Here's something you might be interested in.
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed
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Blurt — Music's inside track
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Classical Music — Immortal beauty
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Cover Stories — Front-page features
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Feast! — Food & drink reviews
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Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
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Your Week — Daily event picks
Letters about San Diego, TJ, and the Reader
Conversations continued
Why Are They in TJ?
Re: “Gateway between Worlds,” March 23 cover story
I recently went to Tijuana to see architecture — a getaway day. I saw something there I haven’t seen before. I saw groups of African males convening on the sidewalks during duty hours, speaking what sounded like some African language. This was during business hours, and they weren’t working.
With the border issues and unemployment in Tijuana, if they’re not working, why are they there in TJ? I was told that they come from Muslim countries — Somali, Nigerian, maybe Haitin — and other border cities. I wonder who paid their voyages, and their food and lodging in Tijuana. I hope the authorities investigate this for our own safety. I think the more wholesome a country is, the less social problems the world will have.
- Name withheld
- La Mesa
Hope/Resistance
Re: City Lights, March 16: “The Trade War That Could Wallop San Diego”
Now that the lunatic Trumpos are in charge, our system of government is being tested like the human body’s very last defense mechanism against freezing to death. It directs all activity to preserving its internal core temperature to keep the most vital organs alive to maybe avoid the bitter end. Let’s hope. But resist!
- Teddy Rodosovich
- via voicemail
Gary Wilson, in Hillcrest, where he's lived since 1978.
Ad Lib and Fit In
This past week I saw the article in the Reader about Gary Wilson. It brought back so many memories.
I met Gary Wilson many years ago. He was playing keyboards in a band called the Imposters. I was very impressed with his playing. One of my friends was in the band with him. Dave Scott was playing trombone with them and, when he left, they asked me if I was interested in joining them. While we were working in the band, Gary asked me if I would be interested in playing with his other band, Blind Date. I told him I wasn’t familiar with the music they were playing. He was sure that I could ad lib and fit in. I had nothing to lose and thought it would be fun to try something different.
He said we would be dressing up for the gig. We went to his house, and that was fascinating. There were mannequins and masks of Gary’s face. When we discussed the costumes for the gig, I was to wear woman’s underwear and one high heeled shoe. I told him I had a black cape and I would wear one of his masks. That worked for him. It was such fun and the music was great. All of the musicians were very talented and Gary put on quite a show.
- John McDonald
- El Cajon
Caretakers feed them every day and trap cats as needed for medical attention.
So Many Animal Organizations
I’m responding to a letter about the Mission Bay jetty cats (“Hope PETA Doesn’t Jump on Board”) which was in reply to a Neighborhood News item (“Mission Bay Jetty Cats Included in City’s Kill Program”) regarding the situation with feral cats.
I’ve seen a few things on the news; I understand a few people have been taking care of them. This person indicated that the cats are in trouble because mean people are going there and doing things to them, and people are dumping off cats. The situation is pretty horrible all around.
We have some of the most highly financed animal organizations in the United States: the Humane Society, the Feral Cat Coalition.... I’m wondering why these big organizations can’t go in there and pick up these cats, sterilize them, and release them? If it’s such an issue to return them to the so-called wild, why not humanely euthanize them? It’s just hard for me to understand this situation where the animals are being abused or dumped or whatever could continue on in a city and a county which has so many well-funded animal organizations.
- Vivian M. Dunbar
- San Ysidro
The mural in the lobby of downtown’s Symphony Towers hints at the hidden Copley Symphony Hall hidden within.
Unforgivable Omission
I was sorry to notice that in the article about hidden classical music (venues) in San Diego, an unforgivable omission was made of two very fine venues that have been providing top-of-the line concerts in our city for over 20 years. One is the excellent San Diego Early Music Society. The other one is the Bach Collegium. How could you possibly have missed that? It’s a real shame that those two prominent, wonderful venues were never mentioned in the article.
I happen to think that Garrett Harris does not really know things about classical music, considering that those two premier outfits were omitted from his line-up — a real disservice to having not mentioned them, I believe.
- Helga Barthold
- La Mesa
Here's something you might be interested in.
Letters about San Diego, TJ, and the Reader
Conversations continued
Letters about San Diego, TJ, and the Reader
Conversations continued
Why Are They in TJ?
Re: “Gateway between Worlds,” March 23 cover story
I recently went to Tijuana to see architecture — a getaway day. I saw something there I haven’t seen before. I saw groups of African males convening on the sidewalks during duty hours, speaking what sounded like some African language. This was during business hours, and they weren’t working.
With the border issues and unemployment in Tijuana, if they’re not working, why are they there in TJ? I was told that they come from Muslim countries — Somali, Nigerian, maybe Haitin — and other border cities. I wonder who paid their voyages, and their food and lodging in Tijuana. I hope the authorities investigate this for our own safety. I think the more wholesome a country is, the less social problems the world will have.
- Name withheld
- La Mesa
Hope/Resistance
Re: City Lights, March 16: “The Trade War That Could Wallop San Diego”
Now that the lunatic Trumpos are in charge, our system of government is being tested like the human body’s very last defense mechanism against freezing to death. It directs all activity to preserving its internal core temperature to keep the most vital organs alive to maybe avoid the bitter end. Let’s hope. But resist!
- Teddy Rodosovich
- via voicemail
Gary Wilson, in Hillcrest, where he's lived since 1978.
Ad Lib and Fit In
This past week I saw the article in the Reader about Gary Wilson. It brought back so many memories.
I met Gary Wilson many years ago. He was playing keyboards in a band called the Imposters. I was very impressed with his playing. One of my friends was in the band with him. Dave Scott was playing trombone with them and, when he left, they asked me if I was interested in joining them. While we were working in the band, Gary asked me if I would be interested in playing with his other band, Blind Date. I told him I wasn’t familiar with the music they were playing. He was sure that I could ad lib and fit in. I had nothing to lose and thought it would be fun to try something different.
He said we would be dressing up for the gig. We went to his house, and that was fascinating. There were mannequins and masks of Gary’s face. When we discussed the costumes for the gig, I was to wear woman’s underwear and one high heeled shoe. I told him I had a black cape and I would wear one of his masks. That worked for him. It was such fun and the music was great. All of the musicians were very talented and Gary put on quite a show.
- John McDonald
- El Cajon
Caretakers feed them every day and trap cats as needed for medical attention.
So Many Animal Organizations
I’m responding to a letter about the Mission Bay jetty cats (“Hope PETA Doesn’t Jump on Board”) which was in reply to a Neighborhood News item (“Mission Bay Jetty Cats Included in City’s Kill Program”) regarding the situation with feral cats.
I’ve seen a few things on the news; I understand a few people have been taking care of them. This person indicated that the cats are in trouble because mean people are going there and doing things to them, and people are dumping off cats. The situation is pretty horrible all around.
We have some of the most highly financed animal organizations in the United States: the Humane Society, the Feral Cat Coalition.... I’m wondering why these big organizations can’t go in there and pick up these cats, sterilize them, and release them? If it’s such an issue to return them to the so-called wild, why not humanely euthanize them? It’s just hard for me to understand this situation where the animals are being abused or dumped or whatever could continue on in a city and a county which has so many well-funded animal organizations.
- Vivian M. Dunbar
- San Ysidro
The mural in the lobby of downtown’s Symphony Towers hints at the hidden Copley Symphony Hall hidden within.
Unforgivable Omission
I was sorry to notice that in the article about hidden classical music (venues) in San Diego, an unforgivable omission was made of two very fine venues that have been providing top-of-the line concerts in our city for over 20 years. One is the excellent San Diego Early Music Society. The other one is the Bach Collegium. How could you possibly have missed that? It’s a real shame that those two prominent, wonderful venues were never mentioned in the article.
I happen to think that Garrett Harris does not really know things about classical music, considering that those two premier outfits were omitted from his line-up — a real disservice to having not mentioned them, I believe.
- Helga Barthold
- La Mesa