<HTML> <BODY>

<p><b>original page, stripped down to the problem table (pattern: auto
width table with first row has specified width and colspan=2, second
row has two specified width columns)</b></p>

<TABLE BORDER="1">
  <TR> 
    <TD WIDTH=490 COLSPAN=2 VALIGN=TOP>
 Cons For Pokemon "They're Pokemon card sharks out there. This is
 worse than the Cabbage Patch Kid craze because now it's the kids who
 are actually fighting each other instead of just the parents." 
 -- Children are doing anything, including breaking the law, to get
 their grubby hands on some trading cards, observe police.
    </TD>
  </TR>

  <TR>
    <TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=268> ASDF </TD> 
    <TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=222>  
     Sat.,   Dec 11, 1999 
     Gay Union Kibosh Hawaii Supreme Court slams the
           door on same-sex marriages. All eyes look to Vermont.  
    </TD>
  </TR>
</TABLE> 
 
<br>
<p><b>same table, but less content (text) in the first cell ...</b></p>

<TABLE BORDER="1">
  <TR> 
    <TD WIDTH=490 COLSPAN=2 VALIGN=TOP>
 Cons For Pokemon "They're Pokemon card sharks out there. This is
    </TD>
  </TR>

  <TR>
    <TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=268> ASDF </TD> 
    <TD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH=222>  
     Sat.,   Dec 11, 1999 
     Gay Union Kibosh Hawaii Supreme Court slams the
           door on same-sex marriages. All eyes look to Vermont.  
    </TD>
  </TR>
</TABLE> 

</BODY> 
</HTML>