HOT PANDA: HOW COME I'M DEAD

A name like Hot Panda is guaranteed to attract attention. The question then becomes what will be done with it. And in the case of Hot Panda, the answer is: apparently not much.

Sounding like a rehash of Washington's K Records scene in its heyday, the 13 tracks on Hot Panda's How Come I'm Dead (Mint Records) are 15 years too late to make effective use of the name.

The whole album feels like an attempt to make a recording in a studio sound like one from a garage, with overt attempts to make guitars sound cheap. Vocals alternate between a bored sounding sneer and faux-insane howl. Trumpets, accordions and keyboards are peppered throughout but feel more like studio add-ins …

South Korea opposition boycotts legislature

South Korea's president canceled his traditional speech Thursday before the new National Assembly, as an opposition boycott over a widely unpopular U.S. beef import agreement brought the legislature to a standstill.

The main opposition parties refused to attend the formal opening of the legislature in a protest aimed at pressuring President Lee Myung-bak to renegotiate the U.S. deal.

In another setback for Lee, his ruling Grand National Party suffered a bruising defeat in local by-elections Wednesday. While small-scale, the results contrasted sharply with April parliamentary elections in which the conservative GNP clinched a majority.

The new …

Ponderous, pretentious 'Earthsea' misses mark Plodding two-part miniseries cribs from "Potter," "Rings" movies

Sci-Fi Channel's two-night miniseries "Legend of Earthsea" has itsmoments, to be sure.

Like the sight of a rat scurrying about wearing a tiny cowl.

Or the scene in which a dragon who sounds like Andre the Giantwith a lisp tells a young wizard he will answer two questions. "Isn'tit usually three?" the kid says, to which the dragon responds:"Correct, but with that, you're back to two."

Most of the (STAR)(STAR) "Earthsea," set for 8 p.m. tonight andTuesday, is silly. Too rarely, however, is it silly in a way thatmakes you smile.

More ridiculous exchanges with dragons and less overwroughtbabbling about good, evil and the fate of the world would have …

No Child Left Behind in Art?

In June 2004, three out of four public schools in Florida failed to meet a new federal standard for school improvement, including one arts school that had earned "A" ratings on statewide tests for 4 consecutive years (Shanklin, 2004). Why are so many schools failing, including "A" schools?

In this article, I explain how the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 is re-reshaping public education in the United States. I identify key terms and regulations in the law and indicate how it is related to a companion Educational Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) of 2002.

I first became aware of NCLB by reading Education Week. Early reports on the law were confusing. In pursuit of more …

UK minister displays sensitive Afghanistan memo

LONDON (AP) — A British minister has accidentally shared sensitive government information about Afghanistan.

International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell on Tuesday walked out of the prime minister's office with confidential briefing papers in his hand, on display for gathered television cameras and photographers.

According to Britain's Sky News, the documents contained comments on Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai's plans to step down in 2014, stating it would …

Biden mistakenly blesses Irish leader's mother

Vice President Joe Biden asked for God's blessing for the late mother of Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen during a White House celebration of St. Patrick's Day _ except the elderly lady is very much alive.

"God rest her soul," Biden said Wednesday night as he introduced Cowen and President …

Louise Williams, owner of bar in Lincoln Park

Through more than half a century of change in Lincoln Park, aconstant has been the tavern at Clybourn and Sheffield-and thepresence there of a smiling Louise F. Williams.

The woman her friends called "Sparky" wasn't even countertop-tallin 1939 when her parents bought the Triangle Inn, known these days asthe U.S. Beer Co. Charlie and Eleanor Bunge wanted a business wherethey could work together. Their daughter was a fixture from the earlydays, as a child washing glasses, cleaning up and chatting withcustomers. Later, she owned the place.

Mrs. Williams died April 7 at Weiss Memorial Hospital. She was 66.

Mrs. Williams was attending the old Josephinum High School …