THE UNITED STATES NEVER FORMALLY declared war on Laos, but they still dropped more than 270 million cluster bombs on the country during the Vietnam War era. It is estimated that one-third of these did not explode. The northeastern province of Xieng-Khouang was one of the most heavily bombed areas of Laos, and it is littered with unexploded munitions. Some residents in the village of Ban Napia have turned this problem into a curious and hazardous occupation: They collect UXO, melt it down in a kiln, and fashion it into spoons and other household items using wooden molds. Xiangkhouang Province, Laos