Contrast, at least, shouldn't be an issue -- there's little to no wash-out here.

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Whereas home-owners in Los Angeles and San Francisco must carefully watch how much water they consume if they want to avoid a stiff surcharge, Sacramento's people have no limit on the amounts they use to wash their cars, fill their swimming-pools and keep their lawns lushly green.

ECONOMIST: Urban sprawl

Next it found a shell into which it could merge: Nova International Films, a Vancouver, Wash. film production outfit with no operational history in a decade but with an over-the-counter listing.

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