DOUCHE OF THE DAY: Ohio School Shooter Wears ‘Killer’ Shirt to Sentencing

Ohio school shooter T.J. Lane will spend the rest of his life in prison in the deaths of three students last year, a judge ruled Tuesday. Lane entered the courtroom wearing a button-down shirt, but took it off early in the hearing to reveal a white T-shirt with the word “killer” written on it. The attire was similar what he was wearing when arrested by police shortly after the killings. Given the opportunity to speak to the court, Lane made an obscene gesture at the victims’ families and spoke to them using explicit language, the station reported. He smiled and smirked during much of the hearing, WJW reported, laughing when the prosecutor described him as an “evil person.” Lane declined to allow his attorneys to present evidence on his behalf at the sentencing hearing before Geauga County Common Pleas Judge David L. Fuhry. Lane pleaded guilty last month to three counts of aggravated murder, two counts of attempted aggravated murder and weapons-related charges in the February 27, 2012, shooting at Chardon High School in northeastern Ohio. Awful, just pure awful. [ktla]

Lululemon Pulls Yoga Pants — Too Sheer

Lululemon Athletica will be hurt by a large recall of black yoga pants that were unintentionally see-through. “The ingredients, weight and longevity qualities of the pants remain the same, but the coverage does not, resulting in a level of sheerness in some of our women’s black Luon bottoms that falls short of our very high standards,” the company said in a statement late Monday. “We want you to Down Dog and Crow with confidence and we felt these pants didn’t measure up.” Lululemon said the recall, which amounts to 17% of all women’s pants sold in its stores, will cause shortages of this staple and have a significant impact on its financial results. Before the recall, the company said it was on track for an 11% increase in sales at stores open at least a year, with revenue in the first quarter expected to come in between $350 million and $355 million. Now it expects only a 5% to 8% sales gain, and revenue of between $333 million and $343 million. Oh well. [KTLA]

Ex-Elmo puppeteer faces new allegations of sex abuse, meth use

Todd Oren / Getty Images file

Kevin Clash, the ex-Elmo puppeteer who previously faced allegations of sex abuse, is once again at the center of a lawsuit. The man behind the iconic "Sesame Street" character is named in a sexual abuse lawsuit filed by Sheldon Stephens, who was the first individual to accuse Clash of abuse in 2012. Stephens claims in a new complaint filed Monday in Middle District Court of Pennsylvania that he and Clash met in 2004 through a social networking event for models and actors. According to a press release sent by Stephens' attorney Jeff Herman, the complaint includes accusations that Clash and Stephens began having sexual intercourse when Stephens was 16. It details an occasion when Stephens was still 16 and Clash hosted a "crystal meth sex party" at his apartment. The complaint also accuses Clash of doing meth at that party, giving the drugs to Stephens, and engaging in sexual contact with the then-teenager. Yikes.  Mr Clash continues to deny any wrongdoing, and we intend to defend this case forcefully. Clash resigned from Sesame Workshop in 2012. [NBC News]

California Experiment Could Open U.S. Market for Online Courses

A California proposal to use online courses to soften a higher-education funding crisis has the rest of the country watching for lessons in how to deal with the rapid expansion of high-tech learning. The experiment, floated by a Sacramento lawmaker last week, would allow the nearly half-million students on waiting lists at the state's public universities and colleges to take online courses instead. The bill has been touted as a way to release pressure on a system overwhelmed by a surge in enrollment and crippling budget cuts. But it could also open the door to free "massive open online courses" (known as MOOCs) developed by private, third-party vendors — a development that could spark massive changes in the the country's education system. Many other states are grappling with issues of limited money and higher enrollments — both of which are functions of the country's economic downturn — and are toying with ways to offer online courses, but none so much as California. They view the California proposal as an experiment that could help guide them, warily, into an uncertain future. [NBCLA]

Peter Murphy arrested for alleged DUI hit-and-run in Glendale

(Glendale Police Department / March 18, 2013)

Peter Murphy, lead singer of British Goth rock band Bauhaus, was arrested Saturday after he allegedly rear-ended a vehicle in Glendale, injured the driver and then fled to Los Angeles, where he was blocked by an eyewitness until police arrived, officials said. Murphy, who was in a Subaru Forester, reportedly struck a Mercedes about 11:48 a.m. at the intersection, then drove around it and got on the Freeway, police said. As he fled the scene, a witness who was washing windows, snapped a photograph of Murphy’s Subaru, which sustained moderate front-end damage. The driver of the Mercedes was also able to write down Murphy’s license plate number before Glendale fire personnel hauled her away on a gurney, police said. What a douche.  Meanwhile, the driver of a pickup truck reportedly followed Murphy to Los Angeles, where he pulled in front of him, blocked his Subaru and called Glendale police to tell them he was detaining Murphy. Inside the Los Angeles police patrol car where Murphy had been detained, officers reported finding a small plastic bag, possibly of methamphetamine, police said. Murphy denied the bag belonged to him, but officers said they believed he was trying to discard it in the patrol car. Get it together good sir. [Glendale News Press]

Danny Boyle Turns Down British Knighthood: "It's Just Not Me"

Danny Boyle will remain a man of the people. The British director of "Slumdog Millionaire" and "127 Hours" turned down a knighthood for his role staging the spectacular opening ceremonies at the 2012 London Olympics, he revealed in an interview. The reason is simple: He says his work as the production's artistic director couldn't have succeeded without the assistance of literally thousands of people, including the stunt performer who jumped out of a helicopter dressed as Queen Elizabeth. "It's just not me," the 56-year-old Boyle told the U.K.'s Radio Times (via The Huffington Post) "I also thought it was wrong, actually." [NBCLA]