PLANETARY Society - MER Update 120711 - Opportunity Finds Gypsum, Dec 09, 2011

"Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has discovered gypsum and its "single most powerful piece of evidence for liquid water on Mars," Steve Squyres, the mission's principal science investigator and Cornell University professor, announced today during the American Geophysical Union (AGU) fall meeting being held in San Francisco.
Opportunity found the gypsum last month in a striking light-toned vein "running" through bedrock. The vein, which the team dubbed Homestake, is small, but the rover easily spotted it in late October as it was as it driving north/northwest along the western edge of Cape York on the rim of Endeavour Crater. By the first week in November it was checking out the vein with its scientific instruments."

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MIRROR UK - Lindsay Lohan naked Playboy pictures revealed - and it's ALL on show..., Dec 09, 2011

 

"Lindsay Lohan's not going to be happy. After last week's leak of her Playboy cover, the inside naked pictures from the magazine have now emerged too.

In them, Lindsay's got the red lips, red nails and blonde curls we saw on the cover, which showed her hidden behind a Playboy bunny chair. But she's also got A LOT more on show.
Legally, the pictures aren't allowed to be revealed until the magazine goes on sale. But we have seen them and can tell you that Lindsay poses naked except for a black stole around her shoulders, and draped all over some red sheets. In a separate shot, she wears nothing except some nude (how appropriate) shoes. "

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MAIL Online - Angelina Jolie: 'I don't really have girlfriends', Dec 09, 2011

"The actress, director and mother-of six, who looks stunning in a blue top and gold statement ring, has previously bemoaned the fact that she really only chats with her partner, Brad Pitt.
'I'll talk to my family,' said the actress, 'I talk to Brad ... But I don't know, I don't have a lot of friends I talk to. He is really the only person I talk to.'"

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Hollywood Prospectus - Reality Scorecard: Priscilla's Naked, 95-Point Night, Dec 09, 2011

"“My breasts are popping out everywhere and I am loving every second of it.” — Priscilla, Real World: San Diego
Priscilla and the rest of the Real World cast spent this week's entire episode nude, the Survivor cast cried the whole time, and the Baseball Wives lost battle after battle to the only enemy they can't throw a cocktail at, Father Time. These lowbrow high jinks added up to 445 total GRTFL points and a huge 95-point week for Priscilla. Seriously, Priscilla, put some clothes on."

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MAIL Online - Kate Moss, Lara Stone, Milla Jovovich go topless for Pirelli's 2012 calendar, Dec 09, 2011

"In the stunning black and white photograph, Kate reclines on a rocky surface using her experience as a supermodel to remain professional and appear as comfortable as if she was perched on a soft cushion and not a hard slab of rock.You're pretty enough as you are! Amy Childs sports suspiciously fuller lips as she morphs further into Jordan
The Ivy, the Katie Price way! Model wears skimpy shorts and thigh-high boots for lunch at favourite celebrity haunt
The calendar was shot by Mario Sorrenti and also features a topless Lara Stone, wife of David Walliams, and naked Milla Jovovich - its 25-photo spread includes 18 black-and-whites and seven coloured pictures.
This year's calendar was shot in Corsica by the legendary Italian photographer, who chose his muses very carefully."

HOLLYWOOD Gossip - Lindsay Lohan Playboy Pictures Hit the Internet, Dec 09, 2011

"A couple days after the Lindsay Lohan Playboy cover leaked online, the same fate has befallen a slew of photos from this magazine's January/February issue. They depict the "actress" doing her best Marilyn Monroe impression... naked, of course.Dina Lohan has said her daughter's spread will be "tastefully done" and, having seen the photos, we can say this is kind of true, if you consider a lack of full frontal nudity to be "tasteful."
But Lindsay - who reportedly made $1 million for the day of work - is most definitely nude in each shot, often exposing her breasts and a decent amount of crack.
"Someone took photos of Lindsay’s pictorial in an advanced copy of the January/February issue," a Playboy rep said. "They posted the photos online without permission. We are not releasing any official images or information until Dec. 15."
We'll publish the photos on THG then. Yes, we love showing you Lindsay's naughty parts - but we love not getting sued even more."  

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Intergenerational - British Heart Foundation, Dec 09, 2011

"It can be as simple as a game of table tennis or a gardening project, but the benefits of bringing generations together go much further than you might think, says Sarah Brealey.
In today’s society, young and old are often strangers to each other. Smaller families, people moving around, family breakdown, age-specific activities and even housing have meant that different age groups stay apart much more than in the past."

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PLANETARY SOCIETY Bye-bye, Curiosity - The Planetary Society Blog, Dec 09, 2011

"A few fortunate (and forward-thinking) skywatchers looked upward in the hours after Curiosity's launch and were able to see the spacecraft leaving Earth. For the skywatchers in Australia and east Asia, the spacecraft was close enough for viewers to see a transparent plume of gas behind the spent Centaur upper stage, resolved separately from the rover's cruise stage, passing in front of distant stars. Here's a photo, and below that, a really amazing video. Click through to watch this one in 1080p high-definition; at that scale, you're looking at it at the same resolution at which it was originally recorded."
 

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- PRAGUE POST Music preview: Prague Spring Laureate Concert, Dec 09, 2011

"The winner of the 2011 Prague Spring International Music Competition for trombone will soon perform at Rudolfinum supported by two talented young pianists, giving audiences a chance to hear some of the brightest upcoming stars of Czech classical music.
Trombonist Lukáš Moťka and two pianists, Veronika Žochová and Martin Levický, will offer a performance of Zygmunt Stojowsky's Fantazja, Robert Simon's Fantasia, J.F. Michael's Homage to Jean Tinguely for Solo Trombone, Camille Saint-Saens' Cavatine and Keiko Takashima's Lullaby for Itsuki, a varied program that will show off Moťka's solo skills as well as his ability to perform with piano."

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Wetumpka Herald -Titus man killed in one-vehicle accident, Dec 09, 2011

"A Titus man died Thursday night when his 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse left the roadway and hit a tree, ejecting him from the car and killing him.
Michael Wayne Thompson, 31, of Titus was pronounced dead on the scene, according to Alabama State Troopers.
The accident occurred at 9:30 p.m. Thursday on Willow Springs Road, just 3 miles south of the Wetumpka city limits.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation by Alabama State Troopers."

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NZ DAILY TIMES - Chinese visitors killed in accident near tunnel, Dec 09, 2011

"Four Chinese nationals were travelling in the car that crashed at the Homer Tunnel near Milford Sound on Wednesday night, killing two people, police said yesterday.
They included a visiting couple who were killed in the accident.
The two were married and believed to be in their 50s."
 

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CSNNE - Another NBA Disaster, Dec 09, 2011

"From the moment the lockout met its surprising end last month, December 9 — today — was supposed to deliver us salvation.
It would not only mark the official return of the NBA, but also trigger an unprecedented free agent period, and a celebration of all things basketball. Like with the NFL last August, the flurry of moves and overall activity would serve as an immediate reminder of why we loved the game, stir up fan interest to ungodly levels, help heel the wounds of that embarrassing lockout and set everyone on the path to another exciting season."

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NJ - Jeff Probst married, Ellie Kemper engaged, Alec Baldwin apologizes ... to fellow passengers, Dec 09, 2011

"“Survivor” host Jeff Probst wed girlfriend Lisa Ann Russell (the ex-wife of “Saved by the Bell” star Mark-Paul Gosselaar) in a small ceremony in Los Angeles Monday, People.com reports. Gosselaar got engaged to ad exec Catriona McGinn over the summer.
"The Office" cutie Ellie Kemper reveals on "Conan" that she and one of host Conan O'Brien's former writers, Michael Koman, are engaged.
Alec Baldwin, who was kicked off an American Airlines flight for refusing to put away his iPhone, has apologized to fellow passengers for delaying their trip, in a HuffingtonPost.com essay. But he insists that the flight attendant was rude and singled him out when other passengers were also using their phones. (American Airlines told a different story.)"

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COURIER POST - Olivia Newton-John always embraces her past, Dec 09, 2011

"Olivia Newton-John performs at Caesars Atlantic City tonight. / Photo provided
Written by
DAVID J. SPATZ
IF YOU GO
• Olivia Newton-John performs at Caesars Atlantic City at 9 tonight. Tickets are $63.50, $83.50 and $94, available through Ticketmaster.com or (800) 736-1420.
Until someone on her staff pointed it out to her earlier this year, Olivia Newton-John really hadn’t given much thought to the fact that 2011 marked a rather significant career milestone: 40 years in a fickle business in which some people don’t last 40 minutes.
And so the celebration began — with an asterisk.
“It’s been 40 years since my first hit record, but I’ve actually been singing longer than that,” the singer, actress and activist says during a breakfast-time (tea and a chocolate biscuit) phone call last week from her home in Jupiter Inlet, Fla.
In 1971, Newton-John hit the top of the U.S. adult contemporary chart with the single “If Not For You,” hence the 40-year celebration."  

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ACE SHOW BIZ - Adele Scores iTunes' 2011 Best Selling Song and Album, Dec 09, 2011

"announced as the frontrunner to have the first and second biggest selling album in the United Kingdom, Adele is revealed as the 2011 queen of iTunes by topping not just one but two lists. The British pop sensation rules lists of both best selling song and album on the digital store.
Adele's single "Rolling in the Deep" becomes the most downloaded song. The track, which actually was released a year ago, overshadows LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" which occupies the second place. Katy Perry's "Firework", Bruno Mars' "Grenade", and Cee-Lo Green's "Forget You" round up the top 5. "
 

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NY TIMES - Jerry Robinson, Godfather of a Comic-Book Villain, Dies at 89, Dec 09, 2011

"Jerry Robinson, a prolific comic-book artist, comics historian and editorial cartoonist who is credited with having created the Joker, the archenemy of Batman with devilish eyes and ghoulish smile, died on Wednesday at a hospice on Staten Island. He was 89 and lived in Manhattan.
Related
The Joker in the Deck: Birth of a Supervillain (October 5, 2010)
His son, Jens, confirmed the death.
It was a chance encounter on a tennis court in the Poconos in 1939 that started Mr. Robinson’s career. Then 17 and on vacation before going to college, he was wearing a jacket covered with his own cartoons when a man on a nearby court struck up a conversation. It was Bob Kane, primary creator of a counterpart to Superman then still in the works: Batman."
 

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Barbara Orbison SPINNER - Dead: Roy Orbison's Widow Dies on Anniversary of His Death, Dec 09, 2011

"Barbara Orbison, the widow and manager of the legendary Roy Orbison, died Dec. 6 in Los Angeles on what was the 23rd anniversary of her husband's death. She was 60.
According to The Mirror, she died from pancreatic cancer while surrounded by her sons. She was diagnosed in April, mere days before what would've been Roy's 75th birthday -- another ironic twist of fate.
Following the tragic death of his wife Claudette in a motorcycle accident in 1966, Orbison met Barbara Anne Marie Wilhonnen Jacobs in Leeds, England in the summer of 1968. Jacobs moved to the U.S. later that year before the two, aged 17 and 32, married on May 25, 1969 in Nashville. The couple built a home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, one block from Orbison's old home which was destroyed by fire, killing two of Orbison's three children.
"Roy transitioned well from the '50s into the '60s," Barbara told Spinner in an interview earlier this year. "In the '70s he was basically rebuilding a life. He didn't want to do anything except be somebody in love, with a little money and lots of fun. By the '80s, he was ready again.""
 

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WASHINGTON POST - Joseph E. Robert Jr., Washington philanthropist, dies of brain cancer at age 59, Dec 09, 2011

"By Thomas Heath, Published:
Joseph E. Robert Jr., 59, who rose from a troubled childhood to become one of Washington’s wealthiest financiers and most generous philanthropists, known for his raucous annual Fight Night boxing event that raised millions of dollars for children’s charities, died Dec. 7 at his home in McLean. He had a glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer.
Mr. Robert’s death was confirmed by Mike McGillis, managing director of JER Partners, the real estate company Mr. Robert founded in 1981.
Robert's rules: Philanthropist doesn't let cancer stop his battles for kids
Through bravado and persistence, Mr. Robert asserted his place in Washington’s business firmament from an unlikely starting place. He had barely muddled through high school and was kicked out of college for fighting, rendering him homeless for more than a month. After working as a bouncer, selling encyclopedias and unloading trucks, he had an epiphany."
 

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ESPN - Former San Diego Charger Lew Bush, 42, dies of apparent heart attack, Dec 09, 2011

"SAN DIEGO -- Lew Bush, the former San Diego linebacker who played for the Chargers for seven seasons and was part of their lone Super Bowl team in 1994, died Thursday. He was 42.
Bush, who also played for the Kansas City Chiefs, died of an apparent heart attack, the Chargers said in a statement.
ESPN.com's Bill Williamson writes about all things AFC West in his division blog.
It was not immediately clear where Bush died. Public records show he lived in San Diego and he had been a pregame commentator for the Chargers' radio broadcast team.
Bush was the Chargers' fourth-round pick out of Washington State in the 1993 draft and played seven seasons with the team followed by three with the Chiefs before retiring."

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LA Times - Robert Lawrence Balzer obituary: Times wine writer dies at 99, Dec 09, 2011

"Robert Lawrence Balzer, a wine critic and educator who wrote an influential column in The Times for three decades during a career that stretched from the post-Prohibition era through the explosion of the California wine industry he championed, has died. He was 99.
Balzer, who had also been a wine merchant, an actor, a Buddhist monk and a restaurateur, died of natural causes Dec. 1 in Orange, said his nephew, Rex Shannon.
Known for his erudition and flamboyant personality, Balzer wrote a wine column for the newspaper from 1964 to 1995. He was also the author of a dozen books, including "Balzer's Book of Wines and Spirits" (1973) and "Wines of California" (1978).
For 14 years beginning in 1970, he produced one of the first subscription-based wine guides, Robert Lawrence Balzer's Private Guide to Food & Wine. It was well established years before Robert M. Parker Jr., now the world's best-known wine critic, launched his popular newsletter and 100-point rating system."
 

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DESIGN Boom - OODA: istanbul disaster prevention + education centre, Dec 09, 2011

"

portuguese practice OODA created a proposal for the 'istanbul disaster prevention + education centre' international design
competition to implement a facility to protect against and inform of the implications of natural disasters to be located
within istanbul, turkey. the tilted axis of the geometrical structure is set within a landscape featuring a cultural turkish pattern
generating a network of connections to the surrounding context. leading towards the iconic building, a series of walled pathways
are carved into the constructed site and a park is placed upon the generated roof. programmatic spaces within the multiple
and irregular levels intend to host courses, seminars and venues to develop public awareness about earthquakes and floods. "
 

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TECH Republic - 10 things you should do before disaster strikes, Dec 09, 2011

"Disaster will strike. It’s not a matter of IF, it’s a matter of WHEN. People often say, “Yeah, I need to plan for that.” But life gets in the way. And when life continues to get in the way, and you’ve failed to prepare for disaster, disaster will take you down. Instead of just sitting around and waiting for it, why not prepare for it? Here are some things you must do to be ready for a disaster."

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SUPER Good Movies - Aishwarya is the 'Most Beautiful' lady, Dec 09, 2011

"After donning the tag of Bollywood’s superhot Mom, film actor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has bagged another title into her kitty. The former miss world has been voted as the ‘Most Beautiful’ lady in this year’s filmfare college poll.
The editor of the magazine, Jitesh Pillai confirmed the news by tweeting,’ The most beautiful. Forever and ever. Aishwarya tops the @filmfare college poll yet again. This poll is conducted every year by the Filmfare magazine and Indian students are approached for the voting criteria.
This is the second time that the ‘Guzaarish’ actor is bagging this title. Earlier last year, in 2010, too Ash emerged as the winner of the poll.
It seems that even after becoming a mother, the beauty queen’s fan following has not declined. This poll proves this that Aishwarya still has a long way to go. "
 

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NY Daily News - Baby, 3 others shot and killed in apparent murder-suicide in Bayonne, N.J, Dec 09, 2911

: "BAYONNE, N.J. — Four people, including a baby, have been shot and killed in Bayonne in an apparent murder-suicide. A fifth person is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Mayor Mark Smith says a man shot the adults and baby before killing himself. He says two other children were in the house when the shootings occurred at about 8 p.m. Monday but were unharmed.
Officials say the baby who died was a boy who was 1 to 1 1/2 years old.
The Star Ledger reports that more than 15 shots were fired and that police believe a gun found at the house was used in the killings.
The names of the victims have not been released."
 

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VOICE OF TASMANIA - Cyclist is Tassie's top athlete Sport, Dec 09, 2011

"SPRINT star Matt Goss has capped a stunning year by taking out the state's most coveted individual award, the Tasmanian Athlete of the Year.
The cyclist was crowned the 2011 winner at Wrest Point last night after edging out five other worthy candidates.
In what has been a breakthrough season for the 25-year-old, Goss not only confirmed himself as arguably the best sprinter in the land but has firmed for an Olympic gold medal in London next year.
He was beaten by half a wheel at the road World Cycling Championships in Copenhagen in September, and narrowly missed a Tour de France stage victory on debut only months earlier."

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