Madonna Reveals World Tour Dates, ‘MDNA’ Standard Edition Album Cover

While the deluxe edition of Madonna’s upcoming LP MDNA (now on iTunes for pre-order) features a close-up of the Super Bowl halftime dazzler’s face behind ribbed glass, the standard edition’s art reveals more of the red-clad Material Girl. Here the singer’s crimson lips are matched up with a sleeveless red dress and red fingerless gloves. Also unveiled: those world tour dates fans have been waiting for since word came last week that that Madonna would be giving all her luvin’ on stages around the globe. See if she’ll be coming to your town this year below.

Madonna’s 2012 World Tour Dates

5/29 — Tel Aviv, Israel (Ramat Gam Stadium)
6/3 — Abu Dhabi (Yas Arena) On Sale Feb. 27
6/7 — Istanbul, Turkey (Turk Telecom Arena)
6/11 — Zagreb, Croatia (Maksimir Stadium On Sale Feb. 17
6/14 — Milan, Italy (Stadio San Siro)
6/16 — Florence, Italy (Stadio Franchi)
6/20 — Barcelona, Spain (Palau Sant Jordi)
6/24 — Coimbra, Portugal (Estadio Cidade de Coimbra)
6/28 — Berlin, Germany (O2 Arena)
7/2 — Copenhagen, Denmark (Parken Stadium)
7/4 — Gothenburg, Sweden (Ullevi Stadium)
7/7 — Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Ziggo Dome)
7/12 — Brussels, Belgium (Stade Roi-Baudouin)
7/14 — Paris, France (Stade De France)
7/17 — London, UK (Hyde Park)
7/12 — Edinburgh, UK (Murrayfield Stadium)
7/24 — Dublin, Ireland (Aviva Stadium)
7/29 — Vienna, Austria (Ernst-Happel-Stadion)
8/1 — Warsaw, Poland (National Stadium)
8/7 — Moscow, Russia (Olimpiski Arena)
8/8 — St. Petersburg, Russia (SKK Arena)
8/12 — Helsinki, Finland (Olympic Stadium)
8/15 — Oslo, Norway (Telenor Arena)
8/18 — Zurich, Switzerland (Stadion Letzigrund)
8/21 — Nice, France (Stade Charles-Erhmann)

NORTH AMERICA

8/28 — Philadelphia, PA (Wells Fargo Center)
8/30 — Montreal, QC (Bell Centre)
9/1 — Quebec City, QC (Plains of Abraham Site)
9/4 — Boston, MA (TD Garden)
9/6 — New York, NY (Yankee Stadium)
9/10 — Ottawa, ON (Scotiabank Place)
9/12 — Toronto, ON (Air Canada Centre)
9/15 — Atlantic City, NJ (Boardwalk Hall)
9/19 — Chicago, IL (United Center)
9/23 — Washington, D.C. (Verizon Center)
9/29 — Vancouver, BC (Rogers Arena)
10/2 — Seattle, WA (Key Arena)
10/6 — San Jose, CA (HP Pavilion)
10/10 — Los Angeles, CA (Staples Center)
10/13 — Las Vegas, NV (MGM Grand)
10/16 — Phoenix, AZ (US Airways Center)
10/20 — Dallas, TX (American Airlines Center)
10/24 — Houston, TX (Toyota Center)
10/27 — New Orleans, LA (New Orleans Arena)
10/30 — Kansas City, MO (Sprint Center)
11/1 — St. Louis, MO (Scottrade Center)
11/3 — St. Paul, MN (Xcel Energy Center)
11/10 — Cleveland, OH (Quicken Loans Arena)
11/15 — Charlotte, NC (Time Warner Cable Arena)
11/17 — Atlanta, GA (Philips Arena)

It has also been announced that the tour will travel to South America and Australia. Hit up Madonna’s official site to find out when tickets go on sale.

via idolator.com

Oh God Lindsay Lohan What Are You Doing

Lindsay Lohan did a sloppy photo shoot for Terry Richardson's blog. Even sloppier than usual. Slop beyond slop.

Ambitiously sloppy. Impressively sloppy.

"I can't feel my face."

"I can feel your boobs."

Previously: Oh God Michael Cera What Are You Doing (mustaches)

via gawker.com

Apple Hit With Playlist Patent, Suit Filed By Former Judge's Firm

via mashable.com

A Texas shell company, Smart Audio Technologies, has filed a suit claiming Apple’s iPod Nano and other devices violate its patent for random song playlists.

The suit comes just six months after a jury found Apple violated the playlist patent of another Texas entity, Personal Audio LLC, and ordered the tech giant to pay $8 million. Apple is appealing that decision.

The new case turns on US Patent 6185163 which appears to cover the ‘random’ function common to MP3 players:

A method is provided for altering a play list of a Random Access Player without interrupting the generation of output by the Player.

The patent was issued in 2001 and since obtained by Smart Technologies which, according to Texas state records, was formed last year.

While these type of “patent troll” lawsuits are filed everyday against Apple and other technology companies, this one is notable because Smart Technologies is represented by a new law firm founded by Joseph Farnan Jr., a former federal judge who worked in the same Delaware court where the lawsuit was filed.

Farnan is not the only one to quit the bench to represent patent plaintiffs. Last year, the judge who helped create East Texas’ famous ‘rocket docket’ left to join the patent law firm run by his son.

Patent litigation has become huge business in recent years and has attracted major investments from private equity firms.

A Texas-based attorney for Smart Technologies, Steven Geiszler, declined to comment on which investors are behind Smart Technologies.

Playlist patents are becoming a major nuisance for tech companies. In November, Personal Audio LLC filed a suit claiming Amazon’s Kindle products violated the same patent that it used to obtain the $8 million jury verdict against Apple.

Atlanta The Worst Place To Live In? Street Gang Members Brutally Assaults Anyone They Think Is A faggot?

via thesmokinggun.com

Members of an Atlanta street gang were filmed beating a man who was brutally assaulted because “faggots” were not allowed in their neighborhood, according to a videotape of the apparent hate crime.

The 30-second clip, posted today to the Worldstar Hip Hop web site, was shot outside a grocery store in Atlanta’s Pittsburgh neighborhood. The business, located at 1029 McDaniel Street SW, is a popular congregating spot for members of the Pittsburgh Jack City Gang (or “PBJC”). The group has also used the name “Jack City 1029.”

After being provided a link to the video, an Atlanta police spokesperson told TSG that the clip had been forwarded to the department’s gang division as well as the unit that investigates bias crimes against the LGBT community. Officer Kim Jones added that she was researching whether a police report was generated at the time of the attack (which investigators believe took place over the weekend).

As seen above, the video opens with an unseen cameraman and a second man outside the grocery store. The second man announces, “Round one. Jack City. No faggots.” Then, after a diminutive man exits the grocery, an assailant approaches him from behind and delivers a brutal punch to the side of the victim’s head. The man’s cell phone flies from his hand and he crumples to the ground.

The victim is then set upon by three men who punch and stomp him while he tries to cover his head. One of the attackers--who is wearing a shirt with “Jack Gang” imprinted on the back--even strikes the victim in the head with a tire.

As the man is beaten, the giggling cameraman announces, four times, “No faggots in Jack City.” An onlooker can be heard saying, “No faggot, man.” The video ends after one assailant picks up the victim’s cell phone and then punches the man in the head while holding the device.

A YouTube video of the PBJC gang (posted in mid-2010) shows young men outside the McDaniel Street grocery store (which can be seen here in a Google Street View photo). They brag about stealing necklaces, display gang signs, and refer to themselves as “goons.” One man describes himself as a “wild dog,” while another says, “I’m the Tasmanian Devil.”

The MySpace pages of "PBJC" affiliates include photos of a young man posing with cash and a rifle, a shot of the group's hangout spot, and images of gang members and mottos.

While the beating video does not indicate when it was shot, a police source told TSG that the attack occurred Saturday. Worldstar’s trademark clips of street mayhem (like this) are usually uploaded shortly after they were recorded.
I think these guys like to the attention and wants to be arrested to have street creds.

Super Bowl XLVI Ratings 113 Million: Most-Watched Broadcast in U.S. History

Another record-setting year for the NFL’s biggest night: For the third consecutive year, the Super Bowl has earned a hat-tip in the record books as the most-watched television broadcast in U.S. history.

An estimated 111.3 million people watched the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI, live from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sunday night. The Nielsen Co. released the figure on Monday.

The broadcast, which aired on NBC, narrowly beat the 111 million who watched the Green Bay Packers win over Pittsburgh Steelers in last year’s NFL championship.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s last-second heave into the end zone — the fateful play that ended the game — had the biggest audience of any play in the game, according TiVo.

Approximately 117.7 million people were watching during the last half hour of the game.

The last two Super Bowls, along with the 2010 matchup between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts and the 1983 finale of M-A-S-H are the only programs to exceed 100 million viewers in U.S. television history.

A few more Super Bowl stats:

*Madonna’s halftime show was seen by an estimated 114 million people; an even higher average than the game itself.

*Madonna’s performance was the most-watched Super Bowl halftime entertainment show on record.

*Boston had its highest rating ever for an NFL game on Sunday.

       

via popcrunch.com

Showbiz Spy – celebrity news, rumors & gossip

1) “Did a music legend call off a ceremony because of too many secrets? This Diva didn’t like all the revelations, including a beau who turned out to be much younger than she knew.” [Downfront2]

2) “There is an area in Griffith Park where you can take the kiddies for a train ride. A certain actor used to enjoy taking men for another kind of ride in the same area. He would cruise the park, pick up a guy, and then hook up with them in his car. The really ironic thing here is that the actor is so religious that when he was a teen heartthrob (a couple of decades ago) he used to insist that any dialogue that was even the slightest bit sexual or profane be removed from his lines because they violated his sense of decency. He’s all grown up now – and still cruises for guys – but we’re sure his wife really appreciates what a moral man she married.” [BlindGossip]

3) “Which handsome businessman was recently caught in a threes*me with a woman and a man at a New York hotel?” [NewYorkPost]

blind gossip | Blind Items

via showbizspy.com