Category: Media

HodnÄ› Å¡tÄ›stí, Lisa and Todd!

The Sacramento News and Review reports today that SacBee writers Lisa Heyamoto and Todd Milbourn will be packing up their lives and moving to Prague. The pair claims that they are following their desires to live in Europe, but we at the SacRag know the truth… The SacBee staff refuses to accept our generous offer for a pub quiz rematch as they are afraid of another trouncing, and are opting to flee the continent to save face. We think you are cowards, but wish you the best, regardless.

Don’t forget to Czech out this Web site (Ha, get it? So clever!)

I’m Taking My Heterosexual Ball and Going Home

In a story today, the Bee reports that the Butte County Clerk Janice Grubbs has refused to perform any further marriage ceremonies in the Butte County Clerk’s office.

Don’t jump to conclusions, however, because Janice says that it has nothing to do with the recent dust-up over gay marriage. According to the piece, “…Grubbs says the county can’t afford to continue performing wedding ceremonies… [and] said her decision has nothing to do with the California Supreme Court’s ruling last month legalizing gay marriage.” (despite the fact that gay marriage just happened to be ordered by the court in the same week as her decision) Continue reading “I’m Taking My Heterosexual Ball and Going Home”

Ugly Flyer Tries to Fool Naive Voters

Ah, what kind of election would it be if we didn’t have last-minute desperation from candidates with too much money in their campaign chests?

The SacBee reports today on a mailer sent out by a group called Democratic Voters Choice with the catchy slogan, “Make it Emphatic, Vote Straight Democratic!” The only problem is that this group has been sending out virtually identical flyers for almost 20 years to trick Democrats into voting for GOP candidates in non-partisan local races. Local candidates Susan Peters, who is VERY Republican, and Kevin Johnson, who I will very kindly refer to as an “idealistically conflicted Democrat”, are both endorsed and are both listed in the fine print as the folks who paid for this deceptive flyer.

Kudos to the Bee for being on top of this story. The flyer is included for your enjoyment after the jump.

Continue reading “Ugly Flyer Tries to Fool Naive Voters”

Are Political Ads in the Online Bee Fair?

Since I read the Bee online, I have noticed a trend that makes me a bit uncomfortable. The Bee imbeds political advertising in political articles.

Of course, this is smart targeting of voters. People who read articles about the election are more interested in politics than those who don’t. No brainer.

My problem is when the advertising is sold to candidates about whom the articles are written.

Take a look at an article today here. It reports on the debate between the Republican primary candidates for the 4th Congressional District, which will be won by either Tom McClintock or Doug Ose. While reading the article, the reader gets to listen to and watch series of advertisements for McClintock who is (of course) slamming his opponent, Ose. Readers have to turn off the ad if they do not want to watch it or mute it if they do not want to listen to it. Even if they do so, a big “McClintock for Congress” remains on the page.

Continue reading “Are Political Ads in the Online Bee Fair?”

Vote for the Worst!

Fox 40 reported this weekend on the Web site Vote for the Worst, which is arguably the #1 fan site there is for American Idol. Since 2004, Sacramento resident Sean Fromer has run this site which aims to embrace those deliciously bad contestants and keep them on the show as long as possible. For big AI fans, this is the place to go for the snarkiest commentary and breaking AI news.

View the report here

District 3 Race for Supervisor – Exciting!

Most of Sacramento seems to be reacting to our upcoming local elections by complaining about the Mayor’s race, and how it is a choice among a group of wishy-washy do nothings, impossible longshots and plummeting superstars. I would like to cast your attention towards the one local race that is panning out to be truly exciting, although you wouldn’t know it from the lackluster media coverage.

The District 3 race for the County Board of Supervisors seems to be lost behind the monster dunks, travel-gate, shower-gate and cowboy hats of the mayoral campaign, yet is the one race with a clear contrast between the candidates. This was made particularly clear in the Election Forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Sacramento County. This was the most interesting of the forum’s debates because, well, there are actually two people running against each other for this seat. Shocking!

In one corner, in the red trunks, is the well funded, one-term incumbent Susan Peters. In the other corner, wearing blue, we find veteran county administrator and grassroots challenger Warren Harding.

Continue reading “District 3 Race for Supervisor – Exciting!”

Midtown featured in AAA mag

midtown vanishing pointHeckasac beat me to posting about the article in Via magazine about midtown. The Via article is here. I think it is interesting that one main focus of the article is on Sacto as a “walking town” and for using the phrase “ground-beef triangle” to refer to the as-yet unlabeled area bordered by Ford’s, Willie’s, and Suzie’s. I normally recuse myself from burger discussions, I guess because I am too much of a fan to be objective. I likes em all. Does it have meat between buns? Give it over.

Continue reading “Midtown featured in AAA mag”

Bee pats itself on the back for KJ allegations

Buried at the bottom of this story about Heather Fargo’s uphill battle against KJ’s celebrity status, the Bee’s Mary Lynne Vellinga mentions yesterday’s Padilla bombshell about KJ:

This week, Johnson has again had to contend with allegations of sexual misconduct with teenage girls in Phoenix and Sacramento. Charges were never brought in either case, but rival mayoral candidate Leonard Padilla on Tuesday distributed the police report in the Phoenix case to the press.

Yes, he had to contend with them again because they were reported on in the same paper after being dropped off by a very concerned political opponent. Continue reading “Bee pats itself on the back for KJ allegations”

The Paper Chase

My day just starts off wrong if my morning paper is not on the doorstep.

As someone who grew up in a multi-paper-reading family (Auburn Journal***, The Sacramento Bee***, The Wall Street Journal*, The San Francisco Chronicle**, The Sacramento Union*, and The Klam-Ity Kourier* — later known as just The Kourier*, which we received by mail long after leaving the reservation), not to mention the newspaper carrying dynasty my brother and I created along the greater Auburn Ravine Road corridor, I can’t not have my actual morning paper.

It’s no secret that readership and subscription rates of the hard-copy newspaper have plummeted. In my opinion, this is not just because people are getting their news online, but also because the concept of what is “news” has changed, so many people have tuned out. (Really? Your breaking story is about Britney Spears?)

In today’s Forum section, Bee editor Melanie Sill talks about the changes coming to the actual newspaper — different size paper will be used for easier handling by readers and also to reduce the amount of paper used. Continue reading “The Paper Chase”