Monday, 31 August 2015
VMAs 2015: Red Carpet PHOTOS
You know it's all about the fashion at the Video Music Awards, aka the VMAs.
Okay, yeah - and the music too!
Here are some of the most talked about red carpet photos (all photos Getty images; Miley Cyrus is hosting the event, currently underway in the US - HERE IS THE DIRECT LINK TO WATCH THE SHOW LIVE).


Okay, yeah - and the music too!
Here are some of the most talked about red carpet photos (all photos Getty images; Miley Cyrus is hosting the event, currently underway in the US - HERE IS THE DIRECT LINK TO WATCH THE SHOW LIVE).


Labels:
Everyone is talking about,
Fashion,
Music,
Red Carpet
Wayne Dyer Dies Age 75
In shock news just in, Dr Wayne Dyer has died.
Dyer has been dubbed 'the father of motivation'. And - he is father to eight children.
Dyer has been dubbed 'the father of motivation'. And - he is father to eight children.
This message has just been posted on Facebook:
Wayne has left his body, passing away through the night. He always said he couldn't wait for this next adventure to begin and had no fear of dying. Our hearts are broken, but we smile to think of how much our scurvy elephant will enjoy the other side.
We Love You Forever Dad/Wayne
The Dyer Family
UPDATED:
Dr Wayne Dyer's publisher Hay House has just posted:
Here is the just-in tweet from Ellen DeGeneres:
This is a YouTube video compile of his talks:
Here is another motivational speech:
He says: "My name is Wayne Dyer, and I'm 73 years old, and I have sex almost every day..."
(But watch the video for his punchline...)
He will be hugely missed:
UPDATED:
Dr Wayne Dyer's publisher Hay House has just posted:
It is with a very heavy heart that I let you all know that Dr Wayne Dyer passed away last night in Maui. Here is the post from his Facebook Page from his faamily - Reid
Wayne has left his body, passing away through the night. He always said he couldn't wait for this next adventure to begin and had no fear of dying. Our hearts are broken, but we smile to think of how much our scurvy elephant will enjoy the other side.
We Love You Forever Dad/Wayne
We Love You Forever Dad/Wayne
The Dyer Family
Here is the just-in tweet from Ellen DeGeneres:
The world has lost an incredible man. Wayne Dyer officiated our wedding & was an inspiration to so many. Sending love pic.twitter.com/kzsCS278jr
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 30, 2015
This is a YouTube video compile of his talks:
Here is another motivational speech:
He says: "My name is Wayne Dyer, and I'm 73 years old, and I have sex almost every day..."
(But watch the video for his punchline...)
He will be hugely missed:
Saturday, 29 August 2015
Justin Bieber - 'What Do You Mean?' Lyric VIDEO
Labels:
Everyone is talking about,
Music,
This Just In
'PeaceNic': Homicide Victims Support Group 'Unite Against Violence' Event, 2015
Following on from the book launch this week of the 'Doujon's Heart' book (see the coverage here), and the incredibly emotional '60 Minutes' Australia' interview (see that interview here), the annual 'Unite Against Violence' walk will be held, to honour and take a stand for all victims of homicide.
While in previous years the event included a walk across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, this year the event moves to Parramatta Park.
Read about last year's event here.
Here is more about this year's event - it's happening TOMORROW!
The HVSG was set up in June 1993 by the parents of Anita Cobby and Ebony Simpson to offer counselling and support to families and friends of homicide victims.
Says Chantelle Pirotta, Trauma and Bereavement Counsellor for the organisation:
"We are seeking your support and involvement with promoting our event and the existence of the group to the wider community. The stark reality is that murder does not discriminate. In New South Wales one murder is committed every three days. Currently there is over three thousand and seven hundred families in the group and that number sadly continues to grow."
More info about the day:
- Jumping castle
- Entertainment by Sydney Youth Jazz
While in previous years the event included a walk across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, this year the event moves to Parramatta Park.
Read about last year's event here.
Here is more about this year's event - it's happening TOMORROW!
Homicide Victims Support Group (Australia) Inc. are inviting your support for this community awareness initiative.
They are hosting a picnic at Parramatta Park on Sunday 30 August 2015.
The picnic which they have called 'PeaceNIC' - is an inaugural event (different name this year, but same cause) and promises to be a wonderful day for all participants with free entertainment and activities. Food, drinks and goodies will be available, too.
One of the biggest highlights of the day is the annual 'Ride for Justice', organised by Channel 9’s Simon Bouda. Riders are exclusively members of The NSW Emergency Services, riding in support of HVSG. Seeing the whole fleet of bikes revving it up for good is quite a sight. You can check out their whole route here.
And read more about the incredible Ride For Justice here.
And read more about the focus of this year's event in The Blacktown Advocate here. (Photo credit: Blacktown Advocate):
Kathryn Szyszka (sister of the late Anita Cobby), Simon Bouda, and HVSG executive director Martha Jabour
And read more about the incredible Ride For Justice here.
And read more about the focus of this year's event in The Blacktown Advocate here. (Photo credit: Blacktown Advocate):
Kathryn Szyszka (sister of the late Anita Cobby), Simon Bouda, and HVSG executive director Martha Jabour
This is a day for Homicide Victims Support Group members and the community to acknowledge all homicide victims and their families. We aim to create awareness that any type of violence can lead to death.
Homicide Victims Support Group members are forced to find a way to survive not only the death of their loved one but also the horrific, enduring and unrecognised aspects of this such as the court processes, the media coverage and day to day living.
Says Chantelle Pirotta, Trauma and Bereavement Counsellor for the organisation:
More info about the day:
- Jumping castle
- Entertainment by Sydney Youth Jazz
- Activities and games
- Facepainting
All of the above is FREE!
All of the above is FREE!
There will be food and goodies available for a gold coin donation. A cake stall, sausage sizzle, popcorn, fairy floss, slushies, tea, coffee, food and drink. YES! Yum (gosh, I love kids' party food).
You are welcome to bring your picnic essentials; rug, chairs, hat, sunscreen, bicycles and helmets (a bike riding track is on the park grounds)
The day is for Homicide Victims Support Group members and the community to acknowledge all homicide victims. Together, we can all create awareness that ANY type of violence can lead to death.
HVSG members are forced to live with the reality of the devastating and horrific ramifications of violence.
HVSG members are forced to live with the reality of the devastating and horrific ramifications of violence.
You will find PeaceNic at Pavilion Flat Parramatta Park - A short walk from Parramatta train station and bus terminal. Ticketed parking is available within the park and surrounding streets.
The organisers want to thank Rotary Club of Wetherill Park, Rotary Club of Blacktown and Lady of Fatima, Lend a Hand Committee and Simon Bouda for their support.
Labels:
Australiana,
Causes,
Emotional,
Health,
Insight,
Inspiration,
This Just In
Thursday, 27 August 2015
Samantha X Angels Escort Agency: PHOTOS
You might remember Samantha X - she is the woman who decided to do a complete career turnaround, and went from journo to high-class escort. And now, she is making her next move. Here is Samantha X today:
Samantha X, is wanting to redefine the reputation of the sex industry, just launching her own brand of elite escort agency, Samantha X Angels.
Their credo is: 'integrity, class and sophistication', and the agency now employs 13 women ranging from their 20s to their 60s (including a grandmother of six), a survivor of a life threatening illness and an aspiring lawyer, all of whom have sought out a new career in the 'world’s oldest profession'.
Their credo is: 'integrity, class and sophistication', and the agency now employs 13 women ranging from their 20s to their 60s (including a grandmother of six), a survivor of a life threatening illness and an aspiring lawyer, all of whom have sought out a new career in the 'world’s oldest profession'.
Samantha X’s own, very public, ‘coming out’ as an escort in the media and in her book 'Hooked: Secrets of a High-class Call Girl', polarised the public. The mother of two went from quietly earning $5000 a night to having her story plastered on media outlets worldwide, making her Australia’s most controversial ‘escort mum’.
But the most common responses she received came from smart, educated and professional women looking for advice on how they too could get started in the industry.
Exploring the idea of starting her own agency, Samantha put a call out to interested women.
She was inundated with applications - from around the world. After an extensive recruitment process, Samantha has narrowed her “Angels” to 13 women from all walks of life, sizes and personalities.
“My Angels are intelligent, professional women. Most have backgrounds in the corporate world and most are university educated,” says Samantha. “The majority of clients want warmth, understanding, companionship and conversation just as much as anything else, so that’s what I was looking for, not perfect looks or a particular dress size,” she said.
Each Angel undergoes coaching and mentoring by Samantha on what to wear, how to listen, etiquette, what lingerie men prefer, as well as how to trust their intuition and manage the date. Clients pay for the quality time spent with an Angel (not from a price list of sex acts) and are charged $800 an hour, $4500 for the night.
Here is one of the women:
![]() |
'Olivia' being photographed |
More about the 'Angels':
Cathryn, 61, is a married grandmother of six. “I love men and being an escort is something I have always wanted to try,” she says. “When I was accepted, my husband said he wanted to punch the air and scream, ‘My wife’s an Angel!” The clients I’ve seen so far have been absolutely gentlemen and my husband is my biggest supporter.”
Meanwhile Jane is in her 40’s, is single and hails from the corporate world. “I am getting paid to be treated like a goddess by absolute gentlemen as an Angel,” she says. “The clients and I have intelligent conversation and laugh a lot. The sex isn’t why a lot of them are there. I have a client who likes to chat over a cheese platter and wine for most of the time!”
Samantha X says that sex is big business, and whether people like it or not, the industry will continue to exist. She disagrees that the online porn world is ruining the sex industry.
“Men in my experience are sick of watching unrealistic porn on their computers. In a world of technology where we are less connected emotionally and physically than ever before, men seem to be starved of affection and intimacy. That’s where we come in," she says.
While Samantha’s focus is now her Angels, she does still see the occasional client, for $1500 an hour. “I don’t see many new clients these days purely because I don’t have the time,” she says. “But there are some men I’ve met over the years who remain dear friends. My dates these days are weekends away, holidays or lovely long dinners.”
“This is the profession I have loved more than any other,” says Samantha. “It has taught me compassion and patience. It has taught me that the most beautiful souls are hidden under the most unlikely shells and not to judge someone on appearance alone,” she said.
Samantha says she is looking forward to passing on her “wisdom” to her Angels over the coming months and years.
“I’ve taught them that this profession, while lucrative, has good days and bad, highs and lows, just like any job. It’s not always champagne and fine dining, but being able to connect with a human being on a real deep and emotional level.”
Samantha also has plans to cater to female clientele with the exciting new addition of Samantha X Heroes, her male escorts, set to launch before the end of the year.
For more information, visit www.samanthaxangels.com.au
More about Samantha X:
Growing up in London, Samantha attended an elite girl’s private school before launching her career as a young, bright eyed reporter at a London tabloid newspaper. In the year 2000, she decided to give up London life for sun and sea and set up home in Sydney. There, she spent 10 happy years writing for Australia’s top magazines - including New Idea, InStyle and Prevention. She also worked as a producer on Seven’s Today Tonight and as the regular beauty expert on the network’s The Morning Show.
Meanwhile, Samantha’s marriage to the father of her two children had broken down. A few failed relationships later, Samantha decided to dip her toe into what she felt was an empowering profession - and became a high-class escort. While she expected glitz, glamour and let’s face it, lots of sex, she was surprised to learn that her new career required more ethics and kindness than that of a hard-nosed reporter, where phone hacking, fabricating stories and chasing celebrities down the street were considered de rigueur.
Two years later, after penning her tell-all book, Samantha X went from quietly earning $5000 per night, to having her story plastered on media outlets worldwide, to mixed opinion. But, the overwhelming responses she received came from smart, educated and professional women seeking advice on how to become an escort themselves. A year later, emails were still streaming in from around the world. Samantha decided to put a call out to women interested in joining a potential new escort agency. She was inundated with responses, and after an extensive recruitment process, Samantha X Angels was born.
Who are the Samantha X Angels?
Described as providing "an opportunity for women who want to explore their fantasies of being an escort, while providing a high-class, premium experience for carefully vetted clients", the agency currently employs 13 women from all walks of life, personalities and body shapes.
Among them are... "lawyers, grandmothers, cancer-survivors, government and finance professionals, all chosen for their intelligence, warmth and compassion, more than their looks, age and dress size. Some are married and escorting with the approval of their spouses, some are single, and some are somewhere in between. All are thoroughly enjoying being wined and dined by a bevy of wealthy men."
“My work as an escort has shown me that what women really have to offer in this industry goes far deeper than their physical beauty,” says Samantha, who says that clients are more often seeking companionship and conversation than sexual gratification.
“I was looking for women who could hold and lead a conversation. Women who had life experience, who were genuinely excited about pursuing this career, and women who loved the company of men, of course!”
Samantha personally vets clients to ensure her Angels are "safe and prepared, and mentors them to ensure clients are getting the quality of conversation, warmth, empathy and overall experience they are paying for."
Clients pay for "the quality time spent with Angels, and not for sexual acts performed and must abide by strict conduct guidelines, as stipulated by Samantha personally."
Prices start from $800 an hour and predominantly include "wining, dining, conversation and, of course, 'that little something extra'."
For more information, visit www.samanthaxangels.com.au
Labels:
Australiana,
Controversy,
Magazines,
Sex,
This Just In,
Women
'Doujon's Heart' Book Launch: Zammit and Gribilas Families: PHOTOS
What a day it was today.
The book is very much also the story of Kosta Gribilas, the man who received Doujon's heart in a heart transplant operation half a world away in Greece, the same country where Doujon met his tragic fate.
It's also the story of the incredible friendship forged between two families, joined by tragedy, and forever linked by the chain of events, a story many around the world now know.
And: it's the story of unspeakable sadness, experienced again when Kosta and his wife Poppy lost their beloved baby daughter Konstantina Angelique.
The authors Greg Callaghan and Ian Cuthbertson have captured the stories of all these incredible people, and the collision of events which led to a lifelong bond.
The book is out August 31, and can be pre-ordered now.
The event: a beautiful event held at NSW Parliament House, officially launched by the Hon. Jillian Skinner, MP NSW Minister for Health, introduced by Dr Alan Amodeo, Director of Transplant Australia, with authors Greg Callaghan and Ian Cuthbertson expressing their gratitude working on this immense and emotional project, and Dr Elena Cavazzoni, NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service's state medical director, who gave some sobering stats on organ donation (see clip below), and what it all truly means, beyond the actual organ donation.
And then: Rosemarie spoke her beautiful heartfelt words, knowing what a journey it has been, and honouring her family and her 'earth angels', Oliver spoke off the cuff and we shed tears alongside him, and then some concise and emotional words from Kosta, with wife Poppy by his side. Allen and Unwin publisher Jane Palfreyman also spoke about how this story came to life in book format, and the audience all agreed with the authors' sentiments: how can you not love these beautiful people?
Here are some snaps and pics from the day (there are probably far too many of me and the families, more than I'd usually post in an event wrap up, but I was so happy for all involved today, and thought I'd also share some of my snaps, too):
Rosemarie and Oliver Zammit, just after the book is officially launched |
Kosta Gribilas signing books, alongside his wife Poppy, below |
Rosemarie and Oliver Zammit, and Poppy and Kosta Gribilas |
Rosemarie and Oliver Zammit signing books side by side, just as they everything in life |
Zeake Zammit and Josie |
Oliver Zammit signing books
|
Labels:
Australiana,
Books,
Emotional,
Health,
Insight,
Inspiration,
Sad,
This Just In
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