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| 10.27.2008 | Monday
When asked which person she would like to meet and why, Matos replied that
she would like to meet pop singer Ricky Martin because of his work in saving mistreated children. Matos is
a pageant veteran, having won Miss Teen International in 2006. Special guests at the pageant included Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza and Miss USA
Crystle Stewart who put the sash on the winner. The show was hosted by Puerto Rican actor Braulio Castillo,
by Mexican actor Rodolfo Jiménez and by former Miss Universe Zuleyka Rivera. Two days before the pageant, CB had awarded the Miss Belleza Crítica Puerto Rico Universe 2009 Award
to both Matos and Colón.
• THE NEW MISS INTERCONTINENTAL is Cristina Carmago, 23, of Colombia who was crowned Saturday in the Musical
Dom in Zarbse, Poland. Her court includes first runner-up Miss Poland Milena Lutrzykowska, second runner-up
Miss Belarus Yakovina Lubov, third runner-up Miss Venezuela Maria Garmendia Sandoval and fourth
runner-up Miss Czech Republic Aneta Sychrova. Fifty-seven countries - including Iraq, Jordan and Kyrgysztan - participated in this year's pageant
which was produced by Polsat Channel 4. Regional titles were awarded to Vanessa Guimaraes of Brazil (Miss
Intercontinental Americas), Yakovina Liubou of Belarus (Miss Intercontinental Europe), Lilian Lee of
Singapore (Miss Intercontinental Asia-Pacific), Florelisa de Jesús of the Dominican Republic (Miss
Intercontinental Carribean), and Sophia Marie of the Seychelles (Miss Intercontinental Africa). Info courtesy
of World Beauty Organization.
• NEW JAPANESE BEAUTIES : The 2009 Miss Japan pageant took place at the Kyoto International Conference Hall in Kyoto,
on October 25th. 41 beautiful candidates competed in several categories to earn the right to represent the country in the Miss
International and Miss World pageants for 2009. The winner was Yuka Nakayama, an 18-year-old model from Fukuoka,
who won the Miss Japan 2009 title and will compete in Miss International 2009. Also, Eruza Sasaki, 20, was crowned Miss World
Japan 2009 and will represent the country in the Miss World 2009 pageant. The 64 contestants of Miss International 2008 also
took part in the event, with the reigning titleholder, Priscila Perales of Mexico. On Sunday, the 61 beauties left Japan for
the round two of the competition, to take place in Macau. The final will be held next November 8th at the Venetian Resort.
(Mainichi Communications, 10/26/2008)
• POLYNESIAN QUEEN : Vanessa Marsh, the 23-year-old Miss Niue, was crowned Friday evening as Miss South Pacific 2008
in Pago Pago, American Samoa. Her court includes first runner-up Miss Samoa, Gwendolyn Pona Tuaitanu; second runner-up
Miss Cook Islands, Anne-Maire Herman; third runner-up Miss Fiji, Filomena Tuivanualevu; and, fourth runner-up
Miss American Samoa, Shanette Pualani Tilo. Marsh, a fisheries officer with Niue Fisheries Division,
Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, received a cash award of $5,000 and many gifts that includes
an additional $2,000 cash from local sponsors. (HI, 10/25/2008)
• THE REINA HISPANOAMERICANA 2008 pageant kicked off last week with the arrival of twenty delegates in Santa Cruz de la Sierra,
Bolivia. The pageant attracts delegates from Spanish-speaking countries, although this year the former French colony of Haiti
is participating. Special awards have been given to Miss Venezuela Ligia Hernández as
Miss Photogenic and Miss Cuba Dayami Padrón as Most Beautiful Face. Puerto Rico is represented by Delorean Torres who
has been trained by CB's own Héctor Joaquín Colón. Torres, along with Padrón, grace the cover of the Bolivian magazine
Luces. (El Mundo, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 10/25/2008)
• STRIPPED : Miss Louisiana Teen USA, Lindsey Evans, is being stripped of her crown by pageant officials with
just a few days left in her reign. The perky blonde, 18, - who was 3rd runner-up in Miss Teen USA 2008 - was arrested last week after a dine-and-dash went wrong, TMZ.com
reports. She and three pals allegedly tried to skip out on a $46.07 bill at the Posados Café in Bossier City, Louisiana
last Saturday night (October 18), but Evans left her purse behind at the scene. When she went back to retrieve it,
cops nabbed her on account of the unpaid bill and what they believe to be marijuana that was found in her bag.
She and her three friends were booked on charges of theft and marijuana posession and will be arraigned in January.
Evans won the crown earlier this year after being first runner-up in the 2007 competition.
Evans may not face a judge until 2009, but pageant officials were quick
to meter out justice. "Lindsey Evans has been part of an organization that believes in opportunities when earned
and consequences when warranted" said Paula Miles, President of RPM, a sponsor of the Louisiana pageant.
"Due to recent circumstances, Lindsey has been relieved of her duties as Miss Louisiana Teen USA 2008 effective
immediately." (NY Daily News, 10/22/2008)
• TRANNY PAGEANT CANCELLED : Thailand's international transvestite beauty pageant has been postponed indefinitely amid
political turmoil in the capital, organizers told AFP Thursday. The Miss International Queen contest - a staple
of the transvestite pageant scene - was due to be held in October in the kingdom's beach resort of Pattaya, but
organizers postponed it for a month due to the political unrest. On Thursday, they said they would postpone it
indefinitely because some contestants had been reluctant to travel to Thailand. "It is with regret that Tiffany's
Show Pattaya is postponing the Miss International Queen 2008 pageant until further notice," said organizer Alisa Phanthusak.
The annual contest draws transvestites from all over the world to compete for
a cash prize of 10,000 dollars, but more importantly fame and acceptance. Known in Thailand as "kathoey", or the third
gender, Thai transsexuals have slowly been leaving cabarets for mainstream success in music and other endeavours,
helped in part by the popularity of beauty contests. (Borneo Bulletin, 10/24/2008)
• BEAUTY AND THE BARBARIANS : "Nazanin Afshin-Jam was only a year old in 1979 when Islamic revolutionaries overthrew
the Shah. Her father, the manager of the Sheraton hotel in Tehran, was jailed and beaten for serving alcohol and playing
music there." Read more .
• MISTER USA : More pictures have been added from Ivan's trip to Puerto Rico. Ivan meets Ingrid Marie Rivera, Miss Puerto Rico
Universe 2008. Visit the Galleries.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, November 3, 2008
PHOTO CREDITS: Miss Puerto Rico Beauty Journal, Diario Digital Juárez
| 10.20.2008 | Monday
Is Toyloy hurt by these racist comments? No one knows really, since the beauty queen has not said anything, according
to the Miss Switzerland committee. "We want to avoid all controversy," stated Christophe Locher, its director.
"Besides, we do not want to have anything to do with this political group." Geneva lawyer Charles Poncet
strongly condemns the group: "First of all, they made the comments in public. Second, they were inspiring racial hatred.
And third, they infringed on basic human rights by comparing colored people to abscess." The right-wing group is particularly
active in the German-speaking canton of the country. Several of its members - around a hundred - have already been charged with racist acts. (24 heures, 10/16/2008)
• MISS INTERNATIONAL 2008 pageant kicked off last week with the arrival of the contestants in Japan.
So far, the beauties visited a Japanese garden at the Sankeien park in Yokohama where they also participated
in a tea ceremony. On October 26th, the contestants will fly to Macau where the finals will be held on November 8th. Over
sixty delegates are expected to compete this year. Among the favorites include Miss Puerto Rico Miriam Carrion, Miss Venezuela Dayana Colmenares, Miss Philippines Patricia Fernandez,
Miss Aruba Nuraisa Lispier, Miss Japan Kyoko Sugiyama, Miss Germany Katja Bondarenko,
Miss Mexico Lorenza Bernot Krauze, Miss Slovak Republic Lynka Syokorova, Miss Colombia María Cristina Díaz-Granados Dangond,
and Miss Vietnam Cao Thùy Dýõng. Meet all the contestants by visiting the official Miss International 2008 website.
• NOT HAPPY - PART ONE : The Venezuelan representative to Miss International 2008 Dayana Colmenares is not happy because
she was not provided with a new wardrobe for the competition by her national director Osmel Sousa. For her
national costume, Colmenares will be wearing the same costume that Dayana Mendoza had worn when she competed in
Miss Universe 2008 in Vietnam. For her evening gown, she will have to contend with the same plumage-enhanced evening gown that
Laskmi Rodríguez, Miss Monagas, wore at the Miss Venezuela 2008 pageant. (Diário 2001, Caracas, 10/19/2008)
• NOT HAPPY - PART TWO : The current Miss International from Mexico, Priscilla Perales, was annoyed with the
Miss International organization because no one had even bothered to inform her - not even via e-mail - that she would
crown her successor. How could the organizers have ignored her? She was so upset that she was thinking of boycotting the 2008
pageant in Macao and not crowning her successor. Fortunately, she finally received an invitation, all is forgiven, and
now she is preparing her luggage to travel to Macao. Afterwards, she wants to go to Hollywood to try her luck as
an actress. (La Machaca - AGG - 10/16/2008)
• EARTHLY DELIGHTS : The delegates for Miss Earth 2008 have arrived in Manila for the eighth edition of
the pageant whose finals will take place at the Clark Expo Amphitheater in the Philippine province of Pampanga on
November 9th. This year, nearly ninety countries are expected to compete, including newcomers Bhutan, Guam and South Sudan.
A handful of countries who had previously participated will be missed: Chad, Central African Republic, Tibet,
Egypt, Ireland, Tonga, Niue Island, Denmark, Norway and Togo. The candidate from Puerto Rico, Natalie Cuevas,
cannot compete because she was not able to find a sponsor to cover her airfare (blame her national director for not helping her!)
For a comprehensive coverage of the pageant, check out
Missosology and OPMB. For the first time, Global Beauties is launching its first full coverage.
• THE NEW MISS BELGIAN BEAUTY is Yoni Mous representing the town of Edegem. Mous was crowned Saturday night at
the Casino de Knokke-Heist. Her court includes first runner-up Stéphanie Michiels, 24, of Gand, and the
second runner-up is Sylvie Dewitte, 22, of Louvain. Mous received a cash prize of 12,500 euros and a new car.
Miss Belgian Beauty is the second biggest pageant in Belgium, but the winner does not compete internationally. (RTL Info.be, 10/19/2008)
• THE NEW MISS TURISMO LATINO is Diana McKensi, 25, of Costa Rica who was crowned at the Centro de Convenciones
Simón Bolívar in Guayaquil, Ecuador last Wednesday. The first runner-up is Ecuador's Lissete Cedeño, the
second runner-up is Colombia's Yadith Manosalva and the third runner-up is Venezuela's Anaís Parra.
(El Universo, Guayaquil, 10/17/2008)
• LAWMAKER QUITS BEAUTY PAGEANT : Yuan Jing, 22, a Chinese lawmaker has quit the Miss Chinese International
Pageant after facing criticisms that her participation was debasing politics. But Yuan, who ranked second out of
1,000 contestants in the pageant held by a Hong Kong TV station, insisted she did not withdraw due to pressure.
“I’m too busy to continue the contest. I have a heavy workload,” she said. Yuan is a deputy to the National
People’s Congress, from the eastern province of Jiangsu. One of China’s youngest deputies, she is also
an alternate member of the Chinese Communist Youth League Central Committee. She was inducted into politics at
a young age because she proved herself to be an efficient leader of a militia group comprising young women.
But Internet users in China have complained about her participation in a beauty contest given her political
background. (ANN/ AsiaNews, 10/19/2008)
• MALE PAGEANTS UPDATES : Well, it seems that the Mr. World pageant is not going to take place this year, even though
several countries have already selected their representatives. Earlier this year, there were rumours suggesting that the
pageant would take place in Italy, but now we know it is not true. It's annoying to having to organize a national pageant
and not being able to send your delegate to the targeted international competition. But then again, nothing surprises me about
MWO (Miss World Organizaton) - which produces the male counterpart of Miss World. The organization has not been very
consistent in producing Mr. World, and no one is certain when the next pageant will take place (if it will ever take place!)
Meanwhile, a minor male pageant called Mister Mundial took place in Peru in early
October and the winner was Jochen Vertessen, 19, of Belgium. "Mister Mundial" literally translates into English as
"Mister Worldly" or "Worldly Mister." Imagine some pageant fans who mistook this pageant for Mr. World! LOL! Another male
pageant, Mister Top Model Intercontinental, also happened in Peru last week and was won by Tchyonat Fonseca a Brazilian
who represented Bolivia.
And in the second week of November, delegates will start arriving in Taiwan for the third edition of Mister International.
• MISTER USA : Ivan prepares for Mister International. Read more.
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, October 27, 2008
PHOTO CREDITS: Rekha Datta Blog, Miss Wisconsin
| 10.13.2008 | Monday
• MISS BHUTAN 2008 : While the audience looked on with unabated breath, 24-year-old Tshokey Tshomo Karchung
was crowned Miss Bhutan 2008 at a contest held in Thimphu last Friday. Karchung also walked away with two other titles:
Miss Talented and Miss Photogenic. “I kept every confidence to compete and I am so relieved,” said Tshokey Tshomo who will
be representing the country for Miss Earth 2008 in the Philippines in November. Among other prizes, Karchung took home a
cash prize of Nu 0.1 million. She was crowned by Miss Thailand 2006 Charm Reya Osthanond, one of the seven judges. Her court
includes first runner-up Shelkar Choden and second runner-up Tshering Pem Fifteen women competed for the
title at the contest that lasted past midnight. (Kuenselonline, 10/11/2008)
• THE NEW MISS EARTH CHINA is Zhou Yingkun who was crowned during the Miss Earth 2008 Green Environmental
Protection Chinese Region pageant final on October 9, 2008 in Nanjing of Jiangsu Province, China. Outgoing Miss Earth
Jessica Trisko was a special guest at the pageant.
• HOMAGE TO LUZ : Civilian, military and church officials of the city of Manizales paid a tribute to the
only Miss Universe from Colombia Luz Marina Zuluaga. This year, Luz celebrates her fiftieth coronation anniversary.
The event took place at the city basilica last Saturday. Among those who attended the special event were the current Miss Colombia Taliana Vargas, Miss Colombia national
director Raymundo Angulo, and Miss Caldas 2008 Marcela Muñoz. (Hoy Diario del Magdalena, Santa Marta,
10/12/2008)
• TRAGEDY : Analida Arosemena, who competed in the Miss Playa Blanca 2007 pageant representing Panama, and three
other friends including the owner of a nightclub, died of suffocation caused by carbon monoxide. The group had returned to
the club at 1:40 P.M. on Friday. Apparently, they had left the motor of their car running and due to lack of ventilation,
they inhaled the deadly odorless gas that took their lives. (Crítica en Línea, Panamá, 12/10/2008)
• GUILTY VOYEUR : Clayton L. Weiss, 48, of Berlin (Wisconsin), was found guilty in Green Lake County Circuit Court
of 11 counts in connection with secretly photographing area pageant contestants as they disrobed in his photo studio bathroom.
Weiss, a photographer who attended area pageants frequently throughout the past 10 years, changed his plea from innocent to no
contest Friday. Judge W.M. McMonigal ordered a pre-sentence investigation to take place within the next 45 days.
Sentencing will take place after that. Weiss faces more than 30 years in prison. The charges against him include seven
counts of making a visual representation of nudity, three counts of attempting to make a visual representation of
nudity and one count of invasion of privacy.
According to the criminal complaint, many of his victims were women he lured to
his home photography studio under the guise of having them model for advertisements for a local cheesecake company.
Some of the women were contestants in the Miss Wisconsin, Miss Oshkosh and Miss Berlin pageants. Weiss hid video
cameras behind vents in his bathroom, using multiple cameras to cover different angles of the victim's bodies. Many of
the videos depicted women from the chest and below, the complaint states. Without facial features it was difficult
to identify the victims. Investigators worked with pageant officials to determine the identities of the women
on the videos. (The Northwestern, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 10/12/2008)
• MPRU NOTES : A rumor is circulating within the Puerto Rican pageantry circuit that Magali Febles may
lose the Puerto Rican franchise for Miss Universe for her failure to pay the fees completely. Magali refuses to
comment; instead, she advised the curious to call MUO directly to find out.
The Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2009 finals will take place on October
22nd and viewers of the MPRU reality show "Por la corona" have already selected their favorite twelve candidates. The
first special event, Fashion and Beauty, was held last Friday at Centro de Bellas Artes in Guaynabo. The candidates strutted
in designs of their own choosing and the winner was Ida Ibarra, Miss Dorado, who wore a colorful number by designer
José Karlo. Meanwhile, outgoing queen Ingrid Rivera, who turned 25 last Wednesday, is ready to close another chapter
in her life and start a new one. In November, she will attend several acting auditions with Televisa, and depending on
the result, she will either move Mexico or the United States. And in December, she will receive her marketing diploma from
the University of Puerto Rico. (Primera Hora, 10/11/2008)
• CLOONEY AND PITT GO TO BULGARIA : Apparently, the wine, women and mountains trio that most people mention when
asked for first impressions of Bulgaria also applies to George Clooney and Brad Pitt. The two Hollywood hunks,
along with Italian producer Monica Bellucci, are coming to the country for its Model of Bulgaria 2008 competition.
The pageant itself takes place on October 22 in Blagoevgrad, a city of about 75 000 people, of which 10 per cent or so
are university students – undoubtedly providing both fodder for the model candidates, and an appreciative audience
for the actors.
Along with Clooney, Bellucci and Pitt, model Katya Duneva, reported to be the
third-most beautiful woman in the world; Mrs Globe 2004 Rumyana Marinova; actress and model Desi Zidarova and more will
attend the event, ProFile Agency wrote in an October 10 press release. The first round of the Model of Bulgaria
competition took place on October 11 at the Sofia club Bacardi. This is the first year that such a competition is being
held. (Sofiaecho.com, 10/10/2008)
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, October 20, 2008
PHOTO CREDIT: Miss Tibet Organization
| 10.06.2008 | Monday
• MISS WORLD IN VIETNAM : With the success of Miss Universe 2008 in the city of Nha Trang in Vietnam, the Miss World
Organization CEO Julia Morley confirmed that the Miss World pageant will be held in the same city in 2010.
Morley met with Vietnamese officials last week to sign the agreement that states that the pageant finals are scheduled
on September 30th, 2010. Le Xuan Than, vice-president of Khanh Hoa Popular Committe, said that he felt optimistic
after the success of having hosted Miss Universe 2008. The costs to host Miss World 2010 are estimated to be ten million
U.S. dollars. "Vietnam has almost two years to prepare for this event, but we want to start preparing everything right away
to guarantee the best conditions for the pageant," said Than. Over 130 countries are expected to participate in the 2010 pageant.
(El Mundo, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, 10/3/2008)
The prize money is offered to help the winners further their education or vocational skills,
Lobsang said. Tibetan businessman Gyalnor Tsewang, a member of the Tibetan parliament sponsored 50,000 rupees
for the pageant and Asia Health Resorts will be co-sponsoring the event. Though the pageant has received substantial media
attention in the past the Tibetan community itself is yet to fully accept it as a serious competition. The number of girls
participating in the pageant has dwindled over the years making it hard for the organizers to continue the pageant. The expenses
of the event are mostly derived from advertisements of local businesses in the pageant brochure.
“We are still looking for funding assistance to cover the costs of the pageant and
the prize money,” Lobsang said. The pageant will take place in the evening of Sunday, 12 October at the Tibetan Institute of
Performing Arts in Dharamshala. This is the seventh Miss Tibet pageant since 2002 and for 2003 and 2005 there were only one
contestant. (Phayul, Tibet, 10/3/2008)
• DAYANA'S FULL AGENDA : Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza's October is full to the max. Last week, she was in New
Jersey for the opening of Donald Trumps's new building, the Chairman Tower in Atlantic City. She also attended the 2008 YouthAIDS
Gala at the Ritz-Carlton in McLean, Virginia. Today, she flies to Los Angeles, on Wednesday she returns to New York, and on the
weekend of October 17th she will travel to Washington, D.C. On October 21-22, she will attend the Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2009
pageant. On the weekend of October 24th she will return to New York, followed by the return trip to Indonesia on October 29th.
Since she was crowned Miss Universe on July 13th, Dayana's life has been restricted
to press interviews, photo sessions and travels. This month, she is featured in two significant publications in the U.S.
People en Español devotes three pages of interview with her; the interview mentions how MUO president Paula Shugart
called Dayana as "the perfect beauty queen." Osmel Sousa is also quoted as saying that Dayana "is an excellent pupil." And
Donal Trump says that Dayana "has everything... beauty, brains, personality and charisma." (Panorama, Maracaibo, 10/4/2008)
• RENUNCIATION : Beauty queen Janina San Miguel has resigned as the country’s official representative to the 2008 Miss
World beauty pageant. A statement from the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) said San Miguel cited as reason for
her decision the recent death of his grandfather. “The untimely demise of her grandfather, among other personal reasons, has caused
her undue stress, thus hindering her from fulfilling her duties for the said title," the BPCI statement read.
“BPCI wishes to express its gratitude to Ms. San Miguel for this act of graciousness
and concern for the country. They also wish her well in her future endeavors," it added. In accordance with BCPI’s rules
and regulations, 1st Runner-Up Danielle Castaño will replace San Miguel as the official Philippine representative who will
vie for the Miss World 2008 plum in Johannesburg. (GMA News, 9/29/2008)
• FLASHBACK : My VHS copy of Miss Universe 1969 is in black and white and it has this annoying counter on the screen. Someone
posted on a message board a link to a YouTube videoclip featuring a documentary on Miss Universe 1969 - in color! Thank you, poster,
for sharing it with us! Here it is:
To this day, there are pageant fans that wonder how a 5'5" Gloria Diaz could have won over a tall regal blond from Finland?
Was it her "witty" response to her final question that wowed the judges, or was it because of her unique looks?
• NEXT UPDATE : Monday, October 13, 2008
PHOTO CREDIT: MISS TIBET ORGANIZATION
SEPTEMBER 2008
• THE NEW MISS PUERTO RICO UNIVERSE if Mayra Matos (photo), a 20-year-old professional model representing the town of Cabo Rojo. Matos, who was
crowned last Wednesday night at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José M. Agrelot in San Juan, triumphed over seventy young women who competed in this year's pageant. Her court
includes first runner-up Jennifer Colón of San Juan, second runner-up Sharon Gomez of Santurce,
third runner-up Haydil Rivera of Adjuntas, fourth runner-up Agnes Benitez of Cataño, and fifth
runner-up Eydiebel Perez of Vega Beja. Matos was crowned by her predecessor Ingrid Marie Rivera.
She will now represent her country in the Miss Universe 2009 pageant. 
• ALICIA AND DAUGHTER : Many pageant fans are wondering what the baby daughter of former Miss Universe Alicia Machado
looks like. Well, here's a photo of Alicia carrying her sweet daughter, Dinorah, an exclusive for the magazine ¡Hola!
The photo session for the magazine took place in Alicia's house in Acapulco, Mexico. Alicia commented that she had chosen
the name "Dinorah" for her daughter because it belonged to a dead aunt and for its meaning: "light" in Aramaic. "My daughter
is my light," exclaimed Alicia. (Diario Digital Juárez, Mexico, 10/25/2008)
• VICTIMS OF RACISM: "She carries the abscess that is already devouring the free and independent confederation,"
exclaims Dominic Lüthard, member of the Swiss nationalist party (PNOS), regarding the new Miss Switzerland
Whitney Toyloy (photo, right). In an article published on October 11th on the party's website. Lüthard's racist comment
prompted Bern city officials to conduct a penal procedure against the extreme right-wing group. On its website,
the group writes: "First, we have Whitney Toyloy, the black Swiss who has lived in Singapore, in Spain
and in the United States. A typical Swiss indeed!" Toyloy's first runner-up has also become a target of the
racist group: "Then we have Rekha Datta (photo, left) of Indian origin. Two people who do not have Swiss roots. And they're
supposed to represent our country? I don't think so."
• STRANDED : Just home from an exhausting trip to Los Angeles, Miss Wisconsin Briana Lipor (photo) was heading out
to meet a friend for coffee on Oct. 11 in Racine, Wisconsin. But on the way, her car was struck by a red truck or SUV. The accident severely
damaged her Ford Focus, and the driver who hit her drove away. The Racine Police Department is investigating the crash,
but meanwhile Lipor is without transportation to events and doesn’t have any income to pay for the repairs.
“I am without a vehicle,” Lipor said. “I’m stranded in Racine.” A few scratches and a sore shoulder were the
only injuries she suffered in the crash. Passers-by called for help, and Lipor said she stood on the side of
the road waiting for them to arrive. She said she is also grateful she was in Racine when she was hit. “Thank God
it happened in my hometown,” Lipor said. “I could have been four hours away.” (Journal Times, Wisconsin, 10/19/2008)
Sonam Choedon, 25, center, talks to the media after winning the Miss Tibet 2008 beauty pageant, in Dharmsala, India, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008. Choedon, who was born in Tibet and came into exile in India in 2007, was one of the two contestants for this year's pageant.
(AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)
• A PERSISTENT PAGEANT : Two Tibetan girls will vie for this year’s Miss Tibet Pageant, announced Lobsang Wangyal,
the founder and director of the pageant. However, the names of the girls will be announced on the day of the actual
competition. There will be four rounds of contest. The two contenders will be trained in yoga, dance and stagecraft, and will
be given orientation on Tibetan culture for a week, says Lobsang, who also organized the first Tibetan music awards, and
Tibetan Olympics. Miss Tibet 2008 will win 100,000 rupees (2500 USD approx), and the runners up will receive 50,000.00 rupees
(1250 USD approx). The prize money is offered to help the winners further their education or vocational skills, Lobsang said.