Jessica

Cedar Posts is going to take a divergent path the next couple of weeks, under the title Jessica.

This is not going to be a pleasent journey. I have actually struggled with telling what I know and putting it all into perspective. The words don't come easy. 

Let me start with the end. Jessica is dead, she was only 16 when she took her own life.

I'm going to tell not of her death, the details or the reasons, as you the reader I will leave that in your hands, but rather her life and the time during which got to know her.

The words may change, I may put some down onliy to decide later that I've told too much, or that the picture the words paint is too troubling or worse too sexual. 

I'm older than her father, but that doesn't cross my mind as I watch her bound out of the passenger side of red honda that has parked too close to my Lexus SUV. 

I watch with the learing eyes of a dirty old man watching teenage girls along a South Carolina wind sweep beach during the heat of midday in August, the constant sound of the ocean and salt filling the air. 

For an instant she glances my way as she stumbles and catches herself on the right front fender of my car. I smile, she laughs an acknowledgement that there was no harm, no foul. 

The driver of the Honda emerges I instinctively suspect boyfriend until the angry look slams my lustful daydream back to reality. Short cropped hair, auto repairman work shirt and full of hate. Jessica's boyfriend is a dike. Mean angry man hating and as I quickly notice, very controlling full blown bitch dike.

The dike, who in the months to follow I will learn is called Cat is really Katherian Elizabeth but Cat fits her.

Cat's look is pure hate, she says something to Jessica and the young girl's playfulness dissolves to stoic as Cat arms up with her pulling her away like an arresting police officer.

I close my eye and I can still see her smile, her hand on the side of my car and her unbridled joy of her youth. Over the last few months I've visited denial, anger, pure over whelming grief and now thankfully acceptance over the loss of someone I only met in person a dozen times but had countless exchanges with over Facebook and Twitter.  

I'm in my car waiting on Mrs Cedar at a place called In-XS a hair salon, I have the Yorkie, who sits on my knee looking out the window for all to see.  It is the Yorkie that lures Jessica to the drivers side window a few minutes later. Cat is no where to bee seen and Jessica is a bubbling 16 year old again, 

Can I say hello? I offer that the Yorkie is very friendly. Much making over my four pounds of happy fur continues until Cat rains on our fun. She grabs Jessica's hand with such force I'm temporally thinkng of saying something, but I look away.

A minute later the Honda winds up and charges down Providence Road, never to be seen again or so I thought. 

A few weeks later I would meet Jessica again, same place same tine but a much different outcome. 

More....

About a week later at the Harris Teeter I hear an unfamiliar voice: "Hey you're the guy with the little dog aren't you?" I'm caught off guard then it clicks Jessica from In-XS. She's with her parents and expands on "the yorkie" and how she'd love to have one. Her parents seem kind and caring as they endure my sales pitch for rescued dogs and YorkieRescue.com Cat is nowhere is sight and Jessica seems to be all the better for that.

It would be a month maybe longer before I'd bump into Jessica again this time she's with Cat who have a grip on he arm like a cop taking a suspected shoplifter in for questioning. I'm hard to miss, but not a smile, a hello or even acknowledgment. Cat clearly is in control, the tension is thick yet the other High School kids seem at ease. Laughing and doing what High School kids do at Chipotle after school.

I'm inside with Mrs. Cedar when I see a young man approach my car and leave a brown napkin under the windshield wiper.

An hour later the napkin reads can you email me the website for the Yorkie rescue place. Pleeeeeze! Jessica with her gmail addy.

I'm not in the habit of emailing 16 year olds. It take me a week to respond. When I do it is from my company email with no so much as hi, just the web address: YorkieRescue.Com

A month later I get an email that says "Thank You soooo much I found a Yorkie to rescue and I'm going to pick her up in Raleigh on Saturday.

Included is a facebook link. And sure enough within a week there are dozens of photo of a little Yorkie called Boo.

Boo lived about five months before she found him dead in her parent back yard. During this time I have no contact with Jessica, a random facebook post would show up in my newsfeed. All seemed well, but the photo of her and Cat seemed off.

Somehow I sensed not all was well, not that they didn't look like an openly gay couple, just that they didn't seem to click. Her facebook posts stopped after her RIP Boo photo.

A month later she posted a comment on the photos of my two labs. I commented back and a day later this massive email showed up.

"I need some advice and I don't trust my friends or family"...... the rest of the email I'll just truncate to this facts, Cat had killed her dog, her relationship with Cat began as a dare, and she felt compelled to have her relationship out of peer pressure, in order to fit in with her friends. But Cat was abusive and controlling, she had once broke off the relationship only to be beaten so badly by Cat that she missed nearly two weeks of school. She didn't want the cops or her parents involved but wanted to end the relationship with Cat somehow. She feared rejection from her friends and didn't want to be alone.

The last part was a cry for help, "I've thought about killing myself to be with Boo" but can't afford to buy enough drugs lol"

More....



 

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In Case You Missed It 7 Years Ago

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CP's Snarky Humor Gets Some Exposure

Well CP didn't get a byline but at least there is a little validation that my humor is funny to some.

The rest of the story from WCNC is here: http://www.wcnc.com/news/Greensboro-billboard-pokes-fun-at-Patrick-Cannon-253125921.html

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Edwin Peacock Says He Knew Cannon Was Taking Bribes

In the most amazing aftershock of the Cannon Arrest, Edwin Peacock tells the Charlotte Observer he knew all about Cannon taking bribes.

"Edwin Peacock, the Republican candidate, said he was approached by Democrats who didn’t think Cannon should be mayor.

 

“There were a lot of Democrats who came to me wanting us to go below the belt with personal attacks,” Peacock said. “I refused to make my campaign about rumors. We had been told about ‘pay to play’ allegations, but no one in the development community would come forward.”

 

If Peacock is telling the truth, that he knew about Cannon and pay to play but didn't say anything, he is as corrupt in his silence as Cannon is accepting a leather bag full of Benjamins. As are those in the Democratic Party who kept silent, but have suddenly decided to speak up.

 

Another Republican enabler Lynn Wheeler, who doesn't live in Charlotte anymore since she has apparently moved to the land of denial. Again from The Observer:

 

“I heard people last fall using the word ‘corrupt,’ ” said Lynn Wheeler, a former Republican City Council member who remains politically connected. “I’ve never ever experienced that with Patrick so I kind of rolled my eyes ... I don’t know who this other Patrick Cannon is.




The Patrick Cannon that I know is a man of honor and integrity whose word you can count on,” said Lynn Wheeler, who served on the council with Cannon.

Wheeler later surfaced on Facebook, calling a post by Chris Miller asking friends to name the ingredients in a Patrick Cannon sandwich "That is mean, Chris".

Cedar's Take: They knew, they all knew. Foxx was all pro streetcar and light rail until he got out of town and then he put the wammy on Federal  funding. Andy Dulin and Warren Cooksey both jumped the sinking ship last year. Mitchell was the hired gun who failed but said nothing along the way. Peacock knew but wouldn't even hint about it before during or after his weak attempt being elected mayor.

Both the dems and republicans looked the other way not willing to air their "club's
 dirty laundry in public, fearing they would lose more than they would gain. So much for doing the right thing.

So at what point does "arm twisting" become illegal?



Patrick Cannon putting a little pressure on Rodney Monroe

You might recall the Cannon election sign stakeout from 2011. Cannon called CMPD Chief Monroe to put a stop to election sign theft in the Foxcroft Neighborhood. Chief Monroe complied and put a surveillance vice unit on the job.

The entire story is here. Asking a friend to do a favor is not a crime, but the extent that Chief Monroe went to shows a pattern that is troubling. More knowing what we now know.

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Carolina Cup Fans Injured In Bus Crash

KERSHAW COUNTY, SC — Six people are being treated for minor injuries after a wreck on Interstate 20 involving two busloads of college students going to Camden’s Carolina Cup Saturday morning.

Six people were being treated at KershawHealth for minor injuries and were not expected to be admitted, said nursing supervisor Pam Talbott.

Talbott said those on the buses were believed to be college students living in the immediate area but are from “all over.”

Big response from SCHP and local fire and ems.

Most of the UN-injured continued on to Camden. 

All photos @foodmeancing tweeter feed.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/03/29/3355879/6-on-way-to-carolina-cup-treated.html?sp=/99/205/&ihp=1#storylink=cpy

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Patrick Cannon Update

Sources telling CP that the former Mayor reported to the US Probation Office on College Street, in Uptown Charlotte, within the past hour.

He was not fitted with an electronic monitoring device (aka ankle bracelet) and will not be restricted in his movements.

He will be required to report in to an assigned probation officer weekly at first and may not leave the country. He may leave the state only with the approval of his probation officer. He also will be required to submit to random drug testing and unannounced visits to his home or office.

It is not known if he was required to hand over his passport. But since he isn't consider a flight risk, that is doubtful.

Update 3/27/2014 10:01 PM CP hearing that Cannon was required to turn in his passport.

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Patrick Cannon How Far Will He Fall?

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North Carolina DOT Adopt A Highway Program Fail

You've seen the signs "Adopt A Highway" followed then with the name of some Nationwide Inurance agent or other local business.

But the North Carolina DOT program is a hoax and a waste of taxpayer money. 

Certainly there are some groups who really do sweep clean their section of road every quarter and file a report detailing the amount and types of trash they pick up.

But the "Charlotte Royals Rugby Football Club" hasn't once in fifteen years picked up so much as a cigarette butt along Rea Road. Then there is Showbiz Pizza which hasn't been in business since 2002, yet they have a sign on Highway 51 that fronts the Carmel Commons shopping center where the business was once located.

NCDOT needs to collect the signs and use the proceeds from the scrap to fix a few pot holes.

Beyond the budget and your wasted tax dollars, the state program competes with Charlotte's program by placing most of the city's major roadways off limits for the City of Charlotte's Adopt A Street program.

Calls to Mecklenburg County Adopt A Highway coordinator Jeanene McCann were not returned.
 

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Pat McCrory Fail NCDMV

The list of crazy half baked ideas out of Raleigh keeps growing and while they may look good on paper our state government lacks the talent and depth to implement these ground breaking ideas.

Case in point:

Combining, NC Safety Inspection, Property Tax and License Tag renewal into one form and process and then allowing the NC DMV to manage the entire operation.

If your vehicle has passed inspection but you are unable to renew your registration online, you can renew at any License Plate Agency by presenting your inspection receipt. We are working to correct this issue and apologize for any inconvenience. If you have questions, please call 1-877-421-0020.

Seems there is now a failure of the NC DMV computer system to recognize some of the inspection stations online submissions. As the above screen shot advises, you can always go to your local License Plate Agency and stand in line.

But try calling Raleigh, where after entering "1" for English and "3" for Motor Vehicle registration, then entering your NC Drivers License number (what to you bet, that your DL# and the phone number you're calling from are now forever recorded into a "big brother" data base?) and listening to several more prompts, you hear the following: "Thank you for calling, due to unusually high call volume we are unable to assist you at this time, please call back later, Good Bye!"

Is it fair to blame Pat McCrory? Well, folks he was quick to take credit for the idea to "provide enhanced property tax compliance" to 100 county governments. So "you betcha!"

And then there is this, genius idea being tossed about, letting out of state transplants obtain a North Carolina Drivers License without taking a written test.

and this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to troubles within the NCDMV.

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Your Rainbow Flag Is Offensive

This is not just a protest flag, this is a divisive flag. It is no different than the Confederate Battle Flag or the flag of the The NAZI Party used by skin heads and I'm offended by it.

I am not offended by your sexual perversion in fact I am rather open minded about the entire gay rights issue. But I am offended by your flag and your use of a rainbow to describe yourselves. 

I'm offended by your need to parade your sexuality, openly as if it were a badge of honor. Your flag represents intolerance and hate, it represents an agenda to promote your own self centered need for validation. 

It is a flag that demands, a flag that has attempted to destroy, and it has attempted to marginalize my Christian beliefs. 

It has no place in a St. Patrick's Day Parade, Christmas Parade or any other parade that is meant to be all inclusive any more than a confederate battle flag has a place. 

 

I've seen first hand many of the injustices that people who are LGBT and other, face. Case in point a lesbian couple at Presbyterian hospital who were not allowed the same rights as married spouses. This has been somewhat corrected, now the partner is identified as a "health care advocate" "ombudsman" or other creative term, yet it is not right, fair or just. So I have the greatest sympathy for their situation.

 

However the Flag is a different story.

 

In Charlotte the LGBT community has used the flag to bully and force their agenda at a cost to everyone else. Case in point this past weekend's St. Patrick's Day Parade.

 

When told they couldn't carry the Flag they threatened to carry it anyway and make scene. They called on the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority CEO to withdraw as grand marshal. They called on the city to stop funding the parade and thereby threatened the parades very existence.

 

When the parade committee said they would allow the flag and even went as far as having the parade emcees announce that the Charlotte Pride Band represented Charlotte's “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender” community the leaders of the LGBT community continued to object, shifting their attention to the Knights of Columbus who volunteer their time to make the parade happen.

 

The LBGT leaders say it is only about inclusion and their rights, but the flag is not about free speech or acceptance rather it is a divisive symbol, that screams we are different and we demand attention.

 

The Charlotte Pride Band has no interest in Irish Culture or Heritage, their only interest in the parade is to shout LOOK AT ME, we're different, pay us attention! And as you can see when you give in to this group they come right back and demand more. It wasn't about being included in the parade after all, it was about the K of C and the national Catholic Church's anti gay stance.

 

The powers that lead Charlotte LGBT community will not be happy until the parade is either a totally gay event or is disbanded altogether. That is their agenda and that is what their rainbow flag represents.

 

And that is offensive.

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Jaime Danilo "Dan" Ramirez

Dan Ramirez was one for those many friends that somehow I and Mrs. Cedar have acquired over the years.

A small but ever widening circle of international friends that surprises this couple who have gown up in what was a small town called Charlotte. Twenty years ago we laughed to ourselves when we realized that we were the only couple speaking in English at a dinner party, that night Dan and Cecy were seated across from us. It may have been then that we knew Charlotte would one day become a great international city.

Of course we knew Dan and his wife Cecy, before he became mixed up in politics. A world most of us in the small business community consider rife with leg humpers and psychopaths. But that never seemed to matter to Dan. To him it was a way to help people in his community and his country.

And so it goes that I find myself at Dan's funeral.

I'm sitting a few rows behind Andy Dulin and Warren Cooksey ahead of them is a gaggle of politicians all huddled together like birds of a feather I suppose. Jennifer Roberts, Karen Bentley, Pat Cotham, and Matthew Ridenhour. Further towards the front former Governor Jim Martin and current Governor Pat McCrory. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Jim Pendergraph sits alone in front of me.

Sitting next to me is Charlotte Copy Data's Kal Kardous, he of course is Greek, and within arms length I can count six different nationalities. 

The morning is punctuated by St. Matthews Monsignor McSweeney. This is the 3rd Mass of Christian Burial I've been to, where the Monsignor served as celebrant in as many years, and thankfully his dry sense of humor and humbleness are a very good fit. 

The Monsignor was on hand for Mrs. Cedar's mother's burial some 20 years ago, he is a truly comforting presence today as well. As the service comes to a close he refers to Governor McCoroy as Mayor then corrects himself. But we know he does that sort of thing on purpose. At this point Mrs. Cedar is laughing quietly to herself. McSweeney is good. 

Catholic funerals bring out the K of C Color Corps and it's a good show as well. But the real story is on the left side of the church, there the vast sea of pews are filled with Dan's family, proof he was truly blessed. Children, Grand Children and extended family, I lose count as Mrs. points out those we know by name. This is only the second or third time we have seen them all together. The last was at the Duke Mansion.

We worked two of Dan's campaigns, hosting events, placing signs, working polls on Election Day one win and the a loss. The loss was hard but there was always next year or so we thought. 

I have to admit that Dan's death wasn't unexpected, ALS average is 2 years from the time if diagnosis. But many live much much longer, I really hoped for much longer.

But we will all go on, for tomorrow is another day. 

Yet the world has lost a very bright beacon of light, and I have lost a friend, a good man the likes of which seem to be harder and harder to find. 

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Jimmie Johnson - "Ban Bossy" Seriously?

Perhaps the biggest joke of the month is the initiative to "Ban" the word Bossy.

Some how a gaggle of women talked NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson into a pointless endeavor to ban a word that few people I know use, even those with children.

But thanks to Jimmie, suddenly Bossy is a hot new word and with a renewed interest in Banning Bossy Little Brats!

The back story - a couple of successful women got together, compared notes and realized that their childhood was a traumatic experience because their parents told them at some point in their young lives to "stop being so bossy".

You know the petulant, temper tantrum throwing little brat stage that nearly all kids seem to go through around age 3? Apparently these, at one time little girls and Jimmie Johnson have carried this baggage for years.

 

Jimmie seriously I understand your pain. So let's have a talk over a beer or two. OK you can have a cosmopolitan with a twist, I'll have beer.

But, Bossy is not the problem, self-righteous pseudo celebrities are the problem.

Children are starving in this country, homelessness abounds, death from drunk drivers and our nation's infrastructure is falling apart and you allowed these ding dongs to convince you to step out of your million dollar motor coach to help them deal with their childhood issues that apparently held them back?

Brother, what were you thinking?

There are more than 68,000 vets from a decade long war in the Middle East, that are homeless, out of work, suffering from physical trauma, emotional or mental disability.

Why don't you add your voice to something that matters?

As for #BanBossy? Seems the campaign has backfired. Rather than empower young girls, the message has become "ban bossy little brats". Twice this weekend I overheard parents telling their daughters to "Stop being so BOSSY!" Something, as I said at the start of this post, that I haven't heard in years.

Good Job Jimmie!

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In Case You Missed It: Former CMPD DC Medlock Under Fire In Fayetteville

Seems the tricks leaned from his time with Rodney Monroe may not have worked as well for Harold Medlock in Fayetteville.

From the Fayetteville Observer:

A state agency that oversees police conduct and training plans to do its own investigation into allegations involving Fayetteville Police Chief Harold Medlock.

Noelle Talley, a spokeswoman for the N.C. Department of Justice, announced the state investigation Friday, a day after City Manager Ted Voorhees said an internal investigation by the Police Department cleared Medlock of any wrongdoing.

The allegations center on whether Medlock's executive officer - Lt. Tracey Bass-Caine - took a mandatory certification exam on his behalf, according to a former police sergeant and a source in the Police Department. Talley said the N.C. Criminal Justice Training and Standards Commission is reviewing Fayetteville's investigation and "plans to open its own investigation shortly."

She said the city notified the commission of its internal investigation Jan. 2. The Observer first learned of the internal investigation in January but did not report on it then because of a lack of specific allegations.

Medlock on Friday referred questions to City Manager Ted Voorhees. "I was aware at the outset that the Criminal Justice Training and Standards Commission staff would review our investigation and make an independent decision about conducting its own investigation," Voorhees said in a statement Friday. "They are simply following the established protocol as I understand it."

In January, the chief said officers questioned him because they thought he might have information about the case. He said he was a part of the investigation, "but not a subject of it." The city and Medlock have declined to provide details of the investigation, saying privacy laws restrict what they can release.

Thursday, former police Sgt. Jerry Schrecker sent an email to the Observer and City Council members publicly raising the question about the test allegations. Schrecker insinuated in his email that a single paragraph answer in Medlock's test was identical - including misspellings - to an answer in the executive officer's test.

All certified police officers are required to take the annual exam. Tests can be taken online. Failure to complete all facets of the training can result in suspension of an officer's certification. Voorhees said in a statement Thursday that Medlock's "certifications are current."

Schrecker has declined to say how he got his information, but a source in the Police Department confirmed that the city's internal investigation centered on the allegations contained in Schrecker's email.

The source asked to remain anonymous because he said he feared losing his job. Following the internal investigation, the city demoted Bass-Caine from lieutenant to sergeant, Voorhees said in an email late Thursday.

Bass-Caine has appealed the demotion, so her rank will remain lieutenant pending the outcome of the appeal, Voorhees said.

Lawyer Mike McGuinness said his law firm in Elizabethtown is representing Bass-Caine, a 24-year veteran of the Police Department. McGuinness, a lawyer for the N.C. Police Benevolent Association, represented Fayetteville officers in a lawsuit filed in 2012 against the city that involved consent searches of vehicles.

McGuinness said the nature of Bass-Caine's case limits what he can say. He said his office is now conducting an investigation into the matter. "Among other things, we will examine issues of selective enforcement of personnel policies and disparate treatment in discipline," McGuinness said in an email.

Schrecker left the department in 2011 and has been an outspoken critic of police and city administrators since then.

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Sam Adams Drops Sponsorship Of Boston's St. Patrick's Parade Over Gays

In case you missed it - Two major beer manufacturers on Friday dropped sponsorship of St. Patrick's Day parades in New York City and Boston to protest bans on gays marching openly.

The "Charlotte Pride Band" played and marched with their Rainbow Flag.

 

Sam Adams pulled out of Boston's parade, which takes place on Sunday, and Heineken yanked its support of the New York City parade, slated for Monday.

Both parades are allowing gay groups to march but are banning signage about sexual orientation. Sam Adams made the announcement after coming under pressure from Club Cafe, a Boston bar patronized by the gay community. The bar threatened in a Facebook post on Thursday to stop pouring Sam Adams unless the company withdrew sponsorship.

"We were hopeful that both sides of this issue would be able to come to an agreement that would allow everyone, regardless of orientation, to participate in the parade," Jessica Paar, a spokeswoman for Boston Beer Company, which brews Sam Adams, said in a statement.

Gay rights activists praised Heineken's decision. "Heineken sent the right message to LGBT youth, customers and employees who simply want to be part of the celebration," Sarah Kate Ellis, president of gay rights group GLAAD, said in a statement.

In February, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he would not be marching in this year's parade in support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Boston Mayor Martin Walsh has vowed not to attend the parade unless LGBT groups are allowed to march openly.

Cedar's Take: In Boston, and New York as in Charlotte there is no ban on gays. Only a ban on "marching openly" or rather "marching Loud, Proud and In Your FACE! Most parades ban messages of political nature, or activist issues.

Charlotte's "Pride Band" pushed the envelope pretty hard by carrying the hijacked Rainbow flag and the hushed chats of "We're Irish, We're Gay, and We're Here to Stay". But watching parents along the parade route, most just rolled their eyes and laughed off the band as the passed by with one member clapping in an overly demonstrative way, out of time with the band. I'm happy to note that the band's Village People Medley including "In The Navy" and "Macho Man" was pretty interesting, and thankfully they did not attempt the Irish standard "Danny Boy".

As for Boston and New York's Beer Boycott - CP suspects that Sam Adams either has such a huge Gay consumer base that they were concerned for the bottom line or they made a huge error. Honestly there are hundreds of great beers out there so I won't miss SA.

As for Heineken I consider it undrinkable.

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Steve Smith Highlights

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Oh To Be Irish For A Day

Hard to figure why anyone would want to be Irish, given that at the turn of the last century the Irish were considered to be the lowest form of labor, sans African Americans, around.

 

 

As immigrants, they took the hardest and dirtiest jobs, the ones nobody else would take. Some settled in the Carolina's along with the Scots before the revolution, but the majority came two centuries later in the immigration wave of the early 1900's, streaming into New England and later the industrial might of the Midwest, Chicago and then California.

There's no fame in being from a hard scrabble family of Irish.

But for this weekend and Monday March 17th, being Irish is in vogue, or at least the St. Patrick's Day myth of being Irish mainly a drunk or as they say in Ireland Fluthered.

But during the other 364 days of the year I hope pretending to be Irish doesn't drive you to drink.

My grandfather was often asked what are you? Irish, English, Scot? His reply "I'm an American". Just the same having a last name that beings with "Mac" is a give away. Cousins named O'Shaunessy and a wife who's maiden name is the Americanized version of O'Henry even her mother's maiden name O'Dell reeks of Irish liquor. Drunks all of ye!

Slang offensive names used by your great grandfather to describe an Irishman "Mick" or "Limey" as well as Mackerel, Mead, Paddy, Pot-Licker, Wic, NINA (No Irish Need Apply) and Pogue have long since faded away. Thank you JFK.

So, if you must celebrate all things Irish lets get the basics out of the way.

First St. Patrick is not a famous drunk or the inventor of Guinness that would be Arthur Guinness

Arthur Guinness (Not Saint Patrick)

 

Guinness may be known for his beer, but his business sense was pretty epic as well. In 1759, Guinness went to Dublin to set up his business and took a 9,000 year lease (not a typo) on the 4-acre brewery at St. James's Gate from the descendants of Sir Mark Rainsford for an annual rent of £45, about $90.00 USD. Apparently without an escalation clause.

It is St. Patrick, not St. Patty - Look around you, and you'll find dozen of signs declaring St. Patty's Day. This of course is a major faux pas, since Patty refers to the female gender.  

About the snakes -There are no snakes in Ireland, not now and not ever. This is not because St. Patrick drove them out, but rather it is just to damn cold in Ireland.

Blarney Stone - This is not a rock in some field in Ireland, in fact if you must "kiss" the stone you have to stand on your head and lean backwards out over the edge of an Irish Castle.

 

The Blarney Stone is a block of bluestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle, in Blarney Ireland, about 8 kilometres from Cork, Ireland. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of the gab. So does killing a couple of pints of Guinness.

For the record there are more Irish in America than there are in Ireland.

The Shamrock - Before you tattoo a "Four Leaf Clover" on your ass, keep in mind that at least according to legend, St. Patrick taught Christianity using the shamrock's three leaves to represent the Trinity of God the father, Jesus the son of God and the Holy Ghost.

 

Irish Car bombs - If you'd like to be thrown out of a pub in Ireland just try ordering an "Irish Car Bomb". The typical Guinness® stout, Bailey's® Irish cream and Jameson® cocktail, a rather tasty concoction isn't funny in Ireland or even in Boston.

Car Bombs were a major weapon in the Irish Republican Army’s fight against Northern Ireland. The car bomb’s biggest deployment by the IRA was on Friday, July 21, 1972, in a major attack on Belfast in Northern Ireland. They used 22 car bombs on the city on that day, which was known forever after as Bloody Friday. As one person described the day, “At the height of the bombing, the center of Belfast resembled a city under artillery fire; clouds of suffocating smoke enveloped buildings as one explosion followed another, almost drowning out the hysterical screams of panicked shoppers.” The attack caused significant damage not only to Northern Ireland but also to the IRA.

Bloody Friday destroyed much of the IRA’s heroic underdog popular image, produced deep revulsion amongst ordinary Catholics and eventually led to major changes in the IRA. Before this, the British were the ones committing the horrible atrocities. After this attack, the British received a major reprieve from the worldwide condemnation they were getting beforehand.

So if you must drink this order it as " A Pint with Bailey's and Jameson, your bartender will know what you want and you'll be Irish even if your not.

St. Patrick's Day is a Cat-Lick (Catholic) Holiday - Perhaps but there is equal history supporting the notion that he was a Baptist with no connection to the Church in Rome.

 

 

 

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Gettleman Statement

When I took this position I knew that difficult decisions would have to be made along the way. To move on from a storied veteran player is probably the most difficult of all. A decision not to be taken lightly. However, after much thought I feel very strongly it’s the right one.

As I’ve stated many times, all decisions I make will be in the long term best interest of the Carolina Panthers. Decisions, either popular or unpopular, have to be made for the greater good and it is imperative to take an unemotional global view.

Sometimes it may appear that short term interests will suffer, and I can assure you we have no interest in taking a step back from our 2013 accomplishments. Nevertheless, like all NFL teams, we are in transition as we try to get into the best position going forward. When Mr. Richardson hired me I promised him that my goal would be to leave the Panthers in a better position than when I came. All my efforts are in that vein.

Over the next few months we will have the opportunities afforded by Free Agency and the College Draft to improve our roster. We also have young players who will get an opportunity. I have great trust in our evaluation process.

Steve had a wonderful career with the Carolina Panthers. I truly wish him and his wife, Angie, all of God’s blessings.

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A Letter From Mister Marcus

Honestly this is really the letter sent via email to Time Warner Subscribers. March 2014 Dear Valued Customer: Recently, Time Warner Cable announced plans to merge with Comcast, forming an industry-leading technology and media company dedicated to delivering great customer experiences. Above all, this merger will benefit you, our customers. Our two companies have been behind many of the innovative services that you enjoy every day—digital cable TV, high-speed Internet, DVRs, Video On Demand and WiFi in the home and on-the-go—to name just a few. The combined company will innovate faster and deploy even better products and features, including a superior video guide, faster Broadband Internet speeds and even more WiFi access points so you can access the Internet wherever you go. We expect the merger to close around the end of 2014. In the meantime, all of us at Time Warner Cable remain committed to providing you with great TV, ultra-fast Internet, rock solid phone service and innovative home security and monitoring. And we will continue to make significant investments to improve reliability and to enhance our customer service. We are very excited about the promise of this combination for you, our customers. We’ll keep you posted as things evolve in the coming months. As always, thank you for choosing Time Warner Cable. Sincerely,

Robert D. Marcus Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

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Op-Ed on the CIAA and Local Media Coverage

The following was sent to WBTV and other media outlets. 

On Thursday, March 6, 2014 12:22 AM, Charlotte North Carolina <uptowncharlottenc@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hi Coleen,

Thanks for the report on the violence at the CIAA "African Americans Only Party". I call it that because we all know the black colleges only basketball tournament is just a ruse for a massive week long party for the hip-hop community around the country. Please note one of the shooting victims was from Las Vegas. I suggest you look a little harder into his background and see how he earns his income. 

It is becoming clear to me that WBTV is either a shill for Center City Partners or your station is too close to the Mayor. I sense an obvious bias in your reporting and how you choose to select arrest numbers for your report. 

The "fight" at speed street in 2011 was directly related to young black males who were street fighting and one shot and killed another. Are you neglecting to report all the facts or leaving facts out simply to fit your agenda? 

I ask that you explore how many police officers are required for the NRA convention or even for a massive street based event like Speed Street compared to the CIAA Hip Hop Party. Also, if you have a good relationship with officers in Uptown, I think you will find that they were given instructions from Chief Monroe not to make arrests unless it was absolutely necessary. Offficerswere instructed to look the other way and use "great discretion{ before making any arrest during the CIAA. The CIAA hip-hop party is a ticking time bomb. Several people could have been killed at the Sheraton last Sunday. It is only a matter of time.

I would encourage WBTV or another unbiased station to do a less biased report and run a 100% confidential poll on how many citizens who work and live Uptown vacate Uptown for the weekend to avoid the wild, drunken hip hop party, disguised as a basketball tournament. Please stop the obviouspropaganda and shilling for Center City Partners. Stop insulting our intelligence.

The following clip is what the CIAA is truly all about for the vast majority of people who come here to party, get drunk, get high and act wild. The vast majority are not here to watch basketball. I am ashamed the Mayor is giving them more taxpayer money for this annual "black colleges only" party. I expect there will be a very serious event at one of the next CIAA parties and suddenly this email will make much more sense. This event is racist and it is disruptive to the citizens of Charlotte.

CIAA 2014 CHARLOTTE TAKE OVER 

Thanks for your time,

Kyle Jenkins

Uptown Charlotte

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Party At The Tent Gets A Free Pass From CMPD

CIAA brings a lot of interesting events to Charlotte beyond college basketball.

Mainly, parties offered up by out of town and local promoters who promise big name acts and plenty of free flowing liquor. But apparently one CIAA party in the tent offered a bonus, a "get out of jail free card".

Free Pass and Look The Other Way Tent?

Word from the guys on the street working CIAA events is that no one attending one certain "Tent Party" was to be arrested without prior approval of CMPD Command staff.

According to several anonymous sources as many as 3 dozen people were given a free pass for such minor infractions as public urination, simple possession, disorderly conduct, and some not so minor crimes such as weapons charges.

Cedar's Take: Is there any truth to this? Who knows, but given the shenanigans of the CIAA in years past we say there is pretty good odds this dog will hunt. 

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Vine American Kitchen and Charlotte's Dearth Of Quality Restaurant Wait Staff

Date night, should in Charlotte be fun and not a torturous journey through the bowels of the restaurant industry.

But the more I dine out in Ballantyne the more I notice that there is a severe dearth of quality wait staff in Charlotte.  This seems to be the case at nearly every mid priced establishment in South Charlotte.

Last weekend Mrs. Cedar and I along with my brother-in-law and his wife headed out to Vine (American Kitchen) 13735 Conlan Circle in Ballantyne for dinner. Mrs. Cedar even went to the effort to make reservations the night before.

I can't say that we enjoyed the evening. The food for the most part, was good. But the service was so embarrassing that I am still shocked.

It started with Vine's hostess who is less than enthusiastic, and told us that there would be a wait. When I asked how long she just shrugged and walked away.

We eventually were seated.

Vine of course suffers from the "location curse", now the 3rd or 4th name to grace the building façade located in the Ballantyne area. But from the appearance both in and outside, you would expect they would hire competent wait staff, after all have the look of say Houston's in Ft. Lauderdale solid four star feel, black napkins, slate floors and busy staff.


It took our waiter "Sam" more than ten minutes to get around to say hello, another five before he was ready to take our order. Sam was polite enough and apologized throughout our meal, but whatever was going on behind the scenes was killing our evening from the start.

Our drinks showed up piecemeal, one then another, then finally my beer (a really cold IPA), but we had to ask about my brother's mixed drink, twice!

We placed our order, four entrees, two appetizers, one salad. The salad showed up immediately, the appetizers never showed up.  We did ask about the appetizers and Sam apologized, shortly after that a woman stopped by and offered her apology as well. 

Our main course arrived and the woman stopped by again to say the appetizers would be up shortly. At this point we asked if we could cancel the appetizers.  Again the classic Vine "shrug" but no verbal reply.

The water glasses became empty, the wine was refilled after two requests and dinner dragged on with hit and miss attempts at service befitting the menu prices.

Even the process of settling up was painful and disjointed. The bill came including the appetizers that never showed up. Sitting with a half cleared table we waited another ten minutes just to pay our bill.

No offer of coffee, or suggestion of dessert. I'm not sure if they even have dessert. At one point a random server stopped by started to take my plate, but seeing as I held a knife in one hand and a fork in the other she stated more than asked "I guess you're still working on that?".

"Yep I'm still working" I replied.

My brother in-law is a restaurant snob, but I'm pretty easy to please. So when I say horrid it has to be really bad. It was horrid.

Vine was Mrs. Cedar's attempt to introduce my brother-in-law and his wife to some place new, sadly ended up being a new disaster. Superseding the time in Cancun when he got food poisoning. It was so bad that Mrs. Cedar broke down in tears after we left. 

Our total tab just shy of $200.

The bottom line get the food to go, because it is better than Applebee's even if the table service isn't.

Note: I'm not a food critic, I didn't take notes about the texture or portion size. I however like you expect a little respect when I dine out. After all if I wanted to serve myself I'd go to Sonic or the hot bar at Harris Teeter.

I even went as far as to email Vine twice telling them I really was concerned for their business. In return nothing but crickets.

 

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CIAA Ends With A Few Bangs As Charlotte Signs On For Another Six Years

Early Sunday morning CMPD Officers had their hands full of drunks and a couple of shooting victims.

The Charlotte Observer posting:

The shooting happened about 2 a.m. in a ballroom of the Sheraton Hotel, sending thousands of CIAA fans and others streaming onto McDowell Street early Sunday.

Cedar's Take: Thousands? Seriously? The maximum limit in the main ballroom is 872.

 

From WBTV:

Police in Charlotte are investigating after two people were shot at an uptown hotel during a post-CIAA partying featuring three well known rappers.

Officers with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police were called to the Sheraton Hotel on the 500-block of South McDowell Street around 1:59 a.m. Sunday morning to the report of a shooting.

WBTV has learned that the shooting took place at a party catering to CIAA fans featuring several big names in the music industry, including Diddy, Future and Fabolous.

The party, which was hosted by AG Entertainment out of Atlanta, was slated to end at 3 a.m. according to event postings found online.

Charlotte Mecklenburg police say an altercation in the main ballroom at the Sheraton quickly escalated, resulting in two people being shot, both in the leg.

One of the victims was a 33-year-old woman from Virginia Beach, the other was a 35-year-old man from Las Vegas.

WBTV has learned that one was taken to the hospital, but the other was treated and released from the scene.

Several people were also taken to the hospital with minor injuries they sustained when they tried to quickly leave the hotel.

Police are asking anyone with information to call CrimeStoppers at 704-334-1600.

For the record Sean "Puff Daddy Conway Twitty P. Diddy" Combs was not in the hotel during the shooting, he was on his way to Atlanta where there was another shooting on Sunday night.

More:

CIAA Tournament Commissioner Jacqie Carpenter would not talk about the incident because it was not a CIAA-sanctioned event.

And This:

The hotel formerly known as "The Blake" had just received its liquor license and had recently undergone a $20 million dollar renovation and management change to bring it back up to Sheraton Hotel Groups standards. North Carolina ABC officials promptly revoked the license on Monday.

 

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