Category: Media

An insensitive comparison

This story about the mom allegedly microwaving her baby is making national headlines (really, thumbnails of actual microwaves by many of the teasers?) which means our fair city is receiving a little attention. The folks over at PETA have taken this opportunity to compare their efforts to not eating meat, I think.

In the wake of Tuesday’s arrest of a Sacramento woman for allegedly microwaving her infant daughter, PETA is negotiating with Sacramento outdoor advertisers to place a billboard in the city that features the image of a person who is about to pop a pork chop into the microwave next to a picture of a loving mother pig and reads, “Everybody’s Somebody’s Baby. Go Vegan.”

The media ran with the press release, too.

Asked about Yang’s conflicting statements to police and her suggestion that she suffers from multiple personalities, Parisi said “one’s psychological stability is sometimes responsible” for such responses. Told about PETA’s proposed billboard, Parisi grimaced. “That certainly seems to me a very insensitive comparison,” she said.

Indeed. Let’s hope this doesn’t go the way of the Casey Anthony story.

New reality show features former Aggie athletes

Team "California Girls"

ABC’s upcoming Mark Burnett reality show “EXPEDITION IMPOSSIBLE” features 12 teams in a sort of Fantastic Race across Morocco, and when the show premieres it will count 3 former UC Davis female athletes among the teams vying for the Amazing title.

The beauties from Team California Girls not only carry the burden of being both gorgeous and smart, they also happen to be talented athletes. Christina, Brittany and Natalie met at UC Davis, where they were all recruited to compete for the Aggies. These ladies are always up for adventure and aren’t afraid to get a little dirty.

We all have our burdens. The show, which premieres June 23, will be hosted by Dave Salmoni, otherwise known as that idiot who bangs a stick to taunt wild lions. (The Huffington Post is still a thing?)

Band Tesla ft. Nick Toma

So what’s up with Band Tesla threatening to cancel their appearance at the Kings rally because of Don Geronimo? and Where is Nick Toma from Good Day Sacramento?

Don said he was broadcasting his show live from the Kings rally at Cesar Chavez Park in Sacramento when local band Tesla, who was scheduled to perform at the rally, was on stage getting ready. Don, who’s known for his crude and often biting humor, saw the band from across the park and commented on air that Brian Wheat, Tesla’s bassist, who has long hair and was wearing a Chicago Blackhawks jersey, looked like Garth from Wayne’s World.

How crude…and biting.

And now Nick Toma goes missing and has two, count them two, Facebook pages created in his honor?

i asked this on their page and they deleted it. there is something going on. they said he was on vacation and then off and then he was just gone. with a generic post as to “he is no longer with the company and is pursuing other options” yada yada yada i have not watched their show since that day…

I say Don is behind this what with his new three-year deal at KHTK and job as program director and all, not to mention his addition to the Good Day Sacramento lineup.

Next thing you know, Don will be opening restaurants with Mark S. Allen.

“The Bucket List Bandit” is coming for you

The "Bucket List Bandit"

In case you haven’t heard about the latest criminal mastermind, the so-called “Bucket List Bandit” is wanted for robbing Bank of the West in Carmichael last month, and he got his label because he appears to be 48 to 50 years old and therefore robbing a bank must be on his “bucket list” because he’s so old and appears ready to die at any moment. Hold up, he’s at most 50 years old is what they think? And we think this is an age that means a person is at death’s door?

I can’t exactly explain why this name grates on my soul so much, but I guess the reason is that the criteria for a pop culture reference that we can safely assume will be recognizable to everyone in society has clearly sunk so low that a one-off “Grumpy Old Men” type comedy qualifies. Continue reading ““The Bucket List Bandit” is coming for you”

State Senate to block Kings Anaheim move? Is this necessary?

CBS13 is reporting that State Sen Steinberg is planning to introduce a measure in the legislature that would “effectively prohibit a California city from signing a contract with a professional sports team unless that team has paid off all its debts to the other city.”

Putting aside the Onion News Network aspect of this kind of legislation, I was under the impression that the loan would already be due in full based on the Maloofs’ existing contractual obligations, and therefore that existing law would probably be sufficient to force the Kings to pay what they owe.

In fact, the way I read the Kings April 1 letter in response to the City’s letter requesting loan pay-off confirmation, the Kings basically agree to abide by the terms of the agreement. I think the media are stirring the pot to make this part of the conversation more saucy than it really is. One is left with the impression that the Maloofs basically said FU to the City when asked to honor their contractual obligations.

But I’m not one to champion the Maloofs grasp of business ethics. What do you say, Kings fans–am I wrong?

CoolDMZ admits having trouble with headline when he, 35, alone

I’m not sure a) why this is at all a news story, b) why it is highly featured on our local newspaper, nor c) why a headline has to be written like this: “Pa. dad denies playing ninja when son, 4, alone.” The only thing I understand about this story is that if somebody saw him doing it, then he obviously wasn’t a real ninja.

Forbes: Sacto one of most “miserable” cities

Just A Stub Left
Creative Commons License photo credit: Orin Zebest

Well, our fair city has made another publication’s list and as usual, it’s not good news. This time, we’re #5 on Forbes.com’s list of “America’s 20 Most Miserable Cities.” The big news is that California has 4 of the top 5 spots and 8 cities overall in the top 20.

How did they figure that? Forbes.com explains the methodology… Continue reading “Forbes: Sacto one of most “miserable” cities”

Slow News Day?

Today's breaking news: holiday parking sucks!

I actually own a newspaper subscription. This morning, I paid for the privilege of reading the following “news,” which appeared on the FRONT page of the Bee:

“OH, FOR A PARKING SPACE”

The story came complete with “parking tactics for holiday shoppers.”

In an effort to help our friends at the Bee with some additional news items, I have created the following list of future stories:

  • Shocking Discovery on Sacramento Streets: Cars Stopping at Stop Signs
  • Scientific Research Shows: American River Water is “Wet”
  • Sacramento Holiday Shoppers Set Trend by Paying in U.S. Dollars
  • Sacramento Mother Tells 20-Year-Old Son: “Santa Not Real”
  • Area Nonprofits Make Radical Announcement: “We Need Money”

Hitt leaves CBS 13

Screenshot of Brandi Hitt from CBS 13
More questions than answers.
Given that this short post about Julie Durda is still our most viewed post (really?), I thought I’d share the status of another local departure from the Sacramento Business Journal (from November 30, 2011).

Brandi Hitt, an anchor at KOVR-TV Channel 13, has not renewed her contract with CBS 13. Her last day with the station was Friday.

While I am sharing old news, Rick Kushman has left the Sacramento Bee.