BY HARRY RING  
George ‘Free Elections’ Bush--The Washington banquet that raised $33 million for the Republican Party was held the week before Bush’s demagogic demand for "free elections" in Cuba. Along with a clipping on the slush fund, an Arizona reader sent a note. She observed that the state of Arizona, alone, has an ongoing half-billion dollar deficit, the justification for scuttling mental health programs, school needs, and living wages for state employees.

The caring society--"A third of women have health conditions that require continual treatment. Yet nearly a quarter of women said they delayed or went without health care because they couldn’t afford it."--(AP)

Read it and relax--For a decade the Department of Energy has fought resistance in Nevada to using a Yucca Mountain repository for nuclear waste. Now the feds admit that the waste already on hand will choke to capacity the available space for the piles of the deadly debris, not to mention the continuing accumulation.

‘Progress’ report--After years of protest, the Los Angeles Port Authority announced that a huge storage barn has been built for petroleum coke piles. A coal-like residue of the oil refining process, the coke is used as fuel. Officials conceded that if it’s inhaled in sufficient quantities, it can cause cancer. Area residents have demanded a halt to open stockpiling of the residue, which has boosted their cancer rates. The export terminal handles about half the 5 million tons of the coke that is shipped each year to Asia.

Brownout--The English magazine Which? took aim at the makers of the mouthwash Corsodyl, an asserted cure for the gum disease gingivitis. Corsodyl sold 2 million bottles last year. A required side effect warning that it can stain teeth and gums brown, the mag says, is tucked inconspicuously below the label.

Maybe grandpa had it--The Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad agreed to cough up $2.2 million for genetically testing workers secretly in the failed hope that their carpal tunnel injuries were inherited, not the result of repetitive motion work.

Bon appetit, children--Billions of dollars go to advertising aimed at children, half of them plugging various foods. Four out of five of these are focused on sugary cereals, soft drinks, and salty snacks. The industry pauses to claim education and moderation are key.

Reasonable question-- "Is Joe Camel really so different than Ronald McDonald?"--Emilia Askari, Knight Ridder News Service.

Get with the program--Seven of the nine items in this week’s column are based on clippings sent in by readers. If you agree with us that it makes for a better column--not to mention helping to keep the column going every week--send clippings to Great Society, c/o Pathfinder Books 4229 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90011.  
 
 
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