Maybe lawmakers should get smart, smoke a little bud.

There is a showdown coming. It might turn into a gunfight. Or at least a fistfight. There is a huge City budget deficit. To close the gap, the current council only wants to talk about …

We’re Talkin’ Real Money Elizabeth Marro’s article (“Hi, Connie. We’re Ready for You,” Cover Story, November 13) is interesting for me as she earlier worked in pharmaceutical marketing. The article reports the figure of $55,000,000 …

Big-time Democratic politicians from around the country are heading to San Diego next month for a confab expected to bless whomever President-elect Barack Obama chooses to succeed Howard Dean as chairman of the Democratic National …

No doubt the most prominent local position to be filled by President-elect Barack Obama will be that of United States attorney. The San Diego office has long been a turbulent place. The last permanent holder …

GWAR is a shock-rock band that wears creeped-out costumes on loan from the devil, comic books, and sci-fi. The band is Kiss on steroids. If nothing else, GWAR shows are memorable. They are something of …

The economy is in a shambles, the record industry is in freefall, and, God help us, Celine Dion is back in the top ten. So where can you find a success story in rock ’n’ …

“San Diego is definitely a cool place to be from,” says Mower front man Brian Sheerin. “We get a lot of love from local people who’ve been behind us for years, who go along with …

“If I were to build the perfect comedian, it would be Jerry Seinfeld crossed with Dave Chappelle,” says local comedian Mal Hall. “My comedy is observational. I wouldn’t do anything onstage that I think my …

Thirty Years AgoI couldn’t help but smirk when reading about the Second Annual Eleanor’s Edibles Contest. If the first prize is dinner with Eleanor Widmer (Reader food critic), then is the second prize two dinners …

Casa Kelly has been getting loosey-goosey with the Thanksgiving menu in recent years — lobster, sirloin cap, even lasagna. Not this year — Patrick’s Nana is flying out to visit, and everything’s got to be …

As a kid, music influenced how I thought about politics — songs such as Alice Cooper’s “Elected” or Cream’s “Politician,” wherein the politico talks a woman into his “big, black car.” As a teenager, I …

The test of good manners is to be patient with bad ones. — Gabirol There are few things that ruffle my fancy feathers more than acts of inconsideration. A shopping cart left stranded close to …

Sweet merciful crap! Through means I’d rather not discuss, I’ve managed to transport myself back to the Mesozoic period. The dishwasher and eight-track cassette player I used as a time vehicle is now broken. Even …

Jones Peak is nowhere near the loftiest of the many named summits you can climb in the sharply rising “front range” of the San Gabriel Mountains. But its elevated position — barely one mile by …

"Bumping rims" is when you meet somebody and you have a connection. So, I would say, “Oh my God, I met the lead singer from The Faint last night and we totally bumped rims.” It’s …

Sunday’s service at Westminster Presbyterian was shot through with music. The folksy opening songs, full of strumming and tambourines and tentative harmonies, matched the ’60s decor (A-frame outfitted with stained glass at the base): “If …

Things are grim in San Diego State football world. Staff is still hungover from Saturday’s 63-14 drubbing at the hands of Utah. That drubbing was worse than the 41-12 drubbing at the hands of Brigham …

Visit the sick, it is said in scripture, somewhere. I try to do that when indicated, possibly because it is pretty much always the last thing I want to do. Often I’ve found that can …

Tom Stoppard called Rosencrantz and Guildenstern “the most expendable people of all time.” Minor courtiers in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, they barely exist beyond their Renaissance finery and snatches of dialogue. They aim to please, pretty much, …

“Totally Nude, 6:00 p.m.–6:00 a.m.” Dang. It’s only 5:00 p.m., here outside Club Fantasy Gentlemen’s Club. Actually, I’m jes’ passing by, minding my business. Too broke to go in anyway. When you’re poor you can’t …

Printing a list of restaurants open for Thanksgiving has become a Reader tradition, and it’s worth noting up front that nearly every restaurant open for T-Day is also likely to serve brunch or dinner on …

Matt: I strolled into the kitchen yesterday and noticed that there was a fly perched on the edge of my counter, right next to the sink. I figured as I got closer to it, it …

Album: Homeland Security (2008) Artist: Nature of the Beast Label: self-released Where available/price: Access Hip Hop in Pacific Beach for $10.95 (CD and vinyl), CDBaby.com for $10.99 (CD) and $5.50 (vinyl), iTunes for $9.99 (download), …

P.O.D. recently canceled a planned six-city tour of the U.K. with Filter. Why? According to band members quoted by Undercover.com.au, a “recently announced hiatus” made the South Bay band “unable to fulfill touring obligations” planned …

Frightened Rabbit were joined onstage by an uninvited guest when they played North Park’s U31 on November 5. “I don’t really like to call people out,” blogs Rosey Bystrak at sddialedin.com, “but, to the drunk …

Tool front man Maynard James Keenan came to the Whole Foods Market in La Jolla on November 7 to sign bottles of wine produced at his Arizona winery. Many fans showed up at 2:00 p.m., …

Everyone performing at the Casbah’s first local rap showcase next month was nominated in the Best Hip-Hop category at this year’s San Diego Music Awards — everyone except Kayo. “I wasn’t nominated for anything,” says …

Two elephants entered a special meeting of the City’s Budget and Finance Committee on Wednesday, November 12, and councilmembers donned their blinders to be certain not to see them. The two elephants were very inconvenient …

When Celine Dion appears on Tuesday, November 25, at the Sports Arena, “Any damage to [power and sound] cables, due to a forklift or other machine pass, will be charged to Presenter and will not …