Carolina del Norte Sux

Most people have a stereotypical image of North Carolina. The Outer Banks. The Appalachian Mountains. The Piedmont. Duke. NC State. UNC. These are indeed assets to a state. When I was growing up these thoughts or images did enough for me to keep a positive opinion about NC. Although there was little jazz, there were enough pockets in the Research Triangle Park to keep the dream alive. Fayetteville never had a music scene, at least not while I have been alive. There were stories from retired veterans harking back to the days of live music at Ft. Bragg. There was the NCO Club, the Officers Club, and a plethora of "joints" in Fayettenam that offered politically free diversion. There was Rick's Lounge and the Pink Pussycat. There were the dance clubs, the "meet markets," and the strip bars. Entertainment was around. Now like at Carolina Beach North Carolina's tourism and entertainment is dying a slow death, much like the Pacific Ocean Park Pier in Santa Monica, CA. We literally are watching our state and towns dissolve into mindless condominium complexes surrounded by urban sprawl. Best Buy, Big Lots, Dollar Tree, Home Depot, Lowes, the list goes on. What happened to the small businessman like in New York City? When all those skyscrapers went up in Manhattan the local people complained these faceless, invisible beings began doing business hidden in the air seemingly miles away from the ethnic communities that founded their very neighborhoods. They were outraged, but somehow they continued to exist. Let's hope the same for North Carolina.