Cabarrus Cheap Seats

Good mornin’ - here’s some stuff I’ve picked up around the web since last Monday.

Democrats Fear NASCAR Cooties - here’s a good collection of articles: Charlotte Observer (news article), Charlotte Observer (editorial) Carolina Politics Online, Carolina Politics Online Again, The Moderate Voice (great cartoon); but the best analysis, hands down, came from our friends at Red State Update in this video:

Good-looking women are depreciating assets.

Coy Privette abandons his own proposal.

Another Republican calls for more action against Privette.

Governor Easley: “A dirty car is a sign of civic responsibility nowadays“

The report back from a local US Senate Page: “It was like a bad Saturday Night Live skit“

The latest jail “compromise” just deja vu?

Three probes, one legislator - anyone want to guess which party he’s registered with? (HT: Carolina Politics Online)

In another disappointment for North Carolina liberals, Rep. Shuler stops Speaker Pelosi from banning God. Here’s how it went. And before you accuse me of party disloyalty, I’m not the only Conservative Republican giving Democrat Shuler the props he deserves.

Given my props for a Democrat: if a US Senator co-sponsors a global warming bill endorsed by the National Wildlife Federation and Environmental - you’d expect the lead “progressive” blog in the senator’s state to make note of it, right? Not if the Senator is a Republican, apparently.

If the Speedway would move - who would really be to blame?

The rich get richer, and they’re paying a greater percentage of their income in taxes than the rest of us. (HT: Instapundit)

Again, the rich get richer; but that beats the inequality you’d find in Europe.

Local Stuff:

Another victim of the drought - power plants.

One of my favorite historical markers is the one in Downtown Concord - “Jefferson Davis Slept Here”. A tertiary understanding of the Civil War would inform why he was staying here at that time. Anyhow, more people are following in his footsteps.

To help my fellow Republicans not to repeat a performance like we saw in 2006 here’s a hint: quit wasting time on stuff that doesn’t matter ala Mecklenburg County Commissioner Bill James. He’s influenced similar silliness in the past here in Cabarrus County.

Ask yourself this question, if Cabarrus voters had this option - how would things be different?

Sales Tax Repeal opponents in Mecklenburg fight dirty.

The Cabarrus Visitors Bureau goes to the sky for Bruton Smith.

If NCDOT keeps it up - a train might be our only option.

State Stuff:

To my friends in local media: if you think the letters to the editor from the handful of remaining Coy supporters are rabid about your coverage - don’t screw with Clay Aiken.

Here’s this week’s lament on the lack of civility in American politics. And, here’s a strange bi-partisan example

Seriously, people - if you think health care is expensive now…just wait until it’s free.

The North Carolina Board of Elections has pulled most voter data from their website. I guess the Dems running the state don’t like open government. (HT: The Soup)

Beverly Perdue isn’t doing well on her blog background check.

The most common recurring political post on the Internet - someone from the Netroots taking themselves too seriously.

The State Medical Board is now reinstating licenses before felon MDs are let out of jail.

Thompson loses lead among NC Republicans.

The Gubernatorial debates are on.

Sister Toldjah Turns 4.

National Stuff:

The first Boomer files for Social Security. When they write the history of 1940 to 2040 - it can be summarized in this sentence: “A great generation made unspeakable sacrifices to make the world safe for democracy and individual prosperity - giving their children a world where they could pass the tab to the grandkids” (HT: Instapundit)

I’ve mentioned before about the dearth of dedicated journalists locally, now there’s a brain drain throughout old media. (HT: Instapundit)

The brain drain is already having its effect, 2 out of 3 newspapers failed to report the record reduction in the federal budget deficit. (HT: Instapundit)

Oh, and while $172 billion is a LOT of money, we aren’t in debt as badly as some of the larger EU economies.

In college, I had a futon in a studio apartment. Little did I know - but I was subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. (HT: Instapundit)

If you run a blog, you probably won’t make a difference in the 2008 election.

Want to ask the presidential candidates a question? All it takes is a video camera.

Quick. What affects food prices more - high oil prices or demand for more ethanol? The answer might surprise you.

And if you’ve been to a John Edwards rally in the past 6 years, you’d hear about how the rich are getting richer off of those making minimum wage. But, the people making minimum wage is rather revealing. And here’s another article about getting out of a minimum wage job.

Tom Friedman says people my age (OK, I’m 12 short weeks from no longer being a twenty-something) are too quiet. Jesse Jenkins gets loud about that.

In matters of the Internet, sometimes it helps to go straight to the source.

A number of interesting what-if scenarios on the Electoral College.

Fellow Republicans: build your own slate of candidates.

Guns don’t kill people - gun control does. (HT: Instapundit)

MoveOn: The ends justify the means.

What’s the best country to be Anti-American? Here’s the answer. (HT: Instapundit)

Republicans: Felling down about ‘08? Don’t forget about our secret weapon. (HT: Instapundit)

Other Stuff:

You can recycle nearly anything, and here’s where to do it.

A not-so-smart way to introduce a car to the US.

I’ve been meaning to restart the Confessions of an O’Rourke Republican series, but I will own up to being an X-Con (note: check out comments 18,19, and 24 on the linked article regarding a very important qualification to that designation)

Can’t dial “0″ to get an operator? Here are some other tricks and entire reference site dedicated to the effort to talk to a person when you call a company.

Hey guys, what’s the worst reason you can dream up for your wife leaving you? Well, here’s marriage advice from a guy who lived through it.

Saving the world doesn’t take a lot of sacrifices - just brains.

This week’s manifesto: The Long Tail.

School choice might not be such a big deal after all.

Of the 100 Websites You Should Know and Use- I use somewhere around 3. (HT: Lifehack)

Meet the Dolly Llama.

Your work could be killing you.

Your brain can make you racist.

How to stay optimistic.

If you were one of the first to sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry - don’t forget to renew! (HT: Lifehacker)