Huge sink hole opens causing fatal Utah crash

A 15-year-old girl died after heavy rains caused a huge sink hole to open on a Utah highway, swallowing one vehicle and causing her father's SUV to careen off the road.

Authorities said the crash that killed Justine Barneck and injured her father, Michael Barneck, late Wednesday night happened when the road collapsed in front of them, leaving a patch of asphalt on the edge of the hole that the vehicle hit, causing the fatal accident.

At about the same time, a second car actually went into the 40-foot-wide, 30-foot-deep hole, said Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Todd Johnson. The driver of that vehicle, 37-year-old Helen Paulson, was hurt, but the extent of her injuries was not immediately clear.

The accidents near Tabiona, about 90 miles east of Salt Lake City, came about 15 minutes after a heavy storm began at about 11:30 p.m., quickly overflowing a clogged culvert and washing out the two-lane state road, Johnson said.

Michael Barneck was taken to a hospital with head injuries and is expected to be released Friday.

Justine Barneck was very close to her family, especially her twin sister, Jentri, who was not in the vehicle, said older sister Jamie Allred.

"She was an absolute angel," Allred said.

Allred said her sister's death was deeply felt in Tabiona, a town of a few hundred people at the base of the Uinta Mountains. She said the family has strong roots in the community, where one school holds kindergarten through high school students.

"She was more than willing to help anyone. I don't think there could be many 15-year-olds like her ... she was perfect from day one," Allred told The Associated Press.

All three people were wearing seat belts, Johnson said.

The highway will remain closed while repairs are made and traffic is being diverted.

Source: Yahoo

Johnny Depp's major 'Pirates' payday

Johnny Depp's major 'Pirates' payday

Johnny Depp has gained more than a pirate’s ransom for playing Jack Sparrow in the four “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, TheWrap has learned.
He’s earned close to $350 million from the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced franchise, according to an individual with knowledge of his deals.
Disney disputed the sum, calling it "highly inaccurate" but declined to provide any details.
Another individual close to the franchise said the number was closer to $280 million for the four Pirates combined.
With the fourth installment, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” passing the billion-dollar mark at the global box office over the weekend, the haulmakes Depp the highest-paid actor in recent Hollywood history.
Also Read: Johnny Depp Close to Deal for Fifth 'Pirates' Movie (Exclusive)
An insider close to Depp said that the actor is nearing a deal to star in a fifth “Pirates.”
Meanwhile, the insider told TheWrap that Depp is paid a percentage of the movie’s gross profits after what Hollywood refers to as “cash break.” Cash break is the point after which the studio breaks even on its production cost and marketing expenses.
In a more cost-conscious Hollywood, that formula has replaced the traditional 20 percent share of the gross earnings on a film for major movie stars and A-list directors. But in Depp’s case, the new formula has still translated into hundreds of millions of dollars in earnings on a single film franchise.
Also read: One Billion Dollars! Disney's 'Pirates 4' Is 8th Film to Cross Big Box-Office Mark
Depp’s agent, Tracey Jacobs at United Talent Agency, declined to comment on her client’s earnings.
Depp made three separate deals for the movie franchise, including a deal for installments 2 and 3, and another for number 4.
The "Pirates" franchise has taken in about $3.7 billion in ticket receipts at the worldwide box office alone. That does not include hundreds of millions of dollars more for each film in DVD, cable TV, merchandizing and other back-end revenues.
On its most recent list of top-earning actors, Forbes magazine estimated that Depp made $75 million between June 2009 and June 2010.
The actor probably won't fare poorly on the next Forbes list, either.
In December, he appeared in the GK Films-produced thriller "The Tourist" alongside Angelina Jolie. The $100 million film bombed stateside, grossing just $67.6 million. But Depp's strong international appeal helped salvage the movie, which made $210.7 million abroad.
Depp also voice-starred in Paramount's "Rango," a CG film that put the studio into the animation business for the first time without the help of DreamWorks. That film started strong in the U.S. and Canada. Ironically, however, it sputtered a bit abroad, taking in $242.6 million worldwide on a production spend of about $135 million.
Even Johnny Depp can't win them all.

Source: Yahoo

Nicki Minaj says leaked song is not about slain cousin

Nicki Minaj says leaked song is not about slain cousin

Nicki Minaj has dismissed rumors that she paid tribute to her slain cousin in a new song, saying the leaked track was recorded "over a year ago."

Minaj's cousin Nicholas Telemaque, 27, was shot dead in the early hours of Monday after leaving a club in his native Brooklyn.

Minaj took to Twitter to share her grief with fans following the news of his death, calling him "my precious cousin," "my baby."

An emotional track titled "We Miss You," about the death of a loved one, surfaced on the Internet on Thursday, prompting reports that she had laid bare her feelings about him in the tune, which features the lyrics "You said that you would leave these streets, and I know you didn't mean in a body bag/But now we see you were not bulletproof, and I'm mad 'cause you were the best that I ever had."

The singer says it's an old track that didn't make the final cut for her 2010 debut album, "Pink Friday."

Returning to Twitter on Thursday, she wrote, "Tho the lyrics of We Miss You eerily depict the circumstances surrounding my cousin's death, I wrote & recorded that song on 5/24/2010.

"It was sent to Mariah Carey & Keyshia Cole over a year ago for a possible feature. It didn't make Pink Friday due to clearance issues. Its an unauthorized leak."

Minaj goes on to thank fans for their continued support as she mourns her cousin's death, adding, "Thank u ALL for your kind words and well wishes. Love."

New York police have launched an investigation into Telemaque's death but have yet to make any arrests.

Source: MSN

taylor swift cancels concerts

taylor swift cancels concerts

For the first time in her dizzying rise in country-pop, Taylor Swift has been sidelined by sickness, announcing that she had to cancel four concerts on her current tour because of bronchitis. It was the first time Ms. Swift, who at 21 has become one of the best-selling singer-songwriters in the United States, had postponed or canceled a show because of illness, her spokeswoman, Paula Erickson, said.

She began to get sick on June 25 after performing in a hard rain during a sold-out show at Gillette Stadium near Boston, and apologized to fans for her hoarseness in Knoxville six days later. Her voice shredded, the singer was forced the next day to pull out of a show in Louisville, Ky. Now she has announced that her doctors had informed her that she could not perform at three shows in Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta this weekend. “I would never cancel if I were physically able to perform these shows,” she said in a statement.

Since February Ms. Swift has been on a grueling tour of 98 shows in 17 countries to promote her album “Speak Now,” which shot to the top of the charts when it was released in October. She had done 36 shows since the tour started, traveling throughout Southeast Asia and Europe before coming back to the United States in late May.

Ms. Erickson said Ms. Swift was convalescing at her home in Nashville and hoped to return to the tour on July 14, when she is slated to appear at the Bell Center in Montreal.

Source: NY Times

michael beasley pot possession

michael beasley pot possession

Michael Beasley Pot Possession – NBA star Michael Beasley of the Minnesota Timberwolves was busted for speeding and marijuana possession after being pulled over in Minnetonka. Beasley was pulled over late last month, and cops allege he had over half an ounce of weed in his ride. According to police, he was caught doing 84 in 65 mph zone in the early-morning hours on June 26th.

When pulled over police said they smelled marijuana in the vehicle. A police report said the marijuana was found under the front seat. Beasley said the marijuana belonged to a friend whom he had just dropped off, according to the report. Police released Beasley citing, he was not under the influence and issued him a citation.

“The speeding is a petty misdemeanor which carries a fine only,” Minnetonka Police Capt. Scott Boerboom told the Daily News. “The [marijuana], because it’s 16.2 grams, carries a maximum of up to 90 days in jail or a $700 fine.” Due to NBA regulations during the lockout, the team was not permitted to comment on Beasley’s latest misstep, the Star-Tribune reported.

This is not the first time Beasley has had problems with both speeding and marijuana. Beasley was fined $50,000 by the league for being in a room where marijuana was present during the 2008 rookie symposium. In July 2010, after Beasley’s trade to Minnesota from Miami, Timberwolves basketball boss David Kahn said in a radio interview that one of his new player’s problems in Florida was that he “smoked too much marijuana.” The NBA responded by fining Kahn and the team $50,000 each. The league called the comments “inappropriate.” In February, Beasley was cited in Hennepin County for driving 70 mph in a 55-mph zone. He paid a $117 fine in that case.

Source: NewSoxy

portman baby name

portman baby name

A hearty mazel tov goes out to Natalie Portman and her choreographer fiancé, Benjamin Millepied. People reports the new parents have dubbed their bouncing baby boy Aleph, which is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

Aleph's name also has a more mystical interpretation,

according to the mag, one that has to do with the beginnings of the universe and can be translated as the "primordial one that contains all numbers."

Portman, who was born Natalie Hershlag in Jerusalem, now joins an ever-growing list of celebrities who have given their tykes unique monikers. Click through for some of our faves, from Apple to Zuma …

Source: MSN

10 actors you never knew were Canadian

10 actors you never knew were Canadian

Time to break out the maple syrup and those ‘Due South’ boxsets… it’s Canada Day! Rather than drag up any more lazy stereotypes however, we’ll celebrate by paying tribute to the country’s most underrated exports – their commonwealth of acting talent. Who knew Canada was such a movie star hotspot? Not us, we thought these guys were all American too…

Ryan Reynolds
Famous for: ‘The Green Lantern’, ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’
Hometown: Vancouver
This is how Canadian our Ryan is: his dad was a mounty! Not only that, he was once married to one of the few stars everyone actually knows is from Canada – Alanis Morissette. Even though they’ve since split, Reynolds is still proud of his roots."I love Canada,” he said in an interview. “It makes a nice hat for America.”

Seth Rogen
Famous for: ‘Superbad’, ‘Knocked-up’
Hometown: Vancouver
Being Canadian is a big part of Seth Rogen’s on-screen persona apparently. Like many from the maple-loving land, he’s laidback, deadpan and not exactly sure of himself. “I think a very Canadian mentality is one of self-consciousness,” he once said. “Kind of apologising for yourself and not fully embracing what it is that you are."

Pamela Anderson
Famous for: ‘Baywatch’, ‘Barb Wire’
Hometown: Ladysmith
Pammy’s three claims to fame: wearing a red swimsuit while jogging in slo-mo, that grainy sex tape and stripping off for animal right’s charities. Who would have guessed such a hellraiser hailed from a small Canadian town best-known for its logging industry?

William Shatner
Famous for: ‘Star Trek’, being William Shatner
Hometown: Montreal
Bill loves Canada so much he delivered a stirring eulogy about his home country at the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in 2010. To an audience of millions, he declared: “I’m proud to be a Canadian, a people who know how to make love in a canoe”.

Jim Carrey
Famous for: ‘The Mask’, ‘Liar Liar’, gurning
Hometown: Newmarket
One of Jim’s best stand-up gags was a response to LA types, who always told him growing up in Canada “must have been cold”.  “Now I just go along with them” he said, “and say: ‘Yes, Canada was a frozen hostile wasteland. There was much work to be done if we were to survive the elements. After boring through the ice to find food, my good friend Nanook and I would build an igloo to protect ourselves from polar bears and flying hockey pucks.’”

Ellen Page
Famous for: ‘Juno’, ‘Inception’
Hometown: Halifax, Novia Scotia
According to IMDB, Page’s chums in New York nicknamed her ‘the tiny Canadian’. To be honest, she could do with finding some more imaginative mates, but the name does at least show that her all-Canadian qualities – the deadpan humour, the no-nonsense ‘tude – are easy to spot… if you’re an American.  When she’s not making movies Ellen still lives in her chilly hometown.

Keanu Reeves
Famous for: ‘The Matrix’, ‘Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure’
Hometown: Toronto
Keanu moved all over the place when he was a nipper (he was actually born in Beirut), but the ‘Matrix’ star grew up in Toronto and took Canadian citizenship. Recently though he said this might been a mistake, telling Vogue: “I sometimes wonder [why I did it]. I've even regretted not having American citizenship, especially at election times. Ideally, I would take out dual nationality.”

Michael J. Fox
Famous for: ‘Back to the Future’, ‘Spin City’
Hometown: Edmonton
Now he’s semi-retired from acting because of his Parkinson’s disease, the ‘Back to the Future’ legend doesn’t need to live in LA anymore and resides in his native Vancouver instead. When he was made an Officer for the Order of Canada earlier this year (for his charity work), MJ told press being Canadian was “a lot of contradictions”. He said: “Its seriousness and a sense of humour, intensity but also an appreciation for the simple pleasures in life.”

Brendan Fraser
Famous for: ‘The Mummy’ films
Hometown: Toronto
The mad-eyed Mummy wrangler describes himself as only half-Canadian, though both his parents were born there. He grew up in Indiana but was shipped to a posh school in Toronto as a teenager. Fraser reckons his “lower half” is Canadian. “That’s why I’m such an amazing dancer!” he said, somewhat cryptically.

Michael Cera
Famous for: ‘Superbad’, ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’
Hometown: Brampton, Ontario
There’s a reason Cera was so convincing as the socially awkward Canadian slacker in ‘Scott Pilgrim vs the World’… he’s Canadian in real life! Director Edgar Wright said he hired him for his typically Canadian, laid-back sense of humour. Cera described it as “stupid Canadian docility”.

Source: Yahoo