Charlotte Wordcamp appears to have gone without a hitch. Well almost. Kevin from Peer in Counseling got stuck in an elevator in the Charlotte Observer building.
edit: Image from that post.
edit: Image from that post.
Recently in North Carolina Category
Well, I'm ringing a bell this year for the Salvation Army this holiday season. It'll be the 5th year I've done it in the last 6. It's not a great job but it;s better than nothing, it helps folks out this holiday season, and will hopefully put a few bucks in my pocket. We start on the 22nd.It's going to be really bad this year and I have to admit that I'm a bit concerned. Wal-Mart is only allowing the bellringers outside their stores for a few days this season instead of every day like they did when Target stopped allowed the kettles. (But yet, no one is reporting on that. Hmmm...) That's a big chunk of change that the Salvation Army isn't going to get. There's also five less days to rind as well this year. Another big chunk gone.
But yet the Charlotte Salvation Army has something like three times the number of children signed up this year over last for their Christmas gift program. And they're still signing families up. We do get some idiot bellringers who steal out of the kettles. I wonder if they'll ever realize that they're stealing from little kids.
And yes, I do get paid. Have to admit that I've always been bothered by that as I wish I could do it for free but what money I do get really helps me out, gets me caught up on my medical bills, and gives me a bit of extra cash for the first few months of the new year. We're lucky to get maybe 4 or 5 local volunteer groups on Saturday every week that'll handle 4 or 5 of those buckets. Of course we have nearly a hundred every day for six days a week. Without those who get paid, there really wouldn't be any kettles out there and no money would get raised. Necessary evil I guess.
If you would like to stop by and say hello, most days I'll be at the Macy's at South Park Mall here in Charlotte. I'll most likely be on the side towards Morrison Blvd on the back side of the mall. Sounds like a rather poor location but I usually do fairly well out there. If you feel like bringing by coffee, I won't complain. (Cream and sugar please. Carmel shots would be a plus. ) Have to admit that I'm wondering how I'm going to eat for the first week or so. Not sure if folks remember but I live off a very small check that I get at the beginning of the month. I won't have any money for those first two weeks and, since I won't be doing any volunteering, I know I'm not going to be getting any food from them. Not looking forward to it.
The Shirley Temple picture is from here. I wanted to use this picture but there's a big old copyright on it with no permission to reuse. Oh well. At the very least, I can link to it.
It's being reported that a child was left in a local McDonalds restaurant restroom this morning here in Charlotte. Go read the article first and then come back.
Finished? Here's my problem with the story. In North Carolina, it's legal for the mother to hand over her newborn child, up to 7 days old to any complete stranger who's responsible and walk away.
Any complete stranger.
Think about that for just a second. Now I don't mind having this law and to some extent think it's a good idea. Wouldn't it be a better idea though for them to hand the kid over to, or, oh I don't know, maybe a hospital or a police officer or maybe even walk over to the local fire station and hand the child off there? How about a church? Or a school? Or heck how about a bank branch since we're here in Charlotte?
Nope, not here in North Carolina. It's legal to drop the kid off at a pool hall with the bartender or the stripper working the table dances. Or the homeless guy sleeping on the bench? Or how about the parking attendant working the booth? Or the McDonalds store manager who's trying to get folks through the drive thru first thing in the morning? Or how about the bus driver? (Actually that's legal here in North Carolina as well.) The baggage clerk at the Greyhound station? Heck, Bush is a responsible adult under North Carolina law.
Look, I'm glad the child's being taken care of or hopefully will be but I have a problem with a wide open loophole like that. Sure, there are a lot of responsible people out there who would do anything for that kid or any other child dropped into their lap. But let's make sure about it, OK? I would think that would be a better idea.
Image from Calm Your Screaming Baby.
Finished? Here's my problem with the story. In North Carolina, it's legal for the mother to hand over her newborn child, up to 7 days old to any complete stranger who's responsible and walk away.
Any complete stranger.
Think about that for just a second. Now I don't mind having this law and to some extent think it's a good idea. Wouldn't it be a better idea though for them to hand the kid over to, or, oh I don't know, maybe a hospital or a police officer or maybe even walk over to the local fire station and hand the child off there? How about a church? Or a school? Or heck how about a bank branch since we're here in Charlotte?
Nope, not here in North Carolina. It's legal to drop the kid off at a pool hall with the bartender or the stripper working the table dances. Or the homeless guy sleeping on the bench? Or how about the parking attendant working the booth? Or the McDonalds store manager who's trying to get folks through the drive thru first thing in the morning? Or how about the bus driver? (Actually that's legal here in North Carolina as well.) The baggage clerk at the Greyhound station? Heck, Bush is a responsible adult under North Carolina law.
Look, I'm glad the child's being taken care of or hopefully will be but I have a problem with a wide open loophole like that. Sure, there are a lot of responsible people out there who would do anything for that kid or any other child dropped into their lap. But let's make sure about it, OK? I would think that would be a better idea.
Image from Calm Your Screaming Baby.
Yes, that's the Google website from here at the library. The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County system can't find it. The most popular website on the net and their system is telling me that it doesn't exist.
I've been complaining about their poorly setup system for over a year with no response. In fact I've gotten to the point that I've complained about their comment form on their site and wondered why they even bother having it since no one ever answers it.
It's not just me either. I'm sitting here with three over folks using their laptops and they get the error from time to time. About 1 in 15 page views on average. If I turned around I could watch those folks using the terminals hit the same problem. If you sit here and just do CTRL-F5 refreshes on a site you'll get it often as well.
What's even worse is they keep winning "Library of the Year" awards from librarian organizations but yet they can't fix this issue or even acknowledge it exists.
It's really sad.
I've been complaining about their poorly setup system for over a year with no response. In fact I've gotten to the point that I've complained about their comment form on their site and wondered why they even bother having it since no one ever answers it.
It's not just me either. I'm sitting here with three over folks using their laptops and they get the error from time to time. About 1 in 15 page views on average. If I turned around I could watch those folks using the terminals hit the same problem. If you sit here and just do CTRL-F5 refreshes on a site you'll get it often as well.
What's even worse is they keep winning "Library of the Year" awards from librarian organizations but yet they can't fix this issue or even acknowledge it exists.
It's really sad.
As many of you know, I work with a number of area churches and organizations that assist the area homeless. Recently, Van Miller, a columnist for Charlotte Magazine, wrote an article on one couple who I help. Their names are Arthur and Debbie and I've been helping them since about 2000. They come uptown three times a week and pass out upwards of 500 hot dogs, soda, clothing and supplies. Arthur's been doing it for about 16 or 17 years now.
The article is an interesting read. I have to admit though that I take exception to characterizing all the folks who come out as having "hair [that is] unkempt, their clothes dirty, fingernails long, teeth brown." That kind of bothers me. Yes, some folks are like that but far from all of them which is how I read the article.
There's some pictures up in the gallery. They're all mixed in together though. I'll sort them if I have time tomorrow. The photo I've included here is from the article. (My own pictures aren't that good.)
Arthur, the hot dog guy
The article is an interesting read. I have to admit though that I take exception to characterizing all the folks who come out as having "hair [that is] unkempt, their clothes dirty, fingernails long, teeth brown." That kind of bothers me. Yes, some folks are like that but far from all of them which is how I read the article.
There's some pictures up in the gallery. They're all mixed in together though. I'll sort them if I have time tomorrow. The photo I've included here is from the article. (My own pictures aren't that good.)
Arthur, the hot dog guy
Gotta admit that I hate doing pictures but I had someone send me this one from when I was on the first train out of the station when the LYNX light rail system started on Nov. 24th. Even beat all the higher ups who were supposed to be on the first train. (Not sure why. We started at the 7th Street Station while they started at the Transit Center.)
Got lucky as well. Had just finished helping Calvary Church serving breakfast to the homeless that morning. I was walking over to CPCC to use the library and the train was just sitting there.
Got a t-shirt out of it at least.
Got lucky as well. Had just finished helping Calvary Church serving breakfast to the homeless that morning. I was walking over to CPCC to use the library and the train was just sitting there.
Got a t-shirt out of it at least.
Taken from here:A man was killed Sunday after he was hit by a light rail train. It happened just before 8 p.m.Not the first person to die at Charlotte Transit's hands either. (But my Google searching is mush today and I can't find any links.)
Charlotte Area Transit System officials tell Eyewitness News that the man was sitting on the tracks at the corner of South Boulevard and Old Pineville Road.
Investigators are trying to figure out why the man was on the tracks. They'll be reviewing on-board video from the train to help in the investigation.
A Random Photo from the Gallery...
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