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The wide variety of farewells and what they say about you.
celtics 96, pistons 85
Celtics get first win of season in home opener
jim davis/globe staff
Paul Pierce returned to the court and the Celtics got their first victory of the year against the Detroit Pistons at the TD Garden.
Exclusive Sunday Preview | Ideas
What New Year’s resolutions say about us
We’re often not so great at following through on our resolutions. But, according to some philosophers and psychologists, that doesn’t make them any less fascinating — in fact, they provide real insight into who we are.
Romney tops latest Iowa poll
Mitt Romney garnered 23 percent of likely Iowa voters in an NBC News-Marist poll released today.
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Thousands mourn fallen firefighter in Peabody
Firefighter James M. Rice today was eulogized by his father, who said that he and his family have a “giant hole in their hearts.”
Mass. confirms first human case of rabies in 75 years
A Barnstable County man is in critical condition after contracting rabies, likely after being exposed to a bat in his home, officials said.
“Part of my happiness about how it’s going in the first week is we hoped it would go this well and that’s one of the reasons we’re back playing this soon.”
Wyc Grousbeck, Celtics owner
Inside The Boston Globe
Columnists
Metro
Vt. celebrates repair of storm-ravaged road
Just in time for the new year, and four months after Hurricane Irene hit, Route 107 between Bethel and Stockbridge has reopened.
Business
LL Bean boot gets a kick from retro trend
The familiar duck boot with leather uppers and rubber soles has become something of a fashion statement due to its newfound popularity on college campuses.
Politics
Santorum enjoying late boost in Iowa
Rick Santorum’s sudden surge in the CNN poll has fueled Iowa religious conservatives to ask Michele Bachmann to drop out so the religious right-wing vote will be more unified.
Nation & World
Hundreds of thousands take to Syria’s streets
Activists said at least 22 people were killed by loyalist forces today, most of them shot during huge anti-government demonstrations.
Sports
Patriots have no peers in YAC
The Patriots lead the NFL in yards after catch with 2,483. With one game remaining, that is the highest YAC total for a season since the statistic was first tracked in 1992.
Movies
NEW YEAR’S EVE: MOVIES
Take in a film before the fireworks
If high-decibel parties, chilly strolls, or waiting around for the midnight hour to strike are not your idea of a memorable New Year’s Eve, there’s always the movies.
Arts
G cover
A guide to New Year's Eve in Boston
Our critics give their picks for what to do leading up to midnight.
Opinion
“The voters I spoke with weren’t in search of a tough-talking conservative who would wage a no-holds-barred battle with the Democratic incumbent.”
Scot Lehigh
Ideas
The practice of sending commercially printed cards soon became wildly popular. It reached the United States in 1875…By 1958, the average US family mailed 100 Christmas cards.
Mark Feeney on the history of Christmas cards