NOTEBOOK

By DANIEL EISENBERG, TAM GRAY, ANITA HAMILTON, JANICE HOROWITZ, NADYA LABI, JAMIE MALANOWSKI, MICHELE ORECKLIN AND ALAIN SANDERS

WINNERS & LOSERS

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE...

[WINNERS]

GERRY ADAMS No. 1 Irish Republican makes it to No. 10. We know he can make Page One, but can he make peace?

MARTINIS The heck with moderation. New study shows that even more than one is better than none

SCREAM 2 Hey, it's formulaic, but the formula works at the box office

[& LOSERS]

SARA NETANYAHU And we thought Bibi was tough. Israel's Queen of Mean throws shoes at the servants. Yasser, duck!

MICROSOFT Unbundle that browser, Bill! Judge puts speed bump in Gates' highway to world domination

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD Cheesy, maudlin Xmas special. Please, don't take it out on us

OUT OF THE CLAUS-ET

Once upon a time, the big thrill for young wisenheimers who perched on Santa's lap was to pull off the old guy's fake beard. But these days, according to a new study, 95% of mall Santas are "Natural Santas"--that is, they have their own beard. Other Santa stats:

95%: Have a round belly 225 lbs.: Average weight 56.9: Average age 5 ft. 8 in.: Average height 66%: Attended college or have a graduate degree 8.55: Average years of Santa experience

Source: 1997 General Growth Properties Santa Survey

CANDLE OF MANY COLORS

Yes, Mallory, there is a Leona Helmsley. Thanks to the persistent pleas of nine-year-old New Yorker Mallory Blair Greitzer, the Empire State Building's overseer has agreed to bathe the skyscraper in blue and white on Dec. 23 to mark the first night of Hanukkah. The usual red and green that adorn the spire during the Christmas season will return the next evening.

HEALTH REPORT

THE GOOD NEWS

BOTTOMS UP! Go ahead, raise a glass. The largest study yet on alcohol's effect on health concludes that a drink a day can improve longevity. Those who benefit most: middle-age folks who have had a heart attack or stroke, or are otherwise at risk for heart disease.

SPECIAL DELIVERY A new epidural blocks labor pain without impeding Mom's ability to move her legs or walk. The injection combines a morphine-like drug with a low-dose anesthetic.

YES, YAM! Low-dose estrogen derived from yams and soy may protect women from osteoporosis just as well as today's higher-dose pills (made from horse urine). And it has fewer side effects.

Sources: New England Journal of Medicine (1,2); Archives of Internal Medicine

THE BAD NEWS

SAVE YOUR BREATH Wonder why allergies seem to run in families? Think genes. Doctors have identified a specific genetic mutation that can increase a person's odds of developing allergies a whopping tenfold.

FOWL FLU Several people in Hong Kong have contracted a deadly strain of influenza previously found only in birds. The big concern: it could be passed from person to person--and eventually spread worldwide.

SHAKY DEFIBRILLATORS Warning. Because of a software error, the implantable defibrillator Ventak AV may make the heart race. The device needn't be removed but should be adjusted by a doctor.

Sources: New England Journal of Medicine; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Guidant Corp.

NUMBERS

1: Popularity ranking of Christmas cards in the overall greeting-card industry

85: Percentage of all greeting cards purchased by women

200,000: Number of holiday greeting cards Vice President Al Gore and family are sending this year

170,000: Number of holiday greeting cards Al Gore and family sent last year

$150,000: Amount Democratic National Committee is spending to cover costs of Gore's holiday mailing

$20.7 billion: Estimated amount spent on toys in 1996

53: Percentage of toy sales that are rung up in the fourth quarter

$350: Estimated amount spent per child each year on toys

36: Percentage of international toy revenue represented by the U.S. market

80: Percentage of toys sold in the U.S. that are made abroad

Sources: Office of the Vice President, Greeting Card Association, Toy Manufacturers of America