That Girl Site

Nika Smith wrote a post on the Google blog today showing the evolution of Google chat before it launched in early 2006. Google does extensive testing of new products using employees as guinea pigs (see our post on the pre-launch evolution of Gmail) as well as outsiders brought in to test software and interfaces in their usability lab.

I had a chance to see the lab a few weeks ago. It’s a small room with a large flat screen monitor, along with a desk and computer. It also has a number of discrete cameras (and a microphone) that keep an eye on the user herself as well as the screen.

Around the corner is a second room where Google employees can watch people interact with the software real time. The room has a couch and a chair along with two screens and speakers to monitor the lab. See the image to the right.

The Gmail Labs team took us through some of the pre-launch iterations of Gmail chat that were tested in the lab. Most of these weren’t included in the Google post, so I’ve added them below. All of these were eventually abandoned as the team moved towards the much more low profile chat window at the bottom right of the Gmail screen we see today.

For all you recent college graduates entering the workforce, I realize that “Start Thinking About Your Savings” might be the lamest piece of advice uttered to you since, “Wow! There Is No Way You’re OK To Drive Right Now”. But I promise you, in both instances you’ll be very happy in the pants that you heeded both warnings.

First off, let’s take a little look-see at the financial future of our country. The way things are going, the idea of ‘Social Security benefits’ will be non-existent in the year 2041. Whoopsies! Therefore, if you’re 21 years-old right now, you’ll be royally screwed with a good few years to go before retirement age.

With medical advancements going the way they are, Super-Future-Year-2041-Viagra will be alarmingly good. And hot cougar retirees will be friskier and hotter than ever. Better have a little something put aside, if you want a piece of that ‘retired and ready to bang’ tail.

But forget about that for a second (if the imagery isn’t permanently burned into your brain already). The real point here is how saving just a little now, as I’ll demonstrate, gets you a lot more in the long run.

Case in point - you’re 21. You get your first job and wisely open an Independent Retirement Account (IRA). Now let’s say you take $2,000 out of your earnings each year and put that in your nice little IRA. You do this each year for four years until you are the ripe old age of 25. If at that point you sit on that IRA and let the magic of compound interest do its work you’ll have $552,625 when you are 65 years old and ready to retire. Insane, right?!

On the other hand, let’s say you’re a tool who acts like a jerk with your money throughout your twenties, ignoring that cleverly written and incredibly insightful WallStreetFighter article you once read. Then you miraculously wise up when you’re 35 years old.

But now at 35 after putting that $2,000 in the IRA every year until you retire at 65, you’ll only wind up with around a measly $361,000. Look how much less that is! Plus, you’ll have spent sooo much more money over the years paying into the IRA, whereas in the earlier scenario you’re only putting money aside for 4 friggin’ years.

So were all those cases of Keystone Light and bottles of KY jelly worth it in your 20s? Well, yeah of course they were, but imagine how much more of the future (and 10x more potent) versions of it you could buy with your $552k bounty in 2041. Gawd-dam, 2041 is sooo gonna rock!

Of course none of this is factoring in inflation, meaning money in the future will be worth a lot less than it is today. But still, the amounts will always compound the same. It’s like magic. However none of this is a fool-proof plan. The only way to be safe with any investment is to do your research and monitor what’s happening with your money. Then again with the stock market fluctuating like it is, you can’t completely rely on any investment to save your ass.

Here’s hoping that this advice, if it does nothing else, will at least get you thinking about saving your money. Save wisely, my friends.

From Abcnews.com

Just when it seemed Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen had finally tired of throwing punches, she pulled an uppercut a.k.a., a three-year-old, expletive-laced voice message from Sheen.

Sheen, star of “Two and a Half Men,” followed up by releasing an apology for what he called his “choice of words.”

The voicemail Richards made public Wednesday included a curse-filled rant from Sheen calling his ex-wife and the mother of their two daughters Sam, 4, and Lola, 3 a “f***ing c**t” and a “f***ing n****r.”

Sheen shouldn’t have been surprised by his ex-wife’s bomb-drop. In an interview to promote her new E! reality TV show (which features their children), Richards told the upcoming issue of TV Guide that she’s not taking the high road with her ex-husband anymore.

“The gloves are off,” she said. “When I keep my mouth shut, [Charlie] continues to fuel [the feud] anyway, so I’m not gonna sit back anymore.”

Richards, 37, and Sheen, 42, have been fighting over the custody of their daughters since April 2006. What provoked Richards’ latest attack? It could be that Sheen allegedly tried to take back some necklaces he gave to his daughters when they attended his May 30 wedding to Brooke Mueller.

“When they came home I was told by the nanny they had to give them back,” Richards told TV Guide. “I said, ‘But aren’t they a gift?’ The nanny said, ‘They are, but they can only wear them at his house.’ I said, ‘Have him call his lawyer then, ’cause I’m not gonna tell a 3- and 4-year-old, ‘You have to give back the necklaces Daddy gave you and only wear them at Daddy’s house.’”

“Now, I know this sounds f***ing crazy and it is. But this is what I deal with,” she ranted.

Sheen’s publicist, Stan Rosenfield, told ABCNEWS.com Richards’ necklace allegation “is not true” but declined to elaborate further. He did release a statement from Sheen in which he appeared to apologize to everyone but Richards for his outburst.

“I deeply apologize by my choice of words to all I have obviously offended; especially to Tony Todd, an African-American, who was my best man at my first two weddings,” Sheen writes. “And for the record, my children did not show up today for a custodial visit without explanation. So three and one-half years later, the reasons that caused the anger and frustration displayed on that voice mail continues to be manifested on a daily basis.”

Richards’ publicist did not respond to ABCNEWS.com’s requests for comment.

From PCWorld.com

Over 5 billion songs have been sold through iTunes music service Apple announced today. It also notes that iTunes has over 50,000 movies downloaded either as purchases or rentals every day, making it the premier online movie store.

It’s hardly a surprise that iTunes is such a dominant force in the online market, after all iTunes beat out physical retailers in January and February to become the primary music retailer in the US. But still, 5 billion is a huge number. That would mean that, on average, each of the 8 million songs offered on iTunes would be downloaded 625 times.

The movie download numbers are even more startling to me though. Call me old fashioned, but I like having a physical DVD, or at least I don’t like clogging up my hard drive with downloaded video files. But I must be one of the few left, given 50,000 movie downloads per day.

More and more we’re seeing that physical media is already on the way out, and this iTunes announcement just helps to solidify the online force that is now driving the music industry.

Here are some pics of Pornstar chicks at the FAME Awards aka who can have the best sex awards. A lot of people consider the porno industry a cesspool of depravity and disease…..which in all honesty is probably true but it brings a lot of pleasure to my life and is keeping me from taking the last step off the ledge off my 5th floor building.

Hold on to your buttless chaps, boys and girls — Clay Aiken is going to be a daddy. TMZ says

    Multiple sources tell us the mother is Jaymes Foster, a record producer and Clay’s best friend [with whom he lives] when he’s in L.A. 50-year-old Foster, who produced several Aiken CDs, is due in August. Foster was artificially inseminated, but Clay is a lot more than just sperm — we’re told he will have an active role in raising the child.

I never thought I’d see the day when Clay Aiken fathered a child with an actual woman. You know, the whole “penis and vagina” thing. But give the guy a little gay porn and a mason jar, and nature finds a way!

Oscar-winning actress Tatum O’Neal was arrested Sunday and charged with possession of a controlled substance when cops witnessed her trying to buy crack cocaine. According to the NY Daily News

The 44-year-old O’Neal initially told cops she was “doing research for a part,” a police source said. When cops searched her and found two bags of drugs - one with crack, one with regular cocaine - and an unused crack pipe, she changed her story, sources said.

“I’ve been clean for a long time,” the teary-eyed actress pleaded as she asked cops to give her a break, sources said. “Today was the first time I was relapsing, but you guys saved me! Can you let me go?”

“Researching a part” is perhaps the most brilliant excuse I’ve ever heard. And applicable on so many levels, too! Like, “I’m not a compulsive overeater; I’m researching the part of Britney Spears.” Or, “I’m not maniacally promiscuous; I’m just researching the part of Paris Hilton.” And “I’m not luring children up to my apartment to feed off their souls; I’m researching the part of Dina Lohan.” The possibilities are practically endless!

How many times do you watch every episode of Battlestar Galactica? The answer may depend, not just on how much you enjoy hearing Edward James Olmos’ smoky rasp, but also on how eager you are to freeze-frame key moments every episode in search of clues. If you look hard enough, there are little details in recent BSG episodes that either give a crucial glimpse of where the saga is going — or they show that fans have an overactive imagination. Decide for yourself (with spoilers) after the jump.

The Mighty Hunter appears! The constellation Orion, aka the Mighty Hunter, appears a few times in last week’s episode of Battlestar, “The Ties That Bind.” You can see it in the background when the Cylon basestars start fighting, and then later when Tory introduces Cally to President Roslin’s running mate. As various people have pointed out, this star formation would only look like Orion from Earth, or somewhere near Earth. So are our heroes closer to Earth than they realize? Or was this just a stock star backdrop that someone threw in there? [Cyn City]

Starbuck paints the Ship Of Lights. In the original 1970s Battlestar series, a ship called the Ship Of Lights appeared in an episode called “War Of The Gods.” According to Galactica Watercooler, the Ship Of LIghts possesses technology far beyond that of either the humans or the Cylons, and it belongs to the Seraphs, glowing beings similar to D’Anna’s vision of the Final Five. The Seraphs bring Apollo back from the dead after a fight with Iblis, who’s sort of the devil. And the Ship Of Lights seems to turn up on Starbuck’s latest masterpiece, painted on the wall of her cabin on the Demetrius. Her paintings have predicted the future before — is she predicting a meet-up with the SOL? Is it something to do with the final cylon? [Galactica Watercooler]

In fact, some viewers theorize that the reason Starbuck came back from the dead, with a mint-condition Viper, was because she already hitched a ride on that Ship Of Lights. Also, Starbuck mentions a comet. Could it be Halley’s Comet, and was it near Earth? If so, then it might have been the year 1986 or 2071. [Colonial Fleet]

And speaking of astronomy, what’s that “triple flashing star” Kara keeps mentioning? Is it Alpha Centauri? (Which fits the triple qualification, but not the “flashing” one.) The ringed gas giant is probably Saturn, but it could be Jupiter. [Battlestar Blog] Screen captures from Galactica BBS.

THE PERFECT 10 GIRL
Could be new; could be a career girl. However, always totally gorgeous and has a smoking body. However, she gets by completely on her looks and works better as eye candy than as a lap dancer. Avoid this one unless you’re at an all-nude, no-touch club.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
This girl’s new to stripping. She’s often very pretty and usually is working her way through college. Her inexperience makes her inconsistent. She can be good or bad, depending on the girl. She might be too nervous to give a good show, but she might be more adventurous and “go that extra mile.” Take this gamble only if she’ll actually drink what you buy her from the bar.

THE LIFER
This girl is way past her prime. She may have been hot 15 or 20 years ago, but too many kids, too much drinking and too much smoking has taken its toll. The other girls won’t tip her even if they’re using your money. Don’t be surprised if she’s related to the club owner.

BAIT-AND-SWITCH
Watch out for these girls as they cover a variety of demographics. These strippers are out for fast cash and don’t have any regular customers. They prey on the new guys. Their m.o. is to promise or imply extras, especially if they quote you a specific tip amount, but never deliver. Test for this one by getting the $20 couch dance before buying time in the back room.

THE CAREER GIRL
Unless you’re looking for a specific body type, you’re going to have your best time with this girl. She’s usually a 6 to an 8 - hot enough to fulfill the stripper fantasy, but not perfect. Realistically, they often have a boyfriend or husband, they’re a working mother and a little older (late 20s or early 30s). However, she’s got a stock of regulars, and she’s figured out the biz. She knows how to show a good time, she’s a good provider and definitely worth the money.    

It’s been a busy few days for Ashlee Simpson. Engaged on Wednesday. Pregnant on Monday. Us Weekly says:

The singer, 23, is expecting her first child with fiancé Pete Wentz, 28. Simpson and the Fall Out Boy frontman announced their engagement Wednesday. “We are thrilled to confirm their engagement and congratulate this happy couple,” a spokesperson for the couple told Us. “Beyond that there is nothing to say.” Simpson’s rep had no comment. (Source)

Poor kids. There’s really no telling when or even who these accidental pregnancies will strike. Race, class, socioeconomic status, it doesn’t matter. If only there was a way this could have been prevented, perhaps with something condomlike. Clearly we need to throw more research dollars at this problem.

There’s another side to Alicia Keys: conspiracy theorist. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter tells Blender magazine: “‘Gangsta rap’ was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. ‘Gangsta rap’ didn’t exist.”

Keys, 27, said she’s read several Black Panther autobiographies and wears a gold AK-47 pendant around her neck “to symbolize strength, power and killing ‘em dead,” according to an interview in the magazine’s May issue, on newsstands Tuesday.

Another of her theories: That the bicoastal feud between slain rappers Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. was fueled “by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing.”

Keys’ AK-47 jewelry came as a surprise to her mother, who is quoted as telling Blender: “She wears what? That doesn’t sound like Alicia.” Keys’ publicist, Theola Borden, said Keys was on vacation and unavailable for comment.

Though she’s known for her romantic tunes, she told Blender that she wants to write more political songs. If black leaders such as the late Black Panther Huey Newton “had the outlets our musicians have today, it’d be global. I have to figure out a way to do it myself,” she said.

 

Jenna Jameson made a smooth transition from porn princess to PETA spokeswoman last week as she unveiled her latest “Pleather Yourself” campaign to promote the wearing of fake leather.

But despite Jameson telling Pop Tarts that she plans to put the picture of her “hot body” in a sexy Bettie Page-inspired get-up above her bed, it seems she will be dreaming about another A-list woman flashing the flesh.

“It would be amazing if Charlize Theron did one of our ‘go naked’ campaigns,” Jameson said. “I saw her just the other day and she just blew me away. Charlize is so sexy; I would totally love for her to go naked. I’d die for that.”

But good news for those who aren’t famous yet: You might be just what Jenna’s looking for.

“Bettie Page was the ultimate sex icon,” Jameson said. “Then next came Marilyn Monroe, then Pamela Anderson, then me. Now I’m on the lookout for the next woman to pass my title onto.”

And although Jameson has made a living by taking her clothes off, the itty-bitty babe is now boosting her bank account dressing others.

“I’m really focusing on my own fashion line, and we have a new collection coming out in the fall,” Jenna added. “It’s very top line, all couture. Only the very best.”

Andrew Morton wrote in his best-selling biography of Tom Cruise that the Hollywood star was prominent in the hierarchy of the Church of Scientology. Of all of the author’s claims, it was the one that most enraged the sect: “Insinuations that Mr. Cruise is second-in-command of the Church are not only false, they are ludicrous,” the Scientologists maintained. “He is neither 2nd or 100th. Mr. Cruise is a Scientology parishioner and holds no official or unofficial position in the Church hierarchy. Claims to the contrary are offensive to both Mr. Cruise and the Church.” But if Cruise was merely a humble parishioner, why in Xenu’s name did the sect spend six figures to celebrate his birthday in 2004? In a video obtained by Gawker, watch Scientology chief David Miscavige lead the sect’s most famous follower into an extravagant celebration of the Hollywood star on Scientology cruise ship, Freewinds. Cruise’s entrance is, of course, to the theme music from Top Gun, one of the movies for which the actor is best known, or was, until he took up his new role as evangelist for the bizarre Church. After the movie clips are played, and the bands perform, Cruise exclaims: “This is incredible… It’s the best birthday ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, and I mean ever!” We agree! The best moment: watch Cruise in a duet of Old Time Rock and Roll, demonstrating the dance moves we first saw in Risky Business, the picture that made his name. He was so young then; and we, thankfully, knew so much less about him

VIDEO:
http://digg.com/celebrity/Tom_Cruise_s_Insane_Scientology_Birthday_Party_Video