Tuesday Change Up - Standing on a Corner

"Well, I'm a standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona such a fine sight to see, It's a girl my Lord in a flat-bed Ford Slowin' down to take a look at me".....

Forty years ago today (May 1, 1972) the Eagles debuted their first single "Take It Easy". The single would climb to number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song has endured four decades as one of the Eagles signature songs, included on all of their live and compilation albums. It is also listed on The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

See Cedar's Bonus at the end of the post for a rather dated video of "Take It Easy".

Take It Easy was written Eagles Glenn Frey and his close friend Jackson Browne. Bass player Randy Meisner sings the harmony vocal in the beginning of this verse with Frey, but drummer Don Henley is singing harmony at the end of the verse ("Though we will never be here again...). Bernie Leadon provides the lead guitar and distinctive banjo parts, as well as harmony vocals.

With five number one singles, six Grammys, five American Music Awards, and six number one albums, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s. At the end of the 20th century, two of their albums, Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) and Hotel California, ranked among the 20 best-selling albums in the U.S. according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Hotel California is ranked 37th in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and the band was ranked #75 on the magazine's 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

About Winslow

Until the 1960's, Winslow was the largest town in northern Arizona. The town enjoyed a prominent location on Route 66. Yet this prominence faded and nearly disappeared when I-40, which makes a wide swing around the town by-passed the community in the late 1970's. Tourism based businesses felt the crunch and downtown businesses closed their doors.

The song by the Eagles couldn't have come at a better time, Winslow was dying and "the song" became a focal point to draw travelers off the Interstate.

In 1994 Winslow started thinking outside the box, and decided to focus on the Eagles song.

Within five years the town raised the money to build Standin on the Corner Park.  The park includes a life-size bronze statue and a John Pugh mural commemorating the song, The statue which stands near a lamp post, securing a guitar between his right hand and the shoe of his right foot. Above his head, a metal sign, crafted in the style of U.S. Route shields, displays the words "Standin' on the corner". The mural on the wall behind the statue is that of a storefront, and includes what would appear to be the reflection of a red flatbed Ford pickup truck. The second floor of the mural features an eagle perched in one of the windows and a partially visible couple inside an upstairs room.

     Another view of the mural and of Route 66.

Take It Easy

Well I'm a runnin' down the road try'n to loosen my load
I've got seven women on my mind
Four that want to own me, two that want to stone me
One says she's a friend of mine

Take it easy, take it easy
Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy
Lighten up while you still can
Don't even try to understand
Just find a place to make your stand, and take it easy

Well, I'm a standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona
Such a fine sight to see
It's a girl my Lord in a flat-bed Ford
Slowin' down to take a look at me

Come on, baby, don't say maybe
I gotta know if your sweet love is gonna save me
We may lose and we may win, though we will never be here again
So open up I'm climbin' in, so take it easy

Well, I'm a runnin' down the road tryin' to loosen my load
Got a world of trouble on my mind
Lookin' for a lover who won't blow my cover,
she's so hard to find

Take it easy, take it easy
Don't let the sound of your own wheels make you crazy
Come on baby, don't say maybe
I gotta know if your sweet love is gonna save me

Cedar's Bonus: Jackson Browne will preform Saturday July 14 at Charlotte's Belk Theater. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Prices are $49.50 to $84.50 and are available at the Blumenthal Arts box office, by calling 704-372-1000 or online at www.carolinatix.org. One dollar from each ticket will be donated to charity and special VIP and benefit seating (which includes a larger charitable donation) is also available.

And a hat tip to Courtney Devores and her Charlotte Observer sponsored blog Sound Bites for the above timely info.

Don't laugh, in 1972 these people were considered "cool" I also think they were high as all. But the talent on stage, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, and the Eagles now that is just awesome.

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Charlotte's 17th Homicide - Just Taking Out The Trash

Early this morning CMPD Officers, Medic, Fire, K-9, Helicopter, Gang, and Vice Units, as well as representatives of the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Homicide Prosecution Team descended on Charlotte's Billingsley Road, where the life of Ronald Martin age 20 came to a sudden end.

CMPD's Jessica Lawernce prepared the early moring email stating that a "call for service" came at 1:19 AM, on Monday, April 30, 2012.

When Providence Division patrol officers arrived at 624 Billingsley Road, they found an adult male on the front porch suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was later pronounced deceased on scene by Medic.

The victim has been positively identified as Ronald Martin DOB:11/04/1991 and the victim’s family has been notified of his death.

Martin's arrests within the last 9 months included; assault on a female, attempted murder and cruelty to animals. Martin had been released from jail on February 22, 2012 on the attempted murder charge, charges that were later dropped. Martin was due in court on Friday on the assault on a female charge.

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Tiger Woods Won't Talk To Wells Fargo Championship Media

Leave it to Tiger Woods to continue making news off the course. According to Ron Green, Tiger will forgo the standard pre-tournament media session next week. Rather he will post a video on his website that will include him answering questions submitted by fans via his Twitter account and Facebook.

"Instead of talking to the media, he'll talk directly to his fans," Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg said. "With social media today, it made sense to connect to (fans) so we'll selectively pick some events to do that."

Steinberg said Woods has made himself available for a formal interview or an informal gathering with reporters prior to the start of each tournament he has played. That will change at Quail Hollow next week. He will not address the media on Wednesday either before or after his pro-am round.

You can read the rest of Ron Green's post on Tiger here or just watch the petulant toddler kick his golf clubs.

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We'll Add 2 More Bodies to the Not Random Violence Pile

From the Charlotte Observer:

Two Charlotte men were killed in an overnight shooting in Charlotte’s University City area, police say.

The shooting happened shortly before 1 a.m. at a townhouse in the 1700 block of Forest Side Lane, off Back Creek Church Road a short distance from University City Boulevard.

A spokeswoman for UNC Charlotte said the victims were not students at the school.

Investigators say four people -- three men and a woman -- were at the residence when two other men arrived. Police say the occupants knew the two men who had arrived, and they let them inside. A short time later, shots were fired.

Jonathan Michael Green

The victims were identified as Jonathan Michael Green, 28; and Steffon Quinton Montgomery, 24. Montgomery lived at the townhouse, according to records. He had no record of serious crimes. Green lived elsewhere in Charlotte and had been arrested at least twice on drug-related charges.

“This was not random violence,” one detective at the scene said Friday morning.

Cedar's Take: "Not an act of random violence" is something we hear over and over again. This is CMPD's way of saying "don't worry this sort of thing only happens in the hood and at the Flying Biscuit and just down the street from the Caribou Coffee near Carmel Road".

We know what they are trying to say, "it was gang, or drug dealer related so don't worry about it", these people knew each other so it is more acceptable.

Good so it wasn't a "random act of violence", unless you happen to be one of the 2 guys dead in the UNCC area apartment. I'm pretty sure they didn't expect to die, and as far as they were concerned it was pretty random bad luck they took two in the chest.

In 1998 the Chicago Tribune published this account of a crime:

Police said a report of a home invasion Tuesday in the 200 block of North Ash Avenue was "not an act of random violence". A 28-year-old woman told detectives that three men entered her house and ransacked several rooms before sexually assaulting her, police said. The incident was reported to police after 11 p.m., according to detectives, who said the intruders had direct or indirect knowledge of the house.

So a decade ago Chicago Police were using this "tag" line, in this case because "the intruders had direct or indirect knowledge of the house".

Let's face it just because Green has some prior drug arrests doesn't make it acceptable that he was gunned down. Montgomery for all we know just had a pretty bad run of random luck.

Sure we can discount the black on black murders because all the brothers know each other, and the drug dealer vs drug dealer murders as well. We might as well discount the domestic homicides, since they too are "not random acts of violence".

On the other hand we could say ENOUGH of this stupid sound bite that is over used and misapplied continuously.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/04/27/3202889/2-dead-in-university-city-shooting.html#storylink=cpy

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In Case You Missed It - Rangers Fan Cries Over Foul Ball

Cedar's Take - Clearly the old guy should have given the kid the ball and clearly the kid is a spoiled brat.

While I understand the guy is full of himself for coming up with he ball, he would have made more points had he handed the ball to the kid.

As for he girl, she is a real find. Do you know how few real brunetts with "natural" features live in Texas?

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Charlotte's First Quarter Crime Stats

If close your eyes, cover your ears, lock your doors, turn off the cable and stop taking the Charlotte Observer; CMPD's quarterly crime numbers are probably not a concern of yours.

Say what you like about CMPD numbers and crime reporting, trust them or don't, they are still nothing but numbers and averages that have little to do with the real damage that crime can do to a community.

As we saw with the Trayvon Martin case, the city of Stanford, Florida has a crime perception issue. Not only was George Zimmerman aware of the pervasiveness of crime near his home, he was aware that most of the crime was being committed by thugs. Which is a nice way of saying black youth with nothing better to do than break into homes and rob hard working taxpayers.

But in Zimmerman's mind crime was out of control and he needed to do something.

In reality Stanford Florida (6.51 violent crimes per 1000 residents) is less safe than Charlotte (5.81 violent crimes per 1000 residents). The nationwide rate is 4.0 per 1000 and in New York it is only 3.92.

CMPD reports that homicides saw a 100 percent increase during the first quarter, this on top of a 32 percent increase during the fourth quarter of 2010. Clearly the perception of crime in Charlotte is that things are out of control.

The two numbers in yesterday's report that should be a concern to those who venture out behind their locked doors are, violent crime which increased from 982 to 1208, quarter to quarter, and auto theft which decreased by nearly 12%.

The two numbers are counter intuitive, in that if crime is up why is the most common of crimes (auto theft) down? Cedar Posts has questioned the auto theft numbers before and a review of any day's mug shots show a substantial number of arrests for "unauthorized use" vs "theft" of automobiles. Seriously are there really that many people just "borrowing" their neighbor's cars?

If the numbers are true, then why in the world are we focused on stopping auto theft when violent crime is so out of control?

It would be nice to just lock up all the thugs, like the brothers who decided that West Trade and Rozzelles Ferry Road looked a lot like Tombstone Arizona and that reenacting the Gun Fight at the OK Corral would be a cool thing to do.  Or the 16 year old who brought a loaded hand gun to West Charlotte High School.

I am not concerned with the shop lifters, the hookers, or the bad check writers, if you are breaking into cars, stealing hubcaps or pan handling on Eastway Drive I could care less. But if you are carrying a gun, or you are a violent offender you don't belong outside the razor wire and concrete walls. No second chances, no special school called "right choices" you simply are done. Period! One gun one time game over!

And until the courts and the cops start sending this message we will continue to see violent murders and robberies in Charlotte and the homicide numbers will give the perception that crime in Charlotte is out of control.

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Wednesday Odds and Ends

CMPD Crime Stats Presser - CMPD will announce 1st quarter crime numbers at 11:00 is morning in East Charlotte and part of the "dog and pony" show will be CMPD Hickory Grove Division Captain Chuck Henson telling how he has reduced crime by improving the quality of life in two of the area's largest apartment complexes.

Henson who was promoted to Captain in September, has his hands full with both property crimes and homicides in an area of Charlotte that has seen the "quality of life" as well as the value of life decline at an astounding rate over the last ten years. Henson replaced Captain Jeffery Pless who was "reassigned" to the watch commanders office.

Cedar's Take - I expect that CMPD will report "crime is down".

Raintree Crash Has Responders Scratching Their Heads - This Toyota was wedged between a number of good sized trees early of the morning of Tuesday April 24, 2012 after the driver lost control while driving along Raintree's Four Mile Creek Road. Crews eventually cut down the trees in order to remove the small truck. The driver was transported with serious injuries, no word on his condition.

Clicking on any one of the above photos will take you to more of Davie Hinshaw's photos of the mess that greeted first responders.

CMPD Training Academy Shake Up - Reports via several sources that a serious house cleaning is under way out on Shopton Road. Seems that someone was "scrubbing" candidate's records including issues with credit reports in order to keep their scores acceptable and "pack' the pipeline. While there is no official word, rumor has it that a captain and sergeant cleaned out their offices recently.

What is most interesting is that staff at the academy voiced concerns about how certain "things" were being handled but those concerns fell on deaf ears, until someone did an end run and contacted CMPD's Human Resources directly.

Questions about the recruitment process first came to light during the Marcus Jackson fall out, which had Chief Monroe promising extensive reforms to prevent this sort of this thing from happening. (Jackson is scheduled to be released from prison one month from today).

Other Rumors - Reports that CMPD's recruiting trip to Puerto Rico is a complete bust as the one and only recruit has returned to San Juan to "pursue other interests".

Charlotte's Trolley Car Fiasco - Republican contenders for Sue Myrick's congressional seat were throwing around the Charlotte Trolley as example of wasteful spending last night. So just for laughs I drove down Trade Street/Elizabeth Avenue towards Charlotte's Presbyterian Hospital this morning. 

From Charlottetown Avenue (formerly Independence) to Hawthorne two tracks run down each side of the street. Trouble is the cars don't fit, so you end up straddling the tracks which makes you either really close to the curb or the oncoming traffic. What I know about trolleys is limited, but in New Orleans they have the right away, as cars stop for traffic light trolleys don't which is the advantage of riding a trolley for short distances. But in Charlotte there is no way to move over for a Trolley heading in the same direction. The area is congested to the point where it took at least five minutes to cover the 3 blocks. Most of the time students were walking faster than I was able to safely drive the distance. I imagine that adding a couple of Trolley cars to the mix and it will become total grid lock.

While the landscaping is nice it has done little to prompt businesses to move to the area. The Visualite is still there, but it looks run down and the attempt to revive Anderson's Restaurant under a different name has failed. The area looks to be about 50% vacant retail/office space or vacant lots.

Regardless of the pros or cons for the trolley, from my vantage point it looks like a poorly planned idea that someone gave even less thought to the execution.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/04/24/3194558/early-morning-wreck-in-raintree.html?spill=1#storylink=cpy

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CMPD Officer Carey Scovel

CMPD Officer Carey Scovel (Carroll Bradshaw Scovel) died yesterday after a long fought battle with cancer.

Captain Lisa Goelz sent this email early this morning: It is with a very heavy heart that I write this to inform you that CMPD Officer Carey Scovel died yesterday in Columbia, SC from complications of his bone marrow transplant. He fought a brave and determined battle gainst his cancer. He died peacefully at Palmetto Richland Hospital after 32 hours in the ICU, and his wife Alexandra and mother were beside him as his beautiful soul went home.

Officer Scovel joined CMPD in May 2007 and was assigned to the Independence Division. In 2009, he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and underwent a complete bone marrow transplant at Duke University.

He has battled fiercely to regain his health over the past few years. While on light-duty, he worked in the Financial Crimes Unit. According to Carey's Mom, one of the proudest things in Carey's life was being a police officer in Charlotte.

He loved everything about it and wanted more than anything to return to the patrol force. The support and friendships he forged at CMPD were very important to him and she thanks all of you for enriching Carey's life with your presence. We will always remember Carey for his great sense of humor and outlook on life.

He kept us all informed of his battle with Cancer through his blog that provided numerous insights into the kind of friend, son, brother, husband, and man Carey was.

There will be a Memorial Service in Charlotte at Harry & Bryant on Providence Road. I will pass along the details as soon as they are finalized. In the meantime, please keep Carey's friends and family in your thoughts and prayers.

More details:

The Charlotte Observer's Annoucment is here.

Visitation

Friday, April 27, 2012

6:00pm - 8:00pm

Harry & Bryant Company

500 Providence Rd

Charlotte, NC 28207-1602

704-332-7133

Driving Directions

Memorial Service

Saturday, April 28, 2012

2:00pm

Harry & Bryant Company

500 Providence Rd

Charlotte, NC 28207-1602

704-332-7133

 

Cedar's Take - I have first hand learned the cancer routine and it is a game of numbers and precentages, of side effects and after effects. Carey was a warrior in the true sense of the word. You should read his blog.

 

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CMPD Announces Promotions

Eight Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers, including two division commanders, were promoted Friday morning during a ceremony at the Police Training Academy in southwest Charlotte.

Jeff Estes, commander of the Central Division, and Johnny Jennings, who heads the North Tryon Division, each was promoted to the rank of Major. In addition, Benton Herring and Jacqueline Hulsey were promoted from Lieutenant to Captain.

Other promotions at the ceremony:

Tom Gwaltney, from Sergeant to Lieutenant; Steven Flatt, Ryan Kendall and Dondi Pogue, from Officer to Sergeant.

Subscribe to The Charlotte Observer.


Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/04/20/3187005/cmpd-promotes-8-officers.html#storylink=cpy

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Kevin Siers on the Secret Service

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Doods of Norway - Miami to Charleston

Cedar Posts friends the "Crazy Norwegins"" have departed Charleston but not before leaving this gem of a video production for us armchair sailors to enjoy. Keep in mind they are sans an elaborate production staff or jazzed up video gear.

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Obama's Hand Picked Secret Service Detail - Party Like Rock Stars

ABC News is reporting that the Secret Service officials accused of misconduct in Colombia revealed their identities by boasting at a Cartagena brothel that they worked for President Obama.

Partying at the “Pley Club” Wednesday night, eleven members of the president’s advance team allegedly bragged “we work for Obama” and “we’re here to protect him.”

The officials spent the night throwing back expensive whiskey and enlisting the services of the club’s prostitutes, according to a bouncer at the club and a police source.

Sources tell ABC News several of the men agreed to pay for, and received, services from the “highest category” prostitutes available at the club, who charge upwards of $200.

The men paid for the sexual services in advance but when it came time to settle the bill, there was a dispute over the charges.

The group became belligerent and the police were called. The argument between the officials and the bouncers from the club escalated and ultimately spilled onto the street, according to several eye witness accounts.

The police have since been directed by U.S. authorities not to comment on that night or the scandal surrounding the Secret Service, according to a senior police official in Cartagena.

Prostitution is legal in Colombia and the women who work at the Pley Club live on the premises.

The club, located on a dusty street in the industrial Bosque neighborhood, just blocks from the port, has a rough exterior but boasts plush “pley rooms” inside.

The Pley Club is a well-known brothel in this historic city. Some taxi drivers in the resort-town are paid a commission for recommending the club and its prostitutes to tourists.

The officials were in Cartagena on assignment ahead of the president’s visit for the Summit of the Americas last weekend.

The controversy surrounding the officials’ misconduct, however, overshadowed the summit last week and local residents are questioning why the city put so many resources into the international event only to be left with a tarnished reputation.

“Cartagena didn’t benefit one cent from President Obama’s visit. All people remember are that the Secret Service agents slept with our prostitutes,” said a man who works in the neighborhood.

Cedar's Take: This story is just going to get bigger. Much like the GSA extravagant government conference in Las Vegas once the ball gets rolling, all hell is going to break out. The trouble is there are hundreds of Secret Service personnel who are hard working public servants, who do their job 24/7 and are of the highest moral fiber. But as they say "one bad apple" or in this case a dozen.

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Monday's Odds and Ends

CMPD To Fence In Thugs and Ghetto Rats - Friday afternoon, police emailed statistics and paperwork to the Charlotte Department of Transportation asking that a large perimeter fence to surround the Charlotte Inn on Independence Blvd.

According to a report aired by WSOC, residents in the Commonwealth Park neighborhood that backs up to the hotel say they fear for their safety and are glad that police are trying to come up with new ways to fight the growing drug and prostitution problem.

On Wednesday, suspected drug dealers exchanged gunfire in the nearby parking lot of a barbershop. On Thursday night, a man assaulted two police officers as they tried to arrest him for dealing drugs near the Charlotte Inn.

Police officers want CDOT to install a fence to protect the neighborhood from what they call mid-level drug dealers.

CMPD said there were 57 calls for service in the area in 2010. In 2011, that number more than doubled, to 121 calls for service.

Cedar's Take - Why don't we just turn the Charlotte Inn into the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Inn and Jail?

Foundry Cycles - Among cyclists Foundry is a recognized marker of a top of the line carbon bikes. To Cedar Posts, Foundry Cycles named Auger, Broadaxe, and Ratchet and a rather dark and serious website screams serious bike.

However, beyond Cannondale, Trek and Specialized names that I know, I wouldn't know a crank from a cassette, or a roadie from a cross. After all I still ride a 30 pound steel frame Schwinn mountain bike dating from the late 80's.

But I do know a couple of serious riders, guys like Patrick Harrington who ride for a living, dogging Charlotte's traffic and enduring our famous humid and hot Summers on two wheels.



Turns out Patrick is in the running for a year long sponsorship and a free ride on one of Foundry Cycle's products. This ain't your Walmart Huffy, these bikes start at $3,000.00 and top out at over $5,000.00.

Patrick will get to ride some serious hardware if he continues to hold his very slim lead over Asheville's Stephen Janes.

Let's help push a local guy over the top, log in with your Facebook account and Vote for Patrick here. Votes must be in by April 30, 2012. And I a guessing it will take 1000 votes to lock the deal up for Patrick.

Scammers Target The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center - File this under "is nothing of limits" Seems the scum of the earth have figured out people are paying big buck for prime seats at Charlotte most upscale performance venue.

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Born to be Wild - Rodney Monroe Loves Harley's

Nothing says "big city" like a presidential motorcade led by a dozen gleaming Harley Davidson Police motorcycles.



Trouble is Charlotte doesn't have a dozen Harley Davidson motorcycles and a presidential motorcade led by two "dirt bikes" followed by four BMW's motorcycles would look just odd.





So what is a police chief to do?

Why buy some new motorcycles of course, Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Since the BMW 1200's don't present the required diplomatic image, Chief Monroe has apparently decided that he'll just park the BMW's and continue to pay on the lease which won't run out for another 3 years.

Train some more officers to ride the Harleys and poof "proper image".

Never mind that the Mecklenburg County Sheriff has six Harley Davidson motorcycles because after all they wouldn't match.



Don't get me wrong I'm a big fan of the CMPD Motor Unit. It takes some real skill to handle a heavy fully loaded Harley Davidson. The job might just be the most dangerous assignment CMPD has. Forget the terrorist threat to the president, just worry about idiot drivers. No doubt these guys will earn their paychecks during the DNC 2012 event.

But do we really need to buy some more motorcycles? I think Charlotte and Mecklenburg County taxpayers have enough motorcycles to open a dealership.

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Charlotte Taxpayers Under Siege - Again

You might have noticed Charlotte's City County government loves to spend your money.

Current projects include expanding the Airport with a billion dollar project, building a baseball park uptown, projects to modernize and expand our water and sewer system and spend another million in new gadgets for our police department. Trolley lines and light rail and spruce up the Chicken Box on Independence Boulevard.

To pay for all this and more Charlotte's City Manager wants to raise your property taxes by 10%.

And now comes news that our Charlotte Mecklenburg Utility Department (CMUD) wants to raise your water rates again, this time by 6%. Yes that is correct again as in the 5th year is a row. Which just for laughs makes for a total of nearly 63% over a period during which the inflation increased by total of less than 10%.

In other words, if your water bill was $20.00 in 2007 it, adjusted for inflation should have increased to no more than $21.96 this year. So why is your bill nearly double? Well that would be CMUD smoke and mirrors complex rate scheme.

Cedar's take: Underlying all of this government waste is a real perplexing problem, and that is that Charlotte Area and the Catawaba River Basin which has spawned its growth has reached the point of maximum utilization. Sure it is fine if the rain keeps falling, but even the slightest drought will have dramatic consequences. The city and the region can not continue the growth.

Regardless of the money spent, and the rate increases, mother nature is about to say enough is enough.

More on CMUD's rate increase from Pundit House here and the Charlotte Observer here.

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Doods of Norway

One of the great pleasures of my job is meeting people from all corners of the world. In this case some "crazy vikings" who have spent the last 9 months aboard two small sailboats "Doods of Norway" and "Turbo".

Prior to meeting up in Charleston the two crews spent several days in Miami "hanging out and taking in the South Beach scene.



Check out Kris and the guys at Doods of Norway and yes it is in Norwegian, so use your imagination or google translate.

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Pendergraph vs Pittenger

Pittenger Left and Pendergraph Right

When Mecklenburg County Sheriff Pendergraph retired in 2007 he was paid for 18 days of unused vacation time. Something most of us would expect to be paid if we left the employment of any company.

But Robert Pittenger has used this fact in a rather twisted attack ad, saying that Pendergraph took “a secret, taxpayer-funded bonus”.

Of course Pendergraph could have pushed back his retirement date by 3 1/2 weeks, but Harry Jones signed off on the final paycheck and therefore Pittenger's Attack Ad is a real stretch.

What might become as issue however is Pittenger's Real Estate Investment Company that markets "Private Placement" real estate deals that use loop holes in investment regulations to sell investment deals that are except from the scrutiny of securities regulators. Pittenger's company openly promotes the former state senator's "connections" inside North Carolina Government.

Cedar's Take: Isn't time we smarten up and not send another "good ole boy" to Washington? How about someone with new ideas, someone willing to "represent" the people who elect them to office?

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In Case You Missed It - Bubba Watson Makes "The Shot"

Bubba Watson plays his second shot around trees on the second playoff hole Sunday at the Masters. (Streeter Lecka / Getty Images / April 8, 2012)

Then there was Watson on No. 10, the second playoff hole. He and Oosthuizen had matched pars on the first extra hole, No. 18, then marched off to No. 10 and matched ugly drives. Watson's was uglier. On the par-four, 495-yard monster, Watson had driven the ball 330 — normal for him — but so far off track to the right that he was left on some trampled pine straw and had a TV tower and trees blocking his view of the green.

"We had 135 [to the green] front," Watson said. ". . . I think we had like 164 [to the] hole, give or take. . . . hit a 52-degree, my gap wedge, hooked it around about 40 yards, hit about 15 feet off the ground until it got under the tree and then started rising. Pretty easy."

When his shot turned right and got up the hill to the green and kept turning until it stopped 15 feet away from the pin, golfers everywhere — most watching on TV, where the angle and dimensions of the shot were clearly apparent — knew they had just witnessed the Miracle at the Masters. Oosthuizen, who created the previous miracle about four hours earlier, when he ran a four iron 265 yards downhill and into the cup on No. 2, needed to sink a treacherous 12-footer for par to force Watson to make his putt for the win. Then Oosthuizen missed and Watson easily two-putted.

Welcome Bubba Watson the newest owner of the Masters Green Jacket.

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In Case You Missed It - Moon Over Manhattan

A full moon rises behind the Empire State Building in New York in this view from Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, N.J., on Friday, April 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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Friday Wrap Up! - Masters Edition

The Masters - Nothing says Spring like the annual ritual of Golf's first major. Of course there are those who for some reason feel the need to turn this event into a controversy. The lingering question of when and if ever the Augusta National Golf Club will admit a female member has become once again the talk of the "Main Stream Media".

But look closer and you'll see just a general lack of understanding and knowledge of the golf club that has become an American icon.

First Augusta National doesn't respond well to bullying, and second it is a "private club" so they can do pretty much whatever they like. They won't discuss membership, and consider the tournament and the club distinctly separate issues.

President Obama chimed in on the lack of a female member, which is pointless and nothing short of embarrassing polictial theather.

Augusta National doesn't have a single woman member. So what? Seriously, is this really an issue? As if Augusta National having a woman member will make everything else in the world right? Of course not. As with much of what goes on in the world very little has an effect on you. It doesn't matter if Augusta National Golf Club has a woman member anymore than it matters that the shade of green the storied club uses.

What really matters is that this rite of spring continues for it is proof that despite all that is wrong with the world there is always the thought that "Hope springs eternal".


The Knights Baseball deal is so complex it has become a carnival fun house with crazy mirrors and wobbly floors, even the Knight supporters are confused.

Don Beavers seems like a nice guy but the overall impression I get is he is out of his league.

Charlotte City Staff has recommends to City Council that the City of Charlotte give 9 million to the Knights. Sure there are some strings and conditions but it doesn't really have any teeth.

This is all being promoted while taxpayers are facing a nearly 10% tax hike supported by City Manager Curt Walton.

The taxpayers through Mecklenburg County have already found themselves on the hook for the project.

The 74 million dollar price tag is of course not the real cost only a big guess. Under the current plan the knights would need another 41 Million in loans from other sources.

Here is the trouble in less than 100 worlds. Baseball and football are not born of the same demographics. 31 Percent of Americans say they are football fans while only 16 percent claim baseball, so much for being "America's Past Time".

The debate has become so contentious that the Charlotte Observer has to shut down their comments section every time they run a "Stadium Funding" story.

Cedar's Take, look at the Panther's for hints as to how to make it work, and the Bobcats as to how not to make it work. Here is a hint, Football is a couples event. Baseball is a family event. No family is going to feel safe going to a Knights Baseball Game in Uptown Charlotte at night. It is just not going to happen.

Charlotte's Dumbest Crook - Drops his cell phone while pulling a gun and robbing his victim on Four Winds Drive. Police then found the phone and sure enough the stupid thug has photos of himself and his gun on the phone.

Born to be Arrested - Armed Robbers Oqualin Chambers, 26, Daryl Height, 29, Demarcus Osborne, 19, and Terrice Morgan, 25, are each charged with armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. After they robbed a Charlotte man and his roommate using a Craigslist Ad earlier this week.

With names like Oqualin and Terrice I guess they didn't have much of a future doing anything but time in prison.

The details are here at the Charlotte Observer.

The Weather Dog - Gets the last laugh.

A guy is driving around South Carolina when he sees a sign in front of a house that reads, "Talking Dog For Sale."

The guy knocks on the door and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard.

The guy goes into the backyard and sees a Labrador retriever sitting there.

"You talk?" he asks.

"Yep," the Lab replies.

"So, what's your story?"

The Lab looks up and says, "Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help our country, so I told the CIA about my gift, and in no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running."

"But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security wandering near suspicious characters and listening in."

"I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired."

The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog.

"Ten dollars," the owner says.

"Ten dollars? Exclaims the guy, this dog is amazing. Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?"

"Because he's a damn liar. He never did any of that stuff."

You can follow The Weather Dog on twitter here.

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Phil Mickelson - Class Just Pure Class

Taylor Zarzour

The gates on Thursday morning did not open at Augusta National Golf Club until 7:30 am. Even the press isn't allowed near the course until ten minutes before the first tee time.

Those first shots are special. During almost every playing of the Masters tournament, a former champion will hit a ceremonial first tee shot.

Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead and Walter Hagen did it for decades. Then a handful of years ago, four-time champion Arnold Palmer was asked to do the honors. Soon after, six-time champion Jack Nicklaus followed suit. But the ceremony didn't seem complete until this morning: Palmer and Nicklaus were joined by the other member of their "Big 3", Gary Player.

Maybe that's why Phil Mickelson was standing behind the first tee, waiting for the three legends just after 7 o'clock. When Nicklaus, Palmer, and Player walked up and saw Mickelson waiting they couldn't believe it.

Jack shook Phil's hand and said "this is sort of early for you, isn't it?" Phil quickly replied, "I wasn't going to miss this." That's despite Mickelson having the latest tee time of the day at approximately 1:53 p.m.

Later on in the press room, all three had more to say about Mickelson's appearance:

Nicklaus: "I thought it was very special. A nice compliment."

Player: "I thought it was remarkable."

Palmer: "I did too. I thought it was wonderful that he came out."

Player: "You look at the way Phil treats the galleries, its very special."

Then again, how could anyone miss this? The three biggest ambassadors of the game were back together again. Oh, and how did each one hit it? Palmer striped it. Player rifled a low stinger. Nicklaus finished by hitting it on the screws. And all three drives landed center cut, in the middle of the first fairway.

One more reason its a tradition unlike any other. And also, better than any other.

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Ozzy's Saga - Lessons From A Rescue Lab

Ozzy

All who have been involved with the Ozzy saga — the story of a black Lab whose family gave him up to an animal shelter — can agree on one thing: The important outcome is that Ozzy will be placed with someone who is eager and able to care for him.

But the story leading up to that conclusion isn’t so happy. And some of the lessons to take away from a very public, very unpleasant dispute, are tough ones.

Julia Hildreth, her husband and four children didn’t want to get rid of Ozzy. But the eight-year-old Lab wasn’t getting the attention he needed, and the family finally decided to surrender him to a shelter.

Shortly before dropping him at the Charleston Animal Society shelter, Mrs. Hildreth sent a message alerting Lowcountry Lab Rescue to what the family was doing in hopes they could help find him a new home.

The response she got was a stinging rebuke. Volunteer Amy Fabri contended that the Hildreths were being cavalier about their responsibilities as dog owners and their plans for Ozzy. She said, “The sad fact is that your dog will probably be euthanized and in the dumpster before you are out of the parking lot.”


Lowcountry Lab Rescue's Amy Fabri

The Post and Courier's story and interview with Amy Fabri is here.

Nobody was happy. The Hildreths were sad about giving up Ozzy and distressed by Ms. Fabri’s message.

Ms. Fabri, a fervent dog lover, couldn’t contain her anger at the idea of another Lab facing possible euthanasia when there were other options she thought were more appropriate.

San LeBoeuf, executive director of the Lowcountry Lab Rescue program, was frustrated because the public dialogue focused on Ms. Fabri’s email instead of on responsible treatment of pets.

And the animal-loving staff and volunteers at the Charleston Animal Society were hurt and stunned by Ms. Fabri’s misleading statements. The CAS finds homes for 63 percent of the thousands of animals they receive. Those that are euthanized, because there are no other choices, are treated with tender respect. And their remains would never be tossed in a dumpster.

Letter to the Charleston Post and Courier from Joe Elmore chief executive officer for the Charleston Animal Society is here.

Unlike Lowcountry Lab Rescue, which is limited in the animals it accepts, the CAS takes all that come their way.

The staff is proud of CAS’ reputation as a leading animal shelter in the state. They were dismayed that it might be unfairly and inaccurately sullied.

They were concerned that people who can no longer keep their pets might just drop them in the woods instead of at a shelter or with a rescue organization. Donors to the Charleston Animal Shelter might withhold support.

In a perfect world, every pet would have an owner for life — a loving one who provides good care.

But in reality, that doesn’t always happen, just as many marriages and friendships don’t last forever.

No one should adopt a pet without intending to keep and care for it for life.

But people in the business of saving animals also deal with humans whose circumstances change. Those people need kindness just the way the pets do that come into the care of a rescue organization.

Post and Courier's Brian Hicks take on the Ozzy Saga is here.

Note: Cedar Posts is the proud parent of two "Black Labs" affectionately known as "Thing One and Thing Two". Thing One has the part time gig as the Weather Dog. Thing Two is???? UP TO NO GOOD!

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Trayvon Martin - How Main Stream Media Is Scamming America

It is all about the ratings, market share, page views and lately "Main Stream" media has discovered that racism sells.

According to the Washington Post NBC's "Today" show ran the edited audio of George Zimmerman's phone call to a police dispatcher, seeming to show Zimmerman saying, "This guy looks like he's up to no good … he looks black."

A transcript of the complete 911 call shows that Zimmerman said:

"This guy looks like he's up to no good. Or he's on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around, looking about."

The 911 officer responded saying: "OK, and this guy — is he black, white or Hispanic?"

"He looks black," Zimmerman said.

Cedar's Take:

The abridged conversation between Zimmerman and the dispatcher that NBC ran on March 27 is nothing less than a clear sign that journalistic integrity is dead.



Much like Time Magazine's darkened OJ Simpson the national media continues to air a single photo of Trayvon Martin showing a child on 13 vs a much older 17 year old.

Time was accused of racism by minority groups for its photographic alteration of the famous O.J. arrest photo. The editors defended their choice by saying that they had taken that creative license to show the shadow that had descended on his reputation that week.

Illustrator Matt Mahurin was the one to alter the image, saying later that he "wanted to make it more artful, more compelling." Enough readers, however, said that they saw the white man stacking the deck by "demonizing" the black man, that Time did something it had never done before and has never done since. They issued a second cover and pulled the first one. Essentially this meant that only mail subscribers ever saw the first cover.

The main stream media photo of Trayvon Martin at age 13.



Versus the photo Trayvon Martin himself posted to his MySpace account.



There are two Trayvon "Hoodie" photos the one the main stream media is circulating.



The above lighten and softened photo above and the original photo below.



So why all the manipulation? The truth is that racism sells.

There was a time when "Main Stream" media was the source that got the facts right. Journalists who dug deep and presented all the facts.

Gone are the days of true journalism, today it is all about the money.

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