Mobile
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Boomer with Attitude / News S.C. Gov. Sanford couldn't care less
Posted By John Grooms on Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 2:17 PM
My home state of South Carolina — aka The World's Largest Plantation — has a long history of electing governors who are ornery, mean-spirited, backward or just plain stupid (anyone remember David Beasley?).
S.C.'s current gubernatorial train wreck, Mark Sanford, is living up to that proud tradition. He recently made news by opposing the federal stimulus, and hinting that he might turn down the money. Now Sanford has found a way to take the federal money and yet not use it to help anyone who might need it, which, by my reckoning, makes him one of the truly classic South Carolina chief executives.
Sanford now says he'll take $700 million in federal stimulus money, but rather than see it as a tool to help his state's unemployed and hungry, he'll use it to pay down the state's debt. South Carolina has the second highest unemployment rate in the United States — 9.5 percent — but not too many of the jobless there are white and rich, so Sanford's not too concerned.
Luckily, the way Congress wrote the stimulus bill, the state legislatures actually control most of the money (due to a clause inserted by S.C. Congressman Jim Clyburn, who knows Sanford all too well), so probably close to $2 billion will eventually make its way to S.C.'s needy. Oh well, at least Sanford continues the S.C. tradition of heartless, aloof jerks in the Governor's Mansion.
News Current sex-ed legislation: FAIL
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Kudos to these kids for taking a stand. Boos to legislators, teachers and parents who aren't willing to have straight-up conversations with our youth.
Teenagers went to the Legislative Building on Tuesday to tell lawmakers what really goes on in their sex education classes.In short, they said, not enough.
Students from throughout the state told lawmakers that lessons based on abstinence until marriage leave them without the knowledge they need to prevent illnesses and pregnancies.
“Teachers were very limited,” said Nic Jaworksi, 16, who attends Broughton High School in Raleigh. “One teacher said he couldn't answer questions.”
Read the rest of this Charlotte Observer article here.
What did you learn in sex-ed? Anything? Comment and let us know.
News Have you seen this man?
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Wow. Good deeds, done for free. There is hope after all!
The Charlotte Fire Department is searching for a Good Samaritan.Firefighters were called to a vacant duplex fire on Wednesday morning. It broke out around 2 a.m. on Barry Street off The Plaza.
No one was hurt, and the fire did $25,000 in damage. But firefighters would like to recognize a Good Samaritan that helped out and then quickly left the scene.
If you were at the fire or know the person that helped, officials would like you to call 704-336-2441 or 704-334-1600.
Read the original News14 post here.
News Anthony Foxx's wife in the news
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Welcome to the broader political stage, Councilman Foxx.
Charlotte City Council member and mayoral candidate Anthony Foxx said recent news reports questioning how his wife, Samara, landed a county job were “irresponsible and deeply hurtful.”“A close reading of those overheated reports reveals that, despite all the smoke and mirrors, there is no evidence of wrongdoing by my wife or me,” Foxx said a statement released Tuesday by his campaign manager, Bruce Clark.
Samara Foxx, who is an attorney, issued a separate statement saying the reports “border on slander and the ridiculous.”
Read the rest of this QCityMetro.com article here.
Boomer with Attitude / News Hey Bank of America: Save the schools!
Posted By John Grooms on Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 10:26 AM
You hear it all the time: Charlotte is a can-do city where the corporate elite step up to the plate when there's a compelling community need. We saw it recently when high rollers and other citizens, led by the Foundation for the Carolinas, ponied up $2.6 million for the Critical Needs Response Fund to help local charities continue to aid the poor during our current economic tsunami.
Now the community faces a potential $87 million shortfall in funds for Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools school system. Superintendent Peter Gorman is making plans to lay off nearly 500 teachers, but here's a better idea: Let Bank of America make up the difference.
Yes, the behemoth bank is hurting, but it also owes the community something extra for having caused so much upheaval via bad policy decisions and massive layoffs. BofA, remember got $45 billion — that's billion — from the federal bailout. The schools are "only" facing an $87 million shortfall ... essentially, pocket change for Ken Lewis & Co. Here's a chance for the Lewis Gang to boost their severely soiled local image and, meanwhile, help out the city that's been so good to them.
News QC Dodgeball: Fun, competitive pseudo-violence
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 9:19 AM
Lake Norman Dodgeball isn't the only team hoping you'll get into the game. Tremont Music Hall has the dodgeball bug, hosting bimonthly bouts open to anyone who wants to play — or watch. Monday night, roughly 40 Charlotteans paid $2 to peg friends and foes alike at the venue's third game of the season.
"We're working toward getting a tournament going," said Blue Shields, Tremont's owner. When asked if he'd be willing to face off with the Lake Norman team he said, "Them is fightin' words."
His assistant, Lisa Barr, runs the Monday night dodgeball games. She understands the game might be seen as an unusual fit for "a dirty rock club," but hopes folks will realize how much fun dodgeball can be and get involved. To help, she's posting fliers all over town and offering drink specials to players and spectators, like dollar off drafts, bottle specials and occasional liquor specials. The bottle special last night was Red Stripe.
The Wack List / News The Wack List: March 11
Posted By Carlton Hargro on Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 8:49 AM
Five people, places and things we really ain't digging today.
• Teacher cuts at CMS
• Sheriff Bailey and Sue Myrick
• The gun-crazy psycho in Alabama
Boomer with Attitude / News Has Peter Gorman lost his mind?
Posted By John Grooms on Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 8:36 AM
What in God's name is Schools Superintendent Peter Gorman thinking when he proposes cutting nearly 500 teachers, including some career teachers in middle and high schools, as well as 83 assistant principals, as a way of dealing with CMS' current money shortage? There's a good chance, as was pointed out by School Board Chair Molly Griffin, that more money will be forthcoming from both the state and the federal stimulus package, making preparations for such deep cuts seem, at the very least, kind of panicky. Gorman has managed the politics of his job relatively well, especially for someone producing such mediocre results. But he's tone-deaf this time. If you have, or have had, one or more kids in CMS, then you know that the following statement is gospel truth: Teachers and principals are the very foundation, the backbone, the heart, the whateveryouwannacallit, of education. Not the school administrators downtown, and, come to think of it, certainly not the superintendent. You have to wonder whether Gorman realizes this, and if he doesn't, what's he doing here? I can't imagine that CMS parents are going to react well to this bit of lunacy. I also can't imagine that no one in CMS would be able to come up with alternate ideas regarding staffing, funding, and most of all, cutting positions in the downtown administration.
Today's Top Five / News Today's Top 5: Wednesday
Posted By Anita Overcash on Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 8:00 AM
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, March 11, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
• Survivor winners Jenna Morasca and Ethan Zohn present The New Rules For Surviving In Business, Love and Life at Alive
• Ani DiFranco at Neighborhood Theatre
• An Unclear Sky exhibition at Green Rice Gallery
• St. Patrick's Day Glass Night at Flying Saucer
• Martini Madness Wednesdays at Cosmos Cafe
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The N Word / News Good girl gone bad
Posted By Nsenga Burton on Tue, Mar 10, 2009 at 3:59 PM
It seems as if pop princess Rihanna's last album title was appropos. She has taken back Chris "Hitman" Brown after he literally beat the shit out of her in the middle of the street. Wow. Even pop stars have low self-esteem, and she could definitely move on — i.e. have any other dude that she wants. Unfortunately, she wants this fool. Yet another example of why celebrities should never be slapped, pun intended, with the title of role model.
-
Question the Queen City: The story of Nellie Freeman, aka 'Razor Girl' 2
She decapitated her husband, was declared innocent, and never hurt another soul.
-
Marilyn Chambers found dead
Porn star Marilyn Chambers found dead at age 56.
-
Bank errors continue to cause wrongful foreclosures
Charlotte's Bank of America is all mixed up in this mess.
