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The Dirty Dancing Remake!

The Dirty Dancing

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As you might expect, it’s an extremely hard-hitting, exposé-style portrait worthy of “60 Minutes” ... just kidding! It actually appears to a guilty pleasure-worthy bit of broadcast fluff that will be savored by most royal watchers as well as anyone who thought the maid of honor upstaged the bride during the recent wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton.
As for the title, “Crazy About Pippa,” the show was almost titled “Everybody Loves Pippa” or “That Girl! ... Who is Related to a Duchess,” but unfortunately both names bumped with TLC’s legal department. (And once again — just kidding.)
Watch a promo for the show below, then hit the jump to watch a pair of clips, one that focuses on how Pippa Middleton captivated the public on her sister’s wedding day and another on a $5 million offer she received post-wedding to appear in an adult film. (That film, naturally, never came to pass. But if it had, I suspect it would not have been called “Crazy About Pippa.”)

Aug 11, 2011 - The 2011 PGA Tour Championship tees off at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Georgia with the best golfers in the world looking to win the final major of the season. Arizona's own Phil Mickelson is bringing mental coach to the tournament to help him improve this golf from between his ears. Tiger Woods is and will always be a major focus of attention but now more for the circus aspect than for his domination on the links. You can watch it all if you know where and when to tune your TV or how to watch live online streaming on your computer.
TNT will be broadcasting the 2011 PGA Championship with Round 1 coverage starting at 10:00 a.m. PT (1:00 p.m. ET) on Thursday. Friday's Round 2 will follow the same schedule.
On Saturday, August 13, TNT picks up early coverage at 8:00 a.m. PT and goes until 11:00 a.m. PT and then CBS picks up the afternoon from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. PT. The same schedule repeats on Sunday for the Final Round of the 2011 PGA Championship.
The PGA will have the entire tournament streaming live online so you can watch on your computer at work. They even have a free iPhone app for mobile viewing in case you need to watch every stroke from the bathroom or your car (we highly discourage watching from your car unless you are a passenger).
Phil Mickelson tees off on the 10th hole at 8:15 a.m. ET in a group with Vijay Singh and David Toms. Tiger follows 20 minutes later from the same starting point.

Galaxy Radio

Galaxy Radio - Variety (Ukraine)

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Jam 95.6 FM

Jam 95.6 FM - Oldies

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Europa FM Київ

Europa FM Київ - Налаштуйся на краще

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Europa Plus

Europa Plus - europaplus.ua

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FC Metallist Radio

FC Metallist Radio - Official radio station of football club Metallist Kharkov

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Gala Radio

Gala Radio - Gala Radio,Київ

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DJFM 96.8 Ukraine

DJFM 96.8 Ukraine - Electronica

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Dynamo 106 FM

Dynamo 106 FM - Rock

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Estetika

Estetika - Crimean Radio

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Dance Radio

Dance Radio - Dance/DJ

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Business FM 93.8

Business FM 93.8 - Variety

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Campus Radio

Campus Radio - College/University

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Colorsound

Colorsound - Rock

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Best FM Донецк

Best FM Донецк - Best FM Донецк (128k)

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Bigmir

Bigmir - Let's Dance - Давай Поп - Dance/DJ

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Bigmir - Total Wave

Bigmir - Total Wave - Общая волна

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alt.CT.FM

alt.CT.FM - Rock-Alternative

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AvtoRadio

AvtoRadio - Pop

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ballads.CT.FM

ballads.CT.FM - Easy Listening

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109 FM

109 FM - Rock-Progressive

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Akkerman

Akkerman - Radio Akkerman, Білгород-Дністровський

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ALT Radio

ALT Radio - Electronica-Trance

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WorldFM 88.5 FM Tawa Wellington

WorldFM 88.5 FM Tawa Wellington - WorldFM is a non-commercial, non-profit, low power FM (LPFM) hobby radio station based in Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand. Featuring world music, news for shortwave listeners and hams, international public radio, and pirate radio nostalgia.

For More Info Visit: worldfm.co.nz

ZM Wellington

ZM Wellington - Young adult music station serving the Wellington region

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Radio Sport

Radio Sport - Nationwide sports channel

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Radio Tarana Fm

Radio Tarana Fm - Good Indian music

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The Flea 88.2 fm

The Flea 88.2 fm - North Shore Community Radio - Music and news with a Kiwi flavour

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Mushroom FM

Mushroom FM - Internet radio station - Pop

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Niu FM

Niu FM - 103.8 FM Auckland

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Radio One 91 FM Dunedin

Radio One 91 FM Dunedin - Campus-based student radio station owned by OUSA.

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KFM 106.9

KFM 106.9 - Soul/R&B

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More FM Northland

More FM Northland - A/C music and Local-News station

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George 96.8 FM

George 96.8 FM - Plays a predominantly house-influenced style of music

For More Info Visit: .georgefm.co.nz

Human FM

Human FM - Broadcasting from Victoria University with the finger on the pulse of Wellington

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IRAI ISAI RADIO

IRAI ISAI RADIO - RAI ISAI Radio is our flagship agency of IRAI ISAI Mediawith a 24/7, 365 day activity reaching the entire globe. We recognise IRAI ISAI Radio as the face of our organisation with constant touch with people actively promoting and propagating the Gospel.

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Boosh.FM 107.7 FM Auckland

Boosh.FM 107.7 FM Auckland - All Like Kakoww!

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BOP 105.4 FM

BOP 105.4 FM - Variety

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88.4 FM The Cheese - Hits of the 80s, 90s and Today

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95bFM

95bFM - 1STU 95.0 FM Auckland New Zealand

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Base FM 107.3

Base FM 107.3 - A collective of DJs bringing underground music to the community

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The Next Release of Windows Phone, codenamed Mango

Designed to be the best Windows Phone yet. Check out how the next Windows Phone release, codenamed Mango, will deliver smarter and easier mobile apps, web, and communication. Coming Fall 2011 to a Windows Phone mobile smartphone near you. Tons of new features and everything you love about Windows Phone 7.

Movie Info

In the years since MI7's top spy vanished off the grid, Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) has been honing his unique skills in a remote region of Asia. But when his agency superiors learn of an attempt against the Chinese premier's life, they must hunt down the highly unorthodox agent. Now that the world needs him once again, Johnny English is back in action. With one shot at redemption, he must employ the latest in hi-tech gadgets to unravel a web of conspiracy that runs throughout the KGB, CIA and even MI-7. With mere days until a heads of state conference, one man must use every trick in his playbook to protect us all. For Johnny English, disaster may be an option, but failure never is. -- (C) Offical Site

PG,
Mystery & Suspense, Comedy
Directed By: Oliver Parker
Written By: Hamish McColl, Neal Purvis

In Theaters: Sep 16, 2011 Wide
Universal Pictures

Movie Info

This is not just another mission. The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in a global terrorist bombing plot. Ghost Protocol is initiated and Ethan Hunt and his rogue new team must go undercover to clear their organization's name. No help, no contact, off the grid. You have never seen a mission grittier and more intense than this. -- (C) Paramount

Unrated, Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure
Directed By: Brad Bird
Written By: J.J. Abrams, Josh Applebaum, André Nemec

In Theaters: Dec 16, 2011 Wide
Paramount Studios

Movie Info

Growing up together, Mitch (Ryan Reynolds) and Dave (Jason Bateman) were inseparable best friends, but as the years have passed they've slowly drifted apart. While Dave is an overworked lawyer, husband and father of three, Mitch has remained a single, quasi-employed man-child who has never met a responsibility he liked. Following a drunken night out together, Mitch and Dave's worlds are turned upside down when they wake up in each other's bodies and proceed to freak the &*#@ out. Despite the freedom from their normal routines and habits, the guys soon discover that each other's lives are nowhere near as rosy as they once seemed. -- (C) Universal Pictures

R, Comedy

Directed By: David Dobkin

Written By: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

Aug 5, 2011 Wide
Universal Pictures

Movie Info

Death makes a killing in the next installment in the horror series which once again proves that no matter where you run, no matter where you hide...you can't cheat death. -- (C) Warner Bros

R, Horror

Directed By: Steven Quale

Written By: Eric Heisserer

In Theaters: Aug 12, 2011 Wide

Warner Bros.

Movie Info

An origin story in the true sense of the word, Rise of the Apes is set in present day San Francisco. The film is a reality-based cautionary tale -- a science fiction/science-fact blend where mankind's hubris leads to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy. Oscar (R)-winning visual effects house WETA Digital - employing certain of the groundbreaking technologies developed for "Avatar" - will render, for the first time ever in the film series, photo-realistic apes rather than costumed actors. -- (C) Fox

PG-13,

Drama, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Rupert Wyatt

Written By: Pierre Boulle, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver

In Theaters: Aug 5, 2011 Wide
20th Century Fox

CFA fire trucks

CFA fire trucks, instead of ambulances, could soon be first on the scene in medical emergencies in Casey to ensure patients are treated more promptly.

Career CFA officers at Hallam and Cranbourne are getting intensive medical response training so they can help paramedics in serious cases.
CFA southern metropolitan region operations manager Trevor Owen said 120 firefighters would finish their 80 hours of training this week and would start responding from July 24.
“It’s a big change for us,” Mr Owen said.
“You’ll not just see an ambulance but a fire truck as well.”
CFA officers are learning how to defibrillate people whose hearts have stopped and to treat others who have asthma, are drug or alcohol-affected, not breathing, and children with constricted airways.
Mr Owen said firefighters would help keep patients alive until paramedics arrived.
“Our response times are eight minutes to get on scene; ambulances can respond in 12 to 16 minutes.”

Labor Day ideas 2011

The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival will have performances Sept. 3-5 at the Presidio’s Main Post Parade Ground Lawn (between Graham St & Keyes Ave). The festival will continue its run for another three weeks after the Labor Day weekend.

For families that want a break from the bustling city for a day, head across the Bay to the Walnut Creek Familyfest. This traditional Labor Day family festival is perfect for kids and those that are kids at heart. It features almost one hundred free activities and performances, rides, arts and crafts, and a diverse food court.
The Labor Day festival is being held at Heather Farms Park and will be open every day over the Labor Day weekend at 10:00 am. While this event is not free, a donation of canned food will grant you a mere $5 admission fee.
Jaunt off to the charming bayside town of Sausalito for the Sausalito Art Festival for part of your Labor Day weekend and you will not be disappointed. After all, the festival has been dubbed the #1 outdoor fine arts festival in all of America. Not only will it feature visual artists, the festivities will also include musical entertainment, which will be occurring throughout the day.

David Wu, D-Ore., is once again the subject

The Oregonian report, published late Friday, cites multiple unnamed sources that a "distraught young woman" called Wu's office this spring and accused him of the encounter, which appears to have occurred over Thanksgiving 2010. When confronted, Wu said the incident was consensual. The young woman is said to be the daughter of a donor and high school friend of Wu's.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi Sunday called for an ethics panel investigation of Rep. David Wu following a published allegation that a young woman reported he'd engaged in "aggressive and unwanted sexual behavior."
The Oregon Democrat has been facing calls to resign, but remained silent Sunday over the allegation.
In a statement Sunday night, Pelolsi asked the "Ethics Committee to initiate an investigation into the allegations against Congressman Wu."
Pelosi met with Wu Saturday but neither politician disclosed any details.
The Democratic leader says she will send a letter to leaders of the Republican-led House Monday formally asking for the probe.
Wu's spokesman Erik Dorey did not return repeated phone calls for comment on Pelosi's statement.
Earlier Sunday, Dorey said he couldn't disclose what Wu did during the day or who he might have consulted.
The congressman's only response so far was a brief statement Friday that called the reports serious.
Spokesmen for both Gov. John Kitzhaber and the statewide party organization said Wu hadn't reached out to top Democrats in Oregon.

Jay Cutler Got Cold Feet and Dumped Kristin Cavallari

A source close to the couple confirms to PEOPLE that Cutler proposed over the weekend during their getaway in Cabo San Lucas.

After giving the entire list a glance...it's clear that Cavallari is trying to be very domestic. The amount of cookware she is looking for is absolutely mind-boggling.

It's funny to see the items that have already been fulfilled on the Crate and Barrel list. The cheap beer and shot glasses, the $5.95 gravy boat and $11.95 nutcracker have already been bought by that guy who shows up to the wedding with three separate gifts looking like a big shot.
Cutler had plenty of time to go over the registry. His Chicago Bears have been in full lockout mode for over 120 days now and Cutler certainly hasn't been the guy to bring his teammates together in a attempt to get some practice reps in.
As Drew Brees and other QBs around the league take the initiative and organized team activities without the coaching staff around—Cutler is busy living the Hollywood dream.
But regardless of how you feel about his work ethic and heart on the football field...you can show Cutler how much you like him by purchasing that wooden spoon on the registry.

December Birthstone

December Gemstone: Blue Topaz, Turquoise
December Birthstone Color: Blue

As cool and inviting as a blue lake on a blistering summer day, December's birthstone is derived from the Sanskrit word "tapas," meaning fire. This is because Blue Topaz was considered by ancient civilizations to have cooling properties. Not only was it believed to cool boiling water when thrown into the pot, but to calm hot tempers as well! This gemstone was credited with many other healing powers, among them the ability to cure insanity, asthma, weak vision and insomnia. The Blue Topaz was even thought to have magical properties in its ability to make its wearer invisible in a threatening situation.
Blue Topaz is the hardest of the silicate minerals. While pure Topaz is colorless, minor changes of elements within the stone result in a variety of other colors, such as blue, pale green, red, yellow and pink.
The blue hue is created when Topaz is heated, whether the heat source is natural or engineered by man. The three shades of Blue Topaz are Sky, Swiss and London Blue. The latter is the deepest blue and is often used as a less expensive substitute for Sapphire.
Topaz is found primarily in Brazil, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Pakistan, China, and the United States.
A gift of Blue Topaz is symbolic of love and fidelity. Luckily, this cool blue gemstone has no legendary power to put out the burning flame of love!

Alternate

Turquoise is chemically a hydrated copper/aluminum phosphate, of aggregate, cryptocrystalline structure. Turquoise is formed, over a span of millions of years, it occurs by chemical reaction when water leaks through rocks which containn specific minerals such as alumunium and copper. The percentages of those variious minerals in the rock dictate the gemstone’s shade. They are found as an opaque deposit in veins, or nodules within host rocks, or as shallow crusts on the surrface of rocks. In general, a high proportion of silicate minerals decreases the porosity of the stone and increases hardness, while a high content of clay minerals, give the opposite effect.

The gems are mostly mixed together with black, dark gray or brown veins of other minerals or of the hosting rock (like opal or chalcedony, brown limonite, white kaolinite or black chert). Those stones are called Turquoise matrix. Other minerals like chrysocolla have been used to imitate turquoise.

Turquoise is found in many different forms: turquoise deposited in cracks in rocks (vein turquoise), turquoise formed as nuggets, turquoise formed in a cavity lined with quartz crystals, and turquoise formed in cracks in rock to form disc-shaped or flattened nuggets. They are generally form in arid climates such as the American Southwest.

Spider web turquoise is made up of small nuggets cemented togeher with natural rock or matrix. Most mines produce some spider web turquoise. When cut through, its aggregate mass of nuggets resembles spider web.

Sea form turquoise is a descriptive term applied to a kind of knobby, foam-looking nugget tthat can be polished without cutting, except for flatening the back to mount in jewelry. It has not been popular until the term "Sea Foam" appealed to the buyer.

Colors of Turquoise

Turquoises are one of the most valuable non-transparent minerals, the color ranges from light green to dark green, light blue to dark blue or mixed between the two colors. Most of turquoises are green in color but blue turquoises are more valuable. Variations in color are due to the presence of metals, such as copper impurities in the case of blue turquoise, chromium or vanadium impurities in the case of green turquoise and iron impurities for yellow turquoise. There are also rare specimens of blue-violet color, which contain strontium impurities.

November Birthstone

November Gemstone: Citrine, Yellow Topaz
November Birthstone Color: Yellow

The first civilization thought to wear citrine (a yellow variety of quartz) were the Romans, who shaped it into cabochon—polished but unfaceted cuts of stone worn in jewelry. During the Romantic Period in turn-of-the-century Europe, citrine became more popular for the way it visually enhances gold jewelry. Citrine, like all forms of quartz, was believed to have magical powers and was worn as protection against evil and snake venom poisoning.

Some citrine actually began as purple amethyst, but heat from nearby molten rock changed it to a warm yellow color. Citrine is one of the less-common varieties of quartz, and it ranges from a pale yellow to a dark amber that's named Madeira for its resemblance to the red wine of Portugal.

Alternate Birthstone Yellow Topaz

opaz is found in many colors such as blue, pink, brown, green, and colorless, but yellow is the color most often associated with this gem.
All yellow stones were once called topaz but today the real orange-red “imperial” variety is a rare find
Colorless, blue, yellow, brown, or pink aluminum silicate mineral, often found in association with granitic rocks and valued as a gemstone, especially in the brown and pink varieties
One of the most famous topaz gems is a giant specimen set in the Portuguese Crown.
Another beautiful topaz is kept in the Green Vault in Dresden. The Smithsonian Institution, American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the British Museum display also numerous outstanding rough or cut stones.
Topaz sources are distributed around the world. It is found in the gravel deposits along with other gemstones in Sri Lanka, Madagascar and Myanmar (formerly Burma), because of its hardness and specific gravity.

The most important source for topaz is the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. Some topaz is also mined in the United States, in the Pala region of California, and in the Rocky Mountains.
Natural pink topaz is found in North Pakistan and Russia.

The world's entire supply of imperial topaz is mined from two mines, the Vermelhao mine and the Capao mine, at Ouro Preto in Brazil, where some experts say the deposit will be exhausted very soon.

October Birthstone

October Gemstone: Opal, Pink Tourmaline
October Birthstone Color: Multi-color, Pink

History of opal
Opals were greatly valued by ancient monarchs for their protective powers. They were worn as jewelry and in crowns to ward off evil and to protect the wearer's eyesight. The opal was also ingested in a ground-up powder to protect against nightmares.

Some types of opal do not display play of color. Among those there is the bulk of orange « fire », a green variety resembling chrysoprase called prase opal, and a blue green variety found in Peru.

Due to the sedimentary process resulting from the concentration of silica gel in evaporating seas, opal always contains an amount of water ranging from 3 to 10% of the total weight of the stone. This is the reason why it should be protected from heat or strong light, which can dry the water out, causing cracks.

Ancient opal came from mines in what is now Eastern Slovakia, but these deposits are now exhausted.

Since gold prospectors in Australia found the first pieces of precious opal in 1863, production increased to reach now 98% of the world market. Queen Victoria was one of the first to appreciate opals from this new source.

The brilliance of the play of color is the most important factor.
The colors seen and the pattern of the colors will also influence value.
Black opal, with a black to dark gray body color, has the most brilliant colors and is the most valuable. White and milky opals tend to have more diffused colors due to the light background color, thus making these qualities less expensive.

Opal with red fire is the most valued because the opal that shows red will also show the whole spectral colors when rotated.
The pattern of the play of color also influences value. Large flashes and broad patterns are rarer and more valuable than small pinpoint patterns.

Alternate Birthstone Pink Tourmaline
An alternate birthstone for October, Pink Tourmaline has the seemingly magical property of pyroelectricity. Scientifically speaking, this means that when heated, the gem takes on a static electric charge, making it capable of attracting lightweight objects. No wonder this gemstone was revered for its mystical properties centuries ago! Considered the "stone of the muse," it was believed to stimulate the creative process of its wearer. Pink varieties of Tourmaline range in color from pastel pink to ruby red and are mined in Brazil, Afghanistan, Burma, and India. A gift of this stone is symbolic of hope.

September Birthstone

September Gemstone: Sapphire
September Birthstone Color: Deep Blue

The striking deep blue of a quality sapphire is reminiscent of a cloudless night sky. Ancient civilizations believed that the world was set upon an enormous sapphire, which painted the sky blue with its reflection. This legend, as well as the belief that the ten commandments were inscribed upon tablets made of sapphire, gives September’s birthstone a royal place among gemstones.

Sapphires come from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Australia, and Cambodia. Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, China, Vietnam, Madagascar.

The most famous sources for sapphire are Cashmere and Burma, now known as Myanmar.
Cashmere sapphire has a rich velvety color prized by connoisseurs.
Burma sapphires, from the same region that produces fabulous rubies, are also very fine.

Most fine sapphire on the market today come from Sri Lanka and Madagascar, which produce a wide range of beautiful blues, from delicate sky blue colors to rich saturated hues.

Sri Lanka and Tanzania are also a major supplier of fancy colored sapphires, such as the famous padparadshah (orange-pink color).

Science of sapphire
Sapphire is a form of the mineral corundum, and it exists in a range of colors from light to dark blue. Corundum is the second-hardest mineral after diamond and occurs in a wide variety of colors. Sapphire is any form of corundum that is not red, as red varieties are called rubies. Sapphires can be formed in crystalline limestone, gneiss, schist, and other crystalline rocks. Gem varieties occur chiefly in placer (river gravel) deposits.

August Birthstone

August Gemstone: Peridot, Sardonyx
August Birthstone Color: Pale Green

Peridot
Peridot is a gem-quality transparent variety of olivine, a mineral composed of magnesium-iron silicates. The color of olivine ranges from olive to lime green, sometimes with a brownish tinge. The green color is due to the presence of iron, while the brownish tinge indicates a higher iron content.
Some of the finest peridot stones are called “evening emeralds” because they appear greener under artificial light.
An island in the Red Sea – named Zabargad, which means olivine in Arabic-has been mined for peridot since ancient times. It is a small desolate island – nothing grows, there is no fresh water, and it is scorchingly hot all year round except the middle of winter. In some locations on the island, fissures are lined with gem crystals ranging from millimeters to several centimeters. Beaches near the deposits have a greenish hue due to tiny green peridot crystals.
Peridot crystals are also found in the Mogok district of Burma, Norway, Brazil, China, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Australia, and Mexico. In the United States, small stones can be found in the San Carlos Indian Reservation in Arizona. Peridot has also been found in some meteorites.
Peridot is among the oldest known gemstones. The “topaz” on the breastplate of Aaron, High Priest of the Hebrews in the Old Testament, was believed to actually be peridot. Ancient Egyptians, around 1580 B.C. to 1350 B.C., created beads from peridot. For Greeks and Romans, peridot was in popular use as intaglios, rings, inlays, and pendants.
The peridot was regarded since ancient times as the symbol of the sun. The Greeks believed that it brought royal dignity upon its wearer. During the Middle Ages, peridot was pierced, then strung on the hair of an ass and attached to the left arm to ward off evil spirits. The Crusaders thought that peridots were emeralds, and brought them back to Europe where they were featured as ornaments in churches.
Peridots were a prized gem late in the Ottoman empire (1300-1918). Turkish Sultans collected what is believed to be the world’s largest collection. The gold throne in Istanbul’s Topkapi museum is decorated with 955 peridot cabochons (gems or beads cut in convex form and highly polished) up to 1 inch across, and there are also peridots used as turban ornaments and on jeweled boxes. The largest stone is believed to be a 310 carat gem that belongs to the Smithsonian. A 192 carat stone of fine clear olive-green is part of the Russian crown jewels, in the Kremlin.

Alternate August Birthstones Sardonyx

Not everyone likes Peridot because of its pale yellow-green colour. For some August babies, hope still lies in the traditional birthstone choices of Sardonyx and Carnelian.

Onyx is commonly found containing white, black, and tan, but it can contain every colour except for blue and purple. Sardonyx, however, is named such because of its bands of Sard, a yellow or brownish-red variety of Chalcedony (a form of silica), mixed in with the Onyx. The result is a beautiful series of bands, even within a small stone. Purely black Onyx is still common, but not as common as Onyx with bands.

Another alternative to Peridot is another form of quartz, Aventurine. The most common colour of the stone is green, but it may also be orange, brown, yellow, blue or grey. The Feldspar variety of Aventurine, or Sunstone, and has appeared in red-oranges and light purples, but it is not common.

July Birthstone

July Gemstone: Ruby
July Birthstone Color: Red

History of ruby
The ruby is one of the most highly valued of all gems. Ancient Hindus referred to it as "the king of gems," and royalty used ruby to ward off evil because it was believed to have magical powers. One such magical power was that the ruby would get darker in the presence of evil and lighter when the evil was gone—but only if possessed by its rightful owner.

All colors of corundum except red are called sapphires, which has created a controversy on the boundary between ruby and sapphire in shades of pink corundum. In 1991 the Convention of the International Colored Gemstone Association has passed a resolution: All shades of red should be called ruby because it is too difficult to delineate the different shades of red and pink. In practice the pink stones are known as well as pink ruby / pink sapphire. The most traditional source of fine rubies is Burma now called Myanmar. Rubies of these mines have sometimes color legend purest, described as "pigeon blood". Some fine rubies from Thailand can compete with the Burmese but they generally tend to be darker, with more than a hint of dark purple than pink as the Burmese. Thailand is the most important place of trade in rubies. Nearly 90% of the ruby world spends at one time or another trading. Size industries are located in the region of Chanthaburi. Since two new deposits have been discovered in Vietnam and Madagascar. The most important factor in the value of a ruby is color. The finest qualities are of the purest red.

June Birthstone

June Gemstone: Pearl, Moonstone, Alexandrite
June Birthstone Color: White or Purple

From one of the humblest of life forms, the mollusk, comes the pearl -- a gem of unsurpassed beauty and elegance. Ancient civilizations had many stories to explain the origin of June's birthstone, such as the Greek belief that pearls were the hardened tears of joy that the goddess of love shook from her eyes as she was born from the sea. According to Arab legend, pearls were formed when oysters were lured from the depths of the ocean by the beautiful moon and then swallowed moonlit dewdrops. And the Ancient Chinese thought that these gems originated from the brains of dragons.

Science of moonstone
The strange light-refractive qualities of moonstone are caused by lamellar intergrowths inside the crystal. These structures form from layers caused by chemicals responding to hot and cold temperatures differently. When light enters the stone, it is bounced back and forth between these layers before it exits as the glowing moon-like effect we see.

Modern birthstone: emerald
Zodiac gemstone for Taurus: sapphire
Ancient traditional birthstones:
Hebrew: agate
Roman: agate
Arabic: emerald
Hindu: emerald
Polish: emerald
Guardian angel: Amriel
His talismanic stone: carbuncle (garnet)

History of emerald

Thousands of years ago, the ancient Egyptians mined the Earth, suffering through extreme conditions to find the prized green emerald. Cleopatra was so taken with these stones that she claimed the mines for herself. In fact, she was known for wearing lots of huge emerald jewelry, and gave emeralds carved with her portrait to her important visitors.

Science of emerald
Emerald is another variety of beryl, the mineral that includes aquamarine (blue), heliodor (yellow to gold), and morganite (pink to peach). The reason for emerald's vivid green color is that chromium and iron infiltrated its mineral structure during formation. It is surprisingly common for emeralds to contain flaws and veins of chemicals called inclusions. These little imperfections are an accepted feature of the stone's identity.

The custom of wearing birthstones probably first became popular in Poland in the fifteenth or sixteenth century. For more information about the history of birthstones, try The Curious Lore of Precious Stones by George Frederick Kunz, a fascinating compendium of all the powers that have been associated with gemstones through the ages. For example, birthstones originally may have been worn each month by everyone, since the powers of the gemstone were heightened during its month. If that is true, to get the full effect, you need to go out and get a full set of twelve and rotate them each year!

April Birthstone

April Gemstone: Diamond
April Birthstone Color: White, Clear

Diamond is the hardest substance found in nature, everyone knows that.
Diamond is 4 times harder than the next hardest natural mineral, corundum more specifically sapphire and ruby.
If a diamond receives a sharp blow in one of it’s forth cleavage directions it will split. A skilled diamond setter should prevent exposing a diamond in any of these directions when mounted in a jewelry piece.
Diamonds have been revered throughout history. Used to embellish such items as crowns, swords and emblems as well as jewelry, they've even been part of national holidays. Queen Victoria declared the celebration of her 50th year of reign a "Diamond Jubilee." Diamonds have also been credited for having certain medicinal properties. During the middle ages, these gemstones were thought to heal illness, but only if the ailing person took the Diamond into bed to warm it up first!
Diamond comes in a broad color range, high refraction, high dispersion (also known as fire), very low reactivity to chemicals and rarity.
Diamonds are in almost every color of the rainbow plus browns, grays, and white. Shades of yellow are most common, followed by colorless. Blue, black, reddish, and greenish are usually more valuable.
Diamonds are found in a type of rock called “Kimberlite”, which comprises the core of certain volcanoes over especially thick portions of the earth’s crust.
Diamonds are found in many areas including South Africa, Russia, and even in Arkansas in the USA.
Many diamonds are mined in the alluvial deposits across river beds in areas such as along the coast of South Africa.
The ancient Hindus called the Diamond “Vajra,” meaning lightening, mainly because of the sparks of light as well as its invincible strength.
The ancient Greeks believed that diamonds were splinters of stars fallen to earth.
Diamond is the symbol of everlasting love. There is nothing more convincing than a promise of an enduring relationship with the brilliant gemstone
A gift of a Diamond is symbolic of everlasting love. There is no more convincing a promise of an enduring relationship than the brilliant gemstone that has endured in people's hearts throughout the ages.

March Birthstone

March Gemstone: Aquamarine, Bloodstone
March Birthstone Color: Pale Blue

History of aquamarine
Aquamarine's name comes from the words "aqua" and "mare," meaning water and sea, from of its intense blue-green color. Because of its resemblance to the ocean, sailors used to wear talismans made of aquamarine depicting the god Neptune, who ruled the seas. With the help of their god, they believed the aquamarine would offer them protection from the elements.

Science of aquamarine
Aquamarine is a variety of the mineral beryl. Beryl generally forms inside granites as magma (molten rock) cools deep inside the Earth. Beryl comes in many different colors, ranging from clear to the deep green of the stones we know as emeralds. Aquamarine, though, is usually blue-green in color due to the presence of iron within the mineral's structure. Less desirable yellow or clear aquamarines can be heat-treated to produce the vibrant blue-green hue.

February Birthstone

February Gemstone: Amethyst
February Birthstone Color: Purple

Those born in February chose their birthstone, Amethyst, to relieve stress and achieve mental balance.

They may also benefit from the choice of aqua, turquoise and some jades, placed particularly in the office or in the studio, especially the sign Pisces.
Amethyst is a type of quartz. The amethysts have a moderate price. The deep purple are the most expensive, the lavender-blue are the least expensive.
This is the rock of humility and spiritual peace, also of piety and resignation. It partners with Bacchus, the god of wine and thought he could cure alcoholism.

Consequently became a symbol of sobriety that is because the similarity of water and wine into a jug of amethyst, but without the intoxicating effects.
Amethyst is the most precious form of quartz that is, the purple color of amethyst is generated from the mixture of iron with magnesium within the quartz.
In ancient times, amethyst was considered a gemstone because of their rarity and beauty, but after the discovery of large oilfields in 1800 in Brazil (the largest producer of amethyst today) grew much availability and cheaper price. His original and attractive amethyst color makes today is one of the most valued gemstones.
A good amethyst must be clear, and the more intense is your most valuable color is.

January Birthstone

January Gemstone: Garnet
January Birthstone Color: Deep Red

Color

Nearly everyone thinks of garnet as a red gem. In fact, this family of gems is available in all colors except blue.

Lore

Garnet, according to legend, gives its wearer guidance in the night travel, protects from nightmares, promotes long-lasting love, and prevents depression and hearing difficulties. It also is said to insure stability and encourages success.

Why Buy

Birthstone for January. This is also the gem to give on the second anniversary. They are suitable gems for mounting in both woman's and gent's jewellery. Garnet is an excellent gem selection for someone with an active lifestyle. The wide variety of sun kissed colors of Garnet connote a zestful flavor for life.

Found

Garnets are found throughout the world in such places as Africa, India, Australia, North and South America.

Care

Clean your garnet in ultrasonic jewellery cleaner or with warm soapy water and soft bristle brush.
Avoid sudden temperature changes

Singer Amy Winehouse found dead at her home in London

Amy Winehouse, the beehived soul-jazz diva whose self-destructive habits overshadowed a distinctive musical talent, was found dead Saturday in her London home, police said. She was 27.

Police confirmed that a 27-year-old female was pronounced dead at the home in Camden Square northern London; the cause of death was not immediately known. London Ambulance Services said Winehouse had died before the two ambulance crews it sent arrived at the scene.

Amy Jade Winehouse (born 14 September 1983) is an English singer and songwriter, known for her eclectic mix of various musical genres including R&B, soul, jazz, rock & roll, and ska. Winehouse is best known for her soulful, powerful contralto vocals.

Winehouse's 2003 debut album Frank was commercially and critically successful in her native Britain. It was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Her 2006 follow-up album Back to Black led to six Grammy Award nominations and five wins, tying the record for the most wins by a female artist in a single night, and made Winehouse the first British singer to win five Grammys, including three of the "Big Four": Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. On 14 February 2007, she won a BRIT Award for Best British Female Artist; she had also been nominated for Best British Album. She has won the Ivor Novello Award three times, one in 2004 for Best Contemporary Song (musically and lyrically) for "Stronger Than Me", one in 2007 for Best Contemporary Song for "Rehab", and one in 2008 for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for "Love Is a Losing Game", among other prestigious distinctions.

Winehouse has been credited as being an influence in the rise in popularity of female musicians and soul music.

Winehouse has received media attention apart from her singing. Her distinctive style has been the muse for fashion designers such as Karl Lagerfeld. The singer's problems with drug and alcohol addiction, as well as self-destructive behaviour, have become regular tabloid news since 2007. She and her former husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, were plagued by legal troubles that left him serving prison time. In 2008, Winehouse faced a series of health complications that threatened both her career and her life.

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries Royal Wedding 2

The Highly publicized engagement between kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries will culminate into wedding on 20th August 2011.
The love romance that lasted six months will be more spectacular since the wedding will happen next month. Hence, the “Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries wedding” will be one of the weddings coming up that celebrity fans will be focused on.

PBS

3PBS - Home of little heard music

For More Info Visit: eno.emit.com

OIL company Shell will publicly disclose the names of chemicals to be used in the planned shale gas hydraulic fracturing in the Karoo, Shell SA Upstream GM Jan-Willem Eggink said yesterday.

The move by the company is meant to allay fears that hydraulic fracturing or fracking would lead to groundwater contamination in the water-scarce area.

Farmers, landowners and residents of the Karoo have come out against Shell and other companies’ plans to extract shale gas in the area, citing the negative environmental effects of fracking .

Fracking is a method of exploiting shale gas by pumping a mixture of water, sand and chemicals into the rock formations at high pressure.

Speaking at a conference on shale gas in Johannesburg, Mr Eggink said Shell would not compete with the people of the Karoo "for their water needs". "Nobody will go short of fresh water because of our operations," he said.

Mr Eggink said that at each drilling location Shell would disclose the fracturing fluids used . "The key challenge in the Karoo is access to water, not hydraulic fracturing or possible spills," he said.

Shell’s possible water sources were deep-level saline water, surface water, municipal waste water and sea water, Mr Eggink said.

According to an environmental management plan submitted by Shell Exploration Company, a Shell subsidiary, to the Petroleum Agency of SA (Pasa) as part of its application for exploration rights, Shell intends to explore for shale gas in an area of about 30000km2 .

In terms of the plan, Shell said the exploration activities would include drilling up to eight exploration wells and engaging in hydraulic fracturing. "Fracturing would only be performed if hydrocarbons are found following the drilling of an exploration well," the company said.

The conference has further exposed contrasting opinions on shale gas. Karoo communities remain steadfast in their opposition to plans to extract it in the area.

Karoo resident and lawyer Derek Light yesterday accused Shell of failing to consult with Karoo residents on its plans. "We have appealed to industry and government to allow for proper engagement," he said.

Other companies with plans to extract gas from the Karoo include Sasol , which is in a joint venture with Norway’s Statoil and the US’s Chesapeake Energy Corporation. Pasa granted the joint venture a permit to prospect for shale gas last year.

Mr Light accused companies that intend to extract shale gas from the Karoo of rushing the application process "with indecent haste".

"We have been saying do not rush this process," he said.

But NT Energy Africa MD Chris Mumby said: "We need to debate all variables (but) what is happening is that industry is shut down even before it has opened its mouth." He said engineers should play a prominent role in the fracking debate.

Earlier this year, the Department of Mineral Resources declared a moratorium on oil and gas exploration licences in the Karoo while a task team investigates the implications of fracking.

Spokesman Bheki Khumalo said on Monday that the task team would report to Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu soon.

Ivanka Trump has a new little costar, though the baby girl likely won't appear on "The Celebrity Apprentice" any time soon.

Trump, with husband Jared Kushner, gave birth to a girl Sunday morning in New York and apparently had such an easy go of it, she was up for a tweet.

"This morning @jaredkushner and I welcomed a beautiful and healthy little baby girl into the world," she wrote.

"We feel incredibly grateful & blessed. Thank you all for your support and well wishes!"

Just two days before delivery, the daughter of Donald Trump hit the red carpet looking bump-alicious in white with Kushner in tow for a screening of the film "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan."

This is the first child for the couple, who wed in October 2009.

On Saturday, controllers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena received an indication they had been waiting for from the Dawn spacecraft. Dawn had successfully entered orbit around the astroid Vesta marking the first time a spacecraft had entered orbit around an object in the Asteroid Belt.
Vesta is a very large asteroid with an average diameter of about 529 kilometers, about 330 miles. This gives surface area of about 879,100 square kilometers and a volume of 77,510,000 cubic kilometers. Although Vesta is classified as an asteroid, part of an August 2006 proposal from the International Astronomical Union would reclassify Vesta as a dwarf planet. This is the same proposal that reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet.
Launched aboard a Delta II rocket in September of 2007, Dawn has utilized an innovative ion propulsion drive, based on the Deep Space 1 ion drive, as well as a gravity assist from Mars to reach Vesta in the Asteroid Belt. To provide power to the ion drive and other on-board systems, the spacecraft has two very large solar arrays stretching almost 20 meters from tip to tip. This is enough surface area to produce more than 10 kW of power at 1 AU and over 1 kW of power within the Asteroid Belt. Dawn has a suite of 4 science instruments: a Framing Camera to provide imaging, a Visible and Infrared Spectrometer for the production of spectral images, a Gamma Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (GRaND) to measure the abundances of elements on the surface, and an instrument that provides highly accurate measurements of the spacecraft’s orbit allowing for a mapping of the gravity field. Dawn will remain in orbit around Vesta for approximately 1 year before engaging its ion drive once again and heading for the dwarf planet Ceres which also lies in the Asteroid Belt.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of NASA. The articles I write for GeekDad are independent of my day-job and I am not officially representing NASA in this capacity.

August Comex gold futures on Monday hit another new all-time record high of $1,604.50 an ounce, as of this writing. Since scoring a fresh six-week low of $1,478.30 on July 1, gold futures prices have rallied by more than $120.00 an ounce. The main bullish fundamental inputs for safe-haven gold have been the ongoing European Union sovereign-debt crisis, and most recently heightened concerns the U.S. debt problem is not going to be effectively dealt with by the U.S. government.

From a technical perspective the gold market remains longer-term bullish and the bulls have recently regained fresh upside near-term technical momentum. There are no early technical clues to suggest a market top is in place for gold, and at present the path of least resistance for prices remains sideways to higher until near-term technicals suggest otherwise. The fact that prices Monday pushed above what was psychological resistance at $1,600.00 an ounce suggests more price gains in the near term.

Longer-term charts show that Comex gold futures prices are in a 10-year-old uptrend, from the 2001 low of $255.00 an ounce.

Gold bulls' next near-term upside technical objective is to produce a close above technical resistance at $1,625.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is closing prices below solid technical support at the June high of $1,559.30. First resistance is seen at the overnight record high of $1,610.00 and then at $1,615.00. First support is seen at the overnight low of $1,591.40 and then at $1,580.00.

It takes a powerful wizard to defeat "The Dark Knight," but based on early media reports, all indications are that the final episode in the onscreen Harry Potter saga, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2," is on track to beat the $158.4 million opening weekend record set by "The Dark Knight" in 2008.
Thanks to a combination of breathless, nostalgic anticipation for the last installment in the series, a raft of sold-out midnight screenings on Thursday and higher ticket prices for the first 3-D installment in the $6 billion franchise, experts are predicting that a series of records could fall by Sunday.

According to the Los Angeles Times, thanks to 10,000 midnight screenings on Friday (July 15) and nearly sold-out IMAX shows through Saturday, the movie had already rolled up an estimated $45 million box office by Thursday before the doors had opened for a single showing.

To put that into perspective, that's a shade under the $53 million that "Green Lantern" made over the course of its entire opening weekend last month.

"Potter" is opening in 4,575 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, and Deadline Hollywood predicted that based on the early tracking, it could smash the "Dark Knight" high-water mark and possibly reach $180 million in opening weekend grosses. Another record almost sure to crumble is the biggest single day ever, which was set by "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," which pulled in $72 million, a figure that could be eclipsed (pun intended) by an estimated $80 million that "Hallows" is projected to collect between the $40 million in midnight screenings and an additional $40 million on Friday.

Look for "Hallows" to also take the biggest foreign opening weekend crown, a record recently set by "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," which boosted $260 million earlier this summer. "Potter" studio Warner Bros. expects the film to smash that figure, though it's unclear if it will be able to beat the worldwide seven-day opening gross mark set by "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," which raked in $402 million in its first week in June.

A good sign, though, is that "Hallows" has already broken records Down Under. The Hollywood Reporter noted that following its midnight opening on Wednesday, it took in more than $7.4 million in its first 24 hours in Australia, smashing the previous mark of nearly $1.8 million in the first 24 hours for "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King."

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