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1438455

2002

11

07

ILLINOIS

Democrats sailed to victory in several important races, providing fresh evidence to support the view of political experts who say the state is growing more Democratic. Rod R. Blagojevich, a three-term congressman from Chicago, defeated Jim Ryan, the state attorney general, and became the first Democrat to win the governorship in three decades.

Democrats sailed to victory in several important races, providing fresh evidence to support the view of political experts who say the state is growing more Democratic. Rod R. Blagojevich, a three-term congressman from Chicago, defeated Jim Ryan, the state attorney general, and became the first Democrat to win the governorship in three decades. Mr. Blagojevich said the state's Republicans were tainted with scandal after years in power. Democrats also won a majority in the State Senate, controlled for 10 years by Republicans, and they kept their majority in the State House of Representatives. Senator Richard J. Durbin, a Democrat, easily overcame a challenge by Jim Durkin. Rahm I. Emanuel, a former aide to President Bill Clinton, won the safely Democratic seat being vacated by Mr. Blagojevich. In the

1479144

2003

04

08

Spring Snow

Never mind the records or the averages. What matters isn't what happened years ago or what usually happens -- just what happened yesterday. A mass of warm air sliding up from the south collided with a dome of unseasonably cold air, and snow fell in New York City and across the mid-Atlantic states. It came down in demoralizing fistfuls, like scraps of winter's calendar flung into spring. Everything was put on hold: the rose leaves in Bryant Park, the first blush on the buds in the botanical gardens, even the Yankees' home opener. Winter has never seemed quite so reluctant to retreat for good. If nothing else, the snowstorm brought a kind of temporal chaos, caused in part by the shift over the weekend to daylight saving time. The extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day felt like an augury of summer, no matter what form of precipitation was falling from the sky. But the extra hour of darkness in the morning made it feel as if we had jumped backward a month or two. The snow only confounded the season further. Soon enough all the clues will point in the right direction, toward an unstoppable spring. For now we will have to make do with vernal hopes and intentions.

Never mind the records or the averages. What matters isn't what happened years ago or what usually happens -- just what happened yesterday. A mass of warm air sliding up from the south collided with a dome of unseasonably cold air, and snow fell in New York City and across the mid-Atlantic states. It came down in demoralizing fistfuls, like scraps of winter's calendar flung into spring. Everything was put on hold: the rose leaves in Bryant Park, the first blush on the buds in the botanical gardens, even the Yankees' home opener. Winter has never seemed quite so reluctant to retreat for good. If nothing else, the snowstorm brought a kind of temporal chaos, caused in part by the shift over the weekend to daylight saving time.

1660398

2005

03

27

Justice Scalia and the Life of Laws

To the Editor: Your editorial reports that in a recent speech, Justice Antonin Scalia ''attacked the idea of a 'living Constitution,' one that evolves with modern sensibilities, which the Supreme Court has long recognized in its jurisprudence.''

To the Editor: Your editorial reports that in a recent speech, Justice Antonin Scalia ''attacked the idea of a 'living Constitution,' one that evolves with modern sensibilities, which the Supreme Court has long recognized in its jurisprudence.'' Justice Scalia's view of constitutional interpretation is often called ''originalist,'' suggesting that the original meaning of the Constitution as drafted in 1787, and the original meaning of its amendments at the time of their adoption, should govern modern interpretations of our national charter. Justice Scalia might do well to visit the Jefferson Memorial, where the views of our third president, one of our country's original lawyers, are emblazoned for all to see: ''I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and Constitutions, but laws must and institutions must go

1308664

2001

07

12

In a Flash, Flood Leaves Town's Future in Question

It was the long-dreaded hundred-year flood, roaring down right on schedule by Mayor Jack Premo's reckoning. It swept through the mountain hollow like a tidal wave, upending homes and cars and smashing ruinously through the dozen simple stores that underpin the tax base in this impoverished Appalachian town. ''We lost it all,'' said the 78-year-old mayor, a retired coal miner who could not conceal his anguish. ''The water rolled six feet deep through everything, one building after another -- the funeral home, the grocery, the library and then Town Hall, where I had just set up the two voting booths for Tuesday's election.''

It was the long-dreaded hundred-year flood, roaring down right on schedule by Mayor Jack Premo's reckoning. It swept through the mountain hollow like a tidal wave, upending homes and cars and smashing ruinously through the dozen simple stores that underpin the tax base in this impoverished Appalachian town. ''We lost it all,'' said the 78-year-old mayor, a retired coal miner who could not conceal his anguish. ''The water rolled six feet deep through everything, one building after another -- the funeral home, the grocery, the library and then Town Hall, where I had just set up the two voting booths for Tuesday's election.'' Mayor Premo was running unopposed for a 12th two-year term. ''There's never an election issue, never have to make promises,'' Mr. Premo said, surveying his

1372866

2002

03

04

Metropolitan Diary

DEAR DIARY: As I left the Public Theater, I discovered that my 10-speed bicycle was missing and the strong U-lock shattered. About two weeks later, I was in the East Village when I spotted a man pushing my bike. There was no doubt it was mine: the color, the tape I had put on it, the scratches. I called the police and they arrived promptly. But when they asked for the serial number I was at a loss -- I didn't even know bicycles had serial numbers. The cops suggested I talk to the ''new owner,'' who then offered me the bike for $20. I indignantly refused and the cops let the man go. A couple of hours later, I spotted the bike again, this time chained to a tree. I peeked underneath the bike, found the serial number, wrote it down and again called the police. When they arrived, I gave them the serial number, they compared it with the bike's, and they proceeded to cut the chain. I had my bike back.

DEAR DIARY: As I left the Public Theater, I discovered that my 10-speed bicycle was missing and the strong U-lock shattered. About two weeks later, I was in the East Village when I spotted a man pushing my bike. There was no doubt it was mine: the color, the tape I had put on it, the scratches. I called the police and they arrived promptly. But when they asked for the serial number I was at a loss -- I didn't even know bicycles had serial numbers. The cops suggested I talk to the ''new owner,'' who then offered me the bike for $20. I indignantly refused and the cops let the man go. A couple of hours later, I spotted the bike again, this time chained to

1423539

2002

09

14

Never Forget What?

Candor is so little prized in Washington that you want to shake the hand of anyone who dares commit it. So cheers to Andrew Card, the president's chief of staff, for telling The Times's Elisabeth Bumiller the real reason that his boss withheld his full-frontal move on Saddam Hussein until September: ''From a marketing point of view, you don't introduce new products in August.'' Mr. Card has taken some heat for talking about a war in which many may die as if it were the rollout of a new S.U.V. But he wasn't lying, and history has already proved him right. This campaign has been so well timed and executed that the new product already owns the market. The unofficial motto of the 9/11 anniversary may have been ''Never forget,'' but by 9/12, if not before, the war on Al Qaeda was already fading from memory as the world was invited to test-drive the war on Iraq. Al Qaeda may be forgotten, but it's not gone -- apparently even from the suburbs of Buffalo, as CBS News first reported last night. At least two-thirds of its top leadership remains at large. A draft version of a U.N. report on our failure to shut down its cash flow says that ''Al Qaeda is by all accounts 'fit and well' and poised to strike again at its leisure.'' (It has already struck at least a half-dozen times since January.) Regime change, anyone? Al Qaeda almost brought one about in Afghanistan, assuming its likely role in the assassination attempt on Hamid Karzai. As Harry Shearer said in his satirical radio program, ''Le Show,'' 9/11 is ''the event that changed everything except terrorism.''

Candor is so little prized in Washington that you want to shake the hand of anyone who dares commit it. So cheers to Andrew Card, the president's chief of staff, for telling The Times's Elisabeth Bumiller the real reason that his boss withheld his full-frontal move on Saddam Hussein until September: ''From a marketing point of view, you don't introduce new products in August.'' Mr. Card has taken some heat for talking about a war in which many may die as if it were the rollout of a new S.U.V. But he wasn't lying, and history has already proved him right. This campaign has been so well timed and executed that the new product already owns the market. The unofficial motto of the 9/11 anniversary may have been

1416315

2002

08

16

Playing at Hazeltine Is a Unique Experience

THE nature of golf is nature itself heat, chill, sun, wind, rain, thunder and lightning, creeks and ponds, trees, even the type of grass in the rough. All those elements of nature, like diamonds and emeralds in a Tiffany's showcase, were on display in the opening round of the 84th P.G.A. Championship at Hazeltine National out here on the Minnesota prairie. Especially that wind of 15 to 20 miles an hour coming all the way from Montana with nothing to stop it. Wind that you can't see but can feel and hear.

THE nature of golf is nature itself heat, chill, sun, wind, rain, thunder and lightning, creeks and ponds, trees, even the type of grass in the rough. All those elements of nature, like diamonds and emeralds in a Tiffany's showcase, were on display in the opening round of the 84th P.G.A. Championship at Hazeltine National out here on the Minnesota prairie. Especially that wind of 15 to 20 miles an hour coming all the way from Montana with nothing to stop it. Wind that you can't see but can feel and hear. Nature jumped into golf's consciousness, if not its conscience, in the British Open last month at Muirfield when Tiger Woods soared to an 81 in a wet and windy chill that buried his Grand Slam quest.

1709984

2005

10

16

Where to Get Your Goat

Cashmere is this year's everyfabric; it has been spun into undergarments, outergarments, sweater sets, desk sets and bedroom sets. For fall Saks Fifth Avenue decked out its 58 stores in a ''Wild About Cashmere'' theme, complete with live goats at the opening event. Even low-end chain stores are flooded with the stuff, with Old Navy and Target offering the luxury fabric at all-time price lows. In a cashmere logjam, what makes a sweater special? Here are eight pieces that stand out in the crowd. 1. Lace and tulle edge the shoulders and hem of an ice blue sleeveless sweater by Juicy Couture. The trim is repeated at the neckline ($250 at www.nordstrom.com). 2. Etro's slinky top trimmed with satin and gold lamé is covered with beaded and sequined paisley prints ($850 at Saks Fifth Avenue). 3. A hooded sweater-kimono by Shanghai Tang does double duty as a sweater-coat and a bathrobe; the heavyweight knit coverup has brilliantly colored phoenixes on the back and is lined in fuchsia silk ($1,350 at Shanghai Tang in New York, 212-888-0111). 4. A 70's-inspired crew neck by Petro Zillia is the picture of happiness: a rainbow, clouds and hearts and brightly striped sleeves ($130 at Olive & Bette's stores). 5. A chunky cashmere cardigan by Missoni is knit with multicolored yarn and has a neckline drawstring that is tipped with two silver fur tails ($1,890 at Saks Fifth Avenue). 6. A&G's intarsia sweater is decorated with tattoo-art-style skulls and flowers, parrots and palm trees ($450 at Theodore in Los Angeles, 310-207-4111). 7. White and Warren's tissue-weight python print sweater has a back zipper and comes in pink, camel or green ($185 at www.whiteandwarren.com). 8. Pringle's high-washed red cashmere sweater is extra soft and fluffy, and honors its Scottish roots with the silhouette of a Scottish terrier on its front and a stag on its back ($349 at Gatsby's in Great Barrington, Mass., 413-528-9455).

Cashmere is this year's everyfabric; it has been spun into undergarments, outergarments, sweater sets, desk sets and bedroom sets. For fall Saks Fifth Avenue decked out its 58 stores in a ''Wild About Cashmere'' theme, complete with live goats at the opening event. Even low-end chain stores are flooded with the stuff, with Old Navy and Target offering the luxury fabric at all-time price lows. In a cashmere logjam, what makes a sweater special? Here are eight pieces that stand out in the crowd. 1. Lace and tulle edge the shoulders and hem of an ice blue sleeveless sweater by Juicy Couture. The trim is repeated at the neckline ($250 at www.nordstrom.com). 2. Etro's slinky top trimmed with satin and gold lamé is covered with beaded and sequined

1406264

2002

07

07

Ultimate Downtowners Head for the Hills

SUMMER in the Berkshire Hills means music. Beginning on Friday, some 25 talented young composers, conductors and performers from six countries will gather in Massachusetts to study intensively with a select group of older composers and instrumentalists. For all participants, each day will begin with a group rehearsal in a gamelan. That gamelan is the clue: this is not Tanglewood. It's Banglewood, as the new Bang on a Can Summer Institute of Music is informally called. It takes place on the campus of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, about an hour from Tanglewood's verdant groves in Lenox.

SUMMER in the Berkshire Hills means music. Beginning on Friday, some 25 talented young composers, conductors and performers from six countries will gather in Massachusetts to study intensively with a select group of older composers and instrumentalists. For all participants, each day will begin with a group rehearsal in a gamelan. That gamelan is the clue: this is not Tanglewood. It's Banglewood, as the new Bang on a Can Summer Institute of Music is informally called. It takes place on the campus of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, about an hour from Tanglewood's verdant groves in Lenox. For 15 years, Bang on a Can, the scrappy downtown music festival, ensemble, commissioning body and record producer, has been serving as an alternative to mainstream classical-music

1335822

2001

10

21

When The Press Pumps Up The Volume

IN the weeks after the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the Soviet Union's government and its press -- which were, for all intents and purposes, the same thing -- gave the people affected the least possible information. Asked why, a government spokesman said their purpose was to prevent panic. It didn't work. In the weeks since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, as the United States sent its troops into war and a handful of cases of anthrax sent by mail were uncovered in one unnerving incident after another, news organizations in the United States have given audiences an avalanche of information. The idea, top editors and producers say, is to give people the knowledge they need to assess government policy and their own safety. And the public seems to have become addicted to it.

IN the weeks after the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the Soviet Union's government and its press -- which were, for all intents and purposes, the same thing -- gave the people affected the least possible information. Asked why, a government spokesman said their purpose was to prevent panic. It didn't work. In the weeks since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, as the United States sent its troops into war and a handful of cases of anthrax sent by mail were uncovered in one unnerving incident after another, news organizations in the United States have given audiences an avalanche of information. The idea, top editors and producers say, is to give people the knowledge they need to assess government policy and their own safety.

1713442

2005

10

30

It Wasn't True Love Until He Rebuilt Her Nose

IN the series premiere of ''Nip/Tuck'' in 2003, Kimber (Kelly Carlson) got breast implants, abdominal liposuction, cheekbone enhancements and a nose job, at the suggestion of Dr. Christian Troy (Julian McMahon), a plastic surgeon who is one of the show's lead characters. The already beautiful Kimber thought -- after a one-night stand with the womanizing, manipulative Christian -- that getting the surgeries was the way into his heart. But when she didn't hear from him after the operations, she appeared at his office, hyperventilating so much that she blew out her stitches. Ms. Carlson said she assumed that the single episode would be her only appearance on the FX series. ''She's the pretty girl, a little bit of tragedy, she gets her heart broken,'' she said. ''She's dumped and gone.'' But in this week's show (Tuesday at 10 p.m., Eastern and Pacific times ; 9, Central time), Kimber and Christian will move toward a more permanent partnership after two seasons of sporadic, twisted coupledom.

IN the series premiere of ''Nip/Tuck'' in 2003, Kimber (Kelly Carlson) got breast implants, abdominal liposuction, cheekbone enhancements and a nose job, at the suggestion of Dr. Christian Troy (Julian McMahon), a plastic surgeon who is one of the show's lead characters. The already beautiful Kimber thought -- after a one-night stand with the womanizing, manipulative Christian -- that getting the surgeries was the way into his heart. But when she didn't hear from him after the operations, she appeared at his office, hyperventilating so much that she blew out her stitches. Ms. Carlson said she assumed that the single episode would be her only appearance on the FX series. ''She's the pretty girl, a little bit of tragedy, she gets her heart broken,'' she said. ''She's dumped

1206115

2000

06

10

Security Council Extends Oil-for-Food Program Allowing Iraq to Import Necessities

With Iraqi profits from oil sales now at record-high levels, the Security Council has extended the ''oil-for-food'' program for another six months to allow the imports of food, medicine and other civilian necessities. During this period, a new arms inspection system will be readied to go into action in Iraq, the chief inspector said on Thursday, challenging Iraq to take advantage of a more lenient set of requirements for suspending economic sanctions imposed after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

With Iraqi profits from oil sales now at record-high levels, the Security Council has extended the ''oil-for-food'' program for another six months to allow the imports of food, medicine and other civilian necessities. During this period, a new arms inspection system will be readied to go into action in Iraq, the chief inspector said on Thursday, challenging Iraq to take advantage of a more lenient set of requirements for suspending economic sanctions imposed after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990. The oil-for-food plan was instituted by the United Nations in 1996 to help alleviate the sufferings of ordinary Iraqis under the sanctions, and must be renewed every six months. Late last year, the United Nations lifted the ceiling on how much oil Iraq could sell. In debate before

1205873

2000

06

09

SPARE TIMES

ATTRACTIONS Museums and Sites HISTORIC RICHMONDTOWN, Staten Island Historical Society, 441 Clarke Avenue, Richmondtown. More than 25 buildings from the late 17th to the 19th centuries, restored and furnished. This village and outdoor museum depict the history of Staten Island and the surrounding region. Free with village admission. The exhibition ''Toys!'' will run through December 2001. Guided tours are available. Wednesdays through Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m.; hours change in July. Admission: $4; the elderly and children 6 to 18, and students, $2.50; 5 and under, free. Information: (718) 351-1611.

ATTRACTIONS Museums and Sites HISTORIC RICHMONDTOWN, Staten Island Historical Society, 441 Clarke Avenue, Richmondtown. More than 25 buildings from the late 17th to the 19th centuries, restored and furnished. This village and outdoor museum depict the history of Staten Island and the surrounding region. Free with village admission. The exhibition ''Toys!'' will run through December 2001. Guided tours are available. Wednesdays through Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m.; hours change in July. Admission: $4; the elderly and children 6 to 18, and students, $2.50; 5 and under, free. Information: (718) 351-1611. INTREPID SEA-AIR-SPACE MUSEUM, Pier 86, West 46th Street at the Hudson River, Clinton. A converted World War II aircraft carrier with two full decks of displays, including four theme halls: United States Navy Hall, Pioneer Hall, Technologies Hall

1458779

2003

01

23

A Land Still Divided on Abortion

To the Editor: Re ''30 Years After Abortion Ruling, New Trends but the Old Debate'' (front page, Jan. 20):

To the Editor: Re ''30 Years After Abortion Ruling, New Trends but the Old Debate'' (front page, Jan. 20): But for Roe v. Wade, millions more children would have been born into poverty, where they would be greeted by Congress and the state legislators who failed to provide money for day care, health care, education or job training. Millions more would have joined the ranks of welfare recipients and the homeless, the populations of prisons, prostitutes and drug addicts. All that, simply to pander to the religious beliefs of a minority who persist in claiming that a collection of cells, without reason or awareness, is human life with something called a soul. As co-counsel in Roe v. Wade, I applaud the determination of J'Vante Anderson, the young woman

1584397

2004

05

25

Failing to Disband Militias, U.S. Moves to Accept Them

With only weeks to go until an Iraqi government takes over, American officials have failed to disarm the tens of thousands of fighters in private militias deployed almost exclusively along ethnic and religious lines. In the 15 months since the fall of Saddam Hussein, American officials have declared repeatedly that they would disband the private militias, recognizing that their narrow, sectarian interests could threaten a unified and democratic Iraqi state.

With only weeks to go until an Iraqi government takes over, American officials have failed to disarm the tens of thousands of fighters in private militias deployed almost exclusively along ethnic and religious lines. In the 15 months since the fall of Saddam Hussein, American officials have declared repeatedly that they would disband the private militias, recognizing that their narrow, sectarian interests could threaten a unified and democratic Iraqi state. But with the sharp deterioration of the security situation in recent months, American officials appear to have resigned themselves to working with militias in Falluja, Baghdad and elsewhere even as American soldiers die fighting them in street battles in Karbala and Najaf. A senior allied official said Monday that the Americans were engaged in delicate negotiations with several

1371021

2002

02

26

Jacobs's Indoor Career Approaching Conclusion

At 38, REGINA JACOBS is still running fast. Last Saturday, four weeks after she ran the fastest indoor two-mile race by a woman (9 minutes 23.38 seconds), she ran in a special open race during a high school meet at the Armory Track and Field Center in Manhattan and won with the fastest women's indoor time for three miles (14:44.11). But her indoor career is almost over. Last year, when track and field's national indoor championships were held in Atlanta, she won the 3,000 meters. This weekend, when the championships move to the Armory, she will run the mile. Her goal is to win, not necessarily to run fast.

At 38, REGINA JACOBS is still running fast. Last Saturday, four weeks after she ran the fastest indoor two-mile race by a woman (9 minutes 23.38 seconds), she ran in a special open race during a high school meet at the Armory Track and Field Center in Manhattan and won with the fastest women's indoor time for three miles (14:44.11). But her indoor career is almost over. Last year, when track and field's national indoor championships were held in Atlanta, she won the 3,000 meters. This weekend, when the championships move to the Armory, she will run the mile. Her goal is to win, not necessarily to run fast. Yesterday, at a New York Track Writers Association luncheon, Jacobs said her outdoor career would continue. But she also

1515888

2003

08

31

Sarah Abbe, Jim Taylor

Sarah Junggren Abbe and Dr. Jim Taylor are to be married today at the home of the bride's father in Healdsburg, Calif. Gerald Sindell, who has received permission from Marin County to perform the ceremony, is to officiate. Ms. Abbe, 34, is keeping her name. Until July she was the West Coast fund-raiser for Accion International, a nonprofit organization in Boston that provides financial support and training to small businesses. She graduated from Cornell University and received a master's degree in public affairs from Princeton.

Sarah Junggren Abbe and Dr. Jim Taylor are to be married today at the home of the bride's father in Healdsburg, Calif. Gerald Sindell, who has received permission from Marin County to perform the ceremony, is to officiate. Ms. Abbe, 34, is keeping her name. Until July she was the West Coast fund-raiser for Accion International, a nonprofit organization in Boston that provides financial support and training to small businesses. She graduated from Cornell University and received a master's degree in public affairs from Princeton. The bride's father, Charles Junggren Abbe, retired as the president and chief operating officer of the J.D.S. Uniphase Corp., an optical technology company in San Jose, Calif. Her mother, Kate Abbe of Woodside, Calif., is an editor and publisher. The bride is the

1185105

2000

03

19

A NIGHT OUT WITH: David Schisgall; Sex on the Other Side of the Hill

IT'S not often that 150 20-somethings get together to watch a dirty movie -- at least, not one that involves a cast of 60-somethings. But that was what was happening on Thursday night at the premiere of ''The Lifestyle,'' a new documentary about swingers in the suburbs that opened at the Pioneer Theater in the East Village. The film, which has been well received, follows the exploits of what Stephen Holden, a critic for The New York Times, called ''gray-haired, potbellied, cellulite-jiggling, over-60 orgiasts.''

IT'S not often that 150 20-somethings get together to watch a dirty movie -- at least, not one that involves a cast of 60-somethings. But that was what was happening on Thursday night at the premiere of ''The Lifestyle,'' a new documentary about swingers in the suburbs that opened at the Pioneer Theater in the East Village. The film, which has been well received, follows the exploits of what Stephen Holden, a critic for The New York Times, called ''gray-haired, potbellied, cellulite-jiggling, over-60 orgiasts.'' That demographic was not in evidence on Thursday. The premiere and the post-screening celebration at Two Boots restaurant on Avenue A drew a large crowd from another odd subculture: the independent film scene. Young men in heavy black spectacles, and the young women who

1560098

2004

02

19

An Irate Shopper Soothed

To the Editor: Re ''Toll-Free Apology Soothes Wild Beast'' (Online Shopper, Feb. 12), on glitches at shopping sites and the response from customer service: My last go-round with a travel Web site took six weeks to correct. I shopped for airline tickets, and two hours later and drenched in sweat, pushed the Submit button and was informed that my tickets would arrive by FedEx in two days. They did.

To the Editor: Re ''Toll-Free Apology Soothes Wild Beast'' (Online Shopper, Feb. 12), on glitches at shopping sites and the response from customer service: My last go-round with a travel Web site took six weeks to correct. I shopped for airline tickets, and two hours later and drenched in sweat, pushed the Submit button and was informed that my tickets would arrive by FedEx in two days. They did. And then they did again, two days after that: same airline, same flight, same date, same seats, even. And same charge. After being bounced around the travel site's customer service and being refused access to anybody at the originating or fulfillment desks, I was finally told this was an airline problem and that I had to deal with them.

1554860

2004

01

30

Beyond Spell Check: We Need a Spell Czar

To the Editor: Re ''In Online Auctions, Misspelling in Ads Often Spells Cash'' (front page, Jan. 28):

To the Editor: Re ''In Online Auctions, Misspelling in Ads Often Spells Cash'' (front page, Jan. 28): I have long wondered if New York City shouldn't establish the position of commissioner of spelling. Errors on signs, storefronts, menus and so on would all be subject to a fine, collectible on the spot. The misspelling would have to be either immediately corrected or completely erased, and the ''perp'' would have to attend classes as a prerequisite to performing community service in the spelling commissioner's department. Proceeds from this project would be used to finance a highly successful spelling program, which has clearly fallen into disuse in schools and teacher training. I am available for the position. Résumé on request (facility limited to English). EMILY GOLDBERG Floral Park, N.Y., Jan.

1445608

2002

12

03

Technology Briefing | Telecommunications: Riverstone Shares Soar On Announcement Of China Deal

Shares in Riverstone Networks Inc., a maker of Internet and telecommunications equipment, rose almost 13 percent yesterday after the company, which is based in Santa Clara, Calif., announced that China Netcom, a fixed-line telephone company, would use Riverstone routers. Riverstone said that China Netcom would use the equipment to transmit video and data to businesses and residents in Quanzhou, a city of 6.5 million in the Fujian province of China. Riverstone did not disclose details of the deal, but it said that it was well positioned to thrive in China, which it said had 405 million telephone users in October, making it the world's largest telecommunications market. ''The telecommunications market in China holds enormous potential as the government and leading carriers like China Netcom commit to building networks that can deliver advanced services,'' said Andrew Feldman, Riverstone's vice president for corporate marketing and development. Riverstone shares rose 32 cents yesterday, to close at $2.81. Andrew Zipern (NYT)

Shares in Riverstone Networks Inc., a maker of Internet and telecommunications equipment, rose almost 13 percent yesterday after the company, which is based in Santa Clara, Calif., announced that China Netcom, a fixed-line telephone company, would use Riverstone routers. Riverstone said that China Netcom would use the equipment to transmit video and data to businesses and residents in Quanzhou, a city of 6.5 million in the Fujian province of China. Riverstone did not disclose details of the deal, but it said that it was well positioned to thrive in China, which it said had 405 million telephone users in October, making it the world's largest telecommunications market. ''The telecommunications market in China holds enormous potential as the government and leading carriers like China Netcom commit to building networks

1630829

2004

11

29

Arts, Briefly; Wales Center Opens

Last month Wales was invisible: the country was inadvertently left off the official map on the cover of a European Union annual report, causing a minor furor. Over the weekend, however, Wales established itself firmly on the international cultural map with the opening of its long-awaited Wales Millennium Center, a $200 million complex on the waterfront overlooking Cardiff Bay. Designed by the Percy Thomas Partnership, the center includes a 1,900-seat theater for opera, theater and dance and was constructed using local materials, like recycled slate and hardwood; its texture and unusual shape have given it the nickname the Armadillo. Opening events involved appearances by a roster of international artists, many of Welsh origin, including the operatic star Bryn Terfel, the crossover singers Charlotte Church and Michael Ball, as well as tributes to the singers Shirley Bassey and Gwyneth Jones and the actors Sian Phillips and Richard Burton. The first full season at the center begins on Thursday with the Welsh singer and comedian Max Boyce and a play, ''The Good, the Bad and the Cuddly.'' PAM KENT

Last month Wales was invisible: the country was inadvertently left off the official map on the cover of a European Union annual report, causing a minor furor. Over the weekend, however, Wales established itself firmly on the international cultural map with the opening of its long-awaited Wales Millennium Center, a $200 million complex on the waterfront overlooking Cardiff Bay. Designed by the Percy Thomas Partnership, the center includes a 1,900-seat theater for opera, theater and dance and was constructed using local materials, like recycled slate and hardwood; its texture and unusual shape have given it the nickname the Armadillo. Opening events involved appearances by a roster of international artists, many of Welsh origin, including the operatic star Bryn Terfel, the crossover singers Charlotte Church and Michael Ball, as

1295457

2001

05

22

A Visit Caught Between the Passions of International Rivalries

The visit of Taiwan's president, Chen Shui-bian, to New York City has brought equal measures of pride and fear to this politically sensitive capital. Residents here are pleased that the Bush administration is granting Mr. Chen the freedom to meet public officials and take in the sights on this stopover, which comes before a two-week tour of Latin America.

The visit of Taiwan's president, Chen Shui-bian, to New York City has brought equal measures of pride and fear to this politically sensitive capital. Residents here are pleased that the Bush administration is granting Mr. Chen the freedom to meet public officials and take in the sights on this stopover, which comes before a two-week tour of Latin America. When Mr. Chen last passed through the United States, stopping in Los Angeles in August, the Clinton administration sequestered him in his hotel and discouraged members of Congress from visiting him. ''The Bush administration sees Taiwan as an asset, not a liability, the way President Clinton did,'' said Parris H. Chang, who advises Mr. Chen on national security issues and is traveling with him. Other people fear that China

1288248

2001

04

25

A Mother, a Child and a Drug War

To the Editor: Our country mourns the loss of an American woman and her 7-month-old child in the downing of a small plane over Peru (front page, April 23). Although the downing was a mistake, it serves only to underscore what is obviously a misguided and often brutal anti-drug campaign. Add this mother and child to the growing list of people who have lost their lives or their freedom for a dubious cause.

To the Editor: Our country mourns the loss of an American woman and her 7-month-old child in the downing of a small plane over Peru (front page, April 23). Although the downing was a mistake, it serves only to underscore what is obviously a misguided and often brutal anti-drug campaign. Add this mother and child to the growing list of people who have lost their lives or their freedom for a dubious cause. For years, our government has dominated the public discussion about how to deal with drug use with a large budget aimed at encouraging further criminalization. One hopes that the story of the mother and child killed in the hopeless campaign to end drug use in this country will awaken America to the perils of declaring

1418121

2002

08

24

Putin Greets North Korean Leader on Russia's Pacific Coast

Declaring himself ''1,000 percent happy'' with his Russian rail trip, North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, bouncily converted a handshake with President Vladimir V. Putin into a three-peck Russian kiss as the two leaders met here today. President Putin, dressed in a sober blue business suit, smiled evenly while Mr. Kim, in a khaki leisure suit, grinned for television cameras.

Declaring himself ''1,000 percent happy'' with his Russian rail trip, North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, bouncily converted a handshake with President Vladimir V. Putin into a three-peck Russian kiss as the two leaders met here today. President Putin, dressed in a sober blue business suit, smiled evenly while Mr. Kim, in a khaki leisure suit, grinned for television cameras. In Washington, Mr. Putin's meeting here today was seen by some conservatives as capping a monthlong series of contacts with the countries of President Bush's ''axis of evil.'' First, Moscow announced a plan to build five nuclear reactors in Iran. Then Russian officials disclosed plans to sign a five-year, $40 billion economic pact with Iraq. The meeting here seemed to be driven partly by Russia's desire for economic

1262661

2001

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14

Why Can't Hudson County Get Any Respect?; Despite Soaring Towers, Rising Property Values and Even a Light Rail, the Region Struggles to Polish Its Image

ON CLIFTON PLACE, where the rocky face of the Palisades mellows into a gentle slope overlooking this city's booming waterfront and trendy downtown -- the Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital looms like the mocking specter of a past that Hudson County would just as soon forget. It has been two decades since the last baby was born in the aging building. And 72 years after its groundbreaking, the what was a seven-story palace of pediatrics -- solidly built of brick and limestone -- is a deserted corpse. Most of the windows are smashed, and torn shades flap in the chill wind that that whips off New York Bay. Its arched main entrance is a wall of cinder block.

ON CLIFTON PLACE, where the rocky face of the Palisades mellows into a gentle slope overlooking this city's booming waterfront and trendy downtown -- the Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital looms like the mocking specter of a past that Hudson County would just as soon forget. It has been two decades since the last baby was born in the aging building. And 72 years after its groundbreaking, the what was a seven-story palace of pediatrics -- solidly built of brick and limestone -- is a deserted corpse. Most of the windows are smashed, and torn shades flap in the chill wind that that whips off New York Bay. Its arched main entrance is a wall of cinder block. A few years ago a cyclone fence was put up around

1610356

2004

09

10

The Most Infamous Seat in the House

It was a birthday gift from his girlfriend and brother, a box-seat ticket to a Chicago Cubs game against Montreal at Wrigley Field. Caesar Palacios, who is 27, was surprised and delighted, being a lifelong Cubs fan. He had no idea, however -- none of them did -- that his $36 seat down the left-field line was that seat. It was about a half-hour before game time Monday afternoon when Palacios, with other friends and family -- the emerald-green grass of the field beyond them almost startlingly bright in the sunlight -- cheerfully showed an usher his ticket stub so he could locate his seat. He then displayed it to several more ushers on his way down to the front row. Each time, he recalled, the usher would look at his ticket and said, ''Oh, you have the Bartman seat.''

It was a birthday gift from his girlfriend and brother, a box-seat ticket to a Chicago Cubs game against Montreal at Wrigley Field. Caesar Palacios, who is 27, was surprised and delighted, being a lifelong Cubs fan. He had no idea, however -- none of them did -- that his $36 seat down the left-field line was that seat. It was about a half-hour before game time Monday afternoon when Palacios, with other friends and family -- the emerald-green grass of the field beyond them almost startlingly bright in the sunlight -- cheerfully showed an usher his ticket stub so he could locate his seat. He then displayed it to several more ushers on his way down to the front row. Each time, he recalled, the usher would

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2006

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29

Antiques

Sale of Chinese Porcelain From the Hodroff Collection Porcelain collectors who care about provenance will like Christie's Jan. 24 sale of the collection of Chinese Export porcelain being consigned by Leo and Doris Hodroff, a couple who have been accumulating porcelain for 50 years. Many pieces in the 255-lot sale still retain the labels of their former owners, including those of Rafi and Mildred Mottahedeh, Benjamin Edwards III and Martin Hurst.

Sale of Chinese Porcelain From the Hodroff Collection Porcelain collectors who care about provenance will like Christie's Jan. 24 sale of the collection of Chinese Export porcelain being consigned by Leo and Doris Hodroff, a couple who have been accumulating porcelain for 50 years. Many pieces in the 255-lot sale still retain the labels of their former owners, including those of Rafi and Mildred Mottahedeh, Benjamin Edwards III and Martin Hurst. The Hodroffs have donated porcelain to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Norton Museum of Art, the Peabody-Essex Museum and Winterthur Museum. ''They have given away a lot, but they still have a lot,'' said Becky MacGuire, Christie's specialist in Chinese Export Art. ''They collected across the board, 16th century to 19th century. The typical profile these

1495091

2003

06

08

Improving the Reputation of True Geraniums

BACK in the days before I knew botanical Latin, I thought of a geranium as a popular annual with splashy pink, white or red flowers. Now that I have mastered the nomenclature, I know that so-called geraniums are actually Pelargoniums, and that true geraniums, botanically speaking, are underused garden treasures. Treasures because they are beautiful, require exceptionally low maintenance and are generally avoided by rabbits and deer. And because they are perennial in my central New Jersey borders and most of the United States as well, they need not be replanted every year.

BACK in the days before I knew botanical Latin, I thought of a geranium as a popular annual with splashy pink, white or red flowers. Now that I have mastered the nomenclature, I know that so-called geraniums are actually Pelargoniums, and that true geraniums, botanically speaking, are underused garden treasures. Treasures because they are beautiful, require exceptionally low maintenance and are generally avoided by rabbits and deer. And because they are perennial in my central New Jersey borders and most of the United States as well, they need not be replanted every year. Until recently, I couldn't understand why true or hardy geraniums, as they are known, are so seldom used in gardens. I have since learned that many true geraniums, adored by gardeners in Europe, are often

1802565

2006

11

05

Skipping the Pity Party

MY brother was born mentally challenged, and my sister was born with cerebral palsy. My brother went to the same school with me. I remember kids making fun of him. It hurt me more than my brother because I was very protective of him. He knew he was different, but he had no way to express that. I used to get into fights about it.

MY brother was born mentally challenged, and my sister was born with cerebral palsy. My brother went to the same school with me. I remember kids making fun of him. It hurt me more than my brother because I was very protective of him. He knew he was different, but he had no way to express that. I used to get into fights about it. I used to think, as a kid, ''Why me?'' But the best thing I learned from my mother and father was never fall into that trap. There is always someone else going through something more difficult. You have to deal with it. It's not fair, but life isn't fair. I also learned you can't fight all the time. I had to be diplomatic.

1436260

2002

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30

Georgia About to Plunge Into Touch-Screen Vote

Few people have as much riding on next week's elections as Cathy Cox, the secretary of state of Georgia, and not just because her name is on the ballot. She championed the drive to overhaul the voting equipment and election procedures in all of Georgia's 159 counties at a cost of $53.9 million. She prodded the state to buy 19,015 new touch-screen machines, and initiated training for poll workers and an aggressive education program for Georgia's 3.7 million registered voters.

Few people have as much riding on next week's elections as Cathy Cox, the secretary of state of Georgia, and not just because her name is on the ballot. She championed the drive to overhaul the voting equipment and election procedures in all of Georgia's 159 counties at a cost of $53.9 million. She prodded the state to buy 19,015 new touch-screen machines, and initiated training for poll workers and an aggressive education program for Georgia's 3.7 million registered voters. The new system gets its trial run on Nov. 5. A handful of other states have uniform voting machines: almost all of New York and Connecticut use lever machines, all of Alaska and Oklahoma use optical scan systems, which work like standardized tests in which the voter darkens

1594372

2004

07

04

Golfing Mongolia: A 2.3-Million-Yard Par 11,880

André Tolmé sized up the day's golfing terrain thousands of yards of treeless steppe rolling toward a distant horizon. Without a golfer to be seen for 100 miles around, he loosened up at his own pace, taking practice swings with a 3-iron. Then, with a powerful clockwise whirl and a satisfying swak! he sent the little white ball soaring far into the clear blue Mongolian sky.

André Tolmé sized up the day's golfing terrain thousands of yards of treeless steppe rolling toward a distant horizon. Without a golfer to be seen for 100 miles around, he loosened up at his own pace, taking practice swings with a 3-iron. Then, with a powerful clockwise whirl and a satisfying swak! he sent the little white ball soaring far into the clear blue Mongolian sky. ''I feel good about that shot,'' Mr. Tolmé said, intently tracking the ball until it disappeared from view. ''You could just hit the ball forever here.'' In a sense, he is. This summer, Mr. Tolmé, a civil engineer from New Hampshire, is golfing across Mongolia. Treating this enormous Central Asian nation as his private course, he has divided Mongolia into 18 holes.

1522150

2003

09

24

For Fassel, Penalties Should Be Quiet Time

For weeks, Coach Jim Fassel has been -- in his words -- yelling and screaming at the Giants. And just what is causing him to constantly raise his voice? He does not want costly retaliatory penalties -- particularly from a team that has split two overtime games in successive weeks. ''It is an emotional game,'' Fassel said. ''I understand that. The guys are out there playing hard and it is emotional, and you can get that way -- but we have to have composure.''

For weeks, Coach Jim Fassel has been -- in his words -- yelling and screaming at the Giants. And just what is causing him to constantly raise his voice? He does not want costly retaliatory penalties -- particularly from a team that has split two overtime games in successive weeks. ''It is an emotional game,'' Fassel said. ''I understand that. The guys are out there playing hard and it is emotional, and you can get that way -- but we have to have composure.'' And yet, reflecting on his team's 2-1 start and the fact that several Giants have stopped short of retaliation after baiting from opposing players, Fassel admitted, ''It made me feel like all the yelling and screaming that I did in camp may have paid

1725502

2005

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17

Arts, Briefly; Howard Stern's Farewell to Earth

After talking about this moment on television shows, in magazine and newspaper articles and on his own radio show for months, Howard Stern, left, finally signed off terrestrial radio yesterday morning outside his studio on West 56th Street, where the final hours of his show were broadcast. Thousands of fans, some from as far away as Florida and Ohio and many who had to get out of bed by 4 a.m. even to get near the stage, drank, cheered and waved worshipful signs despite a cold drizzle. Bound for Sirius Satellite Radio, Mr. Stern addressed his fans for the last half-hour of his show, before the festivities moved to the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, which was surrounded by a phalanx of 20-something men spilling out into the street and trying to get a glimpse of the self-described King of All Media as he arrived atop a double-decker bus. Martha Stewart, who also has a show on Sirius, introduced Mr. Stern. The move to Sirius takes Mr. Stern outside the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission, which has levied more than $2 million in decency fines on his old bosses at Infinity Broadcasting and the stations that carry his program. Sirius is going to pay him $100 million a year over five years to produce his own morning show and to program two radio channels. CAMPBELL ROBERTSON

After talking about this moment on television shows, in magazine and newspaper articles and on his own radio show for months, Howard Stern, left, finally signed off terrestrial radio yesterday morning outside his studio on West 56th Street, where the final hours of his show were broadcast. Thousands of fans, some from as far away as Florida and Ohio and many who had to get out of bed by 4 a.m. even to get near the stage, drank, cheered and waved worshipful signs despite a cold drizzle. Bound for Sirius Satellite Radio, Mr. Stern addressed his fans for the last half-hour of his show, before the festivities moved to the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, which was surrounded by a phalanx of 20-something men spilling out into

1426989

2002

09

27

2 Ex-Priests Are Charged in Los Angeles

Two former Roman Catholic priests were charged today with molesting children while they served in the Los Angeles Roman Catholic Archdiocese, and a third former priest is being sought. The arrests of the priests on Wednesday were the first in Los Angeles County since the church became mired in a national sexual abuse scandal earlier this year, and they came after the arrest of a former priest on Tuesday in Orange County, Calif. Several other arrests are expected in Los Angeles as a result of an investigation of abuse by clergymen that began in April.

Two former Roman Catholic priests were charged today with molesting children while they served in the Los Angeles Roman Catholic Archdiocese, and a third former priest is being sought. The arrests of the priests on Wednesday were the first in Los Angeles County since the church became mired in a national sexual abuse scandal earlier this year, and they came after the arrest of a former priest on Tuesday in Orange County, Calif. Several other arrests are expected in Los Angeles as a result of an investigation of abuse by clergymen that began in April. ''Today's filings are part of the continuing effort to hold accountable those priests who have abused their positions of trust and victimized others,'' said Steve Cooley, the Los Angeles County district attorney. ''No

1532470

2003

11

03

File Sharing Pits Copyright Against Free Speech

Forbidden files are circulating on the Internet and threats of lawsuits are in the air. Music trading? No, it is the growing controversy over one company's electronic voting systems, and the issues being raised, some legal scholars say, are as fundamental as the sanctity of elections and the right to free speech. Diebold Election Systems, which makes voting machines, is waging legal war against grass-roots advocates, including dozens of college students, who are posting on the Internet copies of the company's internal communications about its electronic voting machines.

Forbidden files are circulating on the Internet and threats of lawsuits are in the air. Music trading? No, it is the growing controversy over one company's electronic voting systems, and the issues being raised, some legal scholars say, are as fundamental as the sanctity of elections and the right to free speech. Diebold Election Systems, which makes voting machines, is waging legal war against grass-roots advocates, including dozens of college students, who are posting on the Internet copies of the company's internal communications about its electronic voting machines. The students say that, by trying to spread the word about problems with the company's software, they are performing a valuable form of electronic civil disobedience, one that has broad implications for American society. They also contend that they are

1466098

2003

02

19

Sponsor Critical of U.S.O.C.

The United States Olympic Committee's fund-raising is floundering, its revenues are stagnant, its licensing royalties are paltry and its salaries have grown too quickly, the chairman of John Hancock Financial Services, a major Olympic sponsor, said yesterday. The analysis by David D'Alessandro, the chairman of Hancock, is based on a preliminary examination of documents he received last week from the Olympic committee at his request. He is to send a detailed analysis to Lloyd Ward, the committee's chief executive, by March 1.

The United States Olympic Committee's fund-raising is floundering, its revenues are stagnant, its licensing royalties are paltry and its salaries have grown too quickly, the chairman of John Hancock Financial Services, a major Olympic sponsor, said yesterday. The analysis by David D'Alessandro, the chairman of Hancock, is based on a preliminary examination of documents he received last week from the Olympic committee at his request. He is to send a detailed analysis to Lloyd Ward, the committee's chief executive, by March 1. ''This was a very good attempt at telling us half of what we asked for,'' D'Alessandro said. ''What we're going to do now is review it all, and there are a number of questions about why revenue continues to be so low.'' The Olympic committee is

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2002

04

20

Officials Investigate Cause of Fatal Amtrak Crash; Engineer Reports Misaligned Track

Federal safety officials said the engineer of a 40-car Amtrak train that derailed near here on Thursday tried to bring the train to an abrupt emergency shop after seeing a ''misalignment'' in the tracks. ''The locomotive engineer said he was reacting to something,'' said Russ Quinby, who is leading the investigation for the National Transportation Safety Board.

Federal safety officials said the engineer of a 40-car Amtrak train that derailed near here on Thursday tried to bring the train to an abrupt emergency shop after seeing a ''misalignment'' in the tracks. ''The locomotive engineer said he was reacting to something,'' said Russ Quinby, who is leading the investigation for the National Transportation Safety Board. Within hours of the crash, four other trains had traveled over the same tracks without incident. The last one before the accident was a train carrying coal. Inspectors investigated the wheels of that train to determine if it had hit something on the tracks but found no evidence of that, said George Black, a spokesman for the safety board. Mr. Black said that if there was an irregularity on the tracks

1729529

2006

01

04

Files Say Agency Initiated Growth Of Spying Effort

The National Security Agency acted on its own authority, without a formal directive from President Bush, to expand its domestic surveillance operations in the weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, according to declassified documents released Tuesday. The N.S.A. operation prompted questions from a leading Democrat, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, who said in an Oct. 11, 2001, letter to a top intelligence official that she was concerned about the agency's legal authority to expand its domestic operations, the documents showed.

The National Security Agency acted on its own authority, without a formal directive from President Bush, to expand its domestic surveillance operations in the weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, according to declassified documents released Tuesday. The N.S.A. operation prompted questions from a leading Democrat, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, who said in an Oct. 11, 2001, letter to a top intelligence official that she was concerned about the agency's legal authority to expand its domestic operations, the documents showed. Ms. Pelosi's letter, which was declassified at her request, showed much earlier concerns among lawmakers about the agency's domestic surveillance operations than had been previously known. Similar objections were expressed by Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Democrat of West Virginia, in a secret letter to Vice President Dick

1192626

2000

04

17

Ex-Coke Workers Start Trip To Publicize Racial Dispute

A busload of about four dozen former employees of the Coca-Cola Company and activists began a five-day trip Saturday to draw attention to their frustrations with the soft drink company. Their journey will end Wednesday at the Coca-Cola annual shareholder meeting in Wilmington, Del. The group wants Coca-Cola to settle a racial discrimination suit brought by eight employees nearly a year ago.

A busload of about four dozen former employees of the Coca-Cola Company and activists began a five-day trip Saturday to draw attention to their frustrations with the soft drink company. Their journey will end Wednesday at the Coca-Cola annual shareholder meeting in Wilmington, Del. The group wants Coca-Cola to settle a racial discrimination suit brought by eight employees nearly a year ago. Lawyers for the plaintiffs are seeking class-action status for as many as 2,000 past and current employees. They contend that the company discriminates against African Americans in pay, promotions, and performance evaluations. The company has denied the allegations. ''In Delaware, we hope to say to Coke, it's time,'' said Larry D. Jones, a laid-off Coca-Cola manager who organized the trip. ''We will not go into the

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2000

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31

Books in Brief: Fiction & Poetry

THE WORLD OF NORMAL BOYS By K. M. Soehnlein. Kensington, $22.

THE WORLD OF NORMAL BOYS By K. M. Soehnlein. Kensington, $22. K. M. Soehnlein's first novel, which is about the troubled sexuality of a high school freshman named Robin MacKenzie, runs through every routine in the coming-of-age playbook: we witness Robin's raw first encounters with other boys like himself, his gradual acceptance of his homosexuality and his flight from suburbia to a place where he could belong (Manhattan, naturally). Yet Soehnlein makes the familiar strange. Set in New Jersey in the late 1970's, this astringent novel is not just about Robin but the disintegration of a family, starting when his younger brother breaks his neck in a playground accident. As his increasingly alienated parents hold vigil over their injured son, Robin strikes out on his own, the need

1770203

2006

06

18

Getting Prepared For a Hurricane

To the Editor: In your June 4 editorial ''People Get Ready,'' you mentioned my homeland security report and the defensive reply by Steve Levy, the Suffolk County executive. Missing from the editorial is what happened next.

To the Editor: In your June 4 editorial ''People Get Ready,'' you mentioned my homeland security report and the defensive reply by Steve Levy, the Suffolk County executive. Missing from the editorial is what happened next. Since my report was issued in January, both Suffolk and Nassau Counties rolled up their sleeves, assessed their capabilities, saw their gaps and shortcomings, and asked for help. The state responded, and I, along with the other eight senators from Long Island, won $5 million for shelter preparedness in the 2006-07 state budget, the largest appropriation of its kind in the state. While issues still need to be addressed -- including whether the responsibility of sheltering Long Islanders during a hurricane should be placed on a 95 percent volunteer organization that is

1339895

2001

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04

Cultural Evolution

RED DUST A Path Through China. By Ma Jian. Translated by Flora Drew. Illustrated. 324 pp. New York: Pantheon Books. $25.

RED DUST A Path Through China. By Ma Jian. Translated by Flora Drew. Illustrated. 324 pp. New York: Pantheon Books. $25. GREAT travel writing in modern times has often been thought of as a Western art form. But Ma Jian's extraordinary account of a three-year trek through China is a powerful reminder that more than 1,300 years ago, the Chinese monk Xuanzang, traversing an unknown inner Asia, had already perfected the genre. It is good news that in recent years the strong showing by Asians writing about Asia may point to a revival of that venerable tradition. ''Red Dust'' is the story of a journey Ma began in 1983 as a kind of spiritual pilgrimage, intended to lead ultimately to Tibet, in the hope that Buddhism would heal

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2002

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16

THE MARKETS: Market Place; A good World Series for California, and maybe for Wall Street.

WHY is it that the World Series pits Northern California against Southern California only when Wall Street has been beaten down? For the third time in the four decades since a Golden State World Series became a possibility, there is a battle between North and South. And while those have been generally prosperous decades for investors, all three series have come at a time when Wall Street was reeling, when investors had doubts about the stock market and when brokerage firms were laying off investment bankers.

WHY is it that the World Series pits Northern California against Southern California only when Wall Street has been beaten down? For the third time in the four decades since a Golden State World Series became a possibility, there is a battle between North and South. And while those have been generally prosperous decades for investors, all three series have come at a time when Wall Street was reeling, when investors had doubts about the stock market and when brokerage firms were laying off investment bankers. The first two north-south battles featured the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland Athletics. This one will pit the Anaheim Angels against the San Francisco Giants. The first series was in 1974, when the Athletics won their third consecutive championship. That October

1539293

2003

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30

Just Doing One's Job

To the Editor: I keep reading about how (as you put it in a Nov. 23 editorial) ''most Americans remember the president's firm resolve after 9/11 with admiration.'' I have not seen any mention of the fact that any person in the presidency at the time would have been resolved to protect the American people and strike back at those who did that horrendous thing.

To the Editor: I keep reading about how (as you put it in a Nov. 23 editorial) ''most Americans remember the president's firm resolve after 9/11 with admiration.'' I have not seen any mention of the fact that any person in the presidency at the time would have been resolved to protect the American people and strike back at those who did that horrendous thing. So why are we giving President Bush all this adulation for simply doing his job? Were we afraid that he wouldn't be able to and surprised when he actually performed fairly well? I am just a small-town selectwoman, but I do the job that I was elected to do, and scant praise I get for that. It is what is expected. LUCY C.

1640152

2005

01

07

Beltran's Cost Would Not Equal Worth to Yankees

THE Mets are in hiding. Their executives are not answering the telephone, and they are not returning calls. Most of the callers want to talk about Carlos Beltran, and the Mets don't want to talk about Carlos Beltran. That is, they don't want to talk to anyone about Carlos Beltran except Scott Boras. Boras is Beltran's agent, and he doesn't necessarily return calls, either, as he works to advance his cause, which is to get his client more money than the gross national product.

THE Mets are in hiding. Their executives are not answering the telephone, and they are not returning calls. Most of the callers want to talk about Carlos Beltran, and the Mets don't want to talk about Carlos Beltran. That is, they don't want to talk to anyone about Carlos Beltran except Scott Boras. Boras is Beltran's agent, and he doesn't necessarily return calls, either, as he works to advance his cause, which is to get his client more money than the gross national product. One thing Boras clearly wants to do is lure George Steinbrenner into the bidding mix, perhaps by spreading the notion that Steinbrenner, the Yankees' principal owner, couldn't possibly pass up the opportunity to sign a player with Beltran's hitting, fielding and base-running talent. So

1371659

2002

03

01

BOLDFACE NAMES

Star Power for Heroes ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER is not the only celebrity RUDOLPH W. GIULIANI is counting on to help raise money for the Twin Towers Fund, the charity that Mr. Giuliani created to help the families of rescue workers killed on Sept. 11. MARK JACKSON, the New York Knicks point guard, recently joined the fund's board, as did the new Yankees power hitter JASON GIAMBI and AL LEITER, the Mets pitcher who was the M.C. at MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG'S inauguration.

Star Power for Heroes ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER is not the only celebrity RUDOLPH W. GIULIANI is counting on to help raise money for the Twin Towers Fund, the charity that Mr. Giuliani created to help the families of rescue workers killed on Sept. 11. MARK JACKSON, the New York Knicks point guard, recently joined the fund's board, as did the new Yankees power hitter JASON GIAMBI and AL LEITER, the Mets pitcher who was the M.C. at MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG'S inauguration. Mr. Leiter's boss, FRED WILPON, has provided the fund with free space in his office building at 575 Fifth Avenue. And another Twin Towers Fund board member, GORDON BETHUNE, the chairman of Continental Airlines, has donated two million frequent-flier miles. Gorilla in the List Starquest says something

1362204

2002

01

25

Minority Students in Bronx Face the Prospect of Busing

A compromise plan to prevent white flight from public schools in Riverdale, a middle-class and affluent stronghold in the Bronx, is leading toward the unexpected busing of about 700 black and Hispanic children from their neighborhoods to unfamiliar schools far from home. The busing is an effect of a two-year-old decision to expand a Riverdale middle school to embrace high school as well, giving middle-class students a haven from the Bronx's many large, foundering high schools and, it was hoped, stemming defections to private schools. In exchange, the poorer black and Hispanic students from the housing projects of nearby Marble Hill, displaced from the middle school, were promised a glittering new school of their own.

A compromise plan to prevent white flight from public schools in Riverdale, a middle-class and affluent stronghold in the Bronx, is leading toward the unexpected busing of about 700 black and Hispanic children from their neighborhoods to unfamiliar schools far from home. The busing is an effect of a two-year-old decision to expand a Riverdale middle school to embrace high school as well, giving middle-class students a haven from the Bronx's many large, foundering high schools and, it was hoped, stemming defections to private schools. In exchange, the poorer black and Hispanic students from the housing projects of nearby Marble Hill, displaced from the middle school, were promised a glittering new school of their own. Now the vision of a Riverdale high school has come to pass, complete

1506297

2003

07

22

Deadlier Than Terrorists: The Enemy Within

''MI-5,'' a BBC drama about a team of British intelligence agents that begins tonight on A&E, is startlingly, embarrassingly better than equivalent American C.I.A. shows like ''The Agency'' or ''Alias.'' The reason is not all that surprising. Spying is the weapon of the underdog, guerrilla warfare by other means. If the British have not always been the best spies (Kim Philby did excellent work, but mostly for the other side), they unquestionably create the best spy stories.

''MI-5,'' a BBC drama about a team of British intelligence agents that begins tonight on A&E, is startlingly, embarrassingly better than equivalent American C.I.A. shows like ''The Agency'' or ''Alias.'' The reason is not all that surprising. Spying is the weapon of the underdog, guerrilla warfare by other means. If the British have not always been the best spies (Kim Philby did excellent work, but mostly for the other side), they unquestionably create the best spy stories. For all its high-tech gadgets, sex and fast-paced action, ''MI-5'' (the series uses the hyphen to avoid being read as M-15) picks up the torch of John le Carré: the Soviet Union or international terrorism may be the enemy, but the most sinister foes lurk inside the C.I.A. and its lapdogs

1623197

2004

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30

Part of 9/11 Report Remains Unreleased, and an Inquiry Is Begun

One last chapter of the investigation by the Sept. 11 commission, a supplement completed more than two months ago, has not yet been made public by the Justice Department, and officials say it is unlikely to be released before the presidential election, even though that had been a major goal of deadlines set for the panel. Drawing from this unpublished part of the inquiry, the commission quietly asked the inspectors general at the Departments of Defense and Transportation to review what it had determined were broadly inaccurate accounts provided by several civil and military officials about efforts to track and chase the hijacked aircraft on Sept. 11.

One last chapter of the investigation by the Sept. 11 commission, a supplement completed more than two months ago, has not yet been made public by the Justice Department, and officials say it is unlikely to be released before the presidential election, even though that had been a major goal of deadlines set for the panel. Drawing from this unpublished part of the inquiry, the commission quietly asked the inspectors general at the Departments of Defense and Transportation to review what it had determined were broadly inaccurate accounts provided by several civil and military officials about efforts to track and chase the hijacked aircraft on Sept. 11. David Barnes, a spokesman with the Department of Transportation, said yesterday that if the reviews found wrongdoing, the inspector general could

1551814

2004

01

18

'American Jesus'

To the Editor: I was amused to return from church one recent morning and learn from Michael Massing's review of my ''American Jesus'' (Dec. 28) that I had no business being there. If Massing is to be believed, I have somehow magically converted, quite against my will, into a crusading rationalist who shares Thomas Jefferson's ''vision of Jesus'' as nothing more than ''an enlightened Galilean sage.'' On what evidence Massing bases this assessment of my own religious beliefs is unclear, since he does not say and I offer no confession of faith in ''American Jesus.'' Perhaps it is his impression that my book ''almost totally ignores'' born-again Christians, though as any careful reader will observe, evangelicals dominate the first half of the volume. More likely it is the fact that I bend over backward to give Jefferson a fair shake. Massing seems to confuse my method of bracketing my faith -- an approach I share with virtually all my colleagues in religious studies -- with a lack of the same. The fact that he takes me to be a Jefferson lover only testifies in my view to my success in applying that method, since, truth be told, I personally find it difficult to be anything other than snide when it comes to Jefferson's absurdly ahistorical Jesus. But who cares which Jesus warms my heart? If you think your readers do, why not suss out ''Prothero's own Jesus'' via instruments less blunt than one reviewer's overactive imagination? (When asked by other newspapers which American Jesus I favored, I stated quite clearly my preference for the ''Black Moses'' of African-American churches.) In any case, I would request that you refrain from attributing to me theological positions I do not hold. Stephen Prothero Boston

To the Editor: I was amused to return from church one recent morning and learn from Michael Massing's review of my ''American Jesus'' (Dec. 28) that I had no business being there. If Massing is to be believed, I have somehow magically converted, quite against my will, into a crusading rationalist who shares Thomas Jefferson's ''vision of Jesus'' as nothing more than ''an enlightened Galilean sage.'' On what evidence Massing bases this assessment of my own religious beliefs is unclear, since he does not say and I offer no confession of faith in ''American Jesus.'' Perhaps it is his impression that my book ''almost totally ignores'' born-again Christians, though as any careful reader will observe, evangelicals dominate the first half of the volume. More likely it is the

1436539

2002

10

31

Co-Pilot's Swings of Rudder Examined in Queens Crash

American Airlines Flight 587 was destroyed in flight by a series of rare side-to-side swings initiated by the co-pilot, experts testified today in the second day of hearings on the crash, but they disagreed on whether the cause was his training, the nature of the plane's control system or the manufacturer's failure to warn that inducing such movement was dangerous. The swinging put enormous strain on the tail, which broke off; all 260 people aboard the plane, an Airbus A300, and 5 more on the ground, were killed in the crash in Belle Harbor, Queens, last Nov. 12.

American Airlines Flight 587 was destroyed in flight by a series of rare side-to-side swings initiated by the co-pilot, experts testified today in the second day of hearings on the crash, but they disagreed on whether the cause was his training, the nature of the plane's control system or the manufacturer's failure to warn that inducing such movement was dangerous. The swinging put enormous strain on the tail, which broke off; all 260 people aboard the plane, an Airbus A300, and 5 more on the ground, were killed in the crash in Belle Harbor, Queens, last Nov. 12. Independent experts testified that they had never seen that kind of accident before. The hearing is deepening the mystery over what the co-pilot, Sten Molin, who was flying the plane,

1605273

2004

08

20

When Going Pro Is More Precious Than Gold

A HALF-HOUR after Rock Allen lost to Boris Georgiev of Bulgaria to end a dismal day for United States boxers, the 5-foot-7 Allen, a light welterweight from Philadelphia, faced the media music. The United States had lost two of three bouts yesterday. Earlier, Lorenzo Aragon of Cuba was better than Vanes Martirosyan, an 18-year-old welterweight from California by way of Armenia. After initial days of competition that seemed to trumpet the return of American boxing to international prominence, the team is teetering.

A HALF-HOUR after Rock Allen lost to Boris Georgiev of Bulgaria to end a dismal day for United States boxers, the 5-foot-7 Allen, a light welterweight from Philadelphia, faced the media music. The United States had lost two of three bouts yesterday. Earlier, Lorenzo Aragon of Cuba was better than Vanes Martirosyan, an 18-year-old welterweight from California by way of Armenia. After initial days of competition that seemed to trumpet the return of American boxing to international prominence, the team is teetering. Suddenly, what had seemed like an enthralling story of a young United States team beating the odds had turned into a familiar story of experienced amateur fighters from Cuba and Eastern Europe beating up on game, but inexperienced, American boxers. Basheer Abdullah, the United States team's

1533552

2003

11

08

Job Figures Buoy Bush, but Democratic Hopefuls See Room to Attack

The Democratic presidential candidates persisted in pounding President Bush about the economy on Friday, even in the face of new data showing strong growth in jobs last month that the president said was a vindication of his policies. ''Good luck in using statistics to convince working Americans that the Bush administration has their economic interests at heart,'' Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts said in Salem, N.H., in remarks typical of all the potential challengers. ''The deep unfairness of the Bush economy is real to Americans.''

The Democratic presidential candidates persisted in pounding President Bush about the economy on Friday, even in the face of new data showing strong growth in jobs last month that the president said was a vindication of his policies. ''Good luck in using statistics to convince working Americans that the Bush administration has their economic interests at heart,'' Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts said in Salem, N.H., in remarks typical of all the potential challengers. ''The deep unfairness of the Bush economy is real to Americans.'' Economic matters have long been the Democrats' strong suit. Now, although the jobs numbers suggest that the economic recovery may be genuine and that the issue may not be the sure winner it seemed a few months ago, the party's strategists said the

1551613

2004

01

18

Life's Dramas Play at Home For Actors

IT had been decades since the trickle that was Pamela Duncan's fan mail dried up, but in recent years the odd accolade, handwritten and stamped, has arrived at her bedside. ''The Undead'' and ''Attack of the Crab Monsters,'' the 1950's films for which she is best known, have taken on new life as cult classics, rediscovered and devoured by film fetishists, Ms. Duncan says. But more than anything else, it was her role in a 2001 film of an altogether different genre that resuscitated a career otherwise headed for the horror flick slag heap. ''Curtain Call,'' a 30-minute documentary that caught eight residents of the Lillian Booth Actors' Fund Nursing Home here on camera as they shuffled through memories of careers in entertainment and several days of assisted living, was nominated for a ''best documentary'' Academy Award three years ago and was broadcast on HBO. It promised the kind of exposure that any past-her-prime celebrity would welcome, especially when the average age of those at the nursing home is 87 and chances of a return to the red carpet are out of arthritic reach.

IT had been decades since the trickle that was Pamela Duncan's fan mail dried up, but in recent years the odd accolade, handwritten and stamped, has arrived at her bedside. ''The Undead'' and ''Attack of the Crab Monsters,'' the 1950's films for which she is best known, have taken on new life as cult classics, rediscovered and devoured by film fetishists, Ms. Duncan says. But more than anything else, it was her role in a 2001 film of an altogether different genre that resuscitated a career otherwise headed for the horror flick slag heap. ''Curtain Call,'' a 30-minute documentary that caught eight residents of the Lillian Booth Actors' Fund Nursing Home here on camera as they shuffled through memories of careers in entertainment and several days of assisted

1336318

2001

10

23

Coloradans Fear the Spread Of a Kind of Mad Elk Disease

State officials here fear that some elk that may be infected with a fatal illness were sold to private ranches in as many as 15 states and could spread the disease to the wild elk and deer throughout the nation. The state has confirmed six cases of chronic wasting disease, the elk and deer equivalent of mad cow disease. Five cases have been traced to one ranch in northeastern Colorado, where the elk were raised, sold and transported for breeding. State officials also said that over the last five years there appeared to have been 245 sales of infected elk to ranches in states as far east as Pennsylvania.

State officials here fear that some elk that may be infected with a fatal illness were sold to private ranches in as many as 15 states and could spread the disease to the wild elk and deer throughout the nation. The state has confirmed six cases of chronic wasting disease, the elk and deer equivalent of mad cow disease. Five cases have been traced to one ranch in northeastern Colorado, where the elk were raised, sold and transported for breeding. State officials also said that over the last five years there appeared to have been 245 sales of infected elk to ranches in states as far east as Pennsylvania. ''We're trying to get our arms around it and figure out the extent of the exposure,'' said Wayne Cunningham,

1589810

2004

06

16

A Store Devoted to Pleasure Draws a Disgruntled Crowd

MIKE RIZZI argues that he has gone out of his way to reassure Staten Island about the honorable intentions behind his new business. To help ease the concerns of some community leaders, for example, he has shown them a sampling of his wares -- the lotions, the paraphernalia, and so on. And when word trickled down from the Olympian heights of Borough Hall that there was some, uh, concern about the name he had chosen for his business, he quickly removed the offending words, Pleasure Planet, from the awning of his storefront.

MIKE RIZZI argues that he has gone out of his way to reassure Staten Island about the honorable intentions behind his new business. To help ease the concerns of some community leaders, for example, he has shown them a sampling of his wares -- the lotions, the paraphernalia, and so on. And when word trickled down from the Olympian heights of Borough Hall that there was some, uh, concern about the name he had chosen for his business, he quickly removed the offending words, Pleasure Planet, from the awning of his storefront. After all, ''pleasure'' can be a wink-wink kind of word, depending on whether you use it as a verb or a noun. Then if you couple it with the word ''planet,'' the mind reels with thoughts

1362960

2002

01

27

TRANSACTIONS

BASEBALL METS--Traded OF-1B Ross Gload to the Colorado Rockies for cash. BASKETBALL CHICAGO BULLS--Activated C Dalibor Bagaric and G A.J. Guyton from the injured list. Placed G Greg Anthony and G Ron Mercer on the injured list. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS--Activated C Michael Doleac from the injured list. Placed G Jeff Trepagnier on the injured list. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS--Activated F Cedric Henderson from the injured list. Placed G Dean Oliver on the injured list.

BASEBALL METS--Traded OF-1B Ross Gload to the Colorado Rockies for cash. BASKETBALL CHICAGO BULLS--Activated C Dalibor Bagaric and G A.J. Guyton from the injured list. Placed G Greg Anthony and G Ron Mercer on the injured list. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS--Activated C Michael Doleac from the injured list. Placed G Jeff Trepagnier on the injured list. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS--Activated F Cedric Henderson from the injured list. Placed G Dean Oliver on the injured list. FOOTBALL CAROLINA PANTHERS--Named Jack Del Rio defensive coordinator. HOCKEY ISLANDERS--Recalled D Branislav Mazei from Bridgeport of the AHL. Assigned D Marko Kiprosoff to Bridgeport. MINNESOTA WILD--Recalled D Travis Roche from Houston of the AHL. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS--Agreed to terms with C Marty Murray on a three-year extension. Recalled G Neil Little from Philadelphia of the AHL. COLLEGE

1764982

2006

05

28

BENEFITS

Grand Central Dining THURSDAY -- A tasting dinner in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal will support the homeless center of the Grand Central Neighborhood Social Services Corporation. Drinks and dinner begin at 7. Tickets, $75, from (866) 468-7619. Connecting With Art THURSDAY -- A dinner at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street, will aid ArtsConnection, which helps bring arts programs to public schools. Drinks at 6:30. Tickets, $750, from (212) 245-6570. A Waterfront Parade THURSDAY -- A parade of tugboats and other vessels will be part of a dinner at Pier 60, Chelsea Piers, to benefit the Seamen's Church Institute of New York and New Jersey, which provides services to seafarers and advocates for their rights. Cocktails at 6. Tickets, $500, from (212) 349-9090, ext. 241. Music Education JUNE 5 -- T. S. Monk will be among those performing at a scholarship fund-raising dinner for the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music. The evening, at the Supper Club, 240 West 47th Street, begins with drinks at 6:30. Tickets, $250, from (718) 461-8910, ext. 12. For Jewish Culture JUNE 5 -- Tovah Feldshuh, the actress, will be among those honored at a dinner at the Rainbow Room, supporting grants and other programs of the National Foundation for Jewish Culture. Drinks at 5:30. Tickets, $650, from (212) 629-0500, ext. 213. Paul and Jerry JUNE 5 -- Paul Simon and Jerry Seinfeld will perform at a dinner at Pier 60, Chelsea Piers, to raise money for the Children's Health Fund. Cocktails at 6:30. Tickets, $750, from (212) 997-0100, ext. 227. For the Manhattan J.C.C. JUNE 5 -- Tony Kushner and Eve Ensler will be among those speaking at a dinner at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan to raise money for the organization's programs. Cocktails begin at 6. Tickets, $850, from (646) 505-4483. Party in the Garden JUNE 6 -- Sarah Jessica Parker will be among those honored and John Legend will perform at a party in the garden at the Museum of Modern Art to support the museum's exhibitions and educational programs. The black-tie evening begins with drinks and hors d'oeuvres at 7, with an afterparty at 9 and the performance at 10:30. Tickets, $1,500, or $250 for the afterparty and performance only, from (212) 708-9680. Dinner for Dorot JUNE 6 -- Peter Schickele will be the master of ceremonies at a dinner at Rose Hall at Lincoln Center to aid Dorot, which provides services to homebound and homeless elderly of New York. Cocktails begin at 6:30. Tickets, $500, from (212) 769-2850. Pasteur Foundation JUNE 7 -- Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano, jazz musicians, will perform at a black-tie dinner at the Pierre for the Pasteur Foundation, which supports basic research conducted at the Institut Pasteur in Paris on infectious diseases. Drinks begin at 6:30. Tickets, $1,000, from (212) 675-9474, ext. 18. Arch Friends JUNE 8 -- A tasting dinner under a tent in Washington Square Park will raise money for park renovations. The evening begins at 6 with drinks and specialty dishes from Greenwich Village restaurants. Tickets, $40, from (212) 777-2173. Words and Pictures JUNE 8 -- The creative achievements of young artists and writers will be celebrated at a dinner at the Mandarin Oriental that will benefit the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. The evening begins with the awards ceremony at 6:30 at Carnegie Hall.. Transportation between the concert hall and the hotel will be provided. Tickets, $1,000, from (212) 343-7773. E-mail: society@nytimes.com Information: (212) 556-1141

Grand Central Dining THURSDAY -- A tasting dinner in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal will support the homeless center of the Grand Central Neighborhood Social Services Corporation. Drinks and dinner begin at 7. Tickets, $75, from (866) 468-7619. Connecting With Art THURSDAY -- A dinner at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street, will aid ArtsConnection, which helps bring arts programs to public schools. Drinks at 6:30. Tickets, $750, from (212) 245-6570. A Waterfront Parade THURSDAY -- A parade of tugboats and other vessels will be part of a dinner at Pier 60, Chelsea Piers, to benefit the Seamen's Church Institute of New York and New Jersey, which provides services to seafarers and advocates for their rights. Cocktails at 6. Tickets, $500, from (212) 349-9090, ext. 241.

1350203

2001

12

10

California Appellate Ruling Aids Foes of 3-Strike Law

Life imprisonment for a man who shoplifted a screwdriver, an electric razor and a map from a Kmart. The same sentence for one who tried to steal a meat slicer and a mixer from an International House of Pancakes. Twenty-five years to life for a homeless man who broke into a restaurant, only to come away with four chocolate chip cookies -- two in his left pocket, two in his right. Since a federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled last month that a 50-year prison sentence for a videotape thief was cruel and unusual punishment, public defenders across the state have been digging up old cases to mount the first broad challenge to California's three-strikes law in years.

Life imprisonment for a man who shoplifted a screwdriver, an electric razor and a map from a Kmart. The same sentence for one who tried to steal a meat slicer and a mixer from an International House of Pancakes. Twenty-five years to life for a homeless man who broke into a restaurant, only to come away with four chocolate chip cookies -- two in his left pocket, two in his right. Since a federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled last month that a 50-year prison sentence for a videotape thief was cruel and unusual punishment, public defenders across the state have been digging up old cases to mount the first broad challenge to California's three-strikes law in years. In Los Angeles, public defenders are looking through more

1774904

2006

07

09

Basketball, The Game of Life

To the Editor: As Queens has become a haven for immigrants, Bob Brody's schoolyard basketball experience has become increasingly multicultural (''World Court,'' July 2). He refers to Jacques Barzun's quote that ''Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball,'' but says that, for the more recent immigrants, basketball has become the route to assimilation.

To the Editor: As Queens has become a haven for immigrants, Bob Brody's schoolyard basketball experience has become increasingly multicultural (''World Court,'' July 2). He refers to Jacques Barzun's quote that ''Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball,'' but says that, for the more recent immigrants, basketball has become the route to assimilation. As an immigrant of a much earlier generation, I embraced both sports. In the Brighton Beach of the 1940's -- long before the Russians arrived -- I quickly learned to immerse myself in the Brooklyn Dodgers as the fastest way to be accepted as an American. Still unsure of my place in the world, three-man basketball taught me how to navigate the social interactions of pre-adolescent life. My

1544566

2003

12

20

Not Dead Yet: The Trade For Rodriguez Has Life

And on the day after the Boston Red Sox said the proposed deal to acquire Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers was dead, both sides rested. They rested from discussing the talks publicly, that is. A baseball official and Scott Boras, Rodriguez's agent, said the conversations between the teams were continuing, and the expectation among several major league executives is that the trade will eventually happen.

And on the day after the Boston Red Sox said the proposed deal to acquire Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers was dead, both sides rested. They rested from discussing the talks publicly, that is. A baseball official and Scott Boras, Rodriguez's agent, said the conversations between the teams were continuing, and the expectation among several major league executives is that the trade will eventually happen. The Red Sox would love to acquire Rodriguez, but they have repeatedly told the Rangers that they should not have to pick up all of the $179 million remaining from the record 10-year, $252 million contract he signed three years ago, when he left Seattle for Texas. Larry Lucchino, the president of the Red Sox, said the deal ''was dead'' on Thursday,

1855397

2007

06

18

Sir Wally Herbert, 72, Explorer Of the Iciest Corners on Earth

Sir Wally Herbert, the first man to walk across the icebound Arctic Ocean and, some contend, the first to reach the North Pole on foot, a feat long credited to Rear Adm. Robert E. Peary, died Tuesday in Scotland at 72. The cause was diabetes, said his daughter, Kari Herbert. Sir Wally was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 and lived near Inverness.

Sir Wally Herbert, the first man to walk across the icebound Arctic Ocean and, some contend, the first to reach the North Pole on foot, a feat long credited to Rear Adm. Robert E. Peary, died Tuesday in Scotland at 72. The cause was diabetes, said his daughter, Kari Herbert. Sir Wally was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 and lived near Inverness. ''It seemed like conquering a horizontal Everest,'' Sir Wally said of the 3,620-mile trek across treacherous ice floes that ended May 30, 1969. He led a four-man team on the 476-day expedition from Point Barrow, Alaska, to a tiny island near Spitsbergen, Norway. On April 4, 1969 -- 407 days into the journey -- the team stopped at the North Pole, planted a Union

1715698

2005

11

06

Getting Inside the Studio

I have watched ''Inside the Actors Studio'' several times, and really enjoy the interviews. How can I attend one of these shows in person? Dr. Jeffrey Linden, New York YOUR interest is timely because the Actors Studio recently changed the location of its popular television show -- to Pace University in Lower Manhattan from the New School in Greenwich Village. But the show's audience is primarily made up of students and most of the remaining seats are taken by longtime season subscribers or the Pace community (professors, staff, alumni). Broadcast on Bravo, the one-hour program is part of a semester-long course on acting and directing. Eight to 10 seminars are taped each semester, led by the show's host, James Lipton.

I have watched ''Inside the Actors Studio'' several times, and really enjoy the interviews. How can I attend one of these shows in person? Dr. Jeffrey Linden, New York YOUR interest is timely because the Actors Studio recently changed the location of its popular television show -- to Pace University in Lower Manhattan from the New School in Greenwich Village. But the show's audience is primarily made up of students and most of the remaining seats are taken by longtime season subscribers or the Pace community (professors, staff, alumni). Broadcast on Bravo, the one-hour program is part of a semester-long course on acting and directing. Eight to 10 seminars are taped each semester, led by the show's host, James Lipton. Most of the 200 subscription seats, which sell

1369772

2002

02

22

Not Wanted: '02 Graduates Seeking Jobs

When the millions of students who are set to graduate from college this spring started out in the late 1990's, the stock market was on a bull run and the dot-com frenzy was in full swing. At colleges across the country, career-services offices fashioned makeshift interview booths to accommodate the companies on a hiring binge. Fresh-faced 22-year-olds commanded signing bonuses of $10,000 or more. People with bachelor's degrees in engineering or computer science often had a dozen job offers, some with six-figure salaries. Liberal arts majors found plenty of opportunities, too, working for Internet companies and consulting and financial firms.

When the millions of students who are set to graduate from college this spring started out in the late 1990's, the stock market was on a bull run and the dot-com frenzy was in full swing. At colleges across the country, career-services offices fashioned makeshift interview booths to accommodate the companies on a hiring binge. Fresh-faced 22-year-olds commanded signing bonuses of $10,000 or more. People with bachelor's degrees in engineering or computer science often had a dozen job offers, some with six-figure salaries. Liberal arts majors found plenty of opportunities, too, working for Internet companies and consulting and financial firms. Those heady times are gone. With the economy still struggling, layoffs increasing and corporate America wary about the near future, students who complete their undergraduate degrees this year

1581997

2004

05

16

Not Just for Summer Anymore

JIM Bregman and his wife, Norie, have carpetbagged their way to paradise. Six years ago, they were searching for a second home to provide an escape from New York on the weekends and during the summer. But the obvious choice - the Hamptons - did not appeal to Mr. Bregman. With the four-hour drive, the insane prices and the high-pressure social environment, they might as well spend the summers in Manhattan, he thought.

JIM Bregman and his wife, Norie, have carpetbagged their way to paradise. Six years ago, they were searching for a second home to provide an escape from New York on the weekends and during the summer. But the obvious choice - the Hamptons - did not appeal to Mr. Bregman. With the four-hour drive, the insane prices and the high-pressure social environment, they might as well spend the summers in Manhattan, he thought. Connecticut, however, offered real possibilities. The Bregmans and another couple had rented a place there in 1996, and Mr. Bregman knew and liked the area. One day they found a beachfront cottage in Milford, an old summertime town on Long Island Sound. The area had miles of beach and reasonable prices. Best of all, it

1660048

2005

03

27

Istanbul

Why Go Now After getting a green light in December to negotiate entry into the European Union, Turkey is buzzing with change. Turkey has reinvented its currency as the new lira, opened a new modern art museum and is feeling a new burst of confidence. Shakeups at the political level have led to a merged Ministry of Culture and Tourism and larger budgets for the arts, a move designed to push Turkey's cultural profile into the international news, even as Istanbul grabs headlines with its human rights reforms.

Why Go Now After getting a green light in December to negotiate entry into the European Union, Turkey is buzzing with change. Turkey has reinvented its currency as the new lira, opened a new modern art museum and is feeling a new burst of confidence. Shakeups at the political level have led to a merged Ministry of Culture and Tourism and larger budgets for the arts, a move designed to push Turkey's cultural profile into the international news, even as Istanbul grabs headlines with its human rights reforms. The new Istanbul Museum of Modern Art makes an unmistakable statement about Istanbul's self-perception as a major cultural capital. The gravel courtyard and warehouse-like exterior are reminiscent of P.S. 1 in Long Island City, Queens, and the interior -- with

1540844

2003

12

06

Acquittals End Bid Scandal That Dogged Winter Games

A federal judge Friday acquitted the leaders of Salt Lake City's Olympic bid, Thomas K. Welch and David R. Johnson, of charges that they illegally influenced International Olympic Committee members for their votes. The judge's action put an official end to the five-year-old bribery scandal that tainted the 2002 Winter Olympics. Judge David Sam, who had dismissed the case in 2001 before it came to trial only to have it reinstated on appeal, granted the defendants' motion for acquittal without sending the case to the jury. He ruled that there was insufficient evidence to sustain a conviction on any of the 15 counts in the federal indictment against Welch, 59, the former president of the Salt Lake Bid Committee, and Johnson, 45, the committee's former vice president.

A federal judge Friday acquitted the leaders of Salt Lake City's Olympic bid, Thomas K. Welch and David R. Johnson, of charges that they illegally influenced International Olympic Committee members for their votes. The judge's action put an official end to the five-year-old bribery scandal that tainted the 2002 Winter Olympics. Judge David Sam, who had dismissed the case in 2001 before it came to trial only to have it reinstated on appeal, granted the defendants' motion for acquittal without sending the case to the jury. He ruled that there was insufficient evidence to sustain a conviction on any of the 15 counts in the federal indictment against Welch, 59, the former president of the Salt Lake Bid Committee, and Johnson, 45, the committee's former vice president. ''Last

1745397

2006

03

09

With World Watching, Cuban Player Has Moments Made for History

Yuliesky Gourriel had his moments, his look-at-me, his bet-you-cannot-stop-watching-me moment for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday. Gourriel fashioned a series of magical moments, showing why he is the slickest player on a team that is usually shrouded in mystery. Pick a moment, any Gourriel moment, and it was a positive moment for the Cubans. There was the towering two-run homer in the ninth inning, there was the 395-foot sacrifice fly that was nearly a grand slam, there was a scorcher of a double and there were two double plays he turned, one nifty and one nimble.

Yuliesky Gourriel had his moments, his look-at-me, his bet-you-cannot-stop-watching-me moment for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday. Gourriel fashioned a series of magical moments, showing why he is the slickest player on a team that is usually shrouded in mystery. Pick a moment, any Gourriel moment, and it was a positive moment for the Cubans. There was the towering two-run homer in the ninth inning, there was the 395-foot sacrifice fly that was nearly a grand slam, there was a scorcher of a double and there were two double plays he turned, one nifty and one nimble. At the end of a draining and exciting game between two teams that dislike each other, Gourriel, the Cuban second baseman, was naturally involved in the decisive rally, too.

1809872

2006

12

06

Letter From Europe

WITH nationalized health care, sky-high unemployment and blissfully short work weeks, you might think that the European Union is rolling backwards on the wheels of socialism. Meanwhile, with Wall Street, Wal-Mart and Viagra booming, the United States powers ahead, driven by capitalism and open markets. Right? Not necessarily.

WITH nationalized health care, sky-high unemployment and blissfully short work weeks, you might think that the European Union is rolling backwards on the wheels of socialism. Meanwhile, with Wall Street, Wal-Mart and Viagra booming, the United States powers ahead, driven by capitalism and open markets. Right? Not necessarily. On Oct. 17, only one day before a meeting of the European Commission, the chief executives of five major European letter carriers, representing 60 percent of Europe's mail volume, gathered to express their support for the complete liberalization of Europe's postal sector. In their countries, the companies demonstrated, a deregulated and competitive postal industry has led to lower prices and better service. A day later, the European Commission proposed that the 25 members of the European Union have until 2009

1316602

2001

08

12

Giving the State a Corsage of Orchids

Once the eccentric hobby of the wealthy, orchid growing ''has become a national obsession,'' according to Walter Off, son George Off, who started growing orchids on the family farm in Linwood in 1927. Since then, Waldor Orchids (named after the British greenhouse manufacturer whose structures, shipped here after World War II, shelter about 400,000 plants) has become the largest commercial orchid grower in the state. Waldor is unmistakeable to those walking on Shore Road on a summer day, as greenhouse fans push perfumed aromas into the air. So many people asked for a look inside, the owners decided to open to the public Fridays and Saturdays. Mr. Off, who grows orchids with his brother Bill and a dozen members of their immediate families, recently spoke about the orchid business. Q. How is business?

Once the eccentric hobby of the wealthy, orchid growing ''has become a national obsession,'' according to Walter Off, son George Off, who started growing orchids on the family farm in Linwood in 1927. Since then, Waldor Orchids (named after the British greenhouse manufacturer whose structures, shipped here after World War II, shelter about 400,000 plants) has become the largest commercial orchid grower in the state. Waldor is unmistakeable to those walking on Shore Road on a summer day, as greenhouse fans push perfumed aromas into the air. So many people asked for a look inside, the owners decided to open to the public Fridays and Saturdays. Mr. Off, who grows orchids with his brother Bill and a dozen members of their immediate families, recently spoke about the orchid

1745766

2006

03

11

If He Retires, Tagliabue Wants Easy Transition

N.F.L. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, responding to speculation that he may be considering retirement, said in an interview yesterday that he wanted a smooth transition to his replacement, although he did not give a timetable for his departure. ESPN reported Thursday that Tagliabue was thinking about retiring before his contract ran out in 2008. The report said that Tagliabue might make a decision within 60 days and could leave before the 2006 season ended. He has been commissioner since 1989.

N.F.L. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, responding to speculation that he may be considering retirement, said in an interview yesterday that he wanted a smooth transition to his replacement, although he did not give a timetable for his departure. ESPN reported Thursday that Tagliabue was thinking about retiring before his contract ran out in 2008. The report said that Tagliabue might make a decision within 60 days and could leave before the 2006 season ended. He has been commissioner since 1989. Tagliabue told the NFL Network yesterday that he and some team owners had discussed a succession plan two years ago, when his contract was extended. He cited the transition to him from his predecessor, Pete Rozelle, as being protracted and fractious. ''I feel that, and I know the owners

1583737

2004

05

23

Poultry-Geist

Subservientchicken.com A few weeks ago the market-research firm Yankelovich Partners released a study that will surprise almost no one. Some 61 percent of the consumers it polled agreed with the assertion that advertising is ''out of control,'' and 60 percent said they feel ''much more'' negative about it than they did a few years ago. ''Consumer resistance to marketing reaches all-time high,'' the report announced. The trade magazine Advertising Age soon published commentary from Gary Ruskin, executive director of Commercial Alert, a nonprofit devoted to curbing commercial culture. ''In the U.S. and across the planet,'' Ruskin wrote, ''there are myriad signs of a growing revolt against the advertising industry.'' And yet, at almost the exact moment that Yankelovich was releasing its findings, the latest e-mail craze zipping around the Web was to pass along a link to a site called subservientchicken.com. Once there, you were greeted with a Webcam-type view of a bland living room and a person in a chicken suit. You could type in commands (''sleep,'' ''moonwalk,'' ''do Pilates'') and this chicken would, subserviently, comply. Subservientchicken.com has received more than 215 million hits, according to its creator -- which happens to be an advertising firm called Crispin Porter & Bogusky, acting on behalf of a client, Burger King. The whole thing, in other words, is an ad, which is why you see the Burger King logo when the site is loading, and it's why there is a link on the site labeled ''BK TenderCrisp,'' which takes you to the fast-food chain's home page. According to Crispin Porter, the average visitor to the subservient chicken site spends seven minutes there.

Subservientchicken.com A few weeks ago the market-research firm Yankelovich Partners released a study that will surprise almost no one. Some 61 percent of the consumers it polled agreed with the assertion that advertising is ''out of control,'' and 60 percent said they feel ''much more'' negative about it than they did a few years ago. ''Consumer resistance to marketing reaches all-time high,'' the report announced. The trade magazine Advertising Age soon published commentary from Gary Ruskin, executive director of Commercial Alert, a nonprofit devoted to curbing commercial culture. ''In the U.S. and across the planet,'' Ruskin wrote, ''there are myriad signs of a growing revolt against the advertising industry.'' And yet, at almost the exact moment that Yankelovich was releasing its findings, the latest e-mail craze zipping around

1814569

2006

12

26

An Incisive Use for Lasers

To the Editor: Re ''With Lasers and Daring, Doctors Race to Save a Young Man's Brain'' (Dec. 19): In describing its use for vascular surgery, Denise Grady states that an excimer laser is used to make the hole because it ''makes a clean cut that stays open without burning nearby tissue.'' In fact, one of the applications my IBM colleagues and I envisioned when we invented excimer laser surgery in 1981 was its use in brain surgery.

To the Editor: Re ''With Lasers and Daring, Doctors Race to Save a Young Man's Brain'' (Dec. 19): In describing its use for vascular surgery, Denise Grady states that an excimer laser is used to make the hole because it ''makes a clean cut that stays open without burning nearby tissue.'' In fact, one of the applications my IBM colleagues and I envisioned when we invented excimer laser surgery in 1981 was its use in brain surgery. In a paper I co-authored in 1984 with my student Randall J. Lane, we considered using the excimer laser to assist in implanting electrodes into brain tissue without crushing the delicate neurons. Until I read the Science Times article, I had never actually heard of anyone using the excimer laser for

1356199

2002

01

03

CD Software for Those With Music to Burn

A CD burner is an essential tool for recording those Talking Heads party mixes, but software that is complicated to use can make the user feel like the one getting burned. HotBurn, by the Iomega Corporation, hopes to be an easier-to-use alternative for those who want to quickly and efficiently record their own audio and data CD's. HotBurn ships with Iomega CD-RW drives and is also sold separately. It has a console interface that displays all of its CD-creating commands in one place. Discs can be copied in one or two clicks on the console, and the software also supports the BURN-Proof technology that helps prevent disc-wasting errors.

A CD burner is an essential tool for recording those Talking Heads party mixes, but software that is complicated to use can make the user feel like the one getting burned. HotBurn, by the Iomega Corporation, hopes to be an easier-to-use alternative for those who want to quickly and efficiently record their own audio and data CD's. HotBurn ships with Iomega CD-RW drives and is also sold separately. It has a console interface that displays all of its CD-creating commands in one place. Discs can be copied in one or two clicks on the console, and the software also supports the BURN-Proof technology that helps prevent disc-wasting errors. HotBurn is available for $29.95 and works on Windows 95 and later. A new version for Macintosh will be available

1445585

2002

12

03

It's Business Almost as Usual at Mombasa's Beach Resorts

Even as investigators pick through the rubble of the bombed-out Paradise Hotel, there are still men leading sluggish camels along the scorching sand of Kenya's picturesque coastline, goading tourists into taking a ride. ''I'm praying the tourists don't go away,'' said Ali Hassan Abdi, 31, who makes a living by charging the equivalent of $6 for a ride on his camel, a sturdy beast named Amsa.

Even as investigators pick through the rubble of the bombed-out Paradise Hotel, there are still men leading sluggish camels along the scorching sand of Kenya's picturesque coastline, goading tourists into taking a ride. ''I'm praying the tourists don't go away,'' said Ali Hassan Abdi, 31, who makes a living by charging the equivalent of $6 for a ride on his camel, a sturdy beast named Amsa. Mombasa's so-called beach boys, young men eager to make some easy money, are still offering boat rides to the coral reefs, help in securing marijuana or sex on the beach for lonely women. ''We need our daily bread,'' said Jamal Hamisi, 27, one of the men who swarm around tourists as soon as they venture out of their walled resorts for walks

1695028

2005

08

15

Thousands of Settlers Remain in Gaza, Defying Israeli Orders; Military Moves In

Thousands of Jewish settlers defied an Israeli government order to leave the Gaza Strip by midnight Sunday, and Israel's security forces were poised to evacuate the settlers and their supporters in a huge operation that has sharply divided the nation. The pullout comes a year and a half after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, for decades a leading advocate of settlement building, declared his intention to withdraw from Gaza. Mr. Sharon has argued that Israel can no longer afford the costs of maintaining 21 heavily fortified Jewish settlements in the coastal strip, and that Israel's security will be strengthened by removing them.

Thousands of Jewish settlers defied an Israeli government order to leave the Gaza Strip by midnight Sunday, and Israel's security forces were poised to evacuate the settlers and their supporters in a huge operation that has sharply divided the nation. The pullout comes a year and a half after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, for decades a leading advocate of settlement building, declared his intention to withdraw from Gaza. Mr. Sharon has argued that Israel can no longer afford the costs of maintaining 21 heavily fortified Jewish settlements in the coastal strip, and that Israel's security will be strengthened by removing them. After nearly five years of Israeli-Palestinian bloodletting, Mr. Sharon's initiative signifies the most important political development of recent years and is sure to shape future relations between

1299261

2001

06

05

Paid Notice: Deaths WEXLER, RUTH

WEXLER-Ruth. We extend our sincerest condolences to Jack Wexler, Ann Fromer and Gary Wexler on the passing of their beloved wife and mother. During her lifetime, Ruth embodied the qualities of courage, dignity and grace. As a Golden Founder of the Medical Center, together with her husband, Jack, and as a member of the National Women's Division and a past Honoree, Ruth made a vital difference to the health-care needs of thousands of people in Jerusalem. She served as an exemplary role model to her children, including her daughter, Ann, who together with her husband, Robert, are Diamond Founders of the Hospital. May the entire family be comforted amongst the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. Amer. Comm. for Shaare Zedek Jerusalem Med. Ctr. Erica Jesselson, Chair Menno Ratzker, Pres. WEXLER-Ruth.The Yeshiva University family is saddened by the passing of a dear friend, a distinguished leader of the international Jewish community who with her beloved husband, Jack, was a YU Guardian. They dedicated the Ruth and Jack Wexler Patio in the Jerome and Geraldine Schottenstein Residence Hall at our Midtown Campus. We express our heartfelt condolences to her husband, Jack; children, Ann (and Robert) Fromer and Gary (and Nina) Wexler; brother, Morton Rechler; grandchildren; greatgrandchildren; and the entire family. May they be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. Dr. Norman Lamm, President Robert M. Beren, Chairman Board of Trustees Yeshiva University WEXLER - Ruth. American Friends of The Hebrew University is deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend Ruth Wexler, past Art Chair of AFHU. We extend our deepest condolences to her husband, Jack, their children, Ann and Robert Fromer and Gary and Nina Wexler, and the entire family. American Friends of The Hebrew University Ira Lee Sorkin, President Keith L. Sachs, Chairman of the Board Adam B. Kahan, Executive Vice President WEXLER-Ruth. The Officers and Board of Directors of the Friends of Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, deeply mourn the passing of Ruth Wexler, beloved wife of our esteemed Board member and colleague, Jack Wexler. We extend our deepest codolences to Jack, and the entire Wexler-Fromer families. Romie Shapiro Chairman Emeritus Martin Blumenthal, Chairman Robert David, President Shea Z. Lerner Executive Vice President WEXLER-Ruth. The partners, associates and staff of Hartman & Craven note with sadness the passing of Ruth Wexler, beloved wife of our friend and mentor, Jack Wexler. Through her tireless efforts on behalf of the less fortunate, especially the children of Israel, Ruth leaves an eternal legacy of kindness, caring and love.

WEXLER-Ruth. We extend our sincerest condolences to Jack Wexler, Ann Fromer and Gary Wexler on the passing of their beloved wife and mother. During her lifetime, Ruth embodied the qualities of courage, dignity and grace. As a Golden Founder of the Medical Center, together with her husband, Jack, and as a member of the National Women's Division and a past Honoree, Ruth made a vital difference to the health-care needs of thousands of people in Jerusalem. She served as an exemplary role model to her children, including her daughter, Ann, who together with her husband, Robert, are Diamond Founders of the Hospital. May the entire family be comforted amongst the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. Amer. Comm. for Shaare Zedek Jerusalem Med. Ctr. Erica Jesselson, Chair Menno Ratzker,

1188488

2000

04

02

The He Hormone

It has a slightly golden hue, suspended in an oily substance and injected in a needle about half as thick as a telephone wire. I have never been able to jab it suddenly in my hip muscle, as the doctor told me to. Instead, after swabbing a small patch of my rump down with rubbing alcohol, I push the needle in slowly until all three inches of it are submerged. Then I squeeze the liquid in carefully, as the muscle often spasms to absorb it. My skin sticks a little to the syringe as I pull it out, and then an odd mix of oil and blackish blood usually trickles down my hip. I am so used to it now that the novelty has worn off. But every now and again the weirdness returns. The chemical I am putting in myself is synthetic testosterone: a substance that has become such a metaphor for manhood that it is almost possible to forget that it has a physical reality. Twenty years ago, as it surged through my pubescent body, it deepened my voice, grew hair on my face and chest, strengthened my limbs, made me a man. So what, I wonder, is it doing to me now?

It has a slightly golden hue, suspended in an oily substance and injected in a needle about half as thick as a telephone wire. I have never been able to jab it suddenly in my hip muscle, as the doctor told me to. Instead, after swabbing a small patch of my rump down with rubbing alcohol, I push the needle in slowly until all three inches of it are submerged. Then I squeeze the liquid in carefully, as the muscle often spasms to absorb it. My skin sticks a little to the syringe as I pull it out, and then an odd mix of oil and blackish blood usually trickles down my hip. I am so used to it now that the novelty has worn off. But every

1567240

2004

03

18

On Day After Outburst, Thomas Makes Nice

All was peaceful on Wednesday at Knicks practice. Isiah Thomas, the team president, was all sweetness and smiles. Coach Lenny Wilkens said, in effect, that, yes, all was well, and no, he did not think his boss was trying to usurp the coach's power to criticize his team. Allan Houston and Stephon Marbury indicated that the players deserved whatever criticism was directed at them.

All was peaceful on Wednesday at Knicks practice. Isiah Thomas, the team president, was all sweetness and smiles. Coach Lenny Wilkens said, in effect, that, yes, all was well, and no, he did not think his boss was trying to usurp the coach's power to criticize his team. Allan Houston and Stephon Marbury indicated that the players deserved whatever criticism was directed at them. After Tuesday night's 114-110 overtime victory over the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden, Thomas yelled at his players for 20 minutes behind closed doors over their uninspired and uninspiring play against a weak team. Thomas has shuffled the roster heavily in recent weeks. While he seems to realize that the blending of talent will take time, he admits he is impatient. ''They've been

1695055

2005

08

15

Martínez Goes From No-No to Oh No

A trip that took the Mets to two cities and two hospitals somehow grew more painful Sunday afternoon. For seven and a third innings, Pedro Martínez soothed the Mets and successfully distracted them. Players thought less about their injured teammates Mike Cameron and Carlos Beltran than the status of Martínez's blossoming no-hit bid. Perhaps they began to visualize their wretched Southern California swing concluding with a pile at the mound.

A trip that took the Mets to two cities and two hospitals somehow grew more painful Sunday afternoon. For seven and a third innings, Pedro Martínez soothed the Mets and successfully distracted them. Players thought less about their injured teammates Mike Cameron and Carlos Beltran than the status of Martínez's blossoming no-hit bid. Perhaps they began to visualize their wretched Southern California swing concluding with a pile at the mound. But with one out in the eighth inning, on the brink of a no-hitter and a Hollywood ending, Martínez and the Mets received one more kick in the shins. The Dodgers followed their first hit with their second, and that was implausibly enough for a 2-1 victory. Martínez gave up two hits and took the hardest-luck loss imaginable.

1329409

2001

09

30

Girl Plays Football, And Not Just as Kicker

NORA BOGA of Croton-on-Hudson has been blessed with good timing. It has helped her become a standout high school soccer player as well as a varsity basketball and volleyball player. But her timing was a bit off on one occasion last spring.

NORA BOGA of Croton-on-Hudson has been blessed with good timing. It has helped her become a standout high school soccer player as well as a varsity basketball and volleyball player. But her timing was a bit off on one occasion last spring. ''I had just broken my nose playing soccer,'' Boga said, ''when I told my father I wanted to play varsity football in the fall.'' With 200-plus-pound boys. Boga is 5-foot-6 and weighs 130 pounds. Her father, Cafo Boga, was not pleased. ''I had a lot of concern,'' he said. ''Football is a very rough game. But Nora can be an aggressive young lady. She wants to prove to the world she can do what she wants to do. ''She wanted to play and her mother sided

1535343

2003

11

15

4 Israeli Ex-Security Chiefs Denounce Sharon's Hard Line

In a joint interview published Friday, four former heads of the Shin Bet security service delivered a blistering collective criticism of Israel's tough military policies toward the Palestinians, saying Israel urgently needed a political solution to the Middle East conflict. ''We are taking sure, steady steps to a place where the state of Israel will no longer be a democracy and a home for the Jewish people,'' said Ami Ayalon, the Shin Bet chief from 1996 to 2000.

In a joint interview published Friday, four former heads of the Shin Bet security service delivered a blistering collective criticism of Israel's tough military policies toward the Palestinians, saying Israel urgently needed a political solution to the Middle East conflict. ''We are taking sure, steady steps to a place where the state of Israel will no longer be a democracy and a home for the Jewish people,'' said Ami Ayalon, the Shin Bet chief from 1996 to 2000. Israel's largest circulation daily, Yediot Ahronot, splashed a huge front-page headline over the interview with the ex-chiefs of Shin Bet, or the General Security Service. ''Four directors of G.S.S. warn: Israel in grave danger,'' read the headline above photos of the four, who ran the agency for nearly two decades.

1595308

2004

07

09

Hugh B. Cave, Prolific Author, Dies at 93

Hugh Barnett Cave, an English-born American writer who started turning out pulp fiction at 18 and kept it up for 75 years, died on June 27 at a hospice in Vero Beach, Fla., which he had entered a week earlier. He was 93 and lived in Sebastian, Fla. His death was announced by Milt Thomas, his Boswell, whose biography, titled ''Cave of a Thousand Tales,'' appeared this spring. Mr. Cave's latest novel, ''The Mountains of Madness,'' came out two months ago, and another book is ready for publication next year.

Hugh Barnett Cave, an English-born American writer who started turning out pulp fiction at 18 and kept it up for 75 years, died on June 27 at a hospice in Vero Beach, Fla., which he had entered a week earlier. He was 93 and lived in Sebastian, Fla. His death was announced by Milt Thomas, his Boswell, whose biography, titled ''Cave of a Thousand Tales,'' appeared this spring. Mr. Cave's latest novel, ''The Mountains of Madness,'' came out two months ago, and another book is ready for publication next year. From 1929 to his death, Mr. Cave wrote hundreds of Gothic, science fiction, hard-boiled detective, torrid romance, western, adventure, horror, supernatural and just plain weird tales, published in magazines, paperback and hardcover. He also wrote novels, poetry, travel

1285832

2001

04

15

The World; The Balkan Disease Isn't Cured Yet

HISTORY, like Günter Grass's rat, continues to gnaw away at what's left of Yugoslavia. Slobodan Milosevic is in jail, and given world enough and time, will almost surely end up in the dock in The Hague. Once he was blamed by the West for every malign event in the Balkans. Now his departure has clarified matters by stripping away any notion that outside intervention or the removal of one man alone can end splintering and feuding in the Balkans.

HISTORY, like Günter Grass's rat, continues to gnaw away at what's left of Yugoslavia. Slobodan Milosevic is in jail, and given world enough and time, will almost surely end up in the dock in The Hague. Once he was blamed by the West for every malign event in the Balkans. Now his departure has clarified matters by stripping away any notion that outside intervention or the removal of one man alone can end splintering and feuding in the Balkans. The stresses of history and ethnicity have not stopped with Mr. Milosevic's exit, in either Serbia or the other nations that were once Yugoslavia. The region, while more democratic than before, remains ripe with possibilities for conflict, mischief and feuding, both tribal and political. The West fought a war

1197937

2000

05

08

China Trying to Crack Down On Vocal Liberal Intellectuals

China's leaders are trying to rein in a growing and increasingly assertive liberal intellectual movement, criticizing prominent academics and authors in speeches, forbidding newspapers from running their articles and punishing or shutting down publishers who have brought out their work. In recent years, unofficial and quasi-official outlets for liberal political ideas have multiplied rapidly in China -- on the Internet, in informal discussion groups, in magazines and books that result from collaborations between independent editors and state publishers. At a time of rapid economic and social change, China's leaders clearly view this trend as a threat to their political power.

China's leaders are trying to rein in a growing and increasingly assertive liberal intellectual movement, criticizing prominent academics and authors in speeches, forbidding newspapers from running their articles and punishing or shutting down publishers who have brought out their work. In recent years, unofficial and quasi-official outlets for liberal political ideas have multiplied rapidly in China -- on the Internet, in informal discussion groups, in magazines and books that result from collaborations between independent editors and state publishers. At a time of rapid economic and social change, China's leaders clearly view this trend as a threat to their political power. Despite his Western-leaning economics, President Jiang Zemin has in the last year constantly reiterated the importance of standing fast by Communist ideology in a China overrun with dot-com

1169515

2000

01

18

MAN IN THE NEWS: Ricardo Lagos Escobar; A Chilean Socialist in the Clinton-Blair Mold

As President-elect Ricardo Lagos Escobar mounted the stage on Sunday night to celebrate his victory with a throng of his supporters, Socialists in the crowd chanted a leftist slogan that was a favorite when Salvador Allende wore the presidential sash back in the early 1970's: ''The people united will never be defeated!'' At another point in the festivities, the crowd called on Mr. Lagos to bring Gen. Augusto Pinochet to justice after his expected eventual return to Chile from Britain, where he has been under house arrest on human rights charges for 15 months.

As President-elect Ricardo Lagos Escobar mounted the stage on Sunday night to celebrate his victory with a throng of his supporters, Socialists in the crowd chanted a leftist slogan that was a favorite when Salvador Allende wore the presidential sash back in the early 1970's: ''The people united will never be defeated!'' At another point in the festivities, the crowd called on Mr. Lagos to bring Gen. Augusto Pinochet to justice after his expected eventual return to Chile from Britain, where he has been under house arrest on human rights charges for 15 months. But after the 61-year-old economist and lawyer acknowledged the presence of Dr. Allende's widow, he delivered a carefully crafted message that struck more moderate chords than at least some in the crowd had come

1819223

2007

01

16

Bradford Washburn, Explorer, 96, Dies

Bradford Washburn, an explorer and cartographer who, as director of the Museum of Science in Boston, led a landmark mapping of the Grand Canyon, died on Wednesday at his home in Lexington, Mass. He was 96. His death was confirmed by his family.

Bradford Washburn, an explorer and cartographer who, as director of the Museum of Science in Boston, led a landmark mapping of the Grand Canyon, died on Wednesday at his home in Lexington, Mass. He was 96. His death was confirmed by his family. An accomplished mountaineer, photographer and mapmaker from his teenage years, Mr. Washburn set out to map the Grand Canyon in the 1970s using lasers and reflecting prisms to measure contours and depths. He called it mapping ''a mountain upside down.'' The mapping team, which included staff members of the National Geographic Society, conducted a photographic survey before employing a then-novel technique of flying helicopters to land on unscaled peaks. After cross-checking measurements of what Mr. Washburn described as ''this magnificent but desiccated and vertiginous wilderness,''

1261089

2001

01

07

As Search Continues for Plane, Skepticism About Crash Grows

A day after witnesses said they saw a small single-engine airplane go down into the Hudson River and sink, searchers last night still had found no evidence of a crash and had not received any report of a missing plane. That lack of information contributed to mounting skepticism among the police that a plane crash had, in fact, occurred.

A day after witnesses said they saw a small single-engine airplane go down into the Hudson River and sink, searchers last night still had found no evidence of a crash and had not received any report of a missing plane. That lack of information contributed to mounting skepticism among the police that a plane crash had, in fact, occurred. About 8:30 a.m. Friday two women who were driving into Manhattan across the George Washington Bridge called the police to say that they had seen a plane fly low over the bridge. They said the plane, which appeared to be a white Cessna with blue stripes, glided onto the river south of the bridge and then sank. Two people on the ground later also told the police that they

1581738

2004

05

15

A Lobbyist Running for A Triple Crown

In 1938 at a grand Pimlico Race Course, a win-some, lose-some horse named Seabiscuit ran away from War Admiral and into the hearts of fans across the nation. At that same Baltimore racetrack today, the unbeaten Smarty Jones will try to capture the Preakness Stakes and move a step closer to becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 26 years. The Smarty Jones tale essentially follows the Seabiscuit script. He was modestly bred by Roy and Pat Chapman in Pennsylvania and is trained and ridden by two everyday horsemen based in Philadelphia, John Servis and Stewart Elliott. When Smarty Jones heads to the starting gate at just after 6 p.m. today, he will be doing so before more than 100,000 people, all part of an annual celebration of a bygone time at Pimlico.

In 1938 at a grand Pimlico Race Course, a win-some, lose-some horse named Seabiscuit ran away from War Admiral and into the hearts of fans across the nation. At that same Baltimore racetrack today, the unbeaten Smarty Jones will try to capture the Preakness Stakes and move a step closer to becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 26 years. The Smarty Jones tale essentially follows the Seabiscuit script. He was modestly bred by Roy and Pat Chapman in Pennsylvania and is trained and ridden by two everyday horsemen based in Philadelphia, John Servis and Stewart Elliott. When Smarty Jones heads to the starting gate at just after 6 p.m. today, he will be doing so before more than 100,000 people, all part of an annual celebration of

1267245

2001

01

31

DISPUTE OVER UTILITY BUYOUT

The European Commission, the administrative arm of the European Union, warned the Spanish government not to try to block the proposed $3.2 billion takeover of a Spanish utility, Hidroeléctrica del Cantabrico S.A., by Portugal's largest utility group, EDP -Electricidade de Portugal S.A., without permission from Brussels. ''The European Commission has exclusive competence to review mergers that fall under its rules,'' as this one does, said a commission spokeswoman, Amelia Torres. Spain claims jurisdiction because EDP is 31 percent owned by the Portuguese government, and Spanish law requires Madrid to rule on deals involving state-owned companies, a provision that has set off disputes with the commission in the past. European Union rules allow member states to intervene in deals that affect national security or media pluralism, or when they have a fiduciary interest, but Ms. Torres said the proposed utility merger does not appear to fit any of those criteria. Paul Meller

The European Commission, the administrative arm of the European Union, warned the Spanish government not to try to block the proposed $3.2 billion takeover of a Spanish utility, Hidroeléctrica del Cantabrico S.A., by Portugal's largest utility group, EDP -Electricidade de Portugal S.A., without permission from Brussels. ''The European Commission has exclusive competence to review mergers that fall under its rules,'' as this one does, said a commission spokeswoman, Amelia Torres. Spain claims jurisdiction because EDP is 31 percent owned by the Portuguese government, and Spanish law requires Madrid to rule on deals involving state-owned companies, a provision that has set off disputes with the commission in the past. European Union rules allow member states to intervene in deals that affect national security or media pluralism, or when they

1544323

2003

12

19

Jackson Is Formally Charged With Child Molesting

Santa Barbara authorities formally charged Michael Jackson on Thursday with seven counts of child molesting involving a boy who was an overnight guest at Mr. Jackson's Neverland ranch outside of Santa Barbara in February and March. The Santa Barbara prosecutor, Thomas W. Sneddon Jr., also charged Mr. Jackson with two counts of giving the boy, a former cancer patient who is now 14, an ''intoxicating agent'' before molesting him. The charge, a felony, refers to alcohol or drugs.

Santa Barbara authorities formally charged Michael Jackson on Thursday with seven counts of child molesting involving a boy who was an overnight guest at Mr. Jackson's Neverland ranch outside of Santa Barbara in February and March. The Santa Barbara prosecutor, Thomas W. Sneddon Jr., also charged Mr. Jackson with two counts of giving the boy, a former cancer patient who is now 14, an ''intoxicating agent'' before molesting him. The charge, a felony, refers to alcohol or drugs. Mr. Sneddon, at a briefing for more than 100 journalists in a parking lot outside the court building here, said that the case includes several ''special allegations'' about Mr. Jackson's behavior that would make the pop star ineligible for parole and significantly increase potential jail time if he is convicted.

1408439

2002

07

15

The Hole In Our Defense

Security at the nation's airports has understandably gotten tremendous attention since Sept. 11. Now we need a much stronger focus on security at the seaports, where cargo comes and goes by the billions of tons annually. The seaports are the gaping hole in the nation's defense against terrorism. There are 185 deep-water ports in the United States and most are poorly protected. Experts believe they could well provide the staging area for the most devastating terror attacks.

Security at the nation's airports has understandably gotten tremendous attention since Sept. 11. Now we need a much stronger focus on security at the seaports, where cargo comes and goes by the billions of tons annually. The seaports are the gaping hole in the nation's defense against terrorism. There are 185 deep-water ports in the United States and most are poorly protected. Experts believe they could well provide the staging area for the most devastating terror attacks. ''If I were a terrorist,'' said Senator John Breaux, a Louisiana Democrat, ''I wouldn't be targeting an airline next. I'd be targeting a port, where you could do significant damage. One container can carry 60,000 pounds of explosives, and there may be 3,000 containers aboard a ship.'' More frightening is the

1319812

2001

08

25

East German Files On Berlin Leaders Cast Shadows Still

She is a quiet woman with an easy smile who once ran youth programs for the Lutheran Church. In her manner and her words, Marianne Birthler seems far more interested in finding consensus than in picking a fight with Helmut Kohl, the former chancellor of Germany. But then, the subject is the Stasi, the much hated secret service that underpinned East Germany and has been a thread running through Ms. Birthler's life.

She is a quiet woman with an easy smile who once ran youth programs for the Lutheran Church. In her manner and her words, Marianne Birthler seems far more interested in finding consensus than in picking a fight with Helmut Kohl, the former chancellor of Germany. But then, the subject is the Stasi, the much hated secret service that underpinned East Germany and has been a thread running through Ms. Birthler's life. Nine years ago, when she was education minister in Brandenburg State, in eastern Germany, evidence surfaced that the state's premier had been a longtime Stasi informant. The premier denied as much as possible, belittled the rest and held on to his job. But Ms. Birthler quit as minister, declaring that she could not stand by in

1787456

2006

09

03

Big Payments For Unused Sick Time

To the Editor: Your Aug. 27 editorial ''Cap Sick Time'' implies that Parsippany Police Chief Michael Filippello's $469,000 retirement package for unused vacation and sick time was ''abuse.'' I think Chief Filippello was abused. He managed an organization of more than a hundred professional employees for an annual salary of $136,261, far less than a corporate officer with similar responsibilities would get. His payment for unused vacation time and sick time hardly made up for that. He earned it, and the township accrued it as a debt, at an average rate of about $13,800 a year over 34 years. That's not a big bonus for that big a job.

To the Editor: Your Aug. 27 editorial ''Cap Sick Time'' implies that Parsippany Police Chief Michael Filippello's $469,000 retirement package for unused vacation and sick time was ''abuse.'' I think Chief Filippello was abused. He managed an organization of more than a hundred professional employees for an annual salary of $136,261, far less than a corporate officer with similar responsibilities would get. His payment for unused vacation time and sick time hardly made up for that. He earned it, and the township accrued it as a debt, at an average rate of about $13,800 a year over 34 years. That's not a big bonus for that big a job. If you're concerned about the cost to us ordinary folk, note that we also pay (albeit indirectly) the much

1768989

2006

06

14

Pentagon Rethinking Manual With Interrogation Methods

Under pressure from Congress and some of its own senior generals, the Pentagon is backing away from including a classified set of interrogation techniques in a new Army field manual, Pentagon and Senate officials said Tuesday. The Defense Department is also expected to drop a plan to have one set of interrogation methods for detainees that the military considers ''unlawful combatants,'' like detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and another set for traditional prisoners of war captured on the battlefield, the officials said.

Under pressure from Congress and some of its own senior generals, the Pentagon is backing away from including a classified set of interrogation techniques in a new Army field manual, Pentagon and Senate officials said Tuesday. The Defense Department is also expected to drop a plan to have one set of interrogation methods for detainees that the military considers ''unlawful combatants,'' like detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and another set for traditional prisoners of war captured on the battlefield, the officials said. Some military officials and top aides to Vice President Dick Cheney have insisted it is essential to have a secret set of techniques and to leave ambiguous just how far American interrogators could go to extract information from terror suspects. But lawmakers from both parties, State

1556667

2004

02

06

Dean's Once-Solid Base in Washington Becomes Shaky

Howard Dean may be hinging his candidacy on Wisconsin, but a growing number of Democrats say if he cannot win the Washington caucuses here on Saturday, he should take that as a cue and bow out. ''If he can't win here, he can't win anywhere,'' said Cathy Allen, a Democratic strategist in Seattle unaffiliated with any campaign.

Howard Dean may be hinging his candidacy on Wisconsin, but a growing number of Democrats say if he cannot win the Washington caucuses here on Saturday, he should take that as a cue and bow out. ''If he can't win here, he can't win anywhere,'' said Cathy Allen, a Democratic strategist in Seattle unaffiliated with any campaign. If any place should still count as Howard Dean country, it would be here.Seattle is where the former Vermont governor began to build his base more than a year ago, where he drew more than 8,000 people to a rally downtown last summer and where his antiwar message fueled the political fervor for which this liberal city is known. Washington State, much less liberal as a whole than Seattle, also has

1206823

2000

06

12

Compressed Data; Banner Ads Are the Target of New Banner Ads

It is an online advertiser's dream: an Internet site consisting entirely of banner ads, those animated rectangles found at the top of a Web page that exhort viewers to ''click here'' for sales information. But the 70 examples of banner ads found on the new ''clickhere!'' site (www.soulbath .com) do not try to sell products.

It is an online advertiser's dream: an Internet site consisting entirely of banner ads, those animated rectangles found at the top of a Web page that exhort viewers to ''click here'' for sales information. But the 70 examples of banner ads found on the new ''clickhere!'' site (www.soulbath .com) do not try to sell products. If anything, they are selling the concept of banner ads, in a backhanded answer to the growing perception that the tiny, kinetic billboards are a costly and ineffective way to advertise. Florian Schmitt, who has a Web-design firm, Hi-Res (www.hi-res.net) in London, asked fellow designers from around the industry to submit alternate approaches to banner ads by filling a 400-by-80 pixel space with ''sense or beauty, or both.'' The results were put on

1539831

2003

12

02

Preparing for 2 or More

''Having Twins -- and More: A Parent's Guide to Multiple Pregnancy, Birth, and Early Childhood,'' third edition, by Elizabeth Noble, with Dr. Leo Sorger. Houghton Mifflin, $18. ''There iz 2 things in this life for which we are never fully prepared,'' wrote Josh Billings, a 19th-century American humorist, ''and that iz twins.''

''Having Twins -- and More: A Parent's Guide to Multiple Pregnancy, Birth, and Early Childhood,'' third edition, by Elizabeth Noble, with Dr. Leo Sorger. Houghton Mifflin, $18. ''There iz 2 things in this life for which we are never fully prepared,'' wrote Josh Billings, a 19th-century American humorist, ''and that iz twins.'' That's probably more true now than ever, for as the author of this book on ''instant siblings'' points out there has been a veritable explosion of multiple pregnancies. In 1978 in the United States, for example, 68,000 twins were born; by 2000, the number had increased to more than 126,000. The increase -- some doctors call it an epidemic -- has been linked to drugs that stimulate ovulation and techniques like in vitro fertilization, each countering

1409738

2002

07

21

'Nonrefundable' Wiggle Room

WHEN nonrefundable airline tickets became a staple of the travel industry in the 1980's, passengers who had to change their plans usually forfeited the entire fare. Nowadays the penalties are less draconian, though often more complicated. Nonrefundable tickets can typically be changed for a fee, in amounts that in recent years have crept into triple digits. ''There's a lot you can do for a fee,'' as Kurt Ebenhoch, a spokesman for Northwest Airlines, put it.

WHEN nonrefundable airline tickets became a staple of the travel industry in the 1980's, passengers who had to change their plans usually forfeited the entire fare. Nowadays the penalties are less draconian, though often more complicated. Nonrefundable tickets can typically be changed for a fee, in amounts that in recent years have crept into triple digits. ''There's a lot you can do for a fee,'' as Kurt Ebenhoch, a spokesman for Northwest Airlines, put it. Fees and penalties involved in changing or canceling a ticket depend almost entirely on whether the ticket is restricted or unrestricted; in other words, whether the passenger paid full or discounted fare. The airlines generally give full-fare passengers -- who may be paying six or seven times the restricted fare -- a lot