Author: Sean Patterson

In October 2012, the armed robbery and kidnapping case for which O.J. Simpson was convicted in 2008 was reopened. Simpson is currently serving 33 years in prison for the charges, but the former football star is hoping to get a new trial. He is claiming that he is entitled to a new trial due to his lawyers’ ineptness during the first trial. This week, Simpson got his first hearings on the possibility of a retrial.

According to an Associated Press report on today’s hearing, Simpson was allowed to have his right hand free during the hearing, to take notes and drink water.

Witnesses were called to testify about the legal advice given by Simpson’s former trial lawyer, Yale Galanter. Simpson’s co-counsel during the trial, Gabriel Grasso, today testified against Galanter’s trial strategy of focusing on Simpson’s claimed ignorance of the guns that were used in the robbery. Galanter is expected to testify on Friday.

Simpson was convicted in 2008 for leading a 2007 armed robbery at the Palace Station hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Simpson and his associates stole memorabilia at gunpoint from a sports memorabilia dealer, claiming that the items had been previously stolen from him. Following the conviction, Simpson appealed, but the conviction was upheld by the Nevada Supreme Court in 2010. Without a new trial, Simpson may only have to serve nine years of his sentence, as he is up for parole in 2017.

A new report from the Institute of Medicine shows that, while high levels of sodium intake should be lowered, too little sodium intake could also be harmful.

“These new studies support previous findings that reducing sodium from very high intake levels to moderate levels improves health,” said Brian Strom, a professor of public health and preventive medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “But they also suggest that lowering sodium intake too much may actually increase a person’s risk of some health problems.”

The studies reiterated that there is evidence that high sodium intake is associated with heart disease risk. However, it also found that studies showing that sodium intake below 2,300 mg per day lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke are too “inconsistent” to recommend extremely lowered sodium intake. Lower sodium intake was, in fact, found to be linked to “adverse health effects” for those with mid- to late-stage heart failure.

Researchers stated that the average U.S. adult consumes 3,400 mg (one and one-half teaspoons) or more of sodium per day. Current recommendations on sodium intake suggest that adults ages 14 to 50 lower their sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day, and that adults over 50 and those with hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease lower their intake to 1,500 mg per day.

Though the report calls current recommendations into question, it does not recommend an intake range for sodium. It also suggests that sodium could affect heart disease in ways other than blood pressure.

“These studies make clear that looking at sodium’s effects on blood pressure is not enough to determine dietary sodium’s ultimate impact on health,” said Strom. “Changes in diet are more complex than simply changing a single mineral. More research is needed to understand these pathways.”

French soccer team Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) locked up its first Ligue 1 title in nearly 20 years this weekend, sending the team to the Champions League group stage and prompting celebration in Paris. Unfortunately, police and soccer fans did not get along during the celebration, and a riot in Paris has hurt fans and damaged property.

According to a BBC News report, at least 30 people have been injured and 21 have been arrested after a planned celebratory parade for PSG turned violent. Protesters were reportedly sporadically clashing with police for hours before the city was back under police control. A boat ride for PSG players and a trophy presentation scheduled for Wednesday have been cancelled.

The violence reportedly began when thousands of PSG fans grew restless while waiting for PSG players to show up at an event. Riot police fired tear gas and smoke bombs as fans threw rocks and other objects at police. The violence spilled out to the Champs-Elysees, where restaurants closed early and storefronts were vandalized.

PSG has issued a statement, saying that the riot was caused by “a few hundred troublemakers who have nothing to do with football.” The statement, in full:

The party was spoiled by a few hundred troublemakers who have nothing to do with football and even less with those that fill the Parc des Princes on match days with such passion and enthusiasm and in total security.

All the members of the club, the players and the directors, express to all those loyal and passionate fans their heartfelt regret that today’s trophy presentation ceremony had to be cut short.

The celebrations will continue this Saturday at the Parc des Princes for the Ligue 1 match against Brest, when the club and its fans will unite in the joy of Paris Saint-Germain’s first league title in 19 years.

Paris Saint-Germain is more determined than ever to build a huge European club, worthy of the French capital, and far removed from those intent on trying to destroy that dream.

Pop superstar Beyoncé is currently in the midst of a world tour called “The Mrs. Carter Show.” Despite the fact that an unnamed source close to her and her husband, Jay-Z, has denied it, rumors of the singer being pregnant are beginning to persist. The couple already have one child, a one-year-old daughter named Blue Ivy.

Now, Beyoncé’s health is once again in the spotlight as her tour hits a snag. The singer was scheduled to go on stage tonight in Antwerp, Belgium, but has cancelled the show. According to an Associated Press report, the show was cancelled due to the singer’s “dehydration and exhaustion.” She has reportedly been ordered by doctors to get some rest.

The cancellation was announced via Beyoncé’s Facebook page, where ticket-holders were encouraged to hold on to their tickets for a rescheduled show:

Beyoncé28 minutes ago

Belgium

Unfortunately tonight’s show has been canceled.

Please keep your tickets for the rescheduled show.

Our sincerest apologies for the late notice and stay tuned for the new show date announcement. Powered by socialditto  1,000+ likes ·  789 comments

Beyoncé’s world tour is scheduled to hit much of Europe for the rest of May before continuing on to cities in the U.S. and Canada throughout June and July. The singer’s statement to the AP made it clear she is waiting for Doctors’ advice before continuing on with the tour.

The U.S. Social Security administration (SSA) this month released its yearly lists of the most popular baby names in America. Though some mainstays dominated the lists, a few surprises are making their way from popular culture to hospital nurseries.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is the fastest-growing name for females. Fantasy fans who thought themselves original may be displeased to learn that Arya has jumped from the 711th most popular female name in 2011 to the 413th in 2012. The name is a reference to Arya Stark, a favorite character of many readers of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, on which the hit HBO TV show Game of Thrones is based.

The fastest-rising male name for 2012 was Major, which the SSA attributes to its military association.

“I have no doubt Major’s rising popularity as a boy’s name is in tribute to the brave members of the U.S. military, and maybe we’ll see more boys named General in the future,” said Carolyn Colvin, acting commissioner of the SSA.

As for the names that are most popular, Jacob has retained its first place status on the male list, where it has been for 14 years in a row (since 1999). Sophia has topped the girls list for the second year in a row. The names Elizabeth and Liam have popped into the top 10, pushing out Chloe and Daniel.

The top 10 male names, in order, are: Jacob, Mason, Ethan, Noah, William, Liam, Jayden, Michael, Alexander, and Aiden. The top female names are: Sophia, Emma, Isabella, Olivia, Ava, Emily, Abigail, Mia, Madison, and Elizabeth.

Every few years someone pops up with a claim that they’ve uncovered the legendary formula for Coca-Cola. The soft drink company has kept the formula a carefully guarded secret for decades, and always shoots down claims. In 2011, public radio show This American Life spoke with one of the people who claim to have the original formula, but Coca-Cola officially denied the authenticity of the recipe:

Now, another person has come forward with what they believe to be the world’s most sought-after formula. According to an NBC 11 report, a Ringgold, Georgia man named Cliff Kluge states that the has “accidentally” found the formula.

The man told reporters that he and his wife bought a box of letters at an estate sale. The box contained a cola recipe that Kluge believes is the real deal. He states that it is very similar to the recipe uncovered by This American Life.

Kluge is now auctioning off the formula on eBay, asking for a starting bid of $5 million and a Buy Now price of $15 million.

Coca-Cola has stated, as it always has, that this formula is another in a series of failed attempts to recreate Coca-Cola, and that the only copy of the real thing is locked in a vault in Atlanta.

The word ‘hipster’ has taken on many meanings over the years, from jazz potheads to ironic 20-somethings, but whatever Americans currently believe it to mean, they are now turning on the subculture in a big way. A new poll has found that 42% of American voters have an “unfavorable” opinion of hipsters.

The poll, conducted by Public Policy Polling (PPP), surveyed 571 U.S. voters who, overall, did not have a favorable picture of hipsters, though 43% “aren’t sure” what the think about them. While 23% of the voters polled thought hipsters had made “a positive cultural contribution to society,” a full 46% chose the polling option that said, “They just soullessly appropriate cultural tropes from the past for their own ironic amusement.”

The results were split slightly between Democrats and Republicans, with 34% of Democrats having an unfavorable opinion of the group and 18% having a favorable one. 48% of Republicans had an unfavorable opinion and only 9% had a favorable one. Only 2% of Republicans stated they would be more likely to vote for a hipster for political office, while 27% of independent voters stated they would be more likely to vote for a hipster.

The results were even more disparate when taken by age group. 43% of voters 18-29 actually have a favorable opinion of hipsters, to 29% who have an unfavorable opinion of them. Only 6% of voters over age 65 have a favorable opinion, while 37% of them have an unfavorable one.

By race, Hispanics were generally most favorable toward hipsters (46% favorable) while only 8% of white voters were favorable toward hipsters. A full 33% of the Hispanic voters polled considered themselves hipsters, while only 6% of white voters and 10% of black voters considered themselves hipsters.

One year ago, The U.S. FTC fined shoe manufacturer Skechers $40 Million over its ads for “Shape-Ups” shoes. The shoes were marketed as being able to help users lost weight and tone the muscles in their lower bodies. Skechers was banned from running the ads further and customers who bought the shoes could receive refunds from the FTC or join a class-action lawsuit against the shoe company.

“Skechers’ unfounded claims went beyond stronger and more toned muscles,” said David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The company even made claims about weight loss and cardiovascular health. The FTC’s message, for Skechers and other national advertisers, is to shape up your substantiation or tone down your claims.”

This week, a federal judge approved the $40 million class-action settlement between Skechers and “Shape-Ups” customers. According to an Associated Press report on the lawsuit, more than 520,000 people can claim up to $80 for a pair of “Shape-Ups,” $84 for a pair of “Resistance Runner” shoes, $54 for a pair of “Podded Sole” shoes, and $40 for a pair of “Tone-Ups.” $5 million of the settlement was awarded to the lawyers in the case.

Skechers has denied that its ads are misleading and stated that it settled to avoid a drawn-out lawsuit. The company’s “Shape-Ups” ads featured celebrity endorsements from the likes of Brooke Burke and Kim Kardashian.

This weekend, a quarterback for the University of Delaware was stabbed. Police say that Trevor Sasek was stabbed three times in the chest and abdomen early on Sunday morning.

Now, police have made an arrest in the case.

25-year-old Michael J. Creed (mugshot seen above) has been charged with 1st degree assault and possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony. Surveillance video of the parking lot where Sasek was stabbed helped to identify Creed and the car he was using. Police say that Creed yelled at Sasek and others before leaning into a car and back out again. He then walked up to Sasek, grabbed his shoulder, and was seen “punching” toward Sasek. Creed then ran away as Sasek realizes he had been stabbed.

After the stabbing, Sasek was taken to a local hospital where he underwent surgery. He is currently in stable condition.

Dennis Rodman has been meeting a lot of interesting people lately. In addition to being fired in his latest Celebrity Apprentice appearance, the former NBA star has been cozying up to the current leader of North Korea.

Over the weekend, Rodman made an appearance that was, in some ways, stranger than his Kim Jong-un friendship. He stopped by a mall to introduce himself to the youngest members of the Kardashian reality TV show empire.

According to a report from E! News, Kendall and Kylie Jenner were at the Brea Mall PacSun this weekend, promoting their new line of clothing for the store. While signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans, the sisters were surprised to get a visit from “The Worm.” Kendall had a picture taken of the encounter, which she later posted to her Instagram account, saying, “lol surprise! Dennis Rodman everybody:”

Kendall and Kylie first found fame as the younger half-sisters of the Kardashian sisters (Kim, Kourtney, and Khloé). Kendall has recently begun a modeling career and last month appeared on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia.

(Image courtesy Kendall Jenner/Instagram)

The University of Oregon this weekend revealed that Alex James Rovello, a junior who played for the university’s tennis team, died on Saturday.

Rovello died in a drowning accident on the McKenzie River in Willamette National Forest. According to an Associated Press report, Rovello was diving off Tamolitch Falls with friends when he failed to surface in the pool below. Rescue attempts were reportedly hampered by the depth and low temperature of the water in the pool.

“The Oregon tennis family is devastated by the loss of Alex,” said Nils Schyllander, head men’s tennis coach at Oregon. “He was an amazing person and teammate and his spirit will live on forever with all of us who were fortunate enough to have known him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his parents, Geri and Jim Rovello, and to the entire family.”

Rovello held a 21-8 record during his 2013 season with the Ducks. Before joining the Oregon tennis team, Rovello went 50-0 in singles play for Cleveland High School in Portland. He won four consecutive state singles titles during his time in high school.

“Alex was so much more than a dedicated and exemplary student-athlete at the University of Oregon,” said Rob Mullens, director of athletics at Oregon. “He was a son, a friend, a teammate, a leader, whose warm personality brought everyone together and whose contributions to the extended Oregon community will resonate long after today. On behalf of the UO family, we extend our sympathies to Alex’s family, and we will honor his memory each and every day.”

University of Oregon Ducks22 hours ago

The University of Oregon athletic department is grieving after the death of men’s tennis student-athlete Alex Rovello. Alex touched the lives of so many people. R.I.P. Alex.

Powered by socialditto  1,000+ likes ·  177 comments

The Rolling Stones are still touring and still releasing albums. Meanwhile, the band has managed to stay relevant by using social media to keep its fans engaged and attracting some of the hottest new music stars in the business.

This weekend, The Rolling Stones rocked the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with a sold-out crowd. The band’s special guest of the night was none other than pop star Katy Perry, who sang a duet with Mick Jagger. The song the two sang – “Beast of Burden” – was chosen by fans using the Rolling Stones’ official mobile app.

Perry was obviously thrilled to sing and dance with the legendary band. She tweeted out her thanks to The Rolling Stones on Sunday, complete with pictures:

Follow @katyperry

Katy Perry
@katyperry

Mick & Kate forever! @MickJaggerhttp://t.co/0d0FVsIpzW

 Reply  ·  Retweet  ·  Favorite
16 hours ago via Twitpic · powered by @socialditto

Follow @katyperry

Katy Perry
@katyperry

Thanks for letting me be the 5th wheel last night! @TheRollingStoneshttp://t.co/awaEVDjU2t

 Reply  ·  Retweet  ·  Favorite
16 hours ago via Twitpic · powered by @socialditto

(Image courtesy J. Bouquet/The Rolling Stones)

An egg sandwich would rank pretty low in an ordered list of expensive sandwiches. One restaurant, however, has found a way to raise the price of an egg sandwich to over $100.

According to a report in The Sunday Telegraph, a Sydney, Australia restaurant called 4Fourteen this week will be selling a $120 egg sandwich. It contains Australian bacon, a duck egg fried in truffle butter, roasted foie gras, aged cheddar, shaved truffle, semi-dried smoked gourmet truss tomato, and a crème fraîche and caviar dressing, all on a brioche roll.

The sandwich will be available only during this week. The sandwich was unveiled at a breakfast Monday morning at 4Fourteen, hosted by Australian celebrity chef and 4Fourteen owner Colin Fassnidge. A 4Fourteen chef named Carla Jones told the Telegraph that she expects people to order the sandwich out of curiosity, though she might not eat it herself because she is “not that into truffles.”

The egg sandwich is actually part of “Bacon Week” – a celebration of Australian pork. Events promoting locally-produced pork will be held throughout Australia this week. The organization Australian Pork Limited (APL) has issued a challenge to other Australian chefs to create a bacon and egg roll to rival 4Fourteen’s.

According to a BBC News report, forty mentally ill patients have broken out of a mental hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. The patients reportedly escaped by overpowering guards at the facility after a protest about their medications. Kenyan police have told the BBC that some of the patients could be violent.

The breakout happened at the Mathari Mental Hospital, the largest mental hospital in Kenya. The hospital was built as a smallpox isolation facility and later converted into a mental hospital. Before the breakout it housed around 75 patients.

Kenyan police have launched a manhunt for the patients, who they say will be easy to identify.

Mathari Mental Hospital has been criticized in the past for its conditions and treatment of patients. In 2011, CNN reporters were locked in the facility for hours after uncovering a recently deceased patient:

It can be hard to accurately express feelings on Mother’s Day, and who better to take up the task than a poet?

Maya Angelou has just released her seventh autobiography, titled Mom & Me & Mom. The book chronicles the author‘s memories of her mother and grandmother, who each helped to raise her at different points in her childhood.

Angelou appeared this Sunday (Mother’s Day) on Face the Nation to speak about her mother, saying, “She and my father fell in love, or maybe in lust with each other. They were both really beautiful human beings and it was after World War I and my father was pompous and pretentious and had learned some French in France. And my mother was very beautiful and he was very handsome, and they fell in something together.”

Angelou’s recollections, which can be heard in the video below, go on to become darker before she turns to the story of how she got her first job:

(Image courtesy Adria Richards/Wikimedia Commons)

NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt announced this weekend that Seth Meyers will become the host of Late Night next year, replacing current host Jimmy Fallon. Meyers is currently the head writer for Saturday Night Live. Lorne Michaels, the producer of Saturday Night Live, will also be signing on as the executive producer of Late Night with Seth Meyers.

“We think Seth is one of the brightest, most insightful comedy writers and performers of his generation,” said Greenblatt. “His years at SNL’s ‘Weekend Update’ desk, not to mention being head writer of the show for many seasons, helped him hone a topical brand of comedy that is perfect for the ‘Late Night’ franchise. On behalf of Steve Burke, Ted Harbert and Paul Telegdy, we couldn’t be happier that Seth and Jimmy Fallon will be continuing their careers at NBC after growing up in this network’s late night legacy.”

Fallon took over Late Night hosting duties from Conan O’Brien in 2009. Next year he will be moving to take Jay Leno’s place on The Tonight Show following the 2014 Winter Olympics.

“I only have to work for Lorne for five more years before I pay him back for the time I totaled his car,” said Meyers, “12:30 on NBC has long been incredible real estate. I hope I can do it justice.”

The design of Lamborghini cars has always bee a little different, but a new concept sports car by the Italian carmaker is making heads turn.

At a recent Lamborghini 50th anniversary party, car designer Walter De Silva debuted the Lamborghini Egoista, a “supercar” designed for “hyper-sophisticated people who want only the most extreme and special things in the world.”

“I am very attached to this Italian brand, being an Italian myself,” said De Silva. “I wanted to pay homage to and think up a vehicle to underline the fact that Lamborghinis have always been made with passion, and with the heart more than the head.”

The car has room for only the driver, who pilots the vehicle from a carbon fiber and aluminum “cockpit,” which includes a four-point harness. The steering wheel must be removed for the driver to exit the car. Much of the car’s exterior is also crafted from carbon-fiber and aluminium. Under the hood, the Egoista includes a 5.2-liter V10 engine and 600 horsepower.

“It represents hedonism taken to the extreme, it is a car without compromises, in a word: egoista (selfish),” said De Silva.

On April 27, a Valley Springs, California girl named Lelia Fowler was found stabbed to death in the home where she lived with her brother and father. Police, who immediately began searching for the 8-year-old’s killer, have now made an arrest in the case – Lelia’s 12-year-old brother.

According to an Associated Press report, the boy has been charged with the homicide of his younger sister. He had originally told police that he found Leila and saw an intruder fleeing from his house. The kids’ parents were reportedly at a little league game at the time of the murder.

The boy’s description of the alleged intruder kicked off a manhunt in the small Northern California community. Police found no signs of a robbery at the Fowler house, and a door-to-door search turned up no leads. Their questioning of sex offenders and parolees in the area were similarly unfruitful.

Lelia’s brother was arrested on the evening of Saturday, May 11. A candlelight vigil was held last week at the elementary school that Leila attended.

Amanda Bynes is now on probation.

According to a TMZ report, Bynes plead no contest to a charge of driving on a suspended license and received three years probation. She has also received a $300 fine for the offense.

The sentencing was the culmination of an entire year of driving-related offenses from the former Nickelodeon child actress. Her legal troubles began in March 2012, when she was cited for talking on her phone while driving. She followed that up with a D.U.I charge in April after rear-ending a police car in L.A. Later that year, Bynes was charged for two separate hit-and-run incidents and had her license revoked. She was caught driving on her suspended license just weeks later, the offense for which she is now on probation.

Bynes’ legal and personal troubles led to her representatives dropping her, with one of them calling her “uncontrollable.”

Since that time, Bynes has moved to New York on her own and is pursuing a career in fashion. She has been using her Twitter feed for self-promotion, tweeting out bizarre experiments with hair and makeup. Bynes even went so far as to tweet out topless pics of herself last week.

Kate Upton has graced the cover of many magazines, and but Until this month, however, she had not yet had her face (and body) on the cover of Vogue. This month, Upton can finally claim that honor.

Vogue announced this week that an interview with Upton is the cover story for the June issue of Vogue, titled “How Kate Upton Became the Hottest Supermodel on Earth.” The publication announced the cover story through posts on its various social media channels:

Vogue14 hours ago

Killer curves, of course, but our June cover star Kate Upton has much more: old-fashioned ambition, digital-age savvy, and personality to burn. Click here to read the June cover story on Vogue.com: http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/the-kate-effect-kate-uptons-first-vogue-cover/ Photographed by Mario Testino

Powered by socialditto  1,000+ likes ·  184 comments

The 20-year-old supermodel told Vogue that she’s learned to live with the media’s constant speculation and debate about her body. She goes on to once again debunk the rumors that have been swirling in the tabloids about her love life. Upton also mentions that she would like to act, saying, “I’m American – more is more!”

A short behind-the-scenes look at Upton’s classy photo shoot has been posted by Vogue: