Reuters, Feb 5, 1998

California shelter provides comfort for homeless pets

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Color television sets in every room, a limitless 
supply of tennis balls and regular peer group sessions "with lots of hugs."

In San Francisco, California, a dog's life got a whole lot easier Wednesday 
as the city's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals opened its 
new, state-of-the-art $7 million animal shelter.

"There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world," said SPCA President 
Richard Avanzino as he meandered down "Lassie Lane," where dogs are 
ensconced in private furnished apartments complete with cable television.

At the San Francisco shelter, dogs dine on meals provided by room service 
and see consultants who develop lists of their "beauty requirements."

Over in the cat rotunda, residents laze in specially built nests designed 
to resemble "bohemian artist's lofts," casting an eye out the picture 
windows to the bird life outside or the special aquariums stocked with 
tropical fish.

With its California-style skylights, sweeping verandas and muted desert 
tones, the new center marks what SPCA officials hope will be the prototype 
for the "animal shelter of the future" -- a place where people can get to 
know homeless animals and eventually decide to adopt them.
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Ohio congressman asks more Internet protection

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Citing the case of a woman who claims she got 
pregnant from electronic mail, an Ohio Democrat called for a "chastity chip" 
for the Internet.

Rep. James Traficant, known for his flamboyant rhetoric, gave a brief floor 
speech about a woman named Frances who claimed to have gotten pregnant 
through an e-mail exchange with a paramour 1,500 miles away.

He called Wednesday for Congress to go beyond "V-chips" that would protect 
kids from sexual content on the Internet, saying: "It's time for Congress 
to act. The computers do not need a V-chip. The Internet needs a chastity 
chip."

Although Traficant did not say whether he believed the woman's account, he 
did say it was `"enough to crash your hard drive."
=====================

UPI, Feb 6, 1998

CHICAGO PARTS WAYS WITH THE BOY SCOUTS

The city of Chicago has agreed to stop sponsoring Boy Scouts of America 
programs -- until the group drops its ban on gays and stops requiring 
religious oaths. The city is cutting its ties with the organization, as 
part of the settlement of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties 
Union.