Media Man News

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Media Man News Update: Movies, Gaming, Casinos, Politics, Australia, Hollywood...

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News

PartyCasino.com Wins Media Man 'Online Casino of the Month'

PartyPoker And PartyCasino Owner bwin.party Digital Entertainment Plans Return to US Market

Worldwide Satellite Trailer Debut: “The Great Gatsby”; YouTube Warner Bros. Pictures

Australian Government may legalise live online gambling; NRL, Crown Limited; The Star, Marvel Games

CeBIT Australia; CeBIT platforms NSW tech projects; Award Winners - Sydney, Australia

Avengers smash $1 billion mark; Marvel Entertainment: The Avengers video game in the works...

The secrets of Sin City

Bikie Wars skids to under 1m for Ten

ABC, Star casino go to court over TV news report

Kerry Packer is Nine’s secret weapon

Casino Stocks Worth The Gamble

Labor and Communication Minister Stephen Conroy under attack over internet gamble

Russell Crowe Feared He Was Target of 'Hit'

Your Guide to 'Mad Men' and Advertising History

TNA claims WWE tried to poach its wrestlers

Worst Comic Book Ever!

Spotify Launches Down Under

News On Rock's New Movie, Legend At Comic-Con This Weekend, Brooke Hogan On FOX & Friends

WWE Attorney Responds To TNA Lawsuit, Says They Did The Right Thing

‘Marvel Heroes’ Online Game Gets First Preview (Video)

Resort experts welcome more non-gaming business

Hollywood action hero news: Stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Expendables 2, The Tomb

An Officer and a Gentleman The Musical Plays Sydney Lyric Theatre, The Star

Fightin' Fanboys: Dolph Ziggler

Business Matters: Bono Will Make Maybe $10 Million, Not $1.5 Billion, From Facebook's IPO

Facebook could kill the internet: Wolff

Naples Museum of Art to feature costumes from famous science-fiction movies, TV shows

TNA Files Lawsuit Against WWE, Ric Flair Mentioned In Suit

WWE News: Jericho "suspended indefinitely" following flag incident at Brazil house show, WWE issues statement

WWE STAR CHRIS JERICHO Suspended for Desecrating Brazilian Flag

JOHN CENA'S WIFE You Can't Divorce Me... Yet

A Much Closer Look At The Lizard from The Amazing Spider-Man

Mashable’s Exclusive Q&A With Stan Lee: Here’s a Teaser [VIDEO]

bwin.party gets answer to Schleswig-Holstein question

Australian tourism can be saved by Chinese middle class to large casinos; Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Wrestling with face paint, bodyart and human statues; Ultimate Warrior, Sting, Jeff Hardy...

What the Media has said about wrestling over the years

Website Network

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Casino News Media

Wrestling News Media

Worldwide Satellite Trailer Debut: “The Great Gatsby”; YouTube Warner Bros. Pictures

Profiles

Movies Hollywood The Great Gatsby Leonardo DiCaprio Tobey Maguire Sydney





SATELLITE INFORMATION ASIA/PACIFIC DISTRIBUTION

1st Feed: Date: 22nd May 2012 Time: 2330-2345 GMT
Melbourne time - Wednesday 23rd May 9.30am-9.45am

2nd Feed: Date: 23rd May 2012 Time: 0230-0245 GMT

Melbourne time - Wednesday 23rd May 12.30pm-12.45pm Satellite: Asiasat 5 C3V Ch 2 Downlink Frequency: 3,735.50 Mhz Vertical Modulation: QPSK FEC: 3/4 Symbol Rate (Ms/s): 6.1113 Color: NTSC Uplink: GCA Sydney Australia +612.8258.7966 ~ 182647 + 182648 Pactv Ref: 250035 + 250041

From the uniquely imaginative mind of writer/producer/director Baz Luhrmann comes the new big screen adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. The filmmaker will create his own distinctive visual interpretation of the classic story, bringing the period to life in a way that has never been seen before, in a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role.

“The Great Gatsby” follows Fitzgerald-like, would-be writer Nick Carraway as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz and bootleg kings. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy, and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan. It is thus that Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, within and without the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles.

Academy Award® nominee DiCaprio (“J. Edgar,” “Aviator”) plays Jay Gatsby, with Tobey Maguire starring as Nick Carraway; Oscar® nominee Carey Mulligan (“An Education”) and Joel Edgerton as Daisy and Tom Buchanan; Isla Fisher and Jason Clarke as Myrtle and George Wilson; and newcomer Elizabeth Debicki as Jordan Baker. Indian film legend Amitabh Bachchan will play the role of Meyer Wolfsheim.

Oscar® nominee Luhrmann (“Moulin Rouge!”) directs the film in 3D from a screenplay co-written with frequent collaborator Craig Pearce, based on Fitzgerald’s book. Luhrmann produces, along with Catherine Martin, Academy Award® winner Doug Wick (“Gladiator”), Lucy Fisher and Catherine Knapman. The executive producers are Academy Award® winner Barrie M. Osborne (“Lord of the Rings – Return of the King”) and Bruce Berman.

Two-time Academy Award®-winning production and costume designer Catherine Martin (“Moulin Rouge!”) designs as well as produces. The editors are Matt Villa, Jason Ballantine and Jonathan Redmond, and the director of photography is Simon Duggan. The music is by Craig Armstrong.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, in association with A&E Television, a Bazmark/Red Wagon Entertainment Production, a Film by Baz Luhrmann, “The Great Gatsby.” Opening December 2012, the film will be distributed in IMAX® 3D, 3D and 2D by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures.

THE GREAT GATSBY (3D) will release in Australian cinemas on 10th January 2013

Other...

Genre: Drama

Studio: Warner Bros.

Plot Outline: "The Great Gatsby" follows Fitzgerald-like, would-be writer Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz and bootleg kings. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan) and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton). It is thus that Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, within and without the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton, Carey Mulligan, Isla Fisher, Jason Clarke, Elizabeth Debicki, Amitabh Bachchan

Directed By: Baz Luhrmann

Written By: Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pearce; Based on the book by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Produced By: Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Lucy Fisher, Douglas Wick, Catherine Knapman

Websites

The Great Gatsby website

Bazmark official website

Warner Bros. official website

Warner Bros. Pictures YouTube.com (The Great Gatsby trailer)

Roadshow Films Australia

Leonardo DiCaprio official website

Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr - The Great Gatsby portfolio

Eva Rinaldi Photography

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PartyCasino Wins Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' Award; Promotions

PartyCasino.com has been awarded the Media Man and Casino News Media "Online Casino Of The Month" award.

Bwin.Party's igaming suite has grown a custom to winning awards since they first opened for business in 1997.

The competition for the coveted award was intense again this month with massive bids from both Virgin Casino, PKR Casino and Captain Cooks Casino however there can only be one winner... ladies and gentlemen, that's PartyCasino.com

The award follows PartyPoker's EGR Poker Operator Of The Year and PartyGaming also made the shortlist for EGR Operator Of The Year. Recently PartyGaming's PartyPoker.com also won the Casino News Media "Online Poker Website Of The Month".

The Media Man - Casino News Media accolade is based on a combination of elements including user experience, innovation, trustworthiness, customer service, gameplay, affiliate program offerings, newsworthiness and company values.

PartyCasino.com is one of a number of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment brands.

The most popular PartyCasino.com games of late include Heist, Circus, Rambo, Palladium Slot, The Godfather, Sinatra, Slotbox, Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Mission: Impossible, The Terminator, Cleopatra, Sinatra, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, The Amazing Spider-Man, Monopoly, Resident Evil, Melon Madness, Wheel Of Fortune and Mega Fortune Wheel.

The PartyCasino.com jackpot is currently approaching the $6 million mark. Players can also compete for The Big One and Marvel Hero Jackpot, playing the Marvel super hero themed online slot games.

PartyCasino's most recent game releases include Shaaark! SuperBet, Crocodopolis, Alice's Wonderland, Glamour Puss, Super Cubes, Heist, Palladium Slot and Circus Slot.

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Co-CEO Jim Ryan has gone on record advising PartyCasinowill soon feature more Hollywood blockbuster themed slots. A few in the know journalists and media agents have been recently tipped off that an all time classic movie adaption will be showcased in the PartyCasino portfolio within 1 month. PartyCasino has the world's most impressive line up of Hollywood themed games, and more are just around the corner.

PartyCasino.com and PartyPoker.com customers can also benefit from rewards and bonuses via PartyPoints and the Palladium Lounge. Be certain to check out the PartyCasino exclusive "Cash Machine" that is being championed as one of the greatest online casino promos ever.

Media Man, Casino News Media and Global Gaming Directory do have a b2b relationship with Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, as they do with dozens of other companies in the gaming, igaming, media and entertainment industry.


Treasure Hunt promotion

Watch out for the surprise pop-up treasure chests!

Starts: 00:00 ET, 25th May 2012
Ends: 20:00 ET, 31st May 2012

Our Treasure Hunt chests are jam-packed with a wealth of cash, bonuses and points this month. What’s more, you don’t even have to look hard to find them – just play!

We’ve hidden chests all around the casino; just opt in and play any of the games listed on the promotional page in your account, and you could uncover a massive prize.

Remember, the more you play, the more chances you’ll have to discover great treasures!

Websites

PartyCasino.com

PartyPoker.com

Profiles

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PartyCasino PartyPoker PartyBingo Circus PartyCasino Marvel Slots The Big One Melon Madness Casino World Poker Tour PartyCasino Promotions

Friday, May 25, 2012

Crown Casino To Host World Series of Poker in 2013; Gold Coast high-roller fails to recover millions

Crown Limited gambler case; The Star entertains with musical in Sin City Sydney; World Series of Poker to Melbourne; Marvel Entertainment Online Games...





Profiles

Gambling Gaming Poker Politics Marvel Entertainment Marvel Slots Marvel Games Entertainment Sports Australia

Crown Casino To Host World Series of Poker in 2013...

James Packer's Crown Casino has announced an exciting partnership with the worlds largest poker brand, the World Series Of Poker. Set to take place at Crown Casino in Melbourne from April 4-15 2013, the World Series of poker Asia-Pacific (WSOP APAC) is a huge expansion into the world's largest gaming market.

WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart said, “Our goal is to establish the worldwide grand slam of poker and use our platform to elevate the game through a series of major championships,”
“With WSOP Las Vegas growing annually and WSOP Europe poised for long-term success after five years, the time is right to turn our attention to the dynamic poker scene in Asia and Australia. Given Crown’s success with the ‘Aussie Millions Poker Championship’, we couldn’t ask for a better partner than Crown to establish the Asia-Pacific’s definitive poker festival.”

Crown Casino in Melbourne already is the home to the world's largest tournament series outside of the World Series Of Poker in Las Vegas with the Aussie Millions series each January attracting the worlds premier players. Crown Melbourne's CEO Greg Hawkins said, “This exciting partnership brings together two industry leaders, and two strong brands, to create a premier poker event in this region”.

“Our agreement firmly aligns with our objective of attracting the very best local and international players, all vying for a coveted WSOP bracelet. We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved with the Aussie Millions and look forward to featuring WSOP Asia Pacific on our poker calendar in April 2013.”

The WSOP brand is one of the worlds most iconic and every poker player in the world dreams of one day being the proud owner of coveted WSOP Bracelet. The WSOP brand is 42-years old and in 2007 it expanded beyond the USA with the launch of the WSOP Europe in London (2007-2010) and subsequently into France (2011). The WSOP APAC is set to tap into the tremendous growth of peer-2-peer gaming in this region.

As part of the agreement with the WSOP, the WSOP APAC events are expected to be televised globally across ESPN. Fox Sports, as seen on Foxtel, already broadcasts games from competitor, World Poker Tour (owned by Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment).

One man who is no stranger to ESPN and the WSOP is Australian local sporting hero, Joe Hachem. Way back in 2005 Joe won the most prestigious poker event in the world, the World Series Of Poker Main Event.

“It’s thrilling to think the World Series of Poker is coming to Australian soil,” said Joe Hachem. “I know first-hand what a life-changing moment winning the WSOP gold bracelet was and how it served as a catalyst for the growth of poker in Australia and Asia. It will be a dream come true to host a worldwide poker event such as this at Crown. I can’t wait.”

The full WSOP APAC schedule is set to be released later this year.


In other gambling and gaming news...


Gold Coast high-roller fails to recover millions...

A Gold Coast businessman who turned over almost $1.5 billion in 14 months at Melbourne's Crown Casino has lost his bid to recover more than $20 million he lost there.

Property developer Harry Kakavas spent $1.479 billion on 30 separate visits to Crown between June 2005 and August 2006, winning and losing vast sums, but ultimately accruing losses of $20.5 million, a Melbourne court has heard.

Mr Kakavas claimed Crown knew he suffered from pathological gambling and lured him back to the casino with the use of a private jet and cash and entertainment gifts.

But on Monday the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier Supreme Court decision that the casino did not take advantage of his gambling habits.

Appeal judge Justice Bernard Bongiorno said Mr Kakavas alleged his pathological gambling condition impaired his ability to make rational decisions about the amount of money he gambled.

Mr Kakavas would gamble six-figure sums on hands of baccarat, which take a matter of seconds to play.

But Justice Bongiorno said the fact Mr Kakavas was able to negotiate favourable terms for himself at Crown demonstrated his ability to make decisions in his best interest.

"When gambling at Crown he had negotiated the terms on which he gambled and had threatened to and in fact had withheld his custom from Crown when he did not get what he wanted," Justice Bongiorno said.

"These are not the characteristics of someone unable to conserve his own interests."

Justice Bongiorno found the allowances Crown offered to Mr Kakavas were not out of step with those typically offered to high-rolling gamblers.

He also rejected a claim by Mr Kakavas that he had lost $30 million in one losing streak at Crown in 2006.

He said on one occasion in March 2006 Mr Kakavas returned home to the Gold Coast with $14 million in winnings.

"That he lost overall is not in any way surprising," he said.

"The longer a person plays, the more certain it is that he will ultimately lose. Were it otherwise casinos would fail."

Mr Kakavas was ordered to pay Crown's legal costs. (AAP)


The Star entertains with musical: An Officer and a Gentleman...

Australian casinos and entertainment do mix!

Last week An Officer and a Gentleman enjoyed its Sydney, Australia premiere at The Star's Lyric Theatre at Ultimo.

The red carpet premiere was well attended by media and celebrities, and its understood the production is likely to match if not well exceed the substantial hype.

Producer John Frost said that more hard-won world premieres were in store.

"Not just Australian stories, but international stories that can be exported to international markets," Frost said.

Producers from Germany, South Korea, Canada, New York and London were at tonight's opening.

Frost said the $6 million budget for An Officer And A Gentleman was about half what it might have been if it was developed in New York or London.

"Things are just easier and cheaper here, and in New York and London, you're so far out of town (doing the set building) trying to get it right and get it fixed," he said.

Frost said the process of developing new musicals, as opposed to simply remounting a successful overseas version, would help build production skills for the creation of new musicals in the future.

"What this is doing is establishing people like (An Officer And A Gentleman) director Simon Phillips, his choreographer and his assistants, to do new stuff they're not used to doing, because they are used to doing stuff that's already been done and what we are trying to do is to broaden that experience so a lot more directors and a lot more writers get that opportunity," Frost added.

Later next year and early 2014 Frost expects to mount world premieres of Dream Lover: The Bobby Darin Show and Red Dog. His production of Doctor Zhivago is approaching the end of a six month-long run in Seoul and will then be mounted in New York.

The Media Man and Music News Australia agencies were overheard agreeing "Another world class production put on by The Star and Lyric Theatre".

The pitch:

A new musical based on the Paramount Pictures-Lorimar movie "An Officer and a Gentleman" written by Douglas Day Stewart

Music and lyrics by Ken Hirsch and Robin Lerner
Book by Douglas Day Stewart and Sharleen Cooper Cohen
Director Simon Phillips
Choreographer Andrew Hallsworth
Set and Costume Designer Dale Ferguson
Lighting Designer Matt Scott
Musical Director Dave Skelton
Associate Director Dean Bryant
Producers Sharleen Cooper Cohen and John Frost

In association with Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros Theatre Ventures

Based on the hugely successful Academy Award-winning film, this new production has been adapted for the stage by the original screen writer, Douglas Day Stewart and co-writer Sharleen Cooper Cohen, with music and lyrics by Kenny Hirsch and Robin Lerner. It will be produced by Sharleen Cooper Cohen and John Frost, and directed by Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical).

The talented cast that will bring this timeless story to life includes Ben Mingay (Jersey Boys) as Zack Mayo, the classic angry young man who grew up in a "sewer" and dreams of flying jets and parlaying this skill into a better life; Amanda Harrison (Wicked) as Paula Pokrifki, the young factory worker who dreams of becoming a nurse and finding a better life without selling out for it, like everyone around her; Kate Kendall (Next to Normal) as Lynette Pomeroy, Paula's best friend who is determined to marry a flier to escape her dead end life, no matter what it takes; and Alex Rathgeber (The Phantom of the Opera) as Sid Worley, the likeable Okie son of a Navy Admiral who is the class "superstar" at the Naval Academy.

A hit across the ages, the 1982 film has become a phenomenon in cinema history, recently listed by the American Film Institute as one of the top ten love stories in cinema history. Featuring the iconic hit song "Up Where We Belong" and a new score by hit song writer Ken Hirsch and Grammy nominee Robin Lerner this timeless tale of struggle, success, friendship and love promises to be the musical blockbuster of 2012.

An Officer and a Gentleman is a triumphant story of working class heroes surviving great tests; a classic modern day love story about a working class boy and girl who must overcome their upbringing and personal weaknesses to accept life and love.

His Story, Her Romance.

The Star's history of celebrities...

Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair (ok, before it was rebranded The Star - back in Star City Casino days), Al Pacino, Bob Geldof, Russell Crowe, Paris Hilton, Afrojack, will.i.am, Snoop Dogg and so the list goes on.


Legally Blonde To Open 4th October 2012...

The Sydney Lyric Theatre is also going to be host to the famous musical 'Legally Blonde'.

Legally Blonde The Musical is the hilarious story of college sweetheart and homecoming queen, Elle Woods - a girl who doesn't take no for an answer. When her boyfriend dumps her for someone "serious", Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books and heads for Harvard Law School! Along the way, she proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style.

Legally Blonde The Musical -  Winner of Best Musical 2011 Olivier Awards and a smash hit running into its third year on the West End was created by a world-class creative team led by Tony Award-winning director Jerry Mitchell.

The musical opens 4th October 2012.


Marvel Entertainment - The Avengers Boosting Marvel Slots Popularity; Media Agency...

The box office success of Marvel Entertainment comic book based movie 'The Avengers', is boosting the popularity of Marvel slot games across internet networks, the Media Man agency has reported.

A Media Man spokesperson said "Marvel themed games have been popular ever since they were first released, but the success of Marvel Entertainment movies such as Thor, Captain America and The Avengers has at least doubled their popularity according to our data. A new rumoured Hulk movie or TV series, and the upcoming release of The Wolverine movie, staring Australia's own Hugh Jackman, will only further spike online game popularity."

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment has licensed the Marvel deal, and the games can be found at Hitwise top ten website portals such as Media Man, which has a b2b in place with Bwin.Party and PartyCasino.

More Marvel Entertainment games are in the works and the Media Man agency will be providing detailed reviews on the games as more information comes to hand.

Gamers and gamblers, as always - bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.

Marvel Entertainment movie game fans and true believers...there's only one thing to say - Excelsior!

Websites

Media Man International

New South Wales Rugby League official website

NRL official website

Casino News Media

Crown Melbourne (Crown Casino)

Media Man Entertainment

Australian Sports Entertainment

Website Network

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Media Man

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Media Man News

Wrestling News Media

Australian Sports Entertainment

Crown Casino To Host World Series of Poker in 2013; Gold Coast high-roller fails to recover millions

Crown Limited gambler case; The Star entertains with musical in Sin City Sydney; World Series of Poker to Melbourne; Marvel Entertainment Online Games...





Profiles

Gambling Gaming Poker Politics Marvel Entertainment Marvel Slots Marvel Games Entertainment Sports Australia

Crown Casino To Host World Series of Poker in 2013...

James Packer's Crown Casino has announced an exciting partnership with the worlds largest poker brand, the World Series Of Poker. Set to take place at Crown Casino in Melbourne from April 4-15 2013, the World Series of poker Asia-Pacific (WSOP APAC) is a huge expansion into the world's largest gaming market.

WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart said, “Our goal is to establish the worldwide grand slam of poker and use our platform to elevate the game through a series of major championships,”
“With WSOP Las Vegas growing annually and WSOP Europe poised for long-term success after five years, the time is right to turn our attention to the dynamic poker scene in Asia and Australia. Given Crown’s success with the ‘Aussie Millions Poker Championship’, we couldn’t ask for a better partner than Crown to establish the Asia-Pacific’s definitive poker festival.”

Crown Casino in Melbourne already is the home to the world's largest tournament series outside of the World Series Of Poker in Las Vegas with the Aussie Millions series each January attracting the worlds premier players. Crown Melbourne's CEO Greg Hawkins said, “This exciting partnership brings together two industry leaders, and two strong brands, to create a premier poker event in this region”.

“Our agreement firmly aligns with our objective of attracting the very best local and international players, all vying for a coveted WSOP bracelet. We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved with the Aussie Millions and look forward to featuring WSOP Asia Pacific on our poker calendar in April 2013.”

The WSOP brand is one of the worlds most iconic and every poker player in the world dreams of one day being the proud owner of coveted WSOP Bracelet. The WSOP brand is 42-years old and in 2007 it expanded beyond the USA with the launch of the WSOP Europe in London (2007-2010) and subsequently into France (2011). The WSOP APAC is set to tap into the tremendous growth of peer-2-peer gaming in this region.

As part of the agreement with the WSOP, the WSOP APAC events are expected to be televised globally across ESPN. Fox Sports, as seen on Foxtel, already broadcasts games from competitor, World Poker Tour (owned by Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment).

One man who is no stranger to ESPN and the WSOP is Australian local sporting hero, Joe Hachem. Way back in 2005 Joe won the most prestigious poker event in the world, the World Series Of Poker Main Event.

“It’s thrilling to think the World Series of Poker is coming to Australian soil,” said Joe Hachem. “I know first-hand what a life-changing moment winning the WSOP gold bracelet was and how it served as a catalyst for the growth of poker in Australia and Asia. It will be a dream come true to host a worldwide poker event such as this at Crown. I can’t wait.”

The full WSOP APAC schedule is set to be released later this year.


In other gambling and gaming news...


Gold Coast high-roller fails to recover millions...

A Gold Coast businessman who turned over almost $1.5 billion in 14 months at Melbourne's Crown Casino has lost his bid to recover more than $20 million he lost there.

Property developer Harry Kakavas spent $1.479 billion on 30 separate visits to Crown between June 2005 and August 2006, winning and losing vast sums, but ultimately accruing losses of $20.5 million, a Melbourne court has heard.

Mr Kakavas claimed Crown knew he suffered from pathological gambling and lured him back to the casino with the use of a private jet and cash and entertainment gifts.

But on Monday the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier Supreme Court decision that the casino did not take advantage of his gambling habits.

Appeal judge Justice Bernard Bongiorno said Mr Kakavas alleged his pathological gambling condition impaired his ability to make rational decisions about the amount of money he gambled.

Mr Kakavas would gamble six-figure sums on hands of baccarat, which take a matter of seconds to play.

But Justice Bongiorno said the fact Mr Kakavas was able to negotiate favourable terms for himself at Crown demonstrated his ability to make decisions in his best interest.

"When gambling at Crown he had negotiated the terms on which he gambled and had threatened to and in fact had withheld his custom from Crown when he did not get what he wanted," Justice Bongiorno said.

"These are not the characteristics of someone unable to conserve his own interests."

Justice Bongiorno found the allowances Crown offered to Mr Kakavas were not out of step with those typically offered to high-rolling gamblers.

He also rejected a claim by Mr Kakavas that he had lost $30 million in one losing streak at Crown in 2006.

He said on one occasion in March 2006 Mr Kakavas returned home to the Gold Coast with $14 million in winnings.

"That he lost overall is not in any way surprising," he said.

"The longer a person plays, the more certain it is that he will ultimately lose. Were it otherwise casinos would fail."

Mr Kakavas was ordered to pay Crown's legal costs. (AAP)


The Star entertains with musical: An Officer and a Gentleman...

Australian casinos and entertainment do mix!

Last week An Officer and a Gentleman enjoyed its Sydney, Australia premiere at The Star's Lyric Theatre at Ultimo.

The red carpet premiere was well attended by media and celebrities, and its understood the production is likely to match if not well exceed the substantial hype.

Producer John Frost said that more hard-won world premieres were in store.

"Not just Australian stories, but international stories that can be exported to international markets," Frost said.

Producers from Germany, South Korea, Canada, New York and London were at tonight's opening.

Frost said the $6 million budget for An Officer And A Gentleman was about half what it might have been if it was developed in New York or London.

"Things are just easier and cheaper here, and in New York and London, you're so far out of town (doing the set building) trying to get it right and get it fixed," he said.

Frost said the process of developing new musicals, as opposed to simply remounting a successful overseas version, would help build production skills for the creation of new musicals in the future.

"What this is doing is establishing people like (An Officer And A Gentleman) director Simon Phillips, his choreographer and his assistants, to do new stuff they're not used to doing, because they are used to doing stuff that's already been done and what we are trying to do is to broaden that experience so a lot more directors and a lot more writers get that opportunity," Frost added.

Later next year and early 2014 Frost expects to mount world premieres of Dream Lover: The Bobby Darin Show and Red Dog. His production of Doctor Zhivago is approaching the end of a six month-long run in Seoul and will then be mounted in New York.

The Media Man and Music News Australia agencies were overheard agreeing "Another world class production put on by The Star and Lyric Theatre".

The pitch:

A new musical based on the Paramount Pictures-Lorimar movie "An Officer and a Gentleman" written by Douglas Day Stewart

Music and lyrics by Ken Hirsch and Robin Lerner
Book by Douglas Day Stewart and Sharleen Cooper Cohen
Director Simon Phillips
Choreographer Andrew Hallsworth
Set and Costume Designer Dale Ferguson
Lighting Designer Matt Scott
Musical Director Dave Skelton
Associate Director Dean Bryant
Producers Sharleen Cooper Cohen and John Frost

In association with Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros Theatre Ventures

Based on the hugely successful Academy Award-winning film, this new production has been adapted for the stage by the original screen writer, Douglas Day Stewart and co-writer Sharleen Cooper Cohen, with music and lyrics by Kenny Hirsch and Robin Lerner. It will be produced by Sharleen Cooper Cohen and John Frost, and directed by Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical).

The talented cast that will bring this timeless story to life includes Ben Mingay (Jersey Boys) as Zack Mayo, the classic angry young man who grew up in a "sewer" and dreams of flying jets and parlaying this skill into a better life; Amanda Harrison (Wicked) as Paula Pokrifki, the young factory worker who dreams of becoming a nurse and finding a better life without selling out for it, like everyone around her; Kate Kendall (Next to Normal) as Lynette Pomeroy, Paula's best friend who is determined to marry a flier to escape her dead end life, no matter what it takes; and Alex Rathgeber (The Phantom of the Opera) as Sid Worley, the likeable Okie son of a Navy Admiral who is the class "superstar" at the Naval Academy.

A hit across the ages, the 1982 film has become a phenomenon in cinema history, recently listed by the American Film Institute as one of the top ten love stories in cinema history. Featuring the iconic hit song "Up Where We Belong" and a new score by hit song writer Ken Hirsch and Grammy nominee Robin Lerner this timeless tale of struggle, success, friendship and love promises to be the musical blockbuster of 2012.

An Officer and a Gentleman is a triumphant story of working class heroes surviving great tests; a classic modern day love story about a working class boy and girl who must overcome their upbringing and personal weaknesses to accept life and love.

His Story, Her Romance.

The Star's history of celebrities...

Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair (ok, before it was rebranded The Star - back in Star City Casino days), Al Pacino, Bob Geldof, Russell Crowe, Paris Hilton, Afrojack, will.i.am, Snoop Dogg and so the list goes on.


Legally Blonde To Open 4th October 2012...

The Sydney Lyric Theatre is also going to be host to the famous musical 'Legally Blonde'.

Legally Blonde The Musical is the hilarious story of college sweetheart and homecoming queen, Elle Woods - a girl who doesn't take no for an answer. When her boyfriend dumps her for someone "serious", Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books and heads for Harvard Law School! Along the way, she proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style.

Legally Blonde The Musical -  Winner of Best Musical 2011 Olivier Awards and a smash hit running into its third year on the West End was created by a world-class creative team led by Tony Award-winning director Jerry Mitchell.

The musical opens 4th October 2012.


Marvel Entertainment - The Avengers Boosting Marvel Slots Popularity; Media Agency...

The box office success of Marvel Entertainment comic book based movie 'The Avengers', is boosting the popularity of Marvel slot games across internet networks, the Media Man agency has reported.

A Media Man spokesperson said "Marvel themed games have been popular ever since they were first released, but the success of Marvel Entertainment movies such as Thor, Captain America and The Avengers has at least doubled their popularity according to our data. A new rumoured Hulk movie or TV series, and the upcoming release of The Wolverine movie, staring Australia's own Hugh Jackman, will only further spike online game popularity."

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment has licensed the Marvel deal, and the games can be found at Hitwise top ten website portals such as Media Man, which has a b2b in place with Bwin.Party and PartyCasino.

More Marvel Entertainment games are in the works and the Media Man agency will be providing detailed reviews on the games as more information comes to hand.

Gamers and gamblers, as always - bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.

Marvel Entertainment movie game fans and true believers...there's only one thing to say - Excelsior!

Websites

Media Man International

New South Wales Rugby League official website

NRL official website

Casino News Media

Crown Melbourne (Crown Casino)

Media Man Entertainment

Australian Sports Entertainment

Website Network

Media Man Int

Media Man

Media Man Entertainment

Media Man News

Wrestling News Media

Australian Sports Entertainment

Thursday, May 24, 2012

CeBIT Australia; CeBIT platforms NSW tech projects; Award Winners - Sydney, Australia

Profiles

Politics Internet Media Companies Darling Harbour Sydney





CeBIT Australia 2012 was held on 22-24 May 2012, in Darling Harbour, Sydney.

Company Overview

CeBIT Australia is the leading business event in the Asia Pacific region for Information and Communications Technology driving business strategy.

Consistently attracting senior level executives across all industries, and covering 28 separate business technologies, CeBIT Australia is specifically a B-2-B event, aimed at driving business outcomes for exhibitors, visitors and conference delegates.

CeBIT Australia differs from other ICT events because of its unique combination of three elements:

* Australia's largest ICT exhibition - with over 600 exhibitors and over 30,000 highly qualified trade visitors from Australia and overseas
* CeBIT Global Conferences - Australia's most comprehensive and informative conference program engaging knowledge transfer and information sharing for the ICT sector
* Networking at the most senior level - only a large-scale event like CeBIT can draw industry and government leader attention from Australia and overseas

Description...

CeBIT Australia is the leading platform for local and international manufacturers, service providers, distributors, retailers and buyers of Information and Communications Technology to meet and talk business, finding out how to achieve long and short term savings through technology-based business solutions.

CeBIT recognises the crucial role that Information and Communications Technology plays in driving business - increasing productivity and efficiency, reducing costs and creating new revenue streams.

Consistently attracting senior level executives across all industries, and covering 28 separate business technologies, CeBIT Australia is specifically a B-2-B event, aimed at driving business outcomes for exhibitors, visitors and conference delegates.

CeBIT Australia differs from other ICT events because of its unique combination of three elements:

* Australia's largest ICT exhibition - with over 600 exhibitors and over 30,000 highly qualified trade visitors from Australia and overseas
* CeBIT Global Conferences - Australia's most comprehensive and informative conference program engaging knowledge transfer and information sharing for the ICT sector
* Networking at the most senior level - only a large-scale event like CeBIT can draw industry and government leader attention from Australia and overseas

Getting the right mix of these three elements is the secret of CeBIT Australia's success, meaning:

* CeBIT is the platform for the country's highest concentration of business decision-makers
* Business leaders, politicians and scientists come together at CeBIT
* CeBIT sets the agenda for Australian ICT industry
* CeBIT provides the environment to make thousands of business contacts, and subsequent business deals worth hundreds of million of dollars
* CeBIT is one of Australia's top technology media events of the year, attended by more business and ICT media than any other event
* CeBIT generates an economic impact to the Australian economy greater than any other business technology event

CeBIT Australia runs annually over three days every May, at Sydney's Convention and Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour.

CeBIT Australia is based on its parent event, CeBIT, the largest ICT event in the world which runs annually over five days in Hannover, Germany every March. (CeBIT Australia)

CeBIT Australia profile...

CeBIT Australia is Australasia’s number one business technology event driving business strategy. It is the leading platform for local and international manufacturers, service providers, distributors,
retailers and buyers of Information and Communications Technology to meet, conduct business, and access the latest technology-based business solutions. No other show in Australasia gives you such a
comprehensive overview of the market or so many opportunities to extend your range of contacts or to cultivate existing connections.

News...


CeBIT platforms NSW tech projects...

Deputy NSW Premier, Andrew Stoner gave a talk at the CeBIT 2012 opening ceremony at the Sydney Opera House outlining the state government’s approach to dealing with business and industry, as well as announcing seven projects.

Mr Stoner said these projects range from digital services to improve the 21st century experience at cultural institutions; smart camera mobile technology to tackle art and museum exhibit theft; mobile location technology to assist bio-security officers in the field, technology to help streamline trade missions; and a platform to develop new mobile applications for government.

“For the second round of this program called Mobile Government, we’ve committed $1 million to develop mobile solutions to improve public sector productivity,” Mr Stoner said.

According to Mr Stoner, these seven projects expect to invest a total of $4 million and over the next three years create over 200 jobs and $80 million in revenue including $50 million in exports.

“That’s a pretty good return on a NSW Government investment of $1 million and an excellent example of the power of collaboration,” he said.

He said the NSW Government will be competing internationally targeting global growth markets.

The NSW Government will open an office in San Francisco in the “heart of Silicon Valley” to drive more high growth in international opportunities, Mr Stoner said.

This will be in addition to the government’s offices in China, India and the United Arab Emirates that “will drive business, trade and investment opportunities”.

He said in parallel to the NSW ICT Strategy 2012, Trade and Investment NSW has been working with industry taskforces, including a digital economy taskforce to develop ten year industry action plans to target growth in the global economy.

“We aim to build a high growth business eco system in NSW,” Mr Stoner said.

He said the government adopting a new approach called the ‘Four Seeds’, which includes ‘connecting, capability building, competing internationally, and collaborating’.

“We’ll connect companies to the resources that they need, R&D, corporate partners, knowledge mentors and business networks.

“We’re already supporting technology and helping companies tap into knowledge networks such as Silicon Valley and supporting innovation events like Tech 23, to improve commercialisation efforts and encourage new investment,” Mr Stoner said. (Government News)

CeBIT.AU Business Awards...

The CeBIT.AU Business Awards recognise outstanding achievement in the information and communications technology industry. The Awards carry the full weight of the CeBIT brand, one of the most recognised non-vendor technology brands in the world. The Award winners will have the opportunity to use the Awards branding on their website and marketing material for a full year following CeBIT Australia 2012.


CeBIT.AU Business Awards Winners...

The winners at the CeBIT.AU Business Technology Awards for 2012 were:

1. CeBIT.AU Business Award for Service Distinction:
AAPT for its Customer Charter service platform. The Customer Charter lets AAPT’s business customers get complete access to the same service and reporting documentation as its own client-services personnel, giving them much greater visibility of their network usage and improving customer relations.

2. CeBIT.AU Business Award for Innovation:
CSIRO for its Patient Admission and Prediction Tool (PAPT). This hospital forecasting platform has been successfully implemented across Australia, and allows Health care administrators to accurately predict service demands in Emergency department services – a life saving optimisation.

3. CeBIT.AU Business Award for Outstanding Project:
The Department of Human Services for its Corporate Processes and System Integration project.

4. CeBIT.AU Business Award for Top Business Solution:
Xero for its online small business accounting system.

Having accumulated the most number of points for its winning entry among the CeBIT.AU judging panel, Xero was further awarded the overall prize with the CeBIT.AU ICT Excellence Award for 2012.


Media Release...


Record Nominations for CeBIT.AU Business Awards as Finalists are Announced

Sydney, 11 May 2012:

After receiving a record number of nominations for the CeBIT.AU Business Awards, CeBIT Australia is proud to announce the 2012 finalists.  The CeBIT.AU Business Awards recognise excellence, innovation
and achievement in the information and communication technology industry and have steadily grown each year since the inaugural year of 2007.
 
“CeBIT Australia has a proud history of recognising talented, innovative and successful organisations in the ICT industry. This year the record number of nominations shows a vibrant sector representing many different technology organisations” said Jackie Taranto, Managing Director of Hannover Fairs Australia. “The quality of the nominations this year has been remarkable, with strong representation in the Innovation category.”

An industry panel will be selecting the winners in the four categories of Service Distinction,
Outstanding Project, Top Business Solution and Innovation. The category winners will be announced at the CeBIT Australia ICT Dinner on Wednesday 23 May 2012, held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The finalists are:
CeBIT.AU Business Award for Service Distinction
* AAPT - AAPT Service
* BigTinCan - BTC Dashboard
* Deputy - Deputy.com
* Impact Management Group - GovReports
CeBIT.AU Business Award for Outstanding Project
* DHS - The Corporate Processes and System Integration (CPSI)
* GoCatch - GoCatch Project (start-up)
* CentreLink - CentreLink Debt
* Pronto - Pronto Software & Nike, Retail Prodigy Group
* LeadMaster Australia - Summit Implementations
CeBIT.AU Business Award for Top Business Solution
* Xero - Xero
* LeadMaster Australia - LeadMaster
* Dell - KACE
* Rittal - Rittal Data Centre Container (RDCC)
* Datalicious - SuperTag
* e-Zest - Lantana
CeBIT.AU Business Award for Innovation
* Tapit - Tapit
* DesignCrowd - DesignCrowd
* CSIRO - Patient Admission Prediction Tool (PAPT)
* Household Technology - Invoxia
* Parrasync - Parrasync

In addition to the CeBIT.AU Business Awards, winners of the Australian Government ICT Awards Program administered by the Department of Finance and Deregulation, and the Nasscom Innovation Student Awards, will be announced at the ICT Celebration Dinner.

About Hannover Fairs Australia
CeBIT Australia is organised by Hannover Fairs Australia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the global trade group company Deutsche Messe AG. Hannover Fairs Australia also assists Australian companies in attending other international events organised by Deutsche Messe AG across the world.

www.hannoverfairs.com.au

About CeBIT Australia
CeBIT Australia is Australasia's Number #1 Business Event, now in its 11th year. Since 2002, CeBIT Australia has attracted over 280,000 visitors from more than 100 countries, over 5,800 exhibitors from 36 countries, and 91 high-level government delegations from 29 countries.

CeBIT Australia's Official Partner is the New South Wales Government.

CeBIT Australia delivers an annual economic boost of over A$167 million* into the NSW and Australian economies and it leads to the creation of an estimated 2000 jobs in Australia each year. Over its lifetime, it is estimated that CeBIT Australia has delivered more than A$2 billion of economic value to Australia.

CeBIT Australia 2012 will run from 22 - 24 May, in Sydney, Australia. More than 30,000 visitors and over 600 exhibitors are expected to attend.

www.cebit.com.au

* Source: Economic analysis undertaken at the conclusion of CeBIT Australia 2009


News...


snom Showcases New snom UC edition and snom 7xx Series Business Phones at CeBIT Australia

Company to feature their ‘Qualified for Microsoft Lync’ snom UC edition phones and new 7xx series business phones

Woburn, Mass. and Sydney, NSW, Australia (May 22, 2012) – snom technology AG, a leading developer and manufacturer of voice over IP phones, is making their CeBIT Australia debut of the snom UC edition phones ‘qualified for Microsoft Lync’ and the new snom 7xx series of business phones this week in Sydney. The conference and trade show is being held at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre from May 22-24, 2012.

At snom’s booth (#C52), the company will be exhibiting their snom UC edition portfolio of  ‘qualified for Microsoft Lync’ phones including the snom 300 UC edition, snom 370 UC edition, snom 821 UC edition and the Lync optimized snom UC 600. snom will also feature the new snom 720 and snom 760 business phones ideal for small to medium-sized business (SMB) environments.

SNOM SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

Product Innovation
snom UC edition Portfolio

Our snom UC edition portfolio of qualified and optimized for Microsoft Lync standards-based phones are fully compatible with Lync, hosted Lync and VoIP solutions.

The snom UC edition portfolio provides resellers an array of desktop phone choices for the SMB market. The snom 300 UC edition and snom UC600 are a good fit for general office workers, while the snom 370 UC edition, with its large graphical, high-definition display, is ideal for business executives. The advanced snom 821 UC edition, also a great choice for business executives, features a large, high-resolution color display, an integrated XML browser, wideband audio for enhanced audio quality and the built-in Gigabit Ethernet switch for the latest network installations.

snom 7xx series
The snom 720 and snom 760 business phones bring together the multiple programmable buttons and popular standard business functionality of the snom 3xx series with the advanced functionality, sleek styling and Gigabit Ethernet switch found in the snom 8xx series to create an advanced desktop phone at a value-driven price.

About snom

snom technology AG develops and manufactures VoIP telephones and related equipment based on the IETF open standard, SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). Recognized for its high-quality, customizable, and cost-effective business solutions, snom is also differentiated by the company’s history in the VoIP industry and its dedication to high security standards. All of snom’s products, from desktop phones to IP PBXs, are designed to be fully interoperable with leading communications equipment vendors. snom customers benefit from the interoperability and flexibility that the snom telephones offer, including plug-and-play integration and universal compatibility with any SIP-based telephony platform. In September 2011, the snom 300 and the snom 821 were the first SIP phones to be officially tested and qualified as interoperable with Microsoft Lync™ by Microsoft.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, snom technology AG also has offices in Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. For more information on snom, please visit www.snom.com

Websites

CeBit Australia

Hannover Fairs Australia

Media Man Int

Darling Harbour official website

Website Network

Media Man Int

Media Man

Media Man News

Media Man Entertainment

Australian Government may legalise live online gambling; NRL, Crown Limited; The Star, Marvel Games

Australian Government may legalise live online gambling; Crown Limited gambler case; The Star entertains with musical in Sin City Sydney; World Series of Poker to Melbourne; Marvel Entertainment Online Games...





Profiles

Gambling Gaming Poker Politics Marvel Entertainment Marvel Slots Marvel Games Entertainment Sports Australia

The Federal Government has flagged potential amendments to gambling laws that would allow people to bet online during live sporting events.

The Government is currently reviewing interactive gambling laws and is talking with key stakeholders about possible changes.

Currently, punters can only bet on sporting events as they happen in person or over the phone.

However Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has flagged a possible change to allow people to bet online during live events like last night's State of Origin clash.

"While the State of Origin was on last night, you can pick up a phone and make a bet, [but] you can't go online and make a bet," he told Channel Nine.

"So you've got a situation where if you make the phone call it's legal, if you try and do it online it's illegal.

"And that seems an anomaly ... this is one of the issues that needs to be looked at so that you've got consistent laws."

Reports in News Limited publication Herald Sun state that Merrill Lynch gaming analyst Mark Bryan wrote in an email that Mr Conroy's department has provided the industry with a brief on draft legislation. Other firms such as the Media Man agency, Bwin.Party digital entertainment, World Poker Tour and World Series of Poker have also enjoyed positive liasions with various Australian government departments regarding gaming legislation in Australia.


Crown Casino To Host World Series of Poker in 2013...

James Packer's Crown Casino has announced an exciting partnership with the worlds largest poker brand, the World Series Of Poker. Set to take place at Crown Casino in Melbourne from April 4-15 2013, the World Series of poker Asia-Pacific (WSOP APAC) is a huge expansion into the world's largest gaming market.

WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart said, “Our goal is to establish the worldwide grand slam of poker and use our platform to elevate the game through a series of major championships,”
“With WSOP Las Vegas growing annually and WSOP Europe poised for long-term success after five years, the time is right to turn our attention to the dynamic poker scene in Asia and Australia. Given Crown’s success with the ‘Aussie Millions Poker Championship’, we couldn’t ask for a better partner than Crown to establish the Asia-Pacific’s definitive poker festival.”

Crown Casino in Melbourne already is the home to the world's largest tournament series outside of the World Series Of Poker in Las Vegas with the Aussie Millions series each January attracting the worlds premier players. Crown Melbourne's CEO Greg Hawkins said, “This exciting partnership brings together two industry leaders, and two strong brands, to create a premier poker event in this region”.

“Our agreement firmly aligns with our objective of attracting the very best local and international players, all vying for a coveted WSOP bracelet. We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved with the Aussie Millions and look forward to featuring WSOP Asia Pacific on our poker calendar in April 2013.”

The WSOP brand is one of the worlds most iconic and every poker player in the world dreams of one day being the proud owner of coveted WSOP Bracelet. The WSOP brand is 42-years old and in 2007 it expanded beyond the USA with the launch of the WSOP Europe in London (2007-2010) and subsequently into France (2011). The WSOP APAC is set to tap into the tremendous growth of peer-2-peer gaming in this region.

As part of the agreement with the WSOP, the WSOP APAC events are expected to be televised globally across ESPN. Fox Sports, as seen on Foxtel, already broadcasts games from competitor, World Poker Tour (owned by Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment).

One man who is no stranger to ESPN and the WSOP is Australian local sporting hero, Joe Hachem. Way back in 2005 Joe won the most prestigious poker event in the world, the World Series Of Poker Main Event.

“It’s thrilling to think the World Series of Poker is coming to Australian soil,” said Joe Hachem. “I know first-hand what a life-changing moment winning the WSOP gold bracelet was and how it served as a catalyst for the growth of poker in Australia and Asia. It will be a dream come true to host a worldwide poker event such as this at Crown. I can’t wait.”

The full WSOP APAC schedule is set to be released later this year.


In other gambling and gaming news...


Coast high-roller fails to recover millions...

A Gold Coast businessman who turned over almost $1.5 billion in 14 months at Melbourne's Crown Casino has lost his bid to recover more than $20 million he lost there.

Property developer Harry Kakavas spent $1.479 billion on 30 separate visits to Crown between June 2005 and August 2006, winning and losing vast sums, but ultimately accruing losses of $20.5 million, a Melbourne court has heard.

Mr Kakavas claimed Crown knew he suffered from pathological gambling and lured him back to the casino with the use of a private jet and cash and entertainment gifts.

But on Monday the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier Supreme Court decision that the casino did not take advantage of his gambling habits.

Appeal judge Justice Bernard Bongiorno said Mr Kakavas alleged his pathological gambling condition impaired his ability to make rational decisions about the amount of money he gambled.

Mr Kakavas would gamble six-figure sums on hands of baccarat, which take a matter of seconds to play.

But Justice Bongiorno said the fact Mr Kakavas was able to negotiate favourable terms for himself at Crown demonstrated his ability to make decisions in his best interest.

"When gambling at Crown he had negotiated the terms on which he gambled and had threatened to and in fact had withheld his custom from Crown when he did not get what he wanted," Justice Bongiorno said.

"These are not the characteristics of someone unable to conserve his own interests."

Justice Bongiorno found the allowances Crown offered to Mr Kakavas were not out of step with those typically offered to high-rolling gamblers.

He also rejected a claim by Mr Kakavas that he had lost $30 million in one losing streak at Crown in 2006.

He said on one occasion in March 2006 Mr Kakavas returned home to the Gold Coast with $14 million in winnings.

"That he lost overall is not in any way surprising," he said.

"The longer a person plays, the more certain it is that he will ultimately lose. Were it otherwise casinos would fail."

Mr Kakavas was ordered to pay Crown's legal costs. (AAP)


The Star entertains with musical: An Officer and a Gentleman...

Australian casinos and entertainment do mix!

Last week An Officer and a Gentleman enjoyed its Sydney, Australia premiere at The Star's Lyric Theatre at Ultimo.

The red carpet premiere was well attended by media and celebrities, and its understood the production is likely to match if not well exceed the substantial hype.

Producer John Frost said that more hard-won world premieres were in store.

"Not just Australian stories, but international stories that can be exported to international markets," Frost said.

Producers from Germany, South Korea, Canada, New York and London were at tonight's opening.

Frost said the $6 million budget for An Officer And A Gentleman was about half what it might have been if it was developed in New York or London.

"Things are just easier and cheaper here, and in New York and London, you're so far out of town (doing the set building) trying to get it right and get it fixed," he said.

Frost said the process of developing new musicals, as opposed to simply remounting a successful overseas version, would help build production skills for the creation of new musicals in the future.

"What this is doing is establishing people like (An Officer And A Gentleman) director Simon Phillips, his choreographer and his assistants, to do new stuff they're not used to doing, because they are used to doing stuff that's already been done and what we are trying to do is to broaden that experience so a lot more directors and a lot more writers get that opportunity," Frost added.

Later next year and early 2014 Frost expects to mount world premieres of Dream Lover: The Bobby Darin Show and Red Dog. His production of Doctor Zhivago is approaching the end of a six month-long run in Seoul and will then be mounted in New York.

The Media Man and Music News Australia agencies were overheard agreeing "Another world class production put on by The Star and Lyric Theatre".

The pitch:

A new musical based on the Paramount Pictures-Lorimar movie "An Officer and a Gentleman" written by Douglas Day Stewart

Music and lyrics by Ken Hirsch and Robin Lerner
Book by Douglas Day Stewart and Sharleen Cooper Cohen
Director Simon Phillips
Choreographer Andrew Hallsworth
Set and Costume Designer Dale Ferguson
Lighting Designer Matt Scott
Musical Director Dave Skelton
Associate Director Dean Bryant
Producers Sharleen Cooper Cohen and John Frost

In association with Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros Theatre Ventures

Based on the hugely successful Academy Award-winning film, this new production has been adapted for the stage by the original screen writer, Douglas Day Stewart and co-writer Sharleen Cooper Cohen, with music and lyrics by Kenny Hirsch and Robin Lerner. It will be produced by Sharleen Cooper Cohen and John Frost, and directed by Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical).

The talented cast that will bring this timeless story to life includes Ben Mingay (Jersey Boys) as Zack Mayo, the classic angry young man who grew up in a "sewer" and dreams of flying jets and parlaying this skill into a better life; Amanda Harrison (Wicked) as Paula Pokrifki, the young factory worker who dreams of becoming a nurse and finding a better life without selling out for it, like everyone around her; Kate Kendall (Next to Normal) as Lynette Pomeroy, Paula's best friend who is determined to marry a flier to escape her dead end life, no matter what it takes; and Alex Rathgeber (The Phantom of the Opera) as Sid Worley, the likeable Okie son of a Navy Admiral who is the class "superstar" at the Naval Academy.

A hit across the ages, the 1982 film has become a phenomenon in cinema history, recently listed by the American Film Institute as one of the top ten love stories in cinema history. Featuring the iconic hit song "Up Where We Belong" and a new score by hit song writer Ken Hirsch and Grammy nominee Robin Lerner this timeless tale of struggle, success, friendship and love promises to be the musical blockbuster of 2012.

An Officer and a Gentleman is a triumphant story of working class heroes surviving great tests; a classic modern day love story about a working class boy and girl who must overcome their upbringing and personal weaknesses to accept life and love.

His Story, Her Romance.

The Star's history of celebrities...

Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair (ok, before it was rebranded The Star - back in Star City Casino days), Al Pacino, Bob Geldof, Russell Crowe, Paris Hilton, Afrojack, will.i.am, Snoop Dogg and so the list goes on.


Legally Blonde To Open 4th October 2012...

The Sydney Lyric Theatre is also going to be host to the famous musical 'Legally Blonde'.

Legally Blonde The Musical is the hilarious story of college sweetheart and homecoming queen, Elle Woods - a girl who doesn't take no for an answer. When her boyfriend dumps her for someone "serious", Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books and heads for Harvard Law School! Along the way, she proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style.

Legally Blonde The Musical -  Winner of Best Musical 2011 Olivier Awards and a smash hit running into its third year on the West End was created by a world-class creative team led by Tony Award-winning director Jerry Mitchell.

The musical opens 4th October 2012.


Marvel Entertainment - The Avengers Boosting Marvel Slots Popularity; Media Agency...

The box office success of Marvel Entertainment comic book based movie 'The Avengers', is boosting the popularity of Marvel slot games across internet networks, the Media Man agency has reported.

A Media Man spokesperson said "Marvel themed games have been popular ever since they were first released, but the success of Marvel Entertainment movies such as Thor, Captain America and The Avengers has at least doubled their popularity according to our data. A new rumoured Hulk movie or TV series, and the upcoming release of The Wolverine movie, staring Australia's own Hugh Jackman, will only further spike online game popularity."

Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment has licensed the Marvel deal, and the games can be found at Hitwise top ten website portals such as Media Man, which has a b2b in place with Bwin.Party and PartyCasino.

More Marvel Entertainment games are in the works and the Media Man agency will be providing detailed reviews on the games as more information comes to hand.

Gamers and gamblers, as always - bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.

Marvel Entertainment movie game fans and true believers...there's only one thing to say - Excelsior!

Websites

Media Man International

New South Wales Rugby League official website

NRL official website

Casino News Media

Crown Melbourne (Crown Casino)

Media Man Entertainment

Australian Sports Entertainment

Website Network

Media Man Int

Media Man

Media Man Entertainment

Media Man News

Wrestling News Media

Australian Sports Entertainment

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Eva Rinaldi: Bodyartist, artist, photographer, community entrepreneur plus, by Greg Tingle

Profiles

Celebrities Eva Rinaldi Human Statue Bodyart Art Social and Community Entrepreneurs





As is usually the case, there's never any shortage of news to report.

This month our feature profile is on one of the Inner West's, if not Australia's, most diverse and talented creative artists. To call her a creative artist doesn't really do our subject justice, because she is that and a whole lot more, but creative arts is her foundation and main career focus.

The name Eva Rinaldi will quite likely sound familiar to those who follow the entertainment and arts world.

While certainly not over exposed to media coverage, she has attracted her fair share over the years and is often even part of the news making process as she helps companies and individuals come up with  media and marketing ideas and concepts via her bodypainted and human statue creations, in addition to her photographs and news reporting on red carpet premiere events, music concerts, and all manner of other social happenings in and around Sydney.

Eva is one of those people who are so multi-talented its hard to pigeon hole them to just one occupation, so we won't try. Bodyartist / bodypainter, artist, professional photographer, internet publisher and supermum - Eva does it all, with the support of her family and her team - mainly comprised of her creative arts and photography students.

To get a grasp on the type of work Eva does let's look at some of her past few days activities... last night she shot and reported on a red carpet event at Hoyts, The Entertainment Quarter at Fox Studios and today it was off to the family farm at Goulburn where she took photographs, some of which will be displayed in her upcoming art exhibition, and then it was back to the Sydney office to work on Human Statue Bodyart campaigns for the likes of Foxtel, Vodafone and Hilton Hotels, and how can we forget the abstract art where she is in the final stages of completing sets on media heat seekers Rupert Murdoch, James Packer, Shane Warne, and his wife, Liz Hurley.

Much of Eva's abstract art creations carry a theme of celebrity for good, anti bullying and anti discrimination.

We spoke to Eva about some of her current projects and she shared: "Oh gosh, its so busy at the moment. It's quite a juggling act with my human statues, celebrity paintings, corporate campaigns, red carpet photography events and looking after the family, not to mention the family farm. Every week I'm shooting (photographing) celebrities and news makers and filing reviews. Human statues and bodypainting is our bread and butter, but the celebrity photography and internet publishing has really taken off for us also. I'm currently also painting media baron Rupert Murdoch, as well as doing an abstract of Shane Warne and his lovely wife Liz Hurley. For my paintings I like to choose subjects that ignite strong public interest and who have experienced life's ups and downs, and who use their celebrity for achieving good in the world. Murdoch and Packer have done a lot for Indigenous Australia, much of which is not known, and Shane and Liz do a lot of fundraising and help support children in Australian hospitals. I love sharing my creative gifts while at the same time offering exposure to worthy causes and people who make a positive difference in the world. I've borrowed a few pages out of the book of U2's Bono (Paul Hewson) who calls it 'currency of celebrity'. This year we're going for some government and private grants to help push forward our community projects where we involve many of our creative arts and disadvantaged students, so I'm hopeful that some of our latest news coverage helps make some of my modest dreams a reality.  It's been a challenging year, but things have really been on the upswing of late".

We asked Eva to elaborate on her community and anti-bullying work, projects and inspiration, and after some hesitation she opened up to us: "I was bullied and discriminated against as a child - and still am sometimes. My heritage is Italian and my parents immigrated to Australia when I was a child. We all had to work really hard for what we have achieved. I was the different one at school. When I first got into the media industry I was also bullied by a couple of nasty types who didn't seem to respond well to a blonde women of artistic background making major positive waves in an industry they had been in for a while. It was a bit like 'You wog's are all the same'. One of my brothers is openly gay and he was bullied as a child also. I've recently submitted some of my artistic works to the IDAHO Exhibition at Parramatta which covers these themes. If they sell I will be able to donate more to my favourite worthy causes. I'm also ramping up my involvement in assisting disadvantaged students. My teaching work has exposed me to some people who have missed out on a lot of traditional support structures and those who experienced learning difficulties. Last year we were able to identify some of their core strengths and facilitate some paid and volunteer employment opportunities for them. Our creative arts and media program helped us discover some hidden talents in the group which some Australian employers place high value in. One student helps in first-aid at music festivals and events and other has secured gigs in television commercials advertising technology products. I believe and tell others - never give up and believe that anything is impossible".

Photography, another medium of both art (and media) has long been a passion of Eva's. She first picked up a camera at ten years of age. Eva has been making powerful images documenting children with bodyart, fashion and popular culture since 1997, when her photographs began appearing in publications and then later she commenced working for corporate events creating a diverse body of work.

She refined her art at locations such as Bondi Beach and the secret tram shed in the inner west in Sydney, and at her family farm in Goulburn New South Wales.

Some recognisable names that Eva has photographed:

Lady Gaga, Dolly Parton, Joel Edgerton, Stevie Nicks, Russell Crowe, Elton John, Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Katy Perry, Russell Brand, Maxi Priest, Michael Buble', Lionel Ritchie, Neil Diamond, Rihanna, Bryan Ferry, Chris Isaak, Cyndi Lauper, Miley Cyrus, Ke$ha, Enrique Iglesias, Taylor Lautner, Jennifer Hawkins, Miranda Kerr, Rowan Atkinson, Owen Wilson, Danielle Spencer, Lincoln Lewis, Ita Buttrose, Sarah Murdoch, Kerry-Anne Kennerley, Frank Lowy, George Negus, Seal and Jack Black.

Current projects:

Art abstracts of Rupert Murdoch, Shane Warne and Liz Hurley, and corporate bodyart, bodypainting and human statues.

Eva is soon to once again commence her photography and make-up / bodyart courses, so if your interested be sure to send her an email or contact her office.

Once again, well done Eva on your career and community achievements and initiatives.

Readers, stay with us right here, as next month we will feature yet another amazing talent.

For more information on Eva and her work check out websites:

Human Statue Bodyart
www.humanstatuebodyart.com.au

Eva Rinaldi Photography
www.evarinaldi.com

Music News Australia
www.musicnewsaustralia.com






















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