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Most Popular (3-11-2010)

  1. Basic Food Flavors Recall Impacts Other Food Brands
  2. Lil Wayne Goes to Jail
  3. Puerto Rican Day Parade Bans Captain Morgan Rum
  4. David Letterman Blackmailer Pleads Guilty
  5. Lost Boys Actor Corey Haim Dead at 38
  6. Jayne Mansfield's Daughter Mariska Hargitay
  7. Adam Lambert Unplugged Goes Online Today
  8. Regents Exams Could be History
  9. Black Leaders Support Governor Paterson (Dashboard)
  10. Black Academy Award Winners

Not Enough Dirt on Governor Paterson

New York Governor Paterson is earning somewhat of a Teflon reputation. He has vowed to remain in office and it's possible that the powers-that-be simply don't have enough of a case to force him out.

Sherr-una Booker, the woman at the center of the domestic abuse coverup controversy, admits that Paterson called her the day before her February 8 hearing was scheduled; but she says she did not feel threatened by him. One prominent lawyer said proving coercion is difficult when there is no direct threat made.

The matter of Paterson lying under oath about accepting freebie Yankees tickets remains. Defense lawyer Ron Kuby refers to that case as "total silliness." He said New York would become a laughing stock if we prosecute our governor for cheering on the Yankees during the World Series.

BTW - Today state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo recused himself from the investigation of Governor Paterson. Links to today's installments are posted below.

Source
May not face tampering charge
Cuomo recuses himself

Aqueduct Casino: Back to the Drawing Board

As expected, Governor Paterson’s office announced today that Aqueduct Entertainment Group does not satisfy the necessary requirements to install slot machines at Queens Aqueduct Raceway. Their contract award has been withdrawn.

An AEG lawyer called the decision “arbitrary and capricious” and mentioned the possibility of a lawsuit.

The casino contract is lucrative for the winning bidder as well as New York City. The bidder must pay a $300 million licensing fee by March 31. NYC is hurting for money and is anxious to seal the deal.

Source
Paterson aide makes announcement
Jay Z Bails on Aqueduct Casino Deal

Tavern on the Green: The Never Ending Story

It's been quiet on the Tavern front since their New Year's Eve bash but no news is not always good news - not for the LeRoy family anyway. Yesterday a federal judge ruled in favor of New York City and said former operator Warner LeRoy fraudulently obtained a trademark registration for the Tavern on the Green restaurant name in 1981.

Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum ruled that NYC owns the rights to the name which had long been established for the restaurant since 1934. Hear. Hear.

In other news Central Park Boathouse owner Dean J. Poll still has not signed a contract to take over as the Tavern's operator. That's because he still has not reached an agreement with the New York Hotel Trades Council. In other words, the renovation and restoration that Poll promised last summer has not begun. Is anyone surprised?
Source

MTA May Spare Bus Routes

More than 2,500 New Yorkers attended the nine Metropolitan Transit Authority public hearings last week in order to discuss proposed budget cuts. As usual, things got pretty emotional. This time the commuters' outcry had an effect on MTA Chairman Jay Walder.

It's possible that some bus routes which were slated to end could be spared. As a result of last week's hearings MTA is seeking alternate means of closing the budget gap. The agency will reduce costs through administrative measures such as negotiating lower rates with their contractors. They will also cancel some technology projects.
Source

Jay Z Bails on Aqueduct Casino Deal

The Aqueduct Entertainment Group lost two more backers when rap mogul Jay Z and Rev. Floyd Flake bailed on the Aqueduct casino project this week.

The AEG contract award has been under investigation ever since losing bidders cried foul over the bidding process. Now it turns out that investors Jay Z and Floyd Flake never went through the rigorous background check required in order to obtain a gaming license.

The wire has it that Jay Z backed out of the deal because he doesn't want his life, wife and business to be investigated. Flake said his involvement in the casino deal has become a distraction to him. He's also gotten resistance from his church community.

The Lottery Division has advised Governor Paterson that AEG is not licensable according to the Daily News. An announcement is expected today. The failed bidders are waiting on the sidelines, hopeful for a second chance. What a mess.

Source
Backers bail 
Not licensable
Trying to salvage deal

Rocsi of 106 & Park Gets a Lot of Hate Mail

106 & Park co-host Rocsi Diaz, 26, gets her share of fan mail but she says she gets a lot of hate mail too. Rocsi said she gets resentment from fans of the show due to her ethnic background. The Honduras native has been hosting 106 & Park with Terrence J since 2006.

When Lisa Raye and her former hubby Michael Misick were having their very public breakup in 2008 photos of Rocsi and Misick were all over the Internet. She was even rumored to have been his house guest in Turks and Caicos. Rocsi doesn't mention that in the Daily News interview but it's doubtful whether she won any fans during that saga.
Source

Lost Boys Actor Corey Haim Dead at 38

Eighties teen heartthrob Corey Haim died in a Los Angeles hospital yesterday at the age of 38. Reports say he had flu-like symptoms prior to his death. Police report no suspicious activity. An autopsy will determine the actual cause of death.

Corey Haim became famous from starring roles in Lucas and The Lost Boys but the Toronto native began acting in TV commercials when he was ten. During the eighties Haim and Corey Feldman did several movies together. They were known as "The Two Coreys." Several years ago they reunited for an A&E reality show with the same name.

Corey Haim had said his drug abuse hurt his career. He referred to himself as "a chronic relapser for the rest of my life" in a 2007 interview with Larry King.
Source

Pringles Recall

Pringles has added its brand to the huge recall of products containing hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) manufactured by Basic Food Flavors, Inc. These foods were recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Pringles has only two affected products: Family Faves Taco Night potato crisps and Restaurant Cravers Cheeseburger potato crisps. Check the source link for additional information.

The link to the Basic Food Flavors recall is also posted below with the full list of affected products.

Source
Pringles
Basic Food Flavors

Adam Lambert Unplugged Goes Online Today

Update (3-10-2010)

The mystery is solved. The reason we can't find Adam Lambert's debut on VH1 Unplugged in the online TV listing is because the session will air on the Internet only. We found that information by reading through the comments on Glambert's website.

A: Adam Lambert has a loyal fan base.

B: One of his fans called VH1 for clarification. The Adam Lambert session will be posted online this morning during the regular video programming. After that you can watch it on VH1.com.

Only one song from Lambert's session will air on the VH1 TV channel. Source
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Unplugged Returns with Adam Lambert (3-8-2010)

American Idol runner up Adam Lambert will kick off the Unplugged series when it returns to VH1 this week. Several different reports say it will come on this Wednesday, March 10 but finding the show in the online TV listing is a neat trick.

We posted a link to Adam Lambert's website which gives the time as 11:30 PM on March 10. A link to the official announcement is posted as well. Both are vague. Strange promotion.

Source
Adam Lambert website
BestWeekEver

David Letterman Blackmailer Pleads Guilty

CBS documentary producer Robert Halderman pleaded guilty to 2nd degree attempted grand larceny yesterday. He was accused of an extortion attempt against The Late Show host David Letterman last October, after he read his companion Stephanie Birkit's diary and discovered that she was having an affair with Letterman.

Halderman, 52, will be sentenced on May 4 and is expected to receive six months in prison. In addition he must serve 4.5 years of probation and perform 1,000 hours of community service. Source

Cindy Crawford Blackmailer Found Guilty

Edis Kayalar, 26, was found guilty of extortion and sentenced to two years in prison in Germany yesterday for blackmailing supermodel Cindy Crawford and her husband with sexually provocative photos of their daughter. Kayalar was dating Crawford's nanny and the nanny tricked the child into posing for the pictures. Source

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