No Star Billing for Strike at SAG Awards

The Screen Actors Guild Awards could have been a feisty labor rally, but turned out to be just another Hollywood back-patting ceremony.

The Writers Guild of America strike, which is nearing its third month and has disrupted TV and movie production, drew scant onstage mention at Sunday's awards.

The ceremony was granted a writers guild waiver that allowed stars to attend _ unlike the Golden Globes, which had no actors and became a dull news conference.

But despite that show of union solidarity, and with the Screen Actors Guild show's national TV platform, actors kept the focus on celebrating each other. It was left to guild President Alan Rosenberg to …

Local Round-Up

I had a telephone call a short while ago from BBC Radio Bristol.Inspired possibly by the Evening Post's Heart to Heart columns andTV's Blind Date, it informed me of a proposal to bring their ownradio singles programme Going Solo to the heart of Bristol.

They didn't say where - they couldn't as they were busy finding avenue. But it was to be a feature of their popular Morning Show,presented by Susan Osman.

It wasn't that they were lining me up as an 'eligible contender',they wanted music to be played throughout the show.

As I had had a previous experience with the trio Swingtet, withmyself on drums, they thought our style was appropriate to bring atouch of …

Walking the dinsoaur [Digital music/virtual instruments/computer modelling]

In the past few columns, we have reviewed the latest trends in physical modelling and virtual instruments. As you may have noted, a great deal of time and research has gone into creating "analog" sounding digital instruments and recording systems using the latest high-end computer technology over the past five years. In this column we will deal with the alternative: using digital technology to adapt classic analog equipment into your set up.

A basic question often asked is: "Why do you want to use analog equipment when digital is so much closer to the perfect sound?" The basis of analog synthesis is continuous electrical fluctuations that produce corresponding musical functions. …

Round 1 to Beasley: His Heat top Rose's Bulls

Michael Beasley stood in the doorway to the gym an hour before gametime, iPod in his left hand, head bobbing slightly as he chatted with new Miami Heat teammate Mario Chalmers.

He was the picture of cool.

And on the court, his demeanor didn't change much.

If Beasley was the tiniest bit anxious about his first pro outing _ one that came against the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose, the only player selected before him in last month's NBA draft _ he hid the nerves perfectly. Beasley scored 28 points in 23 minutes, lifting Miami past Chicago 94-70 on Monday in the Orlando summer league opener for both teams.

It was the ninth-highest scoring …

Jones Apparel posts 3Q profit, despite weak sales

Jones Apparel Group Inc. on Wednesday posted a sharply higher-than-expected profit in its third quarter, despite a drop in sales as the retailer cut costs and tightened inventories.

The company, whose brands include Jones New York, Nine West and Anne Klein, said for the period ended Oct. 3 earnings rose to $29 .1 million, or 36 cents per share, from $26.8 million, or 33 cents per share, last year.

Excluding severance and restructuring costs, it earned 46 cents per share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters, on average, predicted a profit of 27 cents per share.

Jones continued to experience weakness in sales. The company said its revenue fell 11 …

Empty seats are message for Sox

A few lost souls have written me about Jerry Reinsdorf,suggesting I'm anti-Semitic. In truth, my biases are anti-arroganceand anti-jerkism. As a baseball owner and leading power broker,Uncle Jerry has been the height of arrogance and fan-repelling gall,the single biggest reason the sport has lost its romance of yorewhile stuck in a dismal, bottomless rut.

Which explains quite well why 12,000 tickets remained fortoday's White Sox home opener, just as there were thousands of emptyseats last Opening Day and thousands the Opening Day before. Simply,many Sox fans do not like the man, his methods and his mistakesthrough the years. No matter how much Reinsdorf spends on …

Jeter homers twice in Yankees' 12-5 win at Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Derek Jeter quit thinking about it and just started trying to hit the ball again. That philosophy is starting to pay off for the New York Yankees and their much-scrutinized leadoff hitter.

Jeter homered twice after going 62 games without a long ball and finished with four hits to raise his batting average 20 points as the Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 12-5 on Sunday, winning two of three in their only regular-season series in the Lone Star State this season.

"Everybody needs a day like this, regardless if you're swinging well or you're not swinging well," Jeter said. "I just want to be comfortable. ... It's pretty difficult to hit when you're sitting …