First Cuppa

PETA Opposes SeaWorld Orca Habitat Expansion at Coastal Commission

July 24, 2015 by Source

by James Sullivan/ Science Recorder / July 24, 2015

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has asked that the California Coastal Commission reject SeaWorld San Diego’s efforts to expand its killer whale tanks.

The project is estimated at $100 million, to be completed in 2018, but has yet to received endorsement from the Coastal Commission.

“This item has been postponed because of all the information submitted,” said commissioner Alex Llerandi.

“The coastal staff is taking the time to ensure all potential issues and viewpoints are considered in any final recommendations.”

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Last Cuppa Coffee – Tuesday, April 24, 2012: It only gets better edition…

April 24, 2012 by Doug Porter

When I started this a few months back, not many people thought I’d pull it off.

“A five day a week column? Aren’t you building unrealistic expectations?” Yet here we are three months later and—with the exception of two sick days—I’ve managed to crank out insights on the world we live in five days a week for however long it’s been.

First Cuppa Coffee always was an experiment. Professionally, ‘Cuppa’ was an exploration into what a ‘three dot’ daily news round up might look like. Personally, I wanted to overcome my fears about writing under deadline, everyday. Mostly I wanted to stay sane. This was about giving my life a purpose while I sorted out some very heavy duty things.

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First Cuppa Coffee – April 19th, 2012: Wanted: Ted or Alive Edition

April 19, 2012 by Doug Porter

We’re not sure you want to hear this, Mitt Romney, but… your new associate is a pedophile. Just thought you’d like to know…

Rocker Ted Nugent’s status has shifted in recent days from self-proclaimed advisor to the Romney campaign to far right superhero, with the fringish World Net Daily pimping bumper stickers that say “Ted Nugent for President”. There is also a petition available online allowing you to “Show your support for Ted Nugent and his bold defense of America in response to Barack Obama’s destructive administration”. And a Facebook page in support of Ted Nugent for President.

The Secret Service gets in the picture… All this attention has come about because he mouthed off at the National Rifle Association, saying things that some people felt could be interpreted as threatening the life of the President of the United States. The 2007 concert performance wherein he invites the Prez to “suck on the barrel” of a machine gun that he’s waving around on stage set the standard for Nugent, and he’s been lurking around stage right for some time now waiting for his moment in the sun:

The longtime advocate for gun rights compared President Obama and the Democrats to an unwanted animal visiting someone’s home. “It isn’t the enemy that ruined America,” he said, affirming his support for Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney.

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First Cuppa Coffee – April 18, 2012: There’s a Sucker Born Every Minute Edition

April 18, 2012 by Doug Porter

Tony Young’s WalMart folly…Last year WalMart came to town and threw a bunch of money around to undermine a proposed local regulation requiring impact reports prior to the construction of Superstores. WalMart promised all kinds of things, like a dozen new stores in the region and job, jobs, jobs. Their “go to” guy on the City Council was Tony Young, who told anybody that would listen about how WalMart was going to bring jobs and prosperity to the neighborhoods he represents. Last week we told you that the jobs promised in the construction of the sole WalMart (for San Diego) on the site of the old Sherman Heights farmers market actually were all imported from Orange County.

The community, betrayed… Yesterday, residents of the area were shocked to discover construction crews were bulldozing the historic building on the WalMart site. People interviewed by KPBS this morning said that they felt betrayed; at community meetings prior to the start of construction, WalMart never mentioned destroying the existing structure. Responding to calls from concerned residents, a City inspector showed up at the site late yesterday and discovered that required permits for the project had not been posted.

The community fights back… Locals organized a demonstration for 6 am this morning hoping to halt construction. The City inspector promised he’d return this morning to make sure that needed permits were posted. There was no word on whether Councilman Young would show up to make more promises on WalMart’s behalf.

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First Cuppa Coffee – Monday, April 16, 2012: Don’t Cry for Him San Diego Edition

April 16, 2012 by Doug Porter

Drum roll please… World famous Sunday school teacher, seer and drama queen Glen Beck will be making an appearance near San Diego this coming weekend. He will be appearing at the Skyline MegaChurch, Sunday, April 22^nd,with two shows only at 2 & 4pm. Admission is free as long you bring a non-perishable food item for the “needy”. It would probably be a good idea not to wear an outrageous costume or come as a drag queen, because, after all, those Christians out there in La Mesa can get nasty. And Skyline Church leaders were heavily involved the fight as supporters of Proposition 8. Just sayin’.

What will Glen Beck say?… Will he bring his replica of the Oval office along to increase the drama? Will he announce that the date for the world to end? Will he call Obama a “racist”? Will he equate the views of Reform Jewish rabbis to “radicalized Muslims.” It hard to say with Beck, but you know he’ll do his best to scare the folks in La Mesa. And that’s the thing with Glen Beck: You really don’t understand him until you look at his performances as art that borrows heavily from the horror film genre. No axe murders here—just the promise that you and everybody you know is doomed unless….

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First Cuppa Coffee – April 13, 2012: Friday the Thirteenth Edition

April 13, 2012 by Doug Porter

SDUT Watchdog now renamed SDUT Chihuahua… Looks like things are winding down for the Daily Fishwrap’sventure into investigative journalism. You don’t need a weatherman to tell which way the winds are ablowin’ when you see the kinds of non-stories the paper’s pushing. Among this week’s victims were:

The UCSD Geisel Library staff, who were given wrapped Christmas crackers at the outrageous cost of slightly less than $1 each.

On the higher end of things, SDUT Chihuahua revealed spending of $62 per person for the surgery staff from UCSD’s multiple medical facilities.

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First Cuppa Coffee – April 12th, 2012 : Mental Health Edition

April 12, 2012 by Doug Porter

Tennessee senate warns hand-holding is a ‘gateway sexual activity’…

Tennessee senators approved an update to the state’s abstinence-based sex education law that includes warnings against “gateway sexual activity.”

In a new family life instructions bill, holding hands and kissing could be considered gateways to sex.

Fox News plays whack-a-mole and Wins!… A few days ago the gossip mongers over at Gawker announced with much glee that they’d acquired a mole deep inside the Fox News operation …

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First Cuppa Coffee – April 11, 2012: San Diego Drag Queens and Fat Cats Edition

April 11, 2012 by Doug Porter

The University of San Diego has a real-life controversy on its hands… It’s not like the fake manufactured crises that its well-heeled financial backers like to generate… In better times they call them debates, institutes or forums, and spend copious amounts of cash on them hoping that the great policy conclusions that emerge will reflect positively on the University. This time around USD’s marvelously wealthy groupies are throwing cash at stopping something from happening at the school.

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First Cuppa Coffee – April 10, 2012: All GOP Stars Edition

April 10, 2012 by Doug Porter

Why it seems like it was just yesterday that we here at ‘Cuppa” were whining about how the excitement over Income Tax Terrorism was part of the Tea Party/GOP plot to provide the American public with yet another reason to hate President Obama. Oh, yeah, it was yesterday. Well never mind yesterday, because today Tax Paying is Patriotic…and it makes El Presidente look like a sure thing in the upcoming elections.

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First Cuppa Coffee – April 6, 2012: Disgusting Wisdom Edition

April 6, 2012 by Doug Porter

Speaking out against slavery… Come Saturday, the Radical Feminists of San Diego are putting together a mobilization in support of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) to demand the abolishment of human trafficking, the modern-day form of slavery. The event will start at noon on the southeast corner of 30th and El Cajon Blvd. They’ll march east ending at the south-side bus stop at the intersection of El Cajon Blvd and the Rt 15 on ramp where human rights advocates will speak out human trafficking.

The sneaky feminist plot… Phyllis Schlafly, the happy right wing warrior chiefly known for defeating the Equal Rights Amendment and hating gays …

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First Cuppa Coffee – April 5th, 2012: Spring Bling Edition

April 5, 2012 by Doug Porter

Part Deux, Kony 2012 hits the interwebs… Invisible Children, the makers of Kony2012, the video about a Ugandan tyrant that took the internet by storm just a few weeks ago were all set to release “Part 2” of their campaign earlier this week. But then it was mysteriously delayed until today. It’s out there now in the interwebs, and early reviews are saying that it is mostly an attempt to answer criticisms of the first video. Complaints about the original video included the assertion that Kony 2012 was too American-centric, that the group spends too little money directly on the people it intends to help, and that it oversimplified the 26-year-old conflict involving Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army. Noticeably missing in part two is the voice of the organization’s cofounder, Jason Russell, who was diagnosed with brief psychosis last month after witnesses saw him pacing naked on a sidewalk in a San Diego neighborhood, screaming incoherently and banging his fists on the pavement.

But wait! There’s more! Reports out of Washington DC are now painting a picture of Invisible Children that ties them financially and politically to the mysterious politico-evangelist group called The Fellowship (aka, the Family) which, among other things, has been credited with inspiring and providing “technical support” for Uganda’s internationally-denounced Anti Homosexuality Bill, also dubbed the “kill the gays” bill.

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First Cuppa Coffee – April 3rd, 2012: Everybody But Romney Edition

April 3, 2012 by Doug Porter

They want their pork back… House Republicans, frustrated with their own inability to come up with majorities in a chamber where they supposedly rule the roost, have come with a game plan to get things moving. Speaker John Boehner, according to Reuters, has convened a secret group to figure out how to undo the earmark ban after the next election. Party leaders have determined that the earmark ban has “has affected discipline” within the party. So, it was nice while it lasted…. (Editordude: btw, Boehner will be in town later this week at a private fundraiser in Pacific Beach and some Dems and friends are coming out to welcome him and his pal, Brian Bilbray. It’s Thursday, April 5 and starts before 5pm at 1025 Pacific Beach Drive.)

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First Cuppa Coffee – Monday, April 2, 2012 : Cash for Carl Edition

April 2, 2012 by Doug Porter

Thanks for the cash, Carl… The OB Rag April Fool’s post yesterday claiming that Fox News had purchased this site was a big hit with readers. Obviously, for those of you that missed the “sarcasm” tag, it was in jest. We’re all still poor this morning. A whole bunch of other progressive leaning blogs did hit the jackpot this weekend, thanks to Mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio. Surfers logging in from computers ID’d as being located in the San Diego area are seeing DeMaio’s ads on websites like Daily Kos, Truthdig, Talking Points Memo and The Nation. It is a little strange reading about the latest GOP outrage with DeMaio’s beady little eyes staring at you from the screen.

TV’s Morning Madness…. Former Alaska Gov. (And reality show host) Sarah Palin has agreed to co-host the Today show Tuesday. She’ll be lining up against Katie Couric, who be stepping in over at Good Morning America. There’s been no word from either network over whether Couric’s “gotcha moment” video interview with Palin will be rebroadcast on either network. NBC’s not taking any chances on losing the ratings war this week, though… other high profile guests appearing this week include: “Octomom” Nadya Suleman, Kim Kardashian, the Duggar family and rapper Nicki Minaj. Observers expect the nation’s IQ to drop by five to nine points this week.

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First Cuppa Coffee – March 31, 2012 : Ron Burgundy Edition

March 31, 2012 by Doug Porter

Editor: The OB Rag was down for most of yesterday, Friday, March 30th, so, we’re posting Doug’s “First Cuppa Coffee” that he wrote for yesterday here.

Democratic crime wave coming to an end… Professional campaign treasurer Kinde Durke will plead guilty in the next few days to embezzling more than $8 million going back over a decade from over mostly Democratic political campaigns and organizations. Federal officials noted that Durke was once considered the most reliable treasurer for Democratic politicians at all levels in California, and had access to more than 700 campaign-related bank accounts. Locally, Congresswoman Susan Davis is among the many candidates whose campaigns were looted by Durke, who reportedly used the monies for personal reasons, including ice cream runs at Baskin-Robbins, groceries from Trader Joe’s and trips to Disneyland.

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First Cuppa Coffee – March 29th, 2012: Mayoral Shapeshifter Edition

March 29, 2012 by Doug Porter

It was a big news day for San Diego’s wannabe Mayors… Nathan Fletcher started off the day by posting a Youtube video announcing that he was leaving the Republican Party. Then he went surfing, got bloodied up in an altercation with his board, took a couple of stitches and went out to face the newsmedia and his former compadres. Tom Blair, over at the UTSD, noted that Fletcher Tweeted a photo of himself after the accident, adding the comment; “Think party politics is rough, you should have met my surfboard this morning.”

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First Cuppa Coffee – March 28th, 2012: Hating Jane Fonda Edition

March 28, 2012 by Doug Porter

More hoodie news… By now you’ve certainly heard about Fox News Geraldo Rivera’s insightful analysis that wearing a hooded sweatshirt is hazardous to your health. Ol’ Gerald (that’s his new handle with the Fox homies) been taking the O’Reilly advanced news analysis course for dummies and is obviously ready for graduation. In recognition of his his efforts, Fox even went so far as to pull “hoodies” from its shameless commerce division. But wait! There’s even more!

Oklahoma saves the day… The Oklahoma Senate has killed a bill that would require politicians throughout the state to be drug tested along with people receiving temporary public assistance.

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First Cuppa Coffee – March 27th, 2012: Readin’, Eatin’ and Organizing Edition

March 27, 2012 by Doug Porter

Righties readin’ for the next generation… The name of their new magazine just about tells it all: The Conservative Teen. An amazing amalgam of grownups, who all happen to be involved with either The Heritage Foundation, Fox Business News, the Family Research Council or the Media Research Center have joined forces to produce this slick tribute to deadtree journalism, jam packed with articles they know the kiddies are dyin’ to read, like:

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First Cuppa Coffee – Monday, March 26th, 2012: Really Big News Edition

March 26, 2012 by Doug Porter

There are plenty of big stories in the news today. Mittens is in San Diego raising dough. The Supremes are taking testimony on Healthcare Reform. And there are polls: UT San Diego has a poll up saying that voters support the Pension Reform Initiative, while the LA Times has voters overwhelmingly supporting Gov. Brown’s new and improved tax increases.

Here are developments on stories that you might have missed:

Local GOP crank stirs the racial pot... Tax fighter Richard Rider, pontificating over at SDRostra, wants us to know that “When It Comes to Murder, Black People Should Most Fear Black People”.

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First Cuppa Coffee – March 23, 2012: GOP Toys R Us Edition

March 23, 2012 by Doug Porter

GOP jobs creation program succeeds… Buoyed by news reports about the Romney campaign’s latest gaffe, the folks at Ohio Art, makers of the Etch A Sketch reported a 1500% increase in sales. Stock prices for the company jumped from $4 to over $12.50 this week. “The left and right knobs on the Etch A Sketch appeal to both parties,” a company spokesperson explained.

They’re coming to take my light bulbs away!… Candidate Romney’s been whipping up audiences lately talking about that scourge on modern America, the energy efficient light bulb.

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First Cuppa Coffee – Monday, March 19th, 2012: Bigger Than Watergate Edition

March 19, 2012 by Doug Porter

The little boy who cried wolf… It’s been my experience over the years that any time any body claims to have possession of a news story that’s “bigger than Watergate”, you’d better get the bullshit meter out and running. Such is the case with Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the Maricopa County law enforcer who is leading a widely disdained investigation into the authenticity of President Obama’s birth certificate. He told the Arizona Republic last week that the media is purposefully downplaying birthers’ efforts as part of a conspiracy “bigger than Watergate.”

Then there’s the conspiracy to eliminate golf… Texas Senate candidate Ted Cruz (R) wants us to understand that a vote for him is a vote against Agenda 21, a dangerous United Nations plan that takes aim at the American economy – and American freedom – in the name of environmental reform. Cruz wants us to understand that that this Agenda 21 thingie has the backing of liberal financier George Soros, who seeks to to bypass Congress and the American …

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First Cuppa Coffee – March 16, 2012: Conspiracies, Lies and More Lies Edition

March 16, 2012 by Doug Porter

From the War on Women Battlefront… The conspiracists of the right have been working overtime, looking for the elusive connection between Georgetown Law Student Sandra Fluke and the inner workings of the Obama machine. The thinking goes that, if they can find the smoking gun, all will be forgiven for Rush’s characterization of her as a slut and a prostitute. And looky, looky at what they have found: First Degree Jewishness. Her boyfriend (Adam Mutterperl) is a Jew. Here’s the original copy from teabagger extraordinaire Brookes Baine:

Adam Mutterperl is the son of one of the most well-connected leftist Jewish families on the East Coast (add the West Coast to that, apparently), with ties to neo-Marxist Brandeis University as decades old donors… and whose father, Bill Mutterperl, worked directly for Paul Volcker, one of Obama’s pals, advisors, and Keynesian “stimulus” bill architects. In addition to the Mutterperl’s extensive history within the Jewish socialist activist/political world, and their generational wealth, they’re still doing what they can to help the 99%.

Inconvenient facts trump made up memes… Although the GOP’s theology wing has tried their best to characterize this Made-for-Fox-News controversy over birth control as an attack on religious freedom in America, the public isn’t buying this batch of snake oil. The esteemed Public Religion Research Institution asked a random sample of over a thousand adults whether religious liberty was under attack in the United States, and whether government-mandated birth control coverage was part of that threat. And the American public said, “Huh?” A solid majority (56%) did not perceive that there was any threat to religious freedom in the United States; a mere 6% of those who perceived a threat cited the contraception mandate issue.

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First Cuppa Coffee – March 15th, 2012: Purple Passion Edition

March 15, 2012 by Doug Porter

The great race for the 52^nd …. Yesterday’s debate on KPBS (midday on the radio, evening on TV) with Republican incumbent Brian Bilbray, and Democratic challengers Port Commissioner Scott Peters and former state Assemblywoman Lori Saldana was a good one. A few zings, a few zangs and a level of passion from all three candidates throughout the debate showed us why this is going to be one of the races to watch here in California. For the most part their positions were predictable: Bilbray and Saldana were willing to go the full disclosure route on personal finances, Peters—who has spousal investment issues—not so much. Saldana (who has the backing of Emily’s List) landed a left hook on Bilbray’s chin, accusing him of participating in decisions that led to the giving away of public lands at Liberty Station.

Tax Deal Reached: then there were two… Gov. Brown and the backers of the “Millionaire’s Tax” reached a compromise yesterday on a proposed initiative that will help raise taxes to pay for California’s schools. The GOP, as expected, was quick to label this latest move as bad news for State taxpayers: The LA Times quoted GOP operative Rob Stutzman: “It’s a strong display of the governor’s weakness. He gets his knees buckled by a backwater union. It’s not even one of the powerhouses.” The “backwater union” mention in that statement refers to the California Teacher’s Association, which represents nearly 300,000 teachers throughout the State and is usually the first union the GOP talks about when complaining about excessive labor power in Sacramento…

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First Cuppa Coffee – March 14th, 2012 : Grime, Crime & No Sex for You Edition

March 14, 2012 by Doug Porter

The Grime Wave sweeps the nation….You know this story is breaking big as local TV news stations have picked up on it. Crooks everywhere are stealing massive amounts of Tide laundry detergent. It was on TV so it must be true, right? I was certainly roused from my delirium by seeing grainy footage of black guys filling shopping carts with Tide. I was told by the whiney voice in the background that the bad guys are swapping the detergent for drugs or selling it to unwitting consumers for $5-$10 a jug. Personally I think there’s more going on here than the lamestream media is willing to report… Could it be that meth dealers have discovered a secret ingredient that keeps their labs from getting stinky?

Privatize the Parks… Rep. Cliff Steans (R-FL) is the kind of guy who doesn’t make many splashes in the media—except when he’s propagating ‘birther’ stories about how the President was actually born…somewhere. So it was surprising recently when he came all out for telling constituents at a town hall meeting that “we don’t need any more national parks in this country” and that we need to “actually sell off some of our national parks”:

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First Cuppa Coffee – February 28th, 2012 : Virgin Voters Edition

February 28, 2012 by Doug Porter

About that voicemail from the FBI… In the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision banning the warrant-less use of Global Positioning Systems devices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation finds itself with a rather unique problem on its hands: because the court ruling made the use of GPS devices a questionable practice which could lead to future convictions being overturned, the Feds simply turned them all off. Now they’re missing up to 3000 transmitters, many of which were simply stuck underneath suspicious vehicles.

Putin shows Newt how it’s done…. Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has come up with a strategy his handlers think will to woo women voters to his camp: Callista Gingrinch, wife du jour for the candidate, has started “The Women With Newt National Coalition”. Details are scarce, but apparently ex-mistresses from the 1990’s will not be playing a leadership role. Vladimir Putin, who is running his own campaign for the top job in the former Evil Empire, has developed a much more persuasive approach, which includes a video that suggests strongly that women who vote for the Vladster will achieve sexual satisfaction in the near future. Especially if they are virgins.

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First Cuppa Coffee, Monday, February 27, 2012: Occu-Toddlers, Bullets and Bubbles

February 27, 2012 by Doug Porter

As more and more Americans are becoming aware of the hallucinatory claims being made by increasingly desperate Republicans candidates around the nation, the notion of a credible competitive conservative campaign against entrenched Democratic incumbents appears to be slipping further and further away. As of two weeks ago, well over half the TV advertising purchased by or on behalf the various 2012 GOP candidates was characterized as negative, even vitriolic, as opposed to 6% of ads purchased in 2008..

Some groups, like the National Rifle Association, are embracing the crazy: their newly minted “Trigger the Vote” campaign features Ted Nugent and Chuck Norris tiptoeing around suggestions that if ballots don’t work, bullets will. You have to remember that, after four years of unrequited warnings that the Second Amendment was about to fall, these anti-government extremists have realized that yelling louder is probably their only hope of being noticed.

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First Cuppa Coffee – February 23rd, 2012 : Going Postal Edition.

February 23, 2012 by Doug Porter

The US Postal Service is stepping up security starting today… in anticipation of “adverse reactions” by employees as they learn that their workplaces are slated to be phased out. With 150,000 employees facing layoffs thanks to some clever moves by Congressional Republicans that have left the Post Office with an artificially induced requirement to pre-fund pensions at the rate of $5.5 billion annually.

Today’s the day I get to face our latest energy crisis… Our Honda-bomb needs its thrice monthly fill-up. Prices have shot up faster than NBC’s Consumer Bob can make up metaphors to describe the situation. “Why, oh, why?” we ask… As NPR noted this morning, the number of drilling rigs in U.S. oil fields has quadrupled since 2008. Domestic oil production hit an 8-year high in 2011. For the first time in 60 years, the U.S. is now a net fuel exporter. Oil demand was actually down 4.6 percent last week over last year, while the supply of gasoline has actually increased slightly since a year ago. “Why, oh, why?” we ask… McClatchy News tells us that it’s the same sort of wonderful “free market” mechanisms that caused the current recession.

The war in Iran has already started... While we’re on energy related topics, Robert Grenier, former Director of the CIA’s Counter-Terrorism Center mulls over what it all means today at Al Jazeera. It’s worth reading if you’d like to escape the confines of the SDUT’s world view.

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First Cuppa Coffee – February 22nd, 2012 : Special Satanic Edition

February 22, 2012 by Doug Porter

Day after day signs of insanity continue to emanate from the Grand Old Party… Could all this be deliberate? Is the party deliberately trying to throw the 2012 election? Author Cliff Schecter (The Real McCain, 2008) says that’s exactly what’s going on in a think piece posted at Al Jazeera. It’s worth reading just to have the pleasure of seeing Rep. Darrell Issa called a car-thief turned car-alarm gazillionaire.

Right wing inspiration for today: “Sensible and responsible women do not want to vote. The relative positions to be assumed by man and woman in the working out of our civilization were assigned long ago by a higher intelligence than ours.”-–Grover Cleveland

Left wing inspiration for today: Mick Jagger, BB King and a certain presidential candidate sing ‘Sweet Home Chicago’. (Sneak preview of PBS Special!)

Then there’s Candidate Ric Santorum’s warning that Satan is coming to take us all away. Or Mitt Romney’s Hail Mary tax cut for himself that he’s expected to unveil today, one that has his fans over National Review gushing about Free Market forces and how the future will now be just so wonderful. Ron Paul’s tv ads in Michigan are being called out as a stealth push for Romney. Oh, and there’s another GOP debate tonight. Each one of these debates seems to have the effect of further eroding the “GOP Brand” among voters…

But the real corker of the day has to be the full blown emergence of the … (see inside)

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First Cuppa Coffee – February 21, 2012 : Mardi Gras Edition

February 21, 2012 by Doug Porter

Highlighting San Diego’s new found status as “America’s Finest Tourist Plantation” we’d be remiss if we failed to mention the Gaslamp Mardi Gras Celebration this evening, where, for a mere $25, you can join the throngs of crazed Catholics (and wannabe Catholics) seeking just One More Sin before having to endure forty days of self-denial. A slightly less commercial and more hedonistic celebration also takes place up in Hillcrest on University Avenue between First and Fourth.

And since Mardi Gras and Lent are religious events… The fight over birth control that’s dominated news media coverage of the GOP Presidential contests in recent weeks is, in a long, detailed and spooky posting by Daily Kos diarist OllieGarkey, actually a revival of a very old struggle in Catholicism. We’re given insight into an aspect of Opus Dei that lies outside the confines of popular cultural representations like The DaVinci Code. Consider reading it as your atonement for whatever you’ve done that’s sinful recently.

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First Cuppa Coffee – Friday, February 17, 2012 : Scatological Sports Strategies Edition

February 17, 2012 by Doug Porter

Norts Spews…. The local edition of Fox Sports is slated to take it place on local cable lineups starting March 5^th. (We’d link to the SDUT story that appeared in today’s print edition but, alas, it doesn’t show up online.) Fox Sports will be where you’ll find Padres games this summer, and the channel will be available to non-Cox, non-Time-Warner viewers. The Padres are picking up a largish chunk of money for this new deal, but have yet to indicate whether it will be spent on actual players or the cost of paying off the Moores family interest in the team. And there is also no word on whether Cox channel 56 (HD-1056) will be available to basic cable subscribers. My bet is… not.

Lie-O-Meters in action…. The Voice of San Diego has once again elected to fact check statements made my Mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio, finding untruths that range from “simply false” to “huckster propaganda”. We think they should have a contest for readers to pick how many days in a row DeMaio could flunk a Fact Check, starting with his oft repeated list of retired City employees supposedly living large off bad pension deals crafted by the City’s evil unions… The question should be: “How many of those egregious pensions are actually management retirement packages (Not covered by union contracts)?” The answer is, by the way, is that all of Carl’s Top Ten list make the cut. Not a union pension in the bunch.

Dubiously Named Awards Department… City Beat has its “Turds and Blossoms”, which rates and rewards or punishes campaign activity. They do good stuff, but, ugh, that name… “Turds & Blossoms”, it’s so unfashionable. We’d like to suggest that the scatological reference be replaced with the term “Roger Hedgecock”, who, in just a few short weeks as an op-ed columnist for the SDUT, has established new lows for standards relating to half-truths and outright lies relating to politics.

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First Cuppa Coffee – February 16, 2012 : Ground Meat Day Edition.

February 16, 2012 by Doug Porter

A star is born… check out this Hodad’s inspired celestial object known as Gomez’s Hamburger, a mere 900 light years from earth. Our friends over at Boing Boing think that this object is most likely a young star sitting in the middle of a dust cloud that will eventually coalesce into a solar system.

A Smash at Smashburger…The big news out of San Diego this week wasn’t Newt Gingrich’s exploratory trip to the Zoo; it was that long silent wife #3 Callista actually made a campaign appearance on her own: she spoke publicly to a small group of Republican women at a Smashburger restaurant. La Jolla GOP Women’s group officer Susan Skoglund was impressed: “Any woman who we’re looking at as a potential president’s wife, they need to show who they are and not just kind of stand there, she might need to say a few words on it herself and kind of explain her thoughts on it and then get past it. All wives need to show that they’re persons, too, with real thoughts, that they’re not just somebody standing there.”

Just as Advertised…. In Las Vegas, NV a restaurant calling itself the Heart Attack Grill that features extra high caloric menu items and waitresses dressed as nurses found itself in the midst of a real emergency last Saturday when a customer eating one of their Triple Bypass Burgers suffered a cardiac arrest. The Heart Attack Grill prides itself on food that many would consider unhealthy. The Triple Bypass Burger has 1.5 pounds of beef and up to 15 slices of bacon. According to the menu, their French fries are cooked in “pure lard” and non-filtered cigarettes are available for purchase.

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paul krueger April 19, 2024 at 11:22 am on Why San Diego Should Not Be Awarded Anything for Its ‘Bonus ADU’ Program — Not One ADU Unit Has Been Built as Low-Income HousingThanks very much for posting this detailed info!
paul krueger April 19, 2024 at 11:21 am on Why San Diego Should Not Be Awarded Anything for Its ‘Bonus ADU’ Program — Not One ADU Unit Has Been Built as Low-Income HousingHere ya go: https://ivoryinnovations.org
paul krueger April 19, 2024 at 11:20 am on Why San Diego Should Not Be Awarded Anything for Its ‘Bonus ADU’ Program — Not One ADU Unit Has Been Built as Low-Income HousingYes, that was written as a reply to Ivory Innovations, and our group, Neighbors For A Better San Diego composed a more complete response that...
chris schultz April 19, 2024 at 11:10 am on 2 New Projects Proposed for West Point Loma Boulevard in Ocean BeachCars are taxed by your registration fees and deductible.
kh April 19, 2024 at 11:08 am on 2 New Projects Proposed for West Point Loma Boulevard in Ocean BeachNobody is talking about removing prop 13 for people's first home. But why is a family buying their first home paying more in property taxes...
kh April 19, 2024 at 11:00 am on 2 New Projects Proposed for West Point Loma Boulevard in Ocean BeachWell then, mom and pop can put it in the kid's name. Done. And they can preserve Prop 13 benefits in doing so, if the...
Jane April 19, 2024 at 10:51 am on 8 ADUs in 3-Story Complex Proposed for 4500 Block of Pescadero in Point LomaPer Next Door, "Through the Peninsula Community Planning Board, the City has asked for citizen comments before 03May. Since this is before the PCPB Project...
Jane April 19, 2024 at 10:32 am on 8 ADUs in 3-Story Complex Proposed for 4500 Block of Pescadero in Point LomaHome was sold 1 year ago at $1.8M for a 1000 sq ft home on 7500 sq ft lot. Original intent was to put even...
Mateo April 19, 2024 at 10:02 am on Why San Diego Should Not Be Awarded Anything for Its ‘Bonus ADU’ Program — Not One ADU Unit Has Been Built as Low-Income HousingThe final sentence in the David Eccles School of Business U of Utah created the non profit called Ivory Innovations description tells it all. Self...
Debbie April 19, 2024 at 9:42 am on 8 ADUs in 3-Story Complex Proposed for 4500 Block of Pescadero in Point LomaWho is the owner? A local?
Greg April 19, 2024 at 9:13 am on 2 New Projects Proposed for West Point Loma Boulevard in Ocean BeachAh yes the poor mom and pop homeowners wealthy enough to purchase a second property. Won't somebody please think of them!
Greg April 19, 2024 at 9:12 am on 2 New Projects Proposed for West Point Loma Boulevard in Ocean BeachProp 13 should ONLY apply to primary residences in which case your whole example is moot.
Pats April 19, 2024 at 9:01 am on Why San Diego Should Not Be Awarded Anything for Its ‘Bonus ADU’ Program — Not One ADU Unit Has Been Built as Low-Income HousingGavin Newsom, Chris Ward, (and most SD State politicians), Todd Gloria, and Colin Parent are responsible for the starting and stopping on the same street...
Pats April 19, 2024 at 8:37 am on 2 New Projects Proposed for West Point Loma Boulevard in Ocean BeachProp 13 was passed in 1978. Homeowners in 1978 are of Social Security age. Some will not be able to afford the property taxes if...
Greg April 19, 2024 at 8:27 am on 2 New Projects Proposed for West Point Loma Boulevard in Ocean BeachThat is a very good way to potentially increase the supply of housing by disincentivizing persons from owning more than one unit of housing.