What it takes to be a model

Sowetan looks at local models who are making it despite the industry's hardships and fierce competition from their continental counterparts whose exotic looks have become all the rage..

THEY have to walk in impossibly tall shoes on the ramp, work ridiculously long shifts and have to live with every square inch of their bodies being scrutinised.

According to Paledi Segapo, a modelling agency co-owner and a former Miss SA judge, it takes more than just a beautiful body, tiny waistline, high cheekbones, good skin and a model's strut to be a good model.

But to get jobs you need to have that extra something, including being emotionally matured to succeed in an image-obsessed and highly fickle industry.

He says the economic climate is not making things easy for the models either. He says companies have trimmed their budgets and models have to take anything from clients.

Kgomotso Seboko of KS Models agrees that there is not too much work coming the way of models these days. He says because of hard times, clients want the best out of every deal.

"They want models with the whole package, including looks and the right attitude. This is a small industry. If a model is hot, word about her spreads fast."

We look at local models who are making it despite the industry's hardships and fierce competition from their continental counterparts whose exotic looks have become a rage in the industry.

• Poppy Xaba has one of the most sought-out faces and bodies in South Africa.

Her chocolate skin and high cheekbones are her defining extras, and her waiflike strut is regal and assured. She has done print campaigns, including the cover of Edgars Club magazine, among others.

She is highly versatile and can go from high editorial to mass market and back to high editorial without blinking, yet give all campaigns authentic credibility.

• Kwakho Qongqo is tall, gorgeous and her face has launched a number of products.

Qongqo came into the spotlight when she became third in the Miss Teen 2000. It was the first time in the history of Miss Teen SA that a black contestant came with natural hair. This was when her career really started to open up as she signed for Ice Models and proceeded to adorn the pages of some of the most exclusive magazines, including Glamour, True Love, Marie Claire and Cosmo, as well as major catwalk shows for household designers. She was also in the famous FHM Calendar in 2009 and has done a lot of retail magazine work and beauty products launch.

The Ice Models beauty remains hot on the runways.

• TV's it girl, Pearl Thusi, knows how to work the moment. Hailing from KwaZulu-Natal, this smouldering beauty has unique features that oscillate from fresh faced girl next door to high couture.

She has a growing number of accomplishments and a long parade of magazine covers, commercials, a Real Goboza (RGB) co-host, Zone 14 actress, and you can practically spot her face in every fifth commercial that is flighted endorsing everything from beauty to diary products.

She is highly popular with retail magazine campaigns such as Edgars, Mr Price and Woolworths. The only snag is that her height is limiting her from doing a lot of ramp work.

• Anyone who doesn't know Rosette Mogomotsi has probably been living under a rock for the past couple of years.

Despite being a tabloid-magnet because of her media mishaps (her tumultuous relationship with former TV presenter Andile Ncube has been highly documented) she is still one of the best models in South Africa, and humble one.

Most stylists and photographers in the industry laud her for her anti-diva pleasant personality, her brilliant smile and kindness.

She has been voted FHM South Africa's sexiest woman, among other modelling achievements.

Mogomotsi is also best known for her role as a suitcase model in the game show Deal Or No Deal.

She has modelled in television commercials for Chicken Lickin' and Jet Clothing and her face dominates editorial fashion and beauty shoots like the True Love, Elle, Babe.

Gwen Stefani to marry again?

Gwen Stefani and her rocker husband Gavin Rossdale are secretly planning to tie the knot again to celebratetheir 10th wedding anniversary.

A friend of the singer, 42, told the Daily Star newspaper: "Gwen and Gavin are going to remarry on September 14. They feel like they've fallen in love all over again."

Gwen, who got married to Gavin, 46, in 2002 in Covent Garden, London, is also telling friends she is considering adopting to add to their own brood of two children.

Apparently the main reason she is choosing that route is because she feels she may be getting too old to bear a child herself.

The insider continued: "They'd also love another baby, but Gwen thinks because of her age adoption is the way forward."

The No Doubt singer recently revealed the band had just made "the album of our lives".

The 'Don't Speak' hitmakers are confident their first record in eleven years, 'Push and Shove', is worth the wait and are "so proud" of the finished product.

Gwen told Billboard.com: "We would've loved for it to come out sooner.

"At the same time, we realised the people that care about us, that have given us our lives, are out there waiting for us, so what does it matter if it's a month here or a month there?

"As long as we make the record of our lives that we are so proud of. Otherwise, why put something out?"

Father gets life for raping daughter

Repeatedly raped the girl (10) while the mother was at work

The Mankweng Magistrate's Court has jailed a man for life for raping his daughter, North West police said.

Constable Moses Molepo said the 36-year-old man was sentenced on Tuesday for raping the 10-year-old two years ago.

"The suspect escorted the mother of the child to work in the morning and returned 15 minutes later, and raped the girl repeatedly."

She told her mother what had happened and was taken to hospital where doctors confirmed she had been raped.

The man was arrested after the mother opened a case with the police.

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Who Wore it Better: Demi Lovato VS. Selita Ebanks in Falguni & Shane Peacock

Who Wore it Better: Demi Lovato VS. Selita Ebanks in Falguni & Shane Peacock

Jay-Z and Beyonce are World's Highest Paid Celebrity Couple

The power pair are estimated to have made $78 million together in the financial year ending May 1, moving them from second place in last year's list, behind Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen, to first.

According to Forbes, Beyonce earned more in the last year than her husband, amassing $40 million from sponsorship deals, sales of her '4' album and royalties from her back catalogue. The figure is particularly impressive as she also took time off to have the couple's first baby, daughter Blue Ivy, who was born in January.

The rapper made an estimated $38 million from his 'Watch the Throne' album and tour with Kanye West, continuing sales of his 'Decoded' book as well as his many business interests, which include a nightclub and Roc Nation record label, management and music publishing company.

Relegated to second on the list were supermodel Gisele and NFL player Tom, who brought in an estimated $72 million, from her lucrative modelling deals and his four-year, $72 million contract extension with the New England Patriots. He has also made a foray into modelling, signing contracts with Under Armour and UGG Boots.

Third on the list were fashion designer Victoria and soccer player David Beckham who are worth $54 million.

In fourth place are Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who banked an estimated $45 million, and fifth were Will and Jada Pinkett Smith who raked in an estimated $40 million.

  Third on the list were fashion designer Victoria and soccer player David Beckham who are worth $54 million.....

2013 Bill Gates Scholars Program Giving Away 1,000 Scholarships to Minority Students

Every year, the Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) Program selects 1,000 talented minority students to receive a good-through-graduation scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice. The program provides scholars with personal and professional development through our leadership programs along with academic support throughout their college career.

Administered by the United Negro College Fund, the program was initially funded by a $1 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Since 1999, it has funded the education of more than 16,000 students, awarding them more than $614 million dollars to pay for tuition, fees, books and housing.

The program aims to reduce financial barriers for African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American and Hispanic American students with high academic and leadership promise who have significant financial need; increase the representation of these target groups in the disciplines of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health and the sciences, where these groups are severely underrepresented; develop a diversified cadre of future leaders for America by facilitating successful completion of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees; and provide seamless support from undergraduate through doctoral programs, for students selected as Gates Millennium Scholars entering target disciplines

Individuals selected as Gates Scholars will receive funds in an amount to be determined based on their financial need. The amount determined will be based on the cost of tuition, fees, books and living expenses for the 2013-2014 academic year, as well as the availability of grants and other scholarships reported on the financial aid award letter. The average scholarship award in the 2000-2010 academic years was $11,000 per student.

The application process is a three-part effort: 1) a Student Application is completed and submitted by the student; 2) a Nominator Form must be completed and submitted by an educator- Principal, teacher, guidance counselor or higher education representative; 3) a Recommender Form must be completed and submitted by any adult who is familiar with the student’s community service and leadership activities, such as a supervisor at work or a community leader.

The deadline for submission is January 16, 2013.

To apply for the 2013 Gates Millennium Scholars program, visit:
www.scholarshipsonline.org/2012/08/the-gates-millennium-scholars-program.html

To find hundreds of other scholarship opportunities, visit:
www.ScholarshipsOnline.org

Source : blacknews

Jada Pinkett Smith Covers Essence Magazine September 2012 Fashion Issue

Hollywood actress, wife, and mother, the Fabulous Jada Pinkett Smith has landed the coveted September Fall Fashion preview issue of Essence Magazine.

Check her out….

Credit: Essence Magazine

World’s Most Livable City Is..

Looking to move but not sure where to go? This survey might help point you in the right direction. The Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest Global Livability Survey ranks cities around the world on their desirability as places to reside from least to most pleasant. Surveying 140 cities around the globe, the analysis measures factors such as stability, healthcare, culture, environment, education and infrastructure.

Not much has changed since the EIU’s last livability survey from six months ago.

In the bottom tier, conflict appears to be among the most important variables affecting the rankings. Syria’s capital Damascus, which recently has seen intense fighting between the regime and opposition fighters, has dropped 13 places in the past six months, reaching the bottom of the ranking.

The report explains:

Conflict is responsible for many of the lowest scores. This is not only because stability indicators have the highest single scores, but also because factors defining stability spread to have an adverse effect on other categories. For example, the threat of armed conflict will not just cause disruption in its own right, it will also damage infrastructure, overburden hospitals, and undermine the availability of goods, services and recreational activities.

TOP 10 MOST LIVABLE CITY LIST

1. Melbourne, Australia

2. Vienna, Austria

3. Vancouver, Canada

4. Toronto, Canada

5. Calgary, Canada

6. Adelaide, Australia

7. Sydney, Australia

8. Helsinki, Finland

9. Perth, Australia

10. Auckland, New Zealand

Source : GLOBAL LIVABILITY

[VIDEO] €3m Marijuana Farm Found In Rome Tunnel

Rome – Italian police alerted by a powerful tell-tale odour discovered a marijuana farm worth about €3m in an abandoned Mussolini-era tunnel in the capital Rome, a police spokesperson said on Wednesday.The police arrested a 57-year-old man and were looking for other suspects after seizing 340kg of the drug grown in rooms lit by halogen lamps and fed by an extensive underground irrigation system.

A special financial police unit carrying out a patrol on Saturday “was alerted by the strong odour of marijuana coming from the air vents” of the tunnel near the Rome-Casilina train station, a police spokesperson said.The police, who had to put on masks, found “a 4 000m² area where greenhouses were set up for growing and producing marijuana,” the financial police said in a statement on its website.

Police had first discovered what appeared to be a mushroom farm before finding a moveable brick wall hiding the marijuana plantation, the spokesperson said.

In a storage area, police found black garbage bags filled with newly cut plants and small bags with the finished product. Also found were machines for drying the plants, scales and chemical products for preparing the cannabis. The tunnel was part of an ambitious project for the underground train line launched in the 1930s by the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, which was later abandoned.

The area located in the working-class neighbourhood of Tor Pignattara is home to a number of underground mushroom farms because of moist conditions and stable temperatures.

Watch a video taken of the farm here

Source : AFP

8 Ways Funeral Homes Will Try To Rip You Off

For years, the funeral industry operated with little regard for consumer rights, pushing and selling services to their customers that were costly and unnecessary and keeping prices hidden until it came time to pay the bill. But as of 1984, funeral homes are required to follow regulations outlined in the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule, which was written to bring more transparency to the industry. However, funeral scams still exist. Here are eight you should be aware of.

1. Hiding the less expensive caskets:

   
   A funeral home’s “casket room” is like a car dealership’s showroom. Once you get over the shock of walking into a room filled with caskets, you’ll have to brace yourself for the prices of these shiny, beautifully finished models. The Federal Trade Commission requires funeral homes to provide consumers with a list of all of the caskets they have available, including descriptions and prices. Realize that less expensive caskets may be hidden away, or painted in unattractive colors to discourage a purchase. You can even buy cheaper caskets online from Walmart and Costco.

2. “Protective” caskets:

   
   When it comes to funeral scams, so-called “protective” caskets deserve a special mention. Funeral homes may try to sell you a casket that will supposedly protect and preserve the body of your loved one thanks to a rubber gasket designed to prevent water from entering the casket. Take note: this is a total crock. Gaskets do nothing to preserve a dead body, and in fact, since they trap oxygen and gas inside, they can cause a casket to explode once it has been buried. Funeral homes typically charge $700 or more for “protective” caskets, and may even remove and reuse rubber gaskets without your knowledge.

3. Pricing:

   
   For a long time, funeral homes were not required to share and explain their pricing, leaving consumers in the dark as to what they were actually purchasing and ultimately spending. The aforementioned Funeral Rule mandates that funeral homes break down (i.e. itemize) their prices, and allow their customers to purchase only what they want. Funeral homes can and will offer you package deals, but they must offer their products and services individually as well.

4. “Mandatory” embalming:

   
   Some funeral homes may tell you your state requires that they embalm the body of your loved one, and of course that’s going to cost you more money. But embalming is not mandatory, except in situations where the body is being transported by air to another funeral home or when the service includes an open casket viewing of the deceased. So remember, Federal Trade Commission regulations state that funeral homes may not embalm for a fee unless, given those circumstances, it is required by law, or expressly approved by the customer.

5. Pay-in-advance scams:

   
   This is a service that seems like a good idea, but in practice is usually a way to rip off a customer. A prepaid contract with a funeral home is supposed to guarantee a set of goods and services upon the death of the customer. But once the customer in question is dead, funeral homes may only provide some of the services, claiming they need to be compensated for inflation, or steal the prepaid funds, disappear, and leave your loved ones stuck with having to pay for your funeral. Consider instead opening up a “payable on death” account with your bank, which will generate interest and can be used for the costs of your funeral when you pass.

6. Up-selling:

   
   While funeral homes may stop short of asking you if you want fries with your casket, they may try to convince you to add on products and services you simply don’t need. Customers who buy into the above mentioned prepaid plans may receive sales calls from “grief counselors” who will push them to upgrade the plans they’ve already paid for. Be aware too that you may be pushed into buying a good or service that is provided in a package you’ve already purchased.

7. Cremation:

   
   Direct cremation can save you hundreds of dollars in funeral costs, but be aware that there are options when it comes to cremation. You are not legally required to purchase a casket with a cremation. But if necessary, you can purchase an unfinished box for use prior to cremation. Funeral homes should not charge you for embalming, since there is no public viewing with direct cremation. Also, you aren’t required to purchase a specially constructed, expensive urn to contain the remains. Crematories can instead place your loved one’s remains in metal, plastic, or a cardboard container. Ask the crematory to explain their process, and how they will track the body of your loved one. This may sound horrible, but you want to be sure that after cremation, they give you the right person’s ashes!

8. Laying on the guilt:

   
   The term “grief counselors” is a real misnomer when it comes to describing a person who takes advantage of another person’s fragile emotional state in order to make money. When dealing with a funeral home, partner up with another family member, your spouse, or a close friend, and bring them with you to any face-to-face meetings. Having a trusted person next to you can help you remain objective and make decisions that are practical, smart financially, and not based on a salesperson trying to guilt-trip you into upgrading to a $5,000 coffin.

WATCHOUT FOR Mykey O a Nigerian hippop artist

  

Another hiphop hot star Mykey Owo, a.k.a. Money Mike, a.k.a. Mykey Moet, a.k.a. Mykey Millions a.k.a. Mykey Magnificent a.k.a Michelangelo e.t.c. Real name - Michael O. Olu-Alabi. Born on the 9th of January in Kaduna, Nigeria. A graduate of architecture. He epitomizes the real definition of a Hip-hop hustler... that's right, music is his hustle amongst other things. He is set to take the global hip-hop scene by storm representing the New Nigeria. With an arsenal of mind-blowing lyrics, catchy hooks, beautiful instrumentals and an amazing stage presence. This young music impresario is set to take over - get ready!!!http://www.reverbnation.com/mykeyo

Bomb Scare In Nagwamatse House, Kaduna

A bomb scare at Nagwamatse House, one of the tallest buildings in kaduna State, has left hundreds of staff of different organisations stranded and panicking, following the decision of security agents to evacuate the 10-storeyed building.

According to a source at the scene, officers of the Nigeria Police and the Civil Defence Corps were alerted to the building, after a stranger who hurriedly parked a car in the compound was seen running away.

Nagwamatse House is a top business building in the northern city of kaduna, playing host to such organisations as Brilla FM, which is on the 9th floor, and Africa Independent Television.

Rihanna arrives at Tokyo Narita airport, Japan ..