The San Diego Symphony concert on Friday, April 12 felt slow and unsettled. I was surprised. In years gone by, the combination of conductor Jahja Ling, the San Diego Symphony, and Johannes Brahms, has been …
April 17, 2019
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SD Symphony musicians slower than conductor Jahja Ling
Jerrie Cobb: the “her” in They Promised Her the Moon
Jerrie Cobb was an exceptional human being. So exceptional that her stress test scores exceeded those of the astronauts in the Mercury 7 Project. She is the “her” in They Promised Her the Moon. The …
April 17, 2019
In defense of Susan Davis, in praise of Bruce Henderson
Easy cop trick About a letter by Joseph Carmellino (“Backyard Intrusions”, Letters, March 27). In his letter he says that “on several occasions I have had to call the cops. They showed up in force …
April 17, 2019
Mayor Faulconer walking fine line between Trump lovers and haters
Faulconer’s two-faced fundraising San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer keeps punting questions about how he feels regarding fellow Republican Donald Trump, neatly sidestepping criticism or support for the president and his immigration crackdown. “I asked Faulconer …
April 17, 2019
SDSU profs fight cuts to humanities
Along with their general education courses, San Diego State undergraduates and all others of the Cal State University must take coursework in an area called “American Institutions.” The focus areas of this requirement, mandated by …
April 17, 2019
Pablo Cantua rocks Antarctica!
Pablo Cantua picks up the phone. “Hey man: Want to play Antarctica? I can get you the gig.” “Antarctica? Haven’t heard of that bar.” “No man. Not a bar, the continent.” And so began the …
April 17, 2019
Surfing owes a lot to Baja
The Baja Peninsula is a Rorschach test. Visitors see heaven or hell in an arid landscape. Three million-plus citizens see a homeland free of the congestion of their northern neighbors. Surfers see a crooked finger …
April 17, 2019
Predicting waves and wars with Walter Munk
My friend Joe and I are standing at the edge of the water on Coronado’s Central Beach. He’s a surfer. I’m a body surfer. “So do waves come in batches?” I ask him. “Can you …
April 17, 2019
Is Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” a country song?
Dear Hipster: Is “Old Town Road” a country song or not? WTF?! — D., Normal Heights At least a couple of times a year, somebody sends me what looks like a throwaway question, little more …
April 17, 2019
Walk the Embarcadero along Harbor Drive and the airport
San Diego Harbor not only bounds downtown to the west, it also marks the edge of a rich habitat. As you look out to the bay, you can see Coronado/North Island. Technically, the “island” is …
April 17, 2019
Changing Colombia
Colombia: cartels and cocaine... rebel groups and terrorism... violent gangs and kidnappings. Those are some of the stereotypes, right? Well, although these problems haven't completely vanished, things have definitely improved to the point where most …
April 16, 2019
Cheapest San Diego County gas is Pauma Valley and Oceanside
Just as reported in the Reader’s February 11 article, the expected raise in gas prices has found San Diego motorist’s paying an average of $4.04 a gallon (regular gas, cash price). That’s the highest price …
April 16, 2019
Crackdown on racing Tijuana taxis
A Facebook video of Tijuana taxi drivers racing each other on Sunday morning lead many Tijuanenses to call out the habits of these drivers and to demand accountability from transit police. The video shows taxis …
April 16, 2019
Cake, cronuts, and crullers at Peterson's Donut Corner
One of the hallmarks of 21st century foodie-ism in America has been the reinvention of specialty food shops. In addition to the advent of businesses dedicated to perfecting the likes of cupcakes, pickles, and hot …
April 15, 2019
F-bombs don't faze 105.7 fans
On the morning of March 23, listeners of 105.7-FM were shocked to hear “a bunch of F-bombs” on the air. “I heard maybe seven F-words,” said Dillon. “It was Twisted Sister and it was like …
April 15, 2019