March 2, 1998

Elizabeth Kolbert Metro Matters column discusses New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's new proposals for more civility in city; Giuliani's quoting of Plato's ideas of ideal republic noted; hypothetical conversation between Giuliani, Socrates and Plato; photo (M)

As nation begins debating shoring up Social Security for aging baby-boom generation, those who advocate fundamental change in system are honing argument that as investment Social Security is bad deal; conservative groups, Wall Street executives, Republicans and Democrats in Congress and others who propose turning Social Security into vehicle for investing in stocks and bonds are attacking current system with research showing many people will receive little more in retirement benefits than they contribute through payroll taxes; say younger people, especially, will get bad deal relative to those born much earlier, and that some demographic groups, including black men who have lower life expectancy than general population, will lose money; say results are particularly striking when system's payoff is compared with much higher rates of return available in stock and bond markets; say allowing Social Security taxes to be invested in such areas would allow even low-income workers to accumulate significant wealth in working lives (M)

Rough Road for Motorola As Wireless Goes Digital As the wireless communications industry has transformed itself from analog to digital technology, Motorola, whose reputation for innovation, quality and smart strategic thinking flourished in the early 1990's, has looked surprisingly clumsy at times.

Article discusses changing scene in Manhattan's Garment District; with few large blocks of space available in midtown, office towers, real estate investors and corporate tenants alike are seeking new, less expensive locations; many are winding up in Garment District; newcomers are driving rents up and forcing some of fashion showrooms off Seventh Avenue and Broadway and onto side streets, where sewing shops and other apparel manufacturers are struggling to survive; photo; map (M)

David E Kelley, 40-year-old ensemble-drama maestro, has reputation for quantity and quality edging toward legendary status; he writes most scripts for two series, Ally McBeal and The Practice; he has won seven Emmy Awards for writing and producing three other drama series, LA Law, Picket Fences and Chicago Hope; photo (M)