by Claudine Zap Our top picks from the day's hottest searches. Danica Patrick )Searches increased by 477%(. The race-car driver overcame a poorly handling ride to place sixth in the Indy 500 . Graduation gifts )+372%(. Start picking out that perfect pen now. "The Hobbit" movie )304%(. The director of the two-movie project, Guillermo del Toro, stepped down after uncertain financing threw the future of the films into question . Indonesian baby smoking )+185(.

by Vera H-C Chan From TV programming to political elections to celebrity deaths, May brought an end to many stories and storied lives. One thing that Americans couldn't say good riddance to, though, has been the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico: That awful, escalating drama mesmerized people as the petroleum industry's fumblings proved that while humankind may be way ahead in technology, somehow clean-up's always a problem. Here now, what buzzed online â€" and off.

by Mike Krumboltz Ever said something you didn't mean to say? Ever hit "reply-all" on an email by accident? Ever do anything really, really dumb? Well, you're in good company, especially this week. Several high-profile gaffes led to embarrassing moments for celebrities, who, frankly, should have known better. Ann Curry mix-up On "The Today Show," Ann Curry is a much respected interviewer and host. But during her commencement speech at Wheaton College in Massachusetts,

by Mike Krumboltz For many, Memorial Day brings to mind images of parades and picnics, of barbecues and baseball games. What's sometimes forgotten are the reasons for the holiday: The sacrifices made by American soldiers in times of conflict. As the United States' death toll passes 1,000 in Afghanistan, Memorial Day takes on an especially poignant meaning this year. Here's a brief look at how the holiday got its start,

by Vera H-C Chan Celebrity miscreants, take a lesson from royalty: If you make your apologies quick, and head to another country where they like you, you may profit in the end. Less than a week after the Duchess of York got caught in an undercover tabloid sting selling access to her ex, Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson 's scheduled for a stop on "Oprah" right after Memorial Day. The reason for the visit is supposed to be to hawk her line of illustrated children's books,

by Vera H-C Chan Our picks from the hottest searches of the day. Gary Coleman )breakout(. The former child star died at age 42 following an intracranial hemorrhage. Where to Buy Silly Bandz )1,002%(. Ban be danged... we want our stretchy distracting bracelets...and " silly bandz wholesale " )+546%( lookups look like people want to cash in on the craze. Josh Hutcherson )+323%(. One of several contenders ...will he make a good Spider-Man? Indianapolis 500 )+313%(.

by Vera H-C Chan Our picks from the hottest searches of the day. Gary Coleman )breakout(. The former child star is now on life support following an intracranial hemorrhage. Where to Buy Silly Bandz )1,002%(. Ban be danged... we want our stretchy distracting bracelets...and " silly bandz wholesale " )+546%( lookups look like people want to cash in on the craze. Josh Hutcherson )+323%(. One of several contenders ...will he make a good Spider-Man? Indianapolis 500 )+313%(.

by Claudine Zap As the oil plume continues to blast the Gulf of Mexico with an underwater oil geyser , it's not just those on land who have had to adjust. The sea life is also trying to take stock , as this video below shows. An eel brave enough to approach the leak was caught on tape checking out the unnatural addition to its habitat. Amazingly, from the looks of it, the long and skinny sea creature seems to slither in quite close without getting soaked in oil.

by Mike Krumboltz Anyone who has suffered through " Street Fighter ," " Super Mario Bros ," or the aptly titled " Max Payne " has reason to be wary of " Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time ." After all, movies inspired by video games have a dubious history. But, if critics are to be believed, the sandal-and-sword epic, based on the series of button-smashing games, is, well, kind of good.

by Claudine Zap OK, so the reviews are in for " Sex and the City 2 " and they are not as pretty as Carrie Bradshaw's outfits. But there are still plenty of reasons to see the chick flick on steroids. Here, our top five: 5 . " Sex and the City " the TV show. Yes, the brilliant, groundbreaking HBO comedy about the adventures of four single women has been over for six years - and been in syndication for almost as long.

by Vera H-C Chan Lee's in, Simon's out, and the future of " American Idol " is about as uncertain as the fate of a Top 24 contestant. The season 9 finale brings up plenty of meta questions: How will Lee DeWyze fare in the marketplace? Will Simon Cowell fans migrate to "X-Factor"? Can "Idol" reject Ian Bernando get a permanent gig hijacking the mike from Dane Cook ? Time will answer those questions. As for the other questions and standout impressions that popped up in Yahoo!

by Claudine Zap Our top picks from the day's hottest searches. BP Top Kill )Searches increased by +1,079%(. BP's "Hail Mary" pass to fix the leak is so crazy it just might work. "American Idol" winner )+516%(. Lee Dewyze took home the "Idol" crown . Rosie Huntington Whiteley )488%(. The Victoria's Secret model may replace Megan Fox as the co-star of "Transformers 3." Fleet Week New York )+465(. All hands on deck: Thousands of Marines,

by Claudine Zap Megan Fox is out. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is in. Maybe. If the rumors are true, the Victoria's Secret model who sizzles on the runway will be adding new spark to " Transformers 3 ." Acting experience? Come on! This is "Transformers 3," not Shakespeare. Acting chops may be over-rated anyway when you bring so much drama to a part - at least off-screen. Fox made headlines when she publically dissed director Michael Bay - comparing him to Hitler. Ouch.

by Mike Krumboltz " Sex and the City 2 " hits theaters on Thursday, and while fans of the fashionable foursome are likely to show up in droves, critics are urging moviegoers to lower their expectations. A lot. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gives the movie one star out of four and describes the four main characters as "flyweight bubbleheads living in a world which rarely requires three sentences in a row." In Mr. Ebert's view, the characters of Carrie, Samantha, Miranda,

by Mike Krumboltz An economy on the brink. Horrible pollution. And now a "carpet of frogs" to contend with? Greece sure has it tough these days. On Wednesday, a horde of frogs caused a two-hour closure on one of Greece's major highways near the city of Thessaloniki. The city's traffic police chief Giorgos Thanoglou says that the "millions" of frogs were likely looking for food. Three accidents resulted, as drivers attempted to dodge the hungry hoppers.

by Claudine Zap Our top picks from the day's hottest searches. Christina Aguilera )Searches increased by +1,031%(. The singer is postponing her summer tour, citing not enough time to rehearse. Queen Elizabeth )+489%(. In true British tradition, the Queen opened Parliament and laid out the plans of the coalition government. Oh, and she wore a crown with lots and lots of diamonds. National Guard )465%(. The president is deploying 1,200 troops to help police the Mexico-U.S.

by Vera H-C Chan And so Season 9 ends... almost. The " American Idol " year that was supposed to be dominated by the ladies came down to a boy-girl standoff. Former frontrunner Crystal Bowersox and judges' favorite Lee DeWyze faced off with guitars in hand and vocals )mostly( on point. The panel kept wanting more energy from DeWyze on performance night, but lame-duck Simon Cowell pegs him to win . The judge did admit to being wrong two seasons running.

by Claudine Zap Barbara Mori may not be a household name like Salma Hayek or Cameron Diaz . Yet. But the actress is getting a lot of attention in the Search box. The Uruguay-born talent is currently starring in the Bollywood film " Kites ." Set in Las Vegas and Mexico in three languages, and directed by Anurag Basu , it is intended to initiate foreign audiences to the Bollywood experience. And while the movie is small, the dark-haired beauty is emerging as a standout star.

by Claudine Zap Our top picks from the day's hottest searches. Sarah Jessica Parker )Searches increased by +904%(. The "SATC 2" star was nervous about the opening. And, according to some early reviews, she may have reason to be worried . "Lost" finale explained )+331%(. Sure, in some alternate universe, the ending probably makes perfect sense . Fried rice )323%(. Got left-over rice? Here's your second-day meal . Sunscreen )+290%(.

by Claudine Zap Step aside, snooty pooches with bloodlines that are older than the American colonies. No more looking down your snouts at the mixed-breed dog. The American Kennel Club has put a paw out to the American mutt, the dog of dogs, which has never been allowed to compete alongside the purebreds. These pooches are a hodge-podge of spare parts from the proudest of breeds. They may not be the prettiest, but they are trainable, smart, and obedient,