Lawrence.com

Shelby's favorite son

Shelby, N.C. " Three famous fingers earned Earl Scruggs his own highway sign in his boyhood hometown.

Scruggs, 78. the banjo master whose three-fingered approach to playing is credited by many with giving bluegrass music its distinctive sound, was honored at a ceremony Tuesday introducing a sign that welcomes visitors to town.

"Welcome to Shelby ... Home of Earl Scruggs," the sign reads.

With Lester Flatt, Scruggs created two well-known pieces of bluegrass music " the theme song for "The Beverly Hillbillies" TV show and "Foggy Mountain Breakdown."

Crichton wins Internet name

Geneva " Best-selling author Michael Crichton, who wrote "Jurassic Park" and created the television series "ER," has won control of the Internet name www.michaelcrichton.com in a ruling by a United Nations panel.

The panel ordered the transfer of the domain name to Crichton after he complained to the World Intellectual Property Organization that it was being used illegally.

The ruling Tuesday said the registered owner of the name " Alberta Hot Rods of Alberta, Canada " had no rights or interests in the name.

Redford criticizes energy policy

Los Angeles " Robert Redford has criticized the Bush administration in a newspaper commentary for failing to address U.S. dependence on fossil fuels.

The 65-year-old actor and director warned in the Los Angeles Times that the president's energy policy "to date " a military garrison in the Middle East and drilling for more oil in the Arctic and other fragile habitats " is costly, dangerous and self-defeating."

He also wrote that wasteful consumption of fossil fuels creates political problems overseas, air pollution and global warming. "Failing to rein in our dependence on imported oil gives leverage to undemocratic and unstable regimes," he wrote.

Singer faces dental surgery

Frankfort, Germany " Oasis will reschedule two remaining concerts in Germany because singer Liam Gallagher needs surgery on his front teeth, which were broken in a weekend brawl.

Concerts scheduled this week in Dusseldorf and Bremen have been postponed, the British rock band said Tuesday on its Web site. Oasis canceled concerts Sunday in Munich and Monday in Hamburg.

"The damage to Liam's teeth is worse than it first appeared, and he will have to return to the United Kingdom for surgery before he will be able to perform again," the statement said.