Biggest safari yacht gutted and sinks

The largest safari yacht in the "Nooraanee Queen" has burnt completely after it caught fire at about 10.25 friday night. The yacht has sunk yesterday morning at about 7.The US 4.7 million dollar luxury vessel has 34 beds for tourists was anchored in Male' Atoll Guraidhoo had no tourists when it caught fire. But reports say one of the 12 members of crew Ali Easa of Raa Rasgetheemu is missing. Coast guard and divers have searched for the missing person but the search has not been successful. Ali was wearing a light blue shirt with floral design and a cream short. The cause of fire has not been confirmed. Police are investigating the matter.
We tried to contact a surviving crew of the vessel for comment on how the vessel caught fire. But they could not be contacted.
Nooranee Queen is owned by Mr. Zahir Adam of Moving International. Zahir Adam is the Gaafu Dhaalu member of the People's Majlis. He has been in tourism business for several years. He wanted to build a luxury yacht for providing exclusive service to tourists and Nooraanee Queen is the result of his vision and hard work. The yacht was built in the , and it has become very popular for visiting tourists.
According to our information, Nooraaanee Queen is fully insured vessel.

The Floater

This gadget is for just for users of Apple laptops. The Floater is made out of a block of solid aluminum and is designed to hold your computer when you have it hooked up to an external keyboard and monitor. The Floater has airflow designed to keep your Apple cooler. The stand has drilled channels for the cables and silicon pads to grip your Mac without scratching it. Although it looks precarious, the company also promises that the Floater is perfectly stable. It has the same pared down aesthetic as Apple products and sells for $305.

Police: Benoit Killed Wife, Child Before Suicide

"This is a terrible tragedy and an unbearable loss."

So proclaims World Wrestling Entertainment after one of its marquee superstars,Chris Benoit, apparently killed his wife and seven-year-old son in their Georgia home over the weekend before taking his own life.

At a press conference Tuesday, officials with the Fayetteville County Sheriff's Department said that based on the autopsies and evidence found at the scene, Benoit strangled his wife, Nancy, Friday night in a home office and then smothered his son, Daniel, early Saturday morning in the child's bedroom.

According to the WWE, Benoit sent five text messages to some of his co-workers between 3:51 a.m. and 3:58 a.m. Saturday.

Messages one, three and four read, "My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane, Fayetteville, Georgia. 30215."

Message five just gave his address, and message two read, "The dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Garage side door is open."

Sometime between then and early Monday, he went down to his basement weight room and hanged himself using a pulley cord from one of his workout machines.

Based on the text message and worried about Benoit's welfare after he failed to show up for a wrestling event in Beaumont, Texas, Saturday and WWE's "Vengeance: Night of Champions" in Houston on Sunday, one of Benoit's friends alerted the WWE, which in turn contacted the authorities in Fayetteville.

Investigators initially had difficulty entering the home; the perimeter was guarded by two German shepherds. But by Monday afternoon, officers had discovered the three bodies.
The cause of death for all three was asphyxiation.

The sheriff said there are no other suspects and Benoit did not leave a suicide note.
Detectives found several legally obtained prescription drugs, including anabolic steroids. Investigators say it will take up to two weeks to determine what drugs Benoit had in his system. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation's crime lab is conducting a battery of tests, including toxicology.

"WWE was stunned and saddened by the details released today by local authorities and is continuing to monitor the investigation," the organization said in an additional statement released Tuesday evening.

Although medical studies have linked steroid use to behavioral changes, including overly aggressive mood swings, paranoia, depression and angry outbursts—commonly known as "'roid rage"—the WWE had earlier cautioned against any rush to judgment.
"There is no current evidence that Benoit even had steroids or any other substance in his body," the organization said in a lengthy statement attempting to quell "sensationalistic reporting and speculation."

"On the last test done on Benoit by WWE's independently administered drug-testing program, done on April 10, 2007, Benoit tested negative.

"
The statement continued, "The physical findings announced by authorities indicate deliberation, not rage."

Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard told reporters he was flummoxed by the murders and Benoit's subsequent suicide.

"In a community like this, it's bizarre just to have a murder-suicide and certainly [one] involving the death of a seven-year-old child," the prosecutor said.

Even stranger, Ballard noted that Benoit placed Bibles by the bodies of his deceased wife and son. Investigators also found 43-year-old Nancy Benoit wrapped in a towel, both her feet and wrists bound and blood under her head.

According to court records obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the couple had suffered through a period of marital strife capped by Nancy Benoit filing for divorce in 2003. Per the petition, she sought permanent custody of Daniel and child support. She also obtained a restraining order against her 5-foot-10, 220-pound husband.

"[Benoit] lost his temper and threatened to strike the petitioner and cause extensive damage to the home and personal belongings of the parties, including furniture and furnishings," the petition stated. "Petitioner is in reasonable fear for petitioner's own safety and that of the minor child."

Three months later, however, she had the divorce papers and protective order dismissed, and the couple reconciled.

Benoit, otherwise known as the "Canadian Crippler" because he hailed from Montreal, met Nancy Daus, a wrestling manager who went by the stage name "Woman," in 1997 during a stint with the now defunct World Championship Wrestling organization.

After Daus' then husband hatched a romantic storyline for her and Benoit in the ring, the two reportedly became romantically involved. Daus divorced her husband and married Benoit in 2000.

The murder-suicide has stunned pro wrestling fans. The WWE's Website and fanboards have been deluged with messages about one of the company's premiere athletes, who won the WWE's world heavyweight championship in 2004.

Many fans also called on the WWE to ditch the "Vince Is Dead" plot. The whodunit storyline focuses on the supposed demise of WWE mastermind Vince McMahon and has been dominating the organization's Monday-night program, Raw.

While the WWE did not address the McMahon angle, the organization did cancel Monday night's three-hour live Raw broadcast on USA Network, replacing it with a tribute to Benoit's life and career.

"Chris was beloved among his fellow superstars and was a favorite among WWE fans for his unbelievable athleticism and wrestling ability," the WWE said in a statement. "He always took great pride in his performance, and always showed respect for the business he loved, for his peers and toward his fans."

Digital Do-Over: Lara Croft Gets a New Look

Back in 1996, everyone loved Lara Croft: the curves, the can-do spirit, the double-barreled shotgun. But over the years, those polygons have started to show their age, and, well, even virtual vixens can use a little touch-up now and then. Don't fret. The good geeks at Eidos know how to take care of their hot property, and they've spruced up this adventurer—and the adventures, too—with Tomb Raider: Anniversary for PS2. They ditched most of the annoying bad guys from more recent titles and returned to doing things that made Lara Croft such a hit in the first place. Not that they had to bring everything back: Sure, the T.rex is bigger, badder and louder than ever, but it takes forever to defeat. No matter, this is one anniversary present we'll never forget.

Poseidon 180 Yacht

From the Giancarlo Zema Design Group (the same folks that brought us the Jellyfish 45) comes this exciting yacht, the Poseidon 180 being developed by Bugatti Yachts. The 180-foot yacht has floating decks under a giant glass dome. It has eight staterooms that offer panoramic ocean views. The yacht uses Bugatti Marine engines that can hit 40 knots. The price is $50 million and it looks to be just a design at this point, still, what a design it is. Check out the pictures after the jump for more looks at this unique vessel.

Cabo Uno Tequila

I've been a fan of Sammy Hagar's Cabo Wabo tequila for a while, now the musician's company has introduced a new premium version, Cabo Uno Tequila Añejo Reserva. The tequila is aged 38 months in oak casks and the company plans to only produce around 1,800 cases per year. The tequila comes in a lead-free crystal decanter and boxed in wood and leather. The premium tequila can be found for around $200. For more background on the pricey potion check out this Wine Spectator article from back in March, it seems that Sammy takes quite an interest in his tequila, tasting all the batches.

First Residents Move Into the Palm Jumeirah

The first residents of the Palm Jumeirah, the massive palm-shaped island off the coast of Dubai, have moved in and as the AP reports they seem quite content so far. The AP profiles Andrew Dukes who was the first to move into his island mansion. Dukes, formerly an executive with a London-based Internet company, paid around $1.36 million for his house over a year ago and it is now worth nearly double. The new land which was made from sand dredged up from the sea and rock from nearby mountains, will also be home to hotels, including one by Donald Trump, a monorail, and a water theme park. Buyers of the development include citizens of the United Arab Emirates and neighboring countries and speculators and residents from around the world. Part of the Palm Jumeirah also serves as a labor camp for the thousands of construction workers working on the project. The other projects by Nakheel including the ambitious "World" project are still under development.

Soneva Fushi Goes Green

I've written before about the luxurious Soneva Fushi resort in the Maldives. Now the resort is in the news again not for its luxury but for being the latest resprt to announce that it is going green. The property is the first of the Six Senses group of properties to createa program to offset its guests' flight emissions. This first step will make Soneva Fushi carbon neutral by 2008 with a goal of having Soneva Fushi be carbon free by 2010. The Six Senses Carbon Offset Fund will support the Converging World project which focuses on alternative energy production methods.

These steps are part of the Six Senses Zero Emissions Objective commitment to sustainable development and to the environment. The resorts will develop climate-sympathetic accommodations which use local materials, take steps toward reducing some food transportation energy by growing fresh produce in its own organic gardens and plan to power the entire Soneva Fushi property with zero-carbon energy. By adding energy and heat recovery systems as well as reducing wastage and loss, up to 30% of the current energy used is expected to be saved. Another plan is to include using seawater intake from boreholes and/or deep wells for a reverse osmosis desalination plant with an energy recovery pressure intake system would be expected to reduce 30% of energy usage with a 40% water production increase. The use of biodiesel – derived essentially from coconut meat - is being considered as a fuel for the fleet of water craft and also as an alternative to diesel fuel imports for back-up and residual electricity needs at the resort. The ultimate goal is to achieve a 50% reduction in greenhouse gasses by January 2008 and to use no fossil-fuel-derived energy sources by 2010.[via Breaking Travel News] :by deidre-woollard

Is It A Sin To Own A Ferrari?

When it comes to luxury sports cars, Ferrari begs to differ with the Pope.

The Vatican issued a document listing its rules of the road, including one warning against using cars "as a means for outshining other people and arousing a feeling of envy."

Ferrari's general manager acknowledged the Vatican's concern that some drivers could use the cars as status symbols, but he said most people bought Ferraris for the love of driving.

"Unless having fun has become a sin, I don't believe it (to be wrong)," Amedeo Felisa told Reuters this week at an event celebrating Ferrari's 60th anniversary in its hometown southeast of Milan.

A unit of Italy's Fiat, Ferrari makes some of the world's most exclusive cars, each worth more than 100,000 euros.

Felisa was convinced that buying a Ferrari was not a sin.

"I hope not -- but you should commit at least one from time to time," he said

Lazare Kaplan $1 Million Ice Cream Cone

This is the most expensive ice cream cone in the world - and it doesn’t melt. The $1 million cone is made of diamonds, gold and precious jewels. It is 18-carat white and yellow gold and is topped with a 5 carat gem. It was made by US jewellers Lazare Kaplan for the ice cream giant Bruster’s.

Rapper Brown attacked by pimps ‘women’!

Rapper Foxy Brown has been beaten up by a gang of women - who pulled out her hearing aid and stole her designer handbag, according to US reports.

Police say Brown was set upon by three women after Brown dumped her boyfriend because she found out he was a pimp. A police source said: “This ex-boyfriend called some of his women, and they pounced on her. They beat her bad. They ripped out her hair weave. Her hair was a mess - and that seems to be what she cared about most.” The women also stole Brown’s Louis Vuitton handbag, credit cards and $500.

The assault occurred after the hip-hop artist dumped her beau at 5.30 am on Saturday in Brooklyn, but sources say she was unaware of his criminal past and met him in a recording studio. After the assault, Brown - real name Inga Marchand - filed a complaint at a police station in Brooklyn, New York. It is not Brown’s first brush with the law as she got three years’ probation after being accused of attacking two manicurists in 2004.

Now your computer can be a big-ass table!

cool isn't it :D

50 Cent in court over child support

The $25,000 a month in child support and household expenses that rapper 50 Cent pays to the mother of his 10-year-old son is not enough, says the boy's mother, Shaniqua Tompkins.

The rapper is "worth tens and tens of millions of dollars," said her attorney, Raoul Felder.

The parents of young Marquise Jackson are wrangling over the issue in family court in this Long Island community, where 50 Cent arrived Friday in an armored SUV equipped with a satellite dish.

50 Cent no longer needs to worry about the choice he famously expressed on a 2004 album — "Get Rich or Die Tryin'."

With his G-Unit record label, clothing line, ring tones and other enterprises, 50 Cent — whose real name is Curtis Jackson — reeled in an estimated $33 million in the past year, according to Forbes. He has sold more than 11 million albums and has a new album, "Curtis," due out in September.

His lawyer, Brett Kimmel, called Tompkins "insatiable."

"Her demands keep escalating," he told the Daily News.

Closed-door hearings on the child-support case are scheduled to continue this coming week.

The African Teen: Aya's Graphic Storytelling

Africa may inspire images of poverty, disease, violence and Bono, but graphic novelist Marguerite Abouet and illustrator Clément Oubrerie offer a different perspective, one atypical from the usual stories about the continent. Set in late 1970s Ivory Coast, Aya follows the 19-year-old title character as she pursues her dream of medical school while her girlfriends deal with dating and other teen pitfalls. The girls’ trials with relationships, abusive parents and teen pregnancy often resemble the Lifetime movies we secretly love so much, but Oubrerie’s vibrant artwork and an undercurrent of humor prevent the story from becoming overly melodramatic. Abouet shows us an Africa we rarely see on the news or in movies, and drives home the point that growing up is the same difficult journey in Africa as it is anywhere else. So, while you take your time choosing which of the 20 covers you want of the Vanity Fair Africa issue (we’re always a sucker for Clooney here), pick this up, too.

Pocketful of Miracles: We Get Pokémon Fever

Never caught Pokémon fever? Join the club. But that shouldn't stop you from checking out two spiffy new Pokémon iterations for Nintendo DS, Diamond and Pearl. The two games (which are basically the same with different monsters) are really just stripped-down role playing for kiddies; it's their simplicity that makes them so addictive. (Even the online play is a breeze to set up.) So, in no time, you’ll be battling the little critters and catching them all for the “Pokédex” database or getting your virtual shop on at the local Poké Store. Just be wary of leveling up your little critters: they get stronger as they evolve. Which means what exactly? Trust us, that wee Zubat of yours won’t stay cute for long.

YouTube begins rolling out international sites

YouTube has launched nine localized versions of its video-sharing site for the following countries: Brazil, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK. YouTube co-founder Steve Chen announced the international sites have custom-translated pages and interfaces. He noted that more local features were coming in the future, including channelling country-specific videos, categories, and sections onto each site, as well as displaying country-specific ratings and comments.

Google, YouTube’s parent company, has said a version localized for Germany should be in the works soon, along with localized versions for other unannounced countries. Along with the announcement came news that YouTube also signed partnership agreements with various content providers, including the BBC, French news channel France 24, France Televisions, and several Spanish channels. Additionally, YouTube has struck deals with football (soccer) clubs in Europe such as Chelsea, AC Milan, Barcelona, and Real Madrid.

Axe Grinding: Get the Goods on Guitar Hero 2

Activision brought the latest Guitar Hero, not to mention Slash, to last month's South by Southwest conference, and the game was a hit with the crowd. It's easy to see why: Although Guitar Hero II (360) remains basically the same game as it was on PS2, it now features 360 add-ons such as downloadable (though a tad pricey) new songs, leaderboards to post and compare your scores with other gamers and glorious HD picture with 5.1 surround sound. What more can a wannabe rock god ask for? Besides groupies, that is. Well, we'd also suggest that a wireless guitar woulda been sweet, not to mention making it possible to set up an online battle of the bands. But minor blemishes aside, this sucker will have you rocking all night long.

H&M Sets Up Virtual Shop

Even if you've found plenty of reasons not to get into the Sims, this might be the one to make you start: You can now stock your virtual reality with trendy outfits and accessories inspired by real H&M designs. This month, Electronic Arts is releasing the Sims 2 H&M Fashion Stuff pack with virtual garment replicas, as well as everything gamers with retail ambitions need to create their very own store, from mannequins and clothing racks to cash registers and fitting rooms and more. Players are also invited to create outfits for six design themes that could be featured in a fashion runway showcase; the winning garment will be produced and sold in actual H&M stores. We love the creativity and inspired pairing of geeks and great style, but most of all, we like the idea of a virtual spree that comes without the real-life sting of credit card bills.

Book or Game? It's a Mystery

Careful, people, Nintendo DS may be stalking you nongamers out there. First they offer the oh-so-cute puppy sim of Nintendogs, then follow it up with the noggin-nourishing Brain Age. Now, here's the incredibly cool Hotel Dusk, which is—get this—an interactive book. Here's the setup: Set in the late '70s, the game concerns a cop turned salesman who makes a sales call at the titular hotel—and then must stick around to solve some mysteries. With some pointing and clicking, you’re soon questioning residents, rooting out clues and spouting dialogue straight out of a Raymond Chandler novel. We suspect you'll be hooked in no time.

Stunt Maniacs

learn how to do extreme stunts :D

Real Madrid win Spanish title after nail-biting finale

Real Madrid captured a record 30th Spanish League title on Sunday with a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Real Mallorca
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They finished equal on 76 points with bitter rivals Barcelona, who won 5-1 at bottom club Gimnastic Tarragona, but finished ahead of the Catalan club thanks to their better head-to-head record.

"To win we had to suffer. We always seem to have to suffer for our victories, but I'm very happy," said Real coach Fabio Capello.

The victory also sent David Beckham away to Los Angeles with a league championship medal although the former England skipper was substituted before the end of the game.

"It's here and it's very deserved. The people who deserve it most are those who believed in us through the bad times. It's a victory and title for a team that's united and together," said Real captain Raul Gonzalez
.
Real went unbeaten over their last 12 games of the season and, after lying third in mid-March, they clawed back a five-point advantage from both Barcelona and Sevilla.

They only needed to beat Mallorca to claim La Liga but the visitors' Fernando Varela silenced the 76,000 Real fans in the Santiago Bernabeu - which included film star Tom Cruise and his wife Katie Holmes - when he found the net after 17 minutes.

A defensive lack of concentration saw Juan Arango go around Sergio Ramos, and Michel Salgado failed to cut out the Venezuelan's cross, before Varela sloted the ball past Iker Casillas.
Madrid pressed hard and both Raul and Robinho went close but Real suffered another blow when Ruud van Nistelrooy, scorer of 26 goals this season, had to be taken off with a hamstring injury after 30 minutes.

Van Nistelrooy's departure meant he will only get a share of the European Golden Boot award with Roma's Francesco Totti.

Varela almost got a second goal after 55 minutes but, with only Casillas to beat, pushed the ball wide.

Beckham's four-year career at the Spanish club ended 65 minutes into his last game when he limped off, clearly still feeling the effects of the ankle injury he sustained during England's 3-0 win over Estonia 10 days ago.

He sat glumly in the dugout, under the gaze of his pop star wife Victoria who was sitting alongside Cruise, but his initial disappointment turned to joy as his replacement Jose Antonio Reyes found the net twice.

After only being on the field for three minutes, Reyes side-footed the ball past Mallorca goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya after Gonzalo Higuain, Van Nistelrooy's replacement, had pulled the ball back from the dead ball line.

Nine minutes from time, Real finally got their noses in front when the ball glanced off an unlucky Angelos Bassinas after Moya had pushed a Mahamadou Diarra header onto his team mate.
Reyes then crowned Madrid's night to remember with a tremendous left foot shot two minutes later.

"There have been a lot of bad times this season but where you finish is more important than how you got there," said Reyes.

Barcelona completed their part of the bargain hoping that Real would slip up.

Carlos Puyol opened the scoring with a left foot shot from the edge of the six yard box, with the Barca captain hammering home a Lionel Messi pass after 20 minutes.

Messi then added a second after 35 minutes with an exquisite chip from just inside the area.
Ronaldinho made it 3-0 from a direct free kick three minutes later and Messi then got his second of the night five minutes after the break.

Swedish striker Tobais Grahn got a late consolation goal for Gimnastic late in the game before Barca's Gianluca Zambrotta ended their scoring spree in injury time.

Sevilla started the night in third place, two points in arrears of the leading two, but went down 1-0 at home to Villarreal, who secured fifth place.

Fabricio Fuentes header after 50 minutes provided Villarreal with their eighth consecutive win and a place in the UEFA Cup next season.

Real Zaragoza finished sixth and secured the other slot in the UEFA Cup.

Totti Wins Golden Shoe

After Real Madrid's title winning victory against Mallorca, in which Van Nistelrooy suffered a first half injury and was unable to add to his tally, Francesco Totti has ended up as the top scorer in the top European leagues.

Francesco Totti has won the Golden Shoe award as Europe’s top League scorer, with 26 goals in the Serie A.

Until this evening, Ruud van Nistelrooy was also in the race for the award, but the Dutchman had to leave the pitch due to an injury in the first half of Real Madrid's title-deciding game against Mallorca.

This is the second consecutive year that an Italian has managed to win this prestigious award.
Luca Toni won it last year after he scored a mammoth 31 times in Serie A for Fiorentina.

The contest is decided with a coefficient system based on the difficulty of scoring in each nation.
With two points awarded for each goal scored in either England, Italy or Spain, Totti earned 52 points, while van Nistelrooy ended with 50.

Alfonso Alves, despite scoring 34 goals for Heerenveen in Holland, finished in 2nd place, with 51 points.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

Synopsis: The enigmatic, intergalactic herald, The Silver Surfer, comes to Earth to prepare it for destruction. As the Silver Surfer races around the globe wreaking havoc, Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben must unravel the mystery of the Silver Surfer and confront the surprising return of their mortal enemy, Dr. Doom, before all hope is lost.

iPhone will be released on June 29

Bitchin' in the Kitchen: Top Chef Returns

It's no Project Runway, but Bravo's Top Chef ain't bad as a stopgap replacement. (And it's a thousand times better than Top Design, which attempted to re-create the PR magic and went horribly awry. See ya later, decorators!) Returning tonight at 10 p.m. for its third-season premiere, Top Chef moves the action to Miami Beach and adds Queer Eye's Ted Allen as a recurring judge, along with regular tasting buds Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. The series vastly improved last season—the languorous Lakshmi rubs some viewers the wrong way, but she was a huge improvement over season one's wooden, robotic Katie Lee Joel—but Chef often seemed more interested in distracting antics than in choosing a worthy winner. (It shoulda been you, Sam!) That said, we're hungry for some overcooked drama—not to mention missing Tim Gunn—so we'll belly up to the table one more time.

Alba and Jackman are hottest heroes

Jessica Alba and Hugh Jackman have been voted the sexiest superheroes of all time.

Stunning Jessica, who won for her role as Susan Storm in 'The Fantastic Four', beat off stiff competition from 'Daredevil' star Jennifer Garner and 'X-Men' beauty Halle Berry.
A spokeswoman for Pearl and Dean, the cinema advertisers who conducted the poll, said: "It's no surprise that so many people find superheroes sexy in the movies. The combination of toned bodies, incredible powers and the all-important tight-fitting costume on the big screen is too appealing to resist. Although it looks like underpants-over-the-trousers look hasn't worked so well for Superman."
But Jessica recently said she wanted to be admired for her acting ability and not her sex appeal.
She told America's GQ magazine: "I hope all my new work will help producers in getting past my hotness."
The other heroines to make the poll's top five were Supergirl Helen Slater and Alicia Silverstone for her portrayal as Batgirl in Batman and Robin.
Hugh was the clear winner in the men's poll for his role as Wolverine in X-Men, leaving Batman Christian Bale and Spider-man Tobey Maguire to battle it out for second and third place.
Ghost Rider star Nicolas Cage and Brandon Routh -who played Superman in Superman Returns - were also in the top five.

Sexiest Superheroines

1. Jessica Alba as Susan Storm - Fantastic Four

2. Jennifer Garner as Elektra - Daredevil/Elektra

3. Halle Berry as Storm - X-Men

4. Helen Slater as Supergirl - Supergirl

5. Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl - Batman & Robin

Sexiest Superheroes

1. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine - X-Men

2. Christian Bale as Batman - Batman Begins

3. Tobey Maguire as Spider-man - Spider-Man

4. Nicolas Cage as Ghost Rider - Ghost Rider

5. Brandon Routh as Superman - Superman Returns

A Lover's Guide to 300

300 isn't a date movie.

But if you're really dying to see this gory adaptation of Frank Miller's gory novel about a gory Greek conflict, here's a few things you might say to help convince your special someone to go with you:

1. "Yes, it's incredibly violent...but it's choreographed violence." Just the word choreography makes everything seem more cultured and refined.

2. "It's a costume drama." 'Cause it's like Pride & Prejudice but with guys in Speedos.
3. "This film has a message." And it does. Unfortunately, it gets kind of obscured under all the dead people.

4. "It's visually sumptuous." Totally true. Everything from the spraying viscera to the Spartan dudes' six-packs looks incredible. (The soundtrack is nice, too.)

5. "But it's got the guy from The Wire in it!" This is the clincher. Everyone knows The Wire is, like, the best thing ever, even if they've never actually seen it, so this has to be a cultural high-water mark, right?

If any of this actually works, and you really do go to this bloody film, we suggest you soothe your date's shattered nerves with a postfilm chat about how you wished they'd focused on the smarter, more cultured Athenians instead. Those guys, who had other interests besides the complete decimation of the enemy, totally had their priorities straight.

From Heroes to Zero: DC's Comic Countdown

In a move that could prevent some people from ever leaving the house, DC Comics announced today that it will team with MySpace to launch its new yearlong weekly series, Countdown. On May 4, the first 10 pages will preview on the MySpace Comic Books page, with updates taken from the first two issues to follow during the next two weeks. Following the online preview, the series hits the stands May 9 with issue 51 and will work its way down to zero by next year. Created by Lost writer and story editor Paul Dini, the series promises to romp around through the DC universe and its many characters. Sounds good to us. Our only lingering question? Will MySpace mascot Tom make an appearance?

Arch Madness: The Joys of 80-Proof Footware

Just what everyone needs: Booze that tastes like hot, sweaty feet. The surf apparel geniuses at Reef have created the Dram, a sandal with a canteen in the heel that can hold up to three ounces of liquid and opens via a handy screw cap. (These diabolical dudes have already produced one with a built-in bottle opener.) This information leads us to the following conclusions: Reef must be a great place to work, the research and development team probably schedules its meetings during happy hour, and, no matter how cool it seems to holler "Hot Dram!" at the top of our lungs, we'd still prefer to carry our beverages in a picnic cooler.

"D.A.N.C.E." Fever: Summer Already Feels Hot

JUSTICE - D.A.N.C.E.
Uploaded by edbangerrecords

The season hasn't even officially started, but record labels are already releasing the jams you'll be rocking to at clubs, rooftop parties and beach bashes this summer. And we warn you: You're going to want to “D.A.N.C.E.” The French label Ed Banger Records brings you our favorite (so far) dance track by the electronic duo Justice. To make the magic, they pair a heavy disco beat with a children’s choir. While you won’t hear this song on your local top 40 station, you will hear it in every club that's worth the seven bucks it takes to get a beer. Check out the equally awesome music video created by fellow Ed Banger So Me that features a kaleidoscopic swirl of t-shirt images. And don't miss the Banger crew if they come to your town: We can personally attest to the supreme awesomeness of their live shows, even if the undulating mass of sweaty hipsters kinda makes you feel like you're in an American Apparel ad come to life.

Spidey Sense: Turn Your Kid a Superhero

Now that you and everyone else on the planet has finally seen Spider-Man 3, the question remains: What next for discerning fans of the friendly neighborhood arachnid dude? How about actually becoming Spidey? A new DVD lets you do just that. PixFusion's I Am the Amazing Spider-Man puts you, or more likely, your child, into a 25-minute DVD in which the Marvel superhero tussles with old-school villains Electro and Lizard. All it takes it is a color photo—and, uh, $39.95—and soon Peter Parker will look a lot more like a five-year-old. Or a thirtysomething hipster. Or your dog? Heck, a resourceful parent might even be tempted to convince an unruly child that Mom or Dad is Spider-Man...So, go clean your room unless you want to end up like the Sandman, kid.

Posh and Becks' Real Deals

Victoria and David Beckha are all about reality checks.
While plans for a fly-on-the-wall series starring the erstwhile Posh Spice have fizzled slightly, her soccer-playing hubby has landed an unscripted series of his very own.
As expected, NBC confirmed Wednesday that a previously announced reality series starring Victoria had been downsized to a one-hour special, airing July 16.
The show, dubbed Coming to America: Victoria Beckham, promises an insider's perspective of the footballer's wife as she relocates from London to Los Angeles.
"Viewers will get a first-hand glimpse into what it's like to be one of the most sought after celebrities in the world," NBC Entertainment Vice President Craig Plestis said in a statement. "Victoria's every move is documented by the paparazzi, but only our cameras have been allowed inside the world of what being Victoria Beckham is really like."
The soon-to-be hometown girl was busy filming scenes for the show Tuesday at Dodgers Stadium, where she threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Dodgers-New York Mets Game.
She said her family was "really excited" about moving to Los Angeles, which they plan to do in "mid-July, I reckon."
In the meantime, a camera crew from Britain's ITV has been following David Beckham as he wraps up his career with Real Madrid and prepares to join the L.A. Galaxy.
The crew will accompany the soccer star to California and document his first season on the Major League Soccer team, as well as his assimilation into American culture.
The show is not expected to feature Victoria or the couple's sons, as the network is eager to keep it soccer-focused.
"The move to America and the recall to the England team adds a new and fascinating chapter to the David Beckham story," ITV boss Jeff Anderson said. "We're delighted to have access to that story from the inside."
The British network also plans to acquire the rights to Victoria's NBC show, which it will air as a companion piece to her husband's series. No word on whether NBC will do the same with David Beckham's series.

Joss Stone 'wants to turn lesbian'

Devon-born singer Joss Stone is having such a troubling time with her love life that she has announced she would like to give up on men completely.'I think I'll have to run lesbian. Every girl my age wants a relationship. I haven't had one in two years and look how that ended,' she told the Mirror of her relationship with former boyfriend Beau Dozier.He ended up selling a story about her to a tabloid newspaper, an act which Joss has branded foul.'Oh my God, disgusting! Maybe one day I'll understand why he decided to do that but, right now? It's beyond my comprehension,' she fumed.Joss caused controversy when she got with music producer Beau when she was just 17 and he was 25. She moved in with him in the LA hills but under Californian law, sex is only for over-18s so there was always a chance Beau could face prosecution for so-called statutory rape. Her parents issued their concerns that their daughter was living with such an older man and that he may introduce her to the LA 'fast set' which would be emotionally ruinous for her.

ROWLAND 'DIDN'T HAVE TIME' TO CRY OVER FAILED ENGAGEMENT

R+B star KELLY ROWLAND didn't cry over her failed engagement to American footballer ROY WILLIAMS - because she was "too busy" to be sad. The Like This singer was set to marry the Dallas Cowboy in March 2005 - but broke off the engagement and ended the relationship two months (Jan05) before her big day. Rowland admits she didn't want to burden her former Destiny's Child bandmates Beyonce Knowles and Michelle Williams with her relationship woes, so kept her problems to herself. She says, "I didn't have time to be sad. The group was about to go on tour, and I didn't want to put a damper on B and Michelle." And the Bootylicious beauty insists she has "no need" for sex. She adds, "I don't need it. It's overrated. I get better kicks from going to beautiful countries and hanging out with my friends."

Lohan sued over car crash

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Lindsay Lohan's legal problems continue even while she recovers in rehab.

The 20-year-old actress has been sued by Grandeur Inc., which claims Lohan crashed into a company van in October 2005.
Lohan was behind the wheel in Beverly Hills when her car collided with a parked van, according to small claims court papers filed May 18. Grandeur Inc. is seeking $3,624.84 in damages, the celebrity news Web site CelebTV.com reported.
Lohan's spokeswoman had no comment Tuesday.
A judge will hear the matter on June 20.
Lohan checked into rehab May 28 after a wild Memorial Day weekend during which she crashed her Mercedes-Benz into a curb, was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence and was photographed slumped in the passenger seat of a friend's car. It is Lohan's second rehab stint this year.
She said in January that she had checked into a rehabilitation center for substance abuse treatment.

One Olympics, similar logos

Two logos by different designers, one very similar idea for the 2012 Olympics... how could it be?

When the BBC News website asked readers to come up with their own design for a motif to the London Olympics, graphic designers Richard and Chris Voysey dashed off the logo above left, and e-mailed it in. It went on to win a vote as the readers' favourite.

But when fellow designer David Watson saw it, he was reminded of a similar idea (above right) he had come up with for a competition, four years ago, to design a logo for what was then London's Olympic bid.

Even the official 2012 logo was seen as derivative by someThe key similarity is the graphic illusion of turning the first three letters "LON" into the date 2012.

Mr Watson's emblem was short listed by the bid committee at the time.

But if experts in the graphic design field spotted the similarity for themselves, they might equally ruminate on the theory that, in the world of logo design, particularly when it comes to a brief such as the Olympics, originality is hard to come by.

Perhaps that is why the startlingly bold official 2012 logo, unveiled last week, has proved more of a hit in the design community than among the public.

Clive Challis, who heads the advertising course at Central St Martins College of Art and Design in London, is not surprised that different designers can independently come up with similar looking Olympic logos.
They would strive to include what, in the industry, are known as mandatory elements in their work - in this case:• the numerals 2012• the Olympic rings• the word "London"

"They would always look for some degree of synthesis and normally you don't have to accommodate three things together in the same logo," says Mr Challis.

"You can understand their dilemma - having these elements you don't want to complicate things."

Great minds

Back in 2003, David Watson, of Trebleseven Design Associates, spent more than 40 hours developing his logo and employed a professional lettering artist to finesse the project.

The logo, which appeared in the industry magazine Design Week and has extensively featured in his own promotional literature, was further developed with funding from the Olympic bid committee.
"I am just surprised the Voyseys' logo resembled mine and that they had not seen a design that was already in the public domain," he says.

"Despite all the time put into the official Olympic logo, it's amusing that the public seem more in favour of the rendition the Voyseys came up with, which resembles my own."

The Voyseys say they were not aware of the bid logo competition and had not seen any of the entries or the shortlist. Their logo design was not developed or researched in a way their other works might be.
"It wasn't a pitch, or fee-paying project," Chris Voysey says.

"Our design submission was made at a stage where there was no competition or poll being run - merely the BBC asking for reader suggestions - hence the limited time we spent on it.
"The graphical trick of substituting numerals for characters is in no way unique or novel - you see it every day on car number plates."

Zoomedia's effortIndeed, Mr Watson was not the only one to seize on the visual LON-2012 trickery when the call went out for designs in 2003. Another design agency, Zoomedia, had the same wheeze.

"It's quite possible to get the same idea as someone else," says Robert Shepard, creative director of Zoomedia. "Only last week I took a logo to a client. The client loved it until someone pointed out it looked like a competitor's logo. The brief we had was probably quite similar to the competitor's brief."

As for the concept behind his 2012 bid logo, "It just happened to work. We had London 2012 written down and someone pointed out you can make the word London from that."

Microsoft unveils patch package

One of the patches is for the Windows Vista operating systemWindows users are being urged to install the June package of security patches from Microsoft.
The security update contains six patches which close 15 vulnerabilities found in a variety of Windows programs.
The patches help to shut loopholes in Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Windows Mail and Windows Vista.
More than half the loopholes are rated as "critical" which often means they can be exploited without a PC owner's knowledge or consent.

Secure channel

Malicious code to exploit one of the vulnerabilities in the package is already known to be circulating online.
Using this code hi-tech criminals could craft e-mail messages or booby-trapped webpages that could take over PCs.
Some of the vulnerabilities fixed by the patch rated as "critical" are for various versions of Internet Explorer including the one that runs on the Vista operating system.
Vista, the latest edition of Microsoft's operating system, gets a patch for itself which aims to stop malicious hackers exploiting a loophole to steal administrative passwords.
Included in the bundle is a patch that tackles a serious problem in the way that Windows handles part of a program called the Windows Secure Channel.
This vulnerability could be targeted by malicious hackers as it is used by many websites to handle security certificates and keep user data confidential.
Windows users can get hold of the patches by turning on the automatic update feature in the operating system or by visiting the Microsoft Update site and downloading them.
The second Tuesday of every month is the date on which Microsoft typically issues security patches for its software programs.

Hilton's parents skip line on jail visit

Paris Hilton's parents visited their daughter after breezing past others waiting to see loved ones -- an incident that raised new complaints that the heiress is receiving special treatment.
The visit came less than a week after Hilton was reassigned to house arrest days after being jailed for violating parole. The 26-year-old celebrity was later ordered back to jail.
Alvina Floyd, one visitor to the at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, waited more than four hours to visit her fiance. It normally takes two hours, and Floyd, 20, blamed the Hiltons for the delay.
"I have to be at work later," she said. "I can't wait here all day."
Shatani Alverson, 23, said she was hustled out of the jail's visiting room moments after her husband walked in because of the Hiltons. She was told to come back after lunch.
Steve Whitmore, a sheriff's spokesman, said it was routine for high-profile inmates to receive visitors during lunch, a time when the visiting room is normally cleared out and closed.
The visit came shortly after the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors ordered Sheriff Lee Baca to respond by next week to allegations of favoritism for reassigning Hilton to house arrest. At the time, Baca cited an undisclosed medical condition as the reason for making the decision.
Hilton was sent to a medical ward, where sheriff's officials said it costs $1,109.78 a day to house a female inmate compared to $99.64 a day in the general population.
Mary Tiedeman, who regularly visits the jails as a monitor for the ACLU, said the area where Hilton was being housed was usually reserved for high-security inmates or those worse off than Hilton has appeared.
"I don't know what her health issue is, but you have got to have a pretty intense medical or mental health problem to be in that part of the jail," she said.

Smudge seeks assurances

Alan Smith insists he is happy to stay at United, but is eager to receive assurances that he has a future at the club.

The England striker, who joined the Reds from Leeds in 2004, is highly coveted by a host of Premiership clubs after struggling to win a regular starting berth at Old Trafford.
Smith told The Sun: "If the manager tells me he wants me, I'm there for him. If he doesn't, it's time to move on. If you're no longer wanted, then you have to consider your options. I want to be out there from the start."
Fans' favourite Smith spent most of last season recovering from an horrific broken leg and dislocated ankle, but returned in the campaign's crucial latter stages.
The firebrand striker's comeback injected vigour into the Reds' performances, most notably in the 7-1 thrashing of Roma, in which Smith scored his only goal of the campaign.
Tabloid rumours are contrasting over whether or not the 26-year-old will be offered a contract extension at United, but Smith concedes he remains in the dark for the time being.
"If they are going to sell me, I'd like to know," he said. "But I won't find out unless I get to speak to the manager."