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  • Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder Dating

    Twilight franchise actress Nikki Reed is reported to be unironically dating The Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder, according to US Magazine.

    The two were spotted jogging together in Los Angeles on Saturday, and then again at the Studio City Farmer’s Market on Sunday. Somerhalder kept his arms around Reed, repeatedly kissing her on the cheek. The couple was also seen at dinner last week in the San Fernando Valley, and at Kiwami in Studio City on Tuesday, July 15.

    Aside from a mutually deep understanding of vampiric acting technique, Reed and Somerhalder have run in the same circles. Somerhalder dated Reed’s Twilight costar Ashley Greene in 2009, and Reed is close friends with Somerhalder’s The Vampire Diaries costar and ex Nina Dobrev. Both Dobrev and Reed dated Dancing With the Stars’ Derek Hough, who was Reed’s first fling after divorcing American Idol alum Paul McDonald, after two years of marriage.

    Nicole Houston “Nikki” Reed, 26, began her career co-writing and starring in Catherine Hardwicke’s 2003 drama Thirteen. The script was written in six days, and was a semi-autobiographical take on Reed’s life. Though critically acclaimed, the film courted a bit of controversy due to its portrayal of drug and alcohol abuse, underage sexual behavior and self-harm.

    Here is the trailer:

    Ian Joseph Somerhalder, 35, got his start in modelling at the age of ten, and went into acting at 17. Aside from his role as Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries, he is best known for playing Boone Carlyle on ABC’s cult hit Lost.

    Vampire enthusiasts appear to be pleased with the match:

    Image via Youtube

  • Rare Blue-Colored Red King Crab Caught in Alaska

    An exceedingly rare blue-colored red king crab was caught in Norton Sound, Alaska on the fourth of July, and ended up making its rounds as a sort of tourist attraction.

    Commercial crabber Frank McFarland discovered the unique crab in one of the pots set down from his boat, The Nome Nugget. McFarland stored the crab at the Norton Sound Seafood Center in Nome, Alaska for two weeks, where it was visited daily by crab enthusiasts who wanted to snap a photo with it.

    An employee of the seafood center confirmed that McFarland had returned to collect the crab, and plans to have it mounted.

    Scott Kent, of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Nome, called blue-hued red king crabs extremely rare, and commented that they are caught “once in a blue moon.” Biologists suspect crabs develop odd colors as a result of genetic mutations.

    The red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus, is native to the Bering Sea, a region made famous by Discovery’s popular reality show Deadliest Catch. The king crab, which is a coveted, valuable, yet difficult to catch food source, is native to the Bering Sea, the north Pacific Ocean and surrounding Alaskan waters.

    Earlier this year, another blue red king crab was caught in the Bering Sea and shipped to a wholesaler in Japan. Kenetsu Mikami, president of Marusan Ocean Foods, said, “I’ve been dealing with crabs for 25 years, but this is the first time to see that color. It could be a good omen.” Or it could be indicative of greater Godzilla-esque mutations brewing after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, as some have speculated.

    Realistically, the blue coloration is likely due to a random genetic anomaly, as other crustaceans including lobsters have been found blue. The blue-colored red crab of Japan was kept alive and placed on display at Marusan Ocean Foods for observation.

    Image via Youtube

  • Philip Seymour Hoffman Leaves Children Out of Will

    Court documents obtained Monday revealed that late actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman opted to leave his three children out of his will, as he “did not want his children to be considered ‘trust fund’ kids,” according to the Oscar winner’s accountant.

    Hoffman had amassed a $35 million fortune during his Hollywood career, and his accountant David Friedman was recently interviewed by court-appointed attorney James Cahill Jr., who was hired to represent the interests of Hoffman’s children – son Cooper, 10, and daughters Tallulah, 7, and Willa, 5.

    According to a Manhattan Surrogate Court filing on July 18, Friedman recalled conversations with Hoffman – “in the year before his demise were the topic of a trust was raised for the kids and summarily rejected by him.” Friedman revealed that Hoffman wanted his fortune to go to the mother of his children, Mimi O’Donnell. In the filing, which was put together in 2004 before Tallulah and Willa were born, Friedman stated that Hoffman believed O’Donnell “would take care of the children.”

    Hoffman and O’Donnell separated in the fall of 2013, just months before his death, after 14 years together.

    Hoffman won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in Capote:

    Here is the trailer for A Most Wanted Man, one of the Hunger Games franchise star’s final films:

    Hoffman, who had struggled with addiction in his 20’s, appeared to have his drug problem under control around the time of his death. Though, on February 2, 2014, playwright and screenwriter David Bar Katz found Hoffman dead in his West Village apartment. Authorities said Hoffman had a syringe still in his arm, and the New York City medical examiner’s office ruled the actor’s death as accidental, caused by “acute mixed drug intoxication, including heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines and amphetamine.”

    Hoffman’s will also explicitly stated that his son Cooper was to “be raised and reside in or near the borough of Manhattan [or] Chicago, Illinois, or San Francisco, California.” Hoffman explained, “The purpose of this request is so that my son will be exposed to the culture, arts and architecture that such cities offer.”

    Friedman claimed to have “observed Hoffman treating his partner/girlfriend in the same manner as if she were a spouse.” The accountant also revealed that Hoffman never married costume designer O’Donnell because he “simply did not believe in marriage,” and that the two, despite their marital status, shared “substantial” joint bank accounts.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ Plot Details Leaked

    ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ Plot Details Leaked

    A treatment for the opening scenes of Star Wars: Episode VII has apparently leaked, along with plot details involving confirmed cast members John Boyega and Daisy Ridley. Be warned of a potential spoiler alert, though it might be advisable to take any leaked intel with a grain of salt.

    Boyega’s character is described as a non-cloned (or cloned from a different template than Jango Fett) stormtrooper who goes empire-AWOL and aligns with Daisy Ridley’s character.

    The leaked plot points were referred to Badass Digest:

    Imagine the standard Star Wars crawl, and when it ends the camera pans up to the stars. But instead of a spaceship zooming into frame we see … a hand! A severed hand, tumbling through space. A severed hand gripping a light saber.

    That hand falls onto a desert planet, [Ed.- they later said this is NOT Tatooine] where it is discovered by characters who will be our heroes. One is Daisy Ridley. The other is John Boyega, who is playing someone trying to change his path in life (again, I’m keeping it vague here). They recognize the light saber as a Jedi relic and decide to return it to the proper people.

    Their quest takes them off world, and they meet up with Han Solo and Chewbacca, who aren’t flying around in the Millenium Falcon anymore but are piloting… well, that could be a spoiler. I’ll leave it. Anyway, Han and Chewie recognize the light saber as Luke’s, and they say they haven’t seen their friend in thirty years, since the events of Return of the Jedi.

    So begins a quest to find the missing Jedi Master. Meanwhile, on an ice planet, nefarious forces are building a super weapon, one capable of destroying not planets but entire solar systems.

    How would an old, filthy, dead hand survive an atmospheric entry? Though, disembodied body parts do work as plot devices at times, as seen in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet:

    Perhaps the leak was planted to excite fans, much like when it was rumored that Kevin Smith was hired by Warner Bros. to pen a fake screenplay to be intentionally released for the upcoming Batman vs. Superman movie.

    What has been confirmed is that Episode VII will feature an X-Wing with blue paint:

    Also, Ewoks go hard off-set:

    Image via Youtube

  • Angelina Jolie to Direct Herself and Pitt in Film

    Angelina Jolie will star in By the Sea with fiancé Brad Pitt, a film which the actress wrote and will direct.

    The last time the couple appeared together onscreen was in 2005’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith, where the two met and got together. Mrs. & Mrs. Smith grossed $478,207,520 worldwide, which was at the time the largest box office return for both superstar actors.

    Universal Pictures is financing By the Sea, and there’s been speculation that the film could be an “intimate, character-driven drama” that Jolie penned several years ago, concerning a couple with issues who take a vacation in a last-ditch effort to save their marriage.

    Prime Minister Joseph Muscat of Malta confirmed that By the Sea would be partially filmed at Mgarr is-Xini, and is set for an August start. The film will be released in 2015, roughly 10 years and six children later after Jolie and Pitt first met on the Mrs. & Mrs. Smith set.

    By the Sea will mark Jolie’s third directorial effort. In 2011 she directed In the Land of Blood and Honey, a love story set against the Bosnian War. The film was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2013 Jolie directed Unbroken, a film about the World War II hero Lou Zamperini, a former Olympian who survived a plane crash and spent two years in a Japanese POW camp. Joel and Ethan Coen adapted the script from Laura Hillenbrand’s biography Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.

    Here is the trailer for Unbroken, which hits theaters on Christmas day:

    Commenting on her partnership with Universal, Jolie remarked, [Universal] “has created a very special place for storytellers, and I look forward to the continued passion and support they have provided to me as a filmmaker.”

    Universal Pictures Chairman Donna Langley added, “Angelina and Brad represent two of Hollywood’s brightest talents, and we are excited to be a part of their collaboration on this powerful piece.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • James Garner Passes Away in Los Angeles at 86

    Actor James Garner passed away at his Brentwood area home in Los Angeles Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. He was 86.

    LAPD officer Alonzo Iniquez said Garner was found dead of natural causes, after police responded to a call made at around 8 p.m. PDT. Authorities confirmed Garner’s identity with the help of his family members upon arrival. Details on the cause of death have not been released, though Garner did suffer a stroke in 2008, only weeks after his 80th birthday.

    James Garner was born James Scott Bumgarner on April 7, 1928, in Norman, Oklahoma. He is remembered for his work on the big and small screen, in a career that spanned over five decades.

    Garner starred in several television shows over the years, and was most notably featured as Bret Maverick in the 1950’s comedy-western series Maverick, and as Jim Rockford in the 1970’s police procedural The Rockford Files.

    On the silver screen, Garner starred in over 50 films including The Great Escape (1963), Grand Prix (1966), Victor Victoria (1982) and Murphy’s Romance (1985), for which he received an Oscar nomination.

    Here Garner stars alongside Steve McQueen in The Great Escape:

    Modern audiences remember him for his role in the hit 2004 romdram The Notebook, starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.

    Here is a deleted scene from The Notebook:

    Hollywood personalities take to Twitter to honor Garner:

    Here Garner discusses his craft, Steve McQueen, Marlon Brando, Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson:

    Image Wikimedia Commons

  • Burt Reynolds Ordered to Pay Ex Loni Anderson $154K

    A judge has ordered actor Burt Reynolds to pay ex-wife Loni Anderson $154,520.98, which he owed after the couple divorced in 1993, after five years of marriage.

    Reynolds, 78, had initially agreed to pay Anderson $234,794.13, 21 years ago, but former WKRP in Cincinnati star Anderson, 68, only received a portion of the alimony. Reynolds declared bankruptcy in the mid 90’s, while still owing Anderson $97K. With interest, that amount ballooned to $154K.

    While Reynolds has worked steadily over the years, it would seem his finances have remained in disarray. In August, 2011, Merrill Lynch Credit Corporation filed foreclosure on Reynolds’ Hobe Sound, Florida home. The actor also lost the 153-acre Burt Reynolds Ranch, where scenes from Smokey and the Bandit were filmed, after his bankruptcy. The Jupiter, Florida ranch will be converted into a housing development.

    Reynolds and Anderson dated for five years before marrying in 1988, and stayed together for another five. During that time, the couple adopted Quinton Anderson Reynolds, now 25. Anderson and Reynolds divorced in 1993, and the uncoupling made headlines; Reynolds accused Anderson of cheating, while she accused him of being abusive.

    Reynolds during his heyday in John Boorman’s Deliverance in 1972:

    Reynolds was the biggest box office draw in the late 70’s and early 80’s, and is best known for his roles in Smokey and the Bandit, Deliverance, The Longest Yard and White Lightning. He was nominated for an Oscar and received a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe in 1997 for his in work Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights.

    Reynolds also appeared in the mostly panned 1996 Demi Moore vehicle Striptease:

    Around the time of his bankruptcy, Reynolds told ABC News, “I thought my career and my life could not be going better.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Peregrine Falcon Nest Delays Aircraft Carrier Trip

    The U.S. Navy is set to send the decommissioned supercarrier USS Saratoga from Newport, Rhode Island to Texas to be dismantled, but a family of peregrine falcons nesting on board has caused a delay. The Navy isn’t moving the ship until the fledglings are ready to take flight.

    Naval Station Newport contacted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after the falcons were discovered in the spring. Wildlife officials estimated that the birds should be finished rearing the chicks by mid-August, and recommended waiting until then to move the Saratoga.

    Lisa Rama, spokeswoman for Naval Station Newport, commented, “We wanted to do the right thing by these birds.” The peregrine falcon is likewise federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and moving the carrier while the birds are nesting could be considered a crime.

    The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on Earth, and was once clocked at 242 miles per hour during a hunting dive, and eats mostly other birds after knocking them out mid-flight.

    Here a peregrine takes down a pigeon:

    Here a gyrfalcon, of the same family Falconidae as the peregrine. takes down a Canadian goose:

    Peregrine falcons were once an endangered species, after the widespread use of the pesticide DDT began to cause thinning of the birds’ eggshells. Though, after a 1973 ban of the poison, peregrine populations rebounded.

    According to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, there are currently about 10 nesting pairs in that state. The peregrine can be found nearly everywhere on Earth, except extreme polar regions, very high mountains and most tropical rainforests. The only major ice-free land mass the bird is absent from is New Zealand.

    Decommissioned ships are ideal spots for falcons to build their nests, as there are many ledges and high perches to watch for prey. The contract to scrap the Saratoga was handed to Texas company ESCO Marine in May.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Fish Oil Supplements Protect Against Alzheimer’s

    A new study suggests that fish oil might be one of the most effective preventative measures against developing Alzheimer’s disease, for those who aren’t genetically inclined to develop the common form of dementia.

    There is presently no cure for Alzheimer’s; it is a progressive disease and eventually leads to death. It is most often diagnosed in those over 65 years of age, and is projected to affect 1 in 85 globally by 2050. It is presently the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

    Researchers from Rhode Island Hospital studied three groups of adults ages 55-90, utilizing neuropsychological tests and brain magnetic resonance imaging biannually. The participants in the study, all part of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), comprised 229 adults with no signs of the disease; 397 who were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment; and 193 with Alzheimer’s. The ADNI study ran from 2003 until 2010.

    Results showed that adults who had not displayed any symptoms of the onset of Alzheimer’s saw a significantly less decline in cognitive function and brain shrinkage than those who weren’t taking the substance. Cognitive decline was measured using the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-cog) and the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE).

    Though, researchers pointed that those who are genetically predisposed to developing Alzheimer’s, carriers of the APOE (apolipoprotein E) gene, might not be able to metabolize DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), the fatty acid in fish oil thought to promote cognitive benefits. Yet, taking fish oil is suggested regardless, as it might prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s from being triggered late in life.

    The most widely available dietary source of DHA comes from cold-water, oily fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines.

    Doctor Andrew Weil explains some fish oil facts:

    The Hodge Twins reveal that a man who doesn’t take fish oil is pretty much a female, but likewise advise not to take fish oil:

    Aside from cognitive benefits, the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil have been shown to help in preventing heart disease. Other studies have revealed that fish oil might be beneficial to those who suffer from clinical depression, anxiety, cancer, psoriasis and macular degeneration, although benefits have yet to be proven.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Dad Beats Son’s Attacker, Calls 911

    Dad Beats Son’s Attacker, Calls 911

    A Daytona Beach, Florida father walked in on a man sexually assaulting his 11-year-old son early Friday morning, and called 911 after severely beating the assailant, rendering the suspect “nice and knocked out” for authorities to arrest.

    Raymond Frolander, 18, was a close friend of the family of the victim, and was in their apartment while the father was out. When the father, who remains anonymous, returned, Frolander was described as having a strange look on his face like something was awry, and then his pants fell down, which was all the father had to see.

    The dad then severely throttled Frolander, who later admitted to police that he was guilty, and that he had been abusing the boy for years.

    During the 911 call, the dispatcher asked the father if any weapons were used during the assault, and his reply was “my fist and foot.” The father reported that Frolander was breathing, but not talking, and laying in “a puddle of blood” on the floor. The father revealed that he had loved Frolander, “up until about 15 minutes ago.”

    During the call, the father can be heard talking to Frolander, at one point saying, “You are damn lucky, boy, that I love my God.”

    Frolander is presently being held in Volusia County Jail without bond, and has been charged with sexual battery of a child.

    The father has not been charged in the assault, and when asked if he had any issues with the beating, Daytona Beach Police Chief Michael Chitwood responded, “Not as a police chief and not as a father.”

    Image via Youtube

  • Skylar Neese Stabbed by ‘Best Friends’

    On July 6, 2012, 16-year-old Star City, West Virginia high school student Skylar Neese was stabbed to death by best friends Shelia Eddy and Rachel Shoaf.

    After Neese went missing, authorities initially concluded that the teen had likely overdosed on heroin at a party, people around her panicked, and her body was hidden. Though, after a six month investigation, Shoaf confessed to murdering Neese, along with Eddy. The admitted motive was plainly that the two “just didn’t like her.”

    At 12:31 a.m. on July 6, 2012, surveillance video from the apartment complex Neese lived at with her parents showed that the teen left the building through her bedroom window. Neese’s father David noted that the window was left open and that the cellphone charger was left behind, which was indicative of a planned return.

    When Neese failed to come home, authorities at first classified the teen as a runaway. The FBI got involved in the search for Neese in September, 2012, but were unable to solve the mystery of the teen’s disappearance.

    The day after the murder, Eddy helped Skylar Neese’s parents canvass the neighborhood looking for Skylar, while Shoaf left for Catholic summer camp for two weeks. In December, 2012, Shoaf had a nervous breakdown and was committed to a local psychiatric hospital, barring her from any contact with Eddy.

    Upon her discharge in early January, Shoaf confessed to her attorney and authorities that she and Eddy stabbed Skylar Neese to death. Shoaf led police to Neese’s body, was was located in Wayne Township, Pennsylvania, roughly 30 miles from Neese’s apartment. Shoaf wore a wire during a meeting with Eddy, though Eddy didn’t incriminate herself.

    State Police Corp. Ronnie Gaskin asked Shoaf why they killed Skylar, and her only answer was, “We just didn’t like her.”

    Rachel Shoaf was found guilty of second-degree murder, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison in February. Shelia Eddy struck a deal with prosecutors, and plead guilty to first degree murder with mercy, and was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole in 15 years.

    Here is an extended clip of Shoaf’s sentencing:

    The murder prompted an Amber Alert amendment called “Skylar’s Law,” and West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin signed the legislation into law in May, 2013. Skylar’s Law calls for immediate public announcements when any child is reported missing and in danger, regardless of whether the child is believed to have been kidnapped.

    One of Neese’s final tweets:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Anaconda Loose in New Jersey Lake

    A green anaconda is loose in Lake Hopatcong in Jefferson Township, situated in northern New Jersey, and reptile expert Gerald Andrejcak revealed that state wildlife authorities told him to “keep his mouth shut” regarding the actual species of the snake.

    The snake was initially described as a boa, which a green anaconda technically is, but state officials wanted to avoid causing a panic in the area. “I was sworn to keep my mouth shut by local officials to avoid causing a panic,” Andrejcak commented, adding, “Now that there’s a panic, I’m going on the record.”

    Andrejack positively identified the snake on Thursday as a 16-foot-long green anaconda, after spotting it by the lake. The snake had vanished by the time animal care workers arrived to attempt to wrangle it.

    The green anaconda, or Eunectes murinus, is native to South America, and has been confirmed to grow to more than 22 feet long, and can weigh over 215 pounds. Though, a $50,000 reward stands for anyone who can capture a green anaconda measuring 30 feet long, and historical records indicate that the snake, which lives in remote areas of rain forests, can grow to 40 feet long, and weigh over 550 pounds.

    The green anaconda’s only known predator is man, and can take down large prey including deer and cattle.

    As a side note, behold Jon Voight’s continuous mean-mugging from the 1997 J.Lo thriller Anaconda:

    Andrejack, an employee of Common Sense for Animals, remarked that he is frustrated by the lack of response from wildlife officials, and hopes to find the snake before someone kills it.

    Tony Colantonio, who lives by the lake, commented, “If someone can kill it and get out of here, that’s fine. I want proof that it’s gone.”

    Here is a video Colantonio captured of the snake:

    Colantonio added, “There’s kids swimming in the lake, there’s going to be people in the water this weekend, and my kids can’t go in their backyard. It’s a green anaconda, a predator, hunting all day every day. It’s not a python that lives 80 percent of its life on land and only needs to eat once a month. It’s one of the most aggressive snakes out there. It’s been two weeks and (the township and state) have done nothing. Everybody I call just blows me off.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ Casts Christina Chong

    English actress Christina Chong has been cast in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII.

    Details on the casting remain vague, but it’s been revealed that Chong, who was featured on Doctor Who and 24: Live Another Day, will play a minor role.

    Chong will join cast mates Lupita Nyong’o, Crystal Clarke, Gwendoline Christie and Daisy Ridley. It’s been reported that Star Wars: Episode VII now has more female speaking parts than the entire original trilogy combined.

    The new male leads include John Boyega, Andy Serkis, Adam Driver, Max von Sydow, Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac.

    George Lucas is on board as a creative consultant, and former cast members Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher will reprise their iconic roles, along with Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker. Billy Dee Williams and Ewan McGregor are also rumored to be on board.

    Here is a glimpse of Chong in 24: Live Another Day:

    Chong has also been cast as the female lead in Halo: Nightfall, an episodic digital feature produced by Ridley Scott, based on the wildly popular Halo video game franchise. Chong will play a character named Macer.

    In related Star Wars news, actor Harrison Ford recently underwent surgery for a broken leg he suffered after a garage door fell on him at the Pinewood Studios set, just outside of London. Ford is expected to be absent from the production for about eight weeks.

    According to starwars.com, “Episode VII” will be directed by J.J. Abrams (Super 8, Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek) and is being scripted by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi). Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, with Tommy Harper (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Jack Ryan, Star Trek Into Darkness) and Jason McGatlin (Tintin, War of the Worlds) serving as executive producers. John Williams is returning to score Star Wars: Episode VII.

    The film is scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, 2015.

    Image via Twitter

  • Caffeine Powder Blamed for Teen’s Death

    Caffeine Powder Blamed for Teen’s Death

    The sudden death of a high school wrestler due to a massive caffeine overdose prompted federal health authorities to warn consumers to avoid the substance.

    Keystone High School prom king Logan Stiner, 18, had a lethal amount of caffeine in his system when he died May 27 at his home in LaGrange, Ohio, southwest of Cleveland. An autopsy revealed that Stiner had over 70 micrograms of caffeine per milliliter of blood in his body, which equates to roughly 23 times the amount of a typical soda drinker or Starbucks patron.

    Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance found in seeds, leaves and fruit, and acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects, and likewise enhances the euphoric recall of pollinating bugs.

    A caffeine overdose at times results in a state of central nervous system over-stimulation called caffeine intoxication. Symptoms include restlessness, twitching, anxiety, excitement, insomnia, a jumbled flow of thought and speech, irritability, heart palpitations and impaired psychomotor skills. Extreme overdoses can lead to psychosis, seizures and death.

    Here rapper Riff Raff demonstrates caffeine-induced elation:

    While a caffeine overdose would typically require 80-100 cups of coffee for an average adult, it is easier to achieve caffeine toxicity while ingesting caffeine in pill and powdered forms.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday that it’s taking a look at caffeine powder products and will ‘‘consider taking regulatory action.’’ It’s also been reported that three states have sued Living Essentials, the manufacturer of the popular 5-Hour Energy shot, for false advertising. It’s been suggested that the only active ingredient in the substance is a high amount of caffeine.

    A 1/16th of a teaspoon of caffeine powder, which is commonly used by athletes and those trying to lose weight, can contain about 200 milligrams of caffeine, roughly the equivalent found in two large cups of coffee. Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, warns that a large teaspoon can be fatal.

    FDA spokeswoman Jennifer Dooren commented, ‘‘The difference between a safe amount and a lethal dose of caffeine in these powdered products is very small.’’

    Dr. Bob Hoffman, a New York University medical toxicologist, remarked, ‘‘The thing about caffeine is just because you see it every day, just because it’s naturally occurring – it comes from a plant – doesn’t mean that it’s safe.’’

    Image via Youtube

  • 5-Hour Energy Drink Manufacturer Sued

    5-Hour Energy Drink Manufacturer Sued

    Michigan-based manufacturer Living Essentials and its parent company Innovation Ventures have been sued by three states over false advertising regarding the wildly popular 5-Hour Energy performance shots.

    The active ingredients in a 5-Hour Energy shot, which was invented by Indian-American billionaire Manoj Bhargava, are taurine, glucuronolactone, malic acid, N-Acetyl L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, caffeine and citicoline, The state of Oregon asserts that the only active ingredient in the shots is caffeine.

    The Oregon suit was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, and according to a statement released by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, similar suits were filed in Washington and Vermont. The lawsuits are requesting a permanent injunction prohibiting 5-Hour Energy’s allegedly deceptive marketing, and also civil penalties and restitution to consumers. Other states are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks.

    Living Essentials says that 5-Hour Energy is good for you:

    Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said in a statement, “Plainly and simply, in Oregon you cannot promote a product as being effective if you don’t have sufficient evidence to back up your advertising claims.”

    The Oregon lawsuit also claims that consumers had been misled with claims that 5-Hour Energy had been recommended by doctors, and that it does not cause a caffeine crash, after the five hours are up.

    Some 5-Hour Energy Twitter intrigue:

    A representative for Living Essentials, which sells around nine million shots of 5-Hour Energy per day, likened the Oregon suit’s allegations as “grasping at straws” and “civil intimidation,” and said the makers of the drink would fight to defend themselves.

    “Hello my friend”:

    The lawsuits came about after an investigation launched in 2012 by 33 states. Oregon, Tennessee, Maryland and Vermont are so far the first states to have taken action against Living Essentials.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Jay-Z Gets Misty While Writing Jeezy Verse

    Rapper Jeezy told MTV that Jay-Z became emotional as he penned lyrics for his verse for the single “Seen It All.”

    Jeezy, 36, revealed, “We got on the phone and [Jay-Z] was like, ‘Yo, Jeezy, when I was writing the verse I had tears in my eyes, man,’ because it took him so far back to Marcy.” Jay-Z, born Shawn Corey Carter, added, “Every bar in that song was real – I put my hand on the bible.”

    Here is an excerpt Jay-Z’s “Seen It All” verse;

    Uncle died on the spot
    Pop killed the family with heroin shots
    Gave my life to the block
    Figured, I get shot ‘least I die on top
    I came alive in the drop
    Big body all white shit looked like a yacht
    I got ‘em five grand a pop
    I had a plug in Saint Thomas on a trillion watts

    In his 2010 memoir Decoded, Jay-Z related the story of how his uncle Ray was stabbed to death when the rapper was nine, which made his father, Adnis Reeves, fall into darkness.

    Jay-Z wrote, “My dad swore revenge and became obsessed with hunting down Uncle Ray’s killer. The tragedy – compounded by the injustice – drove him crazy, sent him to the bottle, and ultimately became a factor in the unraveling of my parents’ marriage.”

    Here is the video for “Seen It All”:

    Jay-Z grew up in the Marcy Houses housing project in Brooklyn, New York, and reportedly dealt crack cocaine before he got his start as a rapper. Carter, now one of the best-selling music artists of all time with 75 million units sold, recently achieved a net worth of roughly $500 million.

    Jay-Z’s “99 problems”:

    The rapper was recently in the news after wife Beyonce’s sister Solange Knowles was videotaped attacking him in an elevator.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Gillian Anderson’s ‘Streetcar’ to be Broadcast Live

    Gillian Anderson’s ‘Streetcar’ to be Broadcast Live

    The rendition of Tennessee Williams’ celebrated play A Streetcar Named Desire starring Gillian Anderson as iconic character Blanche Dubois will be broadcast live worldwide on September 16th.

    The play, also starring American actor Ben Foster as Stanley Kowalski, is the fastest-selling ticket in the history of the Young Vic Theater.

    The NT Live program from the National Theatre is handling the September broadcast, which will air at 7 p.m. UK time (2 p.m. EDT).

    Commenting on the play, Anderson said, “I’ve never seen a production where I felt I was a fly on the wall in New Orleans and I felt that that version of it would not only be exciting to perform, but the version that I’d want to see. I’d want to sit in that room and be hot and sweaty with the actors. And after I’d had that idea there was no changing my mind… I have completely fallen in love with Blanche and I was unprepared for that.”

    A Streetcar Named Desire was penned by Williams in 1947, and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948. The play opened on Broadway on December, 1947, and ran until December, 1949. The Broadway production was directed by Elia Kazan and starred Marlon Brando, Jessica Tandy, Kim Hunter and Karl Malden. The film version was directed by Kazan and starred Brando and Vivien Leigh.

    Here is the 1951 Streetcar trailer:

    Foster called the Young Vic production “a thrill. It’s very scary in the best way. There’s nowhere to hide.” The Lone Survivor actor added, “We’ve turned film into such an industry that we pursue naturalism just by shaking the camera, and cutting the film to ribbons to provoke a bogus sense of documentary. But we haven’t done the homework. To push the depth that the Actor’s Studio did or the Russian theatres did with their actors, is to rehearse, to spend time, to dig, to excavate. And that is what we are doing.”

    Image via Young Vic

  • Keke Palmer Passes on Whitney Houston Role

    BET talk show Just Keke host Keke Palmer recently opened up about her interview with Chris Brown’s girlfriend Karrueche Tran, her admiration of Rihanna and why she turned down the lead role in a Lifetime Whitney Houston biopic.

    Actress, singer, songwriter, dancer, fashion designer, philanthropist, entrepreneur, talk show host and activist Lauren Keyana “Keke” Palmer, 20, became the youngest talk show host ever, when Just Keke premiered on June 30.

    During her Wednesday sit down with Palmer, Karrueche Tran, 26, breaks down while discussing the slings and arrows of dating a celebrity (Brown), who has an ex who is even a bigger celebrity (Rihanna), and what all of that means for her Twitter account.

    Here is a clip from Palmer’s Tran interview:

    Palmer later made it clear that her “dream” talk show guest is actually Rihanna, distancing herself from an association with the embattled Brown. “Rihanna is an individual,” Keke remarked, adding, “She represents everything that I believe in, which is being yourself and not allowing other people to change you.”

    The wisdom of Keke:

    Keke also revealed why she decided against pursuing a Whitney Houston role in an upcoming biopic. “Initially, I was thinking about the Whitney Houston [biopic] … to play Whitney,” Palmer commented. “But I don’t know if that was a story that I wanted to tell, because the family’s not involved, and that’s a big part for me.”

    “I think if you’re going to do a movie or biopic about someone, the family needs to be involved, because you want it to be as honest as possible. I think that was what didn’t really make me go out for it.”

    No stranger for made-for-TV fare, Keke has appeared in three Lifetime original movies – Abducted: The Carlina White Story, CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story, and The Trip to Bountiful. Palmer has also starred in Akeelah and the Bee, Madea’s Family Reunion and Ice Age: Continental Drift.

    Image via Youtube

  • Tea Leoni Returning to Televison, Gets OK from Kids

    Actress Tea Leoni will be returning to the small screen to star as Secretary of State Elizabeth Faulkner McCord, in the CBS political drama Madam Secretary.

    Madam Secretary, which will run after “60 Minutes” and before “The Good Wife” on Sundays, premieres on September 21. Leoni, 49, portrays a former CIA analyst turned college professor who is tapped by the president to become Secretary of State.

    Commenting on her character McCord, Leoni told E!, “There was something – I adored her. I adored her by page two, there’s no sarcasm to her. Sarcasm is too slow. I want to wake up and be her every day.”

    The former The Naked Truth star added, “I think in a lot of ways it’s inspiring to see women that we want to see. I think when I sort of set out to do this gal, I thought, ‘Who do I want in office?’ That’s been guiding my choices.”

    Here is a first look at Madam Secretary:

    Barbara Hall, who was a writer-producer for Judging Amy, and is presently a co-executive producer on Showtime’s Homeland, is the creator and executive producer of Madam Secretary, alongside Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman. Hall commented that former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is excited about the series, and has met with Leoni. “She’s very eager to weigh in and help us,” Hall remarked.

    Hall added that Madam Secretary is adapted from real events and will attempt to “pull back the curtain on how the State Department works.”

    Leoni, who is presently separated from husband David Duchovny, said that her children gave her the “go-ahead” to get back into a television gig.

    “I turned to my 12-year-old son and I said, ‘It’s going to be a little tricky. I’m not going to be around as much. Are you cool with that?’” Leoni said, adding, “He said, ‘Yeah, I was getting kind of sick of you.’”

    Madam Secretary also stars Tim Daly and Bebe Neuwirth.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Dethroned Miss Delaware Files Lawsuit

    Dethroned Miss Delaware Files Lawsuit

    Former Miss Delaware Amanda Longacre is suing state pageant officials and the Miss America organization after being dethroned for being too old.

    Longacre turns 25 in October, and pageant rules state that contestants must be between the ages of 17 and 24. Apparently, the fine print reads somewhere that contestants have to still be 24 by the end of the year. Due to this technicality, Longacre was stripped of her crown, and the Miss Delaware title went to her runner up, Brittany Lewis.

    In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Delaware’s Court of Chancery, Longacre is seeking to be reinstated as Miss Delaware and to be allowed to compete in the Miss America pageant. The 24-year-old is also seeking $500,000 in damages for herself and $2.5 million for other contestants, who she believes were recruited to compete in pageants before being told they were too old. Longacre was originally cleared by pageant officials to compete.

    Longacre also seeks an official pass to be able to compete for the Miss America title in September, restoration of her titles as Miss Pike Creek and Miss Delaware, and the full-term reign as Miss Delaware.

    The lawsuit, which names others who were disqualified after competing, asserts that pageant organizations knowingly recruit ineligible contestants to augment dwindling participation, take advantage of them for fundraising and appearances, and then disqualify them.

    The Miss America 2015 pageant runs from September 9-14 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and will be broadcast live on ABC.

    Image via Youtube

  • Texas Woman Gets 18 Years for Sending Obama Ricin

    Texas actress Shannon Guess Richardson, 36, who plead guilty in December to sending President Barack Obama ricin in a letter, was sentenced to 18 years in prison Wednesday, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

    Richardson, who also sent a ricin-laced letter to then-New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, was also given a $367,000 fine. The The Walking Dead bit player was originally looking at life, but cut a deal to get the 18 years.

    Records show that Richardson ordered castor beans and lye, synthesized the ricin, and mailed the letters from Shreveport, Louisiana, in May 2013.

    Ricin is a highly toxic, naturally occurring lectin (a carbohydrate-binding protein) produced in the seeds of the castor oil plant Ricinus communis. A dose the size of a few grains of sand can kill an adult, and acts as a toxin by inhibiting protein synthesis. Ricin causes severe diarrhea, and victims can die of circulatory shock. Symptoms typically don’t present themselves for a few hours to a full day after exposure, and most victims die within 3-5 days. Survivors typically experience long-term organ damage.

    Twitter ricin humor:

    Most acute ricin poisoning cases due to overdose are attributed to the ingestion of whole castor oil beans. Just 5-20 beans can be fatal to an adult, though those who survive experience nausea, diarrhea, tachycardia, hypotension and seizures persisting for up to a week.

    Ricin is listed as a schedule 1 controlled substance under both the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention and the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, and has been viewed as a domestic threat, as castor beans are easy to come by.

    The FBI revealed that the ricin letters contained very small amounts of the substance, and were intercepted before causing any harm. The letters also issued a threat – “You will have to kill me and my family before you get my guns. The right to bear arms is my constitutional God-given right. What’s in this letter is nothing compared to what I’ve got planned for you.”

    Image via Youtube