Table of Contents

LOCAL STORIES

Feature Story Never mind NASA Sacramento inventor and would-be astronaut John Powell has designed a balloon that just may get him into space.

News Hacking Diebold Sacramento activist Jim March takes on touch-screen voting.

News Waging peace On the eve of the Peace Corps’ 43rd anniversary, three Sacramento volunteers report from the front.

OPINIONS

Editorial Got a Jones Among the candidates for Darrell Steinberg’s 9th District Assembly seat, Dave Jones stands out—especially in his commitment to stopping sprawl.

Guest Comment Vehicle fees by the pound Shouldn’t vehicles’ fees be based on what the vehicles cost the state?

Editor's Note Sheer lunacy Earthlings are finding ways to send themselves and their posessions to the moon without NASA.

Letters Letters for February 26, 2004 Love, hate, or indifference—readers express their opinions—sometimes about each other.

Bites Shocking truths Evil Democrats and virtuous businesses.

Ask Joey Neatness counts

Essay Wedding interruptus A writer’s race to San Francisco runs into a roadblock of uncertainty.

15 Minutes A good soul Among many other things, Anneke Vos is a guardian angel to homeless animals.

ARTS&CULTURE

Arts Feature Dance dance revolution Same-sex competitive dancers Kilee Cooper and Camille Wojtasiak put Sacramento on the international ballroom-dance radar.

Arts Feature The kids are all right One young local performer credits the Jammies with helping to launch his budding career.

Scene & Heard Local yodel Pretend you have a social life—or if you have one already—find out what’s going on in Sacramento’s growing entertainment scene.

Theater Reviews A passage from India Arranged Marriage is a thought-provoking showcase for two local talents.

Theater Reviews Score

Stage Reviews Stage Reviews Short Reviews of Current Plays.

Poet's Corner Mourning A poem by Nicole Carroll of Davis.

Art Pick of the Week The mind’s eye A painter, a blind photographer and a fluid video installation at Exploding Head—what more could you want?

In The Mix The Ukulele Occasional The second volume of The Ukulele Occasional is out; you never know who’s following in Tiny Tim’s footsteps.

Event Pick of the Week Jazz runs deep An event of note from the weekly calendar.

Book Reviews Labor lessons In author and economist Michael Yates’ new book, working people are the solution to everything.

DINING

Dish Eating dangerously Fans of American comfort food will love Ink Eats and Drinks, possibly too much.

Food Stuff Food Stuff Good eats at the venue of the week.

FILM

Film Reviews Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights Havana Nights is basically Dirty Dancing with a samba beat.

Short Reviews Welcome to Mooseport

Short Reviews Against the Ropes

Short Reviews Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

Short Reviews Eurotrip

Short Reviews The Passion of the Christ

MUSIC

Music Feature I, robot Local electronic-music artist Junobot retools the techno-pop ghosts of the 1980s for contemporary audiences.

Music Pick of the Week Remake remodel receiver Quitter tops a fine bill on Friday at the Capitol Garage.

In the Mix - Music Melissa Etheridge Melissa Etheridge delivers exactly the album you’d expect from her.

In the Mix - Music Steinberg: Symphony No. 2 Rimsky-Korsakov student and Stravinsky contemporary Maximilian Steinberg’s second symphony shimmers on this Neeme Järvi-conducted version.

In the Mix - Music Volebeats What can you say about a Detroit country-rock band that covers ABBA, Funkadelic and Slayer? Lots.

Clubber Shortie dives, EHTFRSVN dances Local alternative-rock act Shortie’s stage presence makes up for its sometimes-irrelevant vocals.