The Wednesday Wetness

 Done come on Tuesday this week, With Kristi Makusha, water dancer:

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Probably Not Mrs. Santa up and garnering clicks at The Other McCain.

Rule 5 Saturday - Ani Kiri

Anastasiia Kirilik aka Ani Kiri, a Ukrainian born, Miami based actress, singer, model and dancer:

Anastasiia Kirilik (25) is an actress, dancer and model hailing from Kiev, Ukraine, now living in Miami. Raised by a single mom who provided her a lot of support, Ana has been dancing since the age of four. She also plays piano, sings, acts, and paints. She attributes her many talents to her mom, who taught her to be a hard worker.

“My mom is my best friend and my biggest supporter. She raised me like a princess. She raised me to be a star.”

Anastasiia earned an acting degree from Theatre University in Kiev and an acting and dancing diploma from the University in Toulouse, France. She won a grant as an extraordinary talent, which gave her the opportunity to study in France and participate in the international youth project representing Ukraine.

Linked at The Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule Five SundayMonday: Belated Bikini a day late, and no FMJRA at all, but who's counting? Linked at The Right Way in the weekly Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama.

Tuesday Tanlines

From For Women First, ‘I’ve Been Self-Tanning for 20 Years!’ ‘DWTS’ Pro Peta Murgatroyd Shares Her Flawless Self-Tan Routine

Summer’s nearly here, and that means it’s time to break out the self-tanner (especially if you don’t naturally get a golden glow easily). We’ve come a long way from the harmful tanning beds of the past (and if you still use them, this is your sign to stop) and many of us are making the switch to self-tanning at home. But if you’re new to the game and need some pointers, we brought in a pro—a Dancing With the Stars pro, that is, who has mastered the art of self-tanning through her years-long appearances on screen. Below, Peta Murgatroyd shares her expert tips and tricks on how to self-tan for a flawless application and finish.

Before we get into Peta’s Dancing With the Stars self-tanning routine, let’s go over how to choose the best self-tanner. For starters, it’s important to know the active ingredient in self-tanners that gives you the bronzed glow is called dihydroxyacetone (DHA); but, not all DHA is sourced the same—some are “better” for your skin than others. “The active ingredient for sunless tanning is DHA and the big green flag to seek out is naturally-derived DHA from sources like sugar beets, which is what we use at Sugared + Bronzed,” says Courtney Claghorn, seasoned tanning expert and founder of celebrity-loved Sugared + Bronzed. “DHA has a drying effect on the skin, so you want to make sure you use products that replenish your skin’s hydration (like Sugared + Bronzed FlexExpress formula, which includes natural oils like aloe vera, coconut oil, jojoba oil and nourishing botanical extracts which all aid to avoid dryness, streaking, or uneven fading).”

Sounds like BS to me, but I get my tan the honest way.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Some Jeep Drivers Are Okay on time and under budget.

Random Celebrity News

For some values of "random", "celebrity" and "news." First, From Da Caller, Mick Jagger Engaged To Much Younger Girlfriend. Good for him, he can afford it.

Legendary Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, 81, is engaged to his girlfriend Melanie Hamrick, who is 44-years his junior.

Hamrick revealed she has been keeping her engagement a secret for quite some time during a French interview published Wednesday by Paris Match.

“Two or three years,” the 37-year-old told the outlet when asked how long she had been engaged. Hamrick, a former ballerina, and Jagger began dating in 2014 after meeting in Tokyo. Despite the news of their engagement, Hamrick cautioned that marriage may not be part of the couple’s future plans.

Lois Boisson

From Althouse, "I'm reading about a tennis player who smelled so bad that her opponent was heard complaining, and I'm wondering..."

"... if a sports player might in some cases, perhaps this one, deliberately acquire a bad smell to gain a competitive edge? Are there known cases? Do the rules cover this behavior? It could be a way of cheating. Beyond sports, what other areas of human competition offer opportunities to gain an advantage through smelling bad?"

 Harriet Dart

 

For the annals of Things I Asked Grok.

You can read Grok's answer here.

And here's the news story that prompted my question: "British tennis player Harriet Dart apologizes after asking opponent to wear deodorant during match/Dart told the umpire that her opponent, Lois Boisson, 'smells really bad'"

RVM reports Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman Will ‘Definitely’ be Subpoenaed in Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni Legal Battle

The high-profile legal clash between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is drawing some of Hollywood’s biggest names into the fray, with Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman reportedly next in line to become directly involved.

According to a source cited by the Daily Mail, both stars will “definitely be served this week” with subpoenas connected to the ongoing legal battle between Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and Baldoni.

“It could happen at any time,” the insider claimed, suggesting that the subpoenas may be imminent.

At the Mix,  Katy Perry ‘Regrets’ Blue Origin Space Flight As She Continues To Face Massive Backlash

It’s been just over a week since the pop star Katy Perry went to space for eleven minutes as part of Jeff Bezos’ all-female Blue Origin crew. Unfortunately for her, however, Perry has since been met with serious backlash for taking part in this space journey, which many felt was both “tone deaf” and “embarrassing.”

Now, insiders are speaking out to reveal the regrets that Perry has about taking part in this Blue Origin flight. Indeed, it appears that the backlash has finally gotten to the “Firework” singer.

“Katy doesn’t regret going to space. It was life changing. What she does regret is making a public spectacle out of it,” a source close to Perry told Daily Mail.

Also from RVM, Former Runaway Rocker Goes Full MAGA, Tears Into Democrats

Cherie Currie, the former frontwoman of the groundbreaking 1970s rock band The Runaways, has made headlines again—this time for her unapologetic embrace of conservative politics and support for President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

Currie, who rose to fame alongside bandmates like Joan Jett, is now using her platform to speak out against the Democratic Party.

Her shift away from the political left has been documented on her official X account, where she has posted several strongly worded messages denouncing Democrats and aligning herself with conservative causes.

“F**k the Democratic Party! You clowns. Liars! Users. Destroyers! Mental case, Cowards! We’ve HAD IT with you!” Currie posted on April 24, 2025.

Hollywood in Toto has Nikki Glaser’s Anti-Trump Tirade, Explained, "Rising comic star fears she'll be put on a 'list' for mocking conservatives."

Glaser’s turn as the 2025 Golden Globes host got near-universal raves. Her 2024 routine at “The Roast of Tom Brady” brought the house down. She’s beautiful, talented and fiercely funny. In short, she’s earned her “moment” (along with a gig hosting the 2026 Globes gala).

She’s also an extremely hard worker, putting in endless hours prior to her Golden Globes showcase alone. Why? She wanted to perform at the top of her capabilities. That work ethic matters in Hollywood and elsewhere.

She’s also less political than her peers. Her brand isn’t about Left or Right but honesty, self-deprecation and lots of over sharing. Yet she unleashed on President Donald Trump during a Time Magazine-sponsored event that made her sound to the Left of John Oliver.

Yes, she played the “Dictator” card against Trump.

“I was just on stage in Canada where you can make jokes about someone [President Donald Trump] and they are on board … in Canada it was fun. I let it fly. It was really good.”

Perhaps she wasn’t aware of the free speech limitations in the country. Next, she suggested comedians can no long mock the Commander in Chief in the age of Trump.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: In & Out up at The Other McCain.

Tattoo Tuesday

YaHoo! DWTS ' Gleb Savchenko & Brooks Nader Get Tattoos in PDA-Packed Outing

Gleb Savchenko and Brooks Nader are stepping up their relationship.

The Dancing With the Stars contestants—who are currently competing as partners on season 33 of the reality competition series—capped off a PDA-packed outing in Los Angeles on Oct. 7 by getting tattoos together at Hollywood's Nautilus Tattoo.

In photos shared by TMZ of their trip to the parlor, Brooks—clad in a white tank top, jeans and sunglasses—laid on the table while the tattoo artist inked her right hip. Standing next to her, Gleb—rocking a black sweater and gray jeans—leaned over and planted kisses on her lips and neck.

 

And distracting her from the pain of the tattoo gun wasn't the only way the choreographer helped out. In an Oct. 8 TikTok video shared by the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, Gleb was also seen applying the ink to her hip himself. Captioning the clip, Brooks wrote, "OOOPSSS."

Well, good for them! 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Where My Wolfsbane At? on time and under budget at the Other McCain.

Random Celebrity News

For some values of "random", "celebrity" and "news". At Hollywood in Toto, Kristen Stewart Proves Massive Progress for Gay Rights

Stewart plays a gym manager named Lou who falls in love with a female bodybuilder (Katy M. O’Brian, “Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania”). Their romance is threatened by Lou’s father (Ed Harris), a criminal whose schemes endanger the main characters. The film opens wide March 15.

Stewart promoted the film with a cover story in the far-Left Rolling Stone magazine. The “Twilight” alum vowed to make the cover shoot the “gayest thing you’ve ever seen,” posing in a jock strap.

The magazine tried to antagonize allegedly bigoted conservatives with an accompanying article entitled, “Right-Wingers Are Terrified of Our Gay Kristen Stewart Cover.” The small sampling of conservatives referenced in the article recoiled at how unhappy Stewart appears in the photographs and how sexually explicit they are for shock value’s sake. It hardly suggested any sort of rebellion or attempt to silence her and her romantic life. None appear “terrified” by any rational definition.

There are gay people in Hollywood? Whoda thunk. NYPo reports Sylvester Stallone had Navy SEALs train his daughters before they moved to NYC

To live in the Big Apple, they had to train like Rambo. Sylvester Stallone was so nervous about his daughters Sophia and Sistine living in NYC that he hired Navy SEALs to train them in self-defense — and even had them chase chickens Rocky-style.

“It was the hardest. It was about six hours we were in those woods,” Sistine, 25, told The Post ahead of Season 2 of “The Family Stallone,” which premieres on Feb. 21. “Sophia and I got our asses whooped by these guys. They were the real deal,” she said.

That's fatherly love for you.  From JTN, Crowd boos Israeli medallist in swimming World Championships

The crowd at the Doha World Championships on Sunday booed an Israeli medallist who won silver in the women's 400-meter medley.

"I'm just so happy to be here and represent my country in this hard time, being here with the Israeli flag means a lot to me and to my country, so that's the best I can do," Israeli Anastasia Gorbenko said in a post-race interview as loud boos could be heard in the background.

Hollywood it Toto yet again, hears  Whitney Cummings Got Busted By HR for Saying One Simple Phrase “I got in trouble for saying, ‘Merry Christmas’ on the set of ‘Roseanne,’”  

“When HR called me to say I was in trouble for saying, ‘Merry Christmas,’ They were like, ‘Hey, um, so … ‘ They thought it was ridiculous, too,” Cummings recalled. She didn’t stop there, though. “I confronted the person and I basically was like, ‘You’re dangerous to everybody in this office.’”

“That’s a good story, and I’m glad it came out that way for you, but I am not as sanguine as you are about the idea that the ridiculous don’t have fans – the other people who are ridiculous,” Maher said. “Ridiculous stuff does land sometimes … and no one ever gets in trouble for being too woke.”

At Da Mail,  American ballerina Ksenia Karelina is detained for 'high treason' in Russia by Putin's feared FSB security accused of raising $51 for the Ukrainian army and could face 20 years in jail if found guilty  

Vladimir Putin's secretive Federal Security Service has arrested a dual Russian-American ballerina on treason charges, officials confirmed Tuesday.

Videos posted by a Russian news agency shows 32-year-old Ksenia Karelina being led into a courtroom in handcuffs and with her eyes blindfolded. It's not clear when the video was recorded.

Karelina is a resident of Los Angeles who became a US citizen in 2021. Her social media pages are littered with photos of her smiling, loving life in the US.

Can't we trade her for Kamala Harris or AOC or somebody? 

Hollywood in Toto yet again, with  ‘Drugstore June’ Delivers Dizzying Millennial Satire (With a Twist)  

Think Austin Powers, Capt. Jack Sparrow and Derek Zoolander. These larger-than-life types are played by actors who never step out of character for a nanosecond.

Esther Povitsky’s character in “Drugstore June” is cut from similar cloth. June defies pat labels, providing a fresh source of laughter in this 90-minute treat. Chances are you’ll want to see her again as soon as possible.

Povitsky’s June works at a drugstore and still lives at home with her dysfunctional Ma and Pa (Beverly D’Angelo and James Remar, both rock solid). Her life revolves around live streaming every inane thought that pops into her head and fleeing “trauma” in the form of mild insults and observations.

At OutKick,  Sydney Sweeney Nukes Dietitian Allegedly Lying About Relationship With Actress

An Instagram account with the handle @colostrum.lover claimed she "was Sydney Sweeney's dietican [sic] for 5 years" and "helped her get her dream role with 5 easy food swaps."

It's a social media template we've seen before. There's just one problem. Sweeney hopped on the reel to let people know she had no idea who this woman was, according to multiple reports. 

"I don't know you and kraft mac n cheese is for life," a viral screenshot shows Sweeney commenting. The Instagram page appears to have been deleted as of publication.

You can see the screenshots below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

And no "celebrity'" post would be complete without Taylor Swift.  The Peacock dourly worries the  Economic boost from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour could be overstated, Nomura warns

The devil’s in the details, but local economies have a friend in Taylor Swift.

The American pop star has spent nearly a year crossing the U.S. and the globe with her high-flying Eras Tour. The economic effect of the “Karma” singer’s show has caught the attention of everyone from the Federal Reserve to Wall Street.

Her tour undoubtedly helped the local economies she visited, according to a new report out from Japanese investment bank Nomura. But the firm questions how much of an imprint it made on national data.

“Her boost to consumption has certainly enchanted US economic analysts, but we believe the total macroeconomic effect is probably overstated,” Nomura global economist Si Ying Toh wrote to clients last week.

Between the first and third quarter of 2023, Swift’s venture alone lifted nominal U.S. retail sales by 0.03%, and real gross domestic product, a measure of economic output, by 0.02%, Nomura estimates show.

And we know economists are never wrong, after all, they correctly predicted the last 21 of 7 recessions. 

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Poolside open and ready for business.

Tuesday Tanlines

Samantha Harris

Entertainment Weekly, Ex-DWTS cohost Samantha Harris says producers asked her to deglam, be more 'pasty and pudgy'

Samantha Harris is opening up about a time she found herself way out of step with the producers of Dancing With the Stars.

Harris, who cohosted the ABC reality series from 2006 to 2009, said in a recent podcast appearance that DWTS brass wanted her to gain weight and stop tanning — to be "pasty and pudgy," as she put it — so that viewers wouldn't confuse her with the show's pro dancers.

"I remember — I won't say who in the network or executive team said this — but I remember I got a note," Harris said on the latest episode of former DWTS pro Cheryl Burke's Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans podcast. "I got actually called into a meeting and they said, 'So, Samantha, going to the next season…' My interpretation was they said to me, 'You need to be pasty and pudgy.' But really what they said to me was, 'You're getting too tan and too toned that the viewers' — and I'd like to give all of you listening as viewers a lot more credit then what they said — but the viewers 'are confusing you with the dancers because you're too tanned and too toned.'"

The Wombat had Rule 5 Sunday: Santa, Baby!up at The Other McCain in time for St. Nick.

Rule 5 Saturday - María Pedraza

 This week's lucky Rule 5 winner is:

María Pedraza Morillo (born 26 January 1996) is a Spanish actress, dancer and model who gained international recognition for her roles in the series Money Heist and Elite.

Pedraza was discovered through her Instagram account by film director Esteban Crespo who invited her to attend an audition for the lead role of his debut film Amar where she obtained the role of Laura, joining a cast also made up of Pol Monen, Natalia Tena, Gustavo Salmerón and Nacho Fresneda.

Her second project as an actress was playing Alison Parker, daughter of the British ambassador to Spain, in the Atresmedia series Money Heist. The subsequent purchase of it by Netflix earned the actress both national and international recognition. At the beginning of 2018, Pedraza's participation in the second Netflix original Spanish series entitled Élite was announced, with fellow Money Heist cast members Miguel Herrán and Jaime Lorente

NSFW from Élite. 

Facebook, Instagram

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Monday: Farm Girls and FMJRA 2.0: Gewitter up for your digital delight. Linked at The Right Way in the weekly Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama.

Tattoo Thursday

USA Today, Kathy Griffin shocks her husband with lip tattoo results: 'It's a little swollen'

The comedian, 62, documented her trip to Vale of Shadows beauty studio in Los Angeles for eyebrow microblading and a lip tattoo in a YouTube video she shared Friday. Both are semi-permanent makeup techniques.

Griffin joked to the camera that she was "trying to go under the radar," while wearing a shirt emblazoned with her face and the phrase "Officially-Uncancelled." She was probably referencing her controversial 2017 photoshoot, in which she posed with a bloody mock version of former President Donald Trump's head.

Griffin added: "I'm getting my lips tattooed, but they call it blushing? We'll see."
. . .
Griffin showed the moment her technician lined her lips with a white substance and covered her lips with plastic wrap, presumably to activate a numbing agent. "You ready to not speak for three hours?" the practitioner asked, to which Griffin feigned shock.

Only three hours? Too bad.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Salma Hayek up on time at The Other McCain.

Rule 5 Saturday - Kalani Hilliker

This week's Rule 5 winner is:

Kalani Brooke Hilliker (born September 23, 2000) is an American dancer and actress. She rose to fame in 2013 as a contestant on the Lifetime reality series Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition and subsequently appeared on Dance Moms, becoming a regular cast member from 2014 to 2017.

Hilliker was born on September 23, 2000, in Mesa, Arizona to Kira Girard (née Salazar) and Matthew Hilliker.  In October 2019, Hilliker moved to Los Angeles. However, in January 2021, she announced on her YouTube channel that she left L.A. for Scottsdale, Arizona. Hilliker started dancing at the age of two. Her mother initially enrolled her in dance classes because she thought it would be fun to dress her daughter up. Hilliker started training at Club Dance in Mesa at age 5. As a child, she was an avid soccer player, but decided to pursue dance more committedly around age 9 and got an agent

In July 2020, Hilliker was photographed with a Blue Lives Matter flag. Then, in November 2020, she publicly announced that she would be supporting Donald Trump's presidential campaign in the 2020 United States presidential election. 

Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Eri Yoshida and FMJRA 2.0: SUUUURGE! up on time and under budget at The Other McCain. Linked at The Right Way in Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama.

A Tuesday Tune - Shouf

 

I didn't understand a word that she said, but I think I get the gist of it.

Caroline Sarah Karam (Arabic:كارولينا كرم) is a French and Lebanese singer and dancer.  She was born on November 3, 1986, in Pointe à Pitre in France. She made her debut after winning the Lebanese Latin Championship in 2011. She performed many live shows in Music Hall in Beirut and participated in the Arabic version of Dancing with the Stars [fr] (Arabic: رقص النجوم) for 2 consecutive years with a professional dancer's team. 

Carolina Karam was born in Point a Pitre, Guadeloupe, France to French Lebanese Catholic Parents, where she grew up and stayed until the age of 7, before returning to Lebanon. Her passion for music started at a young age influenced by her mother Venus Karam who is a singer and a guitarist mostly singing Christian songs in churches. From 2005 to 2009, Karam studied at Notre Dame University–Louaize, in Lebanon, where she majored in nutrition. She speaks four languages fluently French, Arabic, English, and Spanish.

Karam is a member of the Syndicate of Professional Artists in Lebanon. After winning the Lebanese Latin Championship and the Lebanese Latin Cup in 2011, she represented her country in various dance competitions worldwide. Karam participated in the TV show-Arabic version Dancing with the Stars for 2 consecutive years.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Natalya Neidhart and FMJRA 2.0: Back To Earth up and awaiting your clicks at The Other McCain.

Prisencolinensinainciusol!

 Just saw this, it's hysterical! A President* Joe Biden speech set to music and dance.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Not From The Black Widow Movie ready for your digital delight at The Other McCain.

Rule 5 Saturday - Alyson Stoner - The Woman With No Childhood

This week's Rule 5 winner is Alyson Stoner: Former Disney Channel star Alyson Stoner speaks out about her 'harrowing' experience as a child actor: 'My childhood is officially gone'

In the early 2000s, Alyson Stoner became known as an actor, singer, and dancer. She landed roles in movies like "Cheaper by the Dozen" and "Step Up," as well as Disney Channel's "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" and "Camp Rock." She also performed as a background dancer for artists such as Missy Elliott, Will Smith, and Eminem.

In a new video essay and op-ed for People magazine, she's sharing her side of the story for the first time - one that includes facing sexual harassment, severe eating disorders, child labor law violations, and other "harrowing" experiences.

Stoner details auditioning for scenes depicting sexual violence one minute and princess toy commercials the next, and the emotional toll it took on her six-year-old self. At 12, she says she became malnourished and chronically stressed due to "inappropriate and hazardous" set conditions that violated child labor laws. At 17, she says she checked herself into rehab against the advice of her team, who told her she would risk "losing momentum" and continued to send her to auditions while she was on bedrest.

"While traversing extreme peaks and valleys of global fame, hidden medical hospitalizations, artistic milestones, rapid adultification, and multi-layered abuse I wish on no one, I narrowly survived the toddler-to-trainwreck pipeline," Stoner wrote in her op-ed. "In fact, nothing was designed for me to end up normal. Stable. Alive."

And these are the people who presume to tell us how to live.

IIRC, H/T to Insty. Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Hane Ame and FMJRA 2.0: Yes, That Song ready and waiting at the The Other McCain. Linked at Proof Positive in the weekly Best of the Web* and at The Right Way in the weekly Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama.

Just Maybe They Just Needed the Stage Space?

Pole Dancers Condemn Buttigieg For Canceling Event at Gay Club Over Stripper Pole

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg may want to get his supporters to the polls, but his refusal to bring them to a pole is drawing the ire of some in the LGBT community.

The former South Bend, Ind., mayor's campaign canceled a fundraiser at Dark Lady, a gay Rhode Island nightclub, following a dispute over the presence of a stripper pole, according to the venue.

And they say Buttigieg is one of the non-crazy Democrat presidential candidates.

Dark Lady's manager told WPRI that campaign staffers asked the club to remove the pole before the event. When the club refused, staffers canceled the fundraiser. "We guess this is what the gay candidate does to the gay community! #downonthepoles #dancersforanyoneelse," the owners complained on Facebook. "We're open, we're here, we're queer, get over it!"

The Buttigieg campaign's cancellation angered pole dancers including Steven Retchless, an America's Got Talent semi-finalist and the 2010 American Pole Fitness Champion.

Steven Retchless

 Once they've locked down the 3% gay vote, and the 0.3-0.6% transvote, they've got it made!

"The pole stigma is associated with sex work, but sex workers whether they're on a pole or not are humans, too, and shouldn't be discriminated against for providing a service as old as time," Retchless told the Washington Blade. "Get over it and support the whole gay community."

Philip Deal, founder of Mr. Pole Dance America, told the LGBT publication that Buttigieg's decision was "shameful."

Oops, there that goes!

"This points to a bigger issue in the LGBT community which is young gay people don't know our history and that's a serious problem. LGBTQ people died for the right to walk into a bar, dance, and hold hands with their lovers without having to fear police brutality," Deal said. "If Pete Buttigieg does not want to embrace our glorious gay culture, he doesn't need the gay vote."

The Rhode Island fundraiser was supposed to feature an appearance from Buttigieg's husband, Chasten. The openly gay candidate disputed the idea that he was insensitive to "inclusive spaces."

I was surprised to hear that there were men doing pole dancing; but I guess I shouldn't have been. Turns out you can find men better than women at almost any athletic endeavor. Better maybe, but not better looking, IMHO.

The Wombat has Rule 5 Monday: A Fine Pair up on time and under budget.

Palm Sunday

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat is back in business, with Rule Five Sunday: Black Widow.

Rule 5 Saturday - A Real Knockout - Paige VanZant

At the suggestion of Facebook, this week's Rule 5 lovely is Paige VanZant:

Paige Michelle Vanderford (née Sletten; born March 26, 1994), known professionally as Paige VanZant, is an American mixed martial artist, author, and model. VanZant is signed to the flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Outside of mixed martial arts, she has appeared in the television series Dancing with the Stars and Chopped. As of October 21, 2019, she is #15 in the UFC women's flyweight rankings.

And that was a good day at work!

VanZant was born in Dundee, Oregon, and raised in Dayton, Oregon. Her parents owned a dance studio, and she was brought up dancing ballet, jazz, and hip hop for over 13 years. As a teen, she appeared in a mop commercial for Bissell. She was considered a tomboy while growing up, and loved the outdoors; her hobbies included riding dirt bikes and fishing.

After VanZant moved with her family to Sparks, Nevada, she was looking for a dance studio when she came across UFC veteran Ken Shamrock's gym, where she began training in boxing and other martial arts. After winning an amateur fight at age 18, VanZant made her professional MMA debut on June 30, 2012, at UWF's Tournament of Warriors finale against Jordan Nicole Gaza in Corpus Christi, Texas, winning by split decision. On September 22, 2012, she faced Amber Stautzenberger at Premier Fight Series 2 and won via unanimous decision.

VanZant typically attacks with aggressive grappling, then seeks to finish the fight with strikes. Her style includes ground-and-pound, dirty boxing, and a wide variety of clinch striking. While standing, she will often move the fight toward the fence and utilize knees, elbows, forearms, punches, and throws.

VanZant is noted for the constant pressure she applies while grappling. If an opponent escapes her clinch, she will usually look to close the distance again within moments. . . .

She credits her past experiences dancing with her ability to perform flexible and agile movements in her fights; she demonstrated this when she knocked out Bec Rawlings with a jumping switch kick which earned her a "Performance of the night" bonus.

In May 2018, VanZant confirmed that she recently had a breast augmentation, saying: "I'm a girl and always wanted my own boobs. They never came so I bought them."

Money well spent!

Linked at Pirate's Cove in the weekly Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup and links. The Wombat is on time and under budget with Rule 5 Sunday: Ingrid Pitt and FMJRA 2.0: Too Late To Be Late Again at The Other McCain. Also linked at Proof Positive in Best of the Web* and Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama at The Right Way. Linked by EBL in Louisiana State University vs University of Alabama: There can only be one 🏈🐅🐘Update: Final: Tigers vs Crimson Tide 46-41, Movie Tropes: Born Sexy Yesterday, Lord Lucan: Murder and Disappearance, "Whistleblower" Hypocrisy: Ashley Bianco: Fired by CBS after pressure from ABC, Patty Loveless: You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive and Parasite (Gisaengchung): A Review.

Ha, Ha, Fooled Ya!

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Revolution Callingup and awaiting your digital pleasure.

Monday Morning Eyeful

Килина Лера



The Wombat snuck Rule 5 Monday: Chris Noel in a day late.

One of DCs Cherished Landmarks Threatened by Climate Change?

Tidal Basin Listed Among America’s ‘Most Endangered Places.’ (Blame Rising Sea Levels And Neglect)

The Tidal Basin, framed by cherry trees and the Washington Monument, is a masterpiece of 19th century engineering, and a marvelous spot to take a selfie or an engagement photo. But it’s also sinking into the Potomac River, and threatened by climate change and neglect.

The Tidal Basin is among the 11 most endangered historic places in 2019, according to a list put out each year by the National Trust for Historic Preservation published Thursday. The list highlights places that are important to the nation’s architectural or cultural history that are at risk of irreparable damage.

A photo from the time we sampled the Tidal Basin

So what’s wrong with the Tidal Basin? There are three main threats, and they are all intertwined. First: subsidence. Washington, D.C. is sinking—along with much of the land in the region—thanks to long-term geological forces. At the same time, climate change is causing sea levels to rise. The Potomac River has risen 11 inches already over the past 90 years. By 2080, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expects the river to rise by as much as another 3.4 feet. Already, the narrow sidewalks around the basin flood on a daily basis.

Thirdly, human neglect of aging infrastructure is threatening the basin. The National Park Service has billions of dollars in deferred maintenance across the park system, and estimates it would cost $500 million to restore the Tidal Basin.

The basin’s history dates back to the 1880s. The “Potomac Flats” were an expanse of sewage-filled mud and a breeding ground for malaria. Aside from aesthetics, the silty waterfront also caused problems for shipping. The solution, devised by the Army Corps, was to dredge the river and use the fill to build parks. The Tidal Basin’s role was to use the force of the changing tides to flush silt from Washington Channel, to keep it navigable.

But only a few of us may remember the important role the Tidal Basin played in American history:

Fanne Foxe (born Annabelle Battistella on February 14, 1936, in Nueve de Julio, Argentina) is a former stripper, best known for being involved in a 1974 sex scandal surrounding Arkansas Congressman Wilbur Mills, in what is reputed to be one of the most reported political sex scandals of the 1970s. She is on the Time list of Top 10 Mistresses, and on the Bloomberg list of Top 10 U.S. sex scandals.

Until the incident with Foxe, Mills was considered one of the most powerful members of the United States House of Representatives. In fact, he was a contender for the Democratic nomination for president in 1972. Around that time period, Mills was having an affair with Foxe, a local stripper. On October 7, 1974, the two of them had been drinking and were driving near the waterfront in Washington, D.C. at around 2:00 a.m. The park police pulled the vehicle over, and Foxe attempted to flee the scene by jumping into the Tidal Basin. The incident attracted much publicity, and eventually led to Mills' resignation two months later as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. He was re-elected to his congressional seat in 1974, but he did not run for re-election in 1976.

After the Mills incidents, Foxe continued working as a stripper, changing her stage title from "The Argentine Firecracker" to "The Tidal Basin Bombshell". Capitalizing on her notoriety, she was able to increase her appearance fees for subsequent performances at clubs. When hired by Michael Pinter Jr. for a December '74 show at Club Juana in Orlando, Florida she upped her fee for a two-week stint from $3,500 to $15,000 a week. On December 12, 1974, during the first week of her engagement, she was arrested for indecent exposure, allegedly after going completely nude (NSFW) during her act.  Club owner Pinter was arrested for letting it happen. When arraigned on December 21, both Foxe and Pinter entered innocent pleas to the charges. The charges against both were dismissed on January 28, 1975, when the judge ruled that prosecutors failed to prove their case. After the Florida incident, Foxe announced her retirement from the stage.  However, in 1976 she performed, but not as a stripper, at The Riverboat at the Empire State Building.

So the Tidal Basin, in a way, saved us from President Wilbur Mills!

Wombat-socho has Rule 5 Sunday: Monica Bellucci up and on time.