Not a 'Habit' for me

The inside of The Habit, located at 7400 Laguna Blvd. in Elk Grove, Calif., was as expected -- a clean, homey hamburger joint.

Music was playing lightly in the background, only interrupted by the sound of, "Order No. 69 is ready." It was fairly busy at 12:30 p.m. on a Monday afternoon.

If only the burger had been as nice as the scenery.

The aesthetics of the restaurant is the potentially the best part about having a meal at the establishment, unfortunately.

The service was good, even if it was just the taking of the order and picking it up at the front. No complaints there.

On the menu: The Teriyaki Char -- a teriyaki burger.

The burger consisted of things you would expect to find in a teriyaki burger: Beef, swiss cheese, pineapple, lettuce and sauce. The burger also consisted of things you wouldn't expect to find: Tomato, pickles, mayonnaise and caramelized onions.

The tomato and pickles were the first thing to go, as they not only don't belong in a teriyaki burger, but they're not appetizing. The onions should have been next to go, but they were left to give the burger a chance to succeed.

Sadly, it did not.

As I bit into the burger, my hands were covered with teriyaki sauce, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. A messy burger is a sign of a good burger. Too bad it didn't make me forget about the mediocre, at best, burger.

The caramelized onions seemed really out of place in this burger. The onions seem to be a staple for The Habit (they come standard on every burger). Yet, they could have, and should have, been left off this burger.

The burger itself was on the small side. However, for the price, which wasn't terrible, you'd expect a larger burger.

Also, the combination of flavors didn't meld well together. It was cooked nicely, but just lacked a certain quality you would expect to find in a place that prides itself on burgers. A certain, "umph," if you will.

Caramelized Onions?!

There were some good points about the meal, though.

The teriyaki sauce was not a sauce you would find in a Japanese restaurant, but it worked quite well on this burger. It was sweet and was just tangy enough to enjoy. The toasted bun somewhat made made me forget about the burger's overall deficiencies, for a minute. The french fries were golden-brown, crunchy, salted well and delicious -- definitely the best part of the meal.

And finally, the price.

A Teriyaki Char, fries and a large soft drink is going to set you back $7.56 (in Elk Grove, Calif., at least). Not wallet-draining, but not super cheap, either.

Looks good, but looks can be deceiving

For my money, I'd rather grab a burger at Red Robin or a Western Bacon Cheeseburger from Carl's Jr.

However, it is awfully tough to beat restaurant-style french fries, especially when they're cooked as well as they are at The Habit.

I'd be willing to give The Habit another chance, but it would have to absolutely knock my socks off for me to give it a better review.

Mediocre seemed to be the word of the day when describing the eatery.

3 out of 5

Sac State ENS fails

Sacramento State is generally a safe campus. So when something like Wednesday's officer-involved shooting occurs, you'd think the Emergency Notification System would be put to use.

A 23-year-old Sac State student was beaten so severely that he later died at the hospital. The suspect, 19-year-old Quran Jones, also a Sac State student, was shot by police after he lunged at them with a knife. At this time, they were believed to be roommates, according to an article from the Sacramento Bee.

The incident occurred in the American River Courtyard, which just opened this semester.

However, no ENS message was sent to the Sac State students who have signed up for the service in a timely manner, despite the degree of Wednesday's events.

The ENS was instituted shortly after, and because of, the April 16, 2007 on-campus shooting at Virgina Tech.

According to the Sac State ENS portion of its Web site, "Examples of such events would be a campus shooting, bomb threat, hazardous materials spill, flood or fire."

A campus shooting -- the first event listed, yet the system was not put into action for the first time until two hours after the episode.

The first notification came at 4:31 p.m. in the form of an e-mail to SacLink e-mail accounts -- an e-mail account which might not be checked regularly. It said the suspect had been removed from campus.

To my surprise, I did not receive a text message about the incident unitl 10:22 p.m. -- approximately eight hours after the altercation had reportedly started. The message was to inform people that the campus was safe.

The text message I received at 10:22 p.m. on Oct. 21

But what about the message informing students, faculty and staff about what had happened?

Sac State officials didn't want to cause a panic among students, but this situation could have, and should have, been handled a lot better.

Case and point: Students received an ENS message on Oct. 13, alerting them that classes were on, as scheduled, despite the weather and some minor flooding.

If the rain and minor flooding are enough to get an ENS message sent out, then why didn't an officer-involved shooting and a violent beating, which ultimately ended up in the death of a Sac State student, get the same, if not more, exposure?

I found out about the incident on Facebook.

Yes, I said, "Facebook."

Having to find out about something of this magnitude via Facebook and not through the ENS is absolutely unacceptable.

The ENS is a tool that should be utilized to its fullest capacity. However, it shouldn't be abused. In my nearly two semesters at Sac State, I have received maybe two or three ENS notifications before today. And nothing was ever as significant as Wednesday's events.

The ENS is in place for a reason. Here's hoping Sac State officials use better judgment next time when decided whether to, or not to, issue an alert.

Better yet, here's hoping there won't be a next time.

Follow-up: Ng won't be GM in LA, SD

It looks as if Kim Ng will not be the next general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Diego Padres.

The Dodgers signed current GM Ned Colletti to a long-term deal on Tuesday, while the Padres are "close" to naming Red Sox' assistant GM Jed Hoyer their successor to Kevin Towers.

Towers had been the Padre GM since 1995.

Hoyer, 35, worked under Theo Epstein in Boston and has worked for the Sox since 2002.

New Padre GM?

In my last column, I specifically named the Dodgers and Padres as potential teams that could hire Ng. With these moves, it looks as if she'll have to wait a little longer for a job.

A team needs to take a chance on Ng. She has great potential and it will never be fully reached unless she is given a shot to run a baseball team.

Ng should be the first female GM

Baseball has long since been known as a man's sport. Men play the game and men run the team.

Men will always play the game, but they may not always run the team.

Kim Ng, Los Angeles Dodger vice president and assistant general manager, interviewed for the San Diego Padre vacancy on Saturday.

Ng's expertise comes in the art of negotiation. Specifically, she handles the arbitration process for the Dodgers.

Arbitration is when players who have the necessary Major League experience cannot agree to a deal with his current club. So, both sides go through an arbiter to determine the contract the player will get in the next season.

The player wants a certain amount; the team offers an amount they deem fit. An arbiter rules for the side he sees fit. This is where Ng steps in for the Dodgers.

She has never lost an arbitration case. Granted, only two cases have gone to a hearing: Eric Gagne (2004) and Joe Beimel (2007). She is basically arguing for the team and against the player. She is not the only person to do this, as it is a common part of front office baseball.

However, it does say something about her abilities, as the Dodgers have had only two cases since 2004.

And the Dodgers are going to need her services, as many of their core players are eligible beginning this winter: Chad Billingsley, Matt Kemp, James Loney and Hong-Chih Kuo. Other players will be eligible for a second time: Jonathan Broxton, Russell Martin and George Sherrill.

Ng is definitely a hot prospect in the GM ranks. She interviewed for the Seattle Mariner opening in 2008 and if she does not get the Padre job, it won't be her last.

In fact, Dodger GM Ned Colletti has a mutual club option for 2010 that hasn't been picked up yet. Ng could be a candidate if the Dodgers decide to cut ties with Colletti.

Colletti has made some good moves: Acquiring Andre Ethier, Manny Ramirez, Orlando Hudson and Randy Wolf. He has also made some questionable, even bad, ones: Signing Jason Schmidt, Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones and trading away Carlos Santana.

However, it's hard to argue with three playoff appearances in four years, including back-to-back division titles in 2008-09 -- a Dodger first since 1977-78.

It might take some time for people to get over the stigma of a female GM, but Ng should and will be the first in any of the major sports. She has the credentials, performance, education and everything a team could want in a potential GM. She will not be able to prove her worth until she's given a chance, though.

Will the Padres give her the chance? Who knows? If she doesn't end up as the Dodger GM, she will get a GM job somewhere -- and the Dodgers' front office will have taken a big blow because of it.

Ng has paid her dues and it's time for her to be recognized for her hard work. A team will take what little chance there is to be taken, and that team will not be sorry.

Besides, what do the Padres have to lose? Aside from more baseball games, which they've been perfecting without Ng at the helm.

California, don't fall prey to the Phoenix

California's budget situation is quite bad. But is it bad enough to actually consider selling off the State University system to a private institution, such as the University of Phoenix?

Unlikely.

However, the question, posed by Professor William Tierney of Southern California University in a recent column, merits at least some consideration.

While the sale -- approximately $2.3 billion in Tierney's estimation -- would likely help California right now, it would be a mistake to expect this to be a good long-term solution.

The CSU system is comprised of 23 schools up and down the Golden State and houses nearly 450,00 students. The University of Phoenix is home to the roughly 225,000 full-time students nationwide.

California State, Universities

Despite a sale not being in the best interest of the state, would it be all bad for the students?

Education is being hit hard by the budget crisis, and the CSU is not immune to this. The students are suffering through higher fees and less education -- not exactly a good combination for success and happiness.

With the acquisition, the private-profit higher learning institution would not have to worry about the money woes of a particular state, such as California. It would be able to determine fees and likely keep said fees consistent. That would be a draw for students, knowing what the fixed cost would be to go to school.

University of Phoenix tuition fees are about $12,000 a year, compared to the $4,000-plus I am paying for tuition this year at Sacramento State.

A Phoenix-run CSU would likely cost more than current CSU fees, but not as much as the current Phoenix tuition. Besides, who's to say the CSU fees would not increase in the coming years, thanks to the poor economy and budget predicament?

The government, not just in California, is not doing its job. Government has always said education is important, yet even basic cuts are being made from community colleges.

For instance, enrollment at San Joaquin Delta College is being capped at 16,000 students. Also, some general education classes that are to be expected at a junior college are being cut. With class cuts come larger class sizes, which decreases the quality of education.

If these cuts are being made at community college, you better believe it's coming to the university system. And the CSU will be first targeted first.

Some would argue that the cuts and changes are already here. It is likely to get worse.

Still, despite all the negatives with the CSU right now, it is still better than a Phoenix-run State University system. Better for students and better for the state.

A transaction like this has little chance of happening because there are just too many moving pieces and would likely be a logistical nightmare. California must realize that it is not in its best interest to move an asset like the CSU for short-term help.

Things look bad now and probably won't get better in the near future, but things will ultimately get better. When that day comes, California will be extremely pleased, and fortunate, to still own the State University system.

I'm perfectly fine being a Hornet. Let the Phoenixes be Phoenixes.

Stay away from the Rams, Rush

"I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. They’re interested in black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. I think there’s a little hope invested in McNabb and he got a lot of credit for the performance of his team that he really didn’t deserve."

That is the quote that got Rush Limbaugh fired from ESPN in 2003 -- and that's tame compared to virtually every other incendiary quote he has ever made.

Limbaugh, perhaps one of the most inflammatory people in the media, is teaming up with St. Louis Blues' owner Dave Checketts in a bid to buy the St. Louis Rams -- which, unfortunately, happens to be my favorite football team.

This is horrible. His radio show is no "joke" or "act," as some of his supporters seem to suggest. He makes comments that would get him assaulted if he were to make said comments to someone's face.

New York Giants' defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka and Jets' linebacker Bart Scott were both quoted in the N.Y. Daily News today, basically saying neither of them would want to have anything to do with a team owned by the staunch, some would argue extreme, conservative.

The support from Ram fans is rather surprising, but there are ulterior motives behind such support.

Limbaugh, a Missouri native, would team with Checketts to keep the team in St. Louis. The Rams lost their owner, Georgia Frontiere, after she died following the 2007 season. Current owner Chip Rosenbloom is looking to sell the team.

The Rams, which left Los Angeles after the 1994 season, could conceivably be moved again if a new owner wants to do so. Hence the support for a Checketts-Limbaugh ownership, as they would not move the team from the 'Lou.

Nearly 70 percent of the NFL is black, so it's no surprise to read Kiwanuka and Scott's quotes and expect a lot of other players -- black, white, hispanic, etc. -- to react the same way.

As a fan of the team my entire life, I suffered through the 1990s, which was atrocious -- save the 1999 season, in which the Rams won their only Super Bowl. I am not a liberal, but my political beliefs lean left more than right.

However, if Limbaugh became part-owner of the Rams, I could be in the market for a new favorite team.

It's hard to imagine someone supporting a team that is owned by. He is an intolerant, racist, close-minded jerk who is doing a fantastic job -- along with Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity -- of brainwashing a number of Americans into believing outrageous, hyperbolic things about everything with which he disagrees.

Future owner of the Rams? I think not.

You will not find a more loyal sports fan than myself, but this crosses the line.

The "man" is too volatile to be an owner in the NFL.

Luckily, the NFL is the most image-conscious sports league in the world, thanks to Commissioner Roger Gudel. For this pairing to be approved, 3/4 of NFL owners would need to vote in favor of the sale. In my heart of hearts, I don't see that happening.

Still, just the thought of that piece of garbage owning my favorite football team makes me gag, as if I had just seen a gruesome knee injury on the football field.

Keep this waste of space away from the NFL, Mr. Gudel.

National Health Care? Don't hold your breath

National Health Care will never get passed.

At least, that's the way it seems.

The Senate Finance Committee voted down two amendments for a government-run public health care option on Sept. 29.

The Democrats have a super majority and still failed to pass the reform? Beautiful.

There is absolutely no doubt that this country needs to provide a public option for the close to 50 million people without it. At this rate, however, we may never see a public option put into place.

Many young people are insured through his/her parents' coverage until a certain age. Others get insurance through his/her job -- usually full-time employment.

But what about those who do not have a full-time job or are too old to be on their parents' plan? Why should folks in that age group be forced to either pay exorbitant fees for insurance (if he/she can even qualify) or go without it?

They shouldn't. Health care isn't a right, but it is certainly important enough for it to be available at reasonable rates and under reasonable circumstances to every single U.S. citizen.

The United States has the 19th-worst preventable death rate in the world, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Nineteenth? Are you kidding me?

The nation that spends the most money on health care is only No. 19 in the world at preventing deaths? Something doesn't add up. It shows the inherent flaw in the health care system, as not everyone has health insurance.

Let's face it: Many Americans are not in top physical condition. Well, to get health care on your own, that's pretty much what a person must be -- an Adonis, if you will -- otherwise, you're a "risk." Insurance companies don't like dealing with "risks."

A New York Times poll revealed that 65 percent of Americans are in favor of a public option, which begs the question, "Why hasn't anything been passed yet?"

Because it all comes down to money. Seemingly everything in life comes down to money. The insurance companies are more concerned with making a profit that the well being of its members. America is the land of opportunity and capitalism, but this goes too far.

It goes too far because a monetary value cannot be placed on a human life. Life is much more important than profits.

Think about this: It is a law that drivers must have car insurance; why isn't it a law to have health insurance? Oh, that's right: We value our cars more than our lives, apparently.

And no, Righties, this isn't Socialism. This is trying to do what's best for the citizens of this country.

Agendas, agendas, agendas. It's about agendas! Politicians have agendas, and this subject is no different. If a politician doesn't get what he/she wants in the plan, he/she isn't willing to compromise. This isn't party-specific, either. Politicians on both sides are guilty of this.

So here we are, months into the health care "debate," and we are seemingly no closer to any type of government-run public option for health care.

Here's a message for the elected officials: Pull your heads out of your collective asses and get something done. The plan isn't going to be perfect. Make some concessions and come to an agreement so that there won't be nearly 50 million Americans without health coverage.

Do what's best for us, not for you.