European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 1, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday december 1, 1993 . The stars and stripes Page 5 Washington a defense spending on Domestic nonmilitary activities doubled to More than $4.6 billion in fiscal 1993, partly because of the costs of closing bases a government report says. The defense department was allocated at least Quot $10.4 billion Over the last four years for civil activities with 96 percent for programs authorized by Congress such As counter narcotics operations defense conversion and medical re amp Arch the general accounting of Ficen a report said. _ the Gao Congress auditing Agency said congressionally directed activities increased from $2.3 billion in 1992 to $4.6 billion in 1993. The increase included $472 million for defense con version or closing bases and $254 million for a parallel program for Active forces affected by cuts. An additional $120 million was allotted for disaster Relief. Among research programs the army spent $2i0 million for breast cancer a a new program a and $57 million for aids up from $27 million in 1992. The Pentagon received $1.1 billion for counter narcotics efforts Down slightly from 1992. A a other items were $141 million for the National Aero space plane technology program $171 million for University research Grants $180 million for the strategic environmental research and development program $9 million for world cup Usa and $2,7 million for the National Board for the promotion of Rifle practice. Funding not allocated by Congress included $1.6 million for the presidential inauguration $3 million for the boy scout Jamboree $1 million for homeless shelters and $16 million for the Navy a Blue Angels flying team. The defense department provided disaster assistance 18 times during the four year period at the request of the Federal emergency management Agency anti in. 1992 gave about $126 million in Aid following hurricanes Ndrew in Florida and Ink fish Hawaii. The pen tags a also spent $5,7 million to help control the los Angeles i amp of Toast year. The Gao report Quad military officials a saying the los Angeles riot duty helped Junior officers gain command experience and gave maps real world1 training mobilizing for Hurricane Oniki was similar to mobilizing for War. A on the negative Side officials said they w6tq concerned that combat units May miss opportunities Core military training and that equipment wears out faster when used in airlifts and other International peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. A real pal new York a adults who have Little left to believe in Are writing Santa this year hoping for a brighter Christmas. Some of the letters end up in one of the 10 Santa bins in Manhattan a general Post office with the More traditional let ters written in a child a scrawl that ask for a doll or a video game. Adults who have no Money to spare Are asking for a Little something for their families through operation Santa Claus. One correspondent from the Bronx introduces herself to Santa Claus As a Mother on welfare with five children. A this Christmas i  very bad because my husband left us and All my Money goes to Light and rent. We hardly have anything to eat. L have to go looking for friends and ask them for something to eat. Please  in the late 1920s, postal clerks and volunteers began answering some of the Santa letters with a note sometimes More. Operation Santa Claus was born. More than 50,000 letters Are expected in this years operation Santa Claus which began monday. Blacks targeted by anti shoplifting tags paper reports Atlanta a two suburban drugstores Are putting anti shoplifting jags on cosmetics and other products aimed at Blacks while similar items for Whites have no Security devices a newspaper said tuesday. The tags turned up on Many Black oriented products at drugs for less stores. _ _. A o Ika at Inta a. A a. I a a a /. / it. A s a i a to. A 4 a a fwd i  a. A a it a a of Jwo a a i -.j,. It it # it More than 1 million tights spread their Yul time glitter last year at the Arkansas Home of Jennings and Mutzl Osborne neighbors burned out on a Little Rock Ark. A for cars Jennings and Mitzi Osborne Lave caused traffic jams As they be dazzled passers by with their vast and Ever growing christinas displays which twinkle with More than a million lights. But when they bought the houses next door to expand neighbors decided they Nad had enough electrified Holiday cheer. Their lawsuit demanding that the Osborne pull the plug on their Holiday display went to Tria monday. The Osborne say their Light show begun in 1986, is their constitutionally protected Way of sharing the seasons cheer. They have not disclosed their electric Bill. But one year they blew a transformer and blacked out part of their affluent neighbourhood. A the lawsuit was filed after the of Bornes who own a medical testing Laboratory Strung 1.6 million lights last year and bought the houses on both sides of them with the Promise of a bigger spectacle this year. A it involves the construction and operation of an enormous and spectacular Christmas Light display in a residential area of such size and extravagance that it has become a tourist attraction Quot attorney Gary Corum said in his opening statement on behalf of the neighbors who Are suing. The Osborn est attorney Sam Perroni said shutting Down the display would violate his clients first amendment rights to Freedom of speech and religion. He said that apart from the Normal increase in christmastime traffic neighbors suffer no harm from the display the Osborn est House turned Christmas card sits on Cantrell Road a thoroughfare technically designated As a state Highway and heavily used by suburban commuters. Plaintiffs witnesses testified monday that traffic congestion made it difficult to get in and ouf of their driveways and that throngs of people and the resulting noise reduced their enjoyment of their own property during the holidays. The trial is being held in a borrowed Federal courtroom to accommodate All the spectators. The judge has set aside More than a week to hear the Case. In Mableton and Smyrna the Atlanta journal and Constitution said. Officials of the drugstore Chain said the devices have been installed in the past two months Aio will be on a variety of items in the future. A the tags Are to be put on High theft. Is Quot Psi. Group says it set fires in stores that sell fur Dent and corporate Secretary at burning. Ham  big b inc. Which owns the drugs for less stores. The practice was condemned by Bruce Roberts assistant general counsel for the Southeast office of the National association for the advancement of coloured people. �?o1 think this is a new twist on an old problem a he said a Tihe problem being that Blacks Are considered High come risks or High shoplifting risks. Chicago apr an animal rights group claimed responsibility for planting fire starting devices at four department stores Over the weekend because the retailers sell furs. Police found eight devices at Neiman Marcus Saks fifth Avenue Marshall Fields arid Carson Pirie Scott stores downtown. Small fires ignited at three stores said arson detective Lee Demars of the Chicago police department. The fires were contained and no one was hurl. All stores were open for business sunday and monday the animal liberation front claimed responsibility in a faxed message relayed through another group people for the ethical treatment of animals. A this action signals the Start of a new More intense Campaign of economic sabotage against stores that sell fur a the front said monday. The Fri and police were checking the statements authenticity. The animal liberation front has a 10-year history of targeting industries that profit from what it Calls a the misery and exploitation of fur animals a the organizations statement also said it planted nine devices although Only eight were found