News: Rare Marilyn Monroe photos turn up

1. Marilyn Monroe photos show the star before the star

David Wills is the author/editor of the new book Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis and has spoken about whittling down the thousands of photos of the American icon for the new book. He said she posed for everything and everyone. Which explains why there are always new photos turning up. Like these.

2. Singer Heavy D has passed away

Singer Heavy D, who sang the hit ‘Now that we’ve found love’ has passed away due to unknown causes. He was rushed to hospital in Los Angeles but didn’t make it. He was 44. At team MM, we love the song, so here it is:

3. Asylum seeker mental health claims creating ‘stress’ on health staff

A confidential letter from International Health and Medical Services (IHMS) which is contracted to run medical services in Australian detention centres has implored the Department of Immigration to fund a pool of psychiatrists to work in detention centres because the need was now ‘critical’. The SMH reported:

The letter cites the rising number of detainees prescribed psychotropic medication for extended periods; the ”ever-increasing number of clients with a T&T [trauma and torture] history with significant symptomatology”; and ”an ever-increasing number of clients … in detention for more than 18 months”.

”The mental health team requires the clinical input and leadership of the psychiatrist to manage people with complex mental health problems which become more apparent the longer clients spend in detention,” reads the letter.

4. Children as young as 8 with anorexia

Dr Sloane Madden is a leading Sydney specialist at Westmead Hospital and she says children are being admitted to wards with serious eating disorders more frequently. The average age is 12-13-years old. Dr Sloane told ABC: “I think we need to consider the background for this. There’s been enormous concern about overweight and obesity in children and a focus on bringing weight down, so often when these children start to want to eat in a more healthy way that’s seen as a positive thing. By the time they get to us things have really got out of control, these children are really refusing to eat much at all. I think the other thing we need to consider is often the messages which are coming from the media with programs such as The Biggest Loser, where the people who are losing the most weight, reaching the lowest number on the scales are those who are seen as most successful. Those programs are put on at a time when families often sit down to watch television together and, again, children are getting exactly the same message as adults.”

5. Teenager’s virginity for sale

A Sydney escort agency is advertising the virginity of a 19-year-old university student for $15,000 and says it already has two clients ‘very interested’. Critics have deemed the offer ‘sickening’ and said it was taking Australia back to the dark ages. A man called Duncan, apparently the owner or manager of the agency, said it was quite a common occurrence.

6. Another rogue Afghan soldier opens fire on troops

It’s the second incident in as many weeks of an Afghan National Army soldier going ‘rogue’ and firing into Aussie troops. Last time three Australians died. In this incident three Australians and two other Afghan soldiers were injured, but were not critical.

7. Anti-troll campaign goes viral, women fight back

A campaign to take the fight back to ‘violent and sexist’ troll remarks against female commentators and writers online has gone viral. The ‘Men Call Me Things’ (#mencallmethings on Twitter) campaign started after awareness began to build about the peculiar type of abuse females were subjected to online, usually sexual, misogynist and violent in nature. Writers online can take part by re-publishing the worst of the vitriol they are subjected to.

8. Google eBooks goes live in Australia

The electronic book offering from one of the largest tech companies in the world went live in Australia yesterday with Australia’s two largest booksellers – Booktopia and Dymocks – offering the service. Google works with 40,000 publishers around the world with 2.5 million books, Google’s Australia eBooks Partnership Manager Mark Tanner said, noting that Google eBooks was a natural extension to search.

9. Today’s WTF moment … the Pippa Middleton doll!

And, it’s hideous. Not her of course. But the doll is. An American company is selling the figurine for $50, which apparently captures the moment she herself caught the world’s attention in that bridesmaid’s dress. Is this something you’d shell out for?