Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check

Recall:

The company that makes Health Valley granola bars is recalling some of its bars that could be contaminated with Salmonella. The bars are made with organic toasted soy grits supplied by an outside company, and which may be contaminated with the bacteria.
   The recalled bars include Peanut Crunch, Dutch Apple and Wildberry from certain lots. All the codes and SKU numbers are listed on the U-S Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) website. Consumers are being advised to return any unused portions to the store for a full refund. (Page)

Like you really care:

KIM CATTRALL is back to dating boys her own age. Sources close to the fifty-plus "Sex and The City" cougar tell the National Enquirer that after breaking up with ALAN WYSE --who clocked in at a spry 30-years-old-- she's decided to stick to older, more mature men. Apparently she felt more like a babysitter with her last boyfriend, but believes in true love and would love to take another stab at marriage. (Lee)

High School Hijinks:

Every teacher and every staff member at an underperforming high school in Central Falls, RI, are about to be fired as the school board cracks down on poor test scores.
   The Providence Journal says that with some of the lowest test scores in the state, fewer than half the students graduate. An overhaul calls for everyone --about 100 teachers and staff-- to be fired at the end of the school year. (Maiman)

Collegiate Capers:

In a bid to keep up with the YouTube generation, Tufts University added an extra question to its application this year: 6b, an "optional essay" that gives students the opportunity to submit short home videos alongside traditional college application materials.
   Out of 15-thousand applications, one-thousand decided to take up the option.
   The videos (posted on the NY Times' website, range from clever to questionable. One applicant built a flying elephant (the college's mascot), others opted for MySpace-y monologues into the camera, and far, far too many showcased their talent at rapping.
   With more than 26-thousand hits, the most popular video features an intrepid applicant's math dances.
   Admissions officials say that bad videos won't hurt applicants' chances of acceptance --"unless there was something really disgusting"-- and that the option is intended to bring transparency to the admissions process.
   This is the first time that Tufts has accepted videos, and according to the dean of undergraduate admissions, the best submissions will face off in a "Tufts Idol" competition once decisions have been mailed out.
   FYI: Sounds like a good online contest --a video essay about listeners. Post the best ones online and let other listeners vote on 'em. (Maiman)

This Week's Hot TV shows (Nielsen, 2+):

How well are the Olympics doing? Just look:
10. "Undercover Boss," CBS,
9. American Idol (Wed), FOX,
8. Winter Olympics, Tue Prime Time, NBC,
7. Winter Olympics, Sun Prime Time, NBC,
6. Winter Olympics, Fri Prime Time, NBC,
5. American Idol (Tue), FOX.
4. Winter Olympics, Thu Prime Time, NBC,
3. Winter Olympics, Mon Prime Time, NBC,
2. Winter Olympics, Sat Prime Time, NBC,
1. Winter Olympics, Wed Prime Time, NBC,