Although operating within differing musical temperaments, Gov't Mule and Los Lobos have maintained devout jam-band and Americana followings over the years. But their new albums, which embrace styles that define their ensemble sound while cautiously expanding on them, enforce the fact that both bands are best enjoyed when tags and demographic concerns are ignored.

There are more newcomers than starters this season at Kentucky, but there were signs in Monday night's exhibition versus Bellarmine that they'd all been playing together for years.

Even during a year filled with brutal corrections, there is still a sense in the Thoroughbred marketplace that at some point the bleeding will stop and the turnaround will begin.

Ours is the only industrialized nation that doesn't insure all its people, yet our health care costs are the world's highest by far.

After an intense three-month campaign for the votes of North Carolina's House members, players in the health care debate are now likely to focus their full attention on Sen. Kay Hagan, a moderate, pro-business Democrat, who is regarded as one of a handful of senators who could play a pivotal role as the Senate takes up the landmark legislation to expand access to health insurance. Hagan has already been the subject of television commercials by the pharmaceutical industry, two mailers by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and hundreds of pickets at her Raleigh district office.