The number of mentions in Kenneth Starr's report of the word "Sex" and its variations: 548. Number of mentions of the word "Whitewater": 2. Number of mentions of the FBI files matter: 0. Number of mentions of the Travel Office matter: 0. More proof that, whatever else can be said of Starr's lurid attempt at impeachment, it essentially exonerates the Clintons--after four years and millions of tax dollars and column inches--of all those "other" charges. Odd that most media coverage hasn't mentioned it.--Geov Parrish

This election season, there'll be a lot of hoopla over local initiatives, but some Washington State timber companies will be a lot more worried about elections in Oregon. Oregon's Measure 64 would limit clear-cutting by protecting all trees more than 30 inches in diameter and banning the use of chemicals in forestry practices. Needless to say, northwest timber companies are having apoplectic fits. The proponents of the measure include Oregonians for Labor Intensive Forest Economics and the Sierra Club of Oregon; so far they've raised about $300,000. The opponents include Weyerhaeuser, Longview Fibre, Simpson Investment Co., U.S. Timberlands Co., Port Blakely Tree Farms, Hancock Natural Resource Group of Olympia, and the John Hancock Mutual Life pension plan (which has invested retirement funds in 205,000 acres of Oregon timber lands). So far these companies have dumped about $5 million into the campaign to defeat Measure 64. If the measure passes, at least one of them--U.S. Timberlands, whose entire forest holdings are in Oregon--will sue the state government for illegal "takings." Never mind the fact that they'll be perfectly free to harvest trees under 30 inches in diameter. The real issue here is that these companies don't want to pay the higher logging costs that come with selective cutting...although they're perfectly willing to make the rest of us pay for the outright destruction of ecosystems. This is one state initiative that has an impact on the whole northwest region, and that deserves to be watched closely.--Maria Tomchick

Cutbacks in a time of plenty: Buried in the new King County budget is a surprise proposal to close downtown Seattle's low income senior dental clinic at 4th and Blanchard. The clinic served over 1,000 people in 1997. Seniors will be expected to go out to a children's clinic near Northgate. Implicit in the "funding crunch" is the grim policy reality that there is no Medicare or Medicaid coverage for dental work for adults, but there is for kids. Supporters are asking that letters and calls of concern be directed to County Exec Ron Sims; to Tom Byers in the mayor's office; and to Tina Podlodowski, who has City Council oversight.--G.P.

Welcome to the NASA Savings and Loan. Since the IMF is running low on funds and only has about $5 billion left in its revolving fund (with nearly all of its emergency fund earmarked for the Russian government), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is stepping into the gap. To ensure that the space station project stays on schedule, NASA has agreed to buy two unneeded Soyuz space capsules from Russia for $50 million each. The capsules will be used as extra escape vehicles for the space station, even though NASA is already developing escape pods of its own. Not everyone is happy about the deal. John Pike, space policy director for the Federation of American Scientists, points out that the Russian government may be tempted to use the money for other things besides finishing their part of the space station, and says of the Russian space program: "The money goes in, but the hardware does not come out." (We could say the same thing about the U.S. government.) But, hey, since the whole space station project is already over budget and behind schedule, what's an extra $100 million?--M.T.

Interesting survey from Preamble Center for Public Policy, which reports that "a majority of people (68%) now view corporate greed as an equally important or more important cause of the economic difficulties faced by working families" than government malfeasance. Folks also want government intervention to curb corporate power. It's a classic dilemma for anarchist types: which institution is less likely to abuse its power? Of course, this assumes a government body can be meaningfully divorced from its corporate patrons, and forced to act in the public interest. That is, after all, the myth and promise of democracy. --G.P.

Another expensive, technological, taxpayer rip-off--a $3.2 billion missile defense system designed by Lockheed Martin--recently failed all five of its tests at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The Theater High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, which is supposed to protect ground troops from incoming medium-range missiles (oops!), didn't intercept or destroy a single missile in any of the tests. It's already two years behind schedule and way over budget but, hey, it sure makes a loud noise when it goes up! Of course, the little accuracy problem hasn't dried up the Congressional funding: Lockheed Martin still has until the end of 1999 to get the system to score three hits, before the government will have to levy some fines. But $75 million in fines is nothing after you've stolen over $3 billion, right?--M.T.

Best rumor of the week: Native American writer and (now) filmmaker Sherman Alexie is being beseeched to run against the Indian-hating Slade Gorton in the 2000 Senate race--and Alexie sez he's open to the idea. Sherman would be a lot more fun--and have better politics--than Ron Sims, who's been running for the seat since 1993.--G.P.