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Today, James Scafide is an out-of-work tree surgeon and Joseph Husted has a job installing gas stoves and air conditioners. Two weeks from now, they'll be in boot camp. "They'll give me a week to say my goodbyes. . . . I'll get to have one last going-away party," said Scafide, 25, of Cinnaminson. He had pulled on his winter jacket and was heading out the door of the U.S. Army recruiting office in Willingboro. "I want to see the Super Bowl, too," he said. "I've been thinking about it for a while," said Husted, of Moorestown, who is also 25. "But with the war and stuff like that, I just thought I'd enlist now. " Scafide and Husted are part of what military recruitment officers say has been a steady, possibly growing, stream of recruits since the start of hostilities in the Persian Gulf.

Murder rate: Count gunshot victims, too PHILADELPHIA'S murder rate is outrageous and unacceptable ("Homicides down in '04"). But I believe the Daily News' sole focus on the decreased number in 2004 deludes Philadelphians to think that things have really improved. Beginning with 1999, here are the annual number of reported murders: 338, 292, 319, 309, 288, 348, 327. The last figure is from 2004. It is easy to see that murders do not show any consistent downward trend over this seven-year period.

From Michael Lacing: Facts and figures not found in Harpers Magazine: Number of cans of hairspray used by Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson on game day: Two. Windy, rainy day: Three. Picture day: Four. Estimated number of photographers wanting to take pictures of Julia Roberts in an average week: 200. Percentage of Americans who couldn't care less if Julia Roberts was ever photographed again: 98. Chances of getting hit by a home run ball in the rightfield bleachers by the Phillies' Von Hayes in 1991: 0 in 227. Number of days in 1990 that Elvis remained dead: 365. Number of times a year that American wives asked their husbands, "You want me to let those pants out in the waist again, Slim?"

Shoppers flocked to area stores and the malls yesterday to take advantage of Black Friday sales. Here?s an informal count of what they bought, what they did, what they saw, and what they heard. 40: Number of "pocket bikes" (mini motorcycles) sold by noon at Pep Boys in Marlton. 400: Number of Game Boy Advance SP?s sold by noon at Toys R Us in Deptford, making it the hottest-selling toy there. 200: Number of shoppers who saw the 10 a.m. light show at Lord & Taylor in Center City.

Due to an editing error, an Aug. 3 letter misstated the number of the community-based management offices that have been established by the Philadelphia Housing Authority. There are 10 of these offices.