We've noticed a recent uptick of YouTube street fight videos landing in the Gothamist tips inbox (tips@gothamist.com, y'all!), and after spotting yet another street fight video on NYC the Blog, we had to wonder: Are there more street fight videos surfacing this month than usual? Is the record-breaking heat making the natives more brawl-prone? Based on an a highly unscientific analysis of fights uploaded to YouTube since April, we must conclude in the affirmative. more ›

If prosecutors are accusing you of being a horrible son and swindling your mother's fortune by forging her signature in a will, what do you do on Mother's Day: Do you stay home and rest up your 84-year-old body for the trial or do you head to your mother's grave to pay your respects? The NY Post went to the home of Anthony Marshall, son of legendary philanthropist Brooke Astor, and ultimately surmised that he "didn't visit his mom Brooke Astor's grave on Mother's Day yesterday because he was too busy taking orders from the woman who replaced her -- his accused money-grubbing wife." Charlene Marshall first said that Marshall wasn't there, only for Marshall to appear in his nightshirt "looking frail." His wife told him to leave, told the reporter that he had to rest (Marshall is on trial for grand larceny and conspiracy for the changes to his mother's will) and explained they couldn't answer any questions, per lawyer's orders. The Post reports that there were "no new flowers" on Astor's grave; previously the paper criticized the disrepair at the site. more ›

The incoming president of the Obesity Society has resigned amidst controversy surrounding his work on behalf of the restaurant industry. Last month Dr. David B. Allison (pictured), a professor of biostatistics and nutrition at the University of Alabama, drew fire from colleagues when he submitted an affidavit questioning the city’s new rules requiring chain restaurants to prominently display calorie information on their menus. more ›

The incoming president of the Obesity Society has filed a 33-page affidavit questioning the city’s new rules requiring chain restaurants to prominently display calorie information on their menus. Dr. David B. Allison (pictured), a professor of biostatistics and nutrition at the University of Alabama, cites a study indicating that dieters who get distracted by calorie information are more likely to overeat. And even if the daunting calorie details prompt diners to go for lower calorie items, they'll just end up overeating later because their healthier choice won't really satiate them. more ›