Author: Sean Patterson

Earlier this week, Reddit user Manofmail posted a photo he took while driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The image, though blurry, depicts a young girl inside a cage with a dog in the bed of a pickup truck.

While posting about the incident on Reddit, Manofmail also called police multiple times to report the dangerous situation and provide photos. According to a report from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, police were able to track down the truck using information from Manofmail and another motorist. The driver of the truck, 30-year-old Thomas Fishinger, was pulled over near his home in Millvale, Pennsylvania. Fishinger, it turns out, is the 10-year-old girl-in-the-cage’s stepfather. He told police that he and the child’s mother, 29-year-old Abbey Carlson, were on the way home from a relative’s house.

When asked why the girl was in the cage, Fishinger reportedly told police that she had asked to be in there with the dog. According to the Tribune-Review, both Fishinger and Carlson have been charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

(Image courtesy Manofmail)

Almost two weeks ago, at the Dominion Riverrock outdoor music festival in Virginia, Reggae singer Frederick “Toots” Hibbert was hit in the head with a large glass vodka bottle during a Toots and the Maytals performance. He was rushed to the hospital, where he received seven stitches to close the wound on his head. The person who allegedly threw the bottle, a 19-year-old named William Lewis, has been charged with aggravated assault.

Though the band had initially been hopeful that Hibbert would be able to continue the band’s U.S. tour, it now appears that he is too injured to return to the stage.

According to an Associated Press report, Hibbert has returned to his home in Jamaica and has cancelled the rest of the Toots and the Maytals tour dates. He is reportedly still undergoing treatment for his injury.

Hibbert gained fame in Jamaica in the 60s and 70s as a part of the band The Maytals. He has been touring and creating albums ever since, and in 2005 Toots and the Maytals won a best reggae album Grammy award for the album True Love.

Ryan Lochte gained fame last summer when he won two gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Since that time, Lochte has gained numerous sponsorships, appeared on TV, and even had his personality parodied by Seth MacFarlane on Saturday Night Live.

Now Lochte has, as most minor celebrities seem to these days, his own reality show on cable. The E! network show What Would Ryan Lochte Do? premiered last month, following the Olympic athlete as he goes about his life. This week, the show found drama in Lochte’s life as the athlete’s long-time girlfriend broke up with him on the show.

Lochte received a phone call during a dinner out with friend, which he didn’t seem happy about. He politely took his call outside the restaurant, where he attempts to get the TV show camera operator to stop filming. He apparently knew he and girlfriend Jaimee Holler were going to break up, as he turned off his microphone and walked down the street. He stated that he did not put their conversation on the show out of respect for Holler.

James Lipton is best known for hosting the TV show Inside the Actors Studio, in which he conducts serious interviews with big-name Hollywood actors and actresses. It turns out, however, that the 86-year-old Lipton has a much more interesting past that involves French bordellos.

In an interview this week with Parade, Lipton confirmed that he was a pimp in Paris during the 50s. He stated that he befriended a prostitute in the city, who arranged the job for him after he ran out of money. Lipton said that he represented an entire bordello of women, taking a cut of the revenue.

Lipton emphasized that he believes the women, who were desperate for money just after World War II, were not exploited. He stated that his efforts were “completely regulated” and that the girls received medical inspections on a weekly basis.

“The great bordellos were still flourishing in those days before the sheriff of Paris, a woman, closed them down,” said Lipton. “It was a different time.”

Lipton called the experience “a great year” of his life. He also stated that he doesn’t think people should buy sex, and that if someone can’t “earn it” on their own, they don’t deserve it.

Lipton also mentioned his role in the comedy series Arrested Development during the interview. He has reprised his role as Warden Gentles in the Netflix-produced fourth season of the show, which was released this weekend.

(Image courtesy David Shankbone/Wikimedia Commons)

Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine is feeling the heat of American scorn today after saying, “I hate this country” live on NBC’s The Voice. Levine is a judge and coach on the show, and was upset about two of his singers not advancing. However much grief he gets for his comment, however, it seems he is now dating a woman who could easily take his mind off of it.

According to a People magazine report, Levine is now dating Danish model Nina Agdal. The publications cites an unnamed “source close to Levine” as saying the couple are dating casually, and that they are “just getting to know each other.”

Agdal is not the first model Levine has dated. From 2010 to 2012, Levine dated Victoria’s Secret model Anne Vyalitsyna. More recently, Levine was linked to Victoria’s Secret model Behati Prinsloo, who he reportedly broke up with in March.

(Image courtesy gashleygoh/Wikimedia Commons)

Former Grand Valley State University quarterback Cullen Finnerty went missing this weekend while fishing at his family’s cabin on the Baldwin River in Michigan. Now, the former quarterback’s body has been found.

According to an Associated Press report, on Tuesday Finnerty was found dead in the woods over one mile from his fishing boat. The cause of his death has not yet been determined, pending the results of an autopsy. Authorities have stated that they do not suspect foul play.

Finnerty had gone missing on Sunday, and police and volunteers, including some Grand Valley coaches and players, searched for 30-year-old athlete for days before finding him. Based on Finnerty’s last phone call, his family has stated that he may have had some kind of “mental episode.”

After completing his college career with a 51-4 starting record, Finnerty was not drafted in the 2007 NFL Draft, but was later signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. After one NFL season on the Ravens’ practice squad, he was signed by the Denver Broncos, but not used. He went on to play American football in Europe and in the Continental Indoor Football League.

Grand Valley State University has issued a statement on Finnerty’s death, stating that the university’s community is “saddened” by his passing.

NBC’s The Voice is the network’s answer to Fox’s ultra-popular network TV karaoke competition American Idol. Just like American Idol, fans of the show get some input on the outcome, voting on who they want to stay or go in any given week. This can be frustrating for judges on The Voice, who also serve as a coach for a team of contestants.

This week, judge and Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine got frustrated with fans’ choices, and was caught saying, “I hate this country” live on TV. The comment came just after Levine realized that either Judith Hill or Sarah Simmons (or both) would be eliminated from the competition. The comment can be heard at around the 1:14 mark in the video below:

As it turns out, both Hill and Simmons – early favorites – were eliminated. Levine had been coaching both of the contestants for weeks. Only one contestant that Levine coached, Amber Carrington, moved on to the top 6.

Levine, through his Twitter account, has indicated that he was merely joking about hating his home country. He posted definitions for the words joke, humorless, lighthearted, and misunderstand:

Journalist Hal McClure has died at the age of 92. According to an Associated Press report, McClure died at a Los Angeles hospital on Sunday following surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain that was caused by a fall.

McClure reported for the Associated Press for decades, with much of that time spent as an overseas correspondent. He joined the AP in the 1950s and began his career as an entertainment reporter in Los Angeles. He later moved on and took his first foreign assignment in Singapore. For 21 years, McClure reported for the AP in locations throughout the world, including in Malaysia, Turkey, and Israel. He reported from Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War.

After retiring from the AP, McClure traveled the world, documenting his travels in Travel Adventure Documentary Magazine. He also published an autobiography titled Adventuring.

Travel Adventure Documentary Magazine has promised to publish “more on the loss of our editor friend, and adventurer in days to come.” McClure was an editor for the magazine.

McClure has a YouTube channel with several samples of Travel Adventures’ documentaries:

Maurice Jones-Drew, a running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars, has been arrested.

According to a TMZ report, police have stated that Jones-Drew punched a security guard at the Conch House restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida on May 26. The NFL star was allegedly told by security guards to leave a woman alone, and took issue with the order, shoving one of the guards and instigating a fight. According to the police report obtained by TMZ, Jones-Drew knocked out a security guard who had begun to subdue a friend. The guard was taken to a nearby hospital for his swollen jaw, but no broken bones were found.

Jones-Drew has been charged with battery. He has not yet commented on the arrest through his social media accounts, and he has not tweeted since Sunday.

After playing college football for UCLA, Jones-Drew was drafted by the Jaguars in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. In his seven seasons in the NFL he has made the Pro Bowl three times, and in 2011 he led the NFL in rushing yards.

A Japanese motorcycle racer was killed this week during a qualifying race in the U.K.

According to a statement from Isle of Man Tourist Trophy (TT) organizers, 43-year-old Yoshinari Matsushita died Monday during a qualifying race for this year’s Isle of Man TT Races. The accident occurred at the Ballacrye section of the TT Circuit in the northern part of the Isle of Man, which is located in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland.

“Yoshi was a really popular competitor who had a large number of friends in the TT Races paddock,” said Gary Thoompson, Clerk of the Course for the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU). “He was a genuine and friendly character who always had time for everyone. He will be sorely missed.”

The ACU stated that Matsushita regularly competed in Superstock and Superbike classes. He first competed in the TT Races in 2009, and placed 5th in the 2011 TT Zero for electric bikes. Matsushita was a member of the Tycho Suzuki (TAS) racing team

“Everyone within our team is devastated about tonight’s terrible events,” said Phillip Neill, TAS team manager. “We were very much looking forward to working with Yoshinari during TT2013 and pass on our deepest condolences to his family and fellow team members.”

(Image courtesy Isle of Man TT)

Five Irvine, California teens were killed Monday evening after a violent crash that left a car in pieces.

According to a Los Angeles Times report, three girls and two boys – apparently high school-aged teens – were killed in the crash, which took place in Newport Beach. The car the teens were riding in ran into the center divider of the roadway. It then veered off the road, struck a tree, and burst into flames. The impact of the car hitting the tree sheered the vehicle in half.

Police arriving at the scene initially thought two vehicles were involved in the accident. Four of the teens were thrown from the vehicle during the crash, and one ended up in the back seat of the car. The four who were thrown from the car were pronounced dead at the scene, and the other was taken to a nearby hospital before being pronounced dead. Police are currently trying to use fingerprints to identify the teens. An investigation into the circumstances of the crash has also begun, including how fast the car was traveling and whether drugs or alcohol could have played a part.

[Warning: This post contains graphic images]

Wrestler Hulk Hogan is back in the news this week, and it’s not for another twist in his quest to remove descriptions of his sex tape from the internet.

On Sunday afternoon, Hogan posted pictures of his swollen, burned hand. He claims that a radiator exploded on his hand:

Hogan received treatment for his burns at the emergency room of Tampa General Hospital. He continued to chronicle his ordeal through pictures, even while having his hand cut on:

Hogan later apologized for posting the graphic burned hand photos to Twitter, but he has not deleted the tweets:

Viral trends webiste BuzzFeed today announced that it has partnered with CNN and YouTube to launch a new YouTube channel. According to BuzzFeed, a new channel will combine BuzzFeed’s entertainment content and CNN’s news to create new content that will be aimed squarely at engaging young people online.

“There has been a massive cultural shift in how people – particularly young people – consume news and entertainment and Ze and his team are tapping into the next generation of video production and consumption,” said Jon Steinberg, president of BuzzFeed. “Over 70% of BuzzFeed’s traffic is social, almost half is mobile, and we are seeing these huge shifts earlier than others because the majority of our readers are 18-34. We are thrilled to partner with YouTube to bring a new generation of video content to a BuzzFeed audience that lives on social media and mobile phones,”

The new CNN BuzzFeed channel will use CNN archival footage to create mash-up videos. The two organizations will also be collaborating on “list posts,” which will be published on the CNN website.

“By pairing the journalistic strength and reach of the CNN brand with BuzzFeed’s unique editorial approach and young audience, our partnership will enable both organizations to engage new audiences,” said KC Estenson, SVP of CNN Digital. “It’s the perfect modern day media collaboration.”

The new CNN Buzzfeed YouTube channel has only one video so far, a narrated montage of CNN rescue footage:

Over the weekend, Officer Jason Ellis of the Bardstown, Kentucky police department was gunned down while driving home from work.

According to an Associated Press report, the 33-year-old Ellis was in his uniform and was driving his police cruiser on early Saturday morning. He had reportedly stopped to move debris out of the road when he was shot multiple times with a shotgun. Police have now stated that the incident was an ambush.

According to Bardstown Police, Ellis was a K-9 officer with the department. Police this weekend began accepting food donations, as well as cash donations to go towards a reward for the capture of Ellis’ killer. A makeshift police cruiser memorial has been set up in front of the Bardstown police station for mourners to leave flowers and baseballs. A candlelight vigil was held Monday night at the site.

Police are now investigating the incident, trying to determine whether Ellis was the intended target of the attack. They are asking for tips on the case, particularly whether anyone saw a parked car in the area or “people milling around.”

Bardstown is a small town of around 12,000 people in central Kentucky. It is most famous for the many Bourbon distilleries that are located near the town.

(Image courtesy the Bardstown Police Department)

Actress Mayim Bialik is officially single again. The Big Bang Theory actress filed for divorce back in November 2011, citing irreconcilable differences. She stated at the time that it is not a decision she and her former husband, Michael, took lightly after more than nine years of marriage. The couple were married in August 2003 and have two young sons, Miles and Frederick.

According to a TMZ report, Bialik’s divorce is now officially complete. The couple have reportedly split their real estate holdings, with Mayim taking the 1,400-square-foot Studio City residence and Michael taking the 1,300-square-foot Sherman Oaks home.

Bialik gained fame as a child actress in the early 90s, playing the role of Blossom Russo in the hit network TV show Blossom. She has recently revived her network TV career, playing the character of Amy Fowler on the CBS comedy The Big Bang Theory.

Bialik commented on her divorce last year in her blog at Kveller, a Jewish parenting website. From the blog:

Divorce is terribly sad, painful and incomprehensible for children. It is not something we have decided lightly.

The hands-on style of parenting we practice played no role in the changes that led to this decision; relationships are complicated no matter what style of parenting you choose.

Australian country music star Keith Urban has officially announced the release date for his new album, Fuse. The music will be released on September 10, right in the middle of his U.S. “Light the Fuse” tour. The tour begins in June with dates in Nashville, Tennessee and ends in December in Louisville, Kentucky.

In addition to his music, Urban gained exposure recently as a judge on the network TV karaoke competition American Idol. It has recently been reported that his co-judges Nicki Minaj and Randy Jackson will not be returning for the next season of Idol. Speculation is still surrounding Urban’s possible return to the show, but it seems the country star is just as much in the dark as Idol fans are.

According to an Associated Press report, Urban stated this week that he has “no official information” on whether he will return to American Idol. He stated he is “pretty much in the same boat as everybody,” and is watching Idol rumors.

A California man on Monday fired on his two daughters before taking his own life, all while his grandchildren were inside the house.

According to a Fresno Bee report, 63-year-old Anthony Alvarez of Orosi, California killed one of his daughters, and injured the other early on Monday morning. Jennifer Kimble, the 37-year-old daughter who died, was shot multiple times and died at the scene. She was a cafeteria worker at a local elementary school and the mother of three children, a 13-year-old boy, an 11-year-old boy, and an 8-year-old girl. The other sister, 33-year-old Valerie Alvarez, was taken to a nearby hospital where she is reportedly in critical condition.

According to the Bee, the children’s father was at work during the time of the shooting. The 8-year-old reportedly called 911 when she heard gunshots. Authorities are currently investigating the motive for the shooting. The details of the incident, including a possible motive, have not been released.

Orosi is a small town of around 9,000 people just outside of Fresno.

Hotel developer and philanthropist John. Q. Hammons has died at the age of 94.

According to a statement released by Hammons’ company, he died “peacefully” at his home in Springfield, Missouri on Sunday.

Hammons grew up in Fairview, Missouri and attended Missouri State University before becoming a middle school teacher in 1939. During World War II, Hammons served in the Merchant Marines. Following the war, Hammons began building houses in Springfield.

In 1958, Hammons began his famed career in the hotel industry, investing in ten Holiday Inns with Roy E. Winegardner. He and Winegardner started the Winegardner & Hammons Incorporated development company, which built dozens of hotels in the 60s.

In 1969, Hammons struck out on his own, founding the John Q Hammons Hotels company. The company now operates 78 hotels in 24 states.

In addition to his hotels, Hammons was known for his philanthropic efforts. He and his wife, Juanita, founded many projects throughout Missouri, including the Hammons Heart Institute at Springfield’s St. John’s Regional Health Center, a performing arts center at Missouri State University, and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

“Hammons was a giant in the hospitality industry and was unwavering in his commitment to exceptional quality and service and to giving back to the community,” said Jacqueline Dowdy, CEO of John Q Hammons Hotels & Resorts. “He was a great mentor and friend and will be missed by all who came to know him, but his legacy will live on forever.”

An Australian man this week pleaded guilty to murdering 11 elderly residents of a nursing home where he worked briefly in 2011.

According to an Australian Associated Press report, 37-year-old Roger Dean admitted during his Australian Supreme Court trial to setting a fire that killed 11 residents of the Quakers Hill nursing home in Sydney. Dean started the fire in the early morning hours of November 18, 2011 by lighting an empty bed in the nursing home.

Some of the eleven residents who died were unable to move without assistance. In addition to the murder charges, Dean also pleaded guilty to injuring eight other nursing home residents in the fire.

The AAP report also states that Dean admitted taking prescription drugs from the nursing home. He had apparently been caught on a security camera entering a medication a storage room multiple times. The incident was reported, but police were not able to arrive immediately. Dean started the fire soon after, and then played the part of rescuer by helping some residents escape the flames. During the chaos, Dean managed to steal the facility’s drug logs, which he later destroyed.

With the fighting in Syria showing no signs of slowing, those covering the civil war are now finding themselves in more danger than ever. According to a report from the Associated Press, a Syrian TV correspondent was gunned down on Monday during fighting near the border of Lebanon and Syria.

The Syrian government has reported that Yara Abbas, a correspondent for the Syrian government-owned Al-Ikhbariyah TV station, was killed by rebels near an air base in the Homs province. Two other station employees were also injured, a cameraman and an assistant.

The incident reportedly took place near the town of Qusair, where heavy fighting between Syria’s government and rebels has taken place this month.

The Syrian civil war grew out of protests that begain in 2011 during the so-called “Arab Spring.” Protesters in the country demanded the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, and the Syrian military was soon called in to end protests. After the military fired on protesters, opposition groups formed into armed militias, igniting a sporadic war with flash points occurring throughout the country. The United Nations has estimated that around 80,000 Syrians have died during the conflict.