September 22, 1993

WHITMAN OFFERS ECONOMIC PLAN Christine Todd Whitman, the Republican candidate for New Jersey governor, unveiled an economic plan in which she promised over the next three years the most sweeping tax cuts in state history, significant reductions in the size of government and the creation of 450,000 jobs. A1. In choosing Lawrence Kudlow to help create her economic plan, Whitman landed a swashbuckling, Reagan-era economist. B6.

Big Drop in Stock Prices The stock market fell sharply, with the Dow Jones industrials sinking nearly 70 points before recovering to close with a 38.56-point loss. Page D1. An Apology From Holtzman Elizabeth Holtzman apologized for her actions in obtaining a campaign loan from a company seeking business with New York City. Page B1.

International Russian political instability intensified, with President Yeltsin dissolving the legislature and calling elections. The Supreme Soviet swore in Vice President Rutskoi as acting president. The developments caused nervousness in the financial markets. [ Page A1. ] The Democratic Party's support of the Nafta weakened as the House majority leader announced his opposition. [ A1. ]

Moving beyond her earlier rebuttals, Comptroller Elizabeth Holtzman apologized yesterday for her handling of a campaign loan, saying she should have checked whether the bank her campaign borrowed money from last year was seeking business with New York City. She also said she should have formally recused herself from the process in which the bank's sister company was selected as an underwriter of New York City bonds.

In a perfect world, elevators would never do those irritating things elevators do, such as coming late or not at all. Or stopping at every floor between here and there. Or suddenly slamming their doors on a passenger who has been a nanosecond too slow, or generously opening their doors to show a would-be rider an elevator packed tighter than a Broadway local subway car at rush hour. But this is an imperfect world, and that is why Bruce A. Powell, John S. Kendall and David J. Sirag labor for the Otis Elevator Company in the rolling hills of central Connecticut, using various forms of artificial intelligence -- technologies and disciplines with odd names like fuzzy logic and neural networks -- to improve the relationship between humankind and its elevators.