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Boston Celtics has defeated the Los Angeles Lakers with the score of 131-92.They won the 17th NBA Title in game 6 last night (Tuesday).After 22 long years,the NBA has gone green.

Carried by ear-splitting chants of “Beat L.A.” early and cries of “Seven-teen” in the closing seconds by their adoring crowd, which included Boston legends Bill Russell and John Havlicek, the Celtics concluded a shocking rebound of a season.

With the outcome assured, Boston fans sang into the night as if they were in a pub on nearby Canal Street. They serenaded the newest champs in this city of champs, and taunted Kobe Bryant and his lakers,who drowned in a green-and-white wave for 48 minutes.

Garnett scored 26 points with 14 rebounds, Allen scored 26 and Pierce, the finals MVP, added 17 as the Celtics, a 24-win team a year ago, wrapped up their first title since 1986.

This was total domination. The Celtics obliterated the Lakers, who were trying to become the first team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the finals.No way. No how. No chance.

Boston’s 39-point win surpassed the NBA record for the biggest margin of victory in a championship clincher; the Celtics beat the Lakers 129-96 in Game 5 of the 1965 NBA finals.

Newsom, who helped launch the series of lawsuits that led the court to strike down California's one-man-one-woman marriage laws, presided at the wedding of Del Martin, 87, and Phyllis Lyon, 83.

Newsom picked the couple for the only ceremony Monday in City Hall to recognize their 55-year relationship and their status as pioneers of the gay rights movement.More than 650 same-sex couples have made appointments to get marriage licenses in San Francisco before the end of the month.

Martin sat in her wheelchair during the brief ceremony in the mayor's office, which was open to a few elected officials, friends, relatives and reporters. After Newsom pronounced her and Lyon "spouses for life," the couple kissed, drawing huge applause.

As a printer churned out a license with spaces for "Party A" and "Party B" where "bride" and "groom" used to be, Newsom called officiating the wedding "this extraordinary and humbling gift."

When the pair emerged from the mayor's chamber, a crowd of well-wishers showered them with rose petals and ate complimentary wedding cake.

When Prince William was made a Royal Knight of the Garter on Monday, the historic town of Windsor once again saw carefully planned pageantry at its height.

As members of the public gathered at the entrance of the castle in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the man who could be the future king emerging with his first major honor, they saw the royal family in its traditional role, meticulously adhering to historical customs and rituals.

It was another step on the journey of grooming William to one day become king, following his father, who has enjoyed a lifetime of such honors. In fact, if one were to officially announce Prince Charles it would be as His Royal Highness Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, The Prince of Wales, Knight of the Garter, Knight of the Thistle, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, Order of Merit, Knight of the Order of Australia, Companion of the Queen's Service Order, Privy Counselor, Aide-de-Camp, Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick and Baron of Renfrew, Lord of The Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

Every one of these titles is steeped in historical significance, with the Knight of the Garter, one of the most important, representing the highest level of British chivalry.

The honor dates back 640 years to King Edward III’s reign, when a female member of the aristocracy dropped her garter during a dance. Amidst the ensuing laughter, Edward, in an effort to stop the lady from being embarrassed, picked it up and tied it to his leg, saying "Shamed be the person who thinks evil of it."

And, although Great Britain no longer a feudal kingdom and the power that such titles once had has been reduced to symbolism, the sense of fanfare and the fastidiousness with which the ceremony is performed convey the same message.

Thanks to worldblog.msnbc.msn.com for this article!

The 7.2-magnitude quake triggered several major landslides, blocking roads and stranding about 100 bathers at a hot spring resort. Crews searching for the missing had to hike mountain trails and dig their way to the worst-hit areas.

"It was the worst quake I have ever felt," said Rinji Sato, whose grocery store in this town near the epicenter was a mess of shattered bottles and food thrown from shelves. "We were just lucky this didn't hit a big city."

Officials said at least 144 people were injured, a number that would surely have been higher if the quake had hit a more heavily populated area.Sato described the temblor as a sharp vertical jolt followed by a powerful sideways swaying.

"It was impossible to stay on your feet," he said.

Thanks to USATODAY.com for the article!

PASADENA, Calif. - NASA's Phoenix spacecraft has successfully landed near Mars' north pole for a 90-day digging mission.

Phoenix will be the first spacecraft to study the Martian arctic plains. Unlike NASA's mobile twin rovers, the lander will stay in one spot. It will use its robotic arm to dig into the permafrost to determine if the polar environment has the ingredients needed for life to emerge.