People By DENNIS DAILY United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Video of the Week: Vin Diesel in 'XXX' By STEVE SAILER UPI National Correspondent LOS ANGELES, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Film of the Week: 'Confessions' By STEVE SAILER UPI National Correspondent LOS ANGELES, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Film: Best of 2002 By STEVE SAILER UPI National Correspondent LOS ANGELES, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Book of the Week: Victorian fairy tales By SHIRLEY SAAD SAN DIEGO, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

'Imaginary Friends': A play about enemies By FREDERICK M. WINSHIP NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- "Imaginary Friends," screenwriter Nora Ephron's first play, is about America's last sensational literary feud between Lillian Hellman and Mary McCarthy.

Of Human Interest: News lite By ELLEN BECK United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A survey of 575 singles by the online dating service Match.com finds 46 percent expect a kiss from just one person on New Year's Eve.

Jockstrip: The world as we know it By ELLEN BECK United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) -- It could be like Florida without oranges -- Pasadena, Calf., without the Rose Parade floats. The beautiful floats that draw thousands to the annual procession likely will all be built elsewhere soon.

Your Daily Horoscope By D. DONOVAN KINSOLVING United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) -- UPI horoscopes for Tuesday, December 31, 2002.

Watercooler Stories By DENNIS DAILY United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Urban News By DENNIS DAILY United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) -- (MIAMI) -- Hotel owners in Miami say that they did better than the national average in recent weeks in attracting visitors.

The Almanac By United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) --

The Almanac By United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) --

A Blast from the Past By United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The weekly UPI Blast From The Past package for Jan. 6-12.

A Blast from the Past By United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) -- With the expiration of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1979, the Republic of Panama assumed full control of the Panama Canal on this date in 1999. The U.S. Panama Canal Commission ceased to exist.

Rock News: Music's high and low notes By JOHN SWENSON United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) -- New York's Times Square is primed for an enormous party on New Year's Eve starting at 10 p.m. when Dick Clark begins broadcasting live from the ABC-TV "Good Morning America" studio, then picking up steam at 10:30 with MTV's Pajama Party, hosted by Carson

Today in Music: a look back at pop music By United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Today's birthdays include Rex Allen, the "Arizona Cowboy," who was born in 1924 (age 78); folksinger Odetta in 1930 (age 72); Police guitarist Andy Summers in 1942 (age 60); the late John Denver in 1943; original Kinks bassist Peter Quaife, also in 1943 (

Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world By KEN FRANCKLING United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) -- One of the great Swing trumpeters, Jonah Jones, was born this day in 1909 in Louisville, Ky. He began his career in Mississippi Riverboat bands then worked with Stuff Smith, Lillian Armstrong and McKinney's Cotton Pickers before taking a long-standing gig

Today's Consumer: News you can use By DENNIS DAILY United Press International , Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, McNeil drugs is recalling two types of children's Tylenol. The products, according to the FDA, include a bubble gum-flavored liquid Tylenol preparation and a grape-flavored liquid.

Video of the Week: 'Barbershop' By STEVE SAILER UPI National Correspondent LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Civilization: Why I believe in God By LOU MARANO WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- In the winter of 1969-70, when I was 26, I lived in my parents' house in Buffalo, N.Y. I had gotten out of the service the previous September, was going to graduate school and working part time. One evening I was putting on my coat in the entrance hall be

People By DENNIS DAILY United Press International , Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Celebrities in the news.

Shanghai Circus opens New Year on Broadway By FREDERICK M. WINSHIP NEW YORK, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Circus traditions in China date back more than 2,500 years, and the New Shanghai Circus, performing at Broadway's New Victory Theater through Jan. 12, draws on these ancient traditions.

Of Human Interest: News lite By ELLEN BECK United Press International , Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The Mail on Sunday's female-only rich list has Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling -- at $76 million -- earning some six times more than Queen Elizabeth II at $12.3 million.

Jockstrip: The world as we know it By ELLEN BECK United Press International , Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Suffolk County police say Arthur Dalke, 34, of Long Island, N.Y., nearly backed his car into a police cruiser -- which wouldn't have been so bad if the man hadn't had seven drunken driving convictions under his belt.

Your Daily Horoscope By D. DONOVAN KINSOLVING United Press International , Dec. 30 (UPI) -- UPI horoscopes for Monday, December 30, 2002.

Urban News By DENNIS DAILY , Dec. 30 (UPI) -- (CINCINNATI) -- "Old Riverfront Stadium" has come tumbling down. With hundreds of thousands watching on a variety of local TV channels and listening on radio, and with countless others watching from safe vantage points, Cinergy Field was imploded along th

Watercooler News By DENNIS DAILY United Press International , Dec. 30 (UPI) -- MILLIONS MISS THE ORANGE BOWL PARADE For a very long time the Orange Bowl Parade was a staple in south Florida ... but not any more.

The Almanac By United Press International , Dec. 30 (UPI) --

A Blast from the Past By United Press International , Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The Soviet Union, which is no more, was created on this date in 1922. It happened at the first Soviet Congress when Russia, Ukraine and two other Soviet republics signed a treaty.

Rock News: Music's high and low notes By JOHN SWENSON United Press International , Dec. 30 (UPI) -- After months of vituperation, Justin Timberlake finally admits former lover Britney Spears broke his heart in a cover interview for the February issue of Vibe.

Today in Music: a look back at pop music By United Press International , Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Today's birthdays include rock 'n' roll pioneer Bo Diddley, who was born in 1928 (age 74); country singer Skeeter Davis, whose real name is Mary Francis Penick, in 1931 (age 71); John Hartford in 1937 (age 65); and the late Del Shannon was born in 1939. T

Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world By KEN FRANCKLING United Press International , Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Trumpeter and bandleader Charlie Creath was born this day in 1890 in Ironton, Mo. He was a major figure in St. Louis music circles and a big influence on the city's many emerging trumpeters including Shorty Baker, Clark Terry and Miles Davis.

Today's Consumer: News you can use By DENNIS DAILY United Press International , Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says a Connecticut-based company is cooperating in the recall of speakers.

Outside View: U.S. Ethnic Tossed Salad By PETER J. PITTS A UPI Outside View commentary INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 29 (UPI) --

Your Daily Horoscope By D. DONOVAN KINSOLVING United Press International , Dec. 29 (UPI) -- UPI horoscopes for Sunday, December 29, 2002.

The Almanac By United Press International , Dec. 29 (UPI) --

A Blast from the Past By United Press International , Dec. 29 (UPI) -- London scientists reported on this date in 2001 that they concluded from studying seized documents that accused terrorist leader Osama bin Laden's al Qaida organization had tried to develop a range of weapons that included a ''dirty'' nuclear bomb.

Today in Music: a look back at pop music By United Press International , Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Today's birthdays include Ray Thomas of the Moody Blues, who was born in 1941 (age 51); Marianne Faithfull in 1946 (age 56); Whitesnake's Cozy Powell in 1947 (age 55); Robert Parissi of Wild Cherry in 1950 (age 52); and Yvonne Elliman in 1951 (age 51).

Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world By KEN FRANCKLING United Press International , Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Guitarist Irving Ashby was born this day in 1920 in Somerville, Mass. He followed Oscar Moore in Nat King Cole's trio for five years beginning in 1947.

Your Daily Horoscope By D. DONOVAN KINSOLVING United Press International , Dec. 28 (UPI) -- UPI horoscopes for Saturday, December 28, 2002.

Almanac By United Press International , Dec. 28 (UPI) --

A Blast from the Past By United Press International , Dec. 28 (UPI) -- On this date in 2001, President George W. Bush granted permanent normal trade status to China, reversing a 20-year policy of using access to U.S. markets as an annual enticement to China to expand freedoms. Congress previously approved the move over the o

Rock News Two: The week in pop By JOHN SWENSON United Press International , Dec. 28 (UPI) -- The New York Times has sounded a death knell for pop music, calling 2002 "The Year That Pop Lost Popularity."

Today in Music: a look back at pop music By United Press International , Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Today's birthdays include the late Roebuck "Pops" Staples, patriarch of the Staple Singers, who was born in 1915; Johnny Otis in 1924 (age 78); Charles Neville of the Neville Brothers in 1938 (age 64); Edgar Winter in 1946 (age 56); Eastbeats bassist Dick

Jazz Notes: Goings on in the jazz world By KEN FRANCKLING United Press International , Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Earl Hines, one of the pianists who helped shape the history of jazz, was born this day in 1903 in Duquesne, Pa. His level of rhythmic and melodic invention was so influential other musicians nicknamed him "Fatha."

People By DENNIS DAILY United Press International , Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Celebrities in the news.

Weekend Traveler By DENNIS DAILY United Press International OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 27 (UPI) --

Paul Newman narrates 'Our Town' on stage By FREDERICK M. WINSHIP NEW YORK, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Paul Newman is back on Broadway after 38 years, playing the avuncular narrator in Thornton Wilder's "Our Town," the classic American play about the eternal truths of life and death in an archetypal New England village at the turn of the last century.

Sermon of the week: Singing praises By UWE SIEMON-NETTO UPI Religion Correspondent , Dec. 24 (UPI) --