June 21, 2004

Los Angeles Dodgers defeat New York Yankees, 5-4; photo (M)

Younger men who take erectile dysfunction pills as party drugs have turned pills into form of currency in certain circles, including gays and some college students (special section, Men's Health) (M)

Coca-Cola Co is erecting huge and, it says, unique new sign in New York's Times Square; unveiling is set for July 1; company is upgrading its sign for first time in 13 years; history of Coke's Times Square advertising, which began with first electrified billboard in 1923, noted; photos (M)

New accounting standards will require state and local governments to acknowledge full cost of health benefits promised to retirees, putting pressure on public employers to reduce their liabilities by scaling back benefits or shifting more of cost to retirees; public employees predict that rules, developed by independent, nonprofit Governmental Accounting Standards Board, combined with soaring cost of health care, will speed erosion of health insurance in public sector, as happened at many private companies decade ago; rules apply to all state and local governments; under current practice, most public employers do not report such costs until they pay for promised benefits, often many years after employees have retired; experts on employee benefits say new standards would encourage state and local officials to set aside money in trust funds for purpose of providing health benefits to retirees; cost of such contributions would be new, immediate expense for state and local governments already struggling with severe financial problems (M)

Now that three drugs are competing for erectile dysfunction sales, the companies that make them are out to convince 30 million American men that they need these pills. Not everyone is buying the idea. Meanwhile, casual use is increasing among men young enough to be Bob Dole's grandson. SECTION F