From the New York Times:
Bettie Page, Queen of Pinups, Dies at 85
“Bettie Page, a legendary pinup girl whose photographs in the nude, in bondage and in naughty-but-nice poses appeared in men’s magazines and private stashes across America in the 1950s and set the stage for the sexual revolution of the rebellious ’60s, died Thursday in Los Angeles. She was 85.
(snip)
In recent years, she had lived in Southern California on the proceeds of her revival. Occasionally, she gave interviews in her gentle Southern drawl, but largely stayed out of the public eye — and steadfastly refused to be photographed.
“I want to be remembered as I was when I was young and in my golden times,” she told The Los Angeles Times in 2006. “I want to be remembered as a woman who changed people’s perspectives concerning nudity in its natural form.””
Despite not wanting to be photographed in her old age there are some photos of Page. The one where she attended a Playboy anniversary party is my favorite. She looks cute and despite immersing herself in Bible study and Christianity she kept the hairstyle that helped make her famous.
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From Salon:
Bush is back!
“Recently someone forwarded me an invitation to a cheeky Inauguration Day event called “Shave the Date.” As organizer Kristen Chase explains on her Web site, “Show your love for your country, and as you watch our new president take his oath and feel your satin undies against your smooth nether region, you can take pride in knowing you’ve rid your world of bush once and for all.”
Now, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone more eager than me to offer Junior a hearty farewell to wherever ex-president frat boys go. And the event is, indeed, a lovely act of unity. But I won’t be participating in this brilliant call to action. See, it ignores one thing: W. may be leaving the White House, but when it comes to our most private places, bush is back.
(snip)
These days, even Playboy — and it’s hard to find better experts on the matter — acknowledges a departure from a near-decade run of absolute clean living. Gary Cole, the Playboy photography director who has observed the region’s changing landscape since 1975, says, “It started [in the ’80s] with trimming and a landing strip, in part a reflection of the skimpier swimsuits. Then it went further to tiny patches, then to none at all. Now, the pendulum is swinging a little the other way.”"
As an all natural hippie I have a full bush. Often my older clients love this because they remember when women were furry. Younger men like it because it’s rare. So is 2009 going to become the year of public hair? CHANGE!
From Reuters:
Nude Virgin Mary cover prompts Playboy apology
“A nude model resembling the Virgin Mary on the cover of the Mexican edition of Playboy magazine, published only days before a major Mexican festival dedicated to the mother of Jesus, prompted the company’s U.S. headquarters on Friday to apologize.
The magazine, which hit newsstands on December 1 as ceremonies began leading to Friday’s pilgrimage to the Mexico City shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, showed a model wearing nothing but a white cloth over her head and breasts.
(snip)
In a statement, Chicago-based Playboy Enterprises Inc said the Mexican edition of the magazine is published by a licensee, and the company did not approve or endorse the cover.”
Well that was a quick apology. I figured it would take a few more days of outrage to generate the apologetic press release. I don’t find it offensive though.
Most links didn’t have photos but I found two here.
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From XBiz:
Hard2Find Videos Owner Sentenced to 33 Months for Obscenity
“Hard2Find Videos owner Loren Jay Adams today was sentenced to 33 months in prison for violating federal obscenity laws. Adams was convicted Sept. 30, in U.S. District Court in Martinsburg, W. Va., on six counts of transporting obscene material through the mail.
U.S. District Chief Judge John Bailey also ordered Adams to serve three years supervised release and to forfeit his domain name and all copies of the indicted movies.
(snip)
“Unfortunately, this case is another in a line of victories for the government in recent obscenity cases,” First Amendment lawyer Lawrence G. Walters told XBIZ after Adams’ conviction. “The nature of the content was not widely publicized, but apparently included some fisting material. That activity, on its own, has not been the focus of obscenity prosecution for a number of years now. However, West Virginia is generally a conservative Bible Belt area, so federal obscenity cases can be difficult to defend in that kind of jurisdiction. Since this case involved the mailing of DVDs, it does not appear that this conviction will be tremendously precedential for the adult Internet industry.” ”
Bah! I completely disagree with this conviction. If I ever have to do jury duty may the porn gods get me on an obscenity case.
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Also from XBiz:
Right to Shoot Porn Upheld in N.H.
“The state Supreme Court has ruled that a former district court bailiff who offered a couple $50 an hour to videotape them having sex was not guilty of prostitution, because there was no evidence he was satisfying his own sexual pleasure.
The court ruled that the opposite finding would illegally criminalize the production of a sexually explicit but not obscene movie, which is protected as free speech under the state constitution.
(snip)
” “It seems like New Hampshire has their own Freeman case now,” adult industry attorney Michael Fattorosi told XBIZ. “It’s nice to see that civil liberties and rights are still important in New Hampshire. There’s a lot of people filming around the U.S., so this bodes well for people being prosecuted in other states for filming content.
“I’m sure this case will have a spillover effect to neighboring states and other states throughout the union,” he said.”
Let’s hope Fattorosi is right.
Posted by Vixen in News