First Cuppa Coffee – Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 – Don’t Tweet on Me Edition…

Don’t Tweet On Me…. It’s no secret that our government is working overtime to use social media in their quest to protect Americans from the scrounges of terrorism and European socialism. From Boing Boing: “Two U.K. tourists landing in L.A. were detained and deported because of tweets joking about “diggin’ up” Marilyn Monroe and “destroying” America.”  We feel much safer now.

 Mexico journal… One of the most curious things about living in San Diego is the near universal ignorance of what’s transpiring in the southern half of our realm, i.e., the Mexican part of our region.  While the excuses for this blind eye may be plentiful—language, culture, crime, racism, etc—that doesn’t alter the fact that they are still just excuses. And excuses, as any motivated explorer of the universe will tell you, are for losers.  So we’ve made it part of our mission to be inclusive beyond the usual scare stories about cartels and narco-terrorists.

 Who knew?  Hidden away in Baja California is a burgeoning wine industry. While much of its output is directed towards the mass production of wines destined for supermercado shelves in Mexico City, there is also a remarkable “craft” movement afoot, aimed at realization of the expression of the unique micro-climates found in the region. Restaurateur Jay Porter (Full disclosure–I’m not related, but have worked with him on various projects.) explores the wines of the region and offers some pointers towards discovering the remarkable culinary treasures along the way in his blog.

 The Worst Kept Secret… About what’s going on to our Southlands is that the “collapse” of the tourism industry had some unintended consequences– without the economic pressures of mass production for the lowest common American denominator (i.e., restaurants that serve chicken tenders)– Mexican culinarians have taken the opportunity to build upon their heritage and created some exceptional dining experiences.  New Yorker Magazine profiles chef Javier Plascencia and the movement to rehabilitate Tijuana’s reputation through its food.

The Newtonian Solution…  With the assembled punditry declaring that today’s Florida primary results will be a smashing victory for Gov. Mitt Romney, it’s worth noting that Newt Gingrich says he’s willing to fight all the way through to the convention.  With that in mind, we bring you two links to keep “teh crazee” alive and you entertained in what is most likely going to be a very boring night over at CNN. Here’s one about Newt’s favorite radical socialist and another about his futuristic approach to serial relationships with women…

 A Dose of Their Own Medicine:  While Occupiers here in San Diego were clamoring for a citizen’s arrest of Mayor Jerry Sanders yesterday, their Washington DC brethren were “arresting” a Fox news van that was illegally parked. And in nearby Virginia, state Sen. Janet Howell (D) thinks that if the government is going to force women to undergo medically unnecessary tests, then it is only fair to apply the same standards to men.  In response to GOP lawmakers pushing for legislation that would require pregnant women to have an ultrasound before terminating their pregnancy she introduced an amendment that would require men to have a rectal exam and a cardiac stress test before obtaining erectile dysfunction medication like Viagra. But wait! There’s more: Democratic legislators around the country have come with an effective foil to GOP initiatives that would include drug testing for unemployment benefits—legislation requiring mandatory drug tests for legislators. Stops them every time.

 Will this become a “NAFTA of the Pacific?... Trade negotiators from throughout the Pacific Rim are gathering at UCSD  California to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Free Trade Agreement this week, which includes nine countries from the U.S. to Vietnam.  Out of the public eye, trade ministers and corporate lobbyists (over 600 of whom have certified “corporate adviser” status) are pressing for a NAFTA-style deal that encourages offshoring, expands downward corporate pressure on labor and environmental standards, raises drug prices, and bans “Make it in America,” among other problems. There will be a rally at the UCSD Library Walk starting at noon this Friday to raise consciousness about these issues and shine the spotlight on these “not so public” meetings.  Speakers will include: Lorena Gonzalez from San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, Tim Robertson from the California Fair Trade Coalition and Immigration rights activist Christian Ramirez.