The Backup files; A look back at the week in business.

Byline: Bob Kievra

COLUMN: THE BACKUP FILES

Please hang up and try your call again

3Com Corp. in Marlboro maintains a phone number with a 508 area code but contacting its new CEO will require some extra dialing. The ailing telecommunications company last week replaced CEO Edgar Masri with Robert Mao, who will be based in China. Mr. Mao, 64, is fluent in Mandarin and is a former president of China operations for Nortel Networks. 3Com, which hasn't turned a profit in eight years, said a failed merger plan overseen by Masri had no bearing on the change. The company is still seeking a $66 million breakup fee from Bain Capital Partners, which pulled out of a $2.2 billion merger plan earlier this year.

Ole

Another $2.2 billion deal has had better results. Executives from Madrid-based Mapfre S.A. were in Boston last week to discuss their pending purchase of Webster auto insurer Commerce Group Inc. Regulators questioned whether the global credit crunch would make it hard for Mapfre to finance the deal but executives said Mapfre, Spain's largest insurer, had ample resources to fund the purchase.

Waiting to exhale 

Magician David Blaine wasn't the only one holding his breath last week. Mr. Blaine, during a live TV appearance on "Oprah," set a world record for breath-holding at 17 minutes and 4 seconds, less than two years after a similar attempt sent him into convulsions. In the financial sector, those folks who had predicted the economy had collapsed in the first quarter let out a sigh of relief. While nothing to cheer about, the Commerce Department reported the nation's economy grew at a 0.6 percent rate from January to March, which was better than some had expected. Still, no one is breaking out the champagne. Most experts believe the economy will show negative growth for the current April-to-June period.

Thanks for reading

We're so glad you're spending Sunday with us. No, really we are. If you're reading this through the traditional paper and ink platform, you're part of a shrinking group, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulation, which last week reported top U.S. newspapers posted further declines in circulation. USA Today and The Wall Street Journal eked out gains of 1 percent each, but every other newspaper in the top 20 posted declines. Here at home, there were fewer Telegram & Gazettes landing on doorsteps. Average paid circulation for the T&G fell 3.5 percent to 81,437 Monday through Friday and was down 6.2 percent to 96,553 on Sunday. Those who opt for their T&G over the Web, however, are growing in size. The company reported www.telegram.com had 551,149 unique visitors in March, up 11.4 percent. Page views jumped 30.4 percent to 8.2 million.

ART: PHOTOS