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NEW YORK - Corporate executives, led by Microsoft Corp. officers, boosted their stock sales in the first half of the year by 68 percent from the comparable period last year, to a record $36.5 billion. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen led the sellers by disposing of $4 billion in shares, as the software maker's shares fell 30 percent this year. Allen, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, and other executives accounted for 12 percent of all insider sales, according to the Washington Service research firm.

DETROIT - General Motors Corp. stock fell 11 percent yesterday after the largest automaker accepted only 25 percent of shares investors sought to swap for those of its Hughes Electronics Corp. subsidiary. The exchange left arbitrageurs with too many GM common shares and too few of its Class H, which tracks the performance of Hughes. Some investors had loaded up on GM shares, which have traded at an average 24 percent discount to Hughes since the offer was announced Feb. 1, with a notion to swap the automaker's shares for those of the electronics company.

CHICAGO -- Scott Erickson's return to the Orioles' rotation may now be measured in days instead of weeks. So, too, is the club's most difficult roster move of the season. Vice president of baseball operations Syd Thrift has begun to press numerous pitching-poor teams about potential trades that might clear a spot for Erickson. Need would appear to create a seller's market. Timing, however, may make Thrift's search for a partner more difficult. "I'll say this: I'd rather be in our position than in these other clubs' position," Thrift said of his 11-7 Orioles before last night's game against the Chicago White Sox. Depending on feedback provided by Erickson and special assistant Bob Schaefer after the pitcher's 6 2/3-inning, three-hit start for Single-A Frederick last night, the Orioles could decide to start Erickson April 30 against the Texas Rangers.

The weather was just about frigid enough to freeze grass, but Chris Chaney of Glen Burnie was on the prowl for a lawn mower bargain yesterday. Hundreds of other people were looking for deep discounts, too -- on everything from tires and tractors to carpet and cabinets. It might seem like an odd combination. But at the Howard County Machinery Auction, almost everything is fair game. The one-day consignment sale -- held every spring and fall at the county fairgrounds in West Friendship -- draws several thousand people, mainly men, who have a hankering for machines, tools, spare parts, building material or a combination thereof.

Montreal coach Tasso Koutsoukos took a timeout right after Blast defender Ronnie Simmons scored a three-point goal midway through the first quarter last night. Koutsoukos probably was looking to stop the Blast's early momentum, and it worked -- temporarily. The Impact shut out the Blast for the rest of the quarter and five minutes of the second period. But the Blast (18-11) then ran off 12 straight points in a 10-minute span, scoring all 17 of the game's first-half points en route to a 20-6 win in front of 7,620 at Baltimore Arena.

Russia is the kind of place where Vladimir Putin can be counted a moderate.Cheer up. Art Modell will unload the Ravens in all probability by 2004.The campaign entered its mature phase when the candidates began arguing about the mode of their argument.Somebody forgot to tell that old warrior Philip Berrigan that the war is over.Merry Christmas.

APPARENTLY, it's not enough for Gov. Parris N. Glendening to make sure the 17-mile Intercounty Connector doesn't get built on his watch.The governor is also trying to dispose of $25 million worth of land set aside for the road -- just to make sure no future chief executive is able reconsider his decision.That's a ridiculous way to conduct the public's business, and the state's other top officials are correct to question the governor's need for such reckless haste.Comptroller William Donald Schaefer and Treasurer Richard N. Dixon -- both members of the Board of Public Works, which must approve any land sale -- already announced they will oppose any sale of the ICC land that comes before the board.

BANGOR, Maine -- Call it the season of rage that put Bangor on the map, and begin with the episode of Englishman Bryan Neal.On a flight out of Orlando in May, the homeward-bound Neal had a few too many drinks, smashed a video screen and began ramming a window, telling fellow passengers they were about to "get sucked out and die." The crew strapped him down and dropped him off in Bangor.Three weeks later came the case of apparent drug smuggler Nicardo Wallvin Blake, who was using the name Shabiyah Negus Davidson.

Faced with an uphill battle to raise new equity and a desire not to take on additional debt, Prime Retail Inc. is turning to another weapon in its quest to raise new capital: its factory outlet centers.The Baltimore-based real estate investment trust announced Thursday that it will sell a stake in three of its projects -- including one in Hagerstown -- to an affiliate of a German company for $274 million.Prime Retail expects that the deal with Estein & Associates USA Ltd. will generate $78 million in cash, plus another $24 million from debt refinancing and other payments from the German concern.

PHILADELPHIA -- Like so many former Orioles, Heathcliff Slocumb is getting the last laugh. But the veteran reliever still can't believe that his career with the Orioles lasted only 8 2/3 innings."