Italian 'Forest In The Sky' Under Construction

Forward-thinking architects are coming around to the view that inner-city tower blocks and woodland can be combined and are incorporating both in their latest designs. Plans for "vertical forests" - 25-floor buildings, flecked with balconies full of bushes and small trees - are sprouting up in several European countries. Fittingly, Milan, the continent's design capital but also one of Western Europe's most polluted cities, is leading the way with the construction of two green towers. The Bosco Verticale (vertical wood) project, due to be completed in 2015, consists of two residential blocks, 110m and 76m in height, set in the Isola neighbourhood just north of the city centre. The towers will house 900 trees, ranging from 3m to 9m in height, plus thousands of shrubs and flowering plants. Stefano Boeri, the architect responsible for the design, says the buildings will together provide the city with the equivalent of a further 10,000sq m of

woodland. The layer of foliage around the apartments is supposed to produce humidity, absorb CO2 and dust particles, produce oxygen and shield the building from traffic noise. Energy recycling systems that generate power from sunlight and wind should produce dramatic energy savings. The designers say the plants provide shade in the summer and allow more light through during winter after they have shed their leaves. But all that environmental technology doesn't come cheap. Prices at the exclusive development will start at €750,000 ($1.3 million) for 100sq m, near the ground, rising to €1.2 million for flats with spectacular views. "The towers may well be beautiful, but they are not something everyone can afford," said Damiano di Simine, regional president of the environmental campaign group Legambiente. "The real answers to Milan's pollution problems lie with sorting out the traffic problems and improving public transport." And Milan's residents know that new ideas are needed: thick smog regularly envelops the city and its levels of toxic soot frequently breach EU safety levels. But the problem of how to keep the foliage looking good - and doing its job - has yet to be resolved. Brunello said plans for gardeners to descend, like window cleaners, on rigs outside the Bosco Verticale are being ditched in favour of "garden-freeclimbers" - think Spiderman armed with clippers and green-fly spray.

Bill Murray Joins Charlie Sheen In New Coppola Film

Bill Murray is the latest name to join Roman Coppola's next directorial project, A Glimpse Inside The Mind Of Charlie Swan III. The Oscar-nominated actor is the newest addition to the cast, alongside Patricia Arquette and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, reported Variety. The film, written and produced by Roman, stars Charlie Sheen as a successful graphic designer who heads into a downward spiral when his girlfriend breaks up with him.

Jason Schwartzman, Aubrey Plaza, and Katheryn Winnick also star. Production is currently underway in Los Angeles. Bill, who last lent his voice to Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr Fox and appeared in Zombieland, has some history with the Coppola family, as his performance in Roman's sister Sofia's Lost In Translation earned him an Oscar nomination.

Hear Karen O And David Lynch's Collaboration 'Pinky's Dream'

Another track from David Lynch‘s forthcoming debut album Crazy Clown Time has landed and it’s quite different from his “single,” the electronic driven “Good Day Today.” Sporting a much more familiar blues vamp vibe that would be right at home in one of his films, “Pinky’s Dream” features Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O on vocal duties and it’s not bad. It’s interesting on the first spin but we’re not sure we’d ever feel compelled to fire it up again but there is no doubt that its distinctly Lynch-ian and Karen O certainly has no problem fitting very comfortably into that world. Crazy Clown Time streets on November 8th. Check out the track below.

RIM To Launch Porsche Design BlackBerry

For the discriminating BlackBerry fan, the Bold 9900 isn't the ultimate BBM-running device, it's the limited edition Porsche Design P'9981 from BlackBerry. The P'9981 has the same internal specifications as the BlackBerry Bold 9900, but it sports a unique look and feel — styled by Porsche Design. It's also 10 times as expensive. That's not a typo. As slick as the P'9981 looks (for a BlackBerry), we can't help but laugh out loud at the $US2000 list price. I understand the appeal of limited-edition luxury electronics, but usually when a phone costs this much, it's covered in 14k gold or adorned with diamonds. The guys at t-break put together a hands-on video of the special edition device. It will be available at Porsche stores and select retailers. The design is sleek and futuristic and retro all at the same time. But $US2000? If you really need a phone to match your vintage 911 or Boxster Spyder, this might be the phone for you.

"Postal 3" Drops On December 10!

After years without any kind of an update on Running With Scissors' Postal III, the company has officially announced that the game will finally be coming to PC through Steam on December 10th. Postal III sees the return of the "Postal Dude​" as he wreaks havoc in the town Catharsis, as well as some special celebrity guests including none other than Ron Jeremy. While only the PC release date has been announced so far, the developer says that they are still planning on eventually releasing the game on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3​, too. 

Eddie Murphy Makes His Comeback

After years of near-silence, Eddie Murphy gives a rare extensive print interview in the new issue of Rolling Stone, on stands and available now through Rolling Stone All Access. In the Q&A, Murphy opens up to senior writer Brian Hiatt about the ups and downs of his long career, his possible return to stand-up, his Oscar hosting plans and much more. (more)

Machine Head "Locust" (Official Video)

"Locust", the new video from San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE HEAD, can be seen below. The clip was directed by Mike Sloat, who previously helmed MACHINE HEAD's videos for "Imperium", "Days Turn Blue To Gray", "Aesthetics Of Hate", "Now I Lay Thee Down" and "Halo". "Locust" comes off MACHINE HEAD's new album, "Unto The Locust", which sold more than 17,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 22 on The Billboard 200 chart — putting MACHINE HEAD in the Top 25 for the first time in the band's 17-year history. Even more impressively, this is the third consecutive album to show at least a 20 percent increase in sales over its predecessor, a virtually unprecedented feat for any band or artist, let alone a metal band in 2011. Add to that the fact that MACHINE HEAD's last CD came out four and a half years ago, a period of time that has seen the music market drop by more than 45 percent, and you're looking at something amazing. (Video)

 

"OmniTouch" Turns Any Surface Into A Touchscreen

Now you have an excuse to touch everything. Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft Research have created OmniTouch, a wearable system that turns walls, arms, hands, table tops, paper, and just about everything else into interactive touch surfaces. What makes it all work is a depth-sensing camera that tracks finger movements. The system includes the camera and a laser pico-projector—which looks like a Microsoft Kinect that is worn on the user’s shoulder. The projector displays numbers, letters, or any other graphic on a surface for you to interact with. You can dial a phone number, type on a keyboard, and even interact with drawing apps or map projections on your hand or a piece of paper. OmniTouch is also smart enough to distinguish between a finger that has clicked on a selection and one that is just hovering. It also boasts that no calibration and no special training are needed to operate the device. I can imagine this technology being helpful for people who have visual or motor skill limitations that make using a smartphone difficult. Despite the growing size of smartphone screens, some people still have some difficulty in using them. With the OmniTouch, people would have a larger area with which they could interact with their devices instead of just being confined to a small 4-inch screen. This is just a proof of concept right now, but hopefully it makes its way to the mainstream market soon. After all, who wouldn’t want to be able to doodle on whatever surface they wanted? 

The EPA Calls The 2012 "Fisker Karma" A Subcompact

The Fisker Karma is 5 metres long and tips the scales at 2,400 kilograms. Sounds more like a 1960s Lincoln than an extended-range green machine capable of 51 kilometres on electric power alone, doesn't it? Actually, if you ask the Environmental Protection Agency, the Karma is a lot more like a subcompact. That's because the Karma features interior volume of less than 100 cubic feet, and Auto Observer reminds us that the EPA classifies vehicles based on cabin volume. This odd determinant of vehicle size means that the Aston Martin Rapide, Ford Mustang and the Bentley Continental Convertible are all subcompacts. If that makes no sense to you, you're not alone. Automakers have long used the overall exterior length to classify vehicle size. As you can imagine, Fisker isn't all that thrilled with the EPA's subcompact label or its methodology for determining fuel economy. The automaker claims that the EPA used a worst-case scenario to come up with 51 kilometres on electric power, and the company maintains it is certain that the Karma can travel 80 kilometres without using any gasoline. Overall, the Karma received a rating of equivalent to 4.5 litres per 100 kilometres due to the fact that it averaged just 11.7 l/100 km on gas-only power during EPA testing.

Kerry Washington Confirmed For DJANGO UNCHAINED

The actress - who will star in Shonda Rhimes' Scandal on ABC in 2012 - will portray Broomhilda in Quentin Tarantino's wildly anticipated next film, Django Unchained. The character is the wife of Jamie Foxx's Django, a recently-freed slave who is taught the bounty hunter trade by Christoph Waltz... but who just wants to be reunited with his spouse, who remains under the evil ownership of Leonardo DiCaprio's Calvin Candie. Django Unchained also stars Kevin Costner and Samuel L. Jackson, sounds incredible, and will be released on Christmas Day 2012.

RAMMSTEIN To Release New Video In November

Rammstein will release “Mein Land,” the first single from their retrospective compilation Made In Germany 1995-2011, on Nov. 11 through Universal Germany’s marketing and distribution deal in the US with Vagrant Records. The “Mein Land” single will be available as a four-track release via iTunes with an unreleased song, “Vergiss Uns Nicht,” as well as remixes from BossHoss and Mogwai, accompanied by the Jonas Akerlund-directed video for “Mein Land” and a digital booklet.  The Amazon version will be “Mein Land” and the two remixes. The video for “Mein Land” will premiere on Rammstein.com on November 11.

"The Sounds" Stream New Song "Better Off Dead"

Swedish indie rock band the Sounds are heading out on a North American tour in support of their album Something to Die For, which was released earlier this year. Guitarist Felix Rodriguez explains that the emotional, dancefloor-ready track "Better Off Dead" has some deeply personal meaning for the band in addition to its thumping electro-beats. "Better Off Dead is one of my personal favorite songs. It's a song that we refused to compromise with when we recorded it," Rodriguez explains. "It has many layers of different influences, and the structure of the song is really different from what we've done before."

Citroen 2CV Revival Coming In 2013

The Citroen 3CV, or Trois Chevaux, was a people’s car which offered surprising levels of interior space and practicality while also showcasing a very cushy and comfy ride. The new Citroen 3CV will offer similar traits only in a more funky DS3-style layout. It’s understood the new Citroen 3CV will be built on the PSA PF1 platform, which underpins various small Peugeot and Citroen hatches. It will also use a hybrid powertrain, possibly being the first hybrid to ever be formed from the French platform. As for the styling, it’s a bit too early for concrete details but the new Citroen 3CV design could take inspiration from the Citroen REVOLTe Hybrid Concept first shown at the 2009 Paris Motor Show. Jean-Marc Gales, chief of PSA, recently said in a CAR report, “This car is all about wellbeing. It devotes abundant space to the passengers, is so relaxed that we may even cap the top speed, and will be a style statement in the best tradition of the brand.” As mentioned, the new model is said to join the lineup some time in 2013.

Rockstar Games Reveals Grand Theft Auto V

Rockstar Games has just officially announced Grand Theft Auto 5 on its official website. There are absolutely no details yet - just a date for the first trailer, which is coming next Wednesday, the 2nd of November. We will have much more on this announcement - including that trailer - in the very near future. Stay tuned!

Toyota FT-86, Subaru BRZ World Debut Set For November

Toyota and Subaru’s jointly developed FT-86 and BRZ coupes will be unveiled at next month’s Tokyo Motor Show.  Both cars share the same chassis, Subaru flat-four engine and gearbox, but it is thought the respective coupes will differ slightly in their positions in the market. Toyota’s FT-86 will aim to entice driving enthusiasts into its low-powered but dynamically focused coupe with a concept similar to that of the original AE-86 Corolla. With 200bhp and weighing only 1100kg, over 200kg lighter than a VW Scirocco, the FT-86 looks set to outperform VW’s small hatchback-come-coupe. Priced at around £20,000 it will also undercut the VW by nearly £10,000. Subaru’s BRZ will be more powerful however, thought to be producing just under 300bhp according to reports by Autocar. The BRZ will cost around £5,000 more than the FT-86 when both cars eventually go on sale. Known for its rallying pedigree, the Japanese firm has confirmed that there will not be a four-wheel drive version of the BRZ. It is thought Subaru have ruled out a convertible version of the BRZ also. Equipped with a limited-slip differential and sport-tuned suspension, both the BRZ and FT-86 should be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 6.0 seconds.

"Leisure Suit Larry" Returns In HD

Inspired by games like Softporn Adventure, Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards was published by Sierra Games back in 1987. Players assumed the role of Larry Laffer, a poor young guy as he desperately tried to get laid. Like many adventure games of the time, you guided Larry through fetch quests and simple puzzles by using text commands but the reward was usually a naughty picture of a lady or some digitized humping. What made the experience more endearing than the iterations of this decade (Magna Cum Laude, Box Office Bust ) was the sarcastic writing full of cultural references and in-jokes among Sierra staff. After years away from the franchise, casual gamemakers Replay announced that the original designer and writer of Leisure Suit Larry, Al Lowe, will return to take the helm of a remake of the first game as well as start work on a new LSL title. "Replay can also now create new games in the series," said Replay's representative. "The goal is to go back to the fun and tongue-in-cheek nature of the original games, rather than the fairly poor games released more recently." Replay Games is a small outfit based in Austin, TX. Founder Paul Trowe got his start in the games business with Sierra back in the 80s and he was finally able to negotiate ownership of all publishing rights to Leisure Suit Larry, including the ability to create new games in the franchise. A representative from Replay confirmed to us that this new deal is for the whole banana. "This deal is much, much broader and more exciting. Replay now has the global rights to the whole LSL franchise," the representative said. "They can recreate, re-release, redesign generally make all of the existing titles available on any platform they so choose. With new graphics, new controls and optimized for touch screen, analog controls, or whatever control systems [the] platform uses." I think everyone can agree that touching the screen to interface with a character's body parts is exactly the direction that Leisure Suit Larry needs to compete in today's market. There's no timetable on when the remake will be released or when we can expect a new LSL title, but I'm glad that Replay has its top men working on it in Al Lowe. 

Ferrari FF Stars In Neiman Marcus Christmas Book

Past Neiman Marcus Christmas catalogs have contained vehicles as varied as the retro-mod dud of a Thunderbird, the Jaguar XJL Supercharged, and the Camaro SS convertible. Pulling product from across the pond after last year’s bowtie adventure, this year’s book will contain the Ferrari FF—a special-edition FF, of course. The stuff? A unique shade of gray called Grigio Caldo, a numbered plaque, and a matched set of luggage crafted from semi-aniline leather. The interior of the car is upholstered to match said luggage. Included in the purchase price is enrollment in the 2012 Ferrari Winter Driving Experience in Aspen, Colorado. Not included: the dog. All this can be yours for the price of $395,000 plus tax. The real question here is why? As opulent as Neiman’s offerings are, there’s always been a tacky whiff about the brand. Ferrari has been a lot of things in the past few decades, but it has thankfully backed off the gaudy self-parody since the 348 left production. Is it a semi-desperate plea for sales? Has Luca di Montezemolo never been to Dallas? What’s next? An Italianate “Madman Muntz” impression? Oh well, at the very least, the Ferrari doesn’t have some ill-advised Mistral script on the fender. After all, it can’t be 1988 forever, can it?

David Guetta Named World's Number #1 DJ

David Guetta was voted the world’s best DJ at the Amsterdam Dance Event. The news was announced during an award ceremony in the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam.

Armin van Buuren, who held the title for the past four years, came second in the DJ Mag Top 100 poll. Dutch DJs Tiësto and Afrojack came 3rd and 7th. Fedde Le Grand, Sander van Doorn and Ferry Corsten ranked 14th, 16th and 18th. Newcomer Hardwell came 24th. No less than 600,000 dance lovers from around the globe cast their ballots in the DJ Mag Top 100 election. This is the first time the award show of the British DJ Magazine has taken place in Amsterdam, mainly because of the importance of the Amsterdam Dance Event and the Dutch dance scene in general. The award ceremony in the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam featured performances by David Guetta, Armin van Buuren, Fedde Le Grand and Markus Schulz. ADE has grown into the world’s leading conference on electronic music and the biggest club festival. More than 130,000 people from dozens of countries are attending the dance festival, which features performances by more than 700 DJs. The Amsterdam Dance Event lasts until Saturday.

Here are the results as they stand:

1) David Guetta -Up 1 place
2) Armin van Burren - Down 1 place
3) Tiesto - Non Mover
4) Deadmau5 - Non Mover
5) Above & Beyond - Non Mover
6) Avicii - Up 33 places
7) Afrojack - Up 12 places
8) Dash Berlin - Up 7 places
9) Mark Schluz - Down 1 place
10) Swedish House Mafia - Up 13 places

Lady Gaga's Zombie Boy Demonstrates The Ultimate Tattoo Concealer

Check out Lady Gaga's muse, Rick Genest, a.k.a. Zombie Boy, without his trademark skeletal tattoos. Most people get shocked and amazed when people cover themselves in ink, however Genest has shocked all by concealing his famed body art. Normally saturated head to toe, his body resembles a decomposing corpse that pays homage to horror films. Rick's bizarre look has taken the formerly homeless man off the streets and onto various catwalks for designer Thierry Mugler, not to mention Lady Gaga's studio where he starred opposite Mother Monster in her "Born This Way" music video. For his latest venture, the mysterious model has joined creative forces with DermaBlend, a concealer that will basically hide anything. In the video, which was spotlighted in Times Square on Thursday, Rick transform into an average guy. So what does he look like unmasked? It turns out he's actually a handsome guy, but I must say I definitely prefer the tattoos! The transformation has Rick most excited to show someone very special in his life as he tweeted yesterday, "Can't wait for my Grandmother to see me without Tattoos!"

Slipknot Voted The Best Debut Album Of The Past 25 Years!

Slipknot’s legendary self-titled album has been overwhelmingly voted by Hammer readers as the best debut of the past 25 years! We asked, and you answered – in your thousands! Over 16,000 of you voted in our special 25th Anniversary Poll to find the greatest debut of the past 25 years, and while most of the results was close, there was one clear-cut winner that truly, deeply smashed it. Slipknot’s classic 1999 self-titled opus managed to grab almost a third of all votes cast, beating off competition from the likes of Guns N’ Roses, Korn, Machine Head and even a cheeky cheat from Pantera. Don’t forget that we’re also celebrating our 25th Anniversary with our amazing new issue featuring Cliff Burton, Slipknot, Manowar and much more, as well as our awesome 25th Annviersary Party with Orange Goblin, Malefice, Dirty DC and TRC! So, without further ado and hype, here are the albums that were officially voted by YOU as the top ten greatest debuts of the past 25 years (percentage of overall votes in brackets)!

1. Slipknot – Slipknot (32.27%)
2. Korn – Korn (8.88%)
3. Guns N’ Roses – Appetite For Destruction (8.84%)
4. Rammstein – Herzeleid (6.92%)
5. Pantera – Cowboys From Hell (6.2%)
6. System Of A Down – System Of A Down (4.67%)
7. Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory (3.78%)
8. Machine Head – Burn My Eyes (3.35%)
9. Bullet For My Valentine – The Poison (3.01%)
10. Rage Against The Machine – Rage Against The Machine (2.78%)

"Akira" Begins Filming This Spring

The live action version of Akira has finally been given the go-ahead. Warner Bros have finally given the go-ahead to the film, which has been fraught with problems and delays since it was first conceived. Garrett Hedlund, last seen in Tron: Legacy, has been cast in the lead role of Kaneda, beating out rumoured contenders James Franco, Zac Efron, Keanu Reeves and Robert Pattinson. Jaume Collet-Sera is attached as director, according to Variety. Cult classic Akira began life in 1982 as a manga comic series from the pen of Katsuhiro Otomo, and was made into an iconic anime film in 1988. The cyber-punk title was one of the first manga works to be translated into English in full, by Marvel. Set in post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo, it follows biker gang leader Kaneda as he tries to rescue his friend Tetsuo from the government, who have kidnapped him to study his psychic powers. In the new film, the action will be transported to 'New Manhattan'.

William Shatner Releases Video For ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.

Legendary actor and recording artist William Shatner recently unleashed his new double-album, Seeking Major Tom, featuring cameos from hard-rock and metal notables like Zakk Wylde, Mike Inez, Ritchie Blackmore, and Michael Schenker on covers of Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, and others. Now Shatner, who was named the Honorary Headbanger at the 2011 Revolver Golden Gods award show in April, has released the frickin’ amazing music video for his rendition of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” featuring John Wetton of King Crimson.

 

Serge Gainsbourg Gets Reissued

Serge Gainsbourg’s 1971 concept album ‘Histoire De Melody Nelson’ will be re-released in Super Deluxe, Deluxe and Vinyl Picture formats on November 7.  Including new and unreleased material, alternative vocal takes and instrumentals, the albums also come complete with a DVD featuring music videos recorded for the original album’s seven tracks as well as a documentary featuring interviews with cover star and vocalist Jane Birkin and arranger Jean-Claude Vannier. In 2006 Jean-Claude Vannier performed the record live at London Barbican with Jarvis Cocker, Badly Drawn Boy and Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals filling in for Gainsbourg. Vannier also lead an all-star cast featuring Beck and Sean Lennon in a tribute to Serge Gainsbourg at the Hollywood Bowl this August.

PlayStation Vita Out February 22, 2012

Sony has made the official announcement that their new portable gaming platform, the PlayStation Vita, will be available in the United States on February 22, 2012. The announcement was made by SCEA President and CEO Jack Tretton at the Web 2.0 Summit 2011 held in San Francisco, California. The successor to Sony's PSP platform will be sold at two price points: $249 for the Wi-Fi only model, and $299 for the Wi-Fi + 3G model. In Japan, the PS Vita will be available on December 17, 2011. 

‘Beavis And Butt-Head’ Returning to MTV

Almost 14 years after going off the air, Beavis and Butt-head is returning to television, airing new episodes starting Oct. 27. The crudely-drawn cartoon was a staple of MTV’s ’90s lineup and even spawned a feature film, Beavis and Butt-head Do America. Creator Mike Judge, whose other works include King of the Hill and Office Space, voiced most characters on the show, including the two main characters. The original run of the show produced 200 episodes, ending in 1997. In addition to the two boys’ misadventures in the fictional town of Highland, Texas, the show also featured the two sitting on their couch and riffing on music videos. The new episodes of Beavis and Butt-head will follow a similar formula but the mockery gets extended to viral videos, movies and television shows like Jersey Shore and 16 & Pregnant, according to an MTV announcement. Judge recently said he stopped working on Beavis and Butt-head in 1997 because he “was getting a little burnt out.” However, after the cancellation of King of the Hill, he decided to take an MTV offer to restart the show. “I felt like TV was getting too smart,” he said. 

Smashing Pumpkins Going Deluxe On 'Gish' and 'Siamese Dream' Reissues

The Smashing Pumpkins are going to reissue their first two albums, 1991′s Gish and 1993′s Siamese Dream, on November 29. The records have been fully remastered by engineer Bob Ludwig, and will also feature special bonus content from the band’s archive curated by frontman Billy Corgan. The albums will be available in CD, deluxe two CD/DVD package, vinyl, and digital configurations. The DVDs feature separate live performances of the band at the Metro in Chicago. The Gish bonus disc will include new Butch Vig mixes of original Sub Pop single tracks “Tristessa” and “La Dolly Vita.” Finally, both deluxe versions will also feature liner notes and track-by-track commentary by Corgan, as well as never-before-seen collages and photos, postcards and more. In an excerpt from the Siamese Dream liner notes Corgan writes, “We start the album out with ‘Cherub Rock,’ which is basically my big F.U. to the indie world. If you read the lyrics, that was basically me railing against the hipper-than-thou New York indie mentality.”

Ginetta G60 Revealed

The Ginetta G60 is the second road-going sportscar to come from the car maker that's more commonly associated with building racing cars. Compared with its hardcore sibling, the G40R, the G60 is much more comfortable and practical on an everyday basis. The G60 is an evolution of the Farbio F400, which was acquired by Ginetta when it purchased the company in early 2010. Moving on from the F400, the G60 gets a new 3.7-litre engine, a carbonfibre body and a redesigned suspension rack. What’s it like to drive? There's nothing in the way of driver aids, such as power steering, ABS or traction control, but the G60 is a surprisingly forgiving car. The final production car should also bring improvements to the heavy steering – although it will probably remain unassisted – along with tweaks to the heavy brake pedal. On the road, performance arrives progressively and smoothly, with the 0-62mph dash achieved in under 5.0sec. What’s it like inside? The first of the production models reveals a simple, but smart fascia. Carbonfibre plays a big part, as does a neat Alcantara-style material that covers the steering wheel and dashboard. A large touch-screen gives access to all of the in-car systems, which include sat-nav, Bluetooth and air-conditioning as standard. The production car should have more space around the pedals which, given the shortage of space in the test car we drove, will be a welcome addition. It's easy to get comfortable in the driver’s seat, with good visibility, and plenty of seat and steering wheel adjustment. Ginetta says the G60 "is rare by any standards", and just 50 will be built each year, at a cost of £68,000 ($107,000). Customer deliveries are expected to begin in February 2012.

Van Gogh Did Not Kill Himself, Authors Claim

Experts have said for more than 100 years that post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh walked to a wheat field on July 27, 1890, shot himself in the chest with a pistol, then died two days later in his room at the age of 37. But a new book by Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith — who were honored in 1991 for a biography about American painter Jackson Pollock – argues the troubled artist might have been murdered. Their latest biography, “Van Gogh: The Life,” will be released Tuesday. "The first inkling I got that there was something wrong was when I really started to look at the existing story. There were so many things about it that were wrong and didn’t make sense,” Smith told Morley Safer on “60 Minutes” Sunday. The authors questioned why (and how) the Dutch artist would have obtained a gun, and pointed out that the gun was never found. They also challenged the idea that Van Gogh could have walked all the way back to his room in Auvers-sur-Oise, northwest of Paris, with a serious injury. “How did he climb through these vast wheat fields and down the escarpment into the town?” Naifeh asked on “60 Minutes.” “It’s extremely difficult to imagine that in that physical condition he could have made that trip.” After arriving back home, Van Gogh told his brother Theo that he had shot himself.  Yet the bullet’s trajectory was “at a crazy angle,” the authors added, and the gun was held “at a distance from the body” that might have been farther than Van Gogh could have held the gun. In addition, historical accounts suggest that two teenage boys teased and tormented Van Gogh during the final years of his life, they said, and it’s possible that the boys shot him. Even if this was true, it doesn’t change the way we view Van Gogh’s paintings said Barnard professor Anne Higonnet, who studies 18th and 19th century art. “If he had committed suicide with no sign what-so-ever of any mental trouble then everyone would say, ‘Oh my heavens maybe I need to rethink all the paintings,’” Higonnet told ABCNews.com.  ”But he was a very, very mentally troubled person.”Van Gogh had been suicidal for quite some time, she added, and he was being treated for mental illness.“One always wants to keep and open mind of course, but it would be quite a coincidence,” said Higonnet. The curator of the Van Gogh Museum in the Netherlands, which gave Naifeh and Smith access to family correspondence that had never been published before, complimented the book today, telling the Associated Press it is “great,” but adding that experts “cannot yet agree” that Van Gogh was murdered.

50 Ugliest Athletes Of All Time

There have been a lot of players that have gained more notoriety for their looks than their play, and when you see their photos, it's clear to see why that's the case. This is a list that nobody wants to land on, but somebody has to be on it. (more)

John Carpenter Believes In The Future Of Horror Games

John Carpenter is a horror legend. For nearly 50 years, the man's given life to some of the most venerated horror films, such as Halloween, Christine, and The Thing. Now, after crafting movies for half a century, Carpenter is adding game designer to his résumé. In a time when the health of horror games isn't great -- and both Resident Evil and Dead Space have strayed from their roots in order to appeal to a broader audience -- who better to help steer the direction of horror games than the master of terror himself? (more)

“Family Guy” Headed To The Big Screen

Seth MacFarlane feels he may have done all he can with Family Guy on TV. So, what’s a guy to do who has created one of the funniest families in TV history? Why… take Family Guy to the big screen! MacFarlane even flirted with the idea back in 2008. MacFarlane was talking with The Hollywood Reporter and admitted that he has created a world in Family Guy that has perhaps run its course on TV and now he envisions his Family Guy empire tackling the silver screen for movies every couple of years. "Part of me thinks that Family Guy should have already ended. I think seven seasons is about the right lifespan for a TV series. I talk to the fans and in a way I'm kind of secretly hoping for them to say we're done with it,” MacFarlane told THR. “There are plenty of people who say the show is kind of over the hill… but still the vast majority go pale in the face when I mention the possibility. "MacFarlane admits that a film is currently being scripted, although no news as to when we can expect our favorite residents of Rhode Island to make the big screen jump.

Mexican 'Earth Scraper' To Plunge 300m Below The Ground

Architects have designed an incredible 65-storey ‘earth-scraper’ which plunges 300 metres below ground, reported the Daily Mail. The stunning upside down pyramid in the middle of Mexico City is designed to get around height limits on new buildings in the capital. The subterranean building will have 10 storeys each for homes, shops and a museum, as well as 35 storeys for offices. He said, “New infrastructure, office, retail and living space are required in the city but no empty plots are available. Federal and local laws prohibit demolishing historic buildings and even if this was so, height regulations limit new structures to eight storeys. The city’s historic centre is in desperate need of a makeover but we have nowhere to put it, this means the only way to go is down.”He added, “The Earthscraper preserves the iconic presence of the city square and the existing hierarchy of the buildings that surround it. It is an inverted pyramid with a central void to allow all habitable spaces to enjoy natural lighting and ventilation. It will also allow the numerous activities that take place on the city square year round such as concerts, open-air exhibitions and military parades to go ahead.” Pyramids play a large part in the architectural history of Mexico, as the country’s anicent civilisations have often build huge pyramid structures. When the Aztecs first came into the Valley of Mexico they built their pyramids on the lake they found there. As the Aztec Empire grew in size and power they conceived a new and bigger pyramid, but instead of looking for a new site they just built it on and around the existing one. The traditional pyramids are therefore composed of different layers of historical periods.

Leonard Cohen Working On New Album With His Son

Leonard Cohen has been working on his first album in seven years, with the help of his son Adam.

Slated for release later this year, the as-yet-untitled album could feature songs debuted on the musician' s world tour, which finished last year. Adam told the BBC he had been helping his 77-year-old father in the studio. "I was asked in some consultant capacity on a few occasions and I'm very happy to listen to what's being created and be asked for my opinions." However he has discounted rumours of a possible father / son collaboration. "I would love to make music with my father and I have in a private way, but as for a public way he really doesn't need my help or contribution," said Adam, who recently released a solo album, Like A Man, in the vein of his father's folk balladeer style. "There's something beautiful about not doing it just gratuitously." Leonard Cohen's record label Sony said there it had no details available for the forthcoming album. But songs rumoured to appear on the record include Lullaby, The Darkness, Feels So Good and Born In Chains.

2011 Jaguar E Type "Growler"

Swedish firm Vizualtech plans to build the first car in the summer of 2012, taking about six months to build each example by hand. The cars will be based on the Jaguar XKR chassis, using the R’s supercharged 5.0-liter V8 for 600 horsepower. With a carbon fiber chassis and a weight a shade under 3,500 pounds, the Growler should hit 60 mph in less than four seconds. The small design company has never built any car like this before, so they may contract the work to specialists such as Steyr in Austria, which builds many German vehicles for BMW and Volkswagen. And the price will reflect the exclusivity: at a minimum of $700,000, is a four-eyed E-Type worth the sensual Sixties flashback?   

Piranhas Bark—Three Fierce Vocalizations Deciphered

Piranhas, it turns out, can be excellent communicators, a new study suggests. But don't get the idea they're going soft—their barks, croaks, and clicks likely mean "leave me alone," "I might bite you," or "now I'm really angry!" Researchers knew picking up red-bellied piranhas—among the few piranhas dangerous to humans—could prompt croaks from the fish. Even so, no one had studied their sounds in water or provided good evidence for the barks' evolutionary role. (more)

Resident Evil Revelations Has Online Co-Op

When speaking about Resident Evil: Revelations on 3DS, Capcom has previously claimed that the game was a single player only experience. "You can see the game is very focused on that horror atmosphere, so it's not made for co-op play," said producer

Masachika Kawata in conversation with Eurogamer back in June. "We're focusing on the single player this time. However, looking at the official Japanese site reveals (with the help of Google Translate) that the game supports "2 people" in "communication-play mode." The site also lists "local play, Internet play, miss communication [sic -- evidently Google hasn't learned how to say "StreetPass" in Japanese yet], extended slide pad" as being supported by the game. Exactly what form the multiplayer mode takes isn't clear yet, but given that some parts of the story see Chris, Jill and the other player characters working alongside a partner character, cooperative play probably isn't out of the question. Or perhaps there'll be an alternative mode for multiplayer action.

New Korn Track Streaming Online

Come check out the new tune from nu metal godfathers Korn – also featuring Skrillex and Kill The Noise! Korn will release their brand-new album ‘The Path Of Totality’ on December 5 via Roadrunner, and New Mexico radio station KTUM, 107.1 The Nerve recently aired a new track from the opus. The song features dubstep and electronica artists Kill The Noise and Skrillex – the latter of whom collaborated on Korn’s recent single ‘Get Up!’, and features heavily on ‘The Path Of Totality’ along with numerous other DJs and producers from the electronica genre.

Ancient Whale Jawbone Found in Antarctica

The jawbone of an ancient whale found in Antarctica may be the oldest fully aquatic whale yet discovered, Argentine scientists said Tuesday. A scientist not involved in the find said it could suggest that whales evolved much more quickly from their amphibian precursors than previously thought. Argentine paleontologist Marcelo Reguero, who led a joint Argentine-Swedish team, said the fossilized archaeocete jawbone found in February dates back 49 million years. In evolutionary terms, that's not far off from the fossils of even older proto-whales from 53 million years ago that have been found in South Asia and other warmer latitudes. Those earlier proto-whales were amphibians, able to live on land as well as sea. This jawbone, in contrast, belongs to the Basilosauridae group of fully aquatic whales, said Reguero, who leads research for the Argentine Antarctic Institute. "The relevance of this discovery is that it's the oldest known completely aquatic whale found yet," said Reguero, who shared the discovery with Argentine paleontologist Claudia Tambussi and Swedish paleontologists Thomas Mors and Jonas Hagstrom of the Natural History Museum in Stockholm. Paul Sereno, a University of Chicago paleontologist who wasn't involved in the research, said that if the new find withstands the scrutiny of other scientists, it will suggest that archaeocetes evolved much more quickly than previously thought from their semi-aquatic origin in present-day India and Pakistan. "The important thing is the location," Sereno said. "To find one in Antarctica is very interesting."

Japanese Company Creates Realistic 3D Face Replicas

Today in somewhat creepy Japanese tech: a company called REAL-f is creating what it calls 3DPFs--that’s 3-D Photo Forms--of human faces that generate uncannily realistic replicas of faces in a kind of vinyl-resin. The result is either a mask-style replica or a full mannequin head that is accurate down to the blood vessels in the eyes. The technology works by taking images of a face and imprinting those images on a kind of vinyl chloride resin stretched over a mold. From there, Google translate gets a bit murky, but essentially you end up with super accurate replica of your face in mask form for $3,920 (additional copies $780) or in full mannequin head form for $5,875 (extras just $1,960).

Silent Hill: Downpour Delayed to 2012

We haven't seen the game much at all since it's initial announcement, so it comes as no surprise that Silent Hill: Downpour will be delayed until March 2012. Originally expected to release in October of this year, the game will again take you back to the town of Silent Hill, this time as convict Murphy Pendleton. We're assuming that he's not going to have a fun time in the nightmare world where your inner demons endlessly torment you.

Siberia home to yeti?

A Russian region in Siberia on Monday confidently proclaimed that its mountains are home to yetis after finding "indisputable proof" of the existence of the hairy beasts in an expedition. The local administration of the Kemerovo region in the south of Siberia said in a statement on its website that footprints and possibly even hair samples belonging to the yeti were found on the research trip to its remote mountains. "During the expedition to the Azasskaya cave, conference participants gathered indisputable proof that the Shoria mountains are inhabited by the 'Snow Man'," the Kemerovo region administration said in a press-release. The expedition was organised after Kemerovo's governor invited researchers from the United States, Canada, and several other countries to share their research and stories of encounters with the creature at a conference. "They found his footprints, his supposed bed, and various markers with which the yeti marks his territory," the statement said. The collected "artifacts" will be analysed in a special laboratory, it said. Yetis, or Abominable Snowmen, are hairy ape-like creatures of popular myth, that are generally held to inhabit the Himalayas. But some believe Russia also holds a population of yetis, which it calls Snow Men, in remote areas of Siberia. Kemerovo region's Shoria is a sparsely populated territory in Western Siberia that has historically been a territory of coal and metal mining. The region, the administrative center of Kuznetsk coal basin, has pursued the elusive Yeti for several years as it tries to develop tourism into its mostly industrial economy. Considering the latest findings, the region may "create a special research center to study the Yeti" in the regional university and "create a journal" dedicated to the science of the Yeti, the administration's statement said.

The 15 Best Horror Games

Halloween is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate All Hallows Eve than by sitting down with some of the scariest video games ever created? Zombies, demons, and all sorts of other deadly creatures have been scaring the piss out of gamers for years, and the gut-wrenching titles just keep getting better. (more)

"The Raven" Official Trailer

On March 9, 2012, John Cusack will take on poet Edgar Allen Poe in The Raven, a psychological thriller that brings this mysterious author to life. Directed by James McTeigue, look for the film to focus on Poe's final days, as he focuses on a killer whose victims are all killed in an unusual manner: their deaths are based around short stories written by Poe himself. Intriguing... and teased in the following official trailer: