An e-mailer just asked:

"I wanted to know if it cost anything to have a article place in the paper."

Never. As The Star's Code of Ethics states clearly: "We do not offer money, favors or anything of value for news."

Now, I'm always happy to pass along story suggestions, which I receive dozens of every week. But it still comes down to editors to decide what gets covered.

Yep, I've heard The Star referred to by all three of those names in recent weeks, in reaction every time to college sports coverage. Today's story by Howard Richman about the K-State/KU rivalry has been a particularly hot flashpoint, as evidenced by the 16 pages (and counting) of comments on the KansasCity.com version.

Not following college sports nor having gone to one of the big state universities myself, I have to confess to more than a little confusion -- and yes, ignorance -- over the passions that these rivalries ignite. But I certainly don't discount them, because I have followed teams and athletes closely in the past. I've been there.

A reader just e-mailed me to ask why a bad car accident that sent a friend to the hospital with serious injuries over the weekend wasn't covered in the paper or on KansasCity.com.

"Does this happen so often in Kansas City that it isn't news?" she asked.

I think that's up to you to decide. Unfortunately, there are lots of accidents in a metro area of Kansas City's size, and The Star's policy is that non-fatality accidents aren't always covered, especially when they involve only two automobiles. Television pays much more attention to wrecks than print journalism in general, which only adds to the perception that The Star might not be delivering the news adequately.

Several people, including staffers I've spoken to inside The Star building, have wondered whether FYI's big Monday feature about MSNBC commentator Keith Olbermann should be followed up with another similar story about a conservative personality.

In an election year particularly, readers are sensitive to whether the paper is pushing one side or another, especially outside the A and Opinion sections. And I do agree with the criticism I hear from conservative readers often who think that Features sections tilt to the left on most things cultural and artistic.

There's no question that's true, though I think the reason is pretty complex. I believe that the vast majority of creative types hold views that are generally left of center, especially on social issues, and the art they create generally reflects those points of view. Journalists writing about those works are in a bit of a tight spot sometimes when it comes to trying to keep a balance -- and I think trying to provide the other side can be an awfully odd fit sometimes.

Two readers so far today have asked about the final Page D-1 Sports headline today: "It's deja vieux."

"Do you know what 'vieux' means?" asked one caller. "It's not the same thing as 'deja vu,' which is what I think your writers meant."

Actually, it's a pun, but I can see how that might escape many readers' notice. The dateline on the story is New Orleans, famous for its Vieux Carré or French Quarter neighborhood.

I love puns in Sports headlines, but maybe this one was a bit of a reach.

Many, many of you have been contacting me about Parade Magazine's cover feature today - an interview with Benazir Bhutto.

"How can you possibly not realize she was assassinated last month?" asked one voicemailer. "Whoever is responsible for this at The Star should be fired immediately."

Actually, The Star only distributes Parade, which runs in many newspapers throughout the country. And though the issue had already been printed before Bhutto's assasination, Parade's publisher says it was important enough to go ahead and distribute the issue anyhow.

A person whose letters to the editor you often see on The Star's pages writes:

"How many 'letters to the editor' did the Star receive last year? How many of them did they publish? What was the topic that drew the most letters?"

Letters editor Lajean Keene estimates The Star published about 4,500 out of somewhere around 20,000 submissions last year. The Iraq war and Bush administration mistakes were the most common topics.

As always, letter writers have the greatest chances of getting published when they:

1. Keep it to 150 words or less.
2. Have a distinctive point of view. Remember that if you're writing to express a popular opinion, you'll have much more competition.

Let's see what you think about this one. A reader just pointed me to this Reuters story from Jan. 1

The reader thought he detected undue similarities in this Star story.

I'm going to let you take a look and tell me what you think. Leave a comment below or e-mail me, and I'll come back to this later in the day with my call -- which you're free to disagree with, of course.

UPDATE: I'm with e-mailer Kevin on this one, who notes that the Reuters story is about a list of overused words from Lake Superior State University in Michigan.

I've had dozens and dozens of calls about Tuesday's "Jumble" puzzle in the FYI section. Yes, puzzlers, you're correct: There aren't enough blanks for the expected answer.

The syndicate that provides the puzzle accidentally put it together with the wrong answer blanks. A corrected version will appear in Friday's FYI.

A reader makes this point about a jump headline Saturday for the Page B-1 obituary of Father Heliodore Mejak. I'm interested in what other readers think, too.

"Today's bleed-over headline on B3 for the Father Mejak obituary reads 'PRIEST: Best known for resisting change.' That's a line written by someone who clearly opposes Father Mejak's unwavering adherence to orthodox Catholic doctrine and practice over fads and public sentiment.

"Someone who agrees with such orthodoxy -- or even someone interested in simply writi