Friday, December 31, 2010

Privatize It !!

North Carolina has been debating (and debating and debating and...) for a year now the idea of privatizing hard liquor sales following reports of surprisingly high salaries and pensions for county ABC commissioners, concerns about too cozy ties with liquor industry reps, and indications of what look to be illegalities if not outright corruption. Not surprisingly, the North Carolina Association of ABC Boards is fighting these efforts.

Contained in that association's own press release from last week is one of the best arguments in favor of consideration of significant reforms, including privatization of sales: 
" North Carolina ranks 3rd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in revenue per capita from the sale of spirits and 48th in per capita consumption. North Carolina's control system for the sale of spirits works, and accomplishes important public health and revenue objectives," wrote Mr. Carr [the association's registered lobbyist, according to the PR]
We rank 48th in consumption but 3rd in revenue, both figures based on per capita bases.  That's outrageous.  That's not a defense of the status quo: that's a strong sign that state is using its monopoly to gouge the public.

What's almost as bad is Carr's contention in the press release that the concerns driving the reform efforts stem only from a single instance of high pay and one incident of "a holiday meal" paid for by a liquor company: that's crap, plain and simple.  Salary concerns were raised in New Hanover and Asheville, and to a lesser extent in Wake and Mecklenburg because salaries in those latter two counties were significantly higher that the pay levels for execs at the state level.  Moreover, the larger concern was over the lack of state oversight of local board activities, including salaries.  Beyond that, the "holiday meal" that Carr refers to was actually $9,334 (some reports say $12,000) affair for 28 Mecklenburg County ABC employees paid for by a liquor company.  And while that got most of the attention, it was but the tip of the iceberg as it was soon found that this occurs regularly across the state, although the tabs are seldom quite so attention-getting.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Big Star Third

My excitement about these Big Star Third shows the next two nights has reached critical mass.  Seriously. I'm going to need some help getting any decent sleep tonight (no worries: I know exactly where my bottle of Advil PM lives). What your normal five-year-old feels like on December 24 is the exact shape I find myself in this evening.

First, I happened upon this blog by Chris Stamey in which he describes the planning and preparation behind this project.  That man be blessed.  His post about Mellotrons is especially nice.

Next, it was this article in the local weekly paper that goes into greater detail about the project's birth & long infancy.  Also some enjoyable stories about Stamey's work over the years with Alex Chilton and the incredible fact that the idea and early planning for this show started many years ago with Chilton as a willing & eager participant... damn, to have had him in a central planning & playing role for this... now THAT would have been so far beyond special as to defy description in this or most any other language.

A quick aside, somewhat related: Chilton, for all the talk about his being reclusive and a bit eccentric, sounds like such a good guy.  Check these pieces about him from Paul Westerberg (especially love the line about the tent!) and Steve Wynn.

KIZZA ME


THANK YOU FRIENDS

Big Star - Thank You Friends from Derek Jenkins on Vimeo.

JESUS CHRIST


FEMME FATALE


O DANA


HOLOCAUST


KANGAROO


STROKE IT NOEL


FOR YOU


NIGHTIME


BLUE MOON


TAKE CARE


TILL THE END OF THE DAY


DREAM LOVER


DOWNS & WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON