October 13, 1996

Dave Anderson, noting that both New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles are big home-run hitting teams, comments on symbolism of their playing in Baltimore, only two blocks from Babe Ruth Birthplace and Orioles Museum; photo (M) (Sports of The Times)ü

Article on 1997 Pontiac Firebird Formula WS6 and Mitsubishi 3000GT VR 4; table; photos (L)

Growing number of people are taking aptitude tests, which measure work interests and skills; downsizing companies are contributing to growth, including aptitude testing in employee severance packages; reporter describes his experiences taking three-day battery of tests at Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation; sample questions; photos; drawings (L)

Effort to rebuild South Central Los Angeles in wake of Apr 1992 rioting, issue raised in debate between Vice Pres Al Gore and Republican rival Jack Kemp, discussed; effort has been filled with frustration, symbolized by planned shutdown of Rebuild LA, organization hastily formed to bring jobs and hope to city's poor areas after riots; small businesses have discovered little-known but vibrant manufacturing sector on which to build area's future; photos (M)

One of New York City's firsst all-concrete buildings--1909 four-story stable building at 140 Perry Street in West Village--has been converted to huge condominium lofts, designed to sell for between $600,000 and $1.75 million; loft conversion was designed and developed by Cary Tamarkin; drawing (M)

Article on whether prime-time network comedy is ready for openly gay lead character in light of reports that ABC-TV is considering making lead character in series Ellen, starring Ellen DeGeneres, a lesbian; says proliferation of gay and lesbian characters on television over last 10 years has been so rapid, and so thorough, that a gay or lesbian lead is all but inevitable, and emergence of one would mark the peak, and maybe even the end, of an era, not the beginning of one; past and present television programs that have or had gay characters discussed; photos (L)

Dr Bernard S Loeb and some other officials with National Transportation Safety Board now believe that crash of TWA Flight 800 was caused by explosion of fuel vapor in its center fuel tank; FBI investigators, however, still see no reason to downplay possibility that a bomb or missile brought the plane down; investigators agree that if some telling piece of wreckage is retrieved, any one of the theories could quickly be eliminated; those who suspect mechanical failure hope to determine the heat source or spark that ignited the fuel vapor (M)

Article on Kitty Hamilton of Tarrytown, NY, a breast cancer survivor, who has written book, My Mommy Has Breast Cancer with her 8-year-old son Felix Amat; Hamilton says she wrote the book because she found no children's books about the disease; written from a little boy's point of view, the book provides information about breast cancer and addresses children's concerns; Hamilton is trying to get the book published; photo (L)

Unusual Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation in which agents posing as brokers offered to put customers' money into stocks being promoted in return for payoffs has netted 46 arrest warrants; Joseph V Pignatiello, one of stock promoters charged, has been able to remain active in industry despite being barred from business since 1982; graph (M)

Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, is spending $17 million on new emergency and birthing centers (M)

New York Yankees defeat Baltimore Orioles, 8-4, Camden Yards, Baltimore, putting Yankees game away from winning American League Championship series; photos (L)

Comment on blandness of televised Presidential and Vice Presidential debates as contrasted with great Americans oratory of past; notes Clinton aides favor modulated, unflappable, fact-and-slogan-crammed Presidential image Clinton has adopted to his much more interesting weakness for rambling uncontrollably; photos; drawing (M)m