November 3, 2002

Anemona Hartocollis Coping column on Laura Siegel, Spence and Vassar-educated daughter of Manhattan professionals who is giving up working-class life as Brooklyn woodworker and turning Siegel Arts into design business; drawing (M)

World of hip-hop remains fascinated by threats and insults, and feuds between rival rappers serve as provocative marketing tool for $1.6 billion industry; rivalries may intensify in effort to lift album sales, which are even more depressed than music industry as whole; hopes for rebound are pinned on four heavily promoted CD's by Ja Rule, Missy Elliott, Jay-Z and Eminem; photos (M)

Article on shoplifting trial of actress Winona Ryder in Beverly Hills, Calif; notes onetime Columbia Pictures studio chief Peter Guber is on jury; photos (M)

Mentor-disciple relationship between John Muhammad and Lee Malvo, men accused of killing 10 people and wounding 3 during three-week shooting spree in Washington, DC, area, had its roots in Antigua two years ago, but was forged in western Washington State, where Malvo told his mother that he had chosen new parent figure; Muhammad instructed Malvo on what to eat, when to speak and allegedly on how to shoot; was such dominant figure in younger man's life that he would not even let Malvo win game of chess; photos; map (L)

Notre Dame, rated No. 1 in college football by the New York Times computer, lost by 14-7 to Boston College, ending its hopes for an undefeated season. Three other teams lost for the first time: Georgia, Virginia Tech and North Carolina State. That pared the list of teams in contention for the national title game, with only Miami, Oklahoma and Ohio State left unbeaten among the elite teams. Article, SportsSunday.

THERE is no doubt that Bernard J. Ebbers, the founder and former chairman of WorldCom, was a top client for Citigroup and that his care and feeding were Job 1 at the firm. Between heaping his plate with almost one million shares of hot stock offerings and raising billions of dollars from investors to fund his business, Citigroup worked to keep Mr. Ebbers happy. But a document that came to light recently indicates a relationship between Mr. Ebbers and Citigroup in one deal that is closer than previously known. The document, uncovered by the counsel to H. Carl McCall, the New York state comptroller, Democratic candidate for governor and the court-appointed lead plaintiff in a class-action suit against WorldCom, is a January 2001 filing with the Tennessee secretary of state by Joshua Timberlands, a company controlled by Mr. Ebbers. It shows Travelers Insurance, a Citigroup unit, as an equity owner in the company alongside Mr. Ebbers.

Behind the Wheel column reviews Volkswagen Passat W8 with its powerful eight-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive; photos; features and prices of four versions; photos (M)

Bill Finley The Day in College Football column discusses Bowl Championship Series standing, which saw three of top six teams losing to pare down contenders for national title; photo (M)

For four months, Linnette Garcia and her five young children lived with scores of other homeless families in a shelter in Brooklyn. The Garcias are among tens of thousands of poor New Yorkers helped by The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund, which is marking its 90th anniversary. Article, Page 39.

New York Jets prepare to face San Diego Chargers, as San Diego hopes for seventh victory in eight games; photo (M)

Automobile companies have dropped some models in 2003, or replaced them with models that carry different names; listing of once-popular models that have been discontinued with thumbnail sketch of each; photos (M)

New Jersey Transit's addition of rapid direct service to Manhattan is helping to increase housing prices in towns on rail line and spurring commercial development near trains stations; new apartment-style housing projects are under way in several towns; towns are also including cultural facilities in their renewal plans; effects of new service are most apparent in towns such as South Orange, Maplewood and Morristown; map; photos (M)