February 13, 2003

Bruce Weber reviews Classical Theater of Harlem production of Jean Genet's play The Blacks: A Clown Show, directed by Christopher McElroen; photos (M)

Article, in light of denial of parade permit for protest march in New York City against war in Iraq, examines marches as potent political force in United States history; draws comparison to stationary demonstrations, which, scholars say, do not carry same impact; photo (M)

New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority selects plan proposed by mall developer Mills Corp and office developer Mack Cali Realty Corp for project called Meadowlands Xanadu to replace Continental Airlines Arena; decision ends contentious selection process that began in Sept 2002 and heated up in recent weeks as two leading finalists waged publicity war; details of deal will be negotiated within next two to three months and project could be completed within six years; plan is to turn area into family destination featuring sports, entertainment, shopping, lodging and offices; specifics of proposal discussed; drawing (M)

Article recounts story of Arthur and Nan Kellam, who, in 1949, moved to Placentia Island, Me, and lived there alone without modern convenience of any kind for 35 years; book Alone Together by David Graham sheds some light on them, although they guarded their privacy zealously; photos (M)

Ecuadoran roses, new status flower in United States because of their beauty and size, are produced using pesticides, fungicides and fumigants that are sickening poor workers who toil in fields; roses help generate $240 million a year and tens of thousands of jobs in once-impoverished region of country; doctors and scientists say serious health problems have resulted for many of industry's 50,000 workers, more than 70 percent of them women; researchers say their work is hampered by lack of access to flower farms because of reluctant growers; studies that International Labor Orgn published in 1999 and Catholic Univ issued in Ecuador in 2002 show that women in industry have more miscarriages than average and that more than 60 percent of all workers suffer headaches, nausea, blurred vision or fatigue; St Valentine's Day is biggest rose event in United States, which is Ecuador's biggest trading partner; photos (L)