1. GOOGLE “INSANO” WATER SLIDE: We’re guessing “insano” is Portuguese for “insane” because the 14-story high Insano water slide in Fortaleza, Brazil, is the tallest water slide in the world. Riders can reach speeds of up to 65 mph and complete the drop in a mere five seconds, where they conduct their finale with what the slide creators call a “relaxing dive into the swimming pool.” Looks relaxing to us!
2. WATCH MADONNA SING “BORN THIS WAY”: While rehearsing for her Tel Aviv concert, Madonna began singing a version of “Express Yourself” that suddenly morphed into a rendition of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” Last year, the Material Girl took a dig at Mother Monster, calling Gaga’s song, which is musically similar to Madonna’s, a “wonderful redo” of her ’80s hit.
3. READ “NO ONE NEEDS A FACEBOOK PHONE — ESPECIALLY FACEBOOK”: Technology mogul gizmodo.com’s feature story tackles the infamous Facebook phone. The long-anticipated cellular device is back in the news with a slew of rumors from a wide range of reputable sources. Gizmodo gives a rundown on the device, as well as all types of tech-speculation, official commentary and company background. Check it out.
4. DOWNLOAD 7 LITTLE WORDS: This highly addictive game is about, well, seven little words. The hard part? You have to figure out what those seven little words are after they’ve been cut into two- to four-letter fragments and mixed up in a jumbled mess—and your only clue is an unofficial definition given by the creators. The first 50 levels are free!
5. CLOWN AROUND IN THE SPIRIT OF JOE: Joe “Paddy the Clown” Dunn, of Massapequa, was a loving, selfless man who derived pure joy from spreading happiness to others. Besides visiting countless hospitals as “Paddy the Clown” and spreading just as many smiles, Dunn, who passed away in April, was also a longtime volunteer for the annual Nassau County Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged at Mitchel Field Athletic Complex and Nassau Community College, from May 31 to June 2. In his honor, Joe’s family has donated more than 1,000 red clown noses—so come put one on while rooting for the event’s equally amazing contestants.
6. Read Rotten Tomatoes’ Summer Movie Guide: In a summer chock full of epics, comic books, action, comedy, drama and every movie genre in between, some moviegoers may have a hard time deciding what’s worth their buck. And with increasing ticket prices and the additional surcharge of 3-D, they may be a little more conservative with their time and money. Fear not, studio execs! Web-based movie review site Rotten Tomatoes has both you and your markets covered. Offering an expansive summer 2012-preview list, the site will familiarize you with everything from the family friendly Disney/Pixar film, Brave, to the hire a babysitter for Sylvester Stallone’s, The Expendables 2.
7. TiVo American Ninja Warrior: G4’s heart-racing obstacle course competition series conducts a nationwide search every Monday at 9 p.m. on NBC to find the ultimate athlete. Schoolteachers, firemen, police officers and other everyday heroes turn themselves into acrobatic athletes on this arduous obstacle course in pursuit of a $500,000 grand prize. You’ve probably already caught a few episodes of the Japanese Ninja Warrior on G4. The only difference is now you can actually understand what everybody is saying.
8. Keep Your Eyes on the Sky: The next transit of Venus happens June 5—the last time until the year 2117. Just before sunset, in the western sky, the planet crosses over the sun. Here in New York, the sun will be very low on the horizon, so to get a view you’ll probably have to go up in a tall building. And remember, don’t look directly at the sun!
9. GET ON BOARD THE NEW 52: Last August/September, DC Comics rebooted their universe under the banner of The New 52. This re-launch left a bad taste in the mouths of fans, at least initially. With a good percentage of the titles in The New 52 of good to great content quality, many have welcomed the change. Though many may have felt overwhelmed by the magnitude of the launch, and subsequently missed out on almost a year of stories, DC has begun to release collections that contain the first story arc of each title. The line of graphic novels started this month and will continue through June. If you missed out, now is your time to catch up.
10. GO STRAWBERRY PICKING: Tis’ the season! Strawberries are at their peak on Long Island from late May to mid-June. Don’t miss out.
Editor’s Note: A few weeks ago we sent out a request to our readers to not only try Tate’s cookies but to send us some, too. Well, Richard Siegelman of Plainview accepted this noble mission, and for that we offer our humble thanks and gratitude—as we fight over the last one.
