News In Brief

I WON'T BE DOING THAT AGAIN

William Joyce doesn't like to talk about himself much. Either that, or he's saving the best parts of last week's ordeal for his autobiography. As we pick up the story, the jeweler was refusing all comment after emerging from the vault of his store in Cowes on England's Isle of Wight. Four days after accidentally locking himself in ... without anyone else realizing where he was. Joyce survived by nibbling on a pack of crackers that happened to be in his pocket and by repairing a clock while hoping for help to come. It did, after his daughter asked police to search for him.

FIDO, YOUR TABLE IS READY

The way to make big money, it's said, is to provide a service that no one else does. That may explain why the Doggie Diner in Bellingham, Wash., has grossed $10,000 a month since opening in April. The eatery is so popular that reservations are a must. And, yes, the patrons are strictly canine. Says co-owner Taimi Dunn-Gorham: "If a cat comes in, he's on his own."

Corporations where women have broken the glass ceiling

Women in the US have made substantial gains in the workplace. In 1970, about 30 percent of females were employed outside the home. Today, it's about 60 percent. But whereas many of them once served in lower-level positions, according to the Census Bureau women now fill about half of all managerial and professional jobs. But which companies are the best for female executives? Working Woman magazine, which has ranked them for each of the past three years, puts beauty products giant Avon at the top of its list, based on such factors as commitment to advancement and valuing diversity. The magazine's top 10:

1. Avon

2. Charles Schwab

3. Scholastic Corp.

4. Washington Mutual Inc.

5. Hewlett-Packard

6. Aetna

7. Knight Ridder

8. Liz Claiborne

9. WellPoint Health Networks

10. Merck

(c) Copyright 2000. The Christian Science Publishing Society