Gemstone

A gemstone or gem (also called a fine gem, jewel, or a precious or semi-precious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli) or organic materials that are not minerals (such as amber or jet), are also used for jewelry, and are therefore often considered to be gemstones as well. Most gemstones are hard, but some soft minerals are used in jewelry because of their luster or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. Rarity is another characteristic that lends value to a gemstone. Apart from jewelry, from earliest antiquity engraved gems and hardstone carvings, such as cups, were major luxury art forms. A gem maker is called a lapidary or gemcutter; a diamond worker is a diamantaire.

The carvings of Carl Fabergé are significant works in this tradition.

Characteristics and classification

Gem (disambiguation)

A gem is a cut rock or mineral.

Gem may also refer to:

Literature and television

Music

Places

United States

Pollux (star)

Pollux, also known as Beta Geminorum (abbreviated β Geminorum, β Gem), is an orange-hued evolved giant star approximately 34 light-years from the Sun in the northern constellation of Gemini. It is the closest giant class star to the sun.

Since 1943, the spectrum of this star has served as one of the stable anchor points by which other stars are classified. In 2006, an extrasolar planet (designated Pollux b or β Gem b, later named Thestias) was confirmed to be orbiting it.

Nomenclature

The name Pollux refers specifically to the twins Castor and Pollux in Greek and Roman mythology. Beta Geminorum is the star's Bayer designation.

Castor and Pollux are the two "heavenly twin" stars giving the constellation Gemini (Latin, 'the twins') its name. The stars, however, are quite different in detail. Castor is a complex sextuple system of hot, bluish-white A-type stars and dim red dwarfs, while Pollux is a single, cooler yellow-orange giant. In Percy Shelley's 1818 poem Homer's Hymn To Castor And Pollux, the star is referred to as "..mild Pollux, void of blame."

Aaron's Party (Come Get It)

Aaron's Party (Come Get It) is American pop singer Aaron Carter's second studio album serving as the follow-up to his international debut album. This album was released in the fall of 2000 becoming the first album under Jive Records. This album was also certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA for selling over 3 million copies in the United States making it Aaron's most successful album. The lead single "Aaron's Party (Come Get It)" was featured on the 2000 compilation album Now That's What I Call Music! 5.

Track listing

Bounce (Sarah Connor song)

"Bounce" is a song by German recording artist Sarah Connor, taken from her second studio album, Unbelievable (2002). Written by Bülent Aris, Toni Cottura, and Anthony Freeman, with production helmed by the former, the uptempo pop song samples Mary J. Blige's 2001 song "Family Affair", while featuring guest vocals by Wyclef Jean. "Bounce" was originally released as the album's fourth and final single in Central Europe on 21 July 2003, amid Connor's first pregnancy. It reached the top twenty in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Walloon Region of Belgium.

In winter 2003 radio programmers Tod Tucker and Matt "the bratt" Derrick at 106.9 K-HITS in Tulsa, Oklahoma took hold of a copy of the single and began to give it airplay. Due to large amounts of airplay in the United States, the song reached number eleven on Billboard's Top 40 Mainstream and number twenty-one on Top 40 Tracks charts, eventually charting on the Billboard Hot 100 at number fifty-four. "Bounce" was officially given a physical US release on 4 May 2004, serving as Connor's debut single there. It was also released in Australia and the United Kingdom, where it reached number 14 on both charts. The radio version of the song was featured on the 2004 compilation album Now That's What I Call Music! 15.

Jonas Brothers

The Jonas Brothers were an American pop rock group. Formed in 2005, they gained popularity from their appearances on the Disney Channel television network. They consist of three brothers from Wyckoff, New Jersey: Paul Kevin Jonas II, Joseph Adam Jonas, and Nicholas Jerry Jonas. In the summer of 2008, they starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Camp Rock and its sequel, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. They also starred as Kevin, Joe, and Nick Lucas, the band JONAS, in their own Disney Channel series JONAS, which was later re-branded for its second season as Jonas L.A. The show was eventually cancelled after two seasons. The band released four albums: It's About Time (2006), Jonas Brothers (2007), A Little Bit Longer (2008), and Lines, Vines and Trying Times (2009).

In 2008, the group was nominated for the Best New Artist award at the 51st Grammy Awards and won the award for Breakthrough Artist at the American Music Awards. As of May 2009, before the release of Lines, Vines and Trying Times, they had sold over eight million albums worldwide. After a hiatus during 2010 and 2011 to pursue solo-projects, the group reconciled in 2012 to record a new album, which was cancelled following their break-up on October 29, 2013.