by Mike Krumboltz
The Toyota Prius is making some noise, literally. The hybrid car that's eerily silent at slow speeds is adding a bizarre option: A noise-making gadget that will sound like a motor.
A reasonable person might ask why would anyone want to pay $149 for something that just makes noise. According to a buzzy article from CNN Money, the main point is to alert pedestrians when the car is nearby.
Oh, and also, it's the law in Japan, the only market where the device will be available. There are plans to bring it to the United States at some point.
Filed under Buzz by on Aug 24th, 2010. Comment. 
by Mike Krumboltz
Here's a story that's sure to make headlines. A 21-year-old former bank teller from Alabama was convicted of defrauding her customers out of $41,000. But that's not the interesting part. Care to guess how much time she was sentenced to spend in prison? Five years? One year? One month? How about one hour.
That's right, Haley Patterson did her 60 minutes of hard time on Monday, between 10:30 and 11:30 am. A buzzy article from al.com explains that the mini-Madoff will also serve "eight months in-home detention, five years of supervised release," and will have to pay $41,800 in restitution.
Not surprisingly, the prosecution isn't too happy with the sentence, while the defense lawyer was, in his words, "very grateful for the sentence imposed."
Filed under Buzz by on Aug 17th, 2010. Comment.
by Claudine Zap
There's nothing to like about this Facebook feature: A fake dislike button you can supposedly add to your account. Instead, it's an unwelcome virus spreading faster than you can update your status.
It looks harmless enough (well, aside from it being a tad mean-spirited): A message will appear on a Facebook member's account: "I just got the Dislike button, so now I can dislike all of your dumb posts lol!!" Or "Get the official DISLIKE button now."
Click on the link and you will pay. The messages are not from friends at all, but automated spam using member accounts who have already been duped.
You'll be taken to a fake Facebook application to download and a fake survey to fill out — that pays the scammers real money. Instead of spreading your dislike, you'll be allowing the virus into your social network to continue spreading the virus.
Oddly, if you download the fake tool, you'll be pointed to a real button apparently not connected to the scam that is a Firefox Browser add-on called FaceMod. Still, the tech blog Sophos is advising to stay away anyway.
Aside from tricking users into taking a survey — and helping to spread spam to your friends' Facebook accounts, there doesn't seem to be much more going on beyond that.
But with Facebook attracting more than 500 million users, it has become a magnet for all sorts of tricksters, hucksters, and false friends. Now that's a lot to dislike.
Filed under Buzz by on Aug 16th, 2010. Comment.
by Mike Krumboltz
Poor Snooki. The bronze-hued star of "Jersey Shore" can't seem to catch a break. The latest indignity: A diss from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The Smoking Gun recently broke the news that Snooki (real name: Nicole Polizzi) applied to trademark her nickname "Snooki" back in May. Alas, the application was denied for a rather comical reason. The folks at the Trademark office felt that "Snooki" was likely to be confused with "Snooky," an underwater cat from a relatively obscure children's book. Oh, the indignity!
Here's a copy of the denied trademark application from the U.S. Patent office.
Filed under Buzz by on Aug 13th, 2010. Comment.
by Claudine Zap
Our top picks from the day's hottest searches.
- Alanis Morissette (Searches increased by 10,404%). You oughta know: The singer is pregnant.
- Anna Kendrick (+4,683%). The "Twilight" actress says she won't do nude scenes.
- Jane Lynch (+4,368%). The "Glee" star will host "SNL" in the fall.
- Chernobyl (+636%). Just one more worry from the wildfires in Russia: Radiation risk, which is said to be low.
- Paris Hilton (+586%). The socialite was sued by a hair extension company for breach of contract when she allegedly wore the fake locks of a competitor.
Filed under Buzz by on Aug 12th, 2010. Comment.
by Mike Krumboltz
The comic-book flick "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" opens in theaters this Friday. In addition to the usual advertising blitz, stars Michael Cera and Jason Schwartzman did something a little unusual to help promote the film. They did the weather in Atlanta. Check it out below... and watch out for the bus!
Filed under Buzz by on Aug 11th, 2010. Comment.
by Claudine Zap
Our top picks from the day's hottest searches.
- Portia de Rossi (Searches increased by 15,584%). Now that she and talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres are married, the actress wants to legally change her name to Portia Lee James DeGeneres.
- iPhone Verizon (+4,823%). The mobile carrier will "definitely, maybe" get the Apple smart phone in January.
- Pygmy marmoset (+1,932%). It's a tiny, tiny hippo born in an Australian zoo.
- Amy Poehler (+1917%). The "Parks and Rec" star and husband Will Arnett welcomed their second son, Abel James Arnett.
- Bonnie and Clyde (+599%). The search is on for a self-styled "Bonnie and Clyde" crime couple on the lam inside a national park.
Filed under Buzz by on Aug 10th, 2010. Comment.
by Claudine Zap
Our top picks from the day's hottest searches.
- Joe Biden (Searches increased by 1,270%). Even the vice president is hitting the beach. What the heck are we doing at work?
- Cold pasta salad recipe (+643%). Here are some ideas that will make you look like a cooking whiz.
- Weekend box office (+320%). Step aside, "Inception." "The Other Guys" has taken up number one.
- Teen Choice Awards 2010 (+373%). What do teens like? Vampires.
- Sarah Palin (+100%). Seems not everyone in Alaska is a fan of the former governor. Watch the video of an uncomfortable exchange when Palin was filming her reality show.
Filed under Buzz by on Aug 9th, 2010. Comment.
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