The focus on women actually began before the straw poll when early numbers showed Dole losing by up to eight to one. To consolidate her base, she assiduously courted sororities and businesswomen. She softened her stiffly coiffed hair and took to wearing simpler blouses and suits. Her lopsided appeal won’t be enough to win the nomination. But if George W. Bush, a pro-gun man with a frat-boy air, triumphs, her appeal to women could make her an attractive ticketmate. Besides, says a Dole aide, “to not target women would be like having Jesse Jackson stay out of black churches.”

THE CLINTONSRaising Funds and Lying Low

President Clinton’s first day off last week didn’t sound much like vacation. First he played a windy round of golf on Nantucket, which he later described as “a character builder.” Then he attended a fund-raiser for Hillary’s Senate run, where he took a turn at his new, no less character-building role of First Spouse. “I’m pretty good at flower arranging,” he cracked, before launching into a tribute to his wife. The dinner was the first of six fund-raisers for the First Lady during the Clintons’ two weeks away (brunch on Martha’s Vineyard, two events in the Hamptons and two more in Skaneateles, N.Y.). The president’s official chores look no more entertaining. Aides hope he’ll spend some time revising the latest draft of his book on race relations, or studying up on the budget. No wonder he told reporters on Martha’s Vineyard, “I may just sit out there and read.”

PRIMAKOVFirst in a Crowded Field

When former Russian prime minister Yevgeny Primakov jumped back into politics last week, allied with left-leaning Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, he became the front runner to succeed Boris Yeltsin. With the presidential election a year away, the latest poll showed Primakov leading his nearest rival, Communist Party chief Gennadi Zuyganov, 23 percent to 16 percent. Recently fired prime minister Sergei Stepashin trailed with 8 percent.

PARISDinner a la Dark

Ah, Paris, city of light. But not for patrons at one wildly popular new event. In a sort of performance-art experiment, documentary filmmakers Michel and Philippe Relhac are running a pitch-black eating establishment: no windows, no lights… and blind waiters. Diners find themselves fingering food to identify it (beef? mutton?). And the anonymity spurs quick friendships at the tables. Meanwhile, the waiters serve as constant reminders that some of us live our whole lives in the dark. Drawbacks: much spilling, some food fights and at least one uninvited fondle. But for about $30, most find the evening quite worthwhile. Dark a l’orange, anyone?

VITAL STATSI Prefer My Stars to Be Interactive

This year, for the first time, videogames will outperform the domestic box office of movies. Some selected titles with estimated production costs and gross:

· DEVELOPMENT COST ·DOMESTIC GROSS

Egypt: The Valley of the Golden Mummies

In Egypt’s desert, man’s best friend is a pack animal–especially if you happen to be an archeologist. Three years ago, a guard at the Temple of Alexander was riding near the oasis town of El Bawiti when his donkey’s hoof poked a hole in the desert floor. Peering through, he found a tomb packed with mummies. Today, the site, known as the Valley of the Golden Mummies, is thought to be Egypt’s most extensive ancient burial ground. Some 10,000 mummies, dating from about 300 B.C. to A.D. 300, may lie within almost four square miles. The 104 excavated so far–some brightly gilded, others in decorated gypsum, still others in plain linen–don’t compare in splendor to King Tut. But the middle-class wine merchants of Bahariyya Oasis buried their dead with human touches the Great Pyramids lack: one woman faces her husband, gazing on him through eternity. And what wealth they had is amply displayed, along with a squat, leering statue of Bes, the god of pleasure and the town’s deity. In November, a new museum opens to display five of the new finds.

EXTRAVAGANCEDid We Mention the Cost of a Tuneup?

It woofs a gallon of gas in just eight miles, requires a lesson to drive it and has no trunk. But which feature will the 200 unidentified millionaires vying to buy a Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR (just 25 will be sold) talk about most? Undoubtedly, the purchase price: $1.7 million.

TRANSITIONA Champion Until the End

At 5 feet 5 inches, Kim Perrot wasn’t the tallest player in the WNBA, nor was she the highest scorer. But she became a crowd favorite in helping her Houston Comets to the league’s first two championships, playing fierce defense and directing the Comets’ attack. Perrot is dead of lung cancer at the age of 32.

Hanoch Levin, 56, was “one of the greatest playwrights that Israel has ever had,” according to Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Levin’s controversial writing harshly critiqued life in Israel. He first gained notice for a 1968 work puncturing the bubble of pride Israel felt after the Six Day War, and later lampooned the administration of Golda Meir. Levin kept writing to his final days.

Conventional WisdomSPECIAL NOSE FOR NEWS EDITION

WHILE THOUSANDS DIE IN TURKEY, THE CW OBSESSES OVER UNPROVEN RUMORS OF G. W. BUSH’S LONG-AGO TASTE FOR NOSE CANDY. TRIVIAL–UNLESS YOU’RE IN JAIL IN TEXAS FOR THE SAME THING.

C.W.

Bush - Furious George snorts at press–and offers Clintonian snow jobs. Fess up.

Dole = No traction yet for her or other GOP also-runs. But if W keeps stepping in it…

Media + Old: Cut out that gotcha game. New: Gotcha game is test of presidential timber.

Y2K Bug + Old: Chill out, it’s under control. New: Navy report sez stock up on batteries and water.

Deutch - Former CIA chief kept secrets on home computer. Give him a job at Los Alamos.

Regis = Bad news: Wrongly boots player in big $ TV game. Good: Ratings will go even higher.