June 21, 2012- Today’s round-up of stories leads off with the announcement by Doug Manchester’s UT-San Diego that they will begin charging for access effective today. Readers will be blocked after a “free sample” of 15 pages each month. Pricing will include an introductory rate of 99 cents per week for the first month and $3.49 a week thereafter. I suspect that one unintended effect of this move will be to reduce the comments to on-line versions of their stories, which are always amusing and usually mindless right wing drivel. The Starting Line will continue to bring you highlights and low lights of Papa Doug’s madness Monday-thru Friday.

 Foodies throughout California are all aware that just a few days remain before the State’s ban on Foie Gras takes effect. Troy Johnson’s article in this month’s San Diego Magazine does a great job of telling the story about what’s going on here. The conclusions: a) the ban won’t work (chef’s will give the stuff away alongside a $40 salad) b) it will be a boon for chefs in Tijuana and Baja (“Ba-Foie” dinners!) and c) the real winners in this situation may well be chickens; the point being that the media blitz surrounding the ban will raise public consciousness about the horrors of factory farmed chicken.

 Now tell us what you really think….City Beat Columnist Aaryn Belfer’s scathing review of UT-TV’s contribution to the world of morning talk shows certainly stirred up a twitterstorm yesterday. The profanity laced assessment of the AM lineup of Scott, B.R. and Amber was unrelenting in its assault on the talk show hosts. Here’s one snippet that we’re willing to share just to give an idea of the flavor of the thing:

 What is this misogynistic, lobotomized, imperious-white-person, bimbo-jock, corn-hole perverseness that is the U-T TV threesome? It’s bad, is what it is.

 Think back to Saturday Night Live’s Butabi Brothers in their shoulder-padded shiny suits sandwiching and wildly dry humping a perplexed club chick, and that’s pretty much this show.

 VOSD’s Scott Lewis tweeted: “…gotta say, UTTV is strange but you dehumanized Amber in a way they haven’t even come close to. Pretty awful post, in my view.” This prompted an online discussion that lasted through much of the afternoon. One on-line defender of the column tweeted: “Weird how women can’t critique women without it sounding like bitter smart girls picking on popular cheerleaders…” (As you can see by reading this column it was a slow news day on the local scene.)

Former City Councilwoman Donna Frye spoke to a packed house last night, demonstrating why she remains one of the most popular and iconoclastic people ever elected to office in our fair city at a forum sponsored by Voice of San Diego. Billed as “conversation”, the program was led by VOSD honcho Scott Lewis, who walked Ms. Frye through a series of questions followed by a Q& A period. What struck me about Ms. Frye was a basic honesty rarely seen in politicians, or for that matter, public figures. I’m pretty sure VOSD will post coverage (Update: Here it is!) of this event at some point today, and I’ll leave the details to them, since it was, after all, a benefit for the on-line news source.

Finally, a few choice words about the contempt citation that the House of Representatives is poised to lay at the feet of Atty. General Eric Holder. Why, oh why, is it that the media coverage of this “made for political gain” drama not include any mention of the role that the National Rifle Association and its lobbyists have played in this matter? Rachel Maddow showed last night how the conspiracy theory peddled by the gun nuts that the “Fast and Furious” program was a plot by the Obama administration to scare Americans into giving up their second amendment rights is at the heart of the matter. For a perspective that you won’t read in the US media, I suggest this column “The petty politics of the ‘Fast and Furious’ duel between Obama and Issa” by Guardian (UK) writer Ana Marie Cox.  And why isn’t the NRA’s position that it’s ratings –and thus financial support—for politicians would be based in part on this single vote?

On this day… In 1788 The U.S. Constitution went into effect when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it.  In 1948 Columbia Records began the first mass production of the 33 1/3 RPM vinyl LP.  In 2004 SpaceShipOne becomes the first privately funded space plane to achieve spaceflight.

Eat Fresh! Today’s Farmer’s Markets: Carmel Valley (Canyon Crest Academy 5951 Village Center Loop Road) 3:30 – 7:00 pm, Chula Vista(Downtown, Center St. & Third Ave.) 3 –7 pm, Linda Vista  (6900 Linda Vista Road Between Comstock & Ulric) 2 – 7 pm, North Park (CVSPharmacy parking lot 3151 University & 32nd St.) 3 – 7 pm, Oceanside Market & Faire (Pier View Way & Coast Hwy. 101) 9 am – 1 pm,Oceanside Sunset (Tremont & Pier View Way) 5 –9 pm, San Carlos (Pershing Middle School 8204 San Carlos Drive) 4 – 7 pm, SDSU Farmers’ Market (Campanile Walkway btw Hepner Hall & Love Library) 10 – 3 pm, University Town Center  (Genesee Ave. at UTC Westfield Shopping Plaza) 3 – 7 pm.

Get a Life! It’s International Skateboarding Day! Celebrate at the San Diego Museum of Man. Bring your skateboard and receive 2-for-1 admission all day. Use the board on half-pipe during public skate, in 30-minute increments (1-4:30pm).

I read the Daily Fishwrap(s) so you don’t have to… Catch “the Starting Line” Monday thru Friday right here at San Diego Free Press (dot) org. Send your hate mail and ideas to DougPorter@SanDiegoFreePress.Org  

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Doug Porter

Doug Porter was active in the early days of the alternative press in San Diego, contributing to the OB Liberator, the print version of the OB Rag, the San Diego Door, and the San Diego Street Journal. He went on to have a 35-year career in the Hospitality business and decided to go back into raising hell when he retired. He won numerous awards for his columns from the Society of Professional Journalists in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Doug is a cancer survivor (sans vocal chords) and lives in North Park.

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