a close relative of the ginger, is commonly used in Asian cooking as well as in traditional medicine.
Chinese and Ayurvedic medical practioners use turmeric as a treatment for many ailments as it has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal properties and believed to lower cholestrol.
The results of the Cork Cancer Research Centre study were published in the British Journal of Cancer on Wednesday.
"These exciting results suggest that scientists can develop curcumin as a potential anti-cancer drug to treat oesophageal cancer," said Dr Sharon McKenna who led the study.
Turmeric, a close relative of the ginger, is commonly used in Asian cooking as well as in traditional medicine.
She said scientists had known hat natural compounds had the potential to treat faulty cells that become cancerous, adding they also suspected curcumin's possible therapeutic value.
She said medical researcher Dr Geraldine O’Sullivan-Coyne who had been looking for new ways of killing resistant oesophageal cancer cells tested curcumin on resistant cells.
"She found that they started to die using an unexpected system of cell messages."
"Normally, faulty cells die by committing programmed suicide – or apoptosis – which occurs when proteins called caspases are ‘switched on’ in cells."
"But these cells showed no evidence of suicide and the addition of a molecule that inhibits caspases and stops this ‘switch being flicked’, made no difference to the number of cells which died."
"This suggested that curcumin attacked cancer cells using an alternative cell signalling system," she added.
Oesophagus cancer kill more than half a million people in the world each year. The cancers are exceptionally deadly, with five-year survival rates of between 12 and 31 per cent.
The number of oesophageal cancer cases have gone up tremendously since the 70s and this is thought to be linked to rising rates of obesity, alcohol intake and reflux disease.
Early detection is the most effective way to fight breast cancer. Self awareness on breast cancer and breast self-exams may help, although the most effective tools to detect breast cancer are mammography and clinical breast exam by your health professional.
A startling fact is that one out of every 20 women in Malaysia has a risk of getting breast cancer in her lifetime.
All women aged 18 years and above should perform a breast self-exam. If a woman is still menstruating, the best time to do the BSE is seven to 10 days after the first day of their period, when breasts are least likely to be tender or swollen. If they are no longer menstruating, they will be required to pick a day for the BSE, such as the first day of each month.
Additionally, women who perform regular breast self-exams may find abnormalities earlier and thus recognise changes that may be a sign of early breast cancer. Getting into the habit of examining your breasts regularly can help you get used to your normal breast changes. When you become familiar with how they feel, it will be easier to recognize anything unusual.
To perform a breast self-exam, follow the steps described below:
Stand in front of a mirror and look at each breast separately. Note the size, shape, colour and direction of your breasts and nipple. Look out for the following signs/abnormalities:
* Rashes that won't go away
* Dimpling
* Inverted nipple
* Changes in skin texture
* Difference in size or shape
* Unusual discharge from the nipple/blood
With hands relaxed at your sides, look at your breasts as you turn slowly from side to side. Raise your arms above your head, turn slowly from side to side.
With hands pressed on your hips, chest muscles contracted and bend forward.
Squeeze the nipple gently and see if there is any blood or discharge from the nipple.
Feel for changes lying down. Place a towel under your left shoulder. Place your left hand under your head. Use your right hand to examine your left breast. Repeat the exam using your left hand to examine your right breast.
When feeling your breasts use the flat part of your three middle fingers. Do not use your fingertips.
Examine from the collar bone at the top to the bra-line at the bottom and from the midway between your breasts to an imaginary line down from the middle of your armpit.
A BSE can also be done with a friend
Method of examination:
Vertical method - start in the underarm area and move your fingers downward little by little until you reach the area below the breast. Then move your fingers slightly toward the middle and slowly move back up. Go up and down until the entire area is covered.
Circular method - begin at the outer edge of your breast, moving your fingers slowly around the entire breast. Continue working toward the nipple.
Manual inspection (reclining) - with fingertips close together, gently probe each breast in one of these three patterns.
Pressure: At each spot you touch, use varying pressure.
* Feel lightly for anything near the surface of the skin.
* Press firmly to feel for any lump deep in the breast.
Check your armpit. Bring your arm down by your side and feel your armpit firmly for any lumps.
It's really that simple to perform a breast self-familiarisation and breast self-exam yourself in the comfort of your home. Also, it's important to note that not all lumps are cancerous. If you detect any lumps, please seek a second opinion from your doctor immediately.
Women aged 40 and above are also encouraged to have an annual mammogram. Also, all women should go for an annual physical check-up by a doctor.
The Breast Cancer Welfare Association and CloveTWO shows you two methods on how to do a breast self-examination lying down. - Star
Michael Jackson has earned $90 million since he died.
The late 'Thriller' singer - who passed away from acute Propofol intoxication on June 25 - came third in Forbes.com's annual Top-Earning Dead Celebrities list with the huge financial haul.
Michael was the highest ranking deceased singer, after bringing in the enormous sum from radio play, royalties from album sales, rights to his name and royalties from his stake in the Sony/ATV music catalogue.
Since Michael's shock passing there have also been numerous sales of memorabilia, iconic outfits and even a lock of his hair.
Forbes Senior Editor Matthew Miller said: "The money might be drying up in Hollywood, but there's still plenty of cash being made in the graveyard. The earning power of dead celebrities is more powerful than ever before."
Elvis Presley dropped down from first position last year to fourth this time round with earnings of $55 million. He was replaced at the top by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent who raked in a staggering $350 million for his famous clothing label and from the sale of his art collection early this year, following his death in June 2008.
Songwriting duo Rodgers and Hammerstein - full name Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II - earned the second highest figure with revenue made from their popular Broadway musicals, including 'Oklahoma!', 'Carousel', 'South Pacific' and 'The Sound of Music'.
Forbes.com's top ten Top-Earning Dead Celebrities: 1. Yves Saint Laurent - $350 million 2. Rodgers and Hammerstein - $235 million 3. Michael Jackson - $90 million 4. Elvis Presley - $55 million 5. J.R.R. Tolkein - $50 million 6. Charles Schulz - $35 million 7. John Lennon - $15 million 7. Dr. Seuss - $15 million 9. Albert Einstein - $10 million 10. Michael Crichton - $9 million. - Bang! Extranet
THE world’s largest retailer wants to keep its customers even after they die.
Wal-Mart has started selling caskets on its website at prices that undercut many funeral homes, long the major seller of caskets.
The move follows a similar one by discount rival Costco, which also sells caskets on its site.
Wal-Mart quietly put up about 15 caskets and dozens of urns on its website last week.
Prices range from US$999 for models like “Dad Remembered” and “Mom Remembered” steel caskets to the mid-level US$1,699 “Executive Privilege.”
All are less than US$2,000, except for the Sienna Bronze Casket, which sells for US$3,199.
Caskets ship within 48 hours. Federal law requires funeral homes to accept third-party caskets. Returns are not accepted, the company says on its site, unless the product has been damaged during shipping. – AP
A MAN was sentenced in Tennessee to two years of probation for sending sexually explicit Christmas cards of his ex-girlfriend to her relatives.
The Daily News Journal reports 57-year-old David Simmons was accused of surreptitiously taking pictures of his ex-girlfriend while she performed sexual acts on him.
After a bad break-up, Simmons sent one of the pictures to the woman’s relatives as Christmas cards.
He pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of unlawful photography and criminal impersonation. In exchange for the plea he was given a suspended sentence. – AP
Forget a woman’s cleavage, there are more erogenous spots that you can explore to get your lady sexcited. Read on to discover her ten most sensuous body parts.
What guys often mistake is that they go straight for the woman’s breasts or other private parts, without concentrating on her nine other moan zones.
So, if you want to get your girl into the mood, stimulate some of her often-neglected body parts.
Tresses
All guys like women with gorgeous locks. But what you need to know is that women love being touched on their head. It’s quite a stress reliever. Running your hands sensuously through her tresses is likely to send shivers down her spine. Massage her temples to the nape of her neck and she'll be game to your desires.
Nape of her neck
In ancient Japan, the back of a woman’s neck was considered extremely attractive by men as it was one of the few zones that were not covered by the elaborate kimono. Today, very few men focus on the nape of the neck, but we suggest you build up the pleasure by gentle touching and kissing your lady love from her hairline down to her shoulders. It will make her reach dizzying heights of pleasure.
Collar bone
A well-defined collarbone is what men find irresistible. So, why not touch and kiss her there. Unbutton her shirt just a little and stimulate her collarbone with your touch. Create circles with your tongue and give her love bites right there, just to remind her of how much you want her.
Small of her back
Most women love it when their guy places his protective hand against the small of her back as it shows that he feels very strongly about her. So, why not incorporate this gesture into your foreplay routine, by kissing or licking down her spine to end up with a kiss on the small of her back. It will definitely get her into the mood for more!
Behind her knees
This area is a power house of sensitive nerve endings. You can gently caress the back of her knee under her skirt while the two of you are in an open public space as it is sure to get her excited by the time you reach home.
Palms of her hands
We use our hands to please our partners, but have you ever thought that you could arouse a woman by stimulating the palm of her hand? Run your finger along her palm as that will make her feel relaxed and ready for a sexy rendezvous ahead.
Her earlobes
This is one of the most erogenous moan centers of a woman’s body. Touching, kissing and even gently biting her earlobes will send her into a sexual tizzy. If you are getting extra adventurous, simply nibble around the outside of the rest of her ear as well, but don’t put your tongue inside her ear. That’s a major turn off!
Happy feet
There’s nothing more sinfully seductive than a foot massage. It will help her relax, especially if her job requires her to be on them all day. Get yourself some aromatic massage oil or lotion. Pay extra attention to the pressure points such as her toes, ankles and the sides of her feet too. Some women love enjoy having their toes sucked, but others find it repulsive, so ask your babe what she would have you do before putting them in your mouth.
Soft thighs
Touching a woman’s inner thighs without touching her private parts is the most sensual tease that is sure to get her all charged up. Employ your hands and mouth to caress and kiss the insides of her thighs but remember to pull back before going all the way.
Andre Agassi has confessed that he has used drugs.
In his upcoming autobiography, Agassi, who won eight Grand Slam tennis singles titles, admitted using crystal meth in 1997, the year he dropped to No. 141 in the rankings.
"I can't speak to addiction, but a lot of people would say that if you're using anything as an escape, you have a problem," he said in a story posted on People magazine's website.
Excerpts from the book are being printed this week by People and Sports Illustrated.
A writer from SI first revealed the crystal meth reference on a Twitter posting on Tuesday, and it was confirmed by publisher Knopf spokesman Paul Bogaards in a telephone interview.
In the posting on People's Web site, Agassi says he "was worried for a moment, but not for long," about how fans would react if they found out he used drugs.
"I wore my heart on my sleeve and my emotions were always written on my face. I was actually excited about telling the world the whole story," Agassi says.
Among the most successful - and, without a doubt, one of the most popular - tennis players in history, Agassi won eight Grand Slam singles titles before retiring in 2006.
He drew attention not just for his play, but also for his outfits, his hairstyles and his relationships with women.
Agassi's first major championship came at Wimbledon in 1992, and he won a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. But by late 1997, Agassi dropped out of the top 100 in the rankings.
He resuscitated his career in 1998, making the biggest one-year jump into the top 10 in the history of the ATP rankings.
The next season, he won the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam, then added a second career U.S. Open title en route to finishing 1999 at No. 1.
WEST Aceh district in Indonesia has tightened dressing rules for its Muslim women.
They will be banned from wearing tight trousers or jeans from Jan 1.
Those who do so, will have to immediately change into a government-issued long skirt and the pants cut up on the spot.
But Muslim men are not getting away with it.
They are prohibited from wearing shorts.
There was no mention, however, if the men would also be given replacement attire of any sort or how they would be punished should they flout the law.
Distrcit chief Ramli Mansur was reported as saying that non-Muslims were not affected by the ruling.
“We’ll still respect the rights of non-Muslims so they shouldn’t worry,” Mansur said.
“We’re not stopping women from wearing trousers. What’s prohibited are tight trousers and jeans. If they have to wear trousers, the trousers must cover their ankles and be worn under loose, long skirts,” he said.
“If there are parties who disagree, don’t be angry with me. Be angry with God as I’m only carrying out a religious obligation,” he said.
After a young fan and Virginia Tech student, Morgan Harrington, went missing during one of their concerts on October 17, Metallica is now adding $50,000 to the reward being offered for her safe return.
Harrington's parents have already announced a $100,000 reward for her return or information leading to the arrest of the party responsible for her disappearance.
In addition to the campaign website FindMorgan.com, Metallica also put a plea up on their official website asking fans to look at their video and photographic footage from the concert to see if she can be seen along with this description:
"Morgan has blond hair and blue eyes, is 5'6", 120 lbs., and was wearing a black 'Pantera' T-shirt, black skirt, and black boots. She was not carrying ID or a cell phone. Morgan was separated from her friends shortly before 9:00 pm at the venue."
POLICE believe as many as a dozen people watched a 15-year-old girl get beaten and gang-raped outside her high school homecoming dance without reporting it.
One suspect was in custody Monday, but police said as many as six other men attacked the girl over a two-hour period Friday night outside Richmond High School.
“She was raped, beaten, robbed and dehumanized by several suspects who were obviously okay enough with it to behave that way in each other’s presence,” Lt Mark Gagan said. “What makes it even more disturbing is the presence of others. People came by, saw what was happening and failed to report it.”
The victim remained hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries.
Manuel Ortega, 19, was arrested at the scene and was being held on US$800,000 bail for investigation of rape and robbery. He is not a student at the school.
Richmond police Sgt David Harris did not know if Ortega had retained an attorney.
Police said the girl left the dance and was walking to meet her father for a ride home when a classmate invited her to join a group drinking in the courtyard.
The victim had drank a large amount of alcohol by the time the assault began, police said.
Officers received a tip about a possible assault on campus and found the girl semi-conscious near a picnic table.
Marin Trujillo, a spokesman for the West Contra Costa Unified School District, said there were four police officers and three school administrators monitoring the dance, but the assault happened away from the gym. – AP
Prostitution thrives just outside of Beirut , though illegal, inhotels, nightclubs, brothels, private homes, chalets and even on highways.
BEIRUT - To Lebanon’s Kamal, it’s a job like any other: “I send clients at luxury hotels photo albums of the girls. It's like selling goods."
Kamal, whose name has been changed at his request, is a 40-year-old pimp based just outside of Beirut, where prostitution thrives, though illegal, inhotels, nightclubs, brothels, private homes, chalets and even on highways.
"I inherited the trade from my father," he told AFP. "To me, it's just a regular job."
"Demand soars in the summer season, so we help each other out across the networks. They pass girls over to us when we need them and vice versa," Kamal explained.
Kamal owns a club in a coastal city north of Beirut which has a reputation as a prostitution hub. In this seaside city, so-called super nightclubs employ exclusively foreign women, mainly from eastern Europe, who travel to Lebanon on "artists' visas."
They start off as dancers and often turn to – or are forced into – prostitution in after hours.
But Kamal says he prefers employing Lebanese and Syrian women, who are "ingreat demand among Arabs."
"We charge a minimum of US 120 dollars (84 euros) per hour, but the price can climb to over US 400 dollars (280 euros)," he said. "Gulf clients pay up without asking about the price, while the Lebanese haggle to the penny."
For a mere US 20 dollars (14 euros), a receptionist at a luxury hotel provides a selection of pictures to a potential client who can then "choose a blonde, abrunette, one woman or three," said Kamal.
And in a country where sex before marriage is still frowned upon and where a young couple kissing in the street may be reprimanded by police, female sexworkers – some of whom are still legally minors – can sometimes be seen on the hunt for wealthy clients, particularly men from the oil-rich Gulf seeking an outlet in a country dubbed the most liberal in the Arab world.
The business is also a hit with local clientele.
"I have friends who do not miss mass on Sunday, but visit prostitutes twice a week because it's fashionable," said Sami, a Lebanese expatriate in Beirut for the summer. "It's frustrating and it's a sham."
"This 'profession' brings in thousands of dollars to those involved," said Major Elie Asmar, who heads the police's protection of morals department.
"Prostitution thrives because of the economic crisis in the country."
Some of the women interviewed by AFP said they were drawn to the practice largely for economic reasons.
"I was attracted by easy money. It was too late by the time I felt regret," said Hanin, a 24-year-old Lebanese sex worker in a bar just outside Beirut.
"My clients are disgusting, but I make US 100 dollars (70 euros) per hour," said Nadia, 26.
Nada, a voluptuous 21-year-old in high heels and a plunging neckline, turned to sex work at the age of 17.
"I obey my boss because he beats me,” she said, before bursting into tears and turning away.
The circles most difficult to crack are those in which prostitution is a family affair, says Asmar.
The story of 18-year-old Soha, a Syrian working in Lebanon, is a case in point: her pimp is her husband.
"He brought the clients home," she told AFP. "The first client raped me. I tried to run away in vain."
Like many girls, she says she is now resigned because of financial need, abuse and fear of what people will say.
"We once arrested a man who 'sold' his wife in his own house," Asmar told AFP. "In another case, we found a husband who admitted he had earned US 7,000 dollars (4,900 euros) in a week of 'work'."
Asmar notes that prostitution remains illegal in Lebanon and if indicted, those involved are liable to two years' imprisonment.
Punishment for the girls involved, however, can exact an even higher price, Kamal says.
"There are red lines that should not be crossed," he said. "If a girl moves to another network without our consent, it's a declaration of war and there will be blood." - AFP
It's been two months since Hong Kong singer- actor Leon Lai and celebrity model Gaile Lai's hush-hush marriage was exposed by the Hong Kong media.
The couple, who has been dating since 2006, tied the knot in Las Vegas in March last year. But while the couple kept a low profile during their courtship, Gaile, 29, was forthcoming when The New Paper asked her about her wedded bliss.
As far as this blushing newlywed is concerned, nothing's changed.
She told The New Paper on Thursday night: 'The marriage has been good. We think of each other as friends. For us, life hasn't been any different from when we were boyfriend and girlfriend.' Gaile, who arrived on Wednesday, was in town for a gala dinner at Changi Exhibition Centre on Thursday night.
Designer threads
The celebrity model turned up in a cocktail dress and nude heels with black bows from the Valentino Spring 1 2010 collection. She completed her outfit with a clutch from the Garavani Spring 1 2010 collection.
But something was missing: The wedding ring.
Gaile reportedly told Hong Kong media that she doesn't wear it when she's working for fear of misplacing it.
Rumours of Leon, 43, and Gaile's secret union began circulating in March last year but the couple flatly denied it. According to Hong Kong's The Sun newspaper, she was bound by various endorsement contracts which forbade her to get married.
Violating the terms of the contracts would mean she would have to pay large amounts as compensation. Two months ago, the cat was finally out of the bag.
The relentless Hong Kong media managed to obtain a record of the couple's marriage registration through a Nevada website.
Turns out the pair had held their wedding at Las Vegas' Wynn Hotel in March last year. Only their closest friends were said to have been present. But while Leon is known for being tight-lipped about his personal life, Gaile was friendly and candid throughout our short interview.
Within a few hours of her arrival, the adoring wife revealed how she had already snagged a present for her husband: Fishballs.
A beaming Gaile said: 'We (she and her manager) went to the supermarket yesterday (Wednesday) and I bought a few packets of fishballs and assam and belachan paste.
'He loves fishballs so maybe I'll make laksa since I have the assam paste and I'll throw the fishballs in.'
Gaile, who is an avid cook, added that she can whip up a mean rack of lamb in red wine sauce. So the old saying 'the way to a man's heart is through his stomach' holds true.
When pressed about their honeymoon, she declined to reply but not without first flashing a sweet smile.
What about the pitter patter of little feet? Speculation has been rife since Gaile was spotted by Hong Kong media with a slightly protruding stomach early last month. A glowing Gaile said they have no plans to have a baby.
She added: 'We haven't set a specific age as to when we'd like to start a family. When it happens, it happens. We're not going to think too much about it.
'Right now, we just want to enjoy working and each other.'
As for Leon, perhaps he's also taking the cue from his wife.
Since he hooked up with Gaile, the Heavenly King has reportedly started opening up more, and the Hong Kong media credits the change to Gaile's cheerful personality.
Early this month, Hong Kong reporters asked Leon if Gaile's presence in his life has helped him in his career. He reportedly said: 'She's always been by my side.'
More significantly, he introduced Gaile as his wife when the pair attended a party his friends had thrown early this month.
His fans have also been supportive of the relationship. In August, The Sun reported that Leon's fans had plans to throw a celebratory party for the couple when news of their secret nuptials came to light.
Leon's behaviour is in contrast to when he dated Taiwanese actress Shu Qi after meeting her on the set of 1998 romance film City Of Glass. He never once admitted to their relationship. Leon's fans also disapproved of Shu Qi because of her background as a former soft porn actress, reported Apple Daily.
As a result, the pair kept a low profile, and broke up in 2004.
Legions of Facebook users united in protest on Monday, demanding that the world's most popular social-networking service undo recent changes to its home page.
A "Change Facebook Back to Normal" group at the website claimed slightly more than a million members as once again, Facebook's penchant for change triggered ire among users that prefer things remain the same.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," a Facebook user with the screen name Carlos Deleon wrote on a protest group chat page.
On Friday, Facebook modified its news feed feature to let members of the world's leading social-networking service catch up on tidbits they may have missed while away from the website.
Facebook now lets members switch between getting real time streams of news or activities taking place, and highlights of what friends have shared online in the preceding 24 hours.
News Feed picks re-cap stories based on factors including how many friends have liked and commented on them.
The Live Feed option funnels updates and news about online friends' activities to Facebook home pages as the information surfaces.
"When we redesigned the Facebook home page last March, we heard from millions of users whose feedback was gathered and considered in developing News Feed and Live Feed," Facebook said in an email response to an AFP inquiry.
"Whenever we launch new products, we listen carefully to our users about what specific changes we can make to improve their experiences on the site."
Some Facebook users on Monday posted instructions describing a way to reset the former news feed mode to home pages by making "status updates" a default option.
"We encourage people to continue to send us constructive, detailed feedback and are committed to using it to inform how we build and improve the site for everyone," Facebook said. --AFP
Nikon projects a new foot forward in its latest Coolpix S1000pj compact camera.
THERE'S no doubt that most digital cameras these days come with nearly the same set of features with the same megapixel count, zoom range and standard image stabilisation built in.
This is where Nikon’s latest Coolpix model stands out for being the first camera to incorporate a built-in projector.
Aside from being a projector camera, this 12.1-megapixel shooter serves as a convenient compact camera that’s easy-to-use.
The S1000pj is a sturdy-looking camera with a brush metal body that’s accentuated by silver rimmed borders. It is more squarish in shape as compared to most modern compact cameras, but it has a unique style that certainly catches the eye
COOLPIX S1000PJ (Nikon Corp) Consumer compact camera Sensor: 12.1-megapixels (4,000 x 3,000-pixels) Lens: 5x optical zoom (28-140mm film equivalent) Shutter speed: N/A ISO range: 80 - 6400 (ISO 3200 and 6400 captured at 3-megapixels) Exposure modes: Auto, Scene mode, Smart Portrait, Subject tracking movie mode Video capture: 640 x 480-pixels, AVI format Viewfinder: 2.7in LCD Battery: Lithium-ion EN-EL12 (approximately 220 shots) Storage: Secure Digital (SD) and SDHC, 36MB internal memory Interface: USB 2.0 Other features: Built-in projector (up to 10 lumens, image size: 5in to 40in) Nikon Vibration Reduction technology Dimensions (w x h x d): 99.5 x 62.5 x 23mm Weight: 155g Price: RM1,498
Singer Chris Brown has announced the release of his first CD since his February altercation with then-girlfriend Rihanna.
"Graffiti," the singer's third album, will be released on Dec. 15, he said via Twitter.
The CD's first single, "I Can Transform Ya," features Lil Wayne and Swizz Beatz.
The 20-year-old will also kick off his "Fan Appreciation" tour in Houston on Nov. 14.
Brown was sentenced in August to five years' probation, six months of community labor and a year of domestic violence counseling after he pleaded guilty to felony assault in the attack on Rihanna.
He's due to perform Tuesday in New Jersey at his first concert since the attack. - AP
Concert movies may not be a culture here in Malaysia, but trust the greatest artiste of all time to consistently smash records ... even posthumously.
IT was being touted as his final curtain call, but mere days before the This Is It series of concerts were to take place at London’s O2 arena, the greatest entertainer of his time, Michael Jackson, died of a cardiac arrest in Los Angeles on June 25.
For many, especially those who grew up with his and the Jackson 5’s music, it was the day the music died. And for those who never ever saw the King Of Pop on the concert stage – his natural habitat – the loss is simply incomparable.
But MJ’s final gift to his fans may prove to be one of his most profound yet, albeit, posthumously. With his back against the wall – everything from financial meltdown to legal issues – MJ was paving a way for the greatest comeback in the music industry, greater than the Elvis 1968 Comeback Special, even.
Culled from over 100 hours of intensive rehearsals from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and more significantly, the full-dress rehearsal at the O2 arena, This Is It the concert movie offers fans and viewers a glimpse of what might have been, and the reviews in the press have been nothing short of staggering.
Likewise, the buzz here in Malaysia is unprecedented. “On the first day the tickets went on sale (on Oct 15), about 10,000 were snapped up,” said Stephanie Lee, project consultant for Sony Pictures, the global distributor for the movie.
“This has never happened in our industry here. The closest anything came to this were the recent Terminator and Transformer movies,” she added.
Lee pointed out that this sort of reaction is a given for action and sci-fi movies, but for This Is It to succeed in an environment where concert movies are not common, it is a true testament to MJ’s global super power.
“Obviously, this is all because it is Michael Jackson. He has a lot of fans here,” added Lee, saying that after having watched it herself two weeks ago, she still can’t have enough of it. “It’s really awesome and watching it on the big screen is fabulous. I was not a fan of MJ before but now I am. When you watch it, it’s hard to believe that he’s really gone,” she lamented.
Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC), which will be screening the film from Oct 29 for a limited two-week run, echoes that sentiment. According to GSC spokesperson Tan Gaik Lian, Malaysian fans are truly looking forward to the This Is It experience. “GSC is keen to make this movie available to all, where possible. As this movie has been scheduled to be screened for only two weeks worldwide, advance cash sales started on Oct 15,” she revealed, adding that the movie will be screened in 15 cinema locations nationwide.
Viewers who want a completely digital experience can opt for the 2-D version, otherwise, the 35mm version will do nicely, too. “The digital 2-D projection promises higher resolution images and state-of-the-art digital sound, which in return enhances the overall viewing experience as the overall quality does degrade over time with the normal 35mm format,” Tan explained.
And to heighten the proceedings further, GSC is making available all kinds of treats for MJ fans. There are limited posters in GSC Signature, discount coupons for MJ shirts, commemorative books and much more up for grabs.
Loyal MJ fan Cabrina Ang stayed up till past midnight (trying a second time at 5am) to secure tickets online on the day they went on sale on Oct 15 but failed in her attempts. “I was very disappointed, but my husband went out and got the tickets from the cinema for me the next day, thankfully,” she said admitting that this is the first time she has ever tried this diligently to get tickets for a show.
Ang has no expectations of the show itself but is looking forward to seeing her favourite artiste in his final moments.
“I just want to see how he looked since there were so many stories on his poor health at that time, though from the clips I saw, he looked great in that orange shirt,” she shared, insisting that her favourite songs are the ones with meaningful lyrics like Heal The World and You Are Not Alone.
Ang grew up a fan of both the Jackson 5 and the Osmonds, and had posters all over her room walls. “I also went for his concert in Malaysia in 1996. My sister bought me the most expensive ticket, and I got to the stadium as early as 11am, and waited for the show to start at 9pm,” revealed the devout fan who feels MJ’s greatest gift to the world is his artistry, which is unrivalled.
Even the Malaysian music industry can’t seem to heap enough plaudits on the greatest entertainer in the world. Industry standard producer Roslan Aziz places MJ on the same mantle as Elvis Presley and The Beatles.
“He was very sincere in his work and always endeavoured to do the best he could. The recording world learned so much from Thriller ... even if Quincy Jones produced it, it was still MJ’s album,” said the maverick producer.
Roslan grew up with the Jackson 5 and saw MJ grow into the bonafide superstar he eventually became. “There’s so much we can learn from his career, good and bad, but you can’t take away his talent and his musical contributions to the world. That will keep him at the forefront of the music world and he will be remembered as the person who revolutionised pop music,” he enthused, saying that he’d like to take his young son to watch the show.
MJ tribute artiste, Jordan Sam, who recently staged a fabulous show at Genting’s Arena of Stars in tribute to his fallen hero, is waiting on needles and pins to watch the show. “I’ve already bought the tickets ... I can’t wait to watch the choreography and hear the music. I’m sure it’s going to be spectacular,” he declared gleefully.
As a tribute artiste, Sam places a keen eye on the details of a concert and says he has seen nothing short of impressive. “I’ve watched some clips on YouTube and they look very good.”
Sam feels that This Is It is well beyond mere entertainment value. It will be a firm reminder of MJ’s greatness. “I think people are going to be reminded of what a truly brilliant artiste he was, whether it be his singing, his dancing or his onstage persona. I can’t imagine seeing someone like him again,” he opined.
Whether we choose to remember him as the surgical-mask-wearing eccentric, the father who dangled his child over a balcony or the man said to have bought the bones of the Elephant Man, Michael Jackson has fought his way into the human psyche unlike any other human being.
His name and likeness is recognised in every corner of the earth, from Africa, through to Asia, Europe and the Americas. This Is It is his swan song, one the world will not merely remember, but never forget.
To paraphrase Motown boss Berry Gordy during his speech at the music legend’s memorial: “Michael learned from the greats ... and became the greatest!”
David Beckham will definitely return to AC Milan on loan in January, chief executive Adriano Galliani said today.
The Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder, who wants to play in Europe to try to secure his place in England’s World Cup squad, had previously said the deal was 95 per cent done.
“It’s 100 per cent certain. The only thing that is missing is the signatures but the agreement is complete,” Galliani told Italy’s Sky television.
Beckham is expected to stay at the San Siro from January until the end of the Serie A season in May, just as he did this year.
He has previously said he intends to go back to Galaxy following June’s World Cup in South Africa, if selected by England coach Fabio Capello.
Media reports had linked the former Manchester United player with a return to the Premier League but the 34-year-old had always said another stint at Milan was his preferred option. — Reuters
1. Gamble in Casino. Sure, some people get lucky. But most of us blow a wad and leave feeling like reckless morons.
2. Spend your spare time visit the bargain stores. It doesn't matter if you don't actually need anything. You'll find something to buy.
3. Shop hungry. It's amazing how much extra food you'll throw in your cart.
4. Draw more money out of the ATM than you need. If you get $20, you'll spend $20. If you get $40, it will disappear just as quickly.
5. Become an impulse buyer. See something in a shop window, grab it immediately and worry about the cost later.
6. Pay bills late. That will eat up some serious cash in the form of late fees and interest rate hikes, and sometimes will damage your credit rating.
7. Lend money to people who won't pay you back, even when they say it will be different this time.
8. Go to a fair or carnival and buy lunch from a concession stand for your family: $8 for a hot dog, $4 for a can of Coke. Multiply by number of family members.
9. Buy complete albums instead of cherry-picking the songs you want from a music download site.
10. Buy food, throw it in the back of the fridge or in the vegetable crisper and forget about it. Then, a few weeks later, you can throw it away. Cash in the trash.
11. Become completely disorganized and forgetful. You have no idea how quickly you'll spend money if you are buying things that you already have.
12. Ignore special offers and coupons. Why pay $3 for an item when you can just as easily pay $5?
13. Take your car in for an oil change , get yours done every 3,000 KM. True, modern engines and synthetic oils mean most vehicles can do 5,000 to 7,000 KM between changes, but so what.
14. Use credit cards without paying off the balance in full each month. You will rack up some delicious interest.
15. Fly first class. You'll get to your destination at the same time as the folks a few rows behind you, but you'll pay substantially more for some legroom and a nicer meal.
16. Never read a contract. Ever. You will later be taken by surprise with all sorts of fees and penalties. And legally, you signed on the dotted line so you're obligated to pay them all.
17. Buy a monthly gym membership, work out once, then sit at home for the next year and watch TV.
18. Buy in bulk stuff you'll never be able to use or consume before the sell-by-date.
19. Smoke. If you go through one pack per day, you'll literally burn more than $3,000 per year.
20. Before start work, pick up a grande half-caf, double-mocha-vanilla-chai-peppermint cream coffee from Starbucks or any other "premium" coffee chain. That's an easy way to blow up to $5 on something that should cost you only pennies.
21. Buy bottled water. It's dollars for a bottle, pennies from the faucet. And let's not forget the environmental costs of bottled water either.
22. Oh, and why not speed as well? You'll get a big fine and a few points on your license just to get somewhere a few minutes quicker.
23. Don't take care of your teeth, and avoid dental checkups and cleanings. You'll save a little money at first, but worry not: The dentist's fees will come pouring in when your mouth looks and smells like the inside of a garbage dump.
24. Play the lottery. Sure, there's a roughly 1-in-120 million chance you could bag the jackpot, but it's a slim chance. Even the odds of winning just a lousy $10 are about 1 in 35.
25. Never question a dubious charge or bill. If in doubt, let the restaurant, grocery store, cable company, phone company or any other mega-corporation keep the money.
26. Buy brand-name everything. Yes, many of the store-brand products are repackaged brand names at lower prices, but why pay less?
27. Buy a new car. It loses about 20% of its value the second you drive it off the lot.
28. Don't turn off the lights or appliances. Keep them all going, even when you're out of the house. That should push your electricity bill way up.
29. Don't read any personal-finance book. But as you're reading this, maybe you will end up saving some money today.
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Audiences have also complained that TVB had been a negative influence on the people by intending to sell sexy and lust to boost its ratings.
Oct'09
