Week of January 15, 2001

California electric crisis - as rolling blackouts keep happening, president-elect

Bush rejects price gaps sought by Gov. Gray Davis. Deregulation of electrical

power is killing the state. California paid as much as $800 per megawatt hour

compared with $30 a year ago. Some $400 million of overpayments or excessive

charges may never be recovered. Southern California Edison says it may soon

be in default.

Dynegy Inc of Houston says it will haul Southern California Edison and PG&E

into court if it isn’t paid its high rates for electricity sold to the two utilities.

President Clinton strikes a deal ensuring he will not be criminally prosecuted for

making false statements about his affair with Monica Lewinsky. He agreed to

give up his Arkansas law license for five years and pay a #25,000 fine to resolve

the scandal.

Final duties - President Clinton grants pardons to 140 Americans including

Patricia Hearst and Susan McDougal. Michael Milken, who requested a pardon,

didn’t get one.

Boarding a jet at Andrews Air Force

Base, Bill Clinton told the crowd, “You

gave me the ride of y life and I tried to

give as good as I got.”

George W. Bush takes office as the 43 rd

president of the United States. He called

on Republicans and Democrats to join in

“civility, courage and compassion” to

relieve poverty, improve education and

build a new sense of community.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson admits that he

had fathered a daughter out of wedlock.

In a statement, Jackson says he takes

full responsibility for the child and has

been supporting her. “I am father to a

daughter who was born outside of my marriage,” “This is no time for evasions,

denials or alibis. I fully accept responsibility and I am truly sorry for my actions.”

The dollar rallies against the yen - up to 119 yen - its best in over a year.

Week of January 15, 2001

Sports - David Winfield and Kirby Puckett - former Minnesota Twins, are elected

into baseball’s hall of fame.

Technology -

IBM has a 28% jump in fourth-quarter profits and gives an optimistic sales

forecast for 2001.

Intel says it will buy Xircom - a maker of notebook computer communications

devices for $748 million.

Money-losing health website

Drkoop.com is laying-off 45

employees.

Sports -

Former NFL Carolina Panther player

Rae Carruth is acquitted of first-

degree murder, but convicted on

three lesser chargers in the shooting of his regnant girlfriend.

58 th annual Golden Globe awards - some winners

Movies - drama best actor - Tom Hanks for “Cast Away.”

Drama best actress - Julia Roberts for “Erin Brockovich.”

Comedy best actor - George Clooney for “O Brother Where Art Thou?”

Comedy best actress - Renee Zellweger for “Nurse Betty.”

Television - Best drama series - “West Wing.”

Best actor - Martin Sheen - “West Wing.”

Best actress - Sela Ward - Once and Again

Best comedy series - “Sex and the City.”

Best actor - Kelsey Grammer - “Frasier’

Best actress - Sarah Jessica Parker - “Sex and the City.”

Entertainment news -

Jennifer Lopez releases the album “J.Lo,” her follow-up to

“On the 6” - her 199 debut album. Seems that fans want

to hear about her boyfriend Sean “Puffy” Combs.

Week of January 15, 2001

Top TV -

ER - 28.35

Friends - 22.86

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire on Wednesday - 20.85

The practice - 20.62

Millionaire on Sunday - 20.44

Law & Order - 20.34

Everybody Loves Raymond - 20.27

Will & Grace - 19.86

Millionaire on Thursday - 18.10

Frasier - 18.10

Just Shoot Me - 18.01

West Wing - 17.86

CSI - 17.49

60 Minutes - 17.44

Becker - 17.09

NYPD Blue - 16.41

Three Sisters - 16.31

Television news -

You didn’t know she was pregnant all along - but

Frasier’s Jane Leeves just had a baby girl.

Because of the romance between her and Niles,

producers hid her pregnancy on the show by

standing behind furniture and wearing large coats

and joking about her weight gain.

CNN says it lay off nearly 10% of its 4,350

employees in a cost-cutting effort. The network is

axing “CNN Newsstand” a newsmagazine show

launched in 1998.

Hot Hits -

Stutter - Joe

Stronger - Britney Spears

Week of January 15, 2001

SouthSide - Moby

So In Love With Two - Makalia

Liquid Dreams - O-Town

Mamacita - Public Annoucement

Dance With Me - Debelah Morgan

Independent Woman Pt. 1 - Destiny’s Child

Case of the Ex - Mya

Top albums this week -

Hotshot - Shaggy

1- The Beatles

Lover’s Rock - Sade

Human Clay - Creed

Now That’s What I Call Music 5 - Various

artists

Greatest Hits - Lenny Kravitz

Chocolate Starfish - Limp Bizkit

The Last Meal - Snoop Dogg

No Angel - Dido

Music news -

Jason Newsted, the bassist for Metallica for 14 years is leaving the band. He

cites private and personal reasons.

They’re back - Guns ‘n Roses played to more than

200,000 fans in Rio de Janeiro. They haven’t done

live shows for seven years.

Only on MTV - Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera

“Nobody Wants to Be Lonely.”

Released this week - Bruce Springsteen: Video

Anthology 1978-2000,” a collection of all 18 of his

music videos and 15 previously unreleased

performances. The Beastie Boys have one coming

out next month.