The Cost of Being Batman [Infographic]

It’s all fun and games pretending to be Batman.  Jumping around the house in your favourite fancy dress costume as a child was very entertaining, but what if you actually wanted to get down to the serious act of crime fighting?  Becoming a real life Batman is a pricey affair, especially if you want to adopt his executive lifestyle, in addition to his crime fighting hobby.

A real-life Wayne Manor would set you cost around $6,000,000 and you would have to budget-in around $37,000 just to run and maintain it.  Only the Iron Man himself, Tony Stark could afford that!  The crime fighting kit is rather expensive too, his head-gear alone would cost over $1,000,000; you better make sure it fits correctly for that price!  And you wouldn’t expect an oil leak in your Batman car either, which would set you back at least $18,000,000.

Don’t go and take out a loan to emulate Batman just yet though, take those superhero stars from your eyes and remember that Bruce Wayne was fortunate enough to inherit Wayne Enterprises!  So if you’re not lucky enough to have billionaire parents, you best start drafting your business plan; as only a serious business tycoon could afford all Batman’s amazing possessions!

Use the Tech Cupids to Save Your Valentine's Day! [Infographic]

Have you been just getting by the last few years in your relationship? 

Have the Valentine’s Days come and passed like ghosts of relationships past too? 

Well if that’s the case then the coming Valentine should not be another day you lose or end up regretting. A lot of people seem to pay little attention to their partner’s expectations- -especially those that revolve around Valentine’s Day and end up fighting mutual feelings of discord. If you are wishing for some miracle or for Cupid to drop out of the sky and help you out, then don’t bother. 

Technology really is the new henchman of love and can work more wonders then you think! If you find this hard to believe then read the infographic below about Tommy, a regular guy just like you who needed to please a lady love on Valentine’s. 

Tommy didn’t need any divine help, just the right searches and things to look for. Before he knew it, despite the short time he had, he was able to plan out an amazing day for the both of them, one that was special and didn’t require huge splurges of money on his part. 

So get some tech help on Valentine’s and become your love’s Prince Charming!

This infographic has been created at the Mobistealth design labs.

Google reaches deal with French news websites

Google reaches deal with French news websites (via AFP)

Google resolved a compensation fight with French news publishers on Friday that sees the US Internet search giant setting up a 60 million euro fund to help France's media adapt to the digital age. "There's been a global event ... the conclusion of a deal between Google and a news media grouping that…

Israel must pull all settlers from Palestinian land: UN

Israel must pull all settlers from Palestinian land: UN (via AFP)

Israel must immediately start withdrawing its settlers from the Palestinian territories, the United Nations said on Thursday in a report that the Jewish state immediately dismissed as "biased." "Israel must... cease all settlement activities without preconditions (and) must immediately initiate a process…

The Most Infamous Corporate Accounting Scandals in History [Infographic]

This graphic lists ten shocking accounting scandals that have occurred in the past fifteen years. Unfortunately, many companies "cooked the books" during this era, leading to enormous financial losses, lawsuits, incarcerations, and sometimes the destruction of entire companies. This led to a great deal of negative media attention.

This document begins in chronological order with the Waste Management scandal of 1998. This is followed by the infamous Enron scandal in 2001 that led to criminal convictions of the two highest-ranking members of the company. Eight more scandals are examined as well. For each incident, it lists several helpful categories of information - what happened, the main player(s), how they perpetrated the scandal, how they were eventually caught, the penalties, and miscellaneous fun facts.

The document provides insight into the similarities and differences between corporate accounting scandals. It also details the damage that the perpetrators do to the companies and the employees that work for them.

Giveaway Time: Join Us For The Zoe & Zak and the Ghost Leopard Cosmic Blast!

On Friday 1st February, between 12:01am & 10am EST (5.01 am to 3.00 pm GMT), bestselling author, Lars Guignard is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card & 5 kindle ebook copies, here at LoupDargent.info to some of our lucky readers. 

Fill out the form in this post to enter! 

Open to anyone that can receive an Amazon.com Gift Card (Int.) 

Good luck to you all!  

Loup Dargent

 

Is It Good To Be Loud?

Many rock bands are legendary for their sound quality and I don’t mean the clarity! There is certainly a culture of loudness in rock music where excessive volume is worshipped but is this really a good thing? After all there is a point beyond which any instrument or tune becomes indistinguishable from another and the sound just becomes noise and then there are the health implications to think about. It is true, however that there is nothing to compare to the feeling you get watching and listening to a band rock the house! So who are the loudest band ever and does it matter?

Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng urges no compromise on changing China

Blind activist urges no compromise on changing China (via AFP)

Dissident Chen Guangcheng voiced confidence Tuesday that China's political system will eventually open up as he urged fellow activists and the United States not to compromise on human rights. In an address in the US Capitol complex, the blind self-taught lawyer offered his most philosophical remarks…

The Differences Between the Way Men and Women Think on Valentine's Day [Infographic]

Valentine's day is the one day of the year that most women hope their men will not forget about. We all know that it is not just about buying expensive gifts or flowers, but the truth is that most women in a relationship do like to feel appreciated in some way and receiving a bunch of roses, some chocolates, a bottle of wine or going out for a romantic meal will normally do the trick. The sad truth is that it is not uncommon for men to completely overlook this special day, so as a helpful reminder, this humorous infographic points out some of the major differences between the way that men and women think. As the saying goes, "men are from Mars, women are from Venus", but how much does this still apply these days? If the man in this infographic reminds you of someone that you know, you might want to consider dropping a few serious hints this Valentines day.

Know the Risks of Identity Theft [Infographic]

With nearly 12 million Americans reporting incidents of identity theft each year, now is the time to practice as much online caution as possible. Though many savvy users have passed the point of being scammed by a supposed Nigerian prince, there are still plenty of online thieves looking for their next prey.

In fact, online scams are becoming more and more intricate, so that sometimes it’s difficult to tell which online offerings are real and which are fake. Anyone who is unsure of a website’s legitimacy should research it. If a source of suspicion can’t be verified as legitimate, don’t offer up any personal information.

Many scams are easy to spot because they seem too good to be true. If someone offers you thousands of dollars for relatively little in exchange, it’s a good rule of thumb to assume this person is up to no good. When you flag such a scam, you could do a great deal of good by spreading the word. Tell your ISP or email provider when you come across a potential threat.

Let's Save The Bees!

Bees around the world are dying off and Europe’s food watchdog just said certain pesticides are part of the problem. We’ve got 48 hours before key meetings -- let’s get a 2-million-person swarm to save the bees. 

>> Click here to take urgent action now!

Talk of CIA prisons censored at Guantanamo hearing

Talk of CIA prisons censored at Guantanamo hearing (via AFP)

US authorities censored part of a preliminary hearing Monday at a Guantanamo military tribunal that touched on CIA secret prisons where suspected 9/11 plotters say they were tortured. Reporters watched the proceedings against the five 9/11 suspects at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba behind…