Gartner

NEW YORK -- The Hartford Whalers don't have the skill to compete with a talented team such as the New York Rangers.So the Whalers tried to use muscle. It didn't work Monday night.The Rangers scored four goals in the second period -- three on consecutive Whalers penalties -- for a 6-2 victory in their home opener before 18,200 at Madison Square Garden.Including a brawl at the end of the second period, the teams combined for 217 penalty minutes. The Whalers had 125, a team record.But the only record that matters for the Whalers is 0-4. It is the second-worst start in team history.

WE ARE PAYING more and more protection money on our financial lives. Identity theft, phishing scams, viruses and worms are turning the convenience of online personal finance into a jungle of security fears. Direct costs to banks and credit companies of computer scams like phishing and identity theft - costs that ultimately flow to consumers - have mounted to more than $1.2 billion, according to research firm Gartner Inc. Sales of scanning software for virus protection and other personal computer security products continue to build, especially after major security breaches in recent months.

The "Scud Stud" fired his own missile at NBC News Monday.Dashing Rome-based correspondent Arthur Kent, suspended indefinitely without pay Aug. 12 for refusing an assignment in Croatia, stood outside NBC's New York headquarters Monday morning, leafletting colleagues with a diatribe against the network.In the handout, Mr. Kent accused NBC News boss Michael Gartner of churning out "naked lies" about him on management's "publicity machine." NBC's statements, Kent wrote, are evidence of management's "incivility, brute stupidity and unworthiness to command."

BOSTON -- New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur started last night's NHL All-Star Game in the East goal, and even though he has a Stanley Cup ring to his credit, the first-time all-star was just a little worried."

The girl next door is back, and ambitious Eve is gone.Those characterizations -- popular perceptions of Katie Couric and Deborah Norville, respectively -- are part of what's behind NBC's announcement yesterday that the former is replacing the latter as co-anchor of "Today."NBC News President Michael Gartner said the change was made to accommodate Norville, who had asked for a year off to spend with her newborn son, Karl Nikolai."Being a new mother away from the spotlight has allowed me to see clearly what I want to do: Give my son the best possible start in life and practice good journalism," the 33-year-old Norville said in a statement released yesterday.

Los Angeles -- Who would have thought three months ago, in the wake of the "Dateline" debacle, that Tom Brokaw and NBC News President Andrew Lack would be crowing about ratings?* Ratings for "Dateline" are now higher than they were before the rigged test-crash of a GM truck was exposed in March. The newsmagazine show now wins its time period almost every week.* "Today" is back in a tie for first place with ABC's "Good Morning America" after running second for more than a year.* And "The NBC Nightly News With Tom Brokaw" has moved ahead of CBS since the network paired Dan Rather and Connie Chung.

Two Brunswick Normandy bowlers went to the semifinals of the Miller High-Life $250,000 Championship tournament this weekend at Fair Lanes Kings Point.Gary Clark shot 54 pins over his average and David Gartner was 77 pins over his average to qualify for the Maryland Regional Finals.Gartner started bowling three to four years ago and last year he averaged 172. This year, that average has improved to the 180s.He bowls in four leagues, all at the Normandy center. On Tuesday it's the McDonald League, Wednesday he bowls in the morning and the evening, Fridays it's the BG&E league.

Gartner "Lou" Miller, a four-decade Fort McHenry volunteer and unofficial ambassador for local tourism, died Tuesday of a respiratory ailment at Howard County General Hospital. He was 71 and lived in the Lansdowne section of Baltimore County. Described as one of the fort's quintessential characters, Mr. Miller logged long hours there, routinely offering suggestions to travelers where to get a good, inexpensive meal. He told tourists of Eastern Shore restaurants he liked and spots not to be missed in Baltimore's old neighborhoods.

WASHINGTON - The Washington Capitals had hoped to simply keep their momentum for the playoffs that begin this week and escape this game with the Pittsburgh Penguins without injury. Instead, the Capitals gave themselves a wonderful injection of confidence, fighting back from a two-goal deficit and winning with a three-goal outburst with 1:32 to go for a 5-3 victory last night. Peter Bondra, who had two goals last night, set a franchise record for career points with 790, breaking Mike Gartner's record set from 1979 to 1989.