Anna StumpArtist, drawingwithanna.com I have two French films to recommend. The first is Séraphine, based on the life of French painter Séraphine de Senlis. I recommend it especially for a transcendent scene in which the …

Thirty-Five Years AgoIf film directors like Altman and Fellini ever run out of suitable sites for their confetti-like pageantries, they might do well by turning towards Tijuana. The rolling hills, crippled streets, lopsided architecture, high-pressure …

An Easy Coon Solution I just want to comment on “Raccoon Wars” (Feature Story, August 26). I never saw anything sillier in all my life. I’ve been bothered by coons in the yard many times. …

Undercover Racist? I picked up a copy of the August 19 Reader today. It’s well known within the African-American community that the Reader is very adverse to and against having black faces in your paper, …

Thirty-Five Years AgoDrink liquor without mixes. A more expensive liquor will prove more economical if taken with a splash of water or on the rocks than cheap whiskey that has to be disguised with mixes. …

Why atheism today? — The “father” in God has been thoroughly refuted; ditto, “the judge,” “the rewarder.” Also his “free will”: he does not hear — and if he heard he still would not know …

Thirty-Five Years AgoWith each successive film, [Robert] Altman comes closer to the frank expression of something not so nice but conceivably profound. It’s turning out to be nothing more than the despicable compromise of just …

Thirty-Five Years AgoSix days a week, with the exception of Tuesdays, the admissions gate is lifted after the seventh race at the Del Mar track, and the crowd that has gathered to play the last …

Thirty-Five Years Ago The Average White Band has two encores down and none to go. “Those few minutes before they whip on the lights make the night for me,” exclaims bassist Alan Gorrie. Hunched over …

Bob RoseCritic, asitecalledfred.com Freaked is a hand grenade of funny that most people have never had the pleasure of exploding to. I can know the future success and/or worth of a budding friendship based on …

Thirty-Five Years Ago Greg voluntarily entered detox on Saturday at 7:20 p.m. He had worked all day and was taking advantage of his Memorial Day holiday to dry out. The first procedure was a brief, …

Have Our Gangbangers So Judy from the Big Kitchen bemoans the loss of the gangbangers in South Park (“North Park vs. South Park,” Cover Story, July 22). Well, you can have ours here in North …

Stuff I Don’t Like Re the July 15 “What’s Your News IQ?” Answers on page 64, what? If you are looking for space in future issues, put them in the “Rhyme & Verse” column. Can …

Thirty-Five Years AgoTwo of the titles I included, at the beginning of the year, on a list of “Movies I Expected to Come to San Diego in 1974 and Didn’t” turned up recently, briefly — …

Unnecessary Re “SD on the QT,” July 8. I want to know why it was necessary to say “the Black employee”? Does it matter what color the employee was? Name Withheldvia email Walter Mencken replies: …

Thirty-Five Years AgoSeveral years ago, when asked what he thought about rock music, Marxist philosopher Herbert Marcuse replied, “It’s impotent violence.” At the time I had no idea what he was talking about and really …

Get Serious Apart from being obnoxious, the “SD on the QT” column called “High School Musical Opera” (June 24) is an example of unethical journalistic behavior. William Reed’s musical, Affair of Honour, performed at the …

Melissa MolinaFilm critic,latinoreview.com Joss ­Whedon’s short-lived cult show Firefly spawned the feature Serenity. Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his crew dodge the Alliance ­that’s hunting for his two newest additions. The film is full of …

Depression Definition While it is worthwhile for Don Bauder to have administered a dose of reality to the discourse over the “economic crisis,” for example, as to the mendacity of the Federal Reserve chairman, “Snail …

Thirty-Five Years AgoOne might begin to enumerate the virtues of the Old Globe’s Much Ado About Nothing by talking about the lighting. Lighting designers tend to be among the least noticed — and often enough …

Shout Out To A Brutha Thank you for the article “I Was Bred for This” (Cover Story, June 17), about “Sgt. Tom O’Brian.“ If he was deployed from Fort Lewis, Washington, around July of 2009 …

Thirty-Five Years AgoTHIS EERIE MALE still playing long shots, nevertheless would like an eerie female around the house. Special inducement, summer trip to Lake Erie. KIM: What’s this about Gharlene taking over the Coordinator’s office? …

Me Too Jason O’Bryan’s article was right on the money (“Looking for Work Has Become the New Work,” Cover Story, June 10). I felt like I could have written that article word for word. It …

Thirty-Five Years AgoEven the most noble of persons will some time find himself in a petty fight, a small disagreement. And even the most noble of persons cannot always treat petty things as petty things; …

Neal HallfordDirector, Witch Creek, witchcreekmovie.com The Changeling (not to be confused with Angelina Jolie’s Changeling) is a very suspenseful old-school horror movie that relied on atmosphere over gory theatrics. Stellar performance by George C. Scott …

What Do Paris Hilton and 944 Have in Common? Ten San Diego print publications reviewed on Yelp.com, listed by number of reviews: San Diego Reader: 35 reviews, 2.5 stars. Comments: “I don’t really read it, …

Shame On You Re “Till Death Do Us Part. It’s the Only Way We Will,” by Thomas Larson (Cover Story, June 3). Shame on you for publishing that article about Ginger!!! Hasn’t the family suffered …

Thirty-Five Years AgoA San Diego tennis odyssey should both begin and end at Morley Field. This eucalytpus shaded corner of Balboa Park is a local tennis Mecca, and offers 25 of the finest, most immaculately …

Heavy Hand Moss Gropen’s story about the power of our “strong mayor” was frightening since it demonstrated Sanders’s total disrespect for the law (“Influence Paddling,” Cover Story, May 27). The article tells of two employees …

Thirty-Five Years AgoWho, indeed, was the wrong-headed entrepreneur who decided that Mahavishnu Orchestra and Jeff Beck would make a compatible concert bill? The coup certainly seemed tantalizing in the ads — two of the world’s …

Correction In a letter last week titled ­”Where’s the Okra?” the writer referred to remarks that Naomi Wise had made about Indigo Grill in her April 29 restaurant review. It was Indigo Café, not Indigo …

Thirty-Five Years AgoI was walking around humming that old song about jumping down and turning around and picking a bale of cotton and it made me wonder — just how much cotton is that? And …

Funny, Cool, Short Re “Nothing Normal About It” (Cover Story, May 13). It’s a good story. Pit bulls will be always brave and strong, and I love pit bulls. They’re really nice dogs. The story’s …

Thirty-Five Years AgoI AM GROSSED OUT! My program’s first assembly had no errors at all! That never happens. Wow! Aren’t you excited? - R. LeChevalier, NCR Data Processing Division.— CLASSIFIEDS, May 22, 1975 Thirty Years …

Benjamin’s Boot Camp As longtime fans of Mr. Benjamin’s Cotillion, we were thrilled to find the story “Don’t Look Down,” with its much-deserved praise for Peter Benjamin and his dance class in the May 6 …

Thirty-Five Years AgoIn general, I avoid eating at places with the words “jolly” or “happy.” Not because I am a misanthrope, but because the chain that calls itself the Jolly Ox serves little to give …

Tyler Richards HewesExecutive director, Orchestra Nova, orchestranova.org My friend Trevor hosts the occasional Man Night at his house; we watch “manly” movies, drink beer, eat pizza, and add our own commentary. The movies always have …

Thirty-Five Years AgoRECREATIONAL VEHICLE. You had better give up am radio, drinking, and Elton John — you know why? Look at another ad, toots. Love, Leenie Baby. LOOKING FOR people to help start a commune …

Just Do It About Dorian Hargrove — courage to pen that story (“Broken Skull, Broken Heart,” Cover Story, April 22)! No, you will never be the same, you’ll be better! Different, in a very unique …

What An Insult I was insulted by your article “Broken Skull, Broken Heart” (Cover Story, April 22). I was one of the physicians caring for Dorian. The derogatory depiction of his medical care and physicians …

Thirty-Five Years AgoI am (choose one or more) appalled, outraged, amazed, mystified, annoyed; at the review of the recent Frans Brueggen/Alan Curtis concert, done by one J. Saville. Although I could not attend the concert …

His Class Average Is Still Okay Up to now, Don Bauder has been doing low-A and high-B work in his columns covering the ongoing financial disaster. But in his April 15 column, he flunks the …

Thirty-Five Years AgoLooking for work in San Diego these days is a full-time job in itself, with all the attendant frustrations. Only the paycheck is lacking. With the state, you have a big advantage if …

Thirty-Five Years AgoTwo of the most popular recovery agents around San Diego are these two black guys named Mike and Bill. (Anonymity is so important to them that Mike’s business card says only “Mike.”) They …

Best Story Ever Man, this is the best story ever — “Want to Be Sent Home in Pieces?” (Cover Story, April 8). I give you guys a ten. Dr. Greenthumbvia voicemail Loved “Pieces” I just …

Acacias Strolling many years ago Down a street taken over by acacias in bloom I found out from a friend who knows everything That you had just gotten married. I told him that I really …

Beatle Booster Thanks much for the short piece on Brian Ellis (“Boundless,” Music, April 1). One thing I have learned from decades of reading music journalism is that performers who publicly disrespect the Beatles are …

Thirty-Five Years AgoCarlos Santana sauntered quietly onto the stage of the Sports Arena. A sole purple spotlight centered on his diminutive frame as he bowed for five seconds in silent meditation. Santana, resplendent in an …

David PatroneCrooner,davidpatrone.com I first saw The Blues Brothers when I was in my early teens and was amazed by the juxtaposition of musician, crusader, and criminal married to an incredible soundtrack and eclectic, relevant cameos …

Return To Sender Re “Big Brother will be watching” (“Under the Radar,” March 18). I am sending you two pages from Ben Hueso’s campaign disclosure report, filed with the secretary of state and San Diego …