Super Bowl Wrap-Up

Sure, Sunday’s football game had its share of missed calls and blown plays, but none of that really matters in the long run. What really matters is that Sacramento was subjected to quite possibly the worst commercial in the history of local commercials. Chuck Peterson over at Folsom Lake Ford should really be ashamed of himself. The little intelligence I had left after watching the national spots is still insulted this morning. And try explaining it to your friends from out of town who were watching the game. It can’t be done.

Update: Per CoolDMZ’s request the local spot was a parody of the credit card commercials featuring David Spade who says “No!” to anyone calls. Or something. If you don’t know what I’m talking about consider yourself one lucky m’fer.

Sacramento Zoo to teach about science

The Bee reported today that the Sacramento Zoo will include lessons on evolution as a part of their ongoing lecture series. Opponents voiced their concern for a lack of “alternative theories” and preferred for zoo docents to educate visitors by simple pointing and saying, “Look at the pretty animal that Jesus made for you.”

Here is the schedule of events:

* Feb. 22: “Science and Non-Science: The Truth Behind Intelligent Design,” on why intelligent design is fundamentally nonscientific, and flaws in intelligent design arguments, by Maureen Stanton, professor of evolution and ecology at the University of California, Davis.

* March 22: “The Hard Evidence For Evolution,” on how fossil finds support evolutionary theory, by Richard Cowen, paleontologist and UC Davis professor emeritus of geology.

* April 26: “History of Evolutionary Thought,” on the people, politics and debate of the 19th-century era when Charles Darwin published the seminal book on evolution, “The Origin of Species,” by Robin Whittall, zoo education director.

* All lectures are on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Admission is $8 for members, $9 for the general public. Teachers may qualify for discounted admission of $5. For more information, call (916) 264-5889 or see http://www.saczoo.com

Right Awn Friday!: Sacramento Idols

rightawn.jpg

Is it just me, or did this week go FAST? It’s time once again for Right Awn Friday!

There’s been a lot of negativity in the news this week. It seems like the new year has brought us a lot of crime and controversy. However, let us not forget those people in this city who are trying to use their limited resources, ambition, and even more limited talent to make a difference in the world.

So who will get the shout out this week? Get your Right Awn fists ready, and find out right after this break…
Continue reading “Right Awn Friday!: Sacramento Idols”

Attention Kings fans

Although I have a inexplicable disdain for him, I wanted to let you know that News10 will be airing the new ABC series “NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad” this Saturday at 3 p.m. This week’s episode will focus on the recent Ron Artest trade through the eyes of Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof.

NBA.com: What will we learn about you and your brother?

JM (Joe Maloof): Well, we’re not necessarily the jet-setters and the playboys that people think we are and that we have a lot of passion for our team. I think they know that, but we’re committed to trying to bring a title to Sacramento. We live and die with the Kings. We have a lot of other businesses, but we really love the Kings.

Committed you say?

I don’t feel homeless

This story is a few weeks old, but still worth mentioning. It appears two men are suspected of “beating up” (don’t you love it when news agencies use terms like this? this is a crime, right? seems like “assaulted” makes more sense, for the same reason that the Beaver never got assaulted by the school bully, but I digress) at least one homeless person in the downtown area.

What I especially enjoyed about this story was this quote:

“They don’t care about the homeless out here, and we are not going to tolerate it. We are going to hunt them down and take them to jail,” said Sacramento Police Department spokesman Sgt. Terrell Marshall.

Man, that’s rich. Because, you know, being homeless is like being black, or tall, or Republican, right? You are who you are and your local police force is out to protect you. Well, unless you get caught hitting the sauce a little hard and disturbing the peace (because you can’t really get drunk at home, right?) in which case you wind up in a cell with some dudes suspected of beating you up.

Citrus Heights’ last samurai, too

Ok, maybe it’s not just Grass Valley, then.

But, I’m surprised by this story:

A Citrus Heights man was under arrest Tuesday after he allegedly traveled to the Bay Area and attacked his sister and brother-in-law with a sword, slashing one to death and severely injuring the other while the couple’s teenage children slept in the family’s El Cerrito home.

Yikes. Somehow, I never saw this area as the sword wielding type.

Remember Museum Day

Don’t forget, Saturday is Museum Day, when most of the museums in town are offering free admission. Between 10 and 4, enjoy Old Masters at the Crocker, pound some hide at Sutter’s Fort, don your engineer’s hat at the Railroad Museum, ride the banister at the Old Governor’s Mansion, see old cars at the Towe Ford, or sniff old pill bottles at the Donald F. Salvatori Pharmacy Museum. That name strikes me as odd, but I can’t quite put my finger on why…

Will pump iron for cash

AP reported today that Governor Schwarzenegger will need to do some serious heavy lifting over the next year if he will stand a chance of re-election. While Phil Angelides and Steve Westly have $17 and $24 million (respectively) in their warchests, the Governor is in the red with a negative balance of more than $300,000. Over the next year, we can expect Arnold to spend more time passing the hat than passing ideas to the legislature, which might just be a good thing for California. I personally believe that the answer to his financial troubles lies in a little known script called “Junior, junior.” Pure gold!

Home outlook analysis iffy

Shock! Horror! Front page news that the housing market is in poor shape!!

When the market picks up, [the guy in the story will] consider selling again.

When will that be? That’s what everyone is trying to figure out.

Well, let’s see. Examining the graph at right, and I know I’m no economic genius, but I put the Rag’s crack research staff to the test and they told me that they estimated the housing market will pick up (in terms of the time houses are staying on the market) somewhere between February and May, like it does every single year. I’m so sick of the worked-up negative real estate news. I know the market is fluctuating, but come on, some level headedness is called for.