- Cell service providers set the example for data caps and now Comcast, the largest cable TV and Internet broadband provider in the U.S., is going in the opposite direction by tweaking its data cap policy on its broadband service to encourage its customers to use its service without worrying about how much data they are consuming. Whereas Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, etc. are worried about the amount of data being downloaded to smartphones and used on apps and browsing, Comcast announced in an official blog post that it will soon begin testing a new pricing model for customers who use an "excessive" amount of data each month. Instead of going down, the cap will actually be going up from 250GB per month to 300GB per month. If the increased data cap isn't high enough, customers will be charged an extra $10 for every 50GB of data above 300GB. During the test period, the company said it will suspend the 250GB cap in all other parts of the country. David L. Cohen, executive vice president for Comcast, explained that the new policy is meant to rein in a small percentage of customers who use an "excessive" amount of data per month and to encourage other customers who aren't such data hogs to use the service more. "We didn't like the message that we were giving our customers with the static 250GB cap," he said. "Now, we are sending a signal to our customers that we want them to use our broadband service and to feel free to use it for all lawful purposes. We want them to subscribe to Netflix and stream YouTube and use Skype to their heart's content without worrying about hitting some artificial data cap that results in them losing their service." In the test, Comcast will allocate a different threshold of data for each tier of service the company currently offers while also testing another approach in certain areas, offering the 300GB cap across every tier of service in place today. Left unannounced was which markets would be a part of which test group. The cap was originally introduced in 2008 and according to Comcast data, the test should not affect most customers because the median usage for most residential users was somewhere between 2GB and 3GB per month……….

- Don’t f**k with the Vatican, y’all. They have the Almighty on their side and anyone who wants to write a book of leaked internal documents that shed light on power struggles inside the Holy See and the thinking of its embattled top banker are apparently not only bad people, but also criminals. That’s according to the Vatican itself, which denounced as "criminal" a new book about the "Vatileaks" scandal, which erupted earlier this year following the leaking of a series of damaging memos alleging corruption and mismanagement in Holy See affairs and detailing internal conflict over its efforts to comply with international anti-money laundering norms. The book, "His Holiness," was published Saturday and the chief “criminal” behind it is author is Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi. Nuzzi reproduced confidential letters and memos to and from Benedict and his personal secretary which, according to the Vatican, violated the pope's right to privacy. Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi issued a statement denouncing the book as an "objectively defamatory" work that "clearly assumes characters of a criminal act." Lombardi vowed that the Holy See would get to the bottom of who "stole" the documents, who received them and who published them. His promises to see international cooperation in its quest for justice sounded fairly ominous as well. Of course, Nuzzi had to have a source for the letters, which he first broadcast in January. The notes, sent from the former No. 2 Vatican administrator to the pope, beg the pope not to transfer for official sending them for having exposed alleged corruption that cost the Holy See millions of euros in higher contract prices. Monsignor Carlo Maria Vigano is now the Vatican's U.S. ambassador and he has been in the crosshairs of Nuzzi ever since the journalist first penned  "Vatican SpA," a 2009 volume laying out shady dealings of the Vatican bank based on leaked documents. While much of the alleged misconduct, financial and otherwise, is Italy-centric, the misdeeds obviously echo well beyond its national borders. Another prime target of the book is Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, the head of the Institute for Religious Works, otherwise known as the Vatican's ban. He is at the center of alleged tax evasion and although Pope Benedict XVI has already appointed a commission of cardinals to investigate the scandal, that investigation just became that much more closely scrutinized………….

- Someone sunk “Battleship’s” battleship and that someone was the superhero six-pack of “The Avengers.” With the board game-themed movie debuting against the reigning champion of the box office, the superheroes won as “Avengers” scored $55 million in its third weekend of release to raise its domestic total to $457 million and counting. That was more than enough to throttle “Battleship,” which opened in second place thanks to a so-so $25.3 million effort against a massive $209 million budget and despite having Liam Neeson’s renowned ass-kicking skills at its disposal. Another highly-anticipated newcomer was third as Sacha Baron Cohen’s “The Dictator” was third on the strength of respectable $17.4 million performance. Johnny Depp’s “Dark Shadows” continued to underwhelm, ranking fourth with a total of $12.7 million in domestic earnings. After two weeks, “Shadows” has accumulated $50.1 million in domestic earnings. The debut of supposed comedy “What to Expect When You're Expecting” was humorously disappointing, to the tune of $10.5 million. The international appeal of “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” was good enough for sixth place and a $3.3 million take to up the low-budget movie’s cumulative tally to $8.3 million after three weeks. “The Hunger Games” remained in the top 10 in its ninth weekend of release, earning $3 million to finish seventh. As good as the film has been, its cumulative total ($391.6 million) still pales in comparison to what “Avengers” has done in one-third of the time. “Think Like a Man” inexplicably stayed in the top 10 by placing eighth. It made $2.7 million in its fifth weekend and has somehow eked its way to $85.8 million through five weeks. “The Lucky One” occupied ninth place and made $1.7 million for a four-week total of $25.4 million. “The Pirates! Band of Misfits” rounded out the top 10 with $1.4 million, while “The Five-Year Engagement” and “Chimpanzee” both dropped out from last week’s top 10……….

- Can a trip the same procedure that had a same career-reviving effect on injury-plagued center Greg Oden as it did for superstars Kobe Bryant and New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez? Oden is hoping that undergoing the controversial knee procedure known as Orthokine will help him as it has Bryant, who traveled to Germany last year to have it done and has enjoyed an outstanding season after battling a series of injuries last year. While Oden didn’t go to Deutschland for the operation, instead having it done in New York two weeks ago, he is obviously hoping that it will help him by expediting the healing process on his left knee, which was operated on in February. The 7-footer has undergone four knee surgeries in his four-year career and has played a total of 82 games thus far, ironically the equivalent of one full season. He recently expressed a hope to play in Miami once he comes back, but must make significant progress before that dream can ever happen. "Greg had long planned to have this procedure done,'' a source close to the situation said. "He thought he'd wait until his knee was completely healed, but the doctor said Greg would get the greatest benefit by doing it now because it would help his recovery.'' Bryant was the first prominent athlete to undergo Orthokine and he later advised Rodriguez to have it done as well. Rodriguez flew to Dusseldorf to have the procedure done in December and former NBA All-Star guard Gilbert Arenas followed suit as well. The procedure involves doctors taking the patient's own blood, spinning it in a centrifuge, making a serum and reinjecting it into the knee. It supposedly works to stop inflammation and reduce pain and cartilage damage. There is no timetable for Oden’s return, but the former No. 1 pick is hoping to come back next season. In the meantime, he is rehabbing at the sports performance division of St. Vincent's Hospital in Indianapolis………..

- Colorado stoners making a push to legalize the hippie lettuce in their state is one thing, but Wisconsin? The land of fried cheese curds, pasty white Packers fans and drinking beer like it’s tap water? It’s true, believe it or not. Two Wisconsinites in particular are leading the charge: Mary Freeman, founder of the Milwaukee Yoga Movement, and Milwaukee's custard king, Karl Kopp. Kopp is the owner of Kopp's Frozen Custard restaurants and upscale eateries like Elsa's on the Park. How did these two come together? Freeman’s group brought yoga to inner-city schools, and she's a daily marijuana user. Kopp doesn’t toke, but he sees the hippie lettuce’s economic potential in a struggling stage and it has him fired up. "We're always saying how much the country is in debt, (the) state is in debt. Everybody's in debt. We have to raise more money. Why don't we raise it that way? Have sales tax on it," Kopp said. This unusual cause has brought these two disparate individuals together and they believe legalizing marijuana and producing it could transform Milwaukee's economy. Taking Milwaukee from Brew City to Bud City may be a shock to the system initially, but Freeman believes it is a great idea. "There are many, many myths regarding the idea of marijuana. The documentary is being created to dispel those myths," she said, alluding to a documentary she and Kopp are working on. "It's a peaceful drug. It's a creative drug, a drug that takes away all kinds of pain.” Their documentary film crew is following them around, looking to lock down all sorts of riveting footage. Maybe if the film is good, it will vault Wisconsin past Colorado in the race to become America’s official stoner state…………