NOVEMBER 8, 1999 VOL. 154 NO. 18

Milestones
By STEPHEN SHORT

DIED. JOHN CHAFEE, 77, popular U.S. Senator from Rhode Island whose even-handed style during his 23 years in the legislature won respect from Democrats and his fellow Republicans alike; in Bethesda, Maryland. The Marine Corps veteran attended Yale College before completing a Harvard law degree in 1950. Chafee, who served three terms as governor before winning a seat in the Senate in 1976, advocated gun control, abortion rights and an expansion of the health-care system. He voted to acquit Bill Clinton on both articles of impeachment last year.

DIED. MLADEN VUKSANOVIC, 57, Bosnian writer who chronicled the rise of Bosnian Serb ultranationalism; on Cres Island, Croatia. A former television journalist who garnered awards at home and overseas for his documentary films, Vuksanovic maintained a diary during the first 100 days of Radovan Karadzic's rule in Pale, a Serb stronghold. He smuggled it out to Croatia where it was eventually published as Pale, a Diary, April-July 1992.

DIED. PAYNE STEWART, 42, dapper gentleman of golf and devout Christian, in a private-plane crash; in South Dakota. Stewart won his first Major at the USPGA Championship in 1989 and his second at the U.S. Open in 1991. One of golf's characters, he was as famous for his flamboyantly colorful outfits as his playing skills. He finished first at this year's U.S. Open with the longest winning putt in the history of the competition.

DIED. XIE FEI, 66, member of the Chinese Politburo who, as governor of Guangdong from 1991-98, presided over the province's breakneck economic growth; in Guangzhou. After paramount leader Deng Xiaoping's visit to the province in 1992, Xie pushed to develop Guangdong as an economic equal of Hong Kong and Singapore. Though the province developed a seedy side, it's among China's richest.

DECLARED DEAD. LORD LUCAN, 65, flamboyant former British Earl who mysteriously disappeared in 1974; by the High Court of Britain. The decision allows executors of his will to resolve issues related to his estate. It has been alleged that Lord Lucan tried to murder his wife at home in London after a family row but mistook his nanny, Sandra Rivett, for her. The nanny was bludgeoned to death; Lady Lucan was also attacked but escaped. Though police later found his bloodstained car, Lord Lucan never reappeared--though there have been countless unconfirmed "sightings" around the globe.

RESIGNED. ROLANDAS PAKSAS, 43, who served five months as Lithuania's Prime Minister; in Vilnius. Paksas, who trained as a professional stunt pilot, had previously been the city's mayor. His decision to step down follows his controversial objection to plans to sell a controlling share of state-owned oil company Mazeikiai Oil to Williams International of the U.S. Paksas claimed the deal would hurt the national economy. His entire Cabinet quit with him.


Auto Graph

BUGGING OUT: Since the new VW Beetle became the unofficial car of Gen X, designers have taken its lessons to heart. Witness this spate of funky, bubbly, environmentally friendly concept cars at recent trade shows. Honda's Fuya-jo, which means "all-night entertainment district," boasts a turntable-like steering wheel and mixer-like dashboard. Also shown: the Norwegian Think electric car, Nissan's Hypermini EV, which goes up to 160 km on a single battery charge and Honda's fuel-cell prototype FCX. What would Herbie say?