Notebook

By Melissa August, Val Castronovo, Matthew Cooper, Daren Fonda, Benjamin Nugent, Julie Rawe, Hope Reeves, Alain L. Sanders and Josh Tyrangiel

WINNERS & LOSERS

[WINNERS]

DONNA DEES-THOMASES Million Mom March founder gets perfect, puffy press for protest. John McCain advising you?

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL Lakers giant slam-dunks MVP balloting. Now for a better movie role than Kazaam

RALPH NADER Green prez cand. gets more coverage, polls show strength in West. Gore should buckle up

[& LOSERS]

JOHN TRAVOLTA Critics pan Battlefield Earth, your L. Ron Hubbard flick. And that outfit! You look like a Cats extra

BRUCE BABBITT You didn't start the fire, but your Interior Dept. did. Los Alamos blaze turning into your Waco

EDWIN EDWARDS Les bon temps roulez ex Gov. nailed for extortion. Can you get good gumbo in the pen?