June 29, 2004

Air Transportation Stabilization Board denies United Airlines goverment loan package for third time, and airline will not get fourth chance; United faces daunting task of emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection without federal aid it was counting on; is expected to turn to its workers for new cuts in jobs, wages and benefits on scale nearing $2.5 billion each year that they have already accepted since airline filed bankruptcy in 2002; problems facing chief executive Glenn F Tilton detailed; chart; photos (M)

Archaeologist Dr Albert C Goodyear of University of South Carolina leads research on possible pre-Clovis site on Clariant Corporation land near Barnwell, South Carolina; chert pit filled with flint shavings, presumably left by toolmakers, is being analyzed along with charcoal pieces from possible fire pit to try and determine date of site and use; only site in Monte Verde, Chile, is widely considered pre-Clovis, although other possible sites of earlier American man have been unearthed; Goodyear and his team hold that artifacts from South Carolina site could be 20,000 to 30,000 years old; acknowledge that it will take many years for scientists to agree on impact and validity of find; photos; map (L)

Wildlife Conservation Society and Laos Forestry Department set up camera in Nam Et Phou Louey National Protected Area and unexpectedly capture images of 30 species of wildlife including tigers; photo (S)

This wonderfully vibrant entertainment — surely one of the best comic-book movies ever — reminds us that being a superhero is not all fun and games. The first hour is a Pop Art chronicle of suffering and indignity, as poor Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) struggles with the loneliness and frustration of being an anonymous urban crime fighter. His powers are waning, he has lost the respect of the woman he loves, and even Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) seems a little disappointed in him. Meanwhile, a new supervillain, the tragic and terrifying Doc Ock (Mr. Molina), rampages through New York on mechanical arms with minds of their own. There is plenty of noise and color, and some so-so special effects, but the real thrill comes from Sam Raimi's devotion to his hero's complex, conflicted emotional life, and to the melancholy, grown-up love story that develops between Peter and MJ (Kirsten Dunst), who comes into her own as a strong and decisive character, while still fulfilling the traditional comic-book girlfriend duties of screaming, getting kidnapped and being rescued. — A. O. Scott

kleino