March 21, 1999

UConn and Ohio State Reach the Final Four The Connecticut men's basketball team won its first trip to the Final Four with a victory over Gonzaga, while St. John's fell just short in a loss to Ohio State. In women's play, UConn was upset by Iowa State while Purdue and Tennessee rolled into the round of 8. SPORTSSUNDAY

Economic boom that started in United States in late 1995 and continues on in late 1999 broke pattern of previous booms, leading many Americans to think it will continue indefinitely; economists worry that malfunction in any one part of economy will cause collapse of entire economy; they are particularly disturbed by notion on Wall Street and among many Americans that if stock prices drop, Federal Reserve will save the day by lowering interest rates, thus adding fresh impetus to economy; fear is that exaggerated confidence in ability of Fed to cushion economy against shocks is prompting investors and businesses to take risks they would not be taking otherwise; graphs (M)

Article discusses final preparations in Hollywood for Academy Awards ceremony; decision to switch event from Mondays to Sunday and promotional efforts to win larger television viewership discussed; photo (M)

Gretchen Morgenson Market Watch column on efforts to regulate day traders, which have proliferated since deregulation (M)

Article on Sachem High School senior basketball guard Nicole Kaczmarski, who recently broke Long Island girls' career scoring record; photo (M)

Manhattan's Upper West Side, once literary and artistic haven of creative eccentrics and liberals, has turned into area that resembles sleepy suburb; nearly everything that once gave Upper West Side its quirky charm has been wiped out; photo (M)

In-depth profile of filmmaker George Lucas, who comments on his life as single parent; his latest film, Star Wars: Episode I-The Phantom Menace, will be released on May 19; photos (M)

Dr Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones sail into history when their Breitling Orbiter 3 completes the first nonstop balloon trip around world; balloon, at altitude of 36,000 feet, sped past finish line at at 9 degrees 27 minutes west longitude over Mauritania; harrowing trip had taken pilots over Europe, Africa, Asia, Pacific Ocean, Central America and Atlantic Ocean; photo; map (L)

Article in series Life After Welfare discusses how tax preparation business is flourishing in Milwaukee during first year since Wisconsin completed its radical welfare reductions; reaction to new laws, mostly favorable, discussed; most believe that tough new welfare laws are good for business, with more people entering labor markets; photo (L)

Article on Mercedes-Benz G500 Gelaendewagen; photos (M);

Interview with American conductor Leonard Slatkin, 54, who took over National Symphony Orchestrea in Washington, DC, in 1996 and says he is intends to renew his contract; photo (M)

Rick Marin comment on teen-age films Cruel Intentions and The Rage: Carrie 2 says these movies are so sexually explicit that they are like soft-core pornography; photo (M)