To the Point

North American International Auto Shows

Cars in Japan and Europe are designed to save gas and look sexy at the same time. "Smart cars" can even park sideways in congested cities. One big-time auto executive says American cars look like "angry kitchen appliances." At this week's auto shows in Los Angeles and Detroit, the concept cars and flashy new models derive less from function than focus groups. The big money's in light trucks and SUV's, which outsold passenger cars last year for the first time. Are American cars going down the wrong road? We look at automobile aesthetics and technology with an industry spokesmen, designers and consultants. Newsmaker: Security Holes Magnified after Tampa Plane Crash The suicide crash of a small plane into a 42-story building in Tampa this weekend has raised questions about security at general-aviation airports, especially after it was revealed that the 15-year old pilot left a note expressing sympathy for Osama bin Laden. Tom McCann, of the Chicago Tribune, defends the instructor's actions and elaborates on the continuing lack of airline security at small regional airports. Reporter's Notebook: NY-LA Rift in American Jewry after Firing of LA's ADL Chief The ADL is America's oldest and largest Jewish civil rights group. David Lehrer gave it a high profile in Los Angeles. His dismissal by the organization's New York-based director stunned the community and outraged the local ADL board. J.J. Goldberg, editor of the Jewish weekly Forward, says the controversy illustrates the growing rift between Jews in Los Angeles and Jews in New York.