INT – UN building, day.  Kofi Annan, dressed sharply in an expensive Italian suit and carrying a snifter of Cognac, enters from stage left through a door connecting the Secretary General’s anteroom to the main office and takes his seat behind an immaculately-kept desk, which has been polished to a shine.  Across from him sits a rumpled man in a cheap blue suit.  The Secretary General sets his snifter on

Thomas:  “And a whole bunch of napkins.  Sadly, my lips and tongue aren’t quite so reliable as they once were…”

From FOXNews: A New Jersey computer programmer who sent a private email describing lesbianism as a “perversion” has been formally reprimanded by the university where he works for violating the school’s discrimination policy, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education reports. Jihad Daniel, a programmer at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., made his comments in response to an e-mail he received that had been sent university-wide inviting people to

Thomas:  “Oh.  And can I get one of those Snapples, too, please?”

Thomas:  “A corned beef sandwich and a side of cole slaw, please.  And no mustard.  If I find even a drib of mustard on my sandwich, so help me, I’ll kill myself.” counter girl:  “You’ll kill yourself…? Thomas:  “Off the record?  Yes—with a rusty coat hanger jammed repeatedly through my eardrum.  For the record, though, I am quite neutral about mustard—and nobody’d better accuse Helen Thomas of harboring an unprofessional

Cliff May on the Bolton recess appointment: Bolton’s opponents are saying he is “damaged.” If that’s true, it’s because they have for months been working assiduously to damage him. They say he will be less effective because he doesn’t have Senate approval. If that’s true, it’s because a few Senators prevented their colleagues from having an opportunity to vote for (or against) him. They say without Senate approval, Bolton won’t

Palmeiro, who collected his 3000th hit earlier this season and is 33 homeruns shy of 600 for his career, testified before a Congressional panel on steroid abuse in March. Developing… **** update:  Rafael Palmeiro had nothing to gain from purposely taking steroids.  Professional athletes are ministered too constantly by doctors and trainers, they take numerous over-the-counter supplements, and steroids, properly admininstered, have medical value and can come in many forms,

From the Australian: Italy has banned Islamic burqas under tough terrorism laws that provide two-year jail terms and E2000 ($3200) fines for anyone caught covering their face in a public place. The counter-terrorism package, passed by Italy’s parliament yesterday, doubles the existing penalty for wearing a burqa or chador—traditional robes worn by Muslim women to cover their faces—or full-faced helmets or balaclavas in public. Police can extract DNA samples without