Tania Machowska asked:


With a distinctive mane of lively red hair, pale skin and a cupid-bow mouth, Lily Cole is one of the UK’s top models. At just 18 years old, she is said to be worth around £11 million.

Her Rise and Rise

At 14 years old, a modelling scout spotted Torquay-born Cole as she devoured a burger in Central London. Cole initially ran away believing a ‘dodgy guy’ was chasing her but when asked to consider modelling, she accepted their offer. Soon after, Cole signed with Storm, a top agency representing models such as Kate Moss and Elle Macpherson.

Cole’s modeling career took off in 2003 when she worked for Italian Vogue with Stephen Meisel, the photographer responsible for Madonna’s SEX book. This catapulted Cole into the spotlight and in 2004, she appeared on the cover of Vogue and won the coveted Model of the Year prize at the British Fashion Awards. Cole would later work with many more major fashion photographers, including David Bailey, Craig McDean, Nick Knight, Juergen Teller, Irving Penn and Arthur Elgort.

Fashion’s Brightest Star

Her long limbs and porcelain doll features have made Cole a hit with the most prestigious designers. She is frequently seen on all the major catwalks and has appeared in shows by Jean Paul Gaultier, DKNY, Versace, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Louis Vuitton.

One of Britain’s most recognisable models, Cole has appeared on countless magazine covers, including ID, Numero and the American, Italian, British, Japanese and Korean editions of Vogue. Cole has also appeared in advertising campaigns for a number of designers such as Christian Lacroix, Chanel, Hermès, Longchamp and Cacharel.

At Christian Dior’s recent 60th anniversary show, Cole’s reputation as a top model was cemented. Appearing alongside legendary models such as Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Karen Mulder, Lily was one of the only young models invited to participate.

She is the face of Accessorize and two fragrances: Ghost’s Anticipation and Moschino’s I Love Love. She was recently approached to become the face of De Beers diamonds but declined due to claims that native bushmen in Botswana had been thrown off their land to make room for De Beers’s new mining sites.

Other Talents

Cole has brains as well as beauty. In Summer 2006, she achieved three A’s in her A-Level English, Politics and Philosophy and Ethics exams. This earned her a place to study Social and Political Sciences at Cambridge University, although she has deferred her course for the foreseeable future due to her career.

Cole also has plans to embark on an acting career and was recently cast as Alice in Marilyn Manson’s upcoming film Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll. A number of critically acclaimed shorts from the film have already been featured on Manson’s website and a feature length film is also planned. It has also been recently announced that Cole will join the cast of St Trinians, Rupert Everett, Colin Firth and Stephen Fry.

What’s next?

With brains, beauty and a blossoming film career, Cole has world at her feet. Will she continue modelling for multi-million pound contracts or will we see her embarking on a career in academia or Hollywood? The fashion world waits with baited breath…

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Catherine Harvey asked:


The housing market in the UK is in a very precarious position right now. This is putting off many investors and they are choosing to put their money into foreign property instead.

Trends in foreign property investment come and go and the long standing villa in Spain is moving over for those looking for something a little less ordinary. Spain has been favoured by the British for many years because of its ‘Englishness’, which defeats the object a little. With its chip shops, bars and ex pat community many consider this a mini Britain but with a better climate.

Property prices in Spain were relatively cheap and building developments sprung up everywhere. Nowadays, investors are stretching their imagination and looking to further climes to sink their money.

One of the hotspots of foreign property opening up right now is Brazil. Farms in Brazil that produce cotton, soya beans, corn and sunflowers are currently being snapped up for $500 US per acre. This is an absolute bargain in a beautifully hot country full of culture.

Another place rich in culture and ripe for investment is Marrakesh. Think more than mosques, souks and carpets. Think small Riad - a traditional Moorish house for $400,000. This may seem a little pricey now but foreign property here has risen by 50% in the last two years and this steep climb looks set to continue so snap one up now.

House prices in Australia have seen the same difficulties as the UK market and its instability is not expected to recover any time soon. However, if you can afford to hang on to your investment in foreign property and are not looking for a quick turn over then Australia could prove a wise choice in the long run.

The same is true of Germany. Bargains are still to be snapped up but for those less impatient investors, the economy is showing good signs of recovery and you could soon be making a profit on your foreign property.

One place you will find difficult to invest in is parts of China. The Shanghai government have imposed restrictions on foreign property investors because, they say, their own families who are on low incomes are suffering due to lack of available property.

For the truly wealthy who are looking for somewhere a little different to invest in, try Megeve. At the foot of Mont Blanc, this little village is very popular amongst the rich and famous. Top celebrities such as Elle MacPhearson, Naomi Campbell and Hugh Grant as well as the Swedish royal family can be seen here on a regular basis.

Do not expect this investment to come cheap, though. Three bedroom chalets start at $5 US million and a one bedroom apartment could set you back a whopping $900,000. Having said that, if you can afford one of these places that you would be happy to let out for the best part of the year, the area has an excellent rental market with one bedroom places going for $2,500 per week! This is one area of the world that has not suffered a recession in the housing market and prices have continued to grow since 2000 at a rate of 20% per year!

Foreign property is a good investment but it pays to do your homework. Don’t just settle for the typical Spanish villa - it’s a big world out there and so many opportunities for those that can afford it.

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James G Kamweru asked:


The British high profile individuals continue to render a lot of support to the ailing tourism sector in Kenya. Virgin Atlantic boss sir Richard Branson has added his influence and wealth to the campaign. Apart from building a hotel in the famous Maasai Mara national park, Sir Richard is committing about a quarter of a million British pounds in direct marketing of the country.

Naomi Campbell has also been in the news in the recent past campaigning for Kenya. She owns a tourist resort in Malindi where she visits every year. Although a lot of assurances have been given to tourists that Kenya has returned to normalcy, tourists have largely kept away, leaving a large workforce of people who rely on tourism jobless.

The virgin Atlantic boss seems to have a lot of fondness for Kenya. His airline flies to Kenya daily from Britain a commitment they retained even at the height of ethnic tensions in the country albeit at a loss. His company is also the official sponsor of Kenya’s sevens a side rugby team the most travelled and successful sporting team in Kenya.

The effects of the skirmishes earlier in the year continue to be felt in the country. The massive negative publicity that the country received in the first two months of this year led to many cancelations and resheduling of arranged tours. Different approaches have been adopted to try and woo back the tourists in Kenya.

In late April, a group of international journalists were invited into the country to try and correct the image back in their countries. Another team of tour operators from Kenya’s source markets also toured Kenya, to see for themselves the situation on the ground. The efforts are yet to produce any tangible results with most tourist resorts remaining under utilised.

This prolonged shunning of the country by tourists could be the longest the sector has ever suffered. Interestingly, the greatest beneficiary of the crisis in Kenya was South Africa. The tourism giant finds itself in the same situation Kenya was earlier in the year with violence breaking out, pitting African foreigners against the locals. With an influx of Zimbabwe nationals walking into the South African territory, it has become an easy scape goat for the South Africans to blame them for all their woos.

This is the last thing the tourists want to see. With the world cup set to be held in the country in only two years time, it will be in the interest of not only South Africa but for the whole of Africa to contain the skirmishes within the shortest time possible. It is not encouraging to hear talk of a fully fledged civil war from down South.

The breaking out of violence in South Africa could have adverse effects in their well marketed tourism industry heading to the peak season. Like Kenya earlier in the year, camps are being set up for people whose property has been damaged or whose lives are in danger. These are situations that the two countries are not used to dealing with because they have enjoyed peace most of the time.

It is of utmost importance for South Africa to quell the violence fast to avoid a situation where skeptics who are of the view that Africa is insecure to host a big event like the world cup will have ground to argue their case. Whether or not the situation down south will work in Kenya’s favour waits to be seen.

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Sheila Nelson asked:


Marc Jacobs handbags are known for being very versatile, and chic. Added to the Marc Jacobs International line in 2000, Jacobs handbags have since become one of the most coveted products available. Marc Jacobs handbags are commonly made from soft calfskin and feature signature details, such as polished gold metal hardware and buckles, and they instantly glam up any outfit. Jacobs handbags are produced with the finest materials in order to present a high quality handbag.

Marc Jacobs handbags are also known for their fashion forward edginess and defining grunge look which is startling but also pleasing to many women. Jacobs’ edgy creations have appealed to the hip, youthful and trendsetting crowd since the 1990s, which has made him a legend among fashion forward celebrities. Super models Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell were willing to walk his first runway show free of charge. Even as Jacobs’ handbag line swelled in popularity, Marc by Marc Jacobs handbags maintained Jacobs’ singular style and continued to display a sophistication that never swayed with changing trends.

Marc Jacobs handbags come in a range of materials from classic leather to modern linen. The more notable Marc by Marc Jacobs handbags are the leather patchwork or quilted designs that are usually outfitted with gold fittings and accessories. Some of Jacobs handbag designs utilize all kinds of leather such as ostrich and others for the more particular consumers. Jacobs usually have designs for each season, and they appeal to all kinds of women. Jacobs handbag designs are also very casual and are made in refreshing colors.

Jacobs defines himself for his excellence in design and his eye for fashion forward style. With bold colors and striking styles, Marc Jacobs handbags are made for women who pride themselves on distinction. Jacobs continue to create and gain supporters and fans for his highly sought after Marc by Marc Jacobs brand, which includes his prestigious handbag collection. Jacobs was the youngest artist to be awarded The Council of Fashion Designer’s of America’s (CFDA), Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent, a Nobel Prize of the fashion industry. Marc Jacobs has made an excellent name for him and continues down the path of success in the fashion industry.

Marc Jacobs’ original handbags are shipped directly from Italy and come with an elegant dust bag. Marc by Marc Jacobs handbags can be found at major high end department stores such Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom’s.

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Uruguay Properties asked:


Ten reasons to live in Uruguay

* You and your family will be able to live peacefully in one of the safest places in the world. Rediscover the pleasure of walking undisturbed down the street and of seeing your children playing carefree in the many parks found throughout the country.

* Uruguay has clean air, sparkling waters and plenty of green spaces. Your quality of life is guaranteed in a country where nature and respect for the environment rule.

* Uruguayans are a kind, open and educated people, for the most part of European descent.

* In Uruguay you can go from the city to the countryside or the beach in less than 30 minutes. Everything is nearby; everything is easier.

* It is a fair weathered country and you and your family will be safe from extreme climate events. There are neither snow nor sand storms, nor heat waves that can affect the health of the population.

* There are no geographical features that produce earthquakes, hurricanes or any other dangerous natural phenomena.

* Uruguayans are a peaceful people who are not involved in any warfare and are not targeted by terrorist movements. They live in harmony with their neighbors and with all the nations in the world.

* Many Uruguayans speak English as a second language. This will allow you to communicate easily in many spheres of life, including cultural activities and business. Education is constantly expanding in Uruguay. The country’s inhabitants have a high cultural level, ranking among the first places in Latin American.

* Uruguay has a vast cultural offering, which includes theater, music and gastronomic options. You are sure to find many of your favorite choices of food, as well as new flavors just waiting to be discovered.

* You and your family will be able to enjoy deserted beaches, unending fields, or glamorous beach resorts. Punta del Este, one of the most exclusives spots in the planet, is visited every year by personalities such as Ralph Lauren or Naomi Campbell.

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prabakar asked:


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Gianni Versace created a fashion dynasty imprinted with a Versace vision. Every inch of his home, Casa Casuarina, an opulent, ocean-fronted Miami mansion, was covered in the Versace Medusa head. His sister Donatella Versace, who was famously also his muse, took over the fashion house - continuing to make impeccably constructed dresses for glamazons.
 
Gianni Versace was credited with creating the supermodel by agreeing to pay high sums to Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. He was taught by his dressmaker mother in Calabria, Italy and he made his first dress aged nine in 1955. He presented his first Gianni Versace collection in 1978, aged 32. In 1999 he presented his first haute couture collection. He also designed costumes for theatre, opera and ballet
 
Versace had an eye for talent and worked with top photographers such as Helmut Newton, Herb Ritts, Bruce Weber and Steven Meisel, and his favourite - Richard Avedon. In October 2002, he was honoured with a retrospective of his work at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The exhibition featured 138 of his most famous designs, as well as five by his sister Donatella.
 
Beautiful 24% Austrian Lead Crystal wine stopper by Rosenthal and endorsed by Versace. The crystal stem has the Versace Rosenthal signature. The top of this amazing stopper is the traditional Versace Medusa. The Versace Rosenthal Crystal wine stopper comes in a padded black box with the Versace emblem embossed on the cover. For more details visit http://www.etabletop.com/
 
 

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David LeAche asked:


Jamaica Beaches are a great place for contemplation, if you can factor in the weather, the gorgeous local bikini clad population that cover the sand and the head bobbing Reggae music that seems to follow you wherever you go: and did I mention the rum punch!

When your laying on your favorite Jamaican beach, surveying your surroundings, you would not be surprised to learn that this small island has produced not one but three, yes three, Miss World winners.

Of course, those of us, lucky enough to have spent some time on these awesome beaches are more than surprised that it has only been three: I counted dozens of possibles, the last time I visited Negril. Ocho Rios produced another dozen candidates and the local ladies playing in the water at Bluefields, well you get the idea.

This is not so amazing, of course, when you consider that such personalities as Naomi Campbell and Grace Jones hail from Jamaican backgrounds. This island produces some beautiful, and some, eventually famous, people.

Harry Belafonte and Desmond Dekker for example, didn’t do so badly in the music and entertainment industry. Linford Christie and Donovan Bailey certainly made their marks in the world of sport: especially at the Olympics. In fact Jamaica is quite well known for it’s track and field performers, as well as it’s cricketers and boxers.

Which reminds me not to forget to add in the famous (or is that infamous?) Jamaican Bobsled team: a real team that captured the hearts of many at the winter Olympics and ended up on the silver screen. These guys started from very humble beginnings but they had a dream, a great desire and with a great deal of hard work, they were successful.

But possibly the most famous Jamaican of them all has to be Robert Nesta Marley, the impoverished boy of mixed parentage who rose to become not only a reggae musician of world renown but, with the added dreadlocks, a symbol of the Rastafarian faith.

You can’t escape the music of this famous Jamaican, it seems to be everywhere, it seems to be the soul of the island. You can visit the Bob Marley museum and his mausoleum in Nine-Miles, and the head bobbing rhythms will follow you.

Yes, as you lay back and catch the rays, with your Rum and Ginger in your hand, think about the many famous Jamaicans that this small tropical island in the Caribbean has produced and what a strong influence these characters have had on their world surroundings. Don Quarrie, Patrick Ewing, Asafa Powell and Jimmy Cliff to name but a few more. The list is very long, too long for one beach, your going to have to visit another!

Jamaica beaches are famous around the world, just like many of the people that this amazing little island has produced, and while you spend the days dreamily contemplating your navel, you have the time and relaxed mood to examine these finer points of Jamaican culture: well, before the evening beach festival starts anyway!

Your missing out on a famous experience. You need to go see for yourself mon!

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Tania Machowska asked:


At 14 years old, Moss was spotted while waiting for a flight at JFK airport in New York. The Croydon schoolgirl who disliked her studies and once admitted that she thought she “might’ve been a bank manager” would become one of the world’s most famous faces and it’s now almost impossible to imagine the British fashion industry without her.

Her Rise and Rise

At just 15, she was cast in John Galliano’s show as Lolita, which would be her debut catwalk appearance. She followed this by becoming the face of Calvin Klein, appearing nude for Obsession and fronting an underwear campaign with “Marky” Mark Wahlberg. Soon after, she made her debut appearance in British Vogue and her first cover followed two months later.

Heroin Chic

When Moss appeared, supermodels such as Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer were known for their statuesque and curvaceous figures. However, Moss’s skinny frame was completely different, leading her to be labelled as an ‘anti-supermodel’ and launching a new look widely regarded as ‘heroin chic’. This look was extremely controversial, as many people believed it encouraged drug use and eating disorders. However, this scandal only succeeded in boosting Moss’s career.

A Glittering Career

Over her long career, Moss has graced most of the major catwalks for designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Versace, Chanel, Gucci, Robert Cavalli, Stella McCartney, Missoni and John Galliano. In recent years, she has chosen to grace the catwalk less and prefers to concentrate on lucrative advertising campaigns and magazine shoots. She is the face of Rimmel cosmetics and has previously fronted Calvin Klein’s campaigns, Burberry, Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle fragrance and many more. She has also appeared on over 300 magazine covers, including W, Vogue, The Face and Vanity Fair.

Unlucky in Love

Moss’s colourful romantic life is as well documented as her modelling career. She has dated Billy Zane, Leonardo DiCaprio, Evan Dando, Jake Chapman, Jesse Wood and most famously, Johnny Depp and Dazed and Confused editor, Jefferson Hack. Moss had a child, Lila Grace by Hack in 2002, before the couple split two years later. Since then, Moss has entertained a controversial on-off relationship with Pete Doherty, a British musician whose life is plagued by drug problems.

Cocaine Scandal

Doherty was partly responsible for a scandal that rocked Moss’s career in 2005. A British newspaper printed photographs of her, which appeared to show her snorting cocaine at a recording session for Doherty’s band, Babyshambles. The scandal led to a criminal investigation but charges were quickly dismissed due to a lack of evidence. However, it also led to a great deal of controversy, costing Kate a number of lucrative contracts with the likes of H&M and Chanel. Luckily, the controversy ultimately revived her career and she now earns more than she did before the scandal. She staged a spectacular comeback, snagging 18 major contracts and being crowned Model of the Year at the November 2006 British Fashion Awards.

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Carys Robshaw asked:


Footballer Ashley Cole had his marriage brought into question when an Essex hairdresser, followed by two other women, sold their stories to the tabloids. She claims that they slept together after a night out, a fact that Mr Cole had never denied. Despite not contesting the story, Mr Cole is pursuing a no win no fee lawsuit against the Daily Mirror and the Sun. While he does not deny that there may be some truth in the stories published in the two papers, he says that their reporting of the incident was cruel and infringed his privacy. He also argues that it unfairly affected his wife, Cheryl Cole and irreparably damaged their relationship. Mr Cole is busy assembling a powerful team of three barristers who are approaching the case with an astonishing amount of energy and zeal. And Ashley Cole is not having to shell out a penny for this legal representation due to a no win no fee arrangement with his lawyers. Ashley Cole is looking for £200,000 worth of damages from each paper, in regard to eight stories printed by The Mirror and one story which appeared in The Sun. He says that his human rights have been violated, citing Article Eight of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects “the right to respect for private and family life.”His legal team contend that his rights under Articles Eight, override the right to free speech of the newspapers and the women involved.The case is being heralded as a landmark case which will have major implications for the press and the publication of highly popular and scandolous ‘kiss and tell’ stories. Graham Shear, Ashley Cole’s solicitor, says that while some of the points in the strories are “substantially untrue”, what this case is really about is “the tabloid business model, and having less kiss and tell.”Media experts observing the case feel that a win for Ashley Cole could dramatically affect the way in which the media handles kiss and tell stories in the future. “Victory for Ashley Cole would finish ‘kiss and tell’ celebrity stories for good,” says Professor Eric Barendt, Goodman Professor of Media Law at University College London. “If the [Naomi] Campbell case was a narrow win for the supermodel, this would be: footballers 6, the tabloids 0.”British newspapers have long been dealers in sexual scandal, taking a rather different approach to the tabloids in Europe which have always treated marital infidelity as a private matter. Ever since the application of European Law, Graham Shear has been at the forefront of representation for a number of famous faces wishing to keep their indiscretions out of the papers. Shear has taken Ashley Cole’s case on with a ‘no win, no fee’ agreement which means if he loses, he gets nothing, but if he wins he may be able to feast on costs. Cole’s legal team, if it wins, are able to put in a bill for double their total costs (and his team of barristers are all-star, armed with high fees). In addition, the papers would, of course, be liable to pay damages to the footballer himself, as well as their own costs.

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