It's official: 2007 has come to a close. And the end of 2007 marks the time when folks think back and try to figure out what the hell happened last year. But look, don't strain your brain cells trying to remember the best and worst crap that went down during the last 365 days -- we did it for you! Not only that but we also ranked last year's most significant moments, too.
So check it out: over the next few pages you'll find a compilation of our favorite lists of 2007 writen by our fleet of top-notch reporters. And elsewhere in this issue, you'll see tons of other year-end lists:
• Arts -- Best books, comics of 2007
• Fallout -- Top 10 news stories of 2007
• Flicks -- Last year's best DVDs
• Vibes -- The top 10 albums of 2007
• And Food & Drink -- A look forward at next year's big food trends
Read, enjoy and then tell us we're idiots. Happy New Year!
'CORRIDORS OF CRAP'
You have to admit, Mayor Pat McCrory's description of decades-old lousy zoning decisions and ill-thought commercial development -- "corridors of crap" -- has a certain ring to it. It's also a lot more honest and real than the jargon of developers and urban planners. When was the last time you said, "Hey, let's go to the live-work-shop-play center?"
But he could take a lesson from this gem of sloganeering from the Urban Land Institute's report to the city, in which they envision Eastland Mall reborn as the Ballantyne of Central Avenue: "When the mall falters, the question that needs to be asked is not 'How can we save the mall' but 'How can we use this opportunity to create a higher-value, more sustainable real estate development that helps build a more livable community?'" It just rolls off the tongue.
In the spirit of the proposed rename of Piedmont Courts to Siegel Point, here are a few names (the planners say the "Eastland Mall" moniker has got to go) for the redeveloped mixed-use live-work-shop-play space:
1. Ballantyne East
2. Park and Battery
3. Transit Pointe
4. Central Crest
5. The Shoppes at Doggleboon
— Karen Shugart
WHAT KILLS US
What kills people in Mecklenburg County?
The following list was compiled by the Mecklenburg County Health Department,
which tracks the top 10 things that kill us and
how that stacks up to the rest of the nation.
Cancer -- Meck: 1, N.C.: 2, USA: 2
Heart Disease -- Meck: 2, N.C.: 1, USA: 1
Stroke: Meck -- 3, N.C.: 3, USA: 3
Alzheimer's -- Meck: 4, N.C.: 7, USA: 7
Accidents -- Meck: 5, N.C.: 4, USA: 5
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary -- Meck: 6, N.C.: 5, USA: 4
Kidney Disease -- Meck: 7, N.C.: 9, USA: 9
Diabetes -- Meck: 8, N.C.: 6, USA: 6
HIV/AIDS -- Meck: 9, N.C.: *, USA: *
Septicemia -- Meck: 10, N.C.: 10, USA: 10
* not in Top Ten for N.C. or USA
— Tara Servatius
A MESSAGE TO SUDAN
In August, North Carolina legislators unanimously approved a bill ordering the state's pension fund to divest from Sudan. The bill put North Carolina with 19 other states that have pledged to sell investments in companies linked to the Sudanese government or to groups that support bloodshed in the country's Darfur region. Here's a few facts about the bill and the conflict that spawned it:
• N.C. Treasurer Richard Moore in November said the state's retirement fund had divested from nine companies that provide money or military support to Sudan's government.
• The approved bill requires Moore's office to continue to examine state holdings for offending businesses.
• As many as 400,000 people have been killed in Darfur and 2 million more displaced since 2003, according to the United Nations.
• In 2004, then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell was the first high-ranking federal official to label the killings "genocide."
• Five companies (ABB, CHC Helicopter, ABB, Rolls Royce, Schlumberger and Siemens) have either ceased operations in Sudan or significantly changed their behavior in the country since the start of the divestment movement.
Sources: Save Darfur, Sudan Divestment Task Force, N.C. Department of State Treasurer
— Shugart
HEALTH NUTS?
Charlotte isn't the healthiest place on earth. But if these statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are any indicator, we don't quite deserve the biscuits-and-gravy, clogged-artery reputation so frequently associated with the American South.
81.7 percent of adults in the Charlotte region have health insurance.
U.S. Median: 85.9
23.2 percent of adults in Charlotte region reported no leisure-time physical activity in past month.
U.S. Median: Same
23.9 percent of Charlotte-area adults exercised vigorously for at least 20 minutes three times a week.
U.S. Median: 28.0
21.3 percent of Charlotte-area adults smoked 100-plus cigarettes and currently smoke.
U.S. Median: 20.6
12.2 percent of Charlotte-area adults reported binge drinking (having five or more drinks at least once in the past month).
U.S. Median: 14.1
59.8 percent of Charlotte-area adults are overweight.
U.S. Median: 61.5
— Shugart
EXTREME MERCENARY MAKEOVER
Private security firm Blackwater retained a top
public relations firm to prepare for Congressional
testimony, the Associated Press reported last year. It's
gotta be a tough job, spinning the guns-for-hire company's
alleged misdeeds into gold. And one thing any PR
campaign needs is a good slogan. Think any of these
might work?
1.) At least we're pro-Second Amendment, you crybabies.
2.) Blackwater: We make Lt. Calley look good.
3.) Would you prefer the draft?
4.) Our employees make more money than Lynndie England ever did.
5.) We kill for money, not hate.
6.) After your mission's accomplished, hire us.
7.) Shoot first. Avoid questions later.
8.) Compared to us, the LAPD is a bunch of pussies.
9.) Live free or die. We decide.
10.) Hey, we pay more for homicides than O.J.
— Shugart
STAYING BABY-FREE OR RISKING HEART DISEASE?
A recent study by Belgian researchers found that women who take birth control pills are more likely to develop heart disease.
More that 12 million women worldwide take the pill. Now they may be at risk.
As if that isn't bad enough, the side effects of many popular birth control pills are enough to make you want to buy a chastity belt to prevent pregnancy.
• Yaz, the pill that controls the effects of PMS, can cause blood clots, heart attacks or stroke
• Loestrin 24, the pill that gives women three-day periods, can cause vaginal discomfort, unwanted body hair and dark patches on the skin.
• OrthoTricyclen-Lo, the pill that has lower hormones than other birth control pills, can cause women to become raging maniacs, cause headaches and place them at risk of having a precancerous condition called cervical dysplasia.
At least with a chastity belt, the biggest concern is losing the key and finding a locksmith that won't try to cop a feel when he pops that sucker open.
Sources: Yaz.com, WebMD.com, U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control
— Cheris Hodges
HORSE SENSE
Wild horses found friends in Congress on April 26, when the U.S. House of Representatives voted 277-137 to reinstate protections aimed at keeping wild free-roaming horses and burros from being sold, slaughtered and served to restaurant patrons overseas.
Some folks say the ban unduly limits federal authority to manage the herds. And it's bad for bidness, of course. The animal lover in me says nonsense -- and luckily, most of North Carolina's delegation, whether conservative or liberal, agreed. Except for representatives Howard Coble, Patrick McHenry and Robin Hayes.
With that in mind, here's a look at some, um, not-yet-proposed legislation these horse opponents might support:
1. Legalized Kitten Juggling. Steve Martin's pleas in The Jerk be damned; watching those kittens flail about is just too entertaining.
2. A Repeal of Mother's Day. Who needs to call mom anyway?
3. The Act Prohibiting the Opening of Presents on Christmas Eve. Gifts divert attention from the real reason for the season anyway: Fighting the War on Christmas™.
4. No Cooing at Cute Puppies. They're sloppy and they don't work for a living. They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.
5. Unconditional Support for Pre-emptive Wars. Oh, wait ...
— Shugart
LITTLE WOOF
It's a mistake many apartment dwellers make. They decide they simply must have dog, and they go out and buy a Golden Retriever or a Siberian Husky. Without a yard or lots (and lots) of exercise, many breeds then turn their homes and their lives upside down. Here are a few ideas of dogs that work best in apartments, from small to medium.
• Italian Greyhound -- The toy version of this dog weighs about 10 pounds. While they enjoy a burst of speed a few times a day, they're not generally hyper dogs.
• Dachshund -- This breed and the toy version are social, medium energy dogs when young and lower energy after two or three years. They need little space, but still enjoy walks to explore.
• Corgi -- This dog averages 25 pounds, is intelligent and needs a moderate amount of daily exercise, but nothing as strenuous as a job. They're affectionate and like to keep you company.
• English or French Bulldog -- As long as there are no long flights of stairs to climb, he'll be a snoozey cuddler who will enjoy keeping you company.
• Basset Hound -- Some Bassets have a tendency to bark or howl, but if you can find a well-mannered one, they make very loving pets.
—Servatius
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the second most common cancer afflicting women in America (besides skin cancer).
• The National Cancer Institute estimates on Breast Cancer in the United States in 2007:
New cases: 178,480 (female); 2,030 (male)
Deaths: 40,460 (female); 450 (male)
• According to the N.C. Carolina Central Cancer Registry in 2007, a projected 6,155 women in North Carolina will be diagnosed with breast cancer; 475 of those women will be from Mecklenburg County.
• Research has shown that several factors may increase the risk of developing breast cancer, including family history, age, genetics, and obesity. By making healthy lifestyle choices and exercising regularly, individuals can help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. In addition to this, detecting cancer during the early stages largely increases chances of survival. Women are urged to give self breast exams as well as undergo regular mammograms in the hopes of decreasing the deaths caused by breast cancer.
— Sheryl Heine
YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY
It's easy to forget how recent women's presence in just about every profession in the workforce really is. In 1908, the vast majority of Charlotte women who "kept house" still worked in the textile industry or in a laundry. A relatively tiny professional class of women worked in teaching or nursing. But a few defied the odds. Below is a list of women's occupations according to the 1908 Charlotte City Directory.
Artist (4)
Assistant City Editor of Newspaper (1)
Bookkeeper (12)
Cigar Maker (1)
College Professor (28)
Dean of College (1)
Dry Clean Owner (1)
Huckster (1)
Insurance Agent (2)
Lady Principal (4)
Nun (Mother Superior) (1)
Nurse (39)
Photographer (1)
Poetess (1)
Physician (1)
Publisher (1)
Runs a Boarding House (17)
School Teacher (84)
Seamstress/Trimmer (57)
Sales Clerk (63)
Stenographer (78)
Tooth Extractor (1)
Source: The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County
— Servatius
CHILD SUPPORT REPORT
More parents are getting the child support owed them, the U.S. Census Bureau reported recently.
• The proportion of custodial parents who received the full amount of owed child support increased from 37 percent in 1993 to 47 percent in 2005.
• Child support collections totaled $25 billion. The average amount of child support received in 2005 ($3,600) was 64 percent of the average amount due ($5,600).
• The proportion of custodial parents and their children living in poverty declined from 33 percent in 1993 to 23 percent in 2001.
• In the spring of 2006, an estimated 13.6 million parents had custody of 21.2 million children younger than 21 while the other parent lived elsewhere. The number of custodial parents has remained statistically unchanged since 1994.
• The age of custodial mothers has increased. In 2006, 38 percent of custodial mothers were 40 or older, compared with 25 percent in 1994.
• Thirty-nine percent of custodial mothers weren't awarded child support in 2005, compared to 40 percent of their 1994 peers.
• Sixty-four percent of custodial fathers weren't awarded child support in 2005, compared to 58 percent of their 1994 peers.
• In 2006, five of every six custodial parents were women.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
— Shugart
WORKIN'
"The older you are, the freer you are, as long as you last." -- Studs Terkel at age 95.
With apologies to Mr. Terkel, it looks like his observation may be as nostalgic as his books.
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more of us are working as we trudge toward death: "Nationally, nearly one in four people between the ages of 65 and 74 (23.2 percent) were in the labor force (either working or looking for work) in 2006, an increase from 19.6 percent in 2000." Yech. So much for Americans enjoying their increased longevity.
The number was even higher in the Charlotte area, where 24.4 percent of folks ages 65 to 74 were in the labor force in 2006.
• It seems few of us can escape the clutches of "The Man," except [often unwillingly] the poor. Only about half the people below the poverty level are working or looking for work. Only 38.6 percent of people below the poverty level were employed.
• But in Charlotte, even fewer of the poor escape. Which may be, uh, why fewer are poor here than in many comparably sized cities.
About 55.3 percent of people below the poverty level were working or looking for work here. And 43.4 percent of poor folks had jobs.
— Shugart
WHAT WE MAKE
When it comes to what we make, Mecklenburg County couldn't be more diverse. This is how the 320,229 households in Mecklenburg are doing when it comes to hauling home the cash.
• Less than $10,000: 22,281
• $10,000 to $14,999: 14,439
• $15,000 to $24,999: 37,605
• $25,000 to $34,999: 36,674
• $35,000 to $49,999: 48,423
• $50,000 to $74,999: 58,165
• $75,000 to $99,999: 33,531
• $100,000 to $149,999: 40,958
• $150,000 to $199,999: 13,831
• $200,000 or more: 14,322
• Median Household income: $50,215
• Median Per Capita Income: $29,555
• Families below poverty level: 8.8 percent
• Individuals below poverty level: 11.3 percent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
— Shugart
SINGLE-SOMETHINGS
U.S. Census Bureau data not only plays a role in congressional redistricting and whatnot, but it also provides the average citizen with a handy way to measure oneself against the masses.
This year, the chronicling agency of American habits released its annual roundup of America's living arrangements. Here's a selection, but if you go to www.census.gov you can get more information, including marital status by age, sex, personal earnings, race and Hispanic origin.
Percentage of people never married:
Ages 20-24: 81.1
25-29: 50.3
30-34: 28.7
35-39: 19.9
• Among males:
Ages 20-24: 86.7
25-29: 57.4
30-34: 33.4
35-39: 23.3
• Among females:
Ages 20-24: 75.3
25-29: 43.1
30-34: 24.0
35-39: 16.7
— Shugart
BUSH BLUNDERS
Any president's State of the Union address goes through multiple drafts to convey a careful, and hopefully eloquent, message. After such a carefully scripted event, Creative Loafing thought it appropriate to revisit a few of President Bush's remarks made without the benefit of speechwriters.
"Scott, sometimes you're the commander-in-chief. Sometimes you're the educator-in-chief, and a lot of times, you're both when it comes to war." -- Jan. 14, 2007, in response to the query, how can you escalate the war when so many people in this country seem to be against it?
"Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to families who die." -- speaking with reporters about the war Dec. 7, 2006
"And truth of the matter is, a lot of reports in Washington are never read by anybody. To show you how important this one is, I read it, and our guest read it." -- appearing with British Prime Minister Tony Blair Dec. 7, 2006
Sources: CBS News, Slate.com, and About.com
— Shugart
CIRCUS RUCKUS
The Humane Society of the United States wants people to avoid circuses that use wild animals in their performances -- such as the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, according to a press release. Their suit, filed six years ago with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Animal Welfare Institute, and The Fund for Animals, alleges cruelty that violates the U.S. Endangered Species Act:
• Abusive training methods
• Animal confinement
• Abusive discipline
• Separation of baby elephants from their mothers
Ringling Bros. doesn't buy the complaints. "Ringling Bros. is committed to providing to each of our animals the highest standards of care in all respects as demonstrated by the level of resources and time that we devote to their proper handling, training and veterinary care," a company official wrote in a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
— Shugart
CHARLOTTE AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY
What might a typical phone book have looked like at the turn of the century in Charlotte? Here's an idea. For more on Charlotte between 1900 and 1910, check out www.cmstory.org.
Car dealerships; 3
Carriage and wagon dealers: 5
Saloons: 15
Fire insurance companies: 65
Insurance agents: 54
Secret and benevolent societies: 41
Newspapers: 13
Drugstores: 20
Lawyers: 30
Telephone and telegraph companies: 5
Restaurants: 14
Shoemakers: 27
Hotels: 8
Urban manufacturers: 115
Dressmakers: 36
Tailors: 11
Real estate agents: 19
Butchers: 27
Barbers: 29
Policemen: 23
Firemen: 29
Source: The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County
— Servatius
