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It can be difficult for charities and not-for-profit organisations to maintain their respective profiles in the minds of those audiences that are important to them. Securing the support of celebrities is a tried and tested way to raise profile as well as encourage the support of donors and key stakeholders. so, how do you get celebrities interested and how can you avoid paying them big bucks for their involvement? The key lies in taking a strategic approach and doing a bit of research, in particular:

* Devising a plan – you need to be clear about what you want to achieve and why. It is not good enough just to get a celebrity on board – you also need to have a clear plan about how you will continue to engage them after any initial support. Budgets are tight so you need to ensure that your time is as effective as possible. If you are going to make the effort to secure celebrity support then try to hook that celebrity into supporting you on an ongoing basis rather than as a one-off.

* Making it easy for the celebrity – you will get your best response by encouraging the celebrity to support you in a way that does not require huge time commitments. In my experience this is key – you will get much more response if what you ask is not onerous. After any initial support you can then build your relationship with the celebrity to see whether more commitment would be forthcoming.

* Be realistic – you may need to approach many celebrities to get responses. Do not get disheartened – you just have to keep at it. Remember too that ‘A’ list celebrities and well-known personalities are being approached all the time, you need to be targeted but also realistic in your approach.

* Research your target celebrities – a bit of research can go a long way. There are a number of directories available online as well as in libraries giving you the details for agents for celebrities and well-known personalities. these are helpful tools. It is also worth doing a bit of desk research to devise a listing of those people you want to target – find out the interests they have, the causes and charities they support. you need to know if they are already connected with an organisation that has similar interests to your own or one that would suggest a natural link.

It is good for celebrities to be liked to worthwhile causes but the competition for their attention is fierce. Devising a plan, including your creative idea, and a listing of your target celebrities is the first stage – you then need to ensure that your approach presses all the right buttons with them.

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By Debbie Emery – Radar Reporter

Rocked by the horrific tragedy, a family member of murder-suicide instigator Sara McMeen‘s exclusively revealed to RadarOnline.com how they have found strength in loved ones, and in their faith, in the days since the shootings.

“We are doing OK, we are finding comfort in the Lord and in the huge outpouring of love and support from family and friends,” the relative exclusively told RadarOnline.com.

PHOTOS: Celebs Involved in Murder

As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the 30-year-old mother from the small farming town of Emington, Illinois, shot her three children, Skylar, 8, Ian, 7, and Maggie, 10 months old, and her boyfriend, Daniel Warren, 29, and then turned the gun on herself.

Police investigating the tragic murder-suicide that left an entire family dead on Friday have revealed that McMeen was the lone killer in the heartbreaking incident.

PHOTOS: Sexy Stars Who have Been Arrested

“Sara McMeen was the sole shooter of the other four victims before taking her own life,” Livingston County Sheriff Martin Meredith said in a news conference on Monday.

Autopsy results revealed that McMeen died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the neck from a 40-caliber semi-automatic handgun that was found in her hand. the bullets from the weapon matched those found in Warren, who was shot in the back and the head, and the children, who were all shot in the head. Skylar reportedly had numerous wounds.

PHOTOS: Celebrity Mugshots

In an attempt to discover what triggered the deadly rampage, Sheriff Meredith said investigators are looking for anyone who saw McMeen or Warren in the 24 to 48 hours before the shooting.

Daniel’s mother, Wendy Warren, was still in shock when she spoke to RadarOnline.com and revealed how her son’s girlfriend had visited her just 24 hours before their deaths.

PHOTOS: Celebs Who have Done Jail Time

“Sara and my grandbaby came by to see me just the day before it happened,” Wendy said. “She was happy and everything. she came to collect some clothes that I had bought for baby Maggie.”

Wendy revealed that Sara suffered from Bipolar disorder but wasn’t on any medication. she said that Sara and her 29-year-old son had been dating on and off for five years.

PHOTOS: Celebrity Death Threats

“They had their issues and they’d fight but they’d get back together,” Wendy shared. “They had bought rings but they weren’t married. They were working on their issues.

“I was going to spend Christmas with them. my son was going to pick me up on the 23rd and I was going over to their house for the holidays.”

PHOTOS: Celebs Who have Battled Drinking Problems

Darren was baby Maggie’s dad, and McMeen’s ex-boyfriend, Brad Lemke, was the father of the two older children.

As RadarOnline.com previously reported, McMeen shot her two sons and her boyfriend before taking little Maggie to the yard, wrapping her in a blanket and shooting her at point blank range in front of a horrified neighbor.  she then turned the gun on herself and committed suicide.

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By Zachary SwickeyPop icon Madonna was more than a little pissed when her first new single in four years, “Gimme All your Luvin,” leaked prematurely and quickly spread across the Internet. Madge’s manager, Guy Oseary, was vocally adamant on Twitter about trying to catch the culprit behind the leak – repeatedly asking fans to [...]

Deborah Kim Actress Reese Witherspoon smiles at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, in this February 27, 2011 file photo. Witherspoon and her talent agent fiance Jim Toth tied the knot over the weekend in Southern California, her spokeswoman told celebrity magazine People on March 27, 2011. Picture taken February 27, 2011 . REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/Files (UNITED STATES – Tags: ENTERTAINMENT PROFILE) (OSCARS-ARRIVALS)

Thank god Reese Witherspoon found Jim Toth.

Wonderwall reported the Legally Blond actress tells Elle magazine her CAA talent agent husband helped her move on from her 2006 divorce to ex-husband Ryan Philippe and brought her to a better place in her life.

“I used to be afraid to travel and afraid to leave my house, afraid to leave my kids – that something horrible was going to happen,” she said.

The 35-year-old added that she never would have imagined being married to someone like Toth.

“[Jim] really surprised me,” she said. “You don’t know who you’re going to end up with. When I was 20, if you’d asked me … I wouldn’t have said Jim.”

But the two did end up together and according to People, Toth left a very good first impression.

The Oscar-winning actress said she was at a friend’s party when a “really drunk guy” was hitting on her. but before things got worse with the “jerk”, “Jim came over and said, ‘Please excuse my friend, he’s just broken up with someone.’”

“I remember thinking… Jim was a really good friend, pulling [his drunk pal] out of that situation. That’s just kind of who he is, a really good person.”

Witherspoon also admires that her husband of nine months is so caring.

“Jim’s like, ‘I’m gonna show you every day what a good partner is, what a good person is,’ ” she said. “’’I'm going to take care of you. I’m going to do it so much that you’re gonna get used to it.’ I was like, ‘What are you talking about? I’ve never had anybody like that in my life.’”

Let’s hope this relationship doesn’t have the same fate as so many other Hollywood marriages.

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Planning your wedding day is the most exciting time of your life, but it can also be the most stressful time since there are just so many little things you need to take care of, like finding the perfect wedding gown, choosing the appropriate music, hiring a decent photographer and booking the perfect venue. and low and behold if one tiny little detail falls out of place, your fairy tale picture could all come tumbling down. So why don’t you avoid the traditional headaches that come standard with planning your dream day and opt for something different.a wedding in Africa.

African weddings are exclusive and special, whether you’re planning a big ceremony or something smaller and more intimate. with exotic places to choose from like the edge of the Victoria Falls, amongst the sand dune of Namibia, on top of Table Mountain, deep in the African bush, on a tropical beach in KwaZulu Natal or Lake Malawi, surrounded by Cape Vineyards or the celebrities’ favourite, Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town. An African wedding is everything that represents spontaneity no matter which location in Africa you choose.

African Wedding Venues

South African has always been Africa’s most beautiful country to visit and when it comes to choosing a venue for your African wedding, South Africa surely doesn’t fall short. Couples can choose to tie the knot in elegant country houses and cosy inns, with the stunning view of the lush African vineyards to National Parks with elephants parading by. and if you’re not enthused by the serenity of the countryside you can still enjoy fine African wine, whether your reception is held at a luxury game lodge, a lazy seaside resort off Dolphin Coast, a Game Reserve, an old rustic barn or a magnificent, romantic castle in true Romeo and Juliet style.

Whichever setting tickles your fancy, you’re guaranteed to find only the best overnight accommodation for out-of-town wedding guests, we’ll make it our personal mission to see to it that your guests are well looked after and comfortable at a luxurious hotel, Bed & Breakfast Inn or guest house.

Notable Venues for African Weddings:

• The Waterberg area: a big five game reserve for an unforgettable wedding in the bushveld.
• Franschhoek Valley with the Cape Winelands as a backdrop.
• The Garden Route, this area is famous for its picturesque beauty.
• Mabibi beach – in the northern Kwazulu Natal – with its unspoiled beaches and romantic lakes.
• Livingstone Island, situated in the Zambezi River on the edge of the spectacular Victoria Falls.
• Lower Zambezi Valley: the Zambezi River offers the most spectacular sunset for a romantic Africa wedding while gently drifting down the river.
• Northern Kwazulu Natal: a tropical beach paradise for an unforgettable beach wedding.
• Mauritius, get hitched on the beach, barefoot with not a care in the world.

Planning Your Dream Wedding in Africa

Wedding planners have always been the answer to reducing the headache of planning your perfect wedding. and when you’re planning your big day in a foreign country you’re going to need the inside info on where to get pretty flowers, reliable catering companies and a dressmaker for last minute dress alterations. by delegating your wedding plans to a professional Wedding Coordinator you can sit back and put your feet up in the knowledge that your perfect day is taken care of by the experts. African wedding planners will see to it that all the finer details are seen to with style and elegance, no matter what your budget is.

Honeymoon in Africa

So the sun has set on your beautiful day and all your smiling guests have booked in at their overnight accommodation, where to next? why would you want to leave the picturesque African scenery to spend your honeymoon somewhere else, when you can kick off your stilettos and unwind in the most elegant and lush suites at one of Africa’s five-star hotels? Newly-weds can enjoy the luxury of private butlers, candle-lit dinners under the starry sky or in their honeymoon suites with a built-in fireplace. African honeymoons are all about being completely spoilt, pampered and waited on.

An African wedding is everything but conventional. You can make your wedding day one that will have your guests talking for centuries to come. So take the big step into the African wilderness to find golden, untouched beaches with romantic settings and we’ll make the biggest day of your life well worth remembering.

Yes, it is hard to believe, but email turned 40 last month. No one can question that email has transformed the way business is conducted. According to Radicati group, the average worker processes more than a hundred daily emails, and business email accounts make up only about a quarter of the total of more than 3 billion. Sometime in the next few years, Radicati predicts that the number of IM accounts will exceed email for the first time.

Email and my own working life have been closely intertwined as well. I started using email in 1983 and over the years I have used more than three dozen different systems and sent thousands of messages. so I thought I would put together some important milestones of my own usage and show you how email has changed from those early days. In my working life, I published my first book on corporate email use (seen at left), published a weekly email newsletter and wrote many articles about various email products for dozens of publications, including this one.

Judging by the Golden Globes and the Grammys, 2010 is going to be a huge year for the Hair Updo. With hairstylists to the stars even creating faux bobs for their celebrity clients (like Jessica Simpson, Eva Longoria, and Carrie Underwood), you know that the trend to literally take your hair up a notch is a hot one It seems everyone wants their hair up off their necks with prettified ‘dos, from the simplest bobs and chignons to intricate braided, waved and curled hair updos. Hair Jewelry is a big hit for 2010 too so remember, after you’ve bought that gorgeous clutch and shoes, that your hair needs accessorizing too

For a 2010 wedding, prom, formal, or even just a night on the town with your favourite guy or your gaggle of girlies, here are some hot celebrity trends that are definitely worth a try:

The Side Updo: It seems that crooked is the way to go and this is definitely a plus for us girls trying the looks at home – it means less worrying about the evenness of our updo, and a side updo is so much easier to see in the mirror So take your favourite updo, and set it off kilter for a new and improved modern look. if you are searching for ideas, try a simple low set side bun, which you can create easily by securing your hair in a side pony at the nape of your neck and twirling into a bun. Add oomph with a ponytail hair extension or glam it up with a jeweled hair comb or sparkly hair pins.

The Braided Updo: The Olsen’s, Jessica Alba, and Lauren Conrad are all fans of this updo with a bohemian twist. Any look you choose, whether it a braided half updo with just a crown of braids like this one, or a full red carpet bun wrapped in a beautiful braid you will be sure to have on-trend tresses that will definitely wow a crowd

The Undone Updo: The biggest trend of all, and can you believe the easiest Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon, Ashley Olsen and more are all keeping it cool with perfectly undone updos where messy is the motto. Throw up your hair in a loose pony, curl up the ends and pin in place, spritz some hairspray and you’re good to go

Jessica Simpson is famous for dressing her curvaceous figure, and now that she’s pregnant, she has a new asset to show off: her ever-growing baby bump!

PHOTOS: Jessica shows off her baby bump

The 31-year-old Fashion Star mentor tweeted a picture of herself Tuesday showing off her mommy-to-be figure. “I LOVE my new Cavalli dress!” she wrote as she modeled the floral purple number with a plunging neckline. “My belly is officially bigger than my boobs… well, kinda. Ha.”

Simpson has never been shy about discussing her ample chest. In September, The Sun claimed she was “fed up with her DD breasts,” and Eric Johnson’s fiancee quickly shot down the rumors that she was getting a breast reduction.

PHOTOS: Jess and Eric’s road to romance

“Not to worry. I love my boobies!” she tweeted. “They’re not going anywhere.”

Her father, Joe Simpson, infamously referenced his daughters curves in 2004. “Jessica never tried to be sexy. She just is sexy,” he told GQ magazine. “If you put her in a t-shirt or you put her in a bustier, she’s sexy in both. She’s got double D’s! you can’t cover those suckers up.”

PHOTOS: Celebrity bra sizes revealed

The reality star agrees. She told Us Weekly in April, “There’s kind of no way to not show cleavage when it comes to me unless I’m wearing a turtleneck.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics today released a report summarizing the state of the economy for the just ended month of November. Turns out our nation’s unemployment rate has gone down. Here’s Bloomberg with more details:

Job gains in the U.S. picked up last month and the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to the lowest level since March 2009, a decline augmented by the departure of Americans from the labor force.

Payrolls climbed 120,000, after a revised 100,000 increase in October, with more than half the hiring coming from retailers and temporary help agencies, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. The median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey called for a 125,000 gain. The jobless rate declined to 8.6 percent from 9 percent.

At a media event in the District of Columbia with his predecessor Bill Clinton, President Barack Obama cheered the report.

“This morning we learned that our economy added another 140,000 private sector jobs in November,” the President said. “The unemployment rate went down. and despite some strong headwinds this year, the American economy has now created in the private sector jobs for the past twenty-one months in a row; that’s nearly three million new jobs in all, and more than half a million over the last four months.”

“The policies this administration has pursued are adding jobs back into the economy, and our recovery is picking up steam,” added Obama’s Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis. “in November, American companies increased hiring across virtually all regions and all sectors to keep pace with growing consumer consumption and demand. last week we saw people talk with their wallets.”

“One week after soaring Black Friday spending, we are seeing job growth firmly in the black heading into the holidays.”

On the surface, it would seem that the President and his team are correct that this is very good news we should all be heartened by. But a closer look at the report suggests the employment situation may not be as rosy as it seems.

Respected University of Oregon economist Mark Thoma, who writes the widely read (and Pacific NW Portal syndicated) blog Economist’s View, has published a more comprehensive reaction to the report.

Here’s an excerpt from his analysis, which we recommend reading in full:

First, note that depending upon which estimates you look at, it takes from 90,000-125,000 jobs just to keep up with the growth in the population. thus, the 120,000 jobs that were created in November is enough to keep the unemployment rate from going up, but it is not enough by itself to absorb all the new workers entering the labor force and at the same time reduce the fraction of people that are currently unemployed. so the fall in the unemployment rate cannot be attributed to robust job growth.

Second, the report shows a decline in the labor force of 315,000 for November, and about half of the decline is attributed to discouraged workers giving up the search for a job. This exit of workers rather than job creation is the main source of the fall in the unemployment rate, and since so much of it is from discouraged workers this is not an encouraging development. Note, however, that there is a lot of month to month variability in the labor force participation numbers, and some of this may simply be month to month noise in the measurement.

These are both important points, particularly the second one. Many (if not most) Americans are unaware that people who would like a job – but have given up on the job search for the time being – are not counted in the unemployment rate. (These are the discouraged workers Thoma is referring to.)

Also not counted are underemployed workers: those who would like to find full-time jobs but can’t, so they are stuck working part-time jobs.

So it’s probable that the unemployment rate is understating the true level of unemployment. now, that said, there are some positive trends in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ report – for instance, the number of people working in construction increased, and employment in the manufacturing sector held steady. We can certainly be happy about that. But we’re hardly out of the woods yet, as one analyst stressed to Bloomberg Businessweek.

“It’s good news, not great news,” said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at IHS Inc. in Lexington, Massachusetts, whose forecast matched the survey median. “The labor market is gradually healing.”

That seems like a pretty accurate assessment of where we’re at.

Let’s hope that during this holiday season, doors begin to open up for as many of those discouraged workers as possible, so they can rejoin the labor force and help bolster America’s economic security.

POSTSCRIPT: Dean Baker has more analysis at CEPR’s site. and Robert Reich has some thoughts that are worth reading as well.