History Legendary cultural icon John Law to speak on 'How Everything Started in San Francisco' Rusty Blazenhoff

horror The Mind Thing, by Fredric Brown: excellent pulp-era science fiction Mark Frauenfelder

tabloids Killing the Queen, John Lennon’s murder, and William Shatner’s talking horses in this week’s dubious tabloids Peter Sheridan

corruption How the "Varsity Blues" admissions scam punished deserving, hard working kids so that mediocre kids of the super-rich could prosper Cory Doctorow

art San Francisco celebrates legendary culture jammer John Law at art opening tonight (Friday) David Pescovitz

events I'm going out on tour with my new science fiction book RADICALIZED and I hope to see you! Cory Doctorow

corruption China's billionaires are disappearing into police custody and/or early graves Cory Doctorow

music Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell, RIP David Pescovitz

Robert Crumb Comedian and actor Wayne Federman talks about his favorite documentary, Crumb Mark Frauenfelder

News Halt and Catch Fire: The Most Relevant Show on Television is Set in the 80s Maureen Herman

music Prophets of Rage play Cleveland RNC, kick off 'Make America Rage Again' tour in 35 U.S. cities Maureen Herman

science fiction Great 1950s horror sci-fi novel, The Mind Thing, now on Kindle Mark Frauenfelder

movies Watch: movie directors using color to mess with your mind David Pescovitz

picks US once investigated Orlando shooter over ties to bombing in Syria, but did not arrest him Xeni Jardin

cards The Contraband deck tells a subtle story in card design Michael Borys

playing cards The Playing Card Design of MISC. GOODS CO. Michael Borys

offworld Get romantic with tentacle monsters Critical Distance

Self-Dissection: a conversation with satirical English author Will Self Mark Dery

Business Molly Crabapple's 15 rules for creative success in the Internet age Molly Crabapple

50 years ago, the World's Fair promised a life of leisure. We're still waiting Bob Sullivan