More than a year and a half after hundreds of tons of explosives vanished at Al Qaqaa, the Iraqi weapons facility, the scene is a wasteland, ruled by mujahedeen. Page 12.

Eerie Scene at Iraqi Arms Site

Behind the Wheel column on 2005 Ford Five Hundred automobile, which Ford is marketing for baby boomers; chart; photos (M)

2005 Ford Five Hundred: Mature Audiences Suggested

In hot casino markets like California, people are flocking to gaming tables to deal cards rather than to bet on them. Sunday Styles, Page 6.

For Dealers, a Winning Hand

Teenage boys in many suburban towns spend their free time playing poker, sparked by mania for televised poker (Our Towns column); many engage in weekend marathon games with stakes as low as $5 buy-in; favored game is Texas Hold 'Em; most parents say they prefer having their sons home playing poker rather than alternatives such as driving and drinking and taking drugs; some experts say for some youngsters gambling at young age will lead to addictive gambling; photo (M)

Poker Faces, and They Haven't Started Shaving

Interest in real estate investment clubs has shot up in response to stock market volatility and rising home prices; 157 nonprofit clubs with 20,000 members are affiliated with National Real Estate Investors Association, professional group that promotes code of ethics for investors and provides services to clubs; new members usually need 6 to 18 months to learn about investing before initiating first deal; investors cite benefits of membership; photos (M)

Want to Invest? Join the Club.

Frank Rich article on Pres George W Bush's constant presentation of himself as heroic figure; says Bush may have gone too far, leaving John Kerry opening he needs to win 2004 election; photos (M)

Decision 2004: Fear Fatigue vs. Sheer Fatigue

Literacy Partners Inc says 20 percent of population of US cannot read or write English proficiently; says more than one million adults in New York City who are so lacking in skills that they cannot fill out application forms or read basic contracts; holds there are also hundreds of thousands who are underemployed and tens of thousands who are hiding their lack of basic skills from employer; photo (M)

Can't Read, Can't Write, Can Hide It

Kelefa Sanneh article on rock music fans who idolize rock 'n' roll and mock current 'producer-powered idols'; says these fans reduce rock 'n' roll to caricature of itself; says rockism means idolizing authentic old legend while mocking latest pop star; lionizing punk while barely tolerating disco; loving the live show and hating music video; extolling growling performer while hating the lip-syncher; photos (M)

Tennessee Williams's Tales From the Crypt

Three pivotal states--Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio--are expected to decide outcome of presidential race; Pres Bush and Sen John Kerry have invested tens of millions of dollars in advertising there, deployed armies of field workers and spent hundreds of hours on stump, including visits in race's final weekend; outcome is likely to be decided by what political pros call 'ground war': effort by both parties to get every supporter to polls; series of hairbreadth finishes could plunge nation into treacherous straits, with lawsuits in multiple states; huge numbers of newly registered voters could confound all forecasts; photos; maps; charts (M)

FOCUS NARROWING AS CLOSE CONTEST NEARS FINISH LINE

BAD news travels fast, and an embarrassing video travels even faster. By last Sunday morning, one of the Internet's most popular downloads was the hours-old 60-second .wmv file of Ashlee Simpson on ''Saturday Night Live.'' As she and her band stood onstage, her own prerecorded vocals -- from the wrong song -- came blaring through the speakers, and it was too late to start mouthing the words. So she performed a now-infamous little jig, then skulked offstage, while the band (were a few members smirking?) played on. One of 2004's most popular new stars had been exposed as.      As what, exactly? The online verdict came fast and harsh, the way online verdicts usually do. A typical post on her Web site bore the headline, ''Ashlee you are a no talent fraud!'' After that night, everyone knew that Jessica Simpson's telegenic sister was no rock 'n' roll hero -- she wasn't even a rock 'n' roll also-ran. She was merely a lip-synching pop star.  

The Rap Against Rockism

Against the blaring neon backdrop of supersize billboards, Bill Cartwright cut a 7-foot-1 silhouette, content to be part of the scenery as he walked down Broadway one pleasant September night.     The landscape in Times Square, as in the N.B.A., has changed since his arrival as the Knicks' first-round draft pick in 1979. Cartwright, 47, still carries himself with the surety of a professional, measuring his words but never his loyalty. He attracts instant respect because he refuses to place himself above anybody else.  

As Player and Coach, Cartwright has Carried Himself With Class

Article on Kaiser Permanente, huge California-based health maintenance organization considered leader in efforts to increase quality of care and spend health dollars more wisely; management of care and $3-billion initiative to use information technology to improve clinical care and streamline operations explained; Dr Victor Silvestre, who gave up frustrations of sole practice to join Kaiser, comments, as do Dr Francis J Crosson, director of Kaiser physicians, and chief executive George Halvorson; photos (M)

Is Kaiser the Future of American Health Care?

 SYRACUSE 42, CONNECTICUT 30      Two programs that had been headed in different directions veered from their courses at the Carrier Dome on Saturday.     Struggling Syracuse outlasted upstart Connecticut, 42-30, with two tipped balls changing the course of the game.   

Orange Takes a Couple of Tips From the Huskies for a Victory

Profile of and interview with Jennifer LeRoy, 26, daughter of Tavern on the Green founder Warner LeRoy, who is youngest chairwoman ever of National Horse Show Assn; LeRoy comments on her effort to infuse Metropolitan National Horse Show in Manhattan with glitz by surrounding ring with retail boutiques and creating lounge for younger society crowd and VIP area for big spenders; photos (M)

A Horse Show Princess Shakes Up the Stables

Senior American military commanders and civilian officials in Iraq are citing hurdles that could jeopardize their plans to defeat adaptive and tenacious insurgency and hold elections in Jan; many see risks that could worsen security situation and derail political process that they are counting on to quell insurgency; they fear that many of Iraq's expanding security forces have been penetrated by spies for insurgents; note new American intelligence assessments showing insurgents have far more fighters and far greater financial resources than previously estimated; say most disturbing factor is militants' campaign of intimidation to silence thousands of Iraqis and undermine government through assassinations, kidnappings, beheadings and car bombings; photos (M)

In Iraq, U.S. Officials Cite Obstacles to Victory

 ON THE TRAIL -- President Bush and Senator John Kerry stormed across the Midwest.   PAGE 25    POLITICS AND RELIGION -- Conservative churches and Christian groups see a contest between the faithful and nonbelievers.   PAGE 24    FIGHT FOR CAPITOL HILL -- Senate candidates have battled in races with high costs and mean tones.   PAGE 31    YEAR OF PASSION -- Voters are energized despite what many see as a nasty campaign.   WEEK IN REVIEW    DOMESTICALLY -- DIVIDED Families on opposite political sides are struggling to be amicable.   SUNDAY STYLES

MORE ON THE ELECTION

Supporters of Pres Bush and of Sen John Kerry agree that Osama bin Laden's threatening new videotape will not change their vote; many say that issues raised by election are bigger than one man; some people say that in secret cloister of voting booth, undecided or less firmly committed people might be affected by bin Laden message, or candidates' response to message; photos (M)

Voters, Their Minds Made Up, Say bin Laden Changes Nothing

 Barrage of Medical Tests For Palestinian Leader  As Yasir Arafat underwent medical tests in France, a Palestinian diplomat said the initial findings indicated that he did not have leukemia. But other officials said it would take more time for doctors to complete their tests. Top Palestinian figures gathered in the West Bank to show that the leadership was still functioning.   PAGE 15    Modern Love  Introducing a new weekly column about relationships. Today, Steve Friedman says he is just fine after getting dumped. Just fine. Really.   SUNDAY STYLES    Neediest Cases Fund Opens  The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund helps thousands of working poor, homeless, gravely ill and poverty-stricken New Yorkers. The fund begins its 93rd annual fund-raising campaign today.   PAGE 36

INSIDE

Eight marines are killed and nine others wounded near Abu Ghraib prison west of Baghdad when suicide car bomb rams into their convoy, resulting in deadliest day for American forces in last six months; Marines later report ninth combat death; insurgents stage their first major assault on news media organization by detonating car bomb outside Baghdad offices of popular Arab news network, killing at least 7 people and wounding 19 others; American military is making final preparations for all-out invasion of Falluja in hopes that overrunning insurgent sanctuaries there would quell guerrilla war across Iraq and secure city for country's first democratic elections, scheduled for Jan; photos (M)

9 Marines Die as Insurgents Mount Attacks

 Standard time resumed at 2 a.m. today. Clocks were set back one hour.

A Reminder

Anemona Hartocollis Coping column on scene at Kerry-Edwards campaign storefront in heart of Manhattan's liberal Upper West Side, where volunteers are calling Ohio and Pennsylvania voters to solicit votes; drawing (M)

Reach Out and Make Someone Blue

Peter Jennings, longtime anchor of ABC's World News Tonight, hopes to reclaim ratings lead he lost seven years ago when Tom Brokaw yields his top-rated NBC Nightly News to Brian Williams; ABC News has launched marketing campaign toward that end, and Jennings has taken to road to interview voters and candidates and meet advertisers; ABC affiliates in markets where Jennings has run second to Brokaw anxiously anticipate halo effect that could extend to their local news programming should he claim top spot; photo; graph (M)

An Anchor Sees Opportunity in Departure of His Old Rival

Article on reactions of sharply divided American electorate as presidential election campaign reaches its peak; couples and family members on opposite side of political fence struggle to remain amicable as conversations devolve, sometimes into physical fights; photos (M)

Politics Makes Estranged Bedfellows

Chris Rix returned as quarterback in the second half but could not rally No. 5 Florida State in a 20-17 loss to Maryland. Florida also lost, by 31-24 to No. 10 Georgia. For the first time since Oct. 14, 1978, Miami, Florida and Florida State all lost on the same day.    No. 12 Michigan needed triple overtime to beat Michigan St., 45-37.    No. 2 Oklahoma sweated out an Oklahoma St. field-goal attempt in the final seconds and won, 38-35.    No. 15 West Virginia overcame its mistakes to beat Rutgers, 35-30.    Colgate had no answer for Lehigh's quarterback in a 21-14 loss.    Harvard and Penn stayed on a roll.    COMPLETE COVERAGE, PAGES 4-6

Seminoles Lose to Maryland As Florida Teams Tumble

Audiovox deal to sell wireless unit Audiovox Communications to UTStarcom Inc for $165.1 million included questionably large payments to Audiovox founder John J Shalam and Philip Christopher, vice president of Long Island-based company; directors amended 2002 compensation plan to allow for extra payouts, so that each got $1.9 million more; Christopher, leaving Audiovox for new company, got $2.1 million more for contract termination and $16 million for 'intangibles'; advisory firm Glass Lewis denounces board action and urges shareholders to vote against sale (M)

October 31, 2004

Headlines from October 31, 2004

Eerie Scene at Iraqi Arms Site

2005 Ford Five Hundred: Mature Audiences Suggested

For Dealers, a Winning Hand

Poker Faces, and They Haven't Started Shaving

Want to Invest? Join the Club.

Billboard 200

50 Number Ones

Confessions

Suit

Miracle

The New Danger

Historical Context for October 31, 2004