Tortoise

DES MOINES, Iowa - The last man off the flight from Chicago to Des Moines last weekend was Rep. Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri, arriving alone for the annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner at which he and five other Democratic presidential candidates were to be the featured speakers. As he walked through the terminal, Iowans readily recognized the frequent visitor who won their presidential precinct caucuses in 1988, and a few came over to shake his hand. Shortly afterward, a caravan of 47 buses made its way through Des Moines in a traffic-stopping show of support for the outsider who is seen as Mr. Gephardt's chief rival in the Jan. 19 caucuses, former Gov. Howard Dean of Vermont.

Is the fastest game on two feet stuck in the mud? College lacrosse, particularly at the Division I level, has evolved in the last decade from a furious tango into a deliberate minuet, with almost formalized steps. A stoppage in play brings a horn and substitutions. Team A sends on additional offensive specialists. Team B counters with its long-pole and defensive midfielders. Team A inverts, stationing its midfielders behind the goal, where they attempt to isolate one of the opposition's midfielders.

Swimmer Eric "The Eel" Moussambani of Equatorial Guinea brought the crowd to its feet at the 2000 Olympics by flailing through the preliminaries of the 100-meter freestyle in 1 minute, 52.72 seconds -- more than a minute slower than the world record. Ski jumper Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards of Great Britain earned international adoration with his earthbound performances in Mr. Magoo glasses at the 1988 Olympics. Now, in that fine tradition of overmatched athletes, it's time to make room for Trevor "The Tortoise" Misipeka -- and be careful, the 6-foot-1, 300-pound Misipeka needs plenty of room.

Maryland's unemployment rate fell to 3.3 percent in April from 3.5 percent in March, as total employment set a record for the month, the state said yesterday. The U.S. unemployment rate in April was 4.2 percent, meaning that Maryland's unemployment rate remained nearly a full percentage point below the national average. The U.S. rate was 4.6 percent in March. "The thing about Maryland is that it didn't have the fastest-growing labor market the last few years," said Jeff Petry, an economist who follows the state for Economy.

What's for dinner? Tiny tortoises Tortoises are plant eaters. Egyptian tortoises are one of the smallest species of tortoise in the world. Adult female tortoises grow to be only five and a half inches long. Egyptian tortoises have yellow shells with dark patterns that help them camouflage (hide) in the hot, dry deserts, and woodlands and scrublands of North Africa. They bury their eggs in the sand to hide them from predators.

Say what you want about the Loch Ness monster, but it knows a thing or two about the importance of location, location, location. The majority of the roughly 1,000 documented sightings have occurred amid the creepy ruins of Urquhart Castle. The decaying stone edifice, which looks as if it's been slowly crumbling since it was enlarged in the 16th century, sits atop a promontory on the northern banks of Loch Ness and overlooks its deepest point -- some 800 feet. The surrounding hillsides of the Scottish Highlands, under windy, gray skies, are dark and foreboding even at midday.

For the diminutive Egyptian tortoise, the Reptile House at the Baltimore Zoo may now be a more congenial place than back home on Egypt's Mediterranean coast.Herders, pet traders, farmers and developers have wiped out the species in Egypt, and it is vanishing in Libya and Israel. In this decade it has become the most endangered of the world's turtles, and one of the most endangered animals of any species.But in Baltimore, the zoo crew has turned a closet full of plastic tubs and electric lights into one of the most successful nonprofit Egyptian tortoise nurseries in the world.

Baltimore police issued a citywide lookout yesterday for a brown and yellow leopard tortoise that was stolen late Thursday or early yesterday from a nature center in Leakin Park.The unusual pronouncement was delivered by a police dispatcher in a monotone voice, using typical law enforcement vernacular: "Any officer coming in contact with said tortoise should hold same and notify."Police said someone broke into the city-run Carrie Murray Center and took the tortoise named Sophia, who is given free run of the building.

Tortoise shell is the hot finish for all things fashionable. Harvested from the shells of hawksbill turtles, it has been a prized and costly material for small decorative objects and jewelry since ancient times. However, today's plastics technology makes handsome faux tortoise available to all. Its translucent and variegated gold-to-brown shadings are popularly used for sunglass frames and bangles. This season tortoises show up as shoes, handbags and even printed fabrics. They're a summer natural.

Williamsburg's delft on the Eastern ShoreIf you missed Williamsburg's popular exhibit "British Delft From Colonial Williamsburg," you could catch it on its two-year nationwide tour in Palm Beach or Oklahoma City or Memphis. Or you could travel to the Eastern Shore, where it will be on view Friday through May 4 at the Historical Society of Talbot County, 25 S. Washington St. in Easton.More than 200 pieces of this Chinese-influenced, blue-and-white pottery will be on display. Williamsburg's collection ranks among the best in the world and includes items from the 16th century through the early 19th century.