Myers Park Baptist is and has been one of the more progressive congregations here in Charlotte and when I use progressive I don't mean it in a purely political context. If I wasn't an Episcopalian, this is where I would probably go to church. They have installed solar panels, open their facilities to many community groups and just generally are a great asset to our city.

This summer they have been holding a series of talks on how people of differing viewpoints can live together and respect each other. Yesterday, Parks Helms a former Democratic county commissioner and Wayne Powers a Republican who is now running for county commission talked about Christianity and politics.

One of the things I always like to look up before I make a donation to a candidate is to see who else is giving to the candidate. Here are a couple of links to sites I use:

Open Secrets

NC Board of Elections

Federal Election Commission

I was down in Beaufort last month at the Duke University Maritime Lab and the former director said that all their models are pointing to at least a 3' rise in sea level over the next century and that many coastal communities will be under water by 2100. Well, there are some in the NC Legislature who disagree with science.

This quote by Bill Chameides, current dean of the Duke U. Nichols School of the Environment pretty much sums it up:

Some in the state legislature may be feeling a good deal of self-satisfaction for concocting this little gambit, perhaps even high fiving each other and chanting things like “we don’t need no stinking climate scientists.”

Sea Level Rise, Melting Glaciers, and North Carolina Law

You can read more at: Charlotte Observer

I talked about this when it was first announced that Charlotte would host the convention. I was out in Denver in 2008 and they had a huge public park right in the middle of town that served as a great public space for speakers and a good place for marchers to congregate before and after protests. Charlotte has Marshall Park which is a good central park but is right beside the city/county government center and will probably be in the "security zone". I am guessing they will open up a two square block of space that is slated for our new baseball stadium and is county property.

read more: Charlotte Observer

So, the leader of our State House, who is the number 3 person in the line of succession to Governor, is citing Wikipedia and UK law?

I have seen some BS come out of his mouth but this takes the cake:

Asked why employees who resigned would receive a month of additional pay, Tillis said: “I would hope people would think of these two who were in devastating personal situations.”

What about the teachers and other state employees who have been laid off because of YOU Speaker Tillis?

Read more: Charlotte Observer