October 17, 2004

Presidential race is close enough in number of key states that human error, technical foul-ups and legal challenges could delay results for days or weeks, in unwelcome replay of 2000 election; questions about legitimacy of Bush presidency and fairness of 2000 election have never died; scholars say that if either candidate wins without leading popular vote, as George W Bush did in 2000, there could be serious calls to abolish Electoral College; drawing; photos (M)

Anemona Hartocollis Coping column on Sarem Teng, 45-year-old impoverished Cambodian refugee living in University Heights section of Bronx, and Catherine Filloux, whose play, Eyes of the Heart, is about psychosomatic blindness among Cambodian refugee women in California; drawing (M)

Jacqueline S Gold article recounts story of Egidio's Pastry Shop, mom-and-pop Italian pastry shop that has stood on same block of East 187th Street near Arthur Avenue in Bronx since 1912; focuses on behind-the-scenes drama involving shop founders Pasquale and Carmela Egidio, their daughter, Antonetta (Annie) Sciarra and shop's subsequent owners, Gerry Egidio, David Palazzo, Paolo Palombo and his wife, Carmela Lucciola, who gained shop in divorce settlement; photos (L)

Amaani Lyle, former writers' assistant on NBC series Friends, has filed sexual harassment suit against Warner Brothers Television, Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions and writers Adam Chase, Gregory S Malins and Andrew Reich; Lyle contends that while doing her job, which was to record anything any of writers said, she was subjected to her bosses' dirty, personal and just plain weird banter, so much so that it constituted sexual harassment; Warner Brothers says writers talked about sex because show is about sex; Lyle's lawyers contend Warner Brother is exaggerating show's sexual content; case has attracted particular interest, partly because it involves dirty talk and hit sitcom, but also because it touches on sensitive issues of gender and race; Lyle is African American; her original complaint included charges of racial discrimination; California Supreme Court is expected to issue ruling in 2005; photos (L)

Hispanic Vote in Florida Isn't a Bloc or a Lock A huge influx of Puerto Ricans, Mexicans and other Latin Americans has diluted the political clout of Cubans in Florida, reducing Republican strength there. ''The message for both parties is, these people can go either way, and you've got to work it,'' says the director of a group that registers Hispanic voters. PAGE 18 The Series Resumes, But It's No Contest Alex Rodriguez, below, hit a home run to lead off the third inning at Fenway Park. The Yankees crushed the Red Sox, 19-8, to take a three-games-to-none lead in the American League Championship Series. SPORTSSUNDAY