If I stray into football tactics it meets with a frosty response," reveals the chairman. But players and contracts are discussed, which is why, unlike some other clubs, the manager and his chairman are usually singing from the same hymn sheet.

"We've already had one or two informal approaches with figures mentioned," says Johnston, "but we've brushed them aside because Steven is under contract until 2010.

Negro League baseball player finally gets time to shine

Joe Scott's heroes were Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. He once played in an all-star game against Joe DiMaggio, but he never lived the dream of playing in the major leagues as a teammate to baseball's idols.

Columbia J-School's Secret Memos Are Incredibly Long

Columbia Journalism School Dean Nick Lemann pulled a hilarious oopsy-daisy the other day when he mistakenly sent his personal evaluation of himself and the future of the entire school to all his students, rather than just to his boss. It would have been more hilarious if it was forwarded pictures of Ken Auletta in a tutu or something, but whatever. Lemann basically says that, yes, we have a ton of money and we are the most elite elitist journalism institution in the history of elitism, but it's not all good because, you know, at some point kids are gonna figure out you can't make any money doing this stuff, and they'll probably go to cheaper schools, so let's figure that one out pretty soon. The evaluation is essentially exactly the same as a New Yorker article by Lemann on the current state of Columbia J-school would be, except nobody would ever pay for such a thing.

An inconvenient trip: Here are 10 great destinations before it's too ...

I know that we have seen tremendous growth in our expeditions to the polar regions (Antarctica and the Arctic)," says Jennifer Gregoire, media relations manager for Lindblad Expeditions, via e-mail. The voyages have been sold out far in advance, prompting the company to purchase a second ship for the polar regions. The National Geographic Explorer is expected to set sail in June.

Denise Landau, executive director of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, says the increase has nothing to do with climate sightseeing: "It's a fantastic place to go, more vessels available for people to travel on, and there are more companies who are established around the world. I've actually gotten that question a lot, and our operators don't believe it has anything to do with global warming."

Online: www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com; www.iaato.org

- Low-lying islands

A tiny Polynesian island nation called Tuvalu already has discussed evacuation plans if the sea continues to rise.

A very novel kind of literary tour

If exploring a city through the pages of a novel is a pleasant way of veering off the tourist trail, to travel accompanied by the novelist himself is a privilege. Alexander McCall Smith sets two of his bestselling novel series in Edinburgh and when we meet at his house in peaceful Merchiston, he loses no time in telling me of his enthusiasm for his native city. This house doubles as the home of the philosopher Isabel Dalhousie in the eponymous series, in which Isabel deals, very gently, with moral dilemmas. This reflects McCall's own interest in ethics – he was previously professor of medical law at Edinburgh University.

Outside, we meet someone who appears as a character in McCall's other series, the Scotland Street books, featuring the lives of the inhabitants of 44 Scotland Street and their friends.

Misadventures in Atlanta

Slim are you my long lost twin sister??? Dang, it sounded like you were describing me! I completely understand what you mean when you feel that guys don't take you serious b/c of your funny bone - I have the same thoughts. Do you ever feel like you get stuck in the "friend zone" a lot because of your humor? I do…