On Tuesday night she played Mozart before the Queen of Soul

She may have made a bigger impression on the former than she did on the latter. The occasion was a gala benefit, raising $582,000 for arts education and the Mann Centre, the summer home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, which is celebrating its 75th birthday. Rice, in her political career, has racked up some notable performances: an appearance with Yo-Yo Ma, or the above-mentioned gig for the Queen, with members of the London Philharmonic, in 2008. The Washington Post reported her playing as a little foursquare, a little obedient, but noted that after Rice joined Aretha Franklin for their one duet, I Say a Little Prayer, Franklin said: "You didn't think she could play it, right?" The report also noted that the onstage interaction between the two women seemed distant. STAY IN TOUCH ... WITH VOICE RECOGNITION DID Plastic Bertrand do a Milli Vanilli before Milli Vanilli (pictured) did? Yes, that question reads like gibberish. However, much like the lyrics attributed to Bertrand, a Belgian punk performer from the late 1970s who yesterday found himself under unwanted scrutiny for miming, it does make its own kind of weird sense. Some background: in 1977 Plastic Bertrand had a hit with the claptrap classic Ca plane pour moi ("All's cool with me"). At the time most English-speaking listeners had no idea the lyrics were claptrap - they were sung in French slang - but here is a representative translation: "Allez-oop! One morning/ a darling came to my home/a cellophane puppet with Chinese hair/a plaster, a hangover/drank my beer in a large rubber glass/Oooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!/like an Indian in his igloo". Anyway, 33 years on The has reported that according to a linguist commissioned by a Belgian judge to examine the original recording of Ca plane pour moi and compare it with a version released in 2006 by Bertrand's former producer, the singer of the 1977 track spoke with a twang that would not have come naturally to the Brussels-born frontman. "The voice can only belong to a Rosetta Stone Korean Ch'ti or a Picard," read the judgment, implying the true singer originated from north-eastern France, the area that produced Lou Deprijck, the track's composer and producer. Roger Jouret - the man behind the Plastic Bertrand persona - has vehemently denied the claims. At least we think it was him. WITH OCTOPUS TIPSTERS THE man may have a point. The belligerent Iranian leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, pictured, says Paul the Octopus, the cephalopod that correctly predicted the winners of seven World Cup games in a row, is a symbol of all that is wrong with the West. London's Telegraph noted the Iranian President launched himself on a bit of an anti-octo riff at the weekend, mentioning Paul several times in a speech in Tehran. Ahmadinejad claimed Paul, kept at Germany's Oberhausen Sea Life Centre, was a symbol of decadence. Paul's popularity soared (then faltered in Australia, Serbia, Ghana, England, Argentina and, finally, Germany) after he predicted the match results in South Africa. One would think Paul's supreme disloyalty in backing Spain against Germany in the semi-final was proof enough that he was no man's stooge, but the President accused him of nevertheless spreading "Western propaganda and superstition". He added: "Those who believe in this type of thing cannot be the leaders of the global nations that aspire, like Iran, to human perfection, basing themselves in the love of all sacred values." Had Iran qualified and got Paul's tentacular caress, what might the President have said? WITH MONEY SO AUSTRALIANS are less happy than the recession-ravaged Irish? An income and wealth survey by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling and AMP found almost 90 per cent of us are "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with our general lot in life, but even so that placed us only equal third in the rankings - Eire, Norway and Denmark were jointly happiest. Researcher Rebecca Cassells said the data was collected from about 14,000 Australians in 2008.

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But gone are the days of primitive slogans

Geert Wilders in the Netherlands, a motley bunch of neo-Nazis in Austria, the British National Party, the Swiss People's Party or SVP, Umberto Bossi in Italy's Northern League, as well as far-right parties in Finland, Belgium, Hungary, Denmark and Greece, are preaching a furious nationalism and earning the ear of the disillusioned. But gone are the days of primitive slogans, bovver boots, shaved heads and angry rallies. In an era of the internet and increasingly sophisticated campaign techniques, splinter parties have made huge inroads into exploiting national insecurity as Western governments - including Australia's - grapple to administer dwindling resources while balancing the needs of long-time citizens against those of newer arrivals. Twice divorced, openly pro-abortion and a single mother of three - Jehanne, 12 (named after Joan of Arc, symbol of the National Front chosen by Le Pen snr) and 11-year-old twins, Louis and Mathilde - Le Pen has sought to woo women juggling work and family in an increasingly insecure labour market. She may have been brought up in a palatial Parisian home but she has created a credible ''ordinary'' persona. (Significantly, Le Pen also talks about women and Islam using vernacular such as women's rights and ''women victims'', more palatable language for a new generation that may be less sympathetic to overt attacks on the veil.) ''People are aware that I am a real person. I am tangible with the same difficulties I see the decline in schooling standardsthat as parents we suffer this terror of consumerism besetting our children, the culture of individualism, the loss of moral Rosetta Stone Latin America Spanish bearings.'' Her core electorate is the disillusioned French blue-collar worker who traditionally might have also supported the extreme left. In 2007 Nicolas Sarkozy and his centre-right Union for a Popular Movement, or UMP, harnessed this core of the electorate, attacking immigration and talking tough on crime to an increasingly insecure working class. This time Sarkozy has managed to alienate nearly all facets of French society: the workers are disillusioned and increasingly xenophobic as unemployment reaches 10 per cent; the white-collar middle class has taken to the streets, furious at the erosion of working conditions and pensions under necessary austerity plans; the wealthy and business class are wrestling new taxes, nicknaming their President ''Bling Bling'' for his perceived vulgarity, nepotism and lack of statesmanship. For Le Pen this is electoral manna from heaven. The left, increasingly viewed as advocating for the civil service and middle class, is divided and disorganised while Sarkozy's own push to the right has alienated his centrist support. Le Pen has slipped through with promises to ban non-citizens from all social welfare, from hospital care to schooling. Foreign-born, naturalised citizens would be forcibly repatriated if unemployed ''too long''. She says her people are seeing this ''great nation collapse''. ''They see their education system collapse, manufacturing industry is going down the drain, the farming sector is going down the drain, French cultural and diplomatic influence is disappearing. This generatesa great sense of injustice and feeling of unfairness. ''France needs to remain a generous country. But to do so, it must remain France.''

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Students award ceremony

A CEREMONY has been held to mark the achievements of students on personal and community development learning courses. Castle College, Beeston, has worked in partnership with New College Nottingham and South Nottingham College, to provide the courses for those who wish to learn a new skill or improve their confidence without the pressure of exams. More than 80 students were presented with certificates at an awards ceremony held at the Council House on Monday.Head of skills for life, language and work Debbie Brannan said: "The four-year partnership with the other colleges has provided excellent opportunities for those who are returning to learning or wishing to develop their confidence and skills. This was a very special event." She may not have had the Sandalwood breakthrough that her big sister Pooja Gandhi had. And in the four years that she's been in the industry, Radhika Gandhi hasn't had a hit. But that doesn't perturb her one bit. I don't bother about failures. It happens in everyone's career," says Radhika. But the actress says she's made some progress. "I didn't know anything about acting when I started out and I didn't understand Kannada. I'm learning the language to understand scripts better and can speak broken Kannada now," she says. Radhika has three projects that are due for release - Veera, Premapurana and Panchamrutha. "Shooting for each Rosetta Stone Arabic film was a different experience, especially Premapurana when my sister made a guest appearance in the film. We had a gala time shooting for a song sequence in Bangkok," she says. She still consults her sister about her filmi projects. "I take Pooja's suggestions before finalising any project. She's like my godmother. Whatever film offers I get are because of her," says Radhika. Pooja may be the protective elder sister when it comes to Radhika's career, but it's a different story otherwise. "My sister is very sentimental. When she gets upset, I have to console her. She says I'm her big sister off-screen," she laughs. About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global education and learning company that is leading the way with innovative solutions and approaches to the challenges facing education today. The world's largest provider of educational products and solutions for pre-K–12 learning, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt develops and delivers interactive, results-driven learning solutions that advance teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Through curricula excellence and technology innovation, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt collaborates with school districts, administrators, teachers, parents and students. Today, HMH education products and services are used by 57 million students throughout all 50 U.S. states and 120 countries. With origins dating back to 1832, the Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning literature for adults and young readers.

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All they see is an ugly cash cow for a developer

We should remember that when voters opted for change in 1965, after 24 years of Labor governments, they finished up with the 10-year premiership of Robert Askin. James Moore Kingsgrove Barry. An awful lot of us are really looking forward to the Big Love-In on March 26. We just didn't expect to have to cuddle up with that mad bloke from Canberra. We know he's somehow related, but could you ask him to stay at home for the next five weeks? David Luckie Moss Vale What gives Tony Abbott the right to comment on Barry O'Farrell's appearance (''He ain't pretty'')? Abbott's no oil painting. Margaret Hamilton Blackheath The last time NSW switched from a Labour to a Liberal government, Elton John was married to a woman. Just wanted to put that out there for all those who, like me, are feeling as though this election run-up has a faintly surreal ''and-then-I-woke-up-and-it-was-all-a-dream'' quality. Linda Hutchinson Naremburn Sixteen years in opposition and what have they come up with? A new train timetable (if you live on the right line). Mark Pearce Richmond The Liberal Party media release on express trains says one of the new services will stop at "Katoomba-Springfield-Penrith". Homer and his family will be pleased. Doug Walker Baulkham Hills Skewed views over the value of Barangaroo If there was any doubt the Tourism and Transport Forum is incapable of providing rational insight into the future of NSW, John Lee (Letters, February 21) has dispelled it once and for all. Mr Lee says ''the economy of Sydney and NSW is relying on the 6000 permanent new jobs'' generated by Barangaroo (a woolly predicted number at best). Really? Can we seriously believe 6000 new jobs are all that stand between a robust NSW economy and potential ruin? What about the other several million of us who will never have anything to do with Barangaroo? Don't we count when it comes to the economy of NSW? Please, drop the hyperbole and face the fact that many Sydneysiders see no benefit from the proposal. All they see is an ugly cash cow for a developer. Phil Jacombs Seaforth What is deeply worrying about the Lend Lease proposal in general and the hotel in particular is that it seems to set a potential legal precedent. Anyone Rosetta Stone Chinese (Mandarin) who has visited Hong Kong in the past 20 years has seen how its harbour has shrunk. Once the hotel is built on our harbour, other developers will no doubt follow, and in a few years we won't have to worry about traffic jams on the harbour bridges and tunnels - we will be able to drive or walk across. Katharine Stevenson PyrmontCoalition's new threat to fish stocks Duncan Gay says limits to fishing in marine parks are ''voodoo environmentalism" and there is a lack of scientific rigour around many of the assessments ("Marine parks up for review and promise of cash to cut fishing fleet", February 21). Our fish stocks are under enormous pressure, with some species in crisis. The science and the experience on the Great Barrier Reef demonstrates that ''no-take'' areas covering representative ecosystems are essential to maintain and rehabilitate fish stocks. Buying licences from fishers is nothing new and should be applauded. But with the evidence in about the success of marine parks in allowing fish stocks to build up (refer to NSW Fishing Monthly for glowing stories about the great fishing in the Batemans Marine Park, for example), it is extremely worrying to think that a Coalition government would act to reverse the great gains that have been made. Catherine Moore (former federal Greens candidate), BraidwoodSingle culture is still a foreign idea Paul Sheehan argues for "one language, one law, one culture. Everything else comes under the heading of individual freedom '' (''Loose lips on sunken ships expose cultural disharmony'', February 21). It is nonsense to suggest we have ever had one culture in this country.

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BBC to close five foreign language service

AP The BBC says it plans to close five foreign language services as part of efforts to cut costs by 16 per cent, a move unions warn will lead to hundreds more job losses at the state-sponsored broadcaster. The move to stop its Albanian, Macedonian, Serbian, Portuguese for Africa and English for the Caribbean regional services is a response to a cut in grants from the UK Foreign Office, the BBC World Service said. The company would not confirm any other details ahead of a staff briefing and press conference on Wednesday, where global news director Peter Horrocks will give "significant details" of the World Service's response to the cuts. Advertisement: Story continues below Union officials claim that Horrocks will Rosetta Stone Germanannounce hundreds of job cuts at the meeting, dealing a second blow this week to journalists in the company's ranks after the BBC said on Monday it plans to eliminate 360 jobs over the next two years and trim spending by 25 per cent by 2013-2014. The National Union of Journalists said it will stage a demonstration outside of the BBC World Service office in London on Wednesday. It has also written to the chairman of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs committee, Richard Ottaway, and the chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, John Whittingdale, urging them to review the BBC's plans for "drastic cuts" in the service. "If the details we have obtained are accurate, we believe Mr Horrocks' plan will severely damage the national interest of the UK," the journalists said. Horrocks stressed that closing the five services was not a reflection on their performance, saying "they are all extremely important to their audiences and to the BBC." The BBC World Service, which started broadcasting in 1932, costs STG272 million ($A435 million) a year and boasts an audience of 241 million people worldwide across radio, television and online.

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How can you say that, Murray?

Loveable or tongue-tied, no matter what you think of Formula One commentator Murray Walker you'd have to agree he is passionate about the subject. Loveable or tongue-tied, no matter what you think of Formula One commentator Murray Walker you'd have to agree he is passionate about the subject. Dubbed Muddly Talker by many F1 fans who tune in to the English language F1 broadcasts from around the globe, Murray has announced he will retire at the end of next year. Murray was in fine form for the announcement, saying: "In order to do what I want to do I have to be healthy - there's a lot of young shavers trying to climb up on the plinth and I have to keep my feet sharp to stamp on their fingers." Advertisement: Story continues below No prizes for counting the mixed metaphors there. But Drive couldn't let Murray's not-so-imminent departure from F1 go without ackowledging his gift to the English language ... oxymorons, tautologies and, well, just plain Murray-speak. Many thanks to Geoff Harris and the Melbourne Grand Prix office for this vintage dozen. And now excuse me while I interrupt myself. Either the car is stationary or it's on the move. Tambay's hopes, which were previously nil, are now absolutely zero. I've just stopped my startwatch. That was exactly the same place where Senna overtook Nannini that hedidn't overtake Alain Prost.A mediocre season for Nelson Rosetta Stone Japanese Piquet, as he is now known, and always hasbeen. Martin Schanche's car is absolutely unique except for the one behind,which is identical. Two laps to go, then the action will begin. Unless this is the action,which it is.There's only a second between them. One.That's how long a second is. The young Ralf Schumacher has been upstaged by the teenager, JensonButton, who is . It's a sad ending albeit a happy one here at Montreal for today's GrandPrix.The first four cars are both on the same tyres. Jose Montilla, the socialist president of the Catalan regional government who voted against the bullfighting ban, said he hoped the issue would not trigger a conflict between Catalonia and the rest of Spain.The main opposition Popular Party, which sees itself as the champion of a centralised Spain, said it would present a motion in Spain's national parliament to annul the prohibition against bullfighting in Catalonia.Bullfighting retains a passionate following in Spain and leading matadors are treated as celebrities.But the practice's mass appeal has faded, with polls showing a rising disinterest throughout Spain, especially among the young. A Gallup survey showed that almost three-quarters of Spaniards have no interest in it.Catalonia, whose capital Barcelona is Spain's second-largest city, has now followed the lead of the Canary Islands which made the practice illegal in 1991.Animal rights activists hope other regions will now also ban bull runs.

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The big bang

How much can happen in years? A lot. Graeme Philipson looks at how technology has changed our lives. Ten years ago there were 6655 bank branches in Australia. Today there are just 4888. Over the same time the number of bank tellers has declined by half, according to the Reserve Bank. There are no figures on visits to banks, but most likely they have fallen by an even greater margin. Today every PC is a bank branch, and we are all tellers. Advertisement: Story continues below Online banking is just one way technology, and in particular the internet, is changing our lives. Consider what the world was like in 1995, just a decade ago. In that year, Microsoft released Windows 95, the first version that worked as advertised. Labor was in power in Canberra, and out of power in Britain. O.J. Simpson's trial in the US redefined the meaning of justice. Best picture Oscar was won by Mel Gibson's Braveheart. Carlton won the AFL premiership (maybe it really was a long time ago), and the Bulldogs stormed into the rugby league premiership from sixth spot. In 1995 Amazon was a small firm struggling to survive and email was a novelty. Digital cameras and iPods didn't exist. Analog mobile phones were clunky, expensive and unreliable. PDA still stood for "public display of affection". The Java programming language was announced that year, as was the first Sony PlayStation. Since then a whole range of new technologies and services have come into being that have totally changed our behaviour and habits, at work and at play. We are surrounded by electronic digital devices. We buy our cars, do our banking and read our news online. Newspaper circulations and cinema attendances are declining. Most dating services, job ads, and encyclopedias are now online. We can send and receive SMS messages from fixed phones, watch Rosetta Stone Greek TV on our computers, and surf the net and take pictures with our mobile phones. Wireless communication is widespread, for voice and for data, and the day of seamless integration of wired and wireless networks is almost upon us. The internet, only a baby years ago, has matured. We rely on it and we trust it. The key has been the movement of information from analog to digital. Analog signals represent information as waves. All analog signals are different, and storage or retransmission means an inevitable loss of quality. With digital, all information is expressed as zeros and ones, which means we use the same technology for storing and transmitting all media and all computer-based information. TV, CDs (and now MP3 players), DVDs and telephony all employ a string of binary digits, called bits. Digital signals can be stored, copied and retransmitted an infinite number of times with no loss of quality and at virtually zero marginal cost. The internet has been around since 1969, when the United States Defence Department started connecting its research computers to each other. But initial growth was slow and in the early '90s still largely restricted to government and academic users. It was hard to use, text based, had poor search capabilities and required arcane commands to navigate it. But in the late '80s Englishman Tim Berners-Lee worked out a way to make the internet easy to use, by introducing a new naming convention and the concept of hypertext. He called it the World Wide Web. Suddenly, it became possible to search the internet, and people began to build web pages for other people to look at. Then in 1993 the US Congress changed the law to allow the internet to be used for commercial purposes. That year also saw the introduction of Mosaic, the first easy-to-use web browser. At about the same time, PCs became commonplace in business and the home, and data communications improved to the point where dial-up internet connections were good enough to handle simple graphics - as found on web pages - as well as text.

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