The Seventh Sense

What I Did For Love

An anonymous patron who recently saw the production of Sordid Lives that I am a part of:

I just want to tell you how much we enjoyed the play.
 
I learned recently that my hours at work are being cut and am losing my health insurance (at almost 62 years old) & have been in bummed mode lately. I bought the tickets thinking that I may get a laugh or 2, especially after having enjoyed "Plaid Tidings" so, so much.
 
Well, I just want you to know how much we enjoyed "Sordid Lives," and how much it brought my head up. It was the best $25 bucks I ever spent. The whole cast was terrific. Gray Smith is a joy. He made me laugh, he made me cry. The play just lifted my spirits. Thank you all so much for helping me to feel better.
 
By the way, I'm the woman who danced with that very gorgeous young woman at intermission.
 
Can't wait for for "The Great American Trailer Park Musical."
 
Thank you, thank you!!!

Tonight is the last night of our four(!) weeks of performing this show.  We're all a little tired, but we're all ready to move on....

We're No. 25!

Allstate released its Fifth Annual ''Allstate America's Best Drivers Report(TM)" which ranks which cities in the country have the safest drivers.

The safest is Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  The least safe is Washington, DC.

Winston-Salem ranked a remarkable 25th.

Well, not that remarkable when you think about it.  The people here drive at an average speed of 30 mph.

Mysterious Creatures Living In Raleigh Sewers

This unmanned camera was sent into the Raleigh sewer system the other day and revealed these... uh.... things that nobody can identify:

Actually, the mystery has been solved, although it still remains creepy.

NC Senate Passes Film Incentives

Good news:

The movie industry got a step closer to better tax treatment in North Carolina as the state Senate on Wednesday approved a bill on a party line vote 27-17 to increase tax credits for qualifying expenses to 25 percent. It still has to be approved by the House before it is implemented, though.

Sweetening the incentive pot for the motion picture companies came to the forefront in recent weeks after the state lost out to Georgia for the production of “The Last Song,” which is based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.

North Carolina’s present incentive of 15 percent has not kept up with the escalation other states have offered. Georgia’s package of incentives includes a 30 percent credit, and that has helped that state attract numerous productions that otherwise may have landed in North Carolina. North Carolina and Georgia were the finalists to produce “The Last Song,” but it went to the Peach State after the revenue officials here ruled that certain expenses would not qualify.

Opponents of the bill tried one final time to amend the bill and place a hard cap on the total amount of tax credit the state could offer in a year. That amendment also failed on a party line vote.

Sen. Julia Boseman, D-New Hanover, called the amendment bad policy because movie companies wouldn’t consider North Carolina if they were about to bump up against a tax credit cap.

“Movie companies wouldn’t come here if they knew they couldn’t get the tax credit,” Boseman said. “The movie industry can have a positive impact on the state because of the type of jobs it brings to the state.”

Sen. David Hoyle, D-Gaston, spoke in favor of the bill and explained how small businesses have benefited from being hired by production companies.

“In my area, there are a lot of commercials produced and when the production companies come here and contract with small businesses, those dollars are spent locally,” Hoyle said. “They’re hiring carpenters, electricians. Those jobs are easier to hire locally. It means a lot.”

How the tax credit fits into the final state budget picture remains unclear. It could be taken up as a separate issue by the House or it could just be rolled into the final state budget bill. By passing the Senate, it definitely is in play as the House and Senate budget negotiators begin their talks to finalize the new budget.

People I'm Missing This Week

David Sedaris:

America

NC Anti-Bullying Statute Debate [UPDATE: Passes!]

I'm listening to the feed from the NC House as they debate the School Violence Prevention Act (the so-called anti-bullying bill) -- full text here -- and some moron is up there saying that the problem with the bill is that it is centered around the victims, rather than the bullies.  According to this idiot, anyone can be victims, so rather than having a bill that singles out "special protections" for "certain" victims (he means gay kids), he thinks the bill should focus on the bullies.

It's a stupid argument on its face.  First of all, we all went to high school, and no, some kids weren't picked on.  Not everyone was a victim.  Secondly, the bill, as written, doesn't create "special protections" for gay kids -- it applies to anyone who is bulliled on account of "race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, developmental, or sensory disability, or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics".

Now another idiot is getting up there and trying to stop the bill by complaining that it doesn't protect kids whose "sexual orientation" includes pedophilia and S&M.  That's called being a "concern troll" -- he's not actually trying to keep pedophiles and sado-masochists; he just is trying to kill the bill.  Those things are not sexual orientation, and even if they are, the bill covers ALL "sexual orientation" without limitation.

Now another concern troll is up there, complaining that the bill only requires that schools set policies and procedures to deal with bullying, but it doesn't actually punish the bully. Uh, what?  If you set up the procedure to deal with the bully, then you ARE dealing with the bully.  And now he's trying to add a corporal punishment amendment so that teachers can beat up bullies.  Now he's backtracking and saying that corporal amendment can only be allowed in constituancies that allow corporal punishment.

Well, they sure are right about laws and sausage-making.

UPDATE:  If I heard correctly, the bill passed the House by one vote!  All amendments failed.  Senate has already passed, so now the bill goes to the governor.

NC GOP Leader Says Same-Sex Parents Are More Dangerous Than Second Hand Smoke

Nice, huh?  But that's what House Minority Leader Paul "Skip" Stam (R-Wake) said.

What's more, he said that in open public debate, in front of an audience which included the children of a lesbian congresswoman.

Even more surprising, his comments were made in the course of debating the School Violence Prevention Act (Senate Bill 526).  Now, the impetus behind that bill comes primarily from the homosexual community, since it is gay kids that tend to get beaten up and bullied in school nowadays.  But the "bully ban" doesn't apply just to gay-bashers -- it applies to any student or school employee who "bullies" or harasses another student on the basis of that student's race, national origin, sexual preference, gender, etc.

Hard to fathom why anyone would be opposed to it.

But that's the NC GOP for you...

Perdue Adminsitration Blows It

When a movie is shot in North Carolina, it brings in a lot of money, which we need.

The new Miley Cyrus movie (she's a big thing, I'm told) was set to shoot in Wilmington, and it would have brought in an estimated $17.5 million in movie-related revenue, and provided 500 jobs.  In fact...

Wilmington was the preferred location for the shoot, and state leaders, after almost three months of negotiations, came within five minutes of making it official.

But the deal fell apart over a $125,000 disagreement with the state's tax collectors.  Full story here.

 

You Would Think All I Own Is A Blue Shirt And Jeans...

but it's just a costume....

Big Media Me

Interview/promo on Fox 8 went well this morning, I thought.  I'll try to have a viideo (or link) up soon.  I'm not sure if Fox 8 will put up the clip.  Their website seems obsessed with the strawberry pie segment of the Morning Show which immediately preceded us.

North Carolina Rep: Matthew Shepard Incident Was a "Hoax"

You will recall that Matthew Shepard was the young gay man in Laramie, Wyoming who, a decade ago, was tied to a fence, Jesus-like, pistol whipped in the head some 50 times, then left for dead in the cold fall night, only to be found a day later clinging to life. Shepard died five days later.

Here is what this state's Republican representative, Virginia Foxx, had to say about Shepard's horrific murder:

If you didn't vote for this bill -- against this bill and against this rule for anything else, you could vote against it because we are spending additional money. I also would like to point out that there was a bill -- the hate crimes bill that's called the Matthew Shepard bill is named afte a very unfortunate incident that happened where a young man was killed, but we know that that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. it wasn't because he was gay. this -- the bill was named for him, hate crimes bill was named for him, but it's really a hoax that that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills.

Now read what really happened:

During the trial, Chastity Pasley and Kristen Price (the pair's then-girlfriends) testified under oath that Henderson and McKinney both plotted beforehand to rob a gay man. McKinney and Henderson then went to the Fireside Lounge and selected Shepard as their target. McKinney alleged that Shepard asked them for a ride home. After befriending him, they took him to a remote area of Laramie where they robbed him, beat him severely (media reports often contained the graphic account of the pistol whipping and his smashed skull), and tied him to a fence with a rope from McKinney's truck. Shepard begged for his life. Both girlfriends also testified that neither McKinney nor Henderson was under the influence of drugs at the time. The beating was so severe that the only areas on Shepard's face that were not covered in blood were those where his tears had washed the blood stains away.

This is why Virginia Foxx was Olbermann's "Worst Person in the World".  And here's the "Hardball" takedown:

UPDATE:  Foxx released a statement today, backtracking from her earlier statement (sort of), attributing it as "a poor choice of words":

"It has come to my attention that some people have been led to believe that I think the terrible crimes that led to Matthew Shepard's death in 1998 were a hoax," she said. "The term "hoax" was a poor choice of words used in the discussion of the hate crimes bill. Mr. Shepard's death was nothing less than a tragedy and those responsible for his death certainly deserved the punishment they received.

"The larger context of my remarks is important. I was referring to a 2004 ABC 20/20 report on Mr. Shepard's death. The 20/20 report questioned the motivation of those responsible for Mr. Shepard's death. Referencing this media account may have been a mistake, but if so it was a mistake based on what I believed were reliable accounts."

So she apologizes for the use of the word "hoax", but (apparently) stands by her belief that the death of Matthew Shepard was not gay-hatred motivated.

As for the "2004 ABC 20/20 report"?  Well, that was a report where three people claimed that the killing of Matt Shepard was not out of gay hatred.  Those three people were: (1)  James McKinney (one of Shepard's killers); (2) Russell Henderson (the other killer); and (3) Kristen Price (McKinney's girlfriend). 

Kristen Price is an interesting witness.  At the trail, Kristen Price had a different story: she testified under oath that the boys intended to rob a gay man.  And then there was Price's first interview with 20/20 in 1998, in which she said (of McKinney and Henderson's attack): "They just wanted to beat him bad enough to teach him a lesson, not to come on to straight people, and don’t be aggressive about it anymore."

So what are the "reliable accounts" that Foxx believes?  The two killers (model citizens, them) and the girlfriend who changes stories all the time.

Nuff said.

P.S.  When Foxx said those remarks on the House floor, Matthew Shepard's mother was sitting in the gallery (PDF).

Nice.

D'OH!!!!!:  I am corrected in the comments that Ginny Foxx is in the House, not the Senate!!!

Conservative Talking Point: "We Have The Best Health Care System In The World"

Hmmm.  Well, it looks like North Carolina didn't get the memo.  What are the waiting times to get medical treatment here?

Just six months ago, the [Greensboro] clinic delivered same-day care to most callers, the gold standard from a health perspective. But in October the delays crept to four days, then 19 in November and 25 in December. In January, HealthServe temporarily stopped accepting new patients, and almost immediately 380 people put their names on a waiting list for when the crunch eases.

In North Carolina, more than any other state, the recession has triggered a burgeoning medical crisis. A steep rise in unemployment has fueled a commensurate increase in the number of people who do not have health insurance, including many middle-income families.

In the past two years, North Carolina's number of uninsured has climbed 22.5 percent, the biggest jump in the nation, according to an analysis by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine, a quasi-state agency. Nationwide, about 22 percent of adults do not have health insurance. Here in North Carolina, 25 percent of adults -- or 1.8 million people -- have no coverage. An additional 9 percent are underinsured.

Read the whole thing.

 

Eye Of The Beholder

A short film made for the 2007 Greensboro 48 Hour Film Festival starring some friends of mine (Heather, Karen, etc.).  The film was written, shot, and edited in 48 hours.

Eye of the Beholder from Dan A. R. Kelly on Vimeo.

It won Audience Favorite and first runner up.

The Natives Are NOT Happy

Readers comments at the local Winston-Salem newspaper:

• I too am a devoted Wake fan but was so embarrassed last night. In fact, I need to go pull my 'Proud to be a Deacon' sign from my yard!! and maybe burn it? These kids are very talented and started their season GREAT. But lack of an outside shooter and bad coaching didn't sustain them. What a shame. But let's keep rolling and supportive. And don't count out our football team! Football hasn't even started yet! Sure, we lost a lot of key defensive players but there are more that will step up hopefully. See you in the stands! GO DEACS!
• I'll admit - it got to a point I couldn't watch the game. All I could do was check back periodically to check the score - and that game was a heartbreak, and our guys just didn't look like they wanted it as bad. But could you all possibly crucify Gaudio any worse??? Yeah, he's a good guy - he's also a good coach. Nothing beats the "Monday morning quarterbacking" that's been a constant against Dino and our players since our 16-game win streak came to an end. Besides, how many of you were considered for the job before Dino was chosen to take Skip's place??
• Dino desperately trying to get the team to listen with 1 minute left said it all. That was a sad scene and it looked like a first year rec league guy trying to pull the Bad News Bears together. After zero game plan adherence against Maryland, they decided to "free-style" again. Dino's a really nice guy, but he can't handle these kids. Skip used to bring in Mike Drum and sit Strickland to deal with discipline. That didn't work either, but Dino just doesn't enforce ANYTHING. The sad fact is that we haven't actually played with discipline since Odom left. I've had the same take all year in my comments around the web, but I actually thought our talent could carry us a bit. The ironic thing is that these teams this decade are the antithesis of the University. Wake is a grind and demands utter discipline from every student; our basketball teams lately make a mockery of that reputation. I am a seriously devoted Wake fan, but I finally have to admit that I don't like this team.
• Just a complete embarrassment tonight for Wake fans and the ACC. The turnover saga continued as it appears a lack of coaching that should have made the statement that Aminu and Johnson are NOT dribbling guards!!!. I'm married to a UNC grad which always delivers to me more hope of a winning team. But hey, we even beat them in the early season. WHAT HAPPENED?
• This is what happens when a group of good players with coaching play a group of great players without coaching. Dino seems like a good guy who is in over his head. VCU has a fine young head coach who gets everyting possible out of his players and would be a great fit. His teams have never been an embarassment like last night. Time to turn the page.

Triad Jobless Rate

December 2008:  8.5%

January 2009: 10.4%

Not Octomom, But Still....

A Kernersville couple, Patricia and Matt Asbury, just gave birth to quads...

Shovel-Ready Projects In Winston-Salem

The total cost of all the projects submitted by Winston-Salem  in the 2008 U.S. Conference of Mayors report is $618,050,000.  This does not mean these projects will get done with North Carolina's federal stimulus gift.  That's up to Bev Perdue.

Description	City	State	Jobs	Cost	Program Type	Vote Ratio
Union Cross Road widening	Winston-Salem	NC	160	$60,000,000	Streets/Roads	-70
Salem Creek connector and Research Parkway	Winston-Salem	NC	80	$16,000,000	Streets/Roads	-28
Peace Haven and US 421 interchange improvements	Winston-Salem	NC	75	$15,000,000	Streets/Roads	28
Resurfacing of streets	Winston-Salem	NC	60	$14,000,000	Streets/Roads	6
Peters Creek Parkway Interchange Replacement at Business 40	Winston-Salem	NC	70	$12,000,000	Streets/Roads	-14
Roadway projects supplemented by local bonds	Winston-Salem	NC	120	$12,000,000	Streets/Roads	-15
University Parkway widening	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$11,000,000	Streets/Roads	-35
US 52 ramp and Vargrave Street Reconfiguration	Winston-Salem	NC	10	$8,000,000	Streets/Roads	-21
Traffic signal sytem upgrades	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$6,000,000	Streets/Roads	19
Sidewalk construction	Winston-Salem	NC	80	$6,000,000	Streets/Roads	-11
Clemmonsville Road extension	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$5,000,000	Streets/Roads	8
Brookstown Phase II, $7,000,000 could create up to 500 jobs at build out	Winston-Salem	NC	100	$5,000,000	Streets/Roads	-22
Kernersville Road super-street at Sedge Garden Road	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$3,000,000	Streets/Roads	-11
Bridge Replacement projects	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$2,000,000	Streets/Roads	35
Greenway construction (Transportation)	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$1,000,000	Streets/Roads	-8
Two Way of 3rd, 4th, and 5th Streets	Winston-Salem	NC	30	$800,000	Streets/Roads	-23
Old Salem Sidewalks Repair, Streetlight Upgrades and Tree Replacement Project	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$750,000	Streets/Roads	-11
Intersection Traffic Safety Projects	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$600,000	Streets/Roads	10
Martin Luther King Jr Drive traffic calming and pedestrian safety	Winston-Salem	NC	10	$500,000	Streets/Roads	-38
Elledge Waste Water Plant system rehabilitation and land buffer enhancements	Winston-Salem	NC	150	$51,000,000	Water	19
Chitty High Service Pumping Station - Standby Power	Winston-Salem	NC	160	$51,000,000	Water	16
Rebuld of Thomas Water Treatment Plant	Winston-Salem	NC	125	$25,000,000	Water	19
Water Supply reservoir dam rehabilitation	Winston-Salem	NC	125	$25,000,000	Water	20
Neilson Water Treatment Plant	Winston-Salem	NC	100	$15,000,000	Water	18
PTRP stormwater project	Winston-Salem	NC	150	$12,000,000	Water	6
New Elevated Water Tanks	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$6,800,000	Water	6
Neighborhood water/sewer rehabilitation	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$6,000,000	Water	12
Drainage Improvements on Private Property	Winston-Salem	NC	80	$5,500,000	Water	-14
Winston-Salem State University Campus Distribution System Improvements	Winston-Salem	NC	25	$4,600,000	Water	-23
Replcement of 2" water mains	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$4,000,000	Water	9
Water Tank Rehabilitation	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$3,700,000	Water	6
Construction and Maintenance Facilities Improvements	Winston-Salem	NC	25	$3,500,000	Water	-5
Muddy Creek Find and Fix Project	Winston-Salem	NC	15	$3,000,000	Water	7
Water and Sewer GIS/Work Order Management System	Winston-Salem	NC	10	$2,700,000	Water	9
Wastewater Collection Improvements	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$2,000,000	Water	4
Yadkin River Land Protection Buffer Purchase	Winston-Salem	NC	10	$1,000,000	Water	-6
Reentry job corp for water suply creek cleanups	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$400,000	Water	-1
PTRP: road, utility and other infrastructure, could create up to 20,000 new jobs at build out	Winston-Salem	NC	300	$26,200,000	CDBG	18
City Yard relocation and redevelopment	Winston-Salem	NC	80	$8,000,000	CDBG	-15
Goler (workforce/affordable housing)	Winston-Salem	NC	100	$8,000,000	CDBG	-26
Airport Business Park, could create up to 1200 jobs at build ou	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$5,000,000	CDBG	5
Sedge Garden Gymnasium	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$5,000,000	CDBG	-32
Playgrounds parks and recreation centers	Winston-Salem	NC	25	$4,500,000	CDBG	3
New C&D landfill construction	Winston-Salem	NC	10	$4,000,000	CDBG	-23
Civic Plaza Park	Winston-Salem	NC	30	$3,000,000	CDBG	-18
Storm drainage projects	Winston-Salem	NC	80	$3,000,000	CDBG	12
Storm water floodplain housing buy-out and open/park space creation	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$2,400,000	CDBG	-3
New industrial park, could create up to 2500 new jobs at build out	Winston-Salem	NC	200	$2,000,000	CDBG	0
Public infrastructure to support film and theater production	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$1,000,000	CDBG	-24
Greenways and trails (Parks access)	Winston-Salem	NC	30	$1,000,000	CDBG	1
Revitalizing Urban areas Redevelopment,	Winston-Salem	NC	100	$500,000	CDBG	-5
Swimming pool spray park conversions	Winston-Salem	NC	100	$500,000	CDBG	-38
Public Safety Center LEED based renovation	Winston-Salem	NC	250	$9,500,000	Energy	9
City Parking Deck Energy Efficient Lighting and other Upgrades	Winston-Salem	NC	150	$6,000,000	Energy	-9
Energy efficient lighting upgrades at and around City facilities	Winston-Salem	NC	80	$4,000,000	Energy	-7
Business 40 lighting replacement	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$3,000,000	Energy	7
Energy Efficent HVAC upgrades at Coliseum, Convention Center and Bowman Gray Stadium	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$3,000,000	Energy	-3
City building renovations for LEED	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$2,000,000	Energy	4
Johnson Square Apartments repair and renovation	Winston-Salem	NC	80	$3,600,000	Housing	-45
Law Enforcement Training Facilities-completion of up fit to training building and construction of in-door city-county firing range	Winston-Salem	NC	150	$40,000,000	Public Safety	-25
Firing range	Winston-Salem	NC	30	$12,000,000	Public Safety	-104
Emergency Operations Center	Winston-Salem	NC	100	$6,000,000	Public Safety	11
Defensive driving vehicle training facility	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$5,000,000	Public Safety	-33
Additional special puropse officers	Winston-Salem	NC	46	$4,600,000	Public Safety	-30
Fire Station 8 relocation	Winston-Salem	NC	25	$3,000,000	Public Safety	13
Construction of fire station 19	Winston-Salem	NC	25	$2,700,000	Public Safety	19
additional school resource officers	Winston-Salem	NC	25	$2,500,000	Public Safety	5
Fire Station 21	Winston-Salem	NC	25	$2,000,000	Public Safety	15
Fire Apparatus replacement	Winston-Salem	NC	0	$1,200,000	Public Safety	16
Additional patrol officers -expansion of police visibility and crime prevention efforts	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$1,200,000	Public Safety	18
Fire Station 22	Winston-Salem	NC	25	$1,000,000	Public Safety	18
Decentralized district substations	Winston-Salem	NC	30	$1,000,000	Public Safety	2
Fire Station renovations	Winston-Salem	NC	50	$1,000,000	Public Safety	20
Fire vehicle maintenance facility	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$700,000	Public Safety	17
Mobile command post (for police and fire)	Winston-Salem	NC	0	$500,000	Public Safety	-8
Tasers for law enforcement officers	Winston-Salem	NC	0	$500,000	Public Safety	-25
Reentry job corp for grafitti removal and city parks and public space maintenance	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$400,000	Public Safety	-8
Crime lab/forensics equipment	Winston-Salem	NC	0	$350,000	Public Safety	17
Youth gang prevention education materials	Winston-Salem	NC	0	$250,000	Public Safety	-24
Streetcar	Winston-Salem	NC	80	$14,000,000	Transit	-167
Fixed Route and Paratransit Buses	Winston-Salem	NC	20	$7,100,000	Transit	-21
Union Station/Davis Garage, could create up to 250 jobs at build out	Winston-Salem	NC	100	$5,000,000	Transit	12

[Source: Stimuluswatch.org]

2,116 North Carolina Sex Offenders Are On MySpace

CNN has the story:

More than 2,100 registered North Carolina sex offenders were found on the social networking site MySpace, the state attorney general's office said Tuesday.

In response to a subpoena from state Attorney General Roy Cooper, "MySpace turned over the names, IP and e-mail addresses of 2,116 convicted North Carolina sex offenders found on its social networking Web site," Cooper's office said in a written statement.

Cooper has requested similar information from Facebook, another popular social networking site, the statement said.

MySpace has told North Carolina authorities that the sex offenders it identified have been removed from the site.

***

North Carolina passed a law last year banning sex offenders within the state from social networking sites where children are members, making it a felony offense.

My first reaction is: OMG?  There are that many sex offenders in North Carolina?

I mean, 2,100 is a high number -- especially since it represents only those who are on MySpace.

But I went to the NC Sex Offender Registry, and found out that 27 registered sex offenders live within 5 miles of my house.

Very disconcerting....

Jumping Over The Moon

Could the rumors be true?  Is Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance going to mount a production of Rent this year?  The real version of Rent (not the "school edition")?

Stay tuned...

 

Winter Wonderland

Broad-based Sex Education Popular In North Carolina

From Public Policy Polling survey results released earlier this week, the question was asked:

A bill being considered in the Legislature would give parents the choice of having their children receive comprehensive sex education or abstinence only sex education. Would you support this proposal?

69% said "yes"; 31% said "no".

Even conservatives (58%) and Republicans (54%) supported the bill by a slight majority.  So did senior citizens (63%) and rural voters (69%).

Groups whose support exceeds 80% include liberals (88%), urban dwellers (86%), and African Americans (83%).

Full results here (PDF).

The Charlotte Ikea

Yeah, I'm excited.

What Will The Stimulus Bring To Forsyth County?

According to this fact sheet (PDF) put out by the White House, 7,800 jobs will be saved or created by the stimulus package in North Carolina's 12th District.  The 12th District covers most of Forsyth County, parts of Guilford County, and extends to Charlotte.

 

The 5th District (where I actually live, just west of Winston-Salem) will see 7,700 jobs saved or created.

 

North Carolina as a whole will see 105,000 jobs saved or created by the stimulus package over the next two years.

Well, that's the hope.....

Thrill Me

Good local theatre this weekend and next:

By Mary Martin Niepold

SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL

Published: February 8, 2009

Putting a murder to music may not be new, but it does curl the brain somehow. Sweeney Todd did it, and Oklahoma! to a lesser degree. Kurt Weill is famous on the subject.

Now, "The Murder of the Century" is the focus of the two-man musical from Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance, Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story.

For good ole, cold-blooded, calculated murder -- the brainchild of two very intelligent young men -- you can't ask for more than this particular, real-life crime, which happened in Chicago in 1924. It involved the murder of a young boy by Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold, who were longtime friends, privileged Jewish university students and, possibly, lovers.

The murder set the country on its ear and immortalized the eloquent, 12-hour indictment of the death penalty by the duo's defense attorney, Clarence Darrow.

Jamie Lawson, the artistic director of Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance, is moving the company beyond its reliable roster of edgy humor. Lawson said he's still not sure why he picked Thrill Me, but he knows that he likes it and serves as the show's director and one of its co-stars.

He hasn't acted for nine years. His last role as one of several cowboys in Crazy For You is hardly preparation for playing a cold-blooded murderer who sings.

In this show, he plays Leopold, the younger of the pair who didn't necessarily concoct the murder but needed so much to be loved that he went along with his friend, Loeb, who enjoyed Nietzchean "superman" fantasies. Together, they came up with "the perfect crime," and newspapers relished headlines about "thrill killers."

Needing love from a madman may not be new subject matter, but in this show it's all set to music. First performed at the Midtown International Theater Festival in New York in 2003, the musical by Stephen Dolginoff (book, musics and lyrics) went to a larger Off-Broadway venue in 2005 by the York Theatre Company.

Songs are simply titled: "Thrill Me," "Way Too Far" and "Keep Your Deal with Me."

Lawson says that directing a two-man musical is easy enough. Bryan Daniel plays Loeb, and Lawson describes directing as something like, "OK, Bryan, you sing that line. OK. Then you come to me."

The subject matter, however, keeps Lawson thinking.

"The murder was so shocking," he said. "Why would two wealthy, everything-going-for-them kids want to do something like this? What was the motivation?

"Anything you do today is captured on the Internet or by your neighbor.

"We're just fascinated with this stuff," he said. "It's an episode on CSI, for heaven's sake. It's a history lesson to music. It's CNN, 2009."

Leopold and Loeb's murder of a 14-year-old boy who lived in their same wealthy neighborhood entailed killing him, then pouring hydrochloric acid on the body. Afterward, they had dinner.

One of the intrigues of the material, Lawson said, is comparing what happened in 1924 to the bombardment of violent and titillating imagery and behaviors we live with every day today.

"I can't figure out if there was the same amount of this kind of behavior back then and we just didn't have YouTube to tell us about it. Or do we have more of it because we're bombarded with this flow of stimulus? From the moment I get up, there's this constant stream of information -- the computer, the TV, even the billboards are everywhere."

The show is told from the point of view of Lawson's character, Leopold. It's 1958, he's up for parole for the fifth time, and flashbacks take the audience to the planning of the murder -- and the twisted relationship between the two men.

What's revealed in the show is that they had signed a contract. "The contract was to fulfill one another's needs whatever they are," Lawson said.

Loeb was killed in prison, and Leopold was paroled after 33 years whereupon he moved to Puerto Rico.

Lawson is still thinking about his choice.

"I really don't know what compelled me to this show -- to picking it -- and to being in it. I don't usually play characters so deviant. I'm used to fluff, playing fluffy characters."

■ The Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance presents Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story at 8 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Feb. 19-21, and at 2 p.m. on Feb. 22. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for seniors and students. 1047 Northwest Blvd., Winston-Salem, N. C. Call 336-723-7777.

[Photo by Jeffrey Driver]

Weather Advisory

From 6 pm EST, Tue., Feb. 3, 2009 until 12 pm EST, Wed., Feb. 4, 2009

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN THIS EVENING AROUND THE TRIAD AREA AND SPREAD EASTWARD THROUGH THE TRIANGLE AREA... SMITHFIELD... AND THE ROCKY MOUNT-WILSON AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. THERE MAY BE A LULL IN THE SNOW FOR SEVERAL HOURS OVERNIGHT... THEN ADDITIONAL SNOW BANDS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE SURFACE LOW ARE EXPECTED TO CROSS THIS AREA EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE SNOW SHOULD TAPER OFF BY NOON WEDNESDAY. STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 1 TO 3 INCHES IS ANTICIPATED... AND LOCALLY HIGHER TOTALS ARE POSSIBLE.

IN ADDITION TO THE SNOW... BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS MAY DROP THE WIND CHILL INTO THE TEENS AT TIMES ON WEDNESDAY.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES... AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. PEOPLE ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD KEEP UP WITH THE VERY LATEST CONDITIONS AND FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

My family is, of course, laughing at the "accumulation of 1 to 3 inches" warning, as this is nothing to them.

Snow's Acomin'

Probably won't even accumulate, but it'll be enough to paralyze the Triad.

Winston-Salem: Center Of The Sexual Technorevolution?

First I read this:

Scientists are developing an electronic "sex chip" that can be implanted into the brain to stimulate pleasure.

The chip works by sending tiny shocks from implanted electrodes in the brain.

The technology has been used in the United States to treat Parkinson's disease.

But in recent months scientists have been focusing on the area of the brain just behind the eyes known as the orbitofrontal cortex - this is associated with feelings of pleasure derived from eating and sex.

A research survey conducted by Morten Kringelbach, senior fellow at Oxford University's department of psychiatry, found the orbitofrontal cortex could be a "new stimulation target" to help people suffering from anhedonia, an inability to experience pleasure from such activities. His findings are reported in the Nature Reviews Neuroscience journal.

Neurosurgery professor Tipu Aziz, said: "There is evidence that this chip will work. A few years ago a scientist implanted such a device into the brain of a woman with a low sex drive and turned her into a very sexually active woman. She didn't like the sudden change, so the wiring in her head was removed."

He added however that the current technology, which requires surgery to connect a wire from a heart pacemaker into the brain, can cause bleeding and is "intrusive and crude".

He continued: "When the technology is improved, we can use deep brain stimulation in many new areas. It will be more subtle, with more control over the power so you may be able to turn the chip on and off when needed.

"In 10 years' time the range of therapies available will be amazing – we don't know half the possibilities yet."

But the last paragraph catches my eye:

An electronic machine, named the Orgasmatron, taken from the 1973 Woody Allen film Sleeper, is already under development by a North Carolina doctor, who is modifying a spinal cord stimulator to produce pleasure in women.

North Carolina doctor, you say?

Tapa-tapa-tapa.  Google is my friend. 

I discover this article from 2003:

Some time after the snickers have subsided, when fewer people wink knowingly about the new meaning of "O! Winston-Salem," Dr. Stuart Meloy sees in his so-called "Orgasmatron" a promising future -- as a business.

Meloy's device, which he has already patented and is indeed trying to trademark under the name Orgasmatron, has the power to give women a sexual climax. It's Woody Allen's "Sleeper" come to life, only instead of a walk-in booth, a tiny spinal cord stimulator delivers the pleasure.

He thinks that just as women dig into their own savings to pay for face lifts and breast implants, they likewise would fork over the estimated $17,000 to have an Orgasmatron, not unlike a pacemaker in size and function, permanently embedded in their lower backs. A hand-held remote control turns the device on and off.

Then maybe 1,000 women would flock to his Winston-Salem clinic each year for such a procedure.

But that was five years ago.  And the "O! Winston-Salem" campaign failed gigantically.   Did the Orgasmatron meet the same fate?

Well, the 1,000 women per year thing apparently didn't happen.

And the NASF (neurally augmented sexual function) website -- http://www.nasfonline.com/ -- seems to be belly-up.

But our local hero hasn't given up -- apparently there's still some work to be done.  Volunteers anyone?

Googleplex-NC Cancelled?

Blame the economy.

North Carolina gave Google all kinds of money and tax incentives to expand its operations into the Tarheel State, in the hopes that it would provide jobs and spending.  But construction of a huge data center has been halted, and Google is now turning down the grant and incentives.

They may still come, but it could be a while.  Then again, this could be a sign that Google is going to reneg on everything NC hoped for.

Triad Gets "Dusting" Of Snow Not Unlike Frost; Goes Into Tizzy

Schools delayed.  Dogs and cats mating.  Rain of toads.  End of the world as we know it....

....at least until it all melts by 9:30 a.m.

REALLY Local Election Results

The $62 million bond package to help Forsyth Technical Community College expand and allow Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools to move its administrative offices and to build a new Career Center... passed.

Statewide, Democrats won offices of Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Auditor, Secretary of State, Treasurer and Commissioner of Public Instruction.

Cherrie Berry (R) stays on as Secretary of Labor, barely winning out over her Denocratic challenger.  She ran a brilliant campaign, with her name and picture on the inside of every elevator in the state.  Also, her name rhymes and makes for a good rock song.

Fun Facts And Demographics (North Carolina Edition)

UPDATE:  North Carolina finally called.... for Obama!

Based on exit polls:

• Men preferred McCain, 54 - 45 percent, while women preferred Obama, 55 - 45 percent.

• The youth turnout in North Carolina was 17%, and they were HUGE in the Obama category.  Obama got 73% of the youth vote (defined as 18-29 years old)

• Whites comprised 72% of the NC vote, and favored McCain over Obama 64-35%.

• Blacks comprised 22% of the NC vote, and favored Obama over McCain 97-3%. (Black women, who made up 13% of the vote went 100% for Obama).

Here's the age and race breakdown

 

                               Obama            McCain          Other

 

White 18-29 (9%)	57%	43%	N/A
White 30-44 (21%)	31%	69%	N/A
White 45-64 (28%)	34%	66%	N/A
White 65 and Older (14%)	28%	70%	2%
Black 18-29 (6%)	100%	0%	N/A
Black 30-44 (6%)	99%	1%	N/A
Black 45-64 (8%)	93%	7%	N/A
Black 65 and Older (3%)	N/A	N/A	N/A
Latino 18-29 (1%)	N/A	N/A	N/A
Latino 30-44 (0%)	N/A	N/A	N/A
Latino 45-64 (1%)	N/A	N/A	N/A
Latino 65 and Older (0%)	N/A	N/A	N/A
All Others (2%)	N/A	N/A	N/A

• 44% of NC voters considered themselves "moderate"; Of these moderates, Obama took 61% of their vote, compared to McCain's 38%
• Obama won 57% if people who identify themselves as "independent" (rather than "Democrat" or Republican")
• Obama also grabbed 24% of the white evangelical vote.  Cool.

Here's one of my favorites:

Obama did was favored by those with the least education (no high school degree, and high school degree but no college)

But among people with a college degree or "some college", McCain did better.

And the most educated people -- those with postgraduate degrees -- Obama did better.

It's one of those interesting bell curve deals, where Obama appealed to both the least and the most educated in North Carolina, while people in the middle went for McCain.

The same goes true for income.  Obama appealed more to NC voters making under $50,000, but he was also the favorite of those making over $200,000 by 55% to 45%.  Those in between favored McCain.

Some may wonder why those who made over $200,000, who would probably see tax increases under Obama, would favor Obama.  One can only guess -- maybe they understand (or learned from the recent fiscal crisis) that if the bottom rungs of society suffer, we all eventually do.  In any event, it's not inconsistent with national exit polls, which showed that most people who believed their taxes would go up under Obama stil voted for him anyway.

Backfire

First Read:  NORTH CAROLINA: Some said fresh polling in North Carolina suggested that incumbent GOP Elizabeth Dole had fallen further behind since airing an ad that tried to tie Democratic rival Kay Hagan to atheists."

******

Hagan's response ad, by then way, is masterful.  Especially the "bearing false witness" part.  With one phrase, she rebuts the criticism that she's an atheist, and she uses the Bible to do it.

Votes In The Bank: NC

Research 2000 poll of early voters in North Carolina.  It looks good:

President

McCain (R) 40 
Obama (D) 52

Senate

Dole (R) 40 
Hagan (D) 58

Governor

Purdue (D) 55 
McCrory (R)  37 

North Carolina Votes

There are lots of reasons to vote.  One of them is to cancel out some of the morons who DO vote for all the bad reasons.

Right?

Winston-Salem Journal Endorses.... McCain

All the other major NC papers -- from Charlotte to Raleigh to Asheville to Greensboro to Fayetteville, and more -- have already made their endorsements.  All of them went for Obama.

Yesterday, the Winston-Salem Journal finally made its endorsement (after saying it was going to sit this election out).  It went for McCain.

It's one of the saddest mealy-mouthed endorsements I've ever read.  The article praises Obama effusively.  One of my collegaues told me that he stopped reading the piece a few paragraphs in, having assumed that he was reading an Obama endorsement.

The article goes on to lament McCain's campaign. 

But it eventually endorses McCain, because it believes (based on.....?) that after the election, the "real John McCain" will emerge and do good for the country and not be like Bush at all and be able to work with Democrats yada yada yada.

Shorter Winston-Salem Journal endorsement: "We endorse McCain because he's a Republican and we don't endorse Democrats."

Some selected readers' comments (most of which hate the endorsement).  Many of them note that WSJ, being owned by a company in Richmond, doesn't reflect the views of the immediate community.  There may be some truth to that -- Winston-Salem voted against Bush in 2000 and 2004, but the paper endorsed Bush both times.

What angers many of these readers is not the McCain endorsement per se, but the flawed rationale behind it.

My husband and I just canceled our subscription to the Winston-Salem Journal due to the paper's endorsement of John McCain for President. Your endorsement runs counter to your own logic. You proclaim that McCain's campaign has not been as strong as Obama's but then say that the "real McCain" will re-emerge once he is elected president. Don't you think we saw the real McCain in the last year? The bumbling, erratic politician who will go against his own principles to say or do anything to be elected? The nomination of Sarah Palin didn't convince you that his decisions were not to be trusted? Any newspaper that sees the truth, but then twists it to present a flawed argument to its readers is not a newspaper I want to read every day.

***

How sad, and how very disappointing that the Journal editorial page--which at times in the past has been a clear voice for reasoned progress--now has revealed itself to be completely ideological and unfettered by reality in issuing this very wrong-headed endorsement.

***

I am truly proud to live in the city of Winston Salem, NC. It is really wonderful to be a part of such a diverse and inclusive city. I am equally disappointed in this endorsement by the WSJ. Obviously, you did not consider the population which you represent when you endorse such a pathetic campaign, which is a reflection of the person at the top of the ticket. Today will be the last day that I patronize the WSJ.

***

After being assured that the Winston Salem Journal would not endorse either presidential candidate imagine my surprise to read in this morning's paper that you gave a lukewarm endorsement to Senator McCain. The rationale was confusing.... you believe that the McCain we are seeing in the campaign is not the real McCain but if he becomes president he will morph back into the smiling, laughing nice guy he has always been? Have I got it right?...

BTW, I may cancel my subscription. The Journal is owned by an out of state person and managed in Richmond. I want to support those journalists and employees who need their jobs and the businesses that advertise in the paper, but I am so dismayed by this endorsement and the flimsy rationale for making it that I don't know if I can continue to support you.

***

The Journal is asking readers to take them seriously when the entire endorsement is based not upon facts, but upon wishful thinking.

Dole's Second Attack Ad On Hagan

Dole unconvincingly asserts she is not attacking Hagan's faith, but then she attacks Hagan again for, uh, not being bigoted against atheists.  Or something.

This second ad is only slightly less disgusting than the first.

The ad purports to just be "giving the facts", but this ad, like the other one, actually skews the fact:

WHAT THE RECORD SHOWS

On Sept. 15, Hagan attended a fundraiser in Boston hosted by author Wendy Kaminer and her husband, Woody Kaplan.

Both are leaders of the Secular Coalition of America, which advocates for atheists and humanists in public policy. Kaplan also sits on the advisory board of the Godless Americans political action committee, which advocates for nonbelievers.

Kaplan was listed as one of 10 chairs of the Hagan fundraiser, along with Sen. John Kerry, former U.S. ambassador to Austria Swanee Hunt and several other Boston-area businesspeople. Another 25 people were listed as hosts.

The fundraiser was advertised on the Democratic Web site ActBlue in August. After Dole criticized Hagan over the fundraiser in late August, Kaminer and Kaplan's names were removed from the invitation on ActBlue.

The Godless Americans PAC Web site says that it supports candidates who are atheists and supports the separation of religion and government, including a “Godless pledge.”

The news clips are of other members of the Godless Americans PAC on MSNBC's “Scarborough Country” in 2004 and 2005 and Fox News' “The O'Reilly Factor” in 2004. The unidentified woman's voice at the end is Johnson's from a Washington rally in 2002.

IS THE AD ACCURATE?

It is true that Hagan attended the fundraiser in question, but the ad is misleading in several ways. The fundraiser was not a secret. The people shown in the news clips were not involved with the fundraiser. And some viewers might be led to believe that the unidentified female voice at the end of the ad is Hagan's.

I have one question for Liddy Dole:  Are you accepting campaign donations from atheists?

Desparate Dole

Rather than type it myself, I'll just let Steve Benen do it for me:

Recent polling shows Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R) trailing in her re-election fight in North Carolina against Democrat Kay Hagan, so it stands to reason that she's getting a little desperate.

I didn't think she'd get this desperate.

Sen. Elizabeth Dole's latest advertisement suggests her Democratic opponent, Kay Hagan, is a godless heathen.

"A leader of the Godless Americans PAC recently held a secret fundraiser for Kay Hagan," the 30-second spot says, showing footage of the group's members talking about their atheist beliefs on cable news.

"Godless Americans and Kay Hagan. She hid from cameras. Took godless money," the ad concludes. "What did Kay Hagan promise in return?"

At the very end of the ad, a voice sounding like Hagan's says: "There is no God."

Seriously, Dole used a Hagan impersonator to make voters think she's an atheist.

It's hard to know where to start with an ad this deplorable. First, Hagan is actually a Sunday school teacher and an elder in her church. Second, the fundraiser in question was co-hosted by 40 people, one of whom is on the board of an atheist political action committee. Third, there's nothing scandalous about non-believers.

And fourth, what the hell is "godless money"?

Maybe "godless money" is money with the words "In God We Trust" etched out -- I don't know.

The sad part is that there exists a significant portion of dumbass hicks in this state (is it elitist for me to say that?) who will see this ad and go "fuck yeah" without so much of a thought about whether it is true, or without reflection on its stupidity, i.e., its reference to "godless money".  However, those people are already Dole voters.  I'm not sure (at least I hope) it's going to motivated very many undecideds.

UPDATE:  Here's the commercial, if you can stomach it.  It's already being called one of the most vile in this campaign season.

UPDATE:  Hagan isn't taking this lying down.

Downticket Gay Fearmongering In NC

TPMCafe looks at some of the downticket GOP ads, and how the GOP resorting to the same tactics as 2004 and 2006.

The post references a mailer being sent out in North Carolina, attacking the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Kay Hagan:

 

I'm struck by the graphic.  The guy kneeling.  Is he proposing, or getting ready to do something else?  Maybe he's receiving the holy sacrament from the preacher.

And if they're going to go with figureines, why not the two-men-wedding-cake figurines?

The text is cute, too.  You see, in North Carolina, as in most states, it is unconstitutional to ban gay marriages.  The text of the ad admits this: state laws are not enough; that's why a constitutional amendment is quote -- "needed" - unquote.  And it's "needed" because the obstacle to banning gay marriages is this little tidbit within the NC Constitition:

Section 1. The equality and rights of persons.

We hold it to be self-evident that all persons are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, the enjoyment of the fruits of their own labor, and the pursuit of happiness.

You see, that language makes it hard to discriminate against gays.  Poor homophobic bigots.

So really -- who is doing the "imposing"?  If social conservatives have to change the NC Constitution, as they admit they need to do, isn't that "imposing"?

 

Ooga-booga-ooga-booga!

The mailer goes on to suggest that Hagan wants to eliiminate "uder God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, and eliminate Christmas.

Neither, of course, is true, but it just shows the desparation and insincerity of the local and national GOP.  (Hagan, by the way, is an elder at the First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro).

Early Voting In NC Show Democratic (i.e., Obama) Enthusiasm

As of yesterday, the ninth of 17 early voting days, voters had cast 1,088,825 early votes in North Carolina. 

By comparison -- in all of North Carolina 2004 early voting, 1.1 million early votes were cast.

The stats:

Party: Democrats 58%, Republicans 25%, Unaffiliated 17%.

Gender: Women 56%, Men 43%

Race: Whites 66%, Blacks 30%

NC Early Voting: Heavy Turnout Suggests Huge Obama Lead

From WSJ's Washington Wire:

Nearly half a million North Carolina voters have already cast their ballots, either with a mail-in absentee ballot or by casting one in person.

That means nothing Republican presidential hopeful John McCain and his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, say or do between now and Election Day can change the choice made by about 9% of the state’s 5.5 million registered voters.

The enthusiasm has been fueled by the campaigns as well as North Carolina’s program allowing residents to register and vote during its “One Stop Absentee Voting” period, which began Oct. 16 and ends Nov. 1.

And there are some clear trends emerging:

• Most early voters, 84%, chose to vote in person rather than by absentee ballot.

• Between Thursday, when one-stop voting started, and Monday, 95% of ballots were cast in person.

• Of those voting in person, registered Democrats accounted for 61%, Republicans accounted for 22%, and 17% had no affiliation or were registered with an alternative party. That indicates a big advantage for Obama in a state that hasn’t voted for a Democrat for president since Jimmy Carter in 1976.

• Democrats accounted for 29% of mail-in ballots while Republicans accounted for 54%.

• The absentee ballots include 3,400 cast by U.S. servicemen serving overseas. They are fairly evenly split between Democrats, 36%, and Republicans, 38%. About 17% have no affiliation or are registered or with an alternative party.

The key take from this is in the bullet point above, showing 61% of all in person early voters were Democrat, compared to 22% Republican.

If this were election night, the networks would already be saying, with 9% of the votes counted, Obama leads McCain by 61% to 39% (or something like that).  That's a huge early lead.

More Ugliness In North Carolina, Part II

This time from North Carolina GOP politicians:

Warming up a crowd in North Carolina on Saturday, Republican Rep. Robin Hayes offered the diagnosis that “liberals hate real Americans that work and achieve and believe in God.”

His remarks came shortly after he had said he would “make sure we don’t say something stupid, make sure we don’t say something we don’t mean.” 

Hayes had followed Rep. Patrick McHenry, also a North Carolina Republican, who laid out the choice between McCain and Obama.

“It’s like black and white,” yelled someone from the crowd.

Nice.

[Follow the link at the top.  The Hayes campaign vehemently denied that Hayes made this statement.  Except -- whoops -- there's audio of it.]

UPDATE:  The aforementioned audio....

For what it's worth, there seems to be a lot of that going around.  Republicans say things, then deny that they said them.  Do they not understand that "we keep the tapes"?

Ugliness In North Carolina

It seems like McCain supporters in this state are doing their best to make sure that North Carolina comes off as some sort of hick state stuck in the days of segregation and prejudice.

Obama called "socialist" and "Muslim" in Fayetteville diner (from Politico)

Dead bear with Obama signs around its neck at Western Carolina University

Groups of protesters (mostly white) shouting taunts at early voters (who were mostly black) in Fayetteville again (from the Washington Times)

This last one comes with video:

Fortunately, that behavior seems to be limited to the swamps of Eastern NC (Jesse Helms country) and the occasional hillbilly mountain in Western NC.

IMPORTANT NEWS About Your Vote In North Carolina

Jill at Brilliant at Breakfast, as well as a few other sites, have taken pains to point out this about North Carolina ballots...

VOTING A STRAIGHT DEMOCRATIC TICKET WILL NOT RESULT IN A VOTE FOR OBAMA.

YOU MUST MAKE YOUR PRESIDENTIAL SELECTION SEPARATELY.

As Jill points out, "This is not a vote suppression issue, it's just appallingly bad design and policy, passed in 1967."

When I voted yesterday, this was pointed out to us (by an Obama campaign worker) while we were standing in line.  Also, the poll worker mentioned it to me as she set up my ballot box for electronic voting.  And I seem to recall that the ballot actually said it too [UPDATE: Yes, it did (see graphic at right), but one could easily gloss over it]

Still, there are reports of people (probably first-time voters) not understanding this, and ending up not voting for President.

This post will remain "sticky" at the top of the page until Election Day.

UPDATE:  It's called the "Obama Straight Flip"

 

Your Marching Orders

(1)  Go to a one-stop voting site.

(2)  Bring with you and present an acceptable form of identification.

(3)  Fill out a voter application form.

(4)  Vote Democratic!  But remember, voting straight ticket Democrat does not include the races for President or any of the judicial races, so don't forget Obama or any of your Democratic Judges.

* First, cast your vote for Obama for President.

* Then, vote the Straight Democratic ticket. Although if you vote straight party ticket you may miss voting for a qualified independant who is running unaffiliated. (In Moore County for example, we have Tony Berk running una for the District Attorney job because he feels that postition should not be politicized) AND you will have the satisfaction of filling in that bubble for each and every Democratic candidate. (As a few here have expressed)

* Finally, Flip the ballot over and vote for the Democratic judges on the reverse side.

[I usually early vote; it's quick, easy, and almost no lines.  But I think this year, I want to do it on the big day.]

McCain-Palin Supporters Are Still Unhinged

A reporter from The Greensboro Times Record got roughed up a little when covering Palin's visit to Elon.  Read about it.

Today Is The Last Day To Register In North Carolina

What are you waiting for?  Do it.

Presidential Race - NC

Lookie at Pollster.com (which plots trends based on all the polls).

Here's the trend for September.

My, my....

Nice Catch...

..at Winston-Salem State the other day (except it was the other team):

Every One Know It's...

...gusty with winds up to 50 mph.

NC: It's A Tie....

According to Public Policy Polling (pdf):

Democrat Sen. Barack Obama has pulled into a tie with Republican John McCain in North Carolina, according to results released by Public Policy Polling Saturday.

Each candidate has 46 percent and Libertarian Bob Barr had 5 percent.

North Carolina has voted for Republican presidential candidates for the past three decades.

Obama’s standing in the state has improved over the year as more voters are citing concern over the economy as a top issue when deciding who to vote for, according to the PPP.

“The more voters are concerned about the economy instead of things like immigration, taxes and social issues, the better Democrats are going to do in North Carolina” PPP president Dean Debnam said in a press release.