Pubdate: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 Source: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram (TX) Copyright: 1999 Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas Contact: http://www.star-telegram.com/ Authur: Mark Davis, WBAP Newstalk 820 AM Note: Drug War relevance ends at "On the Austin beat:" [Mark Davis is a radio talk-show host on WBAP Newstalk 820 AM. His program is heard from 9 a.m. to noon weekdays and is nationally syndicated on ABC radio Sundays from noon to 3 p.m. His e-mail address is him at 3201 Airport Freeway, Suite 108, Bedford, TX 76021.] FROM MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO CORPORATE MONIKERS With spring merely hours old, it's time to clean out the topical notebook: Medical pot: A study that was reported last week strengthened the evidence that marijuana may have valid benefits for some illnesses. What a shame that the debate about medical uses of the drug is hijacked by single-mindedness on both sides. In one corner are people convinced that any valid medical use of pot will open the door to vast abuses and general legalization. In the other corner are the wacky see-no-evil drug libertarians who wrap their legalization effort in the noble cloth of caring for the sick. Here's the deal: Legalizing pot is a terrible idea. Our society needs more legal intoxicants like we need a hole in the head. But for some maladies, the active ingredient in marijuana (THC) may generate appetite and provide relief from pain. To those ends, I want more research into whether those benefits can be realized from pill or inhaler delivery of THC. If so, no one should stand in the way. On the Austin beat: Two very good ideas are working their way through the Legislature: parental notification for abortions for minors and a lowering of the blood alcohol limit defining drunken driving. Even pro-choicers frequently agree that if a 10th-grader is about to get an abortion, the parents should know about it. Concerns about abusive consequences in dysfunctional homes are allayed by the judicial bypass, in which girls can get a court order to pursue the procedure if they can establish themselves as mature decision-makers with a justifiable reason to keep their plans secret. And as for a blood alcohol level of 0.08, that number cannot go too low for me. The American way: Fast forward to 2002. The Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat are squaring off in an NBA contest. The game is played in an arena bearing the name of American Airlines. Quick. In what city are they playing? Tough call, since by then both cities will have arenas named for the airline. Miami's American Airlines Arena opens next year, and presumably the new Dallas arena opens in 2001. When it does, it will be called the American Airlines Center. A trend is born. Plenty of cities need new arenas, and there are a few nouns left. Look for groundbreaking soon on American Airlines Fieldhouse, American Airlines Coliseum and the American Airlines Dome. In all seriousness, the new arena name is perfect. American is one of the great economic forces in Metroplex history, and the naming rights bring millions of private-sector dollars into the arena project. It also serves as a reminder that plenty of private-sector dollars always existed to fund the entire project. Learning from the masters: It was instructive to hear the interviews last week with the Rev. Henry Lyons, head of the National Baptist Convention, guilty of five counts of fraud and tax evasion. He was convicted of stealing money earmarked for rebuilding burned black churches and had the nerve to cry racism when the charges were leveled against him. I can think of fewer things that are more contemptible. But here's one that comes close: wrapping horrific wrongdoing in the excuse-laden language of "mistakes" and "errors in judgment." This is precisely what Lyons is doing on a repentance tour as phony as President Clinton's. Like former District of Columbia Mayor Marion Barry before him, the disgraced clergyman abused the loyalty of his supporters when he knew full well he was guilty. And like both Barry and Clinton, Lyons seeks to exploit such blind loyalty to avoid real accountability. Obscure treasures: I'll be watching the Oscar show tonight just as I do every year, but I can't remember when I've cared less. Everybody touts Saving Private Ryan as the likely big winner, and it was a great movie. But beyond that, what do we have? Best Actor nominees include Nick Nolte for Affliction, Ian McKellen for Gods and Monsters and Edward Norton for American History X. Best Actress? Among the contestants are Fernanda Montenegro in Central Station, Meryl Streep in One True Thing and Emily Watson in Hilary and Jackie. Great work by all, I'm sure. But these movies were seen by a total of about 200 people! What's going on here? Box office receipts do not equal quality. These are all good movies, and a lot of the top grossers this year have been awful. I suppose my point is that it has become too rare for genuinely superb films to draw huge audiences. Mark Davis is a radio talk-show host on WBAP Newsalk 820 AM. His program is heard from 9 a.m. to noon weekdays and is nationally syndicated on ABC radio Sundays from noon to 3 p.m. His e-mail address is Write him at 3201 Airport Freeway, Suite 108, Bedford, TX 76021. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D