2000

All sorts of things have been said about her, but one thing everybody agrees upon is that she is unique. She's got an unusual voice, she is strangely beautiful and totally unpredictable. She is special, she is awesome - and her name is Björk.

In the Scottish county of Fife an old university town of saints and scholars mixes history and tradition with sport and tourism.

Many people know that Oxford and Cambridge Universities (which people sometimes call "Oxbridge") are the two oldest in Britain, but the third oldest can be found far, far away up north in the small town of St Andrews situated on the wild east coast of Scotland. Records show that the first degrees were awarded in 1415.

British, French or Spanish? Puritan or Cavalier? The distinct differences in flavor of American culture from region to region go all the way back to their original settlement by different groups of Europeans. Since then, they' ve been spiced up by immigration from all over the world.

Gaelic games are the national indigenous sports of Ireland. Gaelic football and hurling are the most popular sports while camogie, handball and rounders also come under the auspices of the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association).

Beginning with the start of the year 2000 baseball season, the Copernicus Society of America has initiated a local effort in the Philadelphia area to collect a total of 2,000 new and used baseball gloves for underprivileged Little Leaguers around the world. "Pitch in a glove for Little League" encourages individuals to donate a brand new baseball glove or search in their basement, attic, closet or garage at home to find a glove to give to the effort.

Since the Columbine school massacre last year Americans have been asking themselves what the law can do to prevent such horror ever happening again. Has the time finally come to break with a tradition that many see as an integral part of the constitution?

The French National Car Museum in Mulhouse

Mulhouse, near the German and Swiss borders, has a total of seven museums. One of them, popularly known as "The Car Louvre", is the biggest automobile collection in the world. Since its recent renovation the museum has become the most modern of its kind.

The English language originated in Britain, of course, but who will influence the direction it is taking now, the Americans or the British?

The popularity of English in the world is indisputable. However, it isn't the most widely spoken language. Mandarin Chinese is spoken by about 70 per cent of China's one billion people, whereas English is spoken by no more than 500 million. Of course, no statistics on the spread of English are authoritative today because of changes in the world in the twilight of the last century.

Napster, Gnutella, Reflecter: it sounds like the latest line of chocolate products. But these computer programs are revolutionizing the world of web music - and giving the record industry the fright of their lives.

You never know what a kid will come up with, given the proper tools.