Lost in the mountains of cameras.

I am graduating from high school this year and have decided i would really like to get in to photography as a hobby. I have read lots of digital camera reviews and buying guides but there is just so many different cameras out there i really don't know wear to start but there are a few thing i do know. I don't want a SLR because that just seems to complicated for just staring out. I do want a camera with lots of different settings and options so i still can mess around. I would like quite quite abit of zoom and I also want something around the 7+ MP range. But i don't want to pay more then $450.
The question now is, what camera should i buy?
I know that sounds like lots of stipulations but any help would be appreciated. I just don't know enofe about cameras yet to know which one is the best to get.
Thanks,
Steven
P.S. I thought i would add more info
I dont know what im really going to be shooting yet. Probably a little bit of everything just to try everything out and see what i like best. I would like to be able to see lots of detail in the pictures when i take close up shots and i will probably be doing lots of black and white