Jockstrip: The world as we know it

• Tweet

Lawyer allegedly ran client's N.Y. brothel

NEW YORK, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- A New York lawyer allegedly took over running a brothel specializing in $1,000 escorts after his pimp client was arrested.

The New York Daily News reports Paul Bergrin was paid as much as $80,000 in cash and all the $1,000-an-hour hookers he could handle for running NY Confidential between January and March 2005 -- reputed to be the priciest cat house in New York.

Bergrin's client is facing 1 1/2 to three years for money laundering and attempted promoting prostitution.

Bergrin, a former New Jersey prosecutor, could be sentenced to 25 years in prison for money laundering, promoting prostitution and conspiracy, the newspaper said.

300-year-old bomb found at Oslo fortress

OSLO, Norway, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- An unexploded bomb believed to be around 300 years old has been found under the Old Riding House at the Akershus Fortress in Oslo, Norway.

Experts say the bomb could date from military exercises carried out by King Christian IV of Denmark in the 17th century, or a siege by King Karl XII of Sweden in 1716, Aftenposten reported. Norway was part of Denmark until the early 19th century and was then joined to Sweden until it gained independence in 1907.

"This is an extremely rare and very interesting find," said Britt-Alise Hjelmeland, who is in charge of antiquarian maintenance at Akershus.

Hjelmeland said melting at the sides of the 1-inch powder hole suggests the bomb had been fired.

The bomb was found about 3 feet under the floor of the Old Riding School, which was built in 1828 near the former artillery workshop. Harold Moberg, the fortress' curator, said he believes it was test-fired.

"The bomb can have lain unused, gotten mixed up in road material and been forgotten," Moberg said. "If it had been fired in attack it would probably have been destroyed."

Wanted: Descendents of last Saxon king

BATTLE, England, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- English Heritage, which maintains historic sites, has launched a search for descendents of Harold Godwinson, the last Saxon king of England.

King Harold lost the Battle of Hastings in 1066 to Duke William of Normandy, who became King William I of England -- or William the Conqueror.

Simon Judges, who is leading the quest for Harold's descendents for English Heritage, says if any exist they are likely to be living in Sweden, the Swedish news agency The Local reports. Harold, like many in England in that era, had close ties by blood and marriage to Scandinavia.

The organization does not plan to put up a rival to Queen Elizabeth II -- a remote descendent of William I.

"This is a 'what if' scenario. We're not into sedition or treason or anything," he said. "There were many challenges to the throne at the time. In a sense, it was more democratic."

In fact, three weeks before Hastings, Harold defeated King Harold Hardrada of Norway, who was also seeking the English throne, at the Battle of Stamford Bridge.

Any descendents of Harold who are identified could become part of an exhibit at a new visitor center on the Hastings battlefield.

Bread crumbs lead N.C. police to vandals

ASHEVILLE, N.C., Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Hansel and Gretel they weren't, but a pair of North Carolina men were busted at the end of their trail of cake crumbs.

The Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times reports Zachary Hughes, 24, and Shawn Bubacz, 34, were arrested for allegedly breaking the glass door of the police department and smearing cake on the building. Police said they found the lid to a cake box a few blocks away and learned the suspects had taken a cake following a birthday party at a restaurant.

Detective Aimee Sumner told the newspaper the suspects "had cake icing on them that matched the icing on the door here at the police department" when they were arrested.

Hughes faces charges of possession of stolen goods and property, misdemeanor larceny, injury to real property, misdemeanor conspiracy and misdemeanor attempted breaking and entering. Bubacz is charged with misdemeanor conspiracy and attempted breaking and entering.