Bernard Madoff scheme's top beneficiary found dead

A Florida billionaire who was a top beneficiary of Bernard Madoff's $65bn (£40bn) Ponzi scheme has died, apparently by drowning in the swimming pool of his mansion in the exclusive seaside enclave of Palm Beach.

Jeffry Picower, 67, was found by his wife and housekeeper shortly after midday on Sunday. Emergency services were unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead at the Good Samaritan medical centre.

An accountant turned wealthy investor, Picower was a friend of Madoff's and was named in court papers as the biggest beneficiary of returns from the Wall Street fraudster's corrupt investment empire.

Although Picower insisted he was unaware of any wrongdoing, bankruptcy trustees for Madoff's firm sued him for $7.2bn earlier this year, claiming that he "knew or should have known" that his phenomenal payouts were fraudulent and that, at a minimum, he had "failed to exercise reasonable due diligence".

Madoff, considered the biggest fraudster in Wall Street history, is serving a 150-year sentence for theft, fraud and money laundering at Butner prison in North Carolina.

Madonna visiting Malawi to launch school

Pop star Madonna plans to help break ground in Malawi for a school she is building in the impoverished southern African nation, from which she adopted two children.

The school -- Raising Malawi Academy for Girls -- will focus on empowering women to become leaders, the singer said on a Web site run by her charity. It will be built in the capital, Lilongwe.

Madonna, 51, said her four children accompanied her on the trip -- including two adopted from the country. David Banda, 4, was adopted in 2006 and Chifundo "Mercy" James, 3, earlier this year.

Mercy's adoption petition in April was mired in controversy. A judge at first rejected the application, based on a minimum residency required for foreigners who adopt. The rejection followed criticism by human rights activists, who said the singer was using her fame to circumvent the law.

The singer has been involved with Malawi for several years and made a documentary, "I Am Because We Are," to highlight poverty, AIDS and other diseases devastating children in the country. She also co-founded the nonprofit Raising Malawi, which helps feed, educate and provide medical care for the needy.

The nation of about 13 million is one of the poorest in the world.

New Bredolab Virus Targets Unsuspecting Facebook Users

There’s a new virus spreading around the web via email which targets Facebook users. According to mxlab, the email includes downloadable files which include the Trojan virus: Bredolab. While I’d imagine that Gmail and more aggressive spam blocking email services will filter this out, anybody who receives a “Facebook Password Reset Confirmation” email should delete it right away.
According to mxlab, the body of the email is as follows:

Hey vguysville ,

Because of the measures taken to provide safety to our clients, your password has been changed.

You can find your new password in attached document.

Thanks,
The Facebook Team

This virus only appears to work on Windows computers as it runs an executable file when downloaded. Spoofing official emails from large companies is a pretty standard method for spammers and you should always avoid any email which asks you to download a file. For those that are unaware, we thought it would be useful to keep you up to date about this latest virus.

PS3 to get Netflix streaming through BD-Live

Last week Reed Hastings announced that Netflix had a new consumer electronics partner who would be providing a client for their Watch Instantly streaming video service. Today they made a joint announcement with Sony saying the PS3 will be getting the Netflix service.

What's more interesting is the way Sony will be adding this feature to their game consoles initially. They will use Blu-ray's BD-Live capabilities and require a special Blu-ray disc available for free to any Netflix member.

You can register to be notified when the discs are available by going to the Netflix website. PS3 Netflix support should become available some time next month.

This is arguably the most ambitious use of BD-Live to date. BD-Live is a feature of Profile 2.0 Blu-ray players. It allows additional content to be provided via a player's built in networking and a broadband internet connection.

In this case BD-Live will be used to provide all the content instead of just extras.

12 Secret Signs He’s Into You

Keep your eyes peeled for these sweet little giveaways!

He does it your way.

“Cole makes the bed the way I like it—no creases, no sheets hang-ing out, pillows plumped up just right. When I come home, no matter what kind of day I’ve had, it makes me feel happy and adored.”

He texts you back intwoseconds (and not just for sex).

“A flirt buddy of mine always texts me cute little notes throughout the day. And he responds to me ASAP!”

 

He’s known to treat you like a lady.

“I love it when my guy opens my car door, walks on the outside of the sidewalk and shields me from the snow—chivalry is not dead.”

 

He likes you better as is.

“My boyfriend likes my blond eyelashes so much that he hates when I wear that ‘eye stuff’ commonly known as mascara.”

 

He takes one for the team.

“My guy sometimes has tea with me at one of those froufrou tea houses where the china and sandwiches are tiny and there are flowers on everything. All the women are wearing nice outfits, and there he is in his Batman shirt.”

He wants to please you in bed….

“My boyfriend isn’t intimidated in the least by my vibrator. In fact, he’s the one who suggested we bring it to bed with us. Love it!”

 

…and he’s romantic in bed too.

“My boyfriend looks deep in my eyes when we’re having sex. It’s incredibly intimate and hot at the same time.”

 

He likes to show you off.

“Now that I’ve graduated from med school, I love the proud look on my husband’s face when he introduces me to people and tells them I’m a doctor.”

He believes in your dreams.

“When I talk about plans to focus on my career and not stay home when I have kids, my boyfriend says he’ll totally be Mr. Mom. He fully believes in my ability to support a family in the same way he could.”

He makes an ass of himself.

“My guy will try things I like even if he finds them torturous, like Pilates. He’s about as flexible as a dead tree branch, and I spent half the class we took laughing at him, but he stuck with it.”

 

He indulges you.

“My husband walks two blocks to Starbucks for my coffee every morning. I’m not sure if he does it because he loves me or because he’s afraid of me before I have coffee, but it makes my day.”

He DIYs.

“Anyone can go out and buy a Hallmark card, but when Adam takes the time to make me one—even if it’s just with pen and computer paper—I’m floored by how incredibly sweet it is. I know he cares enough to send the real very best.”

Women’s Fashion Concern…

From the right way to wear the season’s most rebellious styles to the easy ways you can update your look (using what you already own), these fall trend style tips will take the stress out of getting dressed. Kind of takes the sting out of realizing summer’s officially over, doesn’t it?

DO try a softer take on the biker-babe look.

Step into almost any store this fall and you’ll be greeted with bomber jackets, ripped jeans and edgy motorcycle boots—the big biker-babe trend is revving its engine and raring to go this season. But unless you own a Harley yourself, DON’T go whole hog with this look. Skip the head-to-toe leather and sweeten up a dark leather jacket with something softer, like a simple shift dress.

DON’T pair boxy pants with a baggy top.

If you’re anything like us, you’ve been circling the new boxy pant silhouette for the past few months, warily thinking, Hmm, I wonder if I can pull those off? The answer is yes, you can DO it! Just steal this girl’s streamlined look with a pair of heels plus a slim-fitting, tucked-in top and remember this rule of thumb: When going boxy at the bottom, DON’T go boxy on the top unless you want to look, well, boxy.

 

Do try over-the-knee boots.

Bye-bye, booties. The biggest footwear news this fall is that thigh-high boots are back—and they’re a total DO, as long as you DON’T tart ‘em up with a way-flirty miniskirt. To make yours look less Pretty Woman and more pulled-together, put them on over a pair of skinny jeans and keep everything else covered up.

 

Don’t go another season without a boyfriend blazer.

Who doesn’t like to borrow from the boys? They’ve got all the good stuff—high-tech electronics, yummy half-time snacks and, of course, those irresistible boxy blazers. But DON’T totally copycat your guy’s look: Make it your own by skipping the pleated trousers and wearing your suit coat with a flouncy skirt instead.

DO embrace the season’s hot colors with a bright coat.

Swap out your dark winter coat for one in a look-at-me shade. It’s the first thing most people see from October through February (or March, if Old Man Winter sticks around), so choose one that will make an impression.

 

DO experiment with some cold-weather accessories.

Can’t bear the thought of stepping out without your trusty black coat? No worries. Amp up your classics with some trendy fall accessories like a cozy knit hat and a wild, conversation-starting bag. It’ll make braving the cold a lot more fun.

 

DO look instantly chic with the monotone look.

Wearing one color head-to-toe gives the illusion of a few inches added to your height, which for a lot of us is a total DO. Experiment with the look by wearing separates that all share the same shade, like dark gray. If the hues don’t match up exactly, DON’T worry—a cool heel in that same color has a way of tying everything together.

 

DON’T overdo the neon thing.

Steal a page from Michael Kors’ runway and keep things simple. And DON’T wear your neons with other bright shades or joke-y plastic jewelry—those combos look good only in Saved by the Bell reruns.

 

DO shake things up with a little print mixing.

One way to maximize what you’ve already got in your wardrobe is by mixing and matching patterned pieces. DO remember the power of basic black tights—they’ll make even the wildest outfit look totally fuss-free.

 

DO use scarves and gloves to get you through early fall.

For those tricky it’s-not-quite-cold-enough-for-a-coat fall days, DO rely on a chunky knit scarf and long gloves to warm you up.

9 Things He's Thinking When He Sees Your Halloween Costume

If you think guys are too transfixed by the candy corn to even notice your Halloween costume, think again. Here's what he's thinking when he's looking at your getup.

1. That's Hot

"If she showed up at my door, I'd definitely give her a treat!"

 

2. DIY Can Be SEXY
"Did she make that herself? I love a lady who can handle a needle and thread."

 

3. Let the Good Times Roll

"Halloween is by far my favorite holiday."

 

4. Brrrr!!!

"Wow! She must be freezing!"

 

5. Wow. Just … Wow.

"Why do I have a girlfriend again?"

 

6. Really?!

"Put some clothes on! Honestly, girl, what would your mother think?"

 

7. Can Every Day Be Halloween?

"Last year, my girlfriend dressed up as a French maid for Halloween. I said, 'I wish you dressed like that every day!' She wasn't very receptive."

 

8. Yikes!

"Tinkerbell and Cinderella are not appropriate after age 12. When I see a grown woman in a Disney costume, I think to myself, 'That is by far the scariest thing I've seen all night.'"

 

9. Count Me Out

"I hate Halloween. Especially the stupid costumes. I find a girl much more approachable when she can be herself on Halloween or any night."

Maine girl with ‘mermaid syndrome’ dies at 10

Shiloh Pepin sits on a counter in the family's Kennebunkport, Maine home in 2007. Pepin, who was born with fused legs, a rare condition often called "mermaid syndrome," died Friday, Oct. 23, 2009.

10 Little Lies Women Tell Each Other

1. Sure, you should totally get a third cat!

2. I’m glad he went for you. I’m not that into Italian soccer players.

3. Of course you and your boyfriend can stay with me for a week. I’ll just sleep on the couch— it’s no problem.

4. Bethenny who? I don’t even watch that show.

5. No, no, yours is much more tasteful than the typical tramp stamp.

6. Nah, I don’t really want dessert either.

7. You went with the plaid walls! Nice!

8. I know he’s bad for me, and I promise I am so over him.

9. This was really fun. I love a good closet clean-out!

10. Honey, that’s just water weight—it’ll come right off as soon as you have the baby.

Some gas-guzzling vehicles enjoy sales surge

Lower fuel prices give surprising boost to big pickup trucks, SUVs

This month, gas prices are almost a dollar lower per gallon than they were a year ago. But experts say they will climb significantly the moment any sort of economic recovery occurs.

And thanks to that prolonged dip in fuel costs (oil prices have remained between $65 and $80 a barrel for 10 straight weeks), sales of compact and subcompact cars have plunged. Yet limited-edition cars like the $105,000, 470-horsepower Jaguar XJL Supercharged Neiman Marcus Edition, which gets a combined 17 miles per gallon, are selling out in a matter of minutes in special online sales.

Fans of the Ford F-Series trucks and Chevrolet Suburban are taking advantage of the reprieve as well, especially as the end-of-2009 sales season draws to a close. Each of those vehicles reported sales increases of more than 3 percent over September of last year — some big SUVs even saw bumps as high as 23 percent.