March 5, 2004

Article on hot tubs, now called spas, some costing more than $250,000, that have become de rigueur symbols of good life in high-end vacation homes; photos (M)

George J Mitchell, former US senator who has little business experience, will need all his negotiating skills to win over disgruntled shareholders in his latest role as chairman of embattled Walt Disney Company; Mitchell says in telephone interview that he has no wish to play corporate strategist, but rather to negotiate among factions of unhappy investors, other board members and Michael Eisner, chief executive who lost chairmanship in wake of resounding no-confidence vote at shareholder meeting; Disney is also target of hostile takeover bid by Comcast Corp; Mitchell says he is not planning to find successor to Eisner, but emphasizes duty to shareholders, not management; appointment does not sit well with many of investors crusading to change management, or with corporate governance experts who say he is too closely allied to Eisner; Mitchell takes umbrage at that suggestion; company stock has languished and Eisner's autocratic style is blamed for exodus of executives and rupture of lucrative partnership with Pixar Animation Studios; Sen Edward Kennedy and other lawmakers say experience as Senate majority has well prepared Mitchell for Disney boardroom; his career noted; photos (M)

Article on cadre of high-end auto mechanics, body craftsmen and upholsterers, highly sought after and often elusive, whose focus is on repairing exotic and classic cars; photos (M)

Clyde Haberman column notes that New York City court spectators have their choice of attending several high profile trials involving alleged corporate misdeeds by wealthy business persons; some experienced trial watchers feel they can relate more to prosaic proceedings at family court than at trials of rich and infamous (M)

New Yorkers complain that city is, yet again, changing rules for recycling of waste materials; city will again require full recycling of glass, plastic, paper and metal starting in April; many are confused as to what is recyclable, while others say they just will not cooperate; photo (M)

Ericsson's auditor, Carl-Eric Bohlin, confirms newspaper report that he quit his job at Oehrlings PricewaterhouseCoopers in November without signing Ericsson's 2003 accounts after prosecutors questioned him on whether Ericsson obstructed tax assessment; accounts were instead signed by Bohlin's assistant Jeanette Skoglund; investigation focuses on more than 2.5 billion kronor ($341 million) Ericsson paid to 33 so-called trading agents in 1998 and 1999 (S)

Michael Dell says he will step down as chief executive of Dell Inc but will remain chairman; president Kevin B Rollins will assume chief executive title and join Dell's board; photo (M)

Linda Greenhouse article The Blackmun Papers, second of two, discusses rupture of lifelong friendship that occurred in years after 1970, when Harry Blackmun joined Chief Justice Warren Burger, his childhood friend from Minnesota, on Supreme Court; Blackmun later recalled his mother's accurate prediction, as two became so estranged that by their last years on Court they barely spoke, and Blackmun, best man at Burgers' wedding, did not attend Elvera Burger's funeral in 1994; Blackmun's voluminous files, now opened by Library of Congress, suggest rift arose from series of grievances, clash of styles and divergence of judicial philosophy; Blackmun's comments in later years depict pompous chief justice trampling on others' perogatives, suggesting that cumulative effect of seemingly petty complaints eroded layers of affection built up since two attended kindergarten together in St Paul; Blackmun, who voted with Burger 87.5 percent of time in first four years, did so only 32.4 percent in chief justice's last four years; photos; graph showing Blackmun's voting record (M)

Ben Brantley reviews Lincoln Center Theater production of King Lear, directed by Jonathan Miller; Christopher Plummer stars; photo (M)

Many academics and analysts who have studied issue of separating roles of chairman and chief executive, such as at Walt Disney Co and Dell Inc, says there is little proof that it makes difference in corporate performance; in cases where it seems to work, no pattern is clear: sometimes chairman is independent but often he is former chief executive; chart (M)

American biotech companies that test new drugs oversease, because studies go faster and patients are easily available, often face ethical quandary of whether they are later obligated to make drug available to patients in poor countries like Russia who took part in studies; Dr Louis G Lange, cardiologist who heads CV Therapeutics, discusses marketing of new angina drug; photo; Carl B Feldbaum of Biotechnology Industry Organization sees increasing dilemma, especially concerning drugs that do not save lives but can vastly improve quality of life, like Lange's Ranolazine; bioethicist Dr Ruth Faden says many physician investigators feel uncomfortable about using patients in studies and then not helping them when trial ends; Richard Leach of company Russian Clinical Trials says trials in Eastern Europe work well because doctors are well-trained, though poorly paid, and patients are eager to take part and comply well (M)

Hundreds demonstrate for same-sex marriages outside City Hall in New York City, while dozens more gay and lesbian couples go inside to seek marriage licenses from City Clerk's office; city issues couples letters stating that same-sex marriages are illegal in state, but does offers them information on domestic partnerships; John Shields, mayor of Nyack, NY, and his partner, Bob Streams, are denied request for license from city clerk in Orangetown; Mayor Jayson West of New Paltz, who has been charged with 19 misdemeanors for solemnizing 25 same-sex marriages, plans to perform 'dozen or two' more over weekend; photos (M)