Myths about herpes

Before I go any further, let me be clear about the picture accompanying this post. I have no intimate knowledge that anyone featured in the picture actually has herpes. I've only heard and/or read stories about it. But, with about 1 in 6 adults having genital herpes, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and with all the partner swapping going on these days, it doesn't surprise me one bit. So thanks to the good people over at Yourtango.com, I'd like to give you a few myths about the virus that have been proven wrong. Remember...knowledge is power!!! Check it out:

While it may be super-common, there are still a lot of myths out there about it — here are five I hear a lot.

Myth 1: If I don't have any sores, I don't have herpes.

Herpes can lay dormant (sort of like it’s in hibernation) for years without causing any noticeable symptoms. Because of this, many people don't know they have it and may have trouble figuring out how or when they got it. When symptoms do occur, they often appear as small blisters on or around the genitals. The blisters may look like pimples with clear fluid in them, and they may be painful or have a burning sensation. The best way to find out if you have herpes is to see a health care provider if you have pain, blisters or a sore.

Myth 2: We didn’t have sex, so there’s no way I have genital herpes.

Herpes is spread by skin-to-skin contact with someone who carries the virus. That means you can get herpes by touching, kissing and oral, vaginal or anal sex. People who carry herpes don't always know they have the virus, and they may not have any visible sores on their skin.

That said, your risk of getting the virus is higher if you've had contact with a partner who does have a visible sore. Using condoms can majorly decrease the risk of spreading the virus, but doesn’t eliminate it completely. Unfortunately, no other type of birth control reduces the risk of this STI.

Myth 3: There’s a cure for herpes ... right?
 
First, the bad news: Once you have herpes, it will be with you for the rest of your life. The virus can lay dormant for long stretches of time, then cause "outbreaks" at times of stress or illness.

Now, the good news: There are medications you can take to make an outbreak go away faster. If you only get outbreaks once every few years, you can take the medications just when you have an outbreak. If you get outbreaks more often, you might benefit from taking a medication daily to prevent them. A discussion with your healthcare provider will help you decide which strategy is best for you.

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Texas judge grants woman a stay hours before her scheduled execution

Well, Ms. Kimberly McCarthy can breathe, for now. A Texas judge stopped her execution just hours before her lethal injection. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Kimberly McCarthy was set to become the first U.S. woman executed since 2010, but a Texas judge stopped proceedings at the very last minute. The 51-year-old was to be put to death via lethal injection late Tuesday, prior to a reprieve issued by State District Judge Larry Mitchell.


Lawyers for McCarthy will now be given extra time to pursue an appeal, on grounds that their client was convicted based on racial bias. The jury that found the former nursing home therapist guilty was comprised of 11 White jurors. "We want to make sure everything is done correctly," said District Court Judge Craig Atkins.

If no wrongdoing is found, Mitchell will be executed in 60 days.

Prosecutors have decided not to appeal the ruling. "I'm happy right now over that," McCarthy told prison agency spokesman John Hurt. "There's still work to be done on my case."

McCarthy is accused in the 1997 murder of her elderly neighbor, Dorothy Booth. McCarthy cut off the victim's finger, and sold her wedding ring for $200 to buy drugs. She was also tied to the murders of two other people.

Mitchell's new execution date has been scheduled for April 3.

Teen murdered a week after performing at Obama Inauguration

I've been staying tuned to the violence going on in Chicago. This story is a sad case of a young girl being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If this doesn't get this Administration rolling on trying to do something about the violence going on in the city, I'm not sure if anything will. Hip Hip Wired reports:

Just one week after performing during President Barack Obama's inauguration in Washington, DC with her high school band and drill team, a 15-year-old student was shot and killed on the South Side of Chicago. 

The Chicago Tribune reports that shortly after completing exams, Hadiya Pendleton and fellow students from King College Prep High walked to a nearby park. The shooting attack occurred around 2:20 p.m., wounding Pendleton and an unnamed 16-year-old boy. The teens were separately rushed to Comer's Children's Hospital and their conditions were said to have stabilized around 3 p.m. The boy, which students say attended King College Prep, is currently listed in serious condition.

Further reports from authorities say that Pendleton was among 12 teenagers who took shelter in the park from heavy rain when an unknown assailant leapt a fence and began firing in their direction. The man then fled the scene in a vehicle. Police say Pendleton was most likely not the intended victim. The park, nestled in a low-crime neighborhood, was populated by gang members that day further reported the Tribune. A witness heard gunfire before calling 911, with many in the group fleeing after a reported six shots rang out.

Pendleton was a majorette in the school's band and also a volleyball player. Beloved by her fellow students, her parents were surrounded by her friends and fellow students in a show of support. “She was awesome,” said one friend. Police have questioned others in the group regarding the case, but so far none are cooperating with the authorities.

Pendleton's death brings the numbers of homicides for Chicago to 42, making it the deadliest month in 11 years.

Cyhi Da Prince addresses ghostwriting rumors and Kanye

Now, as The Urban Advocate readers already know, the worst kept secret in the industry is that artists have silent pens and writing teams. Cyhi Da Prince is one who has been in the mix behind the scene recently discussed his involvement in the creative process of artists like Jeezy and Yeezy. Hip Hop Wired reports:

GOOD Music's CyHi The Prynce has contributed to the creation of much of Kanye's recent catalog, including My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and last year's Watch The Throne LP, but the Atlanta native is still waiting on his moment. Hopefully it will arrive with today's release of his fifth mixtape, Ivy League: Kickback, hosted by DJ Holiday.
 
When asked whether or not there is any truth to the growing rumors regarding his writing for Yeezy, CyHi tells Hip-Hop Wired, “No. I mean, no...,” he continues slowly, “I'm just there to vibe man. If you hear something in the beat that you like, you may say, ‘Ay! You might wanna keep that!' Or whatever,” he says with a laugh. “But I'm just there for whatever they may need me for. There are a lot of creative minds in the room.”
 
It's a valid question though as CyHi is one in a small circle of Atlanta rappers to maintain clever bars as well as club appeal. While the masses marvel at Kanye's increasingly cunning rhyme skills, the "Far Removed" rapper remains a fixture at the studio during recording sessions. He admits that he's aware of the whispers. “I mean, yeah, I've heard that before but I can't answer that,” he states, “I'm just letting you know that it's a team. Teamwork makes dreams work.”
 
“Even with the president [Obama],” he adds, “Y'all see him come out and give the speech but a lot of people had something to do with it. Like, ‘Say it this way,' or ‘Give it this feeling,' so yeah, that's just with every artist. Not just with [Kanye]. There are a lot of people in the room that give off energy- smoke some weed, drink some liquor and vibe out, you know?”

Oscar Grant film honored at the Sundance Festival

It's been a little over 4 years now since the shooting death of Oscar Grant. The film based on his life and death picked up a couple of awards at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Hip Hop Wired reports:

The major motion picture Fruitvale has become the sleeper hit of the Sundance Film Festival. The film, which is based on the life and death of Oscar Grant, nabbed the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, the first for U.S. project to do since Precious,  in 2009.

Fruitvale's two big awards came after it was praised by critics screenings the film.

Grant was gunned down by Bay Area police in the early morning of New Year's Day in 2009. First time filmmaker, Ryan Coogler, who wrote and directed the movie, expressed pride in the honor. “The project was about humanity, about human beings and how to treat each other; how we treat the people we love the most, and how we treat the people that we don't know,” he said upon accepting the grand prize.

Fox Searchlight executive Tom Rothman, who announced the award, noted that Fruitvale is “For anyone out there who thinks for one second that movies don't matter and can't make a difference in the world.”
Other big winners of the night included the documentary Blood Brother about an American man who visits India, and decides to stay to work with HIV-positive orphans. Blood Brother was honored with the U.S. Grand Jury Prize award for documentaries.

The film A River Changes Course, about three young Cambodians working to overcome the effects of deforestation, overfishing and debt, won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize. Also taking home an award in the World Cinema category but for a dramatic work was the film South Korean film, Jiseul.

Allen Iverson may be on his way to Texas

No, Allen Iverson isn't coming to play for the Mavericks. He may be playing for their D-League affiliate team though. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Those of you who believe Allen Iverson deserves one final shot at the NBA may have your prayers answered very soon.


The Texas Legends, the NBDL affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks are lobbying Allen Iverson to try to work his way back to the NBA. Iverson has not played in the NBA since 2009 in a short-lived stint with the Memphis Grizzlies and an even shorter-lived return to the Philadelphia 76ers. That season was followed by an injury-filled stint with Besiktas in Turkey that lasted only 10 games.

Iverson has resisted signing for lucrative deals in China because for the past two seasons he has been waiting for one last run at the league where he was the Most Valuable Player in 2001. The Texas Legends have tried all year to sign Iverson, but are ramping up their efforts again now because they've moved back to the top of the list in the D-League's waiver line, meaning they'd have a direct path to signing Iverson if he could be convinced to put his name in the D-League's player pool.

A good sign that a return from "The Answer" is closer than ever is when 37-year-old NBA veteran Mike James signed with the Legends and was eventually called up to the Mavericks. James eventually earned two 10-day contracts and now a guaranteed contract throughout the season. Iverson is an 11-time All-Star and ranks 19th on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 24,368 career points. Iverson was 18th before he was passed by Mavericks franchise player, Dirk Nowitzki, this past Sunday.

 

Sugarfoot of the Ohio Players passes away at 69

Well, the legends keep leaving us. This week, Sugarfoot of the legendary band the Ohio Players has passed away. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner, leader of the legendary Funk band The Ohio Players, passed away over the weekend. A posting on Bonner's Facebook fan page brought forth the unfortunate news on Sunday. 

From Sugarfoot's Facebook page:

Yesterday, Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner passed away quietly in his hometown of Trotwood-Dayton, OH. While his family, friends, colleagues, and fans mourn his passing they celebrate fondly his memory, music, and legacy.

Sugarfoot, or Foot, or Sugar, was the founding and cornerstone artistic talent of OHIO PLAYERS and the face and sound of the OHIO PLAYERS brand, which he knit together and launched in 1964 with former members of The Ohio Untouchables. With a career spanning 56 years, he passed barely short of his 70th birthday.

Bonner, a native of Hamilton, would join The Ohio Players in the late 1960's after working with another band in the town of Dayton, and the group made a splash on the music charts in the 70s with hits like “Love Rollercoaster,” “Skin Tight,” “Fire” and other tracks. Marshall “Rock” Jones, bass player and founding Ohio Players member, is reeling from the loss. “It's kind of crazy. I'm still feeling fragile,” said Jones to the Associated Press. “I sit back now, and it was all a brilliant blaze.”

Keith Harrison of Ohio bands FAZE-O and The Dazz Band praised Bonner in an interview with the Dayton Daily News. “He was a great person with a lot of wisdom not just in music, but in life,” said Harrison. “He was an extraordinary person.”

Hip-Hop groups owe a great debt to The Ohio Players, as their music helped form the instrumentals for a bevy of classics. A Tribe Called Quest used the Ohio Players track “Ecstasy” for the “Scenario (Remix)” and DJ Clark Kent used another portion when The Notorious B.I.G. joined Jay-Z for their back-and-forth duo “Brooklyn's Finest” on Hov's debut album Reasonable Doubt. Kendrick Lamar (“m.A.A.d City”), Outkast (“Crumblin' Erb”) and De La Soul (“Me Myself and I”) are among many others who have used samples from the Ohio Players vaults.

50 Cent believes Officer Ricky shooting was staged

50 Cent is obviously not believing the hype surrounding the "drive-by shooting" involving Officer Ricky this morning. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Rick Ross made headline news this morning when he was reportedly the target of a drive-by shooting attempt in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.


Ross, who was celebrating his 36th birthday today, reportedly had bullets fire towards his Rolls Royce as he was leaving a dinner in his honor. The bullets missed the Rolls Royce but the vehicle slammed into the restaurant. Although nobody was injured in the melee, 50 Cent is calling shenanigans.

"Hahaha fat boy hit the building? lol it looks staged to me. No hole's in da car," 50 tweeted shortly after the news broke. Ross and 50, who have been adversaries dating back to 2009, rekindled their beef this year at the BET Hip-Hop Awards when a melee broke out between the two crews.

In 50 Cent's latest video for "Major Distribution" featuring Snoop Dogg and another Ross foe Young Jeezy, 50 showcased a Maybach Music Group chain that reportedly belonged to Gunplay and was taken from him during the award show fight.

"It came from a jeweler. Jewelers, they made it. Yeah, we got it and ended up putting it in the video,"  50 explained Thursday to MTV about the chain's appearance. "That's what rappers do: Rappers put jewelry in videos."

 

Chris Brown and Frank Ocean get into it at a studio

Let me start by saying I don't care who started it, who finished it, what it was about or why they didn't just off each other. I'm only posting it so people can have accurate information about the incident. Chris Brown and Frank Ocean got into some kind of altercation at a recording studio as Chris was leaving. Allhiphop reports:

A brawl broke out between singers Chris Brown and Frank Ocean last night (January 27), in Los Angeles.
TMZ.com reports that the incident occurred at West Lake Studio in Los Angeles, where Chris Brown was listening to one of his artists.

While details are still being confirmed, the two men were involved in some sort of altercation that resulted in Chris Brown allegedly being attacked by a member of Frank Ocean’s entourage.

An associate of Chris Brown’s came to the singer’s defense, but an all out brawl broke out between the two singers.

Police are currently on the scene.

In July of 2012, Chris Brown made headlines, over comments he made shortly after Frank Ocean revealed that he was bisexual. The two men also feuded on Twitter.

In that exchange, Chris Brown labeled Frank Ocean a “b**ch” ass n**ga,” while Frank Ocean compared Chris Brown to Ike Turner and R&B singer Sisqo.

After the incident, Ocean tweeted “got jumped by chris and a couple guys. lol. i only wish everest [his dog] was there. cut my finger now I can’t play w two hands at the grammys.”


Apparently this has been going on for a while and Chris' crew tried to "World Star" Frank a while back (which I could care less about):





Check out The Breakfast Club giving Frank Ocean the "Donkey of the Day":

At least 245 killed by a fire at a nightclub in Brazil

After reading this story, I'm completely floored. To hear about this many people dying (with at least 200 more people being injured) in one incident, especially in the beloved Brazil; it is saddening. Yahoo! News reports:

A fire swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing at least 245 people and leaving at least 200 injured, police and firefighters said.

Police Maj. Cleberson Braida told local news media that the 245 bodies were brought for identification to a gymnasium in the city of Santa Maria.

That toll apparently would make it the deadliest nightclub fire in more than a decade.

Braida said the club had only one working exit, and the majority of victims died trampled in an attempt to flee.

The cause of the blaze was still under investigation but authorities told local reporters that fireworks, perhaps shot off by the band, erupted in the midst of the performance and one hit the roof.

Michele Schneid, a 22-year-old cashier, told local news media that people began to shout "Fire!," setting off the stampede.

"Many people ran for the bathrooms and wound up dying suffocated," he said.

The newspaper Diario de Santa Maria reported that the fire started at around 2 a.m. at the Kiss nightclub in the city at the southern tip of Brazil, near the borders with Argentina and Uruguay.

Ezekiel Corte Real, 23, was quoted by the paper as saying that he helped people to escape. "I just got out because I'm very strong," he said.

Police estimated 900 people were in the club when the fire broke out.

The fire led President Dilma Roussef to cancel a series of meetings she had scheduled at a summit of Latin American and European leaders in Chile's capital of Santiago, and was headed to Santa Maria, according to the Brazilian foreign ministry.

"It is a tragedy for all of us. I am not going to continue in the meeting (in Chile) for very clear reasons," she said.

"Sad Sunday", tweeted Tarso Genro, the governor of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. He said all possible action was being taken and that he would be in the city later in the day.

Santa Maria is a university city with a population of around a quarter of a million.

A welding accident reportedly set off a Dec. 25, 2000, fire at a club in Luoyang, China, killing 309.

At least 194 people died at an overcrowded working-class nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2004.

A blaze at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm, Russia, broke out on Dec. 5, 2009, when an indoor fireworks display ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches, killing 152

A nightclub fire in the U.S. state of Rhode Island in 2003 killed 100 people after pyrotechnics used as a stage prop by the 1980s rock band Great White set ablaze cheap soundproofing foam on the walls and ceiling.

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At least 5 killed as shooting spree continues in Chicago

I'm hoping that if I continue to report on these killings going on in Chicago, it will raise some awareness and someone will get fed up and do something about this. We have to find a way to end this war going on. We are losing entirely too many of our brothers and sisters in the streets of the Chi. CBS.com reports:

Authorities are investigating the shooting deaths of five people in a single day of bloodshed in Chicago.

Police Officer Daniel O'Brien says Saturday's first killing occurred at around 2:15 a.m. on the city's west side when a gunman opened fire on two men who were sitting in a parked car, killing one and wounding the other.

Investigators say a few hours later, someone opened fire on three men near a South Side eatery, killing two of them and wounding the third.

Detectives were called to the scene of another shooting Saturday afternoon in which a man in his 30s and a teenager were shot to death. There had been no arrests.

Chicago's homicide count eclipsed 500 last year for the first time since 2008.

Pro Bowler attacked in a Honolulu night club

If you're going to attack a football player, you may want to use something more than just a taser gun and a bottle. I guess it ain't all good, even in paradise. Pro Bowler Trent Williams was attacked in a Honolulu night club. NFL.com reports:

The Minnesota Vikings announced Friday afternoon that rookie left tackle Matt Kalil would replace an injured Trent Williams in the Pro Bowl.

Williams played through a severely bruised thigh, in addition to knee and ankle injuries for much of the season. As it turns out, however, coach Mike Shanahan's top offensive lineman required stitches after an altercation early Friday morning.

Local police said Williams was hurt in an altercation that injured three men, sending two to the hospital. One man was arrested and five others are being investigated for assault, police said.

When asked if Williams was being investigated for assault as well, Honolulu police spokeswoman Michelle Yu said, via USA Today: "I would not say that."

The NFL said in a statement, via ProFootballTalk, that the third-year pro will be on the sideline for Sunday's Pro Bowl and won't lose his status as a member of the NFC team. Officials say he'll be paid a full Pro Bowl share.

Williams had been in Honolulu all week, practicing for his first Pro Bowl appearance. Williams joins Robert Griffin III as the second member of the Redskins to withdraw from Sunday's festivities due to injury.

This is not the first time Williams has been in the news for off-the-field activities. He was suspended for the final four games of the 2011 season after failing multiple drug tests.

UPDATE: Captain Andrew Lum of the Office of the Chief for the Honolulu Police Department released a statement on the altercation:

"At 1:30 a.m. this morning, Honolulu Police Department (HPD) officers responded to a report of a large affray at a night club in central Honolulu. Three males were injured during the affray. Two were treated and released from the hospital, and the third male declined treatment. One male was arrested for Assault in the 3rd Degree and additional arrests are likely. The HPD has opened an Assault 2nd and four Assault 3rd investigations. The investigation into these offenses continue."

Australian researches may have potentially found a cure to HIV

As an AIDS/HIV awareness and prevention activist, I intend on posting more stories that will keep people informed about the disease. Like this one, about some medical researchers in Australia potentially finding the cure to the virus. The Huffington Post reports:

Scientists working in a medical research facility in Australia say they may have discovered a therapy to potentially cure AIDS.

Researchers at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, led by Associate Professor Dr. David Harrich, say they have developed a form of gene therapy that turns the HIV protein against itself and ultimately stops it from replicating, according to the Australian Times.

The Queensland Institute backed the research and attached the following statement to a video interview of Harrich posted on Monday:

Associate Professor David Harrich has found a promising way of stopping HIV from causing AIDS. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is currently treated with a cocktail of drugs to stop the virus from causing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). But there is no cure or vaccine... His research has uncovered how to modify a crucial protein in the virus.

Harrich himself notes that his research is not an HIV cure. "You would still be infected with HIV," he said, according to the Queensland Institute's statement. "But the virus would stay latent, it wouldn't wake up, so it wouldn't develop into AIDS. With a treatment like this, you would maintain a healthy immune system."

Harrich, who has been studying the virus since 1989, told the Times that his breakthrough came at a critical point in his research, as his funding was about to run out.

"I had my PhD student try one more experiment in late 2007. The experiment was to test if Nullbasic could render HIV non-infectious," Harrich said. (Harrich uses the term "Nullbasic" to refer to the proteins that allow HIV to mutate.) "The student came back and said it worked, so I told him to do it again and again and again. It works every time.”

Speaking with Australian media network ABC News, Harrich said he considers his discovery "fighting fire with fire."

"What we've actually done is taken a normal virus protein that the virus needs to grow, and we've changed this protein, so that instead of assisting the virus, it actually impedes virus replication and does it quite strongly," he told ABC.

Further testing needs to be done, of course, and Harrich said trials on animals will begin this year. If successful, Harrich's one treatment could replace more traditional, multiple drug therapies. Harrich remarked to ABC that these advances could give HIV patients a way "to go on and live happy and productive lives with as little intrusion as possible."

Harrich's paper is published in the current issue of Human Gene Therapy.

The official announcement of his advancement came just days ahead of a similar potential breakthrough heralded by researchers at Stanford University.

The Stanford discovery was published in Molecular Therapy on Tuesday and is related to the creation of HIV-resistant T-cells. According to a Stanford press release, the research "describes the use of a kind of molecular scissors to cut and paste a series of HIV-resistant genes into T-cells." The release went on to describe how the group achieved its results: "By inactivating a receptor gene and inserting additional anti-HIV genes, the virus was blocked from entering the cells, thus preventing it from destroying the immune system."

High schoolers give up Homecoming crown for a student with neurological disorder

It's rare that I get the opportunity to report on some positive stories. So, I'm going to take this one because there are a lot of people that can learn a thing or two about humility from these young men. Yahoo! News has the story:

Three Tennessee homecoming king nominees made a unanimous and touching decision that no matter who won, they would give the crown to a beloved student with a genetic condition.

Students Jesse Cooper, Drew Gibbs and Zeke Grissom were all nominated for homecoming king at Community High School's basketball homecoming ceremony.

The teens got together and decided that the winner would turn over the honor to junior Scotty Maloney, who has Williams Syndrome, a neurological disorder that inhibits learning and speech.

"I've been blessed with so many things," Cooper told ABC News' Nashville affiliate WKRN-TV. "I just wanted Scotty to experience something great in his high school days."

"He's always happy, so he deserves some recognition for who he is," Gibbs said.

Cooper won the popular vote for king, but when the official announcement was made at a Friday ceremony, the principal told the crowd what the nominees had decided to do.

"When they called [Scotty's] name, his eyes got really big and I don't know that he registered exactly what was happening. He knew something was," Maloney's teacher Liz Hestle Gassaway told ABCNews.com. "It was very, very emotional."

The crowd erupted with cheers and Maloney got a long standing ovation, WKRN reported, as he was awarded his "King" medal.

"It was just a ton of emotion from everybody," Grissom told WKRN. "I think I saw Scotty shed a few tears. I know Jesse was pretty emotional. We were all emotional out there on the court."

Maloney is a beloved teen in his school and in the community, Gassaway said.

"Scotty is fabulous. He is a superstar. He knows everybody. There's not one person that Scotty does not know," she said. "To know him and meet him is to love him."

Gassaway believes that the nearly 500-student school in Unionville, Tenn., is "one of the best schools in the world when it comes to dealing with special needs children."

Students like Cooper help out in special needs gym classes and other activities. Gassaway said the boys' gesture toward Maloney sent a greater message.

"We want people to have more empathy towards people, not be scared of people with disabilities," she said. "We want them to embrace them, more like the boys did."

Next year Maloney will get to crown the school's new homecoming king. But for now, he is proudly sporting his medal everywhere he goes.

"He's been wearing his medal around," Gassaway said with a laugh. "He is not here today because he had a doctor's appointment, but I'm sure he has his medal on."

Houston mother accussed of beating her son out of jealousy

As if you needed more evidence that there needs to be a committee to decide who should be able to procreate, here's a case of a mother in Houston who allegedly had been abusing her toddler because the father loved the child but not her. Hip Hop Wired reports:

A mom from Houston is being accused of hurting her son, because she was jealous of his relationship with his father.

Lessielee Ann King was arrested Tuesday (Jan. 22) on suspected child abuse after the child's father got home from work, and saw bite marks on his cheeks.

King attests that she was merely sucking and chewing on her 1-year-old son's cheeks but didn't mean to bite him. However, the child's father had an audio recording of King saying that she thought he only loved the child and not her.

From KHOU:

The baby's father told investigators with the Humble Police Department that he grew concerned after finding various unexplained bruises on his little boy's body. The father said the bruises only surfaced when King was alone with him, so that made him suspicious.

The father said on September 18, 2012, there were no bruises on his son when he put the baby to bed. But when he arrived home from work the next morning, he discovered a bite mark on the baby's right cheek.

That wasn't the first time the child sustained such injuries, the father said.

Scared to leave his son alone with King, the child's father had a friend move in with the family to help prove his suspicions. The friend allegedly saw the mother slap the toddler “too hard” on the face, arms, and legs.

The boy's paternal grandmother told authorities that she saw bruises on the child's thigh, and learned that King was beating him with a hard-soled sandal. The grandmother never reported the incident.

According to family members of the boy's father, King has issues with anger management.

King was booked into Harris County jail, and charged with “Injury To A Child Under 15 Years Old, Bodily Injury.” She is being held on $5,000 bail.

Lone Star College Shooting

A week after Barack Obama's proposed gun restrictions, another shooting has broken out in an educational institution. This time at a Texas college. Hip Hop Wired reports:

(January 22) Yesterday, a shooting at a Houston area college took place that sent three individuals to area hospitals for treatment. 

Local NBC television affiliate KPRC reports that gunshots rang out at the Lone Star College in northern Harris County around 12:30 p.m. central time. Although reports by various news outlets reported serious injuries from the three persons wounded, no official report from both Ben Taub Hospital and Memorial Hermann Hospital has been officially released. Police say a person of interest has been placed in custody, as a search for another suspect is well underway.

Reginald Neal, an uncle of 24-year-old shooting victim Jody Neal, told KPRC that his nephew was shot three times. "All I know he got shot three times. That's all I know," Reginald Neal said to KPRC. "He got shot in one of his arms, in the stomach and the leg." The victim's sister Stacy Neal added, “He was sitting in the study room. There [were] three people on the computer and a guy walked up the stairs and opened fire on him. They said it was just one guy that came in with a gun.”

Lone Star College tweeted earlier today that the shooting took place between two individuals, stating that the incident has “been mitigated” and that authorities had taken control of the situation. The school has been evacuated and closed for the day.

Police are currently on the lookout for a Black male aged 18-to-20 wearing a red shirt and Atlanta Falcons baseball cap who fled to a nearby neighborhood.

Manti Te'o admits he lied after finding out his girlfriend didn't exist

Maybe now that Manti Te'o has told his side of the story and even the woman who's pictures were used to create the identity of his online girlfriend has broken her silence, we can start putting this whole story behind us. So, hopefully next week, no one will care about this. Hip Hop Wired reports:

The star football player sat down for his first on-camera interview since news broke that his dead girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, never really existed.

During his sit-down with Katie Couric he admitted to keeping the story afloat even after finding out the truth. "Katie, put yourself in my situation," he said. "I, my whole world told me that she died on Sept. 12. Everybody knew that. This girl, who I committed myself to, died on Sept. 12.

"Now I get a phone call on Dec. 6, saying that she's alive and then I'm going be put on national TV two days later. And to ask me about the same question. You know, what would you do?"

Joined by both of his parents Te'o's father blasted claims that his son failed to reveal the hoax for "personal gain," maintaining that he's a good person. "People can speculate about what they think he is. I've known him 21 years of his life. And he's not a liar. He's a kid."

In related news, Diane O'Meara, the woman whose image was used as Kekua, also broke her silence, appearing on NBC's TODAY show this morning. O'Meara went to high school with Ronaiah Tuiasosopo –the man implicated in the online scheme—and had her pictures stolen without her knowledge.

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Russell Simmons and Rev Run may be getting sued by business partner

This could easily be a misunderstanding, but in business there's always going to be some kind of shady business dealings when money is on the line. Rasheed Young, a business partner in Run Athletics, may be suing the Simmons brothers. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Russell Simmons and Rev Run are in fear of being sued by their business partner who claims to have been stiffed out of millions.

Run Athletics president, Rasheed Young, had his lawyer send a letter to the brothers last fall, accusing them of hiding the money, which he is potentially owed.
TMZ reports:

Russell Simmons' and Reverend Run's business partner has declared war on the hip hop moguls -- claiming they've hijacked MILLIONS in profits from their kids shoe company ... and now, he's gearing up to sue.

Lawyers for Rasheed Young -- President of Run Athletics -- sent Russell and Rev. Run a letter back in November, accusing the brothers of secretly funneling millions in revenue from their Pastry brand of footwear ... into a company that Rasheed isn't a part of.

Rasheed claims Pastry has raked in tens of millions in sales -- and so far, he hasn't seen a penny of it.

Wallace was reportedly left with no choice but to take further action after his letter was met with no response. He has promised to sue if the duo doesn't pay up.

Provided that his story is factual, Young stands to get millions, as Run Athletics Pastry shoe line has been very successful. Back in 2007 the line, started by Rev Run's daughters, Vanessa and Angela, had $15 million in profits for the year. The line is estimated to be worth $50 million today.

***UPDATE***

Russell Simmons took time to speak with someone from TMZ, and adamantly denied the charge that he cheated Rasheed Young out of millions. Hip Hop Wired reports:

According to Simmons he never cheated Young--who is the president of his shoes company, Run Athletics-- out of million in profits. Young asserts that Pastry, one of the company's brands geared towards a female demographic, raked in tons of money, of which he is owed.

Speaking to TMZ, Simmons denied all allegations. "[Rasheed] Worked for me. I fought to keep his job and I'm sorry he's disgruntled but that's what's happens. Anyone can say anything if a celebrity's name's attached to it. There's nothing I can do about it. It's false. We never stole any money from anybody."

Peep the video:

A police brutality victim's death ruled a homicide a year later

It shouldn't have taken a year for this to happen, but I glad to see justice may finally prevail in the case of Darrin Hanna. Hip Hop Wired reports:

The death of a Chicago man at the hands of police officers has been re-classified as a homicide. Police officers restrained, beat, and zapped 45-year-old Darrin “Dagwood” Hanna's with a Taser back in November of 2011.

His death was originally ruled “undetermined” but Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd made the adjustment to Hanna's paperwork, after taking over the position from former Coroner Artis Yancey.

Yancey listed “physical trauma and restraint” as the cause of death, but that Hanna's demise was brought on by drug use, poor kidneys, and high blood pressure.

The case caused outrage in the area given the clear signs of police brutality.  Authorities beat Hanna in response to a domestic violence call.  He sustained punches to the head before being shocked with the Taser.

One of the officers involved, Brandon Yost, was fired last spring, while another officer, Arthur Strong was suspended for 30 days without pay.

Both men were on the force for more than five years when the disciplinary action was handed down. However, the four other officers involved were allowed to return to their duties.

Rev. Jesse Jackson joined in the fight for Hanna, calling for all six cops to be fired and face criminal charges. “They should be fired,” Jackson said. “The city should be sued.”

In spite of mounting evidence leading to an opposite conclusion, Yancey determined that homicide was not the proper ruling, but as Rudd took over the position, he saw clear signs to the contrary. “Homicide occurs when a person's death results from a volitional act committed by another person to cause fear, harm, or death,” he said in a statement. “Intent to cause death is a common element, but is not required for classification as a homicide. It must be emphasized that the classification of homicide for the purposes of death investigation is a neutral term and neither indicates nor implies criminal intent, which remains within the province of legal processes.”

Nearly two years later, the family is finding some form of peace in the loss of Hanna. “I'm glad to see the wheels of justice turning,” noted Ralph Peterson, Hanna's cousin. “We're overwhelmed because we've been saying it was homicide since 2011. Here it is 2013 and they're just now realizing it.”
Hanna lived for a week in the hospital, after the attack. He died on Nov. 13, 2011.

5 people shot at the MLK day parade in New Orleans

Seeing as how I experienced a array of coonery at an MLK day celebration, I'm not at all surprised by this. But, 5 people were shot during a parade in New Orleans. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Dr. King's message of non-violence clearly wasn't felt by all.

Five people were shot just after a parade in New Orleans celebrating the civil rights leader's legacy,this afternoon.

Officials revealed that the injuries sustained by the victims were not life-threatening, and happened at the intersection of La Salle Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

According to Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas a group of six teenage boys, or possibly young adults, were standing outside of a grocery store when a white sedan rolled up. Shots were fired from inside the vehicle, which is believed to be a Nissan or a Pontiac.

The shooting took place at around 1 p.m, 30 minutes after the celebration.

"It's the state of affairs in our nation that young men do not heed the words of Martin Luther King Jr.," Serpes, who was one of the responding officers on the scene, said. Serpess went on to state the the car sped off in the direction of the Mississippi River.

As it stands, the attack was not believed to be related to the MLK Day celebration.

Among Dr. King's many ideals, was the concept of non-violence, and refusing to resort to physical attacks as a defense for, or in retaliation of , wrongdoing. "The choice is not between violence or non-violence but between nonviolence and nonexistence," he was once quoted as saying.

5 accidental shootings during "Gun Appreciation Day"

Well, if this isn't going to make this weeks "You Brought This On Yourself", I don't know what is. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Gun Appreciation Day" could've gone off without a hitch, but that wasn't the case. Instead of attempting to show that guns can be used as a safety precaution, five people were shot in three separate incidents, proving the exact opposite theory.

The shootings occurred in North Carolina, Ohio and Indiana, and most of the victims were shot at gun shows.
 
A 12-gauge shotgun discharged hitting three people when the owner unzipped its case at the Dixie Gun Show in Raleigh, N.C. The owner, Gary Lynn Wilson, brought the weapon to the show in hopes of finding a private buyer.
 
Two of the victims were taken to a local hospital, while the third—who happened to be a retired sheriff deputy—walked away with a minor hand injury.
 
Wilson, 36, is in fear of being charged for the incident even though it was accidental.
 
Meanwhile, in Ohio, a gun dealer was looking over a semiautomatic handgun that he purchased the same day, and mistakenly pulled the trigger hitting his friend. Although the gun's magazine was removed, one round remained in the chamber.
 
The victim was airlifted to a Cleveland hospital.
 
According to Police Chief Pat Berarducci, the bullet from the gun ricocheted off the floor striking the victim in the arm and leg.
 
Over in Indianapolis, 54-year-old Emory L. Cozee accidentally shot himself in the hand while loading his .45 caliber semi-automatic weapon, as he was leaving the indy 500 Gun and Knight show.
 
Cozee learned the hard way why loaded weapons are not allowed in the show, and was hospitalized. He will not face any charges for the act.
 
What turned out to be a day showing "appreciation" for citizens' ability to exercise their Second Amendment right to bear arms also fell on a day where more than a dozen people were injured or killed in shootings. As pointed out by Gawker.com, pretty much all across the nation victims were shot on Saturday, including a 5-year-old boy in Florida who was shot by a 7-year-old boy who found a gun in his 22-year-old relative's room.
 
Earlier in the month, pro-gun advocate Larry Ward appeared on CNN to promote "Gun Appreciation Day." During the segment he explained that Black people would have never been slaves, had they had access to firearms.

Wife of Wes Welker blasts Ray Lewis after Patriots loss

Sometimes public figures need to be sure to tell some of the people closest to them to keep their unsolicited opinions to themselves. Not because they don't have the right to express them, but because they may unintentionally bring some unwanted attention you their brand. Advise wide receiver Wes Welker could've use a little sooner. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Not everybody is happy future NFL Hall Of Famer, Ray Lewis, is getting his final game in the Super Bowl. You can start right across the field of his opponents last night.
 
The hate wasn't coming from an actual opposing player, which would be understandable, it is coming from an opposing player's wife. New England Patriots Pro Bowl wide receiver, Wes Welker, played a good game last night despite dropping a big pass that would've turned the game. His wife, Anna Burns Welker,  took to Facebook after his playoff run ended to congratulate him on a great season but to toss some dirt on Ray's name.  "Proud of my husband and the Pats,” Burns Welker wrote. “By the way, if anyone is bored, please go to Ray Lewis' Wikipedia page. 6 kids, 4 wives. Acquitted for murder. Paid a family off. Yay. What a hall of fame player! A true role model!"
 
Lewis announced prior to the playoffs that this upcoming playoff run would be his last. The linebacker, was on trial for murder in 2000, took a plea deal and was found guilty of Obstruction of Justice. The following year, he took his Ravens to their first and only Super Bowl victory as the game's MVP.
 
Lewis will get a chance to finish his career in a similar fashion while Welker will wonder if he is still a Patriot after the season as his contract is up. #SucksToBeAPatsFan.

Patriots player home was robbed while during AFC Championship defeat

Now if this was a regular person, this story wouldn't be news. People get their homes robbed all the time when they're at work. But, when you're a pro football player and your house gets robbed while you're playing in the AFC Championship game, yeah that's worthy of being reported on. Hip Hop Wired reports:

New England Patriots safety, Derrick Martin, was on the losing end of the AFC Championship game this past weekend as his team went down to Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens. Shortly after having his season end, he learned that his Colorado home was robbed.

According to Deadspin, two masked men, armed with guns, broke into Martin's Aurora, Colo., house around just as the AFC Championship game was wrapping up. One adult and several children were home at the time, though no shots were fired and no one was hurt. The robbers got away with "numerous items of value."

Martin has been on the past two Super Bowl winning teams as a member of the New York Giants last year and the Green Bay Packers the year prior. While the robbers might have known that the football player would be out of town, police in Aurora, Colorado say that "there was nothing said during the robbery that would indicate that."

Falcons fan stabbed after 49ers victory

Man sometimes I think people take their sports team affiliations too seriously. Its like being in a gang these days. A Falcons fan was stabbed as he was leaving the Superdom on Sunday. Hip Hop Wired reports:

The NFC Championship game turned violent when a fight resulted in an Atlanta Falcons fan being stabbed as a crowd left the Georgia Super Dome, Sunday (Jan. 20).

According to witnesses, the victim was stabbed in the neck after punching a San Francisco 49ers fan, who in turn pulled out a knife. 

Neither party has been identified but the injured party was transported to a local hospital. The condition of the victim is not yet known.

Today's game resulted in a 28-24 Falcons defeat, sending the 49ers to the Super Bowl for the first time in more than 15 years. They will face off against the Baltimore Ravens who beat the New England Patriots to win the AFC Championship, 28-13.

Instances of violence among overly emotional sports fans is nothing new. In August of 2011, a San Francisco Giants fan was brutally beaten at a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Bryan Stow was left with "evidence of brain injury and dysfunction" after he was attacked. The then 42-year-old of Santa Cruz, Calif. suffered a severe skull fracture and bruising to his frontal lobe. He was placed in a coma, and had the entire left side of his brain removed in order to relieve pressure off his brain.

Shawty Lo arrested over child support payments

Shawty Lo's life over the past few months in regards to that clan he calls his family. First Oxygen decided to cancel his reality show, All My Babies Mamas. Now he has been arrested over child support payments. Hip Hop Wired reports:

The Atlanta rapper was arrested on Friday, January 18, reportedly for failure to pay child support.

DJ Smallz posted a photo of Shawty Lo in cuffs while he was being arrested. It appears that the "Dey Know" rapper was detained after taping an episode of CNN's Showbiz Tonight to discuss his on again, off again All My Babies' Mamas reality show (he is wearing the same clothing on the program that he has on while being arrested).

The G-Unit affiliated rapper has been in the press lately because of the controversial, to say the least, All My Babies' Mamas. Although initially scheduled to appear on Oxygen, the network backtracked after all the controversy surrounding its glorification of a poor lifestyle and stereotypical content that features the artist's 11 children and 10 baby mothers.

Nevertheless, Shawty Lo started a petition to bring back the show and recently told TMZ that he has suitors from other networks that will bring the program to a television near you. "There are offers on the table," he said, before adding, "I take pride in having been actively present in all my children's lives -- and I understand my family doesn't represent the typical American family, but it's my family and it works for us."
Word.

However, Shawty previously asking, "Would you rather see 11 children struggle with mothers on welfare?," in his aforementioned petition probably doesn't sit right with tax payers. Also, showcasing wads of cash, eating King Crab dinners and flossing a Rolex watch on Instagram (see the photos below), is a bad look if it's true that's he behind on child support payments. However, he does share a photo of him playing Monopoly with his daughters and plenty of family pics on the 'Gram, though.

Shawty Lo was released on bond the next day and went straight to Instagram to talk ish. "Wat dey thought!!! Dey den get a chance 2do da paper work!!! #CashBond we fina go turn da city up@stuntman_2610," was the caption of a pic he posted shortly after his release.

Robert Chew from The Wire passes away in his sleep

One of the former members of the critically acclaimed series The Wire has passed away over the weekend. As a fan of the show, I definitely wasn't expecting this. Hip Hop Wired reports:

It's a sad day for fans of HBO series The Wire. Actor Robert F. Chew, best known for playing character "Proposition" Joe Stewart in the critically acclaimed television series, has died.

Yesterday, January 18, 2013, the actor was found dead in his Baltimore apartment yesterday. TMZ reports:

According to the coroner in Baltimore, Chew died of cardiovascular disease. "Morbid obesity" was listed as a contributing factor.

Chew had very little acting experience before "The Wire" or after. He was on the cult HBO show -- which took place in Baltimore -- for five seasons.

Jamie Hector, who played Marlo on the show, tweeted this afternoon, "I didn't want to believe this #RIP Robert F Chew, Prop Joe will always be remembered Robert Chew will always be loved and missed!"

According to the Baltimore Sun, Chew was 52 years-old and died in his sleep. The actor worked with the  Baltimore's Arena Players an organization that mentored child and teenaged actors throughout the Baltimore area. The Wire's creator, David Simon, sent a letter to the Sun praising Chew.

"The Wire cast was an embarrassment of riches and it was easy, I think, for outsiders to overlook some of those who were so essential as supporting players," wrote Simon. " Robert's depiction of Proposition Joe was so fixed and complete -- from the very earliest scenes -- that the writers took for granted that anything we sent him would be finely executed.”

We won't spoil what happened to "Prop Joe" on The Wire, but at this point you really need to stop snoozing if you're not familiar.

In late 2012, Donnie Andrews, the man who inspired the popular The Wire character Omar Little, passed away. Rest In Power Robert F. Chew.

Lupe Fiasco ushered off stage after refusing to end "Words I Never Said"

Whoever thought it was going to be a good idea to invite Lupe Fiasco to this event obviously hasn't been paying attention to Lupe for the past couple of years. Lupe had to be escorted off stage because of his 30-minute rendition of "Words I Never Said".  The Washington Post reports:

Rapper Lupe Fiasco was escorted off stage by security during a performance at StartUp RockOn’s inauguration celebration Sunday night.

Even at an event celebrating President Obama’s second term, Lupe didn’t hesitate to criticize the president, announcing that he did not vote for him. Thirty minutes into the anti-war song, Lupe was approached by guards and taken off stage.

According to Foreign Policy’s Josh Rogin, Fiasco was told to move on to the next song and refused.
Organizers say the Chicago rapper’s political views had nothing to do with the decision.

“Lupe Fiasco performed at this private event, and as you may have read, he left the stage earlier than we had planned,” StartUp RockOn said in a statement. “But Lupe Fiasco was not ‘kicked off stage’ for an ‘anti-Obama rant.’ We are staunch supporters of free speech, and free political speech. This was not about his opinions. Instead, after a bizarrely repetitive, jarring performance that left the crowd vocally dissatisfied, organizers decided to move on to the next act.”

Peep the video:

Chief Keef being sued for child support from a girl in middle school

I generally try to stay away from stories involving teen rapper, Chief Keef, because they tend to be a bunch of foolishness that I simply don't care about. But, this story is interesting because of the age of the young girl involved in this case. But, Keef is apparently being sued for child support from a middle school aged girl? Allhiphop.com reports:

Rapper Chief Keef is being sued by a 15-year-old girl, who claims he impregnated her.

The teen filed a lawsuit against Chief Keef for child support, medical expenses and insurance.

According to reports, Chief Keef was 15 years old when the girl became pregnant with his daughter.

While no charges are expected to be filed against the rapper, it is illegal for two people under the age of 17 to have sex in Illinois.

When it does happen, the older person involved is usually charged with a misdemeanor for “criminal sexual abuse.”

The news comes amidst a lawsuit against Chief Keef, born Keith Cozart, for missing a show in London on December 29.

The rapper is currently serving a 60 day jail stint for violating the terms of his probation.

Chicago teen gunned down last week after a basketball game

The gun violence in Chicago seems to be raging on. I wonder what it's going to take to put an end to the senseless violence plaguing our youth. Hip Hop Wired reports:

A Chicago teen was shot and killed after his school lost a contentious basketball game Wednesday (Jan. 16). Tyrone Lawson's mother dropped him off at Chicago State University, for the game, and would never see him alive again.

Lawson was shot as he was running away from a scuffle that erupted, and made its way to the school's gymnasium floor. “Instead of looking forward to prom, I'm looking for an insurance policy to bury him,” she told the Chicago Tribune.

“It hurts so bad,” his 70-year-old grandmother, Barbara VanHughs, added. “My baby.”

The game between Morgan Park High School and Simeon Career Academy ended with an altercation between the teams, while they were lining up to shake hands. Players were separated by security and their coaches before being taken to different locker rooms.

Simeon coach, Robert Smith, didn't believe that Lawson's death was a direct result of the fight. “It's not a game where we don't like each other,” he explained. “That's not it. We're just competitive and want to win. We're saddened about what happened after the game. We don't think the game had any effect on what happened outside. We think it's an isolated incident, what happened outside. I don't want people to put the two together.”

Nick Irvin, coach for Morgan Park, shared in Simeon's sentiments. “We're trying to have a good clean game,” he said. “It's a game where a lot of emotions go into it. We don't ever want to see a kid get hurt or die. We just need to stop the violence in Chicago.”

The two students involved in the incident were suspended from their team's next regular game.

According to his mom, Lawson sent her a text earlier in the day asking if he could go to the game. Before dropping him off she gave him $17—$10 to get into the game, plus $7 to spend—and told him to “Be careful.”

Lawson was shot twice in the back as he ran away, and died from multiple gunshot wounds.

He is one of many teens who have been gunned down in the city, which had more than 500 homicides in 2012.