Celebrities may have more money than you, more material possessions than you, more plastic surgery and more powerful friends, but they are not immune to being caught committing a crime and getting a horrible mug shot taken. Over the years many stars including Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton, Heather Locklear and even Bill Gates have been arrested and had a mug shot taken. But not all celebrity mug shots are terrible or embarrassing; although, the ones that are, are so bad they often make you forget about the good ones. Here area few examples of some of the worst celebrity mug shots out there.

Yasmine Bleeth

Yasmine Bleeth: Jail is certainly no day at the beach, but when you were once a Baywatch babe, those harsh overhead lights can be extremely cruel. Especially when they set off the baggy, dark-eyed, blotchy skinned, sunken in nose horror of what looks like a year long drug bender.

Nick Nolte

Nick Nolte: Dirty hair obtained through products like Jonathan Antin’s Dirt may be “in” but dirty hair from a shower-free weekend binge is never cool. The Hawaiian shirt, however, is a nice touch and does brighten the picture up. It also shows us the partying mood that got him into this position.

Rip Torn

Rip Torn: There may be no way to look dignified in a mug shot, but there sure is a way to look down right terrible. Start with a head full of week-old, unwashed hair, add a drunken stupor, and then fall asleep mid-crime so that one side of your hair flops upward like a baby bird learning how to use his wings and you get Rip Torn.

Joyce Dewitt

Joyce Dewitt: Doe-eyed surprise is one thing when it’s caught on the face of a 20 something ingénue, but on a 60-year old after a drunk driving arrest, it just isn’t very flattering. After all, by the time you reach 60 you should not be surprised that you can get arrested for driving drunk and that they are going to take your picture if you do.

Phil Spector

Phil Spector: While it’s not surprising to see a celebrity mug shot in which the celebrity looks like just another average loser, it is surprising to see one in which said celebrity resembles your day laboring alcoholic uncle that no one leaves their children alone around. No, of course there is nothing wrong with day laborers and no—not every alcoholic (or uncle) is a molester—but seriously, if you have one of those, chances are he looks similar to this.

The next time you want to feel morally, ethically and physically superior to your celebrity idols, just do a real quick web search for a mug shot of them. Chances are real good they will have been caught unprepared for the spontaneous photo shoot and won’t have the benefit of Photoshop to even their skin tone, reduce fine lines and sleeping at the wheel wrinkles, and you’ll feel like a million bucks. Of course, no matter how bad they look in mug shots, these celebrities probably actually have a million bucks… but at least they don’t look like it.

Credit: JordyR (via Flickr)

“Happy Birthday!” A wish that sounded so beautiful when we are young begins to sound scary as years pass us by.  That’s the funniest thing about birthdays!  When we are young and wait for our birthdays, there seems to be an eternity between each.  They take their own time to make their appearance.

We see our kids waiting in anticipation for their birthday months ahead. They can’t seem to wait to get old enough to watch “18+” movies without fear of being thrown out of the theaters or “interfering” parents sneaking up on them.  They can’t wait for their pimples to miraculously vanish.  They can’t wait for whiskers to grow so that they can start using all those shaving creams and instruments, not to forget the aftershave that smells so manly. Boys wait for their voice to turn masculine – an achievement that gives them their first sense of manhood.

If you are old enough, you would have been through all that.  When I was a kid, I remember planning months ahead on who I was going to invite for my birthday and what I would wear on that much-awaited day.

In my opinion, it would not be an exaggeration to compare birthdays to “Chinese meals.” Till the age of 25; you barely finished one and you’re waiting for the next.

What can you call birthdays, between the ages of 25 and 39? “Health food” perhaps?  You’re having them because that’s expected of you and everyone else is celebrating theirs. It’s still a happy occasion but not something you long for and wait for months on end.  The childhood enthusiasm for birthdays gives way to a sort of acceptance, that it is something that’s inevitable and comes every year.  You can still handle the occasion with grace and have some fun with friends and family.

But enter 40 and things change drastically. Your attitude undergoes a sea change.  You feel thousands of eyes are watching you, watching you turn from a swan into an ugly duckling. The same birthday you once loved now seems like a monster successfully catching up with you, despite your best efforts to keep it out of your mind and not paying any attention.

What is it that bothers you?  Is it the fat that’s accumulating on the waist or the fact that your wrinkles are showing?  I can imagine how embarrassed you would feel if someone were to ask you “How old are you now?”  The replies to that questions are vague and usually border on the lines of “Oh, 60 years” or “16 years” or “does it really matter?” Relate to that?

Finally, the time has come to say goodbye to everything good in life! After 40, the law of diminishing happy returns comes into operation with all the force.  These horrible days seem to increase at an even faster pace, in direct proportion to your hatred for them. “I just had my birthday, another one already?” They come out of the blue, from nowhere. If only there was a strict law or something that says no to birthdays after 40. If only people stopped singing “Happy Birthday” at the top of their voices as if it was some special occasion.  If only there was no need to use just one candle on the cake.  If only ……

Next thing you know, you find a not-so-young person offering to assist you or giving a seat in the bus or offering to help you carry your bags at the grocery store. Come on, you can manage fine on your own.  Why don’t people mind their own business?

Wow! What would you have not done to get all this attention when you were 20 or even 25 years old!  But why do you hate this so much now?  It feels like your enemies are pricking pins into effigies of you.  It hurts.

Payback time will come.  All these people with slim waists, gloating with smiles on their shiny smooth faces and wrinkle-free foreheads will soon have so many birthdays that they will one day hate them too, just like you and me do.  That should make you happy for now.

Anyway, “Happy Birthday” to you! Did I hear you say something?

JonBenet Ramsey was a model that competed in fashion shows. She was a little girl, age-wise, but full grown woman in the way she dressed. And there’s just something disturbing about the whole pre-teen fashion business — especially when you consider all the pedaphiles out there enjoying these shows for all the wrong reasons.  Although JonBenet’s parents have long been suspected of killing their own child, a strange man named John Karr confessed to her murder, only to be found not to be the real killer.   

Photo By: MyEyeSees

Yet, all the publicity over the Ramsey killing has not stopped the flow of teen model photos crowding the internet.    

The movie Little Miss Sunshine addressed this whole child fashion model busness with Abigail Breslin’ funny characterization of a wannabe fashion star. But the whole thing gives many people the creeps.       

Photo By: KO

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  Hannah Getting Dolled Up 2    

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 Clearly, as long as there a moms that want to dress their little girls up like grown up models, and little girls who agree to dress this way, the oftentimes troubling world of child fashion shows will continue.  But as JonBenet Ramsey reminds us — as do some of these pictures — many times this practice goes a little too far. 

Republican national committee spent US $75,062 at Neiman Marcus and US $49,425 at Saks Fifth Avenue in September – all for outfitting Sarah Palin and her family appropriately. The RNC is also said to have spent $4,716 on makeup and hair through September.

Living up to the reputation of being the “party of the rich,” Republicans are having a tough time covering up rumors that their female vice-presidential nominee spent huge amounts of “campaign” money for a stylish wardrobe. Sarah Palin may look gorgeous, but her looks come with a heavy price tag at up-market stores. This dressing up of Palin seems to have started in September.

As expected, this financial disclosure does not seem to have gone down too well with the public and the media are having a field day exposing Sarah Palin, and thriving on disqualifying all her claims of being a simple hockey mom from a small town in Alaska. This sentiment is reflected in the thoughts of the common man, who in spite of understanding the need for public figures to be well-dressed cannot really accept this sort of extravaganza. This behavior is said to undercut the recent Republican stand of rooting for Joe the Plumber.

The preening of a public figure in politics is nothing new and the story in the US goes back a long way to John Kennedy, whose spruced up image was well-known to all. However, the reason behind the hue and cry over Palin’s appearance is caused due to the current US economic situation, which caused severe suffering throughout the country.

One frustrated donor of the Republican Party is revealed as stating, “As a Republican Eagle and a maxed out contributor to McCain’s general campaign, I’d like my money back, he can still have my vote.” Another blogger sniggered, “Sarah Palin, a small-town hockey mom and everywoman? More like Sarah Palin, pampered princess.”

The party’s expensive habits are overshadowing everything else. McCain himself is under scrutiny now and people have noticed the $540 shoes that McCain wore as well as the seven homes he and his wife own.

According to experts, although the McCain campaign is dismissing the story saying it is not significant, this controversy may have hit the party hard. The campaign seems to be losing its heat and there seems to be decreased interest in the party’s Joe the Plumber tours. Even all the constituencies that supported the party till now, seem to be withdrawing. The worst part is the senior citizens, the demographic that have been considered as McCain’s main support are seen to be slowly diverting towards Obama.

The common man is of the opinion that spending such huge sums of money on political PR is a criminal waste when thousands of people are not getting the basic necessities, like food and healthcare.
Finance experts questioned the legal and ethical aspects of using campaign money for shopping. According to the Federal Election Campaign Act, the conversion of campaign money for personal use is prohibited.

Campaign managers in an attempt to salvage the situation say that Palin has intended to give away her clothes to charity after the campaign. A spokesperson said, “With all the important issues facing the country right now, it’s remarkable that we’re spending time talking about pantsuits and blouses. It was always the intent that the clothing go to a charitable purpose after the campaign.”

All the clarifications of the party do not seem to kill the “expensive-Palin” talk. Now when Palin steps out, all eyes are more on her clothes, shoes and accessories than what she has to say.

The result of this outcry is Sarah Palin forgoing here designer wardrobe and going back to wearing her own clothes. To convince people that she is in fact a simple person, the Alaskan governor appeared in jeans for a campaign. At one of the campaigns, she even pointed out to the crowd that she was wearing her own jacket and from now on she would wear her own clothes. She also told the crowd that the jeweler she was wearing is her own and locally bought, including the wedding ring that she bought in Hawaii.

Experts reveal that in recent years, dressing on the campaign trail has become risky politically as people do not associate themselves with the elite; a simple person wearing normal clothes talking their language is what it takes to keep them happy. Campaign money used for the party pleasures or clothes will never be taken lightly, especially when most people are struggling with their finances.

Beauty has always been considered a woman’s domain. However, it is not just women who are beauty-conscious; men are toeing the line and visiting parlors more than they ever did. Men of today are as eager to slap on a beauty mask as a woman. Facials, manicures, pedicures and even Botox are just some of the treatments that men subject themselves to, in their quest for eternal youth.

Men’s skin is also exposed to pollution and smoking, which is harmful to the epidermis and they need all these beauty treatments to look and feel good. A man needs to care about his clothes and grooming because it says a lot about him personally as well as making a huge difference in business. Men with pronounced lines between the brows are usually perceived as stressed or angry and nobody wants to look that way. Botox is fast becoming a man’s favorite treatment, which has been favored mostly by women until now.

Statistics show that about 250000 Botox procedures were performed on men alone in the United States last year, making it the leading cosmetic treatment for men; so much so that it has gained the nickname “Boytox.”

This growing interest for Botox in men has been said to be fuelled by the growing competition, among other things. Men want to look younger because once they reach a certain age; they begin to feel the pressure of the younger generation waiting to take their place.

Botox is a natural and purified protein that temporarily reduces contractions of the facial muscles that cause lines, by blocking nerve transmissions, leaving the skin unwrinkled. This creates a smooth and a more youthful appearance.

Botox treatment is a simple and nonsurgical procedure that requires no anesthesia. Serum is injected into the facial muscles using a tiny needle. It is used for forehead lines, crow’s feet around the eyes, frown lines, brow lift (when one eyebrow is lower than the other) as well as for jaw contouring. It is also used to control sweating of the palms, soles of the feet and armpits.

Contrary to what most people think, Botox does not freeze facial expressions, but it softens them. It only takes about 10 to 15 minutes for the treatment but the results will show only after about a week, and last for 4-9 months. Side effects are not long-term, with some minor bruising that disappears in a week’s time. Patients are asked to avoid aspirin, alcohol and anti-inflammatory medications at least a week before getting a Botox treatment done. A small percentage of people also report eyelid drooping but this can be avoided by taking care not to rub or lay on the injected areas for about four hours. Botox is affordable and costs the same as some facials.

Doctors say that men need higher doses than women, probably because they have greater muscle mass. It has also been observed that larger and stronger men need more units per treatment area than small-boned men.

Although, Botox is generally considered to be safe, physicians say that it is not totally harmless. In very rare cases, it has the potential to cause anaphylactic shock, which is an allergic reaction that can actually kill people.

Vanity wins and both men and women are more than willing to undergo the ant-bite stings, which is what doctors say it feels like when injecting the Botox serum. However, experts say that this treatment should be avoided by people with neurological disorders as well as women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. The safest way to ensure if a person is a good candidate for Botox treatment is to consult a physician.

The best part about Botox is that the world has younger looking men and gone are the days when women looked young and beautiful and the men by their side looked at least a generation older. It still takes getting used to, especially after being fed on Mills & Boon novels while growing up.

Movies have gotten ridiculously expensive. And to make matters worse, the movies we’re going to see are not that enticing. In fact, a lot of the time we wish we had just waited for the video – it would have been a lot cheaper than the cost of the movie, drink and popcorn. There are a few gems, however, hidden among the rest of the feature films. If you’re ready to spend some movie dollars, these films should be worth it.

The Bourne Ultimatum
Okay, so this one has been out for a while, but it is definitely worth the price of admission. It’s not exactly clear if this is the final installment of the series, but I won’t spoil the ending for you. A lot of loose ends from previous films get tied up and the action is the best yet. Definitely a must see – it just won’t be the same on the small screen.

SuperBad
A bit crude and definitely rough around the edges, Super Bad is a surprise hit. It is funny and surprisingly true to life. Two guys are looking for the kind of love that lasts one night, but get tangled up just trying to buy alcohol to get the night started. They are also extremely codependent which just makes things worse – and funnier.

Rataouille
Yes, it’s a children’s movie, but have you seen one lately? This one serves up a rat dying to be a French chef. Obviously he has a few hurdles to overcome, and being a Disney film, he’s sure to do so. But along the way, there will be plenty of light humor for the kiddos and some designed specifically for their parents (or other adults.)

The Prequels and Sequels
Just when we think a series is wrapping up, we find out it’s not. Now, movies don’t just have to stretch into the future, they can go backwards to. Upcoming prequels we’re hopeful about include Wolverine, The Hobbit and there is definitely speculation about another Star Wars prequel. Interesting sequels projected for the next year or so include all the unreleased Harry Potter movies, Spiderman IV and Indiana Jones IV.

Beauty is only skin deep, isn’t it? Beauty has been at the center of a raging debate for millennia. Is a woman’s beauty her most prized commodity? Or are external appearances simply cover art for the prize within? While some women have chaffed at restrictions set by physical appearances as they try to demonstrate their knowledge and skill sets, others have embraced society’s value on physical beauty and used their own good looks to their advantage. No place is this more true than in beauty pageants.

Beauty Pageants

The first beauty pageants involved little more than women parading around trying to look their best. There were no conversations and no debate about world events. Talent competitions were not as important as the turn of a woman’s calf or her proportions. Only in recent history have beauty competitions developed into a more body-mind approach.

Scholarships?

Today, contestants in beauty pageants are working toward a goal great than just a crown. No contestant would willingly turn down the opportunity to be Miss Universe, but the prize money that comes with the title is the main draw for many. There are countless levels of competition prior to national and universal pageants, and children as young as babies compete. For most of the younger contestants, beauty pageants represent a means to an end. Many of the prizes are college scholarships.

The blending of ideals has never been more clear…or confusing. Women use their physical assets to win money to pay for a college education. Beauty is a stepping stone for increased knowledge and skill sets. Perhaps physical attributes and a woman’s brain really do go hand in hand.