Author: RonTopofIt

RonTopofIt is a complex personality, as are most of the small breed of modern day renaissance millionaires. He wishes more people were like him and yet believes that it takes all kinds. You've met RonTopofIt many times, you just don't remember him.

Check this out!

Check this out!

Has anyone else received these freaky hand written letters with “newspaper” clippings inside from your friend J, or P, or insert letter here, alerting you to some great new offer for used cars or home loans? The envelopes are seriously addressed by hand with a stamp. The post-it-note is also hand written. Gives me the creeps. The writing is ransom note-esque, too. I guess this form of advertising works because based on an informal poll many folks have been receiving these for years.

On the other hand, I wonder how much money folks are being paid to sit at home and address these evelopes all day? This is the sort of business that advertises at stop lights.

Work at home! Professional salaries, call now.

At any rate, it’s a slim shady marketing tactic and I certainly won’t be buying a used car for $29 this weekend.

“City of Trees” receives positive review

Popular travel site frommers.com recently published an article about Sacramento naming it “the most attractive big-city state capital in the Western 48.

“By “attractive,” I don’t mean just in physical appearance, but in amenities, ambiance and attitude. I was surprised by the magnificent rows of trees (they call Sacramento a “city of trees”), the well-scrubbed downtown and government area, and the careful waterfront development. But I was equally impressed by the wide variety of cultural attractions available, from all kinds of music to plenty of art displays, from outdoor sports activities to ballet, opera and theater.

It’s always fun to hear the opinions of our out of town visitors. I especially enjoyed the dining recommendations (Esquire Grill? really?) and the fun facts (California is one of 5 states which do not have official residences for their governors…).

Now then, who has a snarky take on this?

What are you, yellow?

Sacramento County has adopted a variation of the restaurant rating system used in Southern California. Rather than assigning a letter grade to each restaurant, either a red, yellow, or green card will be handed out for display.

Some officials had concerns that while customers will understand the green and red cards, yellow may be too vague and that not enough information will be available about the restaurant’s health issues.

You think? I’m all for inspections and government involvement in the food service industry, but I have to side with the restaurant owners on this one. Doesn’t it seem that a yellow card could falsely label a place unsafe? Currently we have the option to view all the infractions a restaurant received during their inspection and make our own conclusions before deciding to purchase food.

While the restaurant association has said that it is not opposed to the new rating system, I have to wonder as a customer what sort of impact this will have on our city. Sac-eats, will you not try a yellow carded Fish & Chips dive? SinghCity, what if our beloved La Fiesta has a tarjeta amarilla hung on its door?

In defense of exit exams

I have a policy that I don’t lose my patience with people that serve me. Whether at the grocery store, a fast food joint, or even my dear La Fiesta, I understand that most jobs in the world suck. This afternoon, however, my patience was tested.

I phoned in a “to go” order to the Chili’s on Howe Avenue (’bout Arden, in the news by the way) this afternoon on my home from work. I arrived a bit early so I stood and people watched for the better part of 10 minutes. A nice, young girl came up to me and asked if I was waiting for my order. I nodded my head and she informed me it would be about 5 more minutes. No big. So then proceeded to ring up my order. “$21.83, please” she said.
Continue reading “In defense of exit exams”

Because you didn’t have enough to worry about

Gas prices are sky high. The housing market is declining, bursting, or whatever it is that means bad. Global politics are as unstable as ever. We got mudslides, floods, West Nile, and coming soon, Bird Flu! At least we’ve hit rock bottom right? Wait just one minute, friends. That’s right, cbs13.com reports that a local mail carrier has admitted to stealing 200 debit cards.

Viengkeo Vicky Pathammavong filled in on various Sacramento-area routes. The 28 fraud counts in her federal indictment accused her of making purchases ranging from $1,000 to more than $16,000 on the stolen cards.

As someone that has suffered through the failed delivery of mail by “fill ins” in my neighborhood, let me say that this just sucks.

I think it is time to investigate the hiring practices of the USPS. I’ve been told that the reason the “fill ins” wear civilian clothes (and by “civilian” I mean baggy jeans, baggy nfl jersey, ball cap turned to the side, and chin strap beard) is due to a probationary period where they must prove themselves for 90 days before being supplied with the familiar uniform and pepper spray (and I guess by “prove themselves” they mean not steal mail). So I’m expected to just let anyone onto my property and into my mailbox as long a they are carrying a bag with envelopes in it? Because if you’re wearing the short shorts, black socks, and pith helmet, you’re good with me!

It’s hard out there for a pimp my ride

89 Honda Prelude

Dig the Wheel of Fortune “before and after” title? Bonus points if you immediately thought of that when you read it. And by “bonus points” I mean you admit to being a nerd like me who would even think of making such a reference.

Not much to this one, folks. A simple reminder why you all work so hard everyday, braving the traffic, the smog, the high gas prices, only to go home and do it again tomorrow. So that you never wind up being this guy.

All eyes on me or if non looks could kill

For months now I’ve noticed that whenever I patronize a fast food restaurant, a grocery store, or even a medium brow eatery, I receive what I have come to term as the “look through”. Not sure if it is me or what, but for the entire length of my one on one time with the cashier I get little to no eye contact. And as if that weren’t bad enough, while said cashier is NOT looking at me (yet still maintaining the necessary verbal exchange) he or she makes it a point to “look through” me and eye everything else that is going on at that moment. It’s very frustrating.

At my local Raley’s, for example, I’ll walk up with my grocery items, set them down, say hello, and wait for them to be scanned. During this time the cashier will often times find it necessary to hold a personal conversation with the courtesy clerk about who came in late and who is going to be fired if they keep it up, or even chat with the customer behind me in line. Meanwhile, I’ll stand patiently waiting for my card to authorize feeling like an idiot who doesn’t warrant small talk. When it’s time to leave, and at that moment only, I’ll receive a last minute eye to eye contact wishing me a good day. Off I go.
Continue reading “All eyes on me or if non looks could kill”

DIY Morning Shows

I caught some of Good Day Sacramento this morning. It’s a train wreck. Not sure if that is the intent, but it’s sort of slapped together with little to no production value as if they are literally making this stuff up as they go.

For example, Nick threw it to UPN 31’s “tech” guru (I forget her name already) who was going to walk the viewers through the new “Gas Watch” section of their website which includes a map of local gas prices (a la gasbuddy.com). This was a painful process. Watching her fumble about the site trying to find an actual reported gas price (and if she did, it was 5 or more days old) was brutal. So much so that a few of us at the gym watching this on our individual treadmill monitors changed channels almost simultaneously. Then Mark S. comes on with that silly haircut to talk about the new September 11, 2001 movie, which really didn’t work. Hard to talk about something so serious while trying to blow your overgrown, highlighted bangs out of your face.

And yes, Scooter, I know, I know, there’s a method to his madness…

Channel changing

I am usually the last to know when it comes to personnel changes at local news stations. As such, I’d like to solicit the help of you, the finger on the pulse of all things Sacramento, Sac Rag reader.

What happened to Elissa Lynn over at News 10? And when did Patty Souza jump ship from KCRA to News 10? Or did Elissa Lynn even leave? I’m seeing her bio still on the News10.net site, but she is not mentioned in Patty’s shout out to her team at News 10 (“Our weather department at News10 has a talented group of people, and I can’t say enough good things about Monica, Darla, Gregg and Harry“). Not to mention her mug is noticeably absent from the team photo.

From the Q & A with Patty:

Why did you want to come to News10?
News10 caught my attention because of the way the people there are connected to the community and care about the people that live here. You hear the slogan “committed to news and connected to the community”….but it’s totally true.

Can I take that as subtle dig at KCRA? Or is it simply news lingo for “I got fired and News10 offered me a job so here I am”?
Continue reading “Channel changing”

Glad it wasn’t the flaming bag of poo trick

The AP reports (via cbs13.com) that an…”8-year-old girl allegedly shot by a neighbor angered by children mischievously knocking at his door underwent successful surgery to have a pellet removed from her spine, authorities said Saturday.”

Ugh. I’m getting to the point, however, that I don’t know what irritates me more, the craziness of these stories or the manner in which they are reported. For example:

The girl was struck in the back, screamed and fell, authorities said.

Is this little tidbit of information really necessary? An 8-year-old girl just got plucked with a .22-caliber pellet rifle what do you think she is going to do? And since when did pellet rifles come in calibers? I’m no firearm enthusiast but the last time I heard of a .22 caliber anything it was called a gun which used bullets which can kill things.