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Friday, September 18, 2009
Boomer with Attitude / News The 'No Sperm Left Behind Act'?
Posted By John Grooms on Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 11:06 AM
This week, our coveted Stupid Thing of the Week award goes to anti-abortion extremists in Florida who proposed the “Personhood Amendment” to that state’s constitution. As Tampa Bay Online reported, the amendment would make birth control a crime in Florida. It’s no secret that a strong faction within the anti-abortion movement wants to eventually outlaw birth control, and have been successful in getting “eggs are people too” legislation considered in North Dakota and Colorado. This time around, anti-abortion politicians in Florida are trying to distance themselves from the proposal.
The Personhood Amendment would add language to the state constitution that would define someone as a person “from the beginning of the biological development of that human being” — in other words, a fertilized egg would be considered a “person” with full rights. See a previous, satirical BWA column on this subject here. Personhood Amendment activists would need to collect 676,811 signatures by February 1, 2010 for the proposal to be put to a vote. Their chances are slim, but who knows? It’s Florida.
Arts / News Author Omar Tyree talks Dirty Old Men and Other Stories
Posted By Cheris Hodges on Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 10:29 AM
New York Times best selling author Omar Tyree makes his foray into erotic fiction this fall with the release of Dirty Old Men and other stories.
But don’t expect Tyree to become a full-time erotic author, he just wanted to write about older men and younger women since he’s 40 now.
“I’m not in the erotica thing; I just had one subject I wanted to deal with. If you look at the Steve 'Air' McNair thing, dying at the hands of a 20-year-old [in July] that’s always going to be an issue. I’m not going to be making up erotica books for entertainment. This was something I needed to say,” Tyree told Creative Loafing in a phone interview about the book.
Dirty Old Men and Other Stories is scheduled for release next month and is presented by Zane, who can seriously be called the "Queen of Erotica." Tyree knew this and that’s why he linked up with the publishing maven to release his book.
“I’m not an erotica writer, that’s not my style. I had small pieces that I wanted to get out and Zane is an erotica writer, that’s what she does and that why I put it out with her imprint because she has that audience for it.”
So, how will the Zane-faithful take to Tyree’s flirtation with erotica?
The stories are sexy, but if you’re looking strictly for sex on top of sex, you got the wrong book. Dirty actually takes readers into to the minds of older men and why they’re drawn to young women.
And, Tyree said, that’s really the point of the book.
“I know it’s a lot of different reasons why men get involved with women who are considerably younger than them. You have guys all over the world getting involved with young women,” he said.
Initially, Tyree wanted to write magazine articles about men, but he couldn’t find anywhere to place them. “Nobody does short stories in magazines like they used to. So, I needed a vehicle to put out masculine short stories,” he said. To make these stories marketable, Tyree said he had to turn up the sex.
“My experience in the publishing world has been if you’re writing about men, you’d better make it sexual or nobody cares,” he said.
With 14 stories exploring what makes old men dirty, Tyree might not make you care, but this collection is sure to start tongues wagging.
Arts / Pop Culture / News Get outta town: Goodie Mob reunion in Atlanta this Sat.
Posted By Carlton Hargro on Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 10:16 AM
In the mood for a road trip this weekend? If so, I'd suggest hopping in your car and making the short drive (at the most, 4 hours away) to Atlanta to witness the historic reunion of Goodie Mob.
For the uninitiated, Goodie Mob is one of the South's most influential hip-hop groups. Born and bred in the ATL, the group consists of members Khujo (Willie Knighton, Jr.), T-Mo Goodie (Robert Barnett), Big Gipp (Cameron Gipp) and Cee-Lo (Thomas Callaway) — who many may know as one half of the acclaimed band Gnarls Barkley (see members in above photo by Joeff Davis).
But before Cee-Lo hit the mainstream with Gnarls, he was down with Goodie Mob, cranking out conscious tunes with a Southern twist like "Soul Food," "Cell Therapy" and "Black Ice," among many other classics.
The group hasn't officially been back together since 2002 — although they did a few surprise, one-off shows here and there over the years — so the show in Atlanta this weekend is a rare treat. Also, this is the "A" we're talking about, where many celebs dwell, so expect to see some surprise guests.
For more on the show and the reunion, check out a big feature on the Atlanta edition of Creative Loafing's site.
Details: $40. 7 p.m. Sat., Sept. 19. Masquerade Music Park, 695 North Ave. Atlanta, Ga. 404-577-8178. masq.com.
The N Word / News Farewell Patrick Swayze
Posted By Nsenga Burton on Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 9:52 AM
Surprise, surprise. I am also a Patrick Swayze fan. I loved him in the Outsiders, Red Dawn, Dirty Dancing, Ghost, City of Joy, and yes Point Break. Yes, I said it Point Break and whenever they show it in syndication I watch it. Why? Because Swayze's characters are reflective of what I perceive him to be — a strong man, who does not give up, regardless of the odds against. The spirit that allowed him to fight pancreatic cancer for 20 months, is the same spirit that informs his characters. He will be missed, but not forgotten.
Arts / Today's Top Five / News Today's Top 5: Friday
Posted By Anita Overcash on Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Sept. 18, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
• Big Boys at Actor's Theatre of Charlotte
• Cravin' Melon at Sylvia Theatre
• SlamCharlotte Poetry Slam at McGlohon Theatre
• The Southern Women's Show at The Park
• ThomThom(if that bird won’t sing) at Carolina Actors Studio Theatre
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Arts / See & Do: The Weekender / News Weekender
Posted By Anita Overcash on Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 4:53 PM
Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend— as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
Friday, Sept. 18
The Park
The Southern Women's Show at The Park provides all your shopping, fashion and cooking needs, in addition to countless tips on living right and dressing well, and freebies. In addition to all that, a variety of celebrities will make appearances (Kate Gosselin visited on Thursday!). the reality TV star from Jon & Kate Plus 8 will be appearing as a celebrity guest, as well as country star and Dancing with the Stars performer Chuck Wicks.
• Dance North Carolina Dance Theatre presents Ballet, Ballroom & Bluegrass tonight at Belk Theater. In addition to all the foot action, a live bluegrass band will also be performing. more...
• Theater Tonight, Machine Theatre presents a showing of act one of it’s latest play-in-progress, titled ThomThom(if that bird won’t sing) at Carolina Actors Studio Theatre. Post show talkbacks, which give folks in the crowd a chance to voice their own opinions about the show, will follow the performance. more...
Saturday, Sept. 19
Symphony Park
This year’s annual Sunset Jazz Festival at Symphony Park at SouthPark Mall will feature jazz saxophonist Marion Meadows as headliner. In addition, the festival lineup also includes performances by Matt Marshak, Bryan Anderson, 5th and York, Innertwyned, Uniqueblend and the Queen’s Collective.
• Art Two new exhibitions, titled Romare Bearden: The Mystical Caribbean and Susanna Coffey: Plantings and Cuttings open today at Jerald Melberg Gallery. more...
• Theater Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte’s latest production of Big Boys is a comedy by Rich Orloff that follows a character named Norm's ruthless quest to move up the corporate ladder. more...
Sunday, Sept. 20
9510 University City Blvd.
If you’re looking for savory Indian cuisine, Passage to India: The Great Indian Cuisine has it all. For starters, try the large and flavorful vegetable samosas.
• Music The electronic industrial act Slick Idiot - comprised of two very important German industrial music pioneers: En Esch and Gunter Schulz, both former members of KMFDM - will perform at Charlotte's Underground tonight. more...
• Special Event Today is Hispanic Heritage Day at US National Whitewater Center. Join the fiesta with food, entertainment and activities that celebrate Hispanic culture. more...
News Mecklenburg's Green Revolution
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Going green is all the rage, especially when job creation is the topic of conversation.
In fact, North Carolina's Clean Energy Economic Forum will be held at the Mint Museum of Art next Wednesday, from 7:oo - 8:30 p.m. It's free and open to the public. The keynote speaker is Lt. Gov. Walter H. Dalton. The big topic: Green Jobs. You can submit a question to the panel here and register -- again, it's free! -- here.
Meanwhile ...
Work is under way on the Mecklenburg County parks and recreation department’s first LEED-designed facility.The $10 million Revolution Regional Sports and Learning Academy has been registered for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system.
The main athletic area at the Revolution site will be used for boxing, wrestling and martial arts.
The nearly 30,000- square-foot sports facility also includes space for a golf shop and lounge, lockers, offices and a kitchen.
LEED standards are quickly becoming a mainstream method of construction, says Darrel Williams, a principal at Neighboring Concepts and a former county commissioner.
“A lot of folks still use cost as an excuse,” he says. But he cites long-term benefits from saving energy and water.
The sports academy site is near two major bus routes and adjacent to a proposed extension of the Irwin Creek greenway.
The facility is slated for completion by April.
The Police Athletic League, Charlotte Boxing Academy and The First Tee of Charlotte plan to offer programs at the building.
The county is paying for the project from a 2004 bond issue.
In other green-county news:
Hybrid buses will start running Monday along a new, high-frequency route to the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.
Read the entire Charlotte Business Journal article here.
Check out one of the county's new solar cars:
News / Biz Possible end to fossil fuel subsidies
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Think of all of the other things we could be doing with that money ... like finding cheap, clean alternatives to the cheap, dirty choices we have today.
According to a leaked letter, the Obama administration is set to propose ending fossil fuel subsidies next week at the Pittsburgh G20. The letter, authored by Michael Froman who is an Obama advisor on international economic affairs, calls on the G20 to eliminate all fossil fuel and electricity subsidies, as a “logical step in combating global climate change.”Eliminating fossil fuel subsidies is a great idea, if it’s done right. This is certainly the right time, but the G20 is likely not the right place.
In general, it’s so obvious, you can’t really believe it hasn’t happened sooner. With all the hoopla about cap and trade, carbon offsets, and parts per million, wouldn’t a good place to start be to stop supporting big oil and dirty coal with our tax dollars? We can then use that money to finance a transition to clean energy—both in the U.S. and globally.
The principle is simple and clear: You can’t really say you’re committed to the fight against climate change if you’re still funding oil and coal. If you’re in a hole, stop digging. Many global leaders including U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, Sir Nicholas Stern, Al Gore, and John Browne (the former Chief Executive of BP) have all spoken out against the ongoing practice of subsidizing fossil fuels with public funds. Obama campaigned on the idea, and the administration has already proposed eliminating some domestic subsidies in the 2010 budget.
But the reality, is, as usual, stickier. In the U.S., calls for subsidy removal tend to be answered by the oil industry and their allies with dire predictions of rising gas prices and consumer pain thus leading to unemployed politicians. This is because the poor oil industry couldn’t possibly have anything less than record profits, and they’ll continue to either use our tax money to do it, or they’ll jack up prices on us. In other businesses involving addiction, this is called a protection racket.
Read the entire Oil Change International post here.
How fossil fuels make your lights work:
Boomer with Attitude / News Honoring two champions of justice
Posted By John Grooms on Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Two great champions of justice died yesterday. You may not have heard of him, but W. Horace Carter was a newspaper publisher from North Carolina who started the Tabor City Tribune in 1946. In 1949, at a time when opposition to white supremacy could literally get you killed, Carter launched a journalistic crusade against the Ku Klux Klan. The investigations continued for four years, bringing about the conviction of 254 Klansmen. As a result, the Tabor City Tribune became the first weekly newspaper to win the enormously prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Meritorious Public Service. W. Horace Carter was 88 years old.
Mary Travers, the blonde, straight-haired, bangs-flipping singer whose work with Peter Paul & Mary made her an iconic cultural figure of the 1960s, died of leukemia yesterday at age 72. As part of PP&M, Travers popularized the folk music revival of the late-50s/early-60s, a movement that had an enormous influence on American popular music. Their hit recording of “Blowing In The Wind” brought Bob Dylan to mainstream America’s attention in 1963. The group backed up its message of justice and racial equality -- often in the face of threats of violence -- by performing numerous benefits for civil rights causes, including an historic performance of “If I Had A Hammer” at the March on Washington in 1963, the event at which Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech. Here is songwriter Pete Seeger introducing a performance of “Hammer” by PP&M at the ’63 Newport Folk Festival.
News Art auction by the homeless, for the homeless
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 1:56 PM
Saturday, the Urban Ministry Center is hosting their 8th annual "ArtWorks 945" auction. This year's silent auction will feature more than 100 pieces created by area homeless.
Bids will be taken from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Anything not sold in the auction will be available for sale at 7:30 p.m.
Proceeds are split in half, divided evenly between the artist and the center's art program.
Learn more about the event here.
Christopher Johnson always includes a message of self-reliance in his paintings, which isn't easy for a man who has been homeless most of the past two years.“It's a message of someone who has fallen in life and is getting back up,” he says. “If there's one thing I learned being homeless, it's not to take life for granted.”
Johnson, 30, sees the classes as a way to get his life on track after a series of financial setbacks forced him to live in his '74 pickup.
“Art saved my life,” says Johnson, who signs his paintings as “Casper.”
“Without it, I think I'd probably be locked up for doing God knows what. I've seen things living on the streets, and this gives me a chance to show that world to other people. It also lets me prove that I can do anything I put my mind to.”
That's one of many reasons the Urban Ministry began offering art classes eight years ago. Art director Penny Mann says the classes bring focus and a bit of pride back to worlds that have unraveled. “We're more about changing lives than selling paintings,” she says.
Here's a 2007 video from the Urban Ministry:
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5 Reasons To Buy Home Insurance Policy
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Bank errors continue to cause wrongful foreclosures
Charlotte's Bank of America is all mixed up in this mess.
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Marilyn Chambers found dead
Porn star Marilyn Chambers found dead at age 56.
