You see that Homer Simpson Chia Pet your uncle bought you six years ago so he could feel ‘hip’ and ‘in-tune with popular culture that’s sitting there forlorn on your kitchen ledge? You should have been eating it.

A new study has turned the Chia Pet, usually just a ‘good for one anecdote at a house party’ novelty, into something that can make you healthy. So crack open that noggin and scoop out some seeds because it’s time to act like those natives from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

The next superfood though is a name you might know: Chia seeds. The very same seeds that you spread over your kitchen pet are now valued as a superfood. It’s filled with fiber, potassium and antioxidants, and it’s good for athletes of endurance sports because it holds water well.

In the book “Born To Run”, author Christopher McDougall tells the story of the mysterious Tarahumara running tribe in Mexico. Their drink of choice is what McDougall describes as a “home brewed Red Bull.” It’s called chia fresca and the ingredients are chia seeds in water mixed with sugar and lime. -CSNBC

A Tarahumara running tribe eats these, eh? Well if they were so intelligent why didn’t they think of building houses? Then they wouldn’t need to resort to finding energy boosting substances so they can continue running and we’d never have to start cannibalizing our precious little Tweety Bird Chia Pets. It’s a vicious cycle, people.

The Chia Pet people have also learned that they’re sitting on a healthy food goldmine as they’ve created the Chia Herb Garden, where you take a little something from your plant and sprinkle it on your salad to enhance it with some chia seeds and, presumably, some ladybugs.

I don’t know how these sorts of rumors get started, but the idea is floating around out there that Miami will make a play to re-sign Dwyane Wade and acquire Wade’s fellow free agents Chris Bosh and that one guy that quit in the playoffs last year. I don’t really buy it, and neither does Chris Bosh.

“I don’t see it happening,” Bosh told us this past weekend of the idea of the three playing together on the Heat.
“I don’t even know how it would work. It sounds pie in the sky. Riley is known as a guy who is like a mastermind-type genius. He’s probably having a vision one day. But who knows? I don’t see it happening.” –Miami Herald.

I know exactly how it would work–you’d play each game with three basketballs. It’s the only way that every guy would get his shots. With Paul Pierce and Dirk Nowitzki opting out of their deals to get sweet free agency moolah, the plots are thickening with the payrolls. Also, somebody asked Tiger Woods where he thought LeBron would sign, which seems like a stupid question to ask him. I’d want to ask him, “Hey Tiger, see that busty, moderately-attractive brunette in the corner? Would you pay $500 million to have sex with her?” Oh, wait. He already answered that.

Send us links at WithLeather-Tips@Uproxx.com and follow WL on Twitter.

• One of those Russian spies that got arrested is not terrible-looking. What will become of our great nation if we incarcerate all of our hot imported women?
  The Smoking Gun.
• How special is your beer? According to this taste test with generic beer brands, probably not much.
  Consumerist.
• ESPN is really busting their budget to cover this NBA free agency.
  Tirico Suave.
• We spoke to four-time Stanley Cup champ Darren McCarty last night. We were idiots. He couldn’t have been a nicer guy.
  House Of PUNTE [audio].
• The people at Kit Kat capitalized on that marathon match at Wimbledon. Now if they could only make a chocolate bar that didn’t taste like Polish army rations.
  Copyranter.
• Twilight has ruined a lot more than just vampires.
  Uproxx.
• That’s a big-assed fish.
  Urlesque.
• More Miranda Kerr: it’s her new Victoria’s Secret photo shoot.
  Next Round.
• The greatest fat guys of pro wrestling.
  The Wrestling Blog.
• Interesting take on America’s war on drugs. You have to watch the video so you can see what’s in it…
  ScienceInDrugPolicy

After a recently proposed 75,000-seat stadium was approved by state legislature to be built in the City of Industry, environmental groups in California are protesting another proposed NFL stadium that would be constructed right next to the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Both stadiums, however, will provide a great boost for the local economy as scores of fans will flock to watch all zero professional football teams in LA.

The City of Industry stadium was approved after lawmakers waived certain environmental obligations for the builders, causing major concerns that the same would happen for the downtown LA stadium. These groups have sent a letter to the same lawmakers, demanding that they investigate the stadium’s impact on traffic, noise and air pollution, to which the lawmakers responded, “Any of you ever been to Los Angeles before?”

Put a daisy in my rifle, LA Times:

Read the rest of this entry »

I’d like to say that I understand the passion soccer fans have, but this is just unbelievable. 28 year old Hector Castro was arrested in McAllen, Texas this week for murdering his 2 year old stepdaughter. Why would he do such a thing? She kept crying during the US-Ghana match. I don’t blame her for crying. I would too if I had a psychotic stepdad.

Police say Hector Castro, 28, called firefighters to his apartment because the girl swallowed a screw. But police say the screw was jammed down the throat of the girl to make the death look like an accident, and that she died because she was beaten and suffocated.

“There are no words for this,” McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez told the Monitor. “It makes you want to think about doing lots of things to this guy, but he will face the criminal justice system just like everybody else.” –USAToday

Without question, the most morbid use of the sentence “she swallowed it and choked” I could possibly imagine. However, Castro is certainly a criminal mastermind. As if the coroner wouldn’t notice the massive, fist sized bruises all over her body. Apparently, he’s an illegal immigrant so after he’s done torturing children, he can take care of your lawn for 5 dollars an hour.

Cedric Benson has had an odd career in the NFL so far, to say the least. The Chicago Bears took him with the number 4 pick in the 2005 draft, and in return they got 1593 yards and 10 touchdowns in 3 seasons. Compare that to his performance in Cincinnati last season, where Benson ran for 1251 yards and 6 touchdowns. Whatever performances Cedric has had on the field have been overshadowed by his ability to drink off it. Benson has shown his love of the sauce throughout his career, including an arrest in 2008 for boating under the influence, and another arrest that year for DUI. Benson’s boozing has got him another bind, as he was arrested earlier today for assault in Austin, Texas.

But that doesn’t mean it came without any incidents.

Bengals running back Cedric Benson has been arrested in Austin, Texas for an assault that allegedly occurred on May 30, according to Tom Plohetski of Statesman.com. He allegedly punched a bar employee in the face at Annie’s West.

Benson faces charges of assault with injury. He has posted bail. –PFT

You can’t get wasted and beat someone up in Texas? Texas authorities should probably clarify their stance on the position, because Vince Young was confused, too. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the incident occurred quite some time ago, and Benson “forgot” to report it to the NFL. Roger Goodell may have to send him to bed, without dessert. Read the rest of this entry »