The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.60/No.3           January 22, 1996 
 
 
The Great Society  

BY HARRY RING

A dicey business - If you think it's easy to clean up on the stock market, consider that Orange County went bankrupt despite the fact, recently disclosed, that county treasurer Robert Citron was getting guidance and predictions from a psychic and a mail order astrologer.

Despite no lack thereof- Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) took a recent "official business" trip abroad. The State Dept. sent advance notices of his needs: "Sen. Specter is an avid squash player. Request matches be arranged at air- conditioned courts in each location with local opponents. Sen. Specter will supply his own equipment except balls."

Camcorder included? - During my career as a policeman I've had to knock down a lot of doors. On one occasion, however, a door withstood all the battering I could give it....It was a Stanley steel entry door." - Advertising endorsement by Police Officer Dave Hood.

As good as they come - Dale Missildine, a retired Iowa district judge, checked out last month. Fellow judge Harry Perkins saluted him as a jurist who was "quick to give people a chance." Like, for instance, in 1981 when prisoners were getting early release for lack of cell space, give-'em-a-chance Missildine suggested castrating rapists and putting juvenile delinquents in pillories.

Man, check it out - Market research indicates it appeals to Joe Macho, if he can afford it. The Hummer, civilian version of the military Humvee. Including air conditioning, cruise control, audio system, and a lighted makeup mirror, $70,000. Arnold Schwarzenegger has five.

Big nose, small brain OK - Women who are suffering breast cancer, or have survived it, and who participate in electronic discussion through America Online were startled to discover that the word "breast" had been purged from their personal profiles. Hit with protests, America Online retreated, declaring: "Body parts that might be named in medical diagnoses do not fall under the category of offensive on-line communications."

Plain talk dep't - "The modern workplace has room for one thing and one thing only - and that's the bottom line. And the bottom line doesn't have any provisions for the holidays or anything else that isn't profit-driven." - U of Minnesota prof. John Budd on the increase in holiday- time firings.

For some, less is more - Reporting that the AT&T decision to split into three companies would mean trimming 40,000 jobs, the Los Angeles Times said: "Wall Street, in keeping with its cheerful attitude about layoffs, sent AT&T's shares up $2.625....The news led the Dow Jones industrial average to rise more than 60 points as investors bet that profit-sweetening job cuts...would remain in vogue among large corporations."

Think you're crazy?- "Che's philosophy and work was to liberate the oppressed. The same philosophy is shared by the U.S. Army antiguerrilla branch whose members led the operation resulting in Che's execution." - Letter to January 2 Los Angeles Times from Phill Coleman, Senior Librarian, American Foreign Conflicts Electronic Library, Gardena, California.

 
 
 
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