1 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 30, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 022

LENGTH: 137 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Free and fair voting in Iraq

BODY:
American and Iraqi officials could assert all they wanted that the Dec. 15 parliamentary elections in Iraq were fair. But until the United Nations said it, the naysaying was inevitable. And even WITH the U.N. endorsement, which came this week, there were howls of protest from religious Sunnis fearful that their power will be diminished in the new government. 
But the elections were ``transparent and credible,'' according to Craig Jenness, who conducted the review on behalf of the U.N. There were complaints of irregularities, yes, but only one for every 7,000 courageous Iraqis who cast a ballot. ``We at the U.N. see no justification for a rerun of the election,'' Jenness said. The Sunnis should put aside their demands for a ``do-over,'' and focus on building a government in which they are fully and fairly represented.

LOAD-DATE: December 30, 2005

2 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 30, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. e19

LENGTH: 452 words

HEADLINE: Movies; 
 These gems will rock your world

BYLINE: By CHELSEA BAIN

BODY:
It's almost 2006 - have you resolved to see better films next year? Beantown makes it easy to keep that promise.
Tip your hats to the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival (Jan. 19-28); three local venues will celebrate the power of the human spirit. 
The Museum of Fine Arts kicks off the event with ``Sisters in Law,'' a film from Cameroon by Kim Longinotto and Florence Ayisi. In a small Muslim village, two African women - one a state prosecutor, the other a court president - rally to fight injustice against their gender. Witty and resilient, the powerhouse figures represent a small voice overcoming obstacles of epic proportions.
Don't forget to hop on over to Brookline, where the Coolidge Corner Theatre will be holding a special screening of ``Mardi Gras: Made in China'' on Jan. 23. Tracing the trail of those ever-mirthful beads found in New Orleans every year, the film flips back and forth between the factory in China where the baubles are made to the revelers using them to party on Bourbon Street. Fat Tuesday never looked so silly.
On Jan. 22, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem hosts a triple-feature, including ``The Liberace of Baghdad,'' a spectacular look into the life of an acclaimed Iraqi pianist, his divided family and the American dream that keeps him alive. In the war-torn country, Samir Peter performs in deserted hotel bars rather than concert halls. With two of his children in the States and a pro-Saddam daughter refusing to leave, will he ever achieve his desires?
All these heavy-handed themes can take a toll on the soul, so take a break to see the one and only Tommy Lee Jones at the Harvard Film Archive on Jan. 27. ``The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada'' director will discuss his latest critically acclaimed flick and will no doubt have audience members on the edge of their seats.
The Coolidge isn't too shabby with its own special guest appearances booked for the month. Rudy Ray Moore - also known to the world as the wisecracking superhero Dolemite - will be on the premises Jan. 13 at midnight for a special screening of his second flick, ``The Human Tornado.'' Perhaps the wackiest, craziest and most eye-popping selection in the man's portfolio, the indie adventure finds Dolemite on the run and trying to save his friend Queen Bee, a nightclub owner threatened by a horde of mafia thugs.
Please, don't forget to continue to support a Harvard Square gem, the Brattle Theatre. It's not a hard thing to do when the arthouse sanctuary will be showing three classic Muppet movies: ``The Great Muppet Caper,'' ``Muppets Take Manhattan'' and ``The Muppet Movie,'' in a new 35mm print, tomorrow through Thursday. Nurse your aching head and start the year off right.

LOAD-DATE: December 30, 2005

3 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 27, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 022

LENGTH: 770 words

HEADLINE: Letters to the Editor

BODY:
Talk is cheap
``Urgency is needed to improve public schools,'' (Dec 20) is an understatement. Today there are over 16,000 students in 25 schools that have failed to make adequate yearly progress in any of the last six years, according to the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The teachers' unions are largely opposed to any potential solution that may tie pay to performance or harm carefully negotiated contracts that focus on automatic pay raises and work rules.
Bold action is needed to turn around our underperforming schools. One way to do this is to solicit bids from all groups interested in taking over an underperforming school. Bidders could include the existing school board, a group of teachers, a social service agency such as The Salvation Army, a foundation, a private group or business. The Department of Education could require that each bidder guarantee a certain level of performance in average MCAS scores. If the bidder exceeded its guarantee, then it would receive a bonus. If not, there would be an equivalent penalty. All guarantees would be protected by a surety bond required of each successful bidder. 
Twelve years after the promise of education reform, 16,000 students still are not getting their one shot for a decent education. Let's act.
- Lovett C. Peters, Founding Chairman, Pioneer Institute for Public Policy
Editorial out of focus
The Herald's support for pay-per-channel regulation (``Let's unbundle cable TV,'' Dec. 4) may initially sound like a great idea. However, overwhelming evidence shows it would actually hurt consumers.
More than 100 cable channels representing diverse genres and audiences told Congress that their very existence depends on the opportunity to be seen by most subscribers - something pay-per-channel regulation would eliminate.
In addition, 16 community groups representing African-Americans and Latinos said a la carte could have devastating effects on Hispanic and African-American channels and, ``were such regulations in place previously, networks such as BET, TV One, Si-TV and others could not have survived.''
Instead of pay-per-channel's diminished diversity, shrinking channel choice and higher costs, today's new digital technology, increasing availability of ``on-demand'' offerings and variety of competitive cable and satellite packages provide Americans with the best television choices in the world.
- Rob Stoddard, Senior Vice President National Cable and Telecommunications Association, Washington, D.C.
No connection here
The Herald reports, ``Some neighbors said Kim Blackhall had exhibited signs of mental illness'' prior to the murder of her mother. (``Woman found slain, daughter arrested,'' Dec. 20). What is the connection? Do the Herald and the neighbors believe that mental illness causes crime and violence?
Making a nonsensical connection between crime and psychiatric illness demonizes all persons with such illnesses. The Herald might as well report that neighbors said Kim Blackhall ate Cheerios for breakfast every day, suggesting that as a cause of what she is accused of doing.
- Roy Bercaw, Cambridge
Time to shelter them
On Dec. 19, after a cold but cheerful time at the Frog Pond on the Common, I participated in the homeless census (``City, volunteers mount annual homeless count,'' Dec. 20). I needed to see the impact of soaring housing costs. I saw.
What I find most upsetting is that I know with the right funding and broader backing, we can put a large dent in homelessness. We can develop affordable housing for homeless vets, single moms and those young professionals who often choose other cities because of housing costs.
Sending a rocket to the moon is hard. Feeding, housing and finding jobs for our own people shouldn't be. I am not saying we should turn our backs on Iraq. I am saying our priorities are skewed but still fixable.
- Nathan Spencer, Brighton
Bush unrestrained
So columnist Cal Thomas doesn't mind the president violating the rights of Americans, having unlimited powers and having no oversight or judicial review (``In war on terror, enemy can be us,'' Dec. 21). Thomas rants about the undue delay in seeking judicial oversight of allowing eavesdropping on Americans by Americans without offering any shred of evidence this is unduly burdensome. Thomas claims that having the government eavesdrop on its citizens without any oversight will help stop terrorism. Well I agree it will help stop terrorism; that's why Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Saddam and every other tyrant employed this tactic. It's also why we must remember the words of FDR: ``The only thing we need to fear is fear itself.''
- Chad F. Affsa, Whitman

LOAD-DATE: December 27, 2005

4 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 26, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 010

LENGTH: 350 words

HEADLINE: Local Marines called to duty

BYLINE: By THOMAS CAYWOOD

BODY:
New England's only Marine Reserve combat force - a storied grunt battalion manned by local cops, jakes, tradesmen and professionals - has been called to the fight in Iraq. 
``I'm looking forward to it. It's what I've trained for. I'm a Marine,'' said Cpl. Danny Foley, 24, of West Roxbury.
The young infantryman is one of more than 1,000 Marine reservists assigned to units in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut who gathered last week at the Devens Reserve Forces Training Area in Ayer to load their weapons and gear. Together, they make up the 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment.
After a few days' leave over the holidays, the battalion ships out to a desert training base in California for three months before heading to Iraq. The local Marines have orders to team up with Iraqi security forces in Al Anbar Province, a notorious hot spot where hundreds of Marines and soldiers have been killed.
But these proud leathernecks say they're eager to do their duty.
``If you make an oath, you have to honor it,'' said Staff Sgt. Kenneth Seney, 31, of New Bedford.
One evening after the deployment orders came down, with their two kids tucked in bed, Seney and his wife talked about what would happen to the family if were killed. The veteran Marine fired off a few jokes to lighten the conversation.
``I told her with two life insurance policies, she could buy a new daddy for the kids,'' quipped Seney, a supervisor with Belmont Springs in civilian life.
Sgt. Jason Fragoso, 24, of Roxbury will have to put off law school for a year to answer Uncle Sam's call.
``I'm just going with a positive attitude, hoping to do the best I can for those people and for this country,'' Fragoso said.
Sgt. Jamil Brown, 32, of Dorchester had finished his hitch in the Marines and was getting on with his civilian career at U.S. Airways. The Corps asked him to re-up for the Iraq deployment.
``I feel I'm needed, so I'll go,'' the soft-spoken warrior explained.
Brown, who has nine brothers and a sister, will lead a squad of Marines specializing in electronic communications. Their safety falls on his broad shoulders.

GRAPHIC: GODSPEED: After spending the holidays with family, Marine Staff Sgt. Kenneth Seney will head to Iraq. STAFF PHOTO BY TARA CARVALHO

LOAD-DATE: December 26, 2005

5 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 25, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 007

LENGTH: 563 words

HEADLINE: THE YEAR IN REVIEW; 
 KATRINA: WAVE OF DEVASTATION; 
 Right-to-die case, celeb scandals big in 2005, too

BYLINE: By MARIE SZANISZLO

BODY:
Three months later, the images still haunt, not only for their horror, but for their disorienting effect: the corpse of a disabled man, propped in his wheelchair along the side of a road, a throng of refugees stranded in the Superdome, a mother and child huddled on a rooftop, surrounded by the sea. 
Surely this could not happen in America. This could not happen in the wealthiest country on earth.
No other story in 2005 gripped the nation more than Hurricane Katrina, not only because of the devastation it caused, but because of the vast divide it exposed between the country's haves and have-nots - and the enduring capacity of Americans to respond from the heart.
Katrina swept through the Gulf Coast, devastating New Orleans and other parts of the bayou. The outcome has a shameful simplicity: Those who had the money and means escaped and survived; those who had nothing were left to fend for themselves. A probe continues into why officials ignored warnings about the toll a hurricane of such magnitude would take and why, once it happened, they took so long to respond.
But although Katrina dominated headlines, on the national front, there was no shortage of major events in 2005. Among them:
- Two Supreme Court seats opened up with the deaths of Chief Justice William Rehnquist and the impending retirement of Sandra Day O'Connor, leaving President Bush with a unique opportunity to leave his mark on the nation's highest court. John Roberts quickly won congressional approval to replace Rehnquist. But Bush's second nominee, White House counsel Harriet Miers, who had never been a judge, withdrew after persistent questions about her qualifications. Confirmation hearings will be held next month for the president's third nominee, federal Judge Samuel Alito.
- The feeding tube that had kept coma patient Terri Schiavo alive was removed after an unprecedented legal battle over the brain-damaged woman's care. Schiavo died 13 days later.
- Gas prices topped $3 a gallon in the wake of Hurricane Katrina - and oil companies enjoyed record profits, sparking accusations of price-gouging.
- Former Ku Klux Klan leader Edgar Ray Killen was convicted in connection with the slayings of three civil-rights workers 41 years ago in Mississippi.
- Municipal employee and church leader Dennis Rader pleaded guilty and got 10 life terms for the ``BTK'' - his own moniker, for Bind, Torture, Kill - serial killings that terrorized the Wichita, Kan., area.
- Former WorldCom chief Bernard Ebbers was convicted of engineering the largest corporate fraud in U.S. history and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
- Americans rejected President Bush's attempt to privatize Social Security.
- A special prosecutor launched a probe into who leaked the name of a CIA agent whose husband criticized the Bush administration's rationale for the invasion of Iraq. When the investigation homed in on Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove, Bush backed down from his pledge to fire the culprit, but vice presidential aide I. Lewis Scooter Libby resigned after being indicted in connection with the scandal.
- Comedian and former ``Tonight Show'' host Johnny Carson died on Jan. 23.
- Celebrity scandals, including the trial and acquittal of pop star Michael Jackson on child-molestation charges and the Brad Pitt-Jennifer Aniston-Angelina Jolie love triangle got far more ink and air time than they deserved.

GRAPHIC: DEATH DEBATE: Terri Schiavo's relatives fought a bitter battle over the right to remove her feeding tube. AP file photo/Schindler family photo
CARSON: Comic legend
JACKO: Beats charges

LOAD-DATE: December 27, 2005

6 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 25, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 007

LENGTH: 435 words

HEADLINE: YEAR IN REVIEW; 
 Terrorism, killings rage around globe

BYLINE: By MARIE SZANISZLO

BODY:
The occupations of Lebanon and the Gaza Strip came to historic ends in 2005. But across the world, peace proved an elusive goal.
Kashmir felt nature's fury as an earthquake devastated the capital, killing tens of thousands. 
But nothing proved as lethal as the human hand.
Terrorism cut swaths of destruction in Britain, Gaza and Iraq, where elections were held, but the American-led occupation continued, with no end in sight.
Across the globe in 2005:
- In London, four bombs exploded in three subway stations and a double-decker bus, killing 52 people and wounding more than 700 in Britain's worst attack since World War II. A group calling itself the Secret Organization of al-Qaeda in Europe claimed responsibility. A week later, terrorists attempted another attack on the transit system, but the bombs failed to explode.
- Pope John Paul II died. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger took his place as head of the Roman Catholic Church, choosing the name Pope Benedict XVI.
- After three years of negotiations, a peace deal ended Sudan's two-decade civil war, which left 2 million people dead. Massacres, however, continued in the Darfur region. By the fall of 2005, as many as 400,000 Darfuris were killed and more than 2 million displaced, making it the world's worst humanitarian disaster, according to the United Nations.
- An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 rocked the Kashmir region of Pakistan, destroying about half the capital, killing more than 81,000 people and leaving 3 million homeless.
- Elections were held in Iraq, but violence continued. The U.S. death toll topped 2,000. For the first time, President Bush acknowledged that an estimated 30,000 Iraqis had been killed since he decided to invade the country, claiming that its dictator, Saddam Hussein, was harboring weapons of mass destruction.
- Saddam Hussein and seven co-defendants went on trial for the deaths of more than 140 Shiites after a 1982 attempt on Saddam's life in the town of Dujail, north of Baghdad.
- After 38 years of occupying the Gaza Strip, Israel pulled out, evacuating some 8,000 Israeli settlers and destroying their homes so that Palestinians could not use them.
- Syria withdrew from Lebanon after a 29-year occupation. The withdrawal came two months after Syria's suspected involvement in the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister, Rafik Hariri, a longtime critic of the occupation, ignited a popular revolt.
- North Korea boasted publicly and explicitly for the first time that it has nuclear weapons.
- Racial violence erupted in France, forcing the country to confront allegations of discrimination against minorities.

GRAPHIC: CARRIED TO SAFETY: A girl is rescued by a firefighter after being trapped in her New Orleans home, surrounded by high water, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Getty Images
FACE OF TERROR: An injured passenger is helped after terrorist blasts rocked the London transit system. Getty Images
HUSSEIN: Trial begins.

LOAD-DATE: December 27, 2005

7 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 25, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. B12

LENGTH: 1659 words

HEADLINE: Yuletide magic; 
 Local sports figures share their favorite Christmas memories

BYLINE: By STEVE BUCKLEY

BODY:
The beauty of Christmas is that it grants a magical wish to each individual: Make of this holiday what you will.
To some, the observation of Christmas is religious in nature, a day set aside to commemorate and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. To others, Christmas is a family affair, a day in which parents and children, brothers and sisters, in-laws and perhaps even familial outlaws, can set aside their daily toil and pay homage to the bloodlines that, in the end, make them one, make them whole.
Then, too, there is the ever-present gift-giving of Christmas. Some may dismiss this as the over-commercialism of an otherwise sacred holiday, while others view the annual exchange of presents as an important tradition.
Be honest: There is nothing like the brightened eyes of a small child as he or she has just unwrapped a much wished-for Christmas present, be it the simple top or sled that exists now only in those marvelous old Norman Rockwell prints, or the high-tech video games and jet-propelled bicycles preferred by today's kids. 
Christmas memories? We all have them! I remember one Christmas, many, many years ago, it was so warm that we were able to throw on t-shirts and shorts as we took our new toys out to our backyard battlefield for testing. I still own a pair of weathered slippers given to me, some 15 years ago, by my mother. Oh, and here is an instant classic: Last month I sent, as a Christmas gift, a Nokoma baseball glove to my niece, Jennifer, a lieutenant in the United States Marines now serving our country in Iraq. I will smile throughout the day, knowing she is using that glove in a Christmas Day softball game on her base.
Those are a few of MY memories. In the spirit of the holiday, I took a random tour of the Boston sports scene in search of other Christmas traditions, observations and, oh, yes ... stories.
It's better to give ...
Long before he became a National Football League tight end, Christian Fauria, now in his fourth season with the Patriots, was a normal kid who, as kids will do, picked out a bicycle and then, ahem, made it known to his parents that he hoped to see said bike in the living room on Christmas morn.
Fauria doesn't remember the exact model of the bike, other than that it had all the bells and whistles he desired and it was the kind of bike that would instantly identify its owner as, you know, cool.
``We did all the things you do on Christmas, including Midnight Mass,'' Fauria said.``But I still remember that bike. And I kept asking my parents for it, and they kept saying I couldn't have it, that it wasn't going to happen. But I didn't stop wishing and hoping I'd get it.
``One day, I went into the garage, and I saw this bike, covered in a lot of carpet. It was maybe a week before Christmas. And I was, like, hmmmm. So I knew it was coming. I knew I was getting it, but I still had to pretend I was upset as though I WASN'T getting it.''
Come Christmas morning, Fauria saw no bike under the tree. But he was smart: He knew his parents were playing a gag on him, that somewhere, perhaps still out in the garage, his shiny new bike was waiting.
``I was acting disappointed,'' Fauria said, ``and then my dad says, 'Stop crying, and go get my slippers in my bedroom,' or something like that, and I went in there, and of course there it was.''
It's one of those priceless Christmas stories, only it does not have a happy ending.
``I kept that bike for about two weeks,'' said Fauria said. ``And then I left it on the porch. It was stolen. Right off the porch. I woke up and it was gone.''
Though gift-giving remains an important part of his Christmas experience, Fauria is attentive to other aspects of the holiday. Now married and the father of three children - two girls and a boy - he and his wife, Rhonda, are trying to establish their own Christmas tradition: Adding some charity to the gift-giving process.
``We're trying to teach the kids about giving back to other people,'' he said. ``Our main thing is that for every gift they get at Christmas, they have to give at least one of their old toys away. We're trying it this year for the first time.''
The Faurias test-marketed their plan last summer on the fourth birthday of their son, Caleb.
``He got this big present for his birthday, and he went and got this old toy of his,'' Fauria said, ``this little tiny toy - a man, like an inch tall - and gave that to us and said, 'Here, Dad!' We're still trying to work the bugs out.''
Johnny remembers Ruthie
Red Sox legend Johnny Pesky is still coming to grips with the loss of his beloved wife, Ruthie, who passed away over the summer.
``She left us on July 8,'' Pesky said. ``I still can't believe she's gone. We were married 61 years, and I have to tell you, they were 61 very, very happy years.''
This being his first Christmas without Ruthie, Pesky wondered if he would be able to enjoy the holiday as he has in the past. But as he thought about it, he applied the same logic he put into play for so many years of married life, posing an old and familiar question to himself: What would Ruthie do?
After all, it was Ruthie who spruced up the house for Christmas, supervised the putting-up of the tree, planned the dinner, shopped for the presents.
``Oh, my, she'd be planning for Christmas a month ahead of time,'' Pesky said. ``It was a big production for her. And, now, without her, well, what can I say: How could we celebrate Christmas?''
As of late last week, Pesky had already decorated his home and was enjoying an evening of dinner and television with members of his family. Pesky plans to celebrate the holiday with various Peskys, Hickeys, Maguires and other family members and friends.
``It's been a difficult year, but this has taught me how important family is,'' Pesky said. ``My son, David, and his wife, they've been so good to me. And my friends. You know, when Ruthie died, Dommie DiMaggio came up here and stayed with me every minute. And I received so many cards and letters from people.
``The best way to remember Ruthie is to have the kind of Christmas she would have had. And I'll tell you another thing: She always gave me sweaters for Christmas. I must have 20 of them. When I wake up Christmas morning, I'll put on one of those nice sweaters she gave me, and I'll be smiling.''
A happy, Husky holiday
If you plan to travel to Windham, N.H., to pay a Christmas visit to the Tomes family, be warned: There's a very good chance you'll be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the clan's annual football game.
Understand that the Tomes family is all about hockey. Papa Chuck Tomes played hockey back in the day at Lawrence Vocational, and these days he and his wife, Priscilla, have three hockey-playing sons - Chuck Jr., a senior captain at Northeastern University; Scott, who plays at the University of Connecticut; and Derek, still at Salem High School. And we won't even get into the various cousins who take part in the annual Christmas Day football game.
``It's just something that's gone on forever,'' said Chuck Jr., who plays defense at Northeastern. ``I don't even know when it began. I just know that when it's Christmas, we're out in the yard, playing football.''
As a student/athlete at Northeastern, Chuck Tomes Jr. has added another tradition to his resume, one that grew out of his team's weekly visits to a community center in Roxbury. When Greg Cronin took over as head coach at NU this season, he added what he hoped would be a character-building element to practice by requiring his players to enrich their community by working in a school-sponsored mentoring program.
``Every Tuesday,'' Tomes said, ``we have a half-practice session, and then we go to Roxbury and work with the kids. And I guarantee you that every guy on our team looks forward to it. You work with these kids, hang out with them, play some street-hockey with them, and then you look into their eyes and you just know that you're making a difference.
``They ask really funny questions. One kid keeps asking me when were going to play the Bruins.''
Last Tuesday, the NU players-turned-mentors held a Christmas party for their young pals at Matthews Arena. The kids were given a chance to watch their mentors engage in their daily practice, after which a party was held upstairs.
Sounds like a great idea. But this business of having just half a practice each Tuesday, in order to mentor local kids, is that going to make the Huskies a better hockey team?
``Maybe not,'' Tomes said, laughing a little. ``But I honestly think it will make us better people. And it's just a nice thing to do at Christmas. It's also a lot of fun.''
Gomes' golden memories
Just as a young Christian Fauria pestered his parents for a new bicycle for Christmas, Ryan Gomes, as a kid growing up in Waterbury, Conn., had his eye on a gold chain he hoped to see under the tree on Christmas morning.
``I think I was 11 years old, and that was the only thing I asked my mother for,'' said Gomes, a rookie forward with the Celtics and former star at Providence College. ``You always tell your parents, 'If I could only get one thing ...' and then you tell them what you what it is, over and over.
``The way my mother did it, was that she had a bunch of other gifts there, and I'm sitting there thinking, 'OK, I probably didn't get it,' but then she gave it to me. I think it's the only thing I ever really asked for in my life.''
Like Fauria and his short-lived bicycle, Gomes no longer has the gold chain.
``We moved,'' Gomes said. ``(And) somewhere along the line, it got lost.''
That's the bad news. The good news? That's easy: Gomes recently purchased a new gold chain.
``But its not for me,'' he said. ``I have a younger brother, Marcellus, and he's just 5 years old, and I was thinking about what I could get him for Christmas that could put a smile on his face, and then I thought, well, what was it that made happy on Christmas morning?
``So I went out and bought a gold chain for my brother. I can't wait to see the look on his face.''

GRAPHIC: GOLDEN GIFT: Drawing on childhood memories, Celtics rookie Ryan Gomes has a Christmas surprise for his younger brother that he hopes brings the same joy it brought to him. Staff photo by Renee DeKona
CHRISTMAS PAST? Sox legend Johnny Pesky - pictured here last Christmas with Ruthie, his wife of 61 years - says he will cherish the memories of her today. Ruthie passed away in July. Staff file photo by Patrick Whittemore
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Patriots tight end Christian Fauria reads holiday stories to his children - (from left) Caleb, 4, Riley, 5, and Camryn, 20 months, under the family Christmas tree. Staff photo by Stuart Cahill

LOAD-DATE: December 27, 2005

8 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 25, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 023

LENGTH: 741 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 Pol Santa brings tidings of good jeer

BYLINE: By Wayne Woodlief

BODY:
Giddyap, Donder, buckle down, Blitzen, stay the course, Dancer. Call it Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday, Pol Santa has packed his sled full of gifts again for the politicians - naughty or nice - who made news in 2005.
With thanks to elves Michael Goldman, Todd Domke and Norine Johnson, here's what Pol Santa has to go under the trees this year:
GOV. MITT ROMNEY: A GREAT 30-second commercial. That ought to be time enough to list all his accomplishments during these ``whirlwind'' years as gov. Or maybe a draft movement to run for governor again in 2010, in case Mitt doesn't make it to the Oval Office and Kerry Healey can't win his seat in '06. 
FIRST LADY ANN ROMNEY: A GPS locator so she can track down Mitt no matter where he is during 2006 in that ``galaxy far, far away,'' as he describes his prospecting for the White House.
STATE REP. EUGENE L. O'FLAHERTY of Chelsea: Extra frequent-flier miles so he won't have to schedule a long flight to Europe next year in the midst of House consideration of a bill his committee is responsible for. Of course, Gene-O would have to sit in the no-shirking section.
SEN. JOHN F. KERRY: A place on the Massachusetts presidential primary ballot in 2008, so that some voters (think Hillary Clinton fans) can say, ``I actually voted FOR John Kerry before I voted AGAINST John Kerry.''
MASS PIKE CHAIRMAN MATT AMORELLO: Half a calendar for 2006, so he can count down the six months he has to find a new job, before arch-critic Romney finally gets the Turnpike board majority he needs to fire Matt.
ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM REILLY: A bit of Ellen DeGeneres' humor, Oprah's charisma and Katie Couric's personality to correct Reilly's dip in support among women in his run for governor.
DEVAL PATRICK, Reilly's rival for the Democratic nomination: New adviser Doug Rubin agreeing to a lifetime nondisclosure contract; you know, the kind Rubin dealt departing aides from the state Treasurer's Department when he was deputy to Treasurer Tim Cahill. Hush, you whistleblowers, hush.
KERRY HEALEY: A pair of bootstraps from the finest tack shop in Beverly Farms so the lieutenant governor running for her boss' job can show on the stump how anybody who really wants to can pull themselves up by them - just like she did.
MAYOR THOMAS M. MENINO: To really get down with the boyz in the 'hood, a T-shirt that says, ``No 'mo mumblin'. Just tell the truth.''
PRESIDENT BUSH: A seance session with Dale Carnegie. If anybody needs to start winning friends and influencing people again (including rebels in his own party), it's W, now that he's lost his swagger.
VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY: For all he did to bring us this war in Iraq, the veep rates his own Saddam Hussein souvenir to match the pistol the president got from our troops. Why not Saddam's underwear? Bronzed, of course.
SEN. EDWARD M. KENNEDY: Another year to bedevil the Bush administration and (yawn) campaign for re-election for about the 75th time. Guess Teddy just didn't like the popcorn at the White House theater back when Bush was making nice with him in 2001.
SENATE PRESIDENT ROBERT TRAVAGLINI and HOUSE SPEAKER SAL DIMASI: A good sit-down meal together, with an ample helping of humble pie for dessert, just in case pride of authorship MIGHT just be stalling a conference committee on the otherwise good work both have done on health-care reform.
SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT CHIEF JUSTICE MARGARET MARSHALL: Free tutoring from a certified blue-state comedian, Jimmy Tingle of Somerville, so she can tell a really funny joke and not get in hot water with the nitpickers when she speaks at commencements next year.
FORMER GOV. WILLIAM WELD: A set of Kerry's old flip-flops from the 2004 presidential campaign, as Big Red, running now as a more conservative Republican for governor of New York, tries to convince voters there he really wasn't all that hot for abortion choice and gay rights when he was governor of Massachusetts.
WILLIAM BULGER: A ruling from the state retirement board that he also is entitled to pension compensation for meetings he missed as UMass president but really, REALLY wanted to attend.
FORMER PRESIDENTS CLINTON and BUSH: A bicycle built for two, so these odd-couple new best friends can take long summer rides around Kennebunkport.
Time to get moving, team. So, hitch it up, Comet, on Cupid, we're on our way. And to all Pol Santa's readers, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a great New Year.
Wayne Woodlief writes weekly for the Boston Herald. 

LOAD-DATE: December 27, 2005

9 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 23, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 336 words

HEADLINE: Gov gives plaque, flag in memory of Haverhill GI

BYLINE: By MAGGIE MULVIHILL

BODY:
The Haverhill mother of a 19-year-old soldier killed in Afghanistan found a package on her doorstep yesterday sent by Gov. Mitt Romney.
Inside were four items: a brass plaque inscribed to the memory of Army Pvt. Evan O'Neill, slain by suspected Taliban fighters in 2003; a flag flown at half-staff at the State House; a note from Romney and a tender message from the governor's wife, Ann. 
Ann Romney's handwritten note reads, `Presented with love and appreciation on behalf of a grateful nation.''
The governor has attended many funerals for Massachusetts soldiers killed in the war so far, and Barbara O`Neill said the Romneys remember her and her husband, Michael, each Christmas.
``He sat behind me at my son's funeral. To me it is so important that he is taking time out of his schedule to think of my son,'' said O'Neill, 52.
Evan O'Neill was one of 33 Massachusetts servicemen killed since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In a typewritten letter to the O'Neills signed by Romney, he states in part: ``Our hearts are heavy with sorror that you will not celebrate another holiday with Evan, yet hopeful that his spirit and amazing heroism provide you with the necessary strength to celebrate his memory every day.''
Romney, who is considering a run for president in 2008, has drawn criticism from some military families for his staunch support of the war.
But to O'Neill, Romney is a loving parent like her and her husband who would similarly ache at the loss of a child.
``The biggest thing for me is that my son isn't forgotten and if the governor is thinking of him we are doing pretty good,'' O'Neill said. ``I think Romney is wonderful.''
Asked if all 33 families received flags or plaques from the governor this Christmas, his spokeswoman Julie Teer said: ``This is not something that the governor is seeking publicity on.
``It is private correspondence between the governor and families of some of the servicemen to express his appreciation for their service and sacrifice for our country,'' Teer said.

GRAPHIC: PRAISE: Barbara O'Neill holds the letter sent to her and her husband by Gov. Mitt Romney in memory of her son, Pvt. Evan O'Neill, who was killed in Afghanistan. STAFF PHOTO BY STUART CAHILL

LOAD-DATE: December 23, 2005

10 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 22, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 038

LENGTH: 160 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Shaping up, shipping out

BODY:
Gov. Mitt Romney's appointment of two spit-and-polish military men to the board of trustees at Massachusetts Maritime Academy could be the very key to stiffening the spines of the REST of the crew down in Bourne. Let's hope so, anyway. 
Romney named former federal prosecutor and Marine Corps reservist William Sinnott - just back from Iraq - and retired Air Force General Jimmy Dishner to five-year terms on the board. They replace Paul McNally and Joaquim Nobrega, whose terms had expired and who were among the nine who voted to dismiss the school's president, Adm. Richard Gurnon, during a secret and quite possibly illegal meeting earlier this month.
Rumor is other trustees are thinking about quitting, and far be it from us to discourage them. It's unfortunate the Romney administration hadn't focused on the makeup of this illustrious board BEFORE the unfair decision to ax Gurnon and the chaos that ensued. Thankfully, Romney is making up for lost time. 

LOAD-DATE: December 22, 2005

11 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 20, 2005 Tuesday  
FIRST EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 216 words

HEADLINE: Four Boston war heroes remembered for sacrifice

BYLINE: By JESSICA FARGEN

BODY:
Four Boston war heroes were posthumously honored yesterday with a medal that dates to the siege that forced the British out of the city nearly 230 years ago. 
Iwona Londono of Dorchester said she wished she could have had her slain soldier son Daniel with her at last night's ceremony.
``But it's always nice that people remember him,'' she said. Sgt. Daniel J. Londono, a 22-year-old paratrooper, was killed in March 2004 in Iraq.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino honored Londono and three others at the Parkman House last night with the Mayor's George Washington Award, inspired by the medal Washington was given after the British evacuated the city in 1776.
Army Chief Warrant Officer Kyran E. Kennedy, 43, a father of three who was a West Roxbury native, was killed in November 2003 in Iraq when his Blackhawk helicopter crashed.
``It's nice to know people are remembered,'' said Kennedy's sister, Deirdre Kennedy of Dorchester.
The mayor also presented the award to the family of Leo Ronan, a World War II paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division who took part in the D-Day invasion. Ronan died three years ago.
Also honored was Marine Lance Cpl. Alexander Arredondo, 20, formerly of Roslindale, who was killed in Iraq in August 2004. His family members now live in Maine and Florida and were unable to attend.

GRAPHIC: HERO: Iwona Londono, right, mother of Sgt. Daniel J. Londono, who was killed in Iraq, and her daughter Diana hold a bust presented to them yesterday in honor of Daniel's memory. STAFF PHOTO BY RENEE DEKONA
MENINO

LOAD-DATE: December 20, 2005

12 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 20, 2005 Tuesday  
THIRD EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 212 words

HEADLINE: Four Boston war heroes remembered for sacrifice

BYLINE: By JESSICA FARGEN

BODY:
Four local war heroes were posthumously honored yesterday with awards that recall the British ouster from Boston nearly 230 years ago. 
Iwona Londono of Dorchester said she wished she could have had her slain soldier son Daniel with her at last night's ceremony.
``But it's always nice that people remember him,'' she said. Sgt. Daniel J. Londono, a 22-year-old paratrooper, was killed in March 2004 in Iraq.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino honored Londono and three others at the Parkman House last night with the Mayor's George Washington Award, inspired by the medal Washington was given after the British evacuated the city in 1776.
Army Chief Warrant Officer Kyran E. Kennedy, 43, a father of three who was a West Roxbury native, was killed in November 2003 in Iraq when his Blackhawk helicopter crashed.
``It's nice to know people are remembered,'' said Kennedy's sister, Deirdre Kennedy of Dorchester.
The mayor also presented the award to the family of Leo Ronan, a World War II paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division who took part in the D-Day invasion. Ronan, of Dorchester, died three years ago.
Also honored was Marine Lance Cpl. Alexander Arredondo, 20, who was born in Jamaica Plain. Arredondo was killed in Iraq in August 2004. His family now lives in Maine and Floria.

GRAPHIC: HERO: Iwona Londono, right, mother of Sgt. Daniel J. Londono, who was killed in Iraq, and her daughter Diana hold a bust presented to them yesterday in honor of Daniel's memory. STAFF PHOTO BY RENEE DEKONA
MAYOR THOMAS M. MENINO

LOAD-DATE: December 20, 2005

13 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 20, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 343 words

HEADLINE: Saddam: My escape was foiled by finks

BYLINE: By JULES CRITTENDEN

BODY:
Apparently eager to shed the image of a murderous tyrant who cowered in a hole, Saddam Hussein has told a British newspaper his plan to make a daring Steve McQueen-like Great Escape on a motorcycle was foiled when he was captured three years ago. 
Someone had taken the motorcycle, so Saddam was forced to bolt down the hole when the American soldiers approached. Then, the ousted despot told The Sun through his lawyer, any hope of resistance was lost when the Americans ``gassed'' him.
Saddam also praised French President Jacques Chirac - long a nuisance to the Bush administration - as his ``longtime friend,'' and branded The Sun's sensational photos of Saddam in his tighty-whities ``an insult'' to the Iraqi people.
Of his December 2003 capture, Saddam said via his lawyer, former U.S. Attorney Ramsey Clark, ``I believe I was betrayed. I have been set up.''
Clark said when Saddam arrived at the house, ``The person who owned the house wasn't there. He knew he had been betrayed. . . . There were soldiers around that area. There was supposed to be a motorcycle there. It was gone.''
Saddam told Clark, ``I came out of the house where I was hiding by this hole. I went through the trap door. I went down the hole, through the tunnel, then lost consciousness.''
The soldiers who captured Saddam said he announced he was the ``president of Iraq.'' They said he surrendered meekly, despite being armed.
Saddam is on trial for killing 140 people in the Iraqi town of Dujail in 1982.
His regime is believed to have murdered hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, and is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of other Iraqis, Iranians and Kuwaitis in two wars Saddam started.
The Sun reported that Saddam's legal team - headed by Clark, who has a long record of representing dictators and is representing Saddam pro bono - continues to address Saddam as ``Mr. President.''
Despite Saddam's unwillingness to die fighting Americans, he has told his lawyers as he faces a possible death sentence, ``I don't mind being killed. There will always be another Saddam.''

LOAD-DATE: December 20, 2005

14 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 20, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 027

LENGTH: 629 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 Bush, Clinton may be allies of necessity

BYLINE: By Virginia Buckingham

BODY:
To win back public confidence - and increasingly skittish Republicans - in the war on Iraq, George W. Bush needs William Jefferson Clinton. And conversely, to secure his own place in history, Clinton needs Bush, too.
Before Clinton-haters toss the Herald against the wall and Bush-haters barricade themselves in their echo chamber, hear me out.
Sunday's Oval Office address was one of the Bush presidency's finest. It was honest, passionate, humble, direct - all things it needed to be. It reminded me of Bush's first speech to Congress after 9/11, when, in simple terms, he described what al-Qaeda was and why its members wanted to kill Americans. Bush confidante Karen Hughes authored that speech, and either she had the pen again or the president has found a worthy successor-wordsmith. 
This speech and the cumulative effect of the White House pushback since Veterans Day will affect the public mood - in fact, Bush's poll ratings are already recovering.
But majority support on the slow but steady progress in Iraq, and just as important, on the need to push the envelope on executive powers - whether that involves spying or aggressive interrogation - needs a new champion. I love Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.), but even with the right message, he's the wrong messenger for the same reason he flopped in the presidential race - he gives bad TV.
No one gives good TV like Clinton. He still commands Zen-like reverence from the almighty mainstream media, and he has achieved that unique stature of statesman that only someone removed from the day-to-day fray can.
Not that Clinton's keeping himself above the fray. His recent ill-considered remark at the American University of Dubai generated controversy.
``It was a big mistake,'' Clinton said of Bush's Iraq policy, but a closer reading makes clear that he was referring more to the conduct of the war - dismantling Iraqi military infrastructure, for instance - than the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. ``Saddam is gone. It's a good thing,'' Clinton also said.
Sunday, Bush admitted mistakes in conducting the war. But then he issued an invitation: ``I also want to speak to those of you who did not support the decision to send troops to Iraq: I have heard your disagreement, and I know how deeply it is felt. Yet now there are only two options before our country - victory or defeat. And the need for victory is larger than any president or political party, because the security of our people is in the balance. I don't expect you to support everything I do, but tonight I have a request: Do not give in to despair, and do not give up on this fight for freedom.''
Bill Clinton has left himself enough wiggle room to take Bush up on the invitation. Think about the headlines that would generate, the spines it would stiffen, the message it would send to world leaders. Think about any number of your neighbors and colleagues who might open their ears and their minds if Clinton made it acceptable to do so.
Am I getting caught up in a brandied-eggnog induced fantasy? I don't think so. It's actually been the practice of opposition leaders in a time of war to support the president.
We've just strayed so far from this norm that statesmanship seems abnormal.
Sure, it's a gamble for Bill Clinton. But if he wants to have a coda to impeachment in the history books, what better one than he stood tall against terror? Heck, it might even help Hillary for 2008.
And sure, it's a gamble for Bush, who is just now regaining his footing with the conservative base which despises Clinton far more than it loves the president.
But imagine Bush inviting Clinton to chat at Camp David. Imagine the joint press conference. Imagine these two, who both play for history, working together to change its course.
- Talk back at vbuckingham@bostonherald.com.

LOAD-DATE: December 20, 2005

15 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 20, 2005 Tuesday  
FIRST EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 216 words

HEADLINE: Four Boston war heroes remembered for sacrifice

BYLINE: By JESSICA FARGEN

BODY:
Four Boston war heroes were posthumously honored yesterday with a medal that dates to the siege that forced the British out of the city nearly 230 years ago. 
Iwona Londono of Dorchester said she wished she could have had her slain soldier son Daniel with her at last night's ceremony.
``But it's always nice that people remember him,'' she said. Sgt. Daniel J. Londono, a 22-year-old paratrooper, was killed in March 2004 in Iraq.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino honored Londono and three others at the Parkman House last night with the Mayor's George Washington Award, inspired by the medal Washington was given after the British evacuated the city in 1776.
Army Chief Warrant Officer Kyran E. Kennedy, 43, a father of three who was a West Roxbury native, was killed in November 2003 in Iraq when his Blackhawk helicopter crashed.
``It's nice to know people are remembered,'' said Kennedy's sister, Deirdre Kennedy of Dorchester.
The mayor also presented the award to the family of Leo Ronan, a World War II paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division who took part in the D-Day invasion. Ronan died three years ago.
Also honored was Marine Lance Cpl. Alexander Arredondo, 20, formerly of Roslindale, who was killed in Iraq in August 2004. His family members now live in Maine and Florida and were unable to attend.

GRAPHIC: HERO: Iwona Londono, right, mother of Sgt. Daniel J. Londono, who was killed in Iraq, and her daughter Diana hold a bust presented to them yesterday in honor of Daniel's memory. STAFF PHOTO BY RENEE DEKONA
MENINO

LOAD-DATE: December 20, 2005

16 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 20, 2005 Tuesday  
THIRD EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 212 words

HEADLINE: Four Boston war heroes remembered for sacrifice

BYLINE: By JESSICA FARGEN

BODY:
Four local war heroes were posthumously honored yesterday with awards that recall the British ouster from Boston nearly 230 years ago. 
Iwona Londono of Dorchester said she wished she could have had her slain soldier son Daniel with her at last night's ceremony.
``But it's always nice that people remember him,'' she said. Sgt. Daniel J. Londono, a 22-year-old paratrooper, was killed in March 2004 in Iraq.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino honored Londono and three others at the Parkman House last night with the Mayor's George Washington Award, inspired by the medal Washington was given after the British evacuated the city in 1776.
Army Chief Warrant Officer Kyran E. Kennedy, 43, a father of three who was a West Roxbury native, was killed in November 2003 in Iraq when his Blackhawk helicopter crashed.
``It's nice to know people are remembered,'' said Kennedy's sister, Deirdre Kennedy of Dorchester.
The mayor also presented the award to the family of Leo Ronan, a World War II paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division who took part in the D-Day invasion. Ronan, of Dorchester, died three years ago.
Also honored was Marine Lance Cpl. Alexander Arredondo, 20, who was born in Jamaica Plain. Arredondo was killed in Iraq in August 2004. His family now lives in Maine and Floria.

GRAPHIC: HERO: Iwona Londono, right, mother of Sgt. Daniel J. Londono, who was killed in Iraq, and her daughter Diana hold a bust presented to them yesterday in honor of Daniel's memory. STAFF PHOTO BY RENEE DEKONA
MAYOR THOMAS M. MENINO

LOAD-DATE: December 20, 2005

17 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 20, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 343 words

HEADLINE: Saddam: My escape was foiled by finks

BYLINE: By JULES CRITTENDEN

BODY:
Apparently eager to shed the image of a murderous tyrant who cowered in a hole, Saddam Hussein has told a British newspaper his plan to make a daring Steve McQueen-like Great Escape on a motorcycle was foiled when he was captured three years ago. 
Someone had taken the motorcycle, so Saddam was forced to bolt down the hole when the American soldiers approached. Then, the ousted despot told The Sun through his lawyer, any hope of resistance was lost when the Americans ``gassed'' him.
Saddam also praised French President Jacques Chirac - long a nuisance to the Bush administration - as his ``longtime friend,'' and branded The Sun's sensational photos of Saddam in his tighty-whities ``an insult'' to the Iraqi people.
Of his December 2003 capture, Saddam said via his lawyer, former U.S. Attorney Ramsey Clark, ``I believe I was betrayed. I have been set up.''
Clark said when Saddam arrived at the house, ``The person who owned the house wasn't there. He knew he had been betrayed. . . . There were soldiers around that area. There was supposed to be a motorcycle there. It was gone.''
Saddam told Clark, ``I came out of the house where I was hiding by this hole. I went through the trap door. I went down the hole, through the tunnel, then lost consciousness.''
The soldiers who captured Saddam said he announced he was the ``president of Iraq.'' They said he surrendered meekly, despite being armed.
Saddam is on trial for killing 140 people in the Iraqi town of Dujail in 1982.
His regime is believed to have murdered hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, and is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of other Iraqis, Iranians and Kuwaitis in two wars Saddam started.
The Sun reported that Saddam's legal team - headed by Clark, who has a long record of representing dictators and is representing Saddam pro bono - continues to address Saddam as ``Mr. President.''
Despite Saddam's unwillingness to die fighting Americans, he has told his lawyers as he faces a possible death sentence, ``I don't mind being killed. There will always be another Saddam.''

LOAD-DATE: December 20, 2005

18 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 20, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 027

LENGTH: 629 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 Bush, Clinton may be allies of necessity

BYLINE: By Virginia Buckingham

BODY:
To win back public confidence - and increasingly skittish Republicans - in the war on Iraq, George W. Bush needs William Jefferson Clinton. And conversely, to secure his own place in history, Clinton needs Bush, too.
Before Clinton-haters toss the Herald against the wall and Bush-haters barricade themselves in their echo chamber, hear me out.
Sunday's Oval Office address was one of the Bush presidency's finest. It was honest, passionate, humble, direct - all things it needed to be. It reminded me of Bush's first speech to Congress after 9/11, when, in simple terms, he described what al-Qaeda was and why its members wanted to kill Americans. Bush confidante Karen Hughes authored that speech, and either she had the pen again or the president has found a worthy successor-wordsmith. 
This speech and the cumulative effect of the White House pushback since Veterans Day will affect the public mood - in fact, Bush's poll ratings are already recovering.
But majority support on the slow but steady progress in Iraq, and just as important, on the need to push the envelope on executive powers - whether that involves spying or aggressive interrogation - needs a new champion. I love Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.), but even with the right message, he's the wrong messenger for the same reason he flopped in the presidential race - he gives bad TV.
No one gives good TV like Clinton. He still commands Zen-like reverence from the almighty mainstream media, and he has achieved that unique stature of statesman that only someone removed from the day-to-day fray can.
Not that Clinton's keeping himself above the fray. His recent ill-considered remark at the American University of Dubai generated controversy.
``It was a big mistake,'' Clinton said of Bush's Iraq policy, but a closer reading makes clear that he was referring more to the conduct of the war - dismantling Iraqi military infrastructure, for instance - than the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. ``Saddam is gone. It's a good thing,'' Clinton also said.
Sunday, Bush admitted mistakes in conducting the war. But then he issued an invitation: ``I also want to speak to those of you who did not support the decision to send troops to Iraq: I have heard your disagreement, and I know how deeply it is felt. Yet now there are only two options before our country - victory or defeat. And the need for victory is larger than any president or political party, because the security of our people is in the balance. I don't expect you to support everything I do, but tonight I have a request: Do not give in to despair, and do not give up on this fight for freedom.''
Bill Clinton has left himself enough wiggle room to take Bush up on the invitation. Think about the headlines that would generate, the spines it would stiffen, the message it would send to world leaders. Think about any number of your neighbors and colleagues who might open their ears and their minds if Clinton made it acceptable to do so.
Am I getting caught up in a brandied-eggnog induced fantasy? I don't think so. It's actually been the practice of opposition leaders in a time of war to support the president.
We've just strayed so far from this norm that statesmanship seems abnormal.
Sure, it's a gamble for Bill Clinton. But if he wants to have a coda to impeachment in the history books, what better one than he stood tall against terror? Heck, it might even help Hillary for 2008.
And sure, it's a gamble for Bush, who is just now regaining his footing with the conservative base which despises Clinton far more than it loves the president.
But imagine Bush inviting Clinton to chat at Camp David. Imagine the joint press conference. Imagine these two, who both play for history, working together to change its course.
- Talk back at vbuckingham@bostonherald.com.

LOAD-DATE: December 20, 2005

19 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 19, 2005 Monday  
THIRD EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 007

LENGTH: 515 words

HEADLINE: BUSH: WE'RE WINNING `FIGHT FOR FREEDOM'

BYLINE: By JULES CRITTENDEN

BODY:
President Bush told Americans last night the United States is winning in Iraq, urging them to take heart, honor the sacrifice of their solders and ignore ``defeatists who refuse to see that anything is right.'' 
``To retreat before victory would be an act of recklessness and dishonor, and I will not allow it,'' Bush said. To those who can't see evidence of progress and want an immediate pullout from Iraq, Bush said, ``Do not give in to despair, and do not give up this fight for freedom.''
It was Bush's first speech from the Oval Office since March 2003, when he announced the U.S.-led invasion. Nearly three years later, more than 2,150 U.S. soldiers have died in Iraq. Bush's popularity has plummeted and about half of Americans say they think the war was a mistake, but a strong majority oppose an immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces.
Bush said most of the world's major intelligence agencies believed Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction and insisted he was a threat to the world and a murderer of his own people. ``Saddam Hussein will never again harm one woman or child,'' Bush said.
``I know that some of my decisions have led to terrible loss and not one of those decisions has been taken lightly,'' he said. ``I know that this war is controversial, yet being your president requires doing what I believe is right and accepting the consequences.''
Bush took issue with the view that his policies have boosted terrorism against the United States, citing the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. ``On that day we were not in Iraq. We were not in Afghanistan, but the terrorists attacked us anyway,'' Bush said.
``There is a difference between honest critics who say what they think is wrong and defeatists who refuse to see that anything is right,'' he said.
The president's address came on the heels of four major speeches in which Bush fired back at his critics while acknowledging setbacks and surprises in the war. He also took responsibility for ordering the invasion in part on the basis of intelligence that proved to be inaccurate, and noted that his invasion goals included ending the rule of a dangerous tyrant and planting the seeds of democracy in the heart of the Middle East.
Bush said last week's voting for parliament will not bring an end to the violence in Iraq, where he has estimated that 30,000 civilians have died. But he said Iraq's election ``means that America has an ally of growing strength in the fight against terror.''
Bush noted that Iraqi police and soldiers are playing an increasingly independent role in the security of Iraq, and that optimism is taking root there. 
``Today in Iraq, seven in 10 Iraqis say their lives are going well,'' Bush said. He cited the words of one voter holding up an ink-stained finger, who said, ``This is a thorn in the eyes of the terrorists.''
His speech came amid an uproar in Congress over whether he exceeded his powers in conducting the war on terror with a secret eavesdropping program and on a day that Vice President Dick Cheney made a surprise visit to Baghdad and faced questions from U.S. soldiers about their mission.

LOAD-DATE: December 19, 2005

20 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 19, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 024

LENGTH: 347 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Bush gets real on Iraq

BODY:
It isn't so much what President Bush said last night - those who have seen or read his previous FOUR speeches on Iraq are all too familiar with most of the points he made. No, it is that AT LASTthe president felt the need to address the nation, in primetime from the Oval Office for the first time since the invasion of Iraq in March of 2003. 
The speech came amid the growing brouhaha over Bush's defense of domestic spying post-9/11 - a controversy that has at the very least halted for now renewal of the Patriot Act.
But it also came at a time when Iraqis - Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds alike - went to the polls in record numbers in one of the largest free elections ever held in the Arab world. That is a triumph and one Bush needed to reiterate last night.
``This election will not mean the end of violence,'' he said. ``But it is the beginning of something new: constitutional democracy at the heart of the Middle East. And this vote - 6,000 miles away, in a vital region of the world - means that America has an ally of growing strength in the fight against terror.''
Addressing the increasingly noisy congressional Democrats, attempting to gain political traction from a bring-the-troops-home stance, Bush added, ``Some look at the challenges in Iraq, and conclude that the war is lost, and not worth another dime or another day. I don't believe that. Our military commanders do not believe that. Our troops in the field, who bear the burden and make the sacrifice, do not believe that America has lost.''
His words, this message was long overdue, especially at a time of year when families long to be together - and need to know WHYa loved one is today in harm's way.
``It is also important for every American to understand the consequences of pulling out of Iraq before our work is done. We would abandon our Iraqi friends - and signal to the world that America cannot be trusted to keep its word. . . . We would hand Iraq over to enemies who have pledged to attack us . . .
Bush has made the point many times. Last night he did it from the Oval Office - and not a minute too soon.

LOAD-DATE: December 19, 2005

21 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 18, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 032

LENGTH: 352 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Building democracy in the Middle East

BODY:
The splendid success of Iraq's parliamentary elections brings the day closer when the Untied States may be able to reduce its troop deployment in that country. But this should not mean an end to military involvement in the region. 
It's unclear whether Syria or Iran represents the greater threat, but these two countries flanking Iraq have been doing all they could to frustrate the growth of democracy there. Syria has helped suicide bombers reach Iraq and Iran has supplied sophisticated weapons to Shiite militias. Both Syria and Iran long have supported terror groups throughout the region.
In politics, they say, you play offense or defense - you move the ball, or they move the ball on you. So it is in the war on terror. Lose the initiative and you may lose the war.
The violently anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rants of Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, ought to give new urgency to Western efforts to disrupt Iran's drive for nuclear weapons. But Syria is the easier problem to tackle first.
United Nations investigator Detlev Mehlis has reported further evidence that Syrian agencies have been behind the wave of assassinations in Lebanon. It is clear Syria believes it can resume control of Lebanon through murder, a policy that will end only with a change of regime in Damascus.
The United States should maintain enough mobile ground forces in the region (a fraction of the 138,000 boots on the ground committed to Iraq) to support a credible threat against Syria.
What kind of a threat? Dictator Bashar al-Assad and his henchmen are from the minority Alawi sect of Islam and have no deep connections to the country's majority Sunnis. Many scenarios are possible - such as formation of a rival government in some Syrian province (perhaps bordering Iraq) that could be protected by U.S. air power. After all, a ``no-fly zone'' is something the U.S. Air Force and Navy know how to maintain.
To think that all of the Middle East will be civilized by the sheer existence of a democratic Iraq is to ignore the hard fact that murderers still rule much of the area, and will keep on killing if no one stops them.

LOAD-DATE: December 18, 2005

22 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 18, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 024

LENGTH: 521 words

HEADLINE: Pol serves Mass., near and far

BYLINE: By MAGGIE MULVIHILL

BODY:
In stark contrast to the Beacon Hill lawmakers who took a Spanish vacation as important drunken-driving legislation sat idle, one state representative provides a stirring example this Christmas of what public service really means. 
Harold P. Naughton Jr. (D-Clinton) manages to represent his constituents at the same time he is serving as a U.S. Army lawyer stationed in Kuwait, where he was deployed in September.
``I'm very proud to wear the uniform of the United States Army. It represents all that is best, all that is right and good and pure about our country,'' Naughton said in an e-mail interview with the Herald.
Naughton, 45, the father of four and the son of a D-Day veteran, joined the service after 9/11 and expects to be transferred to Iraq before his tour is up next spring.
He was instrumental in getting a key piece of legislation signed into law in November - while he was overseas - that requires cities and towns to provide death benefits to the families of volunteer or part-time public safety officers who die on duty. Naughton got involved in the fight to push the legislation through after a constituent, on-call Lancaster firefighter Martin H. McNamara V, died in a 2003 fire.
Naughton keeps in touch with his staff and constituents by daily e-mail messages and phone calls.
``There is an eight-hour time difference between here and home. This is actually a benefit, as when I am getting off work at night it is midday to mid-afternoon at home,'' he writes. ``I think the most significant accomplishment since I've been away has been to be able to keep up a high level of constituent service.''
Friends in the Legislature, such as Rep. Thomas A. Golden (D-Lowell) and Rep. James B. Eldridge (D-Acton), help Naughton by keeping track of various bills and amendments, representing him at district events and checking in with his wife, Ellen, and four young children.
Other politicians have checked in on Naughton's family and he has gotten care packages from constituents, as well as memorable cards wishing him well from Rep. Martin T. Meehan (D-Mass.), Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and Red Sox honcho Larry Lucchino.
Naughton said he is busy from early morning to late evening serving as a judge advocate, work that includes briefing U.S. and coalition troops on rules of engagement issues, tracking Army contracts, prosecuting troops for wrongdoing and monitoring equipment losses.
``It's like a full-service law office here in the middle of the desert,'' he writes.
Christmas this year will be a challenge, Naughton acknowledges, but he said his constituents back home have been incredibly generous by sending him packages. Worcester District Court Clerk Magistrate Tom Noonan's staff just sent him a basket of candies, cookies, gum, magazines, books, a DVD, peanut brittle, pens and more. Naughton shares it all.
``When packages come in, the soldiers get together and make sure everyone gets something out of it,'' he writes.
The schoolchildren in Naughton's district have sent him cards and e-mails as well.
``I want them to know how much it means,'' he writes. ``You wait very expectantly for mail call each day.''

GRAPHIC: REP. HAROLD P. NAUGHTON JR. (D-Clinton) is an Army lawyer in Kuwait.

LOAD-DATE: December 18, 2005

23 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 18, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. 039

LENGTH: 475 words

HEADLINE: MUSIC REVIEW; 
 Yule cheer for these Revels without a Claus

BYLINE: By DANIEL GEWERTZ

BODY:
THE CHRISTMAS REVELS, Friday night through Dec. 30 at Sanders Theatre, Cambridge.
Outside Sanders Theatre on Friday night, the wet streets had frozen solid, the miles of black ice making walking nearly impossible. 
The headlines of the day screamed of multiple murders in Dorchester, car bombings in Iraq and ego-mad governors pretending they were heroes.
Inside Sanders was the perfect antidote for such December woes: opening night of The Christmas Revels, where the children are adorable, the yule cheer is hearty and deep and the heroes, such as St. George, are real.
This 35th annual Revels returned to the medieval era of its first production. The stage was transformed into Haddon Hall, Derbyshire, England, circa 1400.
The Revels show is not a play but a pageant, where everything under the sun is tossed together, but nothing is complex except the costumes and the sets. The dances are simple peasant affairs; the singing is handled by a community chorus.
It's the crafty, cute little details and the small gestures that make the show: the funny pointed hats, the hilarious horse-head costume, the period violin, the persuasive way a copper kettle steams and a donkey hee-haws. It's a small, bearded man dressed as a rouged and blushing bride (it is England, after all) and it's a four-person dragon, with one man for the head and a big green tail containing three tiny children.
Just the way the Revels' magnanimous emcee, David Coffin, instructs the audience in the singalongs - using great phrases such as ``straddling the great vowel shift'' - warms the heart.
The inventive costumes seem straight out of Monty Python's ``Holy Grail.'' Some characters look like they were a deck of playing cards come to life.
This Revels edition is not as well-paced and rousing as some. There seemed too many solemn fiddle-harp duets and not enough use of the ace brass section. The play of ``Fauvel'' was nicely evoked by spirited storyteller Debra Wise, the heart-melting troupe of kids and the gallant voices of Michael Tolliver, Daniela Tosic and the Bell Tower Singers. But the tale was so long that one lost the narrative thread after a while.
Yet the sturdy charms of the Revels triumph, as ever. The singers made great use of the aisles and mezzanine. A Nativity scene with the children was entrancing. A white-bearded singer amazed by warbling in an eerily high voice.
The Morris dancers are the best example of the way this peasant pageant impresses. There are no beautiful steps. But when the men slap their sticks together with violent aggression or slide their swords from man to man in complex, swift patterns, there is real danger evoked. If the timing isn't exact, it seems as if blood might spill.
For all the cute make-believe of the Revels, it's this aura of real medieval life, and the authentic Yule cheer, that makes it our great December antidote.

LOAD-DATE: December 18, 2005

24 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 17, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 006

LENGTH: 300 words

HEADLINE: Lynch pushes for probe of war run-up

BYLINE: By CASEY ROSS

BODY:
A Bay State congressman is pushing a new measure to force a Republican-led House committee to hold potentially volatile hearings to examine the Bush administration's use of pre-war intelligence to justify war in Iraq. 
``All we're asking for here is the opportunity to ask questions,'' said an exasperated U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston). ``We're not subpoenaing anybody. We just want to ask questions and have them answered under oath. This is a basic function of Congress.''
Lynch filed a binding resolution that would require the powerful House Committee on Government Reform - which earlier this year traveled to Boston to hold hearings on the Big Dig - to hold public sessions to allow members to scrutinize Bush's use of pre-war intelligence.
The committee has received five requests to hold such hearings in the past 18 months, but none has been granted despite mounting concerns about the legitimacy of Bush's claims.
Leading Democrats have accused the president of deliberately distorting evidence of Iraq's weapons capabilities and concealing intelligence that debunked claims presented to the public in the days leading up to war.
Bush fired back at his critics this week, issuing a heated defense of the war and accusing Democrats of making revisionist statements.
``Saddam was a threat, and the American people and the world is better off because he is no longer in power,'' Bush said during an address at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. ``It is true that much of the intelligence turned out to be wrong. As president, I'm responsible for the decision to go into Iraq.''
The resolution to require hearings has garnered support from high-ranking committee Democracts.
The chairman of the committee, U.S. Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) could not be reached for comment yesterday.

LOAD-DATE: December 17, 2005

25 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 17, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 006

LENGTH: 232 words

HEADLINE: Guard unit back home for holidays

BYLINE: By CAROLYN KESSEL STEWART (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
An army of family and friends sobbing, waving flags and holding balloons welcomed home Massachusetts National Guard soldiers back from Iraq yesterday just in time for the holidays. 
``We're going to relax and get to know each other again,'' said Leah McKenna of Brockton as she gazed at her husband, Derek, for the first time in six months.
She joined hundreds of others at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School in Marlboro to greet 153 members of the 102nd Field Artillery who have provided security in Iraq by guarding POWs and securing convoys.
The unit began its tour in October 2004, when soldiers headed off for three months of training at Fort Dix in New Jersey. The day after Christmas, the troops left for Kuwait and then Iraq.
Paul Dok, 23, of Lynn, had to leave his sociology and criminal justice studies at the University of Massachusetts at behind.
``I got called up and it changed everything. A lot of my friends graduated,'' he said. Now, Dok will be playing catch-up. But he said he is just as determined as he was before he left to become a state cop or an FBI agent.
``It gave me an opportunity to see what it's like to be a cop,'' he said. ``It feels great to be home.''
Spc. Randy Donovan of Hudson joined the National Guard to help pay for college. He signed up for six years, and assumes he will be sent back to Iraq.
``I wouldn't get out of it even if I could,'' he said.

GRAPHIC: OVER HERE! Sgt. Josh Champney, 25, of Braintree, exchanges kisses with girlfriend Amanda Hughes yesterday in Marlborough upon returning home with the National Guard's 102nd Field Artillery Security Forces. STAFF PHOTO BY FAITH NINIVAGGI

LOAD-DATE: December 17, 2005

26 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 17, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 014

LENGTH: 226 words

HEADLINE: Wounded Army veteran among new state troopers

BYLINE: By CASEY LYONS (THE BEACON VILLAGER)

BODY:
WORCESTER - The newest crop of state troopers - including an Army veteran who was wounded in Iraq and a soldier who is shipping out Monday - were sworn in yesterday by Gov. Mitt Romney. 
In a room packed with family and state dignitaries at the Digital Credit Unit Center, Romney invoked the Iraq elections and the U.S. soldiers who helped make them happen.
``They are paying a price there so we can be more prepared here for jihadists who would attack us,'' Romney told the 174 men and women of the 78th Recruiting and Training Troop.
But new trooper Erik Karlon of Maynard needed no reminder.
Two years ago this Monday, Karlon, then an Army staff sergeant, was severely wounded when a bomb blew the doors off his Humvee. Karlon suffered head injuries, including two blown ear drums and shards of metal in his eyes.
He spent months recuperating at Walter Reed Hospital before making a final recovery and realizing his childhood dream.
``It's my ultimate goal. Since I was a kid, I've always wanted to be a state trooper,'' Karlon said.
Meanwhile, Karlon's friend and fellow trooper, Brian Bandini, also of Mayard, confessed to mixed emotions at the ceremony.
``I'm happy to be through (with training), it's such a great day,'' said Bandini, who begins his Iraq tour of duty Monday. ``But knowing Iraq is on the horizon, I have to shift gears and change my focus.''

GRAPHIC: BADGE-WORTHY: Trooper Brian P. Bandini, of Maynard, receives his badge yesterday during graduation exercises at the DCU Center in Worcester. He and his Marine unit will soon be sent to Iraq. PHOTO BY KEN MCGAGH (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

LOAD-DATE: December 17, 2005

27 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 17, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 020

LENGTH: 800 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 AS YOU WERE SAYING . . .True faith isn't mailed in

BYLINE: By The Rev. John F. Hudson

BODY:
I don't expect or ask Wal-Mart or President Bush to be cheerleaders or public evangelists for the story of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem. That's my job as a pastor. That is my church's job as a faith community.
President George Bush took a very public shellacking recently and was severely criticized for that most egregious of political mistakes. He wasn't attacked for the war in Iraq, wasn't vilified for his handling of the economy or for his choice of nominee for the Supreme Court. The cultural attack dogs ripped him to pieces for something really important. Seems the president and first lady mailed 1.4 million holiday cards to friends and supporters, but failed to include the word ``Christmas'' in those greetings. 
Holy Christmas, Santa Claus!
Now as a Christian and a clergyperson, one who does Christmas for a living, I guess I am supposed to applaud those who took our president to task for this apparent abandonment of his faith loyalty. Like them, I should defend Christmas, right? They certainly do so, with a smug righteousness only the religious can muster. Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association, declares, ``Sometimes it's hard to tell whether this is sinister - it's the purging of Christ from Christmas - or whether it's just political correctness run amok.''
William A. Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, ominously warns, ``The Bush administration has ``capitulated to the worst elements in our culture.''
Folks like these two have also initiated boycotts against retailers like Target and Wal-Mart, all because most chain stores have now adopted ``Happy Holidays'' as the slogan of choice in December.
As one who believes in the truth of that humble birth in a backwater ancient Middle Eastern village some 2,000 years ago, maybe I should be angry too. Yet I am not. Instead I'm for the first family's religious respect, and more important, for the separation of religion from this largely secular holiday frenzy we still insist upon calling Christmas.
I'm no Scrooge. I love the lights. I love the parties. I love the gift-giving. I recognize the economic importance of you and me and millions of our fellow Americans spending our cash come December. I love the extra time off and the chance to celebrate at the darkest time of the year. It's just that I don't mistake all this activity for faith or real spirituality. Nor do I expect the larger culture to support or partner with me or my church or my faith tradition in promoting and teaching the faith story of Christmas.
Religious conservatives in recent years have taken a dangerous turn, one that threatens to undermine the vision that all folks of many faiths and no faith can call this country home. Modern-day fundamentalist crusaders too often insist that the larger culture walk in lockstep with their narrow religious beliefs and even support and teach those beliefs. They declare, ``Only someone with my faith can be on the Supreme Court. Schools must teach intelligent design. Abortion laws must reflect my interpretation of when life begins. And damn it, my kids going to sing `Silent Night' at school!''
It is not that bringing our faith to bear in the mix of ideas and debate in society is bad. We should take our faith into the world. We should argue vigorously from our faith perspectives, if we claim one. But we shouldn't arrogantly expect everyone else to believe what we believe, live like we live or worship like we worship. Several years ago a parishioner challenged me on why I was against prayer in public schools. My answer was simple. As a deeply committed person of faith, I don't want the kids from my church being taught about prayer by their algebra teacher. I don't seek to teach the kids in my church about math. Religion is my job and a family's job. Teaching math is the job of our schools.
See the difference? I don't expect or ask Wal-Mart or President Bush to be cheerleaders or public evangelists for the story of Jesus' birth. That's my job as a pastor. That is my church's job as a faith community. That is a family's prerogative if it chooses to raise children in faith. If I had kids, the last place in the world I'd want them to associate with baby Jesus is Target. Jesus is about many things: peace on earth, care for the poor, justice for the oppressed and hope for the world. For me, He's not about a card from Bush or a toy sale.
So happy holidays! And if I see you in church, I'll be sure to say, Merry Christmas!
- The Rev. John F. Hudson is senior pastor of West Concord Union United Church of Christ. We invite readers to contribute pieces of no more than 600 words. Mail to the Boston Herald, P.O. Box 55843, Boston, MA. 02205-5843, or e-mail to oped@bostonherald.com. Submissions are subject to editing and become Herald property.

GRAPHIC: AWAY IN A MANGER: And a long way from the shopping mall.

LOAD-DATE: December 17, 2005

28 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 17, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: FINANCE; Pg. 059

LENGTH: 657 words

HEADLINE: Oil-drilling game a bit of a bore

BYLINE: By DARREN GARNICK

BODY:
Now that gasoline is hovering just above $2 a gallon - seeming virtually free by post-Hurricane Katrina standards - perhaps Americans are willing to invite ExxonMobil or Shell Oil into their living rooms.
What better way to gauge forgiveness at the pump this holiday season than to gift-wrap ``The Oilman Game,'' a board game celebrating the global pursuit of hidden petroleum reserves?
Billing itself as ``100 Percent Crude Fun'' for the family, the multi-layered board with interchangeable regional maps encourages you to ``take the necessary risks to outmaneuver your competitors and become the most successful oil baron in the world.'' The game retails for $49.99 at NorthernGames.com and selected independent toy stores. 
``We're embraced by the oil industry,'' says Northern Games president Bruce William Downs. ``Oil companies are giving it away to employees at Christmas parties.
``We've shipped the game to U.S. service people in Iraq,'' he adds. ``They think it's very funny.''
Northern Games is based in Edmonton, Alberta - smack in the middle of Canada's Oil Belt. According to Downs, his game has generated considerable buzz regionally, but is having trouble catching on in such likely markets as Texas or the Middle East. He has not heard a peep from the Saudi royal family.
``Oilman'' players take turns picking spots on the map to search for untapped reserves. The thick game board contains three hollow layers with plastic oil patches that change position when shaken. Although this feature adds suspense to each game, there are no real world geopolitical parallels to discovering black gold.
Oil wealth in this universe is totally random. Imagine drilling in Alaska's precious ANWR region and coming up dry. Imagine oil rigs gurgling off the coasts of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. The notion might make those proposed wind turbines seem attractive.
``You could even find oil in New York City if you were lucky enough!'' Downs says.
Luck - specifically too much of it - is a major reason ``The Oilman Game'' is not catching on with many ``serious'' gamers. Managers at the Games People Play store in Cambridge and 3 Trolls Games & Puzzles in Chelmsford both said their customers tend to prefer strategy-based rules of play.
``It's cute, but it honestly doesn't grab me,'' says 3 Trolls co-owner Andy Kirschbaum, who reviewed the game when it was displayed at the American International Toy Fair in New York.
Kirschbaum says his best-selling titles this holiday season include ``Blokus,'' a geometry-based game of logic and spatial relations; ``The Settlers of Catan,'' an immigration role-playing game; and ``Killer Bunnies,'' a card game war of attrition.
Northern Games has a minuscule advertising budget and depends heavily on word-of-mouth marketing. Curiously, even representatives of the American Petroleum Institute and the Society of Petroleum Engineers said this week that they had not heard of ``The Oilman Game.''
Nonetheless, Mark Rubin, the executive director of SPE, praises the idea. ``The hunt for oil and gas is exciting and requires both creativity and problem-solving skills, which makes it a natural for a board game,'' he says. ``I hope this game shows how fun and rewarding our profession is, and all the high-tech tools we use to find the oil and gas the world needs.''
According to Northern Games' Downs, the odds for a new board game to thrive are daunting. Out of every thousand games invented, he says, only 10 get produced. Typically, only one of those 10 becomes a commercial success. Northern Games has taken a chance with other eclectic topics such as ``Lunker Lake: The Ultimate Freshwater Fishing Game,'' and ``Rodeo Rama.''
Regardless of his struggles to get ``Oilman'' noticed, Downs is optimistic about the future of board games in general. ``Nothing can compare to sitting around a table with family and friends,'' he says. ``Compared to going out to dinner and a movie, board games are a great value.''

GRAPHIC: `CRUDE FUN': The excitement of `The Oilman Game,' above, may not be able to top the thrill of George Clooney's new oil industry flick `Syriana,' below, but this fun game will help pass the time on those cold, winter nights.

LOAD-DATE: December 18, 2005

29 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 16, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 028

LENGTH: 710 words

HEADLINE: They'll be home for Christmas; 
 War-weary soldiers return to Bay State

BYLINE: By JESSICA FARGEN

BODY:
Homecoming ceremonies for 180 soldiers in the National Guard's 1st Battalion, 102nd Field Artillery are planned this weekend in Quincy and Marlboro. The men in the unit left their families last fall and deployed to Iraq.
Thirty soldiers manned a command and control center at Abu Ghraib. The rest formed a security force. All are coming home alive. 
The following are the accounts of loved ones who waited and worried at home.
Sgt. 1st class Mike Howie
It was the sound of Sgt. 1st Class Mike Howie's voice that made his wife Noreen believe he was really home.
``You can tell he's so much happier to be home,'' Noreen said Monday night, after hearing Mike had landed in New Jersey.
``Ten minutes of 7, he called as he was walking off the plane. He said, `I'm home.' Actually, he said, `I made it.' ''
He's expected in Massachusetts tomorrowafter a 14-month deployment.
They married Oct. 2 last year in a rushed ceremony not long after he found out about the deployment. She's seen him three times since he left Oct. 31 last year.
``It was hard starting off a new life, a new marriage together in that way,'' said Noreen, who lives with her parents in Weymouth. ``I think it actually brought us closer. This whole experience makes you appreciate what you have.''
The scariest moment came April 2 when she heard about an attack at Abu Ghraib prison, where Mike worked in a command center providing support to U.S. forces.
``His mother called me at my parents' and she was in hysterics. She heard it on the news. . . . I ran up to my computer and he was on the computer a few hours after the attack happened,'' she said.
No soldiers in the unit were injured in that attack.
Now, she's looking forward to Aug. 26, her ``new'' wedding date.
``This is going to be the one we would have had. It's going to be perfect,'' she said.
Staff Sgt. Jesse Medford
For the past year, David and Emma have looked for Daddy on a world map on the wall . . .
Raynham here. Iraq there.
``They knew where they were and they saw where he was. They saw he was far away,'' said Christie Medford, who used the map to explain to her kids, 4 and 6, why their dad, Staff Sgt. Jesse Medford, wasn't home. ``(I tell them) there are bad things that go on in the world, that he had to go and do something. I always reassured them he was safe.''
Christie, 30, put off college classes, sold the house in Fitchburg and moved into a Raynham apartment, closer to her parents. She's also taken on the role of bad guy with the kids.
``My son, he listens better to Daddy. It's stressful to always be the one to correct bad behavior. I cannot wait for that to be over.''
As she awaits his return and looks back on the long months behind her, Christie said the first days were the worst.
``Then, you just get in a schedule and you just wish,'' she said. ``To stand here and look at it now, it went by fast, but as you are living it, it feels real slow.''
She said Jesse is anxious to be home and enjoy the little things.
``He wants to lay on the couch with the remote, with his children and us all piled on top of him,'' she said. ``He can't wait just to relax.''
Sgt. Matt Burke
It's been almost a year since she's seen her son, Matt Burke, 25.
And every day since he left for Iraq, Denise Burke is confronted with a parent's worst nightmare.
``I remember when he first went, one day I was riding to work and you turn on the radio and you hear `soldiers killed.' You say to yourself, `Is that how I am going to find out?' '' she said. ``You put yourself in the hearts of people that are losing their children.''
It is not something new to her. Matt's grandfather is a World War II veteran and two of his uncles were in Vietnam.
Denise and her husband, Michael Burke of Rockland, have four children. In June, they'll welcome their first daughter-in-law.
``It's a love story, I guess,'' said Dina DelMonaco, 22, who is marrying Matt June 9, after a four-year courtship. He proposed to her in August, on a two-week leave, as they swam with dolphins in the Florida Keys.
Denise didn't see her son then, but said she understands why he spent his two-week leave in Florida.
``He said he just couldn't say goodbye again,'' she said. Matt will be home for Christmas, and she said she plans to make him the ``biggest turkey for Christmas I can find.''

GRAPHIC: CAN'T WAIT: A big turkey awaits Matt Burke as he comes home to, from left, fiancee Dina DelMonaco, sister Kelli, Brother Kevin, mother Denise and father Michael holding Matt's photo. STAFF PHOT BY MATTHEW WEST
NEWLYWEDS: Noreen, above, and Mike Howie, right, were married less than a month before he was shipped off to Iraq. STAFF PHOTO BY PATRICK WHITTEMORE
WELCOME HOME, DAD: Jesse Medford's daughter Emma points to Iraq on a map with her mom, Christie, as his son David proudly holds up a picture of his dad. STAFF PHOTO BY MATTHEW WEST

LOAD-DATE: December 16, 2005

30 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 16, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 034

LENGTH: 323 words

HEADLINE: Hub lawyer plays key role in Saddam trial

BYLINE: By DAVID L. HARRIS (ROSLINDALE TRANSCRIPT)

BODY:
Roslindale's Joe Callahan, a lawyer for the city of Boston and an active-duty Marine, guarded witnesses, worried about the next ambush and fought for everyone's legal rights to help start the trial of Saddam Hussein. 
``I got to participate in history in the making,'' he said.
Callahan was dispatched to Iraq a year ago to assist in the case against Saddam and members of his ruling party. Just back home, he called his stint a glorious grind.
``It was long hours, but it was a worthy cause,'' said Callahan, 46, a lieutenant colonel who worked with the Regime Crimes Liaison Office, a U.S. government agency.
Callahan went from processing claims to making sure Iraqi lawyers for Saddam and others had access to their infamous clients, who have been charged with committing genocide, crimes against humanity and other war crimes. He still can't talk about who those high-level detainees were, citing the ongoing trial.
In April, Callahan became chief of staff for the agency, responsible for setting up the court to try Saddam and others.
The trials, he said, might be a solid attempt to heal a war-ravaged country. ``This trial is extremely important to this country's future,'' he said. ``The evidence shows that he (Saddam) and the people that worked with him committed atrocities over a 32-year period.''
On Oct. 20, the day after the trial began, attorney Saadoun al-Janabi was kidnapped and found the next day with bullet holes in the head, according to the Associated Press.
Then on Nov. 8, defense lawyer Adel al-Zubeidi was killed in an ambush and a colleague, Thamir al-Khuzaie, was wounded.
``Security for the defense counsel, for witnesses and victims, for media coming in. We do that over here for organized crime or sex abuse cases,'' he said. ``You have to protect them. Security for all the participants was a concern.''
But he's delighted to be back in town. ``It's good to be home for Christmas. My wife had a heavy load,'' he said.

LOAD-DATE: December 16, 2005

31 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 16, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 036

LENGTH: 277 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 A noble experiment takes another step

BODY:
In the end, voter turnout in Iraq was so heavy that officials had to keep the polls open an extra hour in many locations. Even in predominantly Sunni areas, where most voters had boycotted last January's parliamentary elections, turnout was reported to be heavy - with some places running out of ballots by mid-day. 
It is expected to be two weeks before the votes are final - and, yes, Iraq's future will very much depend on that balance of power.
But the phrase used by the Associated Press to describe yesterday's events in Iraq is one worth repeating. AP called it ``one of the largest and freest elections in the Arab world.''
People, of course, voted for all kinds of reasons - the Shiites in celebration of their new-found power after decades of abuse at the hands of Saddam Hussein. The Kurds for many of the same reasons. Many of the Sunnis in a spirit of defiance - a slap at Shiite clergy. But it didn't really matter why. What really matters is that they voted - some of them even coming to the polls wrapped in Iraq's flag.
This is, of course, the beginning of a long and difficult process - a process of negotiating and compromising - concepts not entirely familiar to a people who lived too long under the yoke of a brutal dictatorship.
President Bush and most clear-thinking Americans believe that freedom and democracy are the natural state of all people - the right of all people whatever their origins. Iraq is well on its way to becoming a laboratory for democracy in the Arab world. Our hopes for their freedom - and for the eventual end to U.S. involvement in their lives - are inextricably tied. May this be a peaceful new year for both our nations.

LOAD-DATE: December 16, 2005

32 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 16, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 028

LENGTH: 710 words

HEADLINE: They'll be home for Christmas; 
 War-weary soldiers return to Bay State

BYLINE: By JESSICA FARGEN

BODY:
Homecoming ceremonies for 180 soldiers in the National Guard's 1st Battalion, 102nd Field Artillery are planned this weekend in Quincy and Marlboro. The men in the unit left their families last fall and deployed to Iraq.
Thirty soldiers manned a command and control center at Abu Ghraib. The rest formed a security force. All are coming home alive. 
The following are the accounts of loved ones who waited and worried at home.
Sgt. 1st class Mike Howie
It was the sound of Sgt. 1st Class Mike Howie's voice that made his wife Noreen believe he was really home.
``You can tell he's so much happier to be home,'' Noreen said Monday night, after hearing Mike had landed in New Jersey.
``Ten minutes of 7, he called as he was walking off the plane. He said, `I'm home.' Actually, he said, `I made it.' ''
He's expected in Massachusetts tomorrowafter a 14-month deployment.
They married Oct. 2 last year in a rushed ceremony not long after he found out about the deployment. She's seen him three times since he left Oct. 31 last year.
``It was hard starting off a new life, a new marriage together in that way,'' said Noreen, who lives with her parents in Weymouth. ``I think it actually brought us closer. This whole experience makes you appreciate what you have.''
The scariest moment came April 2 when she heard about an attack at Abu Ghraib prison, where Mike worked in a command center providing support to U.S. forces.
``His mother called me at my parents' and she was in hysterics. She heard it on the news. . . . I ran up to my computer and he was on the computer a few hours after the attack happened,'' she said.
No soldiers in the unit were injured in that attack.
Now, she's looking forward to Aug. 26, her ``new'' wedding date.
``This is going to be the one we would have had. It's going to be perfect,'' she said.
Staff Sgt. Jesse Medford
For the past year, David and Emma have looked for Daddy on a world map on the wall . . .
Raynham here. Iraq there.
``They knew where they were and they saw where he was. They saw he was far away,'' said Christie Medford, who used the map to explain to her kids, 4 and 6, why their dad, Staff Sgt. Jesse Medford, wasn't home. ``(I tell them) there are bad things that go on in the world, that he had to go and do something. I always reassured them he was safe.''
Christie, 30, put off college classes, sold the house in Fitchburg and moved into a Raynham apartment, closer to her parents. She's also taken on the role of bad guy with the kids.
``My son, he listens better to Daddy. It's stressful to always be the one to correct bad behavior. I cannot wait for that to be over.''
As she awaits his return and looks back on the long months behind her, Christie said the first days were the worst.
``Then, you just get in a schedule and you just wish,'' she said. ``To stand here and look at it now, it went by fast, but as you are living it, it feels real slow.''
She said Jesse is anxious to be home and enjoy the little things.
``He wants to lay on the couch with the remote, with his children and us all piled on top of him,'' she said. ``He can't wait just to relax.''
Sgt. Matt Burke
It's been almost a year since she's seen her son, Matt Burke, 25.
And every day since he left for Iraq, Denise Burke is confronted with a parent's worst nightmare.
``I remember when he first went, one day I was riding to work and you turn on the radio and you hear `soldiers killed.' You say to yourself, `Is that how I am going to find out?' '' she said. ``You put yourself in the hearts of people that are losing their children.''
It is not something new to her. Matt's grandfather is a World War II veteran and two of his uncles were in Vietnam.
Denise and her husband, Michael Burke of Rockland, have four children. In June, they'll welcome their first daughter-in-law.
``It's a love story, I guess,'' said Dina DelMonaco, 22, who is marrying Matt June 9, after a four-year courtship. He proposed to her in August, on a two-week leave, as they swam with dolphins in the Florida Keys.
Denise didn't see her son then, but said she understands why he spent his two-week leave in Florida.
``He said he just couldn't say goodbye again,'' she said. Matt will be home for Christmas, and she said she plans to make him the ``biggest turkey for Christmas I can find.''

GRAPHIC: CAN'T WAIT: A big turkey awaits Matt Burke as he comes home to, from left, fiancee Dina DelMonaco, sister Kelli, Brother Kevin, mother Denise and father Michael holding Matt's photo. STAFF PHOT BY MATTHEW WEST
NEWLYWEDS: Noreen, above, and Mike Howie, right, were married less than a month before he was shipped off to Iraq. STAFF PHOTO BY PATRICK WHITTEMORE
WELCOME HOME, DAD: Jesse Medford's daughter Emma points to Iraq on a map with her mom, Christie, as his son David proudly holds up a picture of his dad. STAFF PHOTO BY MATTHEW WEST

LOAD-DATE: December 16, 2005

33 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 16, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 034

LENGTH: 323 words

HEADLINE: Hub lawyer plays key role in Saddam trial

BYLINE: By DAVID L. HARRIS (ROSLINDALE TRANSCRIPT)

BODY:
Roslindale's Joe Callahan, a lawyer for the city of Boston and an active-duty Marine, guarded witnesses, worried about the next ambush and fought for everyone's legal rights to help start the trial of Saddam Hussein. 
``I got to participate in history in the making,'' he said.
Callahan was dispatched to Iraq a year ago to assist in the case against Saddam and members of his ruling party. Just back home, he called his stint a glorious grind.
``It was long hours, but it was a worthy cause,'' said Callahan, 46, a lieutenant colonel who worked with the Regime Crimes Liaison Office, a U.S. government agency.
Callahan went from processing claims to making sure Iraqi lawyers for Saddam and others had access to their infamous clients, who have been charged with committing genocide, crimes against humanity and other war crimes. He still can't talk about who those high-level detainees were, citing the ongoing trial.
In April, Callahan became chief of staff for the agency, responsible for setting up the court to try Saddam and others.
The trials, he said, might be a solid attempt to heal a war-ravaged country. ``This trial is extremely important to this country's future,'' he said. ``The evidence shows that he (Saddam) and the people that worked with him committed atrocities over a 32-year period.''
On Oct. 20, the day after the trial began, attorney Saadoun al-Janabi was kidnapped and found the next day with bullet holes in the head, according to the Associated Press.
Then on Nov. 8, defense lawyer Adel al-Zubeidi was killed in an ambush and a colleague, Thamir al-Khuzaie, was wounded.
``Security for the defense counsel, for witnesses and victims, for media coming in. We do that over here for organized crime or sex abuse cases,'' he said. ``You have to protect them. Security for all the participants was a concern.''
But he's delighted to be back in town. ``It's good to be home for Christmas. My wife had a heavy load,'' he said.

LOAD-DATE: December 16, 2005

34 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 16, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 036

LENGTH: 277 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 A noble experiment takes another step

BODY:
In the end, voter turnout in Iraq was so heavy that officials had to keep the polls open an extra hour in many locations. Even in predominantly Sunni areas, where most voters had boycotted last January's parliamentary elections, turnout was reported to be heavy - with some places running out of ballots by mid-day. 
It is expected to be two weeks before the votes are final - and, yes, Iraq's future will very much depend on that balance of power.
But the phrase used by the Associated Press to describe yesterday's events in Iraq is one worth repeating. AP called it ``one of the largest and freest elections in the Arab world.''
People, of course, voted for all kinds of reasons - the Shiites in celebration of their new-found power after decades of abuse at the hands of Saddam Hussein. The Kurds for many of the same reasons. Many of the Sunnis in a spirit of defiance - a slap at Shiite clergy. But it didn't really matter why. What really matters is that they voted - some of them even coming to the polls wrapped in Iraq's flag.
This is, of course, the beginning of a long and difficult process - a process of negotiating and compromising - concepts not entirely familiar to a people who lived too long under the yoke of a brutal dictatorship.
President Bush and most clear-thinking Americans believe that freedom and democracy are the natural state of all people - the right of all people whatever their origins. Iraq is well on its way to becoming a laboratory for democracy in the Arab world. Our hopes for their freedom - and for the eventual end to U.S. involvement in their lives - are inextricably tied. May this be a peaceful new year for both our nations.

LOAD-DATE: December 16, 2005

35 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 15, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 043

LENGTH: 530 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 Let freedom ring in Iraq and throughout Mideast

BYLINE: By PETER BROOKES

BODY:
Today's historic Iraqi election is about a heck of a lot more than choosing 275 new parliamentarians for Iraq's first full-term, post-Saddam government. It's equally key to fomenting change in next-door Iran and Syria, breaking al-Qaeda and serving notice on other Mideast despots that their days are numbered.
This will be no ordinary day at the polling booth. Iraqi voting will - once again - shake the pillars of terror and tyranny. 
Iran's vigorous support for the Iraqi insurgency tells us that the mullahs' regime is probably the one most troubled by Iraq's democratic political revolution.
Iran is increasingly isolated internationally because of its dogged pursuit of an indigenous nuclear (weapons) capability, as well as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's anti-Israeli tirades.
Having freedom next door in Iraq will only turbo-charge the pressure on the regime from Iran's youthful population, which is bristling under the mullahs' rule.
Syria can't be too happy about the Iraqi elections, either. The regime is already in trouble over a U.N. investigation's suggestion that it's behind the February killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut.
And now many are pointing the finger at Damascus over this week's assassination of the Lebanese parliamentarian and journalist, Gibran Tueni - the fourth murder of a prominent anti-Syrian Lebanese figure since Syria's withdrawal this spring.
The success of tomorrow's elections will surround Syria with democratic states - Turkey, Israel, Lebanon and Iraq - leaving Damascus as the odd man out in that ``free'' corner of the Middle East. How long before the Syrian people ask, ``Why not us?''
Al-Qaeda is already in a tenuous state in the Muslim world. Wherever Osama bin Laden is hiding, it's likely he's become a mere figurehead.
Meanwhile, al-Qaeda's wanton slaughter - shedding innocent Muslim blood from one end of the world to the other - is disenchanting moderate Muslims, alienating potential jihadists and undermining its financial base. Al-Qaeda is slowly, but surely, cutting its own throat.
Not surprising, an Internet statement claiming to have the backing of five Islamic militant groups in Iraq - including Abu Musab al Zarqawi's al-Qaeda in the Land of the Two Rivers - called the election a ``satanic project,'' promising to continue resisting the Iraqis' political will.
Ten million to 12 million Iraqis going to 6,230 polling places won't go unnoticed across the Middle East. Oppressive rulers won't be able to ignore the fact that in just 32 months, Iraq deposed Saddam Hussein, held free, interim elections (8 million voting), drafted/approved a constitution in a referendum (10 million voting) and elected a government.
These elections - and Iraq's incredible political evolution - can't help but affect the views - and actions - of all classes of people across the Muslim world.
Yes, today's voting puts Iraq on a path to a brighter future. But, equally important, it puts al-Qaeda, Iran, Syria and other despots on notice that the Middle Eastern democracy train has left the station - and there's no turning it back.
Peter Brookes' new book is ``A Devil's Triangle: Terrorism, WMD and Rogue States.''

LOAD-DATE: December 15, 2005

36 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 15, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 005

LENGTH: 538 words

HEADLINE: ONE TERM FOR MITT; 
 CAN ROMNEY PULL OUT ALL THE RIGHT MOVES? He's got an uphill climb in bid for the White House

BYLINE: By MAGGIE MULVIHILL

BODY:
The road to the White House is riddled with land mines for Gov. Mitt Romney as he faces a potentially rough ride on three issues: Mormonism, Massachusetts and the military. 
``It is evangelical Christians who vote in Republican primaries, and they see (Mormonism) as a cult, something outside of Christianity,'' said David Mark, editor of Campaign & Elections magazine.
Hailing from liberal Massachusetts also will raise suspicions among the party's right wing.
Brown University professor Darrel West said the nomination of a Massachusetts candidate by the GOP ``from a geopolitical standpoint . . . would be a surprising decision,'' adding, ``The heart of the party is now in the South.''
The fact that Romney - while a vocal supporter of the war in Iraq - has zero military experience could also be a negative.
Romney fades most, observers say, when stacked up against another potential GOP contender - such as U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a Vietnam veteran and heroic former prisoner-of-war - when it comes to the Iraq conflict.
``If Iraq is still messed up in 2008, people are going to look to someone who has the credentials to solve that, and having served in the military is a great credential,'' West said. ``The fact that he hasn't served is a problem.''
Even though Romney has made no official announcement he is in the presidential race, U.S. Rep. Martin T. Meehan (D-Lowell) said it's a relief he announced he wasn't running for re-election in 2006 yesterday.
``You can't do right by Massachusetts and woo the South Carolina Republican party at the same time,'' Meehan said. ``I think the question will be whether conservatives in the South and the West really believe that he is a conservative.''
Still, Romney has a leg up over other potential candidates because of his increasingly conservative positions on hot-button issues such as abortion. Romney opposes abortion.
``The advantage is that he is more conservative than McCain and (former New York City mayor Rudolph) Giuliani,'' said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.
Romney, 58, also opposes gay marriage and stem cell research and is strong on fiscal issues such as limiting tax increases.
``He is in the hunt because he has positioned himself conservatively enough to compete. He is a good speaker and ideologically he has much in common with the people who vote in GOP primaries and caucuses,'' Sabato said. ``If you look at the list, you could imagine a wide range of people getting the nomination before Mitt Romney, but they all have problems. There is no one in this GOP race who fits perfectly or even very well.''
On the plus side for Romney is his experience as CEO of the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, which he can flash as a national security credential. Romney took over the troubled Games and brought them off without a hitch.
Romney's millionaire status and movie star looks will also boost his chances. The fact he has a limited record of legislative accomplishments as governor is also an asset - not a liability, experts said.
``He has a built-in excuse. Republicans simply assume that the liberals who really run Massachusetts will never go along with the conservative ideas of a conservative governor,'' Sabato said.

LOAD-DATE: December 15, 2005

37 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 15, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 250 words

HEADLINE: Mom gets aid with birthday for her twin soldier boys

BYLINE: By MICHELLE MUELLENBERG (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
Double the service, double the worry.
But Marlboro mom Sandy Quintin has one load off her mind after dozens of friends and strangers came forward to ensure her twin sons Bruce and Derek, both 23-year-old Marines on duty in Iraq, will have a belated happy birthday. 
Since being out on medical leave, Quintin has been strapped for cash and was financially unable to send Derek and Bruce birthday gifts last month. Then, an e-mail to the city's Web site resulted in Marlboro Mayor Dennis Hunt giving Quintin $300 from his charitable fund.
In the past week, the twins' alma mater, Keefe Technical High School, has contacted Quintin showing interest in sending them a care package, a local school wants to send them letters and veterans from around the state have called voicing support.
With Derek and Bruce in transit, Quintin said she does not know where they are, but she hopes to have contact information for them soon.
``I cannot wait to let them know how much everyone has shown interest in them,'' Quintin said.
She said many soldiers feel forgotten.
Derek and Bruce will be especially happy to hear about her communication with Keefe Tech. ``Keefe Tech really molded them,'' Quintin said. It will bring back so many great memories.''
Derek and Bruce, class of 2001, enlisted just before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. They recently re-enlisted for another four years, Quintin said. She hopes to hear something from her sons within the next week and has her neighbors listening for her phone when she's out.

LOAD-DATE: December 15, 2005

38 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 15, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. 044

LENGTH: 947 words

HEADLINE: GIFT GUIDE; 
 Let's wrap it up; 
 Arts scenesters shine spotlight on wish lists

BYLINE: By TENLEY WOODMAN AND HEATHER V. ENG

BODY:
Still pondering what to give your nearest and dearest for the holidays? Still trying to drop mega-hints about what you'd love to get? You're not alone. We posed the ``What are you gonna give? What do you wanna get?'' question to some insiders on Boston's arts and entertainment scene. Here's what's on their lists:
- ``My 5 1/2-year-old son has asked for a `pig cage.' There will be no pigs wandering around our New York apartment: He's getting a skateboard. My wife has been taking care of our son `solo' during the run of ``White Christmas'' so I'm giving her an iPod, a bottle of chardonnay and four days on a Caribbean beach of her choice. As for me? I'm just hoping she'll ask me to tag along.'' - STEPHEN BOGARDUS, star of ``White Christmas,'' at the Wang Theatre through Dec. 31 
- ``I like T-shirts a lot so I'm always on the lookout for places to get interesting new ones. If any of my relatives send me checks this holiday season, I will be visiting the following Web sites: Threadless.com, a great site that offers budding (and established) designers the opportunity to upload designs and have them voted on by members of the online community. The winning shirts are printed and sold online. Brunettotshirts.com - not exactly an online store, but Brunetto T-Shirts is the printer of choice for many amusing (and stylish) Web-based graphic artists. And, finally, there's Johnny Cupcakes (johnnycupcakes.com). Here you will find all manner of fashionable shirts (and some other accessories) all featuring cupcakes in some form or another. And, of course, there's always the classic Brattle Theatre T-shirts. We still have our popular Orson Welles design and we're printing more options for the holidays! In terms of gift giving, I always make it a point to go to the Bazaar Bizarre in Boston and the Punk Rock Flea Market at MassArt. They are great places to find unique, handmade gifts and funky yard sale-type items.''
- NED HINKLE, program director of the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge
- ``What I hope to get for the holidays: `Invite Them Up!,' a compilation of hot alternative New York comedians like David Cross, Mike Birbiglia and Eugene Mirman (Comedy Central Records). And a DVD set of `Home Movies: Season Three,' the Cartoon Network masterpiece from Brendon Small and Watertown's Soup2Nuts productions. What I hope to get for the holidays: anything that adds up to $1 more than the `Invite Them Up' CD and the `Home Movies' DVD.''
- RICK JENKINS, owner of The Comedy Studio in Cambridge
- ``I give gift certificates to my favorite restaurants to many of my closest friends during the holidays. To some, that may seem impersonal, but to me it means giving the gift of a great time out, with people who you care for. All I want for Christmas is as much time as I can spend with my son, Aaron. Nothing else seems to mean as much.''
- KEITH LOCKHART, conductor of the Boston Pops
- ``If I could have fantasy gifts I'd want an iPod Nano or a cellphone like the Razr. But if I could have any band play here it's always been Bruce Springsteen. I've loved him for years and years.
``One cool thing I bought for my niece was Nintendogs. You pick these puppies from a virtual kennel and you really have to interact with them or they run away, or worse.''
- RANDI MILLMAN, booking agent for T.T. the Bear's Place in Cambridge
- ``I'm actually hoping that this is the year I finally get the trampoline that I asked for back in 1983. The things that I want in 2005, you can't get in a store - regime change, peace in Iraq, a higher standard of living for the working class. Oh wait, that Bono's gift list.
``In addition to gifts too personal to name, I'm giving people a copy of a personalized Best of 2005 mix filled with the best songs I think they'd like.''
- KEVIN S. HOSKINS, national booking agent and promoter for the Middle East in Cambridge
- ``There's a DVD by Bette Midler that I want - it's not that grand. I don't know, I'm simple. A really nice fake fur coat would be cool - something big and gaudy. And I hope everyone's happy.
``I bought my niece a minibake oven. I wasn't allowed one, being a boy, so I bought one for my niece. I bought my other niece a Barbie Dream Head - I never had one of them either. I got them bead kits from Beadworks and frilly girly things because they're starting to be all girly, so it's cute, it's fun.
``For my parents, I got them movie tickets. My brother wanted socks, of all things, so I got him Dickies socks. For the (drag) queens, I'll get random practical gifts, like mascara, shadows, stuff they'll use.''
- KRIS KNIEVIL, performer at Jacque's Cabaret
- ``I'm going to bring my girlfriend home to Colorado and go skiing. Stuff like that is more meaningful, to come home and hang with friends - but I wouldn't mind a bunch of new guitars.''
- JOE GUESE, 22, lead guitarist of the Click Five
- ``I'm getting a chemistry set from my grandmother. I'm gonna get her some jewelry: a bracelet.''
- GRACE JENKINS, 9, Clarice in Anthony Williams' ``Urban Nutcracker''
- ``I'd really like to get a set of Fred Astaire DVDs. I like to get people something they wouldn't buy themselves, something personalized. I'm going to buy my older sister this perfume she really wants, Clinique Happy Holiday.''
- - JACI SANFORD, 15, Clara in Jose Mateo's Ballet Theatre's ``The Nutcracker''
- ``I like swing music, so I want to get a (swing) CD. Also, clothing from Hollister, but I heard it's expensive, so maybe not. And I have a laptop fund because I'm hoping to get one soon, so I'm hoping to get some money.
``I don't know what I'm gonna give to my family, but for my friends, I'll get them lip gloss.''
- ANDRIA RONNE, 14, Clara in Boston Ballet's ``The Nutcracker''

LOAD-DATE: December 15, 2005

39 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 15, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 043

LENGTH: 530 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 Let freedom ring in Iraq and throughout Mideast

BYLINE: By PETER BROOKES

BODY:
Today's historic Iraqi election is about a heck of a lot more than choosing 275 new parliamentarians for Iraq's first full-term, post-Saddam government. It's equally key to fomenting change in next-door Iran and Syria, breaking al-Qaeda and serving notice on other Mideast despots that their days are numbered.
This will be no ordinary day at the polling booth. Iraqi voting will - once again - shake the pillars of terror and tyranny. 
Iran's vigorous support for the Iraqi insurgency tells us that the mullahs' regime is probably the one most troubled by Iraq's democratic political revolution.
Iran is increasingly isolated internationally because of its dogged pursuit of an indigenous nuclear (weapons) capability, as well as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's anti-Israeli tirades.
Having freedom next door in Iraq will only turbo-charge the pressure on the regime from Iran's youthful population, which is bristling under the mullahs' rule.
Syria can't be too happy about the Iraqi elections, either. The regime is already in trouble over a U.N. investigation's suggestion that it's behind the February killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut.
And now many are pointing the finger at Damascus over this week's assassination of the Lebanese parliamentarian and journalist, Gibran Tueni - the fourth murder of a prominent anti-Syrian Lebanese figure since Syria's withdrawal this spring.
The success of tomorrow's elections will surround Syria with democratic states - Turkey, Israel, Lebanon and Iraq - leaving Damascus as the odd man out in that ``free'' corner of the Middle East. How long before the Syrian people ask, ``Why not us?''
Al-Qaeda is already in a tenuous state in the Muslim world. Wherever Osama bin Laden is hiding, it's likely he's become a mere figurehead.
Meanwhile, al-Qaeda's wanton slaughter - shedding innocent Muslim blood from one end of the world to the other - is disenchanting moderate Muslims, alienating potential jihadists and undermining its financial base. Al-Qaeda is slowly, but surely, cutting its own throat.
Not surprising, an Internet statement claiming to have the backing of five Islamic militant groups in Iraq - including Abu Musab al Zarqawi's al-Qaeda in the Land of the Two Rivers - called the election a ``satanic project,'' promising to continue resisting the Iraqis' political will.
Ten million to 12 million Iraqis going to 6,230 polling places won't go unnoticed across the Middle East. Oppressive rulers won't be able to ignore the fact that in just 32 months, Iraq deposed Saddam Hussein, held free, interim elections (8 million voting), drafted/approved a constitution in a referendum (10 million voting) and elected a government.
These elections - and Iraq's incredible political evolution - can't help but affect the views - and actions - of all classes of people across the Muslim world.
Yes, today's voting puts Iraq on a path to a brighter future. But, equally important, it puts al-Qaeda, Iran, Syria and other despots on notice that the Middle Eastern democracy train has left the station - and there's no turning it back.
Peter Brookes' new book is ``A Devil's Triangle: Terrorism, WMD and Rogue States.''

LOAD-DATE: December 15, 2005

40 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 15, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 005

LENGTH: 538 words

HEADLINE: ONE TERM FOR MITT; 
 CAN ROMNEY PULL OUT ALL THE RIGHT MOVES? He's got an uphill climb in bid for the White House

BYLINE: By MAGGIE MULVIHILL

BODY:
The road to the White House is riddled with land mines for Gov. Mitt Romney as he faces a potentially rough ride on three issues: Mormonism, Massachusetts and the military. 
``It is evangelical Christians who vote in Republican primaries, and they see (Mormonism) as a cult, something outside of Christianity,'' said David Mark, editor of Campaign & Elections magazine.
Hailing from liberal Massachusetts also will raise suspicions among the party's right wing.
Brown University professor Darrel West said the nomination of a Massachusetts candidate by the GOP ``from a geopolitical standpoint . . . would be a surprising decision,'' adding, ``The heart of the party is now in the South.''
The fact that Romney - while a vocal supporter of the war in Iraq - has zero military experience could also be a negative.
Romney fades most, observers say, when stacked up against another potential GOP contender - such as U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a Vietnam veteran and heroic former prisoner-of-war - when it comes to the Iraq conflict.
``If Iraq is still messed up in 2008, people are going to look to someone who has the credentials to solve that, and having served in the military is a great credential,'' West said. ``The fact that he hasn't served is a problem.''
Even though Romney has made no official announcement he is in the presidential race, U.S. Rep. Martin T. Meehan (D-Lowell) said it's a relief he announced he wasn't running for re-election in 2006 yesterday.
``You can't do right by Massachusetts and woo the South Carolina Republican party at the same time,'' Meehan said. ``I think the question will be whether conservatives in the South and the West really believe that he is a conservative.''
Still, Romney has a leg up over other potential candidates because of his increasingly conservative positions on hot-button issues such as abortion. Romney opposes abortion.
``The advantage is that he is more conservative than McCain and (former New York City mayor Rudolph) Giuliani,'' said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.
Romney, 58, also opposes gay marriage and stem cell research and is strong on fiscal issues such as limiting tax increases.
``He is in the hunt because he has positioned himself conservatively enough to compete. He is a good speaker and ideologically he has much in common with the people who vote in GOP primaries and caucuses,'' Sabato said. ``If you look at the list, you could imagine a wide range of people getting the nomination before Mitt Romney, but they all have problems. There is no one in this GOP race who fits perfectly or even very well.''
On the plus side for Romney is his experience as CEO of the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, which he can flash as a national security credential. Romney took over the troubled Games and brought them off without a hitch.
Romney's millionaire status and movie star looks will also boost his chances. The fact he has a limited record of legislative accomplishments as governor is also an asset - not a liability, experts said.
``He has a built-in excuse. Republicans simply assume that the liberals who really run Massachusetts will never go along with the conservative ideas of a conservative governor,'' Sabato said.

LOAD-DATE: December 15, 2005

41 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 15, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 250 words

HEADLINE: Mom gets aid with birthday for her twin soldier boys

BYLINE: By MICHELLE MUELLENBERG (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
Double the service, double the worry.
But Marlboro mom Sandy Quintin has one load off her mind after dozens of friends and strangers came forward to ensure her twin sons Bruce and Derek, both 23-year-old Marines on duty in Iraq, will have a belated happy birthday. 
Since being out on medical leave, Quintin has been strapped for cash and was financially unable to send Derek and Bruce birthday gifts last month. Then, an e-mail to the city's Web site resulted in Marlboro Mayor Dennis Hunt giving Quintin $300 from his charitable fund.
In the past week, the twins' alma mater, Keefe Technical High School, has contacted Quintin showing interest in sending them a care package, a local school wants to send them letters and veterans from around the state have called voicing support.
With Derek and Bruce in transit, Quintin said she does not know where they are, but she hopes to have contact information for them soon.
``I cannot wait to let them know how much everyone has shown interest in them,'' Quintin said.
She said many soldiers feel forgotten.
Derek and Bruce will be especially happy to hear about her communication with Keefe Tech. ``Keefe Tech really molded them,'' Quintin said. It will bring back so many great memories.''
Derek and Bruce, class of 2001, enlisted just before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. They recently re-enlisted for another four years, Quintin said. She hopes to hear something from her sons within the next week and has her neighbors listening for her phone when she's out.

LOAD-DATE: December 15, 2005

42 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 15, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. 044

LENGTH: 947 words

HEADLINE: GIFT GUIDE; 
 Let's wrap it up; 
 Arts scenesters shine spotlight on wish lists

BYLINE: By TENLEY WOODMAN AND HEATHER V. ENG

BODY:
Still pondering what to give your nearest and dearest for the holidays? Still trying to drop mega-hints about what you'd love to get? You're not alone. We posed the ``What are you gonna give? What do you wanna get?'' question to some insiders on Boston's arts and entertainment scene. Here's what's on their lists:
- ``My 5 1/2-year-old son has asked for a `pig cage.' There will be no pigs wandering around our New York apartment: He's getting a skateboard. My wife has been taking care of our son `solo' during the run of ``White Christmas'' so I'm giving her an iPod, a bottle of chardonnay and four days on a Caribbean beach of her choice. As for me? I'm just hoping she'll ask me to tag along.'' - STEPHEN BOGARDUS, star of ``White Christmas,'' at the Wang Theatre through Dec. 31 
- ``I like T-shirts a lot so I'm always on the lookout for places to get interesting new ones. If any of my relatives send me checks this holiday season, I will be visiting the following Web sites: Threadless.com, a great site that offers budding (and established) designers the opportunity to upload designs and have them voted on by members of the online community. The winning shirts are printed and sold online. Brunettotshirts.com - not exactly an online store, but Brunetto T-Shirts is the printer of choice for many amusing (and stylish) Web-based graphic artists. And, finally, there's Johnny Cupcakes (johnnycupcakes.com). Here you will find all manner of fashionable shirts (and some other accessories) all featuring cupcakes in some form or another. And, of course, there's always the classic Brattle Theatre T-shirts. We still have our popular Orson Welles design and we're printing more options for the holidays! In terms of gift giving, I always make it a point to go to the Bazaar Bizarre in Boston and the Punk Rock Flea Market at MassArt. They are great places to find unique, handmade gifts and funky yard sale-type items.''
- NED HINKLE, program director of the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge
- ``What I hope to get for the holidays: `Invite Them Up!,' a compilation of hot alternative New York comedians like David Cross, Mike Birbiglia and Eugene Mirman (Comedy Central Records). And a DVD set of `Home Movies: Season Three,' the Cartoon Network masterpiece from Brendon Small and Watertown's Soup2Nuts productions. What I hope to get for the holidays: anything that adds up to $1 more than the `Invite Them Up' CD and the `Home Movies' DVD.''
- RICK JENKINS, owner of The Comedy Studio in Cambridge
- ``I give gift certificates to my favorite restaurants to many of my closest friends during the holidays. To some, that may seem impersonal, but to me it means giving the gift of a great time out, with people who you care for. All I want for Christmas is as much time as I can spend with my son, Aaron. Nothing else seems to mean as much.''
- KEITH LOCKHART, conductor of the Boston Pops
- ``If I could have fantasy gifts I'd want an iPod Nano or a cellphone like the Razr. But if I could have any band play here it's always been Bruce Springsteen. I've loved him for years and years.
``One cool thing I bought for my niece was Nintendogs. You pick these puppies from a virtual kennel and you really have to interact with them or they run away, or worse.''
- RANDI MILLMAN, booking agent for T.T. the Bear's Place in Cambridge
- ``I'm actually hoping that this is the year I finally get the trampoline that I asked for back in 1983. The things that I want in 2005, you can't get in a store - regime change, peace in Iraq, a higher standard of living for the working class. Oh wait, that Bono's gift list.
``In addition to gifts too personal to name, I'm giving people a copy of a personalized Best of 2005 mix filled with the best songs I think they'd like.''
- KEVIN S. HOSKINS, national booking agent and promoter for the Middle East in Cambridge
- ``There's a DVD by Bette Midler that I want - it's not that grand. I don't know, I'm simple. A really nice fake fur coat would be cool - something big and gaudy. And I hope everyone's happy.
``I bought my niece a minibake oven. I wasn't allowed one, being a boy, so I bought one for my niece. I bought my other niece a Barbie Dream Head - I never had one of them either. I got them bead kits from Beadworks and frilly girly things because they're starting to be all girly, so it's cute, it's fun.
``For my parents, I got them movie tickets. My brother wanted socks, of all things, so I got him Dickies socks. For the (drag) queens, I'll get random practical gifts, like mascara, shadows, stuff they'll use.''
- KRIS KNIEVIL, performer at Jacque's Cabaret
- ``I'm going to bring my girlfriend home to Colorado and go skiing. Stuff like that is more meaningful, to come home and hang with friends - but I wouldn't mind a bunch of new guitars.''
- JOE GUESE, 22, lead guitarist of the Click Five
- ``I'm getting a chemistry set from my grandmother. I'm gonna get her some jewelry: a bracelet.''
- GRACE JENKINS, 9, Clarice in Anthony Williams' ``Urban Nutcracker''
- ``I'd really like to get a set of Fred Astaire DVDs. I like to get people something they wouldn't buy themselves, something personalized. I'm going to buy my older sister this perfume she really wants, Clinique Happy Holiday.''
- - JACI SANFORD, 15, Clara in Jose Mateo's Ballet Theatre's ``The Nutcracker''
- ``I like swing music, so I want to get a (swing) CD. Also, clothing from Hollister, but I heard it's expensive, so maybe not. And I have a laptop fund because I'm hoping to get one soon, so I'm hoping to get some money.
``I don't know what I'm gonna give to my family, but for my friends, I'll get them lip gloss.''
- ANDRIA RONNE, 14, Clara in Boston Ballet's ``The Nutcracker''

LOAD-DATE: December 15, 2005

43 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 14, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 026

LENGTH: 292 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Voting rights in Big Easy

BODY:
Just when you think things can't get any worse in New Orleans . . .
The city which is urging tourists to come back, which is attempting to put on at least a trimmed-down Mardi Gras to show the world it's back, can't get its act together to hold a municipal election this February? 
The people of Baghdad may face suicide bombers and all manner of mayhem this week, but in New Orleans, elections for mayor, sheriff and city council have been postponed INDEFINITELY by order of Gov. Kathleen Blanco, the hapless Democrat who helped assure the state's disastrous response to Hurricane Katrina.
The executive order says elections should be held ``as soon as practicable.'' Secretary of State Al Ater insists polling sites and voting machines have been rendered unusable by the hurricane. How difficult would it be to use mobile vans - or better yet - a mail-in system of absentee ballots? This isn't exactly rocket science. (Iraqi exiles living in the United States will be voting here this week.)
On Sept. 11, 2001, with the nation gripped by fear and sadness, Massachusetts went ahead with its primary election. New York City, with Lower Manhattan in ruins, postponed its election, but only until Sept. 25.
Frankly if we were New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin - who high-tailed it to Baton Rouge in advance of the hurricane while urging his city's residents to head for the Superdome, we'd never want to face the voters again either. A determined group of New Orleans voters is bringing suit to force an election before May 1 - the date the city charter says new officials are to be sworn in.
The people of New Orleans have suffered much and been deprived of much in the past couple of months, but no citizen of this nation should be deprived of the right to cast a vote.

LOAD-DATE: December 14, 2005

44 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 14, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. 038

LENGTH: 420 words

HEADLINE: MUSIC REVIEW; 
 Living Things suffer from lack of life in concert

BYLINE: By CHRISTOPHER BLAGG

BODY:
The Living Things, at T.T. the Bear's Place, Cambridge, Monday night.
For a band that's made its reputation with controversial stage shows and radical politics, the Living Things sure seemed tame Monday. 
A lackluster show at T.T. the Bear's Place did nothing to bolster the St. Louis-bred rockers' buzz. It certainly didn't help that lead singer Lillian Berlin's vocals were inaudible for the entire set.
The problems weren't solely due to the woeful sound. The Berlin brothers, who are at the core of the Living Things, seemed to be mailing this show in. There was none of the band's usual antics: no burning of President Bush photos, no dominatrix dancers masquerading as the vice president. There wasn't even much revolutionary rhetoric. The only pageantry came from Lillian Berlin's ``Spinal Tap''-like rock star grandstanding. He has Mick Jagger's serpentine slither down cold.
Showing some old-school showbiz savvy, Berlin let his band start without him on the opening salvo, ``Bombs Below,'' making a grand entrance from the side door in an impossibly tight matador suit, his bare chest exposed. With the band sounding tight and polished, the tune's punishing drums and insistent riffs instantly caused fists to raise in rock salute. But without audible vocals, any message was lost. For all the crowd knew, Berlin could have been singing about puppy dogs and ice cream and not the Iraq war.
While the hit ``Bom Bom Bom'' was well-received, the crowd eventually lost patience and grew agitated with the miserable sound quality, shouting ``We can't hear you!'' between tunes and shooting nasty looks at the stressed sound man.
Berlin shucked the top half of his suit midway through the set, opting for the Iggy Pop-barechested look to the delight of the girls bunched near the stage. Not that Berlin had any intentions of staying front and center. He spent as much time carousing with the audience as he did onstage, taking full advantage of his microphone cord's length. Had any sound been coming from his microphone, this might have been a bit more effective.
At the insistence of a passionate fan, the band reprised its opening tune, playing ``Bombs Below'' for a second time in 20 minutes. As soon as the tune ended, the band left the stage, stunning the audience into silence with its abbreviated set. The band was coaxed back for a short encore of ``On All Fours,'' but there was nothing left to be salvaged. The Living Things were done, leaving audience members shaking their heads in disappointment and bewilderment.

LOAD-DATE: December 14, 2005

45 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 13, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 028

LENGTH: 367 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Prof. Bush's history class

BODY:
For a very young nation on the world stage, we have a very short memory. Because, it seems, we have always enjoyed democracy and the rule of law, and because the teaching of our own history is too far down on our list of education priorities, we tend to gloss over the birth pains of our republic. 
But yesterday in Philadelphia, the city where that birth took place, President Bush drew what should be a fairly obvious parallel between our ``experiment'' in democracy and that currently under way in Iraq.
``The eight years from the end of the Revolutionary War to the election of a constitutional government were a time of disorder and upheaval,'' Bush told the World Affairs Council. ``There were uprisings, with mobs attacking courthouses and government buildings. There was a planned military coup that was defused only by the personal intervention of George Washington.''
And, he noted, ``It took a four-year civil war and a century of struggle after that before the promise of our Declaration was extended to all Americans.''
It is a truism that democracies rarely if ever declare war on other democracies. And so, Bush explained for the umpteenth time, that by helping build a democracy in Iraq, ``we will gain an ally in the war on terror'' and ``inspire reformers across the Middle East. And by helping Iraqis build a democracy, we will bring hope to a troubled region. And this will make the American people more secure.''
Democrats can continue to take the mature approach of yelling ``liar, liar, pants on fire'' whenever they mention Bush, Saddam and weapons of mass destruction in the same sentence. But as the president noted yesterday in response to a question on the subject, ``He [Saddam] had used weapons of mass destruction. The entire world thought he had weapons of mass destruction. The United Nations had declared in more than 10 . . . resolutions - that [he had to] disclose or disarm or face serious consequences.''
But this week in Iraq isn't about rewriting history, it's about shaping the future. It's about giving democracy - however imperfectly executed - a chance. It's about celebrating the return of those beautiful purple-stained fingers on the courageous people of a new Iraq.

LOAD-DATE: December 13, 2005

46 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 12, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 038

LENGTH: 184 words

HEADLINE: IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE; 
 Suffolk hosting Herald's greatest photos

BYLINE: By DAWN WITLIN

BODY:
Ripped from the headlines, more than 150 dynamic, daring and powerful images captured by Boston Herald photograhers comprise ``Focus On the Moment,'' a collection of photographs to be presented by Suffolk University. 
The exhibition will spotlight the wide range of human interest articles that Herald photographers have covered, from Boston Common to the deserts of Iraq.
``It represents a sampling of Boston Herald photography, both historical and recent images, spanning 50 years,'' said Jim Mahoney, director of photography at the Herald. ``We are both excited and honored that Suffolk University will be hosting this event.''
The images will include five Pulitzer Prize winning photographs that Herald photographers have garnered, coverage of the 9/11 tragedy, a wide range of sports moments - both professional and amateur - and an entertaining display of names and faces of Boston's personalities, Mahoney said.
The photographic showcase will run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily from Dec 13 through Feb 10 at the Adams Gallery in David J. Sargent Hall at Suffolk University Law School, 120 Tremont St., Boston.

LOAD-DATE: December 12, 2005

47 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 11, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 012

LENGTH: 394 words

HEADLINE: Vote of Iraqis seen as D-Day for democracy

BYLINE: By LAURA CRIMALDI

BODY:
The prior votes were tests of whether Iraq could successfully hold an election. Thursday, Iraqis will go to the polls to see whether they can form a nation.
``What's at stake here is power in the Sunni community and the outcome of the insurgency,'' said George Friedman, CEO of the global intelligence firm Stratfor.com. 
Despite threats from the Sunni Arab-dominated insurgency, members of the embittered Muslim minority are expected to make a showing at the polls as Iraqis choose 275 lawmakers to serve a four-year parliamentary term.
The vote comes as the divide in the Sunni community deepens between those who want to participate in the democratic process and insurgents who want to disrupt it. Sunnis largely boycotted the January elections and rejected the Iraqi charter ratified in October. However, leaders of three Sunni Muslim political parties formed an alliance, the Iraqi Concord Front, shortly after the constitutional vote - suggesting they might become more politically active.
``This could be part of the solution to the central problem in Iraq which is Sunni Arab alienation,'' said Jonathan Morrow, legal advisor at the U.S. Institute of Peace. ``(The Sunni alienation) prevents the U.S. troops from being able to leave. It's the heart of everything.''
The voting process guarantees Sunnis at least 17 seats in parliament and could give them the political clout to push for amendments to the constitution. American officials hope the election will quell the Sunni-led insurgency.
American University Professor Edmund Ghareeb, author of the ``Historical Dictionary of Iraq,'' said the balloting is a test of Iraqis' willingess to step back from ethnic and sectarian lines.
``If that is accomplished, that would be a significant step forward,'' said Ghareeb. ``It appears that if these primordial loyalities and tribal loyalties ultimately continue, this is likely to lead to further confrontation and maybe even civil war.''
While Iraqis are headed into their third national election, the country is by no means a model for democracy in the Arab world yet, the experts said. Still, neighboring Arab countries will watch closely to see if the vote brings more stability.
``We're getting way ahead of ourselves in thinking of Iraq as a trend setter,'' said Mike O'Hanlon, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

LOAD-DATE: December 11, 2005

48 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 9, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 007

LENGTH: 614 words

HEADLINE: Vet asks for onee thing: A good job

BYLINE: By PETER GELZINIS

BODY:
Richard ``Ricky'' Savicke does not know House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi. He grew up a couple of neighborhoods away from Senate President Bobby Travaglini.
He does not have a brother who is married to the sister of the Suffolk County DA, or a sister who's worked at the Mass Pike for 20 years.
Ricky's father is not a state rep - not even a second cousin to a state rep. His mother works in a small variety store on lower Broadway in South Boston. 
So, what are the chances that a 23-year-old guy, devoid of any political mojo, could land one of maybe 50 court officer's jobs coming up for grabs?
I'd say Ricky's got two chances: slim and none.
Still, he did something quite unusual on Wednesday. When a friend dropped off an application for a job that starts at $38,220, he filled it out and sent it off to the security director of the state trial court. What made him do a crazy thing like that?
Well, maybe it had something to do with being a Marine and serving not one, not two, but three tours in Iraq.
It also has everything to do with making it back home from war alive and intact, only to realize that after three months, ``Welcome Home'' doesn't have quite the same ring as ``You're hired.'' All those yellow ribbon magnets stuck to the trunk are fine, but they don't add up to a steady job.
``I thought it would be a great start,'' Ricky was saying yesterday. ``My dream, my goal, is to someday be a state trooper. But that might take a few years. In the meantime, I was thinking this might be a good way to prepare for what I want to do. I wasn't looking to stay forever.''
I called down to the Supreme Judicial Court yesterday to ask, basically, if these court officers' jobs were already spoken for? Were the gigs already in the bag, so to speak? When I asked if there was a way - aside from Sal and Bobby Trav - that a regular guy, a young Marine home from the war, stood a chance amid the legions of hacks, I was answered via e-mail with two paragraphs of bureaucratic mumbo jumbo. But there at the end was one line of genuine hope.
``The Director (of Security) then provides the hiring recommendations to the Chief Justice for Administration and Management who makes the final decisions.''
That would be Chief Justice Robert A. Mulligan.
Beyond being one of the most thoughtful and sensitive jurists on the bench, Judge Mulligan also happens to be a decorated Army veteran of Vietnam.
Does this automatically mean Mulligan would extract Rick Savicke's application from the pile and move it to the top, as if all the laws of civil service suddenly applied in this patronage haven? No.
Yet it does enable you to believe that the same judge who signs off on these positions, a judge who knows what it means to place your life on the line for your country, would value what Thomas Kelley, the state's Commisioner of Veteran Services (and a Medal of Honor recipient) called ``the discipline, dedication, motivation and compassion to follow orders and see a job through.''
As Rick Savicke waits to hear about an interview, his older brother Robert, six years in the Marine Corps, is deciding whether to take a re-enlistment bonus and go back to Iraq, or come home and take his chances beside his brother looking for work.
The friend who gave Rick Savicke the court officer's application did so with the hope that a brave young man's credentials just might be enough to cut through the usual political sludge.
``The least they can do,'' said Savicke's friend, requesting anonymity, ``is open up the application period beyond nine lousy days, take out a couple of ads in the papers and give kids who've risked their lives for their country a fighting chance at a job God knows they've earned.''

GRAPHIC: CHRISTMAS WISH: U.S. Marine Richard Savicke has completed three tours fo duty in Iraq and now he's just hoping to get a job back in Boston. STAFF PHOTO BY MARK GARFINKEL

LOAD-DATE: December 9, 2005

49 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 9, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 033

LENGTH: 623 words

HEADLINE: Op-Ed; 
 Rapid response from good soldier

BYLINE: By WAYNE WOODLIEF

BODY:
Well, John Kerry has learned one lesson from last year: When you mess up and the Republican right hits you hard, strike back fast. And just as hard.
That's what happened this week, after the senator - too windy, complicated and murky (shades of '04!) during a Sunday talk show - left himself wide open to attacks by Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh and others.
They pounded Kerry after he said on CBS' ``Face the Nation'' that the authority for searching Iraqi homes for insurgents should be transferred to Iraqi forces, adding: ``There's no reason young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women, breaking sort of the customs of the, of the historical customs, religious customs. Whether you like it or not . . . Iraqis should be doing that.'' 
If you heard Kerry or read the transcript, you'd know that when he said ``doing that,'' he meant searching Iraqi homes - not terrorizing residents. But Kerry didn't make that clear. So Limbaugh and Mehlman had an open shot at distortion.
Limbaugh, in mock shock, chortled on air, ``Iraqis ought to be terrorizing Iraqi women and children! Yes, he did just say it.'' Mehlman ripped Kerry for ``comparing our troops to terrorists'' - though he didn't really do that either. And Limbaugh, lumping Kerry and the entire Democratic Party together, pontificated, ``This is how they view their own country: We are the terrorists. We brutalize. We are the barbarians. We are the cowards.''
Chill, Rush.
Yes, Kerry should have been more artful with his words, same as he should have been during the campaign. But this time the Kerry camp fired back immediately.
Minutes after Mehlman made his assault on CNN Tuesday, the network's Wolf Blitzer was reading Kerry spokesman David Wade's rejoinder on air. Wade said Mehlman told ``a filthy and shameful lie'' and ``Political hack Ken Mehlman and draft-dodging, doughnut-eating Rush Limbaugh have something in common: Neither know anything about how to make American troops safe.''
A little over the top. But it shut the yellers down, for awhile at least.
Kerry's camp also sent along this New York Times quote from Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez in 2003, when he commanded Allied forces in Iraq: ``I started to get multiple indicators that maybe our iron-fisted approach to the conduct of ops was beginning to alienate Iraqis.''
Think Rush will call Sanchez ``un-American?''
Kerry's rapid response also included quick, same-day blog rebuttals. Former Sen. Max Cleland, a triple-amputee hero of Vietnam and Kerry friend, wrote: ``I've known John Kerry for a long time. He speaks out of love for our troops.''
So Team Kerry's kickback quelled the attacks, making them, it now seems, a one-day story. That's the good news for Long Jawn if he decides to run again for president in 2008. No attack will go unnoticed, for even one news cycle. He CANlearn from his mistakes.
On Sunday, ``Face the Nation'' moderator Bob Schieffer reminded Kerry that he recently had said ``I know how I lost'' the 2004 campaign, and asked the senator just why he lost and what he learned. Kerry demurred on a direct answer, but vowed, ``If I decide to run again, I'll show them [the lessons learned] to you,'' not tell them. This week's dust-up demonstrated, as usual, two things about Kerry:
** His wordy style still can trip him up, in this case putting him on the defensive and costing him coverage of his snappier offensive remarks on Iraq - which is why some Democrats dread Kerry making a second run.
** But defeat has hardened him into a gunslinger with a whole lot faster draw. And that could make Kerry formidable in 2008.
Talk back at wzwoodlief@aol.com

LOAD-DATE: December 9, 2005

50 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 8, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 033

LENGTH: 38 words

HEADLINE: NEWS in Brief; 
 Maine grinch swipes presents for GI in Iraq

BODY:
A man from Portland, Maine, turned Grinch and stole a video game console, an iPod, clothing, toys and other wrapped presents - including some meant for a GI serving in Iraq, police said. He was arrested after a high-speed chase. 

LOAD-DATE: December 8, 2005

51 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 8, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 042

LENGTH: 221 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Sit down and shut up: I

BODY:
The circus that is the Saddam Hussein trial has temporarily folded its tent - until after Iraq's parliamentary elections - but not before the former dictator engaged in a courtroom whine-a-thon. 
He charged that he and his co-defendants were deprived of clean shirts, clean underwear, showers and cigarette breaks. ``This is terrorism,'' he yelled in court Tuesday, thus netting himself a break from the courtroom scene during Wednesday's proceedings.
On the same day the tyrant was redefining terror as the absence of clean laundry, the real victims of his terror were testifying about days of torture, beatings and sexual humiliation.
A woman, identified only as Witness A, who was a 16-year-old girl at the time of Saddam's 1982 pogrom against Shiite Muslims, told the court, ``I was forced to take off my clothes, and he (Saddam's agent) raised my legs up and tied my hands. He continued administering electric shocks and whipping me and telling me to speak.''
She was one of the ``lucky'' ones. She survived.
Saddam and his band of depraved brothers are on trial for 148 murders in the town of Dujail in retaliation for an attempt on his life that year.
Saddam's rantings aside, this trial ought to prove to anyone with eyes and ears and a conscience that freeing Iraq from this kind of tyranny and horror was the right thing to do.

LOAD-DATE: December 8, 2005

52 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 8, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 042

LENGTH: 168 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Sit down and shut up: II

BODY:
What could Sen. John Kerry have been thinking!
Yes, we all know the junior senator likes to have it ALLways when it comes to his Iraq war policy, but in a Sunday TV appearance on CBS he drifted into the realm of the absurd when he said the following: 
``There is no reason . . . that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women, breaking sort of the custom of the, of . . . historical customs, religious customs.''
The idea of Kerry accusing U.S. soldiers of ``terrorizing'' Iraqi civilians is simply horrific, especially from a Vietnam vet who returned home to accusations that all who served in that war were ``baby killers.''
But Kerry continued to go adrift, suggesting, ``Whether you like it or not . . . Iraqis should be doing that.'' Which would put Kerry squarely on the side of Iraqis ``terrorizing'' their own women and children.
Next time Kerry does a Sunday morning talk show we'd suggest a second cup of coffee.

LOAD-DATE: December 8, 2005

53 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 8, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 033

LENGTH: 89 words

BODY:
The Lawrence mortician who was named ``Marine of the Year'' by the Marine Corps Times was indicted yesterday on two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for firing a shotgun into a raucous crowd in August.
Sgt. Daniel Cotnoir, 33, allegedly fired from his home's second floor after someone in the crowd threw a beer bottle through his window. The shotgun blast struck concrete and sent chunks of shrapnel into two revelers who suffered minor injuries.
Cotnoir served in Iraq, preparing Marines' corpses for the journey home. 

LOAD-DATE: December 8, 2005

54 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 8, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: FINANCE; Pg. 046

LENGTH: 433 words

HEADLINE: THE MESSENGER; 
 CNN's Pipeline opens stream of ad-free video news

BYLINE: By Greg Gatlin

BODY:
For the price of downloading one song from iTunes, you can spend a day watching live news feeds on CNN's new 24-hour commercial-free online TV site. 
But will people actually pay to do this?
I did yesterday.
CNN on Monday went live in 25 countries with Pipeline (www.cnn.com/pipeline), a broadband video service designed ``to revolutionize the way people view news online.''
And you have to pay for it. Subscriptions cost $2.95 per month or $24.95 per year. Or you can pay 99 cents for a one-day pass.
Pipeline operates out of its own control room in Atlanta and draws on the cable network's global news gathering resources to offer a steady stream of raw video and a fairly broad choice of stories.
``We wanted to create a broadband network experience that was completely different and designed for a PC user,'' says Susan Grant, executive vice president with CNN News Services.
CNN is streaming four different channels - it calls them pipes - of live breaking-news video, news conferences and speeches, along with packaged news segments, top stories and video features available on demand.
At times it has a C-SPAN feel. Yesterday, I was switching back and forth between a lengthy news conference with Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), who was taking swipes at the Defense Department, President Bush, who was proclaiming progress in Iraq, and disgraced Spokane Mayor Jim West talking to reporters about his ouster over a sex scandal.
But I was also sucked in by live feeds of a San Diego fuel tanker fire and the killing of an airline passenger who claimed he had a bomb at Miami International Airport.
In its bid to attract paying customers, Pipeline has a few things going for it. First, it's ad free and it's cheap. Apple Computer has made it pretty clear that consumers will pay 99 cents for a song. It seems to me they'd do the same to watch a big news story play out on their computer at work or wherever.
Another draw is that it's live, which is what consumers want when news breaks. As I spoke on the phone with Rafat Ali, editor and publisher of the online publication Paid Content, he paused to point out that the site was running live video of SWAT teams on the Miami airport tarmac.
Video is often raw, or unedited - CNN has a policy against showing car chases in its TV broadcasts, but it will show chases on Pipeline. And gives consumers choice in news coverage and offers news conferences and speeches in their entirety for those seeking greater depth.
The drawbacks: Endless streams of raw video can get boring, especially without commentary or context. And computer users may find some technical glitches.

LOAD-DATE: December 8, 2005

55 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 7, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 275 words

HEADLINE: Kerry rips GOP for calling him anti-American

BODY:
With Sen. John Kerry accused by the right of being anti-American and calling U.S. troops terrorists on a weekend talk show, the failed 2004 presidential candidate's staff fired back a string of adjectives in his defense yesterday. 
On CBS' ``Face the Nation'' last weekend, Kerry told host Bob Schieffer, ``There is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women, breaking sort of the customs of the historical customs, religious customs . . . whether you like it or not. Iraqis should be doing that.''
RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman told CNN yesterday Kerry was ``comparing our troops to terrorists.''
Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh said, ``Iraqis ought to be terrorizing Iraqi women and children! He . . . Yes, he did just say it.
It is clear what he thinks of the U.S. military. His view is common throughout the Democratic Party. . . . This is how they view the American military man and woman; this is how they view their own country. We are the terrorists. We brutalize. We're the barbarians. We are cowards. We are doing things like this under cover of darkness. . . . In this comment, John Kerry is anti-American. ''
In a statement yesterday, Kerry spokesman David Wade responded, ``Ken Mehlman's filthy and shameful lie about a decorated combat veteran is disgraceful. Political hack Ken Mehlman and draft-dodging, donut-eating Rush Limbaugh have something in common. Neither of them know anything about how to make American troops safe. John Kerry will continue to speak out about how to succeed in Iraq and protect brave American troops.''

LOAD-DATE: December 7, 2005

56 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 7, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 016

LENGTH: 236 words

HEADLINE: Marlboro mayor helps out mom with twin sons in Iraq

BYLINE: còBy MICHELLE MUELLENBERG

BODY:
METROWEST DAILY NEWS
The city of Marlboro is rallying around a worried mom struggling to send her twin sons fighting in Iraq birthday gifts. 
The two 23-year-olds are out on secretive missions with the U.S. Marines, but that won't stop Sandy Quintin from celebrating their birthday.
``They are doing a great job over there and I'm very proud,'' Quintin said yesterday of her sergeant sons Derek and Bruce Quintin.
But this down-on-her-luck Marlboro resident out on sick leave from her job said she can't afford much.
While several organizations send care packages to the troops overseas, Quintin wanted to give her sons something from home. ``I just thought: Isn't there anything I can do out there that can come from me,'' she said.
A chance search on Marlboro's Web site brought her in contact with Mayor Dennis Hunt's office. Quintin decided to e-mail the mayor, not expecting a response.
Her wish was granted minutes later.
``I was shocked. It didn't even take two minutes,'' Quintin said.
Hunt took $300 out of his charitable giving account to give to Quintin so she could wire the money to her sons as a birthday present.
The mayor's office also arranged for a full Thanksgiving dinner for Quintin and her daughter, Sarah.
``I just wanted to do something personal with my kids and he helped me do it. They both got birthday gifts,'' she said. Now, if they could only come home for Christmas.
``I miss them so much,'' she said.

LOAD-DATE: December 7, 2005

57 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 7, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 028

LENGTH: 712 words

HEADLINE: Letters to the Editor

BODY:
Outrage warranted
The firestorm over the sale of ``Stop Snitchin'' T-shirts has indeed sparked outrage in the community (Dec. 4). Having a right to sell or manufacture a legal product is not the issue. Concern for the community is much more important. Business people, particularly in Boston's neighborhood business districts, should be sensitive to the ramifications of their products. T-shirts that promote dissension and deter police from keeping the neighborhoods safer are doing a disservice.
The difficulties that a small businessperson faces in managing an establishment and competing in a challenging retail climate are real. However, merchants have a responsibility to maintain an attitude of people before profit. 
- Stuart H. Rosenberg, President, Mattapan Board of Trade
`Comic' loses this fan
I agree with Michele McPhee that what happened on 9/11 is no laughing matter (``Why would you think that's funny?'' Nov. 28). It's like laughing at the Holocaust, the assassination of JFK, the Oklahoma City bombing or the Columbine massacre.
Lenny Bruce was controversial in his day, but he was tame compared to Sarah Silverman. She has really crossed the line, and I wouldn't pay a red cent to see her movie.
- Ned Byrne, Weymouth
Let's withdraw from TV
Did we so quickly forget the preplanned attempt by the liberal media to discredit the initial invasion of Iraq by imposing a timetable for the Third Infantry Division to reach Baghdad during the invasion of 2003 (``Bush's Iraq plan clear and right,'' Dec. 1)?
Almost from the time the invasion force left Kuwait to advance on Baghdad, there was a thrashing chorus from the liberal media trying to convince the American public that the Third Infantry's advance was bogged down. But the liberals were caught lying when it was learned on April 5, 2003 that the Third Infantry made military history by advancing 200 miles in enemy territory in a mere 36 hours.
The time has come for America to awaken from its slumber and support the troops by proposing a timetable for all thinking citizens to withdraw from viewing ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN, and endeavor to seek out truth-telling mediums of communication.
- William Santy, Chicopee
Denounce temptation
Bernadette Brooten misses the point in her column on sexual orientation (``Scandal is sex abuse, not sexual orientation,'' Nov. 30). It's not about orientation, it's about temptation.
No one would say a person is born with an orientation for shoplifting, gambling or being arrogant. These behaviors are the result of seeking personal pleasure (what we want) over doing it right (what God wants).
Homosexuality is a temptation like every other temptation. It's something you struggle with and overcome. It's like gluttony, which bothers some people so much that they fight against it all their lives, practicing abstinence and dieting. Homosexual and heterosexual temptations are like this. We struggle with them using the tools of chastity: monogamy or celibacy.
Brooten is harming the people she claims to help. By defending disorder anywhere we allow suffering everywhere.
- Jerry Mazzarella, East Boston
Parents take notice
There is no substitute for love and attention (``Dishing dough for spoiled kids makes parents happier,'' Nov. 29). Material things thrown at children can also create selfish, ungrateful adults. Unfortunately in today's society it seems more children turn out selfish and ungrateful.
Thank goodness for parents who have a clue about raising children right.
- Connie Cocchi, West Springfield
IBM's double standard
If IBM truly favored open technology standards and fair competition, then Vice President Robert S. Sutor would welcome Microsoft's announcement that it is making its Office file formats into an open, freely available software standard. But instead, Sutor is lobbying Massachusetts to reject the Microsoft standard (``IBM takes crack at Microsoft openness,'' Dec. 1). In the name of open standards, IBM is working overtime to push Massachusetts to adopt a public policy that makes government agencies more likely to purchase IBM software. What we need instead is a policy that promotes merit-based, competitive procurement, not favoritism for any one standard or software company, whether it be IBM, Sun Microsystems or Microsoft.
- Danielle Trull, Walpole

LOAD-DATE: December 7, 2005

58 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 6, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 020

LENGTH: 278 words

HEADLINE: Vietnam vet flying high once more - in Iraq

BYLINE: By PETER REUELL (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
From the rice paddies of Vietnam to the desert of Iraq, Michael Alford has come full circle as a helicopter pilot.
The Framingham resident called a ``living legend'' by his crew is once again with the Army's 101st Aviation Regiment now in Iraq, the same unit he flew his first missions with in Vietnam. 
``It was (special),'' Alford said yesterday in a phone interview from Balad Air Base in Iraq.
``I don't mean it to be trite at all . . . for me, it was the flight of a lifetime,'' the 58-year-old added.
And one nearly four decades in the making.
After dropping out of college to join the Army, Alford flew his first mission in 1967.
Though he left the military after completing a tour in Vietnam, the itch to fly begged to be scratched, so Alford joined the Rhode Island National Guard in 1988 with the aim of getting back in the cockpit.
When his unit was deployed to Iraq last year, Alford went along and spent the past year flying missions throughout the country.
``What we're doing is we're basically moving people,'' he said.
Balad Air Base, where his unit is stationed, is about 40 to 50 miles north of Baghdad, Alford said, so a typical mission might be ferrying officials from ``the green zone'' to Baghdad's airport.
Through an Internet group set up for former 101st members, Alford several months ago learned his former unit was soon to be sent to Iraq, coincidentally to the same area he was stationed.
Alford contacted the unit, and before long was in discussions to join them on a mission.
``One of my first rides was with the Comancheros,'' he said, using the unit's nickname. ``I wanted one of my last flights to be with them. I don't plan on coming back again.''

GRAPHIC: THEN AND NOW: Rhode Island National Guardsman Michael Alford, in his Vietnam days, right, is flying missions in Iraq with the same unit he served with in Vietnam.

LOAD-DATE: December 6, 2005

59 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 5, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 006

LENGTH: 322 words

HEADLINE: THE WAR IN IRAQ; 
 Back from the front, their tales diverge

BYLINE: By BRIAN BALLOU

BODY:
A former soldier who was jailed last year after refusing to rejoin his National Guard unit for redeployment in Iraq spoke to dozens of high-school aged youth in Chelsea yesterday about his experiences. 
Former Sgt. Camilo Mejia, who spent one year in solitary confinement and was released in February, has been speaking out against the U.S. war in Iraq.
His speech was in stark contrast to a ceremony conducted earlier in the day in Roslindale. There, Tiana Barros, an East Weymouth native, was awarded the Purple Heart medal for face and neck injuries she suffered when an improvised explosive device, or IED, exploded near her truck on Nov. 10, 2004. Last March, Mejia ended five months of hiding when he surrendered to military authorities at Hanscom Air Force Base. He was tried on desertion charges and sentenced to a year in jail.
Yesterday, he fielded questions from an audience at the Choice Through Education office, an alternative high school.
``What's happening right now is a social economic draft,'' Mejia said. ``It has nothing to do with race and more to do with a severe lack of options.'' He gave his speech in Spanish. He was born in Nicaragua and grew up in Miami.
Mejia, 29, said he also spoke about the No Child Left Behind law, which allows military recruiters to receive personal information about students.
``There is an opt-out clause that states that schools have to inform the parents of students about this notification and the parents have the option of opting out,'' he said. ``That is something that we are trying to educate students about.'' Mejia is also scheduled to speak at several area high schools, colleges and churches.
Mejia will speak again today at the Vietnamese-American Community Center in Dorchester. The event is organized by Dorchester People for Peace, a member of Greater Boston United for Justice with Peace, a group that includes several anti-war organizations throughout the Boston area.

GRAPHIC: TWO SOLDIERS' STORIES; Sgt. Tiana Barros, above, an East Weymouth native and soldier with the 743rd Transportation Company, received the Purple Heart yesterday for injuries sustained while on duty in Iraq. Left, former Sgt. Camilo Mejia of Miami, who was imprisoned for refusing to return to war in Iraq, speaks to the public at the Choice Through Education office in Chelsea yesterday. STAFF PHOTO BY ANGELA ROWLINGS (above); PHOTO BY LISA HORNAK (left)

LOAD-DATE: December 5, 2005

60 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 5, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 006

LENGTH: 234 words

HEADLINE: THE WAR IN IRAQ; 
 Guardsmen reunite for first time since Iraq

BYLINE: By LISA GENTES (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
Braving a snowstorm, instead of a sandstorm, 19 Massachusetts National Guardsmen reunited yesterday, gathering as a company for the first time since they returned home from Iraq in October. 
The soldiers of the 747th Finance Detachment were honored for their nearly yearlong service in Iraq. A crowd of families and friends gathered at the West Newton Armory for the Patriot Award ceremony and holiday party.
``It's just fabulous having him home,'' Framingham mother Elaine Bell said of her soldier son, Andrew. ``We're all sleeping better knowing he's here.''
Andrew Bell, 23, is glad to be back in the States. The soldier is working temporarily at Bose Corp. over the holidays and plans to start school in January. ``It's surreal, I didn't believe it almost,'' the finance specialist said of being home. He said he's not sure if he'll re-enlist in the Guard, but he's enjoying this holiday season at home with his family.
Fellow soldier Luis Alvarez of Framingham is happy to be home for the holidays.
``It's great to be with my brothers, sister and family, and nice to be back in the real world,'' the 20-year-old specialist said. Alvarez, who will start classes at Framingham State College in January, said the first thing he did when he returned from Iraq was take his two brothers to a Celtics game.
Lt. Col. Tom Devine, the battalion commander, said he's proud of his troops and thankful for their service.

LOAD-DATE: December 5, 2005

61 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 5, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 006

LENGTH: 311 words

HEADLINE: Experts: Tough time ahead for justice in Iraq

BYLINE: By TIMOTHY R. HOMAN (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
The Iraqi tribunal conducting the trial of deposed leader Saddam Hussein has successfully established its legitimacy in the international arena, but obstacles to justice loom on the horizon, according to Michael Scharf, a former Framingham resident and key figure in the court's creation. 
Scharf, a professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law and director of the Frederick K. Cox International Law Center in Cleveland, is one of five legal experts who trained the Iraqi judges and prosecutors involved with Saddam's trial in Iraq.
``I think the judges are all very committed to being fair,'' said Scharf, speaking by telephone from his home in Cleveland. ``The rules on paper are terrific, but the challenge is: Will they be implemented effectively?''
The former professor at Boston's New England School of Law said the legal procedures established for Saddam's trial have withstood the scrutiny of human rights groups and he expects the current proceedings implemented by the Iraqi High Tribunal will conclude in February 2006 with the strong likelihood of a guilty verdict.
Saddam and seven other members of the former Baathist regime are accused of ordering the killing and torture of nearly 150 citizens in the predominantly Shiite town of Dujail, about 40 miles north of Baghdad, following a failed attempt to assassinate the Sunni president in 1982.
Opening testimony was heard Nov. 28 from a videotaped deposition given by a now-deceased senior intelligence officer, who tied several defendants to the alleged massacre.
``The testimony by that guy is almost enough for conviction right there,'' Scharf said.
If convicted, Saddam could face the death penalty. He and others have an automatic right to appeal the court's verdict.
The trial began Oct. 19 but has progressed slowly due to security concerns following the assassination of two defense attorneys.

LOAD-DATE: December 5, 2005

62 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 5, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 028

LENGTH: 716 words

HEADLINE: Letters to the Editor

BODY:
Pol misses beat
Sen. Jarrett T. Barrios (D-Cambridge) should have done more research about requirements for special officers (``Hub's gun-packing rent-a-cops have solon up in arms,'' Nov. 30).
A special officer is required to attend an academy licensed through the Boston Police Department. We are not police officers and are not allowed by BPD to use the words ``police'' or ``Boston'' on our reports or insignias. One of the most important classes that we take is report writing, an activity Barrios would like to prevent a special officer from doing. Why should someone who was not at the scene write the report? The law may be in need of an update, but BPD is redefining what special officers can do. The bad decisions of a few should not be carried to the whole. 
- W.B. Vasile, Holbrook
Blame lands on agencies
The Herald's editorial implying that Logan Airport's impacted communities are partly responsible for the airport's questionable safety rating is without merit (``Airport neighbors: Safety comes first,'' Nov. 29). The recent public scrutiny of Logan's operations reveals a lackadaisical approach by Massport and the FAA to implement many important safety enhancements at Logan. In 2002, Massport and the FAA identified three non-controversial taxiway upgrades to reduce potential runway incursions. Three years later these important safety projects remain undone despite neighbor support.
Massport and the FAA have also refused to implement an air cargo security system that would subject the cargo in the bellies of passenger planes to the same scrutiny as baggage, also supported by neighbors.
- John Vitagliano, Winthrop
Kerry's plan concrete
Someone at the Herald is confused about leadership on Iraq (``Clinton, Kerry look forward, back,'' Nov. 23). Where's Hillary Clinton's plan on Iraq? All she does is agree with the Bushies. Sen. John Kerry's plan stabilizes Iraq and brings our combat troops home in a year. Leadership is speaking truth to power. Good for Kerry for standing up to the White House attacks on Rep. John Murtha, and offering a plan to bring our troops home.
Anger justified
Columnist Michelle Malkin criticized Janeane Garofalo for saying that Republicans have an anger management problem. Then she said it was the unhinged left that actually has the anger issue. (``Rabid right can't match the loonies of the left,'' Dec. 1).
Well, I think everyone should be angry. Look at what this administration has done: a fool's war in Iraq, Abu Ghraib torture, denial of global warming, a blind eye toward alternative energy, pro-Arctic Refuge drilling, tax breaks for the super rich, education funding cuts, a feeble response to Hurricane Katrina, no plan for the 40 percent of Americans without health care, scandals involving House Majority Leader Tom Delay, Vice President Cheney's chief of staff Scooter Libby and so forth.
- Andrew Blanchard, Arlington
No honor for mayor
It is a pity that in a predominantly Catholic region, the Herald editorial writers show such little comprehension of the nature of Roman Catholicism (``An honor for Mayor Menino,'' Nov. 28).
Catholics recognize that abortion is the taking of an innocent human life, and the 46 million abortions since Roe vs. Wade constitute mass murder of genocidal proportions. In Catholic understanding, therefore, politicians such as Mayor Tom Menino, who support abortion and its public funding, are complicit in what the Second Vatican Council described as an ``abominable crime.'' Were Catholic Charities to honor a political figure who was a notorious racist or anti-Semite, the Herald would be outraged. That an institution which bears the name Catholic would honor someone who finds it morally acceptable to kill children in the womb is even more outrageous.
[C]
Research is laughable
The Herald reported about a scientific study indicating that male and female brains tend to process information about cartoons in different ways (``Laughing matters as science explores just what's so funny,'' Nov. 27). Cartoons? How about life? Those scientists did not need to spend thousands of dollars to discover that men and women process information differently. Just ask any guy. The statement most often uttered by a man during a conversation with a woman is ``That's not what I meant.''
- Gennaro S. Pasquale, Charlestown

LOAD-DATE: December 5, 2005

63 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 5, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: FINANCE; Pg. 030

LENGTH: 555 words

HEADLINE: They wouldn't call it `gross' without reason

BYLINE: By BRETT ARENDS

BODY:
It's bad news for the national economy if you have an easy ride in to work this morning.
It would be much better if you got stuck in traffic because of the Big Dig. The extra gas you waste adds to Gross Domestic Product.
Better still if you total your car and end up in surgery. GDP counts the medical bills and the cost of a new car. 
It may sound hard to believe, but those and other quirks of the GDP figures were confirmed to me last week by the government agency that compiles them, the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
It's something to bear in mind when the hyperventilators on MSNBC start shouting about the latest, ``wonderful'' GDP figures. Last week they showed a 4.3 percent rise in the third quarter.
The figures count most monetary transactions, whether they add value, have no effect, or even destroy it.
The war in Iraq, and the rebuilding needed after Hurricane Katrina: Most normal Americans would see them as huge financial costs.
Not the government. The spending on these actually add to office figures for national income.
A stay at home mom doesn't count. But if she hangs out at a country club and pays someone else to mind the kids, the labor is suddenly included.
Messy divorces are great for GDP. All those lawyers' fees.
Redefining Progress, a liberal think-tank in Oakland, Ca., argues that if you adjust the official figures to reflect reality, we're no better off, as a country, than we were 30 years ago.
Some of their calculations rely on political assumptions. They deduct huge amounts for estimated environmental costs. And they adjust GDP for income ``fairness,'' on the principle that an extra buck is worth more to a pauper than to a prince.
But even a less controversial reading of their data suggests that economic progress has been more muted than the official data claim.
Skepticism of the GDP figures could go a lot further.
A big part of the recent rise in GDP comes from government spending. It's one fifth of the total increase just in the last 12 months.
How much of that is wasted? You probably have some idea.
And that doesn't even touch on private sector waste.
When Americans made cars and typewriters, it was easy to gauge the value of their work.
Not so in the economy of ``consultants'' and public relations executives.
Look around your office. I'll bet you have co-workers who's main energies are devoted to office politics, empire building, and putting in ``face time'' in endless meetings. Value added? Zip, or less. Yet they're so busy they need a personal assistant to take messages. Which, according to Uncle Sam, makes our country even richer.
The ranks of management are expanding everywhere, but heaven knows what most of them are doing.
The population of the United States has scarcely changed in the last five years. But we need, or at least we employ, 30 percent more real estate brokers.
The one area where the GDP figures actually measure ``value'' is real estate. They work out what everyone's home would cost if they had to rent.
And the numbers are pretty interesting.
For all the building boom, which is costing more than $700 billion a quarter, and the happy flipping of unbuilt condos, the value of America's homes has risen by just 9.5 percent, in after-inflation dollars, in the last five years.
Or just 3 percent more than the adult population.
Send e-mail to: talkback@brettarends.com

LOAD-DATE: December 5, 2005

64 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 4, 2005 Sunday  
FIRST EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 002

LENGTH: 379 words

HEADLINE: Firm rescues life and limb; 
 Natick Labs trains amputees for war

BYLINE: By ROB HANEISEN (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
In a pioneering program, Natick Army Labs wants to train soldiers who have lost a limb to march back into combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The company is joining forces with Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., in the program, which must win approval from the Army's Human Use Review Board. 
Results of the testing on volunteers will be used to improve prosthetics designed to help soldiers perform better on active duty - including on the battlefield.
``That's the goal,'' said Dr. Jack Obusek, team leader of the Natick biomechanics lab. ``Not that they all will (return to active duty), but we get them rehabilitated and provide them with state-of-the-art prosthetics so that they would be capable, should they desire.''
Walter Reed opened its Amputee Patient Care Program last year to address the medical and rehabilitation needs of soldiers needing prosthetic limbs. According to the public affairs office at Walter Reed, as of Friday, some 365 military personnel who served in Afghanistan or Iraq have been fitted with prosthetics after treatment for amputations.
According to Department of Defense statistics updated on Nov. 5, there have been 15,568 military personnel wounded in Iraq. Of those wounded, 8,468 were able to return to duty within 72 hours.
Charles Scoville, program manager for amputee patient care at Walter Reed, said 25 percent of all soldiers fitted with a prosthesis return to active duty.
``What the project is designed to do is collaborate with the experts at Natick Labs - we want to identify the optimal way to train individuals to return to their highest level of function,'' Scoville said.
U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan (D-Lowell), who sits on the Armed Services Committee, is confident the program will get the go-ahead.
``We've lost over 2,000 troops and it's a lot, but the reality is we would have lost a lot more if not for the technology at Natick,'' Meehan said.
Meehan said he is not surprised by the number of soldiers and Marines who strive to rejoin their units in combat after an amputation.
``I see it when I visit Walter Reed and talk to soldiers and Marines who have lost arms and legs,'' Meehan said. ``One person from Tyngsboro, Matthew Boisvert, lost a leg and all he talked about was getting back into service and back to Iraq.'' 

LOAD-DATE: December 4, 2005

65 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 4, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 016

LENGTH: 602 words

HEADLINE: Finally (maybe) some Iraq truth

BYLINE: By Margery Eagan

BODY:
Among the disillusionments of growing up is realizing your parents do not know it all after all. Among the disillusionments of growing up politically is realizing how few politicians speak the truth.
Yet in the past few days, something encouraging happened. Two politicians, two Democrats and apparent straight shooters - rants from bomb-thrower Anne Coulter notwithstanding - came forward with two opposite perspectives on getting out of Iraq. They are Rep. John Murtha and Sen. Joseph Lieberman.
And this has leftist nonideologues like me in a dilemma. We're not tethered to Cindy Sheehan/Michael Moore on the left, nor to talk radio's Sean ``Whatever Bush Says'' Hannity on the right. We're wondering not whom to believe - we think they both believe they're right - but which one really is? 
Sorry - the Rosa Parks/anti-war speeches in the streets of Boston on Thursday gave us no credible answers, either.
Murtha, however, has been in Congress 31 years. He's a 37-year career Marine who saw combat in Vietnam. He's advised both Democratic and Republican presidents on defense and has argued repeatedly against underfunding the military. He's older than 70. Why start grandstanding now?
In Boston on Friday he gave a long interview to New England Cable News' Chet Curtis in the chapel of Boston Medical Center, of all places. Afterward, Curtis hesitated not a moment when asked if Murtha seemed sincere.
Completely, the veteran newsman said.
Murtha argues that America's become the enemy in Iraq. That democracy has a better chance of flourishing there if we let the Iraqis fight their own civil war; if our troops redeploy to Iraq's periphery to battle terrorism, not Iraqis. He says we should remember some lessons from Vietnam. Among them: that Lyndon Johnson said things were going great in 1965, when 2,100 soldiers had died - and 55,000 more were killed before we began to get out. ``Why should I believe,'' he asks, the talk from Bush lackeys now?
Then, sounding almost like Bush himself, there's Joe Lieberman. He's Hadassah's husband, a holy man who invoked the name of God hundreds of times in his runs for president and vice president, and runs too candid for his own good.
In Tuesday's Wall Street Journal, he argued that we're finally making progress in Iraq. The tide is turning. If our troops leave too soon, all progress will be lost. We'll reveal ourselves as unreliable, fair-weather allies - again - and leave ourselves more horribly vulnerable to fanatics. Then he blasted both Democrats still focused ``on how President Bush took America into the war almost three years ago,'' and Republicans ``more worried about whether the war will bring them down in next November's elections.''
Chet Curtis was swayed by Murtha. So was I. Then I was swayed by Lieberman, too. Yet what do I know. Do they know? Does anybody? Or is escaping this mess just one huge crapshoot?
Meanwhile, I sit in my home with my stockpiles of water and tuna in case of the bird flu. With my drawers filled with batteries in case of 9/11 II. With my quiet, chronic though manageable (so far) unease about gas and heating oil prices and nuclear briefcases on the T.
I wish we'd stop comparing leaving Baghdad to leaving Saigon. The North Vietnamese had no interest in coming here to kill us. I also wish, with a hopeful heart, that Joe Lieberman is right. Who wants another disgraceful end?
But my head tells me John Murtha's bleak, heartbreaking assessment rings more true, and real. And my cynical side says getting out of Iraq will be all about what it's always about: polls and elections, not truth, honor or what's best for tomorrow.

LOAD-DATE: December 4, 2005

66 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 3, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 006

LENGTH: 275 words

HEADLINE: Reps seek answer to IEDs

BYLINE: By DAVE WEDGE

BODY:
In the wake of an explosion that killed 10 Marines in Iraq, a Bay State congressman and other Democrats blasted the Bush administration, criticizing the government's response to the skyrocketing roadside bomb death toll. 
``What we're seeing is that the insurgents are becoming better trained and we need to obviously upgrade our technology if we're going to continue to protect our troops,'' said U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston).
Lynch, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, slammed the Department of Defense in the Herald this week for withholding information on how many devices the military has in Iraq that can jam roadside bombs.
Known as IEDs (improvised explosive devices), the bombs have become the weapon of choice for Iraqi guerrillas, accounting for half of all U.S. military casualties.
Lynch is meeting with Army officials Tuesday to get a briefing on yesterday's attack and ``to try to get a sense of how many vehicles have been equipped with the new jammers,'' he said.
Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha, who was in Boston yesterday for a Democratic fund-raiser, criticized the Bush administration's handling of the war, saying: ``We are the target now.''
U.S. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Malden), who toured Boston Medical Center with Murtha, added: ``These young men and women are unnecessarily being put in danger with these ever-more sophisticated roadside bombs. The devices are becoming more lethal, not less lethal.''
But U.S. Army Col. Daniel Allyn said, ``There is no `silver bullet' solution to IEDs.'' He said the military is looking into new technology and training systems and improving intelligence to stop roadside bombers.

LOAD-DATE: December 3, 2005

67 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 2, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 026

LENGTH: 196 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Defender of dictators

BODY:
For those who were staying up nights worried about the state of mind of Iraqi tyrant Saddam Hussein,comes the word from the newest member of his defense team that Saddam is in ``extremely good spirits.'' 
``His mind was as clear and as sharp as ever,'' said former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark.
Gosh, we feel better already, don't you?
The man who once served as Lyndon Johnson 's attorney general is creating a little cottage industry of defending the world's worst tyrants and thugs. He has served as a consultant to former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, currently on trial for war crimes in The Hague.
Clark also met with Saddam before the start of the Iraq war in 2003. Then he showed up in Baghdad this week for Saddam's latest hearing. Oh, and he serves as lawyer for the Palestine Liberation Organization, most recently attempting (unsuccessfully, it turns out) to overturn a $116 million judgment won by the family of a Jewish couple killed in the West Bank.
Sure, everybody is entitled to a good lawyer, but Clark 's choice of clients is getting downright weird. Maybe he's still exorcising the demons of Vietnam. Or maybe he just can't leave the legal limelight.

LOAD-DATE: December 2, 2005

68 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 1, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 014

LENGTH: 563 words

HEADLINE: Take a shot working out these conundrums

BYLINE: By Margery Eagan

BODY:
Conundrum #1: I'm not sure a politician can ever recover from unveiling sex photos at a - Lights! Camera! - City Hall press conference, suggesting they show American soldiers raping Iraqi women, and then finding out - oops! - they're from some raunchy pornography site.
But that's what Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner was involved in a year ago. ``Abu Ghraib-ee Gate,'' some have christened the fiasco in tasteless reference to abuse at Abu Ghraib. 
Now every time I think of Chuck Turner, sorry, but think, ``Ghraib-ee Gate.''
I see soldiers and a naked ``Iraqi'' woman who turned out to be, I don't know, from Cleveland, from Hungary, right there in The Boston Globe. (My Herald colleagues immediately recognized it as low-grade pornography, with the ``American soldiers'' in Soviet Bloc uniforms.)
Why mention all this now? Because it may explain why Chuck got so little traction this week trying to shut down city schools so kids could join in a war protest and a ceremony honoring Rosa Park's refusal to give up her bus seat, 50 years ago today.
In your dreams, came the superintendent's reply. Surely he jests, said an incredulous citizenry. Don't you know Mommy and Daddy have to work? Institutional racism, said Chuck, offering his signature analysis of everything.
In the end almost nobody save school bus drivers (a free day off) supported the school shut down, a nutty idea. Plus poor Chuck - he's lost his credibility.
Conundrum #2: I'm not sure either why the Archdiocese of Boston, with all its woes, would listen for a second to C.J. Doyle, executive director of the Catholic Action League and perhaps the most prolific letter to the editor writer in the history of the Boston Herald.
Yet C.J. appears to be the Big Man behind Sean O'Malley's canceling plans to attend the Boston Catholic Charities Christmas dinner.
Why? Because the dinner will honor Tom Menino, a consistent supporter of gay marriage, abortion rights, ``and birth control.'' The last was added yesterday by one of C.J.'s comrades in arms, Carol McKinley.
Birth control. I guess that's the next litmus test frontier. ``Do you use birth control, Carol?'' Carol artfully dodged my question.
Now C.J. and I have a long, troubled relationship. He has alternately called me or my writing ``odious . . . sordid . . . a sewer of bigotry.''
I call him. He won't call back. I chase him into elevators. He bolts out the door.
Still, I hesitate to pick on him. Like picking on the wayward Catholic hierarchy, it's like shooting fish in a barrel. What are we up to now, our 277th fish?
And even though Menino has stood up courageously for ``Christmas'' as opposed to ``holiday'' tree (the week's other burning issue) C.J. accuses him of ``aggressive de-Christianization of municipal government.'' Can you imagine that!
You know, while the archdiocese here has given prominence to some businessmen without delving or apparently caring much about their records on economic justice, Menino's is exemplary.
Pressed yesterday, he retold a story about finding a homeless, pregnant woman asleep on a freezing night outside CVS on Arch Street. He pressed her to take shelter.
``Two years later I'm meeting this developer who tells me, ``Mayor, you've made me the happiest man in the world.'' He pulls out a picture. `This is (the homeless woman's) baby. I adopted him . . . He's beautiful. He's healthy. And his middle name is Tom.' ''

LOAD-DATE: December 1, 2005

69 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 1, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 038

LENGTH: 417 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Bush's Iraq plan clear and right

BODY:
Nothing, it seems, will stop the Democratic whining over Iraq - not position papers, not speeches clarifying this nation's goals as never before. Not even the facts on the ground as outlined yesterday by President Bush. 
There was a time when people of good will of all parties stood together in the face of a common foreign enemy. There was a time when only a fool or a knave would seek partisan advantage when this nation's men and women in uniform are in harm's way. Well, those days are gone, with possible exception of a few decent politicians - like Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) fresh from his own inspection of Iraq.
Yesterday, George W. Bush tried - again - to explain why we are in Iraq.
``The terrorists in Iraq share the same ideology as the terrorists who struck the United States on September the 11th,'' he said.
``This is an enemy without conscience, and they cannot be appeased. If we're not fighting and destroying this enemy in Iraq, they would not be idle. They would be plotting and killing Americans across the world and within our own borders. By fighting these terrorists in Iraq, Americans in uniform are defeating a direct threat to the American people.''
Do Senate Democrats like Harry Reid and John Kerry really doubt that? And what happens on the ground if Bush took their advice? If he outlined his exit strategy? If he had announced yesterday that 10,000 troops or 20,000 will be home for Christmas and another 50,000 on their way before the year is out. Is that what they are looking for?
Instead Bush said what those troops and the Iraqis they are defending needed to hear:
``To all who wear the uniform, I make you this pledge, America will not run in the face of car bombers and assassins so long as I am your commander in chief.''
And anyone REALLYlistening to the president would also hear how much progress is being made training the Iraqis to take over the defense of their own country. More than 120 army and police combat battalions are up and operating. Six police academies (plus another in Jordan) produce 3,500 new officers every 10 weeks, assuring the country's future.
It is the most natural of instincts for Americans to crave peace, to want their sons and daughters home. Democrats who cynically play to those instincts for political gain do so at their peril.
There are no easy solutions in Iraq. There is only hard work - for Iraqis and for U.S. forces. And at the end of the day there will be the satisfaction of knowing that as a nation we have done the right thing.

LOAD-DATE: December 1, 2005

70 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

December 1, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 039

LENGTH: 554 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 Fighting words well spoken; 
 Bush reiterates reason for war

BYLINE: By Virginia Buckingham

BODY:
Message is to political leadership what a battle plan is to military strategy. You can't win without one.
In a speech yesterday at the U.S. Naval Academy, President Bush finally recovered the megaphone seized last summer by Cindy Sheehan and her political fellow travelers in Congress. Not a minute too soon, Bush presented both a compelling message and a clear battle plan.
Polls show some 62 percent of Americans opposing the war and Bush's approval rating in the toilet. Watch those numbers start to reverse themselves now. 
Why? Well, because the president is correcting a fundamental mistake made by him and his team in the run-up to the war.
From Day 1, Bush focused on the wrong message. WMD or no WMD, going to war in Iraq was the right thing to do. It represented a fundamental re-ordering of the long failed strategy for peace in the Middle East, a failure which was lamentable but tolerable until its ugly ramifications reached New York City, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.
``Aha,'' I can hear all those self-indulgent liberals saying. ``You are admitting this was the neocons' agenda all along.''
Frankly, I don't know if it was. I do know it should have been. Yes, the ``grave and gathering'' threat of Saddam Hussein's possession of WMD was enough to justify invasion. But had Bush and his advisers trusted the American people's willingness to shed blood for an ideal and made the broader case for war, public support would not have eroded so dramatically once the intelligence pointing to WMD was proven wrong.
No matter. They're making the whole case now, and they are trusting, correctly, that the American people, unlike some presidential wannabees, will listen with an open mind.
``Like fascism and communism before, the hateful ideologies that use terror will be defeated by the unstoppable power of freedom. And as democracy spreads in the Middle East, these countries will become allies in the cause of peace,'' Bush said. ``Advancing the cause of freedom and democracy in the Middle East begins with ensuring the success of a free Iraq. Freedom's victory in that country will inspire democratic reformers from Damascus to Tehran and spread hope across a troubled region, and lift a terrible threat from the lives of our citizens.''
That's the whole ballgame.
``We will take the fight to the terrorists. We will help the Iraqi people lay the foundations of a strong democracy that can govern itself, sustain itself and defend itself. And by laying the foundations of freedom in Iraq, we will lay the foundation of peace for generations to come,'' Bush said.
The Iraq war is as clear a declaration to oppressed Islamic people as President Ronald Reagan's demand to tear down the Berlin Wall. America stands for freedom and freedom brings hope.
Critics will, and have, called this revisionist history. I happen to think it's simply the untold history.
Regardless, the fact is that Bush has defined the political battle for control of Congress in 2006 and the Oval Office in 2008: Setting artificial timelines for withdrawal from Iraq will make Americans less safe. Staying the course and ultimate victory will make Americans safer.
The ``National Plan for Victory'' to get there is available at www.whitehouse.gov. Every American should read it and pray that it works.
Talk back at vbuckingham@bostonherald.com.

GRAPHIC: CLEAR BATTLE PLAN: By keeping troops in Iraq, Bush is laying the foundation for peace in Middle East.

LOAD-DATE: December 1, 2005

71 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 30, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 030

LENGTH: 742 words

HEADLINE: Letters to the Editor

BODY:
No justice here
I would like to know why the people must pick up the tab for Plymouth County Juvenile Court Judge Robert Murray's inappropriate behavior (Nov. 29). It was his actions, not those of the taxpayers, that were examples of inappropriate behavior. The money should come out of his pockets.
You tell me the system isn't screwed up. 
- Richard D. Bankus, Boston
Church not just charity
Dostoevsky said: ``Doing good without God is diabolical.'' That Russian Catholic had a deeper sense of the reality of things than those expressed by the Herald (``An honor for Mayor Merino,'' Nov. 28).
Catholic Charities does good in providing services for people in need. But Roman Catholics believe in what the Roman Catholic Church Magisterium teaches. This has a spiritual dimension to it. The church is not a mere social service agency.
Those who cannot accept what the church in its wisdom teaches should think seriously about supporting a secular charity not called ``Catholic.'' Catholics believe in a higher reality. The greatest good a Catholic can do is have the courage to speak the truth of what the Church Magisterium teaches to an unbelieving world. This is the very definition of charity.
- Patrick J. Walsh, Quincy
Torturous logic
We should be outraged that the appellation of ``torture'' has been allowed to be thrown about with impunity by war opponents (``Redefining torture,'' Nov. 25).
Torture is what Iraqi terrorists use. Their methods include hanging a prisoner with his hands tied, electric shocks to genitals, beatings affecting internal organs, pulling out toenails and fingernails, crushing bones, burning with cigarettes and shaving off skin. Compare all that with the ``country clubs'' of Gitmo and Abu Ghraib, where methods were grossly humiliating but not torture!
The media doesn't show the beheadings by terrorists, but for weeks on end we saw photos of nude prisoners on the floor or with panties on their heads. Give me a break.
Unfair taxation
Many Bay Staters (reportedly 48,505) have received a ``Notice Of Intent To Assess'' from the Mass. Department of Revenue (``New retro capital tax whack takes toll,'' Nov. 24). Ours just arrived.
The Supreme Judicial Court determined that the tax on long-term capital gain transactions from Jan. 1, 2002, to April 30, 2002, must be paid. In addition, DOR is charging interest on the balance owed. Interest on a tax liability that wasn't due when returns were filed on April 15, 2003? Unfair!
The Legislature is not allowed to pass a tax and have it effective during the middle of the year, says the SJC.
But it is not fair to set a new tax or even an increase in taxes retroactively to the beginning of the year. The SJC noted that it is ``within the Legislature's power to amend the act yet again, if it wishes, to set the effective date of the capital gains tax at Jan. 1, 2003.'' It's time for the Legislature to play Santa Claus and correct this three-year-old tax bill. The commonwealth does have the money (``Revenues boom, no tax cut in sight,'' Nov. 22).
No faith in Fitzgerald
Joe Fitzgerald's annual poison pen letter to the ACLU - which, contrary to his claims, is a defender of religious freedom in America - shows that the man needs a basic civics course (``Tis the season - for sticking to your beliefs,'' Nov. 28). Any church, private organization or individual is free to put up whatever decorations they want and to worship as they see fit.
What Fitzgerald craves is government endorsement of his religion. But the government is - and ought to be - religiously neutral. The Founders made that clear in the First Amendment, with the result that Americans are among the world's most religious people. The ACLU understands that.
If Fitzgerald wasn't so busy promoting the agenda of the Christian right, he would understand it too.
A worm unearthed
I just happened to get many e-mails from the addresses listed in Jesse Noyes' column (``Worm uses FBI calling card to infect computers,'' Nov. 25). The subject line was pretty much the same: ``You have been caught using 30 illegal sites,'' and I have not. There were also e-mails with a worm from mail@cia.gov, post@cia.gov and a few from Yahoo as well as MSN.
I have one of the best virus detectors and was able to find out the type of worm, and in every instance they were the same. Hopefully, more people will catch on to this before it's too late, and that law enforcement can catch the person or people behind this.
- Erik Mango, Boston

LOAD-DATE: November 30, 2005

72 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 29, 2005 Tuesday  
FIRST EDITION

SECTION: EDITORIAL

LENGTH: 714 words

HEADLINE: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

BODY:
Guards deserve better
It would take more than an editorial to discuss re-entry (``Bill would keep eye on ex-cons to close revolving door,'' Nov. 23). The bottom line is the money would be better spent teaching inmates a viable trade where they could make a decent living, therefore reducing recidivism and making for an easier transition back to society.
What really irks me is a comment made by Leslie Walker, director of Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services: ``They think, `Here I've been subjected to all kinds of harassment at the hands of guards, and I'm going to get out of here and have a parole officer do everything they can to send me back?' '' 
How can someone who holds such a prestigious position be so ignorant? To assume that all inmates are harassed by officers is degrading.
- Kenneth Ferullo, Vice President, Mass. Correction Officers Federated Union
Disabled have rights too
Neighborhood Association of Back Bay President Peter Sherin said, ``This is not a frivolous suit'' (``Neighbors desperate to disable T proposal,'' Nov. 22). No, but it is an outrage. Arguing for tradition to continue a barrier to the right to travel of persons with disabilities is specious.
Would the Neighborhood Association of Back Bay be as vocal to argue that it is tradition to prevent gays and lesbians from marrying? Would they argue that it is tradition that blacks attend separate schools from whites? Why is it that the civil rights of persons with disabilities are less important to some persons?
- Roy Bercaw, Cambridge
Home isn't `scruffy'
I resent the description of ``scruffy'' applied to my new neighborhood. We, the new and old residents of the revitalized Bulfinch Triangle, are building a community and a home in this neighborhood and city (``Garden of condos near North Station,'' Nov. 23).
The ``garden of condos'' is not an appropriate, prudent or creative plan for development. Not enough concern is being directed toward traffic or architectural issues.
Zoning laws and regulations are being disregarded and amended in a haphazard fashion - witness Lovejoy Wharf. An exciting area of the city has been opened up and reclaimed thanks to the Big Dig. Is it the BRA's and city's desire to fill this area with nondescript monoliths which will block the recently recovered sunlight and once again plunge this neighborhood into darkness and ``scruffiness?''
- Deborah Hall, Boston
Spare torture details
Your editorial ``Redefining torture'' (Nov. 25) was correct saying that ``Americans should be outraged that the appellation of `torture' has been allowed to be thrown about with impunity by Iraq war opponents.''
I, for one, am ``outraged'' and I could not care less that the relatively benign techniques you described were used to get information that might have saved American lives from those pyscho-rabid thugs who would give us all the same fate as Nick Berg.
Maybe ``Advanced Interrogation Techniques'' should join the list of things, like making sausages and laws, that the public shouldn't know about, since a portion of the public seems to be especially squeamish.
- Mike Robinson, Braintree
Late speaker distorted
I take issue with Dan Thomasson's column regarding Speaker John McCormack and abortion (``Wise man's warning proves so prophetic,'' Nov. 23). Thomasson is correct that the Catholic Church unambiguously opposes abortion. He is also correct in stating that McCormack likewise did. However, he does grave injury to the speaker's memory by suggesting that he would have been ``pro-choice.''
McCormack was opposed to abortion because he knew it for the evil it is. To suggest otherwise - to number him among the Kennedys and Kerrys of the world - is unconscionable. Rather, let us remember him for the honorable man he was, a faithful son of South Boston and a worthy mentor to Moakley, Bulger and Flynn.- George E. Malley, West Roxbury
Falwell forever
Good for Rev. Jerry Falwell (Nov. 23).
Stores are now salivating over how much money they will make from Christmas sales. Even though they concede that this is when they make their major money, many of them want their customers greeted with ``Happy Holidays'' instead of ``Merry Christmas,'' and Salvation Army ringers are no longer politically correct or welcome.
Rev. Falwell, go get 'em!
- Freda Getherall, Charlestown

LOAD-DATE: November 29, 2005

73 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 28, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 006

LENGTH: 586 words

HEADLINE: Bay State rep presses for updated bomb-jam device

BYLINE: By DAVE WEDGE

BODY:
Outdated bomb-jamming devices are making U.S. soldiers sitting ducks for roadside explosions in Iraq, and a Bay State congressman is pressing the Pentagon to speed the delivery of life-saving new technology.
Military estimates put the number of U.S. troop casualties from IEDs (improvised explosive devices) at nearly a third of the 2,112 who have died in Iraq and more than half of the more than 15,800 wounded. But many vehicles on the ground in Iraq are fitted with outdated jammers that don't stop the bombs from going off, according to U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-So. Boston).
``Because these devices are so effective and so fatal, it allows the insurgents to gain in proficiency,'' Lynch said. ``This is warfare. This is something that is a growing problem.'' 
IEDs were frequently being set off by simple household items such as garage door openers or remote controls, but the current Warlock jammers being used by the Army can jam those signals. In recent months, insurgents have found a way around the Warlocks by triggering bombs with pagers commonly used to locate misplaced cordless phones.
A new technology using special crystals that have to be grown can jam the pager frequencies but members of Congress have been denied information about whether the troops have - or will soon have - the updated jammers.
``When we asked about the percentages in terms of deployment (of the new jammers) we were told it was classified,'' Lynch said. ``But this is purely a defensive device. It's sort of like them telling me that the number of our troops with body armor is confidential or classified. I'd like to get some reassurances. I'd like to know we have X amount deployed.''
Lynch, who went to Iraq in September and is going back in January, is slated to be briefed by Department of Defense officials this week. His call for action on the IEDs comes as support for the war among Americans has fallen from a year ago.
A Harris Interactive poll of 1,100 people found that 35 percent favor keeping a large number of U.S. troops in Iraq until there is a stable government there, compared to 50 percent a year ago. And 63 percent want the troops home next year, compared to 47 percent a year ago.
Of the 2,112 American soldiers who have died in Iraq - 1,657 killed in action - since the war started in July 2003, 648 have been killed by roadside bombs, according to Pentagon numbers. In October, 59 American troops died in IED attacks, marking the most roadside bomb deaths in a single month since the war began. Just last week, five Marines and five Army soldiers died in IED explosions.
``The technology they're using, while effective, is fairly simple,'' Lynch said. ``But unless we can address it, it will certainly continue to generate high numbers of casualties.''
Sidebar: Death toll
Of the 2,112 U.S. soldier deaths in Iraq, 648 are a result of IEDs (improvised explosive devices). Military officials estimate about half of all U.S. casualties are from IEDs. Of the total dead, 1,657 men and women were killed by hostile action in Iraq.
U.S. fatalities from IEDs have increased dramatically since the war began in July 2003. Below is a chart detailing the rise in deaths from roadside bombs.
Date Fatalities
Jul-03 4
Aug-03 7
Sep-03 5
Oct-03 13
Nov-03 20
Dec-03 18
Jan-04 20
Feb-04 10
Mar-04 19
Apr-04 16
May-04 22
Jun-04 14
Jul-04 18
Aug-04 18
Sep-04 15
Oct-04 13
Nov-04 19
Dec-04 14
Jan-05 38
Feb-05 25
Mar-05 13
Apr-05 20
May-05 35
Jun-05 36
Jul-05 39
Aug-05 40
Sep-05 40
Oct-05 59
Nov-05 38
Source: Government statistics compiled by icasualties.org

LOAD-DATE: November 28, 2005

74 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 28, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 020

LENGTH: 714 words

HEADLINE: Letters to the Editor

BODY:
Here comes Falwell
Finally, someone has come to the rescue - someone with the will, resources and the legal know-how to take on the anti-Christmas radicals who have been chipping away at our sacred traditions for far too long (Nov. 23).
I, for one, am happy that the Rev. Jerry Falwell and his attorneys have been asked by fed-up Massachusetts residents to help. Since local church leaders have put up little to no resistance over the years, we needed someone to help us in this battle. Welcome, Rev. Falwell. 
- John Ciccone, South Boston
Continue the course
All the talk about withdrawing our troops from Iraq has little to do with Iraq or the well-being of our soldiers. Its primary purpose has to do with the disgruntled Democrats who will do and say anything to malign President Bush. There are, of course, several Republicans who are up for re-election and, with a finger in the wind, have piled on as well.
It would be easy to dismiss this self-serving demagoguery if the consequences were not so serious. Early withdrawal - or even a schedule to reduce the U.S. presence in Iraq - will assuredly jeopardize all that we have accomplished in turning this terrorist haven into a democracy. But even worse is that a pre-planned withdrawal will embolden the insurgents and get more of our boys killed. Certainly no one wants us to be at war, but freedom is not free. If we want to be safe at home, we must suppress terrorism and do it in a manner that shows that we have the courage and resolve to fulfill our promises.
I am thankful that we have a president who is not governed by polls. Let's not allow politicians with self-serving intentions prevent him from continuing to do what is proper and achievable.
- Richard J. Egan, Hopkinton
The writer is a former U.S. ambassador to Ireland.
Commission fails kids
We are grateful to see the Herald recognize good work by public employees (``DSS workers rescue Dorchester teen from her pimp,'' Nov. 16). The Herald has also taken the lead in pointing out that the governor's office often uses special commissions to buy time regarding difficult issues. Child protection is one of those.
Last year the Department of Social Services reverted over $2.1 million from the social worker account, which resulted in 35 fewer workers.
Think of how much better DSS could do if the standards called for by the governor's special commission were implemented.
- Edward J. Malloy Jr., West Roxbury
The writer is president of the DSS chapter of SEIU Local 509, and past member of the Governor's Special Commission on Foster Care.
Moral direction needed
Columnist Dan Thomasson regards as sage wisdom the view of the late House Speaker John McCormack that abortion ``is something that government should stay out of,'' when nothing could be further from the truth; there is no more fundamental function of government than to safeguard the lives and liberties of its citizens - even its unborn citizens (``Wise man's warning proves so prophetic,'' Nov. 23).
He expresses dismay that the issue is potentially disruptive ``to political order'' and ``better left to the consciences of Americans and their moral counselors.'' Would he have said the same about slavery?
- Richard Recos, Lancaster
Gov right on law
Lawyers for 100 years were taught about common law based on the commentaries of Sir William Blackstone, who declared that any court opinion that was considered contrary to the divine law was not law at all.
Gov. Mitt Romney is well within his rights to criticize the Supreme Judicial Court for twisting the state Constitution to declare lawful what God has deemed unlawful. It is guest columnist, former Appeals Court Judge Rudolph Kass, whose reasoning is disordered (``Disorder in the court would be gov's doing,'' Nov. 21).
- Jennie Maroney, Framingham
Cop column on target
Kudos, yet again, to columnist Peter Gelzinis (``Tom: Cop solution in your hands,'' Nov. 23).
He offers compelling evidence that incorporating municipal and housing police with the city's regular police would greatly enhance the depleted ranks and in doing so enhance public safety. There cannot possibly be contrarian arguments, the Boston Patrolmen's Association's opposition notwithstanding.
If Mayor Tom Menino is truly looking for new ideas, this is a good start.
- Daniel Breen, Roslindale

LOAD-DATE: November 28, 2005

75 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 25, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 094

LENGTH: 1374 words

HEADLINE: SCHOOLS; 
 THANKSGIVING DAY FOOTBALL; 
 Bowl(ing) them over in another battle of Lynn

BYLINE: By STEVE BULPETT

BODY:
Having to play all their games out of town with the destruction of Manning Bowl and its transition into a smaller venue, there can be no question Lynn English and Lynn Classical were at a disadvantage. They just didn't play like it.
``I said to Matt (Durgin, the Classical coach) the other day at the banquet, `Maybe we should go on the road all the time,' '' said 8-2 English leader Gary Molea. ``We both won a lot of games this year (eight by English, seven by the Rams). I feel bad for the seniors not to be able to play in the Bowl with all the history and the tradition, but the time had come and the time was now.
``You can't cry over spilled milk. I know when everything's said and done that Mayor (Edward) Clancy and the committee he put together are going to give these kids a top notch facility, and that's what these kids in Lynn really deserve.''
As both coaches noted, every game entails a bus ride for them anyway - even if it's just from their school across town to the Bowl. 
``We tried not to make an issue of it so the kids wouldn't,'' Durgin said, ``and they didn't. They didn't complain all year, and they came to play every week.''
Classical played one home game in Chelsea, while English was once the host in Salem. When they got together yesterday in Swampscott, it was the first time the schools hadn't met in Manning Bowl since structural issues forced them to Saugus in 1974.
``They were good to us,'' Molea said of Swampscott. ``Any field you played on today was going to be like this. They did the best they could. Steve (Dembowski, the Big Blue coach), I know, stayed off it all week.''
After finishing his English grid career with a victory, quarterback Chris Carroll said, ``The road was tough for us, but we had that mentality as road warriors, and we fought through every game.''
This year, Madison Park was happy to be home for the holiday.
The Cardinals and neighboring John D. Bryant share the same athletic facilities, which created a bit of a headache last year when the fields behind the two schools were under construction.
After being forced to play last year's Thanksgiving rivalry across town on the turf at Boston English, the teams enjoyed the comforts of their own turf field with Madison Park's 22-0 win yesterday.
``That's where it's supposed to be,'' said Cardinals coach Roosevelt Robinson while receiving well-wishes from Madison Park alumni after the game.
Both teams have played games on the field since it first became ready in late October, but Robinson said it was appropriate to finally have the Thanksgiving game back home.
``Instead of playing at an alternative site, we're here,'' Robinson said. ``We christened our new field, our first Thanksgiving Day game here. It was an MP rocking victory.''
Plenty of Everett football heroes have made their triumphant return to Everett Stadium on Thanksgiving Day over the years. Paul Yebba never suited up for John DiBiaso's squad, but he received a hero's welcome from the Crimson Tide faithful yesterday.
A 1999 Everett High graduate, Yebba was back in his hometown after serving as a Personal Security Detail in Iraq and an Army recruiter in Ohio. Though he didn't play for the Crimson Tide, he saw all the games as a trumpet player in the school band.
He joined the Army in 2001 after a few semesters at Gibbs College and spent his first Thanksgiving at home in five years yesterday. He goes back to Ohio tomorrow but saw enough old friends, teachers and familiar faces to last him a while. ``They all say they love me,'' Yebba said. ``They thank me for my service and wish me well.''
Yebba's mom, Penny, walked proudly with her son through the stands. ``It's great to have him home,'' she said. ``He's going to get all the lasagna and turkey legs he can eat.''
After a convincing 21-0 win over Chelmsford yesterday that saw his defense make a critical goal-line stand, Billerica coach Peter Flynn said of his team, ``It's a resilient group. They bend but don't break.''
The same could not be said of the Merrimack Valley Conference championship trophy that the Indians' took possession of with the win.
In the postgame celebration, Flynn relinquished the hardware to his players to experience and enjoy. But when it was handed back to Flynn some five minutes later, it had more dings than the Stanley Cup and was broken into three pieces.
``We'll get it fixed,'' said one Billerica staff member to Flynn.
They billed themselves as St. John's Prep Sports Pride, but five Eagles students looked more like replacements for Blue Man Group.
Brett Gieras, Bryan Delaney, Chris Morrison, Chris McNamara and Christian Jewett weren't about to let 40-degree weather and a steady rain deter them from making a fashion statement of sorts. The five appeared topless, their bodies adorned with a shade best described as Prep blue.
``I don't know what part of the dress code that falls under,'' joked St. John's Prep headmaster Dr. Albert Shannon. ``Well, the blue paint on the face is acceptable.''
The group might have been crazy, but its members weren't dumb. They hung in the press box as long as possible before making their spirited run to the sideline to encourage their classmates.
``We have a lot of friends on the team,'' Gieras said. ``We love to go out there, support our friends and show our school pride.''
File this one under ``dirty laundry.''
Taking a page out of New England Patriots long-snapper Lonie Paxton's book, a handful of Georgetown players decided making snow angels was the best way to celebrate their playoff-berth-clinching victory over Manchester-Essex.
But with the snow that covered the field earlier in the morning melted to dirty water, the Royals who decided to flop on the turf - with their uniforms already more than soiled - were left to make ``mud angels.''
Hey moms, have fun getting those uniforms ready for Tuesday's playoff game.
Charlestown's 28-6 win over Jeremiah Burke was of special importance to John McElrath.
One of two Boston City League All-Stars on the Townies, McElrath has been playing with a heavy heart and inspiration since his father, one of Charlestown's biggest supporters, lost his battle with cancer just a few weeks ago.
``My season is not over,'' McElrath said. ``Today I am going to eat and tomorrow I'll be in the gym. I got to get my work in and my grades up and get to college.''
Blowing his own horn
A number of players went two ways in yesterday's Lynn English-Lynn Classical duel. Al Soedomo went those guys one better.
He performed the national anthem with the Lynn Public Schools Band, then handed off his saxophone and put on his silver English helmet. On the game's first play, Soedomo moved in from his linebacker position and recovered a fumble at the Classical 3-yard line.
He spent the rest of the day trying to open holes from the offensive line and close them from linebacker.
``It's something that's important to him and his family, so we try to do what we can to make it work out,'' said English coach Gary Molea. ``Last year I was a little more lenient with him on practices. But now he's a starter both ways, so his band time has been cut down during the week.
``I also used to let him play at halftime, but no more. He plays before the game, then he grabs his helmet and goes to work.''
The beauty of Thanksgiving football, in part, is that it bridges all types of gaps. No matter who you are or what you do, you are likely to have a reason for being part of the tradition. Even if you were once the general manager of the Red Sox.
So, let it come as no surprise that one of the spectators at Westford Academy yesterday morning was Dan Duquette, the former Sox GM whose son, Daniel, plays for Acton-Boxboro High School. Duquette, of course, was fired from his post with the Red Sox by current club president Larry Lucchino, who was left holding the bag when Theo Epstein walked out the door earlier this month.
``I'm just puzzled by the whole thing,'' Duquette said. ``It looked like they had a good program that was consistently winning. Now there are people turning down the opportunity to join the Red Sox, which is disturbing to me because it's such a great franchise.''
Tony Massarotti, Jim Clark, Dan Ventura, Matt Kalman, Michael R. DiLorenzo, Greg Feeley and Matt Remsberg contributed to this report.

GRAPHIC: WE DON`T NEED NO STINKING SHIRTS: Despite yesterday's cold and snowy weather, some fans at the St. John's Prep-Xaverian game (above) and the Foxboro-Mansfield contest (below) opted to brave the elements while naked from the waist up. STAFF PHOTOS BY MATTHEW WEST (ABOVE) AND NANCY LANE
UP AND AT 'EM: Members of the Boston English cheerleading squad don't let the nasty weather keep them down during yesterday's game against Boston Latin at Harvard Stadium. STAFF PHOTO BY JOHN WILCOX
IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN: Jim Rice tries to fire up the Billerica fans during yesterday's game against Chelmsford. STAFF PHOTO BY TED FITZGERALD
JUST CHILLIN': Acton-Boxboro fan Alyssa Emmons, left, and her mom Carolyn, try to fight off the cold during yesterday's game against Westford Academy. STAFF PHOTO BY TED FITZGERALD

LOAD-DATE: November 25, 2005

76 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 25, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. e16

LENGTH: 349 words

HEADLINE: Movies; 
 We loved Lucy, but Rene is sexier

BYLINE: By STEPHEN SCHAEFER

BODY:
``Yours, Mine & Ours,'' a comedy in theaters this week starring Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo, is a remake of a 1968 family hit. How do the two films stack up? 
1968
Sexual chemistry: Lucille Ball was known for many things, but sex appeal at this stage of her career - even with Henry Fonda - was not one of them.
More the merrier: It was considered an adorable ending when the title revealed that ``Ours'' really meant the baby Ball and Fonda had together. Based on a true story, Ball's widow had 10 children before the fun began.
White-bread: Definitely. Though Hollywood had long acknowledged minorities and, with the civil rights movement, was eager to convey a politically correct liberalism, ``Guess Who's Coming to Dinner,'' the first mainstream movie to endorse an interracial relationship, was released in 1967.
Social issues: Would the eldest son enlist in Vietnam and follow in his dad's Navy whites? As the anti-war movement churned on college campuses, ``YM and O'' gave lip service to rebellion and then had the son drafted.
2005
Sexual chemistry: Dennis Quaid's career, going back to ``The Big Easy'' and ``Great Balls of Fire,'' has always been appreciated for its sexual sizzle. Ditto Rene Russo's. These are adults who enjoy making babies.
More the merrier: It would seem most American moviegoers would be appalled at the idea of a family of 18 having one more. According to director Raja Gosnell, it was Russo who nixed the idea of extending the new family. ``Rene was uncomfortable with it,'' he said. ``So the `Ours' in ours is that the two families really become one.''
White-bread: A rainbow of diversity is commonplace today, as is adoption. The new ``YM&O'' has both, with Russo's Helen giving birth to four children and adopting six more, including two girls from India and an African-American.
Social issues: Due to the PG-13 rating, the biggest dilemma here is the kids' underage drinking of beer. No drug use is permitted. No mention is made of Iraq, which is also why Quaid's Frank is now in the Coast Guard rather than the Navy - to keep that touchy subject far from the comedy.

LOAD-DATE: November 25, 2005

77 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 25, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 028

LENGTH: 357 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Redefining `torture'

BODY:
``They would not let you rest, day or night. Stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down. Don't sleep. Don't lie on the floor,'' a detainee, through a translator, told ABC News. 
Pardon the short-term memory loss, but was American Nick Berg sitting or kneeling when he had his head cut off by al-Qaeda leader Abu Mosab al-Zarqawi? A recent ABC News expose, meant to shock Americans to come to their outraged senses over the torture techniques employed to get information out of detainees, could have the opposite effect.
Americans should be outraged that the appellation of ``torture'' has been allowed to be thrown about with impunity by Iraq war opponents.
Besides the ``torture'' of having to stand for hours at a time without being able to rest, detainees were forced to listen to rapper Eminem's ``Slim Shady'' album. (We couldn't make this stuff up.) Among other ``Enhanced Interrogation Techniques'' reported by ABC:
** ``The Attention Grab'' in which the interrogator forcefully grabs the shirt front of the prisoner and shakes him.
** ``Attention Slap'' with an open-hand aimed at causing pain and triggering fear.
** ``The Belly Slap'' open-handed to the stomach to cause pain but not internal injury.
** ``The Cold Cell'' in which the prisoner stands naked in a cell kept near 50 degrees and is doused with cold water.
The final technique described by ABC, whose sources included former and current intelligence officers, is called ``Water Boarding.'' Cellophane is wrapped over a prisoner's face who is bound to an inclined board, head slightly below his feet. Water poured over the prisoner gives the sense of drowning. The technique is so effective at eliciting information that even trained CIA agents last only an average of 14 seconds when tested.
The ABC report noted that only a handful of CIA interrogators are trained and authorized to use the techniques and that they are confined to use on top al-Qaeda targets. What all have in common is that they are non-life threatening and justifiable in the hunt for killers like those who mutilated Nick Berg and those who thought nothing of murdering 3,000 Americans one bright September morning.

LOAD-DATE: November 25, 2005

78 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 25, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 028

LENGTH: 739 words

HEADLINE: Letters to the Editor

BODY:
Jails in a jam
Many individuals await trial in Massachusetts, among them a radio host charged with poisoning his wife (Nov. 8), a Lynn mother accused of kidnapping her own kids and an Oxford resident accused of 10th-offense drunken driving.
These cases share a common thread: detention without bail in jails throughout the state, some overcrowded beyond capacity. 
Overcrowding can no longer be ignored. I suggest limiting jails to those denied bail upon arraignment or held on constitutionally permissible amounts of bail; construction of new buildings or refurbishing vacant buildings as privately-run jails for low- and moderate-bail inmates awaiting trial; the use of house arrest; and the option to release petty offenders without bail upon arraignment and having their cases continued pending trial.
- Michael Petrillo, Cambridge
Bible based on truth
In the column ``Not always the gospel truth'' (Nov. 12), a ``scholar'' stated that the creation story in Genesis is not to be believed. He alluded that there are many places where the Bible disagrees with itself.
In all my years of studying and researching the Bible, I have yet to see one inconsistency. There may seem to be some, but once the linguistic and contextual evidence is contrasted, inconsistencies vanish. God used 40 different writers, over at least a 1,400-year time frame, in three different languages, to put the whole canon together. The consistency of such a message should boggle the mind of any real seeker of its truth.
Chapter 1 is written from God's perspective. Chapter 2 is a parethesis, where some of the details of creation from Earth's perspective are given. Just as the creative order is subjected to the Lord God, so should scholars subject themselves to the Bible's word order, and let the text speak for itself.
- Omar S. Adams Jr., Pastor, Fellowship Bible Church, Dedham,
Condos should be canned
The developments taking place in the North Station area are evidence of the Boston Redevelopment Authority's knack for spot zoning and disregard of laws that are in place to limit building heights (``Garden of condos near North Station,'' Nov. 23).
The ``scrappy'' North Station area, which I proudly call home (for now), will quickly become a vast wasteland of lackluster condo boxes thrown up to make a quick buck without regard for people already living in the area - a veritable Hong Kong west. The BRA and Bob O'Brien, executive director of the Downtown North Association, need to step back and think.
- Jennifer L. Hertz, Boston
Bush can't dodge blame
Columnist Virginia Buckingham criticizes Democrats for telling the truth about spending more than $250 billion (which we had to borrow) and losing over 2,000 American lives and over 25,000 Iraqi lives in the unnecessary invasion of Iraq (``Truth is Democrats really out of line,'' Nov. 22).
She shamelessly defends Dick Cheney's statement that the administration did not purposely mislead the American people. It was clearly misleading to be told that Saddam Hussien was a threat to us when he wasn't, and that the invasion of Iraq is part of the war on terrorism, when Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. Either this administration purposely mislead us, or worse, it is responsible for the biggest military blunder in American history.
- Tom Larkin, Bedford
Housing is a headache
With 25 percent of all American children now living at or below the poverty level, what and whose social policy is failing (``Katrina experiment another ill wind,'' Nov. 22)? Columnist Star Parker identifies policies put in place during the Johnson administration, but it was the so-called Reagan revolution that gutted affordable housing.
Parker erroneously equates the end of affordable housing with welfare reform. No, we don't have the same numbers of people on the welfare roles today, but we do have homeless kids attempting to get an education on an empty stomach and a national health care crisis. The real problems are people like Parker who refuse to acknowledge that people need a social safety net and more affordable housing.
- Naomi Pinson Armstrong, Cambridge
Feeling taxed over gains
I'm feeling sick to my stomach about the retroactive capital gains tax bills (``Revenues boom, no tax cut in sight,'' Nov. 22).
About 48,000 taxpayers and I feel like a bunch of turkeys as we wait for our bills to reach our mailboxes. It's time for legislators to admit this retroactive taxation is a bad idea.
- Loretta LaCentra, Revere

LOAD-DATE: November 25, 2005

79 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 25, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: FINANCE; Pg. 032

LENGTH: 551 words

HEADLINE: Christmas travel jets off

BYLINE: By Brett Arends

BODY:
Will the last person out please turn off the Christmas - er, ``Holiday'' - tree lights?
The airlines have added plenty of extra seats out of Logan in the past year, but they're still selling out. The Hub is looking at the biggest Christmas exodus in five years.
``It's probably the busiest since 1999 or 2000,'' says Bob Malmberg, president and founder of Back Bay's high-end agency Malmberg Travel and a veteran of the local market. Many destinations are already sold out. ``The Caribbean is gone,'' he says. ``Mexico is unbelievable - there's very, very little left.'' 
Irene Ross, at Ross Travel in Jamaica Plain, is more cautious but she's seen a big pickup in the last week. ``It's very last minute,'' she says. ``It's getting cold. And people are fed up - they want some family time.''
It means Logan is getting close to matching pre-9/11 passenger numbers.
It was 5 percent shy in 2004. ``We're up 3.9 percent year-to-date,'' says spokesman Phil Orlandella, ``and we've got another holiday season and a school break to go.''
For those seeking sunshine, Mexico is turning into the hot new destination, according to both Malmberg and Ross. It's cheaper than the islands, and its resorts are often better, too.
Meanwhile the Wellesley crowd is going to Europe. London, Paris, Italy are the top destinations. Good luck trying to get a seat.
Anyone trying to book a long-haul flight out of Logan in the past year has already seen how the airlines are making out. A couple of years ago they practically kissed you on both cheeks if you booked a discount ticket.
Now you're sitting on hold again for the privilege of paying full price.
The recovery came too late to save United Airlines and Delta Airlines from Chapter 11.
But American Airlines has seen its stock soar 13-fold since the lows just before the war in Iraq.
Over the summer the company made a gross margin of 24 cents on each $1 of sales.
There are similar pictures across the travel industry, from Royal Caribbean Cruises to Hilton Hotels.
The most recent data showed U.S. tourism spending up 9.4 percent in the second quarter.
If you're still thinking of the warm seas of the Caribbean, Malmberg suggests looking at Puerto Plata on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. It's a newer and under-appreciated destination, and the hotels have been expanding quickly.
And if you spot the next Pedro while you're there, you could try hustling John Henry for a finder's fee.
There also seem to be some decent deals on the Cayman Islands.
The islanders have been busy rebuilding since Hurricane Ivan flattened Grand Cayman last year, damaging two-thirds of the hotel rooms and three-quarters of the homes.
Maybe the word hasn't spread yet, but a quick hunt on Expedia suggests plenty of Christmas rooms still available.
Cayman Airways flies nonstop from Logan.
If you're really looking for a bargain and you're flexible, take a look at Hotwire.com - the bargain basement of travel.
It differs from other Web sites, because although you'll get a description of the hotel or airline, you won't get the name until after you've booked. That lets the companies sell leftover spaces on the cheap without cannibalizing sales.
Of course, you could stay in the Hub over Christmas and pretty much have the city to yourself - apart from all the tourists.
STAFF PHOTOS BY ANGELA ROWLINGS

GRAPHIC: HANDLE WITH CARE: Emanuel Oliveira, 3, of Framingham waits at the check-in counter with his family at Logan International Airport this week. Logan's passenger counts are nearing pre-9/11 numbers.
FULL HOUSE: Travelers wait in line at Logan International Airport in the busy run-up to Thanksgiving Day.

LOAD-DATE: November 25, 2005

80 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 24, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 039

LENGTH: 830 words

HEADLINE: Op-Ed; 
 Blessings aplenty from left and right

BYLINE: By WAYNE WOODLIEF

BODY:
Ah, Thanksgiving, time again to thank the politicians, staffers, consultants, constituents and others who make covering Massachusetts politics such a joy.
I'm most grateful this year for Gov. Mitt Romney, Massachusetts' biggest newsmaker of 2005. He baldly prospected for the presidency from Michigan to South Carolina, yet still found time to make waves back at the State House.
It's been like watching Romney through a kaleidoscope. He'd make rookie mistakes, trashing his own state and talking about wiretapping mosques as he stressed his conservative side on the road. And then he'd do something truly heroic, sending that flawed anti-drunken driving bill back to the Legislature, shaming some of those solons who had weakened it into cutting their untimely vacation in Portugal short to come back and fix it. 
As Bad Mitt (hiss), he launched a mean-spirited attack on Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Margaret Marshall in the same-sex marriage ruling. But as Good Mitt (hurrah), he got the ball rolling on potentially historic health care coverage, including gaining support for his idea of mandating coverage for individuals.
Someday, if as I predict, requiring people to protect themselves and their families by buying health insurance (with state aid, if needed) becomes as common as getting a driver's license, people should remember Romney.
So thanks Gov, for making 2005 so interesting, and (since you're all but out of here after 2006) setting up next year's campaign for governor as a donnybrook between Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey and either Tom Reilly or Deval Patrick.
Thanks to Reilly, for his continuing integrity as attorney general, and also to Patrick for his refusal to back down and quit as a challenger, despite harping that he couldn't raise enough money. He's getting enough, and building grassroots support. This is a race, and competition will only make the winner sharper.
Healey showed adroitness in unofficially launching her own gubernatorial campaign even as Romney officially was still making up his mind. (An act that deserves Oscars for them both.) And somebody finally wised her up as her multimillionaire husband Sean Healey decided, after months of media heat, to return that $1.2 million state tax credit - designed for investments in blighted areas - that his company got for locating in Beverly. Beverly! That would have haunted Kerry Healey in '06. Now it may well be an old story, mistake corrected.
In the Boston City Hall elections, I'm grateful for Maura Hennigan's courage in standing up to an entrenched mayor and mortgaging her home to pour a few hundred thousand dollars into the effort. Yet grateful, too, for Menino's generally good stewardship of the city for 12 years and recognizing that he needs some new blood to make it better.
Hats off to the young challengers defeated in the at-large City Council race. Matt O'Malley, John Connolly, Patricia White and Ed Flynn helped make this perhaps the strongest, most competitive at-large field ever. I hope they stay in the public arena.
I'm grateful for a colorful Massachusetts delegation in Congress. Teddy Kennedy for his tireless work on health care (he and Romney cooperated on saving millions for the state in federal Medicaid reimbursements that would help pay for new state coverage). Sen. John Kerry for focusing on a badly-led war in Iraq fast becoming the kind of quagmire in which he fought in Vietnam.
Thanks to Rep. Steve Lynch for pushing probes into contractor fraud in Iraq and - arm-in-arm with state Rep. Brian Wallace of South Boston and state Sen. Steve Tolman of Brighton - keeping attention focused on OxyContin as a destroyer of lives when it's abused. Thanks to Rep. Edward J. Markey for pressing for a windfall profits tax on those hugely prosperous oil companies. It's no accident that gas prices began to fall when Markey and others beat the drums for windfall taxes that make Big Oil cringe.
My gratitude to Rep. Marty Meehan for letting his emotions rip on the floor of the House after Republican members called Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), a decorated ex-Marine, a coward after Murtha called for a prompt withdrawal from Iraq. ``You're pathetic!'' Meehan yelled at Republicans across the aisle. I like a guy who speaks his mind.
Here's to the campaign aides and consultants - the winners and the losers - who made covering the Boston races so much fun. To Steve Crawford, who managed City Council President Michael Flaherty's campaign to a solid top-of-the-ticket place and solidified Flaherty as Menino's clearest heir-apparent. To consultants Jim Spencer and Jack Kowalski, who helped make Sam Yoon the first Asian-American on the council. And to Mitch Kates, Hennigan's valiant campaign manager. All heart.
And to all those who've helped make my days brighter and writing sharper in 2005 - especially Neil Cote, the Herald library staff, Norine Johnson, Hope Ugwuoke - my thanks and wishes for one of the best Thanksgivings ever.
Wayne Woodlief's column runs weekly.

LOAD-DATE: November 24, 2005

81 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 24, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 005

LENGTH: 490 words

HEADLINE: DAD ON `MIRACLE' GI: GOD'S BACKING HIM UP; 
 Melrose soldier survives sniper fire in Iraq

BYLINE: còBy GREG DUGGAN (MELROSE FREE PRESS)

BODY:
A Melrose father is calling today his ``personal Thanksgiving'' after his soldier son emerged nearly unscathed when a sniper's bullet passed through his helmet and the back of his head.
``God's backing him up,'' David DiFranza said of his eldest son, Spc. Levi DiFranza, 20,who remains on active duty in Iraq.
The younger DiFranza was at a checkpoint in a suburb of Ramadi he described as ``a lot like Melrose'' when his unit was attacked. 
``We ran to the roof,'' he explained in an interview by e-mail.
DiFranza set up a machine gun on the patiolike surface. He estimates he fought off insurgents for about 45 minutes, firing some 700 rounds, before the sniper hit him.
``Everything turned gray and I felt a big concussion,'' he said.
``Time seemed to stop and I fell for what seemed like 10 minutes. I was thinking about the kid who got shot the same way and died a couple weeks before, if I was going to live and if I did live, if I would be normal and if my guys were going to be OK.''
DiFranza was treated with morphine and taken to a Baghdad hospital.
He later learned the bullet had struck his head and skidded under the skin and along his skull for about 4 inches before exiting.
Two days later he was back with his unit, Company A of the 3rd/103rd Armor of Lewisburg, Pa. He was one of 10 Army National Guard members from Massachusetts who joined the contingent to bring it to full force. His father said he volunteered for Iraq, even though he had been set to go to Bosnia.
The young soldier reports ``permanent headaches'' from the Oct. 3 firefight and ``some damage'' to his eyes - and a new perspective on the dangers of combat.
But DiFranza's not sure exactly why he survived so close a call.
Was it a slight turn, recoiling from his own weapon, or just plain luck?
He's stoical about the dangers he faces. ``Before I was shot I thought I was invincible, then I got shot and came to reality, and was scared for a few hours,'' he said. ``Then I realized it doesn't matter where I am or what I'm doing, when it's your time, it's your time.''
``I can't afford to have second thoughts,'' he added, ``not when my guys' lives are on the line.''
For DiFranza's father, the brush also has brought changes.
``After that day, every time I hear about soldiers being killed in Iraq, I'm like, `Where was it? Where is he?' '' said the elder DiFranza. ``But he likes it, he's doing what he likes to do.''
When he returns, his father said, he'll likely attend college in Massachusetts.
In the meantime, he's earned a nickname - ``The Miracle Child of Animal Company'' - after the sniper incident and an earlier close call. In that episode, he'd been in Iraq only two days and was working in a downstairs room when a rocket-propelled grenade hit his bedroom above and destroyed it.
``I always knew that going to (Iraq) would be a gamble,'' he said. ``I knew I could come back unscratched or come back totally messed up. I'm just lucky this was the worst I got.''

GRAPHIC: THANKFUL: David DiFranza, above, holds a photo of his son, Spc. Levi DiFranza, who took a sniper's bullet in the head in Iraq recently - and then went back out on duty two days later. The photo at left shows the round's entry and exit photos. STAFF PHOTO (above) BY DAVID GOLDMAN

LOAD-DATE: November 24, 2005

82 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 24, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: OBITUARY; Pg. 064

LENGTH: 187 words

HEADLINE: Obituary; 
 Nickolas Schiavoni, 26, a Marine, of Haverhill

BODY:
Lance Corporal Nickolas D. Schiavoni, a Marine of Jacksonville, N.C., formerly of Haverhill, died Nov. 15 while serving his country in Iraq. He was the victim of a suicide bomber. He was 26. 
Born in Haverhill, he lived in Jacksonville with his wife and children. He graduated from Haverhill High School in 1997.
LCpl. Schiavoni joined the Marine Corps in 2002. During his service, he received two Purple Hearts, the Combat Action Ribbon, two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Medal.
He is survived by his wife, Gina M. (Howes) of Jacksonville; a daughter, Marissa; a son, Alex; his mother, Stephany (Swartz) Kern of Westerly, R.I.; his father, David P. of Ware; a sister, Vanessa of Jacksonville; a nephew; a grandfather; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
A funeral Mass with full military honors will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. James Church, Haverhill.
Burial will follow in St. James Cemetery, Haverhill.
Arrangements by C. Frank Linnehan & Son Funeral Home, Haverhill.

LOAD-DATE: November 24, 2005

83 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 23, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 028

LENGTH: 333 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Clinton, Kerry look forward, back

BODY:
Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. John Kerry became a bold study in contrasts Monday as two of the nation's leading Democrats tackled the Iraq war.
Together they resemble the ancient Roman god Janus - the one who has one face looking back and one face looking ahead. 
Kerry, not surprisingly, is mired in the past. Massachusetts' junior senator called reporters to his Boston office to rail one more time against President Bush and Vice President Cheney for asserting that Congress was privy to the same pre-war intelligence that led the White House into war.
``That is just plain, flat, not true,'' Kerry insisted.
If you believe Kerry, then only belatedly did he and like-minded members of Congress find out what the CIA and the Defense Intelligence Agency REALLY knew about Saddam Hussein. Kerry seems to think THISis what people will be talking about around the Thanksgiving table.
Sen. Clinton, on the other hand, jumped into the fray from her New York office on the real issue at hand - what to do next in Iraq.
``Right now Iraq is tottering on the balance,'' Clinton said. ``It will matter to us if Iraq totally collapses into civil war, if it becomes a failed state the way Afghanistan was, where terrorists are free to basically set up camp and launch attacks against us.''
And while she expressed ``the greatest respect'' for Rep. Jack Murtha (D-Pa.), she added that his proposal to withdraw U.S. troops within six months would be ``a big mistake.'' But, she said, the new Iraqi government that will be voted on in December must understand ``we're not going to be there forever.''
Clinton learned well from the former president about being all things to all voters. That's how elections are won.
She could at once criticize the Bush administration for ``poor decision-making'' and in the next breath add, ``My view is we have to work together to fix these problems.''
That's the kind of civil discourse most Americans are waiting for. Only politicians intent on appealing to the fringe fail to realize that.

LOAD-DATE: November 23, 2005

84 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 21, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 022

LENGTH: 736 words

HEADLINE: Letters to the editor

BODY:
Jailhouse mock
As a former resident of Martha's Vineyard, I drove past the Dukes County Jail and House of Correction every day on my way to work. From the outside, the jail resembles a nursing home (Nov. 18).
The convicted drunken driver Bader Al-Saud should not be permitted to select this country-club jail for his sentence. He killed a man, and he deserves hard time in one of our state's more rigorous prisons. Since when did Saudi Arabian money provide a pass to criminals? 
- Christine A. Powers, Waltham
Unhealthy idea killed
Criticism of Sen. Ted Kennedy for derailing the Association Health Plan bill is unfounded (``GOP: Ted K killed biz health tax proposal,'' Nov. 10).
While people assume that purchasing health insurance through an association will lower their costs, there is no data to support that claim and passage of such a bill could lead to higher costs for many businesses. State laws already aggregate businesses in the small group market so that the risk is spread among the greatest pool possible. Association Health Plans would actually fragment the market and do more harm than good. Why are such disparate interest groups as the AFL-CIO, Healthcare for All, Associated Industries of Massachusetts and Chambers of Commerce opposed to Association Health Plans? Because they truly care about health care consumers and small businesses, and know that association health plans are not the remedy for an ailing health system.
- Eileen McAnneny, V.P., Government Affairs Associated Industries of Mass.
Making sense of miracle
I thank Charles Krauthammer for his column. It pulled together some thoughts I've been grappling with (``An ungodly insult to science, religion,'' Nov. 18).
Recently, I read a magazine article about new technology to help hearing-impaired people. Just the diagram alone that showed how the hearing process works left me momentarily without thoughts. It was such an intricate yet brillantly simple process. Multiply that times a million such little systems that have to take place for us to blink an eye, raise a hand or say a word and we just scratch the surface of the miracle we truly are. Unfortunately, it's rare for me to experience that feeling as ``real'' life gets in the way.
Frankly, while it would be hard to convince me that this is all the result of some microbes mixing together and expanding over a billion years to where we are, I'm willing to watch the mystery unfold. After all, the mystery is the miracle.
- Bob Reed, Franklin
Church no place for hate
I'm always amazed when people believe that they're doing something good by spreading hateful beliefs (``Anti-gay group: Cops let picketers disrupt meeting,'' Nov. 10).
Conservative activist Brian Camenker said: ``Something is terribly wrong when this kind of thing goes on outside a church.'' I say something is terribly wrong when Camenker's kind of thing is going on inside a church. It's usually these people who start throwing out Bible verses, but the Bible was not written by God. It was written by men more than 2,000 years ago.
- William M. Knowles, Brockton
War critics hurt cause
Columnist Wayne Woodlief should take his liberal rant to the boring broadsheet (``W's cheap shots should backfire,'' Nov. 17). The recent move by Republicans to package dozens of quotes by Democratic leaders from 1998-2002 should put to rest the pathetic ``Bush lied'' objection to the war. The intelligence of that time led us all to believe there was a threat that needed to be dealt with.
Woodlief and liberal accomplices have a pre-disposition that gets in the way of facts. They think war is never the solution and get wobbly when we pass from threat into action. Bush could go down as the heroic creator of a democratic Iraq 20 years from now.
Comparisons with Vietnam are only correct in one sense: They add to the conviction of the enemy, thus obstructing our final blow.
- William H. Stewart, Boston
Radio host defended
My response to columnist Joe Fitzgerald is simple: Where is the outcry from Muslim leaders (``New Hub talk-radio host set to battle liberal media,'' Nov. 17)?
In the incidents cited by Fitzgerald, whether it be Jewish, Catholic or Baptist, leaders expressed condemnation of the acts perpetrated. I'm still waiting for someone of stature in the Islamic religion to express remorse for 9/11. Radio host Michael Graham's comments seem appropriate given the silence from the Muslim world.
- Alan MacRae, Andover

LOAD-DATE: November 21, 2005

85 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 21, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 022

LENGTH: 545 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 Firsthand stories make Iraq quarrels mute

BYLINE: By Alan Lupo

BODY:
The e-mail comes from Chris Hurley, an Air Force major in the New Hampshire Air National Guard, a longtime Winthrop neighbor and friend of our son Steve.
My wife and I still refer to our kids and their friends as ``the kids,'' even though they are in their late 30s, married and with children of their own.
Some of them have been in harm's way more than once. Steve was a street cop in Texas and is now an FBI agent assigned to a joint terrorism task force. Another kid was working security in Iraq's ``Green Zone.'' Chris is in Iraq. 
``Many troops over here,'' Chris writes, ``feel that America is beginning to forget them; that mainstream America cares more about who will become the next `American Idol' than the sacrifices and deprivations of the soldiers who have repeatedly been called to service in Iraq.''
It makes no difference where you stand on the Iraq issue when it comes to caring about the young Americans who have put themselves on the line to fight terrorism.
When I go to Doyle's, a Jamaica Plain saloon, I look above the bar at the World War II posters I remember so well from childhood. In one, Uncle Sam points to the reader, lecturing, ``If you know one of these trades and are not now in real war work, you are badly needed.''
In another, Mussolini, Tojo and Hitler have their hands cupped to their ears. ``Enemy ears are listening,'' it warns.
A third features a GI. ``Attack. Attack. Attack. Buy War Bonds.''
Each poster reminded the homefront that we civilians had obligations, that though the battles might be far off in Europe and the Pacific, we were expected to help in any way we could. It may have meant volunteering as an air raid warden, or growing a Victory Garden, or saving metal cans to be reused for armaments or rationing meat every week.
Of course, the war in Iraq does not have the kind of support that World War II enjoyed. Critics feel the Iraq invasion was a detour in the war on terrorism, that it has created more problems than it might solve. Supporters argue it's crucial to fight terrorists who have shown up there.
Maybe if there were a draft, you'd hear more talk about the war than endless prattle about the Pats, shopping and dumb TV shows.
In his eloquent e-mail, in which he explains the complications and subtleties of a conflict that both Right and Left wish to simplify, Chris adds, ``It tears at your heart to see these unfortunate children who are caught in the crossfire of this war. As we visit villages, children often swarm us looking for goodies or just to practice saying a phrase in English. Despite having nothing, no shoes, ill-fitting clothes, etc., they have the same sense of innocent joy that U.S. children possess and in their eyes you can see an expression of hope that somehow we will make them safe and bring about an end to this violence.''
If America were to pull out now, he contends, ``this country would collapse into civil war and the weakest, the children, will suffer. We now have a moral responsibility not to abandon these people.''
He sent a picture of a little girl with ``an infectious smile.'' In his heart, he says, ``I am fighting for that little girl and millions like her in both our countries to be able to grow up and have a future.''
He cares.
Talk back to Alan Lupo at alupo@comcast.net.

LOAD-DATE: November 21, 2005

86 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 20, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 198 words

HEADLINE: Americans package holiday cheer for overseas heroes

BYLINE: By Rob Haneisen (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
The photo of Holliston's Paul Perusse captures a familiar moment of machismo among young men sent off to war: He is posing with a powerful weapon in his hands. 
But what this 23-year-old Massachusetts National Guard specialist stationed near Abu Ghraib prison really wants for Christmas is his pillow and slippers. ``He wants home with him, I guess,'' said Linda Perusse, Paul's mother.
With the holidays fast approaching, family and friends of military personnel are facing tight deadlines to send care packages to troops serving overseas, and they are filling those packages with items to boost morale and feed the hunger for something from home.
According to the Military Postal Service Agency, the deadline to send items overseas to arrive in time for the holidays is Dec. 10 for first class.
It's high season for packages being sent to the 159,000 U.S. military personnel serving in and around Iraq. Most will receive homemade goodies, pictures, magazines and books, phone cards, extra equipment, electronic games and a few reminders of the holidays they are missing.
People who don't have family members serving in the war may send care packages to troops through different organizations.

GRAPHIC: COMFORT AND JOY: Linda Perusse, of Holliston, will be sending a Christmas care package to her son, National Guard specialist Paul Perusse, who is serving in Iraq. Daily News photo by Lisa Cassidy

LOAD-DATE: November 20, 2005

87 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 20, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 629 words

HEADLINE: Mission: Impossible to know; 
 Mass. pol blasts Bush's fuzzy plans for Iraq

BYLINE: By Peter Gelzinis

BODY:
While it can be argued that Iraq may not be the mirror image of Vietnam, one fact is irrefutable: The more President Bush opens his mouth these days, the louder you hear LBJ's voice.
Some 40 years ago, the White House drawl was all about finally being able to see ``the light at the end of the tunnel.''
Today, LBJ's Texas successor finds himself working to stifle a growing chorus of discontent by insisting it would be treason, if not downright un-American, to extricate ourselves from Iraq ``before our mission was accomplished.'' 
U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano said yesterday he has no particular quarrel with ``accomplishing the mission,'' if only Bush would say what that mission is.
``The president won't tell us what he means,'' Capuano said yesterday, back home in Somerville after Friday night's explosive House debate on withdrawing from Iraq.
``What is our mission?'' Capuano asked. ``We know it isn't about WMD. If it was to get rid of Saddam . . . well, we did that quite a while ago. If the mission was to let the Iraqis govern themselves, there'll be an election in two weeks. How long after that are we expected to stay? All the president keeps saying is, `As long as it takes.' But what exactly does that mean?''
Like LBJ, Bush's answer may be the proverbial riddle wrapped in an enigma. But the partisan meltdown on the House floor was proof, Capuano said, that Congress can no longer detach itself from the growing public sentiment ``that we really don't belong in Iraq anymore.''
Capuano called the impassioned dissent of his veteran colleague, Pennsylvania's John ``Jack'' Murtha, a ``watershed moment,'' not unlike the moment, four decades ago, when Murtha's friend and political mentor, Tip O'Neill, rose in opposition to Vietnam.
``(Jack) is not some lefty,'' Capuano said. ``He's a Marine combat veteran, a political icon who has always comported himself as a moderate Democrat and fervent supporter of our military.
``It wasn't Jack Murtha's resolution we voted on (Friday night),'' Capuano said. ``If the Republican leadership had put the Murtha resolution out there, I can tell you it would've come close to passing.''
Instead, the intentionally absurd resolution quickly offered up by the California Republican, Duncan Hunter, calling for an immediate Iraqi pullout, gave queasy pols an easy way out . . . for the moment.
``What you saw Friday night,'' said Capuano, ``is the same kind of steady drip . . . drip . . . drip that happened to Nixon and Johnson before him. Nothing Bush can do is going to be able to stop the debate about leaving Iraq. Certainly not the kind of stupid political gamesmanship you saw Friday night.''
As the man who now sits in Tip O'Neill's chair, Mike Capuano said he's formed a special friendship with Jack Murtha. He knows the beloved Marine colonel and decorated Vietnam veteran is much too big a genie to ever be stuffed back in the bottle.
``When someone of Jack's stature speaks from his gut like this,'' Capuano said, ``he offers political cover for all those moderate Republicans looking for a way to do the same thing.''
Before too long Jack Murtha's watershed moment on the Iraq war will be joined by a few others. Mike Capuano noted that come this April, our soldiers will have spent more time fighting in Iraq than their forefathers did fighting overseas in World War I.
By August of next year, we will have eclipsed the time we spent fighting World War II. And if casualties continue at the present rate, a year from now we could hit the figure of 2,986 U.S. soldiers killed . . . or one soldier for every person who died on 9/11.
Their deaths were supposed to be avenged in Afghanistan. If this milestone is reached and there is still no light at the end of the Iraq tunnel, Jack Murtha will be the least of Bush's problems.

LOAD-DATE: November 20, 2005

88 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 19, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 401 words

HEADLINE: Lynch launches offensive on Iraq contractor fraud

BYLINE: By DAVE WEDGE

BODY:
Calling those accused of stealing taxpayer funds meant for the war in Iraq ``disgraceful,'' and blaming the Pentagon for stalled investigations into them, Bay State congressman Stephen Lynch is pushing for swifter probes of firms fingered in fraud and abuse. 
Lynch said the Department of Defense has yet to provide Congress with confirmation that it is reviewing all of the contracts awarded to La Nouvelle, a Kuwaiti company at the center of an alleged kickback scheme involving ex-Halliburton manager Jeff Mazon.
Mazon was indicted in March on charges he bilked the government out of $3.5 million by fraudulently steering troop support contracts to La Nouvelle and taking $1 million in bribes from the company's managing partner, Ali Hijazi.
The House Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, which is probing $20 billion in missing or misallocated Iraq war funding, is still waiting for answers on La Nouvelle and Mazon, Lynch said.
``There's probably more contracts that have been tainted by these folks,'' said Lynch, who sits on the subcommittee. ``(Defense officials) are not doing anything. There's no accountability. There's no checks and balances.''
Lynch yesterday filed legislation to require the review of all contracts involving any official or contractor who is indicted. The proposal, signed by nine other Democratic lawmakers, also requires that investigators alert Congress to their findings within 180 days.
``This whole contract process is rife with corruption,'' Lynch said. ``It's disgraceful that people would put our sons and daughters at risk. To have someone for profit put them at a greater risk is just unconscionable.''
The bill was filed on the heels of the arrest of Robert Stein, a 50-year-old North Carolina man charged with taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks from contractor Philip Bloom.
Federal officials say Stein, who oversaw $82 million in government money for the Iraqi rebuilding effort, got cars, jewelry, real estate and cash in exchange for steering millions in contracts to Bloom. Both were indicted this week.
In addition to Lynch's bill, the latest arrests prompted a call from Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) for hearings into the Bush administration's ``mismanagement of Iraqi funds.''
Waxman made the request yesterday in a letter to Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), the national security subcommittee chairman.

LOAD-DATE: November 19, 2005

89 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 19, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 145 words

HEADLINE: Con-tract work eyed in arrests

BYLINE: By DAVE WEDGE

BODY:
As dissent against the war in Iraq grows and reports of underequipped soldiers continue to surface, the federal government has begun cracking down on alleged war-profiteering scam artists. 
In March, ex-Halliburton manager Jeff Mazon and Kuwaiti businessman Ali Hijazi were indicted in connection with a kickback scheme authorities say swindled the U.S. military out of $3.5 million meant to supply fuel tankers.
Yesterday, another former Halliburton employee, Glenn Allen Powell, was sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to taking more than $110,000 in bribes from an Iraqi company.
And Robert Stein, a 50-year-old North Carolina man in charge of overseeing $82 million in Iraqi war funds, was charged with taking bribes from New Jersey contractor Philip Bloom. Stein and his wife allegedly netted cars, jewelry and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.

LOAD-DATE: November 19, 2005

90 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 19, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 020

LENGTH: 345 words

HEADLINE: EDITORIAL; 
 Cut and run in Iraq isn't a real policy

BODY:
It's one thing to have the likes of Sens. Ted Kennedy and John Kerry criticize the administration's conduct of the war in Iraq and issue their repeated calls for the withdrawal of troops. They have become like white noise, so predictable you hardly notice any more. 
But added to the anti-war chorus this past week was the voice of Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), ex-Marine, Vietnam vet and long-time supporter of the war on terror generally and its Iraq phase. But this past week, as Congress prepares to adjourn for its Thanksgiving break and as Murtha prepares to return to a district which has suffered the loss of 13 of its native sons in Iraq, he went before his colleagues to urge the pullout of American troops within the next six months.
``Our military has done everything that has been asked of them,'' he said. ``It is time to bring them home.''
Now we have no reason to question the sincerity of Murtha's change of heart. Vietnam did indeed leave scars on the psyche of a generation - Murtha's generation - that simply won't go away. But did we learn nothing from that tragic war about pulling the rug out from under our own troops, about denigrating the job they have been given and about setting a timetable for surrender?
And while Murtha's timing might have made sense to him, as he prepared to face the losses of his constituents, it couldn't have been worse on the ground in Iraq with elections scheduled next month.
``Our troops have become the primary target of the insurgency,'' Murtha said on the day before 74 IRAQISat two Shiite mosques were killed and another 75 wounded in a largely Kurdish town 90 miles north of Baghdad.
Yes, our troops are in harm's way. No question about it. But they are in harm's way to protect the people of Iraq even as their own troops and police are being brought up to speed to do the job themselves. Did we learning nothing from our abandonment of the Iraqi people after the first Gulf War when we allowed Saddam Hussein to murder tens of thousands of his own people as we stood by?
Does Murtha suggest that we abandon them again?

LOAD-DATE: November 19, 2005

91 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 18, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 325 words

HEADLINE: THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER; 
 D.C. ties appear to produce perks for Saudis

BYLINE: By MARIE SZANISZLO

BODY:
Republicans dismissed it as another Bush-bashing conspiracy theory when filmmaker Michael Moore raised the specter of an unusually close relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia in ``Fahrenheit 9/11.'' 
But from the swift escape afforded Osama bin Laden's family immediately after the 2001 terrorist attacks, to the plea bargain granted this week to a 23-year-old kinsman of the Saudi royal family who was driving drunk when he killed a Cambridge father, history is rife with examples that have prompted closer scrutiny of the web of U.S.-Saudi ties since 15 of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were shown to be Saudi Arabians.
Among the other examples:
** President Bush and his father made fortunes by trading on their famous name to persuade rich Saudi backers, including members of the royal family and the bin Ladens, to invest in Bush-related businesses. Those include the Carlyle Group and Harken Energy, according to journalist Craig Unger's book ``House of Bush, House of Saud.''
** The president, in turn, has hosted Prince Bandar bin Sultan at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, an honor usually reserved for heads of state.
** Bandar, then Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, was informed of Bush's plan to invade Iraq even before the president told then-Secretary of State Colin Powell, veteran Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward reports in his book ``Plan of Attack.''
In a CNN interview, the ambassador acknowledged he had been briefed on the plan, although he claimed that the plan was not definite at the time.
** Bandar pledged to increase oil production in order to lower gasoline prices so the economy would improve in time for the presidential election, Woodward alleges.
In the same CNN interview, the ambassador acknowledged, ``We hoped that oil prices would stay low'' for Bush, but that this was ``nothing unusual'' because ``I can go back to 1979. President Carter asked us to keep prices down to avoid the malaise.''

LOAD-DATE: November 18, 2005

92 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 18, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 030

LENGTH: 304 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 And Romney disses Calif.

BODY:
OK, we know Gov. Mitt Romney has come down with a dreadful case of Potomac Fever, but his current rhetorical 'round-the-world tour might make the good people of Boston, Belmont and the Berkshires feel a little, shall we say, neglected. 
A month or so ago he simply couldn't wait to weigh in on Iraq. Earlier this week he was dissing the French. Wednesday he attempted to add Russia, Central America and even California to the growing list of subjects on which he purports to have, if not expertise, at least well-formed opinions.
``It does make me chuckle, when you see Congress struggling about whether we should open our trade with Central America,'' Romney told a conference on global competitiveness. ``When Asia is looming off the horizon, we're worried about El Salvador and Guatemala?''
The governor added that protectionist policies may preserve an economy for 25 to 30 years, ``but then at some point it all comes crashing down, and then you're hopelessly behind. Then you become a Russia.''
And as if fellow Republican governor, California's Arnold Schwarzenegger, doesn't have enough worries right now, Romney engaged in a little piling on.
``I don't know how California makes it,'' Romney said. `` . . .Long term, their high tax rate, their totally unworkable transportation reality, their unreliable energy supplies, make it a place that's going to have to, at some point, undergo some kind of transformation, or they're going to begin losing. They can lose to Nevada, lose to other states and, ultimately, of course, lose to Asia.''
The Legislature - the one in Massachusetts - has pretty much wrapped things up for the year, leaving a mighty long list of Romney's priorities in limbo, because, well, they could. Is it any wonder the governor would rather talk about France, Russia, California - anything but the day job?

LOAD-DATE: November 18, 2005

93 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 18, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 030

LENGTH: 727 words

HEADLINE: Letters to the Editor

BODY:
Raining on parades
A cub reporter could have uncovered the real reason for the cancellation of the Veterans Day parade (Nov. 12).
Last year's parade was well-attended on a Thursday. Marchers would not have been ``hard to come by;'' they consist primarily of high school bands, junior ROTC, veterans groups and other non-active military.
The American Legion was not happy that Veterans For Peace marched in 2003 and 2004 with a message opposing the Iraq war. A local official told a VFP member that the parade had to be cancelled because of ``you people.'' Their national commander also made it clear they oppose anti-war protests. 
The Herald is right about one thing: It was a sad day. Rather than allow those who have honorably served to march, dissent was stifled and Bostonians were deprived of this important event.
- Bruce Macdonald, Billerica, Veterans For Peace
Solutions for peace
As we approach Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month, I thank reporter Michele McPhee for highlighting unsolved cases (``Mom on a mission,'' Nov. 14). However, it is not my intention to ``put heat on cops.'' It is my job to support other survivors. Every survivor deserves to have a loved one's murder solved, as do the spirits of victims.
It is also my job to work with police and survivors to bring back resources. The Louis Brown Peace Institute is sponsoring a training for survivors and their supporters about cold cases, murder investigations, the homicide unit and the DA's office. This is not about blame. It's about solutions.
- Janet Connors, Survivor Support Coordinator, Louis Brown Peace Institute, Dorchester
A fair trade for kids
It was interesting to read ``Build Boston to city kids: Try a trade,'' (Nov. 16). As an inner-city secondary school teacher for 34 years, I was always bothered by the over-emphasis on college education for all students. Hundreds of students finish degree programs only to get in line at the unemployment office, or they must take low-level jobs. Others are unable to finish their education, then feel like failures and drift aimlessly.
Hats off to Build Boston and Mayor Tom Menino for starting a partnership that will improve the lives of hundreds of young people while infusing our sagging trades with new blood.
- Stephen W. Young Sr., Brockton
Execs poison pensions
If legislators are really concerned about overhauling the private pension system by tightening rules for pension contributions, which prevent employers from falling behind in their payments and eventually shifting responsibility to the agency, I hope they also look at the other source of the problem: good old boy executives (``Key to retirement? Start saving . . . cans,'' Nov. 13). These executives dump pensions, then reward themselves with lucrative, judge-granted severance packages - all on the backs of labor.
- Lynne Caramello, Revere
Creation is all about faith
I take offense to guest columnist Marc Zvi Brettler's rendition of how the Bible is responsible for confusion (``Not always the gospel truth,'' Nov. 12). He points out a not-so-important discrepancy pertaining to how and when God created man and beast. He then attempts to construe it as the reason for confusion.
My interpretation of Genesis is that it helps people understand and believe that God creates. It is an easily believable and comforting explanation of the questions one might have pertaining to creation. This is part of what we Christians call faith and the Bible is our guide.
- Scott Canavan, Natick
WMDs were a ploy
Columnist Dan Thomasson and other Bush apologists are fond of pointing out that many Democrats voted for the September 2002 Authorization to Use Military Force, and therefore, according to this flawed logic, supported Bush's invasion of Iraq (``History repeats with unbridled cynicism,'' Nov. 16).
There's a world of difference between authorizing the use of force if necessary and appropriate, as Congress did, and actually launching an invasion. In September 2002, the weapons inspectors had been banned from Iraq for several years. Evidence about possible WMD was sketchy. By March 2003, inspectors were back in Iraq, receiving an unprecedented level of access and cooperation. They did not find any WMDs. It was clear the United States wasn't in imminent danger. WMDs were simply the most expedient way to sell the war: a marketing gimmick.
- Will Blanchard, Cambridge

LOAD-DATE: November 18, 2005

94 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 17, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 039

LENGTH: 706 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 W's cheap shots should backfire; 
 Kennedy, Kerry right on target

BYLINE: By Wayne Woodlief

BODY:
Could it have been that old White House hatchetman Karl Rove who advised President Bush and his spokesman to lash out at Democrats - especially Sens. John Kerry and Edward Kennedy - for questioning the commander- in-chief's course on Iraq?
It sure smacked of the old Rove style: If you can't rationally argue against someone's case, just smear him. 
Yet if it was him whispering in George W. Bush's ear, it shows that stress over Plamegate has cost Rove some of his canniness, even if he did escape indictment.
Not only were Bush's words cheap shots at two senators who have raised strong, legitimate objections, they did nothing to take the heat off the president.
The pressure from Teddy, Long Jawn and other critics undoubtedly provoked that bipartisan, Republican-hatched amendment that requires quarterly progress reports on conditions for withdrawal and handing over responsibilities to the Iraqis.
It passed the Senate 79-19 Tuesday, one day after Bush repeated that criticisms of him at home only helped the enemy. Even many Republicans didn't buy that.
True, the vote is largely symbolic. But symbolism is huge. As Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), author of the amendment, said: ``The vote sends a strong, bipartisan message to the world'' that the U.S. mission is not without end - and to the Iraqis that ``we have done our share. Now the challenge is up to you.''
Kerry and Kennedy were among the 19 who opposed the plan, asserting it doesn't go far enough. Kerry's own proposal last month sets several benchmarks. If Iraq's December elections for a four-year parliament go well, Kerry said Bush should bring 20,000 Americans home for the holidays. That is precisely the number Bush sent over for the December vote and constitutional referendum.
As for Bush hurling Kerry's own words back at him - recalling that when Kerry voted to authorize force against Iraq, the senator had said, ``I believe that (Saddam Hussein's) deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction . . . is a grave threat'' - well some context is in order.
Kerry's speech that day was lots more nuanced (big surprise). It agonized over ``ifs'' and ``mights.'' If Iraq got nuclear material, if Saddam might be tempted to attack the United States or help others do it, if his threat was imminent (which it wasn't). And Kerry had specified that if all those ifs had occurred, ``it would be naive'' not to believe Saddam would provoke a confrontation.
Now Kerry says some of the intelligence given to senators then was false or hyped. And he said something else in that speech three years ago that now resonates more.
Vietnam taught him, he said, that ``we need the consent of the American people for our mission to be legitimate and sustainable . . . I know what it means to fight in a war where that consent is lost, where allies are in short supply, conditions are hostile and mission is ill-defined.''
Ah, how much that sounds like Iraq today.
Which is almost exactly where Kennedy warned it would be when he was one of the lonely voices calling for caution while Bush beat the war drums in 2002. Contrary to the cheap shot White House press secretary Scott McClellan took at Teddy - claiming the senator had said ``more negative things about President Bush than he ever did about Saddam Hussein'' - Kennedy recognized the POTENTIALthreat of Saddam in a speech on Sept. 27, 2002.
``He is a tyrant and his pursuit of lethal weapons of mass destruction cannot be tolerated. He must be disarmed,'' Kennedy had said.
Yet he was wise enough to propose means well short of war. International WMD inspections had kept Saddam in check from 1991 to 1998, Kennedy said. New ``unlimited and unconditional'' inspections should be forced on Saddam - with threat of war if he didn't agree. And why wouldn't he have accepted? Especially when we now know Saddam already had ditched his WMD.
Kennedy said then that a ``largely unilateral'' American war in Iraq would simply ``swell the ranks of al-Qaeda'' and become a recruiting ground for world terrorism. That warning need not have come true if Bush had paid Kennedy and other patriotic critics more heed, and given forced, unconditional inspections a chance.
How dare the president try to shut up senators now?
Wayne Woodlief's column runs weekly.

LOAD-DATE: November 17, 2005

95 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 17, 2005 Thursday  
THIRD EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 005

LENGTH: 242 words

HEADLINE: Bombing in Iraq kills Haverhill Marine

BODY:
Slain Lance Cpl. Nickolas D. Schiavoni found direction in life when he got married and joined the Marines, his grandfather said. 
Schiavoni, 26, of Haverhill, was killed Tuesday by a suicide bomber while his unit conducted combat operations near Al Karmah, Iraq.
He graduated from Haverhill's alternative high school with honors in 1997, said his grandfather, David Swartz. ``He found focus when he got to be a junior, and I was so proud when he was selected as the outstanding student. When he got involved with his present wife, he decided to go into the service. She was good for him. He thrived with the Marines, and the Marines were good for him.''
Schiavoni died when a suspect vehicle exploded as he and another Marine were inspecting it, Swartz said. It was his second tour in Iraq. Schiavoni earned a Purple Heart in his first tour.
Schiavoni was with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, known as the ``Warlords.'' Tuesday, the battalion began Operation Trifecta to disrupt an enemy ``safe haven,'' Lt. Col. James Minick wrote in a Web posting for family members. ``Our intent is to show them that Task Force 2/2 will choose the time and place of our operations and that we will go wherever we want, whenever we want.''
Schiavoni is survived by his wife, Gina Howe Schiavoni; their children Marissa, 5, and Alex, 3; his mother, Stephany Kern of Westerly, R.I.; and his father, David Schiavoni of Monson.
The Associated Press contributed to this report

LOAD-DATE: November 17, 2005

96 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 17, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 005

LENGTH: 378 words

HEADLINE: VERIZON DROPS VET TRIBUTE FEE; 
 Outraged callers bring end to pole sign charge

BYLINE: By NORMAN MILLER (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
With irate callers threatening to cancel their Verizon service, the telephone giant yesterday dropped a $10-per-pole fee it was going to charge a patriotic Holliston veteran for his solemn telephone-pole salute. 
A Verizon spokesman said it was all a misunderstanding - a charge the veteran shot down.
``That's bull,'' said Bobby Blair of Holliston, a Vietnam veteran who has placed placards on poles in his hometown for three years, honoring soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
``You don't know how many people called me saying they canceled their Verizon service,'' Blair said yesterday after the news broke of the fees.
Verizon spokesman Rick Colon said his office received numerous complaints after it was reported that Blair would need to pay $9.91 per pole to post his signs.
``He misunderstood what we said,'' said Colon. ``Could we have done a better job in explaining the policy? Yes. There won't be an issue for Mr. Blair if he should do it again next year. We would be more than happy to work with Mr. Blair to make sure everything went smoothly.''
Blair said he does not think there was a misunderstanding, but rather the company realized it had a public relations nightmare.
The issue began when Holliston resident Howard Sabasowitz called Verizon to complain about the signs. Verizon then contacted Blair about the fee, Blair said.
Sabasowitz said he has been bombarded by phone calls since news of Verizon's threat appeared in yesterday's Boston Herald and MetroWest Daily News.
``I have irate veterans calling me, being very arrogant,'' said Sabasowitz, 66, a former Marine Corps reservist. ``They won't listen to my side.''
The issue was not what the signs depict, but rather the fact there are signs on utility poles, Sabasowitz said.
``I don't think telephone (poles) should be used to carry any message,'' said Sabasowitz. ``Think about it, you get 20 telephone poles in one mile, then you have them on both sides, so that's 40, so if you drive 10 miles, you have 400 poles. Should you be bombarded by 400 different signs when you are driving?
Sabasowitz said he intended only to ask Verizon its policy on signs on its poles. He never meant for them to charge a fee. Now, he said, he is getting very angry phone calls. ``This thing just snowballed,'' he said.

GRAPHIC: POSTER BOY: Vietnam vet Bobby Blair got into it with Verizon over fees to honor dead soldiers on telephone poles. Photo by Ken McGagh/Metrowest Daily News

LOAD-DATE: November 17, 2005

97 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 17, 2005 Thursday  
FIRST EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 025

LENGTH: 146 words

HEADLINE: Haverhill Marine killed by suicide bomber in Iraq

BODY:
A Massachusetts Marine was killed in action in Iraq when a suicide bomber attacked his unit while the Marines were conducting combat operations, the Defense Department said. 
Lance Cpl. Nickolas D. Schiavoni, 26, of Haverhill, died yesterday from a suicide explosive device while his unit conducted combat operations against enemy forces near Al Karmah, Iraq.
Schiavoni was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The battalion on Tuesday began Operation Trifecta, aimed at disrupting an enemy ``safe haven,'' according to a Web posting for family members. ``Our intent is to show them that Task Force 2/2 will choose the time and place of our operations and that we will go wherever we want, whenever we want,'' Lt. Col. James Minick wrote.
The Associated Press contributed to this report

LOAD-DATE: November 17, 2005

98 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 16, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 007

LENGTH: 377 words

HEADLINE: POLE TRIBUTE TO HEROES IS FELLED; 
 Lone complaint leads Verizon to levy fees

BYLINE: By THERESA FREEMAN (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
A patriotic Holliston veteran's telephone-pole salute to the country's war dead has been disconnected by Verizon, which says it plans to charge him $10 for every memorial he posts from now on. 
With more than 2,000 soldiers killed to date in Iraq and Afghanistan, Bobby Blair had planned to post placards bearing each soldier's name on hundreds of poles over as many as 50 miles of road.
But now, said Blair, the cost is too high.
``We're right off the charts there. It's nothing a small Legion post can afford,'' Blair said yesterday.
One Holliston resident, apparently offended by the seemingly endless reminder of the war dead, complained to Verizon and persuaded the company to levy the fee.
Verizon spokesman Rick Colon identified the complainant as Howard Sabasowitz of Holliston. Sabasowitz could not be reached for comment last night.
But Blair said Sabasowitz told him that he doesn't watch TV or read newspapers - and doesn't care to see the placards, either.
The stunned vet said that until now he has hung his homemade posters along the streets of town every Veterans Day and Memorial Day with help from his local VFW.
But Colon said Verizon requires licensing agreements for any ``attachments'' to its poles, which are usually wires for telecommunications, fire alarms or cable television. The fee covers the maintenance of the poles and administration of the licensing agreements, he said.
``We have to consider the complaint, and we did consider it,'' said Colon, Verizon's regional director for external affairs. ``There's a lot of emotion attached to our men and women over there.''
Colon said the company does not grant waivers of fees.
To his lone opponent, Blair wrote in a letter to the editor in today's MetroWest Daily News:
``I can only help but wonder what type of pain our fallen felt in their final days, hours and minutes. I hope you have a good day, my friend, because I know 2,069 individuals that won't have that opportunity.''
Blair's signs - name, rank, age and hometown of the dead - are simple: just black ink on plain white poster board, all donated to this dedicated veteran.
Last week was the fifth time Blair attached his posters to telephone poles, and possibly the last.
``I think most people kind of know what the intent was,'' Blair said.

GRAPHIC: TRIBUTE: Bobby Blair posts a sign on Route 16 for a local GI killed in Iraq. Verizon will charge him $10 for each new sign. PHOTO BY LISA CASSIDY/METROWEST DAILY NEWS

LOAD-DATE: November 16, 2005

99 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 15, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 367 words

HEADLINE: Logan: How low can you go?; 
 Concerned lawmakers urge beefed-up security staff

BYLINE: By DAVE WEDGE and CASEY ROSS

BODY:
Four years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and just days before the busy holiday travel season, Logan International Airport is down more than 100 baggage screeners, prompting concerned calls for answers from Massachusetts lawmakers in Washington. 
While federal transportation officials have told Congress that Logan needs 856 full-time screeners, there are currently just 740 on the job. The lower-than-recommended levels led Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and John F. Kerry and the Bay State's nine representatives to fire off a letter to Homeland Security czar Michael Chertoff demanding answers.
``If there's fewer than you need, it either results in less security or much greater delays. But either way, it's unacceptable,'' said U.S. Rep. Edward Markey (D-Malden), a senior member of Congress' Homeland Security Committee.
Markey blasted federal officials for not ensuring that Logan is up to the recommended staffing levels, especially since two of the hijacked airliners that slammed into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, came out of Boston.
``It's all part of this pattern where the Bush administration has been nickel-and-diming Homeland Security and writing a blank check for the war in Iraq,'' Markey said. ``We in Boston really know the consequences. The terrorists were here.''
Of the low staffing levels, Massport spokeswoman Danny Levy said: ``Security continues to be the utmost priority at Logan Airport, and we expect to receive the appropriate number of screener positions to maintain a safe and secure airport for our traveling public.''
George Naccara, federal security director at Logan Airport, discounted the notion that the screening workforce is being stretched beyond its capacity, saying the airport has enough workers to keep passengers safe.
``I would like more people, but at the same time I have to be a steward of taxpayers' dollars,'' Naccara said, adding that the number of screeners at Logan changes on a daily basis. ``I should only have what I need to perform.''
Naccara called the staffing ``adequate'' but said the numbers could fall even lower. Congress' new cap of 43,000 screeners nationwide is expected to cause staff reductions at larger airports like Logan.

GRAPHIC: LONGER WAIT? Fewer security staff members, like this one at Logan yesterday, may mean longer delays at the airport over the holidays. STAFF PHOTO BY ANGELA ROWLINGS

LOAD-DATE: November 15, 2005

100 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 14, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 006

LENGTH: 401 words

HEADLINE: They're back! 42nd is home from Iraq

BYLINE: By THOMAS CAYWOOD

BODY:
The war is over for now for the men and women of the Massachusetts National Guard's charmed 42nd Military Police Company.
They were welcomed to Iraq in February by a landmine that blew up an armored Humvee, nearly killing three of them a week after the unit arrived at Forward Operating Base Danger in Tikrit. 
Insurgents bid the departing Chicopee unit farewell a couple of weeks ago with a roadside bomb that blasted a convoy with shrapnel, pinging a hunk of hot metal off the helmet of a Humvee gunner.
``We logged over 8,000 miles through enemy territory. We only lost one, maybe two, vehicles and everybody is sitting here today. That's incredible,'' said Capt. Dominic DiTomaso of Agawam, the unit commander.
Hundreds of red-eyed, flag-waving, cheering family and friends welcomed the Guardsmen home yesterday afternoon at Chicopee High School. A Herald team flew with the unit to Iraq when they deployed early this year and remained with them for two months.
Ann Amatucci of Franklin crackled with nervous energy as she waited outside the school for her son, Sgt. Noah Amatucci. Sgt. Amatucci, who also served in Afghanistan, was one of the soldiers knocked senseless eight days after the company arrived in Iraq when their Humvee rolled over a land mine.
``I'm worn out. I can't take it anymore,'' Ann Amatucci said. When her son found her in the mob of cheering family, he scooped her up and spun her around three times, her legs dangling a foot off the pavement.
Dianne Procida of Portland, Maine, radiated pride as she stood posing for pictures with her daughter, 1st Lt. Kristen Procida.
``I was so worried she'd be tattered and torn. I'm so proud of her,'' beamed Dianne Procida.
Inside the auditorium, DiTomaso reviewed for the families some of the close calls his soldiers survived. The unit seemed charmed at times, like when a mortar shell whistled into the company area just as the sergeant on duty in a tin trailer went to the mess hall for lunch.
``That round landed 18 feet off the back side of our tactical operations center and shredded it like Swiss cheese. We were fortunate that day,'' DiTomaso said.
They had waited so long for this day, dreamed of it so often, many of the soldiers were struck speechless by its arrival. They just smiled as arms enfolded them and kisses landed on their cheeks.
Staff Sgt. Dan Spera of Medford shook his head. ``It's unbelievable. I can't believe we're here.''

GRAPHIC: SIGNS OF JOY: Friends and family welcome National Gurdsmen home from Iraq. Staff photo by John Wilcox
DADDY'S HOME: Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Findlay greets his daughter Lila, 2, and his wife Linda in Chicopee yesterday as he and his fellow soldiers arrive home from Iraq. Staff photo by John Wilcox

LOAD-DATE: November 14, 2005

101 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 13, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 002

LENGTH: 325 words

HEADLINE: Vote could bring Bay State Guard home

BYLINE: By Marie Szaniszlo

BODY:
A new petition drive in Massachusetts would for the first time put the Iraq war on the ballot.
If approved by voters next November, the initiative would require whoever is elected governor in 2006 to use all legal means available to bring home the Massachusetts National Guard. 
The governor would also need the Legislature's approval before granting a president's request to deploy more National Guard soldiers from the Bay State to Iraq or any other foreign country.
The initiative would not change the basic fact that the president retains sole authority over National Guard troops in Iraq, including the ability to recall them.
But its advocates - some of whom were out in Boston, Burlington and Brookline yesterday canvassing for signatures - say the initiative's passage would carry important symbolic weight.
``That, by itself, is a very powerful message,'' said Harold Hubschman, a co-founder of www.homefromiraqnow.org, which is pushing the effort. ``No matter how people feel about the war or the president, the one thing most people agree on is they want the troops home.''
Gov. Mitt Romney has given indications he wants to run for the presidency, and whether he'll seek a second term is unclear. Yesterday, his spokeswoman, Julie Teer, said he ``believes Massachusetts, like every other state, has to do its part in defending the nation's freedoms in the war on terror.''
State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer (D-Barre), co-chairman of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, said he disagrees with the initiative. ``I understand there are heartfelt feelings about this, and I respect that,'' he said. ``But if we disagree with the civilian control of our military, then we should elect a new president.''
To get the measure on the ballot, homefromiraqnow.org must submit 65,850 signatures to city and town clerks by Nov. 23.
Hubschman said he cannot estimate how many have been collected because the campaign is conducted by volunteers via e-mail.

LOAD-DATE: November 13, 2005

102 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 12, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 005

LENGTH: 439 words

HEADLINE: SAD DAY FOR HUB VETS; 
 Organizers forced to ditch parade

BYLINE: By KEVIN ROTHSTEIN

BODY:
For the first time in decades - even with soldiers dying abroad daily - Boston had no Veterans Day parade because organizers feared neither crowds nor marchers would come.
``It's sad to say they're at the Veterans Day sales and the movie theaters,'' said Boston Veterans Services Commissioner Eugene Vaillancourt. 
``They decided they'd just rather have a ceremony at City Hall Plaza because there wouldn't be any participants in the parade, plus the crowds wouldn't be there on a Friday afternoon,'' he said.
The parade has been held for decades, and, at least since Vaillancourt took over 18 years ago, the city has helped sponsor it.
With so many armed services members overseas, parade marchers were hard to come by. And the crowds that once lined the streets to cheer the city's vets just aren't showing up anymore, let alone on a Friday. Veterans Day is marked every Nov. 11, World War I's Armistice Day anniversary, regardless of the day of the week.
``If lack of participation is the reason, then I guess that says a lot,'' said David O'Connor, a Vietnam-era Army intelligence officer living in the South End. ``If that's the way things are, it's just a shame.''
Members of Dorchester's American Legion Post 65 had their own ceremony on their crowded front lawn along Gallivan Boulevard.
``A lot of people are pissed off, to be very frank about it,'' said the post's Frank McDonough, an Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam. ``This was the first time in all these years they never had a veterans thing, as far as the parade goes.''
``I think it's disgusting, I really do,'' said Richard McKeen, also a member of the Dorchester Legion post. ``Not that the parade is anything, but let's show a little respect to the veterans.''
Other events yesterday included a parade for veterans organized by the city of Cambridge, a memorial road race in Stoneham, and a benefit dinner for the New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans.
About 1,000 people attended the City Hall Plaza event, which was marked with speeches and patriotic music. A minor fracas erupted when the last speaker was booed by Veterans For Peace.
Peace vet Bruce Macdonald said protesters spoke up only when the speaker took a political turn by praising President Bush and the war on terrorism.
``We just feel it disrespects veterans to say we're fighting in Iraq for freedom so we don't have to fight here,'' he said.
The hecklers met with some resistance, including from Ed Flynn, Navy veteran and City Council candidate in Tuesday's election.
``The people in the audience, including myself, were disgusted by the behavior,'' said Flynn, the son of former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn.

GRAPHIC: GRAND SALUTE: Members of the Massachusetts National Guard fire off a 21-gun salute in front of the State House yesterday to honor the nation's servicemen. STAFF PHOTO BY PATRICK WHITTEMORE

LOAD-DATE: November 12, 2005

103 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 12, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 367 words

HEADLINE: The brave new generation; 
 Young vets bear losses with pride

BYLINE: By LAURA CRIMALDI

BODY:
For the past 14 months, Army Spc. Paul Skarinka has divided his time between his Whitman hometown and the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he gets treatment for a grenade attack in Iraq that nearly cost him his left leg and crippled his left hand. 
Since he was injured, the 25-year-old has undergone nearly two dozen surgeries, launched a job search, missed the feeling of walking barefoot and gotten engaged to his best friend.
``I'm not bitter. I knew the severity of the consequences when I signed up for the Army. My luck ran out,'' said Skarinka, a former paramedic and firefighter who was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade on Sept. 13, 2004, while stationed in the Sadr City section of Baghdad.
Skarinka is scheduled to undergo another surgery on his left foot in December to help him walk better. Even with the surgery, Skarinka will likely always have a limp.
``I think he's doing incredible considering when I went down a year ago he was probably 120-something pounds, on a monitor hooked up to wires, and couldn't even get up by himself,'' said Skarinka's fiancee, Jenn Spagone of Bridgewater.
``He's put weight on. He's on, I think, one medication. He can walk around without the use of a wheelchair or crutches. He didn't even have his leg amputated after all of this has happened.''
``It definitely has a lot more meaning,'' Skarinka said of Veterans Day, which also marks the day he started dating Spagone in 2004. ``It makes you realize what you did and what you sacrificed, and you can understand the other people who went before - what they did and what they sacrificed.''
Former Marine Cpl. Matthew Boisvert, 22, of Tyngsboro hasn't been as lucky.
A bomb hidden in an orange traffic cone exploded next to him on Aug. 17, 2004, leaving him with a paralyzed right arm and without half his right leg.
Lately, Boisvert has been nursing those wounds without health insurance because his veteran benefits have yet to kick in, nearly two months after he left the Marines.
But he has no regrets.
``If I woke up tomorrow and my leg and hand were fine, I would be on the next plane to Iraq,'' he said.
STAFF PHOTO, (RIGHT), BY LISA HORNAK
STAFF FILE PHOTO, (ABOVE), BY JOHN WILCOX

GRAPHIC: WARTIME ROMANCE: Jenn Spagone awaits the return of her fiance, Paul Skarinka, who was injured by a grenade attack in Iraq.

LOAD-DATE: November 12, 2005

104 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 11, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 505 words

HEADLINE: DAY OF HONOR; 
 Hero's survivors rue war; 
 Mom: Son ill-equipped

BYLINE: By MAGGIE MULVIHILL

BODY:
Alma Hart stood over her only son's grave at Arlington National Cemetery in November 2003, vowing to honor his life.
Pfc. John Hart was just 20 when he was shot dead by an Iraqi enemy - just three months after his arrival in Iraq.
``When we buried John I promised him I would think of him every day,'' said Hart yesterday, her voice breaking. ``And I have.'' 
Today, as another Veterans Day passes, Alma Hart, 47, her husband, Brian, 46, and their two teenage daughters will lay a wreath in John's memory at Memorial Park near their Bedford home. John Hart was one of 31 Massachusetts soldiers killed in the war so far.
But helping the living is what helps his mother make sense of her child's death. She has begun volunteering at Bedford's Veterans Administration hospital, determined to make sure the soldiers there aren't ignored like many who returned from Vietnam.
``I will not let this happen to the Iraq generation. We can't just stuff them in a hospital and leave them there,'' Hart said. ``This is how I will honor my son. I just can't sit around and stare at John's picture. There are guys that still need me.''
John Hart was killed as he traveled with fellow soldiers in a canvas-covered Humvee in Northern Iraq. In a phone call home a week before his death, he told his father he lacked body armor and ammunition.
``He said, `Dad can you do something?' '' Hart remembered. Alma Hart said she and her husband were stunned, though they had heard news reports of ill-equipped soldiers.
``We were hoping it wasn't true. President Bush had announced the war was over in May and I thought they were just there on peacekeeping stuff,'' Hart said.
By the time the couple decided to write a letter to Massachusetts congressmen, ``the Army was ringing the doorbell to say John was killed,'' Hart said.
``They sent him into an ambush where there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell he was going to survive,'' she said.
She vividly remembers the early morning in October 2003 when her doorbell rang. Looking out the window she saw a local police officer, a priest and an Army official.
``I thought: `I just won't open the door. They can't tell me if I don't open the door,' '' Hart said.
Hart feels deceived the White House hasn't established that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or a connection to al-Qaeda.
``I bought the whole line. The president told me something and I believed him,'' Hart said. ``But Brian and I have this nagging fear that it is going to come to nothing. We want something meaningful to come out of this for John. This is the big tragedy for us, and to think he was lied to by his government and sent over there ill-equipped and unprepared is very upsetting.''
``I used to be a Republican until they killed my son,'' Hart said. ``Killing my boy was the last straw.''
She wants American troops brought home.
``It isn't just John's death. It isn't only about our son. It is about everybody's sons. It is about all the innocent Iraqis who are trying to raise a family just like me. We can't fight their civil war for them.''

GRAPHIC: SORROW, ANGER: Alma Hart holds the Army Airborne beret that belonged to her son John Hart. Pfc. Hart died in an attack on his Humvee in Iraq. STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID GOLDMAN

LOAD-DATE: November 11, 2005

105 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 11, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 005

LENGTH: 292 words

HEADLINE: DAY OF HONOR; 
 Ranks thin at VFWs as GIs pass on

BYLINE: còBy ROB HANEISEN (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
Veterans' organizations, from VFWs to Legion halls, are losing a war of attrition as their core membership fades.
Some post commanders worry that without an infusion of younger vets, entire halls will close as the warriors of World War II succumb to old age. 
Some say the generation gap and busy lifestyles of Gulf and Iraq war vets keep the youngest veterans away, while resentment from Vietnam veterans toward organizations that did not welcome them with open arms keeps those closest to retirement age from signing up.
``We're getting a few in, but very few,'' said Howard Crawford, 82, adjutant of the Franklin VFW Post 3402 and a World War II and Korean War veteran. ``I'm really working on it, too. I talk 'em all up but I think I got about two members this year.''
It's the same story across the Bay State.
Phil Geller, 80, a World War II veteran and member of the Newton American Legion, says it is time to get aggressive with new veterans.
``I don't think the veteran organizations are going out of their way to entice these younger fellas,'' he said. ``They have to have somebody grab them by the collar.''
For the young veterans who do join, there can still be a sense of dissatisfaction.
``I don't feel personally like I'm getting a lot,'' said Russ Gregory, 39, a Gulf War and Iraq War veteran who joined the Southboro Veterans of Foreign Wars four years ago.
``But also the biggest thing they have to do is promote themselves as advocacy in government. . . . You pool us all together and that's a large voting block.''
Some American Legions have merged with VFWs to stay alive.
Others have opened their lounges to members of the public looking for cheap drinks.
Regionalization and consolidation may be nothing more than a stopgap measure, veterans say.

GRAPHIC: SERVICE: Korean War veteran Peter Eliason of North Providence serves drinks at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Medway. Veterans' organizations are finding that the passing of the World War II generation hurts their membership. PHOTO BY LISA CASSIDY/METROWEST DAILY NEWS

LOAD-DATE: November 11, 2005

106 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 11, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 028

LENGTH: 352 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 A Veterans Day of fresh memories

BODY:
It is a heart-wrenching experience to move among the display of combat boots, representing this nation's military dead in Iraq, which filled Copley Square earlier this week. The feeling is not unlike moving along the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, with its listing of those tens of thousands of names, or touching the names enshrined on the Korean War Memorial or seeing the numbers marked on the latest addition on the Washington Mall, the World War II Memorial. 
So many lives lost. So many families torn apart. So many lives disrupted if not by death or injury then by the farewells.
Today we remember them all. And today we honor them all - the veterans who have served this nation in wartime and in peacetime too, because without their service there would be no peace.
What is extraordinary about the current crop of veterans and soon-to-be-veterans - even as we look at those empty boots - is that each and every member of the military has volunteered for the job. No, no one to die in combat or become the victim of a roadside bomb. No soldier, no matter how brave, signed up with that in mind. But many responded to the attack on America on Sept. 11, 2001, by CHOOSINGto serve. Yes, even peace activist Cindy Sheehan's now deceased son was a VOLUNTEER, his memory and his calling now despoiled by his own mother.
There is another part of the ``Eyes Wide Open'' display organized by the American Friends Service Committee, which as an article of their Quaker faith remains pacificist in ALLwars. It is a collection of hundreds of civilian shoes - men's, women's, children's, sandals and heels, sneakers and wingtips - representing the civilian war dead in Iraq. There is no denying that the people of Iraq have lost loved ones too. But where is the memorial to the hundreds of thousands of human beings slaughtered during the regime of Saddam Hussein?
Perhaps we should revisit those boots - the ones reminding us of the brave young American men and women who gave their lives so that the Iraqi people and the Afghani people would not have to live under the thumb of tyrants. Most of all today we remember them.

LOAD-DATE: November 11, 2005

107 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 11, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 029

LENGTH: 662 words

HEADLINE: Op-Ed; 
 AS YOU WERE SAYING . . . Our debt to vets is eternal

BYLINE: By James Nicholson

BODY:
President George Washington said after the Revolutionary War that ``we owe these veterans a debt of gratitude, indeed a debt of honor.''
President Lincoln said during his second Inaugural Address that we must ``care for him who has borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan.''
So, as our nation pauses today to pay tribute to the 50 million veterans - the men and women who have served our country in uniform - we do so with gratitude and honor. 
More than 1 million of these heroes made the ultimate sacrifice, and 1.5 million more have borne the wounds of battle in the defense of liberty.
On this day, Veterans Day, America rightly focuses its thanks for our valiant defenders.
In many ways, this single day isn't adequate to express our feelings for our veterans. There just aren't enough hours in one day to properly show our appreciation to the millions of veterans and their families to whom we owe Washington's ``debt of gratitude.''
It is a debt that has accrued since the founding of our Republic.
For more than two centuries, heroes have defended America with courage and determination.
They were the 18th-century patriots who stood against a tyrannical monarchy and breathed life into a fledgling democracy; they are the men and women of the military who, today, are bringing the promise of liberty to oppressed people around the world, and preserving it at home.
Veterans come from all walks of life. They come from cities large and small, from towns, villages and farms. They are native-born and foreign-born, and represent all the world's races and religions. Yet they share a common bond forged from putting their own lives on hold, swearing an oath to defend the U.S. Constitution, putting on the uniform of the United States, saluting the drill sergeants, and going wherever sent and to do whatever asked.
These common men and women have done uncommon deeds and, in doing so, secured for all of us the blessings of liberty and our wonderful way of life.
Another way that America tangibly shows its thanks to veterans is through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is the agent of the American people charged with caring for veterans and their families, providing $1.5 billion last year to Massachusetts' 476,000 veterans, offering services ranging from world-class health care at the Bedford, Brockton, Leeds and West Roxbury VA medical centers, outpatient care in 17 clinics and on-going counseling and support at six Vet Centers.
I also want our newest generation of patriots - our veterans of the Global War on Terror - to know that the VA is moving robustly to assist them as they return from Iraq, Afghanistan and any other duty station where they are serving.
VA has stationed staff on military installations to assist them in their transition from servicemember to veteran, and has initiated new jobs programs for these returning combat veterans.
They and their families can count on VA for health care, disability compensation, home loan assistance, educational benefits and more. They have earned it.
They deserve our best and they will receive it.
As we commemorate this Veterans Day, it is fitting to reflect on the sacrifices made by our veterans and by their families.
Whether we honor this service with grand parades or a simple handshake accompanied by a quiet ``thank you,'' these heartfelt gestures let our fighting men and women know we have not forgotten those who answered the call to duty.
Wars have beginnings and endings, but our duty to care for those who fought them must never end.
James Nicholson is secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. As You Were Saying is a regular feature of the Boston Herald. We invite our readers to contribute pieces of no more than 600 words. Mail contributions to the Boston Herald, P.O. Box 55843, Boston, MA 02105-5843, fax them to 617-542-1315 or e-mail to oped@bostonherald.com. All submissions are subject to editing and become the property of the Boston Herald.

LOAD-DATE: November 11, 2005

108 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 10, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 026

LENGTH: 215 words

HEADLINE: Norwood native killed in Iraq attack

BYLINE: By BRIAN FALLA (DAILY NEWS TRANSCRIPT)

BODY:
The town of Norwood has now lost a third native son to the war in Iraq.
Joel E. Cahill, 34, a captain in the Army's 101st Airborne Division's 320th field regiment, was killed Sunday when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle in Taji, Iraq. 
Cahill, who had spent 15 years in the Army including two tours of duty in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, was born in Norwood and briefly lived in town.
The family then moved to Wrentham where Cahill attended elementary school. The family moved to Colorado in 1980 and then to Nebraska in 1986.
A graduate of Papillion La Vista High School in Nebraska, Cahill lived in Columbus, Ga., with his wife, Mary, and two daughters, Faith, 4, and Brenna, 3.
Though Cahill's Norwood ties are distant, the death still hits close to home for some.
``It's obviously very disappointing to hear that anyone, especially someone with Norwood ties, has been killed,'' said Selectman Gary Lee.
``To me, this hits home and hits at the larger issue that it's time to bring our boys home.''
Cahill is the third soldier with Norwood ties to be killed in the past two years.
In July, Gunner's Mate 1st Class Scott Shaw, 29, was killed in an accident in North Carolina and in August, 2004, former Norwood resident Lance Cpl. Alexander Arredondo, 20, was killed in action in Najaf, Iraq.

LOAD-DATE: November 10, 2005

109 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 9, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 020

LENGTH: 302 words

HEADLINE: Bay State hockey star shines light on fallen heroes' children

BYLINE: By MARIE SZANISZLO

BODY:
The list of names and ages hangs on a white board above Peter Trovato's computer. It is two pages long now - two pages, 23 names and no end in sight. 
They are all children of Bay State soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan, their names culled in part from news reports Trovato read when he was a State House intern.
``I remember thinking: While their father was over there thousands of miles away, giving his life for his country, I was playing hockey and going to school,'' the former University of Massachusetts at Amherst hockey captain said.
Trovato could do nothing to help the 37 local soldiers killed to date. But he can help the nearly two dozen children of the fallen heroes by defraying what will probably be the single largest cost to their families in the future: college tuition.
With lots of research, the support of UMass staff and local business people - and a handwritten list of children's names he kept as a daily reminder - Trovato created the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund to ensure that each child could one day go to college.
``I would love to give these kids full scholarships,'' said Trovato, now a 24-year-old minor league professional hockey player from North Attleboro. ``But it's up to us to raise that money.''
In less than a year, the group has raised nearly $250,000 in donations and pledges, such as the $250 his former coach promised to give annually for 10 years. And Trovato is hoping that instead of seeing Veterans Day as simply a day off from work or a day of sales at the local mall, others will pause tomorrow to consider the sacrifice 37 Massachusetts soldiers made, and the chance to help their 23 fatherless children.
To make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.mslfund.org or send a check to the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund at P.O. Box 2718, Amherst, MA 01004-2718.

LOAD-DATE: November 9, 2005

110 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 9, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 034

LENGTH: 704 words

HEADLINE: Letters to the Editor

BODY:
Politics as usual
If voters are going to continually vote time after time to re-elect such legislative reprobates as Eugene O'Flaherty, Joyce Spiliotis and the rest of their Euro-vacationing kindred, then we have no one to blame but ourselves when they shamelessly fail in their duties (Oct. 20).
Serving the commonwealth is not high on their agenda. It's hoped that voters will remember the antics of O'Flaherty and Spiliotis during the next election, but, unfortunately, in this state that is very unlikely. 
- Stephen Irons, Milton
Bailey case resolved
I'd like to thank reporter Laurel Sweet for this story (``Federal judges ban Bailey from their Hub courtrooms,'' Nov. 4). The Herald was the only paper that I saw with this story. I've been waiting to see the final disposition since oral arguments last March before the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals of F. Lee Bailey's bid to gain a rehearing before the Supreme Judicial Court to get his law license reinstated. Kudos to the Boston Herald.
- Michael LeBlanc, Westborough
Legislators shirk duty
I read Rep. Scott Brown's (R-Wrentham) comments regarding the Joanne and Alyssa Act (``What's taking so long? Advocates decry slow pace of sex offender legislation,'' Nov. 7).
He mentions several other things the Legislature has debated, including gay marriage. I'm surprised he didn't include the drunken driving fiasco as an accomplishment.
The only way legislators dealt with gay marriage was to punt and let Margaret Marshall and three other justices on the Supreme Judicial Court tell them exactly what law to write and the time frame in which they had to do so. Their only other dealings with this issue seem to deal with delaying the public an opportunity to vote on this issue.
The drunken driving bill was another punt brought back into play this time by public outcry. Perhaps legislators could spend a little more time actually dealing with these issues instead of patting themselves on the back.
- John McCarthy, Woburn
Carnage continues
Too bad the drinks aren't watered down as much as this bill (``Governor signs Melanie's bill into law,'' Oct. 29). How many more innocent people must suffer or die before we wake up and say enough is enough?
Now we have a police officer dead from an alleged drunken driver (``Driver pleads innocent in Swansea crash,'' Nov. 8). The other driver's lawyer says he had three or four drinks in three to four hours.
My question to the lawyer would be: ``Sir, were you there with this other driver, during his alleged three to four drinking hours?''
Who are we supposed to believe? The police, who said this driver had no lights on while driving and was falling asleep during booking - the police who we are taught as children to trust? Or this lawyer?
- Gene Condon Jr., Falmouth
A timeless hero
Gen. George S. Patton believed that the noblest thing a person could do was to serve his country in time of war (``War films capture thrills, drama,'' Nov. 6).
Patton was born on Nov. 11, 1885. His Third Army helped to liberate Europe and the death camp inmates of Hitler's Third Reich. Our country is at war, although many Americans act like we are not. Our freedoms are in peril just as they were in World War II.
We can only imagine what the controversial Patton would say to the American public about the war on terrorism. Surely Patton would not mince words, calling us to shame, speaking from his gut about the high cost of freedom.
This Veteran's Day, let us honor all of our veterans and especially those who are serving in Iraq and Afganistan. They deserve our respect because they are heroes.
- Angelica Adams, Cambridge
Reilly pandering
There is nothing in your editorial that I disagree with, but I would make one additional point (``AG off-base on tuition bill,'' Nov. 3). The destiny of Massachusetts is in the hands of the voters, not the politicians.
Attorney General Tom Reilly is obviously pandering for the immigrant vote at taxpayer expense.
Public officials still take an oath of office to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States. Does this oath mean nothing to Reilly, the chief law enforcement officer of the commonwealth? He has a duty to enforce and uphold all laws, not just those he personally likes.
- John Krogstad, Burlington

LOAD-DATE: November 9, 2005

111 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 8, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 024

LENGTH: 739 words

HEADLINE: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

BODY:
Just move away
Here's an idea for the members of MoveOn.org: Organize a group of your peaceful protesters and take them to some terrorist sponsoring nation. Maybe you can convince the terrorists that we should all just get along (``MoveOn should be down for the count,'' Oct. 27).
The United States and our allies are at war with a ruthless enemy, whose only purpose is to kill all who don't believe in their twisted ideas of Muslim fundamentalism. Anyone who doesn't think that an Iraq led by Saddam Hussein wouldn't have aided the enemy is crazy. The question of WMD is moot; we know he had them, he used them on his own people. The Iraq war is just one of the many battles we face to defeat terrorism. MoveOn.org asks why servicemen must die, but that is the price of liberty, and those valiant men and women in uniform pay that price to defend our way of life, just as they've done in past wars. 
- John Howard, Framingham
Well-timed departure
While there is much gnashing of teeth over the departure of wunderkid Theo Epstein, I find myself in sympathy with the lad. He's only looking out for himself (``Hub fans bid this kid adieu,'' Nov. 1). With an aging team, and many stars coming into free agent status, it is getting difficult to put together a team like last year's. He's looking for greener pastures, like anyone with his level of talent should. Thanks Theo, for 2004!
It might be 10 years for a rebuilt Red Sox to take the series again. My only wish is that he not hang his hat in New York.
- Steve Lindsey, Keene, N.H.
Hart's half right
Betsy Hart is correct that the argument for the separation of church and state based on the discomfort of those who feel left out of various celebrations and activities is silly (``Celebration can be real pitch for tolerance,'' Nov. 5).
However, the argument that there should be no endorsement of of a specific religion is not silly. We must remember that this democracy was established in large part because Europe was soaked in the blood of religious wars. It cannot be stated too often or too strongly that the separation of church and state protects both the church and the state.
- George McWhinnie, Jamaica Plain
An oath forgotten
Attorney General Tom Reilly and Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey are in a heated debate about granting in-state resident tuition to illegal immigrants (``AG off-base on tuition bill,'' Nov. 3). Do any of our elected officials remember the oath they took to protect and defend the Constitution of the Commonwealth and the Constitution of the United States? What part of ``illegal'' do they not understand?
The only right an illegal immigrant has is the right to a swift and secure deportation to his or her country of origin. There is a process to come here legally, as many before them have done.
- Ed Robbins, Somerville
Undue burden indeed
Charles Krauthammer's column ``Distortion over abortion'' (Nov. 4) misses the entire point.
According to Krauthammer, Sam Alito created what he thought was a logical follow-on between the precedent that parents have the right of informed consent over their minor children prior to an abortion, and his (Alito's) judgment that a married woman must notify her husband prior to an abortion. O'Connor and the Supreme Court rightfully overruled Alito, explaining that an adult woman is not a minor child, not subject to the jurisdiction of her husband, and this was why spousal notification was an ``undue burden'' on the woman.
These were the important points which Krauthammer conveniently skipped, which explains why Alito's judgment was not a logical follow-on to precedent, why Alito was (and hopefully is still not) a dinosaur on this issue and why Krauthammer most definitely is.
- Mari Morgen, Cambridge
Doc deserves better
I do not know Casey Ross, whose byline appears with the story (``Runaway gravy train rolls,'' Nov. 6). Nor do I know four of the individuals pictured on the front page. In addition, I do not know any particular details of the state pension system.
However, I do know Dr. Arthur Pappas. Objectively, by virtue of his listed pension amount, he might be properly placed at the top of your list. What is sadly conspicuous by its absence is a mention of Pappas' many charitable endeavors and donations.
With the realization that such was not the point of Ross' story, an examination of the good that Dr. (and Mrs.) Pappas have done for Massachusetts might be a worthwhile story in and of itself.
- Mike Port, Southborough

LOAD-DATE: November 8, 2005

112 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 7, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 329 words

HEADLINE: Federal trials up 154 percent with Sullivan at the helm

BYLINE: By Laurel J. Sweet

BODY:
Federal criminal trials have nearly tripled since U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Michael J. Sullivan took office in 2001 and toed a hard line in the sand against making deals with perps. 
At the end of September, Sullivan's office had tried 61 cases in fiscal year 2005 compared to 24 in fiscal year 2001 under his predecessor Donald K. Stern - a 154 percent increase.
But judges, fearful of money drains such as the war in Iraq and hurricanes at home will leave courts on the short end of the federal government's budget stick, are questioning how much longer they can keep pace with ``Maximum Mike.''
``Right now we're handling it,'' said U.S. District Court Chief Justice William G. Young. ``If someone is swamped, someone will offer to help out. The problem is, if you're going to go full throttle, can you keep it up?''
Judge Patti B. Saris said she's ``on the bench constantly. We have sufficient judges to do the work. The real issue is, do we have adequate staffing?''
To plea bargain or not to plea bargain, if only to prevent judicial logjams, has ``been a persistent debate in law,'' Saris said. ``(Sullivan) is not a big fan of it.''
In arguably the most famous example of that posture, Sullivan refused to take the federal death penalty off the table in exchange for spree killer Gary Lee Sampson copping a guilty plea to the murders of three men. Sampson was ultimately found guilty by a jury and sentenced to death.
``I think there are some people who believe the system would break down if you didn't plea bargain most cases,'' Sullivan said. ``I don't think we should be reducing charges, dismissing counts or not charging criminal conduct because we can be more efficient in the administration of justice. It erodes public confidence.''
Still, Sullivan's always open to hearing from the other side.
``I think that's my job,'' he said, ``to make value decisions. Does it require a little more work to try a case? No question. Is it worth the investment? Absolutely.''

GRAPHIC: SULLIVAN: Federal criminal trials have tripled on his watch.

LOAD-DATE: November 7, 2005

113 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 6, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 006

LENGTH: 719 words

HEADLINE: Soldiers' courage; 
 40 years after battle, two Vietnam heroes recall horrors of Ia Drang

BYLINE: By Jules Crittenden

BODY:
``(Depression and isolation are) part of the price you pay. It doesn't wreck your life. It makes your life different,'' Eade said. ``What happens when Iraq is over? What happens to these guys? Somewhere, you're going to end up on your own.''
John Eade, 61, Vietnam veteran of the battle depicted in the film ``We Were Soldiers'' 
On Veterans Day, Americans will again honor those who have served. But those who were soldiers once, and young, need no reminder.
The memories come to Larry Gwin as passing flashes, or with overwhelming waves of emotion.
``I remember looking at a field and seeing the American dead bloating in the sun,'' said Gwin, 64, now an investment lawyer in Boston. ``I remember looking at the wood line, seeing the Vietnamese coming at us in a mass, charging us. I remember how it felt, shooting them. I was thinking, `Kill as many of them as you can before they get here.' ''
It was Nov. 17, 1965, in Vietnam's Ia Drang Valley, the second phase of the battle depicted in the Mel Gibson film ``We Were Soldiers,'' based on the bestseller ``We Were Soldiers Once, and Young.''
After destroying North Vietnamese army forces at Landing Zone X-Ray in two days of bloody fighting, the 7th Cavalry's battered 1st Battalion was choppered out, and the 2nd Battalion marched to LZ Albany. There, at 1 p.m., 345 U.S. infantrymen ran into 1,600 NVA. By dawn, 155 Americans were dead and 128 wounded - most in the first few hours.
``For the first hour and a half, it was intense hand-to-hand,'' said John Eade, 61, a retired Inspectional Services chief. ``It was like a gang fight. It got down to knives. It got down to choking people.''
Gwin, Eade and other survivors will mark the 40th anniversary of that battle next week in Arlington, Va. Recently, the two men spoke about the cost of war. Gwin, author of ``Baptism, a Vietnam Memoir,'' underwent extensive therapy, but finds it hard to talk about Ia Drang without tears. Eade, discussing it publicly for the first time, did so reluctantly.
Eade will never forget men like Wilbert Johnson, dragging Barry Burnite in a futile bid to save him before Johnson was himself killed. He remembers Oscar Barker Jr. refusing to leave when everyone else in their position was dead and Eade, badly wounded, urged him to run. Barker stayed, and when he was hit, Eade had to watch him die.
``My whole life, I've missed the people I was with. I just miss them a lot,'' Eade said. Shot in the gut and shoulder, scorched by napalm, then shot in the face, he kept fighting into the night, until the NVA, with up to 700 dead, withdrew.
``John's platoon held,'' Gwin said. ``If they hadn't done what they did, we would have been overrun.
``There is a detritus of war, people like John Eade and Larry Gwin,'' Gwin said. ``I would have been a very different person if I hadn't served in Vietnam.''
Both men are immensely proud to have been combat infantrymen. But with the relentless memories come depression and feelings of isolation, common to veterans of heavy combat. Excessive drinking and suicide are risks. Gwin blames his divorce on Vietnam. The Gulf War triggered a crisis that led him to therapy. Eade has held ``serial jobs.'' He remains single and carefully guards his privacy.
``That's part of the price you pay. It doesn't wreck your life. It makes your life different,'' Eade said.
Added Gwin: ``It's made me a better father. Every day back from Vietnam has been a gift.''
Iraq has meant both pride and anguish for them. They worry about the new generation of combat vets. Eade said, ``What happens when Iraq is over? What happens to these guys? Somewhere, you're going to end up on your own.''
Gwin survived a year and 45 combat assaults in Vietnam. For Eade, combat ended at Ia Drang. He was in the Army hospital at Valley Forge when Burnite's mother found him.
``She asked me, how did her son die,'' Eade said. ``Her pain and her grief was more than I could bear to look at. I can never think about it without wanting to cry.''
It was Eade's last contact with anyone associated with Ia Drang for 37 years, until Gwin found him. That helped Eade start opening up, as Gwin already had. But although comradeship helps them cope, it doesn't end the pain.
When he thinks about the Ia Drang Valley, Gwin said, ``A deep sadness comes out, and I can't do anything about it. It's there.''

GRAPHIC: `DETRITUS OF WAR': This photo from Larry Gwin's book, `Baptism, A Vietnam Memoir,' shows Gwin, right, and Joel Sugdinis after a bloody slaughter in Vietnam's la Drang Valley in 1965. The caption reads: `Joel Sugdinis and his XO, Gwin, watched in horror as the PAVN attack rolled over two Alpha Company platoons. Photo courtesy Larry Gwin
JOHN EADE: A `price you pay'
LARRY GWIN: `Every day is a gift'

LOAD-DATE: November 6, 2005

114 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 5, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 111 words

HEADLINE: Solemn remembrance

BYLINE: By O'RYAN JOHNSON

BODY:
Visitors to the Common yesterday walked among rows of boots and shoes symbolizing military and civilian casualties of the war in Iraq.
The exhibit, sponsored by an anti-war group, is titled ``Eyes Wide Open'' and depicts American military deaths with pairs of boots. Civilian shoes, sandals and boots also were laid out, to represent Iraqis killed in the war.
The exhibit by the American Friends Service Committee will remain on the Common until Monday, when it will be moved to Copley Square. It was previously on display at the State House.
The display yesterday was accompanied by a candlelight vigil and a reading of the names of the dead.
STAFF PHOTOS BY RENEE DEKONA 

LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2005

115 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 5, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 016

LENGTH: 346 words

HEADLINE: EDITORIAL; 
 Scooter's woes vs. Wilson's lies

BODY:
Both the mainstream media and the Bush administration have ignored the elephant in the living room in the Scooter Libby perjury case - the blatant lies former Ambassador Joe Wilson has told about his role. The administration is hurting itself by leaving truth-telling to columnists and bloggers. 
Libby was indicted because he told a grand jury he learned that Wilson's wife was a CIA official from reporters; the special prosecutor says he got that information from colleagues.
The prosecutor was appointed to investigate a CIA allegation that someone had outed an undercover agent in revealing to columnist Robert Novak that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA and had arranged for his trip to Niger in 2002 to investigate a report that Iraq had tried to buy uranium there.
Wilson's wife did work for the CIA but met practically none of the criteria for coverage under the 1982 Intelligence Identities Protection Act, the law on truly undercover agents. The referral by the agency to the Justice Department makes sense only as part of the CIA's war against supervision by the administration - supervision necessary because of the agency's own failure to spot Saddam's pre-1990 nuclear program, among other things.
In that June 2003 oped Wilson wrote he was sent to Niger to answer questions raised by Vice President Cheney. He insisted he was able to debunk reports about the sale of yellowcake uranium.
The Senate Intelligence Committee said in July 2004 that Wilson learned an Iraqi delegation visited Niger in 1999 - which officials there interpreted as an interest in uranium, because their country produced nothing else Iraq could use. And it turns out it was his wife who got him sent to Iraq in the first place.
Wilson had made speeches and provided - false - information to at least two reporters before he revealed that HEwas the mystery envoy he was talking about. Under those circumstances why shouldn't the Bush administration try to steer reporters toward the truth?
The longer Bush and Cheney shirk the task of speaking the truth, the more damage our country will suffer.

LOAD-DATE: November 5, 2005

116 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 4, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. e15

LENGTH: 340 words

HEADLINE: Movies; 
 Jamie Foxx takes aim at killing Oscar beast

BYLINE: By STEPHEN SCHAEFER

BODY:
``What you have to do every day is kill that Oscar beast and go out and try to take two or three steps back and not be the ugly person that I guess it could turn you into.'' 
So decrees Jamie Foxx of his post-``Ray'' Oscar-winning life, a period dedicated to killing any potential swollen-head syndrome.
In ``Jarhead,'' a Gulf War drama from director Sam Mendes (``American Beauty''), he plays a staff sergeant trying to keep his men out of harm's way.
As for not letting Oscar gold turn him into an ``ugly person,'' Foxx's strategy is to continue with what he's always done since his ``In Living Color'' breakthrough.
``I just keep telling jokes,'' he said. ``Just as you're feeling that you done won the Oscar, and you feeling like you're at the top of the mountain, you come off of the elevator and there's a brother going, `Hey, Jamie, man. Congratulations on that Grammy, dog.' So that lets you know like, `Wait a minute. Everyone ain't feeling it.' So you bring it back down - and you use the Oscar for those things that you really want.''
What Foxx really wants is another role like Ray Charles, and he mentions Marvin Gaye and Mike Tyson, both tragic figures.
``The Marvin Gaye story was incredible, but I think that the Mike Tyson story is the most interesting. No one knows the stuff that I know, the stuff that I found out. It will blow your mind,'' he said.
Until something major like that comes along, Foxx is content with his supporting ``Jarhead'' duties.
For some, Mendes' portrait of the Marines in 1990s Iraq reflects the current Iraq war. Foxx likes its absence of message.
``Being in the military is a simple life, and it just happens that war breaks out, and that complicates it a little bit,'' he said.
In December, Foxx segues from actor to singer with an album that includes guests Justin Timberlake, Ludacris and Mary J. Blige.
``I don't know if too many Oscar winners have had No. 1 songs,'' Foxx said.
Is Foxx ready to give up acting for music?
``No, man,'' he said. ``I'm not giving up anything. I want them to get tired of me.''

LOAD-DATE: November 4, 2005

117 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 4, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 024

LENGTH: 311 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Senate Dems start their uncivil war

BODY:
There's only one way to understand the gross discourtesy of Senate Democrats in throwing the body into secret session this week: It was a pre-emptive strike aimed at bullying Republicans and bamboozling the public. 
Ostensibly the Democrats wanted to draw attention to an alleged slowdown by the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is preparing a second report on pre-Iraq war intelligence. Even if committee Republicans were slow-rolling the issue, that would not call for the no-notice action taken by the Democrats invoking a 1795 rule that permits any member with a second to his motion to close the session without debate.
Republicans must not be intimidated by such rudeness, or by the whining of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada that President Bush should ``apologize'' for the events leading up to the perjury indictment of Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, Scooter Libby. They should make the case that whatever apologies Libby owes, neither Bush nor Cheney did anything wrong, and both have sound justification for all they did.
Reid has signed on to the loony notion that Libby's alleged lie to a grand jury was part of a grand conspiracy to mislead the American public about Saddam Hussein's possession of weapons of mass destruction and thus justify the war. Never mind that the intelligence services of all major countries concluded that Saddam indeed had weapons of mass destruction. Never mind that the special prosecutor says the case is unconnected to the propriety of the war. And never mind that prominent members of the Clinton administration and prominent Senate Democrats warned up from the late 1990s through 2002 that Saddam was pursuing WMDs.
The only other explanation for the kind of uncivil legislative behavior witnessed in Washington this week is that Reid and some of his colleagues have truly taken leave of their senses.

LOAD-DATE: November 4, 2005

118 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 3, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 035

LENGTH: 509 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 Priorities need a pitch; 
 Our obsession with Theo, Sox way off-base

BYLINE: By Alan Lupo

BODY:
As I was driving past Fenway Park yesterday, I lost count of the number of television news trucks.
They were there to cover Theo Epstein, who was going to reveal whatever he chose to say about why he was leaving the Red Sox. 
Now, I have never met Epstein, but from everything I have read and heard, he seems to be a real mensch, which is Yiddish for stand-up guy. Indeed, his whole family seems to be such, and I wish them all nothing but nice.
Indeed, I have a feeling that the Epsteins might sympathize with what bothers me when I see TV trucks lined up in platoon strength to cover such events. Would that there were as much media attention and public caring for the important stuff.
We have troops on the ground in Afghanistan, which makes sense, and in Iraq, which does not.
We have an administration sinking us in intolerable debt, all the while acknowledging that we need money to stave off everything from terrorists to bird flu, and the way to get that money is to cut needed programs even while trying to expand tax breaks.
We are engaged in a new civil war over religion and culture. The Republican Party has been taken over by religious and cultural fundmentalists who, like the lefties of the 1960s, brook no disagreement with their inflexible agendas.
We live in a state where many of our 351 cities and towns cannot fulfill local mandates because state aid isn't up to the task, and we rely on a confiscatory property tax to play catch-up with local services.
And what worries us? Should Theo have left the Sox? Should the Sox have said or done something to keep him? Does this mean Manny will stay, leave or keep us guessing? Would any of this have happened if the Babe had not gone to New York? Would all this nuttiness have prompted Rudy York, the mid-1940s first baseman, to light yet another fire in his hotel room?
Yes, baseball is big business and must be covered as such, but does anyone remember when it was a game, when you opened the newspaper to see who won, who lost, who was where in the standings, who was and wasn't hitting, who was agile enough to go to his left and his right?
For some of us, baseball is NOTa business. It ISstill a game. You win some. You lose some. At the end of it all, the world still turns.
To witness the angst and anger that have accompanied this latest turn of events in Red Sox management, you would think that the aforementioned world had stopped dead in its orbit. If only the public could pay the same attention with the same amount of fervor to the local, statewide, national and international problems that plague us, then we might have the semblance of a democracy of which the Founders dreamt.
Theo will do fine. The Sox might also do fine. Citizens, please enjoy the memories. I think about sitting in the stands with my dad and watching Ted Williams hit a homer against Detroit after returning from Korea. That's what baseball is about.
It's a game, folks, but the other stuff - war, poverty, the economy, politics - all that is real and worthy of a line of TV trucks.
Talk back at alupo@comcast.net.

GRAPHIC: EPSTEIN: Fear not for his future.

LOAD-DATE: November 3, 2005

119 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 2, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 023

LENGTH: 130 words

HEADLINE: G.I. boot exhibit symbol of war cost

BYLINE: By Dawn Witlin

BODY:
Nearly 100 pairs of combat boots lined Nurse's Hall in the State House yesterday, as the American Friends Service Committee's traveling exhibit ``Eyes Wide Open: The Human Cost of War,'' began its tour of Boston. 
AFSC spokesman Joseph Gerson said the boots were meant to account for the number of New England casualties of the Iraq War.
``We want to encourage people to have a better understanding of the fact that there are enormous human costs to this war in terms of troops, Iraqi civilians and financial costs,'' said Gerson.
The exhibit will next be moved to Boston Common, opening at 5 p.m. tomorrow. Tomorrow's speakers will include Kevin Lucey of Gold Star Families For Peace and Andy Sapp, a Concord Carlisle School District teacher who recently returned from serving in Iraq.

GRAPHIC: SPEAKING OUT: Carlos Arredondo holds a photo and combat boots of his Marine son, Alexander Arredondo, who was killed in action in Iraq. Staff photo by Patrick Whittemore

LOAD-DATE: November 2, 2005

120 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

November 1, 2005 Tuesday 
Correction Appended  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 026

LENGTH: 719 words

HEADLINE: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

BODY:
He's no man of God
I find it hard to believe that Chuck Colbert's column was really written by someone who received his divinity and licentiate degrees from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology (``This inquisition targets gays,'' Oct. 29).
For if he did, it proves in print many of the devastating charges made that some Jesuit institutions are only masquerading as Catholic. These charges include that they are among the strongest attackers of the Christian moral tradition regarding marriage as well as many other Catholic doctrines, traditions and practices. 
The great thing about the column is that it will make it impossible for the apostolic visitation committee doing the investigating to whitewash Weston and also maintain any semblance of credibility.
- Deacon John M. Bresnahan, Holy Family Parish, Lynn
Off-ice champ too
Cam Neely is breaking ground on another venture: to help parents of sick children be closer to their children than ever before as they go through their treatments (``NEMC, Neely score for kids,'' Oct. 26). It just seems this man cannot do enough for this city, and I am such a fan of his, not only for his electrifying work on the ice, but especially for his charitable work.
He is such a role model. Maybe in some way, his hockey career was cut short for a reason.
- Pat Dollard, Lynn
Capuano is right
Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson tried to tell the public, beforehand, that claims about Saddam building a nuclear weapon were false. So the administration tried to get him, even though it meant exposing his wife's cover in the CIA. Does this remind anyone else of Vietnam? Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers?
Rep. Michael Capuano, just back from Iraq, proposed that we should set ``clear, measurable standards relative to democracy and self-defense'' (``No vote for open-ended involvement in Iraq,'' Oct. 21 ). He said, ``If these standards are met, we can quickly begin to withdraw U.S. forces. If not, it is fair to presume they may never be met, and we should withdraw U.S. forces from an impossible situation. Either way, we should be able to begin withdrawing by mid-February.''
Let's listen to him!
- Dick Cluster, Cambridge
Adoption dehumanized
As a member of the adoption community, I was offended by the comment made in Star Tracks (Oct. 27), regarding Angelina Jolie's desire to adopt more children. Comparing adoption to a shopping excursion was both ignorant and tasteless.
- Donna Miller, Wrentham
Sweet and safe
The story (``Scariest part of Halloween: Corn syrup,'' Oct. 28) unfortunately mischaracterizes high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a natural product derived from U.S. corn fields, by suggesting that it plays a unique role in obesity.
HFCS was formulated to provide sweetness equivalent to sugar. As noted by the FDA in 1996, the saccharine composition (glucose to fructose ratio) of HFCS is approximately the same as that of honey, invert sugar and the disaccharide sucrose (or table sugar).
No single food or ingredient is the sole cause of obesity. Nutritionists, health experts and researchers generally agree that the chief cause is an imbalance between calories consumed and calories burned.
As a natural, nutritive sweetener, HFCS can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. In 1983, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration listed HFCS as Generally Recognized as Safe (known as GRAS status) for use in food, and the FDA reaffirmed that ruling in 1996.
- Audrae Erickson, President, Corn Refiners Association, Washington, D.C.
Presumed innocent
It is unfortunate that the Herald neglected to include my comments in connection with the allowance of Baltazar DaRosa's motion to travel to Foxwoods (``Judge let cop take Virginia vacation, Oct. 29).
The prosecutor did not object to the request for travel, and actually suggested the defendant could go as long as his destination was made known. The request was also approved by the supervising probation officer.
DaRosa is presumed innocent. He is not detained pending trial, and has not been determined to present a danger to the community, is released on $100,000 cash bail and is on pretrial probation with conditions. In most criminal cases, defendants are not required to request permission to leave the state. Allowance of the request was not unusual.
- Edward P. Ryan Jr., Fitchburg
The writer is attorney for Baltazar DaRosa.

CORRECTION-DATE: November 2, 2005

CORRECTION:
A Tuesday letter from attorney Edward P. Ryan Jr. misidentified him as counsel for a police officer facing criminal charges. Ryan wrote his letter as former president of the Massachusetts Bar Association and current chairman of the state Committee for Judicial Independence.

LOAD-DATE: November 1, 2005

121 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 31, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 007

LENGTH: 446 words

HEADLINE: Battered Bush; 
 Dubya could use a little good news

BYLINE: By JESSICA FARGEN

BODY:
The ``wheels have fallen off the White House political machine'' amid the CIA agent leak scandal, the rising death toll in Iraq and a botched court nomination, but President Bush still has a chance for redemption, a Boston political analyst said. 
``Anything that could go wrong has gone wrong and even things that shouldn't have gone wrong have gone wrong,'' said Tobe Berkovitz, associate dean of the College of Communication at Boston University.
Berkovitz called the nomination of Harriet Miers, who has never been a judge, ``plain, sheer stupidity.'' He said Bush must do better with his next nomination if he wants to regain political favor.
``He has to go with a sane conservative who can clearly articulate his or her points of view and who is good in front of a television camera,'' he said. ``He needs a performer as much as a jurist.''
The Miers nomination is one of many political disasters the White House has faced in recent weeks.
Vice President Dick Cheney's top aide, I. Lewis ``Scooter'' Libby, was indicted last week for perjury and obstruction of justice in the investigation into who leaked the name of CIA agent Valerie Plame.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said yesterday he is disappointed that Bush and Cheney responded to the indictment by lauding Libby and suggested they should apologize.
``The vice president issues this very terse statement praising Libby for all the great things he's done,'' Reid, (D-Nev.), told ABC's ``This Week.'' ``Then we have the president come on camera a few minutes later calling him `Scooter' and what a great patriot he is. There has not been an apology to the American people for this obvious problem in the White House.''
Democrats appearing on Sunday talk shows portrayed Libby's indictment as one of many serious problems surrounding the White House and one of several allegations raising questions about Republican ethics.
Sen. Chris Dodd, (D-Conn.), said Cheney should ``come clean'' about his involvement in the leak.
``What did the vice president know? What were his intentions?'' Dodd asked on ``Fox News Sunday.''
Republicans repeatedly said the charges have been made against only one individual and that Libby should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Reid also called on Karl Rove, the president's most trusted adviser, to resign for any role he had in the Plame leak.
Sen. Arlen Specter, (R-Pa.), said Rove has not been charged with any crime and any talk of him stepping down is politically motivated.
``Sen. Reid is entitled to his opinion, but he's not the president of the United States, and he doesn't administer justice in this country,'' Specter said.
Herald wire services contributed to this report.

LOAD-DATE: October 31, 2005

122 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 31, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 023

LENGTH: 533 words

HEADLINE: Op-Ed; 
 White House in need of a housecleaning

BYLINE: By VIRGINIA BUCKINGHAM

BODY:
Scooter's got to cop a plea, Andy's got to fall on his sword and Karen's got to come home. That's the three-legged stool of President Bush's political recovery.
Never has morning in America looked so good to Bush as this Monday morning. New day, new week, new start. And contrary to the hopes of his opponents, Bush has not been pushed back behind his own 20-yard-line. He's at midfield. And he has the ball. 
Sure, the best thing that can be said about last week in the White House is that it's over. But actually that's saying quite a lot.
The downside of 24-hour news coverage is small problems get big and constant attention.
The upside is that the media is a voracious beast that doesn't care who's feeding it.
And when it comes right down to it, special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald offered slim pickings.
Scooter Libby was not charged with outing a covert CIA operative, so Democratic hope that this case would reignite the debate about the rationale for the Iraq war remains just that - a hope.
The Libby indictment is not ``evidence of White House corruption at the very highest levels,'' as Sen. John Kerry insists, it's evidence that playing cute with a grand jury is just plain stupid (if memory serves, it can even lead to impeachment of a president).
So long as Libby has the sense to cop a plea, the outing of Vanity Fair's favorite blond pseudo-spy is yesterday's news.
Andy Card is one of the most honest, able public servants this nation has had at a president's side. He has brought a singular lack of ego to the sharp-elbowed ecosystem that is a White House staff, and while Karl Rove gets all the credit for Bush's political triumphs, I credit Card for playing Felix Unger to Rove's Oscar Madison.
Bush needed both of them.
Now he needs new blood.
And frankly in an administration where holding the conservative base is the be-all and end-all, Rove is the indispensable one.
A staff shakeup goes against the grain of this president, who understands the importance of loyalty in governing successfully. But loyalty is a two-way street, and Bush is owed some Harriet Miers-like selflessness by Card.
He's also owed a senior adviser who would have told him before he went before the cameras Friday, to skip the ``Scooter's served this nation well'' speech and cut the cord. He has been indicted and the American people expect their leader to be, if not angry, then righteously dismayed that dishonor has been brought on the White House to which he pledged, above all, to restore honor and dignity.
Which brings me to Karen Hughes.
Her role in the State Department is important, and God knows, America needs some good PR in the Muslim world. But Bush listens to her. She understands him, and Hughes would no sooner have let Bush do a flyover of Louisiana in Air Force One after Hurricane Katrina, than she would have let him nominate Miers to the Supreme Court.
It's time for Hughes to return to the West Wing.
Bush likes to point out a painting in the Oval Office which depicts the sun rising over a mountain. It reminds him, he tells visitors, to focus on the day that is coming, not the day that is gone.
It's a new day, Mr. President, so make the most of it.
Talk back at vbuckingham@bostonherald.com

LOAD-DATE: October 31, 2005

123 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 30, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. B31

LENGTH: 1038 words

HEADLINE: BOXING NOTES; 
 Ruiz and Toney exchange diatribes

BYLINE: By George Kimball

BODY:
On the surface, the letter was innocent and possibly even well-intentioned, but John Ruiz must have anticipated the inevitability of the international hissing contest it would stir up. With the World Boxing Association set to open its annual convention in Seoul tomorrow, Ruiz petitioned the organization to toughen up its steroid policy and to hold firm against relaxing its automatic two-year ban on steroid cheats being allowed to fight for the organization's titles.
Although the letter in question was addressed to Los Bandidos, its intended target was obviously James Toney, and ``Lights Out'' didn't disappoint, firing back with a nasty ``open letter'' of his own. 
``Ruiz would rather go out of the country to fight than to even think of having to be in the ring with me again,'' Toney wrote. ``I'm tired of hearing his continual babble and grandstanding.
``Give me a break, John, and go back to being the `Quiet Man.' Get off your high horse and fight like a man. Stop talking and whining about getting your butt kicked. I was fat, out of shape, and fighting with one arm, and kicked your ass. Face up to it: (Arnold) Schwarzenegger I wasn't.''
Ruiz then publicly circulated his response:
``Toney, you should have kept your big mouth shut,'' Ruiz wrote. ``If you were going to respond to my request for a stricter steroid testing policy - random testing - you should have at least told the world the real truth: You are a liar and a cheat.
``Show some (fortitude) and let whomever you get to argue that point at the WBA convention to bring a copy of your actual blood tests with them. I dare you.'' . . .
Chelsea's Ruiz is indeed off to Germany for a Dec. 17 date with Russian giant Nicolay Valuev, but it appears British promoter Frank Warren may have jumped the gun in announcing a Kevin McBride-Matt Skelton fight for London a week earlier. Two weeks ago in London, amid much fanfare, Warren claimed he had McBride under contract to fight the Commonwealth heavyweight champion, but McBride's people say they never agreed to the bout and that the Clones Colossus will not be fighting in Old Blighty.
Warren, in the meantime, has lined up a Danny Williams-Audley Harrison bout to serve as the main event of his Dec. 10 show at the Excel Arena, and there appears to be a reasonable chance that McBride could wind up fighting in Boston that weekend. (If so, it would likely be Dec. 9, since Winky Wright is fighting Sam Soliman at the Mohegan Sun in an HBO fight the following night.)
Fighting in Germany against European-based fighters has been a road fraught with treachery for American boxers, but Ruiz has 1.7 million reasons for agreeing to go to Berlin. That will be his guarantee, in U.S. dollars. Throw in a cut of what is certain to be a soldout house and the road trip makes sense. . . .
Wright has fought all over the world in his 15-year career, but his Uncasville, Conn., bout will be his first in New England. The fight, incidentally, will be at 160 pounds. The Winkster, who moved up to middleweight for his May fight against Felix Trinidad, formally renounced his 154-pound title and intends to remain a middleweight.
Pemberton in spotlight
Fairhaven super middleweight Scott Pemberton finally gets his shot at a world title when he challenges IBF champion Jeff Lacy in Reno on Showtime Saturday night. The two won't be complete strangers, since Pemberton served as a sparring partner for Lacy in Big Bear, Calif., a few years back, but those, Pemberton said, were controlled sessions.
An interesting precursor to the matchup is that Omar Sheika, whom Pemberton beat in back-to-back Foxwoods fights in 2003-04, got the first crack at Lacy, but lost a unanimous decision in Vegas last year. Pemberton, who remains close to Sheika, doesn't think that fight was as close as Omar seemed to think it was.
``(Sheika) said he thought that he won the fight, and that Jeff wasn't all what everyone said he was cracked up to be,'' Pemberton said. ``That's his opinion. I know what I saw on the tape. I thought the fight was fairly close going up to the ninth round, but from there Jeff took him into the deep waters and then just drowned him. Sheika couldn't keep up the pace in the later rounds.'' . . .
South Boston welterweight Jimmy LeBlanc will face Philadelphia veteran Leo Edwards in the main event of Danny Kelly's card at the Dorchester Armory Saturday night. Also slated for action on the Nov. 5 bill is Gary Bell (22-3-1), the New York heavyweight whose resume includes a win over Jameel McCline.
A pair of Irish boxers, Clare cruiserweight Mark Clancy (vs. Mike Needling) and Galway super middleweight JP Keane (vs. David Johnson) are also slated for action, as are Lawrence featherweight Denise Moses and Barnstable light heavy Chris Traetti. Kelly's card will also showcase the professional debut of former New England Golden Gloves lightweight champion Simeon Dunwell of Peabody, who will box against Anthony Whigham. For more information, phone 617-842-7203. . . .
In the latest installment of what promises to become a Veterans Day tradition, S&L promotions is bringing the U.S. Marine Corps boxing team back to Foxwoods on Nov. 11 to compete against a team comprised of Native American and Connecticut amateurs. This year's competition will be highlighted by a heavyweight matchup pitting Sgt. Eric Manzebo, a newly returned Iraq war veteran, against Nate Jimmerson of the Seneca tribe in upstate New York. For info, phone the Foxwoods box office at 1-800-200-2882. . . .
Jimmy Burchfield plans to run the night before Thanksgiving at the Rhode Island Convention Center with a blockbuster card that includes a trio of undefeated young Providence boxers: super middleweight Joey Spina (17-0), cruiserweight Matt Godfrey (9-0) and heavyweight and 2004 US Olympian Jason Estrada (4-0). Opponents have yet to be announced, but the Nov. 23 card will also include Canadian welterweight Jaime Clampitt, Irish middleweight Joe Rea and Manchester (Conn.) lightweight Matt Remillard, who after getting rocked in the first round bounced back to stop Alexis Rubin in the second on last Friday's Eric Harding-Daniel Judah card at the Mohegan Sun. For information on the show, phone 401-724-2253. . . .
Happy birthday, Robbie Sims.

LOAD-DATE: October 30, 2005

124 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 30, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 443 words

HEADLINE: Protesters indict war-related lies; 
 1,000 rally on Common with Cindy Sheehan

BYLINE: By Marie Szaniszlo

BODY:
A day after the indictment of Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, a soldier's mother who gained national attention by keeping vigil outside President Bush's Texas ranch joined more than 1,000 people yesterday on Boston Common, demanding an end to the war that killed her son. 
``I didn't feel very joyful yesterday because these people who are running our country into the ground lied, and my oldest child is dead because of their lies,'' said Cindy Sheehan, whose son, Casey, was the 615th U.S. casualty in Iraq. ``People are dying every day because of their lies.''
Sheehan was referring to Friday's indictment of I. Lewis ``Scooter'' Libby, one of the Bush administration's most influential advisers on the invasion of Iraq. Libby was indicted in connection with the leaking of a CIA operative's name after her husband, a retired U.S. diplomat, publicly disputed Bush's claim that Saddam Hussein had tried to buy uranium from Africa to build nuclear weapons.''
At a speech yesterday in Iowa, Gov. Mitt Romney called Libby's indictment ``very serious,'' but said it would not force the Republican party to change course or alter its message.
With the American death toll now above 2,000, President Bush said yesterday the war in Iraq has required ``great sacrifice,'' but that progress is being made and the United States must remain steadfast.
``The best way to honor the sacrifice of our fallen troops is to complete the mission and win the war on terror,'' the president said in his weekly radio address.
Public support for Bush's handling of Iraq is at its lowest point, 37 percent, according to AP-Ipsos polling.
Cheney, a chief architect of the war, is likely to be called as a witness in the trial of Libby who, the indictment concludes, received information from the vice president, the State Department and the CIA about covert CIA officer Valerie Plame.
As snowflakes drifted down from a steel-gray sky over the Common, Carlos Arredondo spoke of his disillusionment as he stood next to a flag-draped, makeshift coffin he had propped against the bandstand, along with his dead son's combat boots and dog tags.
There was no trace of the burns Arredondo suffered last year when he set himself ablaze inside a military vehicle after the Marines came to tell him Alex, 20, had been killed on his second tour of duty in Iraq. But the father's anger was still palpable.
``He was being seduced by recruiters since he was 16 with promises of school, travel, even a $5,000 bonus if he signed up,'' Arredondo said. ``My son was very proud to serve his country. And I supported him because that's what families do.''
Herald wire services contributed to this report.

GRAPHIC: SIGN OF DISSENT: Gretchen Kamilewicz of Maine, whose son Benjamin is serving in Iraq, holds a sign at yesterday's protest rally on Boston Common. Staff photo by Renee DeKona

LOAD-DATE: October 30, 2005

125 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 30, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. 053

LENGTH: 815 words

HEADLINE: War flicks struggle to make audiences enlist

BYLINE: By James Verniere

BODY:
Is war a box-office turnoff? We'll find out Friday when ``Jarhead,'' a film based on the 2003 Gulf War memoir by Anthony Swofford, opens two weeks before the new ``Harry Potter'' movie.
Make a list of your 10 favorite war movies and chances are only one recent American film will make the final cut, if any. 
At a time when American soldiers are fighting and dying in the Middle East - and the U.S. body count has passed the 2,000 mark - soldiers have been relatively absent from our movie screens.
During World War II, John Wayne became an archetypal screen soldier and a huge box-office star. Steeped in the tradition of the westerns he was making with John Ford, Wayne embodied the American warrior for decades.
But something changed, and the catalyst was Vietnam. Today, instead of a ``war effort,'' we appear to be experiencing war denial. Some Americans seem only vaguely aware of the Iraqi conflict; others are disconnected from it. Steven Bochco's attempt to create an Iraqi-era ``Combat,'' FX Network's ``Over There,'' has not found an audience. Discovery Channel's docu-series ``Off to War,'' about an Arkansas National Guard unit deployed to Iraq, is considered a political hot potato.
Today we don't even have a modern-day equivalent of Wayne, an actor who most embodies American warrior virtues, unless you count naturalized citizen Arnold Schwarzenegger. Notably, Steven Spielberg cast the more James Stewart-like Tom Hanks as his platoon leader in ``Saving Private Ryan'' (1998).
According to various Web sites, World War II has inspired more than 600 films, more than any other event in history, and, clearly, this is because the war against fascism united us. But even the famously ``good'' war eventually gave birth to monsters.
In conceptual terms, we progressed from Norman Mailer's merely profane and nihilistic ``The Naked and the Dead'' (1958) to Joseph Heller's cynical, blackly comic ``Catch-22'' (1970) and Kurt Vonnegut's cosmos-tripping ``Slaughterhouse-Five'' (1972). Even the ``best'' war began to look increasingly evil and hallucinatory through the prism of Vietnam.
Today, war is just as tough a sell. Even Spielberg's acclaimed World War II-era dramas ``Schindler's List'' (1993) and ``Saving Private Ryan'' were marketed as uplifting, feel-good experiences. ``Apocalypse Now'' (1979), Francis Ford Coppola's nearly disastrous portrait of the war in Vietnam as a bad acid trip, probably never could be made in today's climate.
Generally speaking, we've become ambiguous about war, and that ambiguity has been reflected in, if not bred by, the war movies themselves. Director Robert Aldrich subversively depicted psychopaths and criminals as ideal soldiers in his Vietnam-era World War II classic ``The Dirty Dozen'' (1967). An arguably insane real-life U.S. general is the hero of Franklin J. Schaffner's ``Patton'' (1970), a film featuring a bravura turn by George C. Scott and an unforgettable Coppola-scripted speech in which Patton exhorts his soldiers to make ``the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.''
Vietnam produced few films while it was happening because the nation was so divided by it. Not even the Duke could get viewers to swallow his gung-ho 1968 effort ``The Green Berets.''
But eventually the war produced a fine crop: Hal Ashby's ``Coming Home'' (1978), Ted Post's ``Go Tell the Spartans'' (1978), Michael Comino's ``Deer Hunter'' (1978) and, of course, ``Apocalypse Now,'' the film that gave us the line, ``I love the smell of napalm in the morning.''
Perhaps the last word on the subject of Vietnam should be Stanley Kubrick's spellbindingly nightmarish ``Full Metal Jacket'' (1987), a film that is extremely popular with beer-sodden Marine grunts, according to ``Jarhead'' author Swofford.
More recently, Terrence Malick's 1998 version of James Jones' ``The Thin Red Line'' emphasizes the human waste of war, but for many it seemed old-fashioned. Writer-director David O. Russell also makes the first Gulf War, the setting of ``Jarhead,'' the background for ``Three Kings'' (1999), a caper film combining World War II-style sentimentality with Vietnam-bred cynicism. Ridley Scott's great, fact-based ``Black Hawk Down'' (2001) electrifyingly depicts the horrendous aftermath of a U.S. helicopter crash in Mogadishu, Somalia. Michael Bay's ``Pearl Harbor'' (2001) turns the ``good'' war into a soap opera and a product placement for itself. And the recent World War II action flick ``The Great Raid'' was a decisive flop.
But the war-movie drums continue to beat. Clint Eastwood is currently shooting ``Flags of Our Fathers,'' an adaptation of James Bradley's book about the men who raised the American flag on Iwo Jima, a defining moment in World War II. For now, war-movie buffs will have to satisfy their needs with ``Jarhead,'' and hope Jake Gyllenhaal's horny, bored-out-of-his-skull Lance Corp. Swofford will be a GI Joe for our times.

GRAPHIC: MORE WAR: Jake Gyllenhaal, left, stars in `Jarhead,' and R. Lee Ermey, right, plays Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in 1987's `Full Metal Jacket.'

LOAD-DATE: October 30, 2005

126 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 29, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 006

LENGTH: 386 words

HEADLINE: MGH-trained Iraqi nurse offers healing and hope

BYLINE: By JESSICA HESLAM

BODY:
Where this nurse comes from, there is little hope for children with illnesses or diseases such as cancer.
There's no modern equipment. There's little or no treatment. There's not enough medicine. Some nurses aren't trained and none specialize in oncology - the treatment of people with cancer. 
This nurse comes from southern Iraq. She hopes to help as many sick children as she can when she returns.
The 31-year-old has spent six weeks training in the United States - the bulk of it at Massachusetts General Hospital - to prepare for her new job as chief nurse of a new children's hospital in southern Iraq.
``It's not good. It's difficult. Children and their families suffer,'' the nurse said when describing medical care in Iraq. She didn't want to be identified for fear of retribution against herself or her family. She also shied away from questions about the war.
A new hospital hasn't been built in Iraq since 1980, said Jeanette Ives Erickson, chief nurse at MGH and the Iraqi nurse's mentor. Iraq once had a very good health care system - doctors even performed kidney transplants - but everything declined under former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Erickson said.
When Hussein was at the helm, good doctors fled and there was no investment in nursing. People needed money or the help of a relief agency so they could get medical treatment in another country, the nurse said. One time, the nurse slipped money to the crying mother of a child with a heart disease so she could pay for treatment. Under Hussein, nurses made about $4 a month. Today, they make $70 a month.
When she returns to Iraq, the nurse will hire and train 300 nurses for the new 160,000-square-foot hospital. Plans include 94 beds, two operating rooms and lots of new technology, including a state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care unit. Other Iraqi health care workers will also come to the United States for training.
``She's a very smart, energetic woman,'' Erickson said of the nurse, who was honored last week by first lady Laura Bush.
About 150 of every 1,000 Iraqi children die by age 5, Erickson said. Childhood cancers is 8 to 10 times more common in Iraq than other developed countries. The hospital, specializing in cancer treatment, is an initiative of Project Hope, the U.S Agency for International Development and the Iraqi government.

GRAPHIC: ON A MISSION: This Iraqi nurse, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution at home, has been training at Massachusetts General Hospital to become chief nurse at a new hospital in southern Iraq. STAFF PHOTO BY FAITH NINIVAGGI

LOAD-DATE: October 29, 2005

127 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 29, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 009

LENGTH: 281 words

HEADLINE: Anti-war mom Sheehan to rally in hub

BYLINE: By DAVE WEDGE

BODY:
After threatening to chain herself to the White House, anti-war mom Cindy Sheehan was slated to bring her crusade to the Hub for a rally today.
Sheehan, whose soldier son Casey died in the Iraq war, has already been arrested twice for protesting outside President Bush's Texas home and during a ``die-in'' at the White House last month. She was supposed to take part in another ``die-in'' at the White House yesterday and was expected here today for a protest at a Hub Army recruiting center followed by a peace rally on the Common. 
Her scheduled apearance has Republicans cringing.
``I think it's inappropriate,'' Massachusetts GOP executive director Matt Wylie said. ``I'm surprised she's still out there. We have men and women out there defending our country, fighting for freedom. . . . I don't think she represents mainstream America.''
Thousands were expected to march with Sheehan, including Dave Tree, a singer and artist whose punk rock band, Superpower, is among several musical acts scheduled to perform at the rally.
``They're trying to make her out to be something she's not,'' Tree said of Sheehan. ``She's not a spokeswoman for the Democratic Party. She's a mom speaking out against the war where her son died.''
The singer/activist blasted the GOP's treatment of Sheehan.
``The people who say they support the war don't support the troops,'' he said.
The rally is being held in recognition of the U.S. death toll in Iraq surpassing 2,000.
``They fabricated reasons to go to war and they're responsible for the deaths of 2,000 Americans, (tens of thousands) of Iraqis and they've spent how many billions of dollars,'' Tree said. ``They're just too ashamed to admit they were wrong.''

GRAPHIC: SHEEHAN: Protester visits Boston. AP PHOTO

LOAD-DATE: October 29, 2005

128 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 29, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 018

LENGTH: 337 words

HEADLINE: EDITORIAL; 
 It's not the crime it's the cover-up

BODY:
It may well be that the Valerie Plame leak case was just business-as-usual in Washington - the way people in the know use information and use the press to get their ``spin'' out there. 
But yesterday a federal grand jury and a special prosecutor said in indicting the vice president's chief of staff that even IFthat were OK, lying about it is never OK. Or as prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald put it yesterday when asked what I. Lewis ``Scooter'' Libby Jr. did to merit indictment on five counts, ``We didn't get the straight story, and we had to, had to take action.''
Fitzgerald acknowledged that actual prosecutions under the federal Espionage Act, which would have to involve the knowing and intentional disclosure of the identity of a CIA covert operative, would be exceedingly difficult. But Libby is now charged with one count of obstruction of justice, two of perjury and two of making false statements.
``Mr. Libby's story that he was at the tail end of a chain of phone calls, passing on from one reporter what he heard from another, was not true. It was false,'' Fitzgerald said. ``He was at the beginning of the chain of the phone calls, the first official to disclose this information outside the government to a reporter. And he lied about it afterward, under oath, repeatedly.''
Libby at least did the right thing and resigned yesterday.
Still twisting in the wind is presidential adviser Karl Rove who hasn't been charged, but neither is he off the hook with Fitzgerald indicating that while the investigation is complete, ``It's not over.''
He also made clear that this isn't about the war in Iraq or about whether this nation committed military resources based on accurate information or not. It was about what makes life within the Washington Beltway go 'round - about the symbiotic relationships that exist between powerful sources and influential reporters. All of which might have been survivable for insiders like Libby.
But as in scandals of years past, it's not about the crime; it's always about the cover-up.

LOAD-DATE: October 29, 2005

129 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 29, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 018

LENGTH: 256 words

HEADLINE: EDITORIAL; 
 U.N. scandal undeniable

BODY:
Ah, let the denials begin!
The commission headed by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker issued its final report this week on the U.N.'s Oil for Food program. Its conclusion? That the program, aimed at feeding Iraq's people, instead was so riddled with corruption that it lined the pockets of Saddam Hussein, diverting some $1.8 BILLION, and involved illegal kickbacks from 2,200 companies and individuals in 66 countries. 
Highest on the list of those nations actively involved in such corruption were Russia and France. Now, if memory serves, weren't those countries also the chief opponents of any United Nations action aimed at deposing the tyrant who essentially benefited their economies so royally?
Russian officials were the first to issue their denials - for whatever they're worth. Russia's foreign minister insisted the documents were ``forged.'' Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the leader of Russia's ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party and a prime target of the Volcker report, also fell back on the ``fabrications'' excuse.
At least France has indicated it will investigate further the charges against its former U.N. ambassador, Jean-Bernard Merimee.
Of course, the man on whose watch all of this corruption took place, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, remains at the helm (even as his own son is implicated in the scandal). That is a disgrace, and the U.N. can never fully recover unless and until he shares in the blame for what surely must be the largest criminal enterprise run out of the United Nations in its history.

LOAD-DATE: October 29, 2005

130 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 28, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 024

LENGTH: 325 words

HEADLINE: EDITORIAL; 
 Kerry's pullout plan

BODY:
``Home for the holidays.'' It has a nice ring to it. But Sen. John Kerry's call this week to begin drawing down troops in Iraq by December isn't likely to catch fire, and it shouldn't. 
``It is essential to acknowledge that the insurgency will not be defeated unless our troop levels are drawn down,'' the Bay State's junior senator said in what sounded an awful lot like a campaign speech at Georgetown.
In other words, fewer troops have a better shot at defeating a growing insurgency. Now THERE'S a contradiction.
Unlike some of his Democratic colleagues and the nuttier anti-war activists, Kerry thankfully didn't issue a blanket call for an immediate troop withdrawal - an absurd demand given the instability American and Iraqi security forces are battling daily.
But retreating even a little just as Iraqis are beginning to find their feet - by approving a constitution in overwhelming numbers, by building up their security forces, by engaging the Sunni minority in the democratic process - is short-sighted, not to mention dangerous.
Kerry wants 20,000 troops out after the parliamentary elections in December, and he wants the administration to make public a ``sector by sector'' plan for transferring military and police responsibilities to the Iraqis. Why not stick a bow on it and send it straight to the insurgents planning their next attack? Because as President Bush noted last month, withdrawing from Iraq now would give terrorists an ``historic victory'' over the U.S. We can only imagine how they would try to capitalize on it.
Iraqis may view the American presence as an occupation, leaving troops vulnerable to the insurgency. But Kerry's withdrawal plan favors arbitrary deadlines over the TRULY meaningful benchmarks - the establishment of a stable government and the dismantling of a terrorist network. Only when those milestones are reached and Iraqis can secure the peace themselves should American troops pull out - a goal we all share.

LOAD-DATE: October 28, 2005

131 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 27, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 014

LENGTH: 618 words

HEADLINE: Vote for women, just not Hillary

BYLINE: By Margery Eagan

BODY:
It's almost inconceivable, really, like an out-of-body experience or James Carville's opium dream.
Hillary Clinton blows into town tomorrow night as the presumed front-runner for the Democratic nomination . . . for president.
Braised sea bass on Asian slaw with mirin sake sauce; spiced lamb on pumpkin risotto with herb reduction sauce & baby beets. 
These are among menus items for local movers and shakers who've paid $5,000 and up (including ex-DNC Chairman Steve Grossman and lawyer to political stars Cheryl Cronin). They're sharing an intimate dinner with Hillary and mega-fund-raiser Barbara Lee, who's also running a much bigger Copley Plaza rally tomorrow. It's part of Lee's campaign to elect more Democratic women nationwide.
Four other women senators will be feted tomorrow, too. But it's all about Hillary. It always is. Whether we're in the Hillary Rodham phase, the Hillary Rodham Clinton phase, the Hillary Clinton or just plain Hillary phase.
Hillary's our political Madonna, after all. Different names, hairdos, agendas, incarnations. Now on her own, no more enabler of the lip-biter, she's free to be. She's tacking right, making all the smart connections in the Senate, even cozying up to Newt Gingrich, whose mother once called her that word that rhymes with witch.
Well, now she's wowed them in New York. She's gone from sanctimonious ideologue to a centrist so hawkish that Cindy Sheehan actually called her a warmonger.
That's the current story, anyway. How can we believe it?
``Because she has matured and grown up,'' says Susan Estrich, who ran Mike Dukakis' campaign and just penned ``The Case for Hillary Clinton.'' For president. She can succeed where Kerry failed, Estrich says, by doing better among white married women and inspiring African Americans who stayed home during Bush vs. Kerry.
Then there's the Geena Davis ``Commander in Chief'' factor. The idea that a TV show can make a woman president palatable is not entirely crazy, says Estrich. ``It helps people imagine.''
Estrich, however, was eviscerated by Fox TV's Bill O'Reilly last night when he pressed her on Hillary's agenda. A problem.
But then ex-Clinton guru Dick Morris, of toe-sucking infamy, just penned his own book arguing that Hillary's unstoppable, too. ``There is one, and only one figure in America who can stop Hillary . . . Condi Rice,'' he writes in ``Condi vs. Hilary: The Next Great Presidential Race.'' His side even has a nickname: the Condistas.
Back to Boston. Lynne Kortenhaus, a public relations executive, will be among those dining on beef tenderloin and green olive tapenade on crostini tomorrow. She's met Hillary before. ``She has an inner strength when you look into her eyes and shake her hand. . . . She seems fun, like you'd like to have her over for dinner and shoot the breeze.''
Really?
Then Kortenhaus, like Barbara Lee, goes on about their worthy cause: electing more women. It makes me feel very guilty. I want to elect women, too. Just not this woman. Please.
OK, she's better as a senator. She's finally done something not tied to Bill's coattails. But isn't any presidential run as much if not more about him than her, about getting both back to the White House? I feel as nostalgic for the frivolous Clinton years as anybody. No Iraq, 9/11, bird flu or nonstop hurricanes. Just sex. SEX!
But is Hillary really the only vehicle to get us back there? Every time Hillary starts lecturing, it's fingernails on a blackboard. My God. Could I take it? Then I think of what local political writer Margaret Doris said years ago: Hillary would show up ``in four-inch heels and a peekaboo bra'' if she thought it would win an election. Doris was right then and, forgive me, sisters, she's right now.

LOAD-DATE: October 27, 2005

132 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 27, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 029

LENGTH: 525 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 MoveOn should be down for the count

BYLINE: By Virginia Buckingham

BODY:
MoveOn.org is repulsive. Ditto for anyone who donates to their effort to get their latest 30-second ad onto broadcast and cable TV.
Clearly, it was planning for (and counting on) the 2,000th death in Iraq. The political organization which compared President Bush to Hitler in 2004 must have had its film already in the can, its voiceover and script ready to have an ad produced and on the Internet as a solicitation device within hours of the media announcing that the ``milestone'' of 2,000 casualties had been reached. 
I hesitate to even write about MoveOn.org because to bring more attention to these bottom feeders is exactly what they want. But, contrary to conventional wisdom, all publicity is not good publicity and maybe calling attention to their latest middle-finger salute to American troops and their families will be another nail in their coffin, and yes, a plain wooden casket (how clever) is the centerpiece of their new advertisement.
It sits in the desert, sand blowing around it, almost burying it. No American flag drapes this casket. No honor guard stands by. No weeping but proud family members, devastated friends or stoic commanders are at its side. The casket sits alone, abandoned in the desert, while a narrator recites some names of the fallen and words on the screen describe them. ``They were teenage boys and girls. They were husbands and wives. They were mothers and fathers. Two thousand U.S. soldiers have now died in Iraq. How many more?'' An American flag blows desolately in the wind, the one indication that the ad was produced by fellow Americans, not America's enemies.
Moving? Disgusting. Some 2,000 dead is just a hook, just a number with which opponents of the war in Iraq hope to horrify and rally the American people to their cause.
Do they really think the family of Staff Sgt. George Alexander Jr., 34, of Killeen, Texas, want him remembered as a number?
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steve Boylan put it best in an e-mail to the media. ``I ask that when you report on the events, take a moment to think about the effects on the families and those serving in Iraq. The 2,000th Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine that is killed in action is just as important as the first that died and will be just as important as the last to die in this war against terrorism and to ensure freedom for a people who have not known freedom in over two generations.''
Say what you will about Cindy Sheehan. She buried a son and in my book she can tie herself to the White House fence or lie in the road or say the most outrageous things about the president and this country's policies. She doesn't represent the vast majority of military families but like them, she didn't abandon her son in a casket in the middle of the desert. She's honoring him, in her own way, a way many disagree with. But MoveOn.org dishonors him and this nation, raising money to forward political goals before the bodies of troops are even cold, without the bodies meaning anything at all.
President Bush is in deep political trouble because of a leak to the news media? With opponents like these, he's in no trouble at all.
Talk back at vbuckingham@bostonherald.com.

LOAD-DATE: October 27, 2005

133 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 27, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. 037

LENGTH: 410 words

HEADLINE: Protest song reborn

BYLINE: By Daniel Gewertz

BODY:
From rock to folk to pop (even, believe it or not, Burt Bacharach), there's no shortage of songsmiths bashing President Bush and the Iraq war this year. Though very few political songs were written during the war's early, popular days, now even songwriters who've never touched a political lyric are slinging slogans in full-protest mode. Some are writing fine songs, some just juggling jargon. 
ARTIST: SYSTEM OF A DOWN
SONG: ``B.Y.O.B.''
LYRIC BLAST: ``Why don't presidents fight the war?/Why do they always send the poor?''
GRIPE: Songwriter Daron Malakian compares the fighting in Iraq with the amoral fun of a zonked-out, blowout party.
ARTIST: ELIZA GILKYSON
SONG: ``Man of God''
LYRIC BLAST: ``The cowboy came out of the West/with his snakeskin boots and his bulletproof vest/gang of goons and his big war chest/Startin' up wars in the name of God's son/gonna blow us all the way to kingdom come.''
GRIPE: The arrogance of using religious righteousness to justify a first-strike war. What would Jesus do? As Gilkyson writes: ``Jesus said help the poor and the weak/If he lived today he'd be a liberal freak.''
ARTIST: THE MAMMALS
SONG: ``The Bush Boys''
LYRIC BLAST: ``Watcha gonna do George, who ya gonna blame?/You got blood on your hands from the oil grab game.''
GRIPE: From hijacking the election in 2000, to instigating a war America didn't need, a privileged Bush has taken advantage of friends and a father in high places: ``Hush little baby don't you cry/Daddy's gonna buy you an alibi.''
ARTIST: DAN BERN
SONG: ``Take Back the New Millennium.''
LYRIC BLAST: ``I don't think it's too late to turn it around/Don't think it's too late to throw the bums out of town.''
GRIPE: In 2000, it seemed new beginnings were possible, but between 9/11 and the catastrophic Bush years, the millennium dream turned nightmare. ``This one was gonna be ours,'' he writes. ``No oil family power'' should ``keep us from the world we deserve.'' No Bush-basher come-lately, in 2004, Bern wrote a song called ``Bush Must Be Defeated.''
ARTIST: BURT BACHARACH
SONG: ``Who Are These People?''
LYRIC BLAST: ``Who are these people that keep telling us lies?/And how did these people get control of our lives?''
GRIPE: After 50 years of letting others write the lines of love, composer Bacharach is writing his own topical lyrics on his new CD, ``At This Time,'' which hits stores Tuesday. At 77, with ``two little kids and a 19-year-old son,'' he is shocked to live in a society still waging war.

LOAD-DATE: October 27, 2005

134 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 27, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. 037

LENGTH: 594 words

HEADLINE: MUSIC; 
 Temper tantrum; 
 Singer lashes out at homeland insecurity

BYLINE: By Daniel Gewertz

BODY:
On seven previous albums, Texas singer-songwriter James McMurtry never wrote a single overtly political song.
McMurtry, who plays tomorrow at Johnny D's in Somerville, backed by the Heartless Bastards, claimed to be ``a little put off by activists.''
But his eighth and latest, ``Childish Things'' (Compadre), features a seven-minute gem of a protest song, ``We Can't Make It Here Anymore,'' a 10-verse onslaught of national woes that's getting attention and stirring controversy. 
Reading like a tough, terse catalog of America's shameful, seemingly intractable problems, it starts off with a handicapped Vietnam veteran turned beggar, and then roves through closed textile mills, unemployment, outsourcing, minimum wage inadequacy, the Iraq war, racism, lives wasted by drugs and how America's billionaires profit from all this American inequality.
``That's how it is, that's what we got/if the president wants to admit it or not,'' runs one line. And each verse ends with the bleak assessment ``We can't make it here anymore.''
Some have called McMurtry's ``Can't Make It'' the best protest song since ``Ohio'' and ``Masters of War.''
Others have hated it, admits the 43-year-old son of novelist Larry McMurtry. The once-apolitical singer has even begun a political blog (myspace.com/jamesmcmurtry).
Now a Vermont independent Senate candidate is using ``Can't Make It'' as his campaign song. And a Ohio disc jockey was fined by the FCC for playing the unedited song, which contains one expletive.
Herald: Get any hate-mail lately?
McMurtry: The minute I first sang the song live on an Austin radio station I instantly got nasty e-mails. A lot of negative reaction. Then I put it on the Internet. (www.compadrerecords.com/downloadpages/wecant.html) At shows, it gets the most vocal reaction of any song I've ever done. Mostly cheers. The reactions are extreme from both sides.
Any Republicans among your fans, especially in Texas?
I have a lot of Robert Earl Keen fans and he's big with the frat boys, who are mostly Republican. One lady brought a sign to a show that read ``Keep politics out of music.'' I guess she didn't listen to Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard, Toby Keith. I've avoided political songs before, because they can turn into sermons. But I feel I have to keep writing political now. Part of the reason this country got into this mess was that a lot of us got complacent. The people in power are stealing from us, and the war is part of that.
When the teenager in the song has to choose between being ``high on Jesus or hooked on dope,'' it sounds as if you believe those are the only two methods of salvation in a lot of America, and they are nearly equal dead ends.
I agree with that, but I can't say that's what the line means. Everyone can take it differently. I can say there's a meth epidemic in rural America. I've seen it.
You live in Austin, but still spend lots of time in Archer City, your dad's childhood home. Do you think Texas is the center of American madness?
Texans come by their madness honestly. I go deer hunting with my cousins. They have a fanatical obsession with property rights. It's a 19th century Texan understanding. Land separated people from the riff-raff. Tell 'em they can't do what they want with their land and it just drives them crazy. Some still believe what's good for American corporations is good for them. Arguing with them is like arguing with a black person about O.J. They see things through a completely different filter.
James McMurtry, with Kerri Powers at Johnny D's, Somerville, tomorrow. Tickets are $10. Call 617-776-2004.

GRAPHIC: RANT 'N' ROLL: James McMurtry catalogs problems he sees in America in ``We Can't Make It Here Anymore.''

LOAD-DATE: October 27, 2005

135 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 26, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 018

LENGTH: 315 words

HEADLINE: Pol's back from Iraq to retake Beacon Hill

BYLINE: By DAVE WEDGE

BODY:
A Romney administration official who spent seven months in Iraq monitoring a Baghdad war prison with military brass is back on the job days after returning from the Middle East - and ``grateful'' to be home. 
``You live on adrenaline in Baghdad and as soon as you get on that plane (to come home), that adrenaline evaporates. That alone takes a physical toll on you,'' said Brian Golden, a former state representative from Allston who is now state commissioner of telecommunications and energy. ``It takes awhile to get your head back in the game of civilian life.''
Golden, a 40-year-old Army Reserve major and attorney, was deployed in April, weeks after stepping down from the Legislature to take the Romney Cabinet post. While in Iraq, he worked closely with Army Gen. George W. Casey - a fellow Allstonian - monitoring detention facilities and deciding the fate of Iraqi detainees.
He recalled tense rides through the desert marked by fires and explosions, and mortar blasts at the base where he was stationed, including some that injured and killed people.
``There's always a strong level of fear but not enough to prevent you from functioning,'' he said. ``But usually what I dealt with was disbelief, instead of fear.''
Despite the bombs - and with Beacon Hill a world away - Golden managed to stay in touch with state energy officials via e-mail. After going through Army ``reunion'' briefings aimed at preparing returning soldiers, he arrived home three weeks ago.
He spent a week with his pregnant wife, Kristin, and their 4-year-old daughter at Storyland in New Hampshire before heading back to work.
Golden's new mission: lowering energy prices in the Bay State.
``You come out of several months (in Iraq) and you are convinced you will never look at the world the same way again,'' he said. ``You realize we are just so fortunate here. I'm grateful for every moment I spend back here.''

GRAPHIC: WORLDS AWAY: Former state Rep. Brian Golden of Allston, now the state's telecommunication and energy commissioner, is back at the State House, left, after spending more than six months in Iraq, right, monitoring detention facilities as an Army Reserve major. STAFF PHOTO, LEFT, BY JOHN WILCOX

LOAD-DATE: October 26, 2005

136 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 26, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 026

LENGTH: 295 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Signs of progress still visible in Iraq

BODY:
Progress in Iraq can be difficult to measure. This week, Americans have two yardsticks at their disposal to gauge how far we have come, and how far we have to go, before Iraqis have the ability to stand on their own. 
The cynics will turn to the symbolism of the 2,000th American casualty, a tragedy by any measure that can not be overlooked or minimized. Whether the first or the 1,999th, every American life lost in the cause of freeing Iraqis from the grip of a dictator is cause for reflection and mourning.
But it would be hideously unfair to the memory of those who have died to brush aside a different measure of progress in Iraq - one they worked so hard to secure. That is the overwhelming approval by free Iraqis of a constitution, a charter backed by 79 percent of the people that will guide this Saddam-less nation toward democracy.
``By any standard or precedent of history, Iraq has made incredible political progress, from tyranny to liberation to national elections to the ratification of a constitution in the space of two and a half years,'' President Bush said. Again, the cynics may choose to dispute this indisputable milestone, citing alleged Sunni disenfranchisement. But even the U.N. has affirmed the fairness of the election after a thorough audit - conducted by newly-empowered Iraqis themselves.
Of course, troubling signs of instability persist. Al-Qaeda in Iraq has claimed responsibility for a series of suicide bombings on Monday that targeted journalists, security contractors and Iraqi civilians. Terrorism is alive and well in Iraq, and any progress toward freedom will be at risk until it can be suppressed.
Progress in Iraq is slow, but in the endorsement of a new constitution, it is there for anyone to see. It simply must not be ignored.

LOAD-DATE: October 26, 2005

137 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 25, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 026

LENGTH: 714 words

HEADLINE: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

BODY:
Judges make sacrifices
Yes, indeed we should know that Judge Mark Lawton, Judge Terry Craven and Judge Michael Creedon are judges because of their fathers and their families (``Let's judge relative merit of hack pay hike,'' Oct. 16). And thank goodness they were taught that money doesn't matter because you could not pay me enough to do the jobs they do. These judges have given their lives to public service, because their families taught them that to those much is given, much is expected. Yes, they were luckier than some: Their families pushed them to study, to work hard and to be the best they can be.
If columnist Howie Carr thinks that Jim Craven could have reached from his grave to appoint Terry Craven a judge, that would be quite a trick. Terry Craven earned her position, as did Judge Lawton and Judge Creedon. My husband and his friends were juvenile probation officers with Judge Craven before she was Judge Craven. Many of them spent time in Judge Lawton's courtroom and the stories that they tell about the fairness and the interest that these judges take in these cases always amazed me. 
Why doesn't Carr talk to some of these people before he writes about salaries? And why don't we all take a moment to say a prayer for Judge Lawton's son, Tim, on the front lines in Iraq.
- Karen Hickman, West Roxbury
It's evacuees' money
Many evacuees came here with ATM cards and cash from relatives (``Way off base,'' Oct. 18). They have a right to spend that money as they wish.
I know for a fact that some Katrina victims are shopping with their own money from previous accounts and jobs.
I have friends and relatives there who are still getting paid from their jobs. They were waiting for housing and employment at Camp Edwards. They have a right to spend their money the way they choose.
These are American citizen who have paid taxes just like you. They cannot be restricted from drinking alcohol or going to strip clubs simply because they were invited to live on a military base in Massachusetts.
- Frances Beard, Newton
Gratitude missing
My wife and I think it's awful what the evacuees are doing after all of the people here opened their hearts and pocket to help them (``Way off base,'' Oct. 18). Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. Too bad the money didn't go to the homeless here instead.
Next time there is a disaster, my wife and I will think twice before we donate.
- Francis E. Sensale, Medford
Police priorities off
While the article ``Days of violence'' (Oct. 23) clearly reports another weekend and week of shootings, stabbings and other assaults in Boston, the previous day's article (``Police ordered to traffic enforcement . . . or else,'' Oct. 22) shows that while the already limited number of police officers in Boston are counting bullets, knives, robberies etc., the city would rather they count traffic tickets.
- Christopher Kennedy, Boston
Air safety compromised
Once again, we see how nothing has changed with checkpoint screening at Logan International Airport (``Logan: 1st class jerks,'' Oct. 9).
The Herald reports on how screeners are dealing with short staffing, favoritism and poor leadership. These are the exact issues that were plaguing private screeners prior to 9/11. There is still not sufficient or proper oversight.
Reporter Casey Ross should be asking Susan Taraskeiwicz's family about why Logan continues to perform as a theater of the absurd.
- Mike Moran, Derry, N.H.
No secrecy at BPD
The Herald's assertion that the Boston Police Department is intentionally withholding information for some political purpose is absolutely absurd (Oct. 21). We operate a police department, not a political machine. We are open to constructive feedback and honest criticism. The Herald's recent stories provide neither.
In reality, the BPD is providing information more quickly than ever before. Until recently, it took months to compile and disseminate crime reports. Since launching the Boston Regional Intelligence Center six months ago, raw crime data is available in days. But, determined to do better, we are implementing the Incident Tracking System that will provide real-time, reliable crime stats, not only to police and reporters, but also to those living and working in local neighborhoods.
- Kathleen O'Toole, Commissioner Boston Police Department

LOAD-DATE: October 25, 2005

138 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 23, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 014

LENGTH: 611 words

HEADLINE: `Miss Run Amok' told tall tales of Iraq in post-Sept. 11 Times

BYLINE: By Margery Eagan

BODY:
Most of us in the workaday world have known someone like New York Times reporter Judith Miller, now at the center of a scandal that could send the President's top men to jail.
``A sharp-elbowed hustler,'' someone called her Friday. ``A loon'' and ``weapons grade egomaniac,'' says Slate's Jack Shafer. ``Miss Run Amok,'' she calls herself because, as she explains, ``I can do whatever I want.'' 
And yet she mesmerized, fooled and seduced her clueless bosses. Meanwhile colleagues disdained, distrusted even despised her - but did nothing. It takes gumption to burst the boss' bubble, to risk being tarred a jealous, whining, tattle-telling stooge.
From thousands of words now written about the rise, and fall, of Judith Miller, here are some examples of why she drove other Times reporters crazy.
- Because rules that applied to them did not apply to her. When she was living with Les Aspin, then a congressman, later Clinton's secretary of defense, Aspin appeared repeatedly in her national security pieces. No mention that he was the boyfriend, too.
- Because she'd turn on colleagues vulturelike. One terrified underling gave up his desk, phone and work station outright when Miller took it over and his editors, petrified, let her.
- Because they knew she was messing up, hurting them and the paper's credibility. Craig Pyes, who co-wrote an al-Qaeda series with Miller, actually did speak up. ``I do not trust her work, her judgment, or her conduct,'' he told his bosses, claiming she'd just turned in a story filled with ``factual inacccuracies.''
This was in 2000, a year before Miller's blockbuster, ``Iraqi Defector Tells of Work on at Least 20 Hidden Weapons Sites.'' Two years before her, ``CIA Hunts Iraq Tie to Soviet Smallpox'' and ``Iraq Said to Try to Buy Antidote Against Nerve Gas.'' Three years before her, ``U.S. Says Hussein Intensifies Quest for A-Bomb Parts.''
Miller wrote these stories under banner headlines in America's so-called paper of record. The problem? They were wrong.
But each was used by the Bush administration to build a case for invading Iraq. Her ``facts'' were quoted by Vice President Dick Cheney on ``Meet the Press.'' 
So it's not just that she got it wrong. It's that her errors helped push us into war. ``It's that the liberal (New York Times) became Dick Cheney's mouthpiece,'' says former Boston magazine editor Craig Unger, Middle East expert and author of ``House of Bush, House of Saud.''
And now, weeks after we endured a collective crisis of confidence in government's ability to protect us from disaster, we face a crisis in confidence in a newspaper that's an American institution, a shaper of destiny, really.
Now? I don't know what to think except that Miss Run Amok was let loose not on the food page but on the most important story in our post-9/11 world.
Needless to say, your average off-the-reservation office worker does not have such an impact on the course of history.
You know many of us in that average workaday world have said at least a hundred times, ``What I could've done if only I'd had more time, more help, good advice?''
In the news business there's never enough time. At The New York Times, though, one imagined help and advice aplenty, thoughtfulness, caution; that the best and brightest ruled.
Young reporters read all about ``the great gray lady'' in books like Gay Talese's ``The Kingdom and Power'' or in former Times' essayist Mary Cantwell's memoirs. I clipped and filed stories, now mustard yellow, by favorite Times writers Russell Baker and Dudley Clendinen. The idea that a reporter there could ``do whatever I want,'' no matter what, for 20-plus years?
It was inconceivable to me. But not anymore.

LOAD-DATE: October 23, 2005

139 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 23, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 007

LENGTH: 384 words

HEADLINE: STRESS OF WAR HAUNTS VETS; 
 Funds needed for PTSD treatment

BYLINE: By Jessica Heslam

BODY:
An increasing number of Iraq war vets are returning home to Massachusetts with post-traumatic stress disorder, but unlike vets in other New England states, many are facing obstacles as they seek the care they desperately need, families and advocates say.
PTSD isn't considered a biologically based condition in the Bay State and isn't included in the state's parity law - allowing health insurers to limit the amount of treatment they'll cover.
``In other words, if you have PTSD and need weekly therapy, they can say we will cover 24 sessions a year and the rest has to come out of your pocket,'' said Dr. Donald Wexler, associate professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine. 
``It's not enough,'' said Wexler, who has a private practice in Cambridge and specializes in PTSD. ``It's an increasing problem.''
Parity laws in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Rhode Island have been expanded to include PTSD. People with PTSD in those states are entitled to the same care as if they had any chronic medical condition such as cancer, Wexler said.
Iraq veterans are guaranteed health and mental care through the Veterans Affairs system, but only about 16 percent of all Bay State war veterans use those services. That's because many vets don't trust the government, want privacy or would prefer to get treatment at renowned Boston hospitals, doctors say.
Compounding the problem is the financially strapped VA system.
``They are coming back from Iraq with serious conditions on their hands. We have people who need treatment. We need more money to deal with both Afghanistan and Iraq veterans,'' said Bill Mark, the PTSD coordinator at the Bedford Veterans Affairs Hospital.
Mark estimates one in six Iraq vets are dealing with ``combat issues.'' He added: ``It's a lifelong mental disorder. It's tragic.''
He said the condition can be worse among Iraq veterans because many have done several combat tours. Even vets who have been diagnosed with PTSD are being sent back overseas.
Two bills are pending that would expand the state's parity law to include eating disorders and substance abuse - but, so far, not for PTSD.
Marylou Buyse, president of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, said her group doesn't support mandates. ``It adds tremendously to the cost of healthcare,'' Buyse said. 

LOAD-DATE: October 23, 2005

140 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 23, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 007

LENGTH: 226 words

HEADLINE: Parents blame soldier's suicide on post-traumatic stress disorder

BYLINE: By Jessica Heslam

BODY:
Marine Reserve Cpl. Jeffrey Lucey returned home from the Iraq war a different man.
At first, he pulled away from his friends.  
During a trip to the Cape with his girlfriend, he stayed indoors, saying he had seen enough sand to last a lifetime.
As the weeks and months wore on, Lucey drank more, became paranoid and began hallucinating. He thought elderly people - like the ones he saw being shot overseas - were touching him. At age 23 in June 2004 - eleven months after returning home from the war - Lucey hanged himself in his family's Belchertown basement.
Lucey suffered from late-onset post-traumatic stress disorder but never got the help he needed, said his father, Kevin Lucey, who found his only son's dead body.
``Jeff died from the results of post-traumatic stress disorder,'' Lucey said. ``I'm worried about other families.''
Jeff Lucey saw a private therapist but didn't want the VA's help because he was afraid they would contact the military and they'd think he was weak.
His parents committed him to the Northampton VA Medical Center in Leeds about three weeks before his death. Even though he had talked about suicide there, the VA released him four days later, his father said. They tried to commit him again, but the VA wouldn't take him, his father said.
``The system is lacking,'' the elder Lucey said. ``We know that there are so many Jeffreys.''

GRAPHIC: GONE: Joyce and Kevin Lucey of Belchertown, above, reflect on the life of their son, Cpl. Jeffrey Lucey, right, who committed suicide in June 2004, 11 months after returning home from service in Iraq. AP photos

LOAD-DATE: October 23, 2005

141 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 23, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. 041

LENGTH: 555 words

HEADLINE: MUSIC; 
 Latest anti-war movement finds Baez in fighting form

BYLINE: By Daniel Gewertz

BODY:
Joan Baez once changed America's cultural landscape. Martin Scorcese's recent Bob Dylan documentary film was a stirring reminder of how this young queen of the folk revival was among the most influential performers of the early 1960s.
Today, at a youthful 64, Baez says it is the current cultural landscape that is changing her.
``The whole context in which I do my concerts has been changed this year by Cindy Sheehan and the (Iraq) war,'' said Baez, who is singing more political and traditional folk songs in concert than at any point since the '60s. 
Baez, who performs Tuesday and Wednesday at the Somerville Theatre, spent time visiting the protestors at ``Camp Casey'' near President Bush's Crawford, Texas, ranch, during the August vigil of Sheehan and her fellow anti-war activists.
``I had intended to go to Camp Casey for a night, and I stayed for a week,'' Baez said. ``In the evenings, I'd do this combination of singing and telling stories of the (political work) I've done. I met with groups of vets and Gold Star mothers. It was very, very compelling to be there. The talks would go on every night. One woman spoke of the great relief it was to speak out. She felt it was like breathing again to be in a place where people understood her, and didn't criticize her.
``How,'' Baez asked, ``do you scrape up the courage to say what those women say. `My kid died, and for what?' I can't think of anything more difficult to say.''
On Sept. 25, she sang four songs at an anti-war rally in Washington, D.C.
``For this new tour, I've scaled down the band, and I've felt the freedom to go back to my roots,'' she said.
Baez has managed, in the last decade, to remain hip and contemporary without losing her musical identity. She calls her new, live CD, ``Bowery Songs,'' recorded in 2004, ``a transitional work.''
``I already had it in my head to do more traditional folk ballads, and have less of a band,'' she said. ``I never thought I'd sing (Dylan's) `With God On Our Side' again. It was a period piece.''
In fact, she never stopped singing Dylan songs. In 1965 Baez included four of them on her ``Farewell, Angelina'' album, even though Dylan had just ended their famous love affair, and even refused to allow Baez onstage with him on his British tour.
``I just had to separate the issues,'' she said. ``The songs stand on their own, unlike anything other people have written. And now they are so appropriate to the times again, it's extraordinary.''
Baez had not spoken much about Dylan in the past 20 years, but when asked to appear in Scorcese's film, her manager convinced her that this was the perfect chance to make a definitive statement about that storied period when Baez, already a star, introduced Dylan to her audience.
``I've loosened up considerably after doing the film,'' she said. ``It's a wonderful documentary, a beautiful portrait of the times. I learned a ton. I didn't know a third of that stuff!''
Baez admits that the Dylan caught on film was surprisingly vulnerable, honest and fond-hearted. The moment he apologized for his bad behavior while in love with Baez ``floored'' her.
``And,'' she noted with a giggle, ``when he said my voice was staggering, I thought that was wonderful.''
That voice still is.
Joan Baez, Tuesday and Wednesday at 8 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre. Tickets are $41. Call 617-625-4088.

LOAD-DATE: October 23, 2005

142 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 21, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. e05

LENGTH: 545 words

HEADLINE: MUSIC; 
 Bonnie Raitts tribute by peers

BYLINE: By SARAH RODMAN

BODY:
Bonnie Raitt has spent a good portion of her career celebrating other artists. The 55-year-old rock veteran has collaborated with everyone from John Lee Hooker to John Mayer, tirelessly talked up the songwriters who've contributed to her albums, and paid eloquent tribute to such heroes and contemporaries as Ray Charles, Charles Brown, Jackson Browne, Willie Nelson and Etta James.
Now it's her turn to get some props. Next month a group of folks will get together to celebrate Raitt, when VH1 devotes the second of its ``Decades Live'' concerts to honoring the California native. 
``I feel pretty great about it,'' says Raitt about the special, which was recorded at the Trump Taj Mahal and airs Nov. 18.
``These are some pretty toney people,'' she says of participants Alison Krauss, Norah Jones, Keb' Mo' and Ben Harper. ``I love their work and when I asked them if they would be part of the show, they immediately said yes, which is just such a compliment.''
The tribute feels both overdue and premature for the flame-haired singer-songwriter and esteemed slide guitaritst, who is hitting the road this month to promote the 18th release of her 35-year career, the contemplative and lovely ``Souls Alike.''
The tour, which comes Sunday to the Orpheum, is just one piece of a very busy schedule that includes working on the VH1 special, promoting her album and participating in Hurricane Katrina benefits.
Raitt has close ties to New Orleans, not only because of the obvious musical connection to her stew of funk, soul and rock, but through band members from the area.
``The events of New Orleans were brought home so much because (keyboardist) Jon Cleary's in my band and so many of his musician friends and our community down there that we're so tightly connected with were really having such a terrible time,'' Raitt says by phone from a tour stop in Buffalo, N.Y.
One song from ``Souls Alike,'' the solemn Randall Bramblett-penned reggae number ``God Was in the Water,'' now seems eerily prescient in its imagery. Raitt hadn't even really considered the ``synchronicity'' of the song, she says, ``until I started singing the song this week on tour. Almost all the reviewers and interviewers have been mentioning it. So it definitely has more resonance.''
A longtime activist, the Radcliffe grad sees the war in Iraq, a dependence on fossil fuels and U.S. environmental policies as contributors to the Gulf Coast devastation.
``I think this message about switching over to alternative fuel couldn't be made more clearly, and we have a really big shot at the rest of America agreeing with it,'' she says, pointing out that, like many other artists, she's using biodiesel fuel for her buses and trucks on tour.
Busier than ever, retirement is not a word in Raitt's current vocabulary. She thinks it's ``absolutely lame'' when critics harangue artists for continuing to rock and roll into their AARP years.
``When I see all the journalists that I've talked to for the last 30 years get booted off to retirement villages because they're 55, we can all talk about how the whole idea of ageism is silly in the first place.''
A sentiment surely worth celebrating.
Bonnie Raitt, with Maia Sharp, Sunday at the Orpheum. Tickets are $37-$49. Call 617-931-2000 or go to www.ticketmaster.com

LOAD-DATE: October 21, 2005

143 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 21, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. e10

LENGTH: 401 words

HEADLINE: Jokers Wild; 
 Quinn finds reality shows `Surreal'

BYLINE: By SEAN L. McCARTHY

BODY:
Despite what you may have heard or read, Colin Quinn isn't going to replace Howard Stern on your morning radio.
``That's just talk,'' the 46-year-old New York comic said earlier this week. ``Eh. I'm not going to do that. I did a test thing, but I didn't know it was to replace Stern.'' 
Asked if he's as qualified to take over a nationally syndicated, top-rated morning radio show as Harriet Miers is to become a U.S. Supreme Court judge, Quinn laughed. ``I would say, yes, that's a very good analogy,'' Quinn said.
Talk about a ``Tough Crowd.''
That was Quinn's late-night TV talker that followed ``The Daily Show With Jon Stewart'' for several months on Comedy Central. Quinn hasn't seen ``The Colbert Report,'' nor is he in a mood to launch another TV project with Comedy Central just yet.
``Right now they aggravate me,'' he said. ``But we go back to MTV, me and a lot of (the execs). They bug me though, them and their philosophies on what is funny. I blame your neck of the woods. One of them is from Rhode Island and the other one went to Emerson, so you tell me what's going on.''
What's next for Quinn, then?
``I'm obsessed with `The Surreal Life,' watching Omarosa and Janice Dickinson. When those two start fighting, it's just amazing,'' he said. ``It's just the whole thing of people agreeing to do it. You just go, wha? You just admire the freedom of them knowing it's over.
``In some ways they don't think it's over. They're admitting, you know, I'm at the bottom, but then they're saying, you know, this could be my shot back.''
Previous seasons of the VH1 ``celebreality'' show have produced spinoff ``dating'' shows for Flavor Flav and Brigitte Nielsen, as well as for Chris Knight and Adrianne Curry.
``If they pick you, you have to wonder, am I the normal one who gets a spinoff because I'm normal? Or am I the one who gets a spinoff because I'm really pyschotic?'' Quinn asked.
Which leads him to news that Sly Stallone is going to make ``Rocky 6.''
``That is really horrifying,'' Quinn said. ``Can't they make it about his downfall? I liked the first one, but by the time the second one came out I just wanted to go down to Philadelphia and tear down that statue like they did with Saddam Hussein in Iraq.''
``An Evening With Colin Quinn,'' tonight and tomorrow at the Comedy Connection Boston inside Quincy Market. Shows at 8:15 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $25 tonight, $30 tomorrow. Call 617-248-9700.

LOAD-DATE: October 21, 2005

144 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 20, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 016

LENGTH: 851 words

HEADLINE: INSIDE TRACK; 
 Tone-deaf crooners tackle tunes for the troops

BYLINE: By Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa with Erin Hayes

BODY:
How much would you pay to belt out ``It's Raining Men'' with Tom Brady? Whitesnake with Adam Vinatieri? ``Respect'' with Tedy Bruschi?
Well, New England Patriots' superPatriot Larry Izzo is throwing a little karaoke party with a gang of his teammates next week to raise some dough for the families of American servicemen killed or disabled in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
``This is a great way for us here in Boston to do something for the troops serving overseas and their families,'' Izzo told the Track. ``And you get to see your favorite Patriots players attempting to sing.'' 
Izzo said he's ``working on his playlist'' for the event but promises that his first number will not be ``a love ballad.''
``Maybe the second one,'' he said. ``The first will be a little more up-tempo.''
Well, ``Livin' On A Prayer'' by Bill Belichick's bud Jon Bon Jovi is always a crowd pleaser!
Izzo said he will have an American Idol-esque panel of judges to critique performers who will include Dallas Mavericks madman owner Mark Cuban, NECN karaoke king Chet Curtis and Pats players who have already faced the music.
``So they can rag on the next group if they like.''
Izzo, a military brat whose dad graduated from West Point and retired from the Army as a full colonel after 23 years in the service, visited the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with the USO after the last Super Bowl.
``I had the incredible opportunity to say thank you to these soldiers who are over there defending our country,'' he said. ``It motivated me to bring attention to the fact that there is still a war going on in Afghanistan and these soldiers and the servicemen in Iraq are away from home and their loved ones and that cannot be forgotten.''
Corporate sponsorships - which include a turn on stage singing with one of the players - start at $1,000 and a few are still available. Tickets to the Monday event at Avalon are $50 and available at Ticketmaster. Get the 411 at www.larryizzosalutetothetroops.com.
BTW, Izzo said Physically Able To Perform linebacker Tedy Bruschi ``looked good, looked good,'' in his first official practice yesterday.
``It's great to have him back,'' he said.
We'll Salute that!
Banging the drums, slowly
We hear on-the-mend Aerosmith sticksman Joey Kramer won't ENTIRELY sit out the Boston Bad Boys' new tour that kicks off at the end of the month.
Word is, the band's longtime drummer, who is recovering from rotator cuff surgery, will be ``Rockin' the Joint'' with Steven Tyler & Company when they hit the stage.
But when Joey's shoulder starts screamin' ```Dream On' if you think you're going to play another song,'' his sticks-wielding son, Jesse, will pound the skins whilst Dad ices his shoulder backstage.
Word is, Jesse, 24, is rehearsing with the band after getting a quickie primer on the old and new Aero-tunes from the old man. Joey, we hear, went out to La-La to bring his Left Coast progeny up to speed.
``They really, really didn't want to go out of the family to get a drummer,'' said a backstage spy. ``It was actually Brad (Whitford) who called Steven to put the bug in his ear about Jesse, who has been playing the L.A. club scene for quite a while. And it's not like they didn't know what he could do. He's been touring with them since he was a little kid!''
Check out both Kramers' moves Oct. 30 at the Mohegan Sun or at the TD Banknorth Garden on Nov. 12.
WILD news about Willie
``Coach'' Willie Maye & the crew from WILD-AM are movin' on up to the FM band today.
HOT 97.7 FM is now WILD-FM - ``The People's Station.'' And the old 'ILD, has gone gospel as the new Praise 1090 AM. Alleluia!
Russ Parr's syndicated show was deep-sixed, but Tom Joyner's popular national morning broadcast moves over to the FM band starting at 6 a.m. with Coach rapping about sports during the breaks.
File Under: WILD Things.
WE HEAR:
- That Frank and Joe Ciota's ``Stiffs,'' the comedy about a couple of bumbling Boston funeral directors, will begin filming in the Hub next month.
- That Mike ``Boogie Mike'' Malin of Concord, N.H., who can be seen on Bravo's ``Battle of the Network Reality Stars,'' is running the sizzling hot celeb eatery Geisha House in Hollywood. And he hopes his Dolce Group - which includes investors Ashton Kutcher and Wilmer Valderamma - will soon open three other night spots in Atlanta. In between his club biz, he managed to score a role in Snoop Dogg's upcoming comedy ``Urban Sprawl.''
- That MIX 98.5 morning show babe Kelly Malone's dulcet tones will also be heard during the Boston Bruins' home games. She's scored the gig as the team's promotions PA announcer.
- That chef Stephanie Sokolove of Stephanie's on Newbury fame opened her Newton manse - and its chi-chi kitchen - to Traditional Home maggie. Check out the 10-page spread in November's ``Classic Women'' issue.
- And that Georgi Parvanov, the president of the Republic of Bulgaria, pined to be courtside at the Boston Celtics-Chicago Bulls' pre-season showdown last night at the Garden. The Bulgarian biggie, who is on a U.S. tour, has been a Green Team fan since his Brandeis days.
Drop dimes to trackgals@bostonherald.com or 617-619-6488.

GRAPHIC: PATRIOTIC `SALUTE': New England Patriot Larry Izzo, right, and his pal, WAAF morning man Greg Hill, tune up for Izzo's karaoke `Salute to the Troops' party Monday at Avalon.

LOAD-DATE: October 20, 2005

145 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 19, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 023

LENGTH: 57 words

HEADLINE: NEWS in Brief; 
 Bill would give vets license of honor

BODY:
A National Guardsman who served in Iraq is among those supporting a bill sponsored by state Sen. Scott Brown (R-Wrentham) that would provide special license plate decals to returning veterans to commemorate their service.
``Every time I go out on the highway and I see one of those veteran's plates, I take notice,'' said Iraq vet Paul Couturier.

LOAD-DATE: October 19, 2005

146 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 19, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 026

LENGTH: 297 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 Shades of Sheehan haunt Beacon Hill

BODY:
A handful of military families went to Beacon Hill this week on a mission they had to have known would fail. But like Cindy Sheehan, they saw an opportunity to advance their anti-war cause.
Local members of the anti-war group Military Families Speak Out met with Gov. Mitt Romney, an unabashed supporter of President Bush and the military effort in Iraq, and asked him to order home the 1,000 Mass. National Guard troops currently serving overseas. 
Forget for a moment that Romney doesn't even have the authority to order such a recall; once overseas, the state forces answer to the president as commander in chief.
The larger issue is that the men and women who serve in the Guard do so with the full knowledge that volunteering means a possible deployment to a war zone. Surely these families understand that their relatives weren't forced to join up.
No doubt the family members, some tearful and angry, wanted more than just to put Romney on the spot. They were seeking some official reassurance that their loved ones will return home safely, soon.
But no one can promise them that, least of all the governor, who rightly defended the need to see this conflict through to its conclusion lest it cost more American and Iraqi lives.
The meeting appeared to be just as much a launching pad for an ill-conceived ballot campaign to block future deployments as it was a plea for the governor's support. The families probably found little comfort in Romney's acknowledgment that faulty intelligence led to the Iraq invasion, and he won't order the troops home.
Still, on the same day he attended the funeral of a fallen soldier from Franklin, Romney was right to listen to these families who are making painful sacrifices so their loved ones may serve. He is still the state's commander in chief.

LOAD-DATE: October 19, 2005

147 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 19, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 026

LENGTH: 720 words

HEADLINE: Letters to the Editor

BODY:
Off base, indeed
If there is any more cogent argument for getting the government out of charity work than your picture and story about able-bodied men using our tax dollars to get drunk in Falmouth, I have not seen it (Oct. 18). These men are here because of the generosity of taxpayers and their government.
This is the most productive way that these grown men can think of to use their time here? This is their way of appreciating the kindness of strangers? 
It is perhaps time to send them back to New Orleans where their obviously well fed bodies can be put to some use, clearing debris or rebuilding broken homes. We are doing these men no favors by allowing them to remain here, with a stipend to keep them in alcohol, and no useful work for their hands to do.
- Cynthia Neil, Marstons Mills
On side of angels
Three cheers for Lt. Jack McLean, who did the right thing. Not the politically correct thing or the Catholic thing but the right thing (``A new low in battle over E. Boston church,'' Oct. 17). His mother should be very proud of him. We need more citizens like Lt. McLean, who can differentiate what is right from wrong and stand up for that truth no matter what label is on the issue. The Catholic hierarchy has become the Pharisees and Archbishop Sean O'Malley is their Caiaphus. They are a burden on the people.
- Mary T. Mazzarella, Andover
Church will survive
As a part-time resident of Massachusetts, I am always amazed and appalled at the barbaric treatment the Catholic Church receives at the hands of the media (``A new low in battle over E. Boston church,'' Oct. 17). Pathetic potshots such as chastising the Archdiocese of Boston over its handling of a recent dinner at Our Lady of Mount Carmel speak volumes about your paper, not about the church's hierarchy.
As I tossed the paper in the trash can, I felt a small measure of comfort recalling recent wisdom imparted to me by my mother: The Catholic Church will survive long after our local newspapers fade into well-deserved extinction.
- Teresa Needham, Yarmouth
Have faith in us
In addition to hiring new teachers, developing additional vocational programs and expanding capacity of the Correctional Recovery Academy, we have reached out to the faith-based community, seeking volunteers and post-release mentors (``Send out the clowns,'' Oct. 11). Research supports the premise that training and education while in prison and post-release supervision and mentoring decrease recidivism.
The Governor's Commission on Criminal Justice Innovations acknowledged that the faith-based community is a critical stakeholder in re-entry planning and the Governor's Commission on Correction Reform, chaired by Scott Harshbarger, urges the department to expand volunteer programs to have inmates use time responsibly and productively, increase education level and employment skills and change criminal thinking and behavior. The vast majority of Department of Correction volunteers are religious based; we are seeking more.
Operation Starting Line, well-received in more than 21 states, the Federal Bureau of Prisons and by several Massachusetts Sheriffs, seeks to change inmate behavior through embracing Christian values, increasing volunteers leading prison Bible study and providing mentors to releasing inmates. Christian witness was given by gospel singers, comedians and recovering drug abusers. There were no clowns. This is serious work.
- Veronica M. Madden, Assoc. Commissioner of Re-entry and Reintegration, Mass. Department of Correction
Not dressed for success
Virginia Buckingham is correct: There is no blue dress coming back to haunt the Bush administration (``With fine-tuning, White House could roll on,'' Oct. 18). There are, however, body bags haunting this administration - an administration that lied to the American people about the reason why we went into Iraq.
- George McWhinnie, Jamaica Plain
All vets eligible
In response to a reader's letter, the tuition waiver in the pending veterans bill does apply to all veterans. Gov. Mitt Romney testified in favor of this bill at a hearing on Oct. 11 before the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. In addition to tuition waivers, the bill also includes waivers of fees at state colleges and universities for veterans.
- Tom Kelley, Secretary, Department of Veterans Services, Commonwealth of Mass.

LOAD-DATE: October 19, 2005

148 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 18, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 177 words

HEADLINE: Franklin Marine remembered as a hero

BYLINE: By DAVID RILEY (MILFORD DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
FRANKLIN - Lance Cpl. Shayne Cabino was mourned yesterday as a young Marine who sacrificed his life out of love for friends, family and his country. 
St. John's Episcopal Church on Pleasant Street could not hold all those who attended the 19-year-old Marine's funeral. Through tears, Cabino's family described his infectious smile and his bright blue eyes.
``Shayne is a hero, and he'll be remembered as a hero,'' said his sister, Brandi Cabino-Navas.
Cabino, of Franklin, joined the Marines after graduating from high school a year ago. He was killed Oct. 6 with three other Marines by a roadside bomb near Karmah, Iraq.
``He was extremely proud, and rightfully so, of the uniform he wore and the fact that he was serving his country,'' said the Rev. John Sullivan of the family's church, Tri-County Full Gospel Fellowship of Franklin.
A cousin, Greg Thompson, said he was not surprised when Cabino joined the Marines: ``That's what people of his character do. They see the world as it is and as it should be, and they set about completely, boldly . . . to change it.''

LOAD-DATE: October 18, 2005

149 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 18, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 276 words

HEADLINE: Wilson calls CIA leak defamation campaign

BYLINE: By RICK HOLMES (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
WORCESTER - Joseph Wilson is at the center of the storm raging over his wife being outed as a CIA undercover agent.
Yesterday, Wilson said he's not about to let it crush either of them. 
``There's an old African saying, `When the elephants fight, it's the grass that gets trampled,' '' he said. ``I've tried to guard against either my wife or I being a blade of grass.''
Wilson's criticism of the Bush administration's rhetoric in the runup to the war in Iraq likely prompted the leak of the identity of his wife, Valerie Plame. A grand jury is now wrapping up its investigation of the leak, amid speculation that indictments could be brought against top White House aides.
Speaking to reporters at Clark University, his first stop on a 10-day speaking tour, Wilson recounted his 2002 trip to Niger, taken at the behest of the CIA, to investigate reports Saddam Hussein was trying to purchase 500 tons of uranium for a nuclear program. A former ambassador with experience in Niger, Wilson reported back it would be impossible for Iraq to make a purchase without it being obvious.
The big picture, Wilson said, was ``the administration misinformed the American people about the threat of Saddam Hussein.''
Building support for the war was the task of the White House Iraq Group, which included Chief of Staff Andrew Card, top political adviser Karl Rove, Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff I. Lewis ``Scooter'' Libby, Condoleezza Rice and a few others. That group, Wilson said, likely signed off on the decision to leak his wife's name to reporters.
``This was not political hardball,'' Wilson said. ``It was a defamation campaign against myself and my wife.''

GRAPHIC: TARGETED: Joseph Wilson poses for a photo in November with his wife, Valerie Plame, a Central Intelligence Agency operative whose name was leaked to the press. GETTY IMAGES FILE PHOTO

LOAD-DATE: October 18, 2005

150 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 18, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 031

LENGTH: 610 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 With fine-tuning, White House could roll on

BYLINE: By Virginia Buckingham

BODY:
The media is hip deep into ``the wheels coming off the Bush administration wagon'' story. And like much in politics, there is a bit of truth to that mixed with a bit of fiction.
The biggest fiction is that the independent inquiry into adviser Karl Rove and the vice president's chief of staff Scooter Libby says anything at all about the integrity of this president.
There is no blue dress in this drama. There are two operatives doing their job to steer reporters off of a bum story - in this case that the vice president himself had sent Ambassador Joseph Wilson to Niger to investigate Iraq's weapons plans. There's a hapless New York Times reporter who sat in jail for two months to prove some point about confidentiality of sources when her source told her a year earlier she could tell what she knew (which, it turns out, included her inability to get the name right of the villainess, ``Valerie Flame''). And there's an ambitious prosecutor who makes Ken Starr look like Solomon by comparison. 
This weekend's vote by millions of Iraqis on a new constitution speaks more directly to the legacy of this administration, which no matter what else happens, will be the remarkable spread of freedom to millions of people around the world.
Nonetheless, it's a mistake to always swing for the fences when a well-placed bunt will do.
While keeping one eye on his place in history, President Bush needs to do a far better job at steering the course of current events. As U.S. outrage at the ham-handed response to the Gulf Coast crisis proves, we rightly expect our government to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time.
So how does Bush regain his footing? To his credit, he won't simply fire somebody, the political equivalent of rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. New blood, however, does bring new perspective and this administration needs that desperately. Chief of Staff Andy Card should be widening the number of voices who have the president's ear - as well as plunking some newspapers onto the president's desk every morning and sticking a TV tuned to cable news in the president's private office every evening.
Dick Cheney ought to be fetched from Wyoming and put before the cameras. The vice president has always been a steady presence behind the scenes, but Americans need to be reminded that there are some grownups at the helm, too. A GOP operative with ties to the White House told me the media's vilification of Cheney is the biggest case of ``political malpractice'' he's seen. The time to start turning that around is now.
Bush ought to pick a fight with Congress over something that matters to real Americans. If it's dismantling the behemoth Homeland Security department, so be it. But fight on a matter of principle, and you might just win.
Think small. President Clinton accomplished a lot of small things, leaving the impression he'd actually accomplished a lot. Surely, Bush's domestic policy team can come up with its own list of school uniform-like issues. Small successes can lead to bigger ones. In politics, it's all about momentum.
Finally, if Rove survives this tempest in a teapot, he ought to focus like a laser on 2006. The expectation that Republicans are going to lose big - traditional for the party in power in a midterm election - could get turned on its head if the Bush political operation delivers unexpected victories in a few key races.
Less than a year into its second term, this administration has plenty of time to reverse its fortunes. No matter their party, all Americans ought to be rooting for it to do just that. We don't have three years to waste.
- Talk back to Virginia Buckingham at vbuckingham@bostonherald.com.

LOAD-DATE: October 18, 2005

151 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 18, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 030

LENGTH: 331 words

HEADLINE: EDITORIAL; 
 A win for democracy

BODY:
The democracy genie is out of the bottle in Iraq and nothing - not even terrorist threats - can put it back in.
Even the minority Sunnis, who had boycotted previous elections, turned out in large numbers. Most surely turned out to vote AGAINSTthe proposed new constitution (it did appear to go down to defeat by the requisite two-thirds vote in two Sunni-dominated provinces), but even that is enormous progress. Casting a ballot, whether for or against, means a voter is invested in the system. Even a vote AGAINSTthis version of the constitution is a vote the rule of law. 
And it may well be that even the Sunnis did not speak with one voice. In fact, the results from two ethnically mixed provinces were so strongly in favor of the constitution that an Iraqi election commission said it will take a second look at the ballots.
But as President Bush pointed out yesterday, the voting itself represents a huge step forward.
``It was an exciting day for a country that only a few short years ago was ruled by a brutal tyrant,'' Bush said.
It was unknown whether Saddam Hussein - whose trial for war crimes is rapidly approaching - cast a ballot himself. But there was indeed voting at the prison where he is being held as well as for the detainees at Abu Ghraib.
Assuming the constitution itself was ratified - which seems a safe assumption at this point - Iraqis will go on to vote Dec. 15 for the first full-term parliament to take office since the fall of Saddam in 2003.
As columnist George Will so skillfully points out on the opposing page, Iraq is not the United States in 1789. However problematic our own constitutional process was - and the subsequent civil war fought to preserve it - that was a process that did not involve ancient ethnic rivalries.
That ethnic overlay, exploited by Saddam for decades, makes what happened last weekend all the more amazing. It also has the potential to make what happens next - the tugging, the pulling, the politicking - a textbook for democracy.

LOAD-DATE: October 18, 2005

152 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 17, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 030

LENGTH: 334 words

HEADLINE: Obituary; 
 Shayne M. Cabino, 19, of Canton, killed in Iraq

BODY:
Lance Cpl. Shayne Matthew Cabino of Canton, formerly of Franklin, died Oct. 6 in Karmah, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated. He was 19.
Born in Milford, he was educated in Franklin schools and graduated from Canton High School. While he attended Tri-County High School as a freshman he was on the school's wrestling team, won a total of 10 matches and was a runner-up at the state vocational wrestling tournament in 2001. 
Cpl. Cabino enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and went to basic training at Parris Island, S.C. Upon completing the training, he went to Camp Lejuene, N.C., where he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment. He was a mortarman responsible for operating an 81-mm mortar. The unit, whose motto is ``Second to None,'' was sent to Iraq earlier this year.
The unit worked with Iraqi security forces to deny insurgents access to and from developing strongholds around the city of Fallujah.
Cpl. Cabino was awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. He also received the Purple Heart posthumously.
He loved saltwater fishing, riding dirtbikes and visiting Maine. He lived life to the fullest, was a loyal friend and always lit up a room with his smile. He was extremely proud of the uniform he wore and the fact that he was serving his country.
Mr. Cabino is survived by his parents, William J. Sr. of Canton and Jodi L. (Meunier) Cabino-Cipriano of Franklin; four brothers, Justin, William Jr. and Zachary Cipriano, all of Franklin, and Bobby of Canton; two sisters, Brandi Cabino-Navas of Florida and Melissa of Canton; his maternal grandparents, Mark and Carol Mazelli of North Attleboro; six nieces and nephews; and his childhood friend, Jesse Rosetti of Franklin.
A funeral service with full military honors will be held at 10 a.m. today at St. John's Episcopal Church in Franklin.
Burial will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Attleboro.
Arrangements by Charles F. Oteri & Son, Franklin.

LOAD-DATE: October 17, 2005

153 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 15, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 018

LENGTH: 394 words

HEADLINE: EDITORIAL; 
 Signs of progress on the rise in Iraq

BODY:
The agreement on constitutional amendment procedures between leading Sunni politicians and their counterparts in Iraq's Shiite and Kurdish communities is the most hopeful news from that distressed country in a long time. This is true no matter whether voters approve the constitution in today's balloting, as expected, or reject it.
The deal to convene a committee to propose amendments next year, assuming that the constitution is ratified, gives the Sunnis nothing concrete, only a CHANCEto propose changes in a document many of them instinctively rejected when it was proposed. Why did they reject it? Mostly because Sunnis by and large did not vote in the elections for the National Assembly that drafted the proposed constitution. 
That decision to abstain seems to have taught a painful but essential lesson in how democracy works: You don't necessarily get what you want; all you get is a chance. The energetic voter registration in Sunni areas for today's balloting was an early tipoff that the Sunni chieftains had learned the lesson.
Even though 19 small parties immediately refused to join the big Sunni parties and groups, the last-minute understanding with Shiites and Kurds will substantially increase the legitimacy of today's results.
This isn't all the good news from Iraq. An intercepted letter from Osama bin Laden's top deputy, Ayman Zawahiri, to the top insurgent in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi provides convincing evidence that violent attacks on Shiites are alienating much Iraqi opinion. ``Many of your Muslim admirers amongst the common folk are wondering about your attacks'' on ordinary Shiites, and about beheadings of captives, according to the text on the Web site of the director of National Intelligence.
For the blame-America crowd, Zawahiri provides a wakeup: It is not the American presence that should motivate the insurgency, but rather the desire to establish a fundamentalist Islamic rule in Iraq and beyond. Zarqawi is cautioned that his fighters and terrorists ``must not have their mission end with the expulsion of the Americans from Iraq their ongoing mission is to establish an Islamic state.''
The writer added, ``More than half of this battle is taking place in the battlefield of the media.''
All this is evidence that the mighty effort Americans are making in Iraq, stumbling though it has been at times, is worth the agony.

LOAD-DATE: October 15, 2005

154 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 15, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 018

LENGTH: 332 words

HEADLINE: EDITORIAL; 
 Live from the West Wing

BODY:
That once well-oiled White House communications machine seems to have suddenly turned into the gang that couldn't shoot straight.
And what became of the commander-in-chief who so ably rallied a nation with his warmth and spontaneity at Ground Zero shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks? Instead we seem to be left with some doppelganger who has been putting in appearances in the White House press room and building houses in Louisiana.
Last week there was that surly, ill-at-ease appearance by President Bush at his first full-dress news conference since May. If you're having a bad day (or week or month) being grilled by a testy White House press corps isn't going to help your mood. And given a choice between the news conference and a colonoscopy, the president clearly would have opted for the latter. And it showed. 
But the geniuses on the White House communications staff weren't done with him yet. It wasn't that an on-air chat with U.S. troops in Iraq was a BADidea. It's just that this was THEmost poorly staged effort of the Bush presidency - and that was BEFOREmost of the world knew that it had actually been scripted.
There was Bush fumbling with his earpiece, frustrated by the time delay of the satellite up-link and by the apparent inability to extract anything but pap from the soldiers whose very stadium-seating line-up looked silly.
Yes, the event was later found to have been ``scripted'' by a Defense Department aide - a move that was so unnecessary as to be anal compulsive. (Troops in the presence of their commander-in-chief tend to be deferential bordering on reverential anyway.) But you'd think that those in charge of ``scripting'' it would at least have done a better job.
The event was a disservice to those troops who took part in it (fighting insurgents will seem like a piece of cake by comparison to facing that camera) and excruciating to anyone who happened to tune in to it live and unedited.
And won't someone please return the real George W. Bush to the West Wing?

LOAD-DATE: October 15, 2005

155 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 14, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 006

LENGTH: 184 words

HEADLINE: Free new home honors injured guardsman

BYLINE: By DAWN WITLIN

BODY:
He gave his right arm and left hand for his country, and yesterday, Peter Damon of Brockton received a new home.
Damon and his wife, Jenn, toured the three-bedroom Middleboro estate, which was custom-built to accommodate Damon by volunteers working with the nonprofit Massachusetts Homes for Veterans.  
The Damons were joined by Gov. Mitt Romney at the dedication ceremony.
The 32-year-old father of two spent more than a year in the hospital recovering from injuries he received while serving as a helicopter mechanic in the Massachusetts National Guard in Balad, Iraq, after a tire he was changing on a Black Hawk helicopter exploded, killing fellow guardsman Spc. Paul Beche, 19, of Alabama.
``I can't thank everybody who worked on this house enough,'' Damon told CBS News. ``This was a wonderful thing, that people would invest their time, money and generosity to come up and work on a project like this.''
Founded by Wareham resident John Gonsalves, the Homes for Veterans organization, along with several local companies and members of the Massachusetts National Guard, spent 10 months building the home.

GRAPHIC: `A WONDERFUL THING': Brockton resident Peter Damon, who lost his right arm and his left hand serving with the National Guard in Iraq, gave his thanks yesterday with his son, Danny, and wife, Jenn, at the dedication of their new Middleboro home, custom-build by volunteers to accomodate him. STAFF PHOTO BY LIDA HORNAK

LOAD-DATE: October 14, 2005

156 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 14, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 271 words

HEADLINE: Playwright Pinter wins $1M Nobel surprise

BYLINE: By TERRY BYRNE

BODY:
Harold Pinter, one of England's premier playwrights, yesterday was named the surprise winner of this year's Nobel Prize for Literature.
Although Turkish author Orhan Pamuk and Syrian poet Adonis were favored for the honor, the Swedish academy surprised the literary community with its choice of Pinter, whom officials described as someone who had restored the art form of theater.  
The citation, which comes with a $1 million prize, says that Pinter ``in his plays uncovers the precipice under everyday prattle and forces entry into oppression's closed rooms.''
The 75-year-old playwright, who is married to author Antonia Fraser, has written 29 plays that crackle with tension and sizzle with the unsaid. In plays such as ``The Birthday Party,'' ``The Homecoming,'' ``The Caretaker'' and ``Betrayal,'' as well as the screenplay for the John Fowles novel ``The French Lieutenant's Woman,'' his characters are fraught with mysterious and disturbing emotional undercurrents that bubble to the surface at unexpected moments. The most absurd situations are filled with humor until they inevitably take a dark and often terrifying turn.
Pinter announced early this year that he had given up playwriting in favor of poetry and was devoting a great deal of time to political activism - he has been outspoken in his objection to British and American intervention in Iraq, famously calling George Bush a ``mass murderer'' and Tony Blair ``a deluded idiot'' - but his most recent dramatic work, ``Voices,'' an assemblage of some of the tortured and tormentors who appear throughout his work, aired on BBC Radio on Monday (Pinter's birthday).

LOAD-DATE: October 14, 2005

157 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 14, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. e08

LENGTH: 691 words

HEADLINE: GIGS; 
 MUSIC FOR YOUR WEEKEND

BODY:
BLUES TRAVELER
The newly svelte John Popper and his band of merry men simply won't go away. With the release of the new album ``Truth Be Told,'' Blues Traveler welcomes two new members to the band, Tad Kinchla on bass and Ben Wilson on keys. Rumor has it that if you yell out for the band's ancient hit single ``Run Around,'' Popper will throw his harmonicas at you. Tomorrow at the Roxy, Boston, 617-338-ROXY. - CHRISTOPHER BLAGG 
LES CLAYPOOL
Possibly the strangest musician on the planet, Claypool's angular, slap-happy bass lines and disturbingly nasal sing-speak vocals may be an acquired taste. After forming the innovative punk funk group Primus, Claypool has gone on to form his Frog Brigade band, a more jazz-charged, but equally spastic outfit including jamband luminaries Skerik on saxophone and Mike Dillon on percussion. Sunday at the Roxy, 617-338-ROXY. - CHRISTOPHER BLAGG
THE DETROIT COBRAS
No need to rummage through garage sales and dusty record shops looking for that rare old 45. The Detroit Cobras will undoubtedly play it for you live. Obscure r&b nuggets and wiggy rock 'n' roll sides get a fresh coat of sloppy paint when interpreted by this hell-raising Motor City quintet. Tonight at the Middle East, Cambridge, 617-864-EAST. - CHRISTOPHER BLAGG
P] DIRTY THREE
On its new CD ``Cinder,'' Australian instrumental trio Dirty Three calls on Sally Timms from the Mekons and Chan Marshall _ Cat Power _ to add a couple of vocal tracks. But the real power here remains violinist Warren Ellis, guitarist Mick Turner and drummer Jim White creating experimental rock chamber music together. Sunday at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 617-369-3300. - LINDA LABAN
LIZ PHAIR, MATT POND PA
She's a little bit indie and he's a little bit baroque and roll, so it should be a lively night at Avalon. Phair, Chicago's fairest potty-mouthed maiden, is promoting her new release, ``Somebody's Miracle.'' Pond and his band are touting the lovely ``Several Arrows Later,'' a beguiling blend of smart singer-songwriter pop and layered instrumental textures including violin, cello, pedal steel and organ. Tonight at Avalon, Boston, 617-262-2424. - SARAH RODMAN
P] JONATHAN RICHMAN
Boston's whimsical bard Jonathan Richman, long ago transplanted to California, writes songs about everyday life that are weighted with humor (possibly unintentional) and heartache. ``Not So Much To Be Loved As To Love'' is his 21st album. Tonight at the Somerville Theatre, 617-625-4088. - LINDA LABAN
ARMIN VAN BUUREN
In the DJ world, Armin Van Buuren has made his mark as a master of trance. But as an artist, Van Buuren isn't letting any genre define him. In fact, with his song-oriented second album, ``Shivers,'' the Dutch 29-year-old is spearheading a new one: DJ-producer-songwriter. Tonight at Avalon, 617-262-2424. - LINDA LABAN
JOHN VANDERSLICE,
PORTASTATIC
Calling San Francisco-based Vanderslice a literary indie rocker is easy when he bases one song on his new CD, ``Pixel Revolt,'' on a Robert Lowell poem. But Vanderslice's originals also show a writerly touch by delineating disquieting moments in the lives of soldiers and journalists in Iraq, would-be terrorists and obsessed pop fans. Low-key and low-fi Portastatic is the long-running side project of Mac McCaughan of the band Superchunk. Sunday at the Middle East, 617-864-EAST. - LARRY KATZ
STEVE WINWOOD
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer, keyboardist and underrated guitarist will look back over a career that includes memorable hits with the Spencer Davis Group (``Gimme Some Lovin'), Traffic (``Dear Mr. Fantasy'') and on his own (``Higher Love''). Tonight at the Orpheum, Boston, 617-679-0810. - LARRY KATZ
VICTOR WOOTEN
No one could possibly have imagined a bass could make the sounds Victor Wooten coaxes from his instrument. A member of Bela Fleck's Flecktones, Wooten thumps funk, jazz, rock and soul and just about every other style on his preferred instrument. His new solo CD, ``Soul Circus,'' boasts fellow bass pioneer Bootsy Collins, earthy rappers Arrested Development and jazzheads including Christian McBride. Tonight at Berklee Performance Center, Boston, 617-747-2261. - CHRISTOPHER BLAGG

LOAD-DATE: October 14, 2005

158 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 14, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. e13

LENGTH: 389 words

HEADLINE: Theater; 
 Unending violence is ackdrop to `Keening'

BODY:
By TERRY BYRNE
Nicolas Montero is a Colombian soap opera star, a theater director and an anthropologist. All three career paths, he says, prepared him for ``The Keening,'' the heartrending story of one woman's journey through love and loss, which opens at the American Repertory Theatre's Zero Arrow Theatre tonight. 
``As an actor, I understand the process, the path the actor must travel,'' he said. ``This play began with a theater and an actress (Colombian actress Vicky Hernandez), then a writer and a country with a very different reality. After working through some improvisations, we decided to do a play about pain (the literal translation of the play's Spanish title is `With a Heart Wide Open'). As a director, I liked that the emotion was honest. Only then did we turn to writer Humberto Dorado Miranda to craft a story around that idea.''
In ``The Keening,'' a woman (played in the ART production by Marissa Chibas) is alone on the stage to tell her story. A doctor's widow, she becomes a professional mourner to support herself and her two sons. But Colombia's ever-present atmosphere of violence disturbs her quiet life, destroys her family and her town, and leads the keener to a shocking decision.
``Theater is about making an immediate connection between a character and an audience,'' said Montero. ``Although we talk about the situation in Colombia, and this story is based on an event that really happened, it's also about becoming numb to all the horrors we hear about. In Colombia, we have guerrillas and paramilitary, but here in the States you have the Hurricane Katrina response and your war in Iraq.''
Part of the story involves the brutal assassinations of several men in the small town of Chengue. Montero says the truth of that event has incredible power onstage.
``Language is testimony,'' he said, ``and saying those names aloud onstage is an act of justice.''
But Montero was quick to say ``The Keening'' will not change the situation.
``Theater is such an intense connection between an actor and an audience, the emotion can be communicated without any distraction,'' he said. ``Things won't change, but at least people will feel again.''
``The Keening,'' presented by American Repertory Theatre at Zero Arrow Theatre, Cambridge, tonight through Nov. 12. Tickets: $35-$48; call 617-547-8300 or go towww.amrep.org

LOAD-DATE: October 14, 2005

159 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 13, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 629 words

HEADLINE: These days, Chicken Little sounds calm

BYLINE: By MARGERY EAGAN

BODY:
9/11. Terrorists on trains. Iraq disaster. Katrina disaster. Disaster floods in New Hampshire. Disaster gas at $3. Heating oil's disastrous doubling in price. Still recovering from ``worst disaster in America's history'' (hurricane) yet facing ``worst disaster in America's history'' (bird flu).
Personally, I'm feeling anxious. 
``Did you see the Bill Moyers (bird flu) special Tuesday night? It was chilling,'' says Jim Hinsman of Jamaica Plain, describing victims in liver failure. ``The thing we learned from New Orleans, government will have a bumbling response . . .''
So Hinsman took action. ``People can think I'm a whack-job, but I'm stocking up.'' His supply of respiratory masks, ordered via e-mail, arrived Monday. He's got lots of hand sanitizer. ``If this happens, you're gonna be sanitizing 'round the clock.''
Stock tip: Invest in Purell. Suddenly it's everywhere.
In the pocket of the state's communicable disease honcho, Dr. Alfred DeMaria. ``Oh yeah, always use it.'' Fifteen feet from the main entrance of Brigham & Women's: ``Protect yourself and your loved ones from THE FLU,'' reads a sign beside the Purell dispenser there. ``99.99 percent of germs'' - DEAD!
``No more shaking hands. That's code orange. Just bow,'' says a state official who requested anonymity after confessing to spending much of his day ``swabbing'' with Handi Wipes. He claims he's not alone.
``We're Howard Hughes Nation now. Full wipe downs. Have to do it.''
At his office so many men use paper towels on the door handle exiting the men's room, he says, ``by 5 p.m. I'm wading through three feet of towels.''
Mitch Gaynor, M.D., avian flu expert and author of ``Nurture Nature, Nurture Health,'' reports, no pun intended, that the chickens have come home to roost. ``Global warming, proliferation of environmental toxins. Heavy metals. Alligators born with three legs and frogs with genital anomalies, etc.: The canary in the coal mine,'' he says.
Since there's not enough flu vaccine and no one's sure it will work, Gaynor advises building up your immune system. A sampling from ``Nurture'': more garlic, curry, rosemary, green tea, omega 3 fatty acids, cruciferous vegetables, citrus fruits, watercress, ginger root, wheat grass juice and lots of meditation and yoga to keep a full-blown nervous breakdown at bay.
``How worried should you be?'' asked USA Today on Tuesday. Well, based on a 25 percent infection rate, a half-million Americans dead, 13,136 of those in Massachusetts with 56,038 hospitalized and 1,529,313 infected.
How worried should you be?
Mitt Romney's press people say the governor, should the worst occur, will not high-tail it to the underground bunker, like Jane Swift post-9/11, but be ``where he needs to be.''
It was comforting yesterday to chat with relatively calm Dr. DeMaria, Department of Public Health, packing his Purell. ``It's premature to board up the windows,'' he said. Or to panic. It may not happen. But ``we have a relatively well developed pandemic plan'' at www.Mass.Gov/DPH. See . . . Pandemic Preparedness.
It was also good to hear from smart alecks. Buster Paris blames all on politics. ``Right-wing theory - somehow Bill Clinton is responsible. Left-wing theory - Halliburton will get the no-bid contracts to rebuild the KFCs.''
Brendan Ward of Randolph says we should've paid closer attention to Alfred Hitchcock's creepy ``The Birds.''
``We have a troupe of wild turkeys that come traipsing through our back yard every few days. I swear they're doing recon for the big assault on humanity.''
``I heard on the radio,'' said Laura Lempicki, that you'll be fine ``as long as you tape your mouth and nose shut with duck tape.'' Maybe she meant duct tape. Whatever.
Margery Eagan's radio show airs at noon weekdays and 9 a.m. Saturdays on 96.9 FM-Talk.

LOAD-DATE: October 13, 2005

160 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 12, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 183 words

HEADLINE: Gov touts bill to boost Guard members' benefits

BYLINE: By EMELIE RUTHERFORD (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
As the National Guard struggles with recruiting and retaining volunteer soldiers, one thing is clear on Beacon Hill: nobody supports a draft.
The better way to boost the military's numbers is to help soldiers and their families, said those backing a ``Welcome Home Bill'' to help Bay Staters called to duty. 
The governor called on lawmakers yesterday to send the bill to him for his signature by Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
The bill would let veterans and Massachusetts National Guard members who already can waive tuition at state colleges and universities also waive fees; raise Guard members' pay from $75 to $100 per day and increase their life insurance and death benefits.
``We are asking more of the National Guard than has been asked over the last couple of decades,'' Romney said yesterday.
The bill also would provide $1,000 bonuses for anyone called to active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Romney insisted a draft will not reemerge.
``Even raising that as a specter is unfortunate because it creates a wave of fear that is unrealistic and unnecessary,'' he said.

LOAD-DATE: October 12, 2005

161 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 10, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 007

LENGTH: 294 words

HEADLINE: CANTON MARINE MOURNED

BYLINE: By JESSICA FARGEN

BODY:
Shayne M. Cabino, a proud Marine with six brothers and sisters, was the kind of guy who brought joy to everyone he met, his grief-stricken family said last night.
``Shayne was extremely proud of the uniform he wore, and the fact that he was serving his country,'' said Jim Stoffel, a family friend who spoke to the media last night.
Cabino, 19, a mortarman with the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment attached to the II Marine Expeditionary Force, was killed Thursday along with three other servicemen in a roadside explosion near Karmah, Iraq. 
Last night at the Canton police station, Cabinos father, William Cabino, and three of his siblings stood silent while Stoffel read a brief statement about Cabinos life and death.
His sister Melissa, 17, and brother Bobby, 14, wore homemade T-shirts decorated with Cabinos Marine Corps photo on the front, and dog tags around their necks.
Cabino grew up in Franklin and moved to Canton when he was in high school. He enlisted in the Marines after graduating a year ago. Around that time his proud family started flying the red-and-gold Marine Corps flag from the front porch of their home.
Yesterday, that flag continued to flutter in the breeze, but another owned by a neighbor and fellow Marine veteran flew at half-staff in memory of Cabino.
Cabino lived with his father, William, a correction officer at MCICedar Junction, and his stepmother, Mary, in her familys longtime Canton house.
Stoffel, the family friend, said Cabino, lived life to the fullest. ``His smile lit up the room,'' he said. ``He brought joy to everyone he came in contact with. If you want to know about Shayne, grab a dictionary and look up the following words: dedicated, loving and devoted. Simply stated, Shayne wanted to make the world a better place.''

GRAPHIC: DEDICATED, LOVING AND DEVOTED: Marine Shayne M. Cabinos family members, including his father, William Cabino, left, his sister Melissa, 17, and his brothers Justin, 22, and Robert, 14, showed their grief last night at the Canton police station. Family friend Jim Stoffel read a statement on their behalf, saying that Cabino lived life to the fullest. Cabino was killed Thursday in Iraq along with three other servicemen. STAFF PHOTO BY TIM CORREIRA

LOAD-DATE: October 10, 2005

162 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 9, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: TRAVEL; Pg. 047

LENGTH: 350 words

HEADLINE: TRAVEL; 
 TALKING TURKEY; 
 Worried about safety? Fear not, A warm welcome awaits visitors

BYLINE: By JUDITH FEIN (SPECIAL TO THE HERALD)

BODY:
ISTANBUL - Many Americans are hesitant to go to Turkey because of the ``M'' word - it's a Muslim country. So how safe is it really?
In husband Paul's and my experience, Turkey is one of the friendliest countries we've ever visited. When our camera broke, we found a repair shop in Istanbul. Upon hearing that we were journalists from America, they loaned us a camera for free, repaired our camera overnight, wished us well and refused to accept payment. 
Wherever we traveled, kids surrounded us and asked us what were probably the only questions they could formulate in English: ``What's your name? Where are you from?'' Then they proudly listed American states they knew.
In Canakkale, I talked to some gypsy musicians. When we said we were Americans, they beamed and started clowning around to please us. Then they took us into a HAMMAM (Turkish bath) where they played for the women. I ended up dancing wildly - and I mean wildly - with young, old and middle-aged women.
Several people tried to dissuade us from going to Egup, in Istanbul - where many Muslim fundamentalists live. We went anyway. We took a local bus to the mosque at Egup, one of the holiest sites of Islam (Mohammed's relative is buried there, and it boasts a stone with the prophet's footprint there).
Many of the women wore black chadors, and we saw young boys dressed as sultans to celebrate their circumcisions. When people heard we were American, they invited us into the mosque, chatted with us and welcomed us warmly.
At a town near Pamukkale, we were offered tea and invited to sit in the street with the locals. They asked us questions about the war in Iraq and life in America (making it almost universally clear they are not fond of President Bush). It was a heartfelt exchange, and we were all new best friends by the time we walked back to our hotel at midnight.
This was indicative of what we encountered across the country. The answer to the question of whether we felt safe is an astounding ``Yes.'' Turkish people were genuinely surprised and hurt when we told them that many people in the United States feared going there.

LOAD-DATE: October 9, 2005

163 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 9, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 020

LENGTH: 297 words

HEADLINE: Desperately seeking soldiers, at the mall

BYLINE: By MARY KATE DUBUSS (METROWEST DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
Sandwiched between Johnny Rockets and the Sweet Factory is the Army's latest weapon.
The Massachusetts Army National Guard is preparing to shop for recruits at the Natick Mall. It's all part of a plan to move out of the armory and go where teens hang out. 
``People see the armory (and think) nothing is going on there,'' said recruiter Maj. Tom Stewart, who will be stationed at the mall when the office opens later this month.
``We're looking for more soldiers,'' said Stewart.
Patriots cheerleaders will make an appearance at the Natick Mall office's grand opening on Oct. 22.
With enlistment numbers down and parents more reluctant than ever to see their children head to Middle East war zones, recruiters face the difficult task of convincing Mom and Dad, even if the son or daughter is eager to join.
Doug Smith, a spokesman for the Army Recruiting Command at Fort Knox, Ky., calls it the ``war impact.''
``Parents are reluctant. There is an obvious physical risk. . . . (Recruiters) spend a lot more time talking to the whole family,'' he said.
Recent Hopkinton High School grad Andrew Lawton heads out to Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri at the end of the month for basic training for the Mass. Army National Guard. Rather than be approached by a recruiter, he called one himself. ``It is something I wanted to do,'' he said.
When it came to enlisting, he selected the National Guard over other branches of the Army so he could get college behind him, rather than serve first. After basic training, Lawton will start his degree at Westfield State College in January.
Lawton says he is ready to go to Iraq, too. ``If I get sent, I get sent.''
There are 5,500 people enlisted in the Mass. Army National Guard, and 1,000 are now overseas, primarily in Iraq, with a small portion in Afghanistan.

LOAD-DATE: October 10, 2005

164 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 9, 2005 Sunday  
THIRD EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 021

LENGTH: 147 words

HEADLINE: Canton hero killed in Iraq

BYLINE: By O'RYAN JOHNSON

BODY:
A U.S. Marine from Canton was killed while conducting security operations around Karmah, Iraq, the Department of Defense said.
Lance Cpl.  
Shayne M. Cabino, 19, and two other Marines in his unit died Thursday from the blast of an improvised explosive device, said Lt. Barry Edwards, spokesman for the Second Marine Division.
``They were working in that area in order to deny insurgents from gaining a foothold,'' Edwards said last night.
Cabino had been stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
He joined the Marines in October 2004. Following boot camp he was trained as a mortarman and assigned to the Second Marine Division, and he joined his unit in April.
In addition to providing security, Cabino's unit trained members of the Iraqi militia.
Cabino earned the Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal and National Defense Medal, and will posthumously be awarded the Purple Heart.

LOAD-DATE: October 10, 2005

165 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 7, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 107

LENGTH: 261 words

HEADLINE: FOOTBALL; 
 Izzo has friend in Atlanta's Dunn

BYLINE: By KAREN GUREGIAN

BODY:
FOXBORO - They were brought together while visiting troops stationed overseas as part of the NFL-sponsored USO tour, and Falcons running back Warrick Dunn says the bond he forged with Patriots linebacker Larry Izzo is something he'll never forget.
The two helped open the Pat Tillman USO Center, and spent time with troops in Baghdad, Kuwait and Qatar. 
``It was really my pleasure and honor to be with him because obviously he's a hell of a football player, but he's also a hell of a person off the field,'' Dunn said of Izzo, who captains the Pats' special teams. ``I had the opportunity to learn about him. Sometimes those types of things make everyone realize that we are human. People think we're these high-profile athletes, but we're human. It was an honor to hang out with him.''
Of the trip as a whole, Dunn said for him, it was life-changing.
``It was just so surreal, all of the things that we saw and that we experienced,'' he said. ``We achieved a better understanding of the goals they were trying to accomplish over in Iraq. You have to feel for the soldiers who are out there putting their lives on the line. I know that Izzo told them all the time, `You guys are the true patriots because you guys go out there and fight for our freedom day in and day out.' We pretty much just wanted to say thank you for everything those guys have done and have sacrificed being away from their families and everything else. A lot of those people over there are definitely sports fans. Larry showed his rings off and bragged about the Super Bowls and stuff like that.''

LOAD-DATE: October 7, 2005

166 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 6, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 273 words

HEADLINE: Playoffs a pleasant distraction for soldiers in Iraq

BYLINE: By Thomas Caywood

BODY:
Red Sox Nation may need to open an embassy in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone.
With more than 1,000 Massachusetts National Guard troops serving in Iraq and untold numbers of New Englanders sprinkled in the active-duty forces, there are enough heavily armed Red Sox fans to invade a small country - or the Bronx. 
There's also a big contingent of Yankees fans in uniform, setting up a clan conflict second only to Sunnis vs. Shiites.
``We haven't elevated it to that level of violence, but it can be very spirited,'' quipped Massachusetts National Guard Col. Chip Dever, 44, of Cape Cod.
His Rehoboth-based artillery command is part of the New York National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division. He's hoping the baseball archrivals will meet again this month in the American League Championship Series.
``That would be great for people here. It gives us all something else to think about and something else to talk about,'' Dever said. ``To have that happen again, it would be a great distraction.''
Massachusetts National Guard Sgt. John Bohannon, 30, of Medford, a member of the Newton-based 747th Finance Detachment, agreed.
``It's not the same if you don't go through the Yankees to win it,'' Bohannon said.
Following the Sox from Iraq can be a bittersweet pursuit, though. Bohannon said staying up until the wee hours to watch a big game on Armed Forces Network often leaves him feeling homesick.
Until this year, he had been to Fenway at least once in each of the past five seasons. He usually goes to at least five games a year, often traveling to other cities to get tickets.
``I didn't get to see a single game this year at Fenway,'' Bohannon said.

LOAD-DATE: October 6, 2005

167 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 6, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: FINANCE; Pg. 036

LENGTH: 282 words

HEADLINE: THE TICKER

BODY:
The economy's services sector grew in September, but at a much slower pace than in August, amid a sharp rise in energy costs
Intuit Inc., the world's biggest maker of tax-preparation software, agreed to sell its help-desk software unit to Boston buyout firm TA Associates for about $200 million. 
Boston-based online retailer Shoebuy.com has launched Bagsbuy.com, a new shopping Web site that specializes in handbags, luggage, sports and duffel bags, and briefcases.
General Motors Corp. agreed to sell its stake in the Japanese maker of Subaru cars and trucks for about $740 million, or less than half the value on GM's books, as it struggles with widening losses.
Atlantic Broadband, a Massachusetts cable and Internet service provider, will offer free high-speed Internet access to immediate families of military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan - for as long as their loved ones are abroad.
Some prominent business organizations are complaining to Congress that the Patriot Act makes it too easy for the government to get confidential business records.
FedEx Corp. and its pilots union have been joined in contract talks by a private mediator after union leaders rejected an offer that included a $500 million improvement over the existing agreement.
Metabolife International Inc., which made millions of dollars selling a now-banned herbal supplement, pleaded guilty yesterday to filing false tax returns.
The price of oil fell to its lowest level in two months as evidence builds that the high cost of gasoline and other fuels is sapping demand. Light sweet crude for November delivery fell $1.11 to settle at $62.79 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Staff and wire reports

LOAD-DATE: October 6, 2005

168 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 5, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 003

LENGTH: 176 words

HEADLINE: Fit happens as parents raise stink over septic man's slogan

BYLINE: By Rick Holland (MILFORD DAILY NEWS)

BODY:
MEDWAY - For parents of elementary school students here, a slogan for a nearby business stinks.
A Medway man's septic-system service boasts about his work with the words ``(Expletive) happens'' on trucks. 
``It's not something I'd want my granddaughter to see,'' said Beverly Rechle, the grandmother of a McGovern Elementary School student.
But they do see it all day long as the trucks pull in and out across from the entrance to the school.
``I don't think it's a good thing for my son to read,'' said Debbie Lawton, mom to a first-grader. ``If he saw it, I'm sure he'd say, `How come I can't say that word, but the truck can?' ''
The school's principal, Wendy Rocha, said the foul language on the trucks had not been brought to her attention until now.
The owner of the business, Paul Trufant, said he's not cleaning up his potty talk, as one parent called it.
``This is America, not Iraq . . . it's freedom of speech,'' Trufant said ``There are so many pedophiles out there, why aren't (parents) more worried about pedophiles?''
You could say, criticism happens.

LOAD-DATE: October 5, 2005

169 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 5, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: FINANCE; Pg. 032

LENGTH: 326 words

HEADLINE: Army recruitment drive: Music to their ears

BYLINE: By Sean L. McCarthy

BODY:
What are you willing to do to get free iTunes?
Drink Pepsi? Wear Gap jeans? How about fighting terrorists and rescuing hurricane victims for the Army National Guard?
For the past few months, and continuing through Oct. 15, the Army National Guard is offering three free iTunes song downloads to anyone who agrees to a visit with Guard recruiters. A Guard spokesman said the promotion already has enticed more than 700 people nationwide to begin the enlistment process. 
``Just because we are the government doesn't mean we have to act like the government,'' said Lt. Col. Mike Jones, deputy division chief for National Guard recruiting.
``(The recruits) learned a little bit about the Guard and they got their item right away,'' Jones said. ``Instant gratification gets a bad knock. It's just the world we live in that mailing in to get a T-shirt (days or) weeks later seems like an eternity.''
The Guard's iTunes ads have appeared in college newspapers and online at various sites this summer, including the Drudge Report.
Ads point online to www.1800goguard.com/music, which requires checking a box that reads: ``Yes, I understand that the Army National Guard will send me information about great new Army National Guard benefits! I also understand that I will be contacted by a recruiter, and that's OK.''
Not everyone is impressed.
Steve Hall of Groton, who publishes ad criticism site AdRants.com, wrote: ``That's right. iTunes in exchange for the privilege of defending our country. What a deal.''
Past recruitment giveaways have included DVDs and Internet service. The iTunes promotion saves the Guard money, costing the feds 87 cents per song (and no shipping fee), vs. $3 plus $1 shipping per DVD.
And it's also generated about 25 percent more responses than other Guard tactics.
Jones is proud of his efforts.
``The Guard is saving lives not just in Iraq but also in Louisiana,'' he said. ``What I'm selling is a little more noble than selling packaged goods.''

GRAPHIC: BEAT OF A DIFFERENT DRUM? These soldiers at Fort Drum, N.Y., prepare to leave for Iraq earlier this year. If they had waited to sign up for the National Guard, they'd have gotten three free iTunes from their recruiter. Staff file photo by John Wilcox

LOAD-DATE: October 5, 2005

170 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 4, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: FINANCE; Pg. 036

LENGTH: 224 words

HEADLINE: BU, iRobot develop sniper snitch

BYLINE: By JAY FITZGERALD

BODY:
Boston University and Burlington-based iRobot have teamed up to produce a new mobile robot that uses sophisticated audio and laser technology to pinpoint a sniper taking potshots at soldiers.
The new ``REDOWL'' - as in the swiveling head of an all-seeing owl - was unveiled yesterday at a huge trade show of U.S. Army suppliers in Washington, D.C. 
The REDOWL, which is about the size of a large book and sits atop one of iRobot's PackBot robots, was tested two weeks ago at a Medfield rifle range, with officials shooting off shotguns and M-16 rifles to see if the little wonder worked.
It did, said Glenn Thoren, director of the BU Photonics Center and REDOWL project manager. The project was paid for by the Pentagon.
Earlier this year, Cambridge-based BBN Technologies announced its own sniper-detection gizmo, the ``Boomerang,'' now deployed in Iraq.
But Thoren said REDOWL is actually smaller and, in his opinion, more accurate. It relies on advanced acoustics and laser technology that allows the robotic machine to locate a sniper and then flash video clips of a sniper's whereabouts.
``It's an extremely powerful package,'' said Thoren. ``It can turn around and see where a shot came from.''
No contract has been issued yet for more REDOWLs. But iRobot does have anti-explosives and surveillance PackBots now deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

LOAD-DATE: October 4, 2005

171 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 4, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. 043

LENGTH: 495 words

HEADLINE: MUSIC; 
 Sage rhymes; 
 R.I. rapper Francis has `Healthy Distrust' of authority

BYLINE: By CHRIS FARAONE

BODY:
Sage Francis might be a hip-hop artist, but he's a punk icon. He earned props as the first rapper to freestyle his way out of Rhode Island. He was the first MC to sign with Los Angeles punk-rock label Epitaph. And he was the first musician to punk President Bush during the march to Iraq. 
Francis' anti-establishment anthem ``Makeshift Patriot'' made laps around the Internet in late 2001. Though he's performed spoken word and rhymed since 1996, his timely message took off with the newly invigorated anti-war crowd. Since the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Francis has dropped two albums as a solo artist and one as half of the Non-Prophets, his group effort with longtime producer Joe Beats.
Looking to put a face with ``A Healthy Distrust,'' his latest release, and to promote Knowmore.org, his nonprofit organization, Francis is spending this fall on a 28-city tour that begins Thursday at the Roxy.
Herald: What made you pick Boston for your first show?
Francis: People always ask me why I start in Boston and there's a pretty good reason. It's a champion city. . . . I'm just kidding. Really, Boston's just close to me. Everyone comes to my house, we load the van, start the tour and go city to city.
Herald: Do you freestyle much anymore?
Francis: The last time I battled I was in Detroit, and I was performing at the club that they filmed ``8 Mile'' inside of. It was so cliche, and this dude with a basketball jersey jumped onstage to battle me. So I just ripped him a new one and went on with the show. It was really funny.
Herald: In your music, are you sticking with the hip-hop formula for a while?
Francis: I'm doing anything that feels right. I'm just keeping my channels open and trying to work more with live instruments. There are a lot of things floating around in my head and I don't know what I'll get done first.
Herald: Do you dabble in partisan politics at all?
Francis: I stay nonpartisan. I've created a nonprofit called Knowmore.org, which is meant to raise awareness about companies. You can put in any company's name and it tells you who owns it and what their business history has been. It's the most journalistic thing I've ever been part of. It's meant to educate the public on things they should know about.
Herald: What does your FBI file look like?
Francis: I don't know. I'm interested in finding out, but I'm also apprehensive about looking into it. I'm paranoid as it is. Maybe they haven't paid me any mind. I don't know. But I was one of the biggest voices of dissent after 9/11, so I have to believe there's something. I just installed all of this burglary and motion detector equipment at my house. I'm not playing around here. I live on a dead-end street in Rhode Island. I feel like anyone could come at any point, jump through a window and chop my head off. But I'm ready.
Sage Francis plays with Sole and Sollilaquists of Sound at the Roxy, Boston, on Thursday at 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Call 617-931-2000.

LOAD-DATE: October 4, 2005

172 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 2, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. B31

LENGTH: 1050 words

HEADLINE: BOXING NOTES; 
 With full plate, Ruiz has lots to chew on

BYLINE: By George Kimball

BODY:
HBO and Showtime banged heads again last night, with the former airing the Antonio Tarver-Roy Jones Jr. rubber match on its pay-per-view arm opposite the latter's Chris Byrd-DaVarryl Williamson/James Toney-Dominick Guinn card from Reno. And, although it wasn't broadcast on American television, a bout in Oldenburg, Germany, yesterday could ultimately have a significant impact hereabouts: The World Boxing Association designated the fight between 38-year-old Larry Donald and Nicolay Valuev, the 7-foot Russian giant, an official championship eliminator, meaning that Chelsea's John Ruiz may eventually have to fight Valuev, who won a majority decision against Donald.
Ruiz' mandatory against Valuev won't come due until June of next year, providing the WBA champ with a rather wide window of opportunity, and an intimate little dinner soiree last month at a Back Bay restaurant could yet rekindle a proposed title fight that has sometimes seemed dead in the water.
While admittedly exploratory in nature, the meeting between Dublin promoter Brian Peters, Ruiz attorney Tony Cardinale and Mike Moynihan, who represents Dorchester-based Irish heavyweight Kevin McBride, did produce one consensus: It's a fight all concerned would love to see happen if the details can be worked out. 
All concerned seemed to agree that March - around St. Patricks Day - would be an ideal date, but the choice of venue - Dublin, Boston, or one of the Connecticut casinos - would depend on which could generate the most money. There's also the question of television: Would HBO or Showtime be interested? (Possibly.) Would there be a significant demand for foreign television outside the lighweight Irish TV market? (Doubtful.) And can a realistic purse structure be carved out?
Four months after his conquest of Mike Tyson, the Clones Colossus isn't getting any hotter, and the upset recedes from the memory of the public with each passing day. McBride's demand for a million dollar purse could be a deal-breaker.
There's also the matter of Don King. While the McBride camp has received a tentative offer from The World's Greatest Promoter, it isn't altogether clear that by March King would be in a position to deliver Ruiz, who has grown increasingly disenchanted with his arrangement with the promoter. The irony would be if McBride enlists in the King fold on the promise of a Ruiz fight, only to have Ruiz sue King seeking emancipation from his promotional contract. . . .
King just returned from Germany and Wednesday night's Lamon Brewster-Luan Krasniqi World Boxing Organization title fight, in which Brewster TKO'd the Kosovan heavyweight in nine rounds. The promoter is still privately seething over Bob Arum's stealth attack, in which Top Rank walked away with the purse bid for next month's Vitali Klitschko-Hasim Rahman World Boxing Council mandatory title fight. King had expected to be bidding against Klitschko's German representatives, but not his old rival, and almost fell off the couch when Arum's stepson, Todd deBouef, walked in the door 15 minutes before the auction.
Although some industry sources feel that Arum may have overbid at $11.5 million, deBouef said ``We felt it was a fight with potential for a tremendous upside,'' since the bid includes an option on the WBC winner's next fight.
``Think about it,'' deBouef said. ``We paid $30 million for Bernard Hopkins-Oscar De La Hoya, and what did we get out of that?''
Tough bid for Sandman
Fairhaven's Scott Pemberton will, at 38, finally be fighting for a world title, but it probably isn't the one he would have chosen. After spending a year on ice waiting for Los Bandidos' convoluted pecking order to sort itself out, the WBC's top-rated super middleweight will be fighting instead for the WBA title. The Sandman will be a significant underdog when he meets the iron of the division, champion Jeff Lacy, at Caesars Tahoe Nov. 5 on Showtime. . . .
Jeff Fraza injured his right shoulder sparring with Matt Ryan in the gym at Tewksbury week before last, knocking him out of his scheduled bout against Alfonso Gomez on the Oct. 15 ``Contender'' redux card in Los Angeles. It is the latest in a series of setbacks for the Micky Ward-trained Haverhill welterweight, who lost his place on the original ``Contender'' program when he was TKO'd by the chicken pox.
Boxer flu the coop
Pembroke's Eddie McAloney hasn't fought in two years and hasn't won in three, so it was something of a surprise to learn that he would be fighting twice in the same night. Rich Cappiello has a card slated for Brockton's Shaw's Center coming Friday night, running opposite an Andrew Kravitch-Vinnie Vecchione co-promotion at Freeport Hall in Dorchester. McAloney evidently committed to fight on both shows, but upon learning of the double-billing, Cappiello contacted the boxer and was told that he ``had the flu'' and wouldn't be fighting in Brockton. Whether he's well enough to fight in Dorchester remains to be learned.
The Mike Culbert-Tommy Attardo bout for the Massachusetts super middleweight title remains the main event for the Brockton bill, with Canadian cruiserweight Anthony Russell fighting Mike Williams in the co-feature. Also on the undercard: unbeaten Brockton junior welterweight Melvin Cumba and Stoughton welterweight Eddie Bishop, along with a J.D. Reber-Harold Rodriguez heavyweight matchup. For more information, phone 888-491-2900.
The Dorchster card will feature the pro debut of junior middleweight Bobby McMaster, an Iraq war veteran who since being discharged from the Marines has accumulated an 11-1 record in ``ultimate fighting.'' McMaster will box Philadelphian Richard Finch, while Quincy cruiserweight Vinnie Carita faces Rhode Islander Dontre Williams. Up-and-coming Dorchester middleweight Gerry Grealish is also slated for action. For more information, phone 617-436-3710. . . .
Freeport Hall will also be the venue for New England Ringside Promotions' recently announced Nov. 19 show. NER director of boxing Bob Trieger reports that the main event is still in flux, but the card will include bouts featuring junior featherweight Roberto Benitez, Pueblo (Colo.) junior welter Marvin Cordova, Ward's nephew, Lowell 140-pounder Sean Eklund, along with Dorchester's Matty Ryan. Phone 781-932-1190 for information. . . .
Happy birthday, Micky Ward.

LOAD-DATE: October 2, 2005

173 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 2, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 029

LENGTH: 353 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 Hughes digs in heels on Islamic women's rights

BYLINE: By Guy Darst

BODY:
Chief diplomatic saleswoman Karen Hughes is tackling forthrightly one of the uncomfortable truths about the Islamic world, the second-place status of women. She may succeed or fail at making a difference, but she deserves a gold star for effort.
Speaking to audiences of women in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, Hughes held her own in spirited, sometimes ignorant, questioning. From this distance it's hard to tell how much news coverage she generated locally (the Saudis barred cameras), but the more the better. 
Women's rights in Islamic countries vary all over the lot, and times are changing. Kuwait granted women the vote this year. The secular legal system in Turkey, which recently had a woman as prime minister, puts the country far closer to the West than Saudi Arabia, where women cannot drive or vote. But on a strict reading, Islamic law requires an inferior place for women, as shown by the provision that a woman may inherit only half what a man may inherit.
Her Turkish questioners, as far as we can tell from The Washington Post's account, slammed U.S. conduct in Iraq with little recognition of the fact that the insurgency is more a war of Sunni against Shiite than Iraqi against American. And one questioner asked why the United States had not characterized the Kurdish PKK separatists in Turkey as terrorists only to learn from Hughes that the United States had done precisely that some time ago.
In Saudi Arabia, one woman said, ``I worked hard for my medical degree. Why do I need a driver's license?'' It only can be hoped that she'll come to recognize the point of Hughes' comment, ``My ability to drive is an important part of my freedom.''
Hughes has not confined herself to women's issues. She told a meeting of newspaper editors (all male) that hate literature found in American mosques had been traced to the Saudi government, the first time that fact has been mentioned in public in the country. A Saudi editor called her revelation ``quite a big deal.''
And quite a needed one, we'd say. Keep on dealing, Madame undersecretary.
Guy Darst is a former deputy editorial page editor for the Boston Herald.

LOAD-DATE: October 2, 2005

174 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 1, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 112 words

HEADLINE: News In Brief; 
 Westboro mourns first war casualty

BODY:
Hundreds of mourners packed St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Westboro yesterday until people were spilling into the entrance to remember Stephen Eric Sullivan, a State Department employee killed in Iraq. 
A diplomatic security special agent, the 40-year-old Sullivan died Sept. 19 in Mosul, Iraq, when a car bomb destroyed his vehicle. The 1983 Westboro High School graduate was the town's first casualty of the war.
``Many of you here today have a snapshot of Stephen in your mind, a specific image of him. For many of you that image is of him running. He's breathing in everything life has to offer,'' said the Rev. Steven LaBaire in his homily at the funeral Mass yesterday.

LOAD-DATE: October 1, 2005

175 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 1, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 018

LENGTH: 188 words

HEADLINE: EDITORIAL; 
 Miller: Self-made martyr

BODY:
The martyrdom of New York Times reporter Judith Miller has now ended and it appears that much of it was self-inflicted.
Miller was freed after spending 85 days in a federal detention center after she agreed to testify to a grand jury yesterday about her source for a story she was preparing involving CIA operative Valerie Plame.  
The source was disclosed as Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby.
Of course, Libby had already been divulged as a source by a Time magazine reporter working on a similar story about how and why Plame's husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, was chosen to go to Niger to investigate the possible sale of uranium to Iraq. And Libby's attorney said he and his client released Miller a year ago from any promise of confidentiality.
Miller's lawyer insists the reporter wanted to make certain Libby's waiver wasn't in any way coerced. She also apparently wanted to make certain she wouldn't be asked to divulge sources other than Libby.
Confused? You're not alone.
But one thing is certain: special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald can't put this tempest in a teapot to rest soon enough.

LOAD-DATE: October 1, 2005

176 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

October 1, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 018

LENGTH: 739 words

HEADLINE: OP-ED; 
 AS YOU WERE SAYING . . .To cover costs, play defense

BYLINE: By Benjamin Friedman

BODY:
With estimated costs of rebuilding from Katrina and the lesser Rita north of $250 billion, the question on Capitol Hill is how to pay for the damage. Plenty of options are being thrown around - deficit spending, canceling tax cuts, delaying the Medicare drug benefit. But the best place to find savings is rarely mentioned: the defense budget.
Both parties ignore this option because they fear accusations of failing to support the troops during a war. But the defense budget brims with waste that is unrelated to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
So far, the president and Congress appear likely to avoid choices and pay the bill with more deficit spending. With pre-Katrina deficit estimates for the next fiscal year already over $500 billion, however, even George Bush and the free-spending Republican majority are getting squeamish about debt.
Politicians and pundits in both parties are talking about offsets, the old-fashioned notion that expensive emergencies like Katrina should be paid for by cuts elsewhere in the budget. Everyone begins with ``pork,'' projects that politicians add to spending bills. But there is not nearly enough pork in the federal budget to cover a $250 billion tab. This year pork will cost $27 billion, according to the Citizens Against Government Waste, small potatoes in a federal budget of $2.5 trillion.
Where's the real beef in the budget? Around 60 percent of annual federal spending is mandatory, primarily Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. These funds are automatically spent each year to meet obligations under existing law.
What's left are two types of discretionary spending: domestic and defense. Almost every proposal to offset Katrina cuts domestic spending, 17 percent of the whole. But these programs - everything from energy to welfare to education to roads - are already stretched thinner than defense. Defense consumes 19 percent of total spending. If you want to find the fat in discretionary spending, look to defense.
The defense budget will cost about $440 billion in fiscal year 2006, excluding the costs of the two ongoing wars. The fiscal 2001 defense budget was $305 billion. That means the Department of Defense annually gets $135 billion more than it did pre-Sept. 11 to do the same thing.
Much of this 40 percent increase in non-war defense spending goes to weapons systems built for the Cold War, which do nothing to defeat terrorists and insurgents. Cutting these platforms would not only help pay for the hurricanes' damage, but might help convince the military that its future is fighting irregular enemies.
Missile defense is the most wasteful part of the defense budget. The program defends against a ghoul - a missile attack that any state would be deterred from trying, and thus could never credibly threaten. Even rigged testing has shown that missile defense probably cannot work. Eliminating these programs could save nearly $8 billion a year.
Another $6 billion could be saved annually by reducing the U.S. nuclear stockpile to a sensible level. Today the United States maintains a nuclear weapons arsenal justified by Cold War targeting. No likely threat merits the roughly 10,000 nuclear weapons we retain.
An additional $11 billion could be saved in 2006 by eliminating pricey Cold War projects like the Air Force's F-22, the Navy's Virginia class submarines and DDX destroyers, and the Army's needlessly complex Future Combat System.
These cuts would save $150 billion over five years. Other savings could be had by cutting force structure from the Air Force and Navy, which wait on the sidelines while the Army and Marines fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. Precision weapons allow the Air Force to put more bombs on targets with fewer flights, planes and men. And no matter what alarmists say about China's navy, it remains a generation behind ours. Cutting two air wings and the one carrier battle group could save $9 billion a year.
Defense spending that serves no useful purpose should not be exempt from the belt-tightening America needs. Too bad Congress probably lacks the courage to try it.
Benjamin Friedman is a doctoral student in the Security Studies Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. We invite our readers to contribute pieces of no more than 600 words. Mail to the Boston Herald, P.O. Box 2096, Boston, MA 02106-2096, fax to 617-542-1315 or e-mail to oped@bostonherald.com. Submissions are subject to editing and become Herald property.

GRAPHIC: KATRINA'S WRATH: Looking for a benefactor among the rubble.

LOAD-DATE: October 1, 2005

177 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 30, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. e21

LENGTH: 376 words

HEADLINE: Movie Review; 
 Life at the front hardly a dream

BYLINE: By JAMES VERNIERE

BODY:
``Occupation Dreamland.''
Not rated. At the Coolidge Corner Theatre.
Three stars (out of four)
In the urgent, Iraq-shot documentary ``Occupation: Dreamland,'' U.S. soldiers seem as confused, upset and dispirited as many of the people they left behind. 
Set in Falluja, the fabled Sunni ``city of mosques,'' and in a former Baathist resort nicknamed ``Dreamland,'' the film charts the patrols of one 82nd Airborne squad over the course of several increasingly dangerous weeks in 2004.
Many of the soldiers are uneducated young men from the heartland who had never been outside the United States before and who believed the military might provide a future for them and their families and give their lives meaning.
What they say they have found is confusion in an otherwordly country that does not want them and intense pressure to re-enlist. When trying to understand what he's doing in Iraq, one subject perhaps unwisely defers to ``somebody smarter'' than him.
Though the filmmakers obviously have an agenda, ``Occupation: Dreamland'' also gives a voice to those who are on the front lines, where the ``RPGs'' (rocket-propelled grenades) and ``IEDs'' (improvised explosive devices) are firing and blowing up left and right. In scenes shot back at the squad's dormitorylike quarters, the men gaze admiringly at a photo of a scantily clad Britney Spears - the Rita Hayworth of the war in Iraq - relax in the gentle twinkle of multicolored Christmas lights and talk about their homes and loved ones.
In scenes shot in what might be called ``night-vision-vision,'' the eyes of Iraqi women being questioned by American soldiers shine like glowing green jewels. Two of the soldiers admit to increasing anger and frustration and a growing desire to ``light someone up.'' At the same time, others make crude attempts to bond with the Iraqis they meet in the street, including speaking a few words of greeting in Arabic.
``This place used to be a mecca,'' one young man remarks, inadvertently making a devastating pun. Watching ``Occupation: Dreamland,'' which was directed by Ian Olds and Garrett Scott, anyone old enough to remember news footage from Vietnam will experience a powerful, dismaying sense of deja vu.
(``Occupation: Dreamland'' contains violence and profanities.)

LOAD-DATE: September 30, 2005

178 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 29, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 083

LENGTH: 539 words

HEADLINE: COLLEGE FOOTBALL; 
 Harris' 377 yards a gas

BYLINE: By John Connolly

BODY:
There is no energy crisis at Mount Ida College (1-3) as the Mustangs were powered by the diesel-like performance of junior Antwan Harris in posting their first win of the season, a 65-49 victory over Becker College on Saturday.
``It was wild,'' Mt. Ida coach Ed Sweeney said. ``It was like a USFL game.'' 
Harris carried the football a stunning 47 times for an equally arresting 377 yards. The school record total was the 10th-highest single-game rushing total in Div. 3 history, and 25th-best among all divisions.
``He's as good as any back I've ever been around,'' said Sweeney, who has been head coach at four schools (Frostburg State, Dickinson, Colgate and Mt. Ida) and an assistant coach at Boston University. ``He's so powerful. He just doesn't stop. He was just banging and banging. He would have liked it if I gave it to him 50 times.''
Harris, who earned a weekly Gold Helmet Award for Saturday's effort, was a defensive end in high school, but at 5-foot-8, 195 pounds, felt a tad undersized for that position on the college level. He switched to running back and has flourished.
``I was just trying to help my team go for its first win. I was just doing my part,'' said Harris, an American Studies major who wants to be a history professor.
``I'd like for us to go 6-0 in our next six games.''
Injuries at quarterback forced Harris to carry the load. Senior P.J. Matthews was hurt (knee) in the first game and is out for the season. Sophomore backup Matt Marshall broke a bone in a foot at practice, forcing Sweeney to convert wide receiver Charles Caughman (8-of-12 for 133 yards, 2 TDs).
``I told the kids that we have to `crank up the diesel' like the Washington Redskins used to do with the Hogs and John Riggins,'' Sweeney said of the running game. ``The only problem was that the kids didn't know what I was talking about because most of these kids weren't even born back then.''
Helmet fits Dawson
Junior tailback Clifton Dawson of Harvard (2-0) earned the week's other Gold Helmet after posting 189 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries in a 38-35 double-overtime win against Brown. . . . Bentley College junior Derrick Marsan of Methuen is averaging 45.2 yards, with 15 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. . . . Stonehill junior offensive lineman Brian Benvie of Brockton broke his left leg after catching a deflected pass for a 4-yard gain during a 16-7 loss to Div. 1AA Iona. He is out for the season. Benvie redshirted last season while serving in the military in Iraq. . . .
Speaking at yesterday's football writers' luncheon, Tufts coach Bill Samko praised his defense - led by senior safety Patrick Magoon of South Easton, and junior lineman Ryan Byrne - for its role in the Jumbos' season-opening 16-6 win at Wesleyan. . . .
Northeastern (1-3) outlasted Towson (2-2) in a wild 56-41 affair at Parsons Field on Saturday and now enjoys a bye week. It couldn't come at a better time as NU may return linebacker Jay Frank (knee), receiver Patrick Graham (knee) and quarterback Anthony Orio (leg) in time for its showdown with UMass (3-1) on Oct. 8. . . . UMass sophomore linebacker Jason Hatchell drew Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week honors after posting 12 tackles in the Minutemen's 14-6 win over Rhode Island.

LOAD-DATE: September 29, 2005

179 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 29, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 031

LENGTH: 181 words

HEADLINE: Slain soldier's sis cries: I want my brother back

BYLINE: By Jessica Fargen

BODY:
The loss of her beloved brother to enemy action in Iraq overwhelmed Barbara Bell as she eulogized slain Army Sgt. Pierre Raymond yesterday. 
``I want my brother back, I would give anything to have him back, we were supposed to grow old together,'' said Bell.
Bell, 30, broke down at St. Patrick's Church in Lawrence while giving the eulogy for her youngest brother. Her brother, Alfio was by her side.
Bell remembered fondly their brother's ``big, old belly laughs.''
``He had this capacity in his heart to love,'' Bell said.
Raymond joined the Army in 2000 and served in Bosnia until 2003, when he was released from active duty.
``He loved life,'' Bell said. ``When the military became a part of that he embraced that as well.''
Raymond, 28, a Bradley fighting vehicle mechanic, was assigned to the second Marine Expeditionary Force. He died Sept. 20 at a German military hospital where he had been sent after being injured in Iraq.
Raymond was injured Sept. 15, while sleeping at his barracks in Ramadi when someone threw an explosive device. The shrapnel from the explosion hit him in the neck.

LOAD-DATE: September 29, 2005

180 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 29, 2005 Thursday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. 057

LENGTH: 338 words

HEADLINE: THEATER REVIEW; 
 Tingle makes `Dream' come true

BYLINE: By Sean L. McCarthy

BODY:
``Jimmy Tingle's American Dream,'' at Jimmy Tingle's Off-Broadway, Somerville.
Satirist Will Durst once observed that the one-man show differs from a typical stand-up comedian's act only slightly, offering more theatrical qualities and life lessons.
Jimmy Tingle, who hosted Durst in his namesake Davis Square venue earlier this year, delivers on both counts in ``Jimmy Tingle's American Dream.'' 
Befitting his ``cafeteria Catholicism,'' Tingle's show has the air of a joking confessional.
He looks back to his beginnings at the Ding Ho in 1980, reminiscing about his fellow comics and their own pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. ``Where do you see yourself in 25 years, Jim? I see myself in Davis Square! In a basement! Preferably on the Red Line!'' he said. ``I have a simpler dream.''
Over the course of 90 minutes, Tingle shares how he and other Americans, from the Pilgrims to the newest immigrants, pursue their dreams here.
The old pope, the new pope, gay marriage, stem cell research, the ineffectiveness of torture and the war in Iraq, the messiness of democracy and of the Red Sox - they're all targets of Tingle's wit.
Noting the irony of picking the Big Dig contractors to oversee Iraqi reconstruction is fairly easy around these parts.
The clash between Tingle's abstinence from alcohol and the economic need to win a beer-and-wine license for his theater offers more rewarding laughs.
So do tales in which the comedian reflects on his own mortality.
At 50, Tingle has spent half his life onstage.
And he has had plenty of time since his 2002-03 production, ``Jimmy Tingle in the Promised Land,'' to reflect on his all-too-brief prime-time career as the closing commentator on ``60 Minutes II'' and to come to grips with running his own theater.
Amid the storytelling in ``American Dream,'' the satirical barbs, a Q-and-A session and the very topical monologue, Tingle and director Larry Arrick still manage to construct a few stand-alone pieces of commentary that remind us how and why Tingle got on CBS in the first place.

LOAD-DATE: September 29, 2005

181 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 27, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 002

LENGTH: 403 words

HEADLINE: Kerry finds positives in U.S. Iraq mission

BYLINE: By DAVE WEDGE

BODY:
Sen. John F. Kerry back-pedalled on blistering criticism of the war in Iraq, conceding that ``progress'' has been made recently in the battle-scarred nation - despite what he termed continued failures by President Bush.
``There is some schedule showing what you (need) to do to get Iraqis standing up and defending themselves which is now suddenly beginning to happen, so there are some signs of progress,'' Kerry said during a 30-minute speech at the Park Plaza Hotel. ``The only way we're going to be successful there - and ultimately, success is going to have to be somewhat redefined - is to create sufficient stability to get the troops home.'' 
He later added while speaking to reporters: ``The Iraqi forces are improving somewhat. Whether it's enough to hold the line is obviously a very serious question.''
While acknowledging gains, Kerry called the war ``deeply troubled'' and said he is working on a timetable for a troop pullout.
``I want us to be successful. We all in America want it. Our troops are doing an incredible job. They deserve better choices in support of them,'' he said.
Kerry's comments were criticized as political posturing by Bill Dobbs of the anti-war group United for Justice and Peace.
``There's a real surge in opposition to the war but on the other hand as we get into the (2008 presidential) election, the Democrats will be trying to get off scott-free and pretend they're opposing the war when they're letting it go on, costing lives,'' Dobbs said.
Massachusetts Republican party spokesman Tim O'Brien said: ``It's nice to see Senator Kerry take a brief break from his partisan attacks and recognize the president's efforts and their impact on the war on terror.''
Kerry ducked questions about a 2008 presidential run or the potential of Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney in the race, saying it is ``much too early for that stuff.''
The Massachusetts Democrat focused much of his speech on the global economy and America's race to keep pace with emerging powers India and China. To compete, he said America must spend more on education and research, lower health care costs and end tax cuts for the wealthy.
Kerry also charged that the Bush administration has ``shut the door'' to Democrats in Washington, creating a GOP-controlled legislature that has stifled key legislation.
``They seem to have been able to just shut down any type of bi-partisan action that is counter to their priority,'' he said.

GRAPHIC: Sen. John F. Kerry

LOAD-DATE: September 27, 2005

182 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 26, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. 045

LENGTH: 450 words

HEADLINE: MUSIC REVIEW; 
 Mixfest 2005, Bank of America Pavilion, Boston, Saturday night.

BYLINE: By Sarah Rodman

BODY:
If volume can be used as a gauge of success then Saturday's Mixfest at the Bank of America Pavilion was a smash hit because it was the loudest show in recent memory at the harborside venue.
Luckily, most of the performers at the multi-artist show, featuring Sheryl Crow, Cyndi Lauper, Howie Day, Gavin DeGraw and the Pat McGee Band, measured up to - but never justified - the sound person's clear desire for a big show, sponsored by WBMX-FM (Mix 98.5).
Headliner Crow - looking loose, laid back and like she hadn't been out of bed for long - played a mixed set that featured some of her biggest hits and gave the capacity crowd a sneak peek at her stirring new album, ``Wildflower,'' due out tomorrow. 
Of the five new tracks several stood out as possible future favorites. ``I Know Why'' had a great folk rock to plugged in Les Paul-Neil Young vibe and featured a stinging guitar solo. The stately yet beautiful ballad ``Where Has All the Love Gone'' - which Crow said was instigated by the Iraq war - had a dreamy melancholy that resonated with each sparkling arpeggio.
The crowd responded with polite curiosity to the new stuff, but enthusiastically cheered familiar radio hits such as ``Soak Up the Sun,'' the Cat Steven's roots-rock classic ``The First Cut is the Deepest'' and the delicate, organ-stoked acoustic ballad ``Strong Enough.''
If Crow showed solid chops it was '80s survivor Lauper - barefoot in black leather and a short platinum blond 'do - who practically blew the tent away with her big voice and personality. Her set began on a comic note: As she belted out ``Shine,'' she hollered to one of her stage hands in that unmistakable accent, ``Can somebody help me 'cause my pants are falling down.'' She recovered, easily jumping into the crowd and whipping up a frenzy with hits such as ``Time After Time,'' ``I Drove All Night,'' a stripped down acoustic version of ``She-Bop'' - which she jokingly described as a plaintive folk song somewhere between Jewel and Dylan - and a souped-up ska take of ``Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.'' New piano ballad ``Above the Clouds,'' co-written with Jeff Beck, bodes well for her upcoming album, and a showstopping ``Money Changes Everything'' proved that the 52-year-old still has power to spare.
Squeezed in between Crow and Lauper, Maine pop troubadour Day's 10-minute set was a blur, but his earnest partial cover of U2's ``One'' and his own ``Collide'' prompted the night's loudest sing-alongs.
DeGraw drew a hearty response for his piano and guitar driven pop rock, including ``I Don't Want to Be'' and ``Chariot.''
Virginia sextet the Pat McGee Band opened with a set of innocuous folk rock including a faithful cover of Fleetwood Mac's ``The Chain.''

LOAD-DATE: September 26, 2005

183 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 25, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 142 words

HEADLINE: On the rocks, Bush boozes, rag reports

BYLINE: By Laura Crimaldi

BODY:
Hurricane Katrina didn't generate many laughs, but impulse buyers in the supermarket checkout line ought to get a few chuckles out of the latest National Enquirer, which includes a breathless report that the catastrophe drove President George W. Bush back to the bottle.
``When the levees broke in New Orleans, it apparently made him reach for a shot.  
He poured himself a Texas-sized shot of straight whiskey and tossed it back. The First Lady was shocked and shouted: ``Stop George!'' an ``insider'' said, according to the rag.
The report, which has liberal bloggers in stitches, also claims a combination of the Katrina crisis, troop losses in Iraq and low approval ratings have pushed Bush back to drink.
Intriguingly, the leader of the free world didn't dominate the maggie's front page. That honor went to Angelina Jolie and her ``illegal'' adoption.

LOAD-DATE: September 25, 2005

184 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 25, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. A05

LENGTH: 547 words

HEADLINE: MOVIES; 
 `History' repeats itself for Mortensen

BYLINE: By Stephen Schaefer

BODY:
A modern-day revenge thriller, ``A History of Violence'' (new this weekend) lets Viggo Mortensen do some of that spectacular cutting-down-his-enemies work that made his Aragorn in ``The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy so compelling.
Yet for the soft-spoken Mortensen, the violence wasn't what made the role.
``My interest was working with David Cronenberg,'' Mortensen said during a one-on-one Herald interview, referring to the Canadian auteur whose past controversies mixing sex and violence include ``Dead Ringers'' and ``Crash.'' 
For Mortensen, the story of a small-town stalwart - a married man (Maria Bello plays his wife) and father - whose criminal past is exposed ``needed a director who had a light touch and was very intelligent. This is kind of a psychological study of a family, a community, and David has shown an ability in a lot of his movies for dealing with those issues of identity and social interaction. Otherwise, it risks being a very decent but not entirely original exploitation sort of movie.''
``History of Violence'' may not delve deeply into roots or consequences of violence, but Mortensen credits Cronenberg with making a revenge movie ``that is as much about anti-violence in a sense, without ruining the story, as it is violence.''
Mortensen has just finished another (violent) epic for next year based on a Spanish series of novels that might, like ``Lord of the Rings,'' spawn a series.
``The film is `Alatriste,' which is the first of a series of novels - set during the Spanish Empire, the Golden Age of Spain, which is a fascinating time - that are extremely popular in the Spanish-speaking world. The first English translation just came out called `Captain.' ''
The only thing this grittily realistic Spanish-language film shares with ``Lord of the Rings,'' he said, is that it's a big undertaking.
``It's a huge one for Spain; they have never done anything on that scale before - a huge budget and battles, all that stuff. But it's much more of a realistic story. It's got historical personalities in it and fictional ones.''
Once again Mortensen plays a professional soldier.
``If you were making a modern-day version of this, the equivalent would be an American sergeant who is never going to be an officer because he says what he thinks with his superiors. He's in Iraq and was probably in the first Gulf War and so forth. He's been a soldier for 25, 30 years. That's the character I play in this period piece. Through his eyes, you see the highs and lows of Spanish society.''
When he looks back, does Mortensen see Aragorn as a role he was destined to play? When filming began, Stuart Townsend (of the new TV series ``Night Stalker'') was Aragorn; after only two weeks, everyone agreed he was too young, and Daniel Day-Lewis was paged. But the Oscar-winning ``Last of the Mohicans'' star requires months of preparation, not days.
Mortensen didn't even have days to decide about the role that changed his career.
``I had the balance of a day, sort of, to think about it,'' he said. ``I talked it over to my son because it was going to be a long absence. It turned out to be more or less four years on and off, steadily working.
``It just seemed to be one of those fated things. I'm grateful for it. I have a lot of friendships that endure from that time.''

GRAPHIC: VIOLENT STREAK: `Lord of the Rings' star Viggo Mortensen plays violent characters in two new films.

LOAD-DATE: September 25, 2005

185 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 24, 2005 Saturday  
THIRD EDITION

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 034

LENGTH: 604 words

HEADLINE: Football; 
 Schools; 
 Safe haven for victim; 
 Hurricane forces a move to Brockton

BYLINE: By DAN VENTURA

BODY:
BROCKTON - Marque Black knew all about the Brockton football tradition, the legacy of Armond Colombo and the city's unofficial title as City of Champions.
Never in his wildest imagination did the Louisiana native think he would become a part of all that.
Black was gearing up for his senior year at John Ehret High School, hoping to help the Patriots make a run at the Class 5A championship. This would certainly be the year that his school would get past the quarterfinals and compete for a state title at the Superdome in New Orleans. 
Those dreams went astray as Hurricane Katrina soon became a part of everyone's vocabulary. The storm damaged the Black home in Harvey, La., as well as the high school, forcing families to scurry to try to restore some semblance of sanity into their lives.
``We left the Jefferson Parish area the day before the hurricane,'' Black said. ``My parents had a friend in Baton Rouge and we went there. It was a little better there, though it wasn't like Baton Rouge didn't get hit.''
With their personal world in disarray, the Blacks had a decision to make.
Dennis Black is a Marine who had just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq and was being sent to Atlanta. Black had been working as a credentialer at the VA Hospital in New Orleans, but was transferred to the local VA Hospital in Shreveport, La., and would be living in a hotel.
Stuck in the middle of all this was Marque, a 6-foot-2, 265-pound standout offensive lineman with dreams of playing college football at Tennessee State, Grambling or Southern University. With neither parent able to suitably care for him, the search was on to find a caring environment for the Blacks' only child.
The only solution was to send Black north to Brockton to live with his uncle, Robert Watson. While the decision was logical for her brother to take in her son, it certainly didn't make it any easier for Rose Black, herself a 1978 graduate of Brockton High.
``It was very tough because he is my only child,'' Rose Black said from the VA Hospital. ``Even though it was hard, I knew I had to do it because it is best for my son. He needed to get back into school and sports, and my life is so uncertain right now.''
With the living arrangements taken care of, Black began the process of getting himself acclimated to life in Brockton. It wasn't long before word spread throughout the school that a football player, a talented one at that, had arrived from the New Orleans area.
``When I first heard that we had a lineman, I was scared he played my position. I was pretty relieved when they said he was an offensive lineman,'' Boxers senior nose tackle Curtis Ushry said with a chuckle. ``But he's a great kid.
``We know what he's been through and we've tried to help him as much as we can.''
Black couldn't stop gushing about the way his teammates have treated him in the few weeks that he has been in the school.
``They've been great. They welcomed me into the Boxer family and I thank every one of them for that,'' he said. ``They've done so much to help me feel comfortable. If I need something, they make sure it is taken care of.''
Getting on the practice field is one thing, getting a chance to play a game is something still in the works. Black hasn't received a waiver from the MIAA, thus he remains on the sidelines waiting to get into his first game.
While Black is very grateful to Brockton for opening its arms to him, he makes no bones about the fact that home is Harvey, La.
``I miss my mama and yes I'm a mama's boy,'' said Black with a sense of pride. ``I want to get back home as soon as possible to help rebuild my house and help rebuild my school.''

GRAPHIC: FITTING IN: Marque Black clowns around with new Brockton teammate Danny Lovely before a recent practice. STAFF PHOTO BY MATT STONE
BIG EDITION: Marque Black, an evacuee from Hurricane Katrina, listens to a Brockton assistant coach during practice this week. STAFF PHOTO BY MATT STONE

LOAD-DATE: September 24, 2005

186 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 24, 2005 Saturday  
FIRST EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 007

LENGTH: 193 words

HEADLINE: Lawrence soldier dies of shrapnel wound

BYLINE: By O'RYAN JOHNSON

BODY:
A soldier from Lawrence died this week at a German hospital from wounds he suffered in an explosion in Ramadi, Iraq.
Sgt.  
Pierre Raymond, 28, an Army mechanic assigned to a Marine unit, had only been in the country about a month when he was injured, family members said.
Raymond was asleep on Sept. 15 when an explosion either from a mortar shell or improvised explosive device ripped through his barracks wall, shooting a piece of shrapnel into his neck, said Raymond's 32-year-old brother, Alfio, of Lawrence. The soldier was airlifted to Kuwait, then on to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where his family joined him at his bedside when he passed away Sept. 20. 
``I'd give anything to have my brother back,'' said his sister, Barbara Bell, 30, who was at his bedside in Germany. ``But to be there, to be able to laugh with my family when we remembered his jokes was amazing. It was a gift.''
Raymond, a 1994 graduate of Salem, N.H., High School, joined the Army in 2000 and served in Bosnia until he was released from active duty in 2003, Alfio Raymond said. He was called back to join the 228th Forward Support Battalion, 28th Infantry Division.

LOAD-DATE: September 24, 2005

187 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 24, 2005 Saturday  
THIRD EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 007

LENGTH: 337 words

HEADLINE: Blast kills Lawrence soldier

BYLINE: By O'RYAN JOHNSON

BODY:
A soldier from Lawrence died this week at a German hospital from wounds he suffered in an explosion in Ramadi, Iraq.
Sgt. Pierre Raymond, 28, a Bradley fighting vehicle mechanic assigned to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, had only been in the country about a month when he was injured, family members said. 
``He was a laid-back sort of guy, always there for people,'' said Raymond's 32-year-old brother, Alfio, of Lawrence. ``Easygoing. Always happy.''
Raymond was asleep on Sept. 15 when a blast from a lobbed explosive device ripped through his barracks wall, shooting a piece of shrapnel into his neck, said the Department of Defense and Alfio Raymond.
``This was an enemy attack,'' said DOD spokeswoman Maj. Elizabeth Robbins. ``He died as the result of indirect fire.''
The soldier was airlifted to Kuwait then on to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where his family joined him at his bedside when he passed away Tuesday.
``I'd give anything to have my brother back,'' said his sister, Barbara Bell, 30, who was at his bedside in Germany. ``But to be there, to be able to laugh with my family when we remembered his jokes was amazing. It was a gift.''
Bell said her brother had a love of working under the hood of cars, a skill that transferred easily to the military. She said when he was stationed at Ft. Stewart in Georgia she was living nearby, but he declined an invitation for Thanksgiving, opting instead to go on a training mission.
``I said, `Don't you want to come for Thanksgiving?' and he said, `But I get to go to the desert and work on tanks,' '' she said. ``The passion of doing that thrilled him to pieces.''
Raymond was a 1994 graduate of Salem (N.H.) High School. He attended Northern Essex Community College then joined the Army in 2000 and served in Bosnia until he was released from active duty in 2003, Alfio Raymond said. He was called back to join the 228th Forward Support Battalion, 28th Infantry Division.
``My son was great,'' said Raymond's father David Raymond. ``He was a ball.''

GRAPHIC: RAYMOND: Killed in action.

LOAD-DATE: September 24, 2005

188 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 24, 2005 Saturday  
FIRST EDITION

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 034

LENGTH: 605 words

HEADLINE: Football; 
 Schools; 
 Safe haven for victim: Hurricane forces a move to Brockton

BYLINE: By Dan Ventura

BODY:
BROCKTON - Marque Black knew all about the Brockton football tradition, the legacy of Armond Colombo and the city's unofficial title as City of Champions.
Never in his wildest imagination did the Louisiana native think he would become a part of all that.
Black was gearing up for his senior year at John Ehret High School, hoping to help the Patriots make a run at the Class 5A championship. This would certainly be the year that his school would get past the quarterfinals and compete for a state title at the Superdome in New Orleans. 
Those dreams went astray as Hurricane Katrina soon became a part of everyone's vocabulary. The storm damaged the Black home in Harvey, La., as well as the high school, forcing families to scurry to try to restore some semblance of sanity into their lives.
``We left the Jefferson Parish area the day before the hurricane,'' Black said. ``My parents had a friend in Baton Rouge and we went there. It was a little better there, though it wasn't like Baton Rouge didn't get hit.''
With their personal world in disarray, the Blacks had a decision to make.
Dennis Black is a Marine who had just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq and was being sent to Atlanta. Black had been working as a credentialer at the VA Hospital in New Orleans, but was transferred to the local VA Hospital in Shreveport, La., and would be living in a hotel.
Stuck in the middle of all this was Marque, a 6-foot-2, 265-pound standout offensive lineman with dreams of playing college football at Tennessee State, Grambling or Southern University. With neither parent able to suitably care for him, the search was on to find a caring environment for the Blacks' only child. The only solution was to send Black north to Brockton to live with his uncle, Robert Watson. While the decision was logical for her brother to take in her son, it certainly didn't make it any easier for Rose Black, herself a 1978 graduate of Brockton High. 
``It was very tough because he is my only child,'' Rose Black said from the VA Hospital. ``Even though it was hard, I knew I had to do it because it is best for my son. He needed to get back into school and sports, and my life is so uncertain right now.''
With the living arrangements taken care of, Black began the process of getting himself acclimated to life in Brockton. It wasn't long before word spread throughout the school that a football player, a talented one at that, had arrived from the New Orleans area.
``When I first heard that we had a lineman, I was scared he played my position. I was pretty relieved when they said he was an offensive lineman,'' Boxers senior nose tackle Curtis Ushry said with a chuckle. ``But he's a great kid.
``We know what he's been through and we've tried to help him as much as we can.''
Black couldn't stop gushing about the way his teammates have treated him in the few weeks that he has been in the school.
``They've been great. They welcomed me into the Boxer family and I thank every one of them for that,'' he said. ``They've done so much to help me feel comfortable. If I need something, they make sure it is taken care of.''
Getting on the practice field is one thing, getting a chance to play a game is something still in the works. Black hasn't received a waiver from the MIAA, thus he remains on the sidelines waiting to get into his first game.
While Black is very grateful to Brockton for opening its arms to him, he makes no bones about the fact that home is Harvey, La.
``I miss my mama and yes I'm a mama's boy,'' said Black with a sense of pride. ``I want to get back home as soon as possible to help rebuild my house and help rebuild my school.''

GRAPHIC: FITING IN Marqe Black clowns around with new Brockton teammate Danny Lovely before recent practice
BIG ADDITION: Marque Black, an evacuee from Hurricane Katrina who hopes to join the Brockton football team, listens to an assistant Boxers coach during practice. Below, Black storms into the backfield from his defensive line position as he goes through drills with his new teammates at Marciano Stadium. STAFF PHOTOS BY MATT STONE ÿ1A

LOAD-DATE: September 24, 2005

189 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 21, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 008

LENGTH: 232 words

HEADLINE: Westboro native dies in Mosul when suicide bomb hits convoy

BYLINE: By CHAD CAIN (WESTBOROUGH NEWS)

BODY:
A ``brave public servant'' raised in Westboro was killed by a car bomb in Iraq Monday.
Stephen Eric Sullivan, 40, an assistant regional security officer who had been in Iraq for three weeks after an eight-month stint in Afghanistan, was killed when a car bomb destroyed his vehicle, which was traveling in a convoy in Mosul, State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said.  
Three security agents traveling in his convoy were also killed.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called his death yesterday a ``tragic loss for all of us at the Department of State.''
``Steve Sullivan died in service of his country and for the cause of democracy and freedom. There is no more noble a sacrifice,'' Rice said in a statement.
Sullivan, a former member of the Westboro High football team and a 1983 graduate, is the first person with Westboro ties to be killed in either Afghanistan or Iraq.
Sullivan grew up in Westboro, the oldest of Robert and Diane Sullivan's three children.
Diane Sullivan confirmed her son's death yesterday, but the family did not wish to comment at the time.
``Steve was a brave public servant, a brave American dedicated to his country and to helping the people of Iraq and America,'' said Ereli.
In addition to his parents, Stephen Sullivan is survived by two sisters, Erin Marie Sullivan of Waltham and Shauna Grace Oliveri of Hopedale.
Correspondent Judy Powell contributed to this report.

LOAD-DATE: September 21, 2005

190 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 20, 2005 Tuesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 024

LENGTH: 695 words

HEADLINE: Letters to the Editor

BODY:
School has good marks
We are writing to support the very wonderful Mary Lyon School (``Parents claim teacher restrained kid,'' Sept. 14).
Mary Lyon is not a special education school. Like the Mason School in Roxbury, it is a full inclusion school model, which frankly all of the schools in Boston would benefit from emulating. About one-third of the total student body - or five children in each class - have some kind of special need, and one would never be able to distinguish a special needs child from any other child in a classroom. 
There are many stories of children with special needs who have attained great academic and personal success because of the Mary Lyon's commitment and unique approach to excellence, which is why the school distinguishes itself as one of the best schools in the city. The school's MCAS scores are consistently among the top five highest.
We believe once all the facts are presented around the ``restraining'' incident that the Mary Lyon School and its faculty will be fully vindicated.
- Bruce Bolling and Joyce Ferriabough, Boston
Clinton isn't all scandal
Regarding the cartoon, ``Presidential legacies'' (Sept. 19) only one word can describe it - pathetic.
If the Herald truly thinks that is all people associate with Bill Clinton, then this country is in more trouble than anyone can imagine. You would need several pages to underscore the horrendous legacy President Bush will leave behind.
- Pat Fagan, Weymouth
Union strong at home
George Will's column (``Northwest strikes at union heart,'' Sept. 18) claims that the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) has ``forfeited the support of other unions by poaching some of their members'' and that the only ``solidarity in evidence'' at Northwest is among managers and replacement workers trying to undermine the walk-out.
This is certainly not true here at the local level in Boston or in other cities around the country like Minneapolis and Detroit (where the United Auto Workers just donated $800,000 to the 4,000 Northwest strikers).
Working together through the solidarity coalition known as Jobs with Justice, Massachusetts unions representing more than 35,000 workers are supporting AMFA Local 2 at Logan Airport based on the strikers ``strong stand against wage and benefit cuts, plus massive outsourcing and job elimination.''
George Will may be right about national leaders of the AFL-CIO and its new rival, the Change To Win Coalition (CTWC) - whose failure to act on AMFA's behalf shows they've learned little from the defeat of air traffic controllers in PATCO 25 years ago. Local labor and community activists are trying to avert a repetition of that disaster, however.
- Steve Early, Communications Workers of America, District 1, Woburn
Keep courage as focus
Kudos to columnist Michelle Malkin for identifying the problem with creating a politically correct monument to the heroes of Flight 93 (``Flight 93's courage trivialized in Penn.,'' Sept. 15).
Ordinary citizens became real American heroes on Sept. 11. Any memorial to their bravery should showcase their courage and sacrifice.
We need a true memorial befitting their amazing courage. Forget the red crescents. Forget the healing. Forget the contemplations. Remember the courage.
- Sal J. Giarratani, Quincy
Leave pledge to country
Our forefathers were wise in their decision to keep separate church and state (``Flag football: Judge says pledge is out of bounds,'' Sept. 15).
Look at the people of Iraq in trying to get control of the government. They only want one religious sect to govern and live there. They definitely will not allow division of church and state.
The Pledge of Allegiance to the United States is just that - a pledge to the country. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's.
- R.J. Carroll, Woburn
Training too tough
There's one question I have regarding the hazing during state police training (Sept. 16). What exactly do the instructors think they're training these people to be?
Troopers need to be ready to deal with dangerous men and women they might pull over, but they also are supposed to be public servants - not attack dogs.
- Russ Nelson, Jr., Framingham

LOAD-DATE: September 20, 2005

191 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 19, 2005 Monday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 025

LENGTH: 507 words

HEADLINE: Halliburton, set to clean up, denies overcharges

BYLINE: By BRETT ARENDS

BODY:
Politically-wired Halliburton Inc. is denying it overbilled the U.S government in Iraq - just three months after a Pentagon report showed $422 million in ``unsupported'' costs in the company's contracts.
The company, which is in line for Federal work helping rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, also responded to scrutiny of its CEO's growing fortune by taking the unusual step of highlighting the share option gains of an executive at a rival firm.
Halliburton has been a target of Bush administration critics over its work in Iraq. Vice-President Dick Cheney ran the company from 1995 to 2000. 
In an exclusive communication to the Herald, company communications director Cathy Mann said audits of Halliburton's $9 billion in Iraq contracts ``are part of the normal contracting process'' and their role ``is advisory only. Any claims that the figures contained in these audit reports are `overcharges' are uninformed and flat wrong.''
Her assertion comes just three months after the release of a Pentagon report which showed $1.03 billion in ``questioned''
costs and $422 million in ``unsupported'' costs in the company's Iraq contracts.
The Department of Defense Audit Agency, in a detailed review, criticized the company for failing to provide ``current, accurate, and complete data'' on the financials of its Iraq work, noting the error was so bad ``it decreases the government confidence in and reliance on the contractor estimating system.''
Halliburton, at the time, disputed many of the findings. But it admitted, in a submission to the Defense Contract Audit Agency in December 2003, that ``we did not use current, accurate or complete information that was available for pricing of subcontracts.''
In one instance, the Pentagon found ``an approximate $67 million overstatement of proposed costs'' in Halliburton's bill setting up and running military canteens in Iraq.
In reply, Halliburton's own director of government compliance, William R. Walter, agreed with the point but disputed the figure. ``(T)he difference between the proposed cost of total dining facility costs and the amount using the current, accurate and complete data provided was a total of $37 million,'' he wrote.
``There are many excuses and reasons available - but - in the end, KBR did not include the most current data in our proposal,'' he wrote to the Pentagon.
KBR is the Halliburton division involved in the Iraqi work.
The company's latest statement followed a Herald article last week about Halliburton's soaring stock price and the resulting paper profits made by CEO David Lesar.
Communications director Cathy Mann asked why no``other energy services company or executive'' was cited in the analysis, adding: ``A review of public trading information for other energy services industry executives would have revealed that one Weatherford executive has exercised 446,839 shares since early September.''
Companies rarely point fingers at rivals, let alone at rival executives. Weatherford, like Halliburton and most of the big oil companies, is based in Houston, Tex.

LOAD-DATE: September 19, 2005

192 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 18, 2005 Sunday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 024

LENGTH: 293 words

HEADLINE: Editorial; 
 With Syria, no idle threats

BODY:
The U.S. ambassador to Iraq has launched a vague threat against Syria for letting terrorist recruits from throughout the Arab world cross into Iraq to join the insurgency there. Alas, we fear his threat is empty, and thus should not have been made. 
At a State Department news conference last week, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said, ``Our patience is running out.''
He refused to rule out either a military attack or an appeal to the United Nations Security Council for sanctions, saying, ``All options are on the table.''
This is not going to make dictator Bashar al-Assad quake in his boots.
U.N. action? He can hope for a veto by France or Russia.
A military strike? Senior Washington officials admitted in the usual ``background'' remarks that the U.S. government had no plans for new action against Syria.
Power - political, social, ``soft'' or even military - is useless if no one believes it will be used, especially the potential objects of its use.
Khalilzad said ``youngsters misguided by al-Qaeda'' from Saudi Arabia, Yemen and North Africa were flying into Damascus airport on one-way tickets, going to training camps in Syria and from those into Iraq. Syria says this is all ``rubbish.''
These outsiders are believed to be a major source of suicide bombers like those who slaughtered innocents in a dozen attacks across Baghdad last Wednesday.
If the United States was really determined to stop their flow, it would demand that Syria close the camps and expel the jihadists within 48 hours on pain of seeing the runways of every airport in the country wrecked and kept that way by air strikes.
This would require a level of determination not yet apparent in a Washington administration that has refused for two years to admit its forces in Iraq are too small.

LOAD-DATE: September 18, 2005

193 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 17, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 004

LENGTH: 132 words

HEADLINE: KATRINA'S WRATH; 
 Kennedy pushing Gulf Coast workers for reconstruction

BYLINE: By MAGGIE MULVIHILL

BODY:
U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy is proposing a regional authority be appointed to head up reconstruction in the Gulf Coast region, an area he toured for the first time yesterday. 
Kennedy modeled his plan after the Tennessee Valley Authority, created during the Great Depression to provide jobs for thousands.
He wants Gulf residents hired for the massive reconstructive effort, rather than major outside contractors such as Halliburton Inc., so the country can ``stay away from the contract abuses we saw in Iraq.''
The Massachusetts Democrat, whose wife, Victoria Reggie Kennedy, is from Louisiana, said his tour was ``enormously moving.''
``Even though it is one region of the country, New Orleans and the Gulf are part of the country. We are all one country with one history and one destiny,'' he said.

LOAD-DATE: September 17, 2005

194 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 16, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: THE EDGE; Pg. e15

LENGTH: 624 words

HEADLINE: MOVIE REVIEW; 
 Cage shoots and misses in vaccuous `Lord of War'

BYLINE: By JAMES VERNIERE

BODY:
``Lord of War''
Rated R. At AMC Fenway, Loews Boston Common and suburban theaters. Two stars (out of four)
Andrew Niccol's ``Lord of War'' gets its title from a nickname given its hero by an African war criminal turned head of state (Eamonn Walker) with a shaky command of English. 
He means to say ``warlord,'' but it comes out ``lord of war.'' He also prefers ``bath of blood'' to bloodbath.
The latest typically clever if vacuous effort from writer-director Niccol (``Gattaca''), ``Lord of War'' tells the 1980s-and-'90s-set supposedly true Horatio Alger tale of Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage), an ambitious young man whose tightly knit family has emigrated from a collapsing Soviet Union, specifically the Ukraine, to Brighton Beach, Brooklyn.
Yuri's hardworking father (Jean-Pierre Nshanian) has taken his masquerade as a Jew to facilitate his family's entry to the United States very seriously and now eats kosher.
He also has built a kosher restaurant business. But his eldest son, Yuri, whose ne'er-do-well brother Vitaly (Jared Leto) gets checked into rehab so often he's on a first-name basis with the attendants, dreams of striking it rich as an arms dealer.
More important than the film's plot, which pits an increasingly rich and Tony Montana-aka-Scarface-like Yuri against hotshot American Interpolagent Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke), who's determined to bust him, and unscrupulous rival Simeon Weisz (Ian Holm), are the flashy stylistic flourishes.
In eye-catching, ``birth-of-a-bullet'' opening scenes played to the tune of Buffalo Springfield's ``For What It's Worth,'' Yuri addresses the camera, something he does repeatedly, explaining there are 550 million guns in the world, most of them made in the good old U.S.A. Yuri and the story will travel all over the world in search of hot spots such as Beirut to sell his death-dealing wares, sometimes by the kilo.
Back home in New York City, Yuri's beautiful wife, Ava (Bridget Moynahan), raises their son by herself in luxury. In earlier scenes, Yuri courts Ava, a supermodel, by luring her to a St. Barts beach resort and renting every other space in the hotel, making them the only two people staying there.
Oh, the irony of success! Instead of the ``ka-ching'' of a cash register, the money-making sound in ``Lord of War'' is the metallic slide of an AK-47. Someone refers to Russia as the land of ``vodka, caviar and suicidal novelists,'' not a particularly original or even intelligent view. But dilettantes will giggle.
It doesn't take a genius to see ``Lord of War'' as Niccol's metaphor for success in Hollywood and the soul-imperiling trappings that come along with it: free drugs, ludicrous wealth and an embarrassment of supermodels.
All the women in ``Lord of War'' are trophies, and Niccol, whose similarly empty ``S1mOne'' is about a fully digitalized screen goddess, seems incapable of creating a woman who's more than a man's accessory, sometimes just a digital one. In a typical scene, a client's son sends two prostitutes dressed as cheerleaders to Yuri's hotel as gifts. In a suspiciously vicious and gratuitous insult to the Ava character, Yuri underwrites his wife's art career by anonymously buying her paintings.
Cage gives Yuri a serrated-edge cynicism. But the character never quite comes to life, and the actor is much more engaging as the existential hero of his other fall release ``The Weather Man.'' Yuri may remind some viewers of Milo Minderbinder, the uncannily successful entrepreneur in Joseph Heller's ``Catch-22.'' But there's a big difference between that book and this film. In ``Lord of War,'' a movie made during the war in Iraq, actual war is an afterthought, if not a thought of after.
(``Lord of War'' contains violence, profanity and sexual situations.)

LOAD-DATE: September 16, 2005

195 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 16, 2005 Friday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 025

LENGTH: 188 words

HEADLINE: `Just burn the flag' - ruling fuels readers' fire

BYLINE: By JOE DWINELL

BODY:
Striking God from the Pledge of Allegiance ignited Herald Web site surfers' wrath.
Reams of posts to the Herald's Web site tore into a San Francisco judge's ruling that reciting ``under God'' every morning violates students' constitutional rights. 
The Herald asked for responses on the pledge ruling in an online poll and it triggered an electronic fury.
``Why don't we just burn the flag and our money, we don't need God, right?'' said one post in reference to ``In God we trust.''
``San Francisco should secede from the union,'' said a voter, starting a thread suggesting that all of California wouldn't be missed.
``Maybe judge Roberts will ask . . . Teddy,'' another chimed in.
Out of hundreds of responses, a pledge-reciting, God-fearing majority of 87 percent said to keep ``God.'' A vocal 13 percent minority, however, said to drop ``God.''
``It never bothered me saying it, but if it were put to a vote, I'd vote to take `God' out,'' Magus Perde said.
Readers also said to not be a ``Nazi,'' that ``all atheists should just sit down'' or, if you don't like it, ``move to Iraq'' - just your everyday online smackdown.
joed@cnc.com

LOAD-DATE: September 16, 2005

196 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 14, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: FINANCE; Pg. 033

LENGTH: 342 words

HEADLINE: HITTING A GUSHER; 
 Crisis nets Halliburton CEO $60M

BYLINE: By BRETT ARENDS

BODY:
The chairman and CEO of Halliburton Inc. has made an estimated $60 million in four months due to the fuel crisis, a Herald review reveals.
David Lesar, who runs the Houston-based contractor, has made $15.9 million in gains on his shares and options, or $5.3 million a week, just since Katrina made landfall.
The politically connected company, which overbilled the federal government by millions for its work in Iraq, faces new controversy over news it is in line for contracts to help clean up and rebuild New Orleans and the devastated Gulf coast. 
Despite the controversy they attract, those contracts are only marginally profitable.
The real money is coming from the fuel crisis. With oil at $63 a barrel, energy service companies such as Halliburton are raking it in, says analyst Matt Moran at Morningstar, Inc.
``Clearly these guys are making a mint right now,'' he said. ``They've been making lots of money for some time, but as the oil price stays high (investors are becoming) confident that oil service companies will continue to rake in the dough.''
Operating income last quarter was $607 million, compared to a $26 million loss the year before. The result? Halliburton stock, which was just $42 in early May, has skyrocketed to $62.70.
Lesar, according to the company's last regulatory filing, held 794,485 shares and 1.17 million share options. He also holds 644,575 in ``restricted stock'' under an incentive plan.
All that's in addition to his salary, bonus and other payments that totalled $5.95 million last year.
His holdings were worth $72 million at the start of May. That had risen to $113.5 million by late August, shortly before Katrina hit, and were worth a stunning $129.4 million last night.
Fidelity Investments is the company's biggest outside investor, and its mutual funds have made $1.1 billion profits on the stock since May.
Managers at 82 Devonshire St. were cleverly loading up on the shares through the spring.
Fidelity fund manager Nathan Strik's Select Energy Services Fund has more than 11 percent of its money in Halliburton.

LOAD-DATE: September 14, 2005

197 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 10, 2005 Saturday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. 036

LENGTH: 348 words

HEADLINE: Football; 
 Benvie's R&R is football

BYLINE: By JOHN CONNOLLY

BODY:
While many of his Stonehill College teammates grunted and groaned during the dog days of preseason football camp, junior offensive lineman Brian Benvie sported a contented smile.
Nothing could match his recent experience of having served in Iraq.
``We were working 12 hours a day, six days a week out in the hot sun (in Iraq), so you can get through a three-hour practice,'' said Benvie, a Brockton native, who turns 21 on Sept. 23. ``No matter how hot it is here, it was 30 degrees hotter overseas and I was wearing about the same amount of equipment, too.'' 
Benvie, who is 6-foot-1, 255 pounds, signed up with the U.S. Army Reserves during his senior year at Xaverian Brothers High.
``My father, both my grandfathers, and a couple of my uncles were in the military and since I was a kid my dad told us that he believed that everyone at some point should serve their country,'' said Benvie, who is one of eight children. ``So it was something I always planned on doing. I turned 17 my senior year of high school and I told him once football was over I'd enlist and in February of 2002 I signed up.''
After basic training and military police school at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, Benvie was sent to Iraq in January 2004. He ended up at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison, but ``all that stuff happened before we got up there,'' he was quick to point out.
``For a time there I worked at the visitation center at the prison and we interacted with the detainees' families, and for the most part they were really nice, really polite, a lot nicer than I would have been had it been someone I knew that was being imprisoned.''
Benvie, who has 2 1/2 years remaining on his enlistment, also escorted VIPs, usually high-ranking military officials, to and from the Green Zone and the Baghdad Airport.
``I'm definitely glad I did it,'' Benvie said. ``I'll look back on it fondly. I met a lot of guys I was over there with that I'm still friends with and probably be friends with them for life. You have to learn to like them and respect them, and trust them. Yeah, it was definitely worth going over there.''

GRAPHIC: PROFILE IN COURAGE: Junior Brian Benvie stands tall with his teammates on the Stonehill football team after serving a tour in Iraq with the U.S. Army. STAFF PHOTO BY ANGELA ROLLINGS
BENVIE: Lineman from Stonehill returned from serving in Iraq.

LOAD-DATE: September 10, 2005

198 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 7, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 017

LENGTH: 381 words

HEADLINE: OUR MAN IN VENICE; 
 `Sopranos' Tony goes for a little Romance

BYLINE: By STEPHEN SCHAEFER

BODY:
VENICE - TV mob boss James Gandolfini took a break from filming his hit HBO series, ``The Sopranos,'' yesterday to flog his raunchy musical, ``Romance & Cigarettes,'' here at the 52nd Annual Venice Film Festival.
Also making the red carpet scene at yesterday's world premiere of John Turturro's latest flick - about a long-married couple thrown into crisis by the hubby's affair with a British tart - was the director himself along with co-stars Susan Sarandon and Aida Turturro. The tart, Kate Winslet, was MIA from the premiere. 
For Gandolfini, playing a construction worker who bursts into song wasn't planned as a way to escape Tony Soprano's sizable shadow on his career.
``When I read the script it was so original and so different and it made me laugh so much, I didn't think of changing or going away from Tony Soprano,'' he said. ``I don't look at things like that. I thought it was wonderful so I wanted to do it.''
But don't be looking for Gandolfini to be hoofing in ``The Producers'' on Broadway anytime soon!
``You can ask Tricia Brouk, the choreographer, about my future in dance,'' he laughed. ``It's absolutely zero. I found a new respect for dancers in every way. I had no idea how difficult it was and how strong you have to be.''
In ``Romance,'' Susan Sarandon gives her cheating spouse the old heave-ho. What about in real life?
``I'm glad Tim isn't here to hear this answer,'' she said of long-time love Tim Robbins. ``My feelings about that have changed as I've gotten older and made more mistakes myself.
``Where I used to pack my bags and leave at 4 a.m. has changed,'' she said. ``I don't know if people are meant to stay together for years and years without making a mistake. I think it's very difficult to be married and difficult to be monogamous but everyone has to figure it out. It has to do with what you find personally compromising.''
Asked if protesting against the Iraq war had hurt her career in Hollywood, Sarandon drew laughs saying, ``The only thing you can do in Hollywood to end your career is get old and fat. That's the extent of Hollywood's politics.''
The film festival's finale is Saturday. Presently, George Clooney's ``Good Night, And Good Luck,'' his Edward R. Murrow-Joe McCarthy flick, is the odds-on fave to win the Gold Lion as Best Picture.

LOAD-DATE: September 7, 2005

199 of 675 DOCUMENTS

Copyright 2005 Boston Herald Inc. 
The Boston Herald

September 7, 2005 Wednesday  
ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: EDITORIAL; Pg. 023

LENGTH: 527 words

HEADLINE: Op-Ed; 
 Assessing the aftermath

BYLINE: By RALPH PETERS

BODY:
Mother Nature showed once again that she's the ultimate terrorist. And Hurricane Katrina has been trailed by a blizzard of excuses, accusations and lies.
Despite expert warnings, nobody in either party was prepared for devastation of this magnitude. There was no way to fix things instantly when disaster struck. 
That said, there were infuriating weaknesses in our response. The worst were local. But there were delays and errors at the federal level.
Dishonest or naive voices insist - wrongly - that everything would have been fine if the National Guard hadn't been in Iraq. Just not true. Yet, there were some similarities between our arrival in Baghdad and Katrina's arrival in New Orleans.
Our troops were sent into Iraq without an occupation plan and now we find that, four years after 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security, which swallowed the Federal Emergency Management Agency, appears to have done no serious planning for a national disaster.
Which brings me to another problem the Bushies routinely have: The unwillingness to promptly take on criminals. We failed to do it in Baghdad and the results plague us. By letting a minority of the people to terrorize the storm's victims, we betrayed our fellow Americans.
The War on Terror, too, begins at home.
While the federal response was not quite as tardy as the media would have you believe, we could have done much better. Here's what the military can do in a disaster:
** Establish an immediate presence that fosters order.
** Provide command, control and communications for relief officials.
** Raise civilian morale simply by showing up.
** Coordinate initial logistics efforts.
** Search and rescue. Our military, including the splendid Coast Guard, did move fast on this front.
What's striking is that the administration and Homeland Security didn't seem to grasp all the resources available to them or even what their responsibilities were. The clumsy initial response to Katrina must have Islamist terrorists stroking their beards, smiling and thinking ahead.
As for the nonsense that the National Guard should never have been sent to Iraq, the Guard's primary mission is to help fight our nation's wars.
The real problem is that we had plenty of resources, but failed to use them promptly. The Department of Homeland Security is in way over its head and needs help.
The Pentagon needs to be tasked to be prepared. Existing plans are inadequate.
And this doesn't mean a ``military takeover.'' It just means putting grownups in charge of saving Americans.
Yet, relief efforts have grown more impressive by the day. We're Americans. We roll up our sleeves and fix things.
As for our ``friends'' in Europe, they've been gloating over our tragedy.
Well we may find that a few thousand Americans died in a natural catastrophe. But in 2003, during a heat wave, 25,000 elderly Europeans died unnecessarily in France, Italy and Germany while their leaders went on vacation - and stayed on vacation. Katrina wasn't preventable, but those elderly deaths were.
I'll take America. On our worst day.
Ralph Peters' latest book is ``New Glory, Expanding America's Global Supremacy.'' This column first ran in the New York Post.

LOAD-DATE: September 7, 2005