March 28, 2005

Edward Rothstein Connections column compares 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail with current Broadway production of Spamalot, upon which it is based; photos (M)

Terri Schiavo case has pushed thorny questions about end-of-life care to fore on Capitol Hill, as well as in state legislatures around nation; central question in Schiavo case--who makes end-of-life decisions when patient's wishes are disputed--is headed back to Capitol Hill, where debate over broader legislation has already begun; lawmakers of both parties agree that Congress has role to play in such cases and should contemplate legislation that would give added legal recourse to patients like Schiavo; bill passed in Republican-controlled House that would allow federal courts to review cases like hers evolved into one narrolwy tailored to her alone; now some Democrats, prodded by advocates for disabled, say Congress shuold consider whether such a law is needed; Rep Barney Frank, who opposed Congressional action in Schiavo case, says disabiilty groups are concerned that, even where choice is made to terminate life, it might be coerced by circumstances; it is unclear whether Christian conservatives and disability rights advocates can agree on what action Congress should take (M)

Television and radio industries are about to come under renewed attack over sex, violence and profanity in their programming; leading lawmakers and new Federal Communications Commission Chmn Kevin J Martin have proposed broad expansion of indecency rules, which were already toughened last year; seek bigger fines and new steps that could jeopardize licenses of stations that repeatedly violate rules; say it may be time to extend indecency and profanity rules to cable and satellite television providers, which now account for viewership in 85 percent of nation's homes; organizations opposing what they deem indecent programming have joined forces with consumer groups that have been trying to force cable industry to offer less expensive packages of fewer stations; L Brent Bozell, president of Parents Television Council, source of most complaints against broadcasters, hails bipartisan support on issue; graph of FCC fines for indecent content; photos (M)

Article in series Arsenal of the Future says trillion-dollar price tag put on Army's plan to transform itself into futuristic high-technology force has even strongest supporters in Congress questioning program's costs and complexity; $145 billion cost of first phase of so-called Future Combat Systems does not include projected $25 billion for communications network needed to connect future forces; nor does it fully account for Army plans to provide Future Combat weapons and technologies to forces beyond first 15 brigades of 3,000 soldiers, or one-third of force Army plans to field, over 20-year span; Army sees Future Combat as seamless web of 18 different sets of networked weapons and military robots; program is at heart of Defense Sec Donald H Rumsfeld's campaign to transform Army into faster, lighter force in which stripped-down tanks could be put on transport planes and flown into battle, and information systems could protect soldiers of future as heavy armor has protected them in past; Sen John McCain notes that Army has canceled two major weapons programs to protect funding for Future Combat program; David M Walker, comptroller general who oversees Government Accountability Office, says Pentagon's future arsenal is unaffordable and that Congress must make some choices; diagrams (L)

Ben Brantley reviews Neil LaBute play This Is How It Goes, directed by George C Wolfe; Ben Stiller, Amanda Peet and Jeffrey Wright star; photo (M)