March 22, 1999

JUST TELL 'EM WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR

WARREN Buffett complained last week that a "significant and growing number of otherwise high-grade managers and CEOs" are manipulating their corporations' earnings to satisfy Wall Street. True. But Buffett needed...

DILLER MAY WITHSTAND CHANGE IN THE WETHERELL

CMGI's David Wetherell is an avid poker player, but this time he may have overplayed his hand. The Internet guru was understandably depressed to see his 18.5 percent stake in...

ON THE NEWSSTAND

THE National Magazine Awards, Wall Street, and great historical figures all caught our attention this week. But we were really distracted by the busty babe on the cover of TV...

BARD'S TREE HAS CHRISTIE'S IN LOVE WITH SHAKESPEARE

Screenwriters dreaming of an Oscar hit like "Shakespeare In Love" might find some direct help from William Shakespeare himself. A rare table crafted from a mulberry tree he planted 400...

POP SWEETIE JOINS SEXY TEEN SERIES - BRITNEY'S UP THE 'CREEK'

WATCH out, Brandy. Britney Spears - the 17-year-old pop music phenom - is swinging back into TV. The one-time Mouseketeer (from the 1989 version of "Mickey Mouse Club") is about...

TV TICKER

House arrest NBC examines the nightmare of synthetic stucco homes on tonight's ''Dateline'' (10 p.m. on WNBC/Ch.4). ''Dateline'' correspondent Lea Thompson reports that numerous families who purchased homes with synthetic...

FROM HARD TO HARDLY THERE - LA SALLE AS A PULP DETECTIVE

"John Sandford's Mind Prey" 9:00 tonight on WABC/Ch. 7 ERIQ La Salle's Lucas Davenport is not going to be as popular as "Prey" novelist John Sandford's Lucas Davenport is. The...

MONDALE'S L.A.-BOUND

ELEANOR Mondale is the new entertainment reporter for the local CBS TV station in Los Angeles. She will appear weekdays on the station's morning and 5 p.m. newscasts beginning today,...

FRANKEN BURNS NBC BRIDGE - AL BLAMES NET FOR KILLING LOW-RATED 'LATELINE'

DON'T blame Al Franken for the failure of his comedy series, "Lateline" - he says it's all NBC's fault. In the wake of the show's abrupt cancellation last week, Franken...

MAGNIFICENT MARCEAU

WHAT a theatrical miracle is that supremely eloquent voice of silence and poet of gesture, Marcel Marceau! Today is his 76th birthday, and last Thursday night, totally undeterred and virtually...

A NEW BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT 'STREETCAR'

ABSTRACT: IMAGINE the discovery of a lost Shakespeare manuscript that contains an early draft of "Hamlet." In this version Ophelia does not drown herself but settles down to a happy...

'GMA': REPLACEMENT PARTS ON ORDER

ABSTRACT: NOW that Diane Sawyer and Charlie Gibson have brought back a measure of respectability to "Good Morning America," ABC doesn't seem to be rushing to find their expected replacements........

THIS ROCKWELL DRAWS SEAMY SIDE OF LIFE

Painter Norman Rockwell celebrated an idealized version of American life, with its benevolent country doctors, fresh-faced kids and kind-hearted cops. His nephew, Richard Rockwell, chronicles an altogether different side of...

EVERYONE WINS IN DOT'S PARKING-METER SLUGFEST

Want a discount on Garden State Parkway tokens? Call the city Department of Transportation. The DOT just unloaded 45,000 tokens to a New Jersey school-bus company for 25 cents a...

TOP 10 DONORS

Here are the top ten on Worth magazine's annual list of the 100 most generous Americans based on lifetime charitable donations: 1. George Soros (billionaire investor) $2 billion-plus 2. Walter...

THE MANY TRIBES OF NEW YORK

'The friction produced by one group- one tribe - rubbing up againstanother is what generatesthe electricity that makesNew York work in the first place.' Kevin Conneff, Ireland all over his...

$HUNNING MOTHER NATURE - TOP PHILANTHROPISTS GIVE LITTLE TO ECOLOGY

Most of the nation's 100 biggest charitable donors aren't tree-huggers - a new list finds environmental causes took root as the multimillionaires' least popular priority. For the second year in...

COPS BANKING ON PUBLIC TO HELP NAB ARMED THUG

The robber has struck 22 times. This is a video surveillance photo of a man wanted in a string of robberies targeting people after they withdraw money from a bank...

MINORITIES RIGHT TO FEAR COPS: GOV - LATEST SALVO IN WAR WITH RUDY

In a pointed swipe at Mayor Giuliani, Gov. Pataki yesterday said minorities in New York have "a legitimate fear" of violence by cops. Pataki, during an interview with Sam Donaldson...

EMPTY THREATS WON'T END THE HORROR

AMBASSADOR Richard Holbrooke and his last-ditch stand in the killing fields of Kosovo are about as lame as a three-legged centipede. Why? Listen to the words of Holbrooke's master, Bill...

CARDINAL TELLS COPS TO LEARN FROM CRITICS

Cardinal O'Connor yesterday urged police officers to face up to charges of abuse and discrimination from the minority community in the wake of the Amadou Diallo killing. ''We have to...

COURTESY MAKES IT AN ARRESTING SITUATION

NO AMOUNT of negotiations could earn Ronald Ballard what he really wanted: to be arrested like everybody else. Ballard, you see, is in a wheelchair. While that condition limits his...

RUDY-BACKER FLAKE PLEDGES TO BE ARRESTED AT PROTEST

The Rev. Floyd Flake - one of Mayor Giuliani's biggest fans among black New Yorkers - vowed yesterday to get arrested to protest the shooting of Amadou Diallo. Flake, a...

QUEEN NOOR PRAYED FOR MIRACLE TO SAVE HUSSEIN

"My husband was still alive and I was still praying for the miracle, believing that it could be God's will." QUEEN NOOR OF JORDAN Jordan's American-born Queen Noor believed until...

BLACK BELT FOR KARATE KID, 7

A real-life karate kid - a 7-year-old Staten Island martial-arts buff - became the youngest person ever to earn a second-degree black belt yesterday. Jerry Bivona kicked and chopped his...

CHINA 'DEEP' INTO U.S. SECRETS: REPORT

WASHINGTON - Chinese spies were "deep" into top secrets at U.S. nuclear-weapons labs, it was reported yesterday - two days after President Clinton said it was unclear if any spying...

U.S. ENVOY DELIVERING FINAL WARNING TO SERBS

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic "is making a mockery" of the United States and its allies. SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN WASHINGTON - A top U.S. diplomat was headed for Belgrade today armed...

HEROIC BALLOONISTS HAIL 'INVISIBLE GUIDING HAND'

After 20 days in the sky, the first round-the-world balloonists were walking on air yesterday as they savored breaking aviation's last great record. "Up there it was grandiose, absolutely grandiose,"...

8 GAY-RIGHTS PROTESTERS NABBED AT B'KLYN MARCH

For the second consecutive Sunday, members of a gay- and lesbian-rights organization crashed a St. Patrick's Day parade. The group, Lavender and Green, attempted to enter the annual Park Slope...

GOP INFIGHTING OVER GIULIANI COULD HAND VICTORY TO HILLARY

NEW YORK'S Republican Party is on the verge of an explosive civil war over Mayor Giuliani's likely run for the U.S. Senate next year, worried insiders say. The potential combatants...

PROTESTERS SEE RED OVER KAZAN TRIBUTE

LOS ANGELES - Hundreds of shouting demonstrators gathered outside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion last night to oppose the special Oscar given to famed director Elia Kazan. Police kept the protesters...

TORRE'S HOME FROM HOSP WITH GOOD PROGNOSIS

TAMPA - Joe Torre was released from the hospital yesterday as his family released more good news about his battle with prostate cancer. The cancer did not spread beyond the...

OSCARS MEAN HIGH ANXIETY FOR TOP STARS

Hollywood got a big case of the glitters last night as Oscar winners past and present turned out in tuxes and gowns for the Tinseltown's annual big wet kiss to...

PRESHOW WOE: JOAN MOANS AS CUTESY GEENA DEMEANS HER

"ABC is hogging everything for their host show. They are really screwing everybody ... It's become very cutthroat ... They're being very naughty." -JOAN RIVERS IT WAS the war of...

COBURN CRASHES 'RYAN' & WILL'S PARTY - WINS SUPPORTING ACTOR FOR 'AFFLICTION'

"I've been doing this work for over half my life. I finally got one right, I guess." JAMES COBURN It was billed as a showdown between "Shakespeare in Love" and...

HIGH ANXIETY F0R T0P STARS - BUTTERFLIES AND HOPES OF GLORY ON OSCAR NIGHT

"It's sort of surreal and wonderful." GWYNETH PALTROW Hollywood got a big case of the glitters last night as Oscar-winners past and present turned out in tuxes and gowns for...

SOME STARS TWINKLED, OTHERS FIZZLED - SHOW'S HIGHS AND LOWS

Let's face it: We watch the Oscars for the glitz - and the gaffes. The more than 1 billion viewers around the world who tuned into watch the 71st Academy...

BENIGNI CAPTURES BEST ACTOR 'MISTAKE' - FIRST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE PERFORMER TO TAKE PRIZE

"I would like to . . . [make] love to everybody because I don't know how to express this . . . love!" ROBERTO BENIGNI Life really was beautiful for...

STARS SPLIT ON KAZAN - STANDING O AND SILENT PROTEST

Elia Kazan collected his Lifetime Achievement Oscar last night, as some gave him a standing ovation - while others angry over a 47-year-old controversy sat with arms folded. "Thank you...

MIRAMAX-IMIZED ITS PR CAMPAIGN

'SHAKESPEARE in Love's" stunning Best Picture upset of "Saving Private Ryan" means this: Miramax is the hottest studio in the world, without a doubt, and that it has defined this...

A WINNER'S TALE FOR 'SHAKESPEARE' - UPSETS 'PRIVATE RYAN' FOR YEAR'S BEST PICTURE

The pen was mightier than the heavy artillery at the Academy Awards last night, as "Shakespeare in Love" shocked "Saving Private Ryan" to snatch seven Oscars - including Best Picture....

COLD WAR HEATS UP

ABSTRACT: Since late last year, relations between Gov. Pataki and Mayor Giuliani have been as icy as an Albany winter. Here are some scenes from a marriage on the rocks:...

UNDERWHELMING FASHION! - DRESS-WISE, THESE OSCARS SHOWED THAT SIMPLICITY NEEDS AN EDGE.

ABSTRACT: Where are Cher and Madonna when you need them? Despite all the hype about glamour having returned to the Oscars, in regards to fashion, we were left wanting much,...

THEY'LL BE BACK - WITH OR WITHOUT ARTEST, SJU'S FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

KNOXVILLE - Lavor Postell knelt at the top of the key, facing the same basket in Thompson-Boling Arena in almost the same spot that Felipe Lopez laid sprawled on the...

GOING, GOING, RON?; ARTEST WEIGHS PROS & CONS

KNOXVILLE - Will he stay, or will he go? Over the next several days St. John's star forward Ron Artest is expected to decide whether he'll return to the Red...

DEVS MUST DECIDE WHETHER TO RENT

Now Lou Lamoriello must decide just how close his team is to a Stanley Cup. He must decide if three-month rentals are worth budding NHLers. The answer here says "no"...

FOR ONCE, CALHOUN'S CRITICS ARE SILENCED

PHOENIX - After years of frustration in the NCAA Tournament, after three failures in the Elite Eight, Connecticut is finally going to the Final Four. The Huskies' 67-62 win over...

ZIGGY'S AGENT: WE WANT OUT

As the Islanders' fire sale reopens for business today, Paul Kraus, agent for the departed first-line center Robert Reichel, begged for GM Mike Milbury to deal his other client, Reichel's...

OPENER CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH FOR AL

PORT ST. LUCIE - Put up the bunting, make the team introductions and get Gloria Estefan to throw out the first pitch. Al Leiter is in form and ready for...

GOOD, BAD & UGLY AT THE BIG DANCE

THE NCAA Tournament, like a carnival or an unemployed uncle, blows in once a year, sticks around a few weeks, monopolizes our attention, then leaves with a hundred stories in...

BADGE THE BOSS IN GOTHAM ROMP

Like father, like son. Duplicating the effort of his sire, Air Forbes Won, in the 1982 Gotham, trainer Joe Aquilino's stretch-running Badge split horses turning for home, then charged up...

DUBAI DUO OFF MARK

The biggest news last week was the retirement of future-book Kentucky Derby favorite Exploit, who topped the "Derby Dozen" for several weeks. Last Tuesday, trainer Bob Baffert announced the Storm...

RUTGERS READY FOR PURDUE

MIDWEST NORMAL, Ill. - The legitimacy of the Rutgers' women's basketball team as a championship contender has been doubted by many throughout the season. And still, on the cusp of...

ROCKET OFF COURSE

YANKEE NOTES TAMPA - Don't try telling Roger Clemens it's only spring training. Not after The Rocket struggled with his location against the Braves yesterday at Legends Field. "It's spring...

ROSTER QUESTIONS WEIGH ON YANKEES

"Before I can answer, George [Steinbrenner] has to have a meeting in the next couple of days." DON ZIMMER TAMPA - Within five days, George Steinbrenner will gather his inner...

MIGHTY OAK KOS KNICKS - CHARLES GETS SWEET REVENGE

OVERTIME Raptors 85 Knicks 81 TORONTO - Forget about keeping up with the Heat and the Pacers, the Knicks can't keep up with the Raptors. And it was Charles Oakley...

NO HAPPY RETURN FOR CAMBY

KNICK NOTES TORONTO - Marcus Camby said he will not forget how he was treated by his old team. When Camby took the floor in the first quarter, he was...

RANKINGS RANKLE RICE - MOTIVATED RAIDERS WHIP CTK FOR TITLE

CHSAA Rice 85 CTK 75 For the past two years, Rice coach Maurice Hicks has taken notice of USA Today's preseason national high school rankings. Hicks said that in each...

CHANEY & TEMPLE LEFT AT THE ALTAR AGAIN; CHANEY PUTS UP HIS DUKES, BUT STILL GETS KOD

No more than 10 minutes into the game, John Chaney's neck tie was loosened to the point where it hung like a necklace on his chest. His white button-down shirt...

SORE ELBOW SENDS WILSON FOR MRI TEST

MET NOTES PORT ST. LUCIE - The obstacles keep mounting in front of Paul Wilson. Less than a week after being sent down in the first cuts of the spring,...

DEVILS FEELIN' BLACK & BLUE

EAST NOTES Even though Duke thrashed Temple, winning by a comfortable 21-point margin yesterday in the East Region final at the Meadowlands, the Owls gained some respect for the way...

DEVIL MACHINE KEEPS ON ROLLING

EAST FINAL Duke 85 Temple 64 As he spoke, William Avery held at his left hip a net that had recently been cut down from a rim, barely noticeable, looking...

SPARTANS & DUKE MOVE FOUR-EARD - MSU OUSTS DEFENDING CHAMP WILDCATS

MIDWEST FINAL Mich.St. 73 Kentucky 66 "We're here. Now anything can happen." MAGIC JOHNSON ST. LOUIS - The Magic is back at Michigan State. It was on the court in...

NOW IT'S TRAJAN'S TURN - DUKE GUARD'S FINALLY HEADED TO FINAL FOUR

TEMPLE coach John Chaney figured there was only one way to beat the top-ranked Duke Blue Devils in the East Regional final yesterday at the Meadowlands. The crafty coach planned...

H0-HUM ATTITUDE HURTS - RANGERS DON'T DO ENOUGH

Rangers 2 Penguins 2 The save of the Ranger season came 36 seconds into yesterday's overtime period against the Penguins, when Mike Richter flashed his left pad to deny the...

RANGERS HAVE GREAT ACE IN THE HOLE; RANGERS WAIT FOR GREAT BOOST

JAROMIR Jagr stripped Adam Graves and roared in to put the Rangers' out of their agony in not-so-sudden death, but Mike Richter's pad flashed faster than the season before their...

ZAMBONI LEAVES MSG ICE IN A RUT

And you thought the rutty Garden ice couldn't get any worse. Well, you should've seen what the ice looked like after the Garden's Zamboni driver got through with it following...

NET RESULT STILL SAME

Cavs 88 Nets 85 CLEVELAND - Finally, here was a game in which the Nets still had a pulse at the end. The clock showed a one-point difference and time...

FEICK SET TO SIGN ON FOR 10 DAYS

CLEVELAND - As they headed into this week, the Nets' size factor in essence was reduced to, in the words of interim coach Don Casey, "Keith Van Horn, a hurting...

DEVILS FEELING BLACK AND BLUE

EAST NOTES Even though Duke thrashed Temple, winning by a comfortable 21-point margin yesterday in the East Region final at the Meadowlands, the Owls gained some respect for the way...

BLUESHIRTS HOPING FOR GREAT BOOST

JAROMIR Jagr stripped Adam Graves and roared in to put the Rangers out of their 70-game agony in a not-so-sudden death, but Mike Richter's pad flashed faster than the season...

DUKE DOESN'T AWE SPARTANS

MIDWEST NOTES ST. LOUIS - The prize for Michigan State's victory over Kentucky is double-edged: On one hand, the Spartans won a trip to the Final Four. On the other,...