"There's nothing like sneaking off for a romantic break to Rome with your new partner - away from the prying eyes of family, friends and randoms.

But imagine popping out of your hotel room to wander those Roman streets, only to be greeted by practically every photographer on the planet.

That's the fate that's met Tom Cruise and his new lady, Katie Holmes.

Just two days after his publicist sister confirmed the two actors were an item, they've been snapped enjoying the sights of Italy's capital.

With reports that Katie is determined not to have sex until she's married, the couple have been spending plenty of time sightseeing.

Their big sunglasses disguise didn't fool anyone as they left the Da Nino restaurant after a trip to the Vatican.

They looked every inch the couple as Tom held on tightly to his new girlfriend - who's 16 years younger than him.[Via WEBSITENAME]

"Patek Philippe Vintage 1526 Perpetual Calendar, YG, ca. 1948
$152,500.00
Only 210 examples ever made!
This watch is pristine, in fine condition and functioning perfectly. No box; archival papers.
Movement: mechanical with manual winding; Patek Philippe Caliber; nickel-finish lever; 18 jewels; bimetallic balance; adjusted in 5 positions and; heat and cold isochronism.
Functions: hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds; perpetual calendar (date, day, moon phase).
Case: in 18 karat yellow gold, polished finish; 34 x 11 mm (excl. lugs & crown); yellow gold crown with logo; snap-on case back.
Dial: silvered; applied yellow gold Arabic numerals and cabochon markers; yellow gold leaf-shaped hands; yellow gold seconds hand; blued date hand.
Indications: subsidiary seconds, date and moon phase at 6; day and month windows at 12.
Strap: Patek brown alligator with yellow gold Patek buckle."

"Although Patek Philippe is rightly famous of the leading manufacture of mechanical horology, the firm is also the forefront of the industry as producers of industrial and electronic timekeepers, with its highly accurate master-clocks installed in power stations, hospitals, airports, and other public buildings and factories. The firm clientele has included many of the famous figures across history, including royalty such as Queen Victoria, as well as distinguished scientists, artists, authors and musicians, including Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Charlotte Bronte and Tchaikovsky. Today, clearly most of the firm's production consists of wristwatches, but Patek Philippe retains the ability to produce pocket watches, and clocks to order, from highly complicated movements to those decorated with enameled miniature paintings and engravings. The company continues to patent new inventions and improvements in horology and plays an important role in maintaining the quality , prestige and reputation of the Swiss watch making." [Via Wfeelgoodwatches.com]

"The "Royal diamond chess set” is an extraordinary luxurious version of the classic chess-set.
Designed by the renowned French artist, designer and master of jewelry, Bernard Maquin , as part of the Gem Stone King collection, “the Royal diamond chess” is a rare precious work of fine art jewelry

This entirely handmade creation is an expression of meticulous craftsmanship,
Harmonic synthesis of aesthetics and functionalism, beauty and serviceability,
Thirty craftsmen spent more then 4500 hours, used 1168.75 grams of 14k white gold and set no fewer then 9900 black & white diamonds weighing 186.98 carats, to bring this creation to completion.

For further information please contact us at :1-877-706-5333." [Via The Gem Stone King]

Are you getting ready to upgrade your Mac to OS X 10.4 Tiger? Amazon.com is offering a special $35 mail-in rebate to all residents in the US. Amazon is currently selling Tiger for $129.99. In case you haven't had your morning cup of coffee yet today, that's $94.99 after the rebate.

The offer is only valid until May 31, 2005. No offical release date has been by Apple but it should be released before Summer. Amazon is also offering free shipping for this item.

> [Via www.pointswizard.com]

A great opportunity to add songs to your computer or Mp3 player for free

"Sign up and get a free cd for Scyon." [Via music4yourride.com]

The contents of U.S. President George W. Bush's iPod were recently leaked by a White House aide. Many people speculate that someone's musical tastes provide an insight to their personality. So what's the verdict on W based on the Presidential iPod playlists?

It's official, the President jams like the rest of us.

Originally given to him as a birthday gift from his twin daughters last July, George W. and his iPod have become inseparable and reportedly he won't exercise without it. It's not clear if the iPod makes a good "spotter" during weightlifting or not.

The playlists on the Presidential iPod include mostly country music. However several rock tunes make an appearance including Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, and the Knack. The New York Times reports the iPod contains only about 250 songs, but it has a capacity for 10,000+.

Apparently Bush's iPod isn't alone in the White House. Vice President Dick Cheney was spotted on the set of NBC's news program Meet the Press with a blue iPod Mini. While the music on the President's iPod has been made public, the Vice President has managed to keep the contents of his iPod a closely guarded secret.

It kind of makes you curious. What would Dick Cheney listen to on his iPod? A blogger named Ryan Boudinot speculates that the following playlists might be on Cheney's iPod:

• Classified Light
• Classified Driving Music
• Classified Smooth Jazz
• Ashcroft, Seals and Croft
• Rock and Roll, Probably
• Prehomosexual Elton John
• Now That’s What I Call Music! (Vols. 1-10)
• Republican Party Music
• None of Your F**king Business

So the next time you hear that President Bush is doing something imperative for the safety of the world, picture him and Dick Cheney singing "My Sharona" or hosting an iPod DJ Party.

Labels: computer, Ipod, mac

"(from Ford Press Release) The Ford Shelby GR-1 concept springs from a long line of Ford performance project cars and quickly establishes itself as one of the most contemporary and dramatic front-engine, two-seat, fastback supercars. This running prototype reaches closer to reality with a 605-horsepower, 390-cubic-inch all-aluminum V-10 engine, a road-tested version of the Ford GT suspension and a stunning new polished-aluminum body.

Sensuous, perfectly proportioned and wholly modern, this show car builds on the success of the Ford Shelby Cobra concept – the 2004 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) "Best in Show" winner – and reinforces Ford's continued commitment to performance.

The Shelby GR-1 concept's name pays tribute to both a performance great and "Group Racing." This uniquely emotional American sports car design represents Ford's continued desire to include a high-end, limited-production specialist supercar in its lineup. Initially unveiled as a design exercise at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August, the Ford Shelby GR-1 concept is a sports car salute to "performance art."

"A perfect body with smooth, shimmering aluminum skin, the new Ford Shelby GR-1 concept is a rolling sculpture whose beautiful, flowing lines belie the raw, beastly V-10 wedged under the hood," says J Mays, group vice president of Design and chief creative officer. "This concept shifts gears and takes Ford's performance car future into a new direction."

The Shelby GR-1 concept combines modern sculptured surfaces and a sleek muscular fastback design. All of the sophisticated mechanicals of this extraordinary coupe are wrapped in a sleek, muscular aluminum skin left bare and polished bright. The result is a forward-looking supercar with attention-grabbing Ford presence and Carroll Shelby inspiration.
---- Specifications ----
Engine
6.4 liter DOHC V10 Weight
3900 lbs
Aspiration
natural Torque
501 lb-ft @ 5550 rpm
HP
605 hp @ 6750 rpm HP/Weight
6.4 lbs per hp
HP/Liter
94.5 hp per liter 1/4 mile
--
0-60 mph
under 4 seconds Top Speed
200 mph + " [Via seriouswheels.com]

This aint yo daddy's ford.

There's no doubt the iPod has revolutionized the way we to listen music. People take their iPods everywhere with them and the smaller, lighter iPod Mini makes music even more portable. On the run, in the car, or at the gym, our iPods have gone with us to the ends of the earth... except places near water.

Until recently, a short fall or a splash of water meant certain death for an iPod, but not anymore.

Thanks to a company called OtterBox, makers of watertight storage cases for electronic equipment like PDAs, and GPS units, you can now safely take your iPod Mini near or even underwater. OtterBox has created a waterproof hard shell case they call the OtterBox for iPod Mini.

MethodShop.com put this waterproof case through several tough tests including a steamy shower. Here's their full OtterBox Mini review.

Labels: computer, Ipod, mac

This week's free iTunes download, "One Evening," is from Canadian-born singer/songwriter Feist's upcoming debut album Let It Die. Feist wraps sticky-sweet pop production and Brill building-era hooks around early-folk-style storytelling. The result is a fresh and funky neo doo-wop/post-disco sound with spare pop arrangements. "One Evening" tells the tale of an entire relationship that happened over the course of, well, one evening.

Download the free song here:

Sci Fi channel is the first TV network to offer original content via podcast with Exec Producer feeding fans inside scoops.

In an unprecedented move, SciFi.com has been offering fans of its new hit series Battlestar Galactica "podcasts." This DVD-style audio commentary from 'Battlestar' executive producer and writer Ronald D. Moore utilizes the much buzzed-about podcasting technology, and is now available for weekly download at SciFi.com.

The exclusive five-week event has been providing cool scoops straight from the hit series creator Moore – and has given viewers an insider-only look into the final five episodes leading up the season's dramatic conclusion on April 1 (tonight). 'Battlestar Galactica,' currently the highest-rated series on SciFi Channel, has attracted unprecedented critical acclaim since its debut in January. Moore has already become a popular presence on the SciFi.com site for his weekly "blog" musings.

For the uninitiated, "podcasting" is an evolution of technology popularly associated with Apple's portable digital audio player, the iPod, and traditional broadcasting. It offers downloadable audio content (i.e. "radio" programs), which listeners can play on ANY MP3 player at their leisure. The event is part of SciFi's commitment to exploring imagination in its programming as well as in viewer-based offerings. Building on this tradition, SciFi is the very first known television network to create an original podcast based on a dramatic series.

Season 2 of the series will premiere on SciFi in July.

Listen to Moore's podcast on your computer; no portable MP3 player is necessary:
http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/downloads/podcast/mp3/109/bsg_ep109_FULL.mp3

Battlestar Gallactica Podcasts

Labels: computer, Ipod, mac