Did He Or Didn't He?

In Touch Weekly's parent company, Bauer Media, is accusing Blake Shelton of giving false testimony in a recent sworn declaration in his lawsuit against the tabloid. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Blake says that he didn't stay at or visit the hotel ME Melia in Cancun, Mexico, as the tabloid's "Rehab" article claimed. Bauer Media claims there is "photographic evidence" that he was at the hotel in question. Shelton also makes it clear that he didn't attend a bachelor party, party with strippers, or go to a strip club during his time in the resort city, and refutes the tabloid's claims of him being promiscuous with women while he was on trip. Shelton filed the $2 million lawsuit in October, seeking in damages over the article which claimed he was headed to rehab and that his heavy drinking contributed to his divorce from Miranda Lambert.

In a memorandum filed by Bauer Media earlier this week, the publisher states, "Shelton resorts to apparent false testimony. He declares that the Article's depiction of his Mexico trip was 'fabricated,' because the 'partying' described at the Hotel ME Melia in Cancun could not have occurred as during his trip he 'did not stay at the hotel ME Melia Cancun or visit it.' Yet, indisputable photographic evidence places Shelton at that very hotel and with the blonde guest described in the Article."

Refuting the tabloid's claims of his promiscuity, Blake says, "I did not kiss any women while I was in Cancun. There was no 'alcohol-fueled rendezvous,' nor did I hook up with any women, let alone multiple women, in my hotel room or anywhere else."

The Instagram photograph in question shows Shelton with his arm around a woman, and a reporter for In Touch claims the photo corroborates the tabloid's story. The reporter cites that the woman in the photo is in a room with "a distinctive tile pattern, lights, drapes and round rug."

Shelton's team says the picture of him with the woman is just a fan photo and doesn't prove that he was inside the hotel in question. One of Blake's reps says that being in the "driveway of the hotel" doesn't mean he actually visited.

So you decide, the above picture is the one in question. Does that make BLale guilty? Drop me your thoughts: john@kicks1063.com

Lessons For Life

Show host Steve Harvey has had his own down points in his life, so when he offers advice on how to be a millionaire, people pay attention. In this instance, he quoted self-made millionaires on their advice on how to become successful and make those goals you have set for yourself.

1. Believe What You See: Your imagination is real! – Steve Harvey

2. Find a Mentor: Find someone to tell you the good, the bad and the ugly of what success looks like – Patrice Washington

3. Show Gratitude: You have to show gratitude in order to attract success – Patrice Washington

4. Don’t Follow Parked Cars: A dog doesn’t even bark at a parked car, why would you follow one? – Johnny Wimbrey

5. Be Confident, Not Arrogant: Arrogance is when you think you are better than somebody else. Confidence is when you understand no one is better than you. – Johnny Wimbrey

6. Start Small: Everyone has big dreams, but reinvest in the business and watch it grow. – Tymeka Lawrence

7. Be Accountable: If you take responsibility for what you do, you can never be victim. You take control of the situation. – Tymeka Lawrence

8. Stay in the Game: No matter what. You are going to fail at one time. – Manny Khoshbin

9. Be a Sponge: Absorb knowledge and surround yourself with like-minded goal oriented people. – Manny Khoshbin

10. Believe In order to be successful you have to believe in yourself, your ability and your business. – Leanna Archer

Let's Hit The Road!

If you're looking for something a little different in the way of a summer vacation this year, “Travel + Leisure” magazine has some amazing trip suggestions in its online edition. One recent one is “Abandoned Places To See Now.” Among them are several U.S. sites which sound very interesting:

Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia– Said to be one of the most haunted locations in the world, this 11-acre prison that now hosts no prisoners, offers different tours year round. “Ghost Adventures” has investigated its ghost population.



Michigan Central Station, Detroit – When Michigan Central Station opened in 1913, it was the tallest train station in the world. Now closed (in 1988), the building still stands in a very sorry condition. Frequent visitors are vandals and thrill seekers.

Six Flags/Jazzland, New Orleans– This former fun-filled amusement park was damaged when Hurricane Katrina hit in August of 2005. It is a sad shell of its former self, sitting with rides abandoned and nearby water a reminder of its downfall. Urban exploders find it very interesting, however.

Holland Island, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland– The last resident left this island in 1922 because of its rapidly eroding status. It was once a five-mile long island where a fishing community thrived, with a community of 60 homes and other buildings. The last house fell prey to nature in 2010.

Do you know of an abandoned place in our area that might be fun to visit? Drop me your idea: john@kicks1063.com.

A True "Booby Trap!"

No joke here! Jennifer Cutrona, of Richmond, Virginia, has designed a new bra that conceals knives, pepper spray and other weapons. She says that she designed “Booby Trap Bras” after a man tried to abduct her while she was jogging in the woods. “If I were to be killed senselessly on a trail for somebody's thrill, how bad would it impact their world?! It had to happen for me to move forward. I was excited that I got away, but I know a lot of women aren't that lucky. “Because you never know, want to trust everybody but can't anymore.” The bras cost around $55, and you can find out more about them here:  http://www.boobytrapbras.com/.

So tell us ladies, do you think you need something like this? Would you feel safer if you were "packing" weapons om your bra?

Why We're All Irish Today

March 17 is celebrated throughout the world as St. Patrick's Day, in honor of the missionary who helped spread Christianity through Ireland. Here are five quick facts to help you learn about the patron saint of Ireland.

When did he live?
Details surrounding St. Patrick's life are hard to pin down, but he was likely born around 387 A.D. and died about 460 A.D.

Was he born in Ireland?
No, he was born in Britain, then part of the Roman Empire, and was captured by Irish pirates when he was 16. He was held in captivity in Ireland for six years, then escaped back to Britain.

Was he a priest?
Yes. He went to seminary in what is now France and became a priest, then returned to Ireland. He eventually became the first bishop of Armagh, primate of Ireland. In his autobiography, Confessio, also known as The Confession of St. Patrick, he said he baptized thousands. He also started many monasteries and helped spread Christianity across Ireland.

Why do we celebrate him in America?
Irish immigrants to Boston celebrated March 17, the day of St. Patrick's death, as a way of keeping alive their Irish heritage in America. That started as early as 1737, with parades starting in 1766. U.S. celebrations of St. Patrick's Day spread to big cities across the country, often being more festive than observances in Ireland, where it's a holy day. St. Patrick's Day wasn't even a public holiday in Ireland until 1904, although it had been observed with parades and churchgoing since the 1700s. The festivities in America influenced Ireland, where in the 1960s pubs began to open on the holiday. It has always been associated with beer-drinking in America, promoted by taverns and pubs, while in Ireland pubs and other businesses were closed on the holiday. Some historians credit America for the popularity of the holiday.

"Generations of Irish immigrants were eager to celebrate their origins," writes Mike Cronin, author of "The Wearing of the Green: A History of St. Patrick's Day," and also a professor at Boston College. "The shared sense of being Irish, of wearing green and in some way marking March 17, has resulted in St. Patrick's Day being observed in a similar fashion to July Fourth or Halloween. It's the closest thing in America to National Immigrant Day."

It's also a marketing bonanza, helping sell beer and drive business at bars. Bars have been running St. Patrick's Day events and promotions throughout the weekend leading to the holiday, which falls on Tuesday this year.

Are the legends about St. Patrick true?
Did St. Patrick drive all the snakes out of Ireland? That's unlikely, since there's no evidence snakes ever lived in post-glacial Ireland. Did he teach the concept of the Holy Trinity by using the three-leafed clover, or shamrock, to demonstrate the oneness of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit? There's no way to prove or disprove that legend, but it's one of the most beloved stories about the saint.

Regardless of the how's and why's, we hope you have a great St. Patrick's Day, and if you're going to celebrate, please do so responsibly!

But, Officer! I Couldn't Have Been Going That Fast!

Oh sure, it'd be nice to own a fancy car like a Lexus or an Acura. But did you know that some of these cars are magnets for traffic tickets? Yep, nothing says "stop me for speeding!" like a luxury car going 10 mph over the limit down Losey Blvd! So here they are, the Top Ticket Magnets in America according to insurance.com

10. Toyota Tacoma

9. Acura 3.0s

8. Dodge Stratus SXT

7. Volkswagen Golf GTI

6. Mazda 3s

5. Chevrolet Monte Carlo

4. Volkswagen Jetta GL

3. Dodge Charger SE/XLT

2. Nissan 350z

And the #1 Ticket Magnet is... a Lexus ES 300!

Yeah! My 2002 Chevy Silverado is not on the list!

The Search For "The One"

How much dating did you do before you found "The One?" A new survey by the event planning company Paint Night reveals that it takes the average person 5 years of dating before they find their significant other.Some other interesting points:

Top Date Turns-Ons

1. Good manners
2. An attractive appearance
3. A smile
4. Great personality
5. A sense of humor

Top Date Turns-Offs

1. Bad manners/Offensive/Rude
2. Bad breath
3. Too negative
4. Burping out loud/other bodily noises
5. Unattractive physical appearance
6. Inappropriate/tight clothing
7. Talks too much
8. Indecisiveness
9. Too much make-up
10. Lack of confidence

How old were you when you finally found "The One?" Did you do a lot of dating before finding your significant other? Drop me your thoughts: john@kicks1063.com