A look back at New York's subways

John Travolta and Denzel Washington thrilled audiences this weekend, as their remake of the 1974 hit 'The Taking of the Pelham 1,2,3' hit theaters. Back in '74 when the original film came out, New York subways were a much different place than they are now. Nowadays, rats, crowded trains and the occasional beggar are among the least desirable elements of the city's subways. Back then, rats were a welcome sight compared to the muggers and other vagrants who frequently preyed on subway passengers.   

TheDailyBeast.com recently published an interview and photographs from John Conn. Conn photographed the subways in the early 80's and captured them in all of their dirty, decrepit "glory." If you happen live in New York, be thankful these aren't the conditions you face as you travel around the city in 2009. 

I have included a few photos below, but click HERE for the full gallery and interview.

Is Miss California's crown in jeopardy?

Does anyone else find it ironic that the woman who placed second in the Miss America pageant has been in the media more than the woman who won?

Carrie Prejean AKA Miss California has been making headlines since she voiced her opposition to gay marriage to Perez Hilton, one of the judges for the competition. Following her loss, Carrie toured the country on an anti-gay marriage rant of sorts.

Then there came the revelations that the Miss USA pageant actually paid for her breast implants so that she would have a more robust cup size for that all important swimsuit competition. 

As if that wasn't enough, the validity of her California crown came into question earlier this week after gossip website TheDirty.com posted a photo of a scantly clad Prejean topless in her undies. The photo is in direct violation of the Miss America contract which candidates sign claiming there are no nude photos that exist... When the photo became published, Prejean admitted that it was indeed her and that one photo was the only of its kind.

Those claims have now come into question after TheDirty.com posted a second photo of a semi-nude Prejean on the website. Prejean and her representatives claim the second photo is her face, but it has been doctored and placed on another body. Donald Trump, who is in charge of the pageant has not announced whether or not he will revoke her crown or not, but it is expected to make an announcement in the coming days. To further test her moral compass, adult film giant Vivid Pictures has offered Carrie $1 million to star in an adult film...

The hypocrisy of this situation is sickening. The pageant paid for her implants so that she would increase her chances at winning (as if she weren't attractive enough before the boob job). All of that was for naught, as she lost the competition because she told a gay man that she doesn't support gay marriage. She may lose her California crown because she took a few photos in her underwear, but they make the contestants prance around that stage in bikinis for everyone to gawk over. How do you define semi-nude? Is a skimpy two piece not semi-nude? Do you really expect for a woman who has made it to the level of the Miss America pageant to have never been photographed wearing minimal clothing until the swimsuit competition? This whole situation disgusts me and really highlights some of issues we have in America in terms of defining beauty and being politically correct. 

She already lost the pageant. Let's leave her alone and find another girl to pick on. Where's Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears when you need them?

Life Magazine releases new photos from MLK assassination

Tomorrow marks the 41st anniversary of the assassination of one of the world's most influential leaders. On April 4, 1968, a bullet from a high-powered rifle ended Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's life on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. Official reports claimed that James Earl Ray was the lone culprit, while many close to Dr. King and present at the motel that they believe Ray conspired with others to commit the crime. 

Life Magazine has just released photos taken by one of its photographers, Henry Groskinsky, who was in Alabama the day of the murder and rushed to the scene as soon as he heard the news. These photos are not of the immediate moments following the assassination, but a few hours after the commotion had ceased and the magnitude of the day's events began to sink in..

By his own admission, Groskinsky was surprised at the access he was allowed by King's associates as he documented one of the most tragic days in 20th century American history. Photo gallery below. To see full-sized images and captions, click on the 'just released photos' link above.