Haman

In one week, a four-man surgical team, including a father and son from Baltimore, restored the sight of more than 100 men, women and children in Guyana who had been blinded by cataracts.The mission involved poignant, 13-hour work days in a poverty-stricken country in South America that won't soon be forgotten, say Dr. Leeds E. Katzen, Mercy Medical Center's chief of ophthalmology.His son, Dr. Brett Katzen, in his final year of ophthalmology residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center, was also part of the team of volunteers.

JERUSALEM - At sunset in the Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Har Nov, the ground-floor synagogue at the Yehaveh Da'at yeshiva hums with men murmuring prayers. An elderly bearded rabbi enters, and the sound becomes a chant. He's wearing a black turban, black-and-gold robe and rose-colored glasses. The room falls silent as he sits at the lectern and begins lecturing in conversational Hebrew to the young yeshiva boys seated or sprawled at the front. The older men sit in rapt attention. Meet Ovadia Yosef, age 80, possibly the second-most powerful man in Israel though he holds no public office.

That1Guy The lowdown -- Mike Silverman's moniker, That1Guy, gives a great indication of what this musician is all about. Silverman is a one-man show with only one standout instrument - the Magic Pipe, a steel pipe molded to resemble the outline of a harp. Catch his show at the 8x10 tomorrow night. If you go -- The show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10. The venue is at 8-10 E. Cross St. Call 410-625-2000 or go to the8x10.com. Songs, laughs The lowdown -- As a comedic singer and songwriter whose 10-year career was initially inspired by This Is Spinal Tap, Stephen Lynch still has plenty to offer.

Appeal planned of ruling that firing was illegal Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration plans to appeal a judge's ruling that the firing of a midlevel Maryland Department of Transportation employee was illegal, a spokesman for the department said yesterday. "We are taking the appropriate steps to have the ruling reviewed," said Jack Cahalan, the department spokesman, who declined to comment in detail because it is a personnel matter. Last week, an administrative law judge ruled that the manner of Greg Maddalone's firing was "unconstitutional."

Purim CarnivalCome celebrate the deliverance of the Persian Jewish community at Howard County's 7th Annual Community Purim Carnival this Sunday. With games, refreshments, prizes, crafts and entertainment, the carnival offers something for the whole family. Young children will have the opportunity to show off their favorite Purim characters in the carnival's annual Parade of Costumes, and older kids will enjoy the Moonbounce and speed-pitch baseball. Headlining the day's entertainment will be Elaine Hercenberg, preforming her songs of Queen Esther, Mordecai and Haman.

Patricia M. Zimmerman, 55, bookkeeper and secretaryPatricia M. Zimmerman, a former Baltimore bookkeeper and secretary, died Thursday of cancer at a relative's home in Arnold. She was 55.A Baltimore native, the former Patricia Mahrer graduated from the old Seton High School about 1960 and was a secretary for the Baltimore Police Department. She was later a secretary for Farm Credit Bank and a bookkeeper for the Asphalt Service Co. from 1983 until last year, when she moved to Ocala, Fla. She returned to Arnold last month to live with her niece, Laurie Ferguson.

Where tourists and revelers today flock to the Baltimore waterfront, a grim trade in human beings once flourished. Ralph Clayton has spent much of the last 25 years poring over faded documents, trying to bring its lost history to light. He can tell you how slave trader Austin Woolfolk marched slaves in chains down Pratt Street to ships moored in Fells Point, passing the very buildings that now house trendy bars. Woolfolk moved at night to reduce interference from the slaves' despairing relatives, who would never see their family members after they departed for the auction blocks of New Orleans.

Hamantaschen, triangle-shaped, fruit-filled cookies, are traditionally served for Purim. Shaped like the three-cornered hat worn by Haman, they fulfill the holiday's admonition to mock the prime minister whose plot to murder the Jews of ancient Persia was foiled at the last minute.Traditionally, they have been considered treats to share with friends and family as "shalach monos," (small gift packages of food) and also part of the attempt to use up all the flour in time for Passover, four weeks later.

And a good time was had by all.The nine partners of Circled Horse Racing Stable, accompanied by smiling relatives and friends, celebrated yesterday in the winner's circle at Laurel Park after Manage a Buck defeated two of Maryland's top sprinters in the Northern Wolf Stakes, a six-furlong sprint worth $53,400."

Ferndale United Methodist Church is sponsoring Hosanna Day on Sunday. Activities include Sunday school and adult Bible study at 9:15 a.m.and a worship service at 10:30 a.m.After the service, worshiperswill eat lunch and enjoy several activities. An Easter egg hunt willbe held for the children.* Tomorrow, the United Methodist Women will prepare and serve theLenten luncheon at Holy Trinity Church at noon. The cost is $2.Pastor Susan Ducheaneau will be the speaker. UMW President Fay Deli requests that you call her at 766-9220 if you can help with the luncheon.