Wednesday, June 16th 2010
BP TEAMS UP WITH KEVIN COSTNER
Technology invented by Kevin Costner's brother is to be used in an effort to mop up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
British Petroleum bosses have bought 32 filtration machines manufactured by the movie star's Costner Industries Nevada Corporation.
The deal is a big boost for the Costners - the "Waterworld" star testified before the House Subcommittee on the Environment about his stainless-steel devices last week, and stated, "This is a technology that I believe has the potential to fight catastrophic oil spills... These will serve as the first line of defense in the oil spill clean up and recovery."
He added, "Am I up here hawking my product? I guess... Don't take mine, take somebody else's because I've been to all these oil-response conventions... and all I see are boons and the latest helicopter, but I've never seen one machine that deals with getting the oil out. That's me."
Experts predict the 57-day disaster has already leaked between 20 million to 47 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico and beyond.
BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles recently agreed to test out six of the Costner devices on the oil spill that has devastated America's Gulf Coast region since one of its rigs exploded in April.
Filed Under: Movies
Wednesday, June 16th 2010
FORMER NBA STAR ANTOINE WALKER ORDER TO COURT FOR GAMBLING DEBTS!
A judge on Monday ordered former NBA all-star Antoine Walker to face trial on felony bad check charges that allege he failed to repay almost $1 million in gambling debts and penalties to three Las Vegas casinos.
The 33-year-old Walker said nothing as he appeared Monday with his lawyer, Jonathan Powell, before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Melanie Andress-Tobiasson. He remains free without bail until his June 30 arraignment in state court.
The judge noted that Walker hadn't made any progress repaying some $770,000 he owes on a promise last November to pay $905,050 in restitution, court fees and penalties. At the time, Walker forfeited toward that amount the $135,000 cash bail he posted following his arrest at a celebrity golf tournament last July in Lake Tahoe.
Andress-Tobiasson bound Walker over for trial in Clark County District Court on three criminal bad check charges that, combined, could get him probation or send him to prison for up to 12 years if he's convicted.
Walker and his lawyer did not comment and quickly left the courthouse after their brief appearance.
Bernie Zadrowski, head of the Clark County district attorney's bad check unit, said outside court that Walker's Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing last month in Florida complicated the Las Vegas criminal case. The prosecutor said he and Powell were still negotiating toward resolving the Nevada case without sending Walker to prison.
The charges stem from $1 million in casino markers, or gambling loans, that Walker used between July 2008 and January 2009 at Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood and the Red Rock Resort. Nevada law treats unpaid markers as bad checks, and they can be turned over to the district attorney for prosecution.
Walker's bankruptcy filing claims $12.7 million in liabilities and $4.3 million in assets, including the 2006 NBA championship ring he won with the Miami Heat.
Walker, a Chicago native, was a three-time all-star with the Boston Celtics before going to Miami. He hasn't played in the NBA since 2008 but played briefly in Puerto Rico during the 2009-10 season.
Filed Under: Sports
Wednesday, June 16th 2010
DRAKE CONCERT SHUT DOWN BY NYPD!
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A Drake show scheduled for Tuesday evening (June 15) in Manhattan was canceled by the New York Police Department after crowd control became a safety concern for organizers of the event.
Upward of 10, 000 fans lined the South Street Seaport and even more were present on the outskirts of the venue, lurking, in hopes of spotting the Toronto rapper.
Drake was set to appear onstage at 7:45 p.m. ET, but leading up to his appearance, the crowd swelled to a larger-than-expected size. Organizers of the event, sponsored by Paper magazine and also featuring Hanson and Ninjasonik, began slowly asking attendees to be prepared for a cancellation.
Confusion abounded just moments later, however, as concertgoers jockeyed for closer positions to the stage, unaware of any danger. Ultimately, police pulled the plug on the event and began trying to disperse bystanders.
Drake — celebrating the release of his debut album, Thank Me Later, on Tuesday — tried to notify his fans via Twitter that he was unable to take the stage. "Police are shutting down the show at South Seaport! I'm on my way anyways," he wrote. "Drizzy Hendrix Woodstock 2010."
The upstart MC, though, was understandably disappointed he was unable to share in the excitement with his fans and issued a statement apologizing to his supporters.
"I am humbled by the crowd that showed up in support of my performance and the release of Thank Me Later," Drake told MTV News in a statement. "I love performing for my fans, but unfortunately, the show was canceled by the NYPD due to overcrowding, leaving me without the chance to give my fans a real show. I'm thankful for the support that the fans have been giving me ... I thank you now."
Fans were also disappointed, but many feared for their own safety as people fought, threw items from nearby restaurants and even trampled other attendees.
New York University student Adam Vinson spoke with MTV News and described the chaotic scene. "People didn't know how to have manners," he said. "Everyone was up against each other pushing. There was just too many people there. In New York City, though, people are gonna come from out of state, and in the city, there's already millions of people. The concertgoers packed in and people started fighting.
"I saw dudes fighting," he added. "One dude said he was gonna light this place up; it was that serious. Once I saw that, it was my cue to leave. People started pushing, bottles were thrown and once dude threatened to shoot, people started trying to get out."
Filed Under: Music
Wednesday, June 16th 2010
EXPLOSIVE VIDEO: MIGUEL FT. J.COLE "ALL I WANT IS YOU"
Definitely need to pay close attention to this crooner Miguel, he is one of the highlight singers of 2010. J.Cole supplies the assist and the chemistry creates an incredible record with "All I Want Is You" the debut video from Miguel.
Filed Under: Music
Wednesday, June 16th 2010
UTAH SET TO GET PAC-10 INVITE!
The Pac-10 is apparently ready to make the one move left on the table.
Conference commissioner Larry Scott will reportedly extend an invitation the University of Utah to become the Pac-10's 12th team on Wednesday, though there are several conflicting reports on the matter.
The Pac-10 would not confirm that an invitation has been extended as of Tuesday evening, but another source out of Utah reports that the Utes have given notice to the Mountain West Conference of their intent to depart for the Pac-10. The Denver Post, however, is reporting this is untrue.
The Utes would join Colorado, who became the conference's first addition since 1978 last week.
Utah is widely considered the team that the Pac-10 would choose to round out a 12-team league that can now have a conference championship game in football.
The Pac-10's attempt to create a "super-conference" by adding five Big 12 teams failed Monday when Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M decided they would remain with the Big 12 for an increased share of the conference revenue and permission to explore their own television networks -- which specifically appealed to Texas. Scott was not willing to offer the Longhorns either and left without a mega-deal. Scott was back in the Bay Area on Tuesday in meetings with conference officials.
Texas' decision saved the Big 12 conference and left Scott with a much more modest expansion of his conference.
Utah would leave behind the Mountain West Conference, which added Boise State late last week, should it eventually get an invite and accept.
Filed Under: Sports
