Hate popup ads? No More Popup Ads has a list of different remedies to cure your popup disease.

Digital cameras become affordable? Picture Looks Brighter for $200 Digital Cameras: "Three big names in digital imaging--Fuji, Hewlett-Packard and Kodak--now have 2-megapixel cameras on the market that sell for about $200 or less.

That's still not professional level, and most film cameras at the $200 level can turn out images of superior technical quality when compared with their digital cousins.

At 2 megapixels, however, the images are certainly respectable."

Postal Service: Damaging your mail, daily. The Irradiation of Mail Can Also Zap the Contents: "Attempts by the United States Postal Service to make mail safer by zapping it with radiation have hit a snag: the process tends to destroy computer chips and to damage other delicate items including food, pharmaceuticals, clothing, contact lenses — and even the paper mail itself.

"The irradiation process, as I understand it, generates heat, and that's the killer," said Bob Anderson, a spokesman for the Postal Service, in response to questions about the problem.

That, of course, was the original idea: killing anthrax spores like the ones that were mailed to Congressional offices and to news media companies. In response, the Postal Service began to put mail to federal recipients and to some media companies through sterilizing machines."

We all know there's no fool-proof way to de-Anthrax envelopes that come through the mail. The real question is whether or not we really have to worry about this problem: Will another idiot decide to send Anthrax through the mail again? Unfortunately, I don't know the answer.

Manhattan Health Threat? Studies Will Take Sept. 11's Measure in Health Effects: "Public health researchers in New York, struggling to determine the real dimensions of the health threat at the World Trade Center site, are beginning an ambitious series of long-term studies to identify and then track a wide range of people who lived through the nightmare of dust, smoke and stress when the towers fell...

The blast of dust and smoke — and the toxic substances, fibers and ash that blew through New York in the days afterward — is without precedent in medical literature, which means that there are no studies to fall back on for guidance on whether to be alarmed or reassured."

Alright, so basically residents of Manhattan and surrounding areas may have been exposed to toxic elements in the air, but health officials have no way of knowing what the effects of these toxicants may be and who may be at risk. I'm sure we'll find out in 20 or 30 years when we all develop respiratory illnesses. :(

Egyptian student arrested. Egyptian With Pilot Radio Is Charged: "An Egyptian student who was staying in a hotel overlooking the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 was charged Friday with lying to investigators for denying any knowledge of a radio found in his room that can be used to communicate with pilots.

Abdallah Higazy, 30, was denied bail and held on a federal charge of making false statements. Prosecutors accused him of interfering with the investigation into the attack that demolished the 110-story towers and killed about 2,900 people.

Higazy's name had not surfaced publicly in the investigation before, and the criminal complaint drew no direct connection between him and the hijackers, who included Saudis and some Egyptians."

Another Terrorist Plot. Singapore Details Terrorist Plot to Bomb U.S. Ships and Soldiers: 'Terrorists linked to Al Qaeda planned a series of bomb attacks against Western embassies, American naval vessels, American companies and a shuttle bus carrying American soldiers, the Singapore government said today.

It said that 13 suspects arrested last month were members of a clandestine organization called Jamaah Islamiyah, or Islamic Group, and that eight of them had received training in Afghanistan from the terror group run by Osama bin Laden.

"The plan was apparently developed and ready for activation," the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement. "The Al Qaeda leaders showed interest in the plan, but for reasons not known, they did not subsequently pursue it."'

Four months. January 11, 2002: Four months ago today, terrorists attacked our soil and our lives. We continue to remember and mourn those unfairly taken from us as we rebuild our lives and move on to the future.

Last Call with Carson Daly: Third Episode. Tonight Carson had Suge Knight, the infamous creator of Death Row Records, as a guest. To be honest, I felt that tonight's show came up short. Carson isn't really to blame -- the show became boring once Suge decided not to answer any of the serious questions he was asked. Besides looking stoned and lighting up and smoking a cigarette during the interview, Suge praised God a lot and explained that when Tupac got shot, one bullet fully entered his head, despite reports that a fragment had hit him.

Some of the conversation was interesting, like how Suge got started with Death Row records and his "version" of how certain controversies involving him got started. Despite some pretty good questions from Carson, the show staggered along with long-winding, half-pronounced, half-answers from Suge. I'd like to point out that the show was only 30 minutes and that Last Call can move on, but unfortunately, Carson apparently felt he didn't get to cover all the topics he had set out to do and invited Suge to stay for another show. I'm tempted to "forget" to watch the continuation, but I'll give the show the benefit of the doubt. Next Guest: Suge Knight (Part II)

Internet Users Surfing Trends. Wondering what everyone's searching for online these days? Check out these reports: AltaVista - Search Trends, Lycos Top 50, Google Zeitgeist, and Yahoo Buzz.

I want my MTVpc! Sign of the Apocalypse: MTV Announces Line of PCs: "Details and prices are still unknown, but the MTV PC will be "equipped with all the college props" including a DVD/CD-RW drive, cable-ready TV tuner, radio tuner with remote, and "LCD monitor that provides radiation-free entertainment and PC application viewing." Available in a variety of designs and colors, the PC is also designed for high-performance gaming."

The features actually sound pretty good, especially, the TV and radio tuners, but does everything need to have the MTV logo on it these days? (See Times Square.)

Fun at the Mall. Yesterday, my mom and I went to the mall to spend the $150 she and my dad gave me for Christmas for a clothes shopping spree. I didn't exactly go on such a spree, as I didn't actually buy any clothes (something about the $50 Tommy shirts and the $26.50 Aeropostale pants made them seem like not-so-good deals).

Instead, I took my mom's advice to buy something I normally wouldn't spend my money on. I bought the 10th anniversary behind-the-scenes book by Gary Larson, the "Far Side" cartoonist. I bought a book on juggling, complete with juggling balls ("How to Juggle for Klutzes").

And to top it all off, I purchased a feng shui Japanese-type fountain with three levels and a Japanese fisherman fishing on the top one. I also added on a $4 turtle to make the scene a little more interesting. I've been staring at the water tumbling down the rocks ever since. Its very relaxing, so I'll be bringing it back with me to the dorm to help combat those stressful days and nights.

My mom and I went to breakfast at a local diner and then we had Wendy's for dinner (in honor of the late Dave Thomas). So, a fun time was had by all.

February Advanced Movie Screenings! I just received an email from Lori, the new NYU Program Office associate director, listing four advanced screenings for February! They all seem like interesting movies and the first features a Q&A with none other than international movie superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger!

Feb. 5
Collateral Damage at 7pm Village East with Q&A following
Feb. 12
Hart's War at 8pm Village East (new Bruce Willis flick)
Feb. 13
Super Troopers at 7pm Village East (there may also be a component earlier in the day on campus)
Feb. 26
40 Days, 40 Nights Village East (starring Josh Hartnet)

Of course, these are only open to NYU students, so go here to enroll. :) (Sorry, that's the best I can do.)

Star Wars fans going too far? Seattle Star Wars Society: "Seattle Star Wars Society member's Jeff Tweiten & John Guth have become the first in the world to begin waiting for Star Wars Episode II - Attack of the Clones. Jeff began his wait on January 1, 2002, and was soon joined by SSWS President John Guth. They will wait at the Cinerama theatre for nearly four and a half months until the release of Episode II on May 16th.

Why start waiting so early? For one, John & Jeff are attempting to set a new world record for the longest wait for an event. But this is also an art project."

Riiiight, both an art project and trying to wait in line the longest for an event. Sounds like a great and productive idea, really...

30 Years of the Internet. The Internet's Invisible Hand: "No one owns it. And no one in particular actually runs it. Yet more than half a billion people rely on it as they do a light switch.

The Internet is a network whose many incarnations — as obscure academic playpen, information superhighway, vast marketplace, sci- fi-inspired matrix — have seen it through more than three decades of ceaseless evolution."

Multinational-Corporation Music Nazis, destitute performers, or free music on demand? The Many Futures of Music, Maybe One of Them Real: "These are some of the possible futures of music:

a) Everything ever recorded will be available on demand via the Internet, through a high-speed wireless connection to your wristwatch.

b) No one will be willing to pay for any of that music, leaving songwriters destitute and bands trying to make a living from touring and selling T-shirts.

c) A handful of multinational corporations will control virtually all recorded music, limiting public access to it while ruthlessly exploiting musicians.
d) Musicians will reach listeners around the world instantaneously, with no need for intermediaries, so fans can support their favorite performers directly.

Those forecasts and others were in the air at the second annual Future of Music Policy Summit, held Monday and today in Gaston Hall at Georgetown University. Musicians, members of Congress, recording-company executives, Internet entrepreneurs, copyright lawyers, union representatives and computer experts gathered to wrangle over what boiled down to a basic question: How will musicians make a living in the Internet age, preferably without a day job?"

The Gay Channel? MTV and Showtime Plan Cable Channel for Gay Viewers: 'The presence of gay characters on television, both on cable channels and the broadcast networks, has increased in recent years in shows like NBC's `'Will and Grace" and Showtime's "Queer As Folk." But the proposed gay channel would take that trend to a new level.

The programming, as described by several of the executives involved in the planning, would include acquired films, original series, imported series, news and information programs, talk shows, comedy shows and travel shows. Ms. Frank said that surveys of potential viewers had shown that gay viewers would be willing to pay a fee for "programming they're not getting but would like to have."

Joan Garry, the executive director for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, welcomed the plans for a gay channel, saying, "The flag I'm carrying is for visibility, and the more the better."

But she said the gay audience was diverse in makeup and taste and would not watch gay programming just to see gay programming. "It will be all about the content. At the end of the day, if the content is smart, the channel will have a real shot."'

While there certainly is a potential audience, it will remain to be seen whether or not the programming can break out of the largely stereotypical gay content of shows these days.

Coming Soon: The Winter Olympics (and lots of security!) New Look for the Olympics: Under Warplanes and Patrols: "When the Olympic torch reaches Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah in a month, commercial air traffic at Salt Lake City International Airport will be at a standstill. Surveillance planes will be flying miles overhead as F-16 fighter jets remain on constant alert nearby. Thousands of military troops will patrol the streets.

Those are among the measures that the government is undertaking in what officials describe as the nation's most daunting security challenge since Sept. 11 — protecting the Winter Olympics from terrorism."

War Death Toll Goes Up. Seven Marines Killed in Pakistan Crash: "An American military tanker plane carrying seven marines crashed into a mountainside and exploded during its final approach to an airfield in southwestern Pakistan today, killing all aboard, the Pentagon said."

Last Call with Carson Daly: Second Episode. Carson Daly returned tonight with guest Gwenyth Paltrow, whom he referred to as a "vision of loveliness." Carson repeatedly complimented her (read: tried to hit on her), but it didn't get creepy or anything, rather highlighting the great chemistry the two shared in what turned out to be a somewhat comfortable and intimate conversation. Carson really hit on (no pun there) the personal side of Paltrow, which was both refreshing and interesting. He also showed some clips of her performances, including a particularly funny Saturday Night Live clip and one of her singing. Carson even got personal, commenting on how diificult it is to be a celebrity and also try to date, especially when you break up. The second episode rolled along nicely and was generally a good example of where the show can go in the future. Tomorrow's Guest: Suge Knight.

Keep on linking! Thanks to James over at Planet MR2 for linking this very weblog as a "daily dose." I appreciate it. I really like your layout, especially with the crazy-cool icons!

Blog Authority? The complete guide to weblogs offers a brilliant and comprehensive guide to everything 'blog.'

A new weblog meme? BLOGSTICKERS™ are a cute idea, but they seem even less useful than bumper stickers!

Get them now: Windows XP: $3.50, DVDs: $1.20! (Just go to China, the land of no copyright.) China's pirate industry thriving: "...in recent years, the culture of counterfeiting in China has expanded. Nearly everything is available - from college diplomas, to shampoo, batteries, and car-inspection stickers. The Chinese themselves joke that in China, "everything is fake but your mother." If you want Windows XP software, the cost is $3.50. Textbooks at prestigious Beijing University are mostly Xeroxed, as are many Western titles in the library at the China Academy of Social Sciences. If you want a DVD copy of "A Beautiful Mind" or "Fellowship of the Ring," no problem. They are on sale for $1.20 by locals outside banks, coffee shops, and department stores."

Ineloquence in the White House. White House defends use of 'Pakis': "The White House has said that U.S. President George W. Bush meant no disrespect to the Pakistani people by referring to them as "Pakis."

...Most Americans are unaware of the sensitivity of the term. In Britain, however, it is considered an ethnic slur toward Pakistanis who emigrated there in large numbers in the 1960s and '70s."

If I could... read Portuguese, ::caixa:de:pandora:: is the weblog I would want to read.

NBC's 'Late Naught.' A Contract Dispute Keeps NBC Viewers Waiting for Naught: "Entertainment deals are often made on the basis of a handshake, but NBC and its latest late-night star, Carson Daly, were mostly shaking fists at each other Monday night over an unsigned contract that resulted in a last- minute pre-emption of the premiere of Mr. Daly's show.

The move left more than a million viewers befuddled, wondering what had happened to a show that NBC promoted heavily for weeks. Mr. Daly has gained fame as the host of MTV's popular afternoon music and interview program, "Total Request Live," and on Monday he taped his first NBC program, with the singer Alicia Keys as the guest...

...The conflict arose, representatives for both sides said, after NBC made a deal to sell repeats of Mr. Daly's new talk show to the E entertainment cable channel."

Wendy's Copes in two very different ways. After Founder Dies, Wendy's Ponders New Ways to Pitch: "The death yesterday of R. David Thomas, the founder of the fast-food chain Wendy's International (news/quote), ends a second career he reluctantly began 13 years ago as the public face of his company, in what became the longest-running and perhaps most successful campaign of its kind. Now, Wendy's and its longtime agency, Bates USA in New York, face considerable challenges in determining what to do.

"When a human so dominates the brand image, few brands survive the demise of the personality," said Clive Chajet, chairman at Chajet Consultancy in New York, a corporate identity consulting company. He gave as an example the struggles by another fast- food marketer, Kentucky Fried Chicken, now the KFC division of Tricon Global Restaurants (news/quote), after the death of its founder, Col. Harland Sanders, in 1980. Since then, KFC has careered from one campaign to another, alternately trying to revive Sanders or ignore him; the reprises have ranged from animated cartoons to archival film to actors impersonating his looks or his voice."

Last Call with Carson Daly: First Episode. Well, after NBC got their act together and actually got all the contracts signed for the show, the premiere of Last Call with Carson Daly aired tonight. Carson's guest was music sensation Alicia Keys, who was a pretty good guest to start off with. Carson maintained good hosting skills throughout, as long as you don't count the part where he mentioned he was horny and asked Alicia to "play horny" on the piano. Overall, he did an admirable job, but I hope the show keeps working on improving. I don't want it to become "Later II" or something. Make something of the show, Carson.

Oh, come on, Juan! So, now the Juan Gonzalez deal isn't looking so good. Can't Mo Vaughn talk some sense into him? And what kind of reason is feeling "more comfortable" with American League teams? Come on, give it up and sign with the Mets!

Gonzalez Likely to Spurn Mets: "The Mets expected to find out yesterday if Gonzalez would accept their two-year offer worth at least $24 million and including an option year. They made the offer and have stuck to it, believing that Gonzalez would take it if he truly wanted to play for the Mets, as he had said.

But there are increasing indications that Gonzalez, a 13-year American Leaguer, has become hesitant to sign with a National League team. Comfort is especially important to Gonzalez, one person who knows him well said, and the Rangers, for whom he played from 1989 to 1999, present the most comfortable choice."

Ozzie's in, Carter falls 11 votes short. Baseball Hall of Fame voting -- Ozzie Smith Makes Hall of Fame: "Ozzie Smith, regarded as the finest-fielding shortstop ever, was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first try by an overwhelming margin Tuesday.
Smith was the only player picked, with Gary Carter falling just short."

Ozzie Smith definitely deserves his place in the Hall of Fame. I can't believe Gary Carter missed his rightful place there with 72% of the required 75% -- just eleven votes! I guess since his approval rating keeps increasing each year, next year will be when he gets his glory.

Crazy airline passenger day! Passengers Disrupt Las Vegas Flight and Chicago Airport: "An airplane passenger holding a shoe struck a flight attendant and opened the plane's rear door, disrupting a Southwest Airlines flight about to take off for Las Vegas, authorities said.
"His words were that everybody on the plane was going to hell," passenger Michael Fitzhugh said. "You could see the panic of the passengers..."

...Also Monday, security screeners at Chicago's Midway Airport discovered four pocket knives, a box cutter, two flares and a bottle of lighter fluid in a 20-year-old man's carry-on bag, police said. The man, whose identity was not released, was turned over to federal officials."

RIP Dave Thomas, 1932-2002. I'm going to miss Dave, who became one of my favorite TV personalities over the years. He was such an entertaining guy. Dave Thomas, Founder of Wendy's, Dies at 69: "Dave Thomas, the portly pitchman whose homespun ads built Wendy's Old-Fashioned Hamburgers into one of the world's most successful fast-food enterprises, has died. He was 69.

Thomas died around midnight at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the company said Tuesday.

The cause of death was not given. Thomas had been undergoing kidney dialysis since early 2001 and had quadruple heart bypass surgery in December 1996...

The founder and senior chairman of Wendy's International became a household name when he began pitching his burgers and fries in television commercials in 1989. The smiling Thomas, always wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and red tie, touted the virtues of fast-food in humorous ads, sometimes featuring stars such as bluesman B.B. King and soap opera queen Susan Lucci."

Pay MP3 services won't get it done. Like I've been saying... Online Jukeboxes: Britney but No 'Boss': "Imagine walking into a candy store where half the bins are empty, and the owner makes you eat everything you buy before you leave.

That's what it's like to use the online music services controlled by the major record companies: Pressplay and MusicNet. Representing a new generation of industry-approved, on-demand services, they promise to provide the music you want to hear, when you want to hear it.

But neither has the breadth of music needed to deliver on that promise. And both require you to do most of your listening at your computer. Granted, their vaults contain lots of songs--about 100,000 each. The selection grows daily. But they don't come close to matching the selection or portability of the unauthorized free services. Unless and until the courts shut down file-sharing operations such as MusicCity's Morpheus, those services will continue to set a high standard for the competition to meet."

How disappointing. First they close my off-Broadway favorite, Reefer Madness. Now, you can add tick, tick...BOOM!, the story of the creator of RENT, to that list. To make matters worse, I never got to see tick, tick...BOOM! Its not fair! And Joey McIntyre was starring in it. Granted, that's not why I wanted to see it, but either way, I still missed it. I have to start seeing shows before they close.

Congressman: What about right to create LEGAL Digital Copies? Bill to Protect Right to Copy Digital Files: "A congressman who has played a key role in high-tech issues said Monday that he will introduce legislation aimed at protecting the right of consumers to make copies of digital files, such as songs on a CD.

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.), who sits on the Judiciary subcommittee on the Internet and Intellectual Property, said he would try to amend the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which was designed to limit piracy in the digital age.

Critics of the act, which is aimed at preventing illegal copying, say it is being used by the entertainment industry to prevent all types of copying, including copying that is allowed under intellectual property law. The copyright act criminalizes tools that can be used to copy--such as software that can break electronic locks on DVD movies--regardless of whether the copies are legal."

Ah, finally someone in the government is paying attention to all this nonsense and actually plans to protect consumers' rights. I'm impressed.

'9-11'? What should the attacks be called? The saga and controversy over determining the most effective name for the September 11th terrorist attacks continues. '9-11': The Term Sparks a Minor War of Words: "Nearly four months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, there still is no consensus--even among English-language experts--on how to refer to the events. Last week, the American Dialect Society voted "9-11 and its equivalents" as its Word of the Year 2001, the phrase or term that best characterizes the previous year. Meanwhile, online discussion forums are featuring touchy exchanges on just what to call the attacks in Manhattan and at the Pentagon following the recent announcement of a controversial selection on another group's annual list of banished words: "9-11," or "nine-eleven."

The Cable News Battle. Moves by Fox and CNN Signal a New Push for New Audiences: "Though the two leading cable news networks strenuously deny any specific identification with any political ideology, they do not deny the intensity of their competition. Their most recent moves seem to indicate that their battle is entering a new phase, which may result in both networks pushing to broaden their audiences by bringing in different personalities with different points of view." That's a good thing, isn't it? Competition goes up, quality goes up right alongside it. I wonder why MSNBC doesn't seem to care about this latest cable news battle.

Is the UK next? Muslim Says Taliban Fighters to Bring War to UK: "A British Muslim who claims to have helped recruit more than 200 Taliban volunteer fighters in Britain said Monday many would return to launch attacks on military and political leaders back home.

Hassan Butt, a 22-year-old university drop-out from Manchester in northern England, said many of the fighters had been killed in Afghanistan but that he would encourage survivors to take action against the country of his birth.

``Many of them I believe are martyred, many have returned back from Afghanistan and are now currently in Pakistan and are planning many different operations now,'' Butt told BBC Radio in a telephone interview from Lahore.

``If they do return, I believe they will take military action within Britain,'' he said, adding that he wanted them to target government and military institutions and figures."

What's the deal, NBC?!? Weeks upon weeks of advertising. Commercials featuring the rock band No Doubt performing in an elevator. Numerous plugs from Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno on their respective talk shows. Appearances on said talk shows by Carson Daly to promote the show. Late Night with Conan O'Brien tapes a special Monday night show (they normally tape Tuesday through Fridays) just to lead into the new show. HYPE. HYPE. HYPE. Excitement on my part to see this new latenight talk show, Late Call with Carson Daly. So, why, oh why, do I tune in after watching Conan with such anticipation, just to see the opening of a rerun for SCTV, the old Canadian Sketch Comedy show with a scrolling message across the bottom of the screen: "In lieu of "Last Call with Carson Daly," NBC presents an encore presentation of 'SCTV.'

Uh... What exactly just happened? All that hype only NOT to show the program? How disappointing! I wonder if something happened to Carson... now that I think of it, I caught some of TRL on MTV today and they had a guest host for Carson. Maybe he was sick and couldn't tape. Still, what a disappointment.

The NBC website didn't know
what happened to Carson either.

P.S. -- This is what the NBC website said tonight: "1:35/12:35am Premieres Tonight. Last Call with Carson Daly. It’s New York, after dark and after hours. Join host Carson Daly (TRL) for an intimate, spontaneous half-hour featuring guests from music, sports, politics and entertainment." Hrm... must have been so spontaneous, they forgot to tape it.

Its a CD/DVD/MP3/TV/DVR player. This is exactly the digital convergence I've been talking about. The Battle of the Boxes: PC vs. TV: "Moxi's digital set-top box is designed to function as a home media server, integrating the functions of several devices — digital video recorder, CD player, DVD player, MP3 music player — with an Internet connection and a high-speed wireless home network. The system, which Moxi intends to license to satellite and cable operators, is built on a vision of a grand media convergence in which TV viewers in any room of the house will have access to all kinds of digital video, music and Internet data."

This new all-in-on idea definitely needs some more research.

Yes, even you can mastermind a securities fraud -- over the Internet! Teen Agrees to Pay $900,000 for Scheme: "A 17-year-old has agreed to turn over some $900,000 he allegedly swindled from investors in a sports betting scheme he ran on the Internet, the government announced Monday.

The latest case pursued against a youngster by federal securities regulators shows that ``just about anyone -- even a 17-year-old high school student -- can mastermind a securities fraud over the Internet,'' said Stephen Cutler, enforcement director of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The SEC alleged in a civil lawsuit that Cole A. Bartiromo, who lives with his parents in Mission Viejo, Calif., defrauded about 1,000 investors of more than $1 million through his ``Invest Better 2001'' Web site and bulletin board."

Bloomberg: No New Stadiums. No Stadiums This Year, Says Bloomberg: 'New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Monday that the city will not build stadiums for the Mets or Yankees this year because of its budget crisis.

``I think the city should have the best facilities for cultural and for athletic events that we possibly can afford,'' Bloomberg said.

``At the moment, everybody understands -- given the lack of housing, given the lack of school space, given the deficit in the operating budget -- it is just not practical this year to go and to build new stadiums.'''

J-E-T-S! JETS! JETS! JETS! JETS! Yeah, that's right, New York teams do make it into the playoffs -- even the Jets! Jets Beat Their Demons and Make Playoffs: "The kick and the Jets' playoff hopes fluttered toward the uprights, unsteady as the season, sure as the ghosts who have haunted these games for the Jets in the past. And when John Hall's 53-yard field goal cleared the crossbar with 59 seconds remaining — with Vinny Testaverde's arms thrust in the air to signal it good — the Jets had clinched their wild-card playoff spot and, at long last, vanquished the demons that had crushed so many of those opportunities in the past."

I'm shocked. Teenage Pilot Left Note Praising Sept. 11 Attacks: "A teenage pilot's fatal flight into a downtown skyscraper here was a deliberate gesture of support for Osama bin Laden and the hijackers who brought down the World Trade Center, the city's police chief said today.

Chief Bennie R. Holder said investigators found a suicide note in the pocket of Charles J. Bishop, the 15- year-old who crashed a light plane into the 28th floor of the Bank of America Plaza on Saturday evening."

It is really upsetting to me that not only could this happen, but it actually did. We'll never know what was going through this kid's mind before the crash and since September 11th. My prayers go out to his family.

Come back to me, Channel One! Freshman year of high school we watched Channel One's 10-minute newscasts during homeroom. Although I watch and read more news than I care to admit (I am a Journalism major, afterall), Channel One was a good idea and I was sad to see it (along with the donated televisions) be ripped out of our homerooms. Now I've found an even better reason I miss it. Wow.

Like father, like son? Who wants to take bets? Bush, on Offense, Says He'll Fight to Keep Tax Cuts: "President Bush used his first major appearance of the new year today to declare to an audience in central California that Democrats would reverse the tax cuts of last year "over my dead body."

In a swing through two states he lost in the 2000 election, Mr. Bush tried to turn the national discussion from the war on terrorism back to strategies for ending the recession and easing unemployment, the issues his political aides believe will dominate this year's midterm elections.

Mr. Bush's flat declaration today, aimed at Tom Daschle, the Senate majority leader, echoed his father's pledge at the 1988 Republican national convention in New Orleans, "Read my lips: No new taxes." President George Bush backed away from that promise two years later, at tremendous political cost, a lesson his son is said to have taken to heart."

Another Internet Abduction. Missing Teen Found Restrained in Va.: "A 13-year-old girl was reunited with her parents Saturday after a tip from a man who recognized her in an Internet photo led police to a Virginia home where she was restrained.

The Florida man who saw a Web camera photo of the girl recognized her from a photograph on a newspaper's Web site. FBI agents believe she met her abductor on the Internet.

Scott Tyree, 38, of Herndon, Va., was arrested Friday, said FBI Agent Jack Shea in Pittsburgh. Authorities would not specify how the girl was restrained.

Tyree was charged with illegal transportation of a minor for the purpose of engaging in illegal sexual conduct, a felony that carries up to 15 years in prison, said U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan. Additional charges might be considered, Buchanan said."

New NY Baseball Stadiums Too Expensive? Harvey Araton thinks so -- New Stadiums Don't Fit New York's Financial Lineup.

Student Pilot Dies in Plane Crash. Student Pilot, 15, Crashes Plane Into Bank in Florida: "A teenage student pilot flew a single-engine Cessna into a skyscraper in downtown Tampa, Fla., yesterday evening, killing himself but apparently no one else, government officials said.

The pilot was 15, a year below the minimum age for solo flights, took off alone and without permission in a Cessna 172 in which he had been scheduled to fly with an instructor, the authorities said.

The authorities identified the youth as Charles Bishop of Palm Harbor, Fla., a ninth-grade honors student at East Lake High School."

WTC Search for Remains Continues at Fresh Kills. Anguished Search for Traces of the Missing: "Standing amid the transplanted ruins of Sept. 11, the immensity of the task underway at this makeshift City on the Hill is difficult to comprehend. Death and its aftermath are spread out everywhere.
The 175-acre encampment, born of the World Trade Center attacks, ultimately will serve as the final resting place for the countless tiny pieces of humanity that will prove to be unretrievable from the 1.2 million tons of Ground Zero debris.

Any failure to decipher completely the minute fragments of human flesh entombed in the mounds of waste will not be for lack of effort, though.

Literally billions of pieces of debris are being scrutinized meticulously at the reopened Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island in the hope of finding a victim's body part or a personal belonging that can help give a heartbroken family a bit of solace."