Google's Blogspot...now filters spam comments!

No more unwanted links to Viagra!

If you are blessed with popular blog, then you are also cursed wth a perpetual flow of comments by enterprising individuals (and businesses) on the Internet attempting to hitch a ride on your high profile exposure by linking up with a constant barrage of ads for Viagra, Porn sites, you name it.

Of course, if you switch on the comment filter, the cheesey offers are blocked, until the blog owner either rejects or allows the post to be published on the web site.

Now, in view of the escalating problem which has been reaching epic proportions, Google has installed a "spam" filter like those installed on e-mail services on the World Wide Web.

If a blogger has not turned on the "comment filter", Google's new spam feature, will kick in.

For newbies in blog territory - who are in the dark about how to locate and manage filter controls - it is a virtual Godsend.

I expect that once the word is out, though, that hackers will find novel ways to crack in.

'Til then, bloggers (at some sites at least) are safe from unwanted intruders.

Thank you, Google, for rising to the occasion.

 

http://www.julianayrs.com

Blogger...ripe for kill!

The other evening I was cruising the net when I spied a link to a story titled:

"Bloggers not Journalists"

I chuckled to myself, then browsed on, without even checking out the tripe.

For good reason!

No doubt, a million or so bloggers, had already torn the arrogrant sh** into itsy-bitsy little pieces and fed 'em to the fishes.

http://www.thetattler.biz

Perez Hilton...remorse about faggot slur! Twenty something babes make up fan base...

Except for the black eye, Perez looks kinda cute!

It was a smack that was heard around the world - only second in magnitude - to Paris Hilton's primal scream for her "Mom" in the throes of being handcuffed and hauled off to the county jail.

For Perez, a nasty fist against flesh elicited the jarring sound, which was a wake-up-call.

A line from the stage musical "Chicago" said it best:

"He had it coming."

Fired-up over a tiff with singer will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas) - the impulsive (sometimes bitchy) Queen of the blogs - uttered up a homosexual slur (faggot) which didn't sit well with the road manager (or a posse of politically-correct critics on the sidelines of the controvesy) .

So, when the hot-headed loyal handler crossed paths with Perez unexpectedly (in my hometown Toronto, of all places), the run-in turned ugly.

OMG!

As one observed quipped gleefully:

"That day the fourth wall came crashing down for Perez."

Since then, Perez has managed to about-face (in a two-faced way, some tongues wag) and make bloody amends.

For starters, he apologized to the "gay community".

It was difficult to gaze into the eyes of gay members at the Health Club without feeling a tinge of guilt, he confessed in a recent interview with a reporter at the Los Angeles Times.

But, I expect there was an ulterior motive, too.

The celebrated gossip-monger has been slimming-down with an eye to hooking-up (and getting laid) with a stud muffin or two.

Why should he care what those superficial gym bunnies think, eh?

Meanwhile, Perez waits for a lawsuit he filed for monetary damages against the stage manager (Liborio Molino) to worm its way through the courts.

In the event of a financial settlement, Molino's punching-bag originally intended to donate the funds to the high-profile Mathew Shepard Foundation.

If you recall, Mathew Shepard was a gay youth - who became a cause celebre - when he was brutally murdered because of his sexual preference a few years back.

Honorable, yes!

But, the word back from the Judy Shepard camp, must hurt.

Shepard has noted for the record that she'll refuse the overture because of Perez's use of anti-gay slurs.

Tough ti**y!

On occasion, Shepard has demonstrated - to moi, at least - that she's is a bit full of herself.

Indeed, Shepard appears to be under the mistaken impression, that she has a corner on the gay-bashing market.

Judy, you're not the only parent with a gay child, who suffered violence at the hands of homo-hating hoodlums!

Meanwhile, Perez leads his fans on a merry chase!

And, the twenty-something socially-active babes who comprise a lion's share of his readership base, are content to cruise along and and titter over the juicy celebrity tidits he offers up at his sizzling-hot top hit-getter web site.

However, a published interview with the Advocate, still stings.

Perez has wailed to anyone within earshot that the journalist (!) Benoit Denizet-Lewis was dismissive in respect to his intellect in the disparaging profile published in the National gay rag.

"He's not a deep or nuanced thinker and seems generally unwilling...to look critically at himself...He doesn't strike me as all that intellectually honest," opined the sniper to Perez's dismay.

In fact, the whirling dirvish was furious!

Just betcha, a sizzling expose on Denizet-Lewis, is about to be hatched!

However, one loyal supporter wholeheartedly disagreed with the harsh assessment.

"Perez is brilliant. It's a classic success story for the post-publishing environment, in which you've got a very low overhead, and a really dynamic relationship with readers, and advertisers get htat and go for that."

Indeed, in the topsy-turvy blogosphere - where failed bloggers are more the norm than the exception - Perez has remained on - um - top.

To his credit, Hilton hasn't been content to idly sit on his laurels, or simply rake in the cash.

Personally, I've noticed that his web site is a lot "meatier" these days.

In addition, his posts are more fully-developed and smack of an emerging literary style that may lead to published works in the mainstream, I expect.

Truman Capote must be turning over in his grave.

http://www.julianayrs.com

Perez Hilton...Beauty & Beast in bit** fight! Mud-slinging titillates Nation...

This morning as I waited for the Newport Beach Film Festival lounge to swing open its doors, I popped into McDonald's for a morning snack and piping hot cup of java.

Imagine that!

The upscale fast-food outlet in this tony neighborhood actually has an expensive wide-screen flat TV installed so guests may take in a morning news show or two.

Shortly after I plunked down in my comfy seat, the anchorman on a popular Fox Network show, launched into a news feature about the Perez Hilton-Beauty Queen scandal brewing across the airwaves.

At the drop-of-a-hat, fascinated diners turned their heads to catch every salacious detail.

Of course, the highly-charged subject matter arises out of an incident this past week which caused quite a controversy in a myriad of socially and politically-correct circles around the country.

Perez Hilton, top blogger, appeared as a judge on a Beauty Pageant and posed (what many thought) was an unfair question to one stunning blond beauty who was just about ripe for snatching up the coveted crown from her rivals!

"What do you think of gay marriage," the Queen of the blogs pointedly asked the startled contestant on the Nationally-televised show, out-of-the-blue.

When she innocently spoke from the heart - and confidently noted that she felt that marriage should be exclusive to a man and a woman - the old you-know-what hit the fan.

Perez summarily dismissed her as a stupid bit** - and quicker than you could say cat-fight - the war of words and insults began.

I started to giggle a bit over the caption that the news outlet was inclined to plaster across the bottom of the screen in bold-face letters.

"The Beauty & the Blogger"

I turned to a lovely couple next to me and offered up what I thought was an astute observation.

"Shouldn't that read "The Beauty & the Beast?"

They both laughed out loud.

Then, the well-heeled socialite uttered up the quote of the day.

"Perez shouldn't have been on the panel. After all, that's kind-of-like a vegetarian judging meat."

Queen of Blogs causes fur to fly!

http://www.julianayrs.com

Mr. Blackwell...blogger calls me the new High Priest of fashion?

A blogger greatly flattered me today - when he posted a comment on one of my features - and proceeded to speculate that I was the new Mr. Blackwell!

The post - Fashion Faux Pas - provided tips on "Dressing Right".

The piece was lifted from one of my fashion columns from the daily newspaper - The Province (Southam News) - which I penned before I moved to California.

When the celebrated High Priest of good taste passed away to spirit recently - I intended to write up a career profile, but a flurry of activities and a hectic time schedule prevented me from carrying out the task - 'til now.

Actually, I met Mr. Blackwell at a printing outlet a few years ago, and found the man to be pleasant and outgoing.

Fortunately, he didn't level his pen at me that day!

Of course, Blackwell was infamous for his caustic wit - and one or two-line quips about celebs and their fashion choices - as they schlepped about to-and-fro in the scintillating backdrop known as Tinsel Town.

The Dixie Chicks inspired him to quip with a smirk:

"They look like a trio of truck stop fashion tragedies trapped in a typhoon."


His subjects ran the gamut - from Martha Stewart to Cher - and the "Queen" herself.

To his keen eye, Stewart was "dull, dowdy and devastatingly dreary".


Cher?
"A million beads and and one overexposed derriere".








But, he was undoubtedly at his wicked best when he posed a question on the Queen's lack of apparent fashion taste.

"Was she the palace Christmas tree, or just a royal clown?”

His beginnings were humble.

For starters, Blackwell was born into the world under the unassuming name, Richard Sylvan Selzer.

The playground for his fantasies were grounded in the Besonhurst section of Brooklyn - and a far cry from the hallowed halls of high fashion - he would comfortably inhabit years later.

The fashion maven was of Jewish decent and grew up in a shabby tenement house.

In spite of the fact he only had a third grade education, he managed to rise up - and likewise - eventually float with ease through socially-elite circles where the idle rich played.

When the man known for his fashion flair began to form a fashion house featuring his original designs - like many in the field before him - he chose a suitable name for the occasion.

Mr. Blackwell was born.

To some, he was an important designer; to others - mediocre at best.

Blackwell was a great promoter, though - and maneuvered a handful of fashion coups early in his career - in spite of the creative handicap.

For instance, Blackwell was the first designer in history to present a line on a television broadcast - and also at the head of the line - when it came time to promote an affordable line of sensible clothing for plumpish women.

Undoubtedly, he was one of the first major fashion whirlwinds to command staggering prices for his creations which - on occasion - sold in the $800 to $1,000 range successfully.

Blackwell counted Yvonne DeCarlo, Jayne Mansfield, Dorothy Lamour, Jane Russell - and even red-dressed first lady Nancy Reagan - as loyal clients who touted his designs on the world stage.

Although he made fashion sense for the most part, there were occasions when he literally goofed!

A barb about Women's Wear Daily Publisher, John Fairchild, was probably one of the few jibes he'd like to recall after its impact was felt.

No doubt, it was a costly mistake to attack a major player in the industry on the publishing-promotion end.

Changing trends, and forward-thinking in fashion, squelched his high-fashion lines. After all, Americans were now heading into casual wear environs with a vengeance.

In what was a sort-of fluke, an industry-insider called him up one day and asked him to write an article on the 10 Best and Worst Dressed in the Nation.

The gimmick stuck.

However, it was the "Worst dressed list" which catapulted him into fame, though.

Witty, clever - and inclined towards a naughty turn-of-the-phrase - Blackwell's one-line quips about star "style" - or the lack thereof - ended up elevated him into untouchable status in the fashion stratosphere.

Oftentimes, his sly pokes not only put the spotlight on a flailing career, but helped jump-start it.

Maybe, that's why there weren't any vicious attacks back.

A case of - "wink wink" - eh?


Beyond the pale, there were also fashion pieces written in serious relevant tones.

Blackwell was syndicated in The Globe tabloid, for instance, and often wrote features which appeared in mainstream newspapers and lifestyle magazines that enjoyed widespread far-reaching appeal.

Blackwell lived in Hancock Park with his partner of 60 years.

In addition to his fashion empire, the man with the keen wit, was also an artist known for avant-garde renderings; in fact, several editions of his work were distributed, including a ever-popular "Mother America" series.

Mr. Blackwell suffered from Bell's palsy which causes limited to severe paralysis of facial muscles which often affects the eyesight as well.

In spite of the affliction, Blackwell often remained optimistic about life, until his death in Los Angeles on October 19 (2008) from an intestinal infection.