BY HARRY RING
Only in America-There was good news for the Los Angeles
army of street dwellers. An anonymous donor paid for 100
brand new shopping carts. The only sour note was struck by a
police captain who groused that the carts can be used as
ladders for break-ins or to conceal stolen property.
Catch 22-Pamela Robinson filed a sexual harassment complaint against her boss in the North Carolina Corrections Dept. She went through three hearing levels. At each, it was agreed her evidence was convincing. The ruling? The state can act in harassment cases only if someone is demoted or fired. Also, because Robinson refused to work in the same office with the boss she had "resigned" without notice.
Come on, HMOs?-A study found that many health-care outfits, looking to sign up seniors, focus on winning the healthiest of them. Some hold recruiting seminars at sites with no wheel chair access.
That's capitalism-To dodge paying benefits Microsoft ordered a July layoff for 5,000 "part-time" employees who have worked a year or longer. Earlier, a class action suit was filed by "permtemps" who declare they're "common law" employees entitled to benefits. Speaking of benefits, Microsoft top dog Bill Gates is "worth" some $57 billion.
The march of science-Japan's Society of Obstetricians and Gynecology expelled a member for performing an in vitro fertilization with the eggs of an unwed woman. The society has a bar on "extramarital" in vitro fertilization.
Progress report-Turkey's top court ruled that wives could no longer be sent to jail for up to three years for adultery. Two years ago, the parliament ended prison terms for male adulterers.
In that sequence?-It was traumatic for CNN prez Ted Turner when his agency and Time backed off on their story about the U.S. military using lethal nerve gas against defectors in Laos: He declared it was worse than his Atlanta Braves "losing to the Yankees in the World Series... the failure of two marriages, and the death of my father."
Dialog-London Times headline: "[Prime Minister Anthony] Blair Sets Up Team to Listen to the Elderly." Same issue: "Millions Told Their Pensions Could Be Whittled Down."
Probably shoved someone off the corner-Declared a Los Angeles Times headline: "THAILAND: People Find Ways to Cope With Economic Downturn." An accompanying photo showed an ex- millionaire selling sandwiches on the streets of Bangkok.