Fyi

Address: / / rinkworks.com / dialect / What's the point?: The Dialectizer takes text or other Web pages and instantly creates parodies of them. Try it out by selecting a dialect, then entering a URL or English text in the field provided. Among the "dialect" selections are Elmer Fudd, Pig Latin, Swedish chef and Cockney. What to look for?: Try out all the dialects on some serious Web sites. Also, try out the "dialectize text" feature and type in a phrase from a news story. Elmer Fudd is a favorite.

Say, you might have missed the memo on this, so - just FYI - we thought we'd mention that the war on terror is over. No, this isn't an April Fool's joke. It's official policy of the U.S. government. Reports surfaced recently that the Global War on Terror no longer exists. Does this mean Americans now don't have to worry about bad guys and bomb plots? No such luck. Terrorism will likely be with us for a long time. But the fight, according to the Pentagon's Office of Security Review, will henceforth be termed an "overseas contingency operation."

QUOTE OF THE WEEK You can't be a party girl forever. -- Actress Tara Reid

Violinist Rieu performs Dutch violinist and conductor Andre Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra perform at 1st Mariner Arena, 201 W. Baltimore St., at 8 p.m. Tickets are $50-$75. Call 410-547-7428 or go to ticketmaster.com. FYI Susan Reimer is on vacation. Her column does not appear today.

Under a pavilion at Druid Hill Park, a little girl deftly twirled a hula hoop. The spry 10-year-old easily matched dance steps with a crush of practiced teenagers and sat patiently while a volunteer painted her face with feline features. But the minute she spotted her brother, she raced toward him. She held him in a fierce hug, saying the 11-year-old's name over and over. The pair had not seen each other since Easter. No one better understood that reaction than Shantel Randolph, a former foster child who organized the picnic to reunite siblings in foster care.

FYI Because of the holiday, box office does not appear today. It will be published later this week.