Anchor ads are not supported on this page.
Close
Menu
Best Of
Find a story
Archives
Classifieds
Stories
Events
Contests
Music
Movies
Theater
Food
Legal Guide
Submit an event
Sumbit a classified
Get Involved
Reader Store
Newsletters
Submissions
Places
Contests
Archives
Facebook
X
Instagram
TikTok
Search
Search Entire Site
Authors
Bands
Events
Movies
Photos
Places
News & Stories
Close
Login
Menu
Get Involved
Reader Store
Newsletters
Submissions
Places
Contests
Archives
Facebook
X
Instagram
TikTok
Youtube
Find a story
Archives
Classifieds
Stories
Events
Contests
Music
Movies
Theater
Food
Legal Guide
Category
Features
Authors
Neighborhood
Issue
News & Politics
Neighborhood News
News Ticker
Under the Radar
Food & Drink
Beverage News
Booze News
Drinks All Around
Feast!
San Diego Beer
Tin Fork
Movies
Big Screen
Movie Archives
Movie Reviews
Movies@Home
Happenings
Fishing Report
Outdoors
Reader Travel
Roam-O-Rama
Surf Diego
Theater
Your Week
Music
Blurt
Classical Music
The Gonzo Report
Live Five
Musician Interviews
Of Note
Upcoming Shows
Comics
Famous Former Neighbors
Obermeyer
Overheard in San Diego
Archives
Reader by issue date
Today’s stories
All of the latest stories
Ask a Hipster
— Advice you didn't know you needed
Big Screen
— Movie commentary
Blurt
— Music's inside track
Booze News
— San Diego spirits
Classical Music
— Immortal beauty
Classifieds
— Free and easy
Close to Home
— What it’s like on the street where you live
Cover Stories
— Front-page features
Drinks All Around
— Bartenders' drink recipes
Excerpts
— Literary and spiritual excerpts
Feast!
— Food & drink reviews
Feature Stories
— Local news & stories
Fishing Report
— What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives
— Spotlight on the past
Golden Dreams
— Talk of the town
The Gonzo Report
— Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it
Letters
— Our inbox
Movies@Home
— Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews
— Our critics' picks and pans
Musician Interviews
— Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers
— Hyperlocal news
News Ticker
— News & politics
Obermeyer
— San Diego politics illustrated
Outdoors
— Weekly changes in flora and fauna
Overheard in San Diego
— Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry
— The old and the new
Reader Travel
— Travel section built by travelers
Reading
— The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama
— SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer
— Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT
— Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats
— Places of worship
Special Issues
— The best of
Street Style
— San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego
— Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater
— On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork
— Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar
— Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable
— Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate
— San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week
— Daily event picks
Chris Ahrens
Ian Anderson
Thomas K. Arnold
Eric Bartl
Don Bauder
Ed Bedford
Siobhan Braun
Robert Bush
Chad Deal
Joe Deegan
Barbarella Fokos
Leorah Gavidor
Dave Good
Marty Graham
Moss Gropen
Andrew Hamlin
Dorian Hargrove
Garrett Harris
Ken Harrison
Patrick Henderson
Tam Hoang
Eve Kelly
Dryw Keltz
Eva Knott
Thomas Larson
Ken Leighton
Matthew Lickona
Mike Madriaga
Bill Manson
Scott Marks
Bob McPhail
Walter Mencken
Joseph O'Brien
Sheila Pell
Ian Pike
Matt Potter
H.G. Reza
Dave Rice
Elizabeth Salaam
Jay Allen Sanford
Julie Stalmer
DJ Stevens
Matthew Suárez
Amanda Tascher
More writers
Former writers
4S Ranch
Allied Gardens
Alpine
Baja
Balboa Park
Bankers Hill
Barrio Logan
Bay Ho
Bay Park
Black Mountain Ranch
Blossom Valley
Bonita
Bonsall
Borrego Springs
Boulevard
Campo
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Carlsbad
Carmel Mountain
Carmel Valley
Chollas View
Chula Vista
City College
City Heights
Clairemont
College Area
Coronado
CSU San Marcos
Cuyamaca College
Del Cerro
Del Mar
Descanso
Downtown San Diego
Eastlake
East Village
El Cajon
Emerald Hills
Encanto
Encinitas
Escondido
Fallbrook
Fletcher Hills
Golden Hill
Grant Hill
Grantville
Grossmont College
Guatay
Harbor Island
Hillcrest
Imperial Beach
Imperial Valley
Jacumba
Jamacha-Lomita
Jamul
Julian
Kearny Mesa
Kensington
La Jolla
Lakeside
La Mesa
Lemon Grove
Leucadia
Liberty Station
Lincoln Acres
Lincoln Park
Linda Vista
Little Italy
Logan Heights
Mesa College
Midway District
MiraCosta College
Miramar
Miramar College
Mira Mesa
Mission Beach
Mission Hills
Mission Valley
Mountain View
Mount Hope
Mount Laguna
National City
Nestor
Normal Heights
North Park
Oak Park
Ocean Beach
Oceanside
Old Town
Otay Mesa
Pacific Beach
Pala
Palomar College
Palomar Mountain
Paradise Hills
Pauma Valley
Pine Valley
Point Loma
Point Loma Nazarene
Potrero
Poway
Rainbow
Ramona
Rancho Bernardo
Rancho Penasquitos
Rancho San Diego
Rancho Santa Fe
Rolando
San Carlos
San Marcos
San Onofre
Santa Ysabel
Santee
San Ysidro
Scripps Ranch
SDSU
Serra Mesa
Shelltown
Shelter Island
Sherman Heights
Skyline
Solana Beach
Sorrento Valley
Southcrest
South Park
Southwestern College
Spring Valley
Stockton
Talmadge
Temecula
Tierrasanta
Tijuana
UCSD
University City
University Heights
USD
Valencia Park
Valley Center
Vista
Warner Springs
See all neighborhoods
February 12, 2025
February 5, 2025
January 29, 2025
January 22, 2025
January 15, 2025
January 8, 2025
January 1, 2025
December 25, 2024
December 18, 2024
December 11, 2024
December 4, 2024
See previous issues
Close
Submit
Event
Classified
Get Involved
Reader Store
Newsletters
Submissions
Places
Contests
Archives
Facebook
X
Instagram
TikTok
Youtube
Find a story
Search
Search Entire Site
Authors
Bands
Events
Movies
Photos
Places
News & Stories
Login
Find a story
Archives
Classifieds
Stories
Events
Contests
Music
Movies
Theater
Food
Legal Guide
Best Of
Category
Features
Authors
Neighborhood
Issue
News & Politics
Neighborhood News
News Ticker
Under the Radar
Food & Drink
Beverage News
Booze News
Drinks All Around
Feast!
San Diego Beer
Tin Fork
Movies
Big Screen
Movie Archives
Movie Reviews
Movies@Home
Happenings
Fishing Report
Outdoors
Reader Travel
Roam-O-Rama
Surf Diego
Theater
Your Week
Music
Blurt
Classical Music
The Gonzo Report
Live Five
Musician Interviews
Of Note
Upcoming Shows
Comics
Famous Former Neighbors
Obermeyer
Overheard in San Diego
Archives
Reader by issue date
Today’s stories
All of the latest stories
Ask a Hipster
— Advice you didn't know you needed
Big Screen
— Movie commentary
Blurt
— Music's inside track
Booze News
— San Diego spirits
Classical Music
— Immortal beauty
Classifieds
— Free and easy
Close to Home
— What it’s like on the street where you live
Cover Stories
— Front-page features
Drinks All Around
— Bartenders' drink recipes
Excerpts
— Literary and spiritual excerpts
Feast!
— Food & drink reviews
Feature Stories
— Local news & stories
Fishing Report
— What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives
— Spotlight on the past
Golden Dreams
— Talk of the town
The Gonzo Report
— Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it
Letters
— Our inbox
Movies@Home
— Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews
— Our critics' picks and pans
Musician Interviews
— Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers
— Hyperlocal news
News Ticker
— News & politics
Obermeyer
— San Diego politics illustrated
Outdoors
— Weekly changes in flora and fauna
Overheard in San Diego
— Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry
— The old and the new
Reader Travel
— Travel section built by travelers
Reading
— The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama
— SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer
— Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT
— Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats
— Places of worship
Special Issues
— The best of
Street Style
— San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego
— Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater
— On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork
— Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar
— Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable
— Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate
— San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week
— Daily event picks
Chris Ahrens
Ian Anderson
Thomas K. Arnold
Eric Bartl
Don Bauder
Ed Bedford
Siobhan Braun
Robert Bush
Chad Deal
Joe Deegan
Barbarella Fokos
Leorah Gavidor
Dave Good
Marty Graham
Moss Gropen
Andrew Hamlin
Dorian Hargrove
Garrett Harris
Ken Harrison
Patrick Henderson
Tam Hoang
Eve Kelly
Dryw Keltz
Eva Knott
Thomas Larson
Ken Leighton
Matthew Lickona
Mike Madriaga
Bill Manson
Scott Marks
Bob McPhail
Walter Mencken
Joseph O'Brien
Sheila Pell
Ian Pike
Matt Potter
H.G. Reza
Dave Rice
Elizabeth Salaam
Jay Allen Sanford
Julie Stalmer
DJ Stevens
Matthew Suárez
Amanda Tascher
More writers
Former writers
4S Ranch
Allied Gardens
Alpine
Baja
Balboa Park
Bankers Hill
Barrio Logan
Bay Ho
Bay Park
Black Mountain Ranch
Blossom Valley
Bonita
Bonsall
Borrego Springs
Boulevard
Campo
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Carlsbad
Carmel Mountain
Carmel Valley
Chollas View
Chula Vista
City College
City Heights
Clairemont
College Area
Coronado
CSU San Marcos
Cuyamaca College
Del Cerro
Del Mar
Descanso
Downtown San Diego
Eastlake
East Village
El Cajon
Emerald Hills
Encanto
Encinitas
Escondido
Fallbrook
Fletcher Hills
Golden Hill
Grant Hill
Grantville
Grossmont College
Guatay
Harbor Island
Hillcrest
Imperial Beach
Imperial Valley
Jacumba
Jamacha-Lomita
Jamul
Julian
Kearny Mesa
Kensington
La Jolla
Lakeside
La Mesa
Lemon Grove
Leucadia
Liberty Station
Lincoln Acres
Lincoln Park
Linda Vista
Little Italy
Logan Heights
Mesa College
Midway District
MiraCosta College
Miramar
Miramar College
Mira Mesa
Mission Beach
Mission Hills
Mission Valley
Mountain View
Mount Hope
Mount Laguna
National City
Nestor
Normal Heights
North Park
Oak Park
Ocean Beach
Oceanside
Old Town
Otay Mesa
Pacific Beach
Pala
Palomar College
Palomar Mountain
Paradise Hills
Pauma Valley
Pine Valley
Point Loma
Point Loma Nazarene
Potrero
Poway
Rainbow
Ramona
Rancho Bernardo
Rancho Penasquitos
Rancho San Diego
Rancho Santa Fe
Rolando
San Carlos
San Marcos
San Onofre
Santa Ysabel
Santee
San Ysidro
Scripps Ranch
SDSU
Serra Mesa
Shelltown
Shelter Island
Sherman Heights
Skyline
Solana Beach
Sorrento Valley
Southcrest
South Park
Southwestern College
Spring Valley
Stockton
Talmadge
Temecula
Tierrasanta
Tijuana
UCSD
University City
University Heights
USD
Valencia Park
Valley Center
Vista
Warner Springs
See all neighborhood stories
February 12, 2025
February 5, 2025
January 29, 2025
January 22, 2025
January 15, 2025
January 8, 2025
January 1, 2025
December 25, 2024
December 18, 2024
December 11, 2024
December 4, 2024
See previous issues
Jay Allen Sanford
Jay Allen Sanford
is a
Reader
contributor. See
staff page
for published articles.
Profile
Activity
Favorites
Comments
Votes
What's the Meaning of Life?
Whoops, I see CystalCove already quoted the Pythonics - then I'm going with Deep Thought. The meaning of life - and the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything - is 42.
— August 21, 2010 9:26 a.m.
What's the Meaning of Life?
I'm going with the Pythonics --- quoting Pythonic church deacon Michael Palin: "Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try to be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try to live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations." Always look on the bright side of life!
— August 21, 2010 9:22 a.m.
Suspiria
An EC comic brought to life in living (and dying) color. Dario Argento is still doing some of his best career work for the TV series Masters of Horror, but it was 1977's Suspiria that first brought him to the attention of most U.S. moviegoers. I saw this new in theaters, and I remember being surprised at how the audience seemed to laugh out loud at the impossibly garish red blood and prankish "horror" setups like the ceiling-dripping maggots mentioned by Mr. Shepherd. I still don't think humor is ever what Argento is going for (other than maybe his work on the original Dawn of the Dead, with its shopping mall zombies), but the cartoonish violence and over-the-top death scenarios were so unlike most American horror movies that 1977 audiences were made uneasy by Suspiria, with laughter being more of a nervous response --- The bubbling and alternately mumbling/screaming electronic score by Goblin is also part and parcel of what makes Suspiria such a trippy view. That, and Phantom of the Paradise/Shock Treatment star Jessica Harper playing it straight for once, while Dark Shadows ubermom Joan Bennett rounds out her role of madwitch matriarch as if taken straight out of a Dark Shadows parallel time episode. Not Argento's best movie (that IMO would be Demons), but certainly a good entry level choice for anyone wanting to look into his surreal body of wonky work ---
— August 19, 2010 7:52 p.m.
Record Release Roundup
Shawn Rohlf and The Buskers (formerly the 7Th Day Buskers) debut their new album Tiny Xs on Friday, September 3 at the Whistle Stop. "We will play two sets," says Rohlf. "The first one in our four piece acoustic busking set up that we do every Sunday morning at the Hillcrest Farmer's Market, and the second set with the full five piece electric/acoustic set up we do in the bars and clubs. There are some possible surprise guests as well."
— August 18, 2010 10:30 p.m.
Record Release Roundup
The Kabbs' debut self-titled EP debuts Wednesday, August 25, with a show at the Casbah w/the Death Eaters and Grand Tarantula. Says the band, "Our album is dedicated to our friend and former band mate Adrian Vusich who passed away July 4th 2009 in a tragic bicycle accident." Hey bands, you really need to notify us about upcoming record release events a LOT more in advance than a week! Send all available info to me ASAP at
[email protected]
---
— August 18, 2010 3:36 p.m.
Record Release Roundup
Forgot to mention the new seven inch from Hedonic Islands debuts Tuesday, August 24, at the Whistle Stop.
— August 18, 2010 2:57 p.m.
Permit an insolvent city to subsidize a Charger stadium?
Not to keep straying off Mr. Bauder's blog topic, but to address all this chatter about supposedly banned commentators and allegedly deleted comments - many if not most of the references toward such instances may instead be due to the bloggers themselves deleting or changing their posts to "draft." This explains many vanishing or altered entries - if the blogger then reposts their content, that wipes all the previous comments from the original entry. I just work here, I don't run the place, but it's my understanding that only a couple of individuals have ever had the Reader welcome mat completely pulled out from under them - and those were the result of flagrant and repeated site abuse.
— August 18, 2010 3:45 a.m.
Cecil B. Demented
John Waters continues his slow and steady seduction of the mainstream with the first half of the movie, only to reward its arousal by slamming a giant butt plug thru the finale. How many ways can one director demonstrate how much they hate the Hollywood machine, by mimicking it with all the jaded "devotion" of porn parody? The closing sequence at a particularly demented and violent drive-in theater screening rocks in a way not seen since Boris Karloff used his senior Citizen Cane to knock out a drive-in sniper in Targets. Yes, Mr. Waters, we know you love to hate us - you have since you made us sit thru a giant drag queen eating dog poo. But, jeez, won't you ever make a movie that doesn't glorify suicidal sociopaths to the point of murder junkie fetishism?
— August 16, 2010 8:53 p.m.
Blade Runner
The cinematography - for a futuristic film - is surprising fifties-flavored, albeit reflective of that era as it unfolded in the pulp sci-fi and men's detective/true crime magazines. I think this sort of boomer underground subcultural texture was purposeful, as the increasingly amoral story does indeed leave you feeling like you've been slumming in a 21st century red light district --
— August 14, 2010 8:55 p.m.
Instead of Attack Mode
Outtake - TV COMMERCIAL THAT DRIVES YOU NUTS? “A Verizon Wireless ‘Can you hear me now’ commercial. It’s some guy sitting at a desk in this big warehouse on the phone. All he’s doing is saying yes, yes, yes, yes, and about three quarters of the way through the commercial, he blows up, cursing the guy on the phone. Then they show the Verizon guy on the other line. I want to jump through the TV and say ‘I HEAR you, now SHUT UP!’”
— August 14, 2010 12:05 a.m.
< Previous
Next >
Login
Menu.
Best Of
Find a story
Archives
Classifieds
Stories
Events
Contests
Music
Movies
Theater
Food
Legal Guide
Submit
Event
Classified
Life Event
Close
Back
Find a story.
Category
Features
Author
Neighborhood
Issues
Food & Drink
Movies
Happenings
Music
News & Politics
Comics
Archives
Ask a Hipster
— Advice you didn't know you needed
Big Screen
— Movie commentary
Blurt
— Music's inside track
Booze News
— San Diego spirits
Classical Music
— Immortal beauty
Classifieds
— Free and easy
Close to Home
— What it’s like on the street where you live
Cover Stories
— Front-page features
Drinks All Around
— Bartenders' drink recipes
Excerpts
— Literary and spiritual excerpts
Feast!
— Food & drink reviews
Feature Stories
— Local news & stories
Fishing Report
— What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives
— Spotlight on the past
Golden Dreams
— Talk of the town
The Gonzo Report
— Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it
Letters
— Our inbox
Movies@Home
— Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews
— Our critics' picks and pans
Musician Interviews
— Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers
— Hyperlocal news
News Ticker
— News & politics
Obermeyer
— San Diego politics illustrated
Outdoors
— Weekly changes in flora and fauna
Overheard in San Diego
— Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry
— The old and the new
Reader Travel
— Travel section built by travelers
Reading
— The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama
— SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer
— Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT
— Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats
— Places of worship
Special Issues
— The best of
Street Style
— San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego
— Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater
— On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork
— Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar
— Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable
— Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate
— San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week
— Daily event picks
Chris Ahrens
Ian Anderson
Thomas K. Arnold
Eric Bartl
Don Bauder
Ed Bedford
Siobhan Braun
Robert Bush
Chad Deal
Joe Deegan
Barbarella Fokos
Leorah Gavidor
Dave Good
Marty Graham
Moss Gropen
Andrew Hamlin
Dorian Hargrove
Garrett Harris
Ken Harrison
Patrick Henderson
Tam Hoang
Eve Kelly
Dryw Keltz
Eva Knott
Thomas Larson
Ken Leighton
Matthew Lickona
Mike Madriaga
Bill Manson
Scott Marks
Bob McPhail
Walter Mencken
Joseph O'Brien
Sheila Pell
Ian Pike
Matt Potter
H.G. Reza
Dave Rice
Elizabeth Salaam
Jay Allen Sanford
Julie Stalmer
DJ Stevens
Matthew Suárez
Amanda Tascher
More writers
Former writers
4S Ranch
Allied Gardens
Alpine
Baja
Balboa Park
Bankers Hill
Barrio Logan
Bay Ho
Bay Park
Black Mountain Ranch
Blossom Valley
Bonita
Bonsall
Borrego Springs
Boulevard
Campo
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Carlsbad
Carmel Mountain
Carmel Valley
Chollas View
Chula Vista
City College
City Heights
Clairemont
College Area
Coronado
CSU San Marcos
Cuyamaca College
Del Cerro
Del Mar
Descanso
Downtown San Diego
Eastlake
East Village
El Cajon
Emerald Hills
Encanto
Encinitas
Escondido
Fallbrook
Fletcher Hills
Golden Hill
Grant Hill
Grantville
Grossmont College
Guatay
Harbor Island
Hillcrest
Imperial Beach
Imperial Valley
Jacumba
Jamacha-Lomita
Jamul
Julian
Kearny Mesa
Kensington
La Jolla
Lakeside
La Mesa
Lemon Grove
Leucadia
Liberty Station
Lincoln Acres
Lincoln Park
Linda Vista
Little Italy
Logan Heights
Mesa College
Midway District
MiraCosta College
Miramar
Miramar College
Mira Mesa
Mission Beach
Mission Hills
Mission Valley
Mountain View
Mount Hope
Mount Laguna
National City
Nestor
Normal Heights
North Park
Oak Park
Ocean Beach
Oceanside
Old Town
Otay Mesa
Pacific Beach
Pala
Palomar College
Palomar Mountain
Paradise Hills
Pauma Valley
Pine Valley
Point Loma
Point Loma Nazarene
Potrero
Poway
Rainbow
Ramona
Rancho Bernardo
Rancho Penasquitos
Rancho San Diego
Rancho Santa Fe
Rolando
San Carlos
San Marcos
San Onofre
Santa Ysabel
Santee
San Ysidro
Scripps Ranch
SDSU
Serra Mesa
Shelltown
Shelter Island
Sherman Heights
Skyline
Solana Beach
Sorrento Valley
Southcrest
South Park
Southwestern College
Spring Valley
Stockton
Talmadge
Temecula
Tierrasanta
Tijuana
UCSD
University City
University Heights
USD
Valencia Park
Valley Center
Vista
Warner Springs
February 12, 2025
February 5, 2025
January 29, 2025
January 22, 2025
January 15, 2025
January 8, 2025
January 1, 2025
December 25, 2024
December 18, 2024
December 11, 2024
December 4, 2024
See previous issues
Search Entire Site
Authors
Bands
Events
Movies
Photos
Places
News & Stories
Cancel
Category
Features
Authors
Neighborhood
Issue
News & Politics
Neighborhood News
News Ticker
Under the Radar
Food & Drink
Beverage News
Booze News
Drinks All Around
Feast!
San Diego Beer
Tin Fork
Movies
Big Screen
Movie Archives
Movie Reviews
Movies@Home
Happenings
Fishing Report
Outdoors
Reader Travel
Roam-O-Rama
Surf Diego
Theater
Your Week
Music
Blurt
Classical Music
The Gonzo Report
Live Five
Musician Interviews
Of Note
Upcoming Shows
Comics
Famous Former Neighbors
Obermeyer
Overheard in San Diego
Archives
Reader by issue date
Today’s stories
All of the latest stories
Ask a Hipster
— Advice you didn't know you needed
Big Screen
— Movie commentary
Blurt
— Music's inside track
Booze News
— San Diego spirits
Classical Music
— Immortal beauty
Classifieds
— Free and easy
Close to Home
— What it’s like on the street where you live
Cover Stories
— Front-page features
Drinks All Around
— Bartenders' drink recipes
Excerpts
— Literary and spiritual excerpts
Feast!
— Food & drink reviews
Feature Stories
— Local news & stories
Fishing Report
— What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives
— Spotlight on the past
Golden Dreams
— Talk of the town
The Gonzo Report
— Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it
Letters
— Our inbox
Movies@Home
— Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews
— Our critics' picks and pans
Musician Interviews
— Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers
— Hyperlocal news
News Ticker
— News & politics
Obermeyer
— San Diego politics illustrated
Outdoors
— Weekly changes in flora and fauna
Overheard in San Diego
— Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry
— The old and the new
Reader Travel
— Travel section built by travelers
Reading
— The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama
— SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer
— Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT
— Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats
— Places of worship
Special Issues
— The best of
Street Style
— San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego
— Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater
— On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork
— Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar
— Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable
— Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate
— San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week
— Daily event picks
Chris Ahrens
Ian Anderson
Thomas K. Arnold
Eric Bartl
Don Bauder
Ed Bedford
Siobhan Braun
Robert Bush
Chad Deal
Joe Deegan
Barbarella Fokos
Leorah Gavidor
Dave Good
Marty Graham
Moss Gropen
Andrew Hamlin
Dorian Hargrove
Garrett Harris
Ken Harrison
Patrick Henderson
Tam Hoang
Eve Kelly
Dryw Keltz
Eva Knott
Thomas Larson
Ken Leighton
Matthew Lickona
Mike Madriaga
Bill Manson
Scott Marks
Bob McPhail
Walter Mencken
Joseph O'Brien
Sheila Pell
Ian Pike
Matt Potter
H.G. Reza
Dave Rice
Elizabeth Salaam
Jay Allen Sanford
Julie Stalmer
DJ Stevens
Matthew Suárez
Amanda Tascher
More writers
Former writers
4S Ranch
Allied Gardens
Alpine
Baja
Balboa Park
Bankers Hill
Barrio Logan
Bay Ho
Bay Park
Black Mountain Ranch
Blossom Valley
Bonita
Bonsall
Borrego Springs
Boulevard
Campo
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Carlsbad
Carmel Mountain
Carmel Valley
Chollas View
Chula Vista
City College
City Heights
Clairemont
College Area
Coronado
CSU San Marcos
Cuyamaca College
Del Cerro
Del Mar
Descanso
Downtown San Diego
Eastlake
East Village
El Cajon
Emerald Hills
Encanto
Encinitas
Escondido
Fallbrook
Fletcher Hills
Golden Hill
Grant Hill
Grantville
Grossmont College
Guatay
Harbor Island
Hillcrest
Imperial Beach
Imperial Valley
Jacumba
Jamacha-Lomita
Jamul
Julian
Kearny Mesa
Kensington
La Jolla
Lakeside
La Mesa
Lemon Grove
Leucadia
Liberty Station
Lincoln Acres
Lincoln Park
Linda Vista
Little Italy
Logan Heights
Mesa College
Midway District
MiraCosta College
Miramar
Miramar College
Mira Mesa
Mission Beach
Mission Hills
Mission Valley
Mountain View
Mount Hope
Mount Laguna
National City
Nestor
Normal Heights
North Park
Oak Park
Ocean Beach
Oceanside
Old Town
Otay Mesa
Pacific Beach
Pala
Palomar College
Palomar Mountain
Paradise Hills
Pauma Valley
Pine Valley
Point Loma
Point Loma Nazarene
Potrero
Poway
Rainbow
Ramona
Rancho Bernardo
Rancho Penasquitos
Rancho San Diego
Rancho Santa Fe
Rolando
San Carlos
San Marcos
San Onofre
Santa Ysabel
Santee
San Ysidro
Scripps Ranch
SDSU
Serra Mesa
Shelltown
Shelter Island
Sherman Heights
Skyline
Solana Beach
Sorrento Valley
Southcrest
South Park
Southwestern College
Spring Valley
Stockton
Talmadge
Temecula
Tierrasanta
Tijuana
UCSD
University City
University Heights
USD
Valencia Park
Valley Center
Vista
Warner Springs
See all neighborhoods
February 12, 2025
February 5, 2025
January 29, 2025
January 22, 2025
January 15, 2025
January 8, 2025
January 1, 2025
December 25, 2024
December 18, 2024
December 11, 2024
December 4, 2024
See previous issues
Close
Anchor ads are not supported on this page.
What's the Meaning of Life?
Whoops, I see CystalCove already quoted the Pythonics - then I'm going with Deep Thought. The meaning of life - and the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything - is 42.— August 21, 2010 9:26 a.m.
What's the Meaning of Life?
I'm going with the Pythonics --- quoting Pythonic church deacon Michael Palin: "Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try to be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try to live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations." Always look on the bright side of life!— August 21, 2010 9:22 a.m.
Suspiria
An EC comic brought to life in living (and dying) color. Dario Argento is still doing some of his best career work for the TV series Masters of Horror, but it was 1977's Suspiria that first brought him to the attention of most U.S. moviegoers. I saw this new in theaters, and I remember being surprised at how the audience seemed to laugh out loud at the impossibly garish red blood and prankish "horror" setups like the ceiling-dripping maggots mentioned by Mr. Shepherd. I still don't think humor is ever what Argento is going for (other than maybe his work on the original Dawn of the Dead, with its shopping mall zombies), but the cartoonish violence and over-the-top death scenarios were so unlike most American horror movies that 1977 audiences were made uneasy by Suspiria, with laughter being more of a nervous response --- The bubbling and alternately mumbling/screaming electronic score by Goblin is also part and parcel of what makes Suspiria such a trippy view. That, and Phantom of the Paradise/Shock Treatment star Jessica Harper playing it straight for once, while Dark Shadows ubermom Joan Bennett rounds out her role of madwitch matriarch as if taken straight out of a Dark Shadows parallel time episode. Not Argento's best movie (that IMO would be Demons), but certainly a good entry level choice for anyone wanting to look into his surreal body of wonky work ---— August 19, 2010 7:52 p.m.
Record Release Roundup
Shawn Rohlf and The Buskers (formerly the 7Th Day Buskers) debut their new album Tiny Xs on Friday, September 3 at the Whistle Stop. "We will play two sets," says Rohlf. "The first one in our four piece acoustic busking set up that we do every Sunday morning at the Hillcrest Farmer's Market, and the second set with the full five piece electric/acoustic set up we do in the bars and clubs. There are some possible surprise guests as well."— August 18, 2010 10:30 p.m.
Record Release Roundup
The Kabbs' debut self-titled EP debuts Wednesday, August 25, with a show at the Casbah w/the Death Eaters and Grand Tarantula. Says the band, "Our album is dedicated to our friend and former band mate Adrian Vusich who passed away July 4th 2009 in a tragic bicycle accident." Hey bands, you really need to notify us about upcoming record release events a LOT more in advance than a week! Send all available info to me ASAP at [email protected] ---— August 18, 2010 3:36 p.m.
Record Release Roundup
Forgot to mention the new seven inch from Hedonic Islands debuts Tuesday, August 24, at the Whistle Stop.— August 18, 2010 2:57 p.m.
Permit an insolvent city to subsidize a Charger stadium?
Not to keep straying off Mr. Bauder's blog topic, but to address all this chatter about supposedly banned commentators and allegedly deleted comments - many if not most of the references toward such instances may instead be due to the bloggers themselves deleting or changing their posts to "draft." This explains many vanishing or altered entries - if the blogger then reposts their content, that wipes all the previous comments from the original entry. I just work here, I don't run the place, but it's my understanding that only a couple of individuals have ever had the Reader welcome mat completely pulled out from under them - and those were the result of flagrant and repeated site abuse.— August 18, 2010 3:45 a.m.
Cecil B. Demented
John Waters continues his slow and steady seduction of the mainstream with the first half of the movie, only to reward its arousal by slamming a giant butt plug thru the finale. How many ways can one director demonstrate how much they hate the Hollywood machine, by mimicking it with all the jaded "devotion" of porn parody? The closing sequence at a particularly demented and violent drive-in theater screening rocks in a way not seen since Boris Karloff used his senior Citizen Cane to knock out a drive-in sniper in Targets. Yes, Mr. Waters, we know you love to hate us - you have since you made us sit thru a giant drag queen eating dog poo. But, jeez, won't you ever make a movie that doesn't glorify suicidal sociopaths to the point of murder junkie fetishism?— August 16, 2010 8:53 p.m.
Blade Runner
The cinematography - for a futuristic film - is surprising fifties-flavored, albeit reflective of that era as it unfolded in the pulp sci-fi and men's detective/true crime magazines. I think this sort of boomer underground subcultural texture was purposeful, as the increasingly amoral story does indeed leave you feeling like you've been slumming in a 21st century red light district --— August 14, 2010 8:55 p.m.
Instead of Attack Mode
Outtake - TV COMMERCIAL THAT DRIVES YOU NUTS? “A Verizon Wireless ‘Can you hear me now’ commercial. It’s some guy sitting at a desk in this big warehouse on the phone. All he’s doing is saying yes, yes, yes, yes, and about three quarters of the way through the commercial, he blows up, cursing the guy on the phone. Then they show the Verizon guy on the other line. I want to jump through the TV and say ‘I HEAR you, now SHUT UP!’”— August 14, 2010 12:05 a.m.