Jane Merrow asked:


Two of the leading issues needing urgent attention in our world are the environment and proper communication between two major opposing cultures. From these dual problems stem many other concerns.
The environment is a dilemma, about which we can all do something; we just need to curb our greed and laziness. British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson has promised to spend up to $3 billion over the next 10 years on projects aimed at tackling the environmental problem. This is a significant gesture and the publicity alone is valuable in focusing our attention on the issue. The great gift the media has, is the constant ability to shine a light on aspects of our lives for good or bad. This is definitely one for the good and Sir Richard’s gesture may prod others to follow suit.
The other issue is more complex and is based largely on the economics and power games of man’s ambitions.
Just three weeks ago the actor, Mr. George Clooney addressed the United Nations Assembly on the tragedy in Darfur, which is growing into a runaway catastrophe. As ever, this is a man made disaster made from different tribal/religious/power factions reminiscent of Nazi Germany, determined by a better equipped, more powerful section of the region to annihilate a weaker group, who have the same human rights to live peaceful lives without fear or hunger, as their oppressors.
Mr. Clooney warned the UN that this tragedy “would be on their watch”; this is a very powerful phrase and I wondered how it translated into the other languages of the listeners. Would it lose some or much of its strength in its interpretation by the very detached and unemotional renditions by the UN interpreters? If only we spoke the same language, would we be able to communicate as powerfully as is often necessary to get the message across?
Two weeks ago US President George Bush and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad each individually addressed the UN, regarding Iran’s position on nuclear development. What if President Bush spoke Farsi and President Ahmadinejad could or would speak English and they sat down together and communicated with each other properly. Naïve, you may say. But maybe not, after all they are only men, human beings like the rest of us and if they could communicate and speak each other’s language , maybe they would find the humanity in each other.
The more we speak to each other, in the other’s language and acknowledge and respect each other’s culture, the safer our little planet will be.

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Mitra Naeimi asked:


In late 2006, Lifestyle of MSN declared the most influential men and women of 2006. According to this list the men are:

1. Sacha Baron Cohen

2. Al Gore,

3. Barak Obama,

4. Chad Hurley and Steve Chen,

5. Bashar Al-Assad,

6. Stephen Colbert,

7. Muhammad Yunus,

8. George Clooeny,

9. Warren Buffett and Bill Gates

10. George W Bush

And women are:

1- Nancy Pelosi

2- Rachael Ray

3-Condoleezza Rice

4-Ladda “Tammy” Duckworth

5-Katie Couric

6- Rose Ann DeMoro

7- The CEOs: Meg Whitman, Anne Mulcahy, Amy Pascal and Brenda Barnes

8- Hillary Clinton

9- Ali Hewson

10- Rachel Zoe

11- Britney Spears

Mostly all Are Americans

There is an interesting correlation between the nationality of writer, Janet Frank Atkinson, and the nationality of most chosen persons; they are American.

May be every body else in Atkinson’s shoes did the same and chose people with nationality of herself or himself.

But every person with a responsibility in media should be cautious not to manipulate public opinion, especially public opinion of the world, not only Americans.

The Only Infamous Person of the List;

a Middle East Muslim

There are only some persons in this list that aren’t American;

1- Sacha Baron Cohen, the British comedian

2- Another one is the partner of a white person, as I ‘m not sure about the nationality of the white person I don’t judge, but it is obvious that the other person is an Asian so may be he is chosen because of his white partner who is an American or European.

3- The third one is Bashar All-Asad , the only Arab and Muslim person and absolutely from Middle East .It ’s increadible, he is also the only infamous person according to Atkinson ! the only infamous but influential !

4-The only optimistic spot to the view of writer is Muhammad Yunus . What a lucky person he is! Because he is the only not-American ,Muslim and Asian and according to Atkinson a good one too . But we should consider this point that he is not from Middle East!

What Does Influential Truly Mean?

What is the influence of Britney Spears in the world?

Is she influence because most searched topic on Internet search engines in 2006 was her name and her images? Or because no one better than Spears know how to intrigue others’ attention?

What about George Clooney? Is Hollywood’s advertisement the reason of his influence?

What about Ali Hewson ,is she influential because of Edun ,her clothing label ?Or Rachel Zoe, the Hollywood stylist?

What about Rachael Ray? How many hungry people in the world watch her 30 Minute Meals! Does she cook for them? If according to Atkinson she is one of the sexiest person in the world, does influential mean sexy?

Do you know Barack Obama ? According to Atkinson he is influential because people think he should run for president in the future!

What is the good influence of Condoleezza Rice or George W Bush?

What is the opinion of Iraqis and Afghans about these two people ? For what they are influential? For peace or for war? Are they famous or infamous?

What about Ladda “Tammy” Duckworth , An U.S. Army Major in Iraq war ?

What about Nancy Pelosi or Hillary Clinton, How many Africans or Asians know this American politician whether a successful woman or not?

Regarding Atkinson selection, I ‘d like to categorize this people to four group to explain that influential means belong to one of below groups:

1- Actor, singer ,showman ,comedian or stylist :8 choices

2- politician or military : 7 choices

3- Businessman mostly those who have a work related to world wide web and network :3 choices

4- Charitable founder and social activist :2 choices

What Is the Logic of This Selection?

Are those people who are beautiful, sexy and person of style, the most influential? Or those people who are famous because of advertisement? Or those who are billionaire?

What should we do if we want become one of the most influential person of 2007?

Do we should begin a war and give other people democracy with bomb?

What is the position of scientist in this list or the position of proffessors, writers and intellectuals?

Regarding my assortment;

1- The individuals of first group are more popular than influential .They are mostly popular artist through advertisement and have a strong relationship with American pop culture and American entertainment especially Hollywood.

The only distinctive person in this group is Stephen Colbert who

made up words such as “truthiness”—defined as “truth that comes from the gut, not books .

2- Individuals of the second group are powerful and their influence isn’t a positive kind. Therefore there is no creditable person among them. George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice are the worst choices in the list. That’s right that they had influence but not a good one.

3-And persons of third group are more rich than influential.

But I can name Warren Buffett and Bill Gates those billionaire whose efforts and struggles even for themselves are admirable and also they are philanthropic.

4- Regarding influence of previous groups, only some people have a great positive influence and they are the individuals of fourth group :

First Rose Ann DeMoro a nurse who fights for universal health

care

Second Muhammad Yunus often called “the Banker to the

Poor,” who also received the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for

helping reduce poverty throughout Bangladesh.

Process of selection

This list is very intriguing, what is the process of this selection?

I think the process has three part;

Manipulating the public opinion of the world by

1- Glorifying and globalizing the American individuals; today,in the world of powerful media, besides a national figure, every body have a global figure too and every body can influence the world .But beyond this fact ,we face with another fact ;some times media try to glorify ordinary people or globalizing some individuals that have only a local or national influence , popularity or fame .

In this selection we also face with such a glorifying or globalizing as I clarified that mostly all choices are American and some of them don’t have a strong influence, fame or popularity in the world.

2- Vilifying and accusing the other

Some times for glorifying one person or one race, religion or nationality we need to vilify and accuse the other one.

As I explained that the only person among men and women in this list who according to writer explanation is infamous and accordingly influential is Bashar All-Asad, the person who is Muslim and from Middle East too.

3- Stars of Media Are Influential

Those people are influential that huge media and advertisements say they are.

Who determines that George W Bush is famous and Bashar All- Asad is infamous?

As I explained about the first group of the list their work have a strong relationship with media.

Also regarding the second group, today the first powerful persons are those who are powerful through media too.

And considering third group ,first business is Network and the producers and managers of especially new media are billionaire and therefore influential.

Also, if today being beautiful ,sexy, powerful and billionaire is more valuable than being thoughtful, scientist or inventor ,as examples, it is the advantage of media too.

Therefore one of important thing is that famous or infamous, popular or influential, it’s mostly the function of media.

4-Philanthropiy; logically the only logic

The only exception in the Atkinson’s list is fourth group .Those who are influential but not through media, they aren’t the most beautiful ,powerful and the richest people .

Influence of the most influential list

When I read the comments of this news in the MSN I faced an interesting comment. Someone had written that If the people listed at the link are influential, we are in a whole lot of trouble.

Another one had asked who those people are when we only recognize some of them and had ordered to pick those we know ,may be for 2007.

Another interesting comment was about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad .Some one had claimed that another influential man this year is who in 2006 has denied the holocaust ever happened and has also expressed that Israel should be wiped off the map. Another one claimed that Janet Frank Atkinson has forgotten Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hizbollah ,who is widely credited in Lebanon for ending the Israeli occupation in Southern Lebanon .

Beyond these comments and the other comments and ideas, the point that is important is that such selection doesn’t have a standard and canon except media itself.

But these are audiences that shouldn’t allow media to manipulate their opinions. May be today they aren’t as strong as media.

But will a day come that audiences become as strong as media. May be that day is a day that every one has a private medium himself or herself, the day that at least every one has a web log. Therefore please vote about Atkinson’s list and my analyses with your comment to become as powerful as media.

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RedHotPie asked:


Online dating website RedHotPie has rated the sexiest of the sexy, the raunchiest of the raunchy, and the naughtiest of the naughty in movies to produce it’s Top Ten Sexy Movie Moments. So which raunchy sex scenes are sure to get you off this month? And which hot cinematic moment made it to number one?

10. Out of Sight
With hotties such as Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney, you know there’s bound to be something sexy going on. Things get really steamy when the red hot chemistry between Lopez and Clooney shoots of the screen in the first sex scene that takes place in the boot of a car while the two are fully clothed. It brings new meaning to the phrase; ‘the most fun you can have with your clothes on’.

9. Cruel Intentions
Hollywood’s teen remake of Dangerous Liaisons is full of sexual tension and lusty naughtiness. The real show stopper was when former vampire slayer teaches a young Selma Blair how to kiss. The girl on girl action was enough to make any teenage boy squirt his shorts.

8.Cool Hand Luke
Paul Newman plays a convict who refuses to be broken by the system. When the prison’s chain gang are outside toiling the earth in the heat of the day, they watch lustily as a busty girl washes her car and plays with the hose and foam. Copied hundreds of time since, this is sexy moment that has lasted the true test of time.

7. Women in Love
This movie was praised for the cinematic first of a nude male wrestling scene between actors Alan Bates and Oliver Reed. Good old fashion heat and tension was enough to get everyone feeling a little frisky.

6. Fatal Attraction
Famous for it’s psychotic leading lady, Fatal Attraction is also full of rampant and abandoned sex. Michael Douglas is the married man looking for action, Glenn Close is the blonde whose charms he cannot resist. In one raunchy scene they have wild sex in a goods lift with both actors turning in fantastically passionate performances.

5. Boogie Nights
A movie about the porn industry must earn its stripes by offering something super sexy and Boogie Nights certainly delivers. Filled with lusty explicit sex scenes, our vote for sexiest moment goes to scene where Wahlberg and Julianne Moore have sex on camera as porn stars for the first time.

4. Wild Things
It’s tacky and trashy but like any naughty little indulgence, oh so good. With so many hot moments to choose from it’s hard to pick just one that makes it onto number four on our count down – we’d have to say that it’s a tie between the moment when super babes Neve Campbell and Denise Richards get it on, and the scene where the pair are joined by Matt Dilllon (who plays their teacher) in a threesome. We may have to watch it again to make a final decision.

3. Tipping the Velvet
This TV adaptation of Sarah Walters’ novel was so sexy that it is quite possibly the most controversial BBC primetime production ever screened. From its title, a Victorian euphemism for cunnilingus, to our favourite scene, when heroine Nan is pleasured by her dominatrix lover using a leather dildo, it was extraordinarily raunchy and threw the tabloid press into a frenzy for weeks.

2. From Dusk Till Dawn
Fans of the erotic are entertained by one stand out scene of pure, unadulterated sexy showmanship when Latino sex bomb Salma Hayek performs a fantastically erotic dance, half naked and accompanied by a huge snake in front of a leering audience.

1. Emmanuelle
The sexy moments in this 1970s soft core classic are almost too numerous to mention and that’s why we’ve awarded this movie number one. The best scene is probably (so hard to choose just one!) when Emmanuelle and his young lover masturbate over a picture of Paul Newman bringing each other to a climatic performance worthy of an Oscar.


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Tim Bryce asked:


Endorsements by celebrities have been a powerful way of selling products for a long time. Early movie stars and popular athletes helped sell a wide variety of consumer goods, such as cigarettes, beverages, candy bars, automobiles, even Jello. And it seemed to work well as people clamored for the latest product endorsed by their heroes. Today, athletes like Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan have kicked it up a big notch to sell such things as automobiles, underwear and athletic equipment. Following this, companies like Nike and Adidas cut deals with Colleges and High Schools so the athletes will wear their logos in order to impress young people. For women, Hollywood actresses help sell tons of beauty products and clothing. Bottom-line, celebrity endorsements are an important part of marketing products to the general public.

But would you really buy a product simply because a celebrity endorses it? Well, for low-ticket items, maybe, but for high-ticket items like automobiles, hopefully not. Celebrities may be good for drawing attention to such products, but I would like to check it out more closely before slapping down a huge chunk of change. It’s interesting that advertisers find it more important to sell image as opposed to a product’s features and benefits. For example, how many times have you watched a television commercial and you weren’t exactly sure what they were selling?

This is also why celebrities have to cultivate their image. If their appearance and actions send the wrong signals, however slight, advertisers will avoid them like the plague. It also means they are under considerable pressure to be successful in their chosen field. The gravy train will inevitably run out if they fail. It kind of makes you wonder what these people are like when the cameras are turned off and they can act like human beings.

Celebrities are also useful for drawing attention to charities. I think just about everyone on the planet has seen Sally Struthers support the “Save the Children Fund.” Such efforts are greatly appreciated by nonprofit organizations. As for the celebrities, you have to wonder though if they passionately believe in the charity they endorse or are they doing it simply because it is politically correct and can help their careers.

Celebrities have also become an integral part of politics since the 1960’s. Prior to this, movie stars used to stay out of the political arena as studio moguls considered it bad business. Sure, they had their opinions but they basically kept them to themselves as they didn’t want to offend anyone which might effect ticket sales at the box office.

Today we have a wide array of actors and actresses stumping for their politician du jour. One has to wonder though if celebrity endorsements really helps in this regards. For example, actor George Clooney stumped for his Dad, Nick Clooney, when he ran for Congress in Kentucky a few years ago, but this didn’t appear to help and may have actually hurt the campaign. Now we have the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Chuck Norris, Barbra Streisand, etc, who have all weighed in on their political favorites. But does their endorsements impact voters? Well, according to a recent CNN poll, 11% responded they would vote for a politician based on a celebrity endorsement. This may be a small number, but it is still significant and growing.

It used to be politicians would solicit endorsements from newspapers, labor unions, and other civic organizations. But the tide is starting to turn as they are now actively recruiting celebrity endorsements. Any endorsement might be nice, but I have to question whether the individual or group is really qualified to render an opinion. As for me, I still want to check under the hood and kick the tires a few times before I invest in a high-ticket item.

For a listing of Tim’s Pet Peeves, click HERE.

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Dan Mangru asked:

Amongst their company were George Clooney and his lady friend.

The Imperato’s and Clooney were seated next to each other at the posh Manhattan eatery while enjoying a late night dinner.

Although the subject matter of the conversation remains unknown, Imperato may have been discussing his upcoming i1films release, “The Red Worm”, with Clooney.

Clooney is best known for his roles on ER, Batman, Ocean’s Eleven, Good Night and Good Luck, and Syriana.

Adding Clooney to the cast of “The Red Worm” adds to a high powered dynamic list of actors and producers that have expressed interest in participating with the film that includes Al Pacino, John Daly, Julio Herzer, and Sean Connery.

Imperato is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly meetings as well as his “Gathering the Nations” reception for dignitaries, ambassadors, business leaders, and special invited guests.

The event will launch the Imperato Worldwide Association, a project of the Imperato Foundation and will be held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue.

Inquiries for the event can be made to info@imperatofoundation.org or by calling 561-515-6048.

*** This release has been created by i1connect, an independent news agency.***

About i1connect:

I1 Connect (www.i1connect.com) is the new online leader in global public relations and advertising. With a diversified set of offerings ranging from Public Relations, Press Releases Distribution, Advertising, Marketing, Website Development, to Investor Relations services, i1connect.com has positioned itself for a long term growth utilizing the latest in telecommunications technology.

For Interviews and Media Inquiries Contact

Press Department

I1connect

info@i1connect.com

www.i1connect.com

(561) 515-6177

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Bob Alexander asked:


When the final chapter in my life’s story has been written and work on the screenplay for the movie begins, someone will be faced with the difficult assignment of deciding who will play me on the big screen.  It won’t be an easy task because it will take an actor of the first water to capture the true essence of me.
My life has had the same assortments of successes and failures, tears, both of joy and of sorrow, grand excitement and heart-rending disappointments as everyone else in this world.  I can say though, in all honesty I’ve never been bored a day in my life!
    I guess I’ve been thoroughly blessed to have survived in this world as long as I have without the benefit of a burning desire for anything, leaving me slightly out of step with all the movers and shakers of this world.  Does that mean that I’ve been without dreams and goals to achieve them?  No! 
Having no great desire to save the world, cure cancer or control a corporate empire has worked well for me. With only a few exceptions there’s not a thing I would change if I had all this to do over again. There are enough surprises jumping out at us when we least expect it to overcome any thoughts of succumbing to boredom, which I believe is a sin!
Who then, if this epic of human survival were cast today, would I choose for that role of a lifetime?  Not just anyone could carry off such an assignment.  After much thought, I’ve narrowed the field down to just a few that could seriously portray me on the big screen.
As my younger self, would be the one I would definitely choose to play me, if for no other reason than he’s the only young actor I can think of at the moment.  He’s obviously talented, for I’ve seen him in several movies, other than “Second Hand Lion,” with Robert Duvall and Michael Caine.  Dye his hair a little darker and he could be me in my younger years.
Al Pacino would be a favorable choice for an older me.  He lives the character and in just a few scenes you forget that he’s Al Pacino.  That’s the kind of man who can capture the real Bob Alexander.  I can see Al now, smiling as he says, “Say hello to my little friend!” Oops!  Wrong movie!
Unfortunately I don’t believe this part is crying out for Mr. Pacino.  This is the role every actor dreams about, but he seems a little too serious accurately portray me.  I’ve never found a serious situation that couldn’t be improved by a little humor.  Some believe this to be a flaw in my character but I believe it to be genetic and it’s not my fault!  I was born with this affliction.
I think the ability to find humor in the most dire of situation has been passed down to my brother also.  A case in point is a dilemma my family encountered when my mother passed away.
As befitting a good country song, it was raining on the day before her funeral and the weather outlook for the next day was more of the same.  In addition, when my brothers and I were seated in the funeral home with the director, we found that the day was already booked.  There were four interments already scheduled, but the gentleman said that he could squeeze us in at 8:00 a.m.  We all determined that this was much too early for such an event.
My brother broke the silence that ensued with, “What’s the chance there will be a cancellation tomorrow?”  The funeral director looked surprised and in a shocked voice replied, “I don’t think I’ve ever been asked that before.”  We all had a good laugh that broke, for the moment, the somber mood that had been cast over the room.  Mother would have been proud!
When it comes down to deciding just who will be the lucky fellow to play me, I’ll have to go with George Clooney.  Not only is he a good actor, he has a wit about him that is reminiscent of my humor.  Put that together with his good looks, and he would be the perfect choice to play the role of Bob Alexander.

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Groshan Fabiola asked:


Things have been heating up for the CSI cast members on and off the set. It was reported that Gary Dourdan, who portrays Warrick Brown on the highly-watched drama series, is currently going out with Lisa Snowdon.

It may pain many of Dourdan’s female followers to know that not only is Snowdon an English supermodel, she is also an actress, a television presenter and a singer. As if that wasn’t enough to make Snowdon the “Total Package,” she has also appeared in numerous fashion magazines, such as Vogue, Marie Claire and Cosmpolitan, and has modeled for several lingerie lines.

Snowdon’s undeniable beauty has clearly made her desirable to regular people and celebrities alike. One of her more popular former boyfriends is none other than the equally sought-after and award-winning actor George Clooney. Clooney and Snowdon first started seeing each other back in 2000, and after a few years apart, resumed their courtship some time in 2004. Snowdon even accompanied Clooney to the premiere of the hit sequel, Ocean’s 12, where she was pleasantly overwhelmed by all the flashing lights and the red carpet.

There is one tiny ray of light that Dourdan’s female fanbase can cling onto. Apparently, Snowdon does not plan to get too seriously involved with Dourdan at the moment, and does not seem ready to engage in a long-distance relationship. Although she is attracted to Dourdan, she is not hesitant about exploring other possibilities, and it sounds like she will not experience any major heartache should Dourdan choose to do the same.

Like her involvement with Clooney, Snowdon had actually already gone out with Dourdon in the past. It seems that they decided to put their dating on hold because they could not deal with the pressure of constantly being away from each other, as both of them had (and still have) highly demanding work schedules.

For more resources about CSI and especially about CSI Actor is Dating George Clooney’s Ex-Girlfriend please visit http://www.buddytv.com

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Amir Ragporker asked:



Many have been there, taking your mate to a movie, a romantic comedy on Valentine’s day. But here is the thing, if you are a man, you dislike the movie but have to go, if you are a woman you might enjoy the movie but feel bad for your boyfriend.

The solution to this matter doesn’t stand anywhere between E-Walk or AMC 25 Empire, it sits on a chair in the middle of the road.

That means a movie which contains both sides of the agenda.

Can a romantic action survive? George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez tried it in their movie, Out of Sight, and haven’t find any success. And many other movies sunk like they where a fish who swallowed a heavy stone.

I have the answer for this matter. A movie which is a sort of a mix of everything. Do you like Woody Allen? Do you love romantic comedies? how about tragic stories like William Shakespeare wrote? And would like the Matrix?

Yes, almost everything in one little movie. I would recommend it and write the name of this movie in the end of this article (don’t jump down, just read until the end).

This movie is an ensemble. couple of stories, vignettes my friend loves to call them. Are they a valentine’s day material, you bet you they are. If you want a moment to kiss your girlfriend, you have plenty of those. If you want a moment where your jaw drop of excitement, I can see couple of those moments.

I can attach you with some incredible movies made in recent years, that might came close, 4 rooms, Magnolia and… well… go figure.

Some people are very excited about this movie, as I am about the reveal it’s name, I must tell you that A friend of mine, went to the hospital by just reading the script. I want kicked out of the synagogue after revealing the script to couple of people. Some people stopped speaking to me because of this script. Some agents and producers refused to help with the project, since it might give some bad reputation to them.

So, this movie is called, One Way Out ? . This movie will be released this year, some time soon. So you are probably asking yourself, why am I reading this right now Mr. Amir Ragporker. So You will remember to rent One Way Out ? next Valentine’s day…

(Writer is the Writer/Director of One Way Out ? - released in late 2008)

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Janet Martin asked:


They may not admit it but some of our favorite celebrities are believed to have undergone blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery to eliminate their eye bags and give them a fresher and more youthful look.

This is the opinion of some plastic surgeons who have noticed the dramatic changes in Bono, George Clooney, and other stars that now look “different” allegedly because of plastic surgery. These interesting observations can be gleaned from mybodypart.com.

U2 lead singer Bono is no longer wearing his trademark sunglasses these days and his eye bags have mysteriously disappeared, making some doctors speculate that he has gone under the knife recently.

Dr. Lucy Glancey, a UK-based plastic surgeon, said bruising is a common “aftermath” of such a procedure that normally lasts for six weeks. She said this is the reason why Bono has been hiding under those sunglasses for quite some time.

“I definitely think Bono has had lower blepharoplasty - lower eyelid surgery - which the plaster covered up back in December. He probably had quite a bit of bruising under the eye at this time - sometimes you get no bruising after surgery,