Sheer

On August 6, 2003, SONIA SHEER (nee Pachino); beloved wife of the late Samuel Sheer; loving mother of Harolyn Askin, of Baltimore, and Rhona Gleiman, of Colesville, MD, and the late Bernice Markowitz; loving mother-in-law of Alvin Askin, Ed Gleiman, and Danny Markowitz; adored grandmother of Michael Askin, Randee Askin, Abby Bullard, Jeffrey Markowitz, Michelle Markowitz, Bruce Markowitz, Seth Gleiman, and Rachel Gleiman; adored great-grandmother of...

Dan Rodricks ' commentary "'Illegals' and the next economy" (May 15) is the epitome of hypocrisy. If his son or daughter, despite being stellar students, were rejected from college because of a lack of openings, as it happened to two of my friends' children, the tone of his commentary would have been different. If it touched Mr. Rodricks directly, he'd have a huge problem explaining his stand to his own children. What could be more biased than appealing to the touching drama of "Dr. Q" and what he has been able to do for himself?

Many women may be reluctant to wear them, but sheer clothes show no signs of fading away.Sheerness abounds in the resort and holiday duds coming into )) stores now and was rife on the runways for spring.But not to worry.There are many ways to wear see-through fashions without offending modesty -- or catching a chill.Under sheer black dresses and tunics, Joan Kaner, the fashion director of Neiman Marcus, wears a black spandex exercise unitard that provides coverage but looks sleek.As an alternative, she suggests a flesh-colored bodysuit in an opaque satiny jersey.

It shimmers and glistens by day, reflecting the sun's brilliant rays. When night falls, beams of moonlight illuminate its crystal-like walls. The landmark 'Glass House' overlooking the Magothy River in Anne Arundel County is an architectural gem that literally sparkles. More than two decades after its construction, the house at 435 Ginn Lane in Pasadena has not lost its luster. But it has lost its owner, Leroy Merritt, the late developer, philanthropist and founder of the Merritt chain of athletic clubs.

Makeup artist Sonia Kashuk delivers lots of versatility for a minimal investment with her line of cosmetics, called Professional Makeup. Designed to complement the dewy-fresh spring fashion palette, the collection consists of three clutter-busting "must-haves," (so designated by Kashuk). And combined, they cost about $30. Lip Palette Compacts are super-slender and have eight different shades of color, all sheer, with a lip balm included for extra shine ($15). Waterproof Enlighten Eye Cream (in shimmery shades of ice, topaz, steel and copper; $6)

Calling the proposal to cap property taxes "sheer foolishness," an opposition group is waging a counterattack by urging voters to just say no.Representatives of Fairness for All County Taxpayers argued their case before a dozen Pasadena residents Thursday night. They said that limiting property taxes would cripple county capabilities ranging from road maintenance to hiring more teachers to handling the school enrollment upswing."The word has to be passed that it's foolishness," said Ingvard "Ed" Bach, owner of a Pasadena dry-cleaning business, who strongly objects to capping the tax rate.

The student: A. Michael Sheer, 17 School: Atholton High School Special achievement: Michael is the only Atholton High School student to be recognized as a National Merit semifinalist. Favorite subject: Drama Academic plans: He wants to attend the University of Maryland, College Park and major in animal science. How he describes himself: Humorous, random, multitalented Hobbies: He enjoys acting and volunteering at the National Aquarium in Baltimore and at animal hospitals. How receiving this honor will affect his future: "It's a wonderful thing to get and will help me get into the field of animal science."

I'm young, tall and skinny and know the long transparent dresses the designers did for summer are just for me. I want to buy one to wear to my cousin's engagement party, but both my boyfriend and my father are flatly against it. They say it is too bare, that I will be uncomfortable and so will they. What do I wear with a dress so it won't reveal too much?You can do one of two things: Wear something under the dress or something over it.New York designer Anna Sui, who did some of the most romantic sheer dresses this season, suggests wearing a pale slip, full or knee length, under it."

New releases of video cassettes; reviews by New York Times critics:"Cyrano de Bergerac." 1990. Orion. $89.98. 2 hours, 18 minutes. French with English subtitles. No rating.A touch of cosmetic prosthesis adds just enough to Gerard Depardieu's own generous nose to make it the object of ridicule and swordplay in Edmond Rostand's romantic verse drama.Smitten by Roxanne (Anne Brochet), Cyrano acts as a go-between for her and his none-too-articulate cohort, Christian (Vincent Perez). Jean-Paul Rappenau's film is a physically elaborate period spectacle, and Mr. Depardieu's performance is a "disciplined whirlwind of conflicting emotions that finds surprising new life in a theatrical antique" (Vincent Canby)

One of the burning fashion issues of the season -- as in burning up -- is: Should I wear pantyhose?For some women, that makes about as much sense as asking: Should I swathe my legs in Saran Wrap and do aerobics in a sauna?"

From the opening electronic tickertape messages, relaying birthday greetings and instructions on audience behavior, to the deliriously multisensory finale, the Blue Man Group show at the Hippodrome Theatre packs a wallop. It's a big, loud, funny, silly, visually arresting production. There's no point in trying to classify what these performers, with their trademark blue faces and bald, earless heads, do onstage for the better part of 90 minutes. It's much easier to go with the flow — and duck down in your seat when those guys start roaming the aisles.

Amtrak trains had empty seats. Cab drivers at Baltimore's Penn Station were standing around wondering where everyone was. Traffic on local highways chugged along for much of the day. And through midafternoon, the lines never seemed more than 20-deep at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The lost-baggage offices were nearly empty, and the Starbucks had two more workers than customers. Yesterday was an oddly drama-free day for many travelers, who had braced for a wild, woolly Thanksgiving rush but found themselves ahead of schedule and far less harried than they expected.

As a senior at the Baltimore School for the Arts, Christian Siriano had to come up with a course of study - complete with a final project - that would take him through the entire school year. Always one to buck trends, the Annapolis native picked fashion design as his topic, despite the fact that the school did not and never has offered it as a field of study. On TV Project Runway's fourth season premieres at 10 p.m. tomorrow on Bravo. Online See photos of the contestants from Season 4 of Project Runway at baltimoresun.

Overloaded by paperwork, testing, and the sheer numbers of kids before them, teachers lack the wherewithal to help disabled, difficult and disruptive students - especially those who come to school with problems rooted more in the world around them than in anything inside them. They must, for sheer self-preservation, move those kids out of their classrooms. Off they go into special ed, and, not infrequently, that's just the beginning of a long journey through program after program in school after school.

There's more buzz about pop star Britney Spears, and this time it's about a buzz of her own making -- a buzz cut, that is. Britney's gone bald. At a Los Angeles salon this past weekend, the singer apparently decided to shave off her locks, causing many observers to debate the state of her mental health. Some have called the spontaneous shearing a cry for help. Others say the move might indicate the onset of a nervous breakdown. Then there are those who say the sudden baldness might be positive for Spears -- a step toward redefining herself and taking control of her seemingly unstable life.

Between the pattern-making and technical talk at Virginia Commonwealth University, assistant professor of fashion design Holly Alford often finds herself using a television reality show as a serious teaching tool. Bravo's hit series Project Runway, which begins its third season tonight, gives Alford's students the truest glimpse into the world of fashion design, she says, more than any textbook ever could. On TV The Emmy-nominated reality series Project Runway will launch its third season tonight at 10 on Bravo.

In the 1850s, suffragists advocated the end of the restrictive corset. In the late 1960s, the bra became a symbol of female bondage, and went up in flames.Then came the 1990s, and Madonna rekindled the issue when she churned across stage in her Jean-Paul Gaultier bustier, defying anyone to see the bra as a symbol of oppression.Today, while some may still call for the overthrow of a lingerie dress-code, designer Donna Karan -- who is launching a line of intimate wear in the fall -- says the renewed popularity of intimate fashion "allows a woman to be free to be a woman."

The administration position is that movies should be censored in this country for violence, but must be shown without impediment in France.Don, in his goodness, would build the Redskins a stadium in Camden Yards with our money. Jack Kent Cooke will build it in Laurel at his own expense, out of sheer wickedness.

Like other thirtysomethings navigating their careers today, Jason Erkes is no stranger to job volatility. Early in his career, his television-producing job was eliminated. Then he dabbled in a few small entrepreneurial ventures. Today, Erkes, 38, is president of Sport & Social Clubs Inc., a Chicago company that runs events for upscale singles 21 to 35 in Chicago, San Francisco, Orlando, Fla., and Philadelphia. Erkes and a partner took over the business in 2001 when it was near bankruptcy.

Television took viewers on a remarkable journey early yesterday -- not just to Rome for the funeral of Pope John Paul II, but into an elevated, spiritual space rarely visited by the overly commercial, often crass and always noisy medium of network and cable news. Standing in St. Peter's Square right after the Mass and clearly still feeling the intense emotion that radiated through those around him, NBC correspondent Keith Miller described the mood by saying, "At least, for the hours of the Mass, it felt like this was the center of the universe."