Headlines raised eyebrows on Hill

Monday's issue of the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call seemed a bit odd.

"Oil Discovered Under Capitol," shouted one headline. The story said workers made the discovery while digging at the site of a new visitor center.

"Informed of the news, Alaska Sen. Frank Murkowski immediately called for a massive drilling project. "That there's black gold,' Murkowski said proudly as he watched the spurting oil soak groups of unsuspecting tourists."

A front-page index said retiring Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee was considering a nude scene when he returned to acting. Sen. Jon Corzine, the wealthy New Jersey Democrat, was said to have purchased the state Republican Party.

Readers had to notice the date to realize what was going on: April 1.

Yankees cause sensation by invading Pentagon

You couldn't really tell who was more excited the other day at the Pentagon, the Boys of Summer or the men and women in uniform.

When a handful of players and coaches from the New York Yankees came calling Wednesday, the hallway by the press briefing room was teeming with autograph seekers. Even members of the grizzled Pentagon press corps were going gaga.

The most popular visitor -- judging purely by the commotion surrounding him -- was Joe Torre, the Yankees manager. Pitchers Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and coach Don Zimmer were also hounded.

"I'm here to get some strategy," Torre joked with reporters inside the briefing room.

As Torre began to walk out, Pettitte called him back in. "Joe," he said, "we want to do a picture with the Pentagon thing in front of us."

He was talking about the lectern, the thing you see Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld standing behind during his live Pentagon briefings.

Segway could scoot onto federal roadways

A New Hampshire company that produces a high-tech scooter called the Segway Human Transporter can thank its home-state senator for support.

Sen. Bob Smith, R-N.H., has introduced a bill to allow the scooter on trails and pedestrian walkways maintained with federal highway funds, Congressional Quarterly says.

In January, U.S. Postal Service carriers tested the scooters in Tampa for use on their mail delivery routes. The devices, which can carry more than 500 pounds and operate silently, are platforms on thick wheels with handlebars.

The transporters lack brakes, gears and gas pedals. A system of gyroscopes and sensors anticipates when an operator wants to go forward, backward or stop.

Smith and other members of Congress have hailed the transporters as revolutionary. But critics have expressed fears Smith's bill would open up public parks to their use, making it harder for hikers and nature-watchers to enjoy the outdoors.

-- Times staff writers Bill Adair, Paul de la Garza and Mary Jacoby contributed to this report.

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