Underpants. Following Evan's advice to go with him a block over to the Classic Stage Theater on 13th Street to see this comedic German play adapted by Steve Martin was an excellent idea. We got a discount through Playbill.com and we were able to see the very first preview presentation of the play. It was great and included a surprise ending that had me laughing right out of my seat! When we got there, we were greeted by one of Evan's "Loebies" and brought into the small stage theater with seating on three sides. We had excellent seats too, in the front row center. Here's a synopisis from the site:

"Theobald Maske has an unusual problem: his wife's underpants won't stay on. One Sunday morning they fall to her ankles right in the middle of town - a public scandal! Mortified, Theo swears to keep her at home until she can find some less unruly undies. Amid this chaos he's trying to rent a room in their flat. The prospective lodgers have some underlying surprises of their own.

Steve Martin, award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and humorist, brings his comic genius and sophisticated literary style to Sternheim's classic 1910 farce. His hilarious new version will be staged by Artistic Director Barry Edelstein."

Slick Willie keeps on coming. 'Bill Clinton' Worm Gets Around: "Virus experts today warned of an e-mail worm that is spread when recipients open an attachment bearing a caricature of former president Bill Clinton holding a saxophone with a bra emerging from the horn." Go ahead, this time you make the joke... its just too easy!

Pirating Russell Crowe. Man Admits Selling Russell Crowe Tunes Online: "An Austin, Texas, man could go to prison for a year and pay a $100,000 fine for online sales of copyrighted songs by actor Russell Crowe's band, which were recorded at a concert, federal prosecutors say. Billy Joe Acosta pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of copyright infringement for distributing music by Crowe's band, Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts, on the Internet, the U.S. Attorney for Northern California said in a news release." You'd think that if the guy wanted to make a lot of money, he'd at least illegally distribute a band that actually sounds good!

Un-googling Google-banning. Anti-Scientology Site Re-Listed On Google: "A Web site critical of Scientology has been re-listed on Google's popular search engine. Xenu.net - named for a figure in Scientology legend - is once again showing up under Google searches for "Xenu" and "Scientology," after being removed over a copyright controversy earlier this week...

...A notice posted today on Xenu.net says that while Google has re-listed the home page, the search-engine company has refused to re-list several pages within the site that contain information the Church of Scientology opposed as infringing."

Coming to an NYU theater near you! NET just confirmed two new free advanced screenings: Murder by Numbers on April 17th and Insomnia on May 1st.

Hollywood file-sharing. The Oscars get Napsterised:"Hollywood feels threatened as more people use Internet file-sharing services to obtain free copies of movies. But just as the music business has found in its efforts to fight the mass copying of songs through services such as Napster, the film studios will not be able to rely on technology alone to protect their copyrights."

Miserable music. Facing the music: "Big album releases are flopping, piracy is on the rise and the internet is failing to live up to its promise. No wonder the music industry is miserable, write Ashling O'Conner and James Harding."

Google-banning. Google Yanks Anti-Church Sites: "The Church of Scientology has managed to yank references to anti-Scientology websites from the Google search engine. Citing the controversial Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Scientology lawyers are claiming that Google may no longer include anti-Scientology sites that allegedly infringe upon the church's intellectual property."

MPEGs are the next MP3s: Only the movie industry is caught off guard. Movies and the Internet: "THE file-swapping of recorded music on the Internet has already sent the music industry into a spin. Now it is Hollywood's turn to take fright. At its peak in February 2001, 2.8 billion music files were downloaded each month through Napster alone. The sharing of files containing pirated movies may still be in its infancy, but 300,000-500,000 feature films are already being downloaded daily, according to Viant, a consultancy.

This activity is set to grow thanks to three factors: the spread of broadband connections; the use of new compression formats that have made it easier to squeeze a digital film into a computer file; and the increased trading of movies over file-sharing networks, such as LimeWire and Morpheus, and through Internet chat-rooms. It is now possible, as Michael Eisner, Disney's boss, demonstrated at a Senate hearing last month, to capture from the Internet a brand-new film, such as “Monsters Inc”, or a current TV show."

The amazing New York Times byline. Today I learned something. Reporter Christina 8. Lee's middle name is not a typo. Its actually to help her stand out from the other million Christina Lee's in China, according to her parents, who chose '8' because it is a lucky Chinese number.

Empire State Building is sold. Trump Sells Empire State Building: "An investor group that holds the lease on the Empire State Building has agreed to purchase the building from real estate magnate Donald Trump and his partner for $57.5 million, Trump's spokeswoman said Tuesday. The spokeswoman, Norma Foerderer, confirmed reports in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times that Empire State Building Associates, which is controlled by real estate investor Peter Malkin, will buy the 102-story landmark. Malkin's group already holds a lease on the building through 2076." You have to wonder how much the September 11th attacks factored into Trump's decision to sell.

New keyboard technology. Check this out: A full-size fully functional virtual keyboard that can be projected and touched on any surface. Now that's a gadget you'd expect out of the 21st century, right? Maybe someday all keyboards and even monitor projections will be based on a similar technology.

Government ends around-the-clock fly-overs. All-day air patrols over NY, DC to end: "The Pentagon plans to end the practice of round-the-clock fighter air patrols over New York City and Washington that began as last-ditch defensive measures after the Sept. 11 attacks. The first substantial reduction in fighter patrols since the suicide hijackings is to take effect by mid-April, several senior defense officials said Tuesday. Both New York and Washington will continue to be monitored with occasional fighter patrols, and fighters will remain on short-notice alert at air bases across the country in case of emergency."

What a day!. Unbelievable. (At least my midterm went well!) At least I learned a valuable lesson today at a relatively low cost.

Today is also my sister's 17th birthday! How did she get so old so fast? HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATELYN! I would also like to give a long distance shout-out to Mike Savino, a friend from elementary school, who's birthday is also today. I'd assume he's 21 today. I'd like to find out what he's up to these days.

Sustained Campaign in Afghanistan. US campaign against terror hits uncertain ground: "The US is preparing for a sustained campaign in Afghanistan. But it must choose its tactics with care if it is not to be caught up in ethnic rivalries, says Alexander Nicoll and Charles Clover."

Afghan battle is a success, says US. Afghan Battle Declared Over and Successful: 'The commander of American forces in the region said today that military operations in Afghanistan's Shah-i-Kot valley would probably cease by the end of the day. But in a sign that the United States expected continued ground operations elsewhere in the country, Britain announced that it would send 1,700 troops to help flush out remaining Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters.

Gen. Tommy R. Franks, the commander of the operation in Afghanistan, declared the battle, the largest ground fight of the five-month-old war, an "unqualified and absolute success."' Gee, what else did you expect him to say?

Anthony in Print: Warblogs on the Rise. Please take a second to read Warblogs bring relief, comfort to internet users, an article I wrote for the Washington Square News, NYU's Daily Student Newspaper, which I am very proud of and which took me a long time not only to research and write, but also to get published. Here's an excerpt: "Adnan Arif, 22, a University of Southern Florida student, runs his own weblog (www.adnan.org), an independent publication focused on personal commentary. Before Sept. 11, he wrote about a lot of things: his experience at a Dave Matthews Band concert (his first concert), how someone had stolen his Web site layout, haikus and his personal opinions about many other things. In addition he included links to hundreds of Web sites he found interesting.

However, in the aftermath of Sept. 11, many weblogs, including Arif’s, have been transformed into warblogs (or warlogs), covering the developments of America’s “War Against Terrorism” and the traditional media’s coverage from unique personal perspectives, which can be accessed globally." Let me know what you think of it!

A new restaurant choice. After a brief, yet not unexpected, wandering around period, Evan (my roommate) and I decided to eat dinner at Pizzeria Uno, which is right around the corner for us. I was able to convince Evan that Yummy House Chinese food is not all there is to eat when we feel like ordering out. I mean, we live in New York City, dag-nabit! Anyhow, we will definitely be returning soon because the service and food was excellent and not expensive (~$14 for drink, entree, Caesar salad, and tip!). I had the "Fish and Chips," which was just what I was in the mood to eat. Evan ordered something called "Chicken Thumbs." Please, don't ask why it was called that.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday. Despite its proximity to the start of spring, this Sunday was cold! I went to church at noon and was happy to be welcomed back after Spring Break by more choir members than ever before, including one who sang psalms like a Broadway performer. She was so talented that I hope she sings every week. It reminded me of "Jekyll and Hyde the Musical's" songs for some reason. A new priest was also shipped in for the mass. Between he and the souped-up choir, I felt like I was at a show where I could sing along with the perfomers. I like the fact that I can worship God while also enjoying myself with other faithful.

This new priest, white-haired yet energetic, delivered an interesting and useful sermon and kept the entire mass interesting, even ad-libbing some parts! And instead of standing at the microphoned-pulpit, he decided to address the congregation with his arms outstretched in the front-middle of the altar, closest to us, in a style probably made famous by Jesus Christ himself. Very interesting, indeed.

Britney Spears = Merchandising Opportunity. Here's the proof, as if anyone needed it: Britney Spears considers coming out with her own clothing line, but not yet and Britney to open restaurant: "The tentatively titled Pinky's (not to be confused with Pink's, the famous hot dog eatery in Los Angeles, or Pink, the pop singer known for "Get the Party Started" and "Lady Marmalade") is said to be derived from Spears' nickname. It will reportedly serve up a variety of moderately priced eats. No word on whether the menu will reflect the singer's Southern-fried Louisiana heritage. Britney's bistro will take over the space currently occupied by the defunct upscale French restaurant Virot on 41st Street in New York. The place is currently getting a facelift to reflect the change in theme." Yikes! And you thought that huge Britney-wearing-a-thong Pepsi billboard in Times Square was overbearing!

Irish Parade in Pictures. In Pictures: Saint Patrick's Day parades: "Thousands of marchers and spectators in St Patrick's Day parades around the United States paid tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center." Take note of the third picture down. I saw that firefighter marching while holding up his hat with the picture of a WTC victim inside, but I didn't know who it was until I read the caption online. He seemed determined to make sure everyone along the parade route saw the lost chaplain photo in his hat.

BONUS ARTICLES: Oh, the Pipes Are Calling, and Calling Still, Scenes from the St. Patrick's Parade, A Dual Celebration: St. Patrick’s Day parade honors heroes, Irish heritage, Green for a Day

Liza Minelli's Wedding. After the parade, I wandered down Fifth Avenue and around 28th Street I noticed a crowd. Photos to follow.