Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check

Our diminishing natural resources:

A toxic spill from Hungary has reached a branch of one of Europe's main waterways, the Blue Danube River.
Four days ago at an aluminum refining plant in Hungary, a reservoir's dam wall burst, unleashing 24 million cubic feet of toxic waste that killed 4 people, injured 120 others, and killed all fish and other wildlife. The sludge flowed downstream along a tributary until it reached the Danube yesterday, 12 miles from the plant. Now, everywhere you look, you see red --toxic red effluent.
And the Danube flows through half a dozen other European countries.
Hungarian officials have called the industrial accident an "unprecedented environmental catastrophe." The owner of the plant and reservoir, MAL Zrt, said inspections on the dam before the disaster showed no indication of any problem.
Editor's note: Woo hoo. Score another one for humanity! (Maiman)

Trash talk and satellite dish:

Warning: note content and language.
   ANGELINA PIVARNICK had a great reason for leaving "Jersey Shore" --the living conditions were highly abusive! The reality darling tells Us Weekly that MIKE "The Situation" SORRENTINO and VINNY GUADAGNINO called her a "whale" and fellow house mates left a plethora of goodies on her bed. Ang says she found a condom covered in whipped cream on one occasion and olive oil and grated cheese on another.
   The MTV diva says she's now back at home with her mom, admits her head is "f-ed up" and is in therapy over the drama. (Lee)

Checking in with the Supremes:

ELENA KAGAN has made quite a name for herself as Supreme Court justice, but her parents really wanted her to become (wait for it...) Mrs ELIOT SPITZER! CINDY ADAMS of the NY Post reports the pair attended Harvard Law School together and mom and dad dreamed of their little girl marrying the philandering future governor! (Lee)

Broadcast, cable and video news:

You probably never heard of ROBERT TRACHINGER, who passed away last month of heart failure. But Daily Variety magazine says he was the guy who helped develop slo-mo technology on videotape for those "instant replay" features and was also the guy who made the first hand-held TV camera and the first underwater TV camera, which he tested in his own swimming pool. So let's have a kind thought for Bob, who worked his entire career at ABC, and worked on everything from the Kennedy/Nixon debates to the Academy Awards --as well as every Olympic Games from the 50s through 1984.

Grace notes from Vinny Marino:

So now we finally know the reason why MAX WEINBERG will not be the bandleader for CONAN O'BRIEN's new show. The drummer told FanCast that just a few weeks after Conan ended his short run as host of NBC's "Tonight Show," Max underwent really serious open heart surgery.
   Max said he was told that his condition was life-threatening two years ago, so when he suddenly found himself with a lot of free time, Max had the operation. He also said that since Conan's new TBS show will tape in Los Angeles, Max decided that he needed to be back in New Jersey with his family, full time.
   He's now fully recovered from the operation and will continue to play drums for THE E STREET BAND whenever BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN needs him. (Marino)

Look what I found:

Experts are trying to figure out why a giant 150-yard crack suddenly appeared in rural Michigan (video).
   Fox News says residents near Birch Creek, MI, heard a loud boom Monday. Then, their houses started shaking. That's when the weird fissure showed up in the woods, stretching the length of almost two football fields.
   Michigan state trooper PAUL ANDERSON says, "There are probably a hundred different opinions out there as to what caused this, but at this time, we don't know what caused this." (Still)