Today’s two-part question is for Orioles First Baseman Rafael Palmeiro. LP: Mr. Palmeiro, in sworn testimony before Congress in March you said “I have never used steroids. Period.” In responding to questions earlier today about your suspension for juicing, you slightly modifed your earlier position to assert that you have never “knowingly” used steroids. First question: can you explain to

Bush: Rove has ‘my compete confidence’ despite leak Reuters Monday, August 1, 2005; 8:38 PM WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Bush on Monday declared “complete confidence” in his top political adviser, Karl Rove, despite his alleged role in leaking a covert CIA operative’s identity, according to an interview. (Story.) Ummm, “despite” or “because of”?

This showed up via e-mail a few minutes ago from my buddy O-Ring. O-Ring applauds the Bobbies, saying: “Finally, common sense rules in place of political correctness. Look at the last graf, and how high the official is who is quoted.” The graf in question reads thusly: British Transport Police have been targeting specific ethnic groups for “intelligence-led” stop-and-searches as

Hunh. So how do you think this will affect the debate over whether Rafael Palmeiro belongs in the Hall o’ Fame? Rafael Palmeiro was suspended Monday for violating Major League Baseball’s steroids policy, nearly five months after telling Congress that “I have never used steroids. Period.” (Story.) Somebody was observing a few days ago that Raffy’s numbers jumped significantly the

Is the biggest powderkeg in the whole Middle East priming to blow? I’ve been arguing for a long time, as have a lot of folks, that the biggest problem we have in the region – and by “we” I mean people who dislike Islamic radicals and fundamentalist terrorism – is Saudi Arabia, home to Osama bin Laden and most of

Oh great – now Al Gore has invented television, too.

Some of you will like this. You know who you are.

First, four scout leaders lost control while setting up a tent and electrocuted themselves to death at the annual Jamboree in Virginia. Then about 300 scouts at the same event fell ill due to the heat (after learning that President Bush was going to no-show them). Now lightning has hit a group of scouts in California, killing one and injuring

You’ve seen those billboards with messages from God? Stuff like “‘What part of ‘Thou Shall Not’ didn’t you understand?’ – God”? Right. Well, here are some more. Sort of. Heh heh heh… [THX: Debby Levinson of the Boston Technology Desk.]

Sony Agrees to $10M ‘Payola’ Settlement 07.25.2005, 11:41 AM One of the nation’s biggest music companies, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, agreed Monday to pay $10 million and to stop paying radio station employees to feature its artists to settle an investigation by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. The agreement resulted from Spitzer’s investigation of suspected “pay for play” practices

The deaths of four Boy Scout leaders at the annual jamboree in Virginia make for an incredibly sad story, to be sure, and nothing about this next comment should be taken as minimizing the tragedy. But: it’s been awhile since I was confronted with something that’s quite as ironic as four Boy Scout leaders electrocuting themselves while setting up a

You know how I always do my “Best of” list for the year’s CDs? And how sometimes the write-ups come in a little late? Well, thanks to a variety of factors, not the least of which is my own slackitude, I set a new record this year, finally posting my 2004 year-end review this evening. Yeah, I suck. But the

It’s about time somebody set the record straight. Our hats are off to the Rowboat Veterans for Truth. [THX: Norm T at the Cleveland Rocks! Desk.]

Well, Pat Buchanan is mad about Bush’s SC nominee. As a general rule, if Pat is unhappy, I at least consider the possibility that I ought to be tickled silly. So maybe I like the Roberts nomination more than I thought I did?

It takes an incredible athlete to even ride the Tour de France. I can’t imagine what it would take to actually win one (although having the Discovery Channnel team around you would help). Especially after nearly dying with testicular cancer. And if I recall, nobody had ever won more than five. Today Lance Armstrong won his seventh Tour in a