NEWS & FEATURES

Dan Kennedy reads Seth Mnookin's new book, which offers the most incisive look yet at Howell Raines's disastrous reign at the New York Times, and how his top-down, egomaniacal, and intimidating management style allowed Jayson Blair to thrive and almost brought down one of the world's best newspapers.

Governor Romney's protestations notwithstanding, Massachusetts is facing a budget crisis. But Adam Reilly finds out no one on Beacon Hill has the nerve to speak the deplorable words that could solve the problem: tax hike.

As historians and constitutional scholars prepare to debate the legacy of Supreme Court chief justice William Rehnquist, the ugly truth of his segregationist past - and his lying attempts to hide it - should not be left out of the picture. David Bernstein reports.

Emboldened by George W. Bush's victory and the Republican Party's seeming mandate, Deirdre Fulton says right-wing anti-choice activists may soon mount an assault on reproductive rights - starting with Roe v. Wade.

By devoting four years of her life to her documentary, Growing Up Fast, and a 400-page nonfiction work of the same name, both about six teenage mothers raising children in Pittsfield, Joanna Lipper has become a bona fide expert on the subject. Camille Dodero learns more.

Tamara Wieder's Q&A with businessman and entrepreneur Roger Brown, who is taking on a new challenge - president of Berklee - and in the process is feeding his lifelong passion for music.

In "Savage Love," Dan Savage on sex and the occasional relationship.

In "Out There," Steve Almond discovers the unbridled joy of spending other people's money.

In "Urban Buy," Darcy Heitzke gets a leg up with socks and hosiery.

In the Phoenix editorial, The persecution of Providence reporter Jim Taricani shows why we need a federal shield law.

Letters to the editor

Moon Signs

Plus, this just in:

THEATER

FIRE AND ART: Carolyn Clay says Michael T. Weiss' fire-licked performance sparks the Huntington's Burn This.

At Merrimack, Iris Fanger says Arthur Miller's The Price isn't right.

Add a het-up if twangy collection of tunes and a beefed-up lesbian subtext to a close-to-verbatim rendering of the overcharged screenplay and you've got Johnny Guitar: The Musical. Carolyn Clay reports.

Sally Cragin watches the ART get provok'd by John Vanbrugh.

DANCE

Iris Fanger gets ready for the Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular to arrive in Boston.

ART

Christopher Millis delights in moving pictures from George Nick and Ralph Hamilton at Gallery NAGA and the Kidder Smith Gallery.

Randi Hopkins has more on 'Contemporary Vernacular' at the PRC, and Caleb Sonik at Art Attack.

BOOKS

Douglas Wolk takes a look at comics from McSweeney's; and says Seth closes the Clyde Fans deal.

Jon Garelick reads Philip Roth's The Plot Against America with a post-election mindset.

TELEVISION

HOTDOTS: SATURDAY 27 1:15 (2) Alone in the Wilderness. Seldom do we feel the urge to recommend a show so highly as we do this primitive documentary based on woodsman/craftsman Richard Proenneke's self-imposed exile to the Alaskan wilderness. By Clif Garboden

FOOD