Can't find a real solution? Just build more jails

The Clinton administration is promising a renewed anti-drug effort.

Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, the current "drug czar," says there will be new initiatives in prevention, education and treatment.

That sounds good, but every time something new has been promised in the past, all we end up with is funding for more lock-'em-up initiatives.

A big part of the problem lies in the inner cities, where there is so little hope for social mobility that dealing and/or using drugs is the best option. And throwing everybody in jail doesn't help anyone. Taking one petty dealer or consumer off the streets just makes an opening for others and costs society thousands of dollars for incarceration.

Law enforcement is necessary, but a decade of fighting drugs by building jail cells hasn't gotten us anywhere.

McCaffrey claims the administration will be seeking a "holistic" approach to the problem.

But what does a holistic approach mean? And most importantly, will it pass muster with Congress?

The last time the administration tried a "holistic approach" was in the 1994 crime bill, and it was soundly rejected. Items like midnight basketball leagues, while far from the Grand Solution To End All Crime, might have made a small dent in the crime rate for just a little money. But they got turned away in favor of the "lock-'em-up" mentality.

We can hope that this new approach will bring progress. But, as always, we're not holding our breath.

There's more where that comes from, buddy

The Texas Terror is here. Bud Adams, don't let the door hit you on your way out.

While the owners of the Oilers, the Astros and even the Rockets complain about their facilities, minor-league sports are creeping up on them.

The same thing is happening around the country. Fans are discovering that the major leagues aren't the only game in town.

Major-league owners complain they can't compete with other franchises. Player salaries are too high, gate receipts are too low and so on.

Give us a break. If the owners wanted to, they could use the socialist microeconomies they've set up within their leagues to make sure every team could compete. Salary caps would be a start.

Teams could build their own stadiums if they wanted. But the major leagues would rather buck for luxury boxes than try to sell out the stadiums they have.

Houston has a plethora of minor-league teams. We've got the Terror playing arena football, the Aeros in hockey, the Hurricanes in soccer and the Hotshots in indoor soccer. All of these teams are made up of athletes who are not overpaid, and have owners who are grateful for their fans.

Bud Adams and Drayton McLane could stand to learn some lessons from