Cover Story: The Alties:
We announce top honors for the year's most non-Oscar-like award shows.

News: The Caged Birds Sing
Circus protesters battle for their free-speech rights in court after arrests at HP Pavilion.

The Fly: Mayor Ron Gonzales' lost State of the City speech; students protest Gov. Schwarzenegger's education cuts.

Marketing Row: Struggling Santana Row shopkeepers say urban hipsters, not suburban families, are the ticket to retail survival.

Biter: Behind the scenes with the bouncers at a club nearer than you think.

Techsploits: Annalee Newitz gets her ass to Mars.

In the Looking Glass: Artists create images of themselves in new Stanford portrait exhibit.

Maverick Motions: Cinequest announces premieres, politics and Peoples for annual film fest.

Puck Everlasting: Kurt Russell saves ice hockey drama 'Miracle' from its flag-waving excesses.

Games of Wickedness: 'Secret Things' uses sex to fight the social order.

Bend It With Bhangra: No longer restricted to weddings, bhangra music experiences an explosion in popularity.

Aural Fixation: David Bowie didn't just rely on old hits to wow fans at the HP Pavilion.

Sample Night: Symphony Silicon Valley took in a wide range of 'greatest hits' last Saturday.

Artful Dining: Los Gatos' Tapestry bistro weaves a seasonal menu with an intimate atmosphere.

Operatic Treasure: Opera San José discovers musical treasures in Bizet's 'Pearl Fishers.'

Stuff of Dreams: The SITI Company's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' has a rhythm all its own.