December 13, 1999

Prospect of bus and subway strike in New York City causes no big sense of urgency or crisis among rank-and-file transit workers; few voice much enthusiasm for a strike, and many say that for all their grievances against Metropolitan Transportation Authority, they are uncetain about the judgment of their union leaders; they, like transit users, suspect that charged talks of strike preparations are simply bargaining-table bluster and that both sides have too much to lose by failing to reach an agreement; some riders express sympathy for union's demands, if not for the full 27 percent pay increase over three years; photos (M)

Article contends that when investigators charged last week that teachers and principals in 18 of New York City's 33 school districts had helped students cheat on standardized tests, it came as no surprise to veteran school officials that several of implicated districts had long histories of corruption; five schools cited in investigators report are in Community School District 9 in Bronx where various school officials and school board members were indicted in 1980's and early 1990's on various charges; District 12, also in Bronx, has been focus of repeated investigations into patronage hiring (M)

Jon Pareles reviews last weekend of 1999 Next Wave Festival, 1999 Live, featuring band directed by guitarist Vernon Reid and drummer Ahmir Thompson, performing Prince's album, 1999; photo (M)

Russian politicians flock to Chechnya to demonstrate their concern for the Russian troops fighting Islamic rebels and to bask in Russian television coverage of a war that has strong public support; Sergei Shoigu, leader of the Kremlin-backed Unity party, makes a press event out of a mission ostensibly aimed at inaugurating a new corridor to allow civilians to escape Grozny, Chechen capital; Prime Min Vladimir V Putin boosts his standing in polls not only by ordering campaign against rebels but also by standing up to Western critics of it; photos; map (M)

RCN Planning to Acquire Small Local Phone Carrier Expanding its communications footprint from the East Coast to the Midwest, RCN has agreed to acquire the 21st Century Telecom Group, a small local communications carrier based in Chicago, for about $260 million in stock, executives close to the talks said. The deal is expected to be announced today. RCN, based in Princeton, N.J., and so far operating mainly in the corridor between Boston and Washington, is the biggest company competing against the regional Bell companies for residential customers. [Page C8.] Polls Show Little Year 2000 Concern With the days winding down until the new year, each new survey or poll seems to add to the evidence that Americans are confident Year 2000 computer glitches will not have much effect on their lives. The results add up to a challenging climate for many entrepreneurs, particularly those who expected that disruptions and public concern would be in full swing. [C10.]