Week of April 23, 2002

In Washington - a smiling Bill Gates walks into a federal courtroom and

repudiates Microsoft’s reputation as a business bully.

Meeting in Crawford, Texas with President Bush, Crown Prince Abdullah of

Saudi Arabia warns that the United States would face “grave consequences” if it

does not rein in Israel. Both he and the President spent five hours at Bush’s

ranch.

In a pep talk to U.S. troops in Kyrgyzstan, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld

urged them to prepare for a long war against the “evil of mass murderers” and

not only in Afghanistan.

President Bush, after meeting with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, stressed his

commitment to the Jewish state - “we will not allow Israel to be crushed.”

In S. California’s Orange County - a commuter MetroLink train smashes into a

freight train. Two are dead with hundreds injured.

Disguised as Israeli soldiers, Palestinian gunmen cut through a fence in the West

Bank and raced from house to house, shooting residents, killing four.

completes testifying in the

Microsoft Corp. antitrust trial.

At Vatican City - U.S. Roman

Catholic cardinals call for steps

making it easier to defrock

priests guilty of sexual abuse.

The U.S. economy snaps back

from recession and grows at a

5.8% annual rate during the first

three months of 2002.

L. Britt Snider, former inspector general at the CIA and up to now, leader of the

9/11 probe, resigns.

Passing - Ruth Handler - the co-founder of Mattel and who created the Barbie

doll. She was 85.

Week of April 23, 2002

X-rated star Linda Lovelace of “Deep Throat” fame.

She died of injuries suffered in a car crash early

this month.

Sports - The last straw as Darryl Strawberry is

sentenced to 18 months in prison for violating

probation.

Technology -

EMI and Liquid Audio roll out the first online music

service that lets customers burn to CD. Called

BurnItFirst - it will first offer songs from EMI’s

Christian music catalog.

Music news -

- dies in a car crash in Honduras. She was 30.

Pop singer Jewel (Kilcher) breaks her collarbone and her

first rib after she was thrown from a colt at the Texas ranch

of her boyfriend, rodeo star Ty Murray.

Television news -

anniversary special next month. “It’s gonna be one of those

self-congratulatory things, look how good we are!’ I’m just

not going to do it,” said Carson. He also had this to say

about reality shows - “These people are in just about as

much jeopardy as I am having dinner. People forget that

there’s a crew there. There’s a catering service. It’s not like

they are going to die out there in the jungle.”

Phil Donahue is returning to television. This time, he’ll have a talk show over

MSNBC.

FX orders 13 more episodes of “The Shield” which is known for its grittiness and

harsh language.

Tuesday night television -

CBS - JAG, The Guardian, Judging Amy, Late Show, Late Late Show

NBC - Frasier, Watching Ellie, Frasier, Scrubs, Tonight Show

ABC - Dharma & Greg, Spin City, Philly, Nightline, Politically Incorrect

Week of April 23, 2002

UPN - Buffy, Roswell

Fox - That ‘70’s Show, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, 24

WB - Gilmore Girls, Smallville

PBS - Nova

Comedy Central - Movie-Kingpin, The Sweet Spot, Battlebots, Jon Stewart

Buffy - A demon imperils the whole gang.

Tonight Show - Fran Drescher, Thoth

At the movies -

The Scorpion King

Changing Lanes

Jason X

Murder by Numbers

Life or Something Like It

The Rookie

Ice Age

Panic room

High Crimes

The Sweetest Thing