NEW YORK OPENS SCHOOL FOR GAY TEENS.

This sounds like a satirical headline, But, no, it isn't. The story is true; the school is really there - and at a cost of $3.2 million real dollars.

This has to be the dumbest idea since prohibition. What were they thinking? We never thought of New York as having an excess of political correctness. Or is it an excess of Queer Eye or Boy Meets Boy?

Establishing the Harvey Milk High School runs counter to the general trend toward mainstreaming. But supporters of the school for gay students "are very proud to have them here in a safe, nurturing environment" Apparently, the purpose of the separate school is to create an alternative for students who may be emotionally abused by other students.

Are the school officials "shocked" that there may be some abuse by teen age peers? How about short people, nerds, fat kids, ugly girls, clumsy kids? Shall we establish schools for each offended group?

And it may well be questioned that this school is of lasting benefit to its gay pupils. Not only does it remove them from a diverse environment, and deprive the school system of some diversity, but also it takes away the opportunities for the gay students to learn how to cope with the real world.

Separate but equal?

KOFI ANNAN TO REPLACE DONALD RUMSFELD

In a special bulletin, the White House announced today that Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, would replace Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense, effective immediately. As part of an agreement to obtain UN support for the Iraq occupation, this move was deemed necessary in order to assure UN military command.

President Bush issued a statement praising Secretary Rumsfeld's "dedication and tactful articulation of U.S. policies". The President stated that Rumsfeld's resignation was a small price to pay for the UN support that he had long sought.

The UN resolution provided that, for UN supervision of the civilian administration of Iraq, Paul Bremer, U.S. civil administrator for Iraq, will henceforth report to a Directorate composed of directors appointed by France, Canada, and Germany. The same nations will choose an Acting Secretary General to serve during Mr Annan's leave of absence.

Secretary of State Colin Powell told reporters that he regretted the departure of Secretary Rumsfeld and that he would miss the rapport and collegiality developed over the years with Mr. Rumsfeld and his team.
Secretary Powell emphasized, however, that this step was necessary to attain the multilateralism that the Bush administration has had as the cornerstone of its foreign policy.

Secretary Rumsfeld could not be reached for comment.

In response to rumors being circulated, a spokesman for the Department of Defense denied that military field rations would now include croissants and quiche