August 2013
Melissa Etheridge: still rockin’ after all these years
Not many singers have the distinction of winning both an Oscar and two Grammy awards and have starred in one of Broadway’s most acclaimed rock musicals. Not to mention also being a cancer survivor, mother of four children and a political activist; but that’s exactly what life is like if you’re Melissa Etheridge. Etheridge does…
An enormously earnest movie about civil rights
Lee Daniels’ The Butler One of the problems with starting a movie with the words “Inspired by a true story” written on the screen is that most people will focus on “true story” and not on “inspired by.” That phrase opens Lee Daniels’ The Butler – which I will refer to as The Butler from…
Three more days to check out this rare treat
San Diego is a relatively small town when it comes to art, so I am always rather astonished to learn about a new gallery or art-oriented event that has been active for a while. I am even more surprised when the gallery and/or event in question are showing work that is very relevant to the…
Alisan Rowland ordained as MCC pastor
More than 220 people showed up to see Alisan Rowland ordained Aug. 18 as a minister in the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) in San Diego. “Ali, feel the love in this room,” said Senior Pastor Dan Koeshall as the service started while ushers put out extra chairs to accommodate the crowd. There was standing room…
Where have all the yodelers gone?
The recent TV talent shows featuring elaborate and intricate displays of amazing abilities bring back fond memories of the less sophisticated, yet in many ways more enjoyable, local contests of long ago. Remember, seniors, the hard wooden chairs of the grange hall, lodge or auditorium and our home-grown stars; some appearing yearly and some nervously…
The smearing of Carl DeMaio
In more than 50 years of being involved with politics, I have never witnessed such a vicious and ugly smear campaign like the one recently launched against Carl DeMaio. About four years ago I got a call from someone who worked at City Hall who informed me that some City Council aides were having “fun”…
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
dvd of the week If you were offended by Zero Dark Thirty, and there’s good reason to be, you may find solace in The Reluctant Fundamentalist, which is as subversively anti-American and anti-imperialist as Zero Dark Thirty was pro-American and pro-fascism. Based on the novel by Mohsin Hamid, it is the story of how Changez…
The Killing
DVR This: AMC, Available on Amazon.com and ITunes While a bunch of people stopped watching The Killing – the moody, slow and rainy series about murder detectives in Seattle – after they failed to reveal who killed Rose Larsen at the end of season 1, I suggest you return, either on TV or DVD. This…