Irony?--Sitting next to its story on the "environmental racism" report, the Los Angeles Times displays a large ad: "American Freedom--Flag Collection--Only $14.95."

Bolstering British democracy--The United Kingdom's judicial system is moving to curb the right of defendants to choose a jury trial. Denial of this right would prevail in such "middle-ranking" cases as assault and theft, cases involving children, and cases of "complex" fraud.

Despite the preparation-- "BOULDER, Colorado--A woman was turned away from the city's homeless shelter...because all of its 80 beds were filled--a sign that the county's homeless population of 1,000 may be in for a difficult winter."--News item.

See, if everyone pitches in--Colorado state coffers have been fattened by $106 million, thanks to its Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program. The program sets a five-year lifetime limit on welfare payments. Researchers found that 80 percent of those booted off welfare are earning less than the federal poverty level.

All's well--Despite the global airline slump, British Airways and Air France, are resuming Concorde superspeed flights to New York. They've been shut down for retrofitting since last July when a Concorde taking off from Paris blew a tire, igniting the plane and killing 113. Naturally, the current round-trip fare will increase--from $6,100 to nearly $7,300. But your meal does include caviar and champagne.

Inside, outside, or both?--Officials in Washington, D.C., are working on a plan to provide self-cleaning toilets on busy streets. They hope the operating costs will be covered by advertisements on the hi-tech privies.

And you think it's a big-biz gov't?-- California's Imperial Valley sits on the southeast border of the state and Mexico. Across the border is the town of Mexicali. The Imperial Valley is in the grip of a handful of corporate lettuce and sugar beet growers. With king-size farm equipment and massive use of pesticides, the valley produces some of the most lucrative agricultural profits in the country--and some of the dirtiest air. The incidence of lung disease is double that of the rest of smog-ridden California.

Wait, there's more--A year ago, environmentalists sued Imperial County officials for failing to act to curb the pollution. In response, the Environmental Protection Agency intervened, declaring this was a bum rap. The massive pollution, it asserted, is blown in across the border from Mexicali! And, besides, the Imperial growers are working on a cleanup plan. They agreed to do this nine years ago. No completion deadline was set.  
 
 
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