When the United States Mint removed the silver from circulating US coinage in 1965, they faced a technical challenge. Many vending machines depended upon both the size and the electrical conductivity of the coins to determine if they were counterfeit or similarly sized foreign coins.

A number of her relationships have featured prominently in the tabloid press, and photographs of her scantily-clad form have appeared in various lad magazines, including a much publicized Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She was named one of People Magazine's 50 most beautiful people in 1998, 2000 and 2002 and she had a small role (as a motel manager) in the 2000 film Me, Myself and Irene, starring Jim Carrey.

North Korea was ruled from 1948 by Kim Il-sung until his death on July 8, 1994. After the death of Kim Il Sung, his son Kim Jong-il was named General Secretary of the Korean Workers' Party on October 8, 1997. In 1998, the legislature reconfirmed him as Chairman of the National Defence Commission and declared that position as the highest office of state. International relations generally improved, and there was a historic North-South summit in June 2000. However, tensions recently increased when North Korea resumed its nuclear weapons program.