Google Wave

Google Wave is a new communication service previewed today at Google I/O. "A wave is equal parts conversation and document, where people can communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more."

The service seems to combine Gmail and Google Docs into an interesting free-form workspace that could be used to write documents collaboratively, plan events, play games or discuss a recent news.


Google Wave has been designed by the founders of Where 2 Tech, a start-up acquired by Google to create a cutting-edge mapping service, which later became Google Maps.

"Back in early 2004, Google took an interest in a tiny mapping startup called Where 2 Tech, founded by my brother Jens and me. We were excited to join Google and help create what would become Google Maps. But we also started thinking about what might come next for us after maps. As always, Jens came up with the answer: communication. He pointed out that two of the most spectacular successes in digital communication, email and instant messaging, were originally designed in the '60s to imitate analog formats — email mimicked snail mail, and IM mimicked phone calls. Since then, so many different forms of communication had been invented — blogs, wikis, collaborative documents, etc. — and computers and networks had dramatically improved. So Jens proposed a new communications model that presumed all these advances as a starting point; I was immediately sold," explains Lars Rasmussen.

"In Google Wave you create a wave and add people to it. Everyone on your wave can use richly formatted text, photos, gadgets, and even feeds from other sources on the web. They can insert a reply or edit the wave directly. It's concurrent rich-text editing, where you see on your screen nearly instantly what your fellow collaborators are typing in your wave. That means Google Wave is just as well suited for quick messages as for persistent content -- it allows for both collaboration and communication. You can also use "playback" to rewind the wave to see how it evolved."

You can see some screenshots of the service and find some details about the API that could be used to extend the service and the Wave protocol that allows anyone to run a "wave" server. Google promises that Google Wave will be available later this year.

Mike Tyson's daughter dies after accident.

Mike Tyson's four-year-old daughter died May 26 of injuries sustained in a freak home accident. The champion boxer immediately flew to Arizona.

Exodus Tyson was found Monday morning hanged from a cord that was connected to a treadmill in the family’s activity room in their Phoenix, Arizona home. She was discovered when her mother, who was cleaning in another room, sent the girl’s seven-year-old brother in to check on her.

Police are treating the case as an accident, saying it appears the child was playing on or near the treadmill and became tangled in the cord. The girl’s mother was administering CPR when paramedics arrived on the scene. Exodus died a day later of her injuries.

Tyson was in Las Vegas at the time of the incident but rushed to his daughter’s side upon being notified of the tragedy.

“Mike was very dedicated to that baby,'' said Sig Rogish, a longtime friend of Tyson and his former agent. “I think every parent's greatest fear is that they live beyond their children. I know Mike has had his troubles in his life, but he's always been a good father.”

The troubles Rogish refers to are numerous. Tyson’s father left the family when Mike was two; his mother died when he was 16. By the age of 13 he had been arrested 38 times, but was saved from a life on the streets after juvenile hall when a counselor discovered his boxing talent.

His short-lived marriage to actress Robin Givens ended amidst allegations of physical and emotional abuse and mental illness. He was convicted of raping a beauty queen and spent three years in prison for the crime. He was stripped of his boxing license for a year after biting off a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear during a match, went to prison again on new assault charges, filed for bankruptcy in 2003 after squandering nearly $300 million -- around the same time his second marriage ended due to his reported infidelities -- and was arrested again in 2006 on charges of DUI and felony drug possession.

Tyson knows his life has been one big tragedy of Shakespearean proportions. In 2005 he told USA Today:

"My whole life has been a waste -- I've been a failure. I just want to escape. I'm really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to be a missionary. I think I could do that while keeping my dignity without letting people know they chased me out of the country. I want to get this part of my life over as soon as possible. In this country nothing good is going to come of me. People put me so high; I wanted to tear that image down."

Cop without a badge

WILKES-BARRE – A former Kingston police detective didn’t have a license for a loaded pistol found inside his vehicle, city police allege in arrest papers.

Daniel Griffin, 45, of Swoyersville, was arraigned on Tuesday by District Judge Martin Kane in Wilkes-Barre on a charge of carrying a firearm without a license. He was released without bail awaiting a preliminary hearing in Central Court on June 3.

Police allege they found a loaded .25-caliber pistol in its holster inside the console of Griffin’s Ford Crown Victoria that had a “Police Interceptor” front license plate and a K9 sticker on the trunk. The vehicle, with tinted windows, was seized when it was found in a parking lot on East Northampton Street on May 13.

Griffin was arrested by city police on Public Square that day on an warrant obtained by Fleetwood police in Berks County accusing him of impersonating a police officer during a traffic stop.

“This started out in Berks County on the search warrant for my car,” Griffin said in a telephone interview after he was arraigned on Tuesday. “It’s true and correct to their beliefs; I don’t believe it to be true. I plan to aggressively defend myself. For me to make further comment right now, I really can’t. I just found out about these new charges this morning. I ask that you please reserve judgment until the deposition of this case.” Fleetwood police said in arrest records that they stopped Griffin, driving the Ford Crown Victoria, for traveling 55 to 60 miles per hour in a 35 mph zone on May 7. Griffin immediately got out of his vehicle waving a badge and identifying himself as a Kingston police officer, according to the criminal complaint filed by Fleetwood police.

Fleetwood police learned that Griffin was no longer an officer with the Kingston Police Department.

Griffin was arraigned by District Judge Gail M. Greth in Richmond Township, Berks County, on Aug. 20 on charges of impersonating a public servant and false identification to law enforcement. He was released on $25,000 unsecured bail.

Griffin has been embattled with Kingston officials since July 2007 when he was charged with forging the name of a former Kingston police chief for reimbursement of a shotgun he personally purchased. A Luzerne county jury convicted Griffin of criminal attempt to commit theft and forgery in September 2008.

Griffin is appealing his conviction.

A year after he was terminated from the Kingston Police Department in December 2007, Griffin filed a federal civil lawsuit accusing Kingston officials of conspiring against him.

Cocaine test prompts Red Bull removal in Germany

BERLIN – Six German states have told retailers to stop selling Red Bull Cola energy drinks after a test found a trace amount of cocaine.

The bans started Friday after a sample test conducted by authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia state found 0.4 micrograms per liter in the drink.

Five other states also banned it from shops amid concerns over possible narcotics law violations.

Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment said Monday that the cocaine level was too low to pose a health risk. It planned to produce a more detailed report Wednesday.

Red Bull said its cola is "harmless and marketable in both the U.S. and Europe." It said similar coca leaf extracts are used worldwide as flavoring, and a test it commissioned itself found no cocaine traces.

Susan Boyle Singing on 'Britain's Got Talent' Semi Final

Famous even before she gets to win 'Britain's Got Talent', Susan Boyle's performance of 'Memory' on Sunday, May 24received a standing ovation.

When Simon Cowell stood up for Adam Lambert on "American Idol", it was not the only one he would like to give out this year. The notoriously acid-tongue and blatant judge got up from his seat for Susan Boyle on another talent show he's judging "Britain's Got Talent" after the 47-year-old woman delivered her rendition of "Memory".

Boyle, whose first audition performance received millions of hits on YouTube, went through to the semi final round on Saturday, May 23 and amazed judges and audience once again on Sunday, May 24 with her performance of the Broadway piece. All the three judges, along with the in-studio audience gave her a standing ovation and rave applause after she finished.
Host Ant & Dec asked what she's feeling in the past few weeks with all the publicity in both U.K. and U.S., and she said "unbelievable". Further asked whether it added up pressure to the night's performance, Susan answered "What pressure? It was really good tonight, I really enjoyed it ... I'm very happy to be here and thank you all for your support."
Cowell then offered a word of apology to Susan. He said, "You know what, I just want to apologize because of the way we treated you before you sang the first time. You made me and everyone else look very stupid and I'm very happy for you, very proud for you."
After the Sunday round, Susan was declared one of the two contestants that have won a ticket to the finals. The live final will be held on Saturday, May 30.

Ms. Camel Toe has an ugly sister "Moose Knuckle"

Fat people from USA are geting ban from fast-food restaurants.
This is what you may hear when you go to your local restaurant in Mississippi who allows super sized food but not people. No Kidding. Should you be required by law to weigh in before the menu arrives? If you didn't flee to Canada during the Vietnam war, I think it is time now.

Lisa Stebic Body Found

CHANNAHON TOWNSHIP — A cleanup crew discovered female human remains on the shore of the Des Plaines River on Wednesday afternoon, prompting speculation that Stacy Peterson or Lisa Stebic may have been found.

Witnesses said it was around 2 p.m. that the crew discovered the remains — not an intact body — while walking near the south shore after spending the past four days clearing logs and debris.

Will County Sheriff's Police block entry to the Will County Coroner's office on Caton Farm Road in Crest Hill on Thursday morning. Media gathered outside seeking information on the body found on the bank of the Des Plaines River in Channahon on Wednesday.
(Liz Wilkinson Allen/Staff photographer)

Investigators search the banks of the Des Plaines River for female human body remains discovered by a barge crew just southwest of I-55 on Wednesday afternoon.
(Michael R. Schmidt/Staff photographer)

A source said the remains looked like that of a smallish female wearing underwear, but that DNA testing likely would be required for a positive ID.

An autopsy will be conducted at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

State police have taken over the investigation and confirmed remains were found, but would not release any other information Wednesday evening.

State police Master Sgt. Thomas Burek addressed the media around 8:30 p.m., saying only that unidentified human remains were found.

As expected, also at the scene were Channahon and conservation police, both of whom have jurisdiction in the area, and representatives from the state's attorney's office and the coroner's office. Braidwood police brought their canine units. But Plainfield police, who have no jurisdiction there, were called in, too.

Plainfield police have been working on Stebic's disappearance since the Plainfield mom was last scene in 2007. Similarly, state police took over the investigation of Stacy Peterson, the missing Bolingbrook woman, because her husband, Drew Peterson, was a police officer.

But Burek wouldn't say link the appearance of state and Plainfield police to the Stebic or Peterson cases Wednesday.

"We're not attempting to associate with any particular investigation. It would be premature to do that," Burek said.

Boating to scene

The cleanup crew made their grisly find approximately three-quarters of a mile west of the Interstate 55 bridge, near the Big Basin Marina.

The shore area is only accessible by boat, so investigators spent time shuttling down the river from the boat launch at the marina on the river's north side.

Will County Coroner Patrick K. O'Neil rode out to examine the body. Fifteen minutes later, the Channahon Fire Department brought a boat to the landing as news helicopters circled overhead. A forensic team was called in to search the area at 5 p.m. and police said they might need lighting to continue the investigation as the sun went down.

Peterson's family called

Relatives of missing Bolingbrook mother Stacy Peterson said they've been contacted by state police, who told them a woman's body has been found in the river near Channahon, though the remains have not been identified.

"We don't know who it is," said Pam Bosco, a spokeswoman for Stacy Peterson's family. "We're just being patient right now. We're waiting."

She believes there won't be any definitive word Wednesday about the identity of the body.

And Bosco said relatives realize the remains could be those of another woman, possibly missing Plainfield resident Lisa Stebic or someone else.

Bosco said Stacy Peterson's family members just hope the remains can be identified so a family somewhere can learn the fate of a missing loved one.

"We just hope they can identify who it is," Bosco said.

To the morgue

At 7:50 p.m., a skiff carrying detectives and a deputy coroner landed at the marina. A coroner's van backed up to the skiff. A deputy coroner and investigator carried a white body bag from the skiff and loaded it in the van. The drooping ends of the body bag showed that the remains were only about two feet long.

The river was reopened to barge traffic, and the coroner's van left en route to the morgue, where an autopsy will be conducted Thursday morning.

NYC reminds residents of military fly-over plans

The New York City Office of Emergency Management is reminding New Yorkers that plans to kickoff this year's Fleet Week celebrations include a fly-by of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge by four military aircraft.

The warning came about three weeks after a nerve-racking Air Force photo shoot over the Statue of Liberty caused a brief panic in lower Manhattan. That incident sent workers rushing into the streets amid flashbacks of Sept. 11.

Wednesday's fly-over by four F-18 Hornets was scheduled for 11:45 a.m. The aircraft were to head north over the Hudson River, dipping to an altitude of 1,000 feet.

Also planned for the 22nd annual Fleet Week kickoff is a parade of 13 ships along the Hudson. The largest and most familiar is the USS Iwo Jima, a 40,500-ton assault helicopter carrier.

Death of ‘Dolla dreams’- Rapper shot dead in mall

Upcoming rapper rapidly climbing the popularity charts, Roderick Anthony Burton II, popularly known as “Dolla“, succumbed to bullet injury from being shot at, at a Westside mall.

This instance of seemingly unprovoked violence, brings to focus once again, the sinister inextricably of show-business from violence.The Hip-Hop community in particular, has been no stranger to violence and crimes of passion, in recent times.

Remembered primarily for his association with the boy band “Da Rascals” in the 90’s, “Dolla” had just begun to work his way up the big time league. Starting with his rather impressive achievement of signing to Akon’s Konvict records in 2007, his career had been going great guns. The crowning glory of his rise, was his debut album “Feelin’ Myself”, that had raised promising hopes for this fledgling star’s future.

The incident has been reported by sources, to have taken place at the Beverly Center Mall, in the valet parking facility area, when Dolla was reportedly waiting there with fellow rapper D.J Shabazz. The ringing out of gunshots was heard inside the mall, where it caused a wave of hysteria in mall restaurant Chipotle’s patrons who, being unsure as to the cause of the violence, insisted on the restaurant being closed down for their safety. One eye witness said he saw a female suspect at the sight of the shooting. While the police are still investigating all possible leads, there aren’t any major suspects apart from a man who was detained while trying to board a plane out. He reportedly drove a silver Merc SUV to the airport. The search continues, while the Hip-Hop community seems to have grown poorer by a ‘Dolla”.

Taste the Hot Dog That Knocked the Others Out of the Park

Oscar Mayer to Give Away up to $1 Million in Hot Dogs To Celebrate Taste Test Victory; Chef Rocco DiSpirito Heats-Up Times Square Celebration to Kick-Off Giveaway

MADISON, Wis., May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- It's official! As compared to the leading beef franks, the best-tasting beef hot dog has a name; its O-S-C-A-R. That's right, Oscar Mayer Jumbo Beef Franks beat Ball Park(R) and Hebrew National(R) in a national taste test.

To celebrate the win and kick-off barbeque season, the Oscar Mayer brand will give away up to $1 million worth of hot dogs and let everyone in America in on the game on one very special day.That's right, Oscar Mayer is giving away up to $1 million worth of hot dogs, while supplies last.

To help spread the word, the Oscar Mayer brand invited chef Rocco DiSpirito to host a pre-giveaway grill-out yesterday in Times Square. Flanked by the world famous Wienermobile vehicles, Rocco gave New Yorkers a taste of the dog that knocked the others out of the park and helped donate 20,000 hot dogs to Feeding America. Oscar Mayer has committed to donating a minimum of $100,000 worth of hot dogs to Feeding America throughout summer.

The "Best In Taste" Dog

Oscar Mayer Jumbo Beef Franks are made with quality cuts of 100% pure beef to deliver a beefy, juicy hot dog with a taste the whole family will love. The brand also launched two new 'dogs' this season, Oscar Mayer Premium Beef & Cheddar Franks and Oscar Mayer Jalapeno & Cheddar Franks.

In Search of Our Best-Dressed Dog - All Summer Long

Although these beefy, juicy champs have little need for improvement, everyone has their favorite topping combination. Whether mustard only, pickle and ketchup, chili, cheese and onions or "the works," preferences differ from person to person and city to city.

To harness the passion for how Americans dress their 'dogs,' the Wienermobile vehicles are cruising the country asking hot dog fans how they'd top the best-tasting Oscar Mayer Jumbo Beef Franks. Those who visit Wienermobile events will get the chance to dress a larger-than-life Jumbo Beef Frank with their favorite topping combinations, and get their photo taken with their creation.

On-site, hot dog fans can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a Labor Day grill-out, complete with a visit from the Wienermobile, a top of the line grill and most importantly - bragging rights! Oscar Mayer Premium Beef Franks are available nationwide for a suggested retail price of $3.99.

Happy with who won Dancing with the Stars 2009?

Last night was the final of Dancing with the Stars 2009, and the previous 11 weeks had been building up to this moment, but we now have a winner, and that is gold medal-winning gymnast, Shawn Johnson. This was the closest finish ever, with less than one percent between the winner and the runner up.

Johnson, just 17 is the youngest competitor in the show and was a surprise to most. Shawn was not the best dancer on the show, but over the past few weeks, the girl has made a great comeback and improved with each performance.

Gilles Marini, the actor from the Sex and the City movie was the runner up, and was one of the favorites from the start to win the show. Dallas News says that from the start, Marini had managed to take a few wins, but it was not enough on the night.

Missing link found? Scientists unveil fossil of 47 million-year-old primate, Darwinius masillae

Feast your eyes on what a group of scientists call the Holy Grail of human evolution.

A team of researchers Tuesday unveiled an almost perfectly intact fossil of a 47 million-year-old primate they say represents the long-sought missing link between humans and apes.

Officially known as Darwinius masillae, the fossil of the lemur-like creature dubbed Ida shows it had opposable thumbs like humans and fingernails instead of claws.

Scientists say the cat-sized animal's hind legs offer evidence of evolutionary changes that led to primates standing upright - a breakthrough that could finally confirm Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

"This specimen is like finding the Lost Ark for archeologists," lead scientist Jorn Hurum said at a ceremony at the American Museum of Natural History.

"It is the scientific equivalent of the Holy Grail. This fossil will probably be the one that will be pictured in all textbooks for the next 100 years."

A team of amateur fossil hunters discovered the near-perfect remains inside a mile-wide crater outside of Frankfurt in 1983.

Experts believe the pit was a volcanic caldera where scores of animals from the Eocene epoch were killed and their remains were kept remarkably well-preserved.

Though the pit has been a bountiful source of other fossils, the inexperienced archeologists didn't realize the value of their find.

Years later, the University of Oslo bought the 95%-intact fossil, and Hurum studied it in secret for two years.

His colleague, Jens Franzen, hailed the discovery as "the eighth wonder of the world."

"We're not dealing with our grand, grand, grandmother, but perhaps with our grand, grand, grand aunt," Franzen said.

The unveiling of the fossil came as part of a carefully-orchestrated publicity campaign unusual for scientific discoveries.

Britney Lost Her Panties ... and Now She May Lose Her Shirt

After shedding hair and panties last year, Britney Spears rarely shocks.

So when court papers recently revealed that the pop tart doesn't save or invest any of her roughly $737,000 monthly income, financial and entertainment insiders weren't surprised.

In fact, they say, Britney may be on her way to joining the ranks of rapper MC Hammer and members of the R&B group TLC — celeb acts that spent too much, too fast and saved or invested far too little, and wound up filing for bankruptcy.

"Most high earners, like celebrities, should view themselves like ballplayers do," said Everett Weinberger, a financial adviser at Merrill Lynch. "You need to put away money right at the beginning, assuming that it may end. ... Young people can be very shortsighted, forgetting that they're not going to be famous forever."

Celebrities are not unlike many Americans in their spending habits, Weinberger added.

"Most people have not written down a budget, and it turns out that they've spent far more than they think," he said.

Michael Jackson knows this story all too well. He's defaulted on a $23 million loan, and if he doesn't pay the full amount — plus $212,963.83 in interest — by the end of January, he could lose his beloved Neverland Ranch.

Twelve years ago, the female R&B group TLC was also forced to file for bankruptcy, despite selling a staggering 23 million records.

Britney may not be far behind. Court papers show that she spends $102,000 each month on entertainment, gifts and vacations. Her monthly clothing bill is a whopping $16,000 — $1,000 more than she forks over for child support.

Spears' spending habits may seem "Crazy," but Britney has company in her Young Hollywood counterparts.

Lindsay Lohan reportedly spent more than $1 million on clothes last year, but her publicist denied it. (Her stylist Rachel Zoe also reportedly said that her client’s closet is filled with $8,000 Prada dresses and $2,000 Prada bags.)

And Jessica Simpson's penchant for $1,400 Egyptian-cotton sheets was well-documented on MTV's ill-fated "Newlyweds."

These tales are not unusual. Ornate jewels, private jets and multiple homes have become the norm for celebs, not the exception. And a large entourage of handlers is more than ready to go along for the ride.

In the 1990s, after reaping over $33 million from the international hit "U Can't Touch This," MC Hammer hired a whopping 200 employees, added $2 million worth of marble, two pools and three waterfalls to his home south of Oakland, Calif., and bought 17 cars and a stable of thoroughbred race horses. But there wasn't enough money coming in to justify the lifestyle.

Hammer released an album, "Inside Out," in 1995 that was widely panned. The album floundered, peaking at No. 119 on the Billboard charts. Shortly afterward, Giant Records dropped the crooner from its roster.

Thirteen million dollars in debt, Hammer filed for bankruptcy on April 3, 1996.

"There are people like MC Hammer who sort of believe there's an entourage that [needs] to go everywhere with them," said a publicist who’s worked in the entertainment industry for over 10 years. "The show 'Entourage' is a pretty good depiction of how people can suck things out of you."

The prerequisite manager, agent, attorney and publicist are nothing new. But today, celebrities also hire countless assistants, bodyguards and stylists. There are so many people following the herd that the job descriptions quickly become unclear.

"What return are you getting?" the publicist asked. "Are these people doing the job they need to do?"

Weinberger also advises celebs to be careful about the number of people they have on the payroll.

"It's far better to have one person who you trust intimately. That way, the odds of someone ripping you off are much lower," he said.

In 2001, Dana Giacchetto, the former money manager of Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz, was found guilty of stealing $10 million from the stars to fuel his lavish lifestyle. He was operating a classic Ponzi scheme — moving money from one account to another, taking funds from one investor to pay another.

With these cautionary tales in mind, some celebrities invest first, spend later. The 29-year-old singer Usher may have an estimated net worth of $35 million, but he's keeping plenty of it in the bank.

Sure, he rides around in a $500,000 chauffer-driven Maybach. And his mansion in Atlanta is no small affair.

Yet Usher told Forbes that he's spent less than 10 percent of his total earnings. Instead, he's opted for fixed-income investments, blue-chip stocks and real estate.

Rapper Jay-Z owns a stake in the New Jersey Nets, co-owns the Rocawear clothing line and is president of Universal Music Group's Def Jam Recording.

Sean "Diddy" Combs has interests in Bad Boy Records, the clothing lines Sean John and Sean by Sean Combs, a movie production company and two restaurants.

And Def Jam Records co-founder Russell Simmons owns a management company, a clothing line called Phat Farm, a movie production house, TV shows, a magazine and an advertising agency.

The three men are worth approximately $547 million, $358 million and $340 million respectively.

This hasn't escaped Usher. He's invested $9 million in the Cleveland Cavaliers, provided seed capital for a new bank, launched his own clothing line and record label. And unlike other stars, Usher has not been seduced by real estate.

"Celebrities tend to over-invest in real estate because it's tangible and sexy," Weinberger said. "They see that beautiful house in Florida or California and have to have it. People should know, in general, that real estate is not going to appreciate as well as the stock market."

Nevertheless, real estate can always be sold off to pay creditors, whereas handbags, stilettos and sheaths lose value the minute the tags are cut.

"It's not fun to talk about money. It's much more fun to buy things," Weinberger admits. "I don't want to deny anyone. People should enjoy themselves. The only question is: do you know exactly what you're spending your money on?"

Do you, Britney?

Nude Rihanna photos leaked on the internet

A SERIESof sexually explicit photos purporting to be sexy singing star Rihanna have been leaked on the internet today prompting a web frenzy in the US. A collection of six photos allegedly showing the singer in the nude have been leaked on the net. However, out of the batch, only two actually show her face.

The others show a woman's naked body, and backside, but her face is obscured from view.

Some gossip sites are suggesting Rihanna's ex Chris Brown could be behind the leak as a payback after the couple split.

Celeb site Hollyscoop said today: "Just when Chris Brown's lawyer Mark Geragos went to court to request investigation paperwork in regards to Rihanna's leaked battered photo, these scandalous nude pics surface."

One of the photos shows a message written on a mirror which appears to say 'I love you, Robyn. I miss you' - Robyn is Rihanna's legal first name.

And in the reflection a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the singer has taken the picture.

In one of the other photos from the set, Rihanna's ex Brown is seen with a pair of pink knickers on his head.

The scandal comes as Brown faces felony charges relating to an alleged assault on Rihanna earlier this year.

She suffered cuts and bruising to her face and alleged bite marks to her arm during the vicious attack which shocked fans around the world.

Not long after the attack the couple were seen on holiday together, however they have since gone their separate ways.

China: 5,335 students dead, missing in 2008 quake

BEIJING – A year after the massive Sichuan earthquake leveled hundreds of schools, sparking allegations of corruption and shoddy construction, China finally gave Thursday its first official tally of the numbers of students dead or missing: 5,335.

The government began its count hours after the magnitude-7.9 temblor razed huge portions of the southwestern province on May 12, 2008, but has refused until now to say how many students were among the nearly 90,000 people killed or missing. Another 5 million people were made homeless.

Thousands of classrooms collapsed while buildings around them remained intact. It has become a politically charged issue and an enduring source of bitterness for parents trying to find answers and closure.

Parents say the schools crumbled so easily because corruption and mismanagement led to slipshod construction and weak buildings that were not up to code. Some say materials meant for school construction projects were sold on the side by contractors for personal gain.

So far no one has been held responsible or punished.

Officials, however, blame the sheer power of the temblor as the main cause for the number of flattened schools and have said compiling and confirming the names of the students was a complicated process.

Tu Wentao, head of Sichuan's education department, announced the student death toll at a news conference in the provincial capital of Chengdu.

No reason was given for the release of the figures on Thursday — just days before the one-year anniversary of the disaster — but some say it could be a sign that the government is attempting to stem the ongoing discontent over the issue.

Yet grieving parents took little solace and were skeptical of the toll.

"Announcing the numbers won't bring us any consolation," said Liu Xiaobin, whose 11-year-old son was killed when the three-story Fuxin No. 2 Primary School sank into the ground and the rest of the neighborhood remained standing. "We want the government to investigate the situation."

Liu and other parents have petitioned and protested, only to be detained or warned against speaking out. Activists sympathetic to their cause have been harassed or taken away by police.

In a transcript of the press conference posted on the Sichuan government's Web site, the officials said that "once there is concrete evidence to prove that problems exist in building designs and construction, relevant departments will investigate according to law."

Ai Weiwei, an avant-garde artist and high-profile critic of Beijing's policies, said Thursday's announcement appeared to show that the "pressure of the common people, pressure from the media" had made some difference.

But he said it was still an empty gesture.

"It didn't give any names or any other information on where they died, which schools or which classes they were in," Ai said in a telephone interview. "This is nonsense."

In his blog, Ai has confirmed almost 5,000 student names and estimates that the toll could reach 8,000. At least 20 of his helpers have been detained by local authorities, he said.

Tan Zuoren, another activist who conducted his own investigation into 64 schools in the quake zone, estimated that more than 5,600 students died or were missing. Tan, who has since been detained on suspicion of subversion, said that number was incomplete.

Liu Xiaoying, whose 12-year-old daughter was also killed in the Fuxin No. 2 Primary School, said she is sure that the number of dead schoolchildren is much higher.

"I hope the investigation will continue and that the people responsible will be seriously punished," said Liu, who is under tight surveillance after traveling to Beijing twice to petition the central government.

"I hope the government will really do what they say they would and not brush off us parents," she said. "If this is the case, the hearts of my husband and I will be more at ease."

Also Thursday, the official China Daily newspaper reported that a circular issued by the Cabinet was ordering that safety controls over the construction and rebuilding of schools be strengthened.

The circular said there would be severe punishment for those who engage in illegal practices.

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Health officials: Swine flu may be at pandemic level soon, but not as severe a strain as feared

Arizona public health officials expect the swine flu outbreak to be deemed a pandemic soon and said it probably is more widespread than now thought in Mexico, the U.S. and Arizona. But they also said there are indications that the strain may end up being more like a typical influenza.

Maricopa County Health Director Dr. Bob England said Friday that he expects the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic soon, but he stressed the influenza strain may not be a severe one.

England said in pandemics (regardless of the severity of the virus), as much as 33 percent of an impacted population is infected, compared with about 10 percent during normal flu seasons.

Will Humble, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, said there are some growing indications that the swine flu is not as severe as initially believed, noting that only 5 percent of those infected in the U.S. have been hospitalized and the four confirmed Arizona cases have not required hospitalization.

Both Humble and England said they expect a good number of cases to be confirmed in Arizona. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is examining 50 test samples from the state.

Humble said Arizona DHS has received extra antiviral drugs from the federal government and testing equipment from the CDC that could help fast-track testing.

England said there are still concerns about this flu outbreak coming in waves, like the 1918 “Spanish flu” pandemic that killed 50 million people. But he stressed that all pandemics are different.

Jackman's `Wolverine' leads weekend pack with $87M

LOS ANGELES - You can't keep a good X-Man down. Hugh Jackman 's prequel " X-Men Origins: Wolverine " leaped to the top of the box office with an $87 million opening weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.

That put the movie right in the pack with the three previous " X-Men " movies in which Jackman played mutant superhero Wolverine .

The trilogy's final chapter, " X-Men: The Last Stand ," had the franchise's best opening with $102.8 million. But "Wolverine" came in ahead of the first two movies; "X-Men" did $54.5 million in its first weekend and " X2: X-Men United " took in $85.6 million.

"It's all systems go," said Chris Aronson, distribution executive for 20th Century Fox , which releases the "X-Men" movies. "Audiences have a huge appetite for Hugh and this character."

"Wolverine" also pulled in $73 million in 101 overseas markets, giving it a worldwide total of $160 million. The movie's debut in Mexico was delayed for two weeks because of the swine flu outbreak there.

The Warner Bros . romantic comedy "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past," starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner , debuted in second place with $15.3 million.

The previous weekend's top movie, Sony Screen Gems ' "Obsessed," fell to No. 3 with $12.2 million. The thriller starring Beyonce Knowles raised its 10-day total to $47 million.

Overall revenues were virtually even with the same weekend a year ago, when " Iron Man " surprised Hollywood with a bigger-than-expected $98.6 million debut. Hollywood.com box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian estimated this weekend's total receipts at $160 million, up 0.8 percent from the "Iron Man" weekend a year ago.

Even if that estimate drops slightly once studios release final numbers Monday, the weekend maintained the industry's record box-office pace as consumers cut back on travel and other activities and turn to relatively inexpensive nights out at the movies.

"Nobody thought this weekend would beat or even come close to last year's comparable weekend," Dergarabedian said. "It's a testament to the kind of year we're having and this recessionary moviegoing fueling big box office."

According to Hollywood.com, 2009 revenues are at $3.25 billion, up 16.4 percent from last year's. Accounting for higher ticket prices, movie attendance is running 13.7 percent ahead of 2008's pace.

In limited release, Jim Jarmusch's moody crime drama "The Limits of Control" opened solidly with $54,233 in three theaters, averaging $18,078 a cinema, compared with $21,225 in 4,099 locations for " Wolverine ." The Focus Features film about a mystery man on a murky assignment features Isaach De Bankole, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton .

It was not all good news for the weekend's new movies. Roadside Attractions ' animated sci-fi adventure "Battle for Terra" flopped with $1.1 million, averaging just $916 in 1,162 theaters.

"Wolverine" does not have much breathing room at the box office. This Friday brings Paramount's relaunch of " Star Trek ," with a new cast playing James Kirk, Spock and other characters from the 1960s TV series .

The rest of May is loaded with big films: Sony's " The Da Vinci Code " follow-up " Angels & Demons ," with Tom Hanks ; Warner's " Terminator: Salvation ," starring Christian Bale ; 20th Century Fox 's sequel " Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian ," with Ben Stiller ; and "Up," the latest from Disney and Pixar Animation, makers of " WALL-E ," " Ratatouille " and the " Toy Story " movies.

Aronson said there should be room for all, recalling box-office analysts' reservations when " Spider-Man 3 ," " Shrek the Third " and " Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End " opened within a few weeks of one another in May 2007.

"Everyone freaked out. How are these movies going to coexist? They all ended up grossing over $300 million, and I think everybody went home pretty happy," Aronson said. "When there are quality films to be seen, the marketplace will expand to accommodate everybody."

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. " X-Men Origins: Wolverine ," $87 million.

2. "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past," $15.3 million.

3. "Obsessed," $12.2 million.

4. "17 Again," $6.4 million.

5. "Monsters vs. Aliens," $5.8 million.

6. "The Soloist," $5.6 million.

8. "Earth," $4.18 million.

7. "Fighting," $4.17 million.

9. " Hannah Montana: The Movie ," $4.1 million.

10. " State of Play ," $3.7 million.