People

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE AND THE 'OLDER WOMAN'

There are growing reports that now that 21-year-old Justin Timberlake has decided to drop "I wish I were older" Britney Spears, he has turned his attentions to someone who doesn't have to wish that ... 36-year-old Janet Jackson. According to the New York Post, Jackson and Timberlake have become quite an item, visibly romantic at many national nightspots. The publication says that Timberlake has been spotted in the arms of Jackson at several locations, including an eatery in Los Angeles and at a birthday party in Miami. In reaction to the reports, one of Timberlake's spokespeople tells the publication that since the "boy singer" was recently named by People magazine as the most eligible bachelor in the country, he's just proving it.

GETTING BACK TO THE BASICS OF COUNTRY

Many in the world of country music have long complained that today's country hits don't have much to do with rural America anymore. Well, one reason is the quickly decreasing number of people who still live there, on farms and in small towns. During the past decades this country has become increasingly urban ... and so has the tone of country music. Now, according to the Country Music Television cable network, at least one group admits that "urban country" may be the wave of the future. The country duo Hometown News has used its debut album, "Wheels," to expound the problems of suburban, if not downright urban life. The songs, of course, still deal with the gamut of human problems -- divorce, romance, betrayal and poverty -- but with a decidedly non-rural bent. There's even one song called "Minivan." Hometown News is made up of Scott Whitehead and Ron Kingery. Both are the sons of military officers, but grew up in decidedly civilian settings. Whitehead tells the network: "Our dads got out relatively early, while we were young."

MAYOR GOES TO THE AID OF PASSENGERS

For years when you thought of the mayor of Los Angeles the name Richard Riordan came to mind. Well, Riordan has been out of office for a while -- and made an unsuccessful bid for the California governor's chair. The new head of the sprawling West coast mega-city is Jim Hahn. Now, in the wake of that deadly shooting spree at the international terminal of Los Angeles International Airport, Hahn stays he is personally stepping in to use city resources to beef up security, even with the added layer of federal forces there. According to all-new radio station KNX, Hahn unveiled a plan Wednesday that will utilize off-duty police officers as an additional, visible presence throughout the many buildings at the airport. Officers will be on patrol, both on foot and on bicycles. Some, though, will be doing undercover work. There is additional concern since the July Fourth incident that security should not be limited to just the passenger-screening areas and the gates. Airports in many other countries have visible officers -- with weapons -- all over, even outside.

WANNA BUY AN O.J. SIMPSON VIDEO?

A tape of O.J. Simpson is about to be marketed on the Internet. And, according to columnist Neal Travis, it's not the kind of thing you'd want to watch with your grandmother present. The half-hour tape opens with Simpson boasting about how great his new life in Florida is. He talks about how many friends and fans he has and how he has everything he wants out of life. Then, reportedly, the video degenerates into a menage a trois, when two women enter the scene. There are reports that the tape was bootlegged or stolen from Simpson's private collection, but Travis speculates that the rumor could be a "plant" in order to make the tape more desirable. For those who can't seem to get enough of O.J., this tape may be just what the doctor ordered.

BABY GIRL FOR RADNEY FOSTER AND WIFE

Rising country star Radney Foster, best known for "Nobody Wins," and wife Cyndi have a new daughter. Maureen Joy Foster was born this week. Foster tells country.com that he has become accustomed to raising two sons, but raising a daughter is, in his words, "scary business." He says that he has no doubt that Maureen will have him "wrapped around her finger in no time." The bespectacled Foster, who looks more like a New York stockbroker than the typical country star, is also an accomplished songwriter. His official Web site -- radneyfoster.com -- notes that his latest single, "Everyday Angel," will be hitting record store shelves in about a week. It is the first single to be released from his latest album. Meanwhile, the popular Dixie Chicks have covered one of Foster's earlier songs, "GodSpeed," in its latest project.

HEAD OF NPR APOLOGIZES TO FAMILY GROUP

It wasn't that long ago that the head of National Public Radio, Kevin Klose, connected the Traditional Values Coalition with the anthrax attacks on Capitol Hill. Now, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Klose -- under pressure from Christian organizations and angry legislators -- has formally apologized for the remark. He made his feelings known Wednesday as a committee of Congress was questioning just how fair NPR can be in covering national issues when its chief executive officer is so "off the wall." Several members of the committee that oversees the funding and operations of the public network questioned whether or not NPR has a built-in anti-Christian bias. Meanwhile, the head of the Christian group that Klose linked to terrorism is calling for Congress to drop all its funding for NPR in the wake of the incident.

UPI DAILY SURVEY QUESTION NO. 369

Prompted by the flap over that statement made by the head of NPR, here is today's question: "How often, if any, do you listen to NPR? If you do, to which programs? Do you support your NPR station?" Put NPR in the subject line and send to [email protected] via the Internet. ADDITIONALLY: Tomorrow we're going to throw open the forum for you to discuss what you want. So, start thinking about what you'd like to say were you given a national soapbox.

STILL CATCHING UP ON PAST QUESTIONS

Recently we asked about what kind of games you like to play at home. Here are some of the replies: Suprisingly, chess was a big winner. We must have some really smart people who read this column. Cards likes chess too, as well as Trivial Pursuit, Balderdash and Charades and Mexican Dominos (which was learned recently and is great fun). David M. reminded us about Parcheesi. Btrflybabe says she's been playing a card game called Payola since a child at her grandmother's house. Scrabble, good old Monopoly and euchre were big winners. A few said they even played bingo at home. On the subject of your favorite non-chocolate candy, RTM says that he likes jelly beans and candy corn. Robert, I share your love of candy corn. Cindy H is among those who voted for the No. 1 answer, gummy bears in all forms and flavors. Second was red licorice. The third most-mentioned treat was Life Savers (Butter Rum is the best). Sheli likes the new Cream Savers. By the way, several of you wrote with the following statement: There are no good candies that don't contain chocolate! TOMORROW: More catching up. GBA.