Cover: So Mobutu
Heidi Kriz' African adventures landing an interview with Zairean legend Marshal Mobutu Sese Seko--back when he was king.

News: Home Front
In the wake of massive state cutbacks to mental health services, neighborhood activists wage battle with group-home operators.

NASA as She Wants to Be: Mae Jemison knows more than rocket science.

Water Over the Bridge: Affirmative action and racism at the Santa Clara Valley Water District.

Public Eye: Spin City.

Polis Report: Road rage from Morons R Us

The Little Sister: Richard von Busack on a graphic novel of Raymond Chandler's work.

Raymond Chandler: A Biography: Allen Barra on the original mystery writer.

Shrinking the Truth: Traci Hukill on Santa Cruz mystery novelist Marc Darrow.

Bordersnakes: Eric Johnson on James Crumley's detective misfits Sugrue and Milo.

Cannes Doings: Our man in the south of France surveys the good, the bad and the ugly at the world's most famous film festival.

Coming Home: Todd S. Inoue interviews Oscar-winning Palo Alto filmmaker Jessica Yu.

Swift Injustice: Hollow Reed exposes the horror of battering.

Fractured Family: Multiculti romance down under in Broken English.

Animated Antics: Spike and Mike's newest Festival of Animation features visual and narrative advances.

Sound of Paradise: Philip Collins reviews the Peninsula Women's Chorus' "Song of Survival" concert.

Only Half-Charmed: Third Eye Blind delivers a song but not an album worth remembering.

Odyssey of a Bluesman: After 20 years in France, guitarist Luther Allison comes back to the home of the blues.

Reggae Nation: Robert Rankin' and Spliff Skankin master the reggae mix at San Jose's Agenda Lounge.

Beat Street: Crack comes home again to San Jose.

Bon Petit: Good things come in small places-- including Le Petit Bistro.

Bargain Bites: A loaf of bread, a bite of meat--and wow.