THE GLAMOUR MODEL: THE NEW TEEN IDOL?

A shocking internet survey has revealed that more and more teenage girls aspire to be glamour models rather than teachers or doctors.
The survey that was created by mobile entertainment providers www.thelab.TV, asked 1000 girls aged between 15 to 19 what kind of career they hoped for in the future. The results were published on the Manchester Evening News website. 63% of girls who participated saw glamour modelling as a decent job as apposed to the 3% that chose teaching. Despite being taken three years ago, the survey shows the shocking changes in what young girls consider to be good careers and how the constant bombardment of images of glamour models on the cover of men’s magazines.
Out of the 63% that chose glamour modelling as their goal, 33% saw Katie Price as their role model whereas only 9% of the girls in the whole survey chose J.K.Rowling as their role model. Among other popular role models were Chantelle, Abi Titmuss and Jodie Marsh.
Not only has this survey given some unbelievable results but they seem to be coming true. The number of girls aged 18 to 19 who are having breast enlargements has risen to 150% it was reported by cosmetic surgery clinics across Britain.
Spokesman Shami Choudhry was quoted by The Sun saying that he blames the influence of famous female celebrities who have had breast augmentations for this alarming increase.
What is even more saddening is the fact that 15 year olds are not the youngest that are being affected. The extreme case of 11 year old Sasha Bennington was made into a documentary called ‘Sasha: Beauty Queen at 11’ which aired earlier this year. It told the tragic story of an 11 year old girl whose mother, Jayne, had drilled into her daughter that being a glamour model was all her daughter could do. Since the tender age of 8 her mother had been covering her daughter face in make up and applying false eyelashes. Now that she has just turned 12, Sasha has her hair bleached monthly and a fake tan each week along with other beauty treatments leading to a £300 bill each month. Sasha’s modelling portfolio looks more like what an 18 year old model would look like as Sasha is pictured wearing a lot of make up and very un-childlike. Her mother then parades her around the world in various beauty pageants.
When Jayne was asked by the Daily Mail for her response to the accusations of child cruelty she replied “People can say what they want. I know there is nothing bad about what I'm doing. I'm just helping my daughter make something of her life. Any good mum would do the same.”
Sasha is one of the very rare cases but as more and more women become glamour models and pose on the front covers of magazines more and more teenage girls will aspire to be like them.

PIZZA HUT GOES PASTA HUT FOR NEW HEALTHY EATING BID

One of Britain’s favourite restaurant chains is set to change its name and its menu to entice new customers.
Pizza Hut came to Britain in 1973 and has been one of the most popular places to eat since so it came as a huge shop that one of Britain’s favourite household names was to take on a completely different look and name. The rebranding comes as part of a £18 million revamp package designed to bring in new customers and move the chain into more up market territory.
Pizza Hut’s boss, Alasdair Murdoch, told the telegraph “we’ve been on a journey for four or five years, trying to make our food better”.
“We’re trying to say to people: ‘yes, we’re great at pizzas, but we’re also great at salads and pasta’. Pasta is around 3 or 4 percent of our sales, I’m very sure in a couple of week’s time that will be 10 percent”.
As well as the various new pasta dishes which include a spinach and ricotta cannelloni, a meatball tagliatelle and even a traditional lasagne, Mr Murdoch had also said that Pasta Hut will be upgrading it’s salad bar and improving the quality of ingredients used in it’s pizzas.
Changing the name is obviously a very risky move for such a popular chain which is why My Murdoch insists that this is just a trial run and they are very interested to her responses from customers. On their redesigned website people can vote on a poll whether or not they like the changes but so far, all though not an accurate poll, 81 percent have voted against the change to Pasta Hut.
Beth Williams, a Pizza Hut fan, said ‘ I know the whole name change is just part of Pizza Hut’s campaign on healthy eating, but come on, Pizza Hut was invented to sell gorgeous and mouth-watering pizzas, with some nice pasta and salad on the side’.
We can only wait and see if this revamp of Pizza Hut will be warmed to by customers but until then Pasta Hut remains significantly unpopular.

AN INTERVIEW WITH JENNIFER

Jennifer’s life took a spin when she was involved in a car accident aged 12 on her way home from a dance competition but it hasn’t stopped dancing from being one of her main hobbies six years on along with reading her favourite magazines, socialising with her friends and shopping. The 18 year old student from Nuneaton, who currently works in Superdrug, is studying Journalism and Media at Coventry University. She chose the subject because she enjoyed studying Media Studies at college and also enjoys writing, whether it’s fact or fiction. She hopes that she can one day write for a magazine about her favourite interests’ music and fashion. I asked her why she was so interested in these subjects and she was happy to explain. She told me her favourite music was ‘rock and metal’ and that ‘I don’t have a favourite because there are so many bands that I like’. On the fashion side, her two idols are Sarah Jessica Parker because she loves Sex and the City and SJP’s style and ‘her shoes!’ but she also really likes Dita Von Teese because ‘Burlesque really interests me and she has a really nice style’. In contrast to this burlesque loving rock and metal fan, her favourite film is the children’s classic ‘Lady and the Tramp’ as well as many other Disney films. Jennifer Bates, known to her friends as Jen, also likes to spend time with her long term boyfriend Jason who she has been with for a year and a half. She gets to see him a lot as she does not live in student accommodation and commutes to her lectures by bus from her home. She has only been out in Coventry twice since starting the University 3 weeks ago but thinks ‘Jumping Jacks’ is her favourite club. She does love to go out and party with her mates but says her most embarrassing moment was when she got very drunk and passed out her friend’s house. Her friends then drew on her face and took photos and when she woke up she then tried to remove the pen marks with vodka which left her face feeling slightly ‘burnt’.

FEMINISTS ATTACK SITE AS IT MAKES WOMEN 'INSECURE'

Feminist group ‘About-Face’ attack website over claims that it promotes young girls to diet and have plastic surgery.
MissBimbo.com has become one of the most controversial websites after a feminist group calls for the website to be shut down. The Miss Bimbo website is an English version of the original Ma Bimbo created by Blouzar Ltd, which was a huge success in France, and has attracted over 2 million people world wide into playing the game but there has also been a huge question of debate as to the games nature.
The game seems pretty simple and very feminine as you begin with animated girl which is effectively your ‘bimbo’. In order to progress in the game you must complete goals which include finding a boyfriend, buying new clothes, changing hairstyles and what people are finding most serious getting plastic surgery. You must also keep your bimbo happy by keeping her at her ideal weight but other aspects of the game have been overlooked such as the forum which has allowed players to make new friends and discuss personal problems about life matters and the forum has acted as an important advice giver for many of Miss Bimbo’s players.
To the players (the average age of the players being 19.1) it appears to be a normal game where they feed their bimbo, dress their bimbos and even play various games as well as talking on the forum but many people, especially parents, are now becoming concerned with the message that the game maybe sending out to young girls.
A recent attack on the site by the feminist group ‘About-Face’ has brought to light to light once more the issue of whether this very popular site has any influence on the thousands of teenage girls that play on it. One member of ‘About-Face’ emailed the creators of Miss Bimbo, Chris Evans and Nicolas Jacquart, saying ‘I do not feel that it is ok to allow other’s who are already insecure about the way they look to feel that they can fix it through playing a game’.
I spoke to Mr Evans who replied to this comment by saying ‘of course if we are making insecure people even more insecure then that is a concern to us all’ but he also pointed out that Miss Bimbo is not meant to be taken seriously. The reaction of the Miss Bimbo players, many of whom are adult women, has been similar with one saying ‘I believe most of the women on Miss Bimbo are secure enough to think for themselves and be able to enjoy the girlyness and satire of this site’.
The media coverage of the site has also been one of a critical view with many condemning the site but the creators of the site feel it is only because they do not understand the site. Jacquart has said that he is looking into expanding the site so that the media can take the time to understand why 75,000 people log into the site each day. The debate rages on between the two sides as the site continues to be under fire.

BB BEX AT FRESHERS BALL

The Official Fresher’s Ball of 2008 took place opposite Coventry Cathedral on the 24th September and was host to many acts including ‘The Saturdays’ and Big Brother 9 and Coventry’s very own Bex.
It was probably the biggest event of Fresher’s week and was definitely a must for first time students to attend. The Ball took place in the Big Top which was a large tent that was erected in the University Square especially for Coventry University Fresher week which took place between the 20th and the 28th September. It was a great chance for the fresher’s to get to know each other even more and the cost of tickets all went towards the CUSU (Coventry University Student Union) which makes the whole University experience a whole lot better for the students of Coventry.
For the lucky few students who managed to get hold of VIP tickets, which were in short supply, they could even meet the acts backstage and speak to them. Overall, over a thousand tickets were sold for the event and the tent was bustling with people dancing and drinking and generally having a good time just being Fresher’s before the hard work of University life kicks in next week when their real lectures begin.
All acts performed, well Bex stood there, but the other acts were welcomed by the students and everyone appeared to be having a really good time. After Bex made a hasty exit off stage, because her arrival was poorly received by the students, she returned later in the night to spend some more time with her devoted fans who had all been eagerly awaiting her arrival.
Amongst the crowds, a few people did tear themselves away from the party just to tell me exactly what they thought of the night. Criminology student Karen Leak, 18, ‘found the ball a pleasant night out with her mates and a great chance to meet new people as well as cheap booze’ and she wasn’t the only one who discovered the cheap prices at the bar as it was jammed packed all night and when they weren’t at the bar the students were dancing the night away inside the Big Top until the Ball came to an end in the early hours of the next morning. It was definitely a night to remember.

Back Again

I haven't posted in yonks but i'm back now. I'm out of sixthform and currently at uni studying Journalism and English. The course is very intresting especially as i have to put together and article each week which i will post on here aswell.
I'm living in the halls of residence and it's like one giant sleep over all the time. Im in a flat with 5 other girls and we're constantly going out or doing something out of teh ordinary. Made a few other friends to and a couple of guys.
Night's out have been just as exhausting as lectures. Each time i've drank triple the limit and stayed till the early hours of the morning. I especially love the fancy dress nights. So far we've had a school night, 999 night (i was a policewoman) and a neon night and next week it's halloween!!! I'm going as the devil of course and my outfit looks wicked. Literally.
Well hope you enjoy my next couple of stories.

Reality Contestants Where are they Now? - Big Brother 1

Have you ever wondered what happened to all those desperate fame seeking hopefuls who appear on reality TV and either get loved or absolutely hated? Cause i have!!! I've decided to look back over the programmes I've watched up until now and find out exactly what happened to each of the contestants from when they left the show to the present day. I'm going to start with Big Brother as that's got to be the most talked about. Starting at series 1 back in 2000 i will find out as much as i can about each housemate starting with the first to leave.

Sada Walkington was a 28 blonde from Edinburgh who made her name by becoming the first to be evicted from the Big Brother house ever!!! She had many ambitions such as becoming a yoga teacher and writing which lead to her first book 'The Babes Bible' giving dating advice to women. After leaving the house and a brief relationship with former housemate Nichola, Sada ran to south east Asia for 5 months to get away from the media frenzy. Upon her return she has become involved in several other book projects. She also trained as a yoga teacher in India and lived for a short time in Argentina. She is rumoured to now be working as waitress in a bistro somewhere in London.

Andrew Davidson (Andy) was another one with ambitions such as running a holiday camp in the Philippines. The marketing product manager from Hemel Hempstead had a passion for motorcycling with his brother being Formula 1 racing driver Anthony Davidson and at 23 he was joint youngest in the house that year. After leaving the house he also went traveling and when he came back made brief appearances on Channel 5's 'Exclusive' series and also presented one of the chart rundowns on MTV Select but has otherwise remained outside the spotlight.

Caroline O'Shea was the oldest member of the house at 37 and wasn't liked in the house from the start as she was constantly put up for eviction eventually leaving the third one. The pink lipsticked woman from Birmingham is said of suffered a bout of depression upon leaving the house which became even worse after her attempt to launch a pop career failed. She once spent a week as the Eye in the Sky traffic reporter for a range of Midlands-based radio stations. She was also offered £5,000 for topless modelling for the Sunday Sport and now runs a makeover portrait studio in London. She also joins in social networking online and has a facebook page.

Nicholas Bateman (Nasty Nick) was removed from the house after being confronted by fellow housemates for manipulating their nominations. The 32 year old city broker from Hampshire, whose biggest fear was to die young, wanted to live in the Big Brother house as a challenge for himself. Nasty Nick hosted a Channel 4 game show called "Trust Me" which was axed after just one series. He cashed in on his infamy with a £70,000 newspaper deal, a book called How To Be A Complete Bastard, and a video, Nasty Nick The Truth Exposed. He also made an acting debut in the British gangster movie Hell to Pay as a police officer. He also featured as the narrator in a stage production of The Rocky Horror Show and has appeared in panto. Nick later did a directing course at the BBC and is keen to make wildlife films. He is now an editor of The Good Holiday magazine and married to Lynnette Peck. Is currently writing freelance travel articles for the Good Holiday Guide Magazine, as well as national newspapers.
Apart from this he has his own poker club and Is involved in overseas property developing in Eastern Europe. He says he is still available for comment on Big Brother and other media issues.

Nichola Holt stood out from the crowd with her bald head and many piercings. The 29 year old art teacher from Bolton was best remembered for smearing her naked body in clay and making prints on the wall. After leaving the house she had a brief relationship with former housemate Sada and then went on to support Gabrielle on tour. She also released her own single called 'The Game' which flopped in at number 72 in the charts. She then tried her hands at fashion designing but that also fell through and from then on Nichola has been involved in the adult film industry. Married personal trainer Yas Parr on the island of Huatulco in Mexico but divorced in January 2004.

Thomas McDermott (Tom) was the 31 year old Irish farmer/computer engineer Omagh. After leaving and being voted the sexist man in Ireland the following January, Tom ditched his farming career to pursue a career in acting and TV presenting. He has been made co-presenter of Town Challenge, BBC Northern Ireland's highest rating TV programme over the past five years and he has also taken a DJ course and has tried his hand at entertaining nightclub crowds. He and Claire became a couple after Big Brother 1 and have a son called Pierce. He has also appeared in panto.

Claire Strutton was the 25 year old Florist from Gerrards Cross who came into the house to replace Nasty Nick. After leaving she and Tom became the first Big Brother couple and have a son called Pierce. She has also appeared in panto such as Jack And The Beanstalk with Eric Sykes at the Theatre Royal, Windsor. Following the Big Brother show Claire landed a role as presenter of a new six-part ITV series about dance floor and clubbing culture entitled "Dance 2000". In 2003 Claire Strutton and Tom McDermott moved to Southern Spain with their toddler son Pierce, and ran a property website. Tom and Claire have since split up. Claire also made an appearance on The Salon (the reality hairdressing show on Channel 4).

Melanie Hill was the 26 year old computer sales woman from London who dreamed of one day having 5 kids, traveling around South America and Africa and also meeting the Dalai Lama. After leaving she presented the dating game show 'Chained' on E4 and also writes for various magazines including the traveling features in Marie Claire. She also dated Alex Sibley from Big Brother 2002 for a time, and is in training to become a barrister. The Big Brother eye motiff was based on Mel's eye.

Darren Ramsay was the 23 year old father of 3 from London who was often descried as a ladies man by friends. Upon leaving Darren had a spell as a presenter on "This Morning". He has also done presenting work for MTV Europe and The Disney Channel, and has been asked to work for the Carlton Food Network's Taste Today. A trip to Jamaica for Christian Aid to raise Aids awareness ended acrimoniously after he abruptly cut the trip short, blaming exhaustion.
He later became a celebrity bouncer at the Funk U club night at Zinc. He then trained as a flight attendant which appeared on ITV 1's Airline, in which he was asked to leave the course. Darren has also appeared as a contestant on the 'Reality TV Star' special episode of Anne Robinson's The Weakest Link. Darren continues to live with ex-girlfriend Tammy and their 3 children (Shanice 13, Nuviea 12 and Zahnae 9).

Anna Nolan was a 29 year old office manager from Dublin who came second in BB1. She fronted the BBC Choice TV show "Anna In Wonderland" visiting exotic locations around the world. She also co-presented Closure along side Davina McCall where they attempted to right some wrongs by ending arguments, relationships, or anything that need closure. She said on Big Brother she was forced to come out as a lesbian to her parents when her grandma caught Anna and her girlfriend Tania kissing in the park. She came second in the final, and went on to be a TV presenter for the Irish TV channel RTE. She announced in August 2006 that she would not be renewing her contract with RTÉ and moved on to be a presenter on the BBC programme Inside Out when the BBC North East and Cumbria crew filmed Anomalous Phenomena Investigations of Newcastle upon Tyne conducting a paranormal investigation at Hurworth Grange Community Centre in Hurworth-on-Tees. She is an occasional panelist on RTE TWO discussion show The Panel. Anna also makes public appearances for gay rights group Stonewall. On the 8th August 2005 she was mugged and assaulted on her way back from a family dinner. Now lives with her female partner in London.

Craig Phillips became Big Brother's first winner in 20o0 and the 28 year old builder from Liverpool has done quite a bit since even if we haven't seen much of him. He donated his £70,000 prize to his Down's syndrome friend Joanne Harris to help pay for her heart and lung transplant. Joanne sadly died in April 2008 after contracting an infection in hospital. A £500,000 five-album deal with Warner was trumpeted in the press - but he was dropped after his Christmas single, At This Time of Year, only reached number 14. He has continued to raise money for Down's Syndrome charities as well as becoming a regular on daytime television shows. Craig is now a full-time TV DIY expert, appearing in "House Call" and "Trading Up" on BBC and "Renovation Street" on ITV. He also appeared regularly on the Channel 4 comedy show "Bo Selecta". In 2007 Craig joined the team of 60 Minute Makeover for ITV1 for the fifth and sixth series trading his famous on screen white t-shirt look for a black t-shirt look. After 2 years, research planning and construction Craig developed the largest independent construction training academy in the North-West opening its doors in September 2005 to its first 152 students the facility was formally opened by Cherie Blair in January 2006. The centre received its own accreditation enabling it to run a variety of work based learning and entry to employment courses and has been commended by the CITB as providing one of the largest and best training environments in the country. After a year’s trading and having achieved full centre accreditation awarded by the Construction Industry Training Board, Craig felt he took the academy as far as he could and sold it to Carter and Carter Group Plc. Craig is still actively involved in the centre assisting with publicity and promoting employer engagement.