Etc...

Well, but he's a superstar

When last we visited Yao Ming in this space (in February), the 7 foot 6 inch Olympian and center for pro basketball's Houston Rockets had just been voted No. 1 in a survey of China's leading public figures. So it ought to follow that Yao memorabilia would fetch more money on eBay EachNet, China's leading online auction site, than that of any other celebrity, right? Sorry, but no. Earlier this month, a regulation basketball carrying his autograph sold for $1,220 - pretty impressive, considering it's the equivalent of a year's pay for most of his countrymen. Alas, it was up against one signed by the legendary Michael Jordan, who, even in retirement, is widely considered the sport's all-time greatest player. The winning bid for the Jordan ball was $1,473.

For on-the-go college students, being able to access the Internet with their PCs virtually anywhere - dorm room, library, even outdoors - at any time is a definite plus. That's why Intel Corp., the world's largest manufacturer of computer chips, has compiled a list of "Most Unwired College Campuses." (It also ranks unwired cities and airports.) The ratings are based on such criteria as the percentage of each campus covered by wireless technology, numbers of undergraduates and computers, and computer-to-student ratios. The 10 most unwired college campuses from the Intel list:
1. Indiana University (Bloomington)
2. Purdue University (West Lafayette, Ind.)
3. University of Texas (Austin)
4. Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland)
5. Dartmouth College (Hanover, N.H.)
6. Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh)
7. University of Akron (Ohio)
8. Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo)
9. American University (Washington)
10. St. John's University (New York)