The Thing About Questions Is, They Inevitably Lead To Answers

Questions including but not limited to “What exactly are you injecting in my ass?” for example:

Major League Baseball banned steroids in 1991, though it didn’t start testing players until 2003. It had long been illegal to use them without a doctor’s prescription.

Rodriguez was vague on how he obtained the drugs, but admitted he took them without asking many, if any, questions.

“Again, it was such a loosey-goosey era,” he said. “I’m guilty for a lot of things. I’m guilty for being negligent, naive, not asking all the right questions. To be quite honest, I don’t know exactly what substance I was guilty of using.”

The (Stub)Hub Of City Government Scalps Luxury Box

Don’t worry, Kevin, the additions to the Mets’ pitching staff might mean they have a chance against Philadelphia this year:

The city will relinquish use of the 12-seat box in exchange for whatever revenue the Yankees generate by selling the seats, minus the cost of marketing them. Although neither the city nor the Yankees have publicly disclosed the market value of the suite, similar suites at the new stadium are being sold for as much as $600,000 a year.

The city’s acquisition of the Yankees suite had drawn scrutiny, especially after e-mail messages surfaced in November showing that aides to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg had zealously pursued the luxury box, as well as free food and access to post-season games.

. . .

The e-mail messages revealed that after the Yankees made concessions over the size of the suite and the food, the team received an additional 250 parking spaces, as well as the rights to three new billboards along the Major Deegan Expressway and whatever revenue they generate.

The messages contrasted with earlier public statements from Seth W. Pinsky, president of the city’s Economic Development Corporation, that the suite was not a big issue and that the city had received it simply as a matter of course. One message said that the acquisition of a suite in the Mets stadium was “a big issue to the mayor.”

Under the new arrangement with the city, the Yankees will be allowed to keep the parking spaces and use of the billboards, and the city will be guaranteed at least $100,000 for each baseball season, even if no one buys the suite. The deal was formalized last month in a letter from Mr. Pinsky to the Yankees president, Randy Levine, that was made public on Tuesday. A similar arrangement is being negotiated with the Mets, which also gave the city free use of a suite in its new ballpark, Citi Field.

Location Scout: New Yankee Stadium.

I’m A Genius, I Believe In God, And I Believe That God Believes In Oskar Eustis

Letter to the Editor of the Day goes to Public Theater AD Oskar Eustis:

I am writing to clarify a comment I made in your Dec. 3 article about “Hair” moving to Broadway (“Broadway Gets ‘Hair’; ‘Hair’ Gets New Deal,” Arts pages). I was quoted as saying the Public Theater “risked nonprofit money in a commercial enterprise, something that is foolish and probably illegal.”

I wish I could say that I was misquoted, but I wasn’t. Hyperbole, excitement about the future of “Hair” and my own carelessness led me to say something that was inaccurate and wrong.

Nothing the Public Theater did in investing in commercial productions was illegal or done for any reason other than supporting the mission of the Public. I wish to apologize to all concerned.

Yes We Can (Bury Bad News)!

The mayor’s finely honed Jo Moore sensibilities on display during this historic occasion:

Mayor Bloomberg plans to send out 500 pink slips as part of his goal to slash 3,000 jobs from the city’s workforce to cope with the budget crisis.

The layoffs will come from various agencies, said a source, who would not identify which will be hit.

To meet the target, City Hall is canceling the January Police Academy class, eliminating 475 education positions and chopping night hours at five fire engine companies, his administration revealed Tuesday.

Bloomberg, who recently said layoffs were unlikely, will announce the job cuts today as part of his midyear budget changes.

The drastic move is meant to partially plug a budget gap for this year and next that stands at $4 billion, his administration said.

In September, Bloomberg predicted his budget blow could be achieved without firing city workers, but he never committed to saving jobs.

“I don’t think we will get to the point of layoffs,” he had said.

The looming pink slips have some lawmakers stunned.

“I thought layoffs were a last resort. I thought we’d do attrition first and see how it is,” said Councilman David Weprin (D-Queens) who heads the Finance Committee.

Annotation: There was obviously a deal, wasn’t there?

Enthusiastically Euthanasic

More democracy, not less:

Setting up a showdown over one of the most divisive issues in recent political memory, Speaker Christine C. Quinn announced Tuesday that the City Council would vote Thursday on Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s plan to revise the term limits law so he can pursue four more years in office.

Supporters of the change said the move reflected Mr. Bloomberg’s and Ms. Quinn’s confidence that they have gathered the 26 Council votes needed to pass the legislation.

There are also signs that public opinion is tilting against the change, and privately some allies of Ms. Quinn say she is anxious, if not desperate, to hold the vote before an advertising campaign opposing the change takes hold.

“If it’s not on Thursday, they’re in trouble,” said one council member who supports the bill, speaking on condition of anonymity so as not to upset the mayor or the speaker.