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   December 16, 2001   QUOTE OF THE DAY "People may say, 'Let Tom Ridge watch out for our shores. I'll watch out for my doors.'"  JAMES ALAN FOX, professor of criminal justice, on the sharp rise in gun sales since Sept. 11.   TolkienArchives Examine the World of J. R. R. Tolkien - This sponsored feature includes articles from the New York Times archives, slide shows of Tolkien's artwork, multimedia presentations from New Line Cinema, weekly trivia quizzes and more.    Explore Tolkien Today .     NATIONAL Equal Opportunity Recession: Almost Everyone Is Feeling It  In the three months since Sept. 11, the economic downturn has quickly become one of the broadest on record.   Steep Rise in Gun Sales Reflects Post-Attack Fears  Since Sept. 11, more Americans are taking what many consider to be the most personal step toward feeling safer: arming themselves.   Anthrax Shot Considered for Civilians  The government is considering making the anthrax vaccine that is now used by the military available to postal workers and others at high risk of exposure.     MORE NATIONAL NEWS   Advertisement  Learn a Language in Your Car...or Anywhere - Special Offer!  Bravo! Formidable! Fantastico!  Introducing a multi-level language instruction series at Audible called Learn in Your Car. This language series is designed to help you learn another language...in a car or anywhere. Choose from Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, or Japanese. Listen for free now.   [IMAGE]   INTERNATIONAL Eastern Alliance Claim Victory Over Al Qaeda in Tora Bora  Tribal fighters said they took the last al Qaeda positions in eastern Afghanistan today, capturing 25 fighters and killing more than 200.   U.S. Believes It Has Recorded Radio Messages From bin Laden  The United States has intercepted communications that officials said appeared to record Osama bin Laden giving orders to Al Qaeda troops in Tora Bora.   China, in Harsh Crackdown, Executes Muslim Separatists  A fertile strip of western China is the only place in the country where people are regularly put to death for political offenses.     MORE INTERNATIONAL NEWS    BUSINESS At 63, Ted Turner May Yet Roar Again  Richard D. Parsons's elevation to chief executive over AOL's Robert W. Pittman could augur a comeback for Ted Turner, the bad boy of business.   Visions of a Brand-Name Office Empire  Even as the real estate market weakens and as Wall   Street analysts question his deals, Sam Zell says   he is writing a new chapter in real estate   history.   Enron Board Comes Under a Storm of Criticism  As more questions emerge over the Enron board's independence and role in the collapse of   the company, its outside directors are coming under sharp criticism.     MORE BUSINESS NEWS    TECHNOLOGY Problems and Promise for Personal Computers  Kimberly Alexy, an analyst at Prudential Securities who follows computer makers, took some time last week to talk about the industry and what ails it.   TV's, DVD's: All Yours, But First Do the Math  While President Bush has urged consumers to spend more of their money, Rent-a-Center offers an important reminder that some kinds of spending can do more long-term harm than short-term good.   Miniature Movie Screens for Small Critics  Many parents have turned to in-car video systems providing distractions and serving as built-in   backseat baby-sitters.     MORE TECHNOLOGY NEWS    POLITICS Navy Missile Defense Plan Is Canceled by the Pentagon  The Pentagon has canceled a Navy program intended to shoot down short-range ballistic missiles.   Government Fiddles and the Economy Burns  As they confront this economic downturn, Democrats and Republicans are facing the likelihood that the hopeful possibilities of recent years may have vanished.   This Time, Dissent Stops at the White House Door  President Bush's White House is remarkably devoid of infighting and more disciplined and loyal than any administration in decades.     MORE POLITICS NEWS    SPORTS Giants Still Breathing After Rally  The Giants' victory over Arizona was lifeless and unskilled for all but the final five minutes of play, when the Giants suddenly came to life and rallied for a win.   Quarterbacks Top the Lineups of Bowl Games  Quarterbacks are the focus of this year's bowl games, as they were for the Heisman Trophy and are likely to be in next year's N.F.L. draft.   Jets' Season Is Now Only Four Games Long  The Jets' season, once floating on a cloud of confidence, has been reduced to the equivalent of scrounging through your pocket to get enough change to buy a cup of coffee.     MORE SPORTS NEWS    ARTS The Atlanta Symphony Gets a Jolt of Energy  For Robert Spano, while keeping his post as music director of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is now his official home.   Gene Hackman, Hollywood's Every Angry Man  At 71, Gene Hackman continues to occupy   a middle ground between character acting and movie stardom that has earned him the bland   appellation "Everyman."   Art in Earnest: The (Self) Importance of Being Isadora  Peter Kurth's new biography, "Isadora: A Sensational Life," leaves little doubt that the mother of modern dance  found few things amusing, least of all herself.     MORE ARTS NEWS    NY REGION Victims' Families Find No Salve in Holidays  Even as the nation seems to crave the warmth of the holiday hearth with a special fervor this year, there are hundreds of homes where gaiety is lacking.   500 Officers to Be Issued High-Powered Weapons Used by Elite Unit  The assault rifles and submachine guns will be used in a sharper focus on fighting terrorism and will double the number of officers with high-powered weapons.   Followers of Kahane Are Subjects of Inquiry  In announcing charges in Los Angeles against two followers of Brooklyn Rabbi Meir David Kahane, authorities say complaints of them singling out Middle Easterners should be put to rest.     MORE NY REGION NEWS    OP-ED  Vanity Foul   By MAUREEN DOWD  Familiar forms of egotism are piddling compared with the grandiosity of religiosity displayed by Osama bin Laden on tape last week.   Spiritual Missile Shield   By  THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN  What was most chilling about the bin Laden tape was the unidentified Saudi sheik sitting next to him eagerly nodding his head in agreement.   Tribunals Without the Military   By BURT NEUBORNE  We need not choose between the unpalatable extremes of secret military proceedings or an international version of the O. J. Simpson trial.     MORE OP-ED  NEWS    Contribute to The Neediest Cases Fund Make an online donation this Holiday Season to The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund to help thousands of people.   Donate now    About This E-Mail You received these headlines because you requested The New York Times Direct e-mail service. To sign up for other newsletters, cancel delivery, change delivery options or your e-mail address, see http://www.nytimes.com/email .   Check or un-check the headlines you would like to receive or cancel and remember to go to the bottom of the page and click on "Save Selections."  Suggestions and feedback are welcome at feedback@nytimes.com .   Please include the following ID number when writing to feedback@nytimes.com   so that we can track any reports of problems: 6415816   How to Advertise For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact Alyson Racer at alyson@nytimes.com  or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo    Copyright 2001 The New York Times Company    	

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