Technology Slice Blog

Clay Aiken Plastic Surgery? - “American Idol” finalist Clay Aiken returns to reality TV next month on “The Celebrity Apprentice”… and he looks a little different than the last time we saw him. We can’t tell whether it’s the much-rumored plastic surgery, the nearly transparent facial hair, or just a case of Photoshop run amok. But even the craziest Claymates might have trouble recognizing their favorite “Idol” here. You can see for yourself when “Apprentice” returns on NBC February 12 — and click through to see the rest of the new season’s famous contestants.

Bob Anderson Sword Master Movies Passes Away - Olympic fencer and movie sword master Bob Anderson appeared in some of film's most famous dueling scenes — though few viewers knew it. Anderson, who has died at age 89, donned Darth Vader's black helmet and fought light saber battles in two of the three original "Star Wars" films, "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." Anderson, who worked with actors from Errol Flynn to Antonio Banderas during five decades as a sword master, fight director and stunt performer, died early New Year's Day at an English hospital, the British Academy of Fencing said Monday. Vader, "Star Wars'" intergalactic arch-villain, was voiced by James Earl Jones and played by six foot six (1.98 meter) former weightlifter David Prowse, but Anderson stepped in during the key fight scenes. Bob Anderson Sword Master Movies Passes Away

Lindsay Lohan to Feature on Ellen - Despite reports, Lindsay Lohan won't be appearing on the U.K. version of "Celebrity Big Brother." But she will grace America's TV screens on Dec. 15 when she pays a visit to "The Ellen Degeneres Show." It's been a few years since Lohan has appeared on the daytime talk show. The troubled actress has been keeping a low profile when it comes to television due to her recent legal troubles that range from court dates and probation to a brief jail stint. Lohan will soon show off a little bit more of herself in a new Playboy spread, which hits newsstands next month. "The pictorial is absolutely fantastic and very tasteful, and will be accompanied by an interview that will let readers see another side of Lindsay," Lohan's rep told E! News. Lindsay Lohan to Feature on Ellen

Sinkholes Open Up in Oklahoma - A large sinkhole has opened up near Sayre, Okla., and people in the region are wondering if it's related to a string of small earthquakes shaking the region. The hole opened up a couple of days after one of the earthquakes about two weeks ago, the property caretaker told NBC station KFOR. "Kind of spooky. You don't want to mess with it today," Jack Damron told KFOR. "Glad my house wasn't over it," neighbor Tony Bills told the station. KFOR reported that geologists are dubious of a connection between the quakes and the sinkhole. Scientists at the Oklahoma Geological Survey said the sinkhole could have been caused by drought conditions, the dissolving of salt or rock formations, or draining of an old coal mine. Also, Sayre is across the state from the area where the quakes have been centered. That area, about 40 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, was struck on Nov. 5 by a magnitude 5.6 quake, the strongest ever recorde...

Hillary Clinton Visits Myanmar - "I am obviously looking to determine for myself and on behalf of our government what is the intention of the current government with respect to continuing reforms both political and economic," Clinton told reporters before her arrival here. Activists and citizens of Burma, also known as Myanmar, welcomed the visit but cautioned that Burma's military-backed, nominally civilian government is unlikely to allow full democracy to develop. "It's hard to understand the Myanmar government; they do not speak what is in their hearts," warned U Htaung Ko Thang, a leader of the Chin ethnic group, who was elected a member of parliament in the 1990 elections, whose results the ruling junta annulled. "Unless we establish a democratic government, there is no opportunity for the Burmese people." Burma's parliament approved a law guaranteeing the right to protest, which had not previously existed, and had opened up some polit...

iPhone Explodes Mid Flight - Apple’s iPhones are always among the hottest gadgets of any holiday shopping season, but for one passenger on an Australian flight, the phone was too hot to handle — literally. While on Australian flight Regional Express ZL319 Friday, a passenger’s iPhone 4 (not the iPhone 4S, which is Apple’s latest model) suddenly started “emitting a significant amount of dense smoke, accompanied by a red glow,” according to a Regional Express statement. The plane, which was flying from Lismore to Sydney, was in the midst of landing when the incident occured. “In accordance with company standard safety procedures, the flight attendant carried out recovery actions immediately, and the red glow was extinguished successfully,” according to Regional Express’ statement. After landing, the iPhone was handed over to officials at the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. There’s no official word yet on what caused the phone to combust. Exploding Apple products are rare, but ...

Ringling Circus Pays Record Fine - Feld Entertainment Inc., of Vienna, Virginia, did not admit wrongdoing or violating U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations in settling the dispute over handling of performing animals, it said in a Monday statement. "We look forward to working with the USDA in a cooperative and transparent manner that meets our shared goal of ensuring that our animals are healthy and receive the highest quality care," Kenneth Feld, chief executive of Feld Entertainment, said in the statement. The USDA said the $270,000 fine was the biggest assessed under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Feld also agreed to set up a compliance officer's position on its staff by the end of February 2012. Employees who work with animals also must undergo AWA compliance training, the USDA said in a statement. In one episode logged by USDA inspectors, Banko, a 35-year-old female Asian elephant, was required to perform in July in Los Angeles despite pain from probable san...