San Francisco Chronicle

LA Weekly Wins Big at Association of Food Journalists Awards

The Association of Food Journalists conference is taking part right now in Washington D.C., and this afternoon over lunch the ceremony took place for the AFJ's annual awards. 42 winners were announced in 13 catagories. LA Weekly took home two prizes during the awards: Food Editor Amy Scattergood t ... More >>

California Democratic Drunks Make a Scene at DNC in Charlotte

Props to our California delegates who made drunken fools of themselves in Charlotte even before the Democratic National Convention started there today. While Mitt Romney's prom had Clint Eastwood lecturing an empty chair in Tampa last week, the Golden State's own Dems were prepping for Obama's seco ... More >>

10 Stupidest California Bills That Legislators Are Trying to Slam Through at Final Hour

The last possible moment for California's bumbling state senators and assemblymen to nudge their pet bills onto Governor Jerry Brown's desk is this Friday, August 31 at midnight. Needless to say, the state Capitol is in a state of fluttering papers/utter mayhem right now. It's hard enough to know ... More >>

The Wednesday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

You can't replace the feeling of lounging on the couch with a scrunched-up newspaper. But with the web, at least you don't need to worry about getting ink on your hands and bagel. Here's a roundup of some food-related stories from our country's newspapers this week. Lucky for us, it's mostly free. F ... More >>

R.I.P. Marion Cunningham

California cooking icon Marion Cunningham died yesterday at the age of 90 from complications due to Alzheimer's. Famed updater of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, celebrated author, cooking teacher, and television host, Cunningham profoundly influenced the cooking habits of Americans. That is to say, ... More >>

The Wednesday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

You can't replace the feeling of lounging on the couch with a scrunched-up newspaper. But with the web, at least you don't need to worry about getting ink on your hands and bagel. Here's a roundup of some food-related stories from our country's newspapers this week. Lucky for us, it's mostly free. F ... More >>

Lawsuit Claims Foie Gras Ban is Unconstitutional

On July 1, the countdown clock hit zero and California's ban on foie gras went into effect. But, as one might predict, the law barely lasted one full business day before a lawsuit was filed against it. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, a complaint filed in federal district court on Monday ... More >>

5 Scariest Shark Attacks in SoCal History

Now that we're officially in the thick of summer, you'd be a lousy Southern Californian if you didn't take your board down to the beach and get your water-sport on. (Even Lindsay Lohan's trying. Key word "trying.") But because we're part of the fear-mongering mainstream-media machine, and we can't ... More >>

UC System Bans Cigarette Smoking Anywhere on Campus

A strict new "no smoking" policy for the University of California will ban the use, sale or advertisement of any tobacco product anywhere on campus. Pretty extreme, but to be expected -- because, unlike keeping tuition affordable for students, UC leaders have always made it a priority to stay on th ... More >>

New California Law Bans Minors From Buying Cough Syrup (Happy New Year!)

It'll be a sobering 2012 for the sizzerp-sipping teens of California. As of January 1, state minors can add cough syrup -- alongside porn and cigarettes -- to the list of novelties to buy from the drugstore on their 18th birthday. And they've got Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) to thank. The NorCa ... More >>

Food News Roundup: Recalled Cheese, Sushi Robots 2011's Most Obnoxious Chefs

Flickr/techneCheese from Sardinia, not Michigan​San Francisco Chronicle: Hyper-local markets provide a big economic boost. CHOW: The Most Obnoxious Chefs of 2011. Sorry, Ludo. At least you're in good company. Eater LA: Beverly Hills. Sushi. Robots. (More fun in the new world.) The New York ... More >>

Stephen Glass, Disgraced Journalist, Wants to be a Lawyer in L.A.

His journalistic misdeeds were the subject of the 2003 movie Shattered Glass. In the 1990s he pretty much faked us all out with made-up stories in publications including New Republic, Harper's, and Rolling Stone. Now Stephen Glass says he's a new man. He's been working for a Beverly Hills law fir ... More >>

Judge Michael Nash: I'm Opening the Secret Courts in Los Angeles so Child Dependency Screwups Get Sunshine and Fewer Kids Die

God Bless Our Lost AngelsLance Helms, almost forgotten. But not by Judge Michael Nash.​Presiding Judge Michael Nash in L.A. County Dependency Court has seen horrific child sexual predators who rape their toddlers and sickos who starve their foster children -- and social workers and judges who ... More >>

AFJ 2011 Winners Announced

The AFJ -- which would be the Association of Food Journalists and not the Alliance for Justice or the Armed Forces Journal -- announced their 2011 winners over the weekend. The AFJ, which was formed in 1974 as the Newspaper Food Editors and Writers Association, Inc., has been handing out awards sinc ... More >>

Gregory Meyer and Richard Fox -- L.A. County Medics -- Die in Yosemite Waterfall Accident

David Husted via PanoramioThe bridge where two Whittier meds were swept away at 8 a.m. Wednesday.​Two Whittier men in their 50s who worked in the emergency room at the Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital died early Wednesday morning. Gregory Meyer and Richard Fox were backpacking with three o ... More >>

Rico Chavez: UC Something Wrong Here?

San Francisco Culinary School to Award $40 Million in Class Action Lawsuit, Pending Approval

​This past Sunday the San Francisco Chronicle reported the settlement reached in a class action lawsuit against San Francisco's California Culinary Academy, which is under parent company Career Education Corp. (CEC), According to the Chronicle, 8,500 students who attended the academy from 2003 ... More >>

Arnold Schwarzenegger Reprises His Sacramento Nightmare, Mounts Comeback as Comic Book Character "The Governator" (Really)

Entertainment Weekly​So Arnold Schwarzenegger is making a comeback as a cartoon character called ... "the Governator." The former California first man told Entertainment Weekly that he and Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee are working on a comic book and TV show based on the character who will b ... More >>

Bye Bye, California Sea Otter? Absurdly Cute Sea Mammal Is on the Outs, Say Scientists

Oh no you did not​Say it isn't so! The California sea otter, our No. 1 draw to water zoos and aquariums for as long as we can remember, has flippered its adorable little way to the environmental danger zone in a recent California Department of Fish and Game count. There's only 2,711 left in e ... More >>

UCLA Report: Cal State Northridge Students Out There Stressin', Strugglin'

California State University NorthridgeCSUN brochure models appear not to have partaken in survey​It's apparently big news this morning that 2,000 surveyed students at California State University Northridge are not cool with their tuition rising while their financial aid does not. They are in ... More >>

Governor Jerry Brown: He's Just Like Us! Or, the Southwest Flight That Wooed a People

Byte-sized fares make for better budgets​At a time when ex-Prez of Egypt Hosni Mubarak is private-jetting off to his sprawling estate in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikha, where a charmed life awaits the loathed 30-year dictator (free of angry mobs and full of luxury frond-fan type shit - ... More >>

L.A. Homeless Count Gets Off to Morbid Start: Dead Guy Found Outside Criminal Court

Dennis RomeroRV dwellers included​Ever wondered how many bums live in Los Angeles County? (That is, if the number's changed since 2009, when the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority last released its biennial count. At that time, the total was about 48,000, with only one-third living under s ... More >>

Highest-Paid University of California Bosses Throw Tantrum Over Lowly $250,000 Pension Cap

Smart BusinessUCLA Associate Vice Chancellor David Feinberg is among the 36 six-figure execs demanding a higher pension​The University of California has been just barely scraping by in this economic depression, consistently raising tuition for students and slashing course offerings like weeds. ... More >>

Arnold Schwarzenegger backs down on gutting of California's Green Chemistry Initiative

By Michael Collins Schwarzenegger goes green again on chemical initiative​In the face of withering media coverage in LA Weekly and elsewhere, the Schwarzenegger Administration has pulled an about-face on the gutting of new chemical regulations by the state's Department of Toxic Substances Con ... More >>

Happy Meals Are About to Get A lot Less Happy

Mario Anzuoni, ReutersTo our children's dismay, Happy Meals may become healthy meals​ California kids will now have fewer incentives to ditch mom's homemade organically grown, tofu steak dinners for Happy Meals, thanks to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. On Tuesday, the Board took ste ... More >>

California 'Governor' Jerry Brown Will Call Special 2011 Election To Raise Taxes, Says Gloom Meister Gray Davis

Via OC Register​Via the mayorsam blog via the Fresno Bee, that super-upbeat, super-flashy guy, gloomy Gray Davis, is saying that California Governor Jerry Brown, um, probable governor, will immediately set a Special Election to ask Californians to raise taxes. God, which is worse? Another spe ... More >>

Harris Campaign Calls On Cooley To Return Gladwin Gill Contributions

Steve Cooley​In response to a report in today's L.A. Weekly, advisers to Democratic A.G. nominee Kamala Harris are calling on her opponent, D.A. Steve Cooley, to return some $12,000 in campaign contributions from 2003 and 2004.The contributions are tied to Gladwin Gill, the proprietor of a Glendal ... More >>

The Thursday Edition: A Roundup of Newspaper Food Stories

SapphireBlue22stack of newspapers​What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections mid-week. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is free ... More >>

Web Surfing: A Roundup of Posts from L.A. Food Blogs & Beyond

-- Maury Rubin's Birdbath Bakery not opening after all. [Eater LA] -- Cookware shops in Paris. [David Lebovitz] -- Supporting our local food trucks in the face of a call for increased regulations. [Eating L.A.] -- A review of Tacos El Rocky. [LA Taco] -- Geoff Nicholson reviews Anthony Bourd ... More >>

UC Nurses Protest Staffing Shortages At Hospitals

​Blocked from striking by a temporary restraining order, thousands of registered nurses at University of California medical centers are nonetheless holding rallies Thursday, including one at UCLA, to protest staffing shortages and patient safety issues. Beth Kean, chief negotiator for the Cali ... More >>

Larry Aceves and Tom Torlakson Move Forward in State Superintendent Race

State Assemblyman Tom Torlakson​The San Francisco Chronicle has called the statewide race for superintendent of public instruction, with retired public school superintendent Larry Aceves and state Assemblyman Tom Torlakson facing each other in a November run-off. State Senator Gloria Romero ... More >>

Fact-Checking Janice Hahn

​Today, the San Francisco Chronicle continues its efforts to fact-check political ads by examining this statement from Lieutenant Governor candidate Janice Hahn:We can send another ambitious career politician to Sacramento, or Janice Hahn - single mom, councilwoman, businesswoman, schoolteacher fo ... More >>

Newsom Fund Raising Machine Out-Hustles Hahn

In his run for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has raised much more cash than his rival, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Sunday.Ted SoquiL.A. City Councilwoman Janice Hahn​"As of May 22," the new ... More >>

Plate Spinnings: Listings From the Past Week

Some food for thought from local, national and international news sources from this past week: -- An interview with Shut Up, Foodies, a new satirical food blog. (More on this one later.) [Eat Me Daily] -- Walmart's exclusive Ben & Jerry's flavor: flourless chocolate cake ice cream. [Serious Eats] ... More >>

Plate Spinnings: Listings From the Past Week

Some food for thought from local, national and international news sources from this past week: -- In praise of the endangered restaurant critic. [Time] -- From the Department of Complaints, a funny complaint letter. With results. [The Consumerist] -- Marcel Vigneron to star in SyFy network realit ... More >>

Watch Your Mouse: Threats Made Online Not Protected As Free Speech, L.A. Court Rules

​A state appeals court ruled this week that online threats, specifically in comments posted on the web, do not constitute protected free speech. The 2nd District court of appeals downtown ruled that a 15-year-old's case against a schoolmate who posted on the plaintiff's site that he would "rip ... More >>

White LAPD Cop Wins Discrimination Suit Against Department For Treatment By Latino Supervisor

​A white Los Angeles police officer won a discrimination lawsuit against the department earlier this month after he claimed a Latino supervisor treated him differently because of his race. Paul Waymire was awarded $125,000 by a jury for his pain and suffering related to the treatment, accordi ... More >>

Wall Street Journal Eying L.A. Times' Turf

The Wall Street Journal is reported to be pondering a Los Angeles edition as part of its expansion into cities that could be perceived to have weak local news dailies. Last week the paper moved into the Bay Area with a weekly edition following the threatened closure of the San Francisco Chronicle. T ... More >>

Wednesday Edition: A Roundup of Today's Newspaper Food Stories

SapphireBlue22stack of newspapers​What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections on Wednesday. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is ... More >>

The Wednesday Edition: A Roundup of Today's Newspaper Food Stories

SapphireBlue22stack of newspapers​What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections on Wednesday. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is ... More >>

Morning Sixpack: A News Roundup

Oscar Nominations Announced The Curious Case of Benjamin Button leads pack but, Dude, where's my Gran Torino?Van Nuys Community Seeks Asylum -- In Sherman Oaks L.A. Daily News' Rick Orlov reports on an another group of Van Nuys residents who want to break away from V.N. and be rebranded as part of S ... More >>

Stage Raw: Arts Investments -- The Wallace Foundation and Alan Mandell

ARTS INVESTMENT: WALLACE FOUNDATION AND ALAN MANDELL The Wallace Foundation just announced a new study by the Rand Corporation that confirms what anybody with even half a brain already knows: The effects of arts programs in schools really do trickle up to the adult society in terms of quality o ... More >>

Clueless Times

The hapless daily faces cuts and shearing of Scheer

A Sick Day

Henry Norr loses his job for going against the war in Iraq

Who Would Jesus Bomb?

The protests in San Francisco proved that the peacenik universe is expanding

Tree Hunger

Susan Moloney fasts while Gray Davis logs

American Idyll

Whatever happened to dirty bombs and homemade polio?

The Quest for the Cosmic Donut

One man's search for toroidal meaning