Now the 19 year old is dating Josh Hartnett, some actor dude that's not Black. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I'd like a bit of Affirmative Action with the girl.

"It is time for 50 Cent to be a man of his word, and retire.

The Wrong Version of Nick Lowe's Debut Album Is Being Reissued

For better or worse, English song-o-matic dispenser Nick Lowe's debut solo album was deemed worthy of two versions. The British one, Jesus of Cool, came out on Radar, the label founded by Jake Riviera after he split from Stiff, wherein Lowe, a punk and postpunk godfather, had earned the handle "Basher" for his in-three-takes-or-less approach as house producer for Graham Parker, the Damned, and Elvis Costello. The American version, retitled Pure Pop for Now People, was released by Columbia. Both came out in March of '78, and both include basically the same songs. Still, Pure Pop is better than Jesus—the rub is in the track listing—but it's Jesus that's getting a 30th-anniversary reissue.

It all starts at the beginning: Album openers are paramount in setting the tone. Jesus went with "Music for Money," a robotic new wave number that has Lowe wryly indicting the record biz: "Gibsons for gain/Reddies for roadies/Fenders for fame." Meantime, Pure Pop revs up with "So It Goes," an exemplar of the album title, with triumphant drums, a snappy refrain, and a curious narrative about Russians, a "snaky" Persian, and a kid who cuts off his right arm "in a fit to save a bit of power." Its title quite obviously apes Kurt Vonnegut's shit-happens mantra from Slaughterhouse-Five; regardless, it's a more telling preamble to the grab bag of expertly crafted three-minute ditties that Lowe convenes here.

Having barely survived the threat of cancellation, the crew of ...

Bakula: I love Brent. He's a great guy, and I don't understand all the history of this character that they're bringing on and how they're going to exactly do it, but I know that they're very excited about it, and I know that I'm going to have a lot of stuff to do with Brent. So we've become friends, and, you know, it's fun, and it's stunt casting, yes, but it'll be correct. They're very good about making sure [of] that, because, you know, the fans want it to be right, and we want it to be right, so it'll be good.

Blalock: Or maybe not.

Your year ahead

As soon as you are bucked off in the rodeo, you get right back on a different horse. On a mildly more serious note, this is a year of experimentation, of testing your ideas of how a relationship should be. You are working out what you want.Work and moneyThat grubby obsession you had developed with the filthy lucre is almost at an end. Over the course of the next year, your ruling planet moves out of your money house and into your house of communication. Now you feel money's only real purpose is to allow you access to otherwise inaccessible chambers of knowledge. Maybe you use it to fund a course. Those working in the media or anything else involving communication should find their work goes stratospheric.Life and leisureWhen it comes to friends, you have two lists this year: the 'in' list and the 'out' list.

Wedge says five are battling for utility spot

With all players in camp (except visa-challenged Jorge Julio), today will be the first full-squad workout of the spring.

Media Beat

Yet criticism of those policies from anyone (including American Jews such as myself) routinely results in accusations of anti-Jewish bigotry.

The U.S. media reaction to the essay by professors Mearsheimer and Walt provides just another bit of evidence that they were absolutely correct when they wrote: "Anyone who criticizes Israel's actions or argues that pro-Israel groups have significant influence over U.S. Middle Eastern policy - an influence AIPAC celebrates - stands a good chance of being labeled an anti-Semite.

Indeed, anyone who merely claims that there is an Israel Lobby runs the risk of being charged with anti-Semitism, even though the Israeli media refer to America's "Jewish Lobby." In other words, the lobby first boasts of its influence and then attacks anyone who calls attention to it.

Falun Gong activists make appeals

Members of the Covina City Council heard a convincing plea last month familiar to many officials in San Gabriel Valley cities.

"After the brutal crackdown on Falun Gong I was sent to work in a forced labor camp," said Bin Li, a local Falun Gong practitioner who was asking the City Council to pass a resolution condemning the Chinese government's persecution of her group.

"I was brainwashed and mentally, spiritually and physically tortured," she added.

Reacting as most people would to Li's plea, Covina Mayor John King promised council members would vote on a resolution at the following meeting.

Two weeks later, enthusiasm for the resolution faded quickly after Councilman Walter Allen quoted passages from the group's founder that condemned marriage and reproduction between races.

Cinequest Films

(Canada/India) Being a nice guy rarely pays, and neither does a film about a nice guy. In this drama by screenwriter/director Richie Mehta (co-written by Shaun Mehta), electric rickshaw driver Amal (Rupinder Nagra) cuts everyone slack but himself and still has nothing to show for it in the end. The plot moves slowly, alternating between scenes focusing on Amal and an older man (in Hindi) and on a lawyer and potential beneficiaries of an estate (in English). Though not a thrill ride (rickshaws only move so fast, mind you), some of the film's highlights come by way of straight-forward acting in scenes depicting genuine human connections, and the reality of life is that it isn't always particularly exciting. (CT)

March 8 at 7:30pm and Mar 9 at 1:30pm, both at the California Theatre.

802.11n power - words from the silicon vendors

He reckons, I think, that a dual band AP can be done with only about 15 percent more power required over a single-band one. I trust him, since Broadcom is not currently doing any significant business in connected enterprise APs that I know of, so the company probably doesn't have customers demanding this.

Tassie teens defy drinker image

Research conducted at four Tasmanian high schools has revealed that up to 73 per cent of students rarely or never drink liquor.

Dr Hughes said early results were showing a statistically significant decline in alcohol consumption and attendance at parties after students had been involved with the project.

Jockstrip: The world as we know it.

Researcher James Saulino, who made the discovery, said "Columbia" was printed on the inside of one of the packages.



Beer aficionado wins lifetime supply

YORK, Va., Feb. 27 (UPI) -- A York, Va., man named the nation's top beer fan by a Colorado-based brewery has been awarded a lifetime supply of his favorite beverage.

Matt Venzke, who was named the winner of the "12th Annual Search for America's Ultimate Beer Fiend," which was carried out via a series of question-and-answer sessions with contestants, won "free beer for life" from Wynkoop Brewing Co., as well as a $250 beer tab at his favorite bar and the chance to design his own custom-brew alongside the company's top brewer, the Newport News (Va.) Daily Press reported Wednesday.

Venzke explained that his new found title was not based on the quantity of beer he drinks, but rather on the variety of brews he enjoys and his level of fandom.

Beckham still lacking match fitness

David Beckham has admitted he is still some way short of being fit enough to win his 100th cap for England.

Galaxy are set to play FC Seoul in a friendly on Saturday before games in Shanghai on March 5 and Hong Kong on March 9, although this latter fixture is yet to be ratified by the Hong Kong football association.