ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 4, 1963, the front page of the New York Times carried the headline "Dr. Ward Is Dead; Suicide Note Calls His Foes Vultures." The story revealed that the 50-year-old Ward, …
March 31, 2005
News & Stories
UCSD prof David Phillips thinks suicide may be contagious
Who Are These Guys?
How nice it is, nowadays, to come upon a film directed by someone with whom you go back a ways, and feel some familiarity. Someone for whom you even feel, or have felt, some friendship. …
March 31, 2005
Symbol Hunt
“The berries were really tight and really small, and the seeds were completely brown.”
Swimming with Scapulars
FROM THE DUST JACKET: In Lickona's "true confessions," we are introduced to a unique and singular voice, but one that is emblematic of a new generation of believers who combine a premodern faith with a …
March 31, 2005
Live from Marin County, California
Fate is cruel. I think we can all agree on this one thing before I move on. Mostly cruel. Especially when one considers withering illnesses, rapid aging, death and taxes — all of which are …
March 31, 2005
War and Peace
The night after attending a party, I was invited to another party hosted by Mike, one of the DJs. It was at a house in the Del Cerro area near SDSU. Mike lives at this …
Safe Grind
'Funky, fresh, dressed to impress, ready to party!" For Samantha Duenas, third-year student at UCSD and member of the dance troupe Second 2 None, Missy Elliot lyrics are inspiring. "It sums it up with her," …
March 31, 2005
Acapulco Nights
Tesoro (teh-SOH-row), Spanish for "treasure," is a family operation run by the brother-and-sister team of Rosie and Ricardo Vera, with help from their parents and siblings. Open since November, it quickly gained a reputation as …
March 31, 2005
Discover a showery 20-foot cascade in Coal Canyon, Orange County's premier wildlife corridor.
For at least three decades, the Coal Canyon diamond interchange on the Riverside Freeway through Santa Ana Canyon was a virtual joke, featuring ramps to and from nowhere. "Nowhere" might have been replaced by subdivisions …
March 31, 2005
It’s All Happening at the Zoo
Zoo: An excellent place to study the habits of human beings. -- Evan Esar 'I dreamt about him again last night," Jenny said during a lull in our fragmented conversation. "Yeah? What happened?" I asked, …
March 31, 2005
The Reader's Eye on Television
I KNOCKED ON THE DOOR. There were people inside, but nobody got up to answer. I checked my notebook: 52 Romford Road, London, England. I was on the right street at the right house, but …
March 31, 2005
What Promises to Be the Biggest Local Concert of the Year Happens Tomorrow
What promises to be the biggest local concert of the year happens tomorrow, and chances are, you won't see it. Kiss, Ted Nugent, Godsmack, Destiny's Child, and Cedric the Entertainer are appearing for some 35,000 …
March 31, 2005
Singer Steve "Crabby" Cabler Was the Only American (Out of Eight) Who Survived
Singer Steve "Crabby" Cabler was the only American (out of eight) who survived after a terrorist bomb exploded in a Bali nightclub while he was on a surf vacation in October 2002. It took 180 …
March 31, 2005
"Our [Ticketmaster] Contract is Up, and We Haven't Renewed."
"Our [Ticketmaster] contract is up, and we haven't renewed." 'Canes owner Eric Leitstein is in the process of deciding whether to continue his involvement with the monolithic ticket company. In the running to replace Ticketmaster …
March 31, 2005
On March 22, Members of Louis XIV
On March 22, members of Louis XIV appeared on the radio show Loveline (which airs locally on 91X from 10 p.m. to midnight). Only one person called in the entire two-hour period to ask Jason …
March 31, 2005
Liberal Bastion
“We called it quits about 18 months ago. Reopened as this pub…with a serious attitude toward beers.”
March 31, 2005
Brian Karscig
Brian Karscig of Louis XIV credits local radio with breaking "Finding Out True Love Is Blind," the self-released single that led to the band's Atlantic Records debut album last week. He told livedaily.com, "91X in …
March 31, 2005
"Are these movies pirated?"
"Are these movies pirated?" asked Officer K. Wadhams. "They are copies," suspect Tommy Grant conceded. In SDPD crime report #05-016812 filed on March 18, Wadhams was on routine patrol and noticed a group of males …
March 31, 2005
Last Week 4th & B General Manager Ray Johnson Confirmed Rumors
Last week 4th & B general manager Ray Johnson confirmed rumors that he and owner Ali Nilforshan were likely to turn over the booking of the 1500-seat downtown nightclub to either House of Blues or …
March 31, 2005
The Only Theater-Friendly Mayor
"The only theater-friendly mayor this town has had was Maureen O'Connor," said Tom Hall of the San Diego Foundation. "She wasn't known for her arts and culture appreciation, but she understood the politics of it." …
March 31, 2005
Window Boxes for Plants
Mom's birthday is on the horizon, and I'm thinking window boxes. For as long as I can remember, she's always kept a vibrant perennial garden full of snapdragons, salvia, and alyssum at the foot of …
San Diego Citadel Corps
"People are depraved and are slaves to sin. God can forgive us of that sin through Jesus' resurrection," said Major Warren Dabis when asked about the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. "We should …
March 31, 2005
Grunion often run on weeknights
"Everybody I know, once in their life, has gone out to watch grunion run, but I don't recall anyone actually seeing grunion. What, exactly, is your connection to the beast?" I'm on the phone with …
March 31, 2005
Hahahaha. Croak
Dear Matthew Alice: "I thought I would die laughing." When something makes you laugh so hard you can't breathe, is there a chance you'll never stop? Is this unhealthy? -- M., San Diego Well, A.M., …
March 31, 2005
Stripped down
A Las Vegas TV station reported last week that Michael Galardi's father Jack has lost the liquor license at his Leopard's Lounge in Vegas, but authorities claim it has nothing to do with Michael's guilty …
March 31, 2005
Secrecy Culture Continues
A letter that has fallen into the Reader's hands reveals that the City of San Diego will have to confess many more accounting sins once it gets new audits from outside firms poring over its …
March 31, 2005