Welcomes for the week of 9/23 MONDAY

Monday, Sept. 23rd--Well it's about time the mainstream news caught up with the rest of us. Is it really a surprise that the C.I.A. has been accused of putting drugs into the hands of the Crips and Bloods? Anyone who owns Jackson Browne's "World In Motion" knew this in 1989. The Christic Institute in Los Angeles had names, dates, facts and figures ten years ago about this very thing, but gee whiz no one really wanted to publicize it then. I guess we had to wait until everyone who was directly connected was out of the agency, or out of the presidency as the case may be.

TUESDAY

Tuesday, Sept. 24th--Okay honey, now put the knife down. That-a girl. Whew! Heard the news about spousal abuse? I didn't think so, it's not very politically correct. Women in relationships now lead men in "severe assaults" by more than two to one according to a data collected by The National Family Violence Survey. (You go girl!) Surprised guys? Better treat her right, because the little woman has a big temper, and take a guess who will be believed in court.

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday, Sept. 25th--Now you can find out when to plant your corn via the net. The Farmer's Almanac has, after 205 years in print, finally made it online. Old McDonald had a Mac, e-i-e-i-o-dot-com. The coolest use of the Farmer's Almanac I've ever seen was a film director from New York figuring out which day to plan her shoot in the midwest using the book. Planning that next family reunion outside? You may want to check out what The Almanac has to say about the weather that weekend.

THURSDAY

Thursday, Sept. 26th--I like Sheryl Crow's music (although I'm not that crazy about her hair). I'm wondering whether her new and controversial song was really from the heart or just a publicity stunt. Seems she's ragging on Wal-Mart for selling guns to kids. I haven't seen guns at our local Big Box but who knows where Sheryl shops? With thousands of AK-47's coming into San Francisco last year courtesy of the Chinese Premier's son-in-law, I'm not sure Wal-Mart is the main source of the problem.

FRIDAY

Friday, Sept. 27th--I wouldn't say women are nuts, but they certainly are different. All it takes is some heinous rapist or murderer to be tried on television and suddenly they're getting fan mail from lonely women. Used to be Fabian got fan mail, now it's the Menendez brothers. Didn't one of them get a marriage proposal from some wacky broad he met while in prison? (I'm sure it was for love and not a book deal.) Men, on the other hand, are not this crazy. I don't believe there were any reported offers of marriage extended to Lorena Bobbit for instance.