Overnight News Digest: "Black Diamond" Edition

Welcome to the Overnight News Digest (OND) for Tuesday, February 26, 2013.

OND is a regular community feature on Daily Kos, consisting of news stories from around the world, sometimes coupled with a daily theme, original research or commentary.  Editors of OND impart their own presentation styles and content choices, typically publishing near 12:00AM Eastern Time.

Creation and early water-bearing of the OND concept came from our very own Magnifico - proper respect is due.

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This diary is named for its "Hump Point" video: Black Diamond by Kiss

News below Aunt Flossie's hairdo . . .

Please feel free to browse and add your own links, content or thoughts in the Comments section.

Any timestamps shown are relative to each publication.

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	Top News
Khloé Kardashian Fears For Lamar Odom: His Month Of Excessive Partying By (Life&Style Weekly) Whether he's away or in LA to stay, Lamar Odom will play — and it's something that concerns his wife Khloé Kardashian. As Life & Style reports in this week's issue, Lamar's father, Joe, reveals to Life & Style that the former X Factor host has concerns for the 33-year-old NBA player. “He likes to party,” Joe tells Life & Style. “I think, probably as a wife, you know, you worry about your husband.” Over the past month, the LA Clippers star has been out and about excessively drinking. Nowhere in sight? Khloe. Rick Springfield Returns To GH! By (Soap Opera Digest) Rick Springfield confirmed to People that he will return to GH as Noah Drake for a short run in April in conjunction with the shows' 50th anniversary. His son, Liam Springthorpe, has also landed a GH gig and will appear as an undercover cop, the mag reports. Maksim Chmerkovskiy Talks Leave From 'Dancing With the Stars'— New Cast Revealed! By (In Touch) Sorry, ladies! Maksim Chmerkovskiy will be sitting this season out on Dancing With the Stars. . . . "I just want to set the record straight to all of my amazing fans that I will unfortunately not be returning for this season of Dancing With the Stars," Maksim tells In Touch in a statement. "I’ve been a pro dancer on the show for about seven years now and am eager to explore other opportunities that have been made possible because of Dancing With the Stars. I'm going to take this time to dive into producing and acting, while fulfilling my sponsorship obligations." . . . “We frequently rotate the professional dancers, so it is not unusual for them to rest a cycle,” an ABC spokesperson says. “As we consider who will be matched up each season, there are a lot of factors that dictate which couples make the best pairings. We appreciate each of our dancers dedication to the show, so this is a very difficult decision. Anna, Chelsie, Maks and Louis continue to be a part of the Dancing With the Stars family.” Since last season, it's been rumored that the 33-year-old dancer might not return to the hit show, in order to pursue other career opportunities.

	International
POPE'S DIARY REVEALS HIS GRIM STATE & OTHER SECRETS By (Globe) A secret diary discloses the shocking reason behind Pope Benedict XVI's shattering decision to quit as head of the Catholic Church - the beloved pontiff has just weeks to live! Learn about the bombshell revelations dropped in the diary -- including the Pope's hidden health woes and the bitter betrayals that left him heartbroken - only in the new GLOBE. WORLD EXCLUSIVE! BLADE RUNNER’S GIRLFRIEND WAS PREGNANT! By (National Enquirer) . . . What was supposed to be a ro­mantic Valentine’s Day for the couple at the Olympic hero’s South African mansion exploded into a deadly rampage when she broke the baby news to Oscar – shortly after he’d flown into a jealous rage over suspicions that she was cheating on him. “Police believe the preg­nancy secret she revealed is what sent Pistorius over the edge and left her dead, with bullet wounds to the head, chest, pelvis and hand,” an insider close to investigation told The ENQUIRER. . . . But the Blade Runner continued to vent, and desperate Reeva blurt­ed out that she was pregnant with  his child, investigators believe. Instead of soothing him, cops think that the baby revelation incensed Pistorius even more and he screamed that the baby wasn’t his before launching his deadly attack. . . . The Blade Runner’s dark, danger­ous side – including his fascination with guns – is well-known to previous girlfriends. In fact, at the time of the shooting, a source says Pistorius was applying for seven gun permits, in­cluding one for a machine gun. ALIEN SPACESHIPS TO ATTACK EARTH IN MARCH 2013! By Frank Lake Three giant alien spaceships are again heading for Earth!  Scientists predict the new ships will arrive in March 2013. . . . “Three giant spaceships are heading toward Earth. The largest one of them is 200 miles wide. Two others are slightly smaller. At present, the objects are just moving past Jupiter.  Judging by their speed, they should be on Earth by the fall of  2012,” said John Malley, the lead extraterrestrial expert at SETI. Three similar giant ships landed in China and the Indonesia Sea in November, 2011.  They were identified as alien spaceships from Planet Gootan. Three more giant Gootan ships are headed her for March, 2013. Prince Harry: At Your Service in Afghanistan By (People) You can call him Captain Wales! Prince Harry, 28, leaves life in the Palace for Afghanistan, where he began serving his now-completed four-month tour of duty as an Apache attack helicopter co-pilot in September. "Take a life to save a life," he says in a recently released interview about the frontline. That's what we revolve around." . . . The hard-working prince squeezes in some play, too, as he takes control ... of the joystick! "I'm one of those people who loves playing PlayStation and Xbox, so with my thumbs I like to think that I'm probably quite useful," he jokes. "You can ask the guys – I thrash them at FIFA [soccer video game] the whole time." . . . Hang on tight! The prince prepares for a day of work with Britain's 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment Army Air Corp, which means braving the frontline and the threat of the Taliban. "No one knows who's in the cockpit," he says, adding, "Yes, you get shot at."

	USA Politics, Economy, Major Events
GEORGE BUSH ALZHEIMER'S SHOCKER By (Globe) In a world exclusive, GLOBE has learned that friends of former President George W. Bush fear he is stricken with brain-savaging Alzheimer's disease - and their alarm is shared by his wife Laura. Get this issue of GLOBE and discover the sad details of the former Commander-in-Chief's tragic condition - including why he spends his days painting nude portraits -- of himself! LINDBERGH KIDNAPPED OWN BABY?! By (National Enquirer) . . . Plucked from his parents’ remote home in Hopewell, N.J., in March 1932, the baby’s demise led to one of the most dramatic trials in U.S. history – and many believe the chilling crime is STILL unsolved despite the conviction of Bruno Hauptmann. . . . The expert reveals Lindbergh’s son had an abnormally large cranium, unfused skull bones and overlapping toes. The boy actually had trouble standing. But a pre-trial deposition downplayed the child’s birth defects and merely described his health problems– chilling new charge as a “moderate rickety condition.” Little Charlie’s imperfection greatly troubled Lindbergh, who was fascinated with eugenics – improving human hereditary traits through breeding – the author charges. . . . Gardner’s theory about Lindbergh’s involvement isn’t that farfetched, says an expert. Mark Falzini, an archivist for one of the largest repositories of material on the case, says Gardner’s theory shouldn’t be dismissed. “It’s something that needs to be seriously looked at,” says Falzini. Jodi Arias Stands Tough After Three Days of Cross-Examination By (Howard Breuer) Jodi Arias, the photographer who says she stabbed her Mormon lover and shot him in the head in self-defense after he repeatedly demeaned and harmed her, isn't letting the prosecutor in the case push her around. On Tuesday, after spending roughly half of the first two months of her trial on the witness stand and in her third day of cross-examination, Arias, 32, continued to shrug off prosecutor Juan Martinez's attempts to rattle her and expose her as a manipulative and jealous lover who told "a litany of lies" to avoid the death penalty. . . . Martinez suggested Arias was manipulative and insincere after Travis Alexander's June 2008 slaying. He described Arias attending his memorial service in Mesa, Ariz., where she chatted with Alexander's friends (including a new girlfriend of Alexander's with whom he was supposed to fly to Cancun the week he was killed); calling a police detective offering to help; and sending his grandmother, Norma Sarvey, 20 white irises and an 18-page sympathy letter saying two masked intruders killed him and almost killed her. Is the POTUS Ready For Sasha and Malia to Date? Michelle Obama Talks! By (In Touch) . . . First Lady Michelle Obama sat down with Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, where she dished on what happens to the POTUS when it’s time for their daughters, Sasha and Malia, to date. . . . "Barack pretends like he's going to handle this so well when it happens ... but it's going to be fun to watch,” Michelle told Rachael Ray of her girls’ dating life on Feb. 1. “It's already fun to see him squirming when she puts on a dress and she's got her hair down, and he's trying to pretend like it's cool, but he's freaking out a little bit.” But when it comes to his little girls heading out into the big, bad world of boys, Barack’s got a theory:  "Any young man who has the guts to get through Secret Service deserves a hearing,” he joked.

Welcome to the "Hump Point" of this OND.

News can be sobering and engrossing - at this point in the diary, an offering of brief escapism:

Random notes related to this video:

"Black Diamond" is a Kiss song written by the band's rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley.

The song appears as the closing track on the band's eponymous first album, Kiss, released in 1974. It begins with an acoustic opening sung by Stanley before entering in furious riff with Peter Criss in lead vocals and fading out with Ace Frehley's solo, in a sort of studio trick. The song is also characterized by its noticeable use of chorus, and its ending. The taped studio version was slowed down almost to a standstill. The live version is usually sped up in tempo, combined with stage pyrotechnics and a rising drum platform.

The band would often play "Black Diamond" to close their concerts. Even after Criss left the band the song was still performed in concerts, featuring his replacements Eric Carr and Eric Singer on lead vocals during their respective tenures with the band.

Back to what's happening:

	Environment and Greening
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Rescue Dogs By Arricca Elin SanSone Adopting a dog through a shelter or rescue group is a win-win. You save a life and gain a best friend; a dog gets another chance at happiness. But rescue dogs may require more time and TLC than new-to-the-world pups to become part of your family. Here’s what to know to ensure a rescue dog finds a forever home with you. . . . The remaining 70% come predominantly from breeders and pet stores. “Even though people like the idea of adopting a pet, they’re not adopting from shelters in large numbers,” says Inga Fricke, Director of Shelter and Rescue Group Services with the Humane Society of the United States. Unfortunately, that means millions of shelter animals remain homeless or get euthanized each year. Consider the long-term commitment of adopting a dog to prevent your potential pet from ending up in this position. And make sure your new family member is spayed or neutered to control the population. . . . Housebroken canines may not be reliable in their new home. “Assume your new dog isn’t housetrained, no matter what you’ve been told,” advises Beaver. Establish a schedule immediately: Take him outside when he wakes up, within 30 minutes of eating, drinking or playing and before bed. Puppies need to go out more often, lasting without a walk about one hour more than their age in months. So a three-month-old needs a bathroom break every four hours. During housetraining, have a pet sitter walk your pet on schedule when you can’t. And pay attention to your pooch’s potty signals. They may be as subtle as standing by the door or staring at you or as obvious as whining or barking. EARTH TO COLLIDE WITH NIBIRU ON DECEMBER 21, 2012! By Frank Lake UPDATE: NASA scientists have reportedly confirmed that the planet Nibiru will collide with Earth on December 21st. The Nibiru collision with Earth in 2012 has been predicted for a long time, but astrophysicists, cosmologists and astronomers around the world have now come to a consensus that Earth will indeed collide with the planet, which lies just outside Pluto. . . . As the highest point in the paths of the planets, Nibiru was considered the seat of the summus deus who pastures the stars like sheep, in Babylon identified with Marduk. This interpretation of Marduk as the ruler of the cosmos was identified as an early monotheist tendency in Babylonian religion by Alfred Jeremias.

	Science and Health
6 Reasons You Should Sleep Naked By (Cosmopolitan) A recent study showed that less than 10 percent of Americans sleep in the buff. Whaa? Not only is it dead sexy, experts swear naked sleep is actually good for you. We asked them to spill on the top reasons you should ditch those pajamas for good. You'll Air Out Your Hoo-Ha Jennifer Landa, MD, author of The Sex Drive Solution for Women, says that sleeping naked can be healthier for your vagina. While it's totally normal to have yeast and bacteria down there, the warm environment can sometimes cause an overgrowth. One way to prevent infections is to "air it out" and go commando. . . . You'll Lose Belly Fat Sleeping naked helps you sleep more soundly, which will allow your levels of the stress hormone cortisol to decrease as you rest, keeping your energy and hunger levels in check, Turner says. When your sleep is disrupted, your cortisol will be too high when your alarm goes off, making you more likely to wake up hungry for comfort foods—and more likely to overeat them. Makeup How-To: Get Miranda Kerr and Alessandra Ambrosio's Vanity Fair Oscar Party Looks By Kelly Bryant Alessandra's look, created by VS Makeup artist Karan Mitchell, was inspired by her stunning beaded Zuhair Murad gown. Karan started by giving the model a sheer, dewy base by applying VS Makeup Tinted Moisturizer in Golden Medium with a foundation brush, following up with VS PRO Radiant FX Face Illuminator to highlight her cheekbones. To set the base, she lightly dusted VS PRO Flawless FX Transluscent Powder Finishing Powder all over her face. To add some warmth, Karan then applied VS Makeup Silky Powder Blush in Fame to the apples of her cheeks, then blended VS Makeup Baked Mineral Bronzing Powder in Goddess over the entire face for an all over glow. . . . Miranda Kerr wore a 1940s-inspired Valentino gown and needed a beauty look to match. VS Makeup artist Lisa Storey created a look that reflected the era, but put a modern, sexy spin on it that suited the supermodel. . . . Miranda has great brows, so to enhance hteir natural shape Lisa used VS Makeup Brow Pencil, then finished off the eye look with two coats of VS Makeup High Definition Mascara for full, lush lashes. The Truth About Coconut Oil By (SparkPeople.com via Woman's Day) Conduct a quick Google search, and you’ll find miraculous claims about a tropical fat that has become increasingly popular among health-conscious consumers in recent years: coconut oil. Health claims about the oil's ability to help you burn fat, boost your memory, improve your heart health—and even prevent sunburn—abound. Many trusted talk-show hosts and ''wellness experts'' have touted coconut oil as nature's ''miracle'' food. In contrast, many other health and nutrition experts disagree. Coconut oil has long been on the list of ''unhealthy'' fats due to its high saturated fat content. . . . Think of coconut oil as a condiment, rather than your daily ''go-to'' oil. Remember: A little coconut oil can go a long way in adding the flavor and texture you desire to certain foodsyou’re your best to keep your total fat and saturated fat intake within the healthy range recommendations that are based on decades of research. This is the case for heart-healthy olive oil just as much as it would be for coconut oil.

	Technology
FACEBOOK WILL END ON MAY 15th, 2013! By J.B. Smitts Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook will be shut down in May of 2013. Managing the site has become too stressful. . . . “After May 15th, 2013 the whole website shuts down,” said Avrat Humarthi, Vice President of Technical Affairs at Facebook. “So if you ever want to see your pictures again, I recommend you take them off the internet. You won’t be able to get them back after Facebook goes out of business.” . . . “I personally don’t think it’s a big deal,” he said in a private phone interview to a source close to a friend. “And to be honest, I think it’s for the better. Without Facebook, people will have to go outside and make real friends. That’s always a good thing.”

	Cultural
What Men Really Want in a Woman By (Cosmopolitan) Freezing temps can leave even the biggest commitment-phobes craving someone to snuggle with. So we got guys to open up about just what they want in a Little Spoon they'd love to curl up with long after the seasons have shifted. . . . "I want to get serious with a girl who pushes me to have a successful career. It motivates me when I talk to my girlfriend about work and she calls me out on being complacent or not doing everything I can to be the best at what I do. It really helps me to stay focused, especially since the whole reason I'm working is to be able to one day provide for a family." —Ryan G. . . . "I really fall for someone who has gone through their own trials or tribulations and come out on top as a better person. It's a real test of character." —Oliver M. Let’s Talk About The Feminine Mystique, 50 Years After Its Debut: Are You Really Better Off Than Your Grandmother? By Rebecca Traister A few things that have gotten better for women…way better: More reproductive control and sexual freedom . . . Women have made great strides politically. . . . A few things that still haven’t changed…or have even gotten worse: Women work more—but boy, is it hard sometimes. . . . Our access to reproductive care is under siege. The wage gap persists.

Meteor Blades is known to offer an enlightening Evening Open Diary - you might consider checking that out tonight if you haven't already.