March 21, 2004

Walter Hood, professor of landscape architecture at University of California at Berkeley, is rejuvenating dispossessed neighborhoods of Oakland, Calif, taking forgotten streets, plazas, playgrounds and parks and turning them into jaunty new urban places that resonate with their pasts; says his landscapes are about 'connecting the dots': understanding deep history of a place, observing it over time, and listening to community needs; photos (M)

RealNetworks is showing quick instincts of survivor in face of Microsoft's dominance in market for digital media players and advent of Apple Computer's iTunes music store, which allows a la carte downloading of songs and now overshadows RealNetworks' Rhapsody subscription service as stellar brand in digital music; its losses are declining sharply, and it expects to return to profitability in second half of 2004; growth of its consumer services have made it less dependent on software and thus less susceptible to being run over by Microsoft; analysts are divided on whether future of digital music lies with subscription service or downloading; graph shows that while iTunes leads in digital music downloading, Rhapsody leads in streaming; photos (L)

New York Mets outfielder Roger Cedeno hopes fans will appreciate his efforts and boo him less this season; photos (M)

Interview with Farnsworth Bentley (Derek Watkins) on his efforts to leverage his former job as valet and personal assistant to P Diddy (Sean Combs), including his well-publicized role as umbrella holder, into hip-hop music fame, using umbrella as trademark; photos (M)

More than 7,000 Pakistani troops battle 400 to 500 Islamic militants in tribal area outside Wana near border with Afghanistan, but military officials are backing away from earlier conclusion that fierceness of fighting must mean that Al Qaeda's No. 2 leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, is in area; sheer number of militants involved in fighting would suggest that they are able to live there because they have significant, if passive, local support; government's efforts to win over tribal peoples are hindered by their deep suspicion of any kind of outsiders and gulf between tribal areas and rest of Pakistan; photo; maps (M)

Anemona Hartocollis Coping column profiles dancer Ray Aramis Rae, one of many New York performers who get work by answering casting notices for open auditions; drawing (M)

Developers Nathan Berman and Ronny Bruckner plan to convert three downtown Manhattan office buildings totally or partly to apartments; conversion has already begun on building at 63 Wall Street, which will have 476 rental apartments (S)

Chen Shui-bian is declared to have won second term as president of Taiwan by razor-thin margin over Lien Chan, leader of Nationalist Party, but Lien calls for voiding of election, citing ballot irregularities, and suggests that Chen may have staged 11th-hour assassination attempt to get votes; top aides to Chen contend that assassination attempt was real and that there is no evidence of fraud in vote and no need for recount sought by opposition; Chen, whom Chinese officials have repeatedly accused of being willing to risk war to achieve greater independence for Taiwan, urges Beijing to respect election and cooperate with him; photo of demonstration by Lien's supporters (M)

DivorceSource, Margery Rubin's one-woman firm, offers what she calls nonlegal counseling on practical issues of divorce; impetus to start firm came from experience of ending her own 22-year marrage to prominent divorce lawyer; photo (M)

Chart shows NCAA tournament Round of 32 results,

Listings have dwindled in upscale environs of Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights, bringing prices and buyer frustrations to boil; more balanced market has prevailed over last year in other New York City boroughs and suburbs, with inventory warming or cooling from community to community and prices rising; analysts and participants say New York region's real estate market has continued to simmer over all; price gains in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut from 2002 fourth quarter to 2003 fourth quarter exceeded national gain of 8 percent; inventory and price graphs; photos (M)

Nevada University defeats Gonzaga University, 91-72, to advance to NCAA tournament Round of 16; photos (M)