Dr Larry Smarr, one of world's most respected computer technologists, says Internet is evolving into single vast computer fashioned out of billions of interconnected processors; will head California Institute of Telecommunications and Information Technology, new state-financed research academy that will focus on engineering new types of sensors, creating advanced digital wireless Internet and designing new class of distributed-computing machines; institute will also work on applying those technologies in various fields; chronology of Smarr's career; photos (M)

The Soul of the Ultimate Machine

Bob Morris report on trying to get his children's book Crispin the Terrible noticed in world of publicity (S)

A Cat Story That Got Shaggy

Rick Marin report on posing as celebrity guest DJ at opening party for new Chanel store in New York's SoHo, along with rapper Eve; photos (M)

Mayor of Spin City, for a Night

Westchester County's Office of Economic Development and Yale Robbins, publisher of real estate information, are offering free online service to help businesses expanding in or relocating to county (S)

POSTINGS: County and Dot-Com Team Up on Web Link; Office Space In Westchester

Gretchen Morgenson Market Watch column on whether economic slowdown is more worrisome than equity investors seem to think; graph of growth in gross domestic product (M)

Dissecting the Nature of the Downturn

Dan Neil assesses Mercedes-Benz C240 and C320 sports sedans; table companing rear-drive sports sedans; photos (M)

BEHIND THE WHEEL/Mercedes-Benz C240 and C320; The New Baby Benz: My, How It's Grown!

Manhattan guest house designed by Philip Johnson for Blanchette Rockefeller in 1950 is declared a New York City landmark, a designation welcomed by new owners, who paid $11.16 million for it at auction at Christie's; photo (S)

POSTINGS: 1950 Guest House by Philip Johnson Is Designated; Landmark on East 52nd Street

Four New York students meet at United Nations with four young people from South Africa to talk about how their countries deal with AIDS and how young people can help; drawing (M)

Youthful Voices Confer on Plague

Illinois defeats Seton Hall, 87-79, in college basketball; photo (M)

Seton Hall's 21-Point Lead Lost in Illinois

United States Supreme Court, in sudden and devastating blow to Vice Pres Al Gore's presidential hopes, votes 5-to-4 to stop vote counting that had begun hours earlier in Florida; court sets Monday morning for arguments on Gov George W Bush's appeal of Florida Supreme Court ruling that ordered manual recounts across state of ballots that initially showed no vote for president; with clock ticking inexorably toward Dec 12 deadline for certifying electors, Supreme Court's order could have effect of erasing Gore's chances that Florida Supreme Court had so dramatically revived barely 24 hours earlier with its 4-to-3 ruling; justices who vote to grant stay are Chief Justice William H Rehnquist and his four conservative colleagues: Justices Sandra Day O'Connor, Antonin Scalia, Anthony M Kennedy, and Clarence Thomas; dissenters are court's four more liberal members: Justices John Paul Stevens, David H Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G Breyer; bitter division on court, awkwardly papered over last week with an order to Florida Supreme Court to clarify an earlier ruling, bursts into open with move; photo (L)

Bush Had Sought Stay -- Hearing Is Tomorrow

R W Apple Jr analysis of United States Supreme Court decision, noting that court is just like the rest of nation, split right down the middle, and divided into two hostile groups; notes that by siding with Gov Bush, by narrowest possible margin, they shifted the odds markedly in his favor; finds that for second time in less than 24 hours, judicial decision remakes nation's political terrain; photo of Justice Antonin Scalia (L)

Nation's Fault Line Divides Justices, Too

Profile of and interview with Bruce Preston Marquis, new chief of Hartford (Conn) Police Dept; City Manager Saundra Kee Borges says dept is 'in state of chaos' and needs leader at the helm; photo (M)

A New Start, A New Chief, For the Police In Hartford

Remnants of old New York continually resurface as city goes on reconstructing itself; recent artifacts to have emerged during demolition and excavation work include 20-foot-long expanse of original granite wall of Pennsylvania Station, Fred Dana Marsh's terra cotta lunettes for a subway station, 18th-century African Burual Ground, signs for Longchamps and Bickford's restaurants and handpainted advertisements on exterior walls for long-forgotten products; photos (L)

Old York; Look Close, and in This Ever-New Town You Will See Traces Of the Past Peeking Through

Article praises Oakland Raiders wide receiver Tim Brown for skill, lack of ego and pretense, and game savvy; Raiders prepare for game against New York Jets; includes chart that shows Brown's receiving statistics; photo (M)

From Chaos, A Quiet Star Emerges

Jonathan Mandell article on New York City, which is more than ever the subject of art shows, films, TV series and books; says these new displays are continuation of tradition that has been part of city since almost its beginning, one which simultaneously promotes New York to outsiders and feeds its voracious appetite for self-regard; photos (M)

Admiring Itself in A Thousand Mirrors

Fordham defeats St John's, 68-67, in college basketball; photo (M)

Fordham's Robin Makes Certain St. John's Meets Upsetting Ending

Clouded outlook for CMGI, one of most successful incubators of Internet companies, discussed; firm, cross between conglomerate and venture capital fund, started some companies, invested in others and kept operating control of many, hoping to profit by taking all of them public; chairman David S Wetherell comments on steps to cope with Internet downturn; graph of CMGI stock price; table of company's top holdings; photos (L)

CMGI Can Defy Gravity Only So Long

The Power of Fakery Right Before Your Eyes

Florida Supreme Court's 4-3 ruling ordering immediate manual recount of thousands of presidential election ballots leaves court as divided as rest of nation; wrenches election into still greater doubt and controversy; photo (M)

The Election: What Counts; The Latest Stop on a Wild Ride: the Ballot Box, Again

Chris Weinke, quarterback for Florida State, wins Heisman Trophy over Josh Heupel of Oklahoma in seventh closest balloting ever; Weinke, 28, is oldest player to win Heisman; ceremony at Downtown Athletic Club in New York City; photo of Weinke with award and with other top finishers (M)

At Age 28, Weinke Is the Oldest Heisman Winner

United States Supreme Court halts hand count that Florida Supreme Court had ordered; judges and election officials, who had begun counting ballots shortly after dawn across Florida, start packing them up and wait to see further decisions will be made; Democrats are now dispirited, and Republicans jubilant; Democrats quote dissenting justices, while Republicans praise wisdom of nation's legal system; David Boies, Vice Pres Gore's chief lawyer, and James A Baker III, Gov Bush's repr in Florida, comments; photos (L)

SUPREME COURT, SPLIT 5-4, HALTS FLORIDA COUNT IN BLOW TO GORE

 Putin Agrees to Free American Jailed as Spy  The Russian president said he would accept a panel's recommendation that a former naval intelligence officer, sentenced to 20 years on espionage charges, be released for humanitarian reasons.   PAGE 4    Pakistan Frees Ex-Leader  Nawaz Sharif, the deposed prime minister of Pakistan, has been pardoned from his life sentence and instead exiled to Saudi Arabia.   PAGE 22

INSIDE

Comment on sleep as elusive, ultimate, luxury for high-powered people; herbal sleep aids noted; photos (M)

Sleep, The Final Luxury

Israeli Prime Min Ehud Barak unexpectedly announces his resignation, pushing forward new elections to early February and seizing political initiative from his right-wing rivals; Barak, in stepping down before an expected vote by Parliament to dissolve itself, avails himself of special law that allows prime minister to resign and to force elections for premiership alone within 60 days; by tightening time frame, Barak makes it difficult, if not impossible, for anyone in his Labor Party to challenge him for leadership; photo (M)

Barak Steps Down, Forcing an Election By Early February

Several prominent Democrats, expressing disbelief at United States Supreme Court's order to halt recount of votes in Florida, say they fear that even if count resumes, it is nearly impossible to finish it in time for Vice Pres Al Gore to wrest White House from Gov George W Bush; Democrats lash out at Supreme Court, and accuse justices of inappropriately injecting themselves into election (M)

Democrats Say They Fear Time Is Running Out

Jeremie Agyekum Frimpong is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a right-back, right wing-back or right winger for Premier League club Liverpool and the Netherlands national team. Known for his pace, direct running, dribbling ability and work rate, he is widely regarded as one of the best wing-backs in the world.

Jeremie Frimpong, Dutch footballer

Jeremie_Frimpong

Marie Windsor was an American actress known for her femme fatale characters in the classic film noir features Force of Evil, The Narrow Margin and The Killing. Windsor's height created problems for her in scenes with all but the tallest actors. She was the female lead in so many B movies that she became dubbed the "Queen" of the genre.

December 10, 2000

Headlines from December 10, 2000

The Soul of the Ultimate Machine

A Cat Story That Got Shaggy

Mayor of Spin City, for a Night

POSTINGS: County and Dot-Com Team Up on Web Link; Office Space In Westchester

Dissecting the Nature of the Downturn

Billboard 200

Black & Blue

1

Now 5

Greatest Hits

The W

Notable Births

Notable Deaths

Historical Context for December 10, 2000