Did you see Jake Byrd at the live press conferences during the recent national obsession over the arrest of Paris Hilton? I remember that Shep Smith got irritated at him during the news conference. HAHAHAHA

The video is of Jake’s appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.

Of course, Jake Byrd is a character played by Tony Barbieri on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.

hat-tip Right Celebrity

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Olympic gold medalist, Amanda Beard, is appearing in Playboy - amid lots of controversy. Is she a bad role model or a good role model. What do you think?

Beard goes from swimsuit to birthday suit
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The last time the world looked at Amanda Beard she was winning her first individual Olympic gold medal at the Athens Games.

There’s a lot more of the 25-year-old swimmer on view in the July issue of Playboy, where a topless Beard is on the cover billed as “the world’s sexiest athlete nude.”
Inside, she takes off her clothes in eight pictures certain to create a stir among rivals and young girls who consider her a role model.

Beard is unapologetic about what she calls her latest “outside adventure.” After all, she’s modeled in men’s magazines before, notably a spread in FHM that left little to the imagination.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I really felt excited and motivated to do it,” she told The Associated Press on Thursday, sipping coffee in the sunny backyard of her Venice home.

“I’m kind of used to people not necessarily agreeing with everything that I do and that’s totally fine. This doesn’t change my personality or who I am. It’s just a business decision, a career decision.”

Beard, who previously dated NASCAR driver Carl Edwards, posed in the prime of her career. She’s aiming to qualify for her fourth Olympics next year in Beijing, and is the Olympic champion and former world-record holder in the 200-meter breaststroke.

It may be months before Beard is competing in meets and can gauge the reaction of her fellow swimmers to her magazine spread. She won’t begin serious training for the Olympics until later this year, when she plans to give up riding motorcycles, snowboarding and vacations.

“It would only feel awkward if they make comments to me about it,” she said. “We’ll see how that one goes.”

Beard first came to attention at the 1996 Games, where as a scrawny 14-year-old she toted her teddy bear to the starting blocks and won two silver medals. She medaled at the 2000 Games, too.

“There’s a lot of debate about whether it demeans women and female athletes,” said Dave Salo, Beard’s coach at Trojan Swim Club. “If nothing else, it celebrates the athleticism and takes away from the model-type women.”

Beard is aware of the criticism she could get from the mothers of young swimmers and girls. But she points out those are some of the same people who had her autograph FHM when she was in that magazine.

“I’ve had so many women approach me and say, ‘We love seeing a good, healthy body being portrayed as beauty,”‘ she said. “I’m healthy. I work out like crazy. I’m not one of those people that’s partying wee into the hours. This, I think, is a better role model than most.”

Within her own family, Beard was surprised at the reaction.

“My grandma was like, ‘Oh, she doesn’t need to do that, but it’s her choice,”‘ she said, adding that her divorced parents backed her, too.

“I told my dad that I’d take like black tape and kind of mark out certain things, so he doesn’t feel awkward looking at it. He’s like, ‘Could ya?”‘

Beard said her agent, Evan Morgenstein, had previously turned down Playboy because she wasn’t ready. He points out that “she is not the victim.”

Beard said she was swayed this time because the magazine allowed her to select the photographer (a woman), the photos that were used and the settings. Morgenstein declined to comment on how much Beard was paid.

“The thing I respect most about her is she’s always been willing to take the risk and let the chips fall where they may,” he said. “She’s more of a role model today because she’s willing to stand up and take the heat.”

Beard is trying to position herself for a career away from the pool, and she sees the magazine spread as a way to attract nonswimming fans.

She envisions developing her own business empire, similar to former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kathy Ireland’s line of apparel and home furnishings.

She and Morgenstein have hired a licensing agency to help develop products, like fragrances, apparel and home products to be part of a signature Amanda Beard collection. She’s also sorting through TV hosting offers and a movie script.

“You have to remember, I’m still just a swimmer,” she said. “I am living a great lifestyle and I’m making good money, but I’m not a basketball player. These deals are not $40 million deals.”

Sounds like a smart lady to me. As Paris or Nicole would say, “That’s hot!”

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We started Adeline and Hazel a couple of weeks ago with the idea of providing an eclectic mix of most everything blogging. The eclectic mix is because we have a variety of interests. Since starting this blog I have read article after article on the blogs that make money blogging. At least they claim to make money blogging.

Last night I read an article that took a different tact. This article basically downplayed every suggestion for making money blogging that is put forth on the other blogs. The author of this article made the statement that the money bloggers can’t make money because they don’t sell anything. He stated that you’re not going to make money just writing articles, you have to sell something.

Of course, he then went on to write a hard sell for a product he was selling.

The first half of the article was negative. It sounded downright catty. The second half was the hard sell. All of the article lacked imagination and appeal. I would have found it completely forgettable had it not triggered me thinking about what constitutes a salable product.

As a psychotherapist, I’ve spent my entire career earning my income from what I know. People have paid for my knowledge, insight and time. People didn’t walk out of my office with a shiny new piece of equipment in their hands. What they left with was intangible, but valuable all the same.

When looking at the blogs from this viewpoint, I have found myself wondering what is this person selling and why would someone buy it?

I’ve run across blogs that are all about making money. Some of them offer meaty articles with solid advice and instruction on how to pursue one avenue or the other towards making money. Others appeared to have authors who just want to make money on their blogs. Period. They had article after article about making money for themselves.

Which of those types of blogs would you go back to? Which would you make a link to so you could access it easily? The answer is clear, of course. The one that offers something you would want to reference again.

The product wouldn’t necessarily have to be tutorials on how to make money. The tech blogs are probably the very best at making money. The celebrity gossip blogs, how-to most anything blogs, humor and satire blogs all have something to offer. If they put coherent sentences together and give their readers something of value, they will develop a readership and be rewarded with an increasing blog income.

If you are serious about making money on your blog, you need to ask yourself two basic questions.

• Does my blog offer anything that would entice someone to return to my blog after the first visit?
• Would I buy what I’m selling?

Copying someone else won’t do it. Write about what you know. Find your own passion and offer that to your readers. It might be how to make money. It could just as well be how to do upkeep on your automobile or parenting advice. Most of all, keep a positive attitude. The dude who wrote that you had to have a tangible product to sell was way too negative. For my taste, anyway.

Adeline and Hazel has done very well in its first two weeks. It’s not breaking any records but it’s progressing quickly and we are having fun. We’ll keep you updated on our progress and any new gems of insight we find along the way.

Hazel, you are so right! In our professional lives, we both provide services - not products. We went through many years of schooling and then years of experience to develop the knowledge base we have. That is what we have going for us - along with determination and intelligence and darn good looks. Catch you later . . .

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As they say, “A hard man is good to find,” but I guess there can be too much of a good thing. The following story sure makes one wonder:

Man Sues Over Long-Lasting Erection
AP
NEW YORK (June 5) - A man has sued the maker of the health drink Boost Plus, claiming the vitamin-enriched beverage gave him an erection that would not subside and caused him to be hospitalized.

The lawsuit filed by Christopher Woods of New York said he bought the nutrition beverage made by the pharmaceutical company Novartis AG at a drugstore on June 5, 2004, and drank it.

Woods’ court papers say he woke up the next morning “with an erection that would not subside” and sought treatment that day for the condition, called severe priapism.

They say Woods, 29, underwent surgery for implantation of a Winter shunt, which moves blood from one area to another.

The lawsuit, filed late Monday, says Woods later had problems that required a hospital visit and penile artery embolization, a way of closing blood vessels. Closing off some blood flow prevents engorgement and lessens the likelihood of an erection.

Woods’ lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, names Novartis Consumer Health Inc. as a defendant. A spokeswoman for the company, Brandi Robinson, said Tuesday the company was aware of the lawsuit but does not comment on pending litigation.

Woods’ lawyer did not return telephone calls for comment Tuesday.

Novartis’ Boost Plus Web site describes the drink as “a great tasting, high calorie, nutritionally complete oral supplement for people who require extra energy and protein in a limited volume,” in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.

From one “nutrition drink”? Surely not! I hope he at least had a little fun with it before he realized it wasn’t going away.

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Naked cyclists ride their bikes through downtown Vancouver, British Columbia during the World Naked Bike Ride Day June 9, 2007. About 50 cyclists rode through the streets trying to bring attention to pollution caused by cars. [Reuters]

They weren’t just in Vancouver, they were in countries all over the world. There’s a lot more naked people from all over the world, if you want to see them.

I only have a couple of things to say about this. Okay, maybe three.

One - Couldn’t that be painful, especially for men?
Two - Naked hyppies on bikes are not all that attractive. Really.
Three - What is the point of the umbrella? He’s naked. What’s he afraid is going to shrink?

Hazel - Notice how the bicycle seats push their butt cheeks out. The orange scarf, hat and umbrella are hilarious - you know - show off the ta-tas - but cover the neck and face! I agree - not attractive.
Now, if you put those American Pride guys from a couple posts ago on bicycles naked, I’d be impressed. But that’s just me . . .

Sharing the love with Perri Nelson’s Website, The Virtuous Republic, Big Dog’s Weblog, The Amboy Times, Leaning Straight Up, Pursuing Holiness, Rightlinx, third world county, Woman Honor Thyself, stikNstein… has no mercy, Pirate’s Cove, Nuke’s news and views, Church and State, , The Random Yak, A Blog For All, 123beta, DeMediacratic Nation, Maggie’s Notebook, Webloggin, MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, Cao’s Blog, Phastidio.net, The Bullwinkle Blog, Colloquium, Conservative Cat, Jo’s Cafe, Diary of the Mad Pigeon, Faultline USA, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The World According to Carl, Blue Star Chronicles, Gulf Coast Hurricane Tracker, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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Apparently, Adeline and I have our first disagreement. Well, it’s bound to happen eventually. She thinks Paris has been treated harshly, I think Paris got plenty of breaks and now has to pay the piper.

Adeline, she broke her probation 3 times!!! Don’t you think if you had had your license suspended, driven on a suspended license, then got probation and still got caught driving again, then showed up late for court on your violation of probation, then you and your whole family talked to everyone about how you shouldn’t be held to the same standards as other people, that you might find yourself doing some time?

She made it worse by trying to play the system. She’d never have been put in jail if she had just had her driver drive her around while her license was suspended. Or if she had done her time on probation. Even if she had showed up in court for the probation hearing. She flipped off the judge and the law and now the court system is teaching her what her parents never did.

Regardless, hope you enjoy the video. It’s from Parisinjail.com via Hillbilly White Trash.

I don’t know, Hillbilly White Trash just seemed appropriate for the subject matter for this video!

Paris videoParisParishiltonparis-hilton

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Adeline,

We joined the American Flag League and William Teach wrote a very nice post welcoming us to the blogroll.

The problem is that I don’t know which one of these pictures we should use for the blogroll?

Which do you like better?

American Cowboy Pride

American Pride

I just can’t decide!

Now you’ve done it, Hazel! I’m all hot and bothered. The second pic is my favorite. You just can’t beat those rippling back muscles. Sigh…..drool….

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Hiya Hazel,

I hate to disagree with you - but I feel sorry for Paris Hilton, and I think the judge gave her the harsh sentence because of Paris’ celebrity. He wanted to make an example of her. If she’d been some poor nobody, she would have paid a fine and/or done community service, and that would have been it.

Plus I think it’s wrong for the sheriff to release her from jail, and then for the judge to say “Nope - sorry. You have to go back.” I’ve stayed away from the chaotic scene of the news coverage, but I’d be willing to bet that the judge is a short man. He’s bound to be someone who is out to prove his manhood by showing his power over a celebrity. I guess that’s the only way he can feel good about himself.

I agree with Paris - it isn’t right.

Catch you later,

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Okay, it’s the second installment in my series of reviews of the top blogs in the TTLB Ecosystem. Michelle Malkin’s blog is right there at the top.

All the posts I saw were written by Michelle. So it’s at least a predominantly one-person blog. After reading a couple posts, it is obvious that Michelle Malkin leans to the right in her politics. An example:

If the MSM and the American public worked up as much outrage over the daily release of criminal illegal aliens from L.A. County jails who go on to commit violent crimes as it did over the release of Paris Hilton, this country wouldn’t be as screwed up as it is

That post is representative of many of the recent posts. There is a lot of writing on illegal immigrants and the corresponding rise in crime. I have to say, though, that all the charts of representatives and their votes were a little distracting. However, I guess if I wanted to know how each person voted, it would be helpful.

But it’s not a one-issue blog. Malkin writes about many political issues. The writing is more reader-friendly than Daily Kos - and definitely less strident and hostile. And Malkin doesn’t blindly follow the Republican line:

If the White House thinks conservatives are going to forget whose bill this was and the tactics the White House used in its failed attempt to ram it through Congress, they better think again.

Like Daily Kos, Malkin writes many posts each day - and she get lots of traffic and comments. Malkin appears to be thoughtful representative of the right side of the political spectrum.

See ya,

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