KUP'S COLUMN

The Weekend PicKup: The question today is who has had morecharges dropped, D.C. Mayor Marion S. Barry Jr. or the U. of I.athletic department? . . . The Justice Department could go 0-for-3in major cases. First, was the acquittal of Imelda Marcos. Secondwas its disappointment in the jury's findings in the Barry case. Andin the third biggie, the charges against Panama's Manuel Noriega maybe beefed up with additional allegations because the originalindictment is considered weak.

LEAVE IT TO A 10-YEAR OLD, Penelope Nabokov, to demonstrate thespirit and courage that the entire nation may need if the Iraqisituation drags on too long. (Americans are not known for patience.)

SILLIEST COMMENT OF THE WEEKEND came from L.A. radio host CaseyKasem, who described President Bush's actions against Saddam Hussein,the thief of Baghdad, as "shooting from the hip." And he added, "Whycan't they do it man-to-man? Our president should call Saddam andask him what his intentions are." Saddam made his intentions clearto almost everybody except Kasem by seizing Kuwait, a grab forcontrol of Middle East oil. Kasem should know that. It was in allthe papers.

DID SEARS, ROEBUCK and Co. lay down the law to chairman EdwardBrennan, telling him he has six months to turn around the giantretailer's dipping sales or face an ouster threat? That's whatCrain's Chicago Business reports, but Sears officials are refusingcomment.

IT WAS a sad weekend for Arnie Matanky, publisher of the NearNorth News. One of his dearest friends, Jack Quinlan, entertainmenteditor of the paper for 32 years, died. And his grief was compoundedby all the protests from the artists participating in the Gold CoastArt Fair, Matanky's brainchild. The new location, River North,brought innumerable complaints from the artists, who prefer theoriginal Rush Street site.

BARBARA WALTERS taped Donald Trump the other day for a candiddiscussion of his financial and marital woes. The interview with theDonald airs Friday on "20/20." . . . The current discussion ofheaven and hell prompts the oldie: "There must be a heaven becausethis is hell on earth."

BEST-SELLING author Scott Turow takes no holiday from his lawpractice or his writing. He's at his law office daily while workingon his third book and watching the grosses pile up for the moviebased on his Presumed Innocent. . . . Another lawyer-author isEugene Pavalon, who co-wrote Your Medical Rights. . . . And stillanother, Tom Prisco, left his Chicago Heights law firm for Hollywoodand was signed for three appearances on TV's "Santa Barbara."

MICKEY ROONEY, still a bundle of energy as he approaches 70, hastaken on a new cause, helping animals. (He also has helped sevenex-wives.) Mickey is one of the organizers of Preferred Pets, ahealth-care plan that enables family pets to receive the same healthinsurance protection as humans. Quoth Mickey: "This is a plan tomanage the high cost of veterinary care."

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED recently coughed up $230,750 to satisfy the125 photographers whose 1,846 cover pictures, reduced to postagestamp size, ran in the magazine's 35th anniversary issue.Originally, SI didn't intend to pay for re-running the pictures, butthe Society of Magazine Photographers got into the act, whereupon SIagreed to pay $125 per picture.

FACES AND PLACES: Neil Hartigan "stealing the show" at the BudBilliken parade by having Muhammad Ali and Gale Sayers accompany himin the march and attracting the loudest applause. . . . Actress JoanCusack dining with her parents at the Eccentric. . . . Channel 2'sBill Kurtis analyzing the Iraq situation over dinner at the DixieQue. . . . And at George's, Ron Howard and Billy Baldwin taking alunch break from filming "Backdraft."

THE J. DANIEL O'CONNOR memorial fund hosts a rally tonight atLime Ricky's in Des Plaines. O'Connor, a promising young actor andalumnus of the Academy for the Arts, was slain in March, 1989. Thefunds provide scholarships at the academy. . . . Attorney TomForan's son, John, is leaving ol' dad's law office to join Tom Durkinin a new firm.

BIRTHDAYING: Diana Ditka, Fidel Castro, Buddy Rogers (85), SusanSaint James, Ben Hogan, Judge James Parson, Heather Bilandic, JimSheerin and ADL's Eileen Gold. Anniversary greetings to labor leaderBob Healey and Kathleen. . . . And the closer: Look how athree-letter word, oil, inspires such four-letter responses.