BY HARRY RING
BY HARRY RING
A chins-up guy - "People have to recognize we are all contingent [nonpermanent] workers in one form or another. We are all victims of time and place." - James Meadows, a "human resources" vice prez at AT&T.
Charting imperialist course - The March 13 Miami Herald reported the following radio exchange between a U.S. Navy ship and a Canadian source off Newfoundland: Ship 1: Please divert your ship 15 degrees to the north to avert a collision. Ship 2: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees. Ship 1: This is the captain of a U.S. Navy ship. I say again divert your course. Ship 2: No, I say again divert your course. Ship 1: This is an aircraft carrier of the U.S. Navy. We are a large warship. Divert your course now! Ship 2: This is a lighthouse. Your call.
Affirmative action for right people - It was disclosed that a number of University of California regents who voted to ax affirmative action for minorities and women privately use their influence to get special consideration for the admission of relatives and children of business associates.
No quotas? - UC regent Leo Kolligian pushed, successfully, to get three children of a business partner into UCLA, including one who had lower grade-point averages than 6,000 other applicants. Kolligian is a lawyer in Fresno, a farming center. He urged admission of one low-score applicant on the grounds that she was from an underrepresented area.
They do have a grades system - It's also been disclosed that UCLA regularly gives special consideration to the children of wealthy donors and local politicians. Often applicants are graded A, B, or C, according to the amounts contributed.
And that's by their definition - In a survey of mainly white, male cops in Ohio, 57 percent said they saw other cops use excessive force in making arrests.
Gravediggers of capitalism will do better - A Wellington, New Zealand, funeral party arrived at the cemetery to find the prepared plot was too small for the coffin.
A rattled funeral company staffer chased after a shovel, jumped into the plot, and dug furiously. The director finally joined her in the effort. A relative of the deceased said it seemed bizarre.
Big ticket split - We're poorly informed on the slated United Kingdom divorce of the Prince and Princess of Wales. But we were impressed with the inside scoop that Princess Diana may get a lump sum settlement of $30 million. The Queen will have to cough up some of this since Prince Charles has a take-home income of but $2.2 million.
Salute to snail-mail - Our notice may have arrived late, but March 18-23 was National Card and Letter Writing Week. Sponsored by U.S. Postal Services.
`Sins of the father'? - The state of Washington seized a total of $87.54 from the savings accounts of Dustin Stefan, 11, and his brother Brandon, 8. It was to pay part of their father's $1,800 tax debt.
The mother said she had tried for five years to convince the state and other creditors that she was not responsible for her former husband's debts. And, she might have added, neither are the kids.