Nation briefs 04/03/03

Shuttle parts found on Louisiana Army base

PICKERING, La. -- The discovery of three engine parts from the space shuttle Columbia could mark the end of the debris search in Louisiana.

On Tuesday, workers recovered the debris in two craters at Fort Polk in central Louisiana, ending NASA's search for shuttle debris in the area, said Kelly Humphries, a space agency spokesman.

"This is the last of it that we know of," Humphries said.

The site of the debris was among the farthest east any Columbia fragments have been found so far. The engine parts traveled farther east because they were among the densest, heaviest parts of the aircraft, Humphries said.

Supreme Court takes on Hollywood copying case

WASHINGTON -- Supreme Court justices, looking for a solution to a Hollywood dispute, were told Wednesday to go to the videotape.

Justices were urged to watch a seven-hour World War II documentary in settling the fight between 20th Century Fox, which let a copyright lapse, and a young video company that reused an old war documentary.

The court must decide if the video distributor has to turn over its profits, and pay damages, in a case that will determine when people can be punished for using noncopyright material without giving the creator credit.

The documentary, based on Dwight Eisenhower's memoirs, did not have copyright protection when Dastar Corp. used it to make its own video in 1995 -- the 50th anniversary of the end of the war.

The original documentary was "Crusade in Europe." Dastar deleted one hour, added a half hour of new material, then sold tape sets for about $25 as "Campaigns in Europe."

ACLU concerned with school pledge policy

BELLINGHAM, Mass. -- Civil libertarians are admonishing a school for telling parents when their children don't stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

"It seems to me a form of harassment," Ron Madnick, director of the Worcester chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said Wednesday.

Madnick said some students at Bellingham High School have been taken out of class and sent to the principal's office for refusing to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance as a way of protesting the war in Iraq. He sent a letter to superintendent T.C. Mattocks on Wednesday and is waiting for a response.

Mattocks said students were not called out of class, but acknowledged that school officials notify parents of students who don't stand for the pledge.

Refusing to stand during the ceremony does not violate a school rule, Mattocks said. But he said students are expected to stand and to also obey a moment of silence every morning.

Madnick said he's not sure how many students have refused to stand for the pledge and doesn't know how old they are. He said he has not spoken with the students.

Former president Bush greets Marines, families

CHERRY POINT MARINE CORPS AIR STATION, N.C. -- Former President George H.W. Bush spoke with Marines and their families, shook hands and signed autographs for an enthusiastic throng Wednesday at this military base.

In another morale-boosting mission, his son, President George W. Bush, was scheduled to visit Camp Lejeune, about 25 miles southwest, on Thursday.

The elder Bush arrived to cheers Wednesday afternoon. He last visited Cherry Point as president in 1991 during the Gulf War.

The former president told Marines and their families that his son will not waver from pursuing victory in Iraq, and that the Marines are in good hands.

"I can tell you that he is staying the course. He is not going to back down in terms of his responsibilities and he's going to see this through to victory," the former president said.

Many who crowded into a hangar to see Bush carried posters supporting the war. One simply said "God Bless America."

-- From wire reports