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.

Yeah, California. Yeah, Education.

We suggest a donation, you know, if it isn't too much trouble.
We suggest a donation, you know, if it isn't too much trouble.

The RonTopofIt family received a letter the other day from our son’s principal informing us that our child “has been identified as a GATE student by our district.” Well, that’s cool, way to go, right? The letter continues, discussing the program and the teacher. etc. Remember, however, this is California and we’re talking about educating our youth…

As you may be aware, there is no funding for this type of program by either the state or district. However, we are asking parents for a donation to help with the costs. We estimate the donation amount to be $35.00 for the school year.

Sigh. It’s not about the $35 as I am happy to pay it, it is just one of those “really?” things that gets you about our educational system.

The letter closes with a reminder that “the cost of an enrichment GATE program is not funded by state or district money. A parent donation of $35.00 per year is suggested.” Not mandatory, of course, just suggested. Cause, you know, we wouldn’t want to offend anyone.

Sheep take over Garden Highway

Sheep the size of sheep, but they're sheep!
I'm sure the homeless will learn to love their new neighbors

I was riding along the Garden Highway this morning when I noticed some temporary style fencing along the river side. I quickly discovered why this fencing was installed (excuse the poor photo quality as my “smartphone” is anything but).

I even noticed a dog herding the weed eaters. There were so many, too, it was fun to watch. Anyone know what’s going on here? Just some inexpensive weed control? Or is it?

City of Sacramento to allow backyard chickens (at a price)

http://www.hulu.com/embed/z4nukuhUJ3JQ1yUx1fWk9Q
RIP Phil Hartman

On Tuesday night, the City Council passed an ordinance that will allow city residents to keep up to three egg-laying hens in their back yards starting November 1, 2011. It has been legal to own chickens in Sacramento County for some time as long as your property lot size meets the 10,000 square feet requirement.

This is good news, right? Sure, but there are a few catches, cause it’s, you know, politics and stuff.

Households that want to keep chickens will be required to pay $15, plus an annual fee of $10 per chicken. No roosters will be allowed.

Really? You couldn’t just pass an ordinance for the fun of passing an ordinance?

And for those concerned that the new law will lead to chickens roaming city streets, the law requires that hens be kept in pens, coops or cages at all times. Those holding areas must be at least 20 feet from a neighbor’s home…Chickens will be tagged for identification.

Oh, this can’t miss. Folks will have a field day ratting out their neighbors when their chickens cluck their way inside 20 feet. Not to mention random chicken busts of non-tagged hens.

Next thing you know Sacramento will try to tax tourists for having an accident in our city or something.

Circumnavigate the pole

Maypole dancers
Creative Commons License photo credit: Starley2
This was pole dancing in my day

Today’s LivingSocial deal offers up “Four Hour-Long Pole Dancing Classes ($20) or One Pole Dancing Party for Up to Ten People ($100).” Which comes with a witty description, of course.

But there’s one pole you’ve yet to explore: the dancin’ pole. Build strength and confidence as you circumnavigate the pole with four classes for $20 (regularly $40) at Sacramento Pole Dance Studio. You’ll tone your core, arms, glutes, and legs in these hour-long sessions, and the small classes and comfortable atmosphere will get you dancing at any shape, size, or experience level. Or gather up to nine of your cronies, and discover the power of the pole together with a 90-minute pole dancing party for $100 (regularly $200). You and your gal-pals will learn some basic moves and get to wear masks and feather boas for your flirty performance. Magellan may have spent years in search of the Spice Islands, but you’ll spice up your life in no time with this deal.

I still subscribe to the Chris Rock view on pole dancing.

Speaking of moms lunging at principals

With our mobile lifestyle, we are often presented with information that changes meaning when taken out of context. For example, we have this story on news10.net about the mom who allegedly attacked her child’s principal at a Stockton elementary school.

Pami Gibbs, a student’s mother, hit the first-year principal in the face after her son was told he either had to change the shirt he was wearing or turn it inside out because it did not conform to the school’s uniform or dress code, according to authorities. The shirt may have had skull images or something similar on it…After the mother was pulled off of the principal, she allegedly lunged toward the principal again and then fled.

The mobile version of the story ends with this sentence…

Join local moms who are talking about dress codes and clothing on MomsLikeMe.

You do not get the linking (Nice plug, News10) so you think it’s part of the story. Or at least poorly placed. What, there wasn’t a thread already on MomsLikeMe about Moms wanting to attack their child’s principal?

I have this image in my head of someone pulling the mom off the principal and things starting to calm down and then the mom getting fired up again and taking off (“lunging”) after the principal. Oh, and what’s similar to skull images?

Watching your bobber suddenly jiggle


No word whether noodling will be allowed at this event

From sacbee.com, fishing will be free across the state on September 3rd, 2011, and in Sacramento, novice anglers can take advantage of free lessons and equipment use on the same day.

Fishing in the City gives city dwellers an opportunity to learn how to fish, and to fish close to home. Ponds are stocked with trout in winter and catfish the rest of the year.

I did enjoy the Free Fishing Days page…

Have you ever felt the excitement of watching your bobber suddenly jiggle, then dive out of sight? Or feeling the tap-tap-tap of a bass as it tastes the worm on the end of your line? Or having a salmon practically tear the rod out of your hands as it smashes your lure? What’s that? You say you never learned to fish?

They said “rod.”

What’s your positioning statement?

Interesting segment on News10 Good Morning today about writing a winning resume and learning how to network. I had never heard of a positioning statement and that you should practice saying this statement until you are comfortable using it. I’m not a huge fan of the idea of self-branding, but tough times call for tough measures, right?

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1

I was also glad they included a resume example. The only tip I can provide here is to create a professional web email address because, really, you still have an @aol.com address, Mr. HotRod69?

With unemployment back up to 12% in California, this information is good to have.

The evil donut empire strikes back

92/365
Creative Commons Licensephoto credit: KatieUlett
The Krispy Kreme accountants reported
selling 12 of these, however.

Apparently, Roseville’s fascination with chain restaurants has clouded its judgment as a Krispy Kreme doughnut factory and store is set to open on September 20th. The management team will hold a job fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, August 23rd at the new facility located at 10317 Fairway Drive. New jobs, great. I couldn’t help but think of CoolDMZ’s post from 2005 (man, has it been that long?) talking about the closure of the store on Arden Way.

Then this tidbit from the sacbee.com story:

The company, which entered the region’s market in about 2000, closed the last of its Sacramento Valley stores in 2007 amid an accounting scandal.

Accounting scandal? I just thought they failed because it was a fast food restaurant that only sold doughnuts. Go figure. So I browsed the innernets and found a lot of information on this scandal.

Yet, in carefully nuanced language, the Krispy Kreme investigators, led by two board members, hinted at the possibility of a willful cooking of the books. “The number, nature and timing of the accounting errors strongly suggest that they resulted from an intent to manage earnings,” the report said.

Yikes. But, yeah, it’s a business opening its doors and not shutting them so more power to them. I wonder if they’ll have valet parking.

Is it ever OK to not proofread your story?

News10 Story - Is it ever OK to leave young kids alone in the car?
Big difference between 6 and 12, in fact, 6 years

I don’t know, I’m getting old, I guess, but man these *news* stories that are published online with errors, typos, mistakes, etc. are getting old. In some cases, it leads to confusion, like with this story on news10.net about leaving your kids in the car.

Sacramento police officers cited the woman for a violation of Kaitlin’s Law, which prohibits anyone from leaving a child 6 years of age or younger unattended in a motor vehicle without the supervision of someone who is at least 12 years old. “Children under the age of 12 cannot be left alone in a car where the keys in the car, the ignition is on or there’s the potential of danger, injury or hazard by leaving them in the car,” police Sgt. Norm Leong said. The fine is $100.

Huh? 6, 12, unattended, supervision, keys in the car, danger, injury, I don’t know what to do.

It’s sort of an important clarification, right? I think some folks would argue the car is running and the AC is on scenario, by the way.