Technology Slice Blog

Anthrax in Tide Hoax - A rumor has been going around the Internets that Tide is sending out samples contaminated with Anthrax and people have died. Well, just like all the dead celebrities on Twitter, this is just a hoax folks. So, go wash your clothes and don’t worry. A statement from one Tide Rep, “I work for the Tide brand, I can 100% confirm that the text message going around is not true. From time to time people do this kind of thing as a prank, unfortunately there is little we can do other than to share the fact that this is completely unfounded. If you are concerned or want further reassurance please contact our Consumer Relations team on: 1-800-879-8433″ Anthrax in Tide Hoax

2 Million Fish Dead Maryland - Millions of dead fish have washed up along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay over the past week, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment. Officials are investigating the fish kill but say that according to preliminary results the cause was likely stress from unusually cold water temperatures. "Our theory is that it was a very rapid temperature drop," MDE spokeswoman Dawn Stoltzfus said. "Obviously, these are fish that are susceptible to very cold temperatures." Surface water temperatures reached about 0.5 degrees Celcius in December, the coldest on record in 25 years of monitoring, according to data from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Bay Program. The dead fish are mainly juvenile spot fish, just 3 to 6 inches in length. Officials say about 2 million dead fish have been found. 2 Million Fish Dead Maryland

House Reads U.S. Constitution - Republicans newly in charge of the US House of Representatives Thursday began their term by directing a reading of the US Constitution for the first time in the chamber's history. The ceremony, in which members of the 435-seat House took turns reading sections of the US' founding legislative document, marked a symbolic nod by Republicans to the conservative Tea Party movement that helped them win the November congressional elections. 'We hope this will inspire many more Americans to read the Constitution,' said Bob Goodlatte, a Republican congressman from Virginia who directed the effort. The reading was meant to be a bipartisan affair, but controversy was already in the air before the ceremony even began. Some African-American lawmakers complained that the House was leaving out articles of the constitution that had been replaced by later amendments. That meant, for example, that an original article referring to black slaves as 3...

Maryland State Goverment Transportation Explosion - Two packages detonated on Thursday at two government buildings in the U.S. state of Maryland, but caused no serious injuries, state authorities said. One package detonated at the Jeffrey Building in Annapolis, which houses agencies including the Governor's Office of Homeland Security, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the office of the Secretary of State, while the other was at the Maryland Department of Transportation headquarters in Hanover, Maryland State Police spokesman Greg Shipley told reporters. The incidents occurred at around noon. The book-size packages gave off smoke and odor when they were opened by employees in the mail rooms of the two buildings. Several employees at both sites of the incidents reported singed fingers, said Shipley. Some of them were transported to hospital as a precaution, but no serious injuries were reported. This was no serious physical harm, no property damage, and could not be co...

17-Day Diet Plan, Lose Weight in 17 Days - Dr. Michael Moreno of San Diego, California, claims his “17 Days Diet” will help keep promises made by dieters. Almost half of all adults make at least one New Year’s resolution with more than one-fourth failing within the first week. Moreno’s weight loss plan focuses on shifting the number of carbohydrates, fats and proteins consumed per day, in an effort to “confuse” the metabolic process. Changes are made every 17 days, thus the plan’s title. Recommended exercises, which require 17 minutes daily, are included along with sample recipes. Last month, Dr. Moreno appeared on the Dr. Phil show to promote his book and DVD in time for the holiday season. 17-Day Diet Plan, Lose Weight in 17 Days

Anna Nicole Smith Convictions Tossed - A judge on Thursday set aside the convictions of Anna Nicole Smith's lawyer-boyfriend, Howard K. Stern, and all but one against her psychiatrist. The multimillion-dollar, two-year prosecution of Smith's two doctors and Stern resulted in a $100 fine and one year of unsupervised probation for Dr. Khristine Eroshevich. The charges were pushed two years after Smith's death by then-California Attorney General Jerry Brown, just before he launched his successful run for governor. "Today, a judge has told him, 'You know, you should've kept your mouth shut to begin with,'" Stern defense lawyer Steve Sadow said. "There wasn't a case here and you shouldn't have brought it." A third defendant, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, was acquitted by a jury in October. Stern, Eroshevich and Kapoor, who are not charged in Smith's February 2007 death, were accused of conspiring to feed the drug addiction of the realit...

Apple Mac App Store, Mac Store open for Business - 1000 apps might not seem like a lot compared to the 300,000 offered for Apple’s iPhone, but there’s enough on offer at Apple’s new Mac App Store to cover most software bases, some of it deeply discounted. The Mac App Store interface is easy to navigate, much like the iPhone and iPad sections on iTunes, with app icons arranged in rows. However, if you’re not running OSX Snow Leopard on your Mac, you won’t even get that far. The store isn’t offered on computers running older Mac operating systems. The solution is to upgrade your OS, but that will run you $29. And you can’t download it, so you’ll have to have it shipped to you or pick it up at one of Apple’s retail outlets. The difference between apps and software is virtual vs material. You’re not getting hard copy versions of the programs you buy when you purchase them through the Mac App Store. For some Apple-branded titles, like the popular photo editor Aperture, the savings ca...

Dead Crabs wash up Britain, Crab Apocalypse - Over 40,000 dead crabs have washed up along the coast in Britain, and environmental experts say the cold weather is to blame. The Velvet swimming crabs - also called devil crabs - were found dead in beaches around Thanet in Kent along with smaller numbers of whelks, sponges and anemones, The Daily Mail reported Wednesday. Coastal warden Tony Sykes said: "We believe the sudden temperature drop causes the crabs to suffer from hypothermia and die." Dead crabs have also been reported from beaches at Westbrook, Cliftonville and Kingsgate while smaller numbers have washed up between Broadstairs and Ramsgate. Dead Crabs wash up Britain, Crab Apocalypse

T.I. Prison Frisky Visit - Incarcerated rapper T.I., in the midst of an 11-month prison bid for probation violations, was reportedly reprimanded this weekend after getting a bit too amorous during a visit with wife Tameka "Tiny" Cottle. According to TMZ, T.I. (born Clifford Harris) was caught by guards getting "frisky" with his wife during visiting hours at the Forrest City Federal Correctional Complex in Arkansas over the weekend. Citing wife Tiny as its source, the gossip site said the couple was in a room during an approved conjugal visit during regular visiting hours when things got a little too hands on. The extracurricular activity is against prison guidelines, which allow inmates to hold hands, kiss and embrace at the beginning and end of their visit, but require the prisoner's hands to "remain in plain view of Visiting Room staff at all times." Tiny reportedly told the site that her hubby was immediately reprimanded and sent to a "s...

Detroit Auto Show - Automakers have been hinting at the introductions that they are planning to make at the North American International Auto Show, which begins next week in Detroit. With 30-40 new vehicles expected to debut, the show is likely to see a mixture of groundbreaking models and some unremarkable facelifts, but with rumors reaching fever pitch it is unsurprising that some automakers have chosen to provide sneak previews ahead of the first press days. One of the most notable is Kia's sketch of the KV7 concept, the first images of which were released before Christmas. A crossover model, the KV7 features futuristic gullwing doors and what appear to be rotating seats, allowing passengers easy access in and out of the vehicle. Not to be outdone, Volkswagen released its own teaser sketches of the "New Midsize Sedan", a model which is set to replace the popular Passat this year. Bloggers and commentators expect the model to be priced below the Passat as the...

Sony 3D Laptop, New 3D Laptops Unveiled - Sony has thrown its hat into the 3D ring by launching the Sony VAIO F-Series laptop at CES 2011. The F Series offers 3D technology via a built-in 3D sync transmitter. It also comes bundled with 3D Active glasses and a 3D button that enables users to convert 2D HD video and Blu-ray to 3D video in real time. The F Series sports a 16-inch widescreen display with a 1,920 by 1080 (1080p) resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio. It also has a Blu-ray drive and Sony's S-Force Front Surround 3D system. It features Intel's second-generation Core i7 processor (codename "Sandy Bridge"), 6GB of memory, and Nvidia GeForce GT 540M graphics. It also has a 640GB, 7,200rpm hard drive, SD slot, 1 USB 2.0 port, 2 USB 3.0 ports, HDMI. Wireless connectivity comes by way of Bluetooth and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. Prices for the Sony VAIO F Series 3D laptop will start at around $1,700 and will be available next month for pre-orders at www.sony.com. It will a...

P Diddy iPad Yacht - A luxury yacht maker has designed an app that allows passengers to control onboard technology with an iPad. Rap icon P Diddy is using the custom made software from German yacht maker Lurssen. Guests who have chartered a yacht receive an iPad on arrival which controls entertainment systems, heating and cooling, blinds and even calls for a waiter to top up their drinks. At $693,000 a week to charter the entire yacht, plus expenses, Soulmates also offers guests a gym which converts into a disco an aromatherapy shower and a stewardess who is also a nurse that specialises in heart problems. P Diddy iPad Yacht

Battery Plant Poisons Hundreds China - More than 200 children have elevated levels of lead in their blood caused by a battery plant near their communities in eastern China, state media said. At least 23 -- some as young as nine months -- were suffering from "moderate to severe" lead poisoning and have been hospitalized, said the Xinhua news agency, citing a hospital official. Five more were waiting to be hospitalized. The children from a township in Huaining County were tested from late December, according to the official at a children's hospital in Anhui Province. Most live near two battery plants where lead processing occurred, Xinhua said. Battery Plant Poisons Hundreds China

Dick Cheney too Old for New Heart - Dick Cheney appears to be on the mend. Despite years of serious heart problems, the former vice president is taking on more activities and resuming an active public life after having an artificial pump implanted last summer, the New York Times reports. But such pumps are often used as a bridge for patients who need a heart transplant, medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said Wednesday on CBS' "The Early Show".   The heart pump, known as a ventricular assist device, pushes blood continuously through the body in place of a normal heartbeat, creating the oddity of a patient with no pulse. Some patients live with the pumps for years; others use them only as a crutch while waiting for a full transplant. "This device can be used as a bridge to transplant in some cases for patients who are so sick they will not survive until they receive a heart transplant," Ashton said. "In other cases it can be used as destination...

Patient Cut from Transplant List Dies - A second person denied transplant coverage by Arizona under a state budget cut has died, with this death "most likely" resulting from the coverage reduction, a Tucson hospital said Wednesday. University Medical Center spokeswoman Jo Marie Gellerman said the patient died Dec. 28 at another medical facility after earlier being removed from UMC's list for a liver transplant needed because of hepatitis C. Gellerman cited medical privacy requirements in declining to release any information about the patient. Patient Cut from Transplant List Dies Arizona reduced Medicaid coverage for transplants on Oct. 1 under cuts included to help close a shortfall in the state budget enacted last spring. Hospital officials said the patient's death "most likely" resulted from Arizona's scaling back coverage for transplants, she said. It's impossible to say with 100 percent certainty whether the patient would have died ...

Are you Getting Enough Vitamin D - Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids, the two major physiologically relevant forms of which are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D without a subscript refers to either D2 or D3 or both. Vitamin D3 is produced in the skin of vertebrates after exposure to ultraviolet B light from the sun or artificial sources, and occurs naturally in a small range of foods. In some countries, staple foods such as milk, flour and margarine are artificially fortified with vitamin D, and it is also available as a supplement in pill form.[2] Food sources such as fatty fish, mushrooms, eggs, and meat are rich in vitamin D and are often recommended for consumption to those suffering vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is carried in the bloodstream to the liver, where it is converted into the prohormone calcidiol. Circulating calcidiol may then be converted into calcitriol, the biologically active form of vitamin D, either in the...

Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder - Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or winter blues, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year, experience depressive symptoms in the winter or, less frequently, in the summer, spring or autumn, repeatedly, year after year. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), SAD is not a unique mood disorder, but is "a specifier of major depression". Once regarded skeptically by the experts, seasonal affective disorder is now well established. Epidemiological studies estimate that its prevalence in the adult population of the US ranges from 1.4 percent (Florida) to 9.7 percent (New Hampshire). Light Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder The US National Library of Medicine notes that "some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change. They may sleep too much, have little energy, and may also feel d...

Age-defying Beauty Tips Ageing is inevitable and will catch us all no matter how fast we run. But we don't need to look as old as we are. There are ways to keep looking young no matter how old you are. Wearing sunscreen is very important. Nothing tells a persons age more than the look of their skin and the sun will do horrible things. Be sure to always be protected when outdooors. Keeping your skin protected will also allow it to heal itself. Surgery is a lot more radical and should be carefully thought through before proceeding. It can help you look years younger but this also depends on the surgeon. We have all heard horror stories of botched operations. Surgery comes with a lot more risks. Most anti-ageing creams don't work but there a few that do what they promise. The trick is finding the one that works for you. Keep in mind you usually get what you pay for so something cheap will most likely be nothing more than a moisturizer. Carefully applied make up and natura...

Stars Hot and Over 50 - Stars seem to defy the laws of physics remaining attractive well into their 50's. Some achieve this by having plastic surgery done while other simply work hard on their appearance. Here is a list of hot starts over 50. Men Pierce Brosnan Denzel Washington Liam Neeson Women Sigourney Weaver Kim Basinger Susan Sarandon Stars Hot and Over 50

Make S'mores at Home - On a cookie sheet, line graham crackers across the sheet and make sure to line them up the same way. You should be able to fit at least 8-10 graham crackers on the sheet, depending on how big your cookie sheet is. Open the packs of Hersheys and lay across the graham crackers, making sure that the chocolate covers each graham cracker as much as possible. You don't want the chocolate to drip too much from the cracker. Cover the chocolate bars with marshmallows and apply generously, covering the chocolate. Place another graham cracker to form another cookie. Place in oven at 350 degrees and cook until the marshmallows and chocolate have melted together. Be sure not to overcook. Cool and serve. Make S'mores at Home

How to Make a Fire - Many different techniques for making fire (also called firemaking, firelighting or firecraft) exist. Smoldering plants and trees, or any source of hot coals from natural fires is the oldest way to make a fire. Other ancient techniques involve a fire drill or fire stick that is rotated or rubbed on a base. For thousands of years humans would strike a stone containing iron to produce sparks and then tinder was used to make a fire from the sparks. A flint alone does not produce incandescent sparks; it is the flint's ability to violently release small particles of iron, exposing them to oxygen that starts the burning. These methods have been known since the Paleolithic ages, and still commonly in use with certain 'primitive' tribes but difficult to use in a damp atmosphere. (The control of fire by early humans is said to date back to either Homo erectus or very early Homo sapiens, that is, hundreds of thousands of years ago, based on archaeological evidenc...

Optimism on Jobs 2011 - The number of U.S. private-sector jobs surged in December at a rate three times stronger than forecast, the most bullish signal in months that a recovery in the world's biggest economy is shifting up a gear. Private employers added 297,000 jobs last month, payrolls processing company ADP Employer Services said on Wednesday. It was the largest gain on ADP records dating to 2000. The data came two days ahead of the government's more comprehensive employment report for December, the world's most closely watched economic indicator, and led many economists to raise their payrolls forecasts. The report sparked a sharp cut in U.S. Treasury debt prices, and the U.S. dollar gained 1.5 percent against the yen, on pace for its biggest one-day gain in more than three months as investors bet on a stronger recovery. Stocks and crude oil futures reversed losses and headed higher. "Sometimes numbers come as bolts from the blue; this is one of them,...

Post Office to Test Gift Cards - The post office wants to get into the gift card business. Pre-paid cards have become one of the most popular gift items and postal officials want to do more than just deliver them to the lucky recipients. So they plan a two-year test beginning in May, with about 2,000 post offices selling cards issued by companies such as American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa, according to papers filed Wednesday with the independent Postal Regulatory Commission. The first test will be at post offices that also sell greeting cards. If that works out, the experiment will expand to another 3,000 offices or so in October in hopes of getting in on holiday card sales. The National Retail Federation estimates that more than three-quarters of consumers purchase at least one gift card during the holiday season. The cards the post office plans to test, known as "open loop" cards, can be used at any merchant that accepts cards from the issuing organiz...

Kelly Zierdt Parents Refuse to Pay Cement Fine - A New Jersey sixth-grader is going before a judge next week after apparently writing her name in wet cement. Kelly Zierdt, 11, and a group of her friends allegedly etched their names in wet cement outside their Middlesex Township Middle School. Police caught the group in the act as they were driving past. One of the officers said, "'let’s put these kids in the back of the car; we’re bringing them to headquarters,'" according to Zierdt. "And then me and my friends started crying our eyes out,” My9News reports. Her dad says the situation "has snowballed into this giant catastrophe." That’s because police say Kelly’s dad, unlike the other parents, refuses to pay a $250 fine to her middle school to pay for the vandalism and refuses to sign the parent/child and police agreement as punishment. Lt. Mike Colacci of the Middlesex Police Department says that the parents help to come up with what they bel...

Adopt a Family New Medical School Model - Medical education in the U.S. is going through a growth spurt. After decades without a single new school, five new medical schools have opened since 2009, and 10 more are being accredited — a response to the growing doctor shortage. Besides producing more doctors, many of the new medical schools are also trying to reshape medical education. Florida International University's College of Medicine in Miami is one of these new schools. Its approach to rethinking medical school is a community-based medical curriculum. Neighborhood Help At FIU, each medical student is assigned a neighborhood in the Miami area and a family who lives there. Dr. John Rock, the medical school's founding dean, says the mission is to improve the health of the family and the quality of life in the neighborhood. "We've adopted those neighborhoods, and we never leave. Clearly, we have a commitment to those neighborhoods to be there and to work with h...

37th People's Choice Awards - Twilight, House and Eminem topped the 37th annual People's Choice Awards during Wednesday night's ceremony. Check out red carpet arrivals from the 2011 People's Choice Awards Hosted by Queen Latifah for the fifth consecutive year, the show honored fan favorites in TV, movies, music and other areas of pop culture. And rather than ripping open envelops to announce winners, the show fully embraced the technology age with presenters reading off the results from smartphones. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse won for favorite movie, drama movie and on-screen team with Kristen Stewart taking home favorite movie actress. Other big film wins went to favorite actor Johnny Depp and comedic star Adam Sandler. House was the big TV winner, earning awards for favorite TV drama and stars Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein taking the honors of favorite TV drama actors. Glee and star Jane Lynch took trophies for favorite comedy and comedy actress, while favori...

Lady Gaga Taylor Swift Magazines - It's taken some time, but the surefire secret to selling magazines has finally been revealed: Put Lady Gaga on the cover. Women's Wear Daily reports that from Vanity Fair to Rolling Stone to Elle, many publications locked down their best-selling issues of 2010 when Gaga appeared in some form of disrobement on their covers -- a stat that probably isn't that foreign to Gaga, who announced her new album with a bare-bottom photo on New Year's Eve. Cosmopolitan's April issue featuring Gaga sold 1.7 million copies to make it that magazine's best seller, and her Rolling Stone cover moved 245,000 copies, nearly three times RS' average newsstand sales. It seems that oversaturation hasn't dampened people's interest in Gaga. Also faring well on newsstands: Rihanna, thanks in large part to her topless GQ cover. Lady Gaga Taylor Swift Magazines

Gyllenhaal Swift Split - Jake Gyllenhaal and Taylor Swift’s brief romance is over before the couple went public with their feelings, according to new U.S. reports The pair split before Christmas and Swift and Gyllenhaal spent their December birthdays and the holidays apart, People.com says. Both were spotted ringing in 2011 solo – Swift, 21, in Nashville, Tennessee and Gyllenhaal, 30, in New York. The website reports the couple was last seen together in Los Angeles on December 9. Both have a long history of dating fellow celebrities: Swift’s ex-boyfriends include Joe Jonas and Taylor Lautner, while Gyllenhaal has romanced Reese Witherspoon and Kirsten Dunst. Gyllenhaal Swift Split

Ted Williams Homeless Job Offer - The new year's first viral video star is Ted Williams, a homeless man from Ohio, whose amazing, radio-perfect voice has awed people from around the world. Williams was known for panhandling with a handmade sign announcing his "God-given gift of a voice." After hearing about him, The Columbus Dispatch paper stopped by one of his known panhandling haunts to record him saying voice-over phrases, like "coming up next!" The bedraggled Williams' appearance only made his voice seem that much richer. Days later, millions have watched the video. Now that Williams' voice has been heard, he's making appearances -- he was on Ohio radio this morning, and he'll be on NBC's "Today Show" on Thursday -- and the job prospects seem to be pouring in. Ted Williams Homeless Job Offer

Reese Witherspoon Engagement Ring - Reese Witherspoon has some mega-bling to match her mega-watt smile! The 34-year-old How Do You Know actress accepted a stunning 4 carat Ashoka cut diamond engagement ring from CAA agent Jim Toth. (UsMagazine.com was the first to announce the couple's "happy" engagement.) Toth, 40, worked with jeweler William Goldberg to design the perfect sparkler for his bride-to-be. Set on a pave diamond-and-platinum band, Goldberg says Toth was drawn to the rarity of the Ashoka diamond, particularly with its 62 displayed facets and rounded corners. "Jim wants it to come from him and for it to be completely unique," a source told Us in November. According to Goldberg, less than 10% of rough diamonds each year have the potential to become Ashoka cut diamonds, making it "the only choice" for a star like Witherspoon. Reese Witherspoon Engagement Ring

Montel Williams Cited for Pipe - Wisconsin authorities say former talk show host and medical marijuana activist Montel Williams has been cited for possession of drug paraphernalia at General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee. The Milwaukee County sheriff's office says the Transportation Security Administration found Williams had a pipe commonly used for marijuana as he passed through a security checkpoint Tuesday. The sheriff's office says Williams paid the $484 citation and was released to continue his travel. Williams has said he uses marijuana to relieve chronic pain caused by multiple sclerosis that was diagnosed in 1999. The 54-year-old has said he became an activist pushing for medical marijuana laws after being stopped at a Detroit airport years ago for carrying drug paraphernalia. Montel Williams Cited for Pipe

Witches Curse Income Tax - Everyone curses the tax man, but Romanian witches angry about having to pay up for the first time are planning to use cat excrement and dead dogs to cast spells on the president and government. Also among Romania's newest taxpayers are fortune tellers - but they probably should have seen it coming. Superstitions are no laughing matter in Romania - the land of the medieval ruler who inspired the Dracula tale - and have been part of its culture for centuries. President Traian Basescu and his aides have been known to wear purple on certain days, supposedly to ward off evil. Romanian witches from the east and west will head to the southern plains and the Danube River tomorrow to threaten the government with spells and spirits because of the tax law, which came into effect on January 1. A dozen witches will hurl the poisonous mandrake plant into the Danube to put a hex on government officials "so evil will befall them", said a witch named Al...

1 Arrested Arizona Mall Shooting - Police arrested a gunman who barricaded himself inside a Phoenix valley fast-food restaurant with hostages, after exchanging shots with officers outside a shopping mall, police said on Wednesday. Chandler Police Department spokesman Joe Favazzo said the gunman gave himself up to police. At least two hostages were released. "We've had a peaceful resolution. No-one has been injured," Favazzo told Reuters. U.S. Marshals Service spokesman Jeff Carter said the incident began when police tried to arrest a suspect, Daniel Perez, who was wanted for shooting at Arizona Department of Public Safety officers last month. The suspect fled into the Chandler Fashion Square Mall, which was immediately placed on lockdown, before barricading himself in a Baja Fresh Mexican Grill restaurant nearby with several hostages. Police set up road blocks and were directing traffic away from the mall perimeter. 1 Arrested Arizona Mall Shooting

National Bean Day and Jan. 6 - A random holiday for sure, Wednesday was National Bean Day -- an event that occurs on Jan. 6 of every year and has an origin that is foggy at best. So much for the historical implications; just take it as an excuse to revel. And what is the most fun of all the beans (besides jelly)? The coffee bean, of course. National Bean Day and Jan. 6

Luxury Fuel-Efficient Cars 2011 - Luxury cars always come with a big price tag, but luxury doesn't also mean fuel efficiency. However there are a few that excel in fuel usage. The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is the most fuel efficient luxury car available. It does 41 miles per gallon in the city which is quite impressive. It is also an impressive looking car. Coming in at a distant second is the Lexus GS Hybrid. Although only achieving 22 miles per gallon it is also value for money. Luxury Fuel-Efficient Cars 2011

Kanye West Sued Attack Photographer - A Manhattan photographer claims he was "assaulted, battered, beat and threatened" by the temperamental rap titan and his security personnel, the New York Post reported yesterday. In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Michael Vazquez says the incident happened nearly three years ago, when the Gold Digger rapper performed at Guastavino's restaurant. Vazquez was there "as an invitee to film, photograph and report" on the May 14, 2008 event, a party to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Casio's G-Shock watch, the suit said. West, who was reportedly paid $1 million for the gig, made the show a memorable one, backed up by four topless dancers wearing space helmets. At some point that night, West, "his agents, servants and/or employees acting in the course and within the scope of their employment, detained and/or threatened and/or caused plaintiff to suffer injuries," the suit said. "The assault a...

Katie Price Marriage Crisis - Glamour model Katie Price has confirmed that her less than one year marriage with former cage fighter Alex Reid is on the rocks. The 32-year-old reality star married Reid in a secret ceremony in Las Vegas in February soon after divorcing Australian singer Peter Andre. But the model, aka Jordan, has confirmed that her second marriage is also on the brink of collapse. The rumours of their marriage on the rocks started doing the rounds after Price was photographed without her wedding ring on several occasions. Price, however, is hopeful of a positive outcome, Daily Mail reported. "To answer my fans questions, News of the World did a accurate story Sunday about our marriage in crises (sic)... always look on bright side xx (sic)," she tweeted. Price and Reid, 37, who would have celebrated their first wedding anniversary on February 2, have jetted to a secret desert island destination last week in one final bid to save their marriage. Katie...

No Prison in Anna Nicole Case - Prosecutors are urging a judge to forgo prison terms and sentence Anna Nicole Smith's psychiatrist and lawyer-boyfriend to felony probation, community service and fines. The suggestion is in a sentencing memorandum filed Tuesday in the case of Dr. Khristine Eroshevich and Howard K. Stern, who are scheduled for sentencing Thursday in Los Angeles. They were convicted of obtaining prescription drugs for the late Playboy model under false names. Their lawyers want their convictions reduced to misdemeanors, dismissal of charges or a new trial. They say using fake names to protect celebrities' privacy is common practice. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Perry has the option to send them to prison for up to three years and eight months. No Prison in Anna Nicole Case