Via my dad, comes this link to a PC World article asking "Do Burned CDs Have a Short Life Span?". The expert in the article suggests that for long term storage, use magentic tape to store files you want preserved for decades. For your average home user, burning copies to CD's I think is still feasible as well as copying the files to multiple machines/hard drives to hedge your bet.

Opinions vary on how to preserve data on digital storage media, such as optical CDs and DVDs. Kurt Gerecke, a physicist and storage expert at IBM Deutschland, has his own view: If you want to avoid having to burn new CDs every few years, use magnetic tapes to store all your pictures, videos and songs for a lifetime.

Bolivia's president elect is on a worlwide tour visiting foreign governments including China, Cuba, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Venezuela, and brazil. The US has asked to talk to him, according to the State Department. Morales may meet with the US once he's been inaugurated.

Shannon emphasized how important it is for Washington to continue the US-funded anti-drug programs and coca plant eradication programs in Bolivia.

More interesting:

Coca is the raw material from which cocaine is processed, but it has also been used in traditional medicine in Bolivia.\ \ Morales wants to end the US-sponsored coca eradication program that he says has failed to curb drug trafficking in Bolivia.\ \ Morales, a former coca farmer organizer, made it clear in an early January meeting with US ambassador to Bolivia David Greenlee that he will fight drug traffickers but will not eradicate coca cultivation.

But he also met with China's presiden, and described the Chinese as an "idealogical ally". He also offered to allow them to develop Bolivia's substantial natural gas reserves.

Morales' visit to China came at a propitious time for Beijing, which is also eager to develop links with Latin America. China sees nations like Bolivia as new sources of fuel and raw materials as well as new markets for its exports.

Two interesting posts on The Sports Economists today. The first points to a story pinting out that Britain's high tax rate puts the Premier League at a disadvantage relative to its Continental neighbors, forcing English clubs to offer higher wages to players in order to remain competitive.

The firm said a player seeking net pay of £50,000 a week would need a £100,000-a-week gross salary in Britain compared with £66,000 in Spain.

Also, as we are all eagerly waiting to find out if we scored World Cup tickets, theres a post on an options market for tickets. Sadly, no options to purchase FIFA World Cup tickets or Major League Soccer playoff tickets (yet?). It'd be fascinating to see ticket sales broken down by team. That is, to give some insight into how confident fans will make it to the playoffs, semi-finals, final round.

After opening an account, members can buy options to purchase tickets to a number of specific championship sporting events - NFL postseason games, BCS bowl games, NCAA Men's basketball Regional Finals and Final Four, etc. - at face value for a given team.