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Discusses claims that the meteorite Allan Hills 84001 is evidence of the potential for life on Mars in the context of a litany of such discoveries over the last 100 years. It is suggested that the will to believe in extraterrestrial life has always exceeded scientific evidence, & that the Allan Hills meteorite case is no exception. While the 16 Aug 1996 article in Science made a case for the existence of life on Mars, other teams of scholars using similar equipment & techniques have come to different conclusions. The National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) is criticized for ignoring this dissenting research in the hopes of expanding its space budget & perhaps even obtaining a manned mission to Mars. It is argued that NASA has used this potential discovery to justify the incredible expense of the International Space Station, which has no autonomous scientific value other than for research on the biological effects of long-duration gravity. D. M. Smith

Discusses recent advances in nuclear weapon testing technology, with specific focus on the growing alliance, or complicity, between the US & France. Despite the historical claim of nuclear self-sufficiency, France has become increasingly dependent on US technological resources. This newly founded relationship, in combination with long-standing ties between British & US nuclear powers, has created a "nuclear gang of three," which has attempted to monopolize nuclear testing & resources. Further, the US continues to develop computer technologies that would allow for the testing of virtual nuclear weapons without detonation. These technologies represent an attempt to sidestep the ban on nuclear testing, & it is argued that such developments are bound to threaten arms control negotiations. If these three are the only nations capable of testing nuclear weapons without detonation, other nations will be encouraged to resume traditional testing in order to keep up with the progress of the US alliance. Further, recent cooperation between the military & scientific fields has jeopardized the boundaries between military & civilian uses of nuclear technology. T. Sevier

Addresses the issue of water piracy in the southeast corner of CA. Legislation passed by Congress in 1992 allowed the sale of water rights in the region, & enabled wealthy industrialists to purchase cheap federal irrigation water from the Colorado River at the expense of the cities. The net effect of this legislation is to transfer jobs, capital, & tax revenue away from the urban core. M. Wagner

The history of urban design & land use in Los Angeles, CA, is traced from the early 1900s to the 1990s. It is argued that the destruction of southern CA's golden era scenery is ironic in light of the city's reliance on tourism. The city's future has been impoverished due to unchecked urban growth & inadequate preservation of natural spaces. The role played by a prominent design firm -- Olmstead Brothers & Bartholomew & Associates -- in Los Angeles's planning is detailed, focusing on how this firm advocated the creation of parkways & the public ownership of lands. The parts played by other city planners, politicians, & commercial interests typically won in southern CA's battles over land. Some projections for the future are mentioned, suggesting that aspects of the golden era may be resurrected in Disney-like theme park attractions. 4 Tables. D. Lou

Argues that Proposition 187, approved by referendum in Nov. 1994, by denying public education and non-emergency medical service to undocumented immigrants will lead to "ethnic cleansing" of illegal Hispanics.

Federal disinvestment in large cities and reduction of welfare provision; focuses on poverty, the 1992 riots, and local politics. Pt. 1, A political autopsy; pt. 2, The verdict is given.

A reading of racially divided & economically stratified Los Angeles, Calif, the quintessential postmodern city -- focusing on the daily life of its Latino & African-American population before the beating of Rodney King by members of the Los Angeles Police Dept. The impact of postwar Fordism on Los Angeles is discussed to show how it produced a derelict industrial core, a thriving sweatshop economy, & several special-use incorporated cities, eg, Vernon & the City of Commerce. These independent cities exploit Calif's home rule law, thereby enabling them to selfishly monopolize land use & tax resources to the detriment of minority groups. Also discussed are reasons for Latino powerlessness in the southeast part of the city, the growing interest in radical reform of local political systems, & efforts by five cities in the metropolitan area to utilize gambling as a tax generator to keep housing & retail development alive. 6 Illustrations. W. Howard