There's a humorous web site that provides "news" articles of no validity.
It recently had an article about Pavarotti, and I'd like to share some of
it with you:

   PAVAROTTI GIVES UP OPERA SINGING TO BECOME POLE-VAULTER

   MODENA, ITALY -- World-renowned opera star Lucianno Pavarotti shocked
   the arts world yesterday as he stood before a packed room of reporters
   in the town of his birth to announce that he will be giving up the
   world of opera to concentrate on his life-long dream of becoming a
   pole-vaulter.

   The man behind the voice that transcended hearts aand minds for so
   many years has a new goal in life.  The Italian tenor will attempt
   to become the first athlete to successfully make the transition from
   opera to track-and-field, as he seeks to qualify for the Italian
   Olympic team and participate in the 2004 Summer Games in Athens,
   Greece.

   Though most were stunned by the announcement, his close friends have
   known of his desires for some time.

   "He talked to me about it frequently," said conductor Zubin Mehta.
   "He first mentioned it one night over dinner when we were having one
   of those deep, late night conversations.  I asked him what would make
   him really happy in life, and he said, 'another plate of pasta.' I
   then said, no, I mean in the bigger sense, and that's when he said,
   'I want to vault.' I knew immediately that he was serious."

   Researchers at the Advanced Composite Materials Institute in Manfred,
   Germany have been hard at work developing a pole that will support
   the ample Italian and hopefully propel him to victory in 2004.

   "There are a number of factors to be considered in addition to just
   making the right pole," according to Reinhold Steitz, the Institute's
   chief scientist.  "It's somewhat like planning a moon shot.  For
   example, let's say Lucianno launches himself skyward, but somehow
   gets off course and starts heading for the stands.  Could you evacuate
   the stadium in time? Where would people go? With an object of that
   size, you have to plan for trouble.  Public safety is an issue."

   In 2004, Pavarotti will be 68, making him one of the older vaulters
   in the competition.  Some question whether his training regimen of
   walking quickly to the refrigerator several times a day is stringest
   enough.

That's it for the funny parts of the article.  As for me, I'd much rather
see Pavarotti pole-vault than sing.  The tv ratings would be awesome.

Don Satz
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