Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Nov. 25, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
• Revisit: A Group Exhibition at Lark & Key Gallery and Boutique
• Crowntown Showdown at The Evening Muse
• Catawba Indian Cultural Series at Reedy Creek Nature Center
• Annual Turkey of the Year Glass Night at Flying Saucer
• Yankee Tavern at Actor's Theatre of Charlotte
A few years ago, I was invited to a Thanksgiving meal with friends who included two new arrivals from South Africa. As we passed the mashed potatoes and drooled on the buttered rolls, the South African woman stopped everyone and asked, "So, this holiday is all about eating and being thankful. That's it?"
We laughed. Sure, there's a little more to it than that -- history, family, parades and football -- but, yes, the essence of the holiday is about eating and being thankful.
That's when I shared one of my favorite Thanksgiving Day traditions: The Thankful List.
It's probably not a new tradition for many of you, but for those -- like me -- from families where tradition falls a flat who are looking to create some of your own, this one is easy, free, accessible to all ages and a great way to warm your heart on Thanksgiving.
The thankful list can be as long or short as you'd like it to be, as deep or as shallow. It can be written and stored for posterity or noted only in your mind. You can share it, or not. There are no rules, just a reminder to stop for a moment each year to acknowledge the good stuff going down in your world.
So, what are you thankful for?
I'm not the only one who writes thankful lists:
Don't forget: Renew, reuse, reduce, rethink, recycle. We've only got one livable planet -- so far; be kind to her.
Unfortunately the coal ash at Charlotte's two unlined, high-hazard coal ash ponds -- located on Mountain Island Lake just upstream from where Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities sucks our drinking water out of the lake -- isn't recyclable. But, the good news is some of the coal ash from newer, more efficient coal-fired plants is re-purpose-able.
Since last December, when a Tennessee Valley Authority dike broke spilling an estimated billion gallons of coal sludge over 300 acres, the nation became aware of coal ash ponds in their own communities, including two in Charlotte’s backyard.However, for academics and industry professionals, finding new uses for the toxic material is nothing new.
In fact coal ash is an ingredient used at some concrete production facilities, and has been for years. Brett Tempest is writing his thesis about ways to reuse coal ash as a Ph.D candidate at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
“I like the idea that you can make good new things from waste,” he said.
But variances in coal and the varied ways coal waste is processed at the 600-plus coal-fired power plants in the United States makes it difficult for the concrete industry to establish specific standards, which means it’s not being used as much as it could be.
“It’s not a very uniform waste,” said Tempest, “but it’s uniform compared to a scoop from a landfill.”
Read the rest of this Mountain Island Weekly article here.
While coal ash in concrete is relatively safe, not all products that include coal ash may be:
One, two, three, four ... what are we fighting for?
Bill Moyers, who was at the side of President Lyndon Johnson at the time when disastrous decisions were being made to escalate the U.S. presence in the quagmire that was Vietnam, used his experience to speak Friday night to President Barack Obama about what could be an equally disastrous decision to escalate the U.S. presence in the quagmire that is Afghanistan."Our country wonders this weekend what is on President Obama's mind," Moyers began, at the opening of a remarkable hour of television. "He is apparently, about to bring months of deliberation to a close and answer General Stanley McChrystal's request for more troops in Afghanistan. When he finally announces how many, why, and at what cost, he will most likely have defined his presidency, for the consequences will be far-reaching and unpredictable. As I read and listen and wait with all of you for answers, I have been thinking about the mind of another president, Lyndon B. Johnson."
Watch this episode of PBS' Bill Moyers Journal here.
Here's Moyers talking about the accountability of war a few weeks ago:
In case you didn’t hear it on NPR yesterday, WFAE-FM contributed a good story by Julie Rose on Rep. Sue Myrick and her campaign against what the congresswoman sees as a widespread radical Muslim conspiracy within the United States. It’s a fair look at Myrick’s concern (we’d call it delusional obsession, but that’s another issue), and also includes responses from Charlotte areas Muslims. You can hear the story here.
People in the United States are generally pretty mad — make that mad as hell — at those in charge of running things. That applies across the board, from right-wing Tea Partiers angry at the government and corporate bailouts, to progressives seething over corporate criminality and Obama’s failure so far to grow a pair. That widespread anger is a simple, undeniable fact that you would think corporate bigwigs, and politicians in particular, since they’re more vulnerable to public opinion, would be aware, and wary, of. As far as local government officials are concerned, however, public opinion either doesn’t mean squat, or they’re oblivious to it.
Yes, I’m talking again about bonuses for government bigwigs. First, County Manager Harry “See No Evil” Jones gets a $38K bonus on the heels of cutting county jobs and denying the rest of his serfs raises; the DSS scandals he utterly mismanaged; and deservedly bad publicity surrounding Jones’ attempt to silence a critic by forwarding the man’s e-mail to his corporate boss. Then, City Council got in on the act, giving City Manager Curt Walton a $16K bonus during a tough year when city employees aren’t getting raises or merit-based bonuses. And now, ta-daa, in their coup de grace, Council last night voted to give City Attorney Mac McCarley a $15K bonus. Public anger over Walton’s raise had some effect on Council, but McCarley’s bonus still passed, 7-5 (the vote for Walton’s bonus was 10-2)
My question is this: How can citizens make it any plainer that they’re fed up with bigshots walking away with everything (and that includes finance industry honchos/crooks and local public “servants”) while the "little guy" suffers? What’s it going to take? Pitchforks and torches? Townhall-style screaming matches? Come on, Council and Commissioners — all of you, Democrats and Republicans — GET A CLUE! Otherwise, I’m willing to bet whatever you’d like that most of you will be gone come the next election.
Crossroads Charlotte is highlighting community members working to improve the Q.C.'s social capital.
Here are links to the first two in the series:
Alan Kaufman moved to Charlotte in 1978 because he was “so impressed by the city and the potential for growth here.” As his vision of a growing city became a reality, he helped it along.When history was made in Charlotte, it’s likely that Sarah Stevenson, 84, was there. A local resident since 1941, Stevenson became passionate about civil rights for all as a parent of students attending public school.
Now, ask yourself -- what have you done for Charlotte lately?
Does America lack a sense of community?
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day - Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flanery
Fantastic Mr. Fox - Animated; voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep
Gentlemen Broncos - Michael Angarano, Jennifer Coolidge
Ninja Assassin - Rain, Naomie Harris
Old Dogs - Robin Williams, John Travolta
Couldn't resist sharing this uplifting video with you, Clog readers. Produced for the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce's 2009 Annual Meeting, it began making the rounds on Twitter last week.
I noticed it the day after being lectured by a Charlotte newcomer on the city's shortcomings. After that conversation, I was down and wondering how many other people feel the same. (No, I won't name the complainer.) You see, any effort made to defend the city is taken by that person as more ammunition for negative spin. They said they're tired of people working to convince them Charlotte's Got a Lot.
Now, in fairness, when I first moved to Charlotte, from Atlanta, about four years ago it took me a long time to warm up to the the area, too. The sprawl is vast, the traffic can be horrific, the people I met were nice but not inclusive, CMS is powerful birth control, I missed Little Five Points, MARTA (that city's mass transit system) and my friends. In fact, almost as soon as I moved here I began making plans to move again. Charlotte just wasn't what I thought it would, and could, be. All the same, I decided to pause for a little while and at least give the city a chance.
In these few short years I've noticed a huge shift in Charlotte's attitude and atmosphere. Now, instead of looking for another city to land I've started looking around. What I've found are large groups of people working hard to affect positive change -- who are inclusive. And, I've gotten involved too. I've also stopped focusing on the negative and started seeking out people and organizations who do care, who are trying to shape the city's future.
No, the Q.C.'s not perfect but it is evolving. And, frankly, it's easy to bitch and shut your eyes to potential. What's much more interesting is rolling up your sleeves, getting involved and making a difference.
With that, what do you see for Charlotte?
Credits: A vision for Charlotte created for Charlotte Remixed, the 2009 Charlotte Chamber Annual Meeting. Words by John W. Love Jr. Music by Fred Story. Production by Tribble Creative Group and the Charlotte Chamber Annual Meeting Committee. (See full credit roll at the end of the video.)
Here's another inspiring Charlotte video from the Chamber:
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Nov. 24, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.
• Red Hot Turkey Bash at Wachovia Atrium
• Comedian James Sibley at Lake Norman Comedy Zone in Galway Hooker
• Little Dragon at Milestone
• Hawthorne Heights at Tremont Music Hall
• Game Theory exhibition at Dialect Gallery