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Monday, August 24, 2009
News 'Booze it and lose it' crackdown through Sept. 7
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 4:51 PM
While you're at it, don't forget to "Click it or ticket." Wait. Don't forget to click it or get a ticket.
Listen, just be careful and stay safe, OK? A taxicab will cost you much, much less than a DUI, an emergency room visit or a funeral.
From Gov. Perdue's office:
“Under no circumstance is drinking and driving acceptable in North Carolina,” said Perdue. “For 15 years, the ‘Booze It & Lose It’ initiative has played a critical role in protecting our citizens by educating the public and cracking down on impaired driving. We’ll keep using this life-saving campaign as a tool to enforce our state’s anti-drinking and driving laws.”In North Carolina in 2008, there were 11,968 alcohol-related crashes resulting in 433 fatalities and 9,263 injuries.
Arts / News Robot Johnson to hit the road
Posted By Anita Overcash on Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 4:43 PM
As many of you have probably already heard The Nook (formerly The Graduate) in Plaza Midwood has closed. This means Charlotte Comedy Theatre won’t be holding its improv comedy shows there anymore, as well as the sketch comedy troupe, - headed by Sean Keenan - known as Robot Johnson.
So, what's next for Robot Johnson? Creative Loafing just got word on the troupe's plans via its latest press release. Check out the news below.
Robot Johnson (www.robotjohnson.com), Charlotte’s premier sketch comedy troupe, is taking its show on the road this Fall.With the closing of The Charlotte Comedy Theatre – Robot Johnson’s home since its inception in 2007 – the troupe got creative and started calling around.
One of the first venues they booked for the newly-created “Best of the Best” show was the Carolina Actor’s Studio Theatre, or CAST.
The Robot Johnson Show will perform at CAST at 10 pm, Saturday September 5th.
Robot Johnson is no stranger to changing venues. Between April and September of 2008, the troupe performed at the Charlotte Comedy Theatre, Actor’s Theatre Charlotte, the Duke Energy Theatre and McGlohon Theatre.
“We’ve enjoyed having our own home for nearly two years now,” says Sean Keenan, co-founder of Robot Johnson. “We’re extremely grateful to the folks at The Nook and The Graduate as well as CCT for giving us a place to play. We see this not so much as a setback as an opportunity to do new things.”
News Tonight's transportation meeting open to the public
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:50 PM
Speak up: Let the decisionmakers know what's on your mind.
The Mecklenburg-Union Metropolitan Planning Organization (MUMPO) will hold an open house meeting tonight to get public opinion on how to update its long-range transportation plan.At tonight's meeting and a similar meeting next week in Union County, the public is invited to provide opinions on the needs for specific road, transit, bicycle and pedestrian projects. MUMPO's list of recommended projects is strongly considered by the N.C. Department of Transportation in scheduling improvements.
Read the entire article at Charlotte.com.
Tonight's meeting will be Uptown in the government center. Room 266. The meeting will run from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Boomer with Attitude / News Enough already with the new United Way honcho
Posted By John Grooms on Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:50 PM
One quick question for the Observer: Are we going to have to read about every single move Jane McIntyre makes as the new local head of United Way? Just wondering, after seeing today’s front page with the big, shiny story on McIntyre’s first day at the organization. Yes, people are interested in seeing what she comes up with to rescue United Way’s good name, which is currently just a notch higher than “Dick Cheney.” Even McIntyre says it will take years to undo the damage done by Gloria Pace King and her boardroom enablers, so give it a rest, Observer, and give the woman — and your readers — a friggin' break
Arts / News Best bets in Charlotte comedy this week, Aug. 24-30
Posted By Debbie Millwater on Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:47 PM
As the headline suggests, here are a few of the best places to find comedy events in Charlotte — from stand-up to improv to sketch comedy and more. For a complete listing of all comedy visit www.CharlotteComedyLIVE.com.
Tuesday, Aug. 25
* Taboo Tuesday Stand-up Open Mic at 9 p.m.
Stand-up Comedy Open Mic. This show is Rated R. No content or language restrictions. Comics, last call for sign-up at 9:30 p.m. All comics get five minutes.
SK Net Café ~ 1425 Elizabeth Ave. ~ $2 ~ 704-334-1523
* Celebrity Headliner John Heffron at 8p.m. Lake Norman Comedy Zone presents a performance by comedian John Heffron, winner of NBC's show, Last Comic Standing.
Lake Norman Comedy Zone in Galway Hooker Pub ~ 17044 Kenton Dr., Cornelius ~ $20 ~ 704-895-1782
Wednesday, Aug. 26
* Celebrity Headliner John Heffron at 7:30 p.m.
The Comedy Zone and Blumenthal Performing Arts Center present a performance by comedian John Heffron, winner of NBC's show, Last Comic Standing. Show contains adult language and content and is not appropriate for ages 17 and under.
McGlohon Theatre ~ 345 N. College St. ~ $20 ~ 704-372-1000
Thursday, Aug. 27
* Celebrity Headliner Ralphie May at 7:30 p.m.
The Comedy Zone and Blumenthal Performing Arts Center present a special performance by comedian Ralphie May, a popular contestant from NBC's show Last Comic Standing. Show contains adult language and content. Comedian Johnny Millwater opens.
McGlohon Theatre ~ 345 N. College St. ~ $20 ~ 704-372-1000
* Charlotte All-stars Stand-Up Showcase at 8 p.m.
Join host Potter for this special engagement featuring the best in local stand-up talent.
Pennyard Bistro ~ 8006 Cambridge Commons Dr. ~ No Cover ~ 980-939-1257
Friday, Aug. 28
* mitOsis Improv at 10 p.m.
Colby Davis and James Lee Walker II make up this Improv Duo. A show of pure suggestion where the audience provides a word, sentence, or phrase, and the scene begins.
C.A.S.T. ~ 1118 Clement Ave. ~ $10 ~ 704-455-8542
Saturday, Aug. 29
* Summer Sketch at 8 p.m.
Sketch comedy programming similar to that of The Carol Burnett Show.
Actor's Theatre of Charlotte ~ 650 E. Stonewall St. ~ $10 ~ 704-342-2251
To join Debbie’s mailing list (just one e-mail a week, I promise), e-mail DebbieMillwater@Gmail.com with the Subject Line “Subscribe.”
Boomer with Attitude / News Why stop with Beck?
Posted By John Grooms on Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:22 PM
Glenn Beck, the unstable B.S. artist who FoxNews has the Audacity of Dopes to call an actual journalist, is back on the air today, after the network forced him to take a weeklong “vacation.” FoxNews’ edict came after an uproar over comments Beck made that Pres. Obama “hates white people,” which resulted in the loss of (so far) 33 sponsors for Beck’s show. It will be interesting to see if Beck dials down the crazy, now that he’s been smacked down.
Meanwhile, more sponsors are said to be readying to drop his show, and now there are rumblings among progressives that someone should organize a campaign to convince sponsors to dump FoxNews altogether. I say why wait till someone organizes a campaign? If you, like I do, feel that FoxNews’ outright, endlessly repeated lies are beyond the pale (that's as politely as I can put it), then go ahead and contact the network’s sponsors and let them know how you feel.
Huffington Post, which refers to Beck’s program as “psychic exile Glen Beck's race-baiting carnival sideshow,” today offers a partial but lengthy list of FoxNews’ sponsors for you to choose from. Call 'em, boycott 'em, or both, it’s up to you — after all, it’s a free country. Here’s the list:
AARP Medicare Supplemental Insurance
Amway Global
"Anything Goes" CD
Audi Diesel
BMW
Baron & Budd P.C.
Benadryl
Binder & Binder
Broadview Security
Bush's Baked Beans
Capitalone.com
Celadrin (joint health)
Chef Michael's Canine Creations
Chevrolet
Citracal
Direct-TV
Dove Deep Moisturizer
Easy Water (water softener)
Expedia
Fidelity Investments
Ford Motor
FreeCreditReport.com
Geico
Goldline International
Gotomeeting.com
HSBC Life Insurance
HealthMart Pharmacy
Lear Capital (gold)
LensCrafters
Liberty Medical
Lincoln (autos)
Loan Modification Help Line
NFL Sunday Ticket
Nextel
NutriSystem
Pearle Vision
Quicken Loans
Re-Bath remodelers
Red Lobster
Scottrade
Slap Chop (kitchen device)
Smart Balance
Travelocity
USPS Priority Mail Flat-Rate Box
Verizon Wireless
Vonage
Walmart
ZeroWater (water tester)
Zyrtec
Boomer with Attitude / News Cops drive those lousy roads, too
Posted By John Grooms on Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 12:26 PM
Tonight, City Council will decide whether to spend $4.5 million in supplemental money to resurface streets or hire more police officers. City Manager Curt Walton will recommend shifting the money from street maintenance to the police department. Consider this blog entry a vote for leaving the money where it is and fixing the streets. Nothing against police officers, but even they have to drive down the same bumpy, cracked and potholed streets as the rest of us, so they know as well as you or I that Charlotte’s roads are in terrible shape. Especially for such an image-conscious city; it's pretty hard to seem “world-class” while you're dodging dozens of potholes per day.
But here’s a more central question: if crime rates in Charlotte are plummeting — not just “decreasing,” but plummeting — why do we need 75 new police officers at the expense of safer roads? Walton may have forgotten the latest crime stats, but we haven’t. Crime in the Q.C. is down 21 percent from last year, with homicides down 39 percent and vehicle thefts down 35 percent. So, why more officers now? Is this just politics, where someone does a good job (in this case, Chief Monroe) and so he gets more goodies? You hope not, but it does seem kinda obvious. Meanwhile, if you’re going to the city council meeting where this decision will be made tonight , you’ll have to be careful not to wreck your tires and shocks while getting there.
Arts / Today's Top Five / News Today's Top 5: Monday
Posted By Anita Overcash on Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Aug. 24, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
• Find Your Muse open mic at The Evening Muse
• Karaoke Night at Dixie's Tavern
• The Monday Nite All-Stars at Double Door Inn
• Bar Wars Mondays at Phil's Tavern
• Grand Imperial Poetry Night at SK Netcafe
News U.S. stock of chemical weapons go bye-bye
Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Good thing the U.N. isn't ready to invade our country on the hunt for weapons of mass destruction. (Hashtag: Hypocrites.)
Behind armed guards in bulletproof booths deep in the Kentucky woods, workers have begun pouring the foundations for a $3 billion complex designed to destroy America's last stockpile of deadly chemical weapons.The aging arsenal at the Blue Grass Army Depot contains 523 tons of liquid VX and sarin -- lethal nerve agents produced during the Cold War -- and mustard, a blister agent that caused horrific casualties in World War I.
President Barack Obama's administration has pushed to speed up the disposal operation after decades of delay, skyrocketing costs and daunting technical problems. The arms must be destroyed by April 2012 under an international treaty and by December 2017 under federal law. But the Pentagon notified Congress in May that, even under what it called an accelerated schedule, it would not finish the job until 2021.
More from The Chicago Tribune.
Aren't you glad we've stopped dumping them off the coast of North Carolina?
News / The Wack List The Wack List: Aug. 24
Posted By Carlton Hargro on Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Five people, places and things we really ain't digging today.
• The late Ryan Jenkins. Sadly, his alleged murder scandal was the most interesting thing to come out out of that dumb-ass reality show Megan Wants a Millionaire.
• People who hate on street food. Hey, I liked the stuff before it got all gourmet and stuff. Taco carts rock.
• The latest unemployment figures.
• Anyone who compares Obama to Hitler.
• The fact that N.C. construction jobs are down 18 percent.
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