LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest wants to change his name to Metta World Peace.

Artest’s attorney filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday seeking the change. The 31-year-old NBA star was born Ronald William Artest Jr.

In the court documents, Artest cites personal reasons for wanting to make the change.

An Aug. 26 court date was set to consider the petition.

The petition filing was first reported by celebrity website TMZ.

Artest’s career has been filled with ups and downs. He helped the Lakers win the NBA championship a year ago and in April he received an award for outstanding service and dedication to the community.

Artest may be best known for triggering the most notorious brawl in NBA history when he jumped into the stands and attacked a fan while playing for the Indiana Pacers in November 2004. He was suspended for the rest of that season.

Artest wouldn’t be the first NBA player to make a change to an unusual name.

Lloyd Bernard Free, who played in the league from 1975-88, had his first name legally changed to World in 1981. A friend had given him the nickname because of his 44-inch vertical leaps and 360-degree dunks.

In the NFL, Cincinnati Bengals star Chad Johnson legally changed his last name to Ochocinco in August 2008. The name means “eight five” in Spanish.

‘Potter’ series coming soon to e-book near you

LONDON – Harry Potter battled the forces of evil and now is set to conquer e-books in a groundbreaking deal that has delighted fans but alarmed the book industry that helped make creator J.K. Rowling a billionaire.

Rowling announced Thursday that her seven novels about the boy wizard will be sold for the first time as e-books, beginning in October, exclusively through a new online portal to her wizarding world called “Pottermore.”

The deal brings longtime e-book refusnik Rowling into the digital fold, but comes as a bitter potion to established booksellers, who will be shut out of the latest chapter of a vastly profitable saga.

“You can’t hold back progress,” Rowling told reporters in London. “E-books are here and they are here to stay.”

No more parties, judge tells Lohan

LOS ANGELES – The house party is over for Lindsay Lohan, at least while she’s on house arrest.

Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner chided Lohan for having rooftop parties at her home while serving house arrest on a probation violation but said the actress hadn’t violated any other rules.

“If you are guilty of some violation of your probation, I don’t see it,” Sautner said. “What you are guilty of is extremely poor judgment.”

Lohan tearfully hugged her attorney, Shawn Holley, after the hearing.

Earlier, the actress told Sautner she wanted to put her court troubles behind her.

“Do you want to get on with your life, tell me?” Sautner asked.

“Yes, I do,” Lohan replied. It was the only time she spoke during the hearing.

The judge said Lohan didn’t violate her probation by testing positive for alcohol during a recent test. The testing requirement, imposed by another judge, ended in February.

Some of the parties at Lohan’s home in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles were photographed by paparazzi.

Sautner said Lohan can only have one friend over at her house at a time but can host family and business associates.

Sautner ordered Lohan to appear in court on July 21 but said she wouldn’t incur any additional penalties if she abided by the terms of her probation.

 

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