New Jersey Nets defeat Minnesota Timberwolves, 116-94; photo (M)

Marbury's Dramatic Flair Floors the Timberwolves

Josephine Esposito, 72, has been working for same employer, American Journal of Nursing, since 1945, and she illustrates value of office-place sages and the constancy and institutional memory that they bring to workplace; photo (M)

One Office, One Career, One Place, One Person

Number of mass layoffs continues to decline, as it has in fits and starts over last two years, and affected workers surveyed by Drake Beam Morin report that unemployment either strengthened or had no effect on their family relationships; graphs (M)

TRENDS; Layoffs Shrink, But the Losers Say, ''What, Me Worry?''

Mexico rebuffs attempt by US to start World Trade Organization dispute process aimed at opening access to Mexico's $12 billion telecommunications market; US officials asked for panel to examine its assertion that despite deregulation of telecommunication in 1996, Mexican field is dominated by Telefonos de Mexico; American trade representatives say Telmex has barred network access that would allow rivals to offer local and international services (S)

Mexico Rebuffs U.S. Over Trade Hearing

R W Apple Jr analysis says Gov George W Bush will have only a shaky platform from which to begin his presidency, given the narrowness of his victory in Florida, the Electoral College and US Supreme Court; says it will require immense skill to remove the questions about Bush's legitimacy that are left hanging by court's failure to speak with the kind of clarion political voice that much of the nation hoped for (M)

Part of Drug Battle: Keeping It in Stores

US Supreme Court effectively hands presidential election to Gov George W Bush by ruling 5 to 4 that there is no time to come up with a way of counting Florida's disputed presidential votes that can both meet minimal constitutional standards and be accomplished within Dec 12 deadline for immunizing a state's electors from challenge in Congress; majority, comprising Chief Justice William H Rehnquist and Justices Sandra Day O'Connor, Antonin Scalia, Anthony M Kennedy and Clarence Thomas, holds that varying standards in different Florida counties for counting the punch-card ballots present problems of both due process and equal protection; two dissenting justices, Stephen G Breyer and David H Souter, agree, but say the answer is to extend recount until Dec 18 date for meeting of Electoral College; six separate opinions bear earmarks of a failed attempt at a compromise solution that would have permitted the vote counting to continue (M)

BY SINGLE VOTE, JUSTICES END RECOUNT, BLOCKING GORE AFTER 5-WEEK STRUGGLE

Schools Chancellor Harold Levy will propose major changes in programs offered to students in bilingual education programs, allowing some to take intensive classes in English that would put them in mainstream classes more quickly; wants to give parents more control over situation (M)

Levy Plans To Transform Bilingual Study

Community advocates in Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan are gearing up to battle proposed domed stadium on southern border of neighborhood; stadium would be home for New York Jets and plan includes expansion of Jacob Javits Convention Center; opponents contend plan will create gridlock, bring smog and overcrowding, and could displace residents; photo (M)

Can Stand the Heat? You'll Like It Here; As Hell's Kitchen's Appeal Rises, Old-Timers Battle Stadium Plan

Whatever else it did tonight, the Supreme Court failed to speak with the kind of clarion political voice about the vexed 2000 presidential election that much of the nation had hoped for.    If, as seems sure, Gov. George W. Bush has won, he has won a narrow victory -- narrow in Florida, narrow in the Electoral College and narrow in the Supreme Court. He will have only a shaky platform from which to begin his presidency in January, and it will require immense skill to remove the questions about his legitimacy that were left hanging by tonight's decision.  

A Shaky Platform on Which to Build

Saks Fifth Avenue bases window story this year on One Enchanted Christmas, book put out by doll company called Little Souls Inc; Saks chose Little Souls because of its philanthropic work; photos (M)

This Year The Thought Does Count; It's Not Just a Doll, It's Sort of a, Well, Philanthropic Concept

Lisa Glasberg (Lisa G) writes in My Job column about being a morning radio host on WOR-AM; photo (M)

Revving Up While the City Sleeps

Sales of board and party games are increasing while toy sales fall; board games languished five years ago in shadow of brisk sales of video games; sales growth in video games began to slow in 1999 while board games sales have risen sharply; game inventors and players say Americans have been looking for more social and challenging forms of entertainment, and game companies have been pushing their products as answer; graph; photo (M)

This Year The Thought Does Count; The Revenge of the Candyland Generation

Clyde Haberman NYC column praises New York City as good place to retire because it keeps mind active, offers cultural stimulation and discounts for seniors (M)

Retirees Can Do Better Than Florida

Exhibition Call and Response: Journeys of African Art to open at Yale University Art Gallery; exhibition of engravings and painted photographs, A Portfolio of New York, to open at Museum of City of New York; Carnegie Hall's Making Music series at Weill Recital Hall to present concert of premieres by Finnish conductor-composer Esa-Pekka Salonen; photo; Shirim Klezmer Orchestra to presnt The Golden Dreydl: A Klezmer Nutcracker at Symphony Space (M)

Footlights

General Motors Corp says it will gradually shut down its Oldsmobile division over next serveral years, ending production of cars that symbolized sophistication and affluence through most of 20th century, but came to be seen as simply dowdy; will also eliminate 11,000 contract positions in US and Europe and close 2,000-employee assembly plant in Britain; says that job cuts will come primarily through voluntary separation and early retirement programs and that blue-collar workers will be largely insulated from layoffs; confirms closing of 900-employee engine factory in Lansing, Mich, Oldsmobile's hometown; graph; chronology of Oldsmobile auto, 1890 to present; photo (M)

G.M. Phaseout of Olds Is at Center of a Range of Cutbacks

Gov George W Bush issues no statement on US Supreme Court ruling that appears to seal his victory in presidential election, and his aides quite deliberately avoid any claim of victory; James A Baker III leaves it open to Vice Pres Al Gore to make the next move (M)

With a Victory Apparently His, Bush Plays the Strong, Silent Role

General Motors Corp's joint venture with Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corp begins selling Buick Sail, version of Opel Corsa made in Brazil, in China for $12,000 to $15,000 (S)

BUICKS GO ON SALE IN CHINA

Shareholder lawsuit asserts that before merger agreement was reached between Sprint and Worldcom, Sprint's board secretly changed terms of its stock option plan in way that ensured that executives could cash in if merger was approved by Sprint shareholders, whether or not merger was completed; lawsuit asserts that Sprint's present and former top executives and directors have, through acceleration and vesting of options in Sprint and its wireless tracking stock, PCS, 'been unjustly enriched by hundreds of millions of dollars by arranging tainted shareholder vote to approve merger that they knew would fail to occur' (Market Place column) (M)

THE MARKETS: Market Place; Failed Merger Said to Enrich Sprint Leaders

Profile of and interview with Emily Carter, author of short-story collection Glory Goes and Gest Some; she is a daughter of novelist Anne Roiphe; photo (M)

Plummeting, Then Soaring Up To Put Her Agony on Paper

Profile of Scott Boras, who negotiated deal for Alex Rodriguez, richest contract in history for professional athlete; some owners, including New York Yankees George Steinbrenner, accuse Boras of bluffing about rival offers to drive up price of player; Boras maintains his role is not only to get money for players, but also to help them develop into mature stars; photo (M)

The Modern Master In the Art Of the Deal

Panamerican Beverages Inc will reorganize its operations in Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico, cut about 8 percent of its work force, and take charges totaling $431 million in effort to cut costs and return to profitability; expects to lose $12 million to $14 million this year (S)

CUTBACKS AT BOTTLER

Alex Rodriguez, shortstop signed by Texas Rangers, expresses desire to defeat New York Mets following failed controversial contract negotiations with Mets; photo (M)

Rodriguez Throws $252 Million Bat at the Mets

Federal Trade Commission gives initial clearance for Glaxo Wellcome PLC's acquisition of SmithKline Beecham PLC (M)

British Drug Makers See F.T.C. Approval of Merger

Virgin Express Holdings, Brussels-based discount airline, will close its Irish unit if no buyer can be found; photo (S)

VIRGIN EXPRESS UNIT IN JEOPARDY

 Compaq Issues a Warning On Its Sales and Earnings  In another sign of weakness in the personal computer business, Compaq Computer said that its sales and profits in the fourth quarter would be lower than expected.    Compaq said it would post sales of $11.2 billion to $11.4 billion, nearly 10 percent below expectations. It forecast that its profit from continuing operations would be 28 to 30 cents a share, below the 36 cents Wall Street had expected. Before Compaq made the announcement, its shares closed at $20.77, up 53 cents. After hours, they fell as low as $19.75. [Page C7.]  

December 13, 2000

Headlines from December 13, 2000

Marbury's Dramatic Flair Floors the Timberwolves

One Office, One Career, One Place, One Person

TRENDS; Layoffs Shrink, But the Losers Say, ''What, Me Worry?''

Mexico Rebuffs U.S. Over Trade Hearing

Part of Drug Battle: Keeping It in Stores

Billboard 200

Black & Blue

1

Now 5

Human Clay

Greatest Hits

Notable Births

Historical Context for December 13, 2000