NEWS & FEATURES

David Bernstein looks at the Boston Police Department's ballistics woes. The staff is full of dangerously undertrained and unqualified so-called "experts."

Adam Reilly looks at the harsh realities facing the candidacies of Patricia White and Dianne Wilkerson.

Mike Miliard visits the new home of Grub St., Boston's own writers' collective.

Deirdre Fulton checks on the mass walkout out SuicideGirls HQ.

Dan Savage on sex.

ID Check: Noah Garfinkel

In the Phoenix editorial: thoughts on Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers and indicted House leader Tom DeLay.

Letters to the editor

Plus, this just in:

MUSIC

Ted Drozdowski on the cult of Devandra Banhart.

Chris Nelson on the dichotomy of David Banner.

Lloyd Schwarz welcomes back the BSO with Yo Yo Ma, James Levine and Winsor Music.

Simon W. Vozick-Levinson talks to The Fiery Furnaces, who enlisted their grandmother to help them with Rehearsing My Choir the follow-up last year's critically acclaimed Blueberry Boat

Ken Micallef interviews Carl "A. C." Newman on the rise of the New Pornographers.

Mikael Wood discusses discovering sincerity and moving past your novelty radio hit with the guys from Nada Surf.

In Cellars By Starlight, Brett Milano talks to Ric Ocasek, who's got a new album and will be playing a show at Harper's Ferry this Tuesday.

In Out: Sarah Tomlinson laughs at the BMAs, finds NEMO, and helps the Lot Six save the planet. She also has notes.

In Circuits, David Day finds grime on the Green Line.

In Download: Matt Ashare checks out a new project from Vice Records. Do they know it's Halloween?

Live reviews of: Antony and the Johnsons and Ran Blake.

Also, short reviews of: