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Currently, the Kansas City Royals are the worst team in Major League Baseball, with just 11 wins and 37 losses so far this season. If the trend continues, they could lose more games than the 2003 Detroit Tigers (43-119) or the infamous 1962 New York Mets, which holds the record for most losses in a season (40-120). What's wrong with the Royals? Robert Siegel talks with Alan Schwarz, senior writer for Baseball America.

Robert Siegel talks with Verity Jennings, a recent graduate of Leeds Metropolitan University in Britain. Jennings' thesis analyzed the popularity of the term "chavs" in hundreds of newspaper stories. While the origins of the word are murky, Jennings says "chavs" has come to refer to British young people characterized by gold jewelry and sportswear, often in a negative light. But she says references to "chavs" may also create a new sense of belonging.

Michael Brook has a history of collaborating with musicians from around the world. It's made him one of the most sought-after producers in the music industry. His new CD, RockPaperScissors, is an eclectic nod to international artists, both living and dead.

There was a standing ovation at baseball's Miller Park in Milwaukee this weekend, as a new athlete took the field for the first time. Standing about eight feet tall -- including his sombrero -- "El Picante" was the star of the show during the Brewers' 6th-inning entertainment: the sausage races.

New York Times photographer Tyler Hicks has spent the past 2 1/2 weeks in Tyre, Lebanon. Although covering a war story comes with a grave risk, Hicks has been able to get up close to the action, capturing images that are hauntingly intimate. Hicks has covered conflicts across the globe: He explains what's different about this assignment.

Chicago passes a city ordinance that would require big retailers like Wal-Mart and Target to pay workers at least $13 an hour in wages and benefits within the next few years.Opponents are calling the measure illegal and planning to sue. Even Chicago's mayor is opposed. But for Chicago's poorest neighborhoods, the main question is whether the ordinance will bring better jobs or chase new ones away.

This week's Summer Reader segment calls on Carolyn Hax for her advice on what to read this summer. Hax makes a living off her advice, writing The Washington Post's nationally syndicated column "Tell Me About It."

Part of the funds distributed by a Utah foundation established by Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt and his family is used to pay the rent for students living in Leavitt-owned apartments. The foundation is under fire for giving away little money -- but securing substantial tax advantages for Leavitt's family.

The World Cup kicks off in Germany this week, and the U.S. team has high hopes. But it faces powerhouses Italy and the Czech Republic in the very first round. Soccer America magazine's Mike Woitalla offers a primer on the other football.

Venezuela, led by fiery, leftist president Hugo Chavez, is at the forefront of a political swing to the left that is sweeping much of Latin America. With its vast oil revenues, Venezuela carries a lot of clout in the region, and it has made alliances with nations that are most at odds with the United States.