* WINNER: The country and job seekers - because the economy created 259,000 new jobs last month, a larger-than-expected gain.

LOSERS: The country - because, under the thinking that currently prevails at the Federal Reserve Board, the big job gain makes it more likely the Fed will hike short-term interest rates again soon. How strange.* WINNER: The movement to get more and more telephones equipped with Caller Identification. It got a big boost this week after police in Naugatuck, Conn., were able to arrest two burglary suspects because they called to see if anyone was home - a common practice among burglars - not realizing that Caller ID was recording their number.

LOSERS: Some 1.6 million American grade-school youngsters. That's how many are left home alone each week between the time school lets out and a parent returns. In fact, their numbers may be even larger than the Census Bureau was able to count.

LOSERS: Minority workers hired by the federal government. They are being fired at a rate almost three times that of white workers. Why such a disparity? Is it because of racial prejudice? Or because quotas requiring the hiring of some people without adequate work qualifications? Or are some other factors involved? Washington clearly has some explaining to do.

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LOSERS: Americans - because there evidently aren't enough heroes to go around. That's the word from a new survey which found that only half of those polled have personal heroes - which the study defined as anyone with admirable courage other than family members or biblical figures. What a shame. Young people in particular need role models. But even mature adults can become cynical if they really believe there's a serious shortage of good examples.

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