The "Enchanted Twig"

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I think this hi-tech dowsing/divining rod cost, like, in the thousands.

Just because someone is totally rich doesn't mean that (I wanna say smart, but that's not true...) they are baddass skeptics; and of course...that is a straw man (insert the laugh that says "I'm smarter than you (but you have mo' money, but who cares))." I won't name any names (the initials are M.M.) but someone in my home county believes in them thar divining rod things. Isn't that a blast from the past. I recall seeing it on That's Incredible, or something like that-probably after watching that Bigfoot thing, was it Fran Tarkenton. OK, I side tracked...anyhoo...


It's hard for me to believe that we're 12 hours away from 2013, and I'm totally confident we'll/I/you/me/us make it, that the peeps still believe in the water witchery. In case ya don't know dowsing is...

"(Blank blank) is standing in the middle of his vineyard, talking to two copper rods.

"Find water, " he tells them as he walks slowly down a row of vines holding the rods pointed in front of him. 

As if possessed the rods starts moving until they cross over one another. "Here, he says. "Here's where the water is."

(Thanks SF Gate)

That is what dowsing is.

Various materials have been used throughout the (is it) centuries like twigs, wood, metal-ish stuffs, copper, it could have been a pendulum or a forked, err, twig to find a whhhhooooolllllle biggin' variety of stuff. The divine(ing) rod has been used to find water, minerals, probably gold, missing persons, that one lost sock, that one lost glove (jk), you know where I'm going with this...panacea (your skeptic meter should be going off). Did I say golf balls. It can find golf balls, yo.

The thing about it isssss...there is hella water under ground and the likeliness of digging/drilling for water, and succeeding, is pretty good.

The US Geological Survey (yes, THAT one), "Some water exists under the Earth's surface almost everywhere." And they go on to say, and this is important, that "No single technique suffices to locate favorable water well sites." Team Skeptic, as you know...that doesn't stop them.

As with the case's of Claire and her Voyance, and Extra *Special* People (what ever those are) the *fuel* to make the witchy water money stick work is...teh divine (insert angels singing). Divination. Magic. Woo. Fake. Not existent. No Beuno.


What does exist, and this is alllllwwwwwaaaayyyyyyyys the case, is the super prevalent and full of err, the personal testimonial. The hard cold truth is that not everyone has critical thinking skills. I'm sorry. Not that I wouldn't have a beer with Joe Average, but sheezzzz man, you don't have to be a rocket scientist or even just a brain surgeon, to just look at it and see how kookie this is.

Check out this legit video.


Bonus rod coverage. It can doooooo anything.

 LOOK AT IT. Fuck, people in the olden days knew it was bogus (1). It doesn't have a valid scientific explanation. No one can explain how it works, or the mechanisms involved, not even the practitioners It is just plain and simple...magic.

J.F., "I don't know how he does it, and I'm not going to learn...But I'm a believer because I have water."

J.F. is all logical fallacy-y-ish in that...post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy is basically correlation does not necessarily  mean causation. One does not lead to two. I was sick and I had dirty nasty ginseng in tea and two weeks later I got better (would'v gotten better anyways...), I did the coffee douche thing and now I'm healthy'er or I walked around where obviously you have a vineyard and good soil, good yearly rainfall and it is on the planet earth so *magically* this twig is going to find the water that is already there bla bla bla...

Dude (above) has water wells in the hundreds and the article says that (blank blank) has found "some of them." Wow, I thought I was vague when writing. Some wells, OK then. There is another quote in the article (I'm too lazy to look for it) and it basically says that this water-witch-CEO-man-guy is better at finding water wells than modern science. OK (/), but...

(OK, I'm running outta calories now...) So anyways....

Are Sono-Co's elite drinking the kool aid made with water from Stevie Nick's well (I'm really really reaching on that one.), or am I the one that is deceived (I would admit that). To attempt to hit water by drilling costs tens of 1,000's if not 100's of  dollars with of without science. Inside an earth with water tables-n-such it is said that hitting a "water pocket" is not uncommon. In the world of woo it is also NOT uncommon to count the hits and not count the misses (shit, did I say that correctly. .fuckity). That way the unreliable statistics that you do keep in your head will be totally wrong, guaranteed.

Anecdotal evidence is not necessarily true. Humans err. The five senses are easily deceived. If you don't know statistics and probability, hydrology and geology concepts, then of course you could be taken by the divine water rod, mmm, phallic thing...gross.

* Wiki Dowsing

* No edit.

* Skeptics dictionary from 16th cen miner's...(1) "...should not make us of an enchanted twig, because if he is prudent and skilled in the natural signs, he understands that a forked stick is of no use to him, for ... there are natural indications of the veins which he can see for himself without the help of twigs. "(Quoted in Zusne and Jones 1989: 106)

* Skeptics Dictionary

* SF Gate

* I started this at 10-ish. Fuckity.

The Six Pack Blog Jan 1, 2013

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Off the top of my head...looks like a cheap CZ knock off.

(In a sing song voice...) Look's like weeee, made iiiitttttt....We are survivor's, yo. Fuck Harold Camping and the Camping-ittes. We will go on, bro. Fuck the Mayans (are there even any left. no offense). I have a calendar on my computer and it says today I frackin' live, beeothces. Most of all fuck me and my brain chemistry. The year started off bad and ended bad, but...that was last year. As the Australian's say, "No worries, mate."

This up coming year, when I'm not getting back into shape (I promise before and after photos to chronicle the hugeness, dough-person that I've become), I'm going to pay more attention to my *old friend* extremist religion. Old friend you were absolutely wicked this year.

"The sad truth about Karachi in 2012 was that whatever religion, business affiliation, or political party, someone was willing to kill you for it."

(NPR)

"Hey, hold the bus for me...(kaboom)...fuck. Forget it."

Zorha Yousef head of Human Rights Commission Pakistan, "It is a good day in Karachi when only five or so people are killed because on average it could be 8 to ten a day."

Pakistan authorities blame a wide variety of local and outside groups including...the taliban. Dam, I could o' swore the US Govt told us they destroyed their network. Mmm, go figure. Anyhoo...

While over here we are worried about a fiscal cliff, in other parts of the world they are worried about whole towns, cities...countries falling off the face of the god blessed earth.

Yeah buddies...(I forgot what I was gonna say).

Lates.

* NPR

Evolution Of An Image

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 Hey Einstein's, remember that super old botched fresco that that super old lady *improved*.
 When we last left...the church was displaying it and charging the religious peeps to see it and the super old lady...wanted a cut of the action. So much so there is a lawsuit going on. Well, don't tell her about this...

The good ol' Jesus fresco...nail, err, thingy (for sure I don't know what to call it). Funny thing, to me it seems that this particular image of the J-Man is (gasp)...evolving. No longer can the religious call out Genesis beeotches on this one. In fact, I think the latest rezurection looks a lot like my man Che...
No...ok then.

Proof Of Heaven, Schmoof Of Heaven

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I'm a gonna hurry on this one. I only have 4 hours till my appointment, but this is just too interesting to save for another time (and as you guys know, when I say I'll get back to it...I never do. Ha ha). Anyhoo...

Someone I talk to all the time told about this interesting book I'm reading It's THAT book from the neuroscientist where dude absolutely claims and knows that heaven...exists. For sure I have not read "Proof Of Heaven" (yet), but because I-iiiii have had an N.D.E. (and do not believe in the mumbo jumbo part) I certainly do have some thoughts.

Eben Alexander, "There is no scientific explanation for the fact that while my body lay in a coma my mind-my consciousness, inner self-was alive and well. While the neurons of my cortex were stunned to complete inactivity..., my brain-free consciousness journey to another, larger dimension of the universe..."

OK then...Just because there is "no scientific explanation" doesn't mean the default position is the supernatural. Instead of God of the/in the Gaps it could just mean that at this time there is no scientific explanation. Besides that, not everyone-scientist or not-knows every explanation of everything whether it's science or not. But...it just so happens...there is at least one.

 Hell man, it would be so cool if the supernatural existed and of course I'm mostly thinking all the chi-y stuffs, yo. Who cares about god if I can do the weightless thing you see in kung fu movies. Geeeee, I dunno. History tells us that when it comes down to it something is going to be aray. Are there stats in the book or is it anecdotal. Will it come down to faith. Right (?). After all is said and done the last and most important part is...faith.

Right.

Lates.



(1) Dugh I know there's a difference, but I'm trying to be quik, right (?).

...And Now...The News

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Cereal, I would totally party with these guys, except I'm not really partying right now (thanks Kev.)
Devotee dancing at the Muislim Sufi Saint Ganj Bakhsh's shrine for Hazrat ali Bin Usman fest in Lahore. Those drums in the back look sic.

Thanks to Lady Atheist for correctly predicting the next phase in the evolution of The Fresco. Thanks atheist blogging buddy.




Here's one article that looks at that book I wuz talking about yesterday called Proof of Heaven. It is encouraging me to write about myyyyy near death experience. Here's a teaser...it has to do with me going to three days of the Grateful Dead and I think I wuz still in my 20's.

Speaking of...Republican Sen. Mark Kirk said that as he was recovering from a stroke and...he saw three angles at the foot of his bed. Emerging from this experience has made him more religious (le sigh). The not funny thing is that his experience is typical of nde's (i.e. he was lacking oxygen to the brain which, many times, causes an nde.) So there.

I love these two lines from AP. "I prayed to not have another child, but condoms worked better." And "The passage of new contraceptive laws shows the Catholic Church losing sway in the Philippines."

A man strips naked in church and he is taken in for evaluation. The deluded congregates are not. WTF.

I'm totally Northern California-centric. If you don't live here you don't live anywhere..and besides that, we have the best pot (read in your God voice) IN THE WORLLLLLDDDDDD.  But not according to the NYT. It seems that Israel is not just the producer of battle tested firearms and hot liberal women with that hair,(oh, that hair and those noses. hello) but also...the strongest, most scientific weed in the world. 

Dam old friend...miss ya.

Go Niner's.

Lates.

Lincoln Harris Dilworth Project Goes Down In Flames

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Does the stunning defeat of a re-zoning request signal a change in direction for Charlotte City Council? Could be......



From the Charlotte Observer:

A controversial rezoning request to build a Walgreens drug store and office building in Dilworth was rejected by Charlotte City Council Monday night, delighting neighbors who had waged an aggressive campaign of e-mails and yard signs against the project.

Developer Lincoln Harris’s rezoning lost 9-3, with only Warren Cooksey, Andy Dulin and David Howard supporting it.

The developer wanted to build a Walgreens and a two-story office building on two acres at East Morehead Street and Kenilworth Avenue. To move forward, Lincoln Harris would have to demolish several buildings, some of which were built at the turn of the century.

Lincoln Harris appeared to make a last-minute attempt to sway council members.

In an e-mail sent to council member Patsy Kinsey, who represents the area, a Lincoln Harris executive said the developer has an alternative plan for site that would contain “none of the softened commercial edges” in its Walgreens plan.

“I have come to the conclusion, based upon a number of discussions, these …neighbors were told by a core group of opponents that if the Lincoln Harris petition were to be denied , we will simply ‘go away’ and the property will remain the same,” wrote Alex Kelly, Lincoln Harris vice president. “This email is to confirm that this statement is completely false.”

The e-mail then suggested a backup development plan would have more impact on neighbors, and that it would be in Dilworth’s best interests to approve the original rezoning request.
“This is a serious decision....which could have a detrimental effect on other’s property values,” Kelly wrote.
The e-mail said that the alternative development plan would have “no development concessions offered to the neighborhood. All of the negotiated concessions will go away.”

Cedar's Take: Cooksey and Dulin always side with the developers, large and small. But without fellow Republican Edwin Peacock who often played both sides it was a dead horse way before the vote.

Cedar Posts has been asked why people feel Cooksey and Dulin are in developers pockets and what did Lincoln Harris VP Alex Kelly do wrong?

By illustration, take the CHA project in Ballentyne where Cooksey "washed his hands" by saying there was nothing he could do to oppose the low income project. In the end the shady deal was exposed, a massive fraud complete with developer kick backs, and was scraped.

As far as Alex Kelly, he is a total ass clown, and poster child for how not to deal with neighborhoods.

By contrast look at they way Autobell courted the folks in Southpark. That car wash may be the most over landscaped operation in the country but it began turning a profit on day one.
The demand was so great they didn't even have a grand opening, they just opened the doors.
Why? Because Chuck Howard went out of his way to work with his neighbors.
Alex Kelly's Vaseline or baseball bat method just didn't work.

So why did council members vote down the request?

Perhaps they have noted that much of the re-zoning completed in the past to accommodate developers like Lincoln Harris has left East Charlotte in a shambles. Charlotte's urban blight in East Charlotte and along the Independence and University corridors can be traced back to re-zoning votes approved at the request of developers like Lincoln Harris and not through well planned urban development.

Charlotte Catholic Posts Student Info On Line

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As parents we lecture our kids about all the dangers of on line predators, scams and hackers.

Our nation has created hundreds of laws to protect our children from harm via the Internet. So, it is pretty shocking to discover that Charlotte Catholic High School has posted their entire student body on line.

 

The alphabetical list includes student name, address, grade level, parents name, and email address.



At first glance the info seems harmless enough, but with a little interpolation, and some key strokes it doesn't take a computer expert to develop a pretty complete profile of someone.

Cedar Posts will let you know if Charlotte Catholic replies to our email request for comment and a copy of their computer security policy.

Cedar Update: Nothing but crickets from Gerald Healy at CCHS. But as of 1:03 this afternoon the information had been removed from the school's website.

Meanwhile back at the ranch CP received an email asking "what is the big deal?" I hate to try an argue with stupid but here goes. As a parent we tell our kids, never give out your home address on Facebook or Twitter. But Facebook encourages everyone to "use their real name" add your school, and a couple of keystrokes later thanks to Charlotte Catholic High School every sicko in the world knows right where this kids live. As a bonus they know their parents name, home number and in many cases where they work, since many provided a work email address. So.... WTF, (Well That's Freaky)!

CMPD's Domestic Violence Tree an Odd Contrast To Officers Charged With The Same

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At CMPD Headquarters yesterday they held a memorial tree lighting. The trees and purple ribbons, a silent reminder of the 53 people killed this year by someone they trusted, victims of domestic violence.

The Domestic Violence Advocacy Council hosted the event. Survivors, family and friends remembered the victims, telling stories about each one. The WCNC News report shows CMPD Command Staff including Chief Rodney Monroe carefully placing ribbons on one of the trees and reading a prepared statement speaking out against domestic violence.

 
Chief Monroe has said on more than once occasion that his department is "committed" to stopping domestic violence, and without a doubt domestic violence hits close to home with Chief Monroe, having lost a sister to the crime.

But a floor away in the same building CMPD Officer Darnley "Cecil" Brathwaite is on desk duty. Officer Brathwaite, a Detective in the department's robbery unit, was arrested on a Domestic-Violence charge on August 26th and has been "riding" the desk ever since.

On that Sunday evening Huntersville Police reportedly responded to a call for service and arrested the 37 year old Officer after he forced his way into his ex-wife's home and held her at gunpoint. Brathwaite's former spouse was not seriously injured in the incident.

Brathwaite was transported to the Mecklenburg County Jail and charged with, Assault on a female. Assault by pointing a gun, Criminal Domestic Trespass, and False Imprisonment among other things. Officer Brathwaite posted bail the following day and was released.


Brathwaite's trial date is set for January 16, 2013 in Mecklenburg County District Court.

According to one source; since his August 26 arrest, CMPD Internal Affairs Unit has taken no action against Officer Brathwaite, opting to let the facts play out in court before proceeding with any formal investigation, if any.

Cedar's Take: Odd contrast, the trees in the lobby their branches holding stark reminders of women murdered at the hands of assailants like CMPD Officer Brathwaite. Couples have fights, things can get out of hand, but violence of any sort should not be tolerated by any police department when it comes to their officers. When an officer pulls his weapon on his ex-wife, there should be no delay in his prompt termination. There is no reason to risk a second chance.

In Case You Missed It Creative Loafing Takes On Harry Jones - AGAIN!

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You'll miss this re-cap of Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones hubris, since it is buried in the weekly known as Creative Loafing, somewhere in front of the males escorts and strip-o-gram ads but it is worth reading.


John Grooms:

Creative Loafing first got a close look at county manager Harry Jones' high-handed arrogance 10 years ago. In 2002, this paper published an investigative story by former CL reporter Tara Servatius that set off a classic Harry Jones bullying spectacle. The story, "It's A Crapshoot," revealed that millions of gallons of raw, untreated human sewage had been spilled into the county's creeks and streams in the past three years, and that county official charged with enforcing water pollution guidelines had done little to nothing to punish the polluters (i.e., Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities, or CMU).

The reporter, this paper and this writer, in my capacity as editor at the time, were publicly vilified by county officials as "irresponsible" evildoers who, ostensibly, were just out to cause a ruckus. Soon, King Harry told the County Commission that his staff had produced a massive point-by-point response to our article, which would be sent to all local media, "except for Creative Loafing, because they're not interested in the truth." County Commission Chair Parks Helms told Jones that he had to send the response to CL lest the county government appear arrogant. But that was then. King Harry has gotten much worse since.

Last week, a Charlotte Observer editorial (which is here) revealed that Jones "became angry and aggressive" and "upbraided his bosses for their audacity" when the county commission refused to grant King Harry any raise at all this year, much less the 4.5 percent increase he wanted for what he called his "exemplary performance." Sad to say, but for anyone who has followed Jones' ever-growing sense of self-importance, the episode came as no surprise. The Observer editorial went on to, more or less, call for Jones' ouster. We've been saying the same thing for a few years.

Here's a quick review of some of King Harry's "exemplary performances" we've written about.
In 2009, Jones' standard treatment of "his" county government as an Uptown good ol' boys club was in full display when:

1. Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx's wife Samara was handed a $100,000 job as a special assistant to the chief of the Department of Social Services, after posting the job listing for a total of one day;

2. The Department of Social Services hired the daughter of Police Chief Rodney Monroe;

3. It hired the daughter of Superior Court Judge Yvonne Mims Evans;

4. Jones tried his best to cover up a report of tens of thousands of dollars being embezzled from the department's Giving Tree Christmas charity; and

5. Jones reacted to criticism by Bank of America Vice President Harry Lomax by going behind the commissioners' backs to a BofA official in order to have Lomax's complaints quashed.

In 2010, in the middle of a severe economic downturn, Jones accepted a $38,000 bonus on the heels of cutting county jobs and denying raises for everyone else who worked for the county — an action for which he was publicly slammed by Schools Superintendent Peter Gorman, who turned down a bonus, along with his top administrators. In addition, the King showed textbook-quality poor management by waiting until the last minute to tell schools, libraries and parks that they had to make huge, wrenching budget cuts that, to put it mildly, upset the community.

Add to that the revelation of poor, or rather nonexistent, oversight of a nonprofit that handled nearly $2 million in federal funds for the Shelter Plus Care program. And don't forget the brouhaha over a giant conflict of interest after county commissioners received free packets of tickets to the CIAA basketball tournament from Jones, after the county ponied up $200K to the CIAA to keep the tourney in Charlotte.

The rest of John Groom's opt-ed is here.

Cedar's Take: Tossing Harry Jones out on the street will be a hard sell considering that he is allegedly battling pancreatic cancer. However retaining him in a $35,000.00 staff postion, would be pretty smart. First it would ease the conscience and secondly it would lower his 5 year average salary down which would lower his retirment benefit, saving the county a bundle.

Of course if he didn't need the medical coverage, he'd just quit, which works as well.

Charlotte's Mayor Foxx Threatens Stormy Weather Ahead

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Things are looking rather stormy for the Charlotte City Council over the next few weeks. Council's two republicans and a number of democrates have dug in their heels over taxes and a new budget that would include a street car, a billion dollar project in the long run.

The Charlotte Observer ran a "cute" piece on Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx and his strained relationship with a couple of Charlotte City Council members.

"Claire Fallon ... believes Mayor Anthony Foxx, a fellow Democrat, is trying to push her out of office for not backing a streetcar. Foxx is trying to secure enough votes to include a $119 million streetcar extension in the broader capital plan, which could reach nearly $1 billion."

Fallon is one of several "new" council members who stepped up to challenge the way City Council spends your tax dollars, and this has not set well with Mayor Foxx. Fallon voted against the streetcar in June. She has told both FOX Charlotte and the Charlotte Observer that she would not react to political pressure to back the streetcar.

“He never said it outright,” Fallon said. “It was inferred. You listen to the music and not the words. The inference was, ‘I’m not very happy.’ He certainly isn’t going to support me.”

In an interview earlier in the week, Foxx said he will likely run for his third term as mayor.

"When asked about candidates for City Council, and whether he would recruit other Democrats to run citywide, Foxx said only that he would give careful consideration to any endorsement."

The Observer's Kevin Siers chirped up with his view of Mayor Foxx and his Street Car Plan:



Cedar's Take: Got to love the "8" pies.

Then late in the week Foxx supporters sounded the alarm and ran to the mayor's side. James "Smuggie" told a local television news reporter that Mayor Foxx "doesn't operate that way" further stating that he has never known the Mayor to threaten anyone.

Whoa! Stop the presses, let's just flash back to November 14 of last year.  

"Early this year when the Mayor's staff told the Charlotte International Cabinet that unless they coughed up the cash for the Mayor's First Class upgrade on his trip to China, their funding would be up for discussion. "

"I am going to ask again that CIC reimburse Mayor for the cost of his first class ticket - $4,000...If its not reimbursed, please expect hell with your presentation to Council and next year's budget." a Foxx staffer told the Charlotte International Cabinet via email.

The Charlotte Observer story on Mayor Foxx and his CIC threat is here.

Foxx of course claimed that threat was done without his authorization. But it is clear that Mayor Foxx likes to throw his weight around and this is how he serves as Charlotte's Mayor.

You might recall a CMPD rookie who pulled the Mayor over uptown for making a illegal turn. Again Mayor Foxx reportedly threaten the rookie cop and a ticket was not issued.

Cedar Posts Story on Mayor Foxx and his Uptown driving habits is here.

FOX Charlotte rolled the video that included the following:

"While differences in city politics is a reality, several sources told FOX Charlotte that Foxx has taken it to the next level.
Despite having councilmen from Foxx's party that have voted against his budget proposal, it's Pickering and Fallon that the mayor wants defeated in next year's election. He's pushing for District 2 Councilman James Mitchell to run for an at-large seat.Fallon says bring it on.

Council member Beth Pickering said she has had “firm and frank” conversations with the mayor about the streetcar. She said she’s concerned about the streetcar because of the property tax increase.She said she has heard “rumors” that Foxx would support other Democratic candidates against her.
“When I heard James (Mitchell) may run at-large I thought that might be true,” she said.

The entire FOX Charlotte Report is here.
Cedar's Take: Mayor Foxx is a spoiled toddler. Frankly I think the street car is a great idea, I have a couple of street cars I would be thrilled to sell the City of Charlotte. But Mayor Foxx and prior City Council has spent tax dollars like drunken sailors, they need to work with what they have and forget the idea of raising taxes. Maybe it is time to tap into Jerry Orr's cash cow, the airport. Maybe it is time to ask Jerry Richardson to "pass the loot" or make a call to Brother "BO" and get a little "ear marked" cash for Charlottte.
Come on Mayor Foxx do your job! Make a few call and make it happen without putting another burden on the taxpayers.

Charlotte's Mayor Foxx Threatens Stormy Weather Ahead

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Things are looking rather stormy for the Charlotte City Council over the next few weeks. Council's two republicans and a number of democrates have dug in their heels over taxes and a new budget that would include a street car, a billion dollar project in the long run.

The Charlotte Observer ran a "cute" piece on Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx and his strained relationship with a couple of Charlotte City Council members.

"Claire Fallon ... believes Mayor Anthony Foxx, a fellow Democrat, is trying to push her out of office for not backing a streetcar. Foxx is trying to secure enough votes to include a $119 million streetcar extension in the broader capital plan, which could reach nearly $1 billion."

Fallon is one of several "new" council members who stepped up to challenge the way City Council spends your tax dollars, and this has not set well with Mayor Foxx. Fallon voted against the streetcar in June. She has told both FOX Charlotte and the Charlotte Observer that she would not react to political pressure to back the streetcar.

“He never said it outright,” Fallon said. “It was inferred. You listen to the music and not the words. The inference was, ‘I’m not very happy.’ He certainly isn’t going to support me.”

In an interview earlier in the week, Foxx said he will likely run for his third term as mayor.

"When asked about candidates for City Council, and whether he would recruit other Democrats to run citywide, Foxx said only that he would give careful consideration to any endorsement."

The Observer's Kevin Siers chirped up with his view of Mayor Foxx and his Street Car Plan:



Cedar's Take: Got to love the "8" pies.

Then late in the week Foxx supporters sounded the alarm and ran to the mayor's side. James "Smuggie" told a local television news reporter that Mayor Foxx "doesn't operate that way" further stating that he has never known the Mayor to threaten anyone.

Whoa! Stop the presses, let's just flash back to November 14 of last year.  

"Early this year when the Mayor's staff told the Charlotte International Cabinet that unless they coughed up the cash for the Mayor's First Class upgrade on his trip to China, their funding would be up for discussion. "

"I am going to ask again that CIC reimburse Mayor for the cost of his first class ticket - $4,000...If its not reimbursed, please expect hell with your presentation to Council and next year's budget." a Foxx staffer told the Charlotte International Cabinet via email.

The Charlotte Observer story on Mayor Foxx and his CIC threat is here.

Foxx of course claimed that threat was done without his authorization. But it is clear that Mayor Foxx likes to throw his weight around and this is how he serves as Charlotte's Mayor.

You might recall a CMPD rookie who pulled the Mayor over uptown for making a illegal turn. Again Mayor Foxx reportedly threaten the rookie cop and a ticket was not issued.

Cedar Posts Story on Mayor Foxx and his Uptown driving habits is here.

FOX Charlotte rolled the video that included the following:

"While differences in city politics is a reality, several sources told FOX Charlotte that Foxx has taken it to the next level.
Despite having councilmen from Foxx's party that have voted against his budget proposal, it's Pickering and Fallon that the mayor wants defeated in next year's election. He's pushing for District 2 Councilman James Mitchell to run for an at-large seat.Fallon says bring it on.

Council member Beth Pickering said she has had “firm and frank” conversations with the mayor about the streetcar. She said she’s concerned about the streetcar because of the property tax increase.She said she has heard “rumors” that Foxx would support other Democratic candidates against her.
“When I heard James (Mitchell) may run at-large I thought that might be true,” she said.

The entire FOX Charlotte Report is here.
Cedar's Take: Mayor Foxx is a spoiled toddler. Frankly I think the street car is a great idea, I have a couple of street cars I would be thrilled to sell the City of Charlotte. But Mayor Foxx and prior City Council has spent tax dollars like drunken sailors, they need to work with what they have and forget the idea of raising taxes. Maybe it is time to tap into Jerry Orr's cash cow, the airport. Maybe it is time to ask Jerry Richardson to "pass the loot" or make a call to Brother "BO" and get a little "ear marked" cash for Charlottte.
Come on Mayor Foxx do your job! Make a few call and make it happen without putting another burden on the taxpayers.

Friday Wrap Up - Grinch Edition

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Stacey Simms "It is not you, Its me." - My morning commute is longer than most people I know. I live in South Charlotte and work in Charleston which makes my morning drive about 3 hours long. I'm normally rocking down 77 heading south before most commuters roll out of bed and I'm long gone from Charlotte, by the time they start their inbound trek from South Carolina.



Two or three times a week around 5:00 a.m. with coffee in hand, I hit the road and as soon as I roll down the ramp and merge into the sparse 485 traffic, I hit the 1110 AM button. There, in the pre dawn darkness, for as long as I can remember is Stacy Simms.

WBT in the hours before sunrise reaches across the South Carolina upstate loud and clear, as they say 10x10,  most mornings. And so I have grown accustom to Stacey's voice. If I time it just right I can listen to WBT and Stacey all the way to Orangeburg before the signal fades into the morning sun.

Stacey has been the voice of Charlotte mornings for the last ten years, and today is her last day. Ten years? If she said 20 I'd say it was true. I honestly can't remember who was the morning host on WBT before Stacey.

Those of us who grew up in Charlotte know the list of WBT talent is long and distinguished. Grady Cole, Ty Boyd, "Hello" Henry Boggan, Mike Collins, Bob Lacey, H.A. Thompson and "Rocking" Ray Gooding.

Over the years WBT has held a treasure trove of talent but as you have noticed women have never gained such status, until now. Stacey's name has joined that list.

Ten years is a long time, and I don't blame Stacey, she has had a tough time off air this past year. As break ups go I am sure she'd say "Its not you, Its me". 

Next Monday morning I'll be hurtling down I-77 without Stacey.

And so it goes....

CMPD Rodney Monroe vs Jerry Orr Power Play Again- Word from some of Cedar Posts reliable sources is the CMPD officers who have taken control of the airport policing, are being forced to work out of the Police Training Academy because Jerry Orr is not willing to give the department office space in the terminal. 

The now retired airport police patch.

It is general knowledge that Curt Walton had to settle the turf war between Jerry Orr and Rodney Monroe. The CMPD Chief came out on top with Jerry losing his police department. So a little poke in the eye might have been in order but, seriously this is pretty childish.

Cat Fight - The claws came out early Thursday morning and the result was a number of arrests, including the wife of a Charlotte Bobcats player, after things got "catty" outside an uptown bar after a party hosted by NBA star Chris Paul.

The fight took place around 2:30 a.m. at the NC Music Factory outside of the Label night club where a party hosted by the Los Angeles Clippers star guard had just wrapped up.
Jamie Patrice Thomas, 26, wife of Charlotte Bobcats forward Tyrus Thomas, was arrested along with Sascha Smith, 22; Shassity Stevenson, 28;  and Morgan Williams, 22. Thomas was charged with DWI, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and resisting a public officer.

Williams was not happy being filmed by WSOC's videographer, and tried to kick him.

Police say Thomas was intoxicated when she hit a security guard twice with her car, trying to leave the Music Factory after a fight involving the other women.
Thomas is charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and DWI. Sascha Smith, another of those arrested, is engaged to Bobcats guard Ben Gordon. Morgan Williams, 22, of Chicago is facing a felony robbery charge. Police said Williams stole Alissa Jordan’s purse.

Police also charged Shassity Stevenson for resisting arrest. Smith was also charged with resisting arrest.

Eyewitness News went to Jordan’s home Thursday. She did not say much, but she did acknowledge the fight. “My things were stolen. It was a fight and that’s it,” she said.
A spokesman for the Bobcats said, "We are aware of the incident, but it would be inappropriate for us to comment on this pending legal matter."

The WSOC video is pretty interesting and is here.

Call Me A Grinch - But I really dislike the way some people view Christmas. Beyond the shopping mall madness and chia pets there are those among us who are helping morph Christmas into an extension of Halloween.

Charlotte's Annual Santa Bar Crawl is as the name implies a chance to get knee crawling drunk dressed up as Santa or whatever...




I have to admit that there were some seriously hot little elves and Ms Claus wandering around uptown last Saturday night. But is this really what we want Christmas to be about? BTW I don't think elves wear fishnet stockings, just saying.

Then there are the fun folks at Guilty Pleasures in North Charleston, SC.

They thought is would be a good idea to be a part of the Mt. Pleasant Christmas Parade.


Well some of the parents who brought their toddlers out to see the parade were less than thrilled with the X rated theme, although admittedly the kids saw Santa and a bus and the adult message was over their heads. When the parade started the owners of "Cool Bus" a Charleston party bus unfurled the Guilty Pleasures banners that covered both sides of the bus.

The town of Mt. Pleasant responded by saying they "neither sanctioned nor approved the advertising. The party responsible for the float failed to disclose its inclusion on the required entry form and displayed the sign without notice to Town officials. We do not support the adult-themed advertising presented on the float. The language was contrary to the family-friendly nature of the parade and brought controversy to an otherwise exceptional parade."

Owner of the Cool Bus Tom Gibbs said he doesn't understand what is offensive about the advertisement.
"All we heard was positive feedback, to include the other people in the parade, the people along the parade, the mayor was next to this sign last night," Gibbs explained. "If somehow that was offensive, I think it would have been addressed before we got in the parade."

Cedar's Take: Forget the "putting Christ back in Christmas, that idea is long gone. Or the push of the "Church vs State" crowd, these are battles that have been lost to the ages. I'm ok with "Happy Holidays" vs Merry Christmas and even those people who text me Merry XMas.

But when I attend a bank Christmas Party were the president hires a cross dressing female impersonator. (Though he/she does a really good Joan Rivers) I'm just a little shocked.





Christmas Eve with Percy Craven

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If your family is like mine Christmas begins a week before Thanksgiving and runs well past New Year's day. The weeks roar by in a calliope of sights and sounds. A never ending visual delight of Christmas trees, holiday movies, parties and children rampaging through the house. It is truly a joyous time of year.

The far reaches of the North Carolina mountains, nearly to the Georgia state line in the most distant corner of our state is Percy's Christmas.

The gravel road to Percy's cabin is covered with pine needles and a light dusting of freshly fallen snow.

The morning sun has already started to melt the new snow in patches along the south facing side of the valley, but in the shadows of the mountain along the north side, the accumulation of the recent snow events still stands.


Resilient Mountain Laurel leaves are drooping, a sign that the temperature outside the comfort of my SUV's heated leather seats is cold. In many spots the gravel road is iced over.

The look and feel of a winter camp is everywhere along the narrow road, for it is a place few have ventured since Thanksgiving. In the summer Percy's lake is filled with the sounds of bass boats zipping past the point with their motors racing at full throttle and the shouts and screams of Boy Scouts at the nearby National Forest campground.

In winter the sound is pure silence, yet today the air is heavy with the smell of burning wood. A sign that someone is here.

Percy has a fine home in nearby Franklin, just off the main street the two story traditional has a generous porch, bright white columns and a well kept lawn. But his small cabin is really where Percy lives, far from town, father from people.

The lack of people at the lake in winter means it is somber place void of youth and the endless quiet to me, that silence is like a deafening roar and somewhat heartbreaking.

The only sounds, are the gusts of wind that send the yellow pines swaying as they sing though the chill winter air, a chorus of cold and ice.

I drive over the crest of the hill and round the long sweeping turn that dips down to the lake. Percy is always up before dawn, so I'm not surprised that a raised hand greets me, as Percy's cabin comes into view, his dog a brown Boykin Spaniel named Boone obediently stands by his side. Boone is bursting with excitement, he knows my SUV and that I'm always good for a handout.

On Percy's command the Boykin bounds off the porch and heads toward me, his short tail in full happy mode. The Chick Fil A bag is a give away that I brought food. The biscuits are cold after the forty minute ride from Franklin. Boykins don't care if the food is cold and neither does Percy.

Percy Craven has made himself busy already, but his walk this morning is stiff and and he moves with trepidation and care. It takes a little prodding but he confesses he took a tumble on the dock. "Of all the people, I slip on the frost down on the dock morning before last." Explains Percy, as he pours two cups of black coffee.

Percy speaks a different language than I do. Most everything is either down, over, yonder, up or a far piece. It also takes me a while to figure out that the "morning before last" was Saturday.

Percy continues; "I didn't break nothing, didn't get wet and nobody saw it happen but Boone there."  Boone looks away as if to say "I see nothing, I hear nothing and I know nothing". 

Percy adds, "So I'll figure it was you who had a blabber mouth if anyone calls to ask if I'm OK."

Despite his stiffness he's pacing the porch as he wants to walk in the woods a "while" so he can check a couple of rabbit traps. My coffee has just gotten to the temperature where its drinkable. But I leave it on the table and we both head down the path around the lake.

Percy doesn't lock his doors and looks cross eyed at me when I hit the remote lock on my SUV. The "chirp chirp" sound echoes across the silent lake and Percy rolls his eyes. "Ain't no one out here to steal your car." Percy sounds off.

I explain that; "I ain't worried about no one, I'm worried about the bears." Percy laughs out loud, and tells me; "No matter, bear is gonna get in anyway."

Percy is right, as the half eaten chicken biscuit I left in the car is just about all a bear needs as incentive to break into what the bear thinks is just a steel food box.

"I thought bears hibernated?" I ask.

Percy pretends he doesn't hear me.

The air is brisk around 28 and ground cold, doesn't matter Percy is talking a "blue streak" he has a lot on his mind. Normally when I walk with Percy we are hunting and the talk is short and quiet. Today is different, his topics range from Sandy Hook School and the NRA to "Barry" and the fact that the president spends his Christmas in Hawaii.

On Sandy Hook he is cold hearted, "I don't understand people, even the news folks, about those children, saying they are in a better place, that is just crazy talk, people that are weak minded need that stuff I guess. But those kids are dead, stone cold dead, ain't no sense in making it into some happy place they went. They'll be taking a permanent dirt nap and it is stupid the way people are acting about it."

On the NRA he is equally angry; "The NRA is a bunch of idiots, they have a chance to make a difference and act reasonable and they blow it. Sportsmen, I mean real sportsmen like myself have no use for a thirty round magazine or an assault style weapon. The NRA should have come out with a statement that demanded an immediate ban on the sale of large capacity magazines. It is the National Rifle Association, not the local gun nut shoot em up club."

Percy is one of those people who thinks the President is a Muslim, a Communist and not born in America. As proof he offers the Hawaii Holiday vacation. "I understand wanting to spend Christmas at home, but why would anyone want to spend Christmas in Hawaii? Barry's home is in Chicago and it will cost the taxpayers 4 million dollars to go there when he has the best home in America to spend Christmas.

Tell you what; if Barry doesn't want to spend Christmas in the White House, I think we ought to rent the place out. Someone would pay big bucks and maybe we could break even on his vacation.

Bush 41 and 43 went home, they went to a place they owned, Crawford, Texas or Houston or Kennebunkport. Clinton went home to Arkansas. Barry goes to a damn resort. That ain't his home and I'm paying his way. Biggest dan burned scam I've ever seen and Americans are stupid to think otherwise."

Six traps and nothing, each trap is carefully baited again a mixture of peanut butter and cornmeal. Boone is kept away from the traps so that he doesn't "stink up" the rabbit runs.

An hour and 45 minutes later we're back and the sun is melting snow everywhere, the sound of water dripping off the trees in the bright sunlight makes the day seem like spring, yet winter has just begun.

I stop at my SUV and hit the remote again. Chirp, chirp and open the door, removing a small gift wrapped box. Announcing to Percy; "I got you a Christmas present."

"What the hell!" says Percy, "It ain't right for a man to give another man a Christmas present. People will talk, even worst that you wrapped the damn thing."

I offer to unwrap the gift, but Percy will have nothing of it.

"Do I look like a cripple?" He jokes.

The beauty to eBay is finding something in the way of a Christmas gift that you can't get anywhere else. In this case a 1966 Shakespeare "Featherweight" Trout reel in a black nickel finish.

Percy rips into the box and I make another pot of coffee.

Over my shoulder I hear "Well I'm be damned" I look to see the eyes of a 5 year old on Christmas morning. Percy is enthralled.


He spins the reel, pushes over the take up button and spins it again. He smiles. You know they don't make them like this anymore? The ivory knob on the spool and leather case are signs of something made decades ago. Percy points to the engraved plate on the bottom.

Made in the U.S.A.

In the silence we both admire his gift and my eBay find.

Suddenly Percy is talking a mile a minute again; "I didn't get you nothing... his voice trails off to an inaudible babble as he bolts up out of his chair and heads to a small room and into a closet. He's still talking but I can hear a word he is saying for the solid oak plank door he is trying to talk through.

After a minute or so he returns and presents me with a well used white tobacco pipe.

"I'd be meaning to get rid of this for years. Now its yours." Percy states as he waves the pipe in the air. "It belonged to my father, its Meerschaum. I think its worth about a dollar."

He starts to hand it to me and then pulls it back.  "Hold on, I'll wrap it for ya." barks Percy.

He carefully places the pipe on the Christmas paper that moments ago held a fly reel. Percy folds it neatly over the pipe and then rolls the whole thing into a wad of crumpled paper. Handing the mess to me he says: "There I wrapped it up for ya."


We both laugh, Percy spins the reel again and before long the sun begins to fall behind the mountain and the shadows grow long and reach nearly to the east side of the lake.

We talk another hour; he'll go to church then call it an early night. Some folks in town invited him for dinner Christmas Day; he says if he wakes up, he expects he'll go as the Mrs. makes a good pecan pie. He needs to go to the post office on Thursday and the doctor on "Wednesday a week."

I've come to learn that older folks need order, and I have found that Percy looks forward to just about anything you can put on a calendar. It gives him something to look forward to even if it means a trip to the dentist.

The lighted Merry Christmas banner stretches over the street at the edge of town. Telephone poles have decorations that date to the 1970's as cars rush by people and come and go. This is small town North Carolina, untouched by time or progress.

Flurries race across the road and slide up my windshield, on the other side of the mountain the snow fades and the sky clears, the 3/4's moon shines down on the glimmering lights of the Carolina countryside below were I-40 reaches into South Carolina.

It is Christmas Eve.

In Case You Missed It West Rowan Farm Home & Garden

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A steady stream of farmers, retirees, grandparents and grandkids filed into an 83-year-old country store in Rowan County on a recent morning to buy everything from feed to soda pop and to sit for a spell in Amish rockers hand-built from hickory and oak.

"You sit in these things and you don’t get up for a couple of hours,” patron Jim Misenheimer said at West Rowan Farm Home & Garden, as other customers bought fertilizer, tractor supplies, die-cast model farm machines and newly introduced homemade fudge.

 And to think that several months ago, the store was about to be boarded up, its owner set to retire.Brian and Elsie Bennett decided the old store needed to live on, for the rural community to which it’s been so indispensable.

 The 1,100-square-foot store is on N.C. 801 between Mooresville and Salisbury, about 40 miles northeast of Charlotte. Locals quip that unincorporated Bear Poplar is a “suburb” of Mount Ulla, which is a “suburb” of Mooresville. 

 To get to the store, take Interstate 77 to Mooresville Exit 36. Head east on N.C. 150 to N.C. 801 and go north eight miles to the store. You’re three miles away on N.C. 801 when you pass a giant red Coble Homogenized Milk carton on the right. 

 More about the West Rowan Farm Home & Garden from the Charlotte Observer here

CMPD Looks The Other Way

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One of Charlotte's finest has apparently been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Seems one CMPD officer, we'll call him Officer Ripoff, had a pretty sweet secondary employment job providing security at the Greyhound bus station Uptown.




But apparently Officer Ripoff figured he was so good at being a cop he could work both his secondary job and his CMPD job at the same time. His multi-tasking or "double - dipping" by working the lucrative bus station job while on the clock at the expense of the city's taxpayers is of course wrong and also illegal. It is normally called theft. But apparently not at Chief Monroe's CMPD.

Officer Ripoff was assigned to CMPD POST/TRAP unit in an undercover capacity. Seems Officer Ripoff was allowed to dress as he wished so as to fit in with Charlotte's street thugs. His work with the POST/TRAP unit also gave him a wide latitude in his hours making the scam pretty easy to pull off.

Everything was rocking along nicely for Officer Ripoff until someone did the math and BINGO! Officer Ripoff is busted. Ripoff was brought to IA where he promptly tried to place the blame on his supervisor, Marc Robson.  Robson was later removed from the unit and sent to the airport.  Ripoff was removed from the unit and sent to third shift in central division.

While on the specialized unit Ripoff had grown a full beard as part of his assignment but he was told to shave it when he was sent back to uniform patrol. Officer Ripoff refused to shave the beard claiming he has recently converted to Islam and that as a Muslim was permitted to wear a beard.

So the department sent Ripoff back to his undercover POST/TRAP specialized unit, given his same hours and job as before, effectively voiding any punishment whatsoever.

Padding a time sheet or slacking off while being a Cop is nothing new, double dipping while rare has happened before. In fact several years ago under Chief Stevens a couple of wise guys thought they could get away with it.  But not only were the officers immediately cited for termination they were also charged criminally.

Cedar's Take: The water cooler talk about this has been going on for sometime. CP has withheld the officer's name and photo to protect his identity since he is still working in an undercover capacity.

It is interesting to note that Officer Ripoff is black and his supervisor Marc Robinson is white.

Cedar's Follow-Up: An earlier version of this blog post was removed due to "operator error".