Difoti, acronym for digital imaging fiber optic transillumination, is dental probe that passes light through teeth and picks up cavities or other irregularities, giving better, more complete view of patients' mouths for more accurate diagnosis than traditional X-ray or visual exam; soft tissue laser is another new tool in dental arsenal used in treating gum disease; other innovations noted; photos (M)

Say Ahhh (and Watch the Monitor)

Bertelsmann AG reports 10 percent decline in sales and 91 percent drop in net income in first half of year; Bertelsmann Music Group reports operating losses of 117 million euros ($126 million) in first half, nearly triple its losses in period last year; chief executive Gunter Thielen remains confident company's music unit will regain its footing in coming years; photos (M)

Bertelsmann Encounters Some Turbulence

San Miguel Corp, one of Asia's largest food-and-beverage companies, will invest $700 million in China and other Asia-Pacific countries; plans to build plants in Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand and invest more in existing breweries in Australia, China, Indonesia and Vietnam (S)

World Business Briefing | Asia: Philippines: Food Company To Expand

Neil Strauss Pop Life column on eclectic mix of musicians and groups performing at Unlimited Sunshine Tour stops in Atlanta and Los Angeles; acts included power-rock band Cheap Trick, country, gospel and bluegrass singer Charlie Louvin, 90's slow-groove rock band Cake, garage-rock cover band Detroit Cobras and punk-band Hackensaw Boys; photos (M)

Eclectic Mix of Bands, And Likewise of Fans

Toshiba Corp will introduce flat-panel television on global basis, rather than just in Japan, to tap into stronger markets overseas; graph (S)

World Business Briefing | Asia: Japan: Toshiba Strategy

French-Belgian oil and chemicals group Total plans to expand its gas exploration operations and increase production amid continued high gas prices; estimates that by 2007, exploration and production will account for 60 percent of capital employed, compared with 48 percent last year (S)

World Business Briefing | Europe: Expanding Gas Production

Communities near Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos in Connecticut are highlighting issues of roads and environment in their effort to rally public opinion against casinos' expansion; realize that trying to regulate what takes place on Mashantucket Pequot Reservation itself is near futile; photo (M)

Gambling Foes Try to Curb Growth of Connecticut's 2 Casino Giants

Toyota Motor outsold Chrysler in August, first time one of Detroit's Big Three has fallen to fourth place; Toyota's accomplishment caps hottest month of year thus far for industry, though overall sales dropped about 1 percent from August 2002; foreign car makers broke sales records in month, but General Motors' sales were virtually unchanged from August 2002, Chrysler fell 6 percent and sales at Ford Motor dropped 13 percent from last year; Detroit companies' share of market fell to 57.9 percent, lowest level since 1981 and fourth time this year that Big Three's market share has fallen below 60 percent; Toyota sold 200,482 vehicles in month, up 11.4 percent from year ago and best month in its history; Chrysler sold 190,388 vehicles; graph (M)

With a Torrid Month, Toyota Moves Ahead of Chrysler in Sales

Bank of Canada lowers its main interest rate for second time in less than two months but signals that with economic recovery on horizon, cut might be last for some time; drops overnight lending rate from 3 percent to 2.75 percent (M)

Canada Gets Second Cut In Key Rate This Summer

French utility Suez is expected to announce it is selling Ondeo Nalco, its water treatment and environmental service business, to alliance of private equity investors for about $4 billion; Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, Blackstone Group and Apollo Management are expected to buy unit, with each buyer taking equal share (M)

Suez Is Expected to Sell Off Its Water Treatment Division

David Pogue State of the Art column reviews Samsung's DuoCam SCD5000, single device that is both camera and camcorder; drawing; photo (M)

2 Cameras Seek Bliss As a Couple

Plans to combine drug benefit managers Caremark Rx and AdvancePCS raises concerns on Wall Street about price of deal; some critics see problem of possible narrowing of competition; $5.6 billion deal values Advance at $54.61 per share, representing 37 percent premium on Sept 2 closing price (Market Place column) (M)

Market Place; Merger of Drug-Buying Companies Has Some Doubting Purchase Price

Article on 'artfully disheveled' assortment of odd furnishings and found objects in old house in Cherry Valley, New York, where Barbara Pershyn-Davis lives with her three children; photos (M)

Crumbled To Perfection

New York State Atty Gen Eliot L Spitzer says his office has uncovered widespread illegal trading by hedge funds and mutual fund companies; Spitzer, in announcing settlement with Edward J Stern and his hedge fund Canary Capital Partners, says it is just first step in broad-based probe of how mutual fund companies conduct their trading operations; accuses fund companies of favoring short-term interests of institutional clients over individuals who invest for long term; Stern and Canary Capital Partners agree to pay $40 million in fines and restitution to settle New York State case without admitting wrongdoing; Spitzer contends Canary entered into quid pro quo agreement with Bank of America's fund business that allowed Canary to buy and sell fund shares after market closed and then trade them next day for substantial profit; state and federal securities law prohibit investors to buy or sell mutual fund shares--at that day's price--after market has closed and then profit by trading them next day; Bank of America's funds allegedly received hundreds of millions in investments from Stern as well as commissions; Spitzer says other mutual funds engaged in similar practices with Canary; photo (M)

Big Fine Over Trader's Mutual-Fund Moves

Thailand says it might allow overseas investors to buy local bonds and abolish 15 percent withholding tax on interest paid to bondholders, in bid to increase trading in bonds and persuade Asian naitons to buy more of one another's debt (S)

World Business Briefing | Asia: Thailand: Tax Repeal Considered

Sprawling developments in American suburbs, once viewed as relaxing alternative to urban life, are also often totally car-dependent, lacking even sidewalks, and contributing mightily to national problem of obesity among adults and children; Dr Richard J Jackson says environmental-impact statements on new subdivisions should also consider impact on human health; programs to encourage walking in some communities noted; photos (M)

As Suburbs Grow, So Do Waistlines

Andy Roddick defeats Xavier Malisse to advance to quarterfinals of US Open; photos (M)

Roddick Advances Between Raindrops

Gov George E Pataki names first 16 members of commission to find ways to provide sound, basic education to every child in New York City's public schools and offer recommendations to pay for them; names Frank G Zarb as chairman, Mayor Michael R Bloomberg, who was not consulted over appointments, says commission does not satisfy order by state's highest court that state must come up with adequate plan to provide schoolchildren in city with meaningful, rather than eighth-grade, education; photo (L)

Pataki Names Panel to Study School Aid

Washington Redskins coach Steve Spurrier is focusing on defense this season in hopes of righting last seaon's 7-9 record earned as first-year NFL coach; photo (M)

Spurrier Is Learning That Less Can Be More

Article on debate over whether to preserve two twisted, rusted metal piers on 62nd and 63rd Streets along Hudson River; New York City Parks and Recreation Comr Adrian Benepe reverses himself and says it would be extremely difficult to keep piers once next phase of construction of Riverside Park South begins; architects view piers as continuing experiments in structural deformation; photos (M)

Pierwise, One Person's Wreck Is Another's Art

China worries about its overheating economy, particulalry in sectors that involve investments in new buildings and equipment; China's central bank has expressed growing alarm that reckless bank lending may be causing unsustainable boom that could end badly; Chinese banks issued more new loans in first seven months of this year than in all of last year; central bank is stuck halfway between Communism and capitalism, with curiously little power to stop runaway lending that is fueling rapid growth in capital investment; scale of investment will allow factories to increase output so much that prices for products may fall, making it less likely that projects will earn enough for borrowers to repay banks; because government owns China's banking industry, most of costs of reckless lending are ultimately borne by taxpayers; photo (M)

A Heated Chinese Economy Piles Up Debt

Sen John Whitmire's surprise defection from defiant band of Texas Democratic state senators holed up in New Mexico might allow Gov Rick Perry quorum he needs to push through hotly disputed Republican redistricting plan; Whitmire, asked why he has returned to Houston, says he is pursuing different strategy; his colleagues are said to be incensed; Perry has staked much of his prestige on redrawing state's 32 Congressional districts; if he calls highly unusual third special legislative session, Whitmire could be required to attend or be arrested and dragooned into chamber; he says he still strongly opposes redistricting but that he is prepared to carry fight to floor of State Senate; says fleeing to New Mexico was smart move, but that Perry's threat to keep calling special sessions left Democrats in New Mexico without 'exit strategy'; photo (M)

In Texas Fight, One Democrat Finally Blinks

Pennant races in National League Central and American League Central are tight, with current leaders ahead by as little as half a game, making last weeks of regular season particularly exciting; photos (M)

Pennant Races, With the Works, to Go

Federal appeals court issues surprise order that prevents Federal Communications Commission from enacting new rules that would make it easier for nation's largest media conglomerates to add new markets and areas of business; decision is sharp setback for FCC Chmn Michael K Powell, architect of new rules who has emphasized that commission is compelled to rewrite old regulations because of string of federal court decisions in cases brought in Washington by media companies; appeals court ruling also raises tough questions for FCC and its industry supporters about their efforts to reshape regulatory landscape; both House and Senate have begun process to repeal one new rule that would permit largest television networks to buy enough stations to reach 45 percent of nation's viewers, up from 35 percent; court decision also blocks rule that would permit same company to own newspapers and broadcast stations in same city and another that would allow company to own as many as three television stations and eight radio stations in same market (M)

U.S. COURT BLOCKS PLAN TO EASE RULE ON MEDIA OWNERS

Bank of Japan governor Toshihiko Fukui, seeking to halt sharp rise in long-term interest rates and yen, says central bank will maintain its extremely easy monetary policy even if economy improves; repeats central bank's promise not to raise rates until stability in consumer prices has been achieved; photo (M)

Bank of Japan Chief Vows to Continue Easy Policy

Lola Violeta Ana-Maria Bobesco was a Belgian violinist of Romanian origin.

Lola Bobesco, Romanian-Belgian violinist and educator (born 1921)

Lola_Bobesco

Tibor Varga was a Hungarian violinist, conductor, and music teacher who developed pedagogic methods for teaching string music. He was a founding member of the string department in the Musikhochschule Detmold.

September 4, 2003

Headlines from September 4, 2003

Say Ahhh (and Watch the Monitor)

Bertelsmann Encounters Some Turbulence

World Business Briefing | Asia: Philippines: Food Company To Expand

Eclectic Mix of Bands, And Likewise of Fans

World Business Briefing | Asia: Japan: Toshiba Strategy

Billboard 200

The Neptunes Present... Clones

Greatest Hits Volume II And Some Other Stuff

Bow Wow: Unleashed

Trap Muzik

Bad Boys II

Notable Deaths

Historical Context for September 4, 2003