NEWSWIRE

Monday July 30th 9:22 am

NEW YORK - Boy George will perform
his court-ordered community service
by picking up trash on city streets in
the August heat, a sanitation
spokesman said. The one-time Culture
Club singer will be issued a shovel,
broom, plastic bags and gloves when
he reports for five days of work on
Aug. 14, department spokesman Vito
Turso said. "This is the epitome of
community service," Turso told the
Daily News for Monday editions. "It's
not like he's going to be working in an
air-conditioned office."

Thu Aug 3, 4:01 PM ET

LONDON (AFP) - Elvis Presley's cherished teddy bear Mabel was
reportedly all shook up after being mauled by an apparently jealous
guard dog hired to protect her at a British museum. he rare toy,
made in 1909 by German manufacturer Steiff and valued at 40,000
pounds (75,000 dollars, 59,000 euros), was to have formed the
centrepiece of a valuable collection on display at Wookey Hole
Caves, in Somerset, southwest England.

But for some reason Barney, the Dobermann pinscher charged with
protecting the precious cuddly toy and the other fluffy exhibits, took
against them, going on the rampage in a frenzied after-hours attack.

Mabel was disembowled of her soft stuffing and had her head
severed. The damage is believed to be irreperable.

"Barney has been a model guard dog for more than six years. I still
can't believe what happened," security guard Greg West was quoted
as saying after the attack on Tuesday night.

"Either there was a rogue scent of some kind on Mabel, which
switched on Barney's deepest instincts, or it could have been
jealousy. I was just stroking Mabel and saying what a nice bear she
was."

Mabel was bought by local aristocrat Sir Benjamin Slade at an
auction in Memphis, Tennessee, and was on a work surface while a
glass case was being built for her.

Wookey Hall general manager Daniel Medley was quoted as saying
he had spoken to Sir Benjamin.

"He is not very pleased at all," he added.

Wed Jul 26, 11:37 AM ET

NEW YORK -        Lance Bass, band member of 'N Sync, says
he's gay and in a "very stable" relationship with a reality show
star. Bass, who formed 'N Sync with        Justin Timberlake,
   JC Chasez,        Joey Fatone and        Chris Kirkpatrick,
tells People magazine that he didn't earlier disclose his
sexuality because he didn't want to affect the group's
popularity.

Aug 24th 2006 10:24 am

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Leading astronomers declared Thursday that Pluto is no longer
a planet under historic new guidelines that downsize the solar system from nine planets to
eight.

After a tumultuous week of clashing over the essence of the cosmos, the International
Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of the planetary status it has held since its discovery in
1930. The new definition of what is — and isn't — a planet fills a centuries-old black hole for
scientists who have labored since Copernicus without one.

Although astronomers applauded after the vote, Jocelyn Bell Burnell — a specialist in
neutron stars from Northern Ireland who oversaw the proceedings — urged those who might
be "quite disappointed" to look on the bright side.

Punk venue CBGB's closing after 33 years By LARRY McSHANE,
Associated Press Writer
Mon Oct 9, 2:56 PM ET

"Every night was memorable, except I don't remember 'em," said a
laughing McNeil, co-author of the punk rock history "Please Kill Me."

After Sunday, memories are all that will remain when the cramped club
with its capacity of barely 300 people goes out of business after 33
years. Although its boom years are long gone, CBGB's remained a
Manhattan music scene fixture: part museum, part barroom, home to
more than a few rock and roll ghosts.

The club didn't exit without a fight. An assortment of high-profile
backers, including E Street Band guitarist Little Steven Van Zandt,
battled to keep the legendary club open. But in the end, it was a simple
landlord-tenant dispute — and owner Hilly Kristal saw the handwriting on
the club's dank walls.