Technology Slice Blog

Biggest Jackpot and Lottery Winners in America - Since two people won the Mega Millions jackpot of $380 million on Tuesday, many have become interested in the largest jackpots in the world. Here are some facts and figures about the largest jackpots in history around including how much was won, who won them and when. Amazingly, the largest jackpots in the world all come from the U.S. *The largest jackpot ever won was a $390 million Mega Millions, which two people split on March 6, 2007. Eddie Eugene Nabors from Georgia took home $116,557,083, before taxes, as did Elaine and Harold Messner of Woodbine, NJ. *The second largest jackpot ever won in history was Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot of $380 million, which was split by two winning tickets. The drawing sold one winning ticket in Washington and another in Idaho, both of which will take home $190 million before taxes. The winners have yet to be announced. *The third largest jackpot was the largest Powerball jackpot ever won,...

Trucks with Worst Gas Mileage - When you think truck, you generally think gas guzzler but some trucks actually get good gas mileage. Here are a few trucks that actually have bad gas mileage. 2011 Nissan Titan 4WD FFV 8 cyl, 5.6 L, Automatic 5-spd, Gasoline or E85 14 MPG combined city/highway 2011 GMC Sierra K15 4WD 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Automatic 6-spd, Gasoline or E85 14 MPG combined city/highway 2011 Toyota Tundra 4WD FFV 8 cyl, 5.7 L, Automatic (S6), Gasoline or E85 15 MPG combined city/highway 2011 GMC Canyon 4WD 8 cyl, 5.3 L, Automatic 4-spd, Regular 16 MPG combined city/highway Trucks with Worst Gas Mileage

Marriage Database China - China's increasingly mobile society has seen a significant increase in the number of people taking second spouses, and the illegal practice of bigamy has been made a lot easier by the lack of a nationwide database of marriage records. Some 23 provinces have already set up their own intra-provincial marriage database systems and a system covering the whole country should be ready by the end of 2015, vice-minister of Civil Affairs Dou Yupei told the China Daily . “It will not only provide technical support to improve our marriage management and services, but also will act as a protective screen against illegal acts, such as bigamy and the concealment of marriage,” Mr Dou said. In one of the more spectacular cases, Qiu Xiaohua, the former head of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), was labelled a “vile social and political influence” and expelled from the Communist Party for bigamy in 2007. Meanwhile, the Guizhou Metropolis Daily reported the ca...

Brazil Brothers Charged with Burying Father Alive - Police in Brazil say two brothers have been accused of killing their father by knocking him out with sleeping pills and then burying him alive. Antonio Valente Filho, Chief of Police in Timon, Maranhao state, told Globo TV's G1 website that the brothers, ages 18 and 21, have confessed to the crime, which took place on December 29. The pair apparently claimed their father, an Afro-Brazilian religious leader, was a violent man who drank too much and didn't accept their homosexuality. A post mortem said the victim died underground of asphyxiation. Mr Filho said the brothers might also have been seeking control of the religious grounds and congregation. Brazil Brothers Charged with Burying Father Alive

Maksim Chmerkovskiy Bachelor - While the Dancing with the Stars professional wrote on his blog in December that he declined the opportunity, ABC and Chmerkovskiy had a meeting but no offer was actually made, Entertainment Weekly reported Friday. In addition to the fact that The Bachelor's shooting schedule would have conflicted with his Dancing with the Stars' participation, EW also noted the dating show has had "limited success" with prior "high concept" stars like Lorenzo Borghese, Matt Grant and Jesse Palmer, and Chmerkovskiy's playboy reputation would likely have prompted skepticism among viewers. Chmerkovskiy's representatives did not immediately respond to EW's requests for comment. Maksim Chmerkovskiy Bachelor

Mont. Man Arrested after giving name of Wanted Man - Authorities in Montana say a man who had three outstanding warrants for his arrest gave officers a false name during a traffic stop — but ended up in custody anyway because that man was also wanted. Court records say that during a traffic stop Monday in Great Falls, Jonothan Ray Gonsalez, of Box Elder, told police that his name was Timothy Michael Koop Jr. The officer learned a man by that name was wanted in Hill County and arrested him. Police say a search of Gonsalez after his arrest turned up half a gram of methamphetamine in his jacket pocket and he was charged with criminal possession of dangerous drugs. The Great Falls Tribune reports Gonsalez gave his real name on Tuesday, so a charge of issuing a false report to law enforcement was added. Mont. Man Arrested after giving name of Wanted Man

Top First Date Ideas - First dates are often important. They usually decide whether a relationship will blossom or the couple will never see each other again. That is why it is important to make a first date special. Eating outdoors or somewhere out of the ordinary is always memorable. For example a revolving restaurant will impress. If weather permits, go for a walk along the beach, around sunset if you can. This will make for a romantic atmosphere. Go for a hot air balloon ride. Good scenery is a must for any first date. Horse riding is also a great first date idea. It's both romantic and exciting at the same time. Excitement is a great way to bond. A night time zoo visit, if your date hasn't been before, is a good choice. Some zoo's have great night time shows. Top First Date Ideas

Debbie Friedman Dies - American Jewish singer and songwriter Debbie Friedman, who changed the voice of American Jewish spirituality and prayer, died Sunday in a hospital in Orange County, California, sources from the Union for Reform Judaism confirmed. Friedman had been hospitalized with pneumonia. Friedman started writing Jewish liturgical music as a group songleader at the Union for Reform Judaism’s Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute summer camp in the early 1970s, setting ancient texts to modern, accessible, singable melodies. She published more than 19 albums of music inspired by American folk music greats, using English and Hebrew lyrics and often, the simple accompaniment of a guitar. Friedman performed to sold-out audiences at Carnegie Hall, as well as hundreds of other cities around the world. Her musical version of “Mi Sheberach,” the prayer for healing, is used by hundreds of congregations across America. According to her website, Friedman’s music is performed in synagogues ...

Facebook Ending March 15 - Rumors that Facebook will be shutting down on March 15 have gone viral across the web, causing users to question what will happen to their photos and other content that they have shared on the world's largest social networking site. The flurry of online chatter that the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company would shut down its servers comes just days after it had been valued at $50 billion after a $500 million infusion of cash by investment bank Goldman-Sachs. The story seems to have been perpetuated by supermarket tabloid the Weekly World News, which Saturday published an article headlined "Facebook Will End March 15th!" "Facebook has gotten out of control and the stress of managing this company has ruined my life," the tabloid said Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said in a press conference outside his office, "I need to put an end to all the madness." Facebook Ending March 15

American Renaissance Denies DHS Affiliation Shooting Suspect - Authorities are asking for the public's help to identify a person who is possibly associated with the suspect in Saturday's mass shooting in Arizona. A gunman went to a town hall meeting at the Safeway supermarket in Tucson. Six people were killed and 12 others were wounded, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Early Sunday morning, investigators released a surveillance camera photo of a man who was seen at the location where the shooting occurred. Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik told reporters Saturday that authorities were searching for a second individual who was a "person of interest" in the investigation. He is described as a white male, approximately 40 to 50 years old. He has dark hair and was last seen wearing blue jeans and a dark blue jacket. American Renaissance Denies DHS Affiliation Shooting Suspect

Zac Efron Vanessa Hudgens Making Out - It looks like Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens have reunited after parting ways in early December. The High School Musical co-stars came together Friday for an outing at Los Angeles nightclub Eden. Stopping by the hotspot's opening bash, Efron, 23, and Hudgens, 21, kissed and danced the night away with pals, including actress Brittany Snow. "The two showed up around 10:45 p.m. through the back entrance with a group of friends and were holding hands at different points throughout the night," US Magazine quoted a source as saying. However, the two were careful to keep a lid on their PDA. At one point in the evening, when Efron leaned in to kiss Hudgens, the actress pushed him away after spotting a clubgoer who tried to snap a cell phone photo. Zac Efron Vanessa Hudgens Making Out

Celebrities who have Dropped Big Pounds - Celebrities have a knack for dropping a lot of weight in a very short time span. Of course, they usually drop the weight getting ready for a role, so it is their job. They don't have to worry about a 9-5 and can just concentrate on their weight loss. Here are a few that dropped big pounds. Christian Bale dropped 63 pounds for his role in The Machinist. He looked so skinny he could have fallen over at any moment. Tom Hanks lost 50 pounds for The Castaway. We couldn't have a plump man playing a stranded survivor. 50 cent lost 50 pounds for his role as a cancer patient in Things Fall Apart. Celebrities who have Dropped Big Pounds

Best Exercises to Lose Weight - Losing weight is a matter of burning more calories than you take in every day. You can achieve this by either taking in less calories, or burning more. Exercising every day will help you burn more. Any kind of cardio exercise will help you burn calories, and get you healthy. Some exercises are more intense than others. Jogging is a major calorie burner. What most people don't realize is, running a distance rather than walking will get your heart rate up and burn a lot more calories. Substantially more. The most intense exercises are those that have intense periods followed by a short rest. For example, running sprints with two minute breaks in between. If sprinting is too boring for you, playing squash also does the same thing. Intense periods of activity followed by a short rest. Best Exercises to Lose Weight

New NFL OT Rules - In case you'd forgotten, NFL owners several months ago instituted new overtime rules that eliminate the possibility of the game ending on an opening-drive field goal in the playoffs. Good. Because that's dull. But we haven't seen these new rules yet because they weren't adopted for the regular season. That means this weekend's wild-card playoff games will be the first time we could see multiple-possession overtimes. At least one overtime game has transpired in nine of the past 10 postseasons. There were two last year. Here's a primer of the new OT rules (NFC West blogger Mike Sando posted the actual passages from Rule 16, Article 4 of the NFL Rule Book): * The game does not end if the team that receives the opening kickoff makes a field goal on its initial possession. But the game is over if the team that receives the opening kickoff scores a touchdown on its initial possession. * Each team must have the opportunity to poss...

Kenneth Tong Twitter "Managed Anorexia" - Kenneth Tong, a housemate on the 2009 Channel 4 reality TV show, caused outrage when he said he was “proudly endorsing managed anorexia. Nothing tastes as good as thin feels” on the social networking site Twitter. But R&B star Rihanna branded the 25-year-old “ignorant” for posting more than 100 messages in a week encouraging women to become a size zero. Eating disorder charity Beat said ­yesterday many anorexia victims had complained to them about his messages. In one post, Tong wrote: “No point in debating this, all you females could stand to lose some weight, this is fact – please think twice before your next bite.” The row began on January 1 when Tong tweeted that “skinny arms are so hot” in reference to film star Natalie Portman, 29, in her latest film, The Black Swan. He then changed his profile to “stipulate the Size Zero commandment.” Thousands of users on Twitter vented their anger for the irresponsible messages. ...

Internet ID Obama - US President Barack Obama has tapped the Commerce Department over federal security agencies to create an Internet ID for Americans, a White House official announced Friday. White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt, who made the announcement, told attendees at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research that “we need the private sector to lead the implementation of this” as opposed to national security agencies, adding that “I don’t have to get a credential if I don’t want to.” There is no chance that “a centralized database will emerge” from the project, Cyberczar Schmidt insisted. Internet ID Obama

Jared Lee Loughner Shooting Suspect - Until yesterday's massacre, Jared Lee Loughner was a sometime community college student who went to high school in northwest Tucson, Arizona, and lived with his parents there in a quiet, working-class neighbourhood of ranch homes. Perhaps the only clue to what lay ahead was the rambling rants the 22-year-old left on the internet. Loughner posted a picture of a handgun on his MySpace page, with a photo of the White House behind the weapon and the words "United States History" also visible. Loughner bragged he could create a "new currency" and "new language", and accused the US government of "mind control" and "brainwashing". Depicting himself as an angry and sleep-deprived anti-government activist, he added "terrorism" could bring about reforms. His favourite books were Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf, Animal Farm, Brave New World, The Wizard Of Oz and Aesop's Fables. He al...

Gabrielle Giffords Shot - Just hours after the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords and others at a neighbourhood meeting in Arizona, about 40 people had gathered in front of her district office, many holding hand-printed signs, others with hands raised towards the traffic, fingers making peace signs. Motorists sounded car horns in support. Ilene Thompson stood amid the signs that said things like ''Hate Speech = Murder'', banging a drum. Like many of those in the crowd on the corner, she was a volunteer worker in the last Giffords campaign. ''This is just my small way of saying we need a heads-up about the real consequences of hate,'' Ms Thompson said. Miss Giffords's shooting set off what is likely to be a wrenching debate over anger and violence in American politics. While the exact motivations of the suspect in the shootings remained unclear, an internet site tied to the man, Jared Lee Loughner, contained anti-government ramblings. And regardles...

Ed Reed's Brother Missing - The brother of Ed Reed is apparently missing after jumping into the Mississippi River to avoid police. According to WWLTV.com in Louisiana, officers from the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office had been pursuing a man in St. Rose, La., Friday. Around 10 a.m., the man was seen jumping into the river. The man is believed to be 29-year-old Brian Reed, Reed's younger brother, according to their mother. Karen Reed acknowledged that Brian Reed has struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. Ed Reed's Brother Missing

Barbra Streisand Eyes 'Gypsy' Remake - Barbra Streisand is reportedly in talks to play Mama Rose in the film remake of Gypsy. The Grammy award-winning songstress has already met with the musical's creator Arthur Laurents and lyricist Stephen Sondheim to speak about portraying the pushy stage mum. Arthur told the New York Times that Barbra had been interested in doing Gypsy for many years, "but now things are serious and a movie is truly in the works - playing Rose is enough to make her happy." Asked if the 68-year-old star was too old to play Rose, who is a young mother in the first act of the musical, he added: "First of all, they can do magic in Hollywood. Second, does it really matter?" Dick Guttman, Barbra's spokesperson, confirmed: "There have been conversations." It would be the first starring role for Barbra - who won an Oscar for best actress in 1968 for the film musical Funny Girl - since 1996's The Mirror Has Two Fa...

How to Know if he Loves you - Working out if your man loves you can be difficult but there are things to try and signs to look out for. First up, how he treats you is the biggest indicator. Does he treat you well? Does he yell and scream at you? Does he buy you things? Not that presents are an important part of any relationship. It's more about the thought. Does he want to spend time with you? If he wants to spend time with you this is a good indicator. I don't mean spending every moment together. Time apart is healthy for any relationship. But he should make time for you. The best way to find out if he loves you, is to tell him you love him if you feel that way. If he reciprocates, it's a good sign. If he squirms and tries to avoid the subject, this is a bad omen. How to Know if he Loves you

Are your Friends really your Friends? - Most people have many friends but sometimes, these friends are frauds. They will pretend to be your friend but will never be there for you. The easiest way to know which one of your friends are true friends, simply observe their behaviour. True friends will be there for you for the good times and the bad. They will support you when you need it. Fake friends will be there for the good times, but will never be there for the bad times. In the end, action speak louder than words. Are your Friends really your Friends?

Miranda Kerr Orlando Bloom Boy - Australian model Miranda Kerr has given birth to a baby boy. Kerr, who is married to English actor Orlando Bloom, delivered her first-born in a Los Angeles hospital. The arrival was confirmed yesterday by a close friend of the couple. While the 27-year-old has yet to make an official announcement, residents in her home town of Gunnedah, in north-western NSW, were among the first to learn of the news. Mayor Adam Marshall said: ''I was walking through town to pick up the papers and discovered Miranda's terrific news had already, very quickly, made it into the local coffee shops.'' While it remains unclear where the couple will raise their child, Kerr tweeted recently that the baby would be ''Aussie through and through''. The birth marks a positive end to a traumatic week for Kerr's family. Miranda Kerr Orlando Bloom Boy

Jane Krakowski Pregnant - Time to prep the "30 Rock" nursery — Jane Krakowski is having a baby! A rep for the actress confirms that the 42-year-old Tony winner, who announced her engagement to British-born clothing designer Robert Godley last January, is expecting her first child. "Both soon-to-be first-time parents could not be happier," the rep tells UsMagazine.com. The actress showed off her baby bump in a black one-piece while vacationing in the Caribbean with Godley on Thursday. Krakowski — who has yet to announce a wedding date — previously told Us that she was having difficulty ironing out the details of her big day. PHOTOS: Babies of 2010! "We're blissfully engaged but we have not planned one ounce of our wedding yet. I think we're waiting for that moment where we check out some place and say, 'Yes, this is it!'" she told Us in June. "I think because I've been working so much we haven't had time to look around ...

Hottest Nail Polish Shades Winter 2011 - We are in the thick of winter and colorful nail polish shades can lighten our mood. Glittery metallic is hot at the moment and adds a great shine. Icy blues will also be popular in 2011. Many popular nail polish makers have already released this color. The good old favorite, red, is still popular as usual and great for most occasions. Hottest Nail Polish Shades Winter 2011

Princess Mary of Denmark gives Birth to Twins - Princess Mary of Denmark has delivered twin babies - a healthy boy and girl - after going into labour on Saturday, Jan 8, in Copenhagen. Crown Prince Frederik told the gathered press at the hospital that following about 4 hours of labour, the boy came first, followed half an hour later by the girl, reports News.com.au. A relieved Crown Prince Frederik said the births went well without any complication. He said there were two small hearts to watch now and it was almost like the first time when he became a dad. Both mom and kids are doing well and the royal couple is very happy. The girl is measuring 46cm and weighs 2554 grams while the boy weighs 2674 grams and measures 47cm. Crown Prince and Princess already have two children, Prince Christian 5, and Princess Isabella, 3. It is a case of third time lucky for the media following two false alarms this week that Princess Mary was about to give birth. Princess Mary of Denmark g...

Steve Jobs Salary $1 - Apple's Steve Jobs took a salary of just $1 for steering the world's most valuable technology company through 2010, according to a regulatory filing released. But there's no need to feel sorry for the financial situation of the Apple founder. His shares in the company continue to rocket in value. He owns some 5.5 million shares in the company, which are worth some $1.8 billion at the current price of around $333 a share, a rise of more than 50 percent on the year. While Jobs' salary was modest, his assumed successor Tim Cook did have a bumper year. Apple's chief operating officer, who ran the company during Jobs' health-related leave of absence in 2009, earned a base salary of $800,000, plus a bonus of $5 million and $52.3 million in stock awards. Steve Jobs Salary $1

Vacations on a Budget - Going on a vacation doesn't have to be expensive. There are certain ways to still enjoy yourself on a tight budget. Booking a holiday as early as you can is a good way to get cheap flights. Do your research and find out which ones both meet your needs and your budget. Try and go on holiday when your destination is in the off-peak season. Off-peak prices can sometimes be half the price making your accommodation a lot cheaper. Once you get there, keep to your budget while still enjoying yourself. You can save on transportation by hiring yourself a car or motorbike. Eat at local restaurants as eating at your hotel can be very expensive. Vacations on a Budget

Ultimate Vacation Destinations - There are many beautiful places around to explore. Some are common knowledge, other are not. Here is a list of ultimate vacation destinations. Nadi, Fiji Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam Port Douglas, Australia Bodrum, Turkey San Torini, Greek Islands Shanghai, China Bali, Indonesia Hawaii, United States Ultimate Vacation Destinations

Asteroid Near Misses Common - Although Harvard University astronomer Timothy Spahr spends his life tracking asteroids and minor planets, it's rare when he gets the chance to see one up close. On Friday night, Spahr received word that an asteroid was headed our way. Though it received little publicity, the asteroid passed by Earth early Monday. At its closest, the asteroid, named 2009 DD45, came within 45,000 miles of Earth, which is around twice as high as some satellite orbits and about one-fifth of the distance between the moon and Earth. The cosmic object, which was estimated to be 20 yards to 30 yards across, came closest to Earth near the equator somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. It was about the same size as the one that burned up over Siberia in 1908, leveling nearly 800 square miles of forest in the infamous "Tunguska Event" event. "It's pretty unusual to see one this close," said Spahr, director of the minor-planet center at the Harvard-Smi...

Celebrities Who Were Homeless - Not all celebrities had privileged lives. Some were poor and even homeless before they found stardom. Here are some celebrities that were homeless at one stage or another. Halle Berry Jim Carrey Kelly Clarkson Daniel Craig Kelsey Grammer Tupac Shakur William Shatner Celebrities Who Were Homeless

Forbes Billionaires - Hong Kong's top 40 billionaires' wealth has risen to $US163 billion from $US135 billion last year as China's growing economy bolstered their investments, according to Forbes magazine. Li Ka-shing, who controls Cheung Kong (Holdings) and Hutchison Whampoa, retained the top spot on the list with $US24 billion, up from $US21.3 billion last year, Forbes said. The family of Thomas Kwok and Raymond Kwok, vice-chairmen of Sun Hung Kai Properties, the world's biggest developer by market value, came in second with $US20 billion, up from $US17 billion a year earlier. Advertisement: Story continues below ''Much has changed in China in the past few decades,'' Russell Flannery, a senior editor at Forbes, said. ''But Hong Kong's role as an important conduit between foreign businesses and the mainland's economy hasn't, and that's very apparent in this year's Hong Kong list.'' Lee Shau-kee, chairman o...

Census Poverty Rate Higher - An alternate measure of poverty that takes into account several of the government’s most effective antipoverty programs shows the 2009 poverty rate was lower than the government’s official measure, underscoring the breadth of the government’s antipoverty efforts during the recession but also adding fuel to the long-running debate about how best to gauge who is poor and if their lives have gotten better or worse. The official poverty rate for 2009, reported last year, was 14.3%, up 1.1 percentage points from a year earlier, the fastest jump since 1994. The threshold for poverty in the U.S. in 2009 was a family of four earning $21,756. The problem with the official measure, many economists say, is that it is a gauge of income and doesn’t take into account a myriad of non-cash government programs — such as food stamps, rent assistance and the Earned Income Tax Credit — that are used to combat poverty. And, indeed, when such programs are taken into accou...