Mars Rock-Zapping Laser Explained

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Mars Rock-Zapping Laser Explained

By Christina DesMarais, PCWorld Aug 18, 2012
A rock-zapping laser and telescopic combination called ChemCam is getting a lot of attention with NASA's rover Curiosity landing on Mars.

But what is it?

Here's an explainer, as well as more details about the mission.

ChemCam can look at rocks and soils from a distance, fire a laser to vaporize the materials and analyze them with an on-board spectrograph that measures the composition of the resulting plasma. NASA says ChemCam can also use the laser to do less destructive things, such as clear away dust from Martian rocks as well as use a

'Sparkle' adds a bright facet to Whitney Houston's legacy

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'Sparkle' adds a bright facet to Whitney Houston's legacy

By Claudia Puig, USA TODAY
2012/8/18/

Sparkle (* * 1/2 stars out of four, PG-13, opens Friday) shines brightest during its musical numbers.
The melodramatic story is familiar, though the talented cast makes the most of rather tired material.

A remake of the 1976 original, this version is set in Detroit during

Google’s Motorola Files New Patent Case Against Apple

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Google’s Motorola Files New Patent Case Against Apple

By Susan Decker on August 18, 2012

Google Inc. (GOOG)’s Motorola Mobility unit said it filed a new patent-infringement case against Apple Inc. (AAPL) claiming that features on some Apple devices, including the Siri voice-recognition program, infringe its patents.

Wash. Residents Go Home Near Fire, Still 'On Edge'

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Wash. Residents Go Home Near Fire, Still 'On Edge'

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS Associated Press
SPOKANE, Wash. August 18, 2012
As hundreds of residents in Washington and California were allowed to return to homes once threatened by major wildfires, some people were told to evacuate as encroaching blazes neared Idaho towns.

For Suburbs of NYC, Challenge Is to Lure Tourists

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For Suburbs of NYC, Challenge Is to Lure Tourists

By JIM FITZGERALD Associated Press
WEST POINT, N.Y. August 18, 2012 (AP)
The Empire State Building casts a long shadow.

Suburbs in the metropolitan area are stepping up efforts to attract tourist dollars, but they have to deal with the proximity of New York City, the country's biggest magnet for visitors and their money.

Our tax-charity index: Romney gives 31%, Obama 42%

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Our tax-charity index: Romney gives 31%, Obama 42%

August 17, 2012|By James Rainey
Mitt Romney is really sick of talking about his taxes. But he won’t release more than two years of returns (the 2011 return is said to be on the way), so people are going to keep asking for more.

On Thursday in South Carolina, Romney took the bait of a reporter’s question to talk about his taxes, certainly against the fervent wishes of Republicans, who would love to see the issue firmly tabled. “Over the past 10 years, I never paid less than 13%,”

Joey Kovar's brother: 'Last thing' family suspects is drugs

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Joey Kovar's brother: 'Last thing' family suspects is drugs

Aug 18, 2012
By Ann Oldenburg, USA TODAY
An autopsy is expected to be performed today on reality TV star Joey Kovar, who was found dead in suburban Chicago on Friday.

The Chicago Tribune reports that police are conducting a death investigation but no foul play is suspected. Kovar, who appeared on Real World: Hollywood and the third season of Celebrity Rehab, was a former personal trainer and body builder who had openly battled drug and alcoholic addictions.

While TMZ reports that before he died, Kovar had taken a "deadly

Scientist developing birth control for men

Scientist developing birth control for men

August 17, 2012, by Amanda Meadows
(CBS) – A Harvard’s scientist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, says he and his colleagues may have stumbled on the 1st effective birth control pill. James Bradner created an Bradner, creating an inhibitor molecule that could make cancer cells “forget” they were cancer, leading to potential new treatments for lung and blood cancers.
However, while doing experiments he realized the molecule, named JQ1, can also inhibit a protein in the testes that is necessary for fertility. For the full story, click on the video below:

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U.S. Treasury revamps Fannie, Freddie support deal

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U.S. Treasury revamps Fannie, Freddie support deal

Aug. 17, 2012
By Nick Timiraos
WASHINGTON--The U.S. Treasury Department will revamp the terms of its nearly four-year-old financial backing of Fannie Mae FNMA -1.67% and Freddie Mac FMCC 0.00% in a bid to allay investor concerns that the companies could one day exhaust their federal lifelines.

The renegotiated agreements, announced Friday, will change the way the firms pay the government and are designed to ensure that that Fannie and Freddie aren't revived as private companies.

First Pitch: Where do the Yankees stand?

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First Pitch: Where do the Yankees stand?

By Matt Ehalt | ESPNNewYork.com

2012/8/17

They fell in the finale Thursday, but the Yankees still took three of four games against Texas this week and have the best record in the American League. The Yankees lead Texas by 1 1/2 games for the top spot in the AL and finished 4-3 against the Rangers this year.

Hope Solo: 'Dancing' pro Maks 'hit my stomach,' 'slapped me'

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Hope Solo: 'Dancing' pro Maks 'hit my stomach,' 'slapped me'

Comments
By Ann Oldenburg, USA TODAY
2012/8/17

When Olympic star Hope Solo was partnered with pro Maks Chmerkovskiy on Dancing with the Stars in Season 13 last year, things got a little bit physical.

We saw Maks shove Hope during a rehearsal segment that was broadcast on the show. But that was it. Now, the soccer star has released a memoir, Solo: A Memoir of Hope in which she says

Options grow for bundling wireless, Internet and cable

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Options grow for bundling wireless, Internet and cable

By Mike Snider and Roger Yu, USA TODAY

2012/8/17

The good news: Consumers could soon have more options for bundling their wireless, Internet and cable TV services.
The bad news: If you were waiting for more competition — or lower prices — for broadband or wireless service, you could be waiting in vain.

Conservative, gay rights groups spar over shooting

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Conservative, gay rights groups spar over shooting

By By ERIC TUCKER and BEN NUCKOLS, Associated Press
2012/8/17

WASHINGTON (AP) — As authorities revealed details about the Family Research Council shooting, the head of the influential conservative organization blamed the attack on "reckless rhetoric," but then delivered his own politically-charged remark, saying critics gave the accused gunman "a license to shoot an unarmed man."

Twitter API update places limits on third-party applications

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Twitter API update places limits on third-party applications

Shane McGlaun, Aug 17th 2012
Twitter has gone official with changes that will land in version 1.1 of its API. Some of the changes will help twitter to reduce the number of spam accounts and bots that use the service, but the changes will also restrict third-party applications. Specifically, the changes to the new version of the API will place a limit on how often third-party twitter clients and other services are able to access information on twitter.

2 US troops killed in Afghan police attack, NATO says

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2 US troops killed in Afghan police attack, NATO says

Published August 17, 2012

Associated Press

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A newly recruited Afghan village policeman opened fire on his American allies on Friday, killing two U.S. service members minutes after they gave him a new weapon as a present. It was the latest in a disturbing string of attacks by Afghan security forces on the international troops training them.

Friday Flicks: Does The Expendables 2 Have More Action Stars than Any Movie in History?

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Friday Flicks: Does The Expendables 2 Have More Action Stars than Any Movie in History?

Grab some popcorn and check out the movies you should see (or avoid) this weekend.
By GLEN LEVY | @glenjl | August 17, 2012 

Can you imagine if a bomb had gone off during the shoot of The Expendables 2, and rid the world of – take a deep breath – Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Chuck

Towns for Sale

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Towns for Sale

Buy Your Way to “Mayor”
Aug 13, 2012
News items pop up regularly about entire towns and villages going up for sale. In April, Buford, Wyo., sold to a Vietnamese buyer for $900,000. The same month, a couple bought the tiny town of Wauconda, Wash., for $360,000. In May, the French “ghost village” of Courbefy sold to an American photographer for about $643,000.

More teens have oral sex earlier than vaginal intercourse

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More teens have oral sex earlier than vaginal intercourse

2012/8/16 
By Karen Weintraub, Special for USA TODAY

Two-thirds of teens and young adults have had oral sex — about as many as have had vaginal intercourse, suggests research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The data speak to changing social mores and the need to educate teens about the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease from oral sex, experts say.

Today’s sexy body hack: eat walnuts to boost sperm health

Today’s sexy body hack: eat walnuts to boost sperm health

AUG 16, 2012

 Robert T. Gonzalez

Two handfuls of walnuts. That's all it takes. Just two handfuls (around 75 grams/day), and your sperm quality will improve "in terms of concentration, vitality, movement, shape and chromosome abnormalities," according to a study recounted in the latest issue of the journal Biology of Reproduction.

Actress Mayim Bialik injured in LA car accident

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Actress Mayim Bialik injured in LA car accident

2012/8/16   By cbs news

LOS ANGELES — Actress Mayim Bialik has been hospitalized after she was injured in a car accident in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles police spokesman Richard French says the 36-year-old actress's left hand and thumb were cut severely. Another car had made a left turn and crashed into Bialik's vehicle shortly before noon Wednesday, activating the air bags.

Bialik was taken to a hospital. The three occupants of the other car suffered only minor injuries and were able to leave the scene on their own.