We get comments

Kudos to Sac Rag reader Mariellen for finding a nice controversial spin to the spraying story. Together we can get to the bottom of this! We can make the powers that be bend an ear to the little guy because the little guy has the power of 10 bloggers and a handful of readers on his side! Either that, or together we’ll just wait patiently in front of the TV until the spraying is over and then forget about it when football season starts.

“Honey, Stop the Car!”

Our friends over at Plum Win scooped us on this one. With all this pesticide ranting I haven’t had time to comment on this annoying real estate marketing ploy that has been eating at me for weeks. A few months ago a house came on the market on my street with this sign. I thought, “hmmm, that bugs, but I am sure it’s some looney greenhorn realtor’s idea.” Then I see another and another. Then, as if that sign is not horrible enough, I come across the “Talking House! Tune Your Radio to 1460AM” sign right under the Honey sign. Ugh. Have we reached this point, Sacramento?

UPDATE: As web dudes here at the Rag, I must admit that I do think it is rather clever to advertise your house by purchasing the domain for your street address and whipping up your own site to sell your home. Because if you’ve ever tried to navigate through the MetroList service you probably have been frustrated with the lack of details and specifics for the house you may have your eye on.

Not to pile on, but, ok, to pile on

The Sac Rag is increasingly more alarmed with this WNV (yes, you know you are in deep doo doo when the acronym is thrown around) issue. For example, this excerpt from an article on News10.net:

    This morning vector control district officials said they believe they have killed off 40 to 50 percent of the overall mosquito population in the sprayed area and called on residents to eliminate standing water where mosquitoes thrive. “After these applications, it’s not going to do us any good if people aren’t managing their water supplies — if they have unmaintained swimming pools, if they over-water their lawns — because we will see a recruitment of the adult mosquito population,” vector control district manager Dave Brown said.

Continue reading “Not to pile on, but, ok, to pile on”

Dirtbag Or Not dot Sacramento dot com

Under the strange newspaper headline “Shame – effective weapon?” the Sac Bee today reports that the Sacto City Council is considering doing one of them “Web-sites” to post pictures of men arrested for and/or convicted of picking up prostitutes or pimping.

I say go for it. However, that story (as is becoming usual these days in Sacto–thinking of the W. Nile cropdusting) leaves me more confused than I was before I read it.

[Police Chief Albert] Nájera said the site would not show women convicted of prostitution. Council members asked if male prostitutes would be shown and, when told they would, questioned whether that would be fair.

What is gained by posting pics of only male prostitutes? What was the debate like on that specific part of the proposal? Am I in favor of that or not? If they had to put it up for a vote, would anybody show up to fill out a ballot? Also:

Other issues in question were whether the site would push the prostitution problem into the county and whether it would provide would-be prostitutes a free list of potential clients.

“We could have ‘wannabes’ get into the business by calling the men,” Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell said.

Because I hear that’s a difficult racket to break in to…acquiring venture capital, licensing fees, leasing office space, the extensive background checks, etc. Wouldn’t want to make it any easier.

The Spraying Continues

RonTopofIt turned me on to this map of the spraying area which uses the super cool Google Maps API. (I’m planning to implement that here at SacRag just as soon as I understand how to do that).

Anyway this whole thing is just getting out of control (hence the new category designation). Where was the public notification that there was even an epidemic? I’m sorry, but if there is a super deadly disease spreading through town I don’t want to have to tune in at just the right segment on News 10 to hear it from county health person Glenna Trochet. I want Arnold to freakin break into the news to tell me.

Also, “pyrethrin cancer” on Google yields 6300 results. (Pyrethrin being the mosquito killing pesticide being used.) But not to worry: “chocolate cancer” yields about 1.4 million!

Juvenile Courthouse a Regular Fun Factory

According to The KCRA Channel, the new state-of-the art courthouse that will serve violent underage offenders is not only going to see that they are convicted and sent to prison, but also it’s going to turn their lives around with the judicious use of words of wisdom inscribed on the floor.

Before juvenile delinquents ever hear a word from presiding Judge Kenneth Peterson, they will see the advice of children who’ve been there before them — respect yourself, don’t do drugs, inspire your intelligence.

Err, maybe don’t pay attention to that last one. That confused my intelligence. The web story is not half as hilarious as last night’s reporting on the TV, which was introduced with a perky smile by Edie Lambert and followed directly by a story about a horrible prison riot at San Quentin. So, you know, the kids can inspire their intelligence maybe and not end up there.

Cropdusting. Literally.

Wait. It seems that SacRag would be in severe neglect if we all forgot to discuss the fact that our whole town is going to be cropdusted today and tomorrow by the Vector Control Department (I’m not sure what that is but it sounds like a department that only sees action when cropdusting neighborhoods is called for). Apparently this will save us all from West Nile Virus. I’m getting the sense it’s kind of a big deal considering a) they’re coating us in poison; b) Good Day Sacramento said we shouldn’t run our AC tonight and we’re supposed to wash down all outside furniture and keep our pets inside; c) it’s being done by this mysterious “Vector Control.” On one hand I’m not quite motivated enough to do even the minimal research that would be required for a remotely well-formed opinion. On the other hand, I’m thinking maybe the joy of blogging is that you can spout off opinions with or without any substantiation for them. Sooo… I guess I’m not liking the cropdusting. Counterpoint?

Th’ Shaftin’ Streaks

As I said before, I am literally dying to see local garage supergroup Th’ Losin’ Streaks. Literally. Excited then, to see th’ band headline at the Friday night show at Cesar Chavez, with the whole fam’. Excited, that is, until the end of Nevada Backwards’ set when I learned that th’ actual headliner was actually The Brodys. Whom I have avowed never to actually see or hear–just a thing I decided. Well we’ve all seen page 4 of The Ticket today, and somehow I am the only one who inferred from the GIANT picture of Th’ Losin’ Streaks that they were the headlining act. I mean, I’m no rock expert, but I’m not crazy either.

Oh well. Nevada Backwards seems pretty good. And everybody else in the world is creepy and gross and scary. Trust me: I’ve been to Cesar Chavez park with my young children. I may not make it out of the house again. Especially with these mini-marathons of Arrested Development on Friday nights.

Local university suffers “hurt” reputation

Was really disturbed when I came across this article today. Apparently CSU, Chico is not just the esteemed institution of higher learning that we all thought it was. There has been a “series of alcohol-related incidents” recently that has the college very concerned.

This breaking news may lead you to worry about your youngster wanting to apply to Chico. Fear not concerned parent, they have an online alcohol abuse prevention course that your freshman will be required to take. Pheewww, that was a close one.