Stars

If you buy what author Greg Polkosnik is selling, then we've been turning to the wrong stars for advice. Polkosnik, the self-proclaimed "world's foremost expert on fashion astrology," says we should take our fashion focus away from the stars in Hollywood and put it on the stars in the cosmos. In his book "Cosmically Chic: Discovering Your Fashion Style Through Astrology" (Andrews McMeel, $12.95), Polkosnik says we "must learn to express an image that is harmonious with the fabric you are made from."

Fashion week in New York is a chance for designers, model divas and dowager queens to take their bows, but the paparazzi and press are just as eager to spot stars in the front row audience.Star-watching is not as easy as it used to be. Stars now dress down and lay back. Take that back -- there are exceptions. Barbra Streisand, girlfriend, shopping buddy and confidante of designer Donna Karan, was expected at DK's show, which was the week's grand finale. The packed tent crackled with excitement and security walkie-talkies.

There's a lot on, but quantity doesn't necessarily mean quality. Among the best bets are two cable offerings: an exciting white-water adventure in HBO's "White Mile," and a surprisingly entertaining "The Cindy Crawford Special" on MTV.* "Fantasies of the Stars." (8 p.m.-9 p.m., WMAR, Channel 2) -- What's the point of a show like this? To most people, being astar is fantasy enough. Going to them and bankrolling their fantasies is just another example of the rich getting richer. My fantasy?

Hollywood and the high seas took the spotlight at "A Night of Stars ... A Ship of Dreams," a party at the Living Classrooms Foundation in Fells Point. The fund-raiser was a benefit for both the foundation and Cure Autism Now.Honorary chair Anthony Edwards, star of the NBC-TV show "E.R.," was on hand, as were many sailors who soon will compete in the America's Cup competition in New Zealand. This evening, however, some of those seafarers landed as models in a fashion show presented, in person, by designer Tommy Hilfiger.

The Ball Up All-Stars, a team of streetball legends that's traveling the country this summer, are undefeated. But during warmups before the tour's Baltimore stop at Coppin State on Sunday night, Demetrius Spencer was perspiring like he was going through the shooting drills. "I'll be honest with you, I'm worried about tonight," Spencer said before tip-off. "[Baltimore] might hand us our first loss. " Spencer wasn't playing. He's the CEO of Ball Up, a new streetball tour geared at "families and sports fans," and he thought his players, who danced out of a cloud of smoke under neon lights during pregame introductions, were in for a real test against Baltimore.

Tonight, the official All-Star teams will be announced. Officially, call this a preview. Unofficially, here's what the All-Star teams should look like if the Chicago White Sox's Ozzie Guillen, Houston Astros' Phil Garner and the players who voted viewed this without emotion. They won't, of course. Not when managers have the chance to reward some of their own guys. That's their right for winning their pennants. But here's a look at who deserves to make it - and it's done by the rules. Thirty-two players from each side are chosen.

Everyone was a star at Maryland Public Television's "Gala '99." As guests arrived at the MPT studios for its 30th anniversary celebration, they were greeted by "paparazzi" (actors posing as photographers and reporters).But the stardom didn't stop there. Some party-goers were interviewed on camera by MPT personality (and event honorary chair) Rhea Feikin, while others had a chance to try anchoring a mock news show, as they toured the MPT facilities.Among the 420 "stars" basking in the spotlight: Carole Sibel and Sharon Nevins, event co-chairs; Rob Shuman, MPT's CEO; Connie Caplan, chair of Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission; Louis Rukeyser, "Wall $treet Week" host; John Waters, Baltimore filmmaker; Frank Burch, chairman of the Piper & Marbury law firm; Cheryl Lockhart, BGE director of corporate contributions; and Earl Arnette, operations director at Arbros Communications.

The first cut has been made, and the final tryout for the Anne Arundel County Sun All-Star baseball team is set for Sunday at Anne Arundel Community College.The team will meet the Oriolelanders in the 12th annual All-Star Game at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8, at Joe Cannon Stadium in Harmans.Baltimore Orioles' scouting supervisor Jim Gilbert will select a team from mid-Atlantic area schools to form the Oriolelanders.In the first 11 years of this sandlot showcase, just under 100 players who have appeared in the game have been drafted or signed by a big-league club.

The Hubble Space Telescope, peering deep into the heart of a distant galaxy, has astonished astronomers by revealing a scattering of dense clusters of young blue stars that appear to be clues to the cataclysmic collisions of galaxies eons ago.Astronomers were surprised by the discovery of such young examples of the celestial structures known as globular clusters, long supposed to be among the oldest features in any galaxy.A globular cluster is a dense spherical collection of stars, as many as 10 million, crowded closer together than anywhere else in a galaxy.

Make that seven in a row for the Maryland Scholastic Association All-Stars.Playing in a wind that shredded inferior umbrellas and sent spectators' hats flying around Homewood Field, the MSA All-Stars controlled the line of scrimmage and their own destiny en route to a 35-6 victory over the Baltimore County All-Stars in yesterday's Greater Baltimore Football Classic at Johns Hopkins University.The 12th annual meeting between Baltimore County's top 45 seniors and those of the soon-to-be-defunct MSA, featured 10 turnovers, including five fumbles and one interception by the winners.