San Diego City Beat

Repair the safety net

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Repair the safety net
California Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor last Friday announced that he believes that the estimated revenue figures in Gov. Jerry Brown’s revised state budget plan are low by $3.2 billion. Taylor believes that Brown underestimated the tax revenue expected to come in during the next fiscal year, starting July 1, by $2.

LETTERS

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

If this is the case—if the reaction is the same and the intention is the same, why is it OK to print “tranny” and “faggot” but not OK to print “the n-word”? I’m not at all trying to point a finger at you, but I think it’s an interesting question: Why is it still OK to say “tranny” instead of “t-word” or “fag” instead of “f-word”?.

Phone-tag hell

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

A November 2012 report by the state auditor—a follow-up to a previous audit in March 2011—noted that, among other issues, EDD’s phone system wasn’t capable of handling the volume of calls the department received. Between July 2011 and June 2012, the report says, 17 million calls—24 percent of all calls—didn’t go through.

A seat at the grownups’ table

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

A seat at the grownups’ table
By David Taube
Later that month, news broke about another possible project, the North City Power Plant in University City. The city had been working for more than 16 months with one bidder, and city staff had compiled a 206-page report on the project. Capretz says Sanders’ aides didn’t.

Six months out

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Six months out
But with June comes gloom and also the time when Filner haters can shake off the final haze of winter slumber and get to work plotting ways to take him down. With June marking the mayor’s sixth month in office, the City Charter also declares it open season for recall generals.

Delightful dumplings

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Delightful dumplings
By MINA RIAZI
Kafe Sobaka (2469 Broadway, kafesobaka-resto ranpomegranate.com) sits on a wide residential street between a Cricket Wireless and a string of houses. Inside, the restaurant is cluttered but cozy. Chunky samovars line a window ledge, and framed posters adorn the walls.

A tale of two twist-offs

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

A tale of two twist-offs
By JEN VAN TIENGHEM
As summer has come knocking hard, I thought it time to find a wine to welcome this aggressive guest. In my constant quest for white wines that are both refreshing and full of flavor, I decided to compare a couple of my favorite varietal: Sauvignon Blanc.

When pigs fly

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

When pigs fly
By JENNY MONTGOMERY
Oceanside is a town with many sides. As the last coastal outpost on the northern tip of the county, its identity is shaped not only by Camp Pendleton—just try driving down the Coast Highway without seeing freshly shaven heads on babyfaced young...

Cult of personality

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Cult of personality
By Jim Ruland
As cults go, The Helix is fairly benign and feels very much like an offshoot of a 12-step program organized around the benefits of sharing one’s personal experiences with a group of likeminded strangers. The affliction Thurlow’s acolytes are fighting is loneliness.

EVENTS

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Amass at Visual Arts Facility Gallery, Russell Lane, UCSD campus, La Jolla. Allison Spence presents her MFA thesis, which consists of paintings in the theme of ambiguity, accompanied by a performance and reading. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 23, visarts.ucsd.

THE SHORT LIST

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

THE SHORT LIST
By Alex Zaragoza
The evening also includes a modern take on the Push Pin Party, Pfeiffer says. MoPA invited the public to submit photos, taken with mobile phones and inspired by the theme “What does 30 mean to you?” They received more than 14,000 submissions, Pfeiffer says.

Grappling with the Grim Reaper

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Grappling with the Grim Reaper
Primary among them is Zoe Winters, whose good little widow, Melody, is fun to watch even when she’s suffering. (She loses her young husband, Craig, in a plane crash.) Not only is Winters gifted at the art of physical comedy, but her wide-eyed double takes are ideally suited to the play’s shifting light and darkness.

HEAD CRAMMERS

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

HEAD CRAMMERS
If you’re the socially conscious type, a quick run to the supermarket can be a daunting task. It’s never clear whether the cereal you’re buying contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or whether Koch Industries—the multinational corporation...

Seen local

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Seen local
“The opportunity to show local artists that are in different ranges and phases of their career fit the same business model that we’re going with,” she says. “I really want to represent with this gallery the San Diego art scene and show different types of artists and mediums together in one place and make it community-focused.

Like magic

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Like magic
By ANDERS WRIGHT
There are two sorts of people in this world: those who are fully aware of Ricky Jay and his work and those who haven’t yet had the pleasure. Now, there’s nothing to be ashamed of if you aren’t familiar with him.

Short cuts

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Short cuts
Happy birthday, Ponyboy. Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 adaptation of The Outsiders.

Murder man

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Murder man
By Peter Holslin
Serial killers come in all shapes and sizes. There are fat serial killers and skinny serial killers. There are serial killers with all-American looks and serial killers from countries as diverse as Finland and Ghana.

Notes from the smoking patio

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Notes from the smoking patio
“I actually listened to the lyrics of ‘Bawitdaba,’ and they’re not that bad,” he says. “It makes you think, if Kid Rock didn’t grow up in Detroit—like, in the worst part of America—maybe he would’ve just made some really killer folk songs or something.

If i were u

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

By Peter Holslin
BACKUP PLAN: Fortune & Maltese, The Rising Ramrods, Ty Wagner, The Mikal Cronin Unclaimed @ The Casbah..

CONCERTS & CLUBS

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

KEN mode (Til-Two Club, 5/25), El Twanguero (Dizzy’s, 5/31), Zavalaz, Dot Hacker (Casbah, 6/30), Dessa (Casbah, 7/12), Smokey Robinson (Pechanga Resort & Casino, 7/12), Comedy Bang! Bang! Live w/ Scott Aukerman (HOB, 7/17), Hollywood Babble-On w/...

Let’s get wet

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Let’s get wet
Memorial Day weekend is a holiday when Americans honor the brave soldiers who died in the name of the United States and freedom. Some San Diegans will honor those people by visiting Mount Soledad or Rosecrans National Cemetary. The party boys and girls, on the other hand, will pay tribute by drinking beer in a pool.