Cover Story: They Feel Our Pain
As the state's budget crisis worsens, county leaders do their best to dodge the bullets headed their way, but it's inevitable some critical programs will be hit.

Failing Grades: It's back to red ink for a community college system that just got back on its feet.

Working It: The state's version of welfare-to-work faces a bad combination of budget shortfalls and more clients.

Holes in the Net: Some of the most drastic cuts target the county's Social Services Agency, which extends the safety net for the county's poorest children and adults.

Teenage Wasteland: Proposed cuts could compromise programs for abused and troubled teens.

Lowering the Roof: Homeless advocates expect cuts to emergency housing.

School Schmool: Governor wants to send kids straight to jail, not to school.

Shock Therapy: Facing $74 million in cuts, the mental health system braces for more people living--and dying--on the street.

News: Budget Bovines
They may be sacred cows on paper, but they're not exactly mooing happily.

Public Eye: Rosemary Stasek urges interim leader Hamid Karzai to give Afghan women a seat at the table.

All That: Rants from Silicon Valley.

Work: Empire of VeriSign.

Zero-Sum Spy Game: Baltimore goes boom in film version of Tom Clancy's right-wing thriller 'The Sum of All Fears.'

A Movie of No Importance: Oscar Wilde's famous comedy becomes 'There's Something About Ernie!'

Cursed Happiness: Jill Sprecher's '13 Conversations About One Thing' touches on some novel ideas.

Erotic Dip: A family swims in emotional deep waters in 'Rain.'

Licensed to Sell: Sound Management bands do more than rock--they roll in the dough.

To the Manor Born: Black-metal Lords of the Manor shouts at the devil.

Aural Fixation: Union City metal band RevivALL spread its insanity at the Cactus Club.

All Shook Down: A 38-year-old Mystikal fan is truly pathetic, according to Nick Hornby

Perfect Harmony: With perfectly balanced flavors and many fine choices, Campbell's Thai Orchid gets it right.