May 4, 1997 Issue

Readme:

Regarding several comments I have received about my recent comments about Columbus, Ohio, I have a news clipping to share. Everyone ready?

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 23 (UPI) - An Ohio white supremacist - who

formerly was a lieutenant in the neo-Nazi Aryan Nations - and who

received a mail-order shipment of the bubonic plague germ from a

Maryland laboratory pleaded guilty in Columbus federal court to one

count of wire fraud.

Larry Wayne Harris, 46, was sentenced to 18 months' probation and

ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

Harris' lawyer, George Luther, told the Columbus Dispatch his client

"intended no ill will. He did not intend to harm anyone."

Harris said he previously belonged to the Christian Identity Church,

a group that believes Jews are Satan's children and African-Americans

and other minorities are mud people.

BTW, if anyone feels that I am being unfair to Columbus by implying that the above is illustrative of the social and political climate there, I can only say that I lived in Columbus for ten years and I know wherof I imply. The place is infested with fascist nutters. Next topic.

Once again, these columns lack the funny drawings you have come to expect.

C’est la vie.

Go ahead, say it.

Look, gang, I came back to town and discovered that I was going to be writing a 500-word weekly newspaper column (entirely separate from the one you see here) for a major metropolitan daily plus doing another edition of my book. (And I am still not making enough to live on — ain’t life grand?) I’m afraid that the graphics are going to have to wait until I have a little more time than I do at the moment. But to make up for it, I’m going to post twice the usual number of columns this time. I am nice guy, yes?

Several people have written to say that my front page could use some work — that it is cluttered and confusing. You are absolutely right, and I plan to do something about it. Real soon now.