Ticking News

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) — Iowa State rode the defense and offense of its all-time leading shot blocker. [1]

The Iowa State volleyball team will host its annual spring tournament this Saturday at the Forker Building. [...] Diane Kieger had 20 kills as ISU went 3-0 last weekend at the UNI Spring Tournament. [2]

Shannon Bolden hit a 3-point shot with 1:51 remaining to put the Gophers ahead for good at 58-55 after Iowa State made up a 12-point halftime deficit. [3]

The Insight picked the 6-6 Cyclones ahead of 8-4 Missouri despite losing the Nov. 21 head-to-head game in Columbia, Mo. [4]

Related: Iowa holds lead over second-place Cyclones at Midlands EVANSTON, Ill. [5]

The Cyclones kept the pressure on, and Lyndsey Medders missed a 3-point shot with 10 seconds left that would have tied the game. [...] Megan Ronhovde hit a pair of 3-pointers to get the Cyclones (7-2) back into the game, then scored on a driving layup with 6:32 left to give Iowa State a 48-47 lead. [3]

Joining ISU at the tournament will be Creighton, Minnesota and Northern Iowa. [2]

The Golden Gophers (6-6) are making their third Insight Bowl appearance in four years. [6]

Here is a free link to play ISU Fights and get your Cyclone Spirit revved up. [2]

The Cyclones (6-6) seem to be one of the more unlikely recipients of a bowl invitation following last season’s debacle. [6]

Order season tickets today for just $99. [2]

Become a fan of Cyclones Insider on Facebook and get ISU sports news in your Facebook news feed. [4]

Blocked Shots: 8 (J Homan 7, R Clark). [1]

Sources:
[1] USATODAY.com
[2] Cyclones To Host Spring Tournament Saturday - Iowa State …
[3] Iowa State Cyclones vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers - Recap …
[4] Iowa State headed to Insight Bowl vs. Minnesota …
[5] Iowa State | LMK.com
[6] 2009 Insight Bowl Iowa State vs. Minnesota Start Time, TV …

Nikki Yanofsky is a young Montreal-based talent whose phenomenal voice and jazz style made her an international success at age 15. [1]

“I’m so thrilled,” giggles budding Montreal singing sensation Nikki Yanofsky about her upcoming performance. [2]

Nikki Yanofsky (born February 8, 1994), is a young jazz-pop singer from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. [3]

Nikki Yanofsky is a 15-year-old musical prodigy. [4]

Ren?e Olstead The 18-year-old jazz sensation from Houston, Tex., was 15 when she exploded onto the jazz CD shelves with her self-titled debut CD. [2]

She has performed at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, at various events alongside well-known artists such as Oliver Jones, Wyclef Jean, Celine Dion, James Birch and performing the national anthems for the Montreal Canadiens three times and the Los Angeles Lakers. [3]

She was the youngest singer ever on a Verve Records release when she recorded ‘Airmail Special’ for the Ella Fitzgerald tribute album, We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song, alongside such musical luminaries as Etta James, Linda Ronstadt, Diana Krall and Natalie Cole. [4]

Since her debut at the 2006 Montreal International Jazz Festival where she won the hearts of the 100,000+ audience, Nikki has never looked back. [5]

Paying homage to her jazz upbringing, the album will also spotlight unique arrangements of standards with her big band, an original song that Yanofsky wrote for Ella Fitzgerald entitled “First Lady”, and the classic Joni Mitchell song “Circle Game.” [6]

In 2006 at age 12, Yanofsky became the youngest artist to ever headline her own show at the Montreal Jazz Festival, selling out numerous times and performing for crowds of over 100,000. [...] This made Yanofsky the youngest performer to ever sing on a Verve Records album, and made her an international phenomenon. [1]

She has also recorded the swing-era classic, ‘Stompin’ at the Savoy’ with Grammy Award-winning artists Herbie Hancock and Will.i.am for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s audio book, On the Shoulders of Giants. [4]

Given that Yanofsky has now been performing in public, travelling and meeting great artists for more than two years now, it’s no surprise she is connecting better with elders. [2]

This article on a Canadian singer is a stub. [3]

From a juicy, high-octane rendition of “Summertime,” to a dreamy “Taking a Chance on Love,” she inhabits the same universe as Ella Fitzgerald or Rosemary Clooney. [2]

Sources:
[1] Nikki Yanofsky: Information from Answers.com
[2] Teen jazz sensation Nikki Yanofsky debuts - thestar.com
[3] Nikki Yanofsky - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[4] Nikki Yanofsky ‘ Saskatchewan Jazz Festival
[5] Nikki Yanofsky on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s …
[6] Pop Generation - Nikki Yanofsky

HOUSTON — At the end of practice on Monday afternoon, Navy Coach Ken Niumatalolo invited a fellow football coach, Brian Norwood, to address the Midshipmen. [1]

Missouri rush offense vs. Navy rush defense: Mizzou is so-so on the ground. [2]

That’s the danger that Navy (9-4) faces Thursday afternoon in the Texas Bowl. [3]

“Missouri is a great football team and they will provide a tremendous challenge for us,” Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo told the academy’s official Web site. [4]

Missouri runs the popular, pass-happy spread offense, while Navy ranked fourth nationally in rushing (272.5 yards per game) using a version of the old-fashioned option, with the quarterback, fullback or halfback possibly carrying the ball on each snap. [5]

With the nation’s 13th-ranked passing offense (285.0 yards per game), Missouri averaged 36.2 points while winning four of five after being held to 36 total points during its three-game losing streak. [4]

The junior gunslinger has gained 1,037 yards on the ground and has already set an NCAA single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 24. [...] GAME NOTES: The Navy Midshipmen and Missouri Tigers meet for the first time in 49 years, as they do battle in the 2009 Texas Bowl at Reliant Stadium in Houston. [6]

The Midshipmen have already faced four of the top wide receivers in the nation this season — Notre Dame’s Golden Tate and Michael Floyd, Hawaii’s Greg Salas and SMU’s Emmanuel Sanders, all of whom average more than 100 receiving yards per game — but Alexander presents perhaps the biggest challenge. [3]

This is the third meeting between the teams and first since Missouri won the 1961 Orange Bowl to take a 2-0 lead in the series. [4]

HOUSTON — The greatest play that Missouri wide receiver Danario Alexander made this season — at least in the eyes of his teammate, senior guard Kurtis Gregory — came in the final minute of the third quarter at Kansas State in mid-November. [3]

A potent passing game has helped Missouri to its fifth consecutive bowl game. [...] Missouri (8-4) takes a three-game winning streak into its fourth straight bowl game played in the state of Texas. [4]

There will be the excitement of the bowl game itself: A crowd of more than 68,000 is expected inside Reliant Stadium to watch the Midshipmen take on a high-powered opponent from a marquee conference. [1]

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH: It’s usually entertaining when Navy’s triple-option offense goes up against a Big Six defense. [2]

Sources:
[1] Navy faces Missouri in Texas Bowl in final game for 32 …
[2] Rivals.com College Football - Texas Bowl: Missouri vs. Navy
[3] Missouri’s Alexander presents Navy with a big-play challenge …
[4] Navy-Missouri Preview - College Football - Rivals.com
[5] Texas Bowl preview: Missouri vs. Navy - 12/30/09 - Houston …
[6] Navy (9-4) vs. Missouri (8-4) - College Sports …

Each year during the New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square in Manhattan, New York City, a time ball made of crystal and electric lights is raised to the top of a pole on the One Times Square building and then lowered to mark the coming of the New Year. [1]

There’s nothing quite like seeing the ball drop live in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. [2]

Each year, millions of eyes from all over the world are focused on the sparkling Waterford Crystal Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. [3]

The only legal way to raise a glass outside in Times Square on New Years Eve! [...] Starting on New Year’s Eve, you can upload your very own hug or kiss to become a link on the never-ending NIVEA XOXO Chain. [4]

Tomorrow night, an estimated billion people around the world will watch the illuminated ball drop in Times Square to ring in the new year. [5]

Perhaps the most famous New Year’s Eve celebration in the world, attending the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop in Times Square is a memorable way to spend New Year’s Eve in New York City. [6]

It’s a New York City New Year’s Eve tradition–watching the ball drop in Times Square. [7]

For New Year’s Eve 2009, we will be watching the drop of the new ball unveiled last year for the 100th anniversary of the New Year’s Eve in Times Square celebration. [2]

For the first time, New York ran on a standard time. [5]

The Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration features star-studded musical performances, balloons, pom-poms, confetti, a colorful pyrotechnic display and about a million of your closest friends. [...] As the famous New Year’s Eve Ball descends from the flagpole atop One Times Square, an estimated one million people in Times Square, millions nationwide and over a billion watching throughout the world are united in bidding a collective farewell to the departing year, and expressing our joy and hope for the year ahead. [4]

For Times Square 2000, the millennium celebration at the Crossroads of the World, the New Year’s Eve Ball was completely redesigned by Waterford Crystal. [...] Covered in 2,668 Waterford Crystals and powered by 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDS, the new Ball is capable of creating a palette of more than 16 million vibrant colors and billions of patterns producing a spectacular kaleidoscope effect atop One Times Square. [3]

Several networks have aired coverage of the Times Square Ball Drop; as the event is held in the public square there is no rights or exclusive coverage. [1]

Sources:
[1] Times Square Ball - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[2] New Year’s Eve in Times Square — See the Ball Drop in New …
[3] Times Square Alliance - New Year’s Eve - About The Ball
[4] New Year’s Eve - Times Square Alliance
[5] Inside the Apple: Times Square Ball Drop
[6] New Year’s Eve Ball Drop in Times Square - What You Need to …
[7] How to Watch the Ball Drop in Times Square | eHow.com

According to popular definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a month. [1]

Once in a blue moon there is one on New Year’s Eve. [2]

For a blue moon to occur, the first of the full moons must appear at or near the beginning of the month so that the second will fall within the same month (the average span between two moons is 29.5 days). [...] Although the full moon that occurred Tuesday, May 20, 2008, looked like an ordinary full moon, it was actually a bit extraordinary—a blue moon. [3]

… the Eastern Hemisphere can celebrate with a partial lunar eclipse on New Year’s Eve when part of the moon enters the Earth’s shadow. [1]

The New Year’s Eve blue moon will be visible in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Africa. [2]

It’s going to be that brilliant,” said Jack Horkheimer, director emeritus of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium and host of a weekly astronomy TV show. [1]

According to the more recent definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar month. [3]

The popular definition of blue moon came about after a writer for Sky & Telescope magazine in 1946 misinterpreted the Maine Farmer’s Almanac and labeled a blue moon as the second full moon in a month. [...] But don’t expect it to be blue - the name has nothing to do with the color of our closest celestial neighbor. [1]

Blue moons have no astronomical significance, said Greg Laughlin, an astronomer at the University of California, Santa Cruz. [2]

Although Sky & Telescope calls the modern blue moon definition “trendy” and a “mistake,” the fact that there is an older, preexisting (and more complicated) definition does not necessarily make it the more interesting or meaningful definition. [3]

LOS ANGELES - Once in a blue moon there is one on New Year’s Eve. [4]

Revelers ringing in 2010 will be treated to a so-called blue moon. [2]

Two full moons in one month may occur in any month out of the year except for February, which is shorter than the lunar cycle. [3]

Sources:
[1] Blue moon ushers 2010 | Manila Bulletin
[2] Rare New Year’s Eve ‘blue moon‘ to ring in 2010
[3] Blue Moons: myths, facts, history, and dates ‘ Infoplease.com
[4] Blue Moon New Year’s Eve: 2010 To Begin With Extra Full Moon