No, this isn't "Which one of these things doesn't belong", and I'm not Grover. Though we have the same wrist circumference.
We aren't posting USL stuff on majorleaguesoccertalk.com much anymore because some people get pissy when we do. I don't know why, they just do. The very mention of the USL is more controversial to some MLS fans than the bank bailout and the abortion issue combined, and almost as polarizing as Billy-fucking-Mitchell. Damn. But, Kartik Krishnaiyer has posted a write-up about how the USL-related shit has totally hit the fan since August, read it: here.
I think the USL and the TOA need to get there crap together and look at how the J. League works. It's a successful summer-based league in a capitalist country with competing sports that manages to take time off for FIFA days. Can you imagine? Looking at something that actually works. I mean, it's crazy. But that won't happen since the situation has devolved to the point where the two-parties may well start flinging their own feces at one another. You know, like the Democrats and Republicans. Feces-flinging, welcome to the new America.
On a brighter soccer-related note, Charlotte is still in the running to host World Cup matches should the US win the right to do so in either 2018 or 2022. Charlotte is far from the most famous city on the list, and far from the most prosperous, but it should host matches anyway. Why? Because it can. Charlotte has a successful history of hosting big events, it does so every year when it plays host to the NASCAR All-Star race and Coca-Cola 600, two of the biggest events in motorsports. The CIAA has seemingly fallen madly in love with Charlotte as a host for it's showpiece event, it's basketball tournament and the ACC has decided to put it's football championship in the same stadium that would host World Cup matches. Charlotte's track record is nothing short of wonderful. Furthermore, Charlotte isn't playing the "we simply deserve it" card, it actually wants to host. You can support Charlotte's World Cup dream here.
Oh, and Jane. Who isn't small, she's fun-sized, hosted a conference today about the Ford Fiesta at her school. She's a Fiesta Agent and as such, she's driving the Fiesta for six-months. If you want a new car, and happen to want an economical American car, you should watch her Fiesta Movement videos. It looks like a fun little car, and no FTC, I'm not on Ford's payroll, and as of March 2009, not on Jane's either. So you'll have to find some other way to make money.
Showing posts with label charlotte. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charlotte. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
Charlotte's World Cup bid? Yea, forget it.
It's not because Charlotte is too small, it's big enough. It's also has the transport links and a plethora of quality training venues. The stadium itself fits all the standards required. It's the culture of the stadium.
It's stuff like this.
We must have the only stadium in the world where a fan can get kicked out for cheering, amazing. As if it's not bad enough that you have to sell the soul of your first born to get into an NFL game, then $7 for a beer or $5 for a soda, now you aren't allowed to cheer? Why even go?
I guess the Panthers staffers are afraid that someone from Charlotte-beyond-the-walls (read: the non-gated communities) may offend someone from within the walled utopias. Heaven forfend with all it's glorious and powerful might.
Yea, it's understandable to remove someone who's obviously drunk and belligerent from the stands -- if it's even possible to get drunk without taking out a loan which Bank of America would probably deny -- but this guy wasn't drunk at all, he was just a guy at a football game, cheering for his team. But I guess Tyler and Muffy were put off by it? I guess personalities aren't the fashion in Charlotte-within-the-walls, creative architecture certainly isn't.
Charlotte has a problem. Lots of people have moved to Charlotte in the last few years and tried to change it into a boring, soulless hell drained of all it's Southern, yes, Southern, charms. These people need to understand that Charlotte is still a little Southern city, this isn't Binghampton, this isn't Chester, this isn't Trenton, this is Charlotte. It's halfway between Concord (that's con-CORD) and Gastonia, and the sooner you realize that, the happier you'll be.
If not, there's a door.
It's stuff like this.
We must have the only stadium in the world where a fan can get kicked out for cheering, amazing. As if it's not bad enough that you have to sell the soul of your first born to get into an NFL game, then $7 for a beer or $5 for a soda, now you aren't allowed to cheer? Why even go?
I guess the Panthers staffers are afraid that someone from Charlotte-beyond-the-walls (read: the non-gated communities) may offend someone from within the walled utopias. Heaven forfend with all it's glorious and powerful might.
Yea, it's understandable to remove someone who's obviously drunk and belligerent from the stands -- if it's even possible to get drunk without taking out a loan which Bank of America would probably deny -- but this guy wasn't drunk at all, he was just a guy at a football game, cheering for his team. But I guess Tyler and Muffy were put off by it? I guess personalities aren't the fashion in Charlotte-within-the-walls, creative architecture certainly isn't.
Charlotte has a problem. Lots of people have moved to Charlotte in the last few years and tried to change it into a boring, soulless hell drained of all it's Southern, yes, Southern, charms. These people need to understand that Charlotte is still a little Southern city, this isn't Binghampton, this isn't Chester, this isn't Trenton, this is Charlotte. It's halfway between Concord (that's con-CORD) and Gastonia, and the sooner you realize that, the happier you'll be.
If not, there's a door.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Moving a mess isn't cleaning the house
So, Amity Gardens is getting a Wal-Mart supercenter. Good for Amity Gardens, but it's not exactly "breathing new life" into East Charlotte, is it?
There's already a Wal-Mart less than two miles northeast of Amity Gardens at Eastway Crossing, an equally - if not more - economically depressed area of East Charlotte. That Wal-Mart is likely to become another empty big box, something which has become a symbol of inner Charlotte outwith uptown. That Wal-Mart serves as the primary anchor to a shopping center which has already lost two of it's four anchor tenants (a Winn-Dixie and a Phar-Mor which later became a Goody's and closed again) leaving Food Lion as it's main anchor. Food Lion will obviously have to compete with the new Super Wal-Mart as it has food in addition to the other crap it sells. Yep, Eastway Crossing is pretty well screwed.
Lets look at the real reason for this: marketing Charlotte to "newcomers". Independence Blvd., on which Amity Gardens is located, is Charlotte's main thoroughfare, you basically have to drive on it entering Charlotte from the east. Eastway Drive and Central Avenue are secondary thoroughfares which have seen their importance diminish with the population shift away from inner Charlotte to areas like Matthews, and Mint Hill -- both of which sit, you guessed it, southeast of Charlotte. So now when they come to uptown for an NFL or NBA game, they won't have to look at the urban decay that is Amity Gardens and Coliseum Center, they'll see a big, shiny Super Wal-Mart instead.
But, if you want to look at it as a coup, an amazing catch for the struggling eastside, go right ahead.
There's already a Wal-Mart less than two miles northeast of Amity Gardens at Eastway Crossing, an equally - if not more - economically depressed area of East Charlotte. That Wal-Mart is likely to become another empty big box, something which has become a symbol of inner Charlotte outwith uptown. That Wal-Mart serves as the primary anchor to a shopping center which has already lost two of it's four anchor tenants (a Winn-Dixie and a Phar-Mor which later became a Goody's and closed again) leaving Food Lion as it's main anchor. Food Lion will obviously have to compete with the new Super Wal-Mart as it has food in addition to the other crap it sells. Yep, Eastway Crossing is pretty well screwed.
Lets look at the real reason for this: marketing Charlotte to "newcomers". Independence Blvd., on which Amity Gardens is located, is Charlotte's main thoroughfare, you basically have to drive on it entering Charlotte from the east. Eastway Drive and Central Avenue are secondary thoroughfares which have seen their importance diminish with the population shift away from inner Charlotte to areas like Matthews, and Mint Hill -- both of which sit, you guessed it, southeast of Charlotte. So now when they come to uptown for an NFL or NBA game, they won't have to look at the urban decay that is Amity Gardens and Coliseum Center, they'll see a big, shiny Super Wal-Mart instead.
But, if you want to look at it as a coup, an amazing catch for the struggling eastside, go right ahead.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
How come the city can waste water?
Recently the drought that affected Charlotte, North Carolina and much of the Southeast has gotten a lot less severe than it was in 2006 and 2007 when Mecklenburg County (and counties surrounding it) enacted mandatory water restrictions on all it's residents that use the city-county water supply.
We were told by Mayor Pat McCrory that "brown yards are beautiful too" and many did their civic duty and cut back on water usage, in fact Charlotteans did such a good job that the city had to raise prices because people weren't buying enough water. People stopped washing cars, some even chose to wash their hair only three times a week, take a shower every other day, wash clothes less often, ect. For his part, the Mayor saved water at home, too.
But CMUD (Said "See-mud"), the public, tax funded utility that controls the Charlotte-Mecklenburg water supply doesn't always practice what it preaches:
That's been going on for over a week, gallons and gallons of water.
At the moment they finally appear to be fixing it, but it took them long enough.
We were told by Mayor Pat McCrory that "brown yards are beautiful too" and many did their civic duty and cut back on water usage, in fact Charlotteans did such a good job that the city had to raise prices because people weren't buying enough water. People stopped washing cars, some even chose to wash their hair only three times a week, take a shower every other day, wash clothes less often, ect. For his part, the Mayor saved water at home, too.
But CMUD (Said "See-mud"), the public, tax funded utility that controls the Charlotte-Mecklenburg water supply doesn't always practice what it preaches:
That's been going on for over a week, gallons and gallons of water.
At the moment they finally appear to be fixing it, but it took them long enough.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
How a Green would fix your mess
Yes, your mess. We didn't make it, you never elect us, you never even pay attention to us. You crapped on the floor, and now you're bickering about the best way to fix it. Not only are you fighting each other, you're fighting yourselves! Normal Democrats are mad at "Blue Dog" Democrats, Ohio Republicans are mad at Southern Republicans. You aren't getting anything done, the crap is still on the rug and if you don't clean it up soon you're going to need a Rug Doctor, and we're fresh out of cash to afford one because they're really expensive.
But, listen, I can fix it! I have ideas, big ones!
First thing I'd do is the most obvious one of all, legalize marijuana. It's shocking that it's illegal in the first place, let alone in 2009. The legalization and subsequent taxation of marijuana would be a cash cow for the cash strapped government. I could go into the medical benefits that marijuana has, but I've already done that. They're well stated, regardless of what the drug czar says, I have it on good authority that he's an idiot. The legalization of marijuana would also mean that restrictions on it's sister plant, hemp, would be lifted. Hemp can make all sorts of cool things, you can even eat hemp seeds and they're really good for you. Hemp can also be converted to ethanol which serves two goods: first is that it frees up corn to become exclusively a food source once again, and second is that it's rapid growth rate would help loosen imported oil's death grip on our economy. Of course, the oil and pharmaceutical industries would be none-too-pleased with this which is why we would have to outlaw corporate lobbying.
But that's not all! Call now and we'll outfit every municipal, county, state and federal building with green power systems and save tax payers a bundle by dramatically cutting the power bills for those buildings! Yes, that includes the sports venues that billionaires held cities and states over a barrel to build, those would get the same treatment and the associated sports owners wouldn't see a dime of revenue from it. Take this for instance, that's the Charlotte Bobcats Arena, a municipally constructed venue in the heart of Charlotte with a bare concrete roof. Do you not see the potential there? Next to the arena is the CATS bus hub, it would also be outfitted with them.
Recently Peter Gorman, he's the head of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, a failed educational organization in Charlotte, fired a bunch of teachers and announced that he may have to cut middle school sports. If you put self-reliant energy systems in the schools you could save a ton of money.
Of course, making marijuana legal would free up a lot of room in the prison system which would give us the ability to shut some prisons down and save even more money.
What would we do with all this money? Well, we'd have universal healthcare and bridges that don't fall apart.
It'd be nice, but you won't listen to us.
But, listen, I can fix it! I have ideas, big ones!
First thing I'd do is the most obvious one of all, legalize marijuana. It's shocking that it's illegal in the first place, let alone in 2009. The legalization and subsequent taxation of marijuana would be a cash cow for the cash strapped government. I could go into the medical benefits that marijuana has, but I've already done that. They're well stated, regardless of what the drug czar says, I have it on good authority that he's an idiot. The legalization of marijuana would also mean that restrictions on it's sister plant, hemp, would be lifted. Hemp can make all sorts of cool things, you can even eat hemp seeds and they're really good for you. Hemp can also be converted to ethanol which serves two goods: first is that it frees up corn to become exclusively a food source once again, and second is that it's rapid growth rate would help loosen imported oil's death grip on our economy. Of course, the oil and pharmaceutical industries would be none-too-pleased with this which is why we would have to outlaw corporate lobbying.
But that's not all! Call now and we'll outfit every municipal, county, state and federal building with green power systems and save tax payers a bundle by dramatically cutting the power bills for those buildings! Yes, that includes the sports venues that billionaires held cities and states over a barrel to build, those would get the same treatment and the associated sports owners wouldn't see a dime of revenue from it. Take this for instance, that's the Charlotte Bobcats Arena, a municipally constructed venue in the heart of Charlotte with a bare concrete roof. Do you not see the potential there? Next to the arena is the CATS bus hub, it would also be outfitted with them.
Recently Peter Gorman, he's the head of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, a failed educational organization in Charlotte, fired a bunch of teachers and announced that he may have to cut middle school sports. If you put self-reliant energy systems in the schools you could save a ton of money.
Of course, making marijuana legal would free up a lot of room in the prison system which would give us the ability to shut some prisons down and save even more money.
What would we do with all this money? Well, we'd have universal healthcare and bridges that don't fall apart.
It'd be nice, but you won't listen to us.
Friday, July 17, 2009
On some of that ol' Jeremy Mayfield sh*t
It won't stop. It just won't.
I'm not a great NASCAR fan, but I do live in Charlotte which would make me an expert in NASCAR by the standards of any other city.
In Charlotte, Jeremy Mayfield's court battle with NASCAR is as big a news item as the Sonia Sotomayor confirmation hearings, and a bigger deal than the Mexico v United States match being on Mun2. That's to be expected though, NASCAR is more or less Charlotte's second biggest industry after incompetent guys in suits screwing up and getting bailed out by the same people they keep trying to screw over, I mean banking.
By now I'm sure everyone knows, it's even mainstream on ESPN. Back in May NASCAR claimed that Jeremy Mayfield failed a drug test and announced he'd be suspended. Mayfield denied any accusations of doing drugs, as you would expect, and demanded that NASCAR lift his ban. NASCAR said "no", they can do that because one family owns NASCAR, it's not like the Premier League, the NFL, or The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques League Cup, well, it's a little like that one. Of course upon hearing that NASCAR denied his request, Mayfield sued them. He went out and got Charlotte's biggest (literally and figuratively) lawyer, Bill Diehl (random fact: Bill Diehl's wife was my third grade teacher, and a good one at that - six degrees of NASCAR, bitches) to represent him in court. NASCAR countersued and everything went crazy. Eventually Diehl found a way to get Jeremy's ban lifted by the courts, NASCAR was pissed. Mayfield was allowed to show up at Daytona, NASCAR even had guys at the gate waiting on him, no word on whether or not they also had a truck load of wild Pit Bulls. Mayfield didn't bring his #41 car to the track.
Mayfield also no-showed the following week (at "Chicago") and rumors began to circle as to why, some accused him of doing meth again. On July 15th NASCAR announced that Mayfield had failed a drug test, again for meth, on July 6th and had a sworn statement from his stepmother saying she'd seen him snort meth at least "thirty times" in a seven-year period. Mayfield blew his top. He said of his stepmother "She's pretty much a whore" and said that she "shot and killed (his) dad". He also said she's always trying to get money out of him, that she's a golddigger, and a trashy bitch, rumor has it he dropped the C-bomb on her too. She sure sounds like a class act. But, if she saw him doing it "at a race shop in Mooresville (Mooresville is a giant race shop, basically)", why didn't anyone else in the race shop see it. Okay, he may have been alone with her at that time, I'll concede that, but why didn't she alert NASCAR to the problem knowing that a tweaked-out driver was putting at least fourty-two other lives at risk every week?
Mayfield also said of Brian France: “Brian France out there talking about effective drug policy, it’s kind of like Al Capone talking about effective law enforcement. And that’s the way I feel about it. The pot shouldn’t be calling the kettle black, you know what I’m saying? And I think the world needs to hear that, too.” Which I thought was hilarious.
That was it, that was Jeremy's story, or at least that was Jeremy's version of the story. A couple of days later I got the truth from Tommy, you always got the truth from Tommy, it was one of his major weaknesses. He never lied, he never took drugs, and he never cheated on anyone...wait, that never happened.
Anyway, back on topic. Mayfield says he's going to fight NASCAR with everything he's got, and he will. One thing that has to be said for Jeremy Mayfield is that he doesn't know when to quit, he doesn't know how to give up. He never has, he never will. If he's lying then he's really playing with fire, but if he's telling the truth NASCAR could end up in a world of hurt. WADA has already said their drug testing policies are garbage and NASCAR still refuses to adhear to WADA guidelines, probably because WADA is European. Because of NASCAR's hardheadedness on this issue there's still a chance that the judge will rule against them, having expressed disfavor with NASCAR's testing methods in the past. Jeremy also says that he has passed several independent lab tests since May, if he's telling the truth, Brian France has some 'splainin' to do. Okay, enough channeling Tom Coburn.
Somewhat on topic, but meth is/was considered a WMD in parts of North Carolina. Really.
But remember, when you say the name of the make that wins the championship in 2011: it's Hyundai (Hun-Day), like "Sunday".
That said, this evil little peace loving librul needs his sleep.
I'm not a great NASCAR fan, but I do live in Charlotte which would make me an expert in NASCAR by the standards of any other city.
In Charlotte, Jeremy Mayfield's court battle with NASCAR is as big a news item as the Sonia Sotomayor confirmation hearings, and a bigger deal than the Mexico v United States match being on Mun2. That's to be expected though, NASCAR is more or less Charlotte's second biggest industry after incompetent guys in suits screwing up and getting bailed out by the same people they keep trying to screw over, I mean banking.
By now I'm sure everyone knows, it's even mainstream on ESPN. Back in May NASCAR claimed that Jeremy Mayfield failed a drug test and announced he'd be suspended. Mayfield denied any accusations of doing drugs, as you would expect, and demanded that NASCAR lift his ban. NASCAR said "no", they can do that because one family owns NASCAR, it's not like the Premier League, the NFL, or The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques League Cup, well, it's a little like that one. Of course upon hearing that NASCAR denied his request, Mayfield sued them. He went out and got Charlotte's biggest (literally and figuratively) lawyer, Bill Diehl (random fact: Bill Diehl's wife was my third grade teacher, and a good one at that - six degrees of NASCAR, bitches) to represent him in court. NASCAR countersued and everything went crazy. Eventually Diehl found a way to get Jeremy's ban lifted by the courts, NASCAR was pissed. Mayfield was allowed to show up at Daytona, NASCAR even had guys at the gate waiting on him, no word on whether or not they also had a truck load of wild Pit Bulls. Mayfield didn't bring his #41 car to the track.
Mayfield also no-showed the following week (at "Chicago") and rumors began to circle as to why, some accused him of doing meth again. On July 15th NASCAR announced that Mayfield had failed a drug test, again for meth, on July 6th and had a sworn statement from his stepmother saying she'd seen him snort meth at least "thirty times" in a seven-year period. Mayfield blew his top. He said of his stepmother "She's pretty much a whore" and said that she "shot and killed (his) dad". He also said she's always trying to get money out of him, that she's a golddigger, and a trashy bitch, rumor has it he dropped the C-bomb on her too. She sure sounds like a class act. But, if she saw him doing it "at a race shop in Mooresville (Mooresville is a giant race shop, basically)", why didn't anyone else in the race shop see it. Okay, he may have been alone with her at that time, I'll concede that, but why didn't she alert NASCAR to the problem knowing that a tweaked-out driver was putting at least fourty-two other lives at risk every week?
Mayfield also said of Brian France: “Brian France out there talking about effective drug policy, it’s kind of like Al Capone talking about effective law enforcement. And that’s the way I feel about it. The pot shouldn’t be calling the kettle black, you know what I’m saying? And I think the world needs to hear that, too.” Which I thought was hilarious.
That was it, that was Jeremy's story, or at least that was Jeremy's version of the story. A couple of days later I got the truth from Tommy, you always got the truth from Tommy, it was one of his major weaknesses. He never lied, he never took drugs, and he never cheated on anyone...wait, that never happened.
Anyway, back on topic. Mayfield says he's going to fight NASCAR with everything he's got, and he will. One thing that has to be said for Jeremy Mayfield is that he doesn't know when to quit, he doesn't know how to give up. He never has, he never will. If he's lying then he's really playing with fire, but if he's telling the truth NASCAR could end up in a world of hurt. WADA has already said their drug testing policies are garbage and NASCAR still refuses to adhear to WADA guidelines, probably because WADA is European. Because of NASCAR's hardheadedness on this issue there's still a chance that the judge will rule against them, having expressed disfavor with NASCAR's testing methods in the past. Jeremy also says that he has passed several independent lab tests since May, if he's telling the truth, Brian France has some 'splainin' to do. Okay, enough channeling Tom Coburn.
Somewhat on topic, but meth is/was considered a WMD in parts of North Carolina. Really.
But remember, when you say the name of the make that wins the championship in 2011: it's Hyundai (Hun-Day), like "Sunday".
That said, this evil little peace loving librul needs his sleep.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Mystery shadow leaders find a new enemy: Pygmy goats.
Ahh, the pygmy goat. A loud, dangerous animal. At least according to several "neighborhood leaders" (read: someone who thinks they're important) in Charlotte.
Two pygmy goats, who are smaller than an everyday black lab, one of the most popular, if not the most popular, domestic pets in Charlotte were recently removed from Jeffrey Koenig's Fourth Ward yard because it wasn't big enough for animals not considered "domestic pets" by the city of Charlotte. Though it is worth noting that the comparable city of Seattle does consider them domestic pets. As a result Koenig has taken his battle to the city council and has received support from some members, and hundreds of Charlotteans.
But there are those who would like to see the goats, Alvin and Buckley, forced to leave the Queen City for the pastures of outer Metrolina. One woman said that her grandmother "had regular goats" and that they were "a pain". This is probably because "regular" goats on average weigh 185 pounds, or about the weight of an average 6'3" male. A fat pygmy goat will probably weigh 55, and that would be considered very husky. Most float between 30 and 45. My lab, Jake, weighs 70. Can you see where I'm going with this?
If indeed Koenig fails in his effort to move the goats back into the city, will the children of the NIMBYs who have chavtastic sport mufflers on their cars to make it sound more powerful than it really is (drive through South Charlotte, you can't miss them) be forced by the city to remove them in order to adhear to noise restrictions? The goats not only make less noise (a lot less), they also pollute less. Charlotte is trying to "go green", you know.
And before you say having goats in the city makes Charlotte look "small town" and "country", remember what Charlotte was 20 years ago, and remember what it will be when the trendy folk pull up the stakes and move to the next hot spot. Charlotte is country.
I also want to say that Tetris is celebrating it's silver jubilee. It's hard to believe it's been that long, it seems like just yesterday I was playing it in beautiful pea soup green on the Game Boy, which also celebrated a special birthday this year. Certainly a magnificent milestone for a creation that has played a monumental role in not only gaming, but technology in general.
Two pygmy goats, who are smaller than an everyday black lab, one of the most popular, if not the most popular, domestic pets in Charlotte were recently removed from Jeffrey Koenig's Fourth Ward yard because it wasn't big enough for animals not considered "domestic pets" by the city of Charlotte. Though it is worth noting that the comparable city of Seattle does consider them domestic pets. As a result Koenig has taken his battle to the city council and has received support from some members, and hundreds of Charlotteans.
But there are those who would like to see the goats, Alvin and Buckley, forced to leave the Queen City for the pastures of outer Metrolina. One woman said that her grandmother "had regular goats" and that they were "a pain". This is probably because "regular" goats on average weigh 185 pounds, or about the weight of an average 6'3" male. A fat pygmy goat will probably weigh 55, and that would be considered very husky. Most float between 30 and 45. My lab, Jake, weighs 70. Can you see where I'm going with this?
If indeed Koenig fails in his effort to move the goats back into the city, will the children of the NIMBYs who have chavtastic sport mufflers on their cars to make it sound more powerful than it really is (drive through South Charlotte, you can't miss them) be forced by the city to remove them in order to adhear to noise restrictions? The goats not only make less noise (a lot less), they also pollute less. Charlotte is trying to "go green", you know.
And before you say having goats in the city makes Charlotte look "small town" and "country", remember what Charlotte was 20 years ago, and remember what it will be when the trendy folk pull up the stakes and move to the next hot spot. Charlotte is country.
I also want to say that Tetris is celebrating it's silver jubilee. It's hard to believe it's been that long, it seems like just yesterday I was playing it in beautiful pea soup green on the Game Boy, which also celebrated a special birthday this year. Certainly a magnificent milestone for a creation that has played a monumental role in not only gaming, but technology in general.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Memorial Stadium is falling apart & The Pan American Games?
Really.
That's not really a shock to anyone who's driven past the near seventy-five year-old concrete hulk on 7th Street.
This now leaves the city with a new bill to foot because a structural analysis of the stadium is sure to show more damage than we currently know about. That actually creates a possibility for the city: a chance to bid for the Pan American Games.
Charlotte loves to bid for sporting events, particularly college basketball tournaments which are always successful in the city, just ask the CIAA. But recently Charlotte has begun to enlarge it's portfolio with events beyond basketball such as the Quail Hollow (formerly Wachovia) Championship, a stop that has become a gem of the PGA tour, and the Charlotte Ultraswim, which though it's been around for awhile has only recently garnered much publicity thanks not only to the apperence of Michael Phelps, but due to several Mecklenburg Aquatic Club swimming grabbing medals in Beijing last summer. There are some who would dream of the Olympic Games being in Charlotte, but that is the longshot of all longshot, the Pan American Games are actually a realisitic possibility for the city.
Indianapolis (1987) and Winnipeg (1999) are similar sized cities which have hosted the games, though they have grown in size and expectation since. Rio used the 2007 games to help boost awareness for a potential 2016 Olympic bid where they will compete against Chicago, Madrid, and Tokyo. Rio will also most likely host the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in it's world-renowned Maracana. Rio built an entirely new stadium for the Games, the 45,000-seat Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, which has since been home to Botafogo (to whom it is known as Engenhão, after the neighborhood where it's located) who were quasi-nomadic before the move.
Also this week we found out that UNC Charlotte seems to be a bit short in their quest to raise money for a new football stadium, why couldn't a 40,000-seat stadium in the University area become a joint project between the city and the University? There isn't really a reason. UNCC's current sports venues could also play some role in the Games.
Charlotte does have the ability to host such an event, though it may be somewhat adverse to hosting a "second-tier Olympics" having seen the much scowled at Atlanta host the real deal in 1996. Those people need to understand that we're not Atlanta, we're Charlotte and we can't let everything Atlanta does decide what we do and don't do.
In 2011 the Mexican city of Guadalajara will host the games and they will feature thirty sports, the twenty-six Olympic events plus baseball, softball, rugby union, and raquetball. Greater Charlotte has the venues for these sports:
Archery: Independence Park (Elizabeth, Charlotte)
Aquatics: Mecklenburg Aquatic Center (Second Ward, Charlotte)
Athletics: Pan American Stadium (University City, Charlotte)
Badminton: Grady Cole Center (Elizabeth, Charlotte)
Baseball: Knights Stadium (Third Ward, Charlotte) {or Fort Mill, SC}
Beach Volleyball: Lake Norman (temp venue)
Basketball: Bobcats Arena (First Ward, Charlotte)
BMX: Park Road Park (Charlotte)
Boxing: Belk Arena (Davidson)
Canoe: National Whitewater Center (Mecklenburg County)
Cycling: Uptown Charlotte
Equestrian: Gaston Equestrian Park (Dallas, NC)
Fencing: Cabarrus Arena (Concord, NC)
Field Hockey: Davidson Field Hockey Stadium
Gymnastics: Halton Arena (University City, Charlotte)
Handball: Bojangles' Coliseum (Independence Blvd., Charlotte)
Judo: Grady Cole Center
Karate: Grady Cole Center
Modern Pentathlon: Irwin Belk Complex (Biddleville, Charlotte) - running, Aquatic Center - swimming, Independence Park - shooting, Grady Cole Center - fencing
Mountain Bike: Reedy Creek Park (Charlotte)
Open-water swimming: Lake Norman
Raquetball: TBD
Rowing: Lake Wylie
Rugby: Belk Stadium (Wingate, NC), District Three Stadium (Rock Hill, SC)
Sailing: Myrtle Beach, SC or Outer Banks, NC
Shooting: Independence Park
Skating: TBD
Soccer: Bank of America Stadium (Third Ward, Charlotte), Pan American Stadium, Richardson Stadium (Davidson), Queens Stadium (Marion Diehl Park, Charlotte)
Softball: Phillips Stadium (University City, Charlotte)
Squash: Cabarrus Events Center (Concord, NC)
Table Tennis: Cabrarrus Events Center
Track Cycling: Rock Hill Velodrome (proposed) (Rock Hill, SC)
Taekwondo: Grady Cole Center
Tennis: The Palisades (Charlotte)
Triathlon: Lake Wylie, York County, SC - Charlotte bike course, run to stadium
Volleyball: Halton Arena
Weightlifting: Cabarrus Events Center
Wrestling: Brayboy Gymnasium (Biddleville, Charlotte)
Of course, this is just one of my pipe dreams. :)
That's not really a shock to anyone who's driven past the near seventy-five year-old concrete hulk on 7th Street.
This now leaves the city with a new bill to foot because a structural analysis of the stadium is sure to show more damage than we currently know about. That actually creates a possibility for the city: a chance to bid for the Pan American Games.
Charlotte loves to bid for sporting events, particularly college basketball tournaments which are always successful in the city, just ask the CIAA. But recently Charlotte has begun to enlarge it's portfolio with events beyond basketball such as the Quail Hollow (formerly Wachovia) Championship, a stop that has become a gem of the PGA tour, and the Charlotte Ultraswim, which though it's been around for awhile has only recently garnered much publicity thanks not only to the apperence of Michael Phelps, but due to several Mecklenburg Aquatic Club swimming grabbing medals in Beijing last summer. There are some who would dream of the Olympic Games being in Charlotte, but that is the longshot of all longshot, the Pan American Games are actually a realisitic possibility for the city.
Indianapolis (1987) and Winnipeg (1999) are similar sized cities which have hosted the games, though they have grown in size and expectation since. Rio used the 2007 games to help boost awareness for a potential 2016 Olympic bid where they will compete against Chicago, Madrid, and Tokyo. Rio will also most likely host the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in it's world-renowned Maracana. Rio built an entirely new stadium for the Games, the 45,000-seat Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, which has since been home to Botafogo (to whom it is known as Engenhão, after the neighborhood where it's located) who were quasi-nomadic before the move.
Also this week we found out that UNC Charlotte seems to be a bit short in their quest to raise money for a new football stadium, why couldn't a 40,000-seat stadium in the University area become a joint project between the city and the University? There isn't really a reason. UNCC's current sports venues could also play some role in the Games.
Charlotte does have the ability to host such an event, though it may be somewhat adverse to hosting a "second-tier Olympics" having seen the much scowled at Atlanta host the real deal in 1996. Those people need to understand that we're not Atlanta, we're Charlotte and we can't let everything Atlanta does decide what we do and don't do.
In 2011 the Mexican city of Guadalajara will host the games and they will feature thirty sports, the twenty-six Olympic events plus baseball, softball, rugby union, and raquetball. Greater Charlotte has the venues for these sports:
Archery: Independence Park (Elizabeth, Charlotte)
Aquatics: Mecklenburg Aquatic Center (Second Ward, Charlotte)
Athletics: Pan American Stadium (University City, Charlotte)
Badminton: Grady Cole Center (Elizabeth, Charlotte)
Baseball: Knights Stadium (Third Ward, Charlotte) {or Fort Mill, SC}
Beach Volleyball: Lake Norman (temp venue)
Basketball: Bobcats Arena (First Ward, Charlotte)
BMX: Park Road Park (Charlotte)
Boxing: Belk Arena (Davidson)
Canoe: National Whitewater Center (Mecklenburg County)
Cycling: Uptown Charlotte
Equestrian: Gaston Equestrian Park (Dallas, NC)
Fencing: Cabarrus Arena (Concord, NC)
Field Hockey: Davidson Field Hockey Stadium
Gymnastics: Halton Arena (University City, Charlotte)
Handball: Bojangles' Coliseum (Independence Blvd., Charlotte)
Judo: Grady Cole Center
Karate: Grady Cole Center
Modern Pentathlon: Irwin Belk Complex (Biddleville, Charlotte) - running, Aquatic Center - swimming, Independence Park - shooting, Grady Cole Center - fencing
Mountain Bike: Reedy Creek Park (Charlotte)
Open-water swimming: Lake Norman
Raquetball: TBD
Rowing: Lake Wylie
Rugby: Belk Stadium (Wingate, NC), District Three Stadium (Rock Hill, SC)
Sailing: Myrtle Beach, SC or Outer Banks, NC
Shooting: Independence Park
Skating: TBD
Soccer: Bank of America Stadium (Third Ward, Charlotte), Pan American Stadium, Richardson Stadium (Davidson), Queens Stadium (Marion Diehl Park, Charlotte)
Softball: Phillips Stadium (University City, Charlotte)
Squash: Cabarrus Events Center (Concord, NC)
Table Tennis: Cabrarrus Events Center
Track Cycling: Rock Hill Velodrome (proposed) (Rock Hill, SC)
Taekwondo: Grady Cole Center
Tennis: The Palisades (Charlotte)
Triathlon: Lake Wylie, York County, SC - Charlotte bike course, run to stadium
Volleyball: Halton Arena
Weightlifting: Cabarrus Events Center
Wrestling: Brayboy Gymnasium (Biddleville, Charlotte)
Of course, this is just one of my pipe dreams. :)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Potential Carolina World Cup venues
Soccer by Ives has a list of fifty-eight potential US World Cup venues (down from seventy), three are located in the Carolinas: Charlotte, Clemson and Columbia.
While I admit none of them are likely to host matches, Charlotte does have a chance and it's nice to see Clemson and Columbia showing an interest. South Carolina is frozen out from hosting NCAA events due to the whole flag row, and doesn't have an NFL team so the Super Bowl is highly unlikely meaning this could be their only chance for major sporting exposure.
However, FIFA's regulations require certain things that Williams-Brice Stadium and Memorial Stadium don't live up to at the moment and it would require significant work to bring them up to snuff.
With that said, I'm disappointed that the USSF didn't contact Chapel Hill or Raleigh.
While I admit none of them are likely to host matches, Charlotte does have a chance and it's nice to see Clemson and Columbia showing an interest. South Carolina is frozen out from hosting NCAA events due to the whole flag row, and doesn't have an NFL team so the Super Bowl is highly unlikely meaning this could be their only chance for major sporting exposure.
However, FIFA's regulations require certain things that Williams-Brice Stadium and Memorial Stadium don't live up to at the moment and it would require significant work to bring them up to snuff.
With that said, I'm disappointed that the USSF didn't contact Chapel Hill or Raleigh.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Tyler Stasko
...is a murdering little snot.
Last week 20-year-old Tyler and a 49-year-old woman named Carlene Carol Atkinson (what a mature adult she is) decided it would be a peachy idea to engage in a bit of the old street racing on NC 49. You know, that thing young men with high powered cars unsure of their own masculinity do to make themselves feel more manly (and I say this as an insanely androgynous human being), or in the case of Atkinson, simply because she's an incredible shithead.
Oh, and they killed somebody. Three people in fact. 45-year-old Cindy Furr, a professor at Winthrop, Cindy's 2-year-old daughter (TWO!) McAllister (or "Mackie") who were traveling along the public road in their own car, and a 13-year-old passenger in Stasko's car named Hunter.
Three incredibly senseless deaths. Three incredibly unfortunate deaths. Mackie and Hunter were young children yet to reach the primes of thier lives, indeed Mackie was barely of walking age, and Cindy Furr was a long time educator helping to better the lives of young people everyday. And now they're gone. And for what?
I never understood the appeal of street racing, never. And it becomes even more mind-boggling when you consider we live in fucking Charlotte. We have no shortage of racing facilities for these idiots (in fact, North Carolina has a race track in every county, including Mecklenburg!). Yet they insist, they have to show the world how cool they are. It's not cool, it's stupid. Sadly, being stupid isn't a crime. You know what basketball and soccer wash outs do? They play in parks. You are not Jeff Gordon, if you were any good at it you'd be in NASCAR or F1. Stop.
No, being 20 isn't an excuse. He knew better. 20-year-olds are not children, they're grown adults. You can sign up for military service at 17, and by 16 most functional human beings have an idea of how the world operates.
Murder is the correct charge. A car, a two-ton piece of steel, is a deadly weapon when placed in the hands of an idiot. It's like shooting for birds in a Harris Teeter parking lot and then claiming you didn't understand the risk when you kill somebody. Like firearms, cars must be used responsibly.
He should be tried for looking like a douchebag anyway. What a prince *rolls eyes*.
Last week 20-year-old Tyler and a 49-year-old woman named Carlene Carol Atkinson (what a mature adult she is) decided it would be a peachy idea to engage in a bit of the old street racing on NC 49. You know, that thing young men with high powered cars unsure of their own masculinity do to make themselves feel more manly (and I say this as an insanely androgynous human being), or in the case of Atkinson, simply because she's an incredible shithead.
Oh, and they killed somebody. Three people in fact. 45-year-old Cindy Furr, a professor at Winthrop, Cindy's 2-year-old daughter (TWO!) McAllister (or "Mackie") who were traveling along the public road in their own car, and a 13-year-old passenger in Stasko's car named Hunter.
Three incredibly senseless deaths. Three incredibly unfortunate deaths. Mackie and Hunter were young children yet to reach the primes of thier lives, indeed Mackie was barely of walking age, and Cindy Furr was a long time educator helping to better the lives of young people everyday. And now they're gone. And for what?
I never understood the appeal of street racing, never. And it becomes even more mind-boggling when you consider we live in fucking Charlotte. We have no shortage of racing facilities for these idiots (in fact, North Carolina has a race track in every county, including Mecklenburg!). Yet they insist, they have to show the world how cool they are. It's not cool, it's stupid. Sadly, being stupid isn't a crime. You know what basketball and soccer wash outs do? They play in parks. You are not Jeff Gordon, if you were any good at it you'd be in NASCAR or F1. Stop.
No, being 20 isn't an excuse. He knew better. 20-year-olds are not children, they're grown adults. You can sign up for military service at 17, and by 16 most functional human beings have an idea of how the world operates.
Murder is the correct charge. A car, a two-ton piece of steel, is a deadly weapon when placed in the hands of an idiot. It's like shooting for birds in a Harris Teeter parking lot and then claiming you didn't understand the risk when you kill somebody. Like firearms, cars must be used responsibly.
He should be tried for looking like a douchebag anyway. What a prince *rolls eyes*.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Time Warner wants to kick you in the face.
Thankfully, I don't use them. They lost me ages ago, but that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to hate them and their habit of kicking people when they're down.
Recently Time Warner announced it's plan to introduce a "tiered" pricing system for it's broadband users, meaning the company is going to raise it's customer's prices again. This is something Time Warner customers are more than used to, the company does it regularly (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ect.) and obviously has no plans to stop. Unfortunately for some people in Charlotte-proper Time Warner is the only pay-TV option they have (they can't get a clear shot at a satellite). Though for internet many opt for AT&T (frm. BellSouth) which provides a better, but by no means ideal, option. AT&T is also looking into a new pricing system, which would further screw the general public.
This news comes on the heels of a Charlotte Observer report which referred to Metrolina's jobless rates as "sobering". 11% of Mecklenburger's are out of work and Mecklenburg is the healthiest county in the region. It is today, at a time when more and more Charlotteans need the internet for work, that Time Warner chooses to kick them. This also comes nearly immediately after a spat between Time Warner and local television station WSOC over a fee WSOC charged Time Warner to carry the channel and is sister WAXN. Of course Time Warner trotted out their old stand-by "In doing this WSOC wants to force us to charge our customers more for our service". Of course, Time Warner lied (*shock horror*) and WSOC wasn't asking "five times more" than other local stations. Eventually the two sides reached a deal.
Of course some people will say "you've pointed out TV prices, not internet prices", and you'd be right, but it makes no difference, it's still an example of Time Warner using it's power to screw it's customers to make up for their disastrously misguided investments. In fact, the average family can expect to spend $200 (two zeros) per month on Time Warner's internet service under their new plan. $200 in a region crippled by job loss and pay cuts.
There are obviously alternatives. For those who can get them Dish Network isn't a badly priced option for television and the picture is quite good. AT&T (unless they go down this road) for the internet. Sadly Time Warner is treated very well by Charlotte, but you can stop that by sending your dollars elsewhere.
You can also contact the following people and voice displeasure with Time Warner's nice treatment from a city it spits on:
Pat McCrory (Charlotte Mayor)
Bev Perdue (North Carolina Governor)
Anthony Foxx (Charlotte City Council and candidate for Mayor)
John Lassiter (Charlotte City Council and candidate for Mayor)
Kay Hagan (US Senate)
Richard Burr (US Senate)
Mel Watt (US Congress)
Larry Kissel (US Congress)
Sue Myrick (US Congress)
Susan Burgess (Charlotte City Council and Mayor Pro Tempore)
Patsy Kinsey (Charlotte City Council)
Edwin Peacock (Charlotte City Council)
James Mitchell, Jr. (Charlotte City Council)
Warren Turner (Charlotte City Council)
Michael Barnes (Charlotte City Council)
Nancy Carter (Charlotte City Council)
Andy Dulin (Charlotte City Council)
Warren Cooksey (Charlotte City Council)
Jennifer Roberts (Chairperson, Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Harold Cogdell, Jr. (Vice-Chairperson, Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Vilma Leake (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Dan Murrey (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Karen Bentley (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
George Dunlap (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Dumont Clarke (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Bill James (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners) *cough*
Neil Cooksey (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Recently Time Warner announced it's plan to introduce a "tiered" pricing system for it's broadband users, meaning the company is going to raise it's customer's prices again. This is something Time Warner customers are more than used to, the company does it regularly (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ect.) and obviously has no plans to stop. Unfortunately for some people in Charlotte-proper Time Warner is the only pay-TV option they have (they can't get a clear shot at a satellite). Though for internet many opt for AT&T (frm. BellSouth) which provides a better, but by no means ideal, option. AT&T is also looking into a new pricing system, which would further screw the general public.
This news comes on the heels of a Charlotte Observer report which referred to Metrolina's jobless rates as "sobering". 11% of Mecklenburger's are out of work and Mecklenburg is the healthiest county in the region. It is today, at a time when more and more Charlotteans need the internet for work, that Time Warner chooses to kick them. This also comes nearly immediately after a spat between Time Warner and local television station WSOC over a fee WSOC charged Time Warner to carry the channel and is sister WAXN. Of course Time Warner trotted out their old stand-by "In doing this WSOC wants to force us to charge our customers more for our service". Of course, Time Warner lied (*shock horror*) and WSOC wasn't asking "five times more" than other local stations. Eventually the two sides reached a deal.
Of course some people will say "you've pointed out TV prices, not internet prices", and you'd be right, but it makes no difference, it's still an example of Time Warner using it's power to screw it's customers to make up for their disastrously misguided investments. In fact, the average family can expect to spend $200 (two zeros) per month on Time Warner's internet service under their new plan. $200 in a region crippled by job loss and pay cuts.
There are obviously alternatives. For those who can get them Dish Network isn't a badly priced option for television and the picture is quite good. AT&T (unless they go down this road) for the internet. Sadly Time Warner is treated very well by Charlotte, but you can stop that by sending your dollars elsewhere.
You can also contact the following people and voice displeasure with Time Warner's nice treatment from a city it spits on:
Pat McCrory (Charlotte Mayor)
Bev Perdue (North Carolina Governor)
Anthony Foxx (Charlotte City Council and candidate for Mayor)
John Lassiter (Charlotte City Council and candidate for Mayor)
Kay Hagan (US Senate)
Richard Burr (US Senate)
Mel Watt (US Congress)
Larry Kissel (US Congress)
Sue Myrick (US Congress)
Susan Burgess (Charlotte City Council and Mayor Pro Tempore)
Patsy Kinsey (Charlotte City Council)
Edwin Peacock (Charlotte City Council)
James Mitchell, Jr. (Charlotte City Council)
Warren Turner (Charlotte City Council)
Michael Barnes (Charlotte City Council)
Nancy Carter (Charlotte City Council)
Andy Dulin (Charlotte City Council)
Warren Cooksey (Charlotte City Council)
Jennifer Roberts (Chairperson, Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Harold Cogdell, Jr. (Vice-Chairperson, Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Vilma Leake (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Dan Murrey (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Karen Bentley (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
George Dunlap (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Dumont Clarke (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Bill James (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners) *cough*
Neil Cooksey (Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners)
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Fuck off, Bruton.
Seriously, go fuck yourself.
I realize how much Bruton Smith and his race track have done for the economy of Cabarrus County. I also realize how much Cabarrus, and indeed Mecklenburg, have bent over backwards to please Bruton and his ego.
I wasn't against his drag strip earlier this year, he has every right to build on land he owns. Afterall, the people in that subdivision did by land near a fucking speedway (three of them actually if you count the dirt track and auxilary oval). What I was against was Bruton asking a country reeling from the loss of it's largest employer, PhillipMorris, for an $80 million incentive package or he would close his speedway, Cabarrus' second largest employer, and move his business elsewhere. The county and the city of Concord buckled to his demands, they had no choice. They offered his business $80 million over 40-years.
That wasn't good enough. Not only has Bruton built his drag strip, but before it's grand opening Bruton has announced that he wants that $80 million over three years, not 40, and if he doesn't get it he's going to start charging interest.
As people in North Carolina know, Concord borders Charlotte. Charlotte is a success story, and Charlotte's wild success is due in large part to the tireless dedication of the Belk family. Indeed, John Belk was once Mayor of Charlotte. The Belk's have donated large sums of money and time to various organizations in Charlotte. No fewer than five stadiums in the metro bare the name of Irwin Belk, a testiment to his passion for the community.
When all the Belk's pass on, Charlotte will mourn their loss with tears, and look back on them with incredible pride. When Bruton dies, Concord will breathe a sigh of relief.
I realize how much Bruton Smith and his race track have done for the economy of Cabarrus County. I also realize how much Cabarrus, and indeed Mecklenburg, have bent over backwards to please Bruton and his ego.
I wasn't against his drag strip earlier this year, he has every right to build on land he owns. Afterall, the people in that subdivision did by land near a fucking speedway (three of them actually if you count the dirt track and auxilary oval). What I was against was Bruton asking a country reeling from the loss of it's largest employer, PhillipMorris, for an $80 million incentive package or he would close his speedway, Cabarrus' second largest employer, and move his business elsewhere. The county and the city of Concord buckled to his demands, they had no choice. They offered his business $80 million over 40-years.
That wasn't good enough. Not only has Bruton built his drag strip, but before it's grand opening Bruton has announced that he wants that $80 million over three years, not 40, and if he doesn't get it he's going to start charging interest.
As people in North Carolina know, Concord borders Charlotte. Charlotte is a success story, and Charlotte's wild success is due in large part to the tireless dedication of the Belk family. Indeed, John Belk was once Mayor of Charlotte. The Belk's have donated large sums of money and time to various organizations in Charlotte. No fewer than five stadiums in the metro bare the name of Irwin Belk, a testiment to his passion for the community.
When all the Belk's pass on, Charlotte will mourn their loss with tears, and look back on them with incredible pride. When Bruton dies, Concord will breathe a sigh of relief.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Christian: The Lion At World's End
I know it's a rather old video, but it's still a very powerful story, even the brief clip managed to get to me. It made my day :)
Things like that are why I'm an environmentalist. God didn't create, or ever approve of, money. Kind of like the Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip song.
On a somewhat related note, Today is Endangered Species Day. There will be a lot of events, like in North Carolina there will be an event at the botanical gardens in Chapel Hill and a boating event in Asheville. Nothing in the Charlotte metro though. :(
I'm glad California overturned it's gay marriage ban. I'm not gay, but everyone deserves a chance at happiness and it's not threatening to "the American family" to have two men or two women who love each other get married. I understand how some people can be repulsed by it. Not to mention God twice in the same post, but he wouldn't create something he hates.
Oh, and for the 6 people who read this (I'm big in Huddersfield, apparently), do this please. It's for a good cause no matter what you sign up for, I switched my cause from the environment to Invisible Children because A) Jane supports it, B) I want to help children in Darfur.
Oh well, bye-bye for now.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Gas Prices in Charlotte
Lowest 15 (avg. price $3.51):
1 BP
0 Shell
0 Exxon
14 Others
Highest 15 (avg. price $3.64):
5 BP
5 Shell
3 Exxon
2 Others
I'm just saying.
1 BP
0 Shell
0 Exxon
14 Others
Highest 15 (avg. price $3.64):
5 BP
5 Shell
3 Exxon
2 Others
I'm just saying.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Limping around, and a lot of people hate me
I hurt my knee last week, I'm still limping. It's just red now, it was blue with speckles of dried blood in it until Tuesday, that was weird. The worst part is that it's over the bone rather than a muscle so there was nothing to absorb the impact. But oh well, that's life I guess and complaining won't make it any better.
It's also kind of funny how many people automatically hate me. Heightism maybe? That'd explain the random people who hate me in person but not the ones who hate me online, heh. It's as much an obsession as love though.
I don't know why I feel they need to write about it, but Jerry Reese...Charlotte cannot support a Major League Baseball team. We don't even support our NFL team unless they're winning. Get over it and stop blocking the Knights from getting a stadium. People want the stadium because they can take the entire family out to a game and not have to mortgage the house in the process. No, the International League doesn't have the glamor of the Major Leagues, no one ever claimed it did, but it's a better deal for Charlotte in the long run.
It's also kind of funny how many people automatically hate me. Heightism maybe? That'd explain the random people who hate me in person but not the ones who hate me online, heh. It's as much an obsession as love though.
I don't know why I feel they need to write about it, but Jerry Reese...Charlotte cannot support a Major League Baseball team. We don't even support our NFL team unless they're winning. Get over it and stop blocking the Knights from getting a stadium. People want the stadium because they can take the entire family out to a game and not have to mortgage the house in the process. No, the International League doesn't have the glamor of the Major Leagues, no one ever claimed it did, but it's a better deal for Charlotte in the long run.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Feeling a little better
I'm still cold, but I'm always cold, comes with the territory of being thin I guess. I don't feel like I need to throw up anymore, the abdomen pains have died down and I'm not "spaghetti legged" anymore (well, not in the figurative sense anyway).
I went with my dad to Shuffletown, Charlotte (yea, I'm a massive map geek) yesterday and took some pictures (ok, he took them) of the dragstrip which is on the docket for redevelopment into either football & soccer fields or starter homes. It was closed awhile ago because neighbors complained about the noise, even though it existed before their houses did. It's a bit like moving across from a bar and being surprised when drunks stumble around outside. Anyway, I may upload the pictures to flickr later if I have a notion to.
Piratedninja (also in Charlotte) said we're getting a lunar eclipse tonight, I'll take a picture if I'm in/not completely lazy.
I now have a JTV channel ("Bobby, Interrupted", aren't I clever?!) which I won't use while I live her as privacy is at a premium.
I watched Jane's lifecast today, big shock I'm sure. She just never ceases to amaze me. She's so smart, so beautiful, so kind...heh, I'm doing it again. Janey, you're perfect, deal with it :P In honor of you I shall tag the hell out of this post.
Anyway, I'm going to see Vantage Point tonight since my dad got preview tickets. I'm not really a huge movie fan, but it's free, and they'll call me a recluse if I stay in. So, I'm going
I went with my dad to Shuffletown, Charlotte (yea, I'm a massive map geek) yesterday and took some pictures (ok, he took them) of the dragstrip which is on the docket for redevelopment into either football & soccer fields or starter homes. It was closed awhile ago because neighbors complained about the noise, even though it existed before their houses did. It's a bit like moving across from a bar and being surprised when drunks stumble around outside. Anyway, I may upload the pictures to flickr later if I have a notion to.
Piratedninja (also in Charlotte) said we're getting a lunar eclipse tonight, I'll take a picture if I'm in/not completely lazy.
I now have a JTV channel ("Bobby, Interrupted", aren't I clever?!) which I won't use while I live her as privacy is at a premium.
I watched Jane's lifecast today, big shock I'm sure. She just never ceases to amaze me. She's so smart, so beautiful, so kind...heh, I'm doing it again. Janey, you're perfect, deal with it :P In honor of you I shall tag the hell out of this post.
Anyway, I'm going to see Vantage Point tonight since my dad got preview tickets. I'm not really a huge movie fan, but it's free, and they'll call me a recluse if I stay in. So, I'm going
Sunday, February 10, 2008
More pictures of crap around Charlotte, and stuff about other stuff
I took more pictures of (quasi) abandoned stuff today. I don't really understand my attraction to abandonment. Maybe because I myself feel somewhat abandoned even though people do care about me, which makes it a really odd way to feel. That stadium in Winterfield is in really bad shape, I actually had no idea it existed until today. Surely it doesn't belong to the neighboring elementary school? Eastland Mall really needs no introduction, it should be torn down and redeveloped. I remember when you couldn't find a parking spot there on a friday night or weekend, now it's more empty asphalt than mall.
Everyone seems to be getting sick, which means when midweek or the weekend rolls around I'll be sick. I'm always the last one to be sick. My precious Janey (ok, she's not MINE, only in my wildest dreams, I just have to settle for being the e-Mr. Jane) is still sick. Hopefully she'll be better soon, I hate it when she's sick because she doesn't deserve it and I can't do anything about it, though I wish I could tend to her, so it makes me feel as if my hands are bound. I actually admire how tough she is, I get floored by the littlest stuff yet she keeps going through some things that would hospitalize my weak self. Jane, I bow to thee.
Everyone seems to be getting sick, which means when midweek or the weekend rolls around I'll be sick. I'm always the last one to be sick. My precious Janey (ok, she's not MINE, only in my wildest dreams, I just have to settle for being the e-Mr. Jane) is still sick. Hopefully she'll be better soon, I hate it when she's sick because she doesn't deserve it and I can't do anything about it, though I wish I could tend to her, so it makes me feel as if my hands are bound. I actually admire how tough she is, I get floored by the littlest stuff yet she keeps going through some things that would hospitalize my weak self. Jane, I bow to thee.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
McDonald's Iced Coffee isn't good
A lot of people say it's good, but I didn't really like it. I'll be the first to admit, I don't have the most educated palette in the world, but I do know when something isn't very good, and that wasn't very good.
I went to western Mecklenburg, and then to Gaston County today. It's still somewhat undeveloped landscape really does stand in stark contrast to South Charlotte's recent boom and East Charlotte's urban decay. I'm sure that'll change soon, for better or worse I'm not sure. It is good to have some open land.
Jane is sick though, and that makes me sad. If you couldn't tell, that gorgeous, incredible, talented woman is rather important to me, so I hope she gets better. I made her a card, it wasn't much but hopefully it makes her crack a smile.
I went to western Mecklenburg, and then to Gaston County today. It's still somewhat undeveloped landscape really does stand in stark contrast to South Charlotte's recent boom and East Charlotte's urban decay. I'm sure that'll change soon, for better or worse I'm not sure. It is good to have some open land.
Jane is sick though, and that makes me sad. If you couldn't tell, that gorgeous, incredible, talented woman is rather important to me, so I hope she gets better. I made her a card, it wasn't much but hopefully it makes her crack a smile.
Friday, February 8, 2008
I'm bored
I'm bored and I don't want to fill up the car to go somewhere. I calculated that in 2000 it would have cost $16.92 to fill the tank, and today it costs $55.62, more than 3 times higher. Obscene. I know, in Europe it costs more but at least that money goes to infrastructure improvment, Charlotte has roads that feel like you're driving on a bombing range (yes, Monroe Road between Rama Road and East Meck High School, I mean you).
I was bored last night too and decided to watch a movie, I watched Ocean's Eleven at Jane's suggestion and really enjoyed it. I also confused her by posting about it on twitter and due to a bug in the system you don't see all your friend's twitter messages so she just thought I was randomly complimenting her again, which, admittedly, I'm prone to doing.
I'll find something to do I guess, there's only so many abandoned buildings in Charlotte I can photograph. (Sidenote: I'm too tall to get in that parking deck without ducking really far.)
I was bored last night too and decided to watch a movie, I watched Ocean's Eleven at Jane's suggestion and really enjoyed it. I also confused her by posting about it on twitter and due to a bug in the system you don't see all your friend's twitter messages so she just thought I was randomly complimenting her again, which, admittedly, I'm prone to doing.
I'll find something to do I guess, there's only so many abandoned buildings in Charlotte I can photograph. (Sidenote: I'm too tall to get in that parking deck without ducking really far.)
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