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NBC's broadcast drew a 25.5 national rating and a 42 national share with Nielsen Media Research reporting that 72 million watch all or part.That means an average of 25.5 percent of all U.S. TV homes and 42 percent of the TV were tuned to NBC. It was an stunning and immediate turnaround from the last Olympics, the Summer Games in Sydney in September 2000.

Skiing event, Norway is First don't have offical standings yet.

Tattered flag to be carried around stadium at ceremony.The torn flag that fluttered over the remains of the World Trade Center won't fly at the 2002 Winter Games after all.The frail banner, which has come to symbolize the country's recovery and resilliance, was to be hoisted during the olympic ceremony asthe official flag of the host country. But Olympic officials have determined that it is too delicate for the high winds predicted in Salt Lake City on Friday night.

On their way out, the reporters could see a volunteer running into the stadium carrying a mock Olympic torch, followed by hundreds of children.The baloons and their riders were being lifted into the air as a new song by country singer LeAnn Rimes was announced.That will be one of the most anticipated moments of the ceremonies, when the glass and steel cauldron at the south end of the stadium is ignited with the Olympic flame lighted last November in Greece and carried across the United States.Speculation has centered on members of the U.S. and Soviet men's hockey teams who competed ...

The International Olympic Committee in terror has backed down and stated that the WTC flag will fly over the games and the official main stadium for the full two weeks as our official host flag. Our U.S. athletes are now demanding that they carry the torn flag into the stadium for the opening ceremonies, with Old Glory to be raised up the pole afterwards.I'm so proud of our young representatives of this nation!!

A change of travel plans for members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team that pulled off the 'Miracle on Ice' might indicate who will light the Olympic cauldron at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Originally, the United States Olympic Committee always plays it incredibly close to the down vest who will light the Olympic flame during opening ceremonies.But hint, hint, hint. Members of the 1980 Olympic hockey team that pulled off the "Miracle on Ice" were originally scheduled to arrive Feb. 9, the day after the opening ceremonies. Now the USOC has told the team members ...

Democrat Governor hopefuls Thomas Birmingham and Treas. Shannon O'Brien 'will flex their grassroots political muscle' in today's local Mass. Democrat caucuses.50 thousand activists will select 'more than' 3,900 delegates for the June 2002 nominating convention.Those delegates along with the 1,147 elected and party officials will 'determine who among the five candidates' will make it to the 9/02 primary ballot.Birminghan and O'Brien 'are expected to dominate,' while ex-DNC chair Steve Grossman, ex-state Senator Warren Tolman and ex-Labor Secretary Robert Reich 'scramble to clear' the 15% threshold to make the ballot.One or two of the candidates 'may fold their campaigns' after a ...

Noelle 'Comes Up Clean As Having No Priors'The Miami Herald reports the attorney for Governor Jeb Bush's (Republican-FL) daughter Noelle, 'filed papers in Leon County Circuit Court' January 31 'serving as the 24-year olds initial appearance on charges that she tried to buy the sedative Xanax with a bogus prescription this week.'(2/1)

Investors in Enron's off-balance sheet partnerships knew that the energy group was using the vehicles to enhance its earnings and maintain its credit rating.The partnership are increasingly at the centre of regulatory and congressional scrutiny of Enron, which filed for bankruptcy in December after executives restated the company's figures and revealed the extent of debt held in off-balance sheet variables.Congressional investigators have widening their inquiry into the role of Enron 's auditors, Andersen, to examine whether the firm offered improper advise on the private partnerships.There are also increasing concerns that the off-balance sheet financing hid the perilous state of Enron's ...

Another indication of a possible run for governor by Republican Haley Barbour comes from an interesting web site registration by the John Grotta Company.They have reserved barbour2003.com for possible development.The John Grotta Comapny is a political and direct marketing organization based in Washington D.C. with clients ranging from Senator Trent Lott to Governor Mike Foster of Louisiana to Mayor Rudy Guiliani to Senator Bob Dole's 1996 Presidential Primary to the Mississipp Republican Party.Other clients have included the National Republican Party, the Republican Congressional Campaign and Senatorial Campaign Committees, and dozens of other congressional, senatorial, gubernatorial and state campaigns and committees.However, ...

Reporters close to the financial experts said on CNBC that a 'high ranking' Enron executive is talking to the federal government and is in talks for a deal for immunity in exchange for testimony.The relevations in the statement are said to blow the Enron story 'wide open' into public view.

Senator Jesse Helms (Republican-NC) 'has steadfastly avoided taking sides' in past GOP primaries, but he 'is about to bend his rule some--if not outright break it.' Helms is scheduled to address CPAC on 1/31, and he 'has invited Elizabeth Dole to introduce him.' Helms apparently plans to 'lavish her with praise.'Helm's spokesman Jimmy Broughton 'wouldn't say whether Helms plans to endorse Dole, suggesting: 'Stay Tuned.' One of Dole's GOP rivals, atty Jim Snyder,: "All this pomp and circumstance is to expected for someone who's been in Washington for so long.'

Just annonunced on this morning's broadcast, Bernie Goldberg's 'Bias' will be the #1 N.Y. Times bestseller on next Sunday for the third consecutive week.The list is based on sales figures and a selection of influential independent bookstores throughout the country.

CNN announced on air the flight will be tomorrow afternoon, MSNBC backs it up with a report from the Pentagon.

Bernie Goldberg, Call Your AgentMaggie Gallagher's informative piece (on conservative Ivy League professors) this morning should be clipped and put on Bernie's desk.Now that his book 'Bias' has reached No. 1 on the New York Times Best Seller List (and will remain there next week) this should be his next assignment.End Note: The definition of Enron, the Scandal That Wouldn't Start:Condit without the sex.

What the Papers Say-The London Observer ENRON'S NEW 5 BILLION DOLLAR BLACK HOLE Investigators probing the accounts of collapsed energy giant Enron are examining what happened to more than 5 billion dollars in loans and investments the comapany made to subsidiaries kept off its balance sheet. Story Filed 22:40 Saturday the 19th January 2002

Ananova:What the Papers Say-The TimesANDERSEN RECOVERS MISSING ENRON FILESAndersen, the accountancy firm caught in the Enron scandal, has recovered thousands of electronic files relating to the Enoron audit.Story filed: 00:26 Saturday 19th January 2002

Officials at Andersen's head office in Chicago took part in regular conference calls and discussed destroying documents with the firm's Enron auditors in Houston in the weeks leading up to the controversial purge, congressional investigators have learnt.The discussions threaten to ruin attempts by Andersen to contain the Enron damage to a few people in its Houston office.

<p>CNN just reported the development, formal action has been started.</p>

Just heard through a good diplomatic source that we will not be going to war with Iraq.Their intelligence says that we will work to overthrow the government in place and Russia has objected to an outright confict involving the US.