Sunday, February 7, 2010

Donny & Marie Show: The Clothes That Made The Show

She was a little bit country. He was a little bit rock and roll. Together, they were a whole lot of ridiculous. And somehow, through the magic of over-the-top musical numbers, phenomenal guest stars, and painfully kitschy acting skills, Donny and Marie Osmond captured the attention and hearts of the entire nation. While The Donny and Marie Show of the late seventies only lasted a handful of seasons, their outrageous prime-time antics have made a lasting impression on TV viewers of any generation.

The Donny & Marie Show was created by SId and Marty Krofft, the famed creators of other such offbeat television programs as H.R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost. It aired from January 1976 to May 1979 as a weekly on ABC and featured such famous guest stars as Redd Fox, Lucile Ball, Betty White, Jerry Lewis, and Milton Berle. The format usually consisted of an elaborate opening act followed by a series of comedy sketches and an even more elaborate closing musical number. But for all the campy scripts and synchronized dance routines, the real stars of the Donny & Marie Show were, without a doubt, the costumes.

The 1977 Christmas special episode is a great example of Donny and Marie's ability to balance cutesy-poo costumes on that thin line between adorable and nauseating. Donny kept it simple; dressing in a matching white knit sweater and slacks combo with a red, white and green striped scarf, he wasn't afraid to say to the world, "Hi! I'm Donny Osmond! I taste like spearmint!" Marie made bolder choices in her winter finest with what looks to be a one-piece body suit but, upon closer inspection, turns out to be a sweater and stretch pants that are just slightly different shades of green. What makes this episode so memorable costume-wise is the fact that the entire Osmond family was featured --Mother, Father, the small army of twenty-eight that is the rest of their immediate family-- and they all match. I'm not sure who was in charge of coordinating outfits for that episode, but my hat certainly is off.

Another interesting costume extravaganza was the episode in which Marie celebrated her 18th birthday. In this episode, Marie and Donny sing their familiar weekly number, "I'm A Little BIt Country, I'm A Little Bit Rock-and-Roll", but this time -- gasp! -- they switch lyrics! That's right! And what kind of dramatic turn events would it be without ridiculous costumes. Both Donny and Marie sport matching silver outfits. Donny has a faux-western theme going on, while Marie looks like she just got back from touring with David Bowie. Marie also has an enormous new hairdo or, as Donny refers to it, a "hair don't."

Donny and Marie didn't stop at matching scarves and silver jumpsuits, though. In one episode, Donny portrays a superhero character known as Captain Purple, wearing an oversized purple muscle suit and wig and, as his mild-mannered alter-ego, a flannel suit. Not to be outdone, Marie suits up herself as Gnidder Neleh (Helen Redding spelled backward) in an equally campy red-orange mini-skirt and wig.

Star Wars being the cultural phenomenon that it was, it only made sense that Donny and Marie would have to do a parody of it. Donny plays Luke and Marie plays Leia with such guest stars as Redd Fox, Kris Kristofferson, Paul Lynde, and a few of the Osmond brothers. The costumes were polished, Osmond-style variations of the originals; unfortunately, C-3PO ends up stealing the show.

The best costumes of the entire series, however, belong to the famous Wizard of Oz episode. Marie plays Dorothy in a red checkered dress and pigtails, Donny is a Willy Wonka-esque Wizard in a yellow-green, curly wig and sparkling fez hat, and Paul Lynde is a downright terrifying Wicked Witch of the West in full green face paint, black gown and gruesome fingernails. Additional victims...err, guests...of this episode include Lucille Ball as the Tin Man, Paul Williams as the Cowardly Lion and Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow. The entire production is technicolor bizarre; the epitome of classic Donny and Marie.

While the show did indeed host a laundry list of Hollywood greats, the real stars weren't the people on the stage but the clothes on the people. From platform shoes and bellbottoms to capes and ice skates, Donny and Marie weren't afraid to let their clothes pick up where their own talent left off. And while some may find The Donny & Marie Show silly and outdated, one thing is for sure; there hasn't been anything like it on television since. Wardrobe-wise, that is.

~Ben Anton, 2008

Dog Gone It

Okay so Michael Vick has disgraced his family, the NFL, his fans, and quite frankly himself. His career is pretty much over, his jail time is just beginning, financial trouble should ensue shortly…he has a long road ahead.

Enter DMX the rapper (real name Earl Simmons) not wanting to be out done, twelve starving and neglected pit-bull terriers were found out his Arizona home, not to mention the three buried dogs in the back yard of the house one of which had been burned to death.

Interestingly enough just five years ago a a US court ordered DMX to make public service announcements after pleading guilty to animal cruelty, disorderly conduct and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Does this new breed (no pun intended) of celebrity have so much money and free time that being cruel to animals is the best they can do? This is out of hand.

Pit-bulls in general receive a very bad rap. The reality is it is not the dog it is truly the owners. Pit bulls are loving but emotionally high maintenance dogs that if cared for and loved will defend their family and be the most beloved member.

In addition to the fines and the jail time I think celebrities that are cruel to animals deserve to work at rescue sites for a time that is equal to their jail sentence. There is no excuse for being cruel to animals.

In fact the only things that makes us superior to animals are logic, the ability to reason and fashion sense. Ah but in this case I digress.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Da Rize of Young Jeezy

Jay Jenkins was born on October 12, 1977. His stage name is Young Jeezy. He is a popular rapper who grew up in Macon, Georgia, and currently lives in Atlanta. Young Jeezy, who was formerly a member of Boyz N Da Hood from Bad Boy Records, is currently signed with Def Jam Records.

He is often referred to as the “Snowman” by himself and others. This nickname is said to be related to his prior job as a cocaine dealer, though Young Jeezy says that it is just his alter ego. This nickname inspired Jeezy to produce his own t-shirt line with a simple picture of a snowman with an angry face. While the t-shirts have grown in popularity, some high schools have banned the shirts because of the drug connotation undertones.

Young Jeezy has had a couple run-ins with the law. In 2005, Jeezy was charged for not making timely payments of child support for his ex-girlfriend’s child. In March 2006, Jeezy was put under arrest on two counts of carrying a concealed firearm without a permit. However, the charges were later dropped in May. Jeezy also allegedly has ties to a criminal group known as The Black Mafia Family. The FBI is currently investigating the group for organized crime and their relations with another gang, the Crips. Jeezy, though acknowledging his ties to the group, is not known to be under direct investigation.

Jeezy has vocalized his disdain of commercialism and has tried to keep himself from becoming too commercial in order to maintain his street credibility. In June 2005, as part of Boyz N Da Hood, the group’s self-titled album debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. A month later, on July 26, 2005, Jeezy would release a solo album under Def Jam entitled, Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101. The album would debut at #2 on the charts, selling 172,000 copies in its first week.

Jeezy has appeared in many popular hip-hop songs in 2005 and has collaborated with artists such as Akon, Gucci Mane, Christina Milian, Jay-Z, and Fat Joe. His song with the latter two, “Go Crazy,” popularized Jeezy. Jeezy has his own record label called Corperate Thugz Entertainment (CTE), with several up and coming artists already singed on including himself, Slick Pulla, Lil Will, Bloodraw, and a group that goes by U.S.D.A. Jeezy is reportedly dating R&B singer Keyshia Cole. Jeezy reportedly plans to record a mix tape, Best of Both Hoods, with rapper Juelz Santana.

Fans of Young Jeezy can get their Young Jeezy Ringtones now!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

35 Weird Facts You Never Heard of

1. Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

2. Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.

3. There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.

4. The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.

5. A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.

6. There are more chickens than people in the world.

7. Two-thirds of the world's eggplant is grown in New Jersey.

8. The longest one-syllable word in the English language is "screeched."

9. On a Canadian two dollar bill, the flag flying over the Parliament building is an American flag.

10. All of the clocks in the movie "Pulp Fiction" are stuck on 4:20.

11. No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.

12. "Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".

13. All 50 States are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.

14. Almonds are a member of the peach family.

15. Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance.

16. Maine is the only State whose name is just one syllable.

17. There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.

18. The characters "Bert" and "Ernie" on Sesame Street were named after "Bert the cop" and "Ernie the taxi driver" in Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life."

19. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

20. An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

21. Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.

22. In most advertisements, the time displayed on a watch is 10:10.

23. Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.

24. Los Angeles' full name is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula."

25. A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours.

26. A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.

27. A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.

28. It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

29. The giant squid has the largest eyes in the world.

30. In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.

31. The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.

32. Mr. Rogers is an ordained minister.

33. The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.

34. There are 336 dimples on a regulation golf ball.

35. "Stewardesses" is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand.

9 Ways to Gain Expert Recognition

No matter what business you are in it always helps to be seen as an expert. If you were calling someone to fix a drain or sell your house you would approach the person you saw as most credible and reputable in that area of expertise.

To become an expert takes hard work and experience. It can involve study or the honing of practical skills. It demands high standards of work. But after all this effort will you be perceived as an expert? If you feel you've earned the mantle of expert but are not recognized as one, here are eight ways to start establishing your reputation.

Publish a book or series of reports

The internet has made this much easier. You can now create an ebook that can be downloaded without having to involve a publisher. A well-written book or series of reports will establish your reputation as an expert in your field.

Publish a newsletter

Set one up on the internet and distribute it to your customers. This is an excellent way to regularly keep your name in front of your prospects as an authority on your subject.

Write press releases

Used correctly these can gain you a lot of positive publicity. Make sure the press release looks like newsworthy information and not like an advertisement.

Write Articles

By publishing information packed articles, you'll soon enjoy the status of being seen as an authority on your topic. This can lead to joint ventures and many other exciting opportunities that you would have never enjoyed otherwise!

Create a website

Set up a user-friendly website that will appeal to customers and you have expanded the reach of your reputation. Keep it timely and informative, and people will continue to return to your site. If you don't know how to set up a website there are plenty of web designers who do. Alternatively enquire at a college teaching web design. Some students might want to build a portfolio.

Join associations

If you are a member of an association it will enhance your credibility. But don't just be a member. Be an active member. This will build your reputation among your peers and lead to useful introductions. Membership can have many benefits, and it will certainly keep you up to date in your field.

Networking

You can boost your reputation and influence by speaking to the right people. Keep your name in front of your prospects. Organize mutually beneficial ventures. You cannot predict what may come from a contact so make as many as you can.

Public Speaking

Even speaking to a local group of people can establish you as an expert and get you referrals that may lead to a wider audience. If you are not sure you can speak in public, preparation and rehearsal are the keys to success. Make sure your presentation is aimed at the right level, follows a sensible sequence and will not sound like a dry textbook-like monologue. Write your main points on small cards so you are not relying solely on your memory and start in front of a small audience.

Teach workshops or seminars

If you have knowledge that people would like to tap into you can pass on your expertise. If your presentation is well planned you will be seen as an authority in your subject. You will also meet people who are likely to recommend you to others. If you are teaching a hot topic you will also be gaining a useful income stream.

Any of these methods will start building your reputation as an expert. Use them all correctly and you will gain the sort of reputation that will have potential clients approaching you without having to seek them out.

9 Reasons Why Online Poker is Better Than the Real Thing

Online poker has become one of the most popular pastimes. Millions of people have discovered how much fun it is playing their favorite card game against fellow poker players from all over the world. The beauty of online poker is that you aren't playing against a machine, you're playing against a living, breathing, and, most importantly, THINKING opponent.


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9. You get to play in your pajamas.
Unless you’re a sexy devil a blue dress, playing in your underwear in Vegas is frowned upon. However, online poker lets you start gambling away with talented opponents looking as poorly or as glamorous as you please. Being comfortable certainly helps you relax and concentrate on the game at hand.

8. You never have to leave the casino.
While it is a good idea to get up for eating and sleeping breaks, there is no time obligation on online poker. You can play against real opponents any time, night or day and never have to worry about time running out. You also save money on gas, food and that fancy tuxedo rental.

7. it’s your game now.
You call the shots with online poker and get to choose your own game. Some casinos only have certain card games, as determined by overall popularity. Online poker lets you play anything from Omaha Hi Lo to Horse or Badugi.

6. Play faster.
The PC age allows everything to be faster. Now you can play poker faster and thus treat yourself to up to 50% more hands per hour than you would in a live casino.

5. You get to be anonymous.
This can work to your advantage as you no longer give away “tells” about yourself, and you can mold a fictional ID to lure your opponents into overconfidence.

4. You can use cyber tools and toys.
Online poker lets you have as many toys and tools as you want, as you can upload hand histories, install tools for tracking an hourly rate, find out what hands are winning the most money, and even customize your own sound effects, avatars and victory dances. Try bringing electronic toys into a Vegas casino and you will probably need a lawyer.

3. Online poker is cheaper.
Not only do you save money on a physical trip to the casino, but you also pay less rake (most online casinos have a cap of $3.00) and get to snub the dealer of a tip. Thankfully, the computer dealer doesn’t care—he’s loaded on virtual drinks anyway.

2. More tables and more chances to play!
If you have ever visited a real casino then you know how crowded the property can get. With online poker there is no long waiting periods for tables to open. Additionally, you can take part in “multi tabling” and play several games at once. Some experienced online players can handle up to 10 or more games at the same time. Don’t try this in Vegas unless you’ve mastered human cloning.

1. Escape with your life.
Casino security heads aren’t very friendly, whether you’re cheating or bending the rules a bit by card counting. You don’t necessarily have a better chance of cheating an online dealer out of a fortune but you do have a much better opportunity to get out with your ribs still in tact.

Online poker gives you real gambling action and real money but in a life simulation that’s just a little bit better than reality.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Celebrity Autographs - Spotting the Frauds

Celebrity autographs are not only fun to collect but they can also serve as great investments to add to any portfolio. There are a several things to keep in mind when purchasing celebrity autographs to be sure you are investing in authentic autographs.

Recognizing fake autographs is almost a black art. Spotting them can be difficult when celebrities change their signatures on a regular basis. Some simple approaches include the basics such as spelling. Often, the imposters will incorrectly spell celebrity names and these are easy to spot. Also check for age of material. For example, if the celebrity is relatively old and they have laser printed photos floating around the web, with their so-called signature, you know these are fake as laser photos did not exist when they were alive.

It is a good idea to also remember that there are celebrity autographs often referred to as "secretarials", meaning that they are autographs signed by their assistants. These types of signatures are also often printed in bulk on 8x10 photos and are not worth the paper they are printed on. Spotting these frauds is important since you do not want to waste not only your time, but your money in what turns out to be a worthless investment.

If you are looking to make a profit from your celebrity autograph collection, consider how the celebrity lived their life. For example, James Dean not only died at a young age, but he is known to have led a controversial lifestyle. The age that the celebrity passed away can play a significant part in how much their autograph is worth. Imagine celebrity autographs from such public figures as Bruce Lee or Marilyn Monroe. These types of autographs can garner you a hefty profit quickly.

More up to date celebrities can also turn a quick profit if the celebrity has been in or continues to be headline makers. Think along the lines of Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie. Sports celebrities are no different. In their case, famous athletes like David Beckham who is not only a great athlete, but a well known sex symbol, should be a good investment when you are actively seeking autographs.

Just remember to play it smart and think twice about fraudulent celebrity autographs before plunking down your cash. Use common sense methods to spot the frauds and you can begin building a great portfolio.

Celebrities and their Sunglasses

Every celebrity out there knows the real value of a pair of designer sunglasses. Whether it's to hide the effects of a late night out on the town or an effort to blend in on the street, a pair of quality sunglasses is absolutely indispensable. We've seen a lot of trends come and go, but a great pair of sunglasses will always transcend the passing fads of the day.

With the summer just around the corner, we have begun our fashion trend spotting efforts for 2006. Like years passed, celebrities are on the forefront of eyewear fashion. One of my favorite pastimes is to monitor the fashion trends of my favorite celebrities. As with last season, big sunglasses are all the rage for the ladies. God bless you, Jackie O!

Carmen Electra is one of my favorite celebrities, and one of the most stylish women in entertainment. While I could do without another season of her dreadful "reality" television show, I am dying to get my hands on a pair of the Missoni shades she was recently spotted in. They are oversized and oh-so-glamorous!

Catherine Zeta-Jones may have a thing for old, outdated actors but her fashion sense is as fresh as a spring breeze. I recently saw her sporting a pair of Dolce & Gabbana glasses that were out of this world! I suspect they were the utterly amazing "4005" model. They were black, with the D&G logo designed into the arms of the glasses. The shades are big, bold, and beautiful!

Heidi Klum, our favorite supermodel and partygirl, has incredible fashion sense. I saw a picture of her earlier this week wearing a classic pair of Aviator shades. While a number of people in the fashion industry have been lamenting the prevalence of Aviator shades, I couldn't imagine a world without them. Heidi was wearing a pair made by Ray Ban, and they were absolutely fabulous!

Speaking of partygirls, how could I go on without mentioning Paris Hilton? I adore Paris. She may not be taken seriously as an actress or singer, but she reigns supreme over the fashion world. She was recently spotted wearing a pair of the new Oakley glasses for women. That's right, kids. Oakley just launched a new line of shades exclusively for women, and they are the must-have item for this fashion year. Believe the Hype!

Cashing the Czech

Virtually every captain of industry is a stickler for detail. That should have been the first clue that the late Robert "Cap'n Bob" Maxwell wasn't qualified for the title, even though he thought he was. An innocuous incident occurred in the mid-80s that underscored this point, and in the process, symbolized why the demise of his fraudulent publishing empire was inevitable.


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Whether Robert Maxwell committed suicide or was murdered may never be known to the public ...

Suffice it to say the disgraced publishing magnate cheated so many people and financial institutions to such an extent that there wouldn't be a paucity of suspects if it was the latter. Born in Slatinske Dòly to poor parents as Jan Ludvick Hoch and Anglicizing his name when he migrated to Great Britain during World War II, Maxwell used the fog of combat to his advantage, picking off a scientific journal distributorship at a bargain rate. He soon parlayed that into more literary acquisitions and doing so with such aplomb, he even gained election to Parliament.

However, a trail of deceit began soon thereafter, which led to a High Court censorship, then to possible war crime allegations and, ultimately, to an amazing web of falsified balance sheets and deceptive bank loan collateral which masked Maxwell's mass looting of his own publishing empire's coffers. When all was about to come crashing down upon him, Maxwell was reported to have fallen overboard while yachting along the Canary Islands. His extensive double-dealing earned him the posthumous title of The Bouncing Czech.

Maxwell's bombastic ego, though, was authentic. He ached to be larger than life and to outdo any perceived rival, such as Australian billionaire Rupert Murdoch, whose own publishing empire spans the globe. Ironically, Maxwell tried to seize any opportunity to portray Murdoch as a low-life, casting himself as a higher-minded alternative to the conscientious consumer. Thus, to counter Murdoch's titillation-themed, Tory-leaning tabloid, the Sun, Maxwell ran his Daily Mirror as a seemingly kinder, gentler, Labour-oriented purveyor of similar stories.

Maxwell always ran a distant second in the United Kingdom's tabloid wars, so he was constantly looking for an edge with which to tweak Murdoch's operations and further convey the image --- however cynical --- of his holding the higher social and ethical ground. I can attest that, at least once, a blend of this obsession and his blowhard personality got the better of him.

It was a summer day in the mid-80s, and the prospects of secondary smoke being a health issue in the workplace were beginning to be accepted as fact. It was surely noble for Cap'n Bob --- as Maxwell was derisively known --- to be among the first to attempt an office-wide smoking ban. The Mirror's headquarters was no doubt better served, but it was clear his motives were for self-promotion rather than a genuine concern for his employees' welfare.

The first clue that this was the case was the boisterous manner by which Maxwell arbitrarily enforced the policy. Specifically, he loved to make a scene if it showed him in an authoritarian and positive light. Thus, when Cap'n Bob proclaimed a ban, he did it for maximum effect. In this instance, he decreed that anyone caught smoking in his building would be fired on the spot.

On this day, Maxwell was holding court for visitors of some dignified nature. He was guiding them through the Mirror facilities when a man hunched over a nearby photocopy machine caught his attention. The man had a cigarette dangling from his lips.

Cap'n Bob summoned his guests to follow him over there. Puffing his chest as he approached the man puffing away, Maxwell began his diatribe within steps of his quarry and gained decibels with each successive step.

"Sir!" he exclaimed, "How much do you make a month?"

The target of his wrath was caught off-guard. It took him a moment to confirm that Maxwell was speaking to him; actually, 'at him' would be more accurate.

"I asked you a question," Maxwell pressed, making sure that his guests totally understood who was in charge of the moment, "And I expect a prompt answer. How much do you make a month!"

"2000 quid," was the nervous response. "Why do you ask?"

"You're smoking!" was the roared retort. Cap'n Bob then reached into his pocket in preparation for the coup de grace. He pulled out a wad of bills, quickly sifted through £2000 and jammed it into the surprised man's shirt pocket.

"There's a month's wage! You're fired! Now, get out!"

Maxwell then stormed away, his cotillion of impressed guests following dutifully behind. A strong boss had surely made a firm point.

Left in the wake, the stunned man retrieved the stash of cash from his pocket, looked at it and then shook his head in amazement.

"I was just called here to repair the copier," he shrugged. He put the money in his pants pocket, flicked a few ashes to the ground, headed toward the front door and proceeded to his van. Perhaps he had more calls to make that day, but he probably opted to cancel them and make his way to a pub, instead.

The incident capsulized Cap'n Bob's act in a nutshell. He was all show, with little attention to detail. It was a harbinger that whenever someone paid close heed to his affairs, he'd be sunk.

I just didn't think it would happen so literally.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Celebrity Sedu Hairstyles – Secrets Revealed

If you’re into fashion and into keeping up to date with the latest trends then you will have heard all about sedu hairstyles but how do celebrity sedu hairstyles achieve the look we all want? Would you like to know how to achieve Paris Hilton sedu hairstyles? Maybe you would prefer to know how to get Britney Spears sedu hairstyles. Whatever celebrity sedu hairstyles you are after we have the answers you have been looking for.

Celebrity sedu hairstyles are not the great mys...


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If you’re into fashion and into keeping up to date with the latest trends then you will have heard all about sedu hairstyles but how do celebrity sedu hairstyles achieve the look we all want? Would you like to know how to achieve Paris Hilton sedu hairstyles? Maybe you would prefer to know how to get Britney Spears sedu hairstyles. Whatever celebrity sedu hairstyles you are after we have the answers you have been looking for.

Celebrity sedu hairstyles are not the great mystery you may have though they were, in fact you can create these celebrity sedu hair styles from the comfort of your own home, and you don’t even need a hair stylist. That’s right you can achieve Paris Hilton sedu hairstyles yourself. Not convinced, then let us reveal the secrets to celebrity sedu hairstyles.

If you have seen pictures of sedu hairstyles then you have probably dreamed of having the same look. These celebrity sedu hair styles are everywhere you look and believe it or not they are also very easy to achieve. In order to create your own celebrity sedu hairstyles you will however need to purchase on major item and that is the sedu hair straightener. The sedu hair straightener is the key to creating these celebrity sedu hairstyles and it is so easy to use you can do it from the comfort of your own home in as little as five minutes.

So there you have it, the secrets of celebrity sedu hairstyles revealed; the sedu hair straightening iron. Of course it is not only the iron that creates the celebrity sedu hair styles you dream of, it is also learning to use the iron and knowing how to create the style. A sedu hairstyles guide will give you all the information you need and in no time you too will be sporting celebrity sedu hairstyles.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Celebrity Love

There is no doubt that love for some celebrity exists within us all. This isn’t the traditional definition of love but rather defined by an excessive admiration for a famous person whom we will probably never meet. The use of “love” is appropriate here as we who love celebrity tend to exhibit signs of undue influence by those highly visible. Famous people, the non-elected representatives of the human race, have always held some influence over the masses. In the days before mass media, television sets and computers fame was circulated orally, carried by the gossipy nature of social beings. Today, we open our eyes and cannot avoid these people. Of course, in a developed society entertainers are necessary. We laugh and sometimes cry at a quality performance. Our memories are seared with images, movies and songs which have touched us, frightened us and stimulated us. They dramatize the political, the romantic, the good and bad. We see in them the potential for perfection of man or woman as an expression of utopian ideals of love and success.

Yet, have we gone too far? How much influence should they have over us? Our choice of clothes, jewelry and hairstyle, our languages and ideas are often areas that we look toward celebrities to define. If you deny this then you are exceptional; the rest of us are invariably, more susceptible. Our culture has become saturated with celebrity influence. We watch their every move including who they are with and what they do. We absorb their politics and gobble up their quotes. We think about what it may be like to be that beautiful, rich and powerful. Fame is an aphrodisiac or so it seems to the unrecognized. Today we have TomKat(Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes). Yesterday it was Bennifer(Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez). Public Interest in these people is frighteningly obsessive in nature. After all, their claim to fame is usually based on pretense or non reality. They are the constant pretenders, illusionists with screens as their canvas.

The entertainment value of a celebrity stretches beyond the screen or stage and they are wholly aware it. We are witness to carefully arranged relationships, sudden sightings in sports arenas and controversial quotes days before a new movie or show opens. They appear on your screen suddenly seemingly not to promote themselves but rather attempting to come across as natural, likable, smart and funny. Sometimes we get a glimpse into what certain celebrities are really like. Unfortunately, it is usually when they do something wrong. Drugs, infidelity and physical assaults are a few areas where celebrities have slipped in their public presentation. Mug shots and unflattering photos of famous people are the currency of entertainment news outlets. Being a celebrity has its drawback in this regard as they are monitored as closely as governmental heads of the biggest nations on earth. Alas, the power of celebrity is here with us to stay. Or is it? Can we teach our children who the chancellor of Germany is before we explain the history of Madonna? If we can’t, America will become a nation of uninformed celebrity worshippers numb to the more important realities of the world.

Celebrity Hairstyles and Wedding Hairstyle Trends

Every year, celebrities set the trends of fashions and hairstyles. Everywhere you looked, you could see celebrities with many different and fashionable hairstyles from short and sweet to long and elegant, from curly or wavy to up-styles. No matter what the style these celebrities were wearing, they made a fashion statement that everyone else followed after. If a next-door girl won’t wear celebrity hairstyle to work or to school, the weddings is a perfect time for her to try celebrity hairstyles, and feel like a true celebrity.

Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Lopez were two of the most popular celebrities that people were talking about when it comes to hair styles. Each of these celebrities had a hairstyle that no one else could touch and until recently, many of us only dreamed we could have a Jennifer Aniston Sedu hairstyle or a Jennifer Lopez Sedu hairstyle.

Creating beautiful wedding hairstyles is easy after browsing through the numerous bridal printed magazines or available on the Internet. Searching “hairstyles 2006” in popular search engines, you’ll have a plenty of ideas.

Long hairstyles are still the favorites of most brides, because they add sophistication and elegance to a wedding ceremony and reception accordingly. Go for casual, romantic long hairstyles or practical, modern short styles if you feel that any of them match your own style. If you are wearing short hair but you want a fashionable long hairstyle or up-do, you can let you hair grow in plenty of time or opt using hair extensions.

If you decide to wear a Jennifer Aniston sedu hairstyle or a Jennifer Lopez sedu hairstyle for your wedding or your friends’ wedding, I‘ll reveal the secrets here. The secret behind their gorgeous hairstyle is of course partly due to the sedu flat iron, not to mention what they do prior to using this wonderful sedu flat iron. They both must use a conditioning shampoo and then dry well and again add more conditioning to assist in straightening their hair and making it very soft and flexible. The next step in the Jennifer Aniston sedu hairstyle is to add equal parts of shaping gel and calming serum massaged into the hair. Using a big round hairbrush and your blow dryer, you will be simulating how Jennifer Lopez sedu hairstyle is created. The next thing these two Celebrities have done is the flattening with the sedu flat iron.

Will the 2006 hairstyles give us the same great looks with celebrity hairstyles or is there a change a coming? The new in fashion for celebrity hairstyles, or what designers are saying, is that short hair is coming back in style. The bob is one of the hairstyles that is making its way to the big screen and all around Hollywood. This celebrity hairstyle is easy to manage, looks great, and may become the top 2006 hairstyle. We will have to wait and see if the Jennifer Aniston sedu hairstyle or the Jennifer Lopez sedu hairstyle will be one of the prominent celebrity hairstyles in 2006 or if someone else with a bob style or a curly style makes the headlines. Whatever wedding hairstyles you choose, they shouldn’t lose your personal identity.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Celebrity Hairstyles and Prom Hairstyle Trends

Prom dresses and prom hairstyles are the first grown-up statement young girls make. When a girl feels her prom night is around the corner, a number of ideas come across her mind planning the best look on her big night. It will not look as great as it could be, if you forget the importance of prom hairstyles to accentuate your dress. A balanced combination between your dress, shoes, accessories, hair, makeup, and the magic of a perfume, are a just a few points of attention for a gorgeous look. Sexy looking up-dos, short hairstyles, long hairstyles, and even funky styles, prom hairstyles are a world apart to choose from right one for a stunning looking appearance on your special night.

Whether you are aware of or not, you may have browse through your memory for all the celerity hairstyles you can remember. Everywhere you looked, you could see celebrities with many different and fashionable hairstyles - short, and sweet, or long yet elegant. No matter what the style these celebrities were wearing, they made a fashion statement that everyone else followed after. You may decide to try a Jennifer Aniston sedu hairstyle or a Jennifer Lopez sedu hairstyle. The secret behind their gorgeous hairstyle is of course partly due to the sedu flat iron, not to mention what they do prior to using this wonderful sedu flat iron.

Many great prom hairstyles are created in the salon, but you can get astonishing results with a hairdo made at home by yourself or with the help of your close friends. You can find a good source of hairstyles through online photo galleries, and also browsing beauty magazines and catalogs.

Decide on the style that best fits your personality or the special look you want on your prom night. Sophisticated, classic up-dos are always great to wear on one the most important events of every woman's life. Prom hairstyles come also in long hairstyles and short hairstyles. You can always visit a salon if you are unsure of your choice, and make an appointment. You should call the salon at least one to 2 months prior to the prom to set your appointment.

The most important thing is be yourself. Consider also that short styles are more often associated with casual or sporty lifestyles, while long hairstyles are more likely associated with a sexy looking image. Think of your personality, or the self-image you want to offer on prom night. Explain to your friends or your stylist what the exact look is that you want, and consider having a trial. Most salons gladly will guide you through many prom hairstyles until you find the right one, whether with hair extensions, up-dos, long hairstyles or short hairstyles.

Will the 2006 hairstyles give us the same great looks with celebrity hairstyles or is there a change a coming? Designers are saying that short hair is coming back in style. The bob is one of the hairstyles that is making its way to the big screen and all around Hollywood. This celebrity hairstyle is easy to manage, looks great, and may become the top 2006 hairstyle. Curls are coming back as well in all kinds of lengths from short to long and romantic.

Celebrity Beauty Secrets - What They Are & How To Copy Them

You are probably wondering how celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Simpson & Hilary Duff look so gorgeous all the time? How does their hair always look so perfect and well-conditioned?

What’s the Secret?

Well the secret is in the tools, the products and the stylist.
You can create these looks at home, and one of the best tips is:- the less time you spend on it the better it will look. Now you are probably wondering how, but if you think it takes 8-20mins to straighten your hair, you may start to believe me.

Here’s some great tips that you can use at home that will help you to look even better. These tips come not only from personal experiences but also from the celebrity stylists, who help to create a great red carpet look.

So here we go, read on for the ultimate in celebrity hair tips.

How to get that “Going to the Oscars” Glamour

Whenever you see a picture of a celebrity on the red carpet, you are probably thinking how amazing they look. And what you can see is a hairstyle that has taken months of planning and trips to the stylists in order to look absolutely Hollywood perfect.

Before the big event, the celebrity will consult with their stylist about how they want to look, but also ask advice from their hairdressers on how to look up to date, but also very sexy and feminine.

Those who kept up with the times on the red carpet this year went for very large Hollywood curls, with an extra rich colour and shine. To recreate this look here are some tips on how to curl your hair so you can look just as elegant.

Create Great Curls

If you have just bought yourself some very expensive straighteners, or you are thinking about it, why not consider the idea of curling your hair with straighteners? You can get more controllable curls which are far easier to manage than your natural hair is!

Try:-

1. Make sure that your hair is semi-straight, or if not straighten it.
2. Spray on some heat-protection spray and then divide your hair into sections. The fewer the number of sections the tighter the curls will be.
3. Take the straightener and clamp it over the top of the section, then whilst pulling down the straighteners turn the straightener round. To produce a tighter curl clamp harder with the straighteners and pull harder when you bring it down.
4. Do not brush your hair after you have done this, but simply tease through with your fingers.
And add some shine spray.

Another way to curl your hair that always creates great celebrity styles hair effect is to use some heated rollers. The type of rollers that you should get should depend on how long and thick your hair is, and how tight the curl that you want to achieve is.

For short thin hair try using a straightener (the above method) or tongs, for thick medium length hair to use some medium sized heated rollers and for really long hair I would use some very large velcro rollers. Try using these on wet hair and then drying off with a hair dryer (be sure to have plenty of hair grips on hand however).

The most perfect thing about celebrities hair is that it always appears in perfect condition. Just think, can you remember every seeing Jennifer Aniston with her hair looking messed up?!
Many celebrities will have plenty of deep conditioning treatments at their salon before the big event. These treatments will vary from Damage Restructuring to Deep Conditioning and Detoxifying.

There are plenty of high street products out there that are suitable for home use and you can pick them up on the high street for reasonable prices. I would always recommend that you look on the back and see the list of ingredients, the more chemicals it has in it, the worse it will be for your hair in the long run.

You may wish to consider trying some organic haircare products, which are not always as expensive as you think, and with organic followers like Gwyneth Paltrow and Elle McPherson you will be in great company!

Or indeed for a special event such as a prom or a ball, why not go down to your local hairdresser or beauty salon and have a hair wrap or mask? These may be quite expensive but will definitely get you the look that you desire and it’s worth treating yourself for a special event.

Always check with the salon about which treatment they think will be right for you, because not all of them will be suitable for your hair type.

Remember, you are just as special as any of those celebrities and you too can look like a star!
For further tips and ideas for how to look great, visit Celebrity Sedu Hairstyles

This article was submitted by Alissa Carter, owner of Dress Search - Evening & Prom Dresses website.

Celebrity Baby Names

Celebrities are not like everyday people. They have busy schedules, drive expensive cars, and wear jewelry that others can only dream of owning. Maybe it is because celebrities are so far removed from normal life that they often give their babies unusual names.

Some names are just a little different. John Travolta and Kelly Preston have two beautiful children. Their daughter's name is Ella Bleu. Their son's name is Jett. Jett is different, but anyone who knows anything about John Travolta knows he has a love for flying. Gwyneth Paltrow, pregnant again, came under scrutiny for naming her first child Apple. While it is unusual, it is somewhat cute, like in the "apple of their eye." Chris Martin, her husband, tired of the controversy over the name Apple, has jokingly stated their second child, whether male or female, will be named Banana. Another cute name is Dandelion, the name of Keith Richards' daughter. Julie Roberts recently gave birth to twins - a boy and a girl - and received flack over the names she chose. She received almost as much grief over the choice for her daughter's name, Hazel, as she did the more eccentric choice of Phinnaeus for her son.

Many people speculated what Madonna would name her first child. Lourdes Maria seems a fitting name for child who's mother's name is Madonna, but she often goes by Lola. Her son is named Rocco, which sounds a bit like a cartoon character, but at least it is a tough sounding name. Actor Casey Affleck and fiancé Summer Phoenix recently had a son named Indiana August, which leads one to wonder what state and month their son was conceived in. Toni Braxton has two sons, Denim and Diezel. While both useful products, they make somewhat strange names for children. Rob Marrow decided it would be cute if he named his daughter Tu Simone Ayer, calling her Tu Morrow. Wonder if she will think it is cute 20 years from now? Actor Jason Lee named his son Pilot Inspektor, but magician Penn Jillette may have topped them all. He named his daughter, Moxie Crimefighter, saying "because when she's pulled over for speeding she can say, `But officer, we're on the same side, my middle name is CrimeFighter."'

If you think it is a new trend, think again. Back in 1971, David Bowie and his then wife Angela decided to name their son Duncan Zowie Heywood Jones. He soon became known as Zowie Bowie. Cher named her children Chastity Sun and Elijah Blue.

The Phoenix family is well known for their unusual choice of baby names. Summer Phoenix's siblings are the late actor River Phoenix, actresses Rain and Liberty Phoenix and actor Joaquin Phoenix. Joaquin felt his name was so out of place with his siblings, that when he was four, he decided to change his name to Leaf. By the early 1990's, he had reverted back to using his birth name. Another family infamous for their choices of baby names is the Zappa family. Frank's children are Dweezil, Moon Unit, Ahmed Emuukha Rodan and Diva Muffin. While many people think that Dweezil is his given name, his birth name was originally Ian Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa because the hospital refused to register the name Dweezil. Always called Dweezil, when he was a child, he wanted to make the name official and his parents took him to have it changed legally. Paula Yates, former wife of Sir Bob Geldof and girlfriend of late rocker Michael Hutchence, also had a knack for giving her children unusual names. Among her brood are Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches Honeyblossom Michelle Charlotte Angel Vanessa, Heavenly Hiraani Tigerlily, and Little Pixie.

Some celebrity baby names make sense if you know the story behind them. Eurythmic's Dave Stewart named his son Django after jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Stevie Wonder named his son Mandla Kadjaly Carl Stevland, however Mandla means "powerful" in Zulu and Kadjaly means "born from God" in Swahili. Helen Hunt just gave birth to a baby girl she named Makena'lei Gordon. The name Makena'lei is from a friend's dream and means "many flowers of heaven." Gordon, an unlikely girl's name, was to honor of Helen's father, television director Gordon Hunt. Nicolas Cage just named his new baby boy Kal-el. Because Nicolas took his stage name of Cage from comic book character Luke Cage, he decided to name his son Kal-el after one of his favorite comic book heroes. Kal-el is Superman's kryptonian name.

So, do the children like these unconventional names given them by their parents? In some cases, they do. The Phoenix's seem to love their nature-inspired names and the Zappa children seem to have had no ill effects from their eccentric names. However, some children tire of the peculiar names quickly. Zowie Bowie had had enough of his moniker by the time he was 12 and asked to be referred to as "Joey." Although Dandelion Richards does not seem too bad, she has since started referring to herself as Angela. Recently, Peaches Honeyblossom Michelle Charlotte Angel Vanessa Geldof has been the most outspoken about the odd choice her parents made in naming her. She has been quoted as saying, "I hate ridiculous names. My weird name has haunted me all my life."

While having an unusual name might be difficult for any child, the celebrity of a child's parents may enhance it even further. Thankfully, celebrity children who decide they don't like their given names can switch to a nickname or even eventually have their names legally changed.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Celebrity Autographs - Spotting the Frauds

Celebrity autographs are not only fun to collect but they can also serve as great investments to add to any portfolio. There are a several things to keep in mind when purchasing celebrity autographs to be sure you are investing in authentic autographs.

Recognizing fake autographs is almost a black art. Spotting them can be difficult when celebrities change their signatures on a regular basis. Some simple approaches include the basics such as spelling. Often, the imposters will incorrectly spell celebrity names and these are easy to spot. Also check for age of material. For example, if the celebrity is relatively old and they have laser printed photos floating around the web, with their so-called signature, you know these are fake as laser photos did not exist when they were alive.

It is a good idea to also remember that there are celebrity autographs often referred to as "secretarials", meaning that they are autographs signed by their assistants. These types of signatures are also often printed in bulk on 8x10 photos and are not worth the paper they are printed on. Spotting these frauds is important since you do not want to waste not only your time, but your money in what turns out to be a worthless investment.

If you are looking to make a profit from your celebrity autograph collection, consider how the celebrity lived their life. For example, James Dean not only died at a young age, but he is known to have led a controversial lifestyle. The age that the celebrity passed away can play a significant part in how much their autograph is worth. Imagine celebrity autographs from such public figures as Bruce Lee or Marilyn Monroe. These types of autographs can garner you a hefty profit quickly.

More up to date celebrities can also turn a quick profit if the celebrity has been in or continues to be headline makers. Think along the lines of Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie. Sports celebrities are no different. In their case, famous athletes like David Beckham who is not only a great athlete, but a well known sex symbol, should be a good investment when you are actively seeking autographs.

Just remember to play it smart and think twice about fraudulent celebrity autographs before plunking down your cash. Use common sense methods to spot the frauds and you can begin building a great portfolio.

Celebrities and their Sunglasses

Every celebrity out there knows the real value of a pair of designer sunglasses. Whether it's to hide the effects of a late night out on the town or an effort to blend in on the street, a pair of quality sunglasses is absolutely indispensable. We've seen a lot of trends come and go, but a great pair of sunglasses will always transcend the passing fads of the day.

With the summer just around the corner, we have begun our fashion trend spotting efforts for 2006. Like years passed, celebrities are on the forefront of eyewear fashion. One of my favorite pastimes is to monitor the fashion trends of my favorite celebrities. As with last season, big sunglasses are all the rage for the ladies. God bless you, Jackie O!

Carmen Electra is one of my favorite celebrities, and one of the most stylish women in entertainment. While I could do without another season of her dreadful "reality" television show, I am dying to get my hands on a pair of the Missoni shades she was recently spotted in. They are oversized and oh-so-glamorous!

Catherine Zeta-Jones may have a thing for old, outdated actors but her fashion sense is as fresh as a spring breeze. I recently saw her sporting a pair of Dolce & Gabbana glasses that were out of this world! I suspect they were the utterly amazing "4005" model. They were black, with the D&G logo designed into the arms of the glasses. The shades are big, bold, and beautiful!

Heidi Klum, our favorite supermodel and partygirl, has incredible fashion sense. I saw a picture of her earlier this week wearing a classic pair of Aviator shades. While a number of people in the fashion industry have been lamenting the prevalence of Aviator shades, I couldn't imagine a world without them. Heidi was wearing a pair made by Ray Ban, and they were absolutely fabulous!

Speaking of partygirls, how could I go on without mentioning Paris Hilton? I adore Paris. She may not be taken seriously as an actress or singer, but she reigns supreme over the fashion world. She was recently spotted wearing a pair of the new Oakley glasses for women. That's right, kids. Oakley just launched a new line of shades exclusively for women, and they are the must-have item for this fashion year. Believe the Hype!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Celebrities and their Sunglasses

Every celebrity out there knows the real value of a pair of designer sunglasses. Whether it's to hide the effects of a late night out on the town or an effort to blend in on the street, a pair of quality sunglasses is absolutely indispensable. We've seen a lot of trends come and go, but a great pair of sunglasses will always transcend the passing fads of the day.

With the summer just around the corner, we have begun our fashion trend spotting efforts for 2006. Like years passed, celebrities are on the forefront of eyewear fashion. One of my favorite pastimes is to monitor the fashion trends of my favorite celebrities. As with last season, big sunglasses are all the rage for the ladies. God bless you, Jackie O!

Carmen Electra is one of my favorite celebrities, and one of the most stylish women in entertainment. While I could do without another season of her dreadful "reality" television show, I am dying to get my hands on a pair of the Missoni shades she was recently spotted in. They are oversized and oh-so-glamorous!

Catherine Zeta-Jones may have a thing for old, outdated actors but her fashion sense is as fresh as a spring breeze. I recently saw her sporting a pair of Dolce & Gabbana glasses that were out of this world! I suspect they were the utterly amazing "4005" model. They were black, with the D&G logo designed into the arms of the glasses. The shades are big, bold, and beautiful!

Heidi Klum, our favorite supermodel and partygirl, has incredible fashion sense. I saw a picture of her earlier this week wearing a classic pair of Aviator shades. While a number of people in the fashion industry have been lamenting the prevalence of Aviator shades, I couldn't imagine a world without them. Heidi was wearing a pair made by Ray Ban, and they were absolutely fabulous!

Speaking of partygirls, how could I go on without mentioning Paris Hilton? I adore Paris. She may not be taken seriously as an actress or singer, but she reigns supreme over the fashion world. She was recently spotted wearing a pair of the new Oakley glasses for women. That's right, kids. Oakley just launched a new line of shades exclusively for women, and they are the must-have item for this fashion year. Believe the Hype!

Cashing the Czech

Whether Robert Maxwell committed suicide or was murdered may never be known to the public ...

Suffice it to say the disgraced publishing magnate cheated so many people and financial institutions to such an extent that there wouldn't be a paucity of suspects if it was the latter. Born in Slatinske Dòly to poor parents as Jan Ludvick Hoch and Anglicizing his name when he migrated to Great Britain during World War II, Maxwell used the fog of combat to his advantage, picking off a scientific journal distributorship at a bargain rate. He soon parlayed that into more literary acquisitions and doing so with such aplomb, he even gained election to Parliament.

However, a trail of deceit began soon thereafter, which led to a High Court censorship, then to possible war crime allegations and, ultimately, to an amazing web of falsified balance sheets and deceptive bank loan collateral which masked Maxwell's mass looting of his own publishing empire's coffers. When all was about to come crashing down upon him, Maxwell was reported to have fallen overboard while yachting along the Canary Islands. His extensive double-dealing earned him the posthumous title of The Bouncing Czech.

Maxwell's bombastic ego, though, was authentic. He ached to be larger than life and to outdo any perceived rival, such as Australian billionaire Rupert Murdoch, whose own publishing empire spans the globe. Ironically, Maxwell tried to seize any opportunity to portray Murdoch as a low-life, casting himself as a higher-minded alternative to the conscientious consumer. Thus, to counter Murdoch's titillation-themed, Tory-leaning tabloid, the Sun, Maxwell ran his Daily Mirror as a seemingly kinder, gentler, Labour-oriented purveyor of similar stories.

Maxwell always ran a distant second in the United Kingdom's tabloid wars, so he was constantly looking for an edge with which to tweak Murdoch's operations and further convey the image --- however cynical --- of his holding the higher social and ethical ground. I can attest that, at least once, a blend of this obsession and his blowhard personality got the better of him.

It was a summer day in the mid-80s, and the prospects of secondary smoke being a health issue in the workplace were beginning to be accepted as fact. It was surely noble for Cap'n Bob --- as Maxwell was derisively known --- to be among the first to attempt an office-wide smoking ban. The Mirror's headquarters was no doubt better served, but it was clear his motives were for self-promotion rather than a genuine concern for his employees' welfare.

The first clue that this was the case was the boisterous manner by which Maxwell arbitrarily enforced the policy. Specifically, he loved to make a scene if it showed him in an authoritarian and positive light. Thus, when Cap'n Bob proclaimed a ban, he did it for maximum effect. In this instance, he decreed that anyone caught smoking in his building would be fired on the spot.

On this day, Maxwell was holding court for visitors of some dignified nature. He was guiding them through the Mirror facilities when a man hunched over a nearby photocopy machine caught his attention. The man had a cigarette dangling from his lips.

Cap'n Bob summoned his guests to follow him over there. Puffing his chest as he approached the man puffing away, Maxwell began his diatribe within steps of his quarry and gained decibels with each successive step.

"Sir!" he exclaimed, "How much do you make a month?"

The target of his wrath was caught off-guard. It took him a moment to confirm that Maxwell was speaking to him; actually, 'at him' would be more accurate.

"I asked you a question," Maxwell pressed, making sure that his guests totally understood who was in charge of the moment, "And I expect a prompt answer. How much do you make a month!"

"2000 quid," was the nervous response. "Why do you ask?"

"You're smoking!" was the roared retort. Cap'n Bob then reached into his pocket in preparation for the coup de grace. He pulled out a wad of bills, quickly sifted through £2000 and jammed it into the surprised man's shirt pocket.

"There's a month's wage! You're fired! Now, get out!"

Maxwell then stormed away, his cotillion of impressed guests following dutifully behind. A strong boss had surely made a firm point.

Left in the wake, the stunned man retrieved the stash of cash from his pocket, looked at it and then shook his head in amazement.

"I was just called here to repair the copier," he shrugged. He put the money in his pants pocket, flicked a few ashes to the ground, headed toward the front door and proceeded to his van. Perhaps he had more calls to make that day, but he probably opted to cancel them and make his way to a pub, instead.

The incident capsulized Cap'n Bob's act in a nutshell. He was all show, with little attention to detail. It was a harbinger that whenever someone paid close heed to his affairs, he'd be sunk.

I just didn't think it would happen so literally.

Bond Fans Not Happy With Craig

In the upcoming James Bond film, “Casino Royale,” British actor Daniel Craig will play the lead role of James Bond. This, however, does not sit well with a group of James Bond fans, who have launched a Web site, http://www.craignotbond.com.

A statement on the site said that “EON Productions angered fans around the world when they fired Pierce Brosnan at the height of his popularity as Bond. To add insult to injury, EON cast a short, blond, odd-looking Daniel Craig in the role of Bond.”

The site goes on to ask, “How can a short, blond actor with the rough face of a professional boxer and a penchant for playing killers, cranks, cads, and gigolos pull off the role of a tall, dark, handsome and suave secret agent?”

The angry group of Bond fans have threatened to boycott “Casino Royale” and any other Bond films that Craig will star in.

Though Craig may have a wounded pride from all of these happenings, he does have a big supporter in his predecessor, Pierce Brosnan.

“I think Daniel is a very fine actor. These are rocky waters, and they’re going to get him one way or another, but I think he will have the last laugh at the end of it,” Brosnan said.

Craig has had roles in “Munich” and “The Jacket.” He accepted the role of Bond last October, and filming for the movie began last month in Prague. Last week the producers of the film cast French actress Eva Green as Bond girl Vesper Lynd and Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen as the villain le Chiffre.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Big Brother 7 - Week One

The housemates have been banged up in the lunatic asylum that is the Big Brother house and one will be leaving this weekend. Here are the “first impressions” of the housemates during their short stint as reality TV stars thus far.

Pete Bennett
Win Odds: 11/10
Since falling down the stairs to enter the house and being asked if he was “on something” by Bonnie, Pete has emerged as the favourite to win and at present looks unstoppable. The Tourette’s sufferer is genuine, funny and at the moment is liked by all the housemates despite him not joining one of the two “camps”. It’s early days yet but Pete will be odds on to win within the next few days.

George Askew
Win Odds: 16/1
George has not come to the forefront as yet in that he has not paired off with one of the female housemates nor has he done anything to rile anyone else. He has bonded with Mikey and appears to be part of the “in crowd” for the time being at least and should be safe for a few weeks yet.

Mikey Dalton
Win Odds: 16/1
Mikey has emerged from the shadows this week and has taken over the mantle as the leader of the “Big Brotherhood” following Shabaz’s exit. He has also paired up with Grace and has formed an alliance with George. Originally thought to be quite a boring housemate, Mikey looks to have done enough to stick around until the latter stages.

Richard Newman
Win Odds: 16/1
With Shabaz gone, Richard looks set to revel as the “only gay in the village”. He sees himself as a father figure to the group and looks set to battle Sezar for the role of alpha male. He has found friends in Lea and Nikki but may find his position in the house precarious after some of the weaker members of the group are picked off.

Nikki Graham
Win Odds: 20/1
Given that Nikki’s pre-entrance video suggested she wanted to find love in the house, she hasn’t made any effort to pair up with any of the available men in the house, preferring to find comfort in gay Richard. Nikki may adopt the role of “baby” in the group due to her childlike behaviour despite being older than six other housemates and showed during the infamous “bottled water” scene she could explode into fits of tantrums should she not get her own way. Despite being part of the London nightclub circuit scene, she has not formed alliances with Sezar, Imogen, Grace or George and is in danger of finding herself an early casualty if her behaviour irritates the others.

Lisa Huo
Win Odds: 20/1
Lisa is the other leader of the “Big Brotherhood” but could also find herself in a precarious position when she is eligible to be voted out of the house. She has found a friend in Pete but her laddish behaviour, coarse language and chainsmoking could grate on the other housemates when they are looking for reasons to nominate people for eviction.

Imogen Thomas
Win Odds: 20/1
Before entering the house Imogen said she would “make all the boys fancy her” and she has certainly done that. She shared a kiss with Sezar after three days and appears to revel in stringing him along. Should he grow bored of her and if she wanted to score points off Grace, Imogen could also move on to Mikey who described her as “beautiful”. Bar a short interaction in Welsh, she has failed to bond with fellow countryman Glyn, preferring the company of the London social set.

A New Stream Of Income For A Horse-Healer

In my forthcoming book, I share Karen Krueger's discovery of her gift for healing horses. Recently, through following her intuition, Karen was able to heal one of her horses of West Nile virus. She has helped many other horses through the application of Reiki and other energetic therapies. Here's a letter from Karen, which I received this week, that demonstrates how applying the Law of Attraction can guide you into finding many streams of income that are in complete alignment with your passion.

Hi Rebecca,

I hope you don't mind one of your students sharing a spectacular story.

Recently, I helped a friend who had broken her arm do some horse blanket repair. This type of sewing has always interested me, but didn't know what it entailed. My background in sewing consists of my mother sewing all my clothes from the time I was very young until I was in Jr. High School. I learned to really sew in Jr. High, and continued on making some of my clothes and then recently I began quilting. Sewing has been an intragal part of my life. I have even made clothes for my horses --like leg wraps and ankle boots. But I never knew how to make money at sewing.

SOOO....I really enjoyed helping my friend, and I even more, I enjoyed sewing horse blankets. It is a bit like quilting and there is creativity involved in piecing everything together. I LOVE IT!! My husband is 100% supportive and now he has financed me to start up my own business. I bought a used industrial sewing machine, and my out of work neighbor built two beautiful work tables for me. The basement is perfect place to set up my shop. The local feed stores are promoting my business. Since we live so far out of town where there are lots of horses and farms, there will be lots of work. I am attracting and visualizing the perfect clients will come to me for their horse clothing repairs.

This has come together just perfectly! It's amazing! I'm finding the equipment so easily, the materials are coming to me easily--for example: On Sunday, I just said to myself that it would be so nice to find someone who is getting rid of old used blankets for me to practice on. And 'lo and behold, I am driving down the road on Monday, and our neighbor, who just sold his house, had a bunch of junk by the road for the garbage pick up. There was a pile of used horse blankets lying there. WELL, I did a quick U turn and drove up to the house and asked if I could rummage through their stuff and take the blankets. They told me to help myself. Oh my gosh, there were SEVEN Blankets. And they are all salvageable!

You know, I kept thinking of you, Rebecca and how you started with your website business. Didn't that pave the way for your other businesses? [Absolutely!] I had been trying to think of something I could do that would tie into the horse-healing business. I felt there must be something that I would enjoy doing and could make money at. I have always been independent, and this will give me my own income to support my other habits, more horse healing seminars, etc.

I just finished one of the blankets tonight. It was really fun to repair--in fact, I LOVE IT. I feel certain that this business this will help pave the way for me to become established in the community and develop credibilty with the people I am supposed to come in contact with. And in turn it will help to establish me in the horse healing.

Oh, I also attracted the perfect horse sitter for the week we will be gone to Stockton, CA. She loves horses the way I do, and will be a perfect caregiver for all my horses. She passed the 'Lucy test'. Lucy liked her! She is exactly what I asked for.

Oh, one more thing happened this week--I wanted to find someone who could come in and organize my house which is pretty chaotic with two-year-old twins. I discovered my neighbor is a specialist at not only cleaning houses, but in organization as well! She's coming tommorrow.

Since I began applying the Law of Attraction to my life, things are just happening!

I am just so excited. I wanted to share it with you, Rebecca and say 'Thank you!' for teaching and demonstrating how the Law of Attraction works.

Love,

Karen Krueger

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Big Brother 7 - Sezer Eviction

Sezer Yurtseven was the second housemate to be evicted from the Big Brother house and won two dubious honours in the process. Firstly, he was evicted by the largest public vote margin of all time – a massive 91.6%, making him the show’s most detested housemate in Big Brother’s seven series run.

He also became the earliest male housemate to be evicted from the house, having been shown the door by the end of week two.

Sezer was a shoe-in to leave as far as the bookmakers were concerned as soon as it was revealed he was one of three housemates up for eviction. He was available at 3/10 which plummeted to 1/33 by Friday evening.

However, first thing Monday morning, Sezer was available at comparatively gigantic odds of 12/1 to be the second person evicted as whinging Nikki was the firm favourite to leave next at even money.

The situation changed dramatically by the time it came to nominations as not only was Nikki receiving favourable edits from the production team, showing the likes of Grace talking about her behind her back, but in a dramatic twist both Sezer and Imogen were banned from nominations after being caught discussing them.

Both Sezer and Grace were not portrayed well in the highlights show, with Grace bitching at every opportunity and Sezer bragging about how he could survive the chop against almost anyone in the house, especially the surgically enhanced Lea.

Just before the nominations were announced to the public, Grace was odds-on favourite to leave at 1/2 and both Nikki and Sezer at 7/2.

Despite behaving like a proper little madam since she arrived in the house, Nikki didn’t receive a single nomination while Grace received two which wasn’t enough to put her up for the public vote.

Richard received the most at four nominations, with both Lea and Sezer receiving three apiece. The trio would be put up for the public vote and Sezer got his wish of going head-to-head with Lea.

The bookmakers didn’t believe in Sezer’s invincibility as much as the Turkish Cypriot stockbroker did and immediately priced him up as 3/10 favourite. Sezer’s cause was not helped by one leading tabloid newspaper which only published his eviction number and urged readers to vote him out.

The press and Big Brother themselves love a pantomime villain and Sezer duly delivered and not even Victor from Big Brother 5 was detested as much for “ruining” Shell’s mock wedding if you judge by the overall voting percentage.

Big Brother 7 - Sam is Evicted

Sam became the third housemate to be evicted from the Big Brother house after receiving 53% of the public vote against perennial whinger Nikki Grahame.

Newcome Sam, who entered the house after a fortnight alongside Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace was available at 5/2 before nominations were announced as Grace Adams-Short was the early favourite to face the boot.

Public opinion on the 20-year-old dance teacher has changed dramatically in the last week or so after viewers have seen her two-facedness on the highlights programes.

On Monday 5 June, the day nominations took place, Grace was favourite to leave at even money due to the public likely to vote her out no matter who she was up against. Plus, her close ally Imogen Thomas was banned from nominating for the second week running. Lisa, who may also have supported her, was also banned after being caught discussing possible nominations.

The odds were as follows before the nominations were announced:

Grace - Evens
Sam - 5/2
Lisa - 10/1
Lea - 10/1
Aisleyne - 12/1
Richard - 16/1

At this point the 5/2 available on a Sam eviction looked exceptional value for money as he / she should have been odds on. Many of the housemates had confided in each other or in the diary room that they had grown tired of the gender bending unemployed nail technician (seriously) for a variety of reasons.

Grace and Lea both complained that Sam stands nearby when they are about to use the bathroom and Nikki expressed her disgust at it’s practice of taking the concept of “girls” going to the toilet together to an extreme level.

Glyn said he didn’t like the way Sam followed him around, that he’s too clingy and is desperate to get on with people. Sam always needed reassurance that she was close friends with the other housemates when they were not that interested.

The fluctuating odds on the betting exchanges while the housemates were going through the nomination process suggested Sam and Lea would be up for eviction as Grace’s price drifted further out.

The confirmed possible evictees were Sam who immediately plummeted to 1/4 while Nikki was available at 5/1.

There was no way that Nikki was going to leave and was shown in a positive light during the run up to Friday, being given the role as PA to Big Brother during a task while some unsavoury late-night footage of Sam was broadcast for viewers morbid curiosity.

Sam was favourite to leave from then on and was evicted with 53% of the vote, suggesting it was more closely contested than the bookmakers and weight of money against him / her suggested.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Big Brother 7 - Meet The Contestants - Part Two

The seventh series of reality TV show Big Brother opened to a record television audience of 8.1 million on 18 May and placed 14 contestants in the goldfish bowl environment for 13 weeks, the longest stint ever.

Here are the remaining three women people brave enough, or stupid enough, to go under televised scrutiny and have their past dredged up in the gutter press for the next three and a half months.

Dawn BLAKE
Age: 38. From: Birmingham. Occupation: Exercise Scientist.
Dawn is single and loves her own company, claiming “I was born alone and will die alone”. She doesn’t drink alcohol and has never been drunk, doesn’t eat meat and describes herself as a "pensioner in a young person’s body". When asked why she wanted to participate on Big Brother she answered: “So many people are addicted to reality TV that it has been such a source of interest. It’s the only thing people talk about across the age range. It’s a massive challenge and I want to raise my profile in my field”. If she was reincarnated, she would like to come back as Jesus or Hitler because “the very good and the very bad fascinate me”.

Grace SHORT
Age: 20. From: London. Occupation: Dance Teacher.
Grace is single and lives in a £340,000 flat in Notting Hill bought by her mother. She “supports herself” by teaching dance classes. She loves designer clothes, reading glossy magazines and drinking champagne at some of London’s most exclusive clubs. Grace gives herself an 8/10 for attractiveness ("with make-up on") and would be insulted if anyone compared her to a bimbo or glamour girl. When asked why she wanted to be on Big Brother she replied: “For the laugh and the fame would be nice”. As a child she was sent to army camp for discipline, but ended up loving it so much she went back each year.

Imogen THOMAS
Age: 23. From: Llanelli. Occupation: Bar Hostess.
Imogen is single and lives and works in London. She combines brains and beauty by holding a degree in Health Studies and was crowned Miss Wales in 2003. When asked the question “why Big Brother?”, she replied: “I want the opportunity to show the nation what I’m like. I want to be free from the outside world and that would be great as I would have no worries”. She claims to have once spent over £1,000 on underwear in one shopping spree and describes her most outrageous experience as dressing up as a playboy bunny at her own party, but getting so drunk she passed out and missed all the fun.

Big Brother 7 - Meet the Contestants - Part Three

Continuing the introduction of the housemates entering the seventh series of reality TV show Big Brother, here are four of the seven men prepared to miss this summer’s World Cup to try and last 13 weeks in the UK’s most intense goldfish bowl environment.

Pete BENNETT
Age: 24. From: London. Occupation: Unemployed.
Pete is a budding rock ‘n’ roll singer and cartoonist now living in Brighton. He was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome at the age of 14, started wearing women’s clothes aged 16 and impersonated Freddie Mercury at his mother’s wedding. When asked why he wanted to participate on Big Brother he replied: “to reach the top of my spiral to heaven and shine again. Also, if I was to win the money I would like to pay off my mum’s mortgage so she can finally live her life because she looked after me for so long. And I crave fame and would like to be a famous Touretter”. Pete lives alone except for a pet hamster called Magic, who roams freely around his house and lives in the wall.

Shabaz CHAUDRY
Age: 37. From: Glasgow. Occupation: Unemployed.
Shabaz is single and has been “unemployable” for the last 21 years, although has done a lot of voluntary care work since he was 16, helping the disabled and people with special needs in his local community. He admits that he has never been in love and has never had a boyfriend as he thinks men are afraid of his flamboyant personality. When asked why he wanted to be on Big Brother he replied: “because I’ve never had the flatmate or housemate experience as I’ve lived by myself for nearly 21 years and I want to challenge myself”. He claims he has a phobia of straight-acting homophobic homosexuals and would like to be reincarnated as a woman so that he can have children.

Richard NEWMAN
Age: 33. From: Canada. Occupation: Waiter.
Richard is single, lives in London and describes himself as a “sexual, passionate and hostile man hunter”. He loves going out all night in Soho and making conquests, but equally enjoys dinner parties and the theatre. When asked why he wanted to go on Big Brother, he replied simply: “just for the money”. He says the person he would least like to find in the house is a woman who is eight months pregnant. He has a strong fear of them and even fears being interviewed by Davina McCall when he leaves the house. Sexism, racism and men who turn down his advances make him angry and if he could pass any law it would be that all straight men must have a homosexual encounter.

Glyn WISE
Age:18. From: Blaenau Ffestiniog. Occupation: Part-time lifeguard / Head boy in 6th Form.
Glyn is the youngest member of the Big Brother house and is looking forward to receiving nationwide attention and being able to show off his “sexy body to millions”.
He is fiercely proud of his Welsh heritage and feels that all Welsh people should speak the language. Glyn aspires to be the first male Page 3 model and is content with his life and body he would like to be reincarnated as himself, declaring: “I am the closest example to perfection”. However, he doesn't get on well with members of the animal kingdom, claiming: “I hate all animals and they hate me”.

Big Brother 7 - Meet the Contestants - Part One

The seventh series of reality TV show Big Brother opened to a record television audience of 8.1 million on 18 May and placed 14 contestants in the goldfish bowl environment for 13 weeks, the longest stint ever.

Here are four of the seven women people brave enough, or stupid enough, to go under televised scrutiny and have their past dredged up in the gutter press for the next three and a half months.

Nikki GRAHAME
Age: 24. From: Middlesex. Occupation: Model / Dancer / Perfume Promo girl in Harrods.
Nikki is single and wants her experience on Big Brother to get her “noticed by rich and famous men”. Her dream and ambition in life is to marry a rich man, preferably a Premiership footballer, who would shower her with credit cards. She would like to marry him, but then have affairs “just like on Footballers' Wives”. She has a phobia of someone cutting her hair without her knowing and waking up covered in cellulite and also hates public transport, calling buses “peasant wagons”.

Bonnie HOLT
Age: 20. From: Leicestershire. Occupation: Part time care worker.
Bonnie is single and works with people who have Down’s Syndrome. She is currently banned from working in any factories within Loughborough. When asked why she wanted to go on Big Brother, she said it would be another adventure on her list and just to get in would be an achievement. She would also use her television stint as an excuse to stick her fingers up at her ex-friends as it would really wind them up. Amusingly, Bonnie has an older brother called Clyde.

Lisa HUO
Age: 27. From: Manchester. Occupation: Unemployed.
Lisa is single, was born in Shanghai and moved to the UK with her parents when she was two years old. She is an upholsterer by trade and her laddish occupation has given her the nickname “Boy Bod” by her friends. When asked why she wanted a stint in the Big Brother house she replied: “for the money and getting out of work for a good few weeks, and I know I’ll entertain everyone in there and maybe find a little love with someone”. Lisa admires Jennifer Lopez for her success and says if she could change one thing about herself she would like “a bigger arse”.

Lea WALKER
Age: 35. From: Nottingham. Occupation: Model & Pigmentation Artist
Lea is single and is the first “mum” to appear on Big Brother. She has spent over £35,000 on plastic surgery and has the largest breast implants in the UK – at a whopping 30M. She admits she has been celibate for a year because only the seedy guys are interested in her. When asked why she wanted to appear on Big Brother she answered: “for the money and fame – just like the others”. Lea describes her strangest and most frightening job as the time she was painted nude whilst standing in front of over 3,000 bikers.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Big Brother 7 - Meet the Contestants - Part Four

The final part of the introduction of the Big Brother 7 housemates reveals the identities of the final three men making up the 1eveals the identities of the final three men making up the 14-strong household.

George ASKEW
Age: 19. From: London. Occupation: Student.
George is a former public schoolboy and the son of a former private secretary to the Prince of Wales. He is a great-grandson of the fourth Earl of Ellesmere (through his paternal grandmother, Lady Susan Askew) and his great-uncle was the sixth Duke of Sutherland. One of his father's cousins married into the Bowes-Lyon family, Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and so it has been claimed he is linked to the Queen Mother. He is an aspiring photographer, living on an allowance from his father and he wanted to enter Big Brother because it will be something he’s achieved on his own. He hopes the experience will broaden his mind and allow him meet people who don’t live and hang out in Sloane Square. George loves the socialite clubbing scene, counts Jack and Kelly Osbourne as his drinking partners and his friends include Princess Beatrice of York.

Mikey DALTON
Age: 22. From: Liverpool. Occupation: Model & IT Software Developer.
Mikey is single and is desperate for a girlfriend while in the house. He dislikes ugliness and only enjoys the company of good-looking people. He also hates feminists because “they feel women should be equal in every way and they are always dykes”. Since returning from university, Mikey has been living at home with his family and admits “my mum does all my washing and cooking like a woman should”. When asked why he wanted to appear on Big Brother he said: “there’s never been anyone like me in the house – confident, good looking and can hold a conversation. I think I can do better than others that have been on”. Such is his vanity he chose a more expensive gym to attend because of the better quality of female members and he also claims to have a fear of transvestites.

Sezer YURTSEVEN
Age: 26. From: London. Occupation: Stockbroker / Property Developer / Electronic Commodities Trainer.
Sezer is a Turkish Cypriot who went from being a tea boy in the City to owning a trading company at the age of 19. At 24, he decided to become a property developer and has been known to go out and spend £5,000 on alcohol in one single night. He believes women should stay in the kitchen and men should earn the money. When asked why he wanted to enter the Big Brother house he replied: “because my mum loves the show and I have the charisma that other contestants lack”. Sezer is also a boxing champion, having last won a British lightweight title in December 2005 and says if he was re-incarnated he’d want to be a pair of French knickers so he could “be on a woman all the time”.

Big Brother 7 - Lisa is Evicted

Lisa Huo became the fifth housemate to be evicted after she was voted out ahead of Nikki, Imogen and Mikey in a four-way tussle.


Keywords:
big brother 7, free big brother bets, big brother odds, reality tv


Article Body:
Lisa Huo became the fifth housemate to be evicted from the Big brother house after she was voted out ahead of Nikki Grahame, Imogen Thomas and Mikey Dalton in a four-way tussle.

As soon as Grace was given the boot last week, Lisa was odds-on favourite at 4/5 to be next person out of the door with the bookmakers expecting nominations from Aisleyne, Richard, Susie and Pete for the foul mouthed unemployed upholsterer from Manchester.

Big Brother introduced a twist this week for nomination-discussing rule breakers Glyn, Imogen, Lea, Lisa and Nikki who were not be allowed to nominate in the normal fashion. Instead, they each had to nominate one member of their group, on the spot, in front of everyone else. They were not allowed to discuss their choices or nominate themselves and the housemate with the most nominations would automatically face eviction via the public vote. The voting went as follows:

Glyn and Lisa nominated Nikki, Imogen voted for Lea who returned the favour and Nikki voted for Lisa. With two nominations Nikki faced eviction for the third successive week.

The rest of the housemates – Aisleyne, Mikey, Pete, Richard and Susie were allowed to nominate as usual in the privacy of the Diary Room. As Nikki was already put up for the public vote, the remaining housemates were not allowed to nominate her, which saw Imogen, Lisa and Mikey thrown into the eviction mix.

By Monday night, Lisa was 1/4 favourite for eviction, despite the remainder of the nominated housemates not being revealed officially until Tuesday evening.

Lisa’s price shortened considerably as the day’s neared Friday’s eviction night until she was trading at 1/100 so it was no surprise when host Davina McCall announced she was evicted.

Lisa appeared to be expecting to leave as she reacted well with a typical mix of smiles and good natured profanity, hugging each of her housemates in turn and repeating select phrases including “sorted mate”, “mint”, “take it easy” and “have fun”.

Following a few weeks where housemates have received landslide eviction percentages – Grace polling 87.9% and of course Sezer’s 91.6%, Lisa received a more respectable 60.3% of the vote considering she wasn’t trading at odds-against once during eviction week.

Big Brother’s latest twist will see five new contestants entering a secret “second” house next Friday. The new house, accessible via the diary room, features its own bedroom, kitchen, lounge, bathroom and garden area.

Instead of voting to evict a housemate next week, the public will instead choose one housemate to “save” but live with the five newcomers in the new house.

Big Brother 7 - Half Term Report Part Two

Big Brother is entering the half-way stage so here is a short round-up of five of the remaining nine established characters and how they fair in the betting market.

Aisleyne
Current Odds: 20/1

Aisleyne was voted into the house next door but will return to the main compound which will shock the other housemates as they thought they had got rid of her and her constant singing of hip hop songs that nobody has heard of. Aisleyne is the strongest female character but her fake ghetto speak and snapping at the other housemates will see her up for eviction more often than not. The “House Next Door” twist will see Aisleyne “vote out” four of the five new housemates, although they will actually be moved into the main house and face her when she returns herself. There could be a tricky few weeks in store for the promotions girl and aspiring pop star.

Imogen
Current Odds: 50/1

Imogen has been a disappointment and her character in the house is just a female version of Mikey. Dull, boring and nothing like the real-life serial footballer dater the tabloids would have us believe. Until recently, the only screen time she enjoyed was when she had tedious conversations in Welsh with fellow compatriot Glyn. For someone proud to be university educated, Imogen didn’t know what “malice” meant nor “saboteur” before she was chosen to wreck the milk task in order for the housemates to win a luxury food budget. She passed the task, although all that was required was to let milk pour out of a giant vat without any of the other housemates noticing what she was up to. Yawn.

Richard
Current Odds: 66/1

The self-proclaimed “sexual terrorist” is another dullard who thinks he has a chance of winning. Since arguing with Imogen several weeks ago he has done very little since which unfortunately also seen his nominations by other housemates cease. Come on people, vote him out!

Susie
Current Odds: 80/1

Boring. Boring. Boring. Big Brother made a huge fuss about their “Golden Ticket” campaign in which a “lucky member of the public” would get the chance to enter the house. Instead, Susie, an ageing glamour model who had applied for Big Brother several times in the past was apparently chosen at random to join the rest of the housemates. Susie has found a role in the house as surrogate mother to little Nikki and lust object for granny fancier Glyn. Oh yes and she likes to drink tea. Lots and lots of tea.

Lea
Current Odds: 80/1

Surgically enhanced Lea has found life difficult in the house thus far and is now giving Nikki a run for her money on who can shed the most tears. Lea has the hots for Pete, although she denies it and has found herself a prime target for Aisleyne who established herself as the alpha female of the house. Lea’s almost unhealthy interest in Pete and constant crying will see her fellow housemates put her up for eviction soon. And not before time, either.

Big Brother 7 - Half Term Report Part One

Big Brother is entering the half-way stage so here is a short round-up of four of the nine established characters and how they fair in the betting market.



Big Brother is entering the half-way stage so here is a short round-up of four of the nine established characters and how they fair in the betting market.

Pete
Current Odds: 1/2

Pete has remained the undisputed favourite to win Big Brother ever since he fell down the stairs to mark his entrance. His odds-on status is justified since he appears to be the nicest and most genuine person incarcerated in the house and he has proved there is more to him than his Tourette’s outbusts and nervous ticks. Pete is the unlikely romeo of the house, with Lea, Lisa and Nikki all falling for his unique charms although he claims not to be interested in any of them. At the halfway point, it is difficult to see past Pete as the winner of Big Brother, since the producers love a “journey” and a slushy story about Pete “being accepted for who he is” is being played out right now. It’s all predictable and contrived, but it’s what mainstream television is all about, right?

Nikki
Current Odds: 11/2

Even though Pete is the likely winner, Nikki has been the best ever contestant on Big Brother bar none. Do people like her really exist and if so, how on earth do they survive in the wider world? Nikki is 24, but behaves like someone well short of hitting even their teenage years. Everything upsets her. She cries when she’s nominated, she cried when her fellow housemates had to wash her for a task and she cried when she couldn’t get her MP3 player to work. However, her constant grizzling is amusing rather than annoying and her Diary Room monologues have become compulsive viewing. Remarkably, she’s knocking out these TV gems seven nights a week on the highlights show. Nikki survived three successive eviction nights which will give the other housemates reason not to nominate her so often. Nikki and Pete in the final two – no question.

Glyn
Current Odds: 9/1

After a few weeks lurking in the background, Glyn has emerged as a strong contender to win the show. He’s awkward, lacks social skills, can’t take his drink and fancies the pants off any woman in the same room as him. Much the same as any other teenage boy, then. Glyn is seen as harmless by the other housemates and is funny without meaning to be, which is why he has received just one nomination in five weeks. Glyn’s lusting after “older women” Lea and Suzie is quite entertaining, while he also said there weren’t women like Aisleyne in Blaenau Ffestiniog. Lucky boy.


Mikey has done very little in almost 50 days in the Big Brother house apart from talk about “biiiiiiirds” and who fancies who. There is very little to his character apart from looking a bit like Vernon Kay and trying to get off with Imogen now Grace has been evicted. However, he was the only housemate that tried to help paralytic Glyn after one drink too many. Mikey doesn’t really do anything to offend anyone else so he could well make it until the final day.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Big Brother 7 - Half Term Report Part Two

Aisleyne
Current Odds: 20/1

Aisleyne was voted into the house next door but will return to the main compound which will shock the other housemates as they thought they had got rid of her and her constant singing of hip hop songs that nobody has heard of. Aisleyne is the strongest female character but her fake ghetto speak and snapping at the other housemates will see her up for eviction more often than not. The “House Next Door” twist will see Aisleyne “vote out” four of the five new housemates, although they will actually be moved into the main house and face her when she returns herself. There could be a tricky few weeks in store for the promotions girl and aspiring pop star.

Imogen
Current Odds: 50/1

Imogen has been a disappointment and her character in the house is just a female version of Mikey. Dull, boring and nothing like the real-life serial footballer dater the tabloids would have us believe. Until recently, the only screen time she enjoyed was when she had tedious conversations in Welsh with fellow compatriot Glyn. For someone proud to be university educated, Imogen didn’t know what “malice” meant nor “saboteur” before she was chosen to wreck the milk task in order for the housemates to win a luxury food budget. She passed the task, although all that was required was to let milk pour out of a giant vat without any of the other housemates noticing what she was up to. Yawn.

Richard
Current Odds: 66/1

The self-proclaimed “sexual terrorist” is another dullard who thinks he has a chance of winning. Since arguing with Imogen several weeks ago he has done very little since which unfortunately also seen his nominations by other housemates cease. Come on people, vote him out!

Susie
Current Odds: 80/1

Boring. Boring. Boring. Big Brother made a huge fuss about their “Golden Ticket” campaign in which a “lucky member of the public” would get the chance to enter the house. Instead, Susie, an ageing glamour model who had applied for Big Brother several times in the past was apparently chosen at random to join the rest of the housemates. Susie has found a role in the house as surrogate mother to little Nikki and lust object for granny fancier Glyn. Oh yes and she likes to drink tea. Lots and lots of tea.

Lea
Current Odds: 80/1

Surgically enhanced Lea has found life difficult in the house thus far and is now giving Nikki a run for her money on who can shed the most tears. Lea has the hots for Pete, although she denies it and has found herself a prime target for Aisleyne who established herself as the alpha female of the house. Lea’s almost unhealthy interest in Pete and constant crying will see her fellow housemates put her up for eviction soon. And not before time, either.