Cover Story: 'Babes' in Benland:
Los Gatos filmmaker Ben Rekhi comes home to make his latest and biggest movie, the car-salesman flick 'Car Babes.'

News: Charities Are for Suckers:
The privatization of U.S. relief efforts in the Gulf Coast is letting government off the hook.

The Fly: Carol Myers, white flight watchdog.

Silicon Alleys: Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto!

Techsploits: Bugged Game.

Rev: Like little worms, tires buried underneath yards and yards of debris naturally migrate toward the top of the pile.

Circles Of Hell: At the San Jose Museum of Art, Sandow Birk escorts Dante into the modern world.

Wily Capote: Philip Seymour Hoffman gets into the bloodstream of author Truman Capote.

The Dickens, You Say: Polanski makes erratic improvements on Dickens with 'Oliver Twist.'

Top Carrot: Gumby's British cousins, Wallace and Gromit, track the were-rabbit in new animated feature.

Jingles Jangle: Julianne Moore plays a '50s housewife on a winning streak in Defiance, Ohio.

Patrick's Podium: When pushed by stalwart guest conductor Patrick Flynn, Symphony Silicon Valley rises to the occasion—but it should do better.

Signing Off: Commercial radio, make way for the revolutionary new KBIR!

A Mission From Gadd: Lemmon Percussion hosts stick man Steve Gadd.

Club Life: Angels Ultra Lounge and Cabaret.

Book Box: 'Greetings From the Salton Sea: Folly and Intervention in the Southern California Landscape, 1905-2005' by Kim Stringfellow; 'Matisse the Master--A Life of Henri Matisse: The Conquest of Colour, 1909-1954' by Hilary Spurling.

Say Cheesesteak: Leave your arteries at home and find a little bit of Philly in Silicon Valley.

Silicon Veggie: Entrees? Who Needs Entrees?

5 Things to Love: Dog-Friendly Restaurants.

Firebird Rising: Dennis Nahat and Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley remake Stravinsky's 'Firebird.'

La Taj aux Folles: TheatreWorks goes easy for world premiere of 'Baby Taj.'