BY HARRY RING
Tsk - "WASHINGTON - The Asian financial crisis, suddenly touching U.S. security interests, has set back the Pentagon's efforts to get Asian allies to pay more for their own defense and is threatening manufacturers." - News item.

A rerun? - Federal Aviation Administration inspectors found that AirTran - formerly ValuJet - has major safety violations, including falsified documents, improper maintenance, faulty repairs, and failure to supervise contractors. Inspectors said the violations were more serious than in February 1996 when the agency made a recommendation to ground the airline, but did not act on it. Three months later came the Everglades crash that killed 110 people.

Watchful - Bankrolled by Washington to beam counterrevolutionary propaganda into Cuba, Radio and TV Martí continues to suffer staff feuding and low morale. Of a philosophical bent, the director explains, "You're always going to have people not happy or satisfied with policies." To improve "teamwork," he had the doors removed from a number of offices.

Ah, those were the days - For nostalgia buffs, London's Daily Telegraph is offering a reproduction of a 1920s map showing the British Empire at its height. (Remember? "The sun never sets on the British Empire.")

Sorry about that - The new British Labour government budget includes 20 (About $32) payments to help pensioners meet their winter fuel bills. The treasury minister vowed that unlike the past, no more winters would go by with pensioners "fearful of turning up their heating, even on the coldest winter days." Unfortunately, the new payments will be delayed until spring. Computer difficulties.

Bargain-basement managers - Women now hold 46 percent of U.S. management jobs. On average, they earn 38 percent less than their male counterparts.

Fat-free - On Rodeo Drive, the ultraplush shopping strip in Beverly Hills, a jeweler is offering freshly designed miniatures - a hamburger look-alike, $1,700; a basket of McDonald fries, $2,000; a Coke bottle, $2,000.

Breakthrough - Noting that long commutes to work, lunchtime errands, etc., are making "dashboard dining" commonplace, the Lear Corp. announced development of "a revolutionary electronic cup holder that has the ability to keep drinks hot or cold. Just flip a switch." In fact it can simultaneously keep the driver's coffee hot and a passenger's soft drink cold.

Thought for the week - "The biggest impact on Japanese companies and banks is that their assets [in Indonesia] are becoming much less valuable.... The second problem is that Japanese companies operating in Indonesia will face various difficulties. Especially, their earnings will be much smaller." -A Tokyo financial analyst.  
 
 
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