Cover: Flash Point
Silicon Valley reared out of its slump with a bang in 1996, snapping the economy into a frenzy and pushing the infrastructure to the bursting point. As the good times roll, can quality of life escape the steamroller?

Whose Year Was It?: Lin Neumann chronicles the year in big mouths, from John Tesh to annoying Uncle Bob Dole, not to mention Madonna, Michael and Kathie Lee.

Blitz Creed: Quick, what do a crocodile, a child-killer and a cocaine cartel have in common? They were all stories the mainstream media obsessed over in 1996, whether anyone cared or not.

From Mosh to Marginal: Todd Inoue picks the live and recorded highs and lows of 1996.

The Year in Rap, Soul and More: Ten albums stood out above the crowd of pretenders in 1996, according to Nicky Baxter.

Putting Up a Good Front: Rebecca's Mask goes electric at Club Kaos.

Pasta Amorè: Christina Waters samples the Italian accents of Palo Alto's stylish new Spalti Ristorante.

Vegging Out: Exploring the vegan culinary treasures of Thai cuisine.

Bards and Bullets: From 'Twelfth Night' and 'Richard III' to 'Lone Star' and 'Fargo,' 1996's best films delivered both substance and groundling appeal.

All Keyed Up Inside: 'Shine' tracks the roller-coaster career of troubled Australian pianist David Helfgott.

Wit or Miss at Court: Snide wits talk themselves into royal trouble in 'Ridicule.'

Feathered Fooling: Nora Ephron ladles the syrup on 'Michael.'

Imaginary Crimes: Set in the 1600s, 'The Crucible' is really about the 1950s.

Safesizing™: From the Internet to the Macarena, from moguls to morals, from Romeo to Juliet, Richard von Busack peeks behind the curtain of pop culture and reflects on the year of Safesizing™, a time when the outlets of cultural electricity in 1996 were jammed with a baby-proof plastic prong.