No, Virginia, Santa Claus was not invented by the Coca-Cola Co. The contention that Coke created the modern image of Santa and decked him out in corporate red has become something of an urban myth in recent years. Just the other day, the BBC phoned Coca-Cola archivist Phil Mooney and put him on the radio to address the issue. ...more

December 11, 2007

The red carpet is sometimes the only way to get into the theater for a movie premiere. Faced with this, I walk really quickly with my head down, afraid that if a photographer mistakes me for someone famous, I'll disastrously start to pose, assuming that he's taking my picture because my column has suddenly become super popular - and the whole while I'll actually just be blocking his view of that guy from "Will & Grace." ...more

November 21, 2007

A Pinellas County sheriff's officer is suspended and demoted after an internal affairs investigation that produced a 1,000-page report made public today. ...more

October 9, 2007

The Devil Rays stumbled down the homestretch in their 10th season, serving as fodder for playoff-bound opponents and watching two division rivals clinch a postseason berth at Tropicana Field. ...more

October 1, 2007

TORONTO - The Devil Rays stumbled down the homestretch in their 10th season, serving as fodder for playoff-bound opponents and watching two division rivals clinch a postseason berth at Tropicana Field. ...more

September 30, 2007