Here we go again, another imbecilic idea from chronically tight-assed corporate suits with teeny imaginations, hellbent on making the city as boring as they are. Yesterday, Tim Newman, head of the Charlotte Regional Vistors Authority, announced that the CRVA and Center City Partners (CCP) want to do away with the rows of newspaper racks Uptown and replace them with "modular news racks." Why? Because the news racks are "unsightly" and somehow are also "unsafe" since once in a blue moon one of the plastic freebie racks could come unmoored and gasp! move into someone's way! Arghhhh the horror! Yes, it's yet another stupid idea from the kind of folks who think "world class" means "tidy" but it's not a new one. Over 20 years ago, the city wanted to do the same thing. Creative Loafing, which was new to town, threatened a lawsuit, rightfully claiming a First Amendment infringement since not all publications would be guaranteed a place in the groovy new "modular" racks. The result? Well, have you seen any modular racks uptown the past 20 years? Contact the City Council, which is scheduled to vote on the matter Monday, and tell them what you think.