Ask Dr. Notebook:

By Melissa August, Harriet Barovick, Val Castronovo, Matthew Cooper, Tam Gray, Lina Lofaro, Desa Philadelphia and Chris Taylor

Q: The bombs the Air Force has been dropping on Iraq lately seem heavier than normal. What's the deal?

A: They sure are heavy! They're made of concrete. Wary of causing collateral damage (that's military-speak for murdered civilians) that could lead to international sympathy for Saddam Hussein, the U.S. has opted for dropping friendlier, 2,000-lb., laser-guided bombs on military targets. We've tried warm-and-fuzzy wartime techniques before, like when we blasted MANUEL NORIEGA's compound with loud rock music. Once, the CIA considered a plot to make Fidel Castro's hair fall out by putting thallium powder in his boots. The Army also fed unsuspecting U.S. soldiers with LSD. You don't get much warmer and fuzzier than that!

Q: This week Houston, which lost its National Football League team two years ago, was awarded a new NFL franchise for 2002. This year Cleveland, Ohio, which lost the Browns in 1996, fielded its new expansion team, called the Browns. And Los Angeles, which had a team until 1995, continues to angle for a new one. Why doesn't the NFL just keep teams where they are in the first place?

A: Good point.