Dick Tracy

A chill gray day under lowering skies and I left home without my cell phone and didn't go back for it - thought, "Naw, I'll just use a pay phone if necessary" - and felt awfully lost without it for the next 24 hours. The problem with pay phones is that you have to stand still. A man gets accustomed to striding off the plane and without breaking stride dialing up the C.O. and reaching her in five seconds flat and giving his location and ETA and then, as time permits, phoning around to others in his unit.

A chill gray day under lowering skies and I left home without my cell phone and didn't go back for it - thought, "Naw, I'll just use a pay phone if necessary" - and felt awfully lost without it for the next 24 hours. The problem with pay phones is that you have to stand still. A man gets accustomed to striding off the plane and without breaking stride dialing up the C.O. and reaching her in five seconds flat and giving his location and ETA and then, as time permits, phoning around to others in his unit.

The nominees for the 63rd annual Academy Awards:PICTURE: "Awakenings," "Dances With Wolves," "Ghost," "Th Godfather, Part III," "GoodFellas."ACTOR: Kevin Costner, "Dances With Wolves"; Robert De Niro "Awakenings"; Gerard Depardieu, "Cyrano de Bergerac"; Richard Harris, "The Field"; Jeremy Irons, "Reversal of Fortune."ACTRESS: Kathy Bates, "Misery"; Anjelica Huston, "Th Grifters"; Julia Roberts, "Pretty Woman"; Meryl Streep, "Postcards From the Edge"; Joanne Woodward, "Mr. & Mrs. Bridge."SUPPORTING ACTOR: Bruce Davison, "Longtime Companion"; Andy Garcia, "The Godfather, Part III"; Graham Greene, "Dances With Wolves"; Al Pacino, "Dick Tracy'" Joe Pesci, "GoodFellas."

Typewriters are gradually being replaced by computers. Some collectors are now searching for old and rare examples that explain the history and evolution of the typewriter.The first successful production typewriter was made in 1874 by the E. Remington & Sons Co. of Ilion, N.Y. There had been more than 100 other writing machines invented by that time. Most of them were patented, and a few were sold in small numbers.Christopher Latham Sholes, Carlos Glidden and Samuel Soule made the machine in the 1860s.

STAMFORD, Conn. -- A national toy-store chain has pulled Disney's "Steve the Tramp" doll from its shelves after a dozen homeless people and their advocates picketed outside a mall here last week.The group gathered at the Stamford Town Center to protest the sale of the toy because they said that it degraded the homeless."Steve the Tramp" is a "Dick Tracy action figure" whose package describes him as an "ignorant bum . . . dirty and scarred from a life on the streets. You'll smell him before you see him."

Critic Lou Cedrone picked five winners in the 10 categories of the annual You vs. Lou contest. For the tie-breaker, the length of the Oscar telecast was 3 hours, 29 minutes and 20 seconds, according to television critic Michael Hill. Here are the winners in the top categories. Other winners are listed on Page C5PICTURE: "Dances With Wolves," Kevin Costner and Jim Wilson, producers.ACTOR: Jeremy Irons, "Reversal of Fortune."ACTRESS: Kathy Bates, "Misery."SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Whoopi Goldberg, "Ghost."

Typewriters are gradually being replaced by computers. Some collectors are now searching for old and rare examples that explain the history and evolution of the typewriter.The first successful production typewriter was made in 1874 by the E. Remington & Sons Co. of Ilion, N.Y. There had been more than 100 other writing machines invented by that time. Most of them were patented, and a few were sold in small numbers.Christopher Latham Sholes, Carlos Glidden and Samuel Soule made the machine in the 1860s.

Petite women advised against strayingStaying stylish is often more a question of proportion than cash outlay. How many bracelets is too much? Are tiny pearl earrings enough? Should the skirt come up half an inch?Proportion is particularly important to women who wear a petite size. But the dears sometimes cannot resist a bargain and stray into other departments to pick up a markdown special that idles in the closet waiting for sleeves to be shortened.Laurie Van Brundt, vice president of merchandising for Petite Sophisticates says shopping in the right size group makes more sense because petite clothes are cut for a short figure and will fit better in the shoulder, waist and torso.

San Jose, California. -- Dick Tracy's wife is suing for divorce. Yes, after 45 years of marriage (and 18 years of courtship), Tess is sick of the hatchet-nosed detective's long hours, and ready to start a new life.vTC What's next? Will Robin file a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against his ''guardian,'' Batman, for sexual abuse, seduction, negligence? (And what about Rex Morgan's sexual orientation? He's been dating his nurse, June Gale, for at least 30 years, without so much as a good-night kiss.

HOLLYWOOD -- For Your Consideration, Best Supporting Actress: Patrika Darbo!Who?Darbo easily qualifies -- so far -- as the most obscure performer trying to generate support for an Academy Award nomination.The determined actress is paying for a series of trade paper ads out of her own pocket, plugging her supporting work as Beau Bridges' put-upon wife in MGM's little-seen "Daddy's Dyin' . . . Who's Got the Will?"Her initial ad -- a full, black-and-white page in Daily Variety costing $2,250 -- includes favorable critic's blurbs from the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Daily News, North Texas Daily and Lubbock (Texas)

San Jose, California. -- Dick Tracy's wife is suing for divorce. Yes, after 45 years of marriage (and 18 years of courtship), Tess is sick of the hatchet-nosed detective's long hours, and ready to start a new life.vTC What's next? Will Robin file a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against his ''guardian,'' Batman, for sexual abuse, seduction, negligence? (And what about Rex Morgan's sexual orientation? He's been dating his nurse, June Gale, for at least 30 years, without so much as a good-night kiss.

When the New York-based avant-garde design firm Dialogica presented its Diva sofa at Milan's yearly Salone del Mobilefurniture exposition two years ago, its shapely tufted form wasn't nearly as provocative as the color of its cotton velvet skin: the kind of magenta that almost requires sunglasses to temper the brightness. Shown in a setting mixing various intensities of magenta and orange, the designers attracted the attention they sought by making a major color statement.But this high-watt hue was no fluke.

Petite women advised against strayingStaying stylish is often more a question of proportion than cash outlay. How many bracelets is too much? Are tiny pearl earrings enough? Should the skirt come up half an inch?Proportion is particularly important to women who wear a petite size. But the dears sometimes cannot resist a bargain and stray into other departments to pick up a markdown special that idles in the closet waiting for sleeves to be shortened.Laurie Van Brundt, vice president of merchandising for Petite Sophisticates says shopping in the right size group makes more sense because petite clothes are cut for a short figure and will fit better in the shoulder, waist and torso.

ROCKETEER'' doesn't take off until it is 30 minutes along, but when it does, it zooms, offering a good time.Based on the comic book series authored by Dale Stevens, which first appeared in 1981, the new film takes place in 1938 when the world was on the brink of war.The government is experimenting with a rocket pack that will allow a man to fly, so long as he is wearing fire resistant pants. This device is used in one of the Sean Connery-James Bond movies, and before that, ''Buck Rogers'' used it as his principal form of travel, but ''Rocketeer'' makes it all seem new and most amusing.

Critic Lou Cedrone picked five winners in the 10 categories of the annual You vs. Lou contest. For the tie-breaker, the length of the Oscar telecast was 3 hours, 29 minutes and 20 seconds, according to television critic Michael Hill. Here are the winners in the top categories. Other winners are listed on Page C5PICTURE: "Dances With Wolves," Kevin Costner and Jim Wilson, producers.ACTOR: Jeremy Irons, "Reversal of Fortune."ACTRESS: Kathy Bates, "Misery."SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Whoopi Goldberg, "Ghost."

Q: I have a washbowl and matching pitcher in what looks like the blue willow pattern, but it is marked "Buffalo Pottery," with a picture of a buffalo. Please tell me what you can about this set.A: John Larkin and Elbert Hubbard founded this pottery in 1901. Blue Willow ware was one of the patterns made about 1910. By 1920, the company was producing nothing but hotel china.A toilet set such as you describe would probably sell for $265 to $285 in good condition.Q: Will you please tell me if you think I got a good deal on a coverlet that was described as "single weave, two-piece Jacquard"?

Q: I have a washbowl and matching pitcher in what looks like the blue willow pattern, but it is marked "Buffalo Pottery," with a picture of a buffalo. Please tell me what you can about this set.A: John Larkin and Elbert Hubbard founded this pottery in 1901. Blue Willow ware was one of the patterns made about 1910. By 1920, the company was producing nothing but hotel china.A toilet set such as you describe would probably sell for $265 to $285 in good condition.Q: Will you please tell me if you think I got a good deal on a coverlet that was described as "single weave, two-piece Jacquard"?

** Air America--Mel Gibson and Robert Downey, Jr., are pilots for the airline the CIA maintained during the war in Viet Nam. The characters are initially irritating, and so is the film, but the second half is exciting. Violence, language. Rating: PG-13.*** Arachnophobia--Deadly spiders terrorize a small town in this scare/comedy film that is much better than most of this genre. Jeff Daniels is the new doctor in town, a man who is terrified of spiders. Violence, language. Rating: PG-13.*** Betsy's Wedding--Alan Alda wrote, directed and stars in this very warm and amusing comedy about a man who wants to give his daughter a big wedding, one he cannot afford.

The nominees for the 63rd annual Academy Awards:PICTURE: "Awakenings," "Dances With Wolves," "Ghost," "Th Godfather, Part III," "GoodFellas."ACTOR: Kevin Costner, "Dances With Wolves"; Robert De Niro "Awakenings"; Gerard Depardieu, "Cyrano de Bergerac"; Richard Harris, "The Field"; Jeremy Irons, "Reversal of Fortune."ACTRESS: Kathy Bates, "Misery"; Anjelica Huston, "Th Grifters"; Julia Roberts, "Pretty Woman"; Meryl Streep, "Postcards From the Edge"; Joanne Woodward, "Mr. & Mrs. Bridge."SUPPORTING ACTOR: Bruce Davison, "Longtime Companion"; Andy Garcia, "The Godfather, Part III"; Graham Greene, "Dances With Wolves"; Al Pacino, "Dick Tracy'" Joe Pesci, "GoodFellas."

HOLLYWOOD -- For Your Consideration, Best Supporting Actress: Patrika Darbo!Who?Darbo easily qualifies -- so far -- as the most obscure performer trying to generate support for an Academy Award nomination.The determined actress is paying for a series of trade paper ads out of her own pocket, plugging her supporting work as Beau Bridges' put-upon wife in MGM's little-seen "Daddy's Dyin' . . . Who's Got the Will?"Her initial ad -- a full, black-and-white page in Daily Variety costing $2,250 -- includes favorable critic's blurbs from the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Daily News, North Texas Daily and Lubbock (Texas)