Big Business

CINCINNATI - The towering platters arrive on the arm of a chatty waitress named Mary Lou. Atop each heap stands a mound of shredded cheese. Underneath the cheddar lurk equally thick strata of chili and, of course, spaghetti. The two burly mechanics who have driven an hour to eat at Camp Washington Chili dive fork-first into their big breakfasts. "This," declares Tom Freudenberg, coming up for air, "is better than scrambled eggs." Day or night, you can get chili all over this region, from mom-and-pop parlors to chains that have sprouted like McDonald's.

As the second year of his administration takes shape, a president who responded so forcefully to a surprise attack on America boasts a dismal record on economic issues ranging from business regulation to his handling of the economy. Consider how hollow and halting the president's inaugural words sound today. "Most of our financial laws are the outgrowth of experience and trial, and should not be amended without investigation and demonstration of the wisdom of the proposed changes," he cautioned.

When Chism, a 35-year-old African gray parrot, got excited while perched in a cage at Sea Breeze Pet Center in Timonium, it would mimic a sound rarely heard from a bird. It would meow. But now Chism is missing. Someone stole the meowing parrot and tens of thousands of dollars' worth of other exotic pets from the store in the 1700 block of York Road on May 4. A week earlier, thieves took snakes, turtles and other reptiles from Afishionado in the 6100 block of Kenwood Ave. in Rosedale. Baltimore County police have few leads and no suspects in either case, but animal-rights activists said the burglaries are part of a troubling trend fueled by a surging demand for animals such as lizards, snakes, turtles, tropical birds and other non-native species that people want to keep as pets.

ABOUT once a week during March Madness, the thought strikes: The young men and women performing so splendidly in the NCAA basketball tournament are amateur student-athletes temporarily on leave from classes at their home colleges and universities. It struck again yesterday as I skimmed the annual intercollegiate athletics report of the schools in the University System of Maryland. Prepared for the governing Board of Regents, the report provides a wealth of information about all of the USM teams, but particularly about the one we'll be watching this weekend in Syracuse.

WASHINGTON -- Millions of dollars invested. Teams of elite scientists. An international trade agreement. Media coverage that money couldn't buy. The enterprise is pandas, giant pandas, and now, giant panda sex. The National Zoo's female panda is 3 1/2 , nearing what some believe to be reproductive age. So talk about a new panda generation has begun, although it is by no means certain that the pandas are listening. The pandas, Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) and Tian Tian (tee-YEN), are huge in Washington.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Look at it this way: The good news is there's at least one thing about which George W. Bush is consistent. He does not believe in doing anything to hurt big business. He especially doesn't believe in letting anyone sue business. He is opposed to a patients' bill of rights for that reason. He tried to keep the lawyers who won a $17 billion case for the state of Texas from getting their fees for that reason. And tort reform, which is another way of saying you can't sue corporations that injure or kill you or your family, is a burning passion with him. So it should come as no surprise that the federal government has decided to settle its case against the tobacco companies.

CORNING, N.Y. - People here have seen their future - and a lot of them don't like it one bit. That seems to be the most sensible conclusion to draw from the rather baffling and very bitter battle that is splintering this pretty, prosperous city of 11,000 just south of the Finger Lakes. The fight is ostensibly over a simple issue: Whether to build a big new high school and refit the two existing high schools for younger students. Corning Inc., the area's biggest employer, is pushing the plan, which it says is crucial to its efforts to attract high-tech workers.

MARANA, Ariz. - Stars flicker high above the Sonoran Desert on a winter night. The tangy whiff of a mesquite campfire hangs in the frigid air. In the distance, a lone coyote calls and from the foothills comes an answering yip. Huddled together, Clif and Betty Santa prepare for another night camping out. After cleaning the microwave, turning off the TV and shifting the clothes from the washer to the dryer, Betty steps out of the 39-foot Newmar Diesel RV...

Barbara McWilliams and Sandy Hartzell, owners of a Glen Burnie-based company specializing in gift baskets and balloon decor, have been named Citizens of the Year by the Northern County Chamber of Commerce in recognition of their participation in community affairs. The award was among the business and civic honors announced Saturday at a chamber event at La Fontaine Bleu. In addition to serving on the chamber's board and executive committee, McWilliams and Hartzell, owners of Magic Moment Creations, were recognized for their roles in Arundel Habitat for Humanity, as sponsors of charitable causes and for helping to organize the annual Linthicum Community Fair.