by Claudine Zap Our top picks from the day's hottest searches. "Lost" season finale )Searches increased by 618%(. Yes, it happened. The time-traveling, multiple-plot twisting TV show had its season ender . Nancy Pelosi )+126%(. The House Speaker backtracked her claim of being unaware of the Bush administration torture tactics. That is, until she was . Bette Midler )+115%(. The full-time performer and part-time yenta had some unsolicited dating advice for Jennifer Aniston.

by Vera H-C Chan The duel. The face-off. The toe-to-toe, mano a mano singfest. " American Idol " is finally down to two. But before we leave Top 3 week behind, let's examine the lore of the Third Place Curse. Coming in second isn't the bummer as it used to be. While the runner-up isn't an understudy who steps up in the event of laryngitis or rehab,

by Claudine Zap The biggest issue when you throw the first poetry jam ever at the White House is not the guest list. )James Earl Jones? Check. Spike Lee? Check.( No, if you're fashion-plate-in-chief, your mission is matching the mood to the style moment. The chic Michelle Obama went hippie chick . The First Lady floored the room with a floral, boho-inspired top to channel the beatnik-inspired evening of spoken word, poetry, jazz, and a little hip-hop.

by Mike Krumboltz Here's something you don't hear everyday - a former United States governor offering to water board a former United States vice-president. That's exactly what happened on Larry King Live , when Jesse Ventura offered his services to Dick Cheney . Of course, the offer was made in jest )kind of(. Ventura, a former Navy SEAL , has been water boarded and contends that it is torture, something that Mr. Cheney does not believe.

by Mike Krumboltz Just when you thought it was safe to take a romantic walk along the beach, another Montauk Monster washes up on the shores of Long Island. Another, you say? Yes: Last year, the original Monster caused a huge stir across the Web. Nobody knew what it was, but reports indicated it was big, bloated, beaked, and rather gross-looking. Naturally, onlookers couldn't turn away then, and they can't turn away now.

by Claudine Zap Our top picks from the day's hottest searches. Leonard Nimoy )Searches increased by 975%(. The original Mr. Spock is having a comeback, appearing in the "Star Trek" prequel and making a cameo on the finale of "Fringe." Fire ants )+449%(. Researchers have figured one way to fight the pesky biting bug is with brain-sucking flies . Pat Tillman )+422%(. The parents of the slain soldier spoke out against the new head of Afghanistan military operations, Lt. Gen.

by Vera H-C Chan If you know the vintage Abbott and Costello routine, the " American Idol " variation would go: Lambert's on first. Who's on second? I don't know. Third base! But finally, we do know. Ryan Seacrest would hate this, but credit should go to Simon Cowell. The outspoken Brit made a plea against complacency during Top 3 performance night. Since the caustic judge made clear his preference that the Season 8 crown be placed on Adam Lambert 's head,

by Claudine Zap You know things are bad when even daughters of mob bosses fall victim to economic woe: We're looking at you, Victoria Gotti . The "Growing Up Gotti" reality star must face the reality that she's going broke, and will likely lose her multi-million dollar home on Long Island. The deadbeat daughter of Gambino crime boss John Gotti has apparently been skipping out on her $25,000 monthly payments for the last two years,

by Mike Krumboltz Some people say that IMAX is a crock. "Heck, you can sit in the front row of a regular theater, bend your neck 90 degrees, and have the same exact experience." Well, those haters may be right. According to a blog that's making its way around the Web, some so-called IMAX screens aren't much bigger than regular movie screens. Gizmodo explains how IMAX is expanding by retrofitting regular theaters instead of building new ones from scratch. Some folks don't mind,

by Claudine Zap Everything must come to an end, and this TV season is going out with a bang. Shows want to wow you, shock you, and surprise you. But mainly, shows will be out for blood. The body count will be high. According to Entertainment Weekly, seven characters  from major shows will bite the bullet, with four possible fatalities on top of that. Will there be any characters left to carry on next fall? Finale answer The anticipation is building online.

by Claudine Zap Our top picks from the day's hottest searches. Roxana Saberi )Searches increased by 1,772%(. The Iranian-American journalist was freed yesterday by an appeals court in Iran. Her imprisonment sparked protests around the world. Cheap weekend getaways )+1,721%(. Looks like quick trips will be more popular this summer than longer, pricier vacations. Children's books )+692%(. It's Children's Book Week : Time to share your childhood favorites with your favorite tyke.

by Mike Krumboltz Tyler Frost , the high school senior who was suspended for attending his girlfriend's prom, has become a sensation in Search. And yet, despite all the news surrounding his fight for the right to get jiggy with it, folks had yet to hear from Frost himself. That wait is over. This morning, the teen went on " The Early Show " to tell his side of the story. During an interview with Harry Smith ,

by Vera H-C Chan " American Idol " has once more come down to the final three. A remarkably scandal-free Season 8 leaves only talent to distract the audience, but does this boys' club seem somehow inevitable? The judges' panel has looked more like an Adam Lambert rally )especially once Simon Cowell capitulated(, Danny Gokey from the first was producers' clear sentimental favorite, and Kris Allen didn't take long to be dubbed as the dark horse.

by Claudine Zap If the rumors are true )and we can't confirm that they are(, swoon-inducing " Twilight " star Robert Pattinson , who portrays a blood-sucking vampire in the series, may be signing on to play another other-worldly creature. Not a suffering artist: he's been there and done that in his latest indie flick, " Little Ashes ." No, the gossip mill has R-Pat playing an alien in a " Dune " redux.

by Vera H-C Chan Instead of that other " I play a real doctor on television" guy , Dr. Mehmet Oz should've been the one considered for surgeon general. Then again, leaving Oprah for the White House...that's a tough decision. Except now Dr. Oz is leaving after five years and 55 episodes for his own program produced by, yes, Oprah . The solo TV gig )he has an XM satellite program( is a first for Harpo Productions: Based in New York, "The Dr.

by Vera H-C Chan We've heard of puppet governments and Manchurian candidates...but a shadow beauty pageant winner?   As has been over-reported in the Buzz Log and elsewhere , all Carrie Prejean wanted was the chance to win a custom-made tiara, a New York Film Academy scholarship, and that Jessica Simpson swimsuit wardrobe. Instead, a politically explosive question landed on her rhinestone-encrusted lap, and she became a brief lightning-rod on the talk show circuit.

by Vera H-C Chan We've heard of puppet governments and Manchurian candidates...but a shadow beauty pageant winner?   As has been over-reported in the Buzz Log and elsewhere , all Carrie Prejean wanted was the chance to win a custom-made tiara, a New York Film Academy scholarship, and that Jessica Simpson swimsuit wardrobe. Instead, a politically explosive question landed on her rhinestone-encrusted lap, and she became a brief lightning-rod in the talk show circuit.

by Mike Krumboltz Actors, the good ones anyway, will go to great lengths to embody a character. But sometimes not even "the method" is enough. Such was the case with Zachary Quinto , who plays Spock in the " Star Trek " re-launch. During an interview, the young thespian confessed that he had to have his fingers glued together in order to do the famous Vulcan salute . If you're one of those people who actually talked to members of the opposite sex during high school,

by Claudine Zap Our top picks from the day's hottest searches. Fiat 500 )Searches increased by 441%(. The future of American autos seems to rest on the cute frame of this Italian minicar . Dick Cheney )+299%(. The former veep says the controversial radio personality Rush Limbaugh is the future of the Republican Party, not moderate Colin Powell )who backed Obama over McCain(. Space Shuttle launch )+270%(. The last mission to the Hubble Space Telescope is scheduled for today.

by Claudine Zap Procrastinators, take note. Neither rain nor snow will stop the post office from raising its stamp price on Monday, May 11 by an extra two cents , giving the first-class stamp a hefty 44-cent price tag. )The post office estimates this price increase will cost the average family an extra $3 a year.( At least the USPS had the class to wait until after Mother's Day )ahem,