| New York Philharmonic arrives on unprecedented visit to North Korea
North Korea has made unprecedented accommodations for the orchestra. It allowed a delegation of nearly 300 people, including musicians, staff and journalists to fly into Pyongyang on a chartered plane for 48 hours.
The Philharmonic's concert tomorrow will be broadcast live on North Korea's state-run TV and radio. That's unheard of in a country where all events are carefully choreographed to bolster the personality cult of leader Kim Jong Il.
The New York Philharmonic accepted the North's invitation to play last year, with U.S. government encouragement, at a time of rare optimism in the long-running nuclear standoff. ©2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Classic bikes: Yamaha FS1E
Normal members of the human race could be forgiven for thinking that lawmakers are an alien species intent on making our lives a misery. In the golden days of motorcycling you simply saddled up and rode away into the sunset without any licence. Then a proficiency test was brought in, but the neophyte rider still learned on the bike of his choice. This was too good to last and so a 250cc limit was introduced, allegedly to keep learners safe on dull, porcine, British plodders. .
Dealing Hughes for Santana a questionable move
Abreu can walk after this season and Matsui and Damon after next. It looks like we might get to see guys like Jackson or Tabata sooner rather than later. Hughes projects to be great, while Santana is great. Maybe we could package Kennedy, Farnsworthless, Igawa, and someone like Ohlendorf for Santana, but I doubt it. Before the majority of the media anoint Johan Saintana, let's remember that he was bested by Barry Zito in his last post-season starts against the slap-hitting A's, and that his ERA in Fenway sits above 6.50! .
Delegation should act on climate change
Oregonians are getting used to hearing warnings about the problems that are expected to accompany climate change. But last week, the cautions came not from Oregon State University scientists or government officials, but from hunters and fishermen. From their vantage points on the state's deserts, mountains, streams and bays, these sportsmen and women have gotten an early look at the effects of global warming. They're concerned for the future of Oregon's treasured salmon, waterfowl and other wildlife. They're calling on Congress to act. For many Oregonians, this will strike home. Hunting, angling and wildlife viewing are some of the activities that people most enjoy in this state. They also play a key part in Oregon's economy. About 2 million participants support more than 42,000 jobs, according to a 2001 survey by the U.S.
Bill Gates - You Asked The Questions
I've just emerged from the Microsoft machine, shaken but unscathed. I've interviewed Bill Gates three or four times over a 12 year period, and each time I come out impressed by the sheer professionalism of the Microsoft PR operation but wondering whether we've been successfully spun. This time we tried a new tactic - getting BBC viewers, listeners and readers to ask the questions. We had thousands, covering every aspect of Bill Gates and Microsoft - past, present and future. Over two hundred were seeking jobs, one gentleman was proposing himself as the next CEO of Microsoft, and another wondered whether the secrets of Windows software had been recovered from a crashed UFO. We did not ask that one, but managed to get through around fifteen questions during our allotted fifteen minutes.
Roger Goodell, Arlen Specter Say Bill Belichick Has Taped Patriots ...
Obviously, this is just the tip of the iceberg or we wouldn't even be aware of the problem. Statistical theory bears this out. You just don't get caught the first time you stick your hand in the cookie jar. Law enforcement officials agree that the average DUI offender "gets away with it" over 200 times before getting caught. And everyone seems comfortable labeling Belichick a "genius" so how many more times than the "average" person would you suppose he can get away with something illegal before getting nailed? Meanwhile, during this time they won 3 Super Bowls, each by a mere 3 points. How much do you suppose you need to cheat to gain a three point advantage over the course of an entire football game. You are right, their dynasty isn't tarnished; it's history! Posted at 8:43PM on Feb 13th 2008 by Bummed by it all .
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