Cover Story: Om for the Holidays
Metro Santa Cruz presents our annual gift guide--free your mind, and your list will follow.

And Now, Your Moment of Zen: Even when you're shopping, you can find still life in Santa Cruz.

Nüz: A Boulder Creek forensic archaeologist will travel to Northern Iraq to help Kurds ID bodies; Santa Cruz libraries director Anne M. Turner wins Bad-Ass Loudmouth award.

House of Cards: Lefties are trying to trump the U.S. military with dissenting takes on the 'Iraq's Most Wanted' deck--and the results are becoming a phenomenon of their own.

Anti-Santa: Billy Bob Thornton's debauched Kris Kringle lights up the season in 'Bad Santa.'

Bug Chaser: The squid stays in the picture: Ridley Scott's original 'Alien' revisited.

Woman in Flames: 'Gothika' works on the senses without making sense.

Boat Show: Historian Dean King on Patrick O'Brian and the new film 'Master and Commander.'

The Kids Are All Right: Dan Zanes has given up the rocker life for children's music--and never looked back.

What About Bobs?: The Bobs have been mouthing off to music lovers for two decades.

Boys in the 'Hood: Hometown heroes Dubwize haven't lost their roots in the tight-knit neighborhoods of Salinas.

The Rock Show: Mistura Brasileira V; local hip-hop at the Catalyst; Dave Alvin.

Whitewashing The Holidays: A tale of the first Thanksgiving--the way it really was.

That What Is Nut: Tandy Beal revolutionized 'The Nutcracker' 20 years ago--and now she's at it again with 'The New Nut!'