noob inquiry

So, I’m sure I’m missing the point on this, but what I need to do is have several versions of the loop on a single page. Basically, when I’m done, i’d like the user to be able to determine where on the site an item (a post, be it text or a link to a movie or an embedded movie or whatever) appears by adding to a given category.

The problem is that after reading the page on using multiple loops, and looking into the template, when i add the second loop to my side bar, the whole thing disappears!

my page is up at https://www.mallikadutt.com.php5-1.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/

here’s my PHP:

<? // LEFT SIDEBAR ?>
<style type="text/css">
<!--
.style1 {color: #CCCCCC}
-->
</style>
<div id="leftsidebar">

 <?php if ( function_exists('dynamic_sidebar') && dynamic_sidebar(1) ) : else : ?>

  <h3 class="style1">recommended</h3>

  <h3 class="style1">featured</h3>

  <?php global $more;$more = 0; ?>
  <?php $breaking_cat = "3";$breaking_num = "3";$latest_num = "4";$latest_ignore = "-1";?>
  <?php query_posts('showposts='.$breaking_num.'&cat='.$breaking_cat.'');
      while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
  <div class="featured">

    <h2><a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>" title="<?php the_title(); ?>">
      <?php the_title(); ?>
      </a></h2>
  </div>
  <!--/featured-->
  <?php endwhile; ?>
  <?php endif; ?>
  </ul>
</div>

<? // END LEFT SIDEBAR ?>
<? // RIGHT SIDEBAR ?>
<div id="rightsidebar">

  <ul>
    <?php if ( function_exists('dynamic_sidebar') && dynamic_sidebar(2) ) : else : ?>
    <div id="whitebar"></div>
    <?php endif; ?>
  </ul>
</div>
<div id="rightsidebar2">
  <p1><img src="/wp-content/themes/mallikadutt/images/mail.jpg" width="24" height="17" />
    <h1>Sign up for email updates</h1>
  </p1>
  <p2><img src="/wp-content/themes/mallikadutt/images/rss.jpg" width="23" height="23" />
    <h2>Subscribe to blog (RSS)</h2>
  </p2>
</div>
<? // END RIGHT SIDEBAR ?>

when i copy that loop into the abaove “recommended” area, the whole sidebar disappears.

Does anyone see what I’m doing wrong?