DOWN ON THE FARM: Time for what's always one of my favorite news stories of the year: the list of wealthy celebrities who somehow managed to gain federal farm subsidies. Heading this year's list is indicted Worldcom CEO Bernie Ebbers, who collected more than $4 million in government farm grants in the four-year period ending in 2001. Also on the list were Larry Flynt ($412,000), Charles Schwab ($363,000), Ted Turner ($353,000) and new Chicago Bull Scottie Pippen ($158,000). This follows news last year that baseball pitcher Kevin Appier had received $40,000 in farm subsidies, against a major league salary of more than $4 million.
Scottie Pippen owning a farm? Not that hard to imagine, compared to Latrell Sprewell owning a yacht...