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Commentator Marit Haahr is a little unnerved by the growth of dot-com companies that provide service to your doorstep, like Kozmo.com. She says it's spontaneous human contact, as in video stores, that keeps us all from becoming shut-ins.

As more than 70 fires burn across the west, fire managers are scrambling to deploy enough personnel to contain and fight the blazes. In Central Idaho, 500 army troops from Ft. Hood Texas are receiving some basic fire training as they prepare to join the 17,000 civilian firefighters in the west. NPR's Mark Roberts reports from McCall, Idaho.

Steve Inskeep of NPR News reports on a new sexual harassment accusation involving the Tailhook naval aviators organization. The Navy says members of the group attending a convention last week in Sparks, Nevada, are accused of making inappropriate physical contact with a civilian woman. The convention marked the first time since the 1991 sex scandal that the Navy has renewed its ties with the Tailhook organization.

NPR's Eric Weiner reports that the issue of drugs continues to overshadow the Summer Olympic games. Today, sixteen-year old Romanian Andreea Raducan was stripped of her all-round gold medal after she took a banned stimulant contained in two cold medicine pills that was given to her by the team doctor.

Commentator Richard Rosenfeld talks about the significance of the so-called 2nd American Revolution, the Presidential election of 1800 in which Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams. He says Jefferson's victory assured the separation of church and state and the protections contained in the Bill of Rights.

NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Istanbul on Turkey's "identity crisis." Long the southeastern anchor of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization...NATO...Turkey was part of the West's Soviet Union containment policy. But, the Cold War is over, Turkey is surrounded by unfriendly countries and the new prime minister comes from a pro-Islamic party.

Linda talks with Jeff Edwards, fire marshall of Parker County, Texas, about the fires that have been burning out of control just west of Forth Worth. Speaking from Poolville, Texas, Edwards says firefighters have contained one blaze that has destroyed 20,000 acres but worries about two more fire that are still burning.

Daniel talks with cold specialist Fred Hayden about how to avoid and treat colds. Hayden is a professor at the Univerity of Virginia (Charlottesville) Medical School. Hayden says it's best to avoid direct physical contact with someone who has a cold. Once you have a cold, the best you can do is relieve some of the symptoms.

- Daniel talks with curator Betsy Walsh of the Folger Shakespeare Library (Washington, DC) about "Yesterday's News," an exhibition about the forerunner of today's newspapers - the "newsbook." News accounts in 17th Century England were sold in stores, posted on street corners, and even sung by balladeers. They contained many of the kinds of stories newspapers report on today.

A pipe bomb exploded in the doorway of City Hall in Spokane at about 3:00 a.m. this morning. There were no injuries, nor has anyone claimed responsibility. The bomb reportedly contained nails, and sent debris into a nearby courtyard. As Lakshmi Singh of member station KBPX reports, it's the third bomb in Spokane in as many months.

that contains nearly $66 Billion for social programs and education in the next fiscal year. That amounts to a freeze at current year levels. If it clears Congress, the measure faces a likely veto from President Clinton.

This week, the director of the federal government's human genome project announced that papers he co-authored contained fabricated data collected by a junior scientist in his laboratory.

Linda and Robert read from listeners' comments. To contact All Things Considered, write to All Things Considered Letters, 635 Massachusetts Avenue Northwest, Washington D-C 20001. To contact us via the Internet, the address is A-T-C at N-P-R dot ORG. (ATC@NPR.ORG)

in Jerusalem, don't worry, there's now another route to contact God. He's now accepting e-mail.

The Hubble Space Telescope has taken the first clear pictures of distant galaxies containing quasars. Quasars are the most violent events in the universe...and astronomers are surprised to discover that they come from rather ordinary looking galaxies. This discovery is forcing scientists to rethink their theories about quasar formation. NPR's Richard Harris reports.

Jacki Lyden talks to Richard Baker, Senate historian, about an 18th-century Senate ledger that was misplaced for over a century. It contains notations from several of the founding fathers, including Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. The ledger was almost tossed in the garbage as the Capitol was being demolished for remodeling.

Music Critic Tom Moon says a new release by the old band Blind Faith is an example of the revival of free-form rock and roll. It's called the Deluxe Edition, and it contains some previously unreleased 1969 jam session recordings. (5:30) The Deluxe Edition 2-CD set by Blind Faith is on the Uni/Polydor labels.

The Pentagon today was at pains to clarify its policy towards contacts with the Chinese military, saying they would continue but be evaluated case by case. Officials were also intent on dispelling the notion that yesterday's mixed messages on the subject indicated any breakdown in the department's internal lines of command and communication. NPR's Tom Gjelten reports from the Pentagon.

The United States is reviewing its military contacts with China. The Pentagon has withdrawn an earlier memo that indicated the contacts were suspended "until further notice." NPR's Pentagon Correspondent Tom Gjelten speaks with Linda Wertheimer.

NPR's Phillip Davis reports Florida's severe drought is causing state officials to consider a water saving plan. The idea is to inject billions of gallons of stormwater runoff into deep underground aquifers, then pump it out the next time there's a drought. The governor and state legislature are enthusiastic, but environmentalists fear for the potential contamination of Florida's underground sources of drinking water.

NPR's Julie McCarthy reports from London that Britain announced plans today to kill 100,000 more animals, in addition to the 200,000 sheep, cows and pigs marked for slaughter because of foot-and-mouth disease. World governments are scrambling to contain the virus, which has reportedly spread to parts of the Middle East.

President Bush ruffled lots of feathers weeks ago by backing away from the Kyoto global warming treat and delaying rules limiting arsenic in drinking water. NPR's John Nielsen reports that Mr. Bush's 2001 federal budget contains a quieter but no less pointed attack on Clinton environmental policies.

Members of Congress today asked NASA whether the agency can contain cost overruns for the International Space Station. The White House wants NASA to curtail construction on the station in order to make up for budget problems. Some members of Congress seem worried that the station won't be much good if it's missing key components. NPR's Larry Abramson reports.

NPR's Allison Aubrey examines the danger that common food allergies pose to some Americans. Common allergens, such as peanuts and certain grains, are often unlisted as ingredients on food packaging, or contaminate other food prepared in the same factory. Such problems lead to product recalls every year and have prompted the Food and Drug Administration and food processors, to find ways to test for allergens.

A grounded freighter continues to spill heavy fuel oil into a pristine Alaskan wildlife area as poor weather conditions hurt cleanup efforts. Six people remain missing. NPR's Elizabeth Arnold reports.