Staff

WASHINGTON - New names appearing next year on the Internet could well end with ".union," ".web" and ".info." But don't look for ".xxx," an online porn district, or ".kids," a safe playground. Yesterday, those names were rejected by the staff of the Internet Corp. for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a nonprofit organization in charge of key areas of Internet administration. The staff recommendations will be weighed by ICANN's 19 board members when they meet next week in Marina del Rey, Calif.

Coach of the YearBill Rumbaugh, North Carroll: When Rumbaugh took over the struggling Panther program in 1993, he told his staff that four years would be an accurate timetable to gauge how much progress has been made. Four years later, with his first group of freshmen now seniors, the Panthers enjoyed a 6-4 season and have a strong nucleus returning to build on. Rumbaugh saw the first glimpses of success on last year's 5-3 JV team, which moved into the varsity ranks this fall. "A winning attitude is an important thing, and it's changing in our program," Rumbaugh said.

WASHINGTON -- President Clinton spent last week declaring his new administration a smashing success, but the president acknowledged in a fit of candor yesterday that his White House operation could use some improvement."

WASHINGTON -- He has been at the center of baseball's swirling steroid controversy. He needs 12 homers to pass Babe Ruth for second on the career list. So why did the House Committee on Government Reform leave Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants off the witness list when it decided to convene a hearing on steroid use next Thursday featuring some of baseball's top sluggers? First, according to committee members and staff, there was a lot of discussion about whether to include Bonds.

A group of about 50 faculty members and students gathered Wednesday to protest the most recent round of staff cuts at Coppin State University. Five people were let go last week, workers said, increasing the total for the year to 25 layoffs and contract nonrenewals, and further straining the university administration's relationship with its staff. "As a faculty member, I find no solace or relief or comfort in seeing staff let go, especially in these perilous economic times," said Ken Morgan, an assistant professor at Coppin.

WHEN Harry S. Truman was president, he presided at the daily staff meetings.His successor, Dwight D. Eisenhower, decided to have a White House chief of staff. And as federal power has become concentrated in the White House, it's become one of the most powerful posts in government.Still, it's a staff job, the primary task of which was once described as "keeping the trash of government away from the president's desk."At the same time, its status is so lofty that the people attracted by its power and authority can easily develop what the late Jack Bell called "red carpet virus" in his 1960 book on the presidency, "The Splendid Misery."

The Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore has set Nov. 1 as its opening date and has begun building a staff to get ready for it. The hotel announced this week that the November date will be a "soft" opening for the $197 million, 256-room luxury hotel in Harbor East. The hotel has begun to hire top managers, starting with general manager Julien Corralero. According to Liliana Baldassari, director of public relations, the hotel has started to book group business, including meetings and weddings, and will announce room rates and begin accepting individual reservations this summer.

Locust House, a subsidized apartment building in Westminster that residents contend has been troubled with maintenance problems, has been sold to a Los Angeles-based company. The 100 units for seniors and disabled residents are owned by Casden Properties Inc. and managed by HAPI Management, both based in California, said Jeff Sussman, a vice president for a Casden subsidiary. Sussman said he could not give details on the transaction or the California owners. But an employee of the new management company said the changes took effect Jan. 1. Previously, Locust was owned by a partnership called Locust House Associates and managed by Humphrey Management, based in Silver Spring.

I remarked yesterday on the consequences of newspapers' eagerness to throw their copy editors over the side and the erosion of quality that inevitably follows. You may have imagined that I exaggerate. So let me show you a particularly painful case.  At The Cincinnati Enquirer ,* the editor, Carolyn Washburn, sent out a memo to the staff in January that included these passages:  Also, it is simply true that there are fewer layers of editing to catch us when we fall.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh confirmed that he spoke to his brother Jim after the San Francisco 49ers outlasted the New Orleans Saints , 36-32, Saturday evening. "We talked last night after the game," John Harbaugh said in his post-game comments. "He was pretty happy. I was happy for him. But I couldn't get quite as happy as he was. He was fired up, and I think he was really proud of his team. I'm proud of him. I'm proud of Jim. I'm proud of his staff over there.