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Monday, October 19, 2009
Boomer with Attitude / News It's Thank You, France Day
Posted By John Grooms on Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 1:50 PM
We delved into history last week to cover the NASCAR Hall of Fame picks, and today we go back farther in time, to the beginnings of the United States. Today is the anniversary of the surrender of Gen. Cornwallis to Gen. George Washington at Yorktown, Va., in 1781, which led to negotiations for U.S. independence. Kinda makes you all patriotic and teary-eyed and, of course, grateful to the French, right? Yes, the French. Despite conservatives’ kneejerk dislike of the French because they had the wisdom to not go along with Dubya’s Iraqi adventure (remember the “freedom fries” silliness?), an independent United States of America would not – repeat, would not – be here, if not for the funding, soldiers, ships, and strategies “donated” to our revolutionaries by France.
Yorktown, in particular, was at least as much a French victory as an American one, which you can read about in more detail here. Historians calculate that France gave the present-day equivalent of $8 billion to the fledgling American government during the Revolution. Needless to say, French involvement was inspired more by their desire to smack the British around than in our independence, but hey, they sure came through for the United States. Which brings up another anti-French whine you always hear: “They don’t appreciate what we did for them in World War II, we saved their asses,” etc., etc. Ask someone in France who knows his or her history about it, and they will likely point out their role in our revolution and suggest that maybe WWII means the two countries are now even.
News Why S.C. senator now backs climate legislation
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 10:41 AM
Last week, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham made news when he signed on to help out with Sen. John Kerry's climate change bill. But, what does he want in return? (Answer: A lot.)
When Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called for legislation last week to cap carbon emissions, he revived hopes that a cap-and-trade measure could pass the Senate this year. (He also got branded a "wussypants" by tea party protesters for his trouble.) But while the support of a prominent conservative senator could pave the way for the passage of climate legislation, Graham's backing comes at a steep price: he's pushing for massive payouts to the nuclear industry, along with other environmentally questionable provisions.While the South Carolina Republican has long acknowledged the scientific evidence for climate change, he's never been particularly vocal on the issue. Nor is he known for maverick stances: he’s voted the GOP party line 90.7 percent of the time, according to the Washington Post's vote-tracking database. Even though he's Sen. John McCain's best buddy in Congress (McCain affectionately refers to Graham as his "little jerk"), Graham even voted against a cap-and-trade proposal that McCain introduced in 2003 and 2005. Now, by throwing his weight behind climate action at a critical juncture, Graham has become a key power broker on the issue practically overnight.
But he wants something in return. The New York Times op-ed Graham co-authored with Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) makes it clear that there are a number of issues motivating his unexpected move: the looming Environmental Protection Agency regulation of carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act, growing awareness that climate change is a national security concern, and fear that inaction threatens America's economic future. But most of all, Graham appears to see the bill as a major opportunity to advance the cause of nuclear power.
Arts / Today's Top Five / News Today's Top 5: Monday
Posted By Anita Overcash on Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Oct. 19, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
• Non-Stop Comedy Show at Lake Norman Comedy Zone in Galway Hooker
• Film screening of Spellbound at ImaginOn
• The Monday Nite All-Stars at Double Door Inn
• Grand Imperial Poetry Night at SK Netcafe
• Find Your Muse Open Mic at The Evening Muse
Friday, October 16, 2009
Boomer with Attitude / News Meet the slimeball McCrory’s been pimping for
Posted By John Grooms on Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Remember those anti-health care reform “rallies” at which Mayor Pat McCrory was the main speaking attraction? They were organized by an outfit called Americans for Prosperity, a front group for various conservative corporate interests (NC GOP honcho Art Pope is on AFP’s board of directors). The group is headed by longtime GOP operative Tim Phillips. Last night on MSNBC, Rachel Maddow called out Phillips for his incredibly slimy career as a political hatchet man, during which he has done a passable imitation of the king of Republican hatchet men, the late Lee Atwater of South Carolina.
Maddow confronted Phillips, who still claims the lies told on McCrory’s “grassroots” anti-reform tour were gospel truth, about his various campaigns that have relied on lies and fear to mislead voters. Examples: it was Phillips who led the still-shocking campaign against former Sen. Max Cleland (D-GA), a triple amputee Vietnam veteran, in which Cleland was called a coward and a terrorist sympathizer. McCrory’s buddy also worked for a Jack Abramoff client to pressure Congress to vote against making the U.S.-owned Northern Mariana Islands subject to federal wage and worker safety laws — despite the fact that Chinese workers there were being forced into prostitution and mandatory abortions. And that’s not half of it.
Watch the Rachel Maddow interview with Phillips and see what kind of guy McCrory has been aligning himself with. You may particularly like the part where Maddow tells Phillips he’s “a parasite who gets fat on Americans’ fears.”
Deliver Us From Weasels, a collection of 50 of John Grooms' best columns and articles, will be published in November by Main Street Rag Press. The book will cost $14.95, but can be purchased in advance through Oct. 26 for $10 including shipping at www.mainstreetrag.com/store/ComingSoon.php
Arts / News Hecuba hits Charlotte
Posted By Perry Tannenbaum on Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 4:07 PM
It was 2000 years after Euripides wrote The Trojan Women when Shakespeare probably connected with Hecuba and her sorrows. We don’t know exactly how or when the Bard first encountered the Greek tragedy, but the impression lasted until he wrote Hamlet, where Hecuba is invoked as the gold standard of stage characters who draw forth an actor’s tears and command our empathy.
My first taste of The Trojan Women was in my freshman year, and it changed me – and how I wrote – forever. Or at least it did until I reached my first poetry writing course, when my prof gently hinted that I needed to turn down the emotional volume a little.
Bottom line, Trojan Women (or Troades) is still hot stuff, and it’s coming to Charlotte this Sunday at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 600 East Boulevard, site of the Yiasou Greek Festival. Hosted by the Holy Trinity Greek School, presentation of the Michalis Kakogiannis translation, directed by Leonidas Loizides, begins at 6:30pm.
Arts / News "Talking baby" returns to Robot Johnson
Posted By Anita Overcash on Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 3:13 PM
On Sat., Oct. 17, local sketch comedy troupe Robot Johnson will perform at Carolina Actors Studio Theatre. The show will feature Sean Keenan and his popular past time "Talking Baby" act. For more information, read infbelow.
It’s time to sit back, kick up your feet and laugh uproariously at a baby doll again. The Talking Baby, Charlotte native and former MTV2 pitchman will make His triumphant return at 10 pm Saturday, October 17th at the Carolina Actors Studio Theatre when he rejoins the cast of The Robot Johnson Show for one night only.
Originally conceived as part of a comedy sketch entitled “The Critics,” the Talking Baby quickly became a cult sensation that caught the eye of a local advertising agency, and in 2003, the Talking Baby became a pitchman for MTV2. After a short sabbatical, Keenan’s infant alter-ego made weekly appearances at The Duke Energy Theatre at Spirit Square for four months in 2008 before going back into hiding.
“One night. One show. One foul mouthed baby,” said Keenan. “Seriously. I’m only doing this once in 2009. If you miss it, you miss out.”
Tickets are $15. Show starts at 10 p.m. Robot Johnson will also perform upcoming shows at CAST on Nov. 21, and Dec. 19. For more information on tickets, click here or email reservations@robotjohnson.com.
Boomer with Attitude / News Stupid Thing of the Week: NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee choices
Posted By John Grooms on Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 2:49 PM
I don’t follow NASCAR a lot, but I am a history buff, so I took some interest in who would be picked as the original class of inductees in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Much has been written already about driver David Pearson being left out of the first five inductees, but something else struck me as odd. The voters made the puzzling decision – OK, the really stupid decision – not to include even one of the sport’s early drivers. You know, the early drivers? The wild-asses who were the reason anyone became interested in stock car racing to begin with? Herb Thomas, who won 48 races in the 1950s (and 21% of the races he entered!) before being seriously injured in a wreck, was an obvious choice. But no-o-o, they had to kiss the France family’s, um, ring, and put both Bill France Sr. and Jr. in the first five.
Film / Film Reviews / News Hitchcock's Spellbound: Mesmerizing
Posted By Matt Brunson on Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 2:04 PM
By Matt Brunson
SPELLBOUND
****
DIRECTED BY Alfred Hitchcock
STARS Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck
A commercial and critical hit in its day, 1945’s Spellbound has seen its standing slip in the ensuing decades, as it's never mentioned on any list of Alfred Hitchcock's best works.
Film / Film Reviews / News Where the Wild Things Are: Creature feature
Posted By Matt Brunson on Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 2:03 PM
By Matt Brunson
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
**1/2
DIRECTED BY Spike Jonze
STARS Max Records, Catherine Keener
Perhaps it's best to think of Where the Wild Things Are, Spike Jonze's live-action adaptation of Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book, as the PG answer to this past spring's R-rated Watchmen. In both cases, the filmmakers involved have captured the look and texture of the illustrated page in a manner that is simply breathtaking.
Film / Film Reviews / News Law Abiding Citizen: Lock it up
Posted By Matt Brunson on Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 2:02 PM
By Matt Brunson
LAW ABIDING CITIZEN
*1/2
DIRECTED BY F. Gary Gray
STARS Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler
Vigilante justice in real life is, to put it mildly, highly problematic, but when it comes to cinema, who doesn't occasionally feel some measure of catharsis in watching a sympathetic protagonist skirt around a deeply flawed legal system and exact his revenge on his own terms? Take, for instance, the original Death Wish. Bad guys kill Charles Bronson's wife, Charles Bronson kills bad guys. The end. (At least until the sorry string of sequels.)
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