Vol.64/No.7      February 21, 2000 
 
 
The Great Society  
 
 
BY HARRY RING 
Music to their ears—"Time Warner, EMI deal may lead to layoffs—The companies expect to cut about 3,000 jobs in the next three years as a result of the proposed $20 billion merger."—News headline.
 
Cool society—"American college freshmen are more stressed out than ever before, worrying about making ends meet and completing all of the tasks confronting them, a nationwide survey shows. Young women were twice as likely as young men to report they felt stressed..." News item.
 
Like for instance, gays and gay bashers?—The Orange, California, high school principal who denied campus recognition to the Gay-Straight Alliance testified in the club’s court suit that she had tried to achieve a compromise suitable to all concerned—change the name to Tolerance for All. The club members rejected the deal.
 
...to continue—Pooch getting pudgy? Check out some of the day-care centers—with fitness programs included— sprouting in numerous cities. Like one in L.A. where the program includes hiking expeditions. $40 a day.
 
Capitalism the petty larceny system—A "loophole" in federal regulations permits makers of cheepo boxed wines to dilute their product with water and label them with classy names like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
 
Whose boom?—Back in World War II days, San Diego was a dingy Navy town. Today it’s bustling with new enterprises, new construction, etc. But in the midst of this glitter, reports the Los Angeles Times, there are growing numbers of homeless families desperately seeking shelter each night. It adds that this is part of the nationwide trend.
"The fastest growing portion of the homeless population are single parents with their young children..."
 
Cat nap—Declaring it would make state employees more productive, a Hawaii legislator introduced a bill that would entitle these workers to devote one of their two daily 10-minute breaks to slumber.
 
Good as opium—The Colorado legislature is weighing a bill to allow posting the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The sponsor assures it would only help the pupils understand "the beliefs of their society" without influencing their leanings.
 
Like the biblical 7 days?—The Arizona legislature is considering a bill that would require teachers teaching the theory of evolution to include evidence refuting the theory.
 
 
 
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