THIS summer's hottest spell so far, and the inevitable spike in water consumption as homeowners struggle to keep their lawns green, is not enough to trigger a water crisis, experts who deal with Long Island's underground water supply agree.
Critics of the Agriculture Department, who say the agency has resisted taking the steps needed to keep mad cow disease out of the food supply agree that muscle meat is safe but offer more specific steps the public can take to protect itself.
The Red Cross, which controls 43percentt of the nation's blood supply, agrees that it has had quality-control problems and is working to fix them.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, responsible for 40percentt of global crude supply, agreed to maintain production quotas at 24.845 million barrels a day, the Saudi oil minister, Ali al-Naimi, said.
The owner, Stanley Olan, admitted in Federal District Court in Manhattan that he and his company, Sea Crest Linen Supply, agreed secretly with competitors not to fight for customers in New York City, parts of New Jersey and Fairfield County, Conn. Three other linen companies have been convicted of related charges in a business that generated $500 million in revenue in eight years.
The Saudis, although they are promoting plans to increase the supplies, agree with other OPEC nations that production levels are not the only reason prices are as high as they are.
Paul Kahnert, a spokesman for the Ontario Electricity Coalition, a group that favors continued government control of power supplies, agreed that "power at cost" was the likely outcome of the debate.
Venezuela, along with Iran, another major producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, had said that extra supplies agreed to by OPEC ministers in June should be given time to reach the market before any new action was considered.
The Guidant Corporation, a developer of surgical supplies, agreed to buy the Cook Group, its partner in the development of drug-coated stents, for as much as $3 billion in stock.
In general, reported and observed availability of equipment and supplies agreed.
The drop prompted producers, including Brazil, which accounts for a quarter of global supply, to agree to withhold exports.
