Getting Real...

The word from Aussie fashion industry experts is that 2010 will be the Year of the Plus-Size Model. Australia's leading plus-size modelling agencies expect demand for larger models to surge in the next 12 months with more consumers demanding "real women" in the media.
Director of Sydney's BGM Models, Darrianne Donnelly, says US magazine V's decision to devote its January 2010 issue to plus-size women shows how attitudes have changed. Bella Model Management director Chelsea Bonner agrees, saying plus-size models are now earning big money, especially overseas. "Our top model Abby Valdes is stunning and is a size 14-16...she earns well in excess of $300,000 a year and gets to travel all over the world doing it."
With the average aussie sheila a size 16, Australia's top fashion magazines such as Madison, Marie Claire and Cosmopolitan now regularly book plus-size models. Ms Bonner: "The latest issue of Australia's Woman's Weekly has 15 pages featuring our models....that is incredible. We only ever used to get a token one or two pages." There had also been an upswing recently in the number of women wanting to become plus-size models.
You GO, girl!

How Many Does It Take...?

Q: How many psychiatrists does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: One, but the lightbulb must want to change.
Q: How many assassins does it take to kill one man?
A: Supposedly, 30...and still climbing!
According to investigators, 26 agents (now possibly 30) of an as-yet unidentified country (but they're accusing Israel) murdered senior Hamas commander, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, in Dubai in January.
Their expertly-forged passports used the identities of innocent civilians from multiple countries. More details are slowly being released by the Dubai Information Ministry, each taking us further into the realms of 007. For instance, in the first 10 days after Mabhouh's death, Dubai police thought he'd died of natural causes. Then smothered with a pillow. Next, brute force. Then tortured and tied up with wire. Clearly the evidence cannot support all these claims. We've seen CCTV footage showing bad disguises the suspects used. Now we're told some suspects fled through Iran: if these were Israeli Mossad agents, surely it would be suicidal for them to attempt an escape through the country of their sworn enemy...? Oh yes, and fingerprints have suddenly been found - a month later!
No doubt some of this information is mere fish bait, in the hope someone (in Israel?) will swallow it and incriminate himself by responding or disclosing confidential information... but currently the evidence linking Israel to the killing has still to solidify. And indeed, if Israel did carry out the killing (seeing as it's at war with Hamas), did it have the right to? Whatever the eventual outcome, this assassination should start Hamas asking the question:
Q: When will someone hit another of our top echelon?
A: Anytime they want...

Another Day - Another Ocean

Another cape passed...and into another ocean!
Jessica Watson continues her round-the-world solo sail by passing 400nm below the southern end of Africa on Wednesday and now pushes on into the Indian Ocean.
That puts her a tad over 4,000nm away from sight of Australia - although there'll be a few more miles after that before she sails into Sydney...(for more, check out her website and blog).