Vick hit with 23-month prison sentence

Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison Monday for his role in a dogfighting conspiracy that involved gambling and killing pit bulls.
The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback could have been sentenced up to five years by District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Vick was dressed in a black-and-white striped prison suit and apologized to the court and his family.
Vick acknowledged he used "poor judgment" and added, "I'm willing to deal with the consequences and accept responsibility for my actions."

Vick pleaded guilty in August, admitting he bankrolled the "Bad Newz Kennels" dogfighting operation and helped kill six to eight dogs.
In a plea agreement, he admitted bankrolling the dogfighting ring on his 15-acre property in rural southeastern Virginia and helping kill pit bulls that did not perform well in test fights. He also admitted providing money for bets on the fights but said he never shared in any winnings.

Hulk Hogan-getting a divorce

The Associated Press reports Hulk Hogan said in a court filing that his wife, who has filed for divorce, can support herself and can help support their 17-year-old son Nick.
Hogan's petition, filed Wednesday under his real name, Terry Bollea, also said Nick is old enough to decide which parent he wants to live with.
Linda Bollea, who filed for divorce earlier this month after 24 years of marriage, is seeking an unspecified amount of alimony and child support.
She also wants her home to be Nick Bollea's primary residence, with Hogan allowed liberal visitation, her petition states.
Hogan, 54, wants the couple's assets and liabilities equitably distributed. The celebrity wrestler intends to continue covering the family with health insurance, his petition states. The couple also have a 19-year-old daughter, Brooke. With the kids grown, he feels it’s time to move on. The source also told The Enquirer: “they’re not hiding their problems from the cameras.
Hogan's attorney, Ann Loughridge Kerr, said Friday she had no comment on the filings.
Nick Bollea is facing charges of reckless driving involving serious bodily injury in connection with an Aug. 26 crash in downtown Clearwater that left a friend critically injured.
Despite that, the two are still together taping the fourth season of the reality show “Hogan Knows Best.” “The marriage is over. The show is the glue that’s keeping them together,” divulged a source. “It’s Hulk who wants out."

No Chinese made toys for children this Christmas

According to CC reports -Lead on toys was bad enough, but last week's recall of a toy tainted with a date rape drug threatens to turn into a lump of coal for toy retailers just as the key holiday selling season gets started.
The recall of Aqua Dots comes just as the industry was starting to see shoppers return to toy stores after summer's high-profile recalls of more than 21 million Chinese-made toys with high levels of lead or dangerous magnets.
Aqua Dots, distributed by Spin Master Ltd. in the U.S. but made in China, was on many retailers' hot toy lists, and there are very few substitutes, retail executives say.
Reports of children knocked unconscious after swallowing the tiny colorful beads set off a whole new level of worry among parents.
The good news for shoppers is that they're being bombarded with free shipping offers and fat discounts as rivals like Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Toys "R" Us try to out do each other and draw reticent consumers. Most of the discounting had been planned, but at least one toy retailer -- eToys.com -- added a free shipping offer after a disappointing October.
The beads were coated with a toxic chemical that metabolizes into gamma hydroxy butyrate or GHB -- the so-called date rape drug.
While many toy merchants say so far shoppers largely have not been rejecting Chinese-made toys -- which make up 80 percent of U.S. playthings -- they are being choosier.
Interactive showed that one-third of Americans say they will be buying fewer toys this holiday season due to safety concerns, and 45 percent said they will avoid buying toys made in China.