Category: Misc

Is Sacramento Safe… from the Undead?

So a couple of years ago, a “Cool” person from this website and I fiddled around with the custom map program on Google Maps to plan ahead for any local catastrophe that might occur in the event the Dead walk.  One can never be too careful- especially when zombies are involved.

What I didn’t realize was that the map was made public for anyone to edit and add.  I check two years later, and it’s been viewed by over 80,000 people and contributed to by people from all over the US (mental note, if you happen to be in the mid-west, head to Wisconsin).

I post it here now for fellow ‘Raggers to contribute and pass on to others who might want to make suggestions of Hot and Cold Zones to avoid becoming a brain casserole.

Cash for Clunkers Explained

I have been thinking about this Cash for Clunkers program for quite some time and was meaning to write about it on this here web log. Luckily, the folks over at cockeyed.com did the work for me and wrote up a great article. Nice work, guys.

As the owner of a clunker that still manages to get good gas mileage, I was disappointed to learn that I do not qualify.

The fine print

I was reviewing my monthly cell phone bill the other day. I receive it online so I usually take a quick peak at the charges and make sure nothing out of the ordinary is going on. I came across the “Sprint Surcharges” listing and thought I’d click the “Show Details And Explanation of Charges” link. Good night. And I quote …

Sprint Surcharges are rates we choose to collect from you to help defray costs imposed on us. Surcharges are not taxes or amounts we are required to collect from you by law. Surcharges may include: Federal USF, regulatory charges, administrative charges, gross receipts charges, and other charges incurred to recover costs associated with governmental programs. The amounts, and the components used to calculate Surcharge amounts, are subject to change.

Seriously. No euphemisms? No fancy technical terms? Just one notch away from “We are being effed by the man, so we are now effing you.”

If you review your SMUD bill, you may also come across the “Monthly Service Charge” of $5.00. You know, a charge to bring you electricity or gas which they charge money for and receive a profit from. Who couldn’t use $5.00 extra a month for funsies?

Have a deeper look at your monthly bills and let me know if you come across any similar charges.

P.S. Simply by calling a few of my regular service providers and inquiring I was able to reduce a few monthly charges. Remember, they won’t come to you to offer you a savings. It takes work, but is worth it in the long run.

The Best Food Week in Sacramento

143-PoppyWine_highlight_prod_affiliate_148Two of my favorite events are coming together in the same week. Life is good.

All week, Sacramento Wine & Dine is taking place at restaurants throughout the region. From Andaloussia to Zocalo, restaurants are offering three and four course meals (usually with wine) at severely reduced prices. Check out their website for participating restaurants, menus, and reservations. Check out ‘Rag favorites Tuli Bistro, 58 Degrees, Enotria, Esquire Grill, Il Forno Classico, L, Slocum House, and The Firehouse. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still not cheap dining by any means, but if you’re holding out for a fine meal at a screaming price, it’s hard to beat.

The highlight of the week, however, is the Grape and Gourmet. An extension of the State Fair and the Sac Convention and Visitors Bureau, the G&G is the tits. Every wine there is a State Fair medal winner, every restaurant there brings out its best quick bites, every person there is beautiful and smells like an alpine meadow. This year marks the first year that the event moves off the grounds of Cal Expo and is to be held downtown at the Convention Center.

The event is on Thursday, July 9, starting at 5:30pm. Tix are $50 or less with a $5 coupon through this link. Come on down, look for me, or better yet, look for Poppy!

Cbs13.com illustrates

If you were to read an article about how most Sacramento parks will be closing their bathrooms (you know, because of the budget) next week would you wonder to yourself, “Bathrooms? I don’t follow.”

Cbs13.com hears your concern and helps you out with a little image to help.

What about an article that reports on a man performing lewd acts near a playground?

Officers say they found 35-year-old Alfonso Valladarez “gyrating his hips in the grass,” as if he was having sexual intercourse.

Hmm, playground, eh? What’s the big deal? Once again, Cbs13.com is there.

Do I need to see a photo of children playing at sunset while I read about a man gyrating his hips in the grass as if he was having sexual intercourse while looking toward the playground? No, I do not. In fact, just typing that sentence makes me want to vomit.

NY Times covers CA furloughs

The Bee’s State Worker blog linked to a piece in the New York Times (registration required): “On furlough, but never leaving the cubicle,” by Times reporters Susan Saulny and Robbie Brown. It profiles a few state workers who are dealing with furloughs. Some, like Wendy Roberson — a state worker “in California,” — gee, that narrows it down — haven’t actually been able to take her assigned unpaid leave:

“Sometimes it’s just too busy at work,” said Ms. Roberson, whose pay was cut in February as part of the state’s effort to close a multibillion-dollar budget deficit. “You start to feel guilty.”

Roberson has other tricks up her sleeve, however:

To make extra money, Ms. Roberson teaches belly-dancing at girls’ birthday parties on weekends, something she has been doing more of lately.

A growth industry if there ever was one! By the way, it may just be me but between the State Worker blog and Capitol Alert it seems like “blogs” on sacbee.com are where all the action is.

Doris does digital

Because someone had to get the word out on this thing, Congresswoman Doris Matsui stepped up and sent me an email today detailing tomorrow’s transition to digital television.

As we get ready to switch to digital television, I want you to be prepared. I have provided a series of resources on my website to help answer any questions you may have. Please see my Digital TV Transition Guide if you have any questions or concerns, and please see below for the schedule of transition for each television station in Sacramento:

Thanks, Doris. At least now I won’t be TOTALLY ambushed by this change. On the good side, the mayhem that should ensue will keep our minds off the economy for a few days.

Local reps generous with their salaries

capital buildingThe Sac Bee’s coverage of state legislators voluntarily taking pay cuts includes this helpful list. Roger Niello, Ted Gaines and Dave Cox are all taking pay cuts; Steinberg, Dave Jones, and Niello give up the per diem (Cox donates his per diem); and Cox and Niello forgo the car allowance.

This means almost all of the representatives in our area who are doing something to voluntarily lower their pay, including Assemblymembers Joan Buchanan and Alyson Huber. I know it’s kind of a silly topic — I think I’d actually be okay with raising their salaries if they could get us out of this mess — but I think that does matter.