Dec 8-14, 2009

Dec 8-14, 2009 / Vol. 23 / No. 41

Average fed employee makes 80% more than Joe Shmo

Maybe it’s not just the lobbyists. If you’ve ever wondered why the federal government these days never seems to “get it” when it comes to the concerns of average people, USA Today has some pretty good leads. We all know that lobbyists’ grip on Congress has grown tighter in the past decade, and that nine…

John Grooms

Help Obama smack down Ken Lewis

Saturday, Ken Lewis was standing near an exit of the humongous Mega-Teeter store in Morrocroft, as I was pushing my cart toward him. My first thought, the very first thing, was, “I want to smack his smug face.” First thought, best thought? Umm, no. Not that Lewis, who looks as haughty live as he does…

John Grooms

A Very Horny Christmas, 12/12/09

Nasty Promotions presented their alternative Christmas soiree “A Very Horny Christmas” Dec. 12 at the Visulite Theatre. The Nordic-themed holiday bash featured live music by Iron Cordoba, “blood eggnog wrestling” from The Gore-A-Licious Girls, Mistress Collette’s Brutal Holiday Torture, an appearance by the bearded man in red, a costume contest and more. Photos by Jeaumane…

Priscilla Tsai

Today’s Top 5: Monday

Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Dec. 14, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Holiday Lights at The Garden at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden • Laugh A Latte at PJ’s Coffee & Lounge • The Birth at Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte…

Anita Overcash

Jingle Bell Ball, 12/11/09

The annual Jingle Bell Ball took place at Grand Central on Friday, Dec. 11. The party included a live band, dancing, food, and a silent auction. The proceeds from the ball benefited the United Family Services’ Shelter for Battered Women in Charlotte. Photos by Tricia Gillis.

Priscilla Tsai

Today’s Top(less) 5: Monday

Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, December 14, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • $5 Table dances at Club Onyx • SIN night at The Double Door Inn • Bill…

Mustang Sally, Mayor of Bang Town

Hey DJ! Update your set

Some people genuinely live by the policy, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ Problem is, if that person is a DJ and you’re in the club, chances are you’ll be the one suffering through this guy’s once “winning formula.” Attention DJ’s! If you haven’t updated your set since Jamie Foxx’s “Blame It” came out,…

Mike McCray

Surreal Asheville: white atheist vs. black Confederate

Cecil Bothwell was sworn in yesterday as a new member of the Asheville City Council, which was more of an accomplishment than you might think. Some people want him banned from council already. Bothwell, a longtime alternative journalist in Asheville, was elected last month, but his swearing in was opposed by critics who claim he…

John Grooms

Stupid Thing of the Week: Minors and moonshine

Not too much doubt about the winner of the Stupid Thing of the Week award this time around. For pure idiocy, you just can’t top selling moonshine out of a daycare center. That’s what Gwendolyn Brown-Johnson and her husband, Artis Johnson, were charged with at their daycare operation off Tuckaseegee Rd. What made the case…

John Grooms

Gift Guide: For the Foodie

Today’s gift guide is for the resident foodie in your life. Like Priscilla Tsai, our online producer and food blogger for EatMyCharlotte.com, who can eat anything and everything and still look fab. Here are her top five choices for gifts this year. • Vosges Red Fire Toffee: I LOVE THIS STUFF! This caramel toffee is…

Kimberly Lawson

Tonight’s Top 5, 12/11/09

Here’s a list of the top five nightlife-related events tonight, Dec. 11, as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • International Night: South Asian Style at Kashmir • Rock the Recession with Evelynn Rose and The Stellas at Whisky River • Lesbapalooza at Hartigan’s Irish Pub • The Movement at Soul Gastrolounge • A…

Kimberly Lawson

Brits and French tax banker bonuses

Those wacky Europeans. They seem to think that big businesses should make an effort to show some public responsibility – or barring that, just a bit of respect for the peons. Yesterday, the British government announced that it would place a one-time 50 percent windfall tax on bankers’ bonuses that top 25,000 pounds (about $40,000).…

John Grooms

Another rail-greasing senator quits

The General Assembly in Raleigh is losing its second big Democratic powerbroker in as many months. Sen. David Hoyle of Gastonia, a developer and longtime rail-greaser for business interests, announced yesterday that he’s leaving the state legislature after serving nine terms. Hoyle’s decision comes on the heels of Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand’s announcement that…

John Grooms

Having an affair, stay off Facebook

Cheating is a hot issues these days and we all know why. But this isn’t a blog about Tiger Woods. It’s about a stupid man from right here in Charlotte. The names have been changed to protect the not so innocent. Clark is married but dates as if he’s a single man. The sad thing…

Mustang Sally, Mayor of Bang Town

Please, make Miley Cyrus stop!; Lautner needs clothes

A few quick items to rant about: Miley Cyrus has announced that she’s going to remake Poison’s “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” Mother of all creatures great and small, someone please make it stop. She’s not talented. She’s popular because of some show on Disney where little kids who haven’t developed musical taste watch TV…

Jeff Hahne

The Santaland Diaries return

Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte brings its longtime holiday favorite and one-man show (starring Joe Rux), The Santaland Diaries, back to its stage for performances that start tonight and continue through Dec. 20. The  production — by David Sedaris; adapted by Joe Mantello; directed by Chip Decker — takes a realistic approach on just how cheerful…

Anita Overcash

Jingle all the way

The 15th Annual Jingle Bell Ball – happening tomorrow, Fri., Dec. 11 – is a party, that’s for a good cause. Benefiting the United Family Services Shelter for Battered Women in Charlotte, the event features entertainment from the New South Players. Included in the ticket price are hors d’oeuvres by Blue Restaurant & Bar, two…

Anita Overcash

Scout & Molly’s turns one

Tonight, help owner Megan Tee celebrate her store being open for one whole year now — AND making it through a recession. **applause** From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., it’s going to be a party, with food, drinks and a DJ. Jewelry designer Molly Anderson will be hosting a mollybeads trunk show, and the first…

Kimberly Lawson

Gift Guide: For the lover of comics

So, I’m a bit freaked out. Christmas is only 14 days away, and I have YET to begin my holiday shopping. I’m sure you’re not in the same boat as I am, you non-procrastinator, you. Well, just in case you do need some help, I’m compiling a gift guide to make things a little easier…

Kimberly Lawson

Sale of the day: Pure Denim

The percentages are kind of out of control at Pure Denim. Here are some of the percentage drop-downs you can find. KEY CLOSET: 45% OFF TOKU: 50% OFF SELECT KIDS DENIM: 25% KONQUEST: 45% OFF ED HARDY: 50% OFF SELECT ROCK AND REPUBLIC: 35% BULZEYE: 34% OFF CHRISTIAN AUDIGER: 50% OFF MEK DENIM: 25% OFF…

Kimberly Lawson

Christmas on a cross

This is rich. Someone has found a way to make money off the crabby pseudo-Christians who, egged on by Bill O’Reilly and radio talkers, complain about the so-called “War on Christmas.” It’s the “CHRISTmas tree” — basically a plastic tree with a big cross attached to it — which its creator, one Marsha Boggs, says…

John Grooms

Kissell p.o.’s his (former) strongest supporters

As the Republicans vying to oppose Rep. Larry Kissell snipe at each other in classic circular firing squad fashion, Kissell himself has been veering to the right – enough so that he has angered the liberal coalition that worked hard to get him elected in 2008. At this point, it appears that Kissell’s status with…

John Grooms

It’s official: Sen. Burr a first-rate puppet

We’ve reported before on Sen. Richard Burr’s subservience to the insurance industry, particularly in light of his attempts to derail any meaningful health care reform. We’re not the only ones who noticed. Now, the Public Campaign Action Fund, a watchdog group that wants to see public financing of political campaigns, has named Burr as one…

John Grooms

The Opening Act: Likeblood

How does a fairly unknown group from Washington, D.C. end up opening for a New York hip-hop icon on his nationwide tour? Likeblood’s Eric “Yung E” Mann will tell you “it’s a little bit of politics and a little bit talent.” The Metro area trio is on the road with Raekwon for his “Only Built…

Mike McCray

Diana Arvanites

passion: ” Making art. and helping others learn the importance of the arts on a personal and community level.”

Jasiatic

Big O buries Foxx swearing-in story

What’s up with the Observer’s coverage of Mayor Anthony Foxx’s swearing-in yesterday? I always hesitate before writing “inside baseball” critiques of the daily newspaper — it can seem petty, and readers generally don’t care about how papers are put together — but in this case, damn! An explanation: Foxx was sworn in yesterday as the…

John Grooms

If you really love me, you’ll buy me a $3 million bra

Just kidding. If you really love me, you’ll just GIVE me $3 million. Victoria’s Secret unveiled a real DIAMOND of a bra — actually, it was 2,350 white, champagne and cognac-colored diamonds — at its annual fashion show last week. According to Luxist.com, the 2009 Harlequin Fantasy bra can be worn in five ways: strapless,…

Kimberly Lawson

BOOK SIGNING: John Grooms signs Deliver Us From Weasels

As you all know, Creative Loafing’s Boomer With Attitude columnist John Grooms has a lot to say. He takes to ranting on everything from politicians to, well, pretty much anyone and anything that gets in his head. It should come as no surprise then that he’s gone and penned his thoughts to paper, with his…

Anita Overcash

The danger of presidential party crashing

Back in August, I wrote a blog about the need to protect the nation’s first black president. I was dumbfounded at the lax security at the health care reform debates that were becoming increasingly volatile. I talked about a health care reform protest in Phoenix where 12 people were carrying guns (including one military-style rifle),…

Nsenga Burton

SPECIAL EVENT: One Love Fest: Unity of Art and Music

Tonight, The Art House presents One Love Fest: Unity of Art and Music, sponsored by Pynk Chocolate Events, JazzUndaground and The W.E. Foundation, Inc. The event will feature a performance by reggae act Middle Passage X, as well as spoken word via open mic, arts and crafts, and art on display by local and visiting…

Anita Overcash

Everybody’s Fine, but movie isn’t

After spending the better part of a decade mugging to the rafters in such films as The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Analyze That, Robert De Niro opts to underplay in the family drama Everybody’s Fine. But don’t let this opposite approach sucker you in: De Niro isn’t low-key as much as he’s merely…

Matt Brunson

On Q back on track with In The Blood

Even outcasts ain’t what they used to be in Suzan Lori-Parks’ In the Blood, presented over the last two weekends at Duke Energy Theater. While we searched in vain for a darling little Pearl, the parallels between the Parks story line and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter were unmistakable. Both heroines are named Hester, and both…

Perry Tannenbaum

DANCE: Nutcracker

North Carolina Dance Theatre presents performances of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s Nutcracker for six days at Belk Theater. This imaginative holiday tale about a young girl and her living nutcracker doll, who embark together on an exciting journey to the “Land of Snow” and “Land of Sweets,” is filled with excitement. Add fancy footwork to the mix,…

Anita Overcash

Old Dogs should be put down

Having sat through the witless preview more times than I care to remember, I was perfectly willing to let Old Dogs go gentle into that good night, one of the expected casualties during a period in which screenings of year-end award contenders come flying fast and furious. But then I read that in one scene,…

Matt Brunson

Take me to your climate leader

COPENHAGEN — “Politicians talk, leaders act” read the sign outside the Bella Center in Copenhagen on the opening day of the United Nations climate summit. Inside the convention center, the official delegations from 192 countries, hundreds of NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) — an estimated 15,000 people in all — are engaging in two weeks of meetings…

Amy Goodman

NIGHTLIFE: Karaoke Night at Dixie’s Tavern

Mondays suck. The beginning of the work week comes much too fast after a fun weekend of drinking and hanging with good peeps. Why not extend your weekend fun a bit by checking out Karaoke Night at Dixie’s Tavern. This is one of the hottest spots to be at every Monday, with $2.50 drafts and…

First-rate Cuban food: Las Palmas Restaurant

Dark roasted Colombian coffees make a good choice for a Café Cubano. But outside of this combination, not many would think to put Colombian and Cuban together on the same menu. However, Las Palmas Restaurant: Colombian & Cuban Cuisine has done precisely this. In a space which has been a revolving door of eateries –…

Tricia Childress

MUSIC: A Rockapella Holiday

When five guys can kick it a capella style, they don’t need instruments. Tonight, a group of musicians will bring its show A Rockapella Holiday, featuring lots of holiday songs, to McGlohon Theatre. The super cool thing about this group is that they actually used to be a house band on the PBS TV show…

Anita Overcash

CD review: Great Architect

The Deal: Sonic con-/recon-/decon-/de-struction from local noise alchemists’ self-titled CD, released on Kinnikinnik Records on Sept. 22, 2009. The Good: What’s the musical equivalent of a thousand-yard-stare? A dissociative fugue? A Ritalin meltdown? Wild animals stalking human prey in busy urban centers? Passing into the white light? Local experimental outfit Great Architect’s debut suggests several…

John Schacht

THEATER: The Santaland Diaries

Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte brings its longtime holiday favorite and one-man show, The Santaland Diaries, back to its stage for performances through Dec. 20. The show — by David Sedaris; adapted by Joe Mantello; directed by Chip Decker — takes a realistic approach on just how cheerful it’d be (Not!) to work as Santa’s little…

Anita Overcash

CD Review: Manu Chau’s Baionarena

The Deal: If it wasn’t for Manu Chau, there wouldn’t be any Latin Alternative. Originally influenced by The Clash, then Bob Marley, he’s since become the world’s best known musical activist, vagabond and ex-Europunk, unknown in the U.S., though making inroads now via festival appearances at Coachella and Bonnaroo. His newest recording is a mammoth…

Lew Herman

MUSIC: BoomBox

The two-man duo — consisting of producer/engineer/DJ/drummer Russ Randolph and producer/DJ/ vocalist/guitarist Zion Rock Godchaux — known as BoomBox blasts out beat-bopping electronic sounds that mix with funky guitar riffs for an all-out psychedelic musical experience. The jam band’s tunes are mellow, yet soulful. Get your groove on when the band brings its rhythms to…

Anita Overcash

CL previews upcoming concerts (Dec. 9-15)

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9 Wink Keziah If you think you’ve been seeing less of Wink around town these days, you’re right. Not too long ago, he packed up and headed west to Austin, Texas. That’s not the only thing that’s changed, either. He’s released an album without his longtime backing band, Delux Motel, though he’s not…

Simple and simpler: If You Take a Mouse to the Movies

The holiday misadventures of a little boy and a littler mouse don’t figure to be the ideal vehicle for family enjoyment and nostalgia, but take a look at the Children’s Theatre production of If You Take a Mouse to the Movies and you’ll find that’s exactly what this makeover has accomplished. Set design by Bob…

Perry Tannenbaum

CD Review: Norah Jones’ The Fall

The Deal: Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter heads into new territory on her fourth studio album. The Good: Norah Jones is known for slow and sleepy jazz ballads, so longtime fans may be a little surprised with the latest effort from her. She’s got a new band and teamed up with Ryan Adams and Okkervil River’s Will…

Jeff Hahne

Bare: A de-Disneyed version of High School Musical

There’s enough safe agreeable theater down in York County for the onset of The Edge Theatre Company to be as comfortable as a poke in the eye. Jimmy Chrismon’s guerilla group eased past their first anniversary at the South Pointe High School Auditorium last week with a high-energy production of Bare: A Pop Opera. First…

Perry Tannenbaum

What’s wrong with local government?

Dysfunctional: (adj.) Functioning incorrectly or abnormally; failing to fulfill the purposes accepted as normal or beneficial; diminished in strength, quality, or utility; a condition often approached by local government in Mecklenburg County. School Board: Over the past decade, the CMS Board of Education has worked hard to earn its reputation as a loud, dysfunctional circus.…

Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files

Put A Spell On You: A 26-year-old man called police to report that he was the victim of fraud and wanted his money back. He told the Crime Reporting Unit that he had paid the suspect $900 to cure him from a spell that had been put on him back when he lived in his…

Ryan Pitkin

Crimes and misdirections

Until a few months ago, freeing the state’s most violent inmates was very much in vogue in Raleigh as a money-saving measure. Then in October, legislators (and in particular Gov. Bev Perdue) discovered that they could jack up their approval ratings by standing in the so-called prison doorway to block the release of violent inmates.…

Did George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grow marijuana?

I have heard Thomas Jefferson traded marijuana blends with George Washington and the other founding fathers. I find this hard to believe, but the rumor is ubiquitous. Can anyone verify if it is true or false? I e-mailed the famous Jefferson scholar Clay Jenkins but got no response. However, on his podcast, The Thomas Jefferson…

Cecil Adams

Holiday Guide 2009

Itching to take a break from the chaotic (and as a result of the current recession, often-depressing) holiday rush? Well, as we do every season, the helpful (and slightly “humbugish”) folks here at Creative Loafing have searched high and low to find the best events going on throughout this festive time. Check out the following…

Horoscope for Dec. 9-15, 2009

Sagittarius The Archer (Nov. 22-Dec. 20): This is a particularly favorable time for you to travel. Legal, educational, and publishing interests are given a “go” signal. Your philosophy is a welcome relief wherever you go. People are happy to see you and introduce you to other people who may, in turn, become important in your…

Vivian Carol

Julie & Julia in this week’s new DVD reviews

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009). Between its freewheeling exploits and its liberties with historical veracity, Quentin Tarantino’s World War II excursion is a celebration of film as its own entity, beholden to nothing but its own creative impulses. One would be correct in assuming that Inglourious Basterds is a remake of 1978’s international production Inglorious Bastards, but…

Matt Brunson

Special delivery: The Messenger

Coming up with a compelling hook is half the sale, and writer-director Oren Moverman has found one with The Messenger, a drama that looks at the wartime experience from a fresh perspective. Yet nothing about Moverman’s angle feels gimmicky or sensational — instead, his movie is honest and heartfelt, a justified tribute that pays more…

Matt Brunson

Evelynn Rose returns from overseas travels performing for troops

Less than 48 hours after returning to the United States from a trip overseas, the guys from local band Evelynn Rose are full of energy. With no jetlag evident, they’re sitting around a table and sharing stories from their journey. The band left roughly 20 days earlier for an 18-day tour to entertain the troops…

Jeff Hahne

More Holiday Events

SEXY SANTA CONTEST Cash prizes ($250 for first place; $150 for second place; $100 for third place) and drink specials. Free before 11:30 p.m. if you are dressed like Mr. or Mrs. Santa Claus. Dec. 8, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Whisky River. 210 E. Trade St. www.whiskyrivercharlotte.com. THE SANTALAND DIARIES Anti-holiday classic about an irritated elf…

More tales from the ladies’ room

Essentially, Kashmir Lounge and Fiji Sushi Bar are two separate entities, but because there’s only one bathroom between the two of them, it’s the same establishment. Under the toilet they have what looked like a kitty litter mat. I’m not sure what purpose it serves — to wipe our feet or to get our heels…

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