BY HARRY RING
And if he were an Arab? - An Israeli military court rid itself of the case of the soldier who opened fire in a Palestinian marketplace, wounding four people. The court decided he was psychotic and ordered that he be confined to a mental hospital for an undetermined period. He will not stand trial.

A government you can trust -The Pentagon says thousands of GIs who were given nasal radiation treatments back in the '40s and '50s may be at risk of further health problems. The low-key cautionary note did not mention the countless children of military personnel who also received the radiation as a treatment for inner ear ailments.

If Jesus smiles on you.. -Plans are projected for a religious theme park outside Las Vegas. It will feature interactive scenes from the Bible, camel rides, a Noah's Ark zoo and a virtual reality hell, but no heaven. ("We don't know what it's like yet," the head man said.) There will be a statue of Jesus, 33 stories tall. They hope to attract heavy Las Vegas losers in need of spiritual balm and also bring some religious folks to the casinos.

Plow 'em under - Waiting your turn in an emergency room, you may not realize there's a surplus of doctors. But the feds do. The new Clinton budget includes money to expand a New York pilot project to pay teaching hospitals to train fewer doctors. The hospitals will use the subsidies to hire lower-wage health workers and take other cost-trimming steps.

Makes them sick - Shares dropped in Gist Brocades, the Dutch antibiotic biggie, when the company warned that increased productive capacity had pushed down the price of penicillin and a smaller profit was anticipated.

For some, definitely - Former Secretary of State George Shulz and Charlotte Swig, San Francisco's chief of protocol, tied the knot and celebrated with a big bash. Some 650 guests nibbled on 1,000 crab cakes, 200 pounds of prawns, 200 racks of lamb (with four kinds of tomatoes) and 35 beef fillets. Enthused the bride, "Is this American, or is this American?"

Cultural note - To catch the public eye, London advertising agencies are picking spots in unexpected places. Like in the underground where passengers are "crush-loaded" into hot, crowded - and sweaty - cars. Now you can grab for a strap to hang onto and find yourself clutching a mock Intensive Care Vaseline deodorant can.

The fragrance of creativity -"We're catching people just as they reach for a strap - just the time they will be thinking about body odor." - Spokesperson for the ad agency that gave birth to the smell-good campaign.

Also the same wages? - At the new Mercedes-Benz plant near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, everybody is a "team member." From the top boss down, all employees wear polo shirts sporting their first name. There is no executive parking and no executive dining room, Just one canteen for all.  
 
 
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