An Apology to Vo Hoang Yen

I would like to correct my previous post on Vo Hoang Yen, one of Asia's strongest candidates for this year's Miss Universe pageant in the Bahamas. I have written about a blog which I claimed she updates personally.

A big thanks to the admin behind vohoangyen.blogspot.com who made remarks on this entry. The said blog is not owned by the beauty queen who is so far Vietnam's strongest candidate to the Miss Universe. The said article was written by Nina herself, a fan of Vo Hoang Yen.

To Vo Hoang, if you are reading this blog, I apologize. To the writers of the said blog, you have a fantastic blog.

Canadian Beauty Queen is Sexually Abused

Former beauty queen files suit against agency, its vice-president and other men, claiming she was groped and more seriously abused

A former B.C. beauty queen has filed a class-action lawsuit against a top Hollywood talent firm and several men, alleging a "criminal conspiracy" to sexually assault and exploit young aspiring models and actresses.

Claire Robinson, 23, who was named Miss British Columbia in 2004 and was a top-15 finalist in the Miss Universe Canada pageant, is the plaintiff in a suit filed in Los Angeles Tuesday against talent firm International Creative Management, Jack Gilardi, a vice-president at the agency, and other named and unnamed men.

Ms. Robinson, 23, alleges she was one of many women to be "hip-pocketed" by Mr. Gilardi and his associates. The phrase "hip-pocketed" is used when a veteran male talent agent agrees to represent a young model or actress but never formally signs her or secures any legitimate auditions.

"Once the girls believed they were ICM clients, the co-conspirators sexually exploited the 'hip-pocketed' actresses," alleges the claim, obtained by celebrity website TMZ.com.

Ms. Robinson said she attended a number of "auditions," at which she was asked to pose sexually for casting agents to be considered for roles that either didn't exist or were already filled. On a number of occasions, she claims, she was sexually assaulted.

"The girl, of course, was thrilled thinking that she was being represented by ICM, but it was just this whole sham arrangement," Ms. Robinson's lawyer, Perry Wander, alleged in an interview with The Globe and Mail.

ICM denied the claims Tuesday night.

"Ms. Robinson's allegations are completely baseless. ICM denies any and all wrongdoing and will vigorously defend this action," the company said.

Ms. Robinson alleges that Mr. Gilardi, 79, groped her. She alleges she was sexually assaulted more severely by his associates. She believes she is one of many victims, and filed the class-action suit on behalf of any other young models or actresses who were hip-pocketed by ICM.

"We're taking the position that this hip-pocketing of actresses and sexually exploiting them, that's been a criminal enterprise that's been going on for about 20 years," Mr. Wander said.

The suit is filed under a U.S. racketeering law designed for prosecuting the mafia, and allows civil suits for acts committed as part of an ongoing criminal organization.

It's seeking $10-million in punitive damages — 10 per cent of ICM's last reported annual earnings, chosen as an "ironic twist" because it's the same percentage the firm is said to take as a cut from its clients' pay, Mr. Wander said.

Ms. Robinson is in Vancouver with her family, Mr. Wander said. Her career included work around the world and credits with DKNY, Betsey Johnson, and Salvatore Ferragamo. She returned to Vancouver last year after the most serious of attacks, and has undergone counselling.

Beauty Queen and Journalist Roxana Saberi Sets Free from Prison

The controversial former beauty queen and American journalist, Roxana Saberi has been freed from prison after four months in a Tehran prison and two weeks of hunger strike. She was accused of spying for a "hostile" nation (Iran's words), the United States of America.

The news comes after the decision of an Iranian appeals court to reduce her original eight-year sentence for spying. Her lawyer says she shed tears of relief at the news.

Friends and supporters of jailed U.S.-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi rejoiced over the decision by an Iranian appeals court to release her, and Saberi wept after hearing the news.

Eyewitnesses say that Saberi was released from a secret exit of Tehran's Evin prison, rather than the main gate, where journalists and supporters had gathered to see her.

Saberi's father Reza called his daughter's release "an unexpected surprise," telling reporters at her house in northern Tehran that she was "well."

Iran's Judiciary spokesman Alireza Jamshidi confirmed Saberi's sentence had been reduced by an appeals court, following Sunday's hearing. Saberi's initial eight-year conviction on charges of espionage were reduced to a two-year suspended sentence, according to her attorney Abdulsamad Khorramshahi. He told journalists the Saberi case was one of the most gratifying he had ever taken on.

Human rights organizations across the world, including Reporters Without Borders, had lobbied for Saberi's release, calling her initial conviction "politically motivated." The United States had repeatedly called the Iranian spying charges against Saberi "baseless" and had pleaded for her immediate release.

Saberi will reportedly be allowed to return home to the United States and under the terms of her suspended sentence will not be allowed to practice journalism in Iran for 5 years.

Here is a video showing Roxana Saberi. An she's really beautiful. Her father is an Iranian an her mother is a Japanese.

Honoring Miss Canada World 2003 Nazanin Afshin-Jam: an Angel of Iran

Never mind the mythical angels of religion and poetry. Meet a living angel in flesh, Nazanin Afshin-Jam. Many of you may not know that we have a hero in our midst. Many of you may not know that this individual, singlehandedly, has done more for her compatriots, as well as for other people of our planet, than most of us together. This dazzling beauty, both inside and outside, has dedicated her life to the good of humanity.

We are honoring Nazanin Afshin-Jam for her tireless efforts to shed light into the shadowy corners of conflict, to expose and end the abuses that ruin the lives of so many children in Iran. Her work exemplifies the ideals of the human rights movement: “courage, an unswerving commitment to justice and a genuine concern for the rights of all victims.”

Unquestionably, this young talented Iranian born Canadian citizen has been a role model and has earned our respect, not only among most Iranians around the world, but in many other countries where she has visited and spoken about Human rights issues. She has the determination of unquestionable integrity, sensitivity to the needs of others and willingness to help wherever the help is needed. She is a courageous human rights activist, who is exposing horrific crimes about child executions in the Islamic Republic of Iran. She has also helped several key cases of Iranian refugees who were going to be deported back to Iran and likely face severe persecution.

Nazanin Afshin-Jam, this dazzling gem of Iran, has a huge mission in life. As good a human being as she is and almost unnervingly nice, she is relentlessly positive, a one-person cheering section of smiles. She has elevated what it means to be an Iranian and what it means to be a child of Cyrus the Great.

Nazanin is an international human rights activist, singer/songwriter, actor, model and former Miss World Canada. After being crowned "Miss Canada.” Nazanin went on to become the First Runner-Up for "Miss World 2003." She was runner-up to Miss Ireland, Rosanna Davison. She is also co-founder of the “Stop Child Executions” organization whose aim it is to try and put a permanent end to executions of minors in Iran and abroad who are currently on death row. She has produced short documentaries, connected lawyers working pro-bono to children on death row who do not have access to proper attorneys. She is constantly informing the UN, individual governments and NGOs including Amnesty International on urgent cases of children facing execution.

“Prosperity and progress can only flourish when our human rights are a priority, where democracy and freedom of choice take precedence,” says Nazanin

Nazanin learned at an early age of the threat people face when their human rights are ignored and abused. This Persian star was born in Tehran in 1979 at the height of the so called Islamic revolution and a year later her family was forced to flee after her non-political father was arrested and tortured at the hands of the fundamentalists. Growing up in Canada after escaping an uncertain future in Iran, Nazanin knew not to take her freedom and good fortune for granted. Her conscience would not allow her to forget those who live in fear every day, in any country where people’s basic human rights are violated.

Nazanin is also a pilot and is licensed to fly both powered aircraft and gliders and is a Squadron Commander Royal Canadian Air Cadets, holding the rank of Warrant Officer 1st class. She is fluent in three languages: Persian, English, French and also conversational Spanish.

However, her true passion is human rights. Nazanin was instrumental in saving another Nazanin (Nazanin Fatehi) in Iran. Nazanin Fatehi was sentenced to hang for defending herself and her 15-year-old niece by stabbing one of three men who tried to rape her and her niece in Karaj in March 2005.

In the lawless jungle of the Islamic Republic, they rushed to condemn her to death rather than the rapists. She initiated a yearlong campaign to save the life of a 17-year-old girl in Iran who faced execution by hanging for having stabbed one of three men who attempted to rape her. The Save Nazanin petition collected 350, 000 signatures worldwide.

She went on tours around the globe, speaking in Stockholm, Brussels, Gothenburg and Frankfurt regarding Fatehi. She organized the creation of a documentary to raise awareness on Fatehi’s plight and created a website www.helpnazanin.com informing the public with news and of how to help. She helped raise the required $43,000 bail to release Nazanin Fatehi from prison

She spoke around the world, brought much needed attention in the United Nations and finally her arduous task bears fruit. After more than two years in jail, Nazanin Fatehi was eventually released on bail on January 31, 2007. That was a joyous moment for her and an astonishing victory for all people. Nazanin Afshin-Jam’s efforts led her to create the “stop child executions” organization.

“Some people give up in pursuing their goal when they have almost reached the end while others, on the contrary, vigorously go after the victory by hook or by crook. I will never forget that moment when she was released from prison,” says Nazanin.

Nazanin continues to address human rights abuses worldwide, in China, Burma, Darfur and other countries with tyrannical regimes and particular in relation to women and children in Iran and the Middle East. She has given speeches at the UN, EU, UK, Canadian Parliament, numerous universities and conferences with media features on CNN, BBC, CBC, FOX, Al Jazeera TV, Persian Voice of America and print stories in Glamour, Seventeen, Chatelaine, Flare, Vanity Fair magazine and newspapers worldwide.

She has received the Global Citizenship Award from the President of the University of British Columbia and the Alumni Association. She also received a "Hero Award for Human Rights" on Friday August 25, 2007 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on the case of Nazanin Fatehi. She appeared as a guest speaker at an Amnesty International conference in Berlin a couple of years ago regarding the executions of minors in Iran. She was the guest of Honor and speaker for OnCor ‘s 10-day charity fund-raising event benefiting the Dangriga HIV/Aids Society (Belize).

Nazanin’s battle against child executions continues with the goal of halting the practice in Iran and in the handful of other countries where it still continues. Regarding “child execution” organization, she can use any help from any one who is concerned about the execution of children and minors. Thus far, she has managed to save many human lives.

On September 11, 2008, Nazanin sent out a press release stating, “The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will have to get past the Ahmadinejad Wall of Shame, a visual display and demonstration across the United Nations Headquarters- before entering the opening of the “General Assembly.”

“While the UN legitimizes Ahmadinejad as the President of the Islamic Republic by having the door open to him at the General Assembly, the Iranian people feel betrayed by the false representation. In the face of the West's obsession with Iran's nuclear development, the voices of the Iranian people have been stifled and human rights abuses have been overshadowed. This Wall of Shame demonstration is hoping to give a voice to the voiceless and address the concerns of the vast majority of Iranian people who believe in a united, secular, democratic Iran based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and no military intervention on Iran,” said Nazanin.

Nazanin is a person of conscience and integrity. Her tireless passion for saving human lives is a guide to all of us who aspire to better the world around us by our commitment to truth. Her professionalism and manners combined with her enormous humanity and cheerful eyes, on the camera and off the camera, are impeccable. She is the true daughter of Persia and represents all decent Iranian women.

“Life is precious. Life has ebbs and flows. Some days the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and you feel like you are on top of the world. Other days, you feel like you are being dragged into a black hole and don’t know if you will ever find your way out of the vortex. Thankfully, my faith is strong and I know we are never given more than we can handle,” says Nazanin.

As Nazanin is contemplating the new life upon which she has entered, she thinks of the past and how those dark roads she traveled have given her the strength needed to do more. She is on a mission to break all the boundaries. Our Human Rights Activist is very passionate, extremely optimistic, honest, and believes in what she says and does. “The past is the past. I’m only interested in looking into a brighter future,” she says.

“I believe in the pursuit of peace, love, and a spiritual understanding of divinity which, in the end, will allow us to truly feel happy and live in harmony. Once you have experienced true happiness, it is only natural to want to share that feeling with others so that they may feel the same. Our only responsibility on this earth is to extend all the love in our hearts to those around us. We are all human. Every single human and animal life is precious and has meaning and we must do everything in our capacity to preserve it.”

Many people have been inspired by Nazanin’s determination. Her work sends a powerful message that governments and armed groups should end their barbaric abuses and respect the rights of all human beings and especially the children.

“The Islamic Republic in Iran has long been no respecter of human rights, judging from their track records. For example, look at what is happening to members of the Baha’i faith in Iran. Just a few weeks ago the Islamic government publicly announced that if Baha’is are caught gathering together for the purpose of sharing their faith, they will be arrested. They have publicly called for the eradication of Baha’is in Iran. What do we call that? Isn’t that genocide?” she says.

Nazanin leaves us with a beautiful quote: “The physical beauty of youth will someday fade. But, the beauty of the spirit within, when nurtured, can grow forever.”

Mrs. New Jersey Heather DiCarlo was jailed

Former Mrs. New Jersey 2005 is going to jail. Heather "Hedy" Di Carlo is the beauty queen with the not so beautiful checking account.

She was sentenced today to one year in jail for spending buying $70,000 worth of antique furniture with bounced checks. Added on that sentence is five years probation.

A judge characterized the former Mrs. New Jersey as a "master of deception" whose looks and charitable work masked a darker side. State Superior Court Judge Torkwase Sekou had sharp words for Heather, as she handed down the sentence of a year minus a day, the maximum allowed under a plea agreement reached with the Essex County Prosecutor's Office in January.

"A lot of people come to this courtroom every day, and not one has had even close to the privileged life Ms. DiCarlo has had," Sekou said. "The difference is she is a master of deception. It would send a bad message to people who are much less fortunate to give her just a slap on the wrist."

Dressed in a white pants suit with her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, DiCarlo dabbed at tears during the proceeding. She appeared distraught when handcuffed by a court officer as Sekou handed down the sentence, but the cuffs were removed minutes later when the judge agreed to let her report to the Essex County Jail on June 8, after her children's school graduations.

"I completely agree with your sentencing and I will abide by it," DiCarlo told Sekou. "I accept full responsibility."

She pleaded guilty in January to theft by deception and writing bad checks. Her attorney, Paul Bergrin, says she fell into debt after a divorce.

Bergrin says Di Carlo will probably serve about 60 days of her sentence.

Former Miss Norway Disses Beauty Pageants, Drinks Guys Under Tables

Former Miss Norway Monica Hansen Disses Beauty Pageants, Sues Plastic Surgeon Over Breast Implant Exposure, Drinks Guys Under Tables

She’s known across the world as one of the most bangin’ bikini babes — but Monica Hansen is no Miss Universe. After unexpectedly being crowned Miss Norway in 1997 (she was entered into the competition by a friend as a joke) Hansen didn’t go on to compete in the now Donald Trump-owned pageant. Even though the Miss Universe Organization reportedly told her it was too late to drop out after she explained the situation, Hansen was struck down by a not-so-healthy gall bladder.

"Beauty pageants bring out the best and worst in women: on one hand they enhance already high level of cattiness women are known for, on the other hand they sure help the contestants to overcome their shyness, improve self-esteem and unleash the go-getter in each of them," Hansen told Tarts in an exclusive interview. "But overall I view pageants as a bit silly - yet one can't discount the entertainment factor." (And based on the whirlwind two weeks surrounding Miss California’s controversial gay marriage response at Miss USA, that’s an understatement).

So while Hansen may consider the concept of catty queens pretty entertaining, she was far from amused when a plastic surgeon used her famous face and figure to promote breast implants on his website without her consent. The 6"1 stunner recently filed a lawsuit against Dr. Leonard M. Hochstein for splashing copyrighted snaps of her assets across his site, and according to Hansen the case is only now starting to heat up. But dodgy docs aren’t the only downfall of the modeling industry, it seems Miss Monica has had and continues to have run-ins with the murky men behind the lens.

"The modeling industry is very sexist. Being a model you become a symbol/object of all what human desire is about — including sex. There are always disparaging men that comes along with that," Hansen admitted. "You have to have a very strong head on your shoulders in order to make it in this industry. You don’t have to take crap from these men, but it’s easy to fall into the traps they lay out."

But hey, there are times even away from the set when being blonde, busty and beautiful has bewitching benefits …

"One time a girlfriend and I got pulled over for a driving on red light, and we used our charm to get out of it," she laughed.

As one of the most in-demands swimsuit starlets today (who also happens to be a painter, speaks seven languages, spends spare time helping the homeless and writes a travel tips column for bestswimwear.com) Hansen divides her time between Norway and the United States, but can’t seem to draw a conclusion on which country breeds the better boys.

"Norwegian men are more straight forward and transparent. They will call you the minute they get your phone number, and tell you right away if they like you or how they feel about you. The American man is more of a game-player. He is more likely to wait a few days before he calls you, after meeting you for the first time," she explained. "American men are also more "old fashioned" on the first date versus Norwegian men, they would pay the first drink or dinner.

"Norwegian men would most likely expect you to pay your own drink or dinner the first time you meet. I don’t have any preference, as I believe suitable men exist in every country, but I generally like when a man is honest and straight up, rather than over-strategizing and playing silly games."

But one thing is for sure, no matter what land her man is from she can drink them right under the table.

"I am not a heavy drinker by nature, but I grew up in Norway where women and men don’t just drink to get drunk, but until you pass out," Hansen added. "I can for sure handle a few drinks with no problems, and I can sure drink a few guys under the table …"