February 29, 2000

Article discusses play of St John's basketball player Lavor Postell in team's recent 7 game winning streak; photo (M)

Clyde Haberman NYC column discusses how Vietnam veterans are finally coming into their own after their sacrifices in unpopular war; many veterans feel that while feeling as been underway for several years, it is now kicking into high gear with rise of Sen John McCain, whose Presidential candidacy has enabled them to bask in reflected glory of an honest-to-goodness war hero of their generation (M)

Dr Lawrence K Altman assesses problem of serious medical errors that harm or kill patients, in light of Pres Clinton's call for new national patient safety center in government to conduct research on reducing medical errors; Clinton also calls for mandatory reporting systems for deaths and serious injuries, and voluntary reporting for less serious injuries and close calls; spark for Clinton's plan was report in November from Institute of Medicine of National Academy of Sciences; it said that up to 98,000 patients die from preventable medical errors in American hospitals each year, but that number could be halved in five years; photos of Dr Mark R Chassin, part of panel that studied errors, and Dr Nancy W Dickey, past president of AMA (L)

New York Yankees designated hitter Darryl Strawberry is suspended for one year by Commissioner Bud Selig, ruling that could signal end of Strawberry's career; Strawberry failed a drug test Jan 19, his third violation of baseball's drug after-care program; photo (M)

U.S. Issues Regulations To Control Tax Shelters The Government issued new rules to discourage abusive corporate tax shelters. Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers said the proliferation of such shelters ''may be the most serious compliance issue threatening the American tax system today.''