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歐陽菲菲穿著豪華戲服、熱力開唱。 （記者陳瑞源∕攝影）slideshow 讓歌迷苦等45分鐘，幾乎演成鼓譟局面，但當她甩著招牌髮型后臨舞台，歐陽菲菲儘管有些喘，但掩不住的舞台魅力，仍帶領小巨蛋萬名貴婦、名流、資深歌迷，一起捲入迪斯可狂熱中。

暌違六年的台北演唱會在小巨蛋升級演出，原訂7時30分開場，卻延遲到8時15分，以資深歌迷為主的觀眾不耐久候，出現鼓譟，有人往下扔擲螢光棒，甚至有人衝上舞台以螢光棒比出「X」。據主辦單位事後解釋，歐陽菲菲其實早已準備好，只是她得知還有許多資深歌迷未入座，擔心關燈造成危險，只好請大家耐心等候。

在歐陽菲菲終於華麗現身後，可能是顧及年長歌迷而調低音響、也可能是近鄉情怯，一時未點燃熱情，但出道超過40年，千錘百鍊的舞台魅力，在2000顆大小燈組映照著的4000萬元舞台上，年過半百的天后，光芒四射。

歐陽菲菲的中、日、英文歌都是經典，演唱會上公開她在NHK初登場開唱的畫面、還有近年少見的裙裝造型，她找來老搭檔Tokyo D的Boss擔任舞蹈總監，挑選的舞者號稱台版放浪兄弟。歐陽菲菲在disco組曲時還從人群中現身，演唱「Disco Queen」、「Hey Hey Taxi」等，拉著歌迷熱舞，全場變成迪斯可舞場。

有心的歐陽菲菲，安可曲時與268位小朋友合唱「感恩的心」，其中包括歐陽龍、李翊君等明星的女兒，她藉此曲為海地震災災民祈福，現場也同步進行手機捐款，款項捐給中華民國紅十字會總會。

這場演唱會名流如雲，郭台銘夫人曾馨瑩帶著婆婆低調進場、黃子佼帶著過生日的爸爸來、張小燕、江淑娜、哈林、沈春華等也都出席。

綜覽世界全局，觀看全真的世界日報電子報(ePaper)

*999m. To be enhanced .......

Therefore, together we are,
And then, therefore together we'll be back;

*******

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Arms Control and International Security: Remarks With Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini After Their MeetingMonday, January 25, 2010 9:36 AM
From: "U.S. Department of State" View contact detailsTo: tojulei@yahoo.comArms Control and International Security: Remarks With Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini After Their Meeting
Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:28:24 -0600

Remarks With Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini After Their Meeting

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Treaty Room

Washington, DC

January 25, 2010

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, good morning. It is a ?everybody down and ready ?good, okay. It is a pleasure to welcome a friend, a personal friend as well as a representative of a country that is a great trusted friend and valued ally to the United States. Foreign Minister Frattini has been someone with whom I have consulted closely and often over this past year. And based on the agenda in front of us, I think we will be continuing that pattern.

We had much to discuss today. I thanked the foreign minister for the generous assistance that Italy has provided to the people of Haiti. As we know, Italy suffered its own tragic earthquake last year, and the Italian people have opened their hearts in solidarity. I will be leaving shortly for Montreal where there will be a conference on the international relief effort. I will have more to say about developments in Haiti later today. We discussed how difficult this endeavor is in a country without the infrastructure and the capacity that we take for granted in countries like ours. But we will look to Italy for technical advice and assistance as we move forward for the longer term.

We also discussed our shared commitment to Afghanistan. The United States appreciates Italy抯 leadership in our refocused mission and we especially are grateful for the increased troop commitment that Italy has announced. Later this week, both Franco and I will be in London for the international conference on Afghanistan. Our soldiers are fighting side by side. Italy leads NATO forces in western Afghanistan and provides a provincial reconstruction team and elite police trainers who are helping the Afghans build their own capacity to take responsibility for their own security.

Last week, the State Department released a comprehensive plan to implement a civilian strategy that offers the best prospect for stabilizing Afghanistan and Pakistan. And it includes the work of many agencies across our government. While our military mission in Afghanistan is not open-ended, we are committed to building lasting partnerships with both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

We will also be focusing at the London conference on the Afghan Government抯 commitments and plans to spur sustainable economic development, to improve governance, to fight corruption. And those are issues that Franco and I have a particular interest in. We will be looking for the gradual ability of the Afghans themselves to assume the security responsibility and assist in the development of their own country.

I also appreciate Italy抯 announcement earlier this month of new financial support for Somalia, which is a great boost to the efforts there. We discussed Iran and agreed that it must fully address international concerns about its nuclear program and end the repression and abuse of its citizens. Iran faces a clear choice between continued isolation and living up to its international obligations.

And finally, we have a shared commitment to a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. In coordination with Italy and our Quartet partners, including the EU, the United States will continue to vigorously pursue a comprehensive and durable peace. There are many other issues we covered, from energy security in Europe, to Bosnia and so much else. But suffice it to say, we are very grateful to our friends for all that they do both on their own and in concert with us to address the many challenges we face in the 21st century.

FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI: Thank you. Thank you very much, Hillary. It was, as usual, very interesting and fruitful talks with a personal friend with a country which is, for Italy, the first ally in the world. We share points of view. We share common values. We talked about many, many important issues.

First of all, I want to repeat here how highly we value the important and generous efforts of United States to help people in Haiti. We highly value, we strongly appreciate the personal commitment of President Obama and Secretary Hillary Clinton to help people there. Italy was among the first countries helping and contributing in a framework of international coordination. We will continue to do so. We are sending a military boat that is coming to Haiti ?the boat Cavour, a ship which is bringing helicopters and the first Carabinieris team. It is a special unit to contribute, to guarantee public order and security on the ground. We want to do so in very close cooperation with America. We appreciate very much. This is the first point.

Second point: We have really the same goals on Afghanistan. Italy is on board on training police, on contributing to local development, in dealing with cross-border issues, and working together with partners, European partners, and United States, on transition of powers to Afghanis?authorities. These can be, should be done from the London conference to the months to come to show the people in Afghanistan that we want a political solution. We want to talk about a national reconciliation while making a very clear distinction between those who renounce violence and those who don抰. They ?we cannot make a confusion.

On terrorism, we talked about what to do on prevention and fight this network of terror, which is not related to Yemen only. We cannot point finger on one or another country. Instead, we have to cooperate on data sharing, information sharing, preventing by reaffirming our basic values. These are the antidote against those who join violence ?reaffirming democratic values in the world.

I paid a visit quite interesting in the Horn of Africa recently. I briefed Hillary about this. And there is need to cooperate with African countries in the Horn, like Somalia. Yes, okay, we decided to help Somalia. But Italy cannot do so alone. We need a cooperation. I raised this point. I will raise the point in London.

While talking about terrorism, we have to take into consideration there is, unfortunately, a dissemination of terrorist cells not in Yemen only, but in the Horn and in the north of Africa. This is a problem that concerns all of us.

Finally, on Iran, I think we together have to prevent Iran from going nuclear. This is a concern for all of us, for Western democracies, United States, Europe, but for Arab states as well. And we are in perfect agreement on broadening the consultation of a number of states in the region that can be interested and are interested in talking about what to do in order to repeat once again that the double-track strategy requires unity of international community. Of course, those who want to go nuclear will be exploiting eventual divisions. We cannot allow them to do so.

Final point, I completely agree with suggestions made by Secretary Clinton about having an enhanced dialogue between EU and United States on energy security. Italy is among the European partners that have interest in doing so. We are diversifying our energy strategy but we want to do so at European level, not only at bilateral level. We are absolutely in agreement on, I would say, working together on some concrete proposal to be submitted to European partners.

Thank you.

MR. CROWLEY: On the U.S. side, David Gollust from VOA.

QUESTION: Madame Secretary, a number of people with interest and expertise in Haiti believe that one possible way to help that country would be allowing more legal immigration from Haiti not just by the United States but countries in the region. And I wonder, is that something you might take up in Montreal, whether these ?whether you see it has any merit? And number two, if you could just briefly comment on the wave of bombings in Baghdad today, the motivation for the people who are doing this?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, first with respect to Haiti, we are looking at every option that can provide a better future for the Haitian people. This is largely, however, within the authority of individual countries. But we are certainly looking at that and will have more to say later.

Look, I think that politics is working in Iraq. People are doing what you do in countries to determine alliances and coalitions in order to prepare for elections. That is the worst possible outcome for the terrorists. When people believe in the political system and that they can chart their own future, then that poses a direct rebuke to those who try to govern by fear, intimidation, and violence.

We, unfortunately, believe there will be continued efforts by the terrorists, by al-Qaida in Iraq in particular, to try to upend the commitment of the Iraqi people toward a democratic future. But as we have seen over the past year in the face of horrific losses ?the bombing of government buildings, the terrible tragedies that the Iraqis have had to continue to endure ?I think that the Iraqis themselves, by their actions, are demonstrating a great deal of courage as they try to move toward these elections.

MODERATOR: (Off-mike.)

QUESTION: Madame Secretary.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Good morning.

QUESTION: Good morning. Italian civil protection and Secretary Bertolaso criticized the military approach of the U.S. aid (inaudible) effort in Haiti. What do you think about ?if there are accounts like Bertolaso says?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I think you heard from the foreign minister the position of the Italian Government, which we not only appreciate but agree with, that we are working closely together in Haiti. We are very grateful for the contributions that Italy has already made and will make in the future. And there is always an opportunity in the face of any disaster for what we in the United States call Monday morning quarterbacking. But what we see are ?is an enormously committed and effective international effort that could not succeed without additional military assets. As Franco said, Italy is sending a military ship with assets. It抯 just easier for the United States to get here ?get there first because Haiti抯 our neighbor.

So we appreciate the very positive endorsement of our efforts that we have heard not just today from the foreign minister but over the course of the last 10 days.

FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI: And I repeat once again, we very much appreciate the American leader about this.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you.

# # #

PRN: 2010/097

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檢舉
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*999j. ... ..... .......

AND THE WINNER IS...: Southern Nevada Business Plan Competition

John Lynn awarded $70,000 package to launch sports fundraising venture

By TIM O'REILEY
LAS VEGAS BUSINESS PRESS
Sportsriffic founder John Lynn won the top prize in the Southern Nevada Business Plan Competition for his Web-based fundraising system for amateur sports. He will receive startup assistance that includes $5,000 in cash, free use of office space, consulting and advertising.
Photo by Mike Stotts/Las Vegas Business Press

EYESPY: Scott Hillman, president of EyeSpy Media, stands outside Meadows mall Jan. 11.
Mike Stotts/Las Vegas Business Press

FOXLOCK: From left, Tom Craig, Benjamin Smith and David Parapilly hold the FoxLock.
Mike Stotts/Las Vegas Business Press

MEDSONIX: Medsonix CEO Alphonse Cassone, standing, is pictured with sound therapy patients.
Mike Stotts/Las Vegas Business Press

OPTIMAL IRRIGATION: Optimal Irrigation CEO Howell Shaw displays the ceramic micropore interface unit.
Mike Stotts/Las Vegas Business Press

Among romantic images surrounding small-business ownership -- independence, knowing customers by name -- perhaps none is more potent than striking it rich based on an idea originally sketched on a cocktail napkin.

But like many fantasies, the primitive business plan rarely survives the onset of reality.

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"I doubt that too many venture capitalists or angels have invested in a napkin plan unless it was drawn up by someone like Bill Gates," said Greg Twedt, chairman of the Las Vegas chapter of SCORE. "A business plan is your map. It makes you think about what it's going to take to pull off your idea and helps potential investors understand it. That's why you need a business plan."

With that in mind, the outreach center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Business decided last year to launch its Southern Nevada Business Plan Competition, co-sponsored by the Las Vegas Business Press. Many schools stage such contests for students, but UNLV opened its version to anyone with a nascent idea.

After three rounds of judging, John Lynn emerged as the winner on Friday with his concept of Sportsriffic, a Web-based fundraising system for amateur sports. For having polled the highest score from five judges, John Lynn won a package of startup assistance including $5,000 cash, six months of office space, advertising, technology, leadership, strategic and marketing consulting, and advertising valued at nearly $65,000 combined.

"It's amazing, I can't believe it, this is very exciting, this is going to make my business a reality," Lynn said late Friday.

Each of the four other finalists won $1,000 in cash, plus office use and advice on their plans. Five others who made it to the semifinals will receive lunch with local investors, advice on their plans and help in writing their plans from the UNLV School of Business.

In a state with low high school and college graduation rates, not many budding entrepreneurs have any background in writing business plans.

"Angel investors say they aren't seeing good ideas in the pipeline and are not seeing polished business plans," said Steve Phelan, director of partnerships, alliances, seminars and custom programs at the outreach center.

Launched Sept. 28, the Southern Nevada Business Plan Competition drew 42 entrants by the Oct. 26 deadline. A panel of 17 members of the UNLV business faculty then winnowed that down to 10 semifinalists by Nov. 23.

The survivors then refined their plans for a panel of five outside judges, who scored them on a scale of 1 to 10. Reflecting the judges' varied backgrounds, their scores for each plan often varied by at least six points.

The top five made final oral presentations to five judges on Friday. Afterward came the formal announcement of Sportsriffic as the winner.

The following were the five finalists in alphabetical order.

SPORTSRIFFIC
In outlining the case for his Web sites to raise money for amateur sports teams, John Lynn describes what people may think but rarely say out loud.
The current system of selling items such as chocolate, T-shirts and magazines "is very common and dreaded by almost everyone involved," he wrote in his business plan. "Athletes are stuck selling overpriced items to people who don't really need these items."
Just as bad, teams must front the money to buy the inventory, then keep 60 percent or less of profits.
Sportsriffic borrows elements from Web-based nonprofit fundraising, Facebook and fantasy leagues to try to improve on that. His idea involves building Web sites for high school teams, club sports, cheerleading squads and other sports-related entities for free, making them interactive with coaches or players and setting up competitions among friends and family to sustain interest. Someone who comes closest to picking the final score of a game, for example, could win recognition at halftime, a team jersey or tickets for a future game.
Lynn would charge nothing to build the site, but share revenues with the team as opposed to profits. He also hopes to sell advertising that would appear on some or all of the sites.
Lynn, a veteran Web designer, said that he started putting the idea together in the autumn after completing his master's degree in information systems. "I've had the idea for a long time, but I just now decided to get into it as a serious business," he said.

EYESPY
In trying to get EyeSpy Media into operation, Scott Hillman was hit by the recession from two sides.
First, he found little appetite among potential investors to put money into a new advertising technique -- playing messages on large-screen TVs mounted in malls -- at a time when consumer spending was in a nosedive. Then his main launch customer, shopping center giant General Growth Properties, slid into Chapter 11 bankruptcy and essentially put EyeSpy on hold.
Ironically, the economy may end up helping Hillman in the long run. Playing messages on monitors mounted at checkout stands or hung from the ceiling is common on the East Coast but almost nonexistent in Nevada. "That's what helps us right now," he said. "I don't think the companies back East are expanding because of the economy. Somebody could come in and squash us, yes. But I think we will have built up good relationships by then."
Hillman started the company in 2008 with his brother-in-law, but they parted ways that December. Then, he relaunched his efforts in the current form.
So far, he has signed deals with three General Growth-owned malls, including Boulevard and Meadows in Las Vegas and another in Utah, to place TVs ranging from 42 to 65 inches that would carry ads for tenant stores or perhaps noncompeting outsiders. He is still scouting for startup capital, as straight investment or sponsorships by electronic equipment makers, to get EyeSpy in operation.

FOXLOCK
As some un-Christian thoughts crossed his mind while he struggled to install a new ceiling fan for his grandmother a couple of years ago, churchgoer Benjamin Smith dreamed up a solution.
He designed a device with one piece mounted in the ceiling and another attached to the fan so that it could be snapped into place. This not only led to the FoxLock, which has prototypes now in the patent application process, but also to Rhema Cos.
Incorporated in June, Rhema pools the ideas of three partners, including Smith, to take them from the "wouldn't it be great" stage to products with price tags on them. "Our products either have to save people time or save them money or make life easier," said Tom Craig, Rhema's managing principal. "We're not going to build a better mousetrap. We want to make things that don't exist."
At this point, the three partners also act as their own focus group to decide which products make the most market sense. Rhema has two other devices on track to reach the prototype stage later this year, but the FoxLock is the furthest along.
Already having worked out production details for FoxLock at a plant in India, Rhema must now find customers. Rather than try to pry loose retailer shelf space, the partners will approach electronics manufacturers -- ceiling fans and flat-panel TVs for the initial models -- to include the FoxLock as an accessory. This holds down the need to raise capital but could mean that customers using FoxLock will never know it by name.

MEDSONIX
At first, even Alphonse Cassone didn't regard his main product as anything more than hocus-pocus.
While testing a process to get at the precious metals in black sands by immersing them in a liquid and then fracturing them with low-frequency sound waves, a partner said he felt a tingling sensation and later felt better.
Word of that reached a man in Florida, who came to Las Vegas in spite of Cassone's skepticism to absorb sound waves. Afterward, he was able to walk better and farther than he had in several years as arteriosclerosis had hampered his mobility.
This led to a decade of refining the process, including commissioning a study from UNLV confirming the therapeutic value of sonic waves, obtaining patents for using sound waves to treat circulatory disorders, certain tissue diseases and blood disorders, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration certification that the device did not cause harm.
Now, with centers in Las Vegas and Naples, Fla., where people can absorb sound waves in half-hour doses in packages of four for $199, Cassone now wants to launch franchise-style expansion. "My goal is to get this in the hands of people who can utilize the procedure," he said.
Locations are in the works for Los Angeles and Westchester County, just north of New York City. Under his model, people who buy a Medsonix outlet would pay a one-time license fee, lease the equipment and also pay royalties to Cassone. Center owners do not have to be doctors, nor do customers need prescriptions.

OPTIMAL IRRIGATION
After several years in the construction industry both with his family's contracting business and on his own, Howell Shaw decided to branch into plants.
After he formed Shaw Sustainable in 2008 as a consultant on green building techniques and a supplier of environmentally sound materials, he came across a water-saving irrigation system developed and used in Japan for five years. By the middle of next year, he will try to sell farmers on the idea that it will work in this country.
"Coming from Minnesota, water is not a major problem in the land of 10,000 lakes," Shaw said. "Here, it is a major issue."
The heart of the system is a porous ceramic pipe buried in the ground and connected to a reservoir. By being able to detect differences in pressure between wet and dry ground, the pipe can draw water and ooze it out at root level without any pumps or timers. In soggy climates, it can also draw away moisture to prevent root rot.
However, he noted, the concept alone will not draw customers. "In our preliminary market research, we found that farmers are risk-averse and want to see studies or pilot programs," he said. "They don't want to spend money on something that could potentially ruin their crops."
For that reason, he expects it will take another year and a half before going to market.
He also expects to add his own refinements to fit U.S. agricultural conditions.
He will target both farms that grow greenhouse crops and places such as casinos, that grow decorative plants in pots.
Share & Save

*To be edited, ...

------------------

RE: 回复：Fw: Merry Christmas and Happy new yearSunday, December 27, 2009 4:03 AM
From: "Prof. S.Y. Kung" View contact detailsTo: "'Tony Lei'" Cc: "'Prof. S.Y. Kung'" 舅舅及舅妈，

谨祝您们新年快乐，万事顺心，幸福美满。

三元敬上

From: Tony Lei [mailto:tojulei@yahoo.com]
Sent: Saturday, December 26, 2009 4:44 AM
To: 雷大夫
Cc: tojulei@yahoo.com; cykung; Kung Sun Yuan; skung; tojulei; Hung-Yin Kung; Kung joanna; Clara Tsai; josiesjewels; Brett Warneke
Subject: Re: 回复：Fw: Merry Christmas and Happy new year

Dear Chung-Yuan Kung & Dr. Hui-ning Lei, Thank you very much for your L.D. call to us last night. Judy has been quite HAPPY this year!!

Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

---Tony, Judy, John, Angie, and Mike

Section of "Business & Administration (PPAA20) at

http://communitylink.reviewjournal.com/lvrj/wbti

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: 雷大夫
To: cykung ; Kung Sun Yuan ; skung ; tojulei ; Hung-Yin Kung ; Kung joanna ; Clara Tsai ; josiesjewels ; Brett Warneke
Sent: Thu, December 24, 2009 7:50:11 PM
Subject: 回复：Fw: Merry Christmas and Happy new year

谢谢! 惠宁

------------------ 原始邮件 ------------------

发件人: "cykung";

发送时间: 2009年12月23日(星期三) 晚上7:27

收件人: "Kung Sun Yuan"; "skung"; "abc8125532"; "tojulei"; "Hung-Yin Kung"; "Kung joanna"; "Clara Tsai"; "josiesjewels"; "Brett Warneke";

主题: Fw: Merry Christmas and Happy new year

----- Original Message -----

From: cykung

To: avito@ms32.hinet.net

Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 7:25 PM

Subject: Fw: Merry Christmas and Happy new year

Dear CY Lu： I wish ll you have a Merry Christmas and Happy new year. This year I worked hard like the yellow hat man ( protect earth) and enjoy life like the lamb. (The shadow is insided)

願 神祝福您!

Chung Yuan and Joanna Kung

***Oi Tsei Kao Shen Chong,

***Ne Tsei Dee Shen Hoa;

.....

.......

........

*****************************************
----------------------------------

Jan. 24, 2010
Copyright � Las Vegas Review-Journal

CANDID CANDIDATE: Miss Nevada is giving rape victims a voice *1

Keegan's platform drawn from painful experience!
By JOHN PRZYBYS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Video: Miss America 2010 arrival

MISS AMERICA SCHEDULE

***** Here is the slate of events, all open to the public, scheduled this week, leading up to the 2010 Miss America Pageant Finale Saturday. Unless otherwise noted, all events are at Planet Hollywood's Theatre for the Performing Arts, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. South.*2

Tuesday, 8 p.m.: First night of preliminaries (tickets are $75 through Ticketmaster.com). During each night of preliminaries, every contestant will be onstage for one of the following events: to answer her onstage question, compete in the swimsuit/evening wear event, or participate in the talent competition. (Miss Nevada Christina Keegan is scheduled for her onstage question on Tuesday, the swimsuit/evening wear competition on Wednesday, and the talent event on Thursday.)

Wednesday, 8 p.m.: Second night of preliminaries (tickets are $75 through Ticketmaster.com)

Thursday, 8 p.m.: Final night of preliminaries (tickets are $75 through Ticketmaster.com)

Friday, 6:30 p.m.: Evening of Dreams fundraiser for the Miss America Organization (Planet Hollywood Resort; sold out).

Saturday, 4:30 p.m.: 2010 Miss America Pageant Finale (tickets are $150 and up, through Ticketmaster.com). It will be broadcast locally at 8 p.m. on TLC.

Christina Keegan, right, winner of the 2009 Miss Nevada Pageant, hugs Miss Nevada 2008, Julianna Erdesz, before receiving her crown at the Miss Nevada Pageant in Reno.
Photo by The Associated Press

"(In working with other sexual assault victims, Keegan learned that they, too), put the blame on themselves: They did something wrong, they said something, they wore something. That was how I felt. But I learned that, as a victim, you're never at fault, and you're also not alone."
Christina Keegan
Miss Nevada

Christina Keegan, center, reacts after winning the 2009 Miss Nevada Pageant while Miss Nevada 2008, Julianna Erdesz, right, and Nevada's Outstanding Teen 2009, Alexis Hilts, left, congratulate her.
Photo by The Associated Press

It's a cliched, but not-undeserved, joke that beauty pageants support such simplistic and crowd-pleasing aims as "world peace."

But when Christina Keegan takes the stage Saturday in Las Vegas to represent Nevada in the 2010 Miss America competition, she will be there to address an issue that's as far from world peace as it gets.

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Sexual assault.

Keegan's platform, "Strength Over Silence: Rape Education and Recovery," is an intensely personal issue because, five years ago, while studying in Spain, Keegan was, herself, assaulted.

Since then, advocating on behalf of sexual violence victims has become "my passion," says Keegan, a Gardnerville resident who has completed her first year of medical school at the University of Utah.

"Many people have this conception that Miss America is this ceremonial, beautiful girl who wants to believe in world peace," Keegan says. "Well, that's not true."

Nothing against world peace, Keegan adds with a laugh. But, she continues, sexual assault is "not a convenient issue, it's not a pretty issue, (and) it needs to be addressed."

Imagine, Keegan says, what it would mean "to have someone like Miss America say, 'I'm a survivor of sexual assault, and I'm not ashamed.' "

Judges willing, it will be that sense of passion, leavened with humor and a generous helping of girl-next-door charm, that will win Keegan the crown on Saturday when the 2010 Miss America Pageant Finale takes place at Planet Hollywood Resort.

The event will be televised nationally on the TLC cable channel. For Keegan, the competition is the culmination of a long-held dream and plenty of hard work.

"It actually took me six years to become Miss Nevada," she explains. "I was first runner-up to last year's Miss Nevada. So, it took me some time this past year to decide, 'Do I want to come back?' "

At 24, this is her last chance at the crown, because she has reached the competition's age limit.

Giving it one more shot also means taking a year off from medical school and, as Keegan describes it, "putting the rest of my life on hold."

But, Keegan says, "I've dreamed of becoming Miss America for as long as I remember."

Keegan was born in Long Beach, Calif., but has lived in Gardnerville since the age of 7 and considers it "my hometown."

Since her selection as Miss Nevada last June, it has been one very happy hometown. "The Carson Valley is just so excited. In the 61 years we've had Miss Nevada, I'm only the second one from the Carson Valley. The first was in 1991, Malia Winn (from Minden)," Keegan says.

Keegan hopes to beat the odds next weekend, too. For instance, she notes that no Miss Nevada has won the Miss America crown, "and I'd love to bring that honor to our state."

She laughs. "And only two redheads have become Miss America," she continues. "So I want to improve those numbers."

From a more utilitarian standpoint, winning the Miss America crown would offer Keegan scholarship money. Keegan -- whose undergraduate degree is in molecular biology with a minor in psychology -- has completed her first year of medical school and, while she has not decided on a specialty, she says she's intrigued with pediatrics and pediatric neurology and oncology.

But, she also admits with a laugh, her "fantasy" career would be to "go into sports medicine and work as team physician for an NHL team."

Winning the scholarship money that comes with the Miss America crown -- she already has earned almost $20,000 in scholarships through the Miss America program -- would be "huge for me, as a medical student," Keegan admits. "Every dollar I win is a dollar I don't have to take out in loans and don't have to pay back."

But the most important thing being Miss Nevada offers -- and that becoming Miss America would increase -- is the opportunity for Keegan to speak out about sexual assault.

For months after her own assault, "I did not tell my family or my friends, because I was ashamed," Keegan says. For similar reasons, Keegan didn't report the assault to authorities.

But, in the years since, as Keegan worked as a volunteer with other sexual assault victims, she learned that they, too, "put the blame on themselves: They did something wrong, they said something, they wore something.

"That was how I felt. But I learned that, as a victim, you're never at fault, and you're also not alone."

While the scholarship-related benefits of competing are "wonderful," Keegan says, the real reward for her is being "able to see the look in people's eyes when I speak out about my story.

"When they see someone else tell them: 'It's OK. You don't have to be ashamed, and you're not all alone in this,' that's what makes my job worthwhile."

Keegan has a realistic perspective on what being Miss Nevada, and competing for Miss America, is all about.

"I love that, in the Miss America organization, the scholarship aspect of the program is what's emphasized," she says.

It's even worth noting that Keegan has had to spend time over the past seven months correcting some Nevadans' confusion of Miss America with the rival Miss USA beauty pageant, which has been embroiled in public controversies in recent years.

Keegan -- a classically trained dancer who, during the talent competition, will dance en pointe to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" -- doesn't think of herself as a "beauty contestant" or "beauty winner." Rather, Keegan says, perhaps half-jokingly, that she thinks of herself mostly as a medical student who happens to dress up occasionally.

"This is part of my job," she explains. "The high heels, the hair spray, the makeup is part of my uniform."

Win or lose, Keegan figures she's better off for having gotten to know Nevada and its people. In seven months as Miss Nevada, Keegan has seen more of the Silver State than have most Nevadans who've lived here for decades.

Take one recent afternoon, when Keegan visited with some Reno sixth-graders.

What questions did the young Nevadans ask? "Do I live in a mansion and am I rich," Keegan answers, laughing. "Are the stones in my crown diamonds? I get that all the time. How do I keep the crown on my head? That's the most-asked question. Even adults, I see them looking, and I say, 'Yeah, I stapled it on.' "

(The answer, by the way: An elastic strap pinned to her hair with clips.)

"A lot of people think I balance it on my head," Keegan adds with a laugh. "No."

Contact reporter John Przybys at jprzybys@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0280. *13

Jan. 24, 2010
Copyright � Las Vegas Review-Journal

CANDID CANDIDATE: Miss Nevada is giving rape victims a voice *1

Keegan's platform drawn from painful experience!
By JOHN PRZYBYS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Video: Miss America 2010 arrival

MISS AMERICA SCHEDULE

***** Here is the slate of events, all open to the public, scheduled this week, leading up to the 2010 Miss America Pageant Finale Saturday. Unless otherwise noted, all events are at Planet Hollywood's Theatre for the Performing Arts, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. South.*2

Tuesday, 8 p.m.: First night of preliminaries (tickets are $75 through Ticketmaster.com). During each night of preliminaries, every contestant will be onstage for one of the following events: to answer her onstage question, compete in the swimsuit/evening wear event, or participate in the talent competition. (Miss Nevada Christina Keegan is scheduled for her onstage question on Tuesday, the swimsuit/evening wear competition on Wednesday, and the talent event on Thursday.)

Wednesday, 8 p.m.: Second night of preliminaries (tickets are $75 through Ticketmaster.com)

Thursday, 8 p.m.: Final night of preliminaries (tickets are $75 through Ticketmaster.com)

Friday, 6:30 p.m.: Evening of Dreams fundraiser for the Miss America Organization (Planet Hollywood Resort; sold out).

Saturday, 4:30 p.m.: 2010 Miss America Pageant Finale (tickets are $150 and up, through Ticketmaster.com). It will be broadcast locally at 8 p.m. on TLC.

Christina Keegan, right, winner of the 2009 Miss Nevada Pageant, hugs Miss Nevada 2008, Julianna Erdesz, before receiving her crown at the Miss Nevada Pageant in Reno.
Photo by The Associated Press

"(In working with other sexual assault victims, Keegan learned that they, too), put the blame on themselves: They did something wrong, they said something, they wore something. That was how I felt. But I learned that, as a victim, you're never at fault, and you're also not alone."
Christina Keegan
Miss Nevada

Christina Keegan, center, reacts after winning the 2009 Miss Nevada Pageant while Miss Nevada 2008, Julianna Erdesz, right, and Nevada's Outstanding Teen 2009, Alexis Hilts, left, congratulate her.
Photo by The Associated Press

It's a cliched, but not-undeserved, joke that beauty pageants support such simplistic and crowd-pleasing aims as "world peace."

But when Christina Keegan takes the stage Saturday in Las Vegas to represent Nevada in the 2010 Miss America competition, she will be there to address an issue that's as far from world peace as it gets.

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MIKE WEATHERFORD: Midler ponders talent, tickets
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Sexual assault.

Keegan's platform, "Strength Over Silence: Rape Education and Recovery," is an intensely personal issue because, five years ago, while studying in Spain, Keegan was, herself, assaulted.

Since then, advocating on behalf of sexual violence victims has become "my passion," says Keegan, a Gardnerville resident who has completed her first year of medical school at the University of Utah.

"Many people have this conception that Miss America is this ceremonial, beautiful girl who wants to believe in world peace," Keegan says. "Well, that's not true."

Nothing against world peace, Keegan adds with a laugh. But, she continues, sexual assault is "not a convenient issue, it's not a pretty issue, (and) it needs to be addressed."

Imagine, Keegan says, what it would mean "to have someone like Miss America say, 'I'm a survivor of sexual assault, and I'm not ashamed.' "

Judges willing, it will be that sense of passion, leavened with humor and a generous helping of girl-next-door charm, that will win Keegan the crown on Saturday when the 2010 Miss America Pageant Finale takes place at Planet Hollywood Resort.

The event will be televised nationally on the TLC cable channel. For Keegan, the competition is the culmination of a long-held dream and plenty of hard work.

"It actually took me six years to become Miss Nevada," she explains. "I was first runner-up to last year's Miss Nevada. So, it took me some time this past year to decide, 'Do I want to come back?' "

At 24, this is her last chance at the crown, because she has reached the competition's age limit.

Giving it one more shot also means taking a year off from medical school and, as Keegan describes it, "putting the rest of my life on hold."

But, Keegan says, "I've dreamed of becoming Miss America for as long as I remember."

Keegan was born in Long Beach, Calif., but has lived in Gardnerville since the age of 7 and considers it "my hometown."

Since her selection as Miss Nevada last June, it has been one very happy hometown. "The Carson Valley is just so excited. In the 61 years we've had Miss Nevada, I'm only the second one from the Carson Valley. The first was in 1991, Malia Winn (from Minden)," Keegan says.

Keegan hopes to beat the odds next weekend, too. For instance, she notes that no Miss Nevada has won the Miss America crown, "and I'd love to bring that honor to our state."

She laughs. "And only two redheads have become Miss America," she continues. "So I want to improve those numbers."

From a more utilitarian standpoint, winning the Miss America crown would offer Keegan scholarship money. Keegan -- whose undergraduate degree is in molecular biology with a minor in psychology -- has completed her first year of medical school and, while she has not decided on a specialty, she says she's intrigued with pediatrics and pediatric neurology and oncology.

But, she also admits with a laugh, her "fantasy" career would be to "go into sports medicine and work as team physician for an NHL team."

Winning the scholarship money that comes with the Miss America crown -- she already has earned almost $20,000 in scholarships through the Miss America program -- would be "huge for me, as a medical student," Keegan admits. "Every dollar I win is a dollar I don't have to take out in loans and don't have to pay back."

But the most important thing being Miss Nevada offers -- and that becoming Miss America would increase -- is the opportunity for Keegan to speak out about sexual assault.

For months after her own assault, "I did not tell my family or my friends, because I was ashamed," Keegan says. For similar reasons, Keegan didn't report the assault to authorities.

But, in the years since, as Keegan worked as a volunteer with other sexual assault victims, she learned that they, too, "put the blame on themselves: They did something wrong, they said something, they wore something.

"That was how I felt. But I learned that, as a victim, you're never at fault, and you're also not alone."

While the scholarship-related benefits of competing are "wonderful," Keegan says, the real reward for her is being "able to see the look in people's eyes when I speak out about my story.

"When they see someone else tell them: 'It's OK. You don't have to be ashamed, and you're not all alone in this,' that's what makes my job worthwhile."

Keegan has a realistic perspective on what being Miss Nevada, and competing for Miss America, is all about.

"I love that, in the Miss America organization, the scholarship aspect of the program is what's emphasized," she says.

It's even worth noting that Keegan has had to spend time over the past seven months correcting some Nevadans' confusion of Miss America with the rival Miss USA beauty pageant, which has been embroiled in public controversies in recent years.

Keegan -- a classically trained dancer who, during the talent competition, will dance en pointe to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" -- doesn't think of herself as a "beauty contestant" or "beauty winner." Rather, Keegan says, perhaps half-jokingly, that she thinks of herself mostly as a medical student who happens to dress up occasionally.

"This is part of my job," she explains. "The high heels, the hair spray, the makeup is part of my uniform."

Win or lose, Keegan figures she's better off for having gotten to know Nevada and its people. In seven months as Miss Nevada, Keegan has seen more of the Silver State than have most Nevadans who've lived here for decades.

Take one recent afternoon, when Keegan visited with some Reno sixth-graders.

What questions did the young Nevadans ask? "Do I live in a mansion and am I rich," Keegan answers, laughing. "Are the stones in my crown diamonds? I get that all the time. How do I keep the crown on my head? That's the most-asked question. Even adults, I see them looking, and I say, 'Yeah, I stapled it on.' "

(The answer, by the way: An elastic strap pinned to her hair with clips.)

"A lot of people think I balance it on my head," Keegan adds with a laugh. "No."

Contact reporter John Przybys at jprzybys@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0280. *13

***** "Tony & Judy, Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!" ---(District) [Family] Judge Cheryl Moss