BY HARRY RING
Ventura `humor' - The Irish people have long been the butt
of stupid, stereotypical jokes. So, it was no surprise when
Jesse Ventura, new right-wing governor of Minnesota, said the
city of St. Paul must have been laid out by "drunken
Irishmen." Later, he offered a strong apology: "If I offended
anyone, I apologize."
Adolf was a Pinko? - The Rev. Wm. Einwechter, of an "extreme" group in the "religious right," favors stoning to death disobedient and rebellious teenagers, according to Associated Press. He also favors the death penalty for a dozen offenses, including adultery, homosexuality, witchcraft, and "spreading false religions.'" His group wants a "Christian" regime based on "biblical law."
Please tighten your waist belt - The airlines have been slicing away at the food they serve, quality- and quantity- wise. On an increasing number of flights there are no meals. If you're lucky, you may get peanuts or pretzels. The airlines say they've cut their food cost about a third. Imagine what they'd be saving if they had been serving decent food.
And a bit of hanky-panky? -A federal audit reveals that the Internal Revenue Service - which demands that taxpayers account for every cent - can't account for billions. The auditors said that of $222 billion in unpaid taxes, $119 billion won't be collected, assertedly because the books are in such a mess. Or could it be "You scratch my back..."?
The safety fellas - The Nat'l Highway Traffic Safety Administration waited three months to tell the public that three sports utility vehicles rolled over during routine tests. They needed time to assure the tests had been done right and, also, to solicit the opinions of the makers.
Remember `socialist' Sweden? - "More than 200 severely retarded patients at a Swedish state institution, described by the institution's head as `lower than any animal species,' apparently starved to death over a three-year period in the 1940s.... Other investigations challenged Sweden's reputation as a caring society." - The Independent, London,
Certainly not to make more money - Hertz jacked up its rental fee by $3 a day and refused to say why.
Thought for the week -"Workers' protests over job security will be the main threat to economic stability this year." - Gong Byung-ho, president of the [south] Korean Center for Free Enterprise.