Author: CoolDMZ

"X-ray vision to see in between / Where's my kimono and my time machine?"

Bob Moricz and the frontier spirit

We, or at least I, talk a lot here at the Sac Rag about the frontier spirit being alive and kicking here in Sactown. Most of the time it’s being used in a funny sarcastic way, to describe the “paranoid grasping at humanity” embodied historically by the Forty-Niners (the gold-panning kind). But the frontier spirit has its good side as well: take SNR’s cover boy of the week, local horror auteur filmmaker Bob Moricz. I’m not much of a horror film guy, but I’m a big fan of the do-it-yourself, anti-Postmodern artistic mindset Moricz represents. My favorite quote is when one of Bob’s super fans tries to call his newest film “Palace of Stains” (screening at The Crest tonight at 11:00 pm) an “amazing feat” and Moricz replies “What’s amazing is that it doesn’t suck shit.” Bob Moricz, humble genius.

UPDATE: Great review of “Palace of Stains” on FILM FOR TOURISTS. FFT is putting together a really well-written blog, unless your definition of “well-written” includes “employs capitalization.”

In other SNR news, kudos to SNR president Jeff vonKaenel for launching SacYouth.com, a new Website listing of faith-based activities for Sacramento’s young people. Yay togetherness!

Colonial Heights Library reopened, belatedly

The family and I enjoyed the newly reopened Colonial Heights Library last night. It had closed during the rainy season due to a major roof leak, and its planned March 4 reopening was scrapped due to another leak in the brand new roof. So they’ve got brand new carpet now, along with a huge bank of computers, a great kids section, a dynamite staff, and my favorite, an awesome reading area with views of a backyard garden. It’s convenient if you live in Tahoe-Tallac but otherwise you’d probably never find yourself there. CoolDMZ says check it out.

Rancho Cordova drug ring busted

Sounds like a major bust out at the Gold Line station at Mather Field. I found it interesting that drug dealers apparently “generally do not set up shop before noon and they do not work in the rain.” Maybe I’m just confusing crack dealers and Mail Carriers, like I’m aaalways doing. I’ll leave the joke about a drug prevention program being called “Weed and Seed” to SinghCity because that sounds right up his alley.

Spinning out of control

No, not the allegations of word speculation. I’m talking about the fact that the Rag has become the place to go to bitch about KOVR’s lack of Paul Joncich and Jennifer Whitney. As evidenced by the most recent comment on my post from December, I believe it has erroneously come to be believed that The Sac Rag is the Web site of KOVR. If you haven’t been following that comment thread, it’s worth a read, especially in how it slowly evolves into the sentiment expressed by the comment from this morning, which seems to be either addressing KOVR management using the “open letter” format or as actual viewer feedback aimed at the wrong comments box. For the record: CBS13.com.

This year’s model

I know I’m not the only heterosexual male–even on the Sac Rag staff–who would tell you that “America’s Next Top Model” is one of the most fun reality game shows ever. But if you’re not watching, now you have another reason, that’s right, The Local Angle. Her name is Sara from Davis, as in Davis, the city down the highway where you go to get used books and organic kale. She made it through the first two cuts in the Cycle 6 premiere last night, so she’s a regular on the show until she wins or gets booted by a panel of fashion celebrity judges including Tyra Banks herself and Twiggy (seriously).

To you fans out there: Do you think Sara has a chance? No clear front-runners in this cycle (for the record, I had Bre all the way last time around, and my wife correctly predicted Nicole early on). Sara got major props from Tyra during the first judging, and you do want to get on Tyra’s good side. Unfortunately Tyra will also turn on you like a friggen top, so anything goes. I’m gonna go out on a limb right off the bat and pick Leslie.

Sacramento News and Rag-view?

Ever since I’ve been involved in this endeavor to create a local alternative media it’s a struggle to keep up with the competitors. Here, for example, is a little bit in the News & Review that I missed last Thursday:

Arts Feature
Our baloney has a first name
Four snarky Academy Awards articles and one serious one

Come on! That’s our word. Some fun articles though, if a little last-minute seeming.

More handouts for the big big screen

This thing about the IMAX theater subsidy from the student… err, city council is just one more example of Sacramento making it a priority to bring features into the city that residents just don’t want. Has anyone heard of a subsidy for the Crest? It seems unlikely that this has ever happened. Well, it’s only the latest detail in a history of public infatuation with IMAX.

In 1998, the city gave $6 million to the Esquire Plaza’s previous
owners – led by developer David Taylor. That project included office
space and the 450-seat IMAX theater.
The city gave the money on the condition that IMAX remain open for at
least five years. When it became clear that IMAX was struggling,
Taylor’s group reduced the theater’s rent in its second year.

I’m not saying there isn’t a place for the giant screen at IMAX and the … also giant screen down the way at The Crest. I’m not saying people should not eat at Macaroni Grill or Olive Garden. All I’m saying is, if the IMAX is failing, couldn’t that be because it is not competetive? Couldn’t it be because K Street has become a terrible location for any business? If the Crest is thriving, which I assume it is since it’s still in business, couldn’t that be because it is giving the people something they want?