Great fun - The ValuJet concept, explains cofounder Lewis Jordan, is "a low-fare, no-frills, fun and friendly" airline. Its official air-traffic-control nickname is "critter."

Looking the other way works fine - "It would be one of the worst ideas in the world to take the idea of promotion away. The idea of being a policeman on the corner doesn't work." - Federal Aviation Administrator David Hinson, defending the idea that the FAA is supposed to both promote the airline industry and ensure flight safety.

They forgot which century we're in - Club Med and American Express are being sued for $5 million by organizers of an African- African American Summit held in Senegal last year for staging a minstrel-type show. Two white singers in blackface were into their second number when ordered off the stage.

Racism has always been rational - The death of illustrator Garth Williams recalled the controversy he sparked with "The Rabbits' Wedding," a book he wrote and illustrated.

It dealt with the marriage of a black rabbit and a white rabbit. The Alabama White Citizens Council branded it as promoting integration and it was removed from the Alabama library system.

Life sure punctured that idea, right? - "The idea that capitalism and labor are not meant to complement each other was espoused by Marx. According to his gospel, it's always necessary to have a reserve army of unemployed people in a capitalist system so that fierce competition among workers would keep the price of labor low and maximize corporate profits." - The Hartford Courant fuming against Wall Streeters who see it the same way.

Maybe, but a lot of people do - With Big Apple apartments in short supply, landlords are demanding that prospective tenants provide iron proof of income, credit rating, etc. And they want renters with an annual income about 48 times the bandit-level monthly rent. An operator of an apartment listing service says, "Of course there are places that will take you even if you have a bad credit rating or not enough income. But you probably wouldn't want to live there."

Obviously - The Catholic Supply store in New York reports a steady sale of miniature plastic statues of St. Joseph. Folks trying to sell their home bury one in the lawn, hoping it will help. A priest at the Catholic Information Center in Washington says he sees nothing wrong with the ritual, as long as there's no superstition involved.

Is they talking q....s? - California's Lt. Gov. Gray Davis and University of California president Richard Atkinson defended the recently exposed practice of University of California officials giving special consideration to student applicants related to wealthy donors. "There have to be some exceptions," said Atkinson. Argued Gray: "I would recommend that maybe half of 1 percent [of admissions] be accorded to the chancellors."

"Qualified by life experience - After eight days on the job, William Luster was bounced as Boston's transportation commissioner. He had neglected to tell City Hall about two recent parking tickets - one for blocking a handicapped ramp while in town for the job interview. His earlier record included at least five speeding tickets and three accidents.  
 
 
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