Notebook: Dec. 27, 1999

RECAP '99 THE YEAR IN ELEPHANTS AND GOD'S PEOPLE

God's People

Pope's visit to Mexico is sponsored by Frito-Lay, which issues chip packets with J.P.II's head

Playwright Terence McNally gets death threats over gay Jesus in Corpus Christi

Kevin Smith's movie Dogma opens to Catholic protest

Elephants

International ban on ivory trade is lifted

The USDA charges Beatty-Cole circus with elephant abuse

Thai elephant steps on land mine; survives, gets artificial foot

[Both]

Exhibition with painting of Virgin Mary decorated with elephant dung causes uproar

G.O.P. candidates Bush, Bauer, Keyes invoke Jesus in a campaign debate

RECAP '99 THE YEAR IN RAPPERS AND WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE

Rappers

Ol' Dirty Bastard pulled over for driving erratically

Ol' Dirty bastard arrested for driving with a suspended license and possessing crack

Sean ("Puffy") Combs charged with attacking a record executive

Women of a certain age

Titanic acress Gloria Stewart reveals her devotion to masturbation

Diana Ross detained at a London airport

Martha Stewart Takes her company public

[Both]

Rosa Parks tries to prevent Outkast from using her name in a song

Rapper Eminem sued by his mother for defamation

RECAP '99 THE YEAR IN MOGULS BEHAVING BADLY AND LITTLE PEOPLE

Little people

New Austin Powers movie makes a star of Mini-Me actor Verne Toyer

Gary Coleman fined for allegedly punching an autograph seeker in the eye

Cuban boy founf floating in ocean causes international uproar

Moguls behaving badly

Sumner Redstone's wife files for divorce as he is alleged to be having an affair

Justice Dept. rules Bill Gates' Microsoft Corp is a monopoly

[Both]

During a custody battle, billionaire Ron Perelman claims he can feed his daughter Caleigh on $3 a day

Michael Eisner says he may have called Jeffrey Katzenberg a "little midget"