Worst Of Charlotte

We dont generally get away from the normal food and good times on the weekends but we feel it is called for this time.

I admit that www.crimeincharlotte.com, good friends of ours on the web, put this story into the best detail and inspired us to break the normal genre of topics here at Charlottecritic.

“Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers & Sergeants who have been on the force for over ten years have not received a raise in 9 years! CMPD Officers are paid 8% below national average even though they assume more risk than other cities. However, year after year, the City Manager and City Council members deny the police and firefighters’ request for a raise.”

If you look here you can get a better idea of just how bad it has gotten with Charlotte ranking at 175th out of 200 cities nationwide.

I am not an expert on 200 seperate cities, but I would wager a safe guess that Charlotte is much riskier than many of them for the poilce.

If for no other reason but simple risk assessment this should warrant a higher paycheck to those willing to do this job.

But more than this reason, Charlotte wants to pretend it is a “world-class” city, then it needs to make its mark and attract the best police to help run it with high pay scales and higher standards of living for them.

We need to offer the best off duty standard of living to draw in the brightest cops from the US. We are willing to pay big bucks to bring tech companies to the Carolinas, so why do we neglect a much more important role of the police officer.

I found an online petition here.
Online petition to get our CMPD a pay raise.

Please take the time to help this site above out and get the police the standard of living that shows our appreciation to them. Also send the message that Charlotte puts our police as a front priority in becoming a “world class” place to call home.

This is not about Jeff, this is not only about Sean Clark and Jeffrey Shelton, this is about letting your respect and feelings be know toward people who wake up everyday willing to make your neighborhod better and family safer.

This is about being thankful for officers and their families for having the highest character on our behalf.

It matters, and it is not much to ask for the service we receive.

Jeff honored CMPD and all folks that work in law enforcement and for low wages and high risks give to us the safety that is uniquely American. This weekend two CMPD police officers where killed in the line of duty in a cowardly act of ignorant violence.

The two brave officers were husbands and a Father of 2, both described as family men who’s goal was to better the City.

Police officers leave the house everydayto be away from their families and enter some uncertainity.

Uncertainty is one of the scariest feeling a person must confront, and they put themselves, and those they love most, through these feelings every day to better the community.

A sad side note to this story is that the CMPD is 8% below the average in pay for city police nationwide. Read more here at crimeincharlotte.com.

My sister serves as a Deputy serving the jail system in NY, she has wanted to move to Charlotte and transfer to the CMPD, but the drop in pay would be around 14,000 per year.

In light of the increased danger in our growing city I hope this incident serves to better thank the CMPD with a better salary for their families.

“Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers & Sergeants who have been on the force for over ten years have not received a raise in 9 years! CMPD Officers are paid 8% below national average even though they assume more risk than most other cities. However, year after year, the City Manager and City Council members deny the police and firefighters’ request for a raise.”

I Learned Early
Since I was a teenager I have always wished safety to every police officer I have passed. “Be safe” I have said to every cop grabbing a drink at a gas station or walking on the street and being friendly.

I have 2 Siblings in the Sheriff’s department, and both have become better people from the atmosphere of reverence and respect for people that police are taught.

While no human is perfect, and no police department completely void of being human, ours here in the US as a whole is on the highest level of honesty and determination for a better neighborhood. Even more so than teachers, which is often a topic of conversation for raises, police are deserving of a good standard of living when off duty, I hope this comes to light with the tragic news.

Last night from 3pm to 6pm Jeff Katz put the show and AM airwaves on lock down to pay homage to the CMPD, and to a profession that we not always see, but we always reap the rewards from.

Jeff called for the city to come together on the one fact that our men in uniform deserve respect. We need to recognize these men and women work for our safety above all else, and often make a sacrifice that should be honored every time you walk past or see an officer in the street.

While all other issues and politics set us ablaze and apart, this is an issue that we need to not discuss, we must make it a matter of our everyday consideration.

Thank you to the police, thank you for being as good as you are, thank you to your families for allowing them to leave the house every morning for the betterment of our city.

Also, a thanks to Jeff Katz for seeming whole-heartedly sincere and almost at breaking down in his sentiment for the families and officers.

In all fields and lifestyles there is an inside knowledge that can only be obtained through experience. There is a brotherhood that cannot be truly commented on without living it for a time. (Jeff served on the Philadelphia Housing Police Force)

In my first face to face meeting with Jeff it was truly a hard way to shake hands for the first time, but it was truly a human moment. I am glad such a strong message and honest sentiment was being delivered by a messenger that gets it.

Jeff has done his part to call the city to attention. Please find blue ribbon string and anything else you can tie, and tie it to every branch, antenna and pole in the city.

Let the police know you agree they are the highest form of American. Let the CMDP know you respect them and thank them for their service.

The two officers were shot late Saturday during a struggle outside an apartment complex where they had gone to investigate a domestic disturbance report and died early Sunday.

Police Chief Darrel Stephens said the two officers were responding to a disturbance call around 10:30 p.m. Saturday night at the apartment complex in east Charlotte. They were shot around 11:15 p.m. in the parking lot during a struggle. Neither fired their weapon, Stephens said.

See the photos from this event here.

Of course Babel lost, thats generally the end result for a movie that sucked.

I am not going to mix words since I lost 2 1/2 hours of life to this movie that ranks right next to Elizabethtown, Bandidas, Weatherman and I “heart” Huckabees for the worst movies I have seen in the last few years.

So if this movie came and went with a small amount of chatter that would be the end of it, as not all movies appeal to all people, but the fact that it was nominated is a complete joke.

This movie seems to have stacked up alot of good critic’s reviews and then a huge percentage of “users or patrons” that thought it to be beyond bad. I dont see this type of diverse opionion without issues.

This movie was and is boring, way too long for such little conflict or story, unconnected to itself and completely without a point, plot or actual story of interest.

This movie spends so long trying to unravel itself in a slow and interesting way that you will find that you just dont care anymore what the point is. The best part to this conclusion is that it never does get around to its point.

2 hours into the movie I was looking at the clock thinking “this cant possibly save itself with only 20 minutes left?!”. This never does save itself, it only gets worse with more plot holes at the end and unconnected story points and preaching.

The small group that praises this film says it a story about the “limits of communication”, which is a fancy way to say its about nothing but if you dont love it then you just aren’t insightful enough to “get it”. These people are fools, and this movie is just plain bad. If you find this statement harsh, please go rent this movie and suffer through it, then comment on how right I was to be harsh.

The movie has 4 main and seperate plotlines. Of the 4 main platlines any one could be completely removed from the movie and the story would still be exactly the same.

The entire section of this movie taking place in Japan, we will refer to as the ‘porn section’ of the movie, has nothing at all to do with the story. Those trying to say this is a good movie will make a slight connection about the “butterfly effect”, or how the action of this character in the past led to the other plotlines, but the connection is so obscure it really doesnt matter.

To make the matter of no story or plot of interest worse they pepper the movie with obvious political agenda which means way “over the top dramatic” injections about the world.

The movie gives us Middle eastern charaters “just try to live in violence” and illegal immigrants “just trying to be good American’s”, and in the background you see the purposely placed picture of George Bush.

This movie is bad, if you think its great then you are likely trying to make yourself feel superior. I can not find any other “Oscar nominated movies” where 30-45% of all viewers thought it sucked.

Visit Yahoo.com and pan through the user reviews and see what the people say about this movie. You will find that 2 of every 5 viewers hated this movie. I didnt just say 40% didnt like it much, I said they hated it. Also, you will see the reasons for this hate were the same across the board. This 40% of viewers all found it pointless with no plot, preachy and boring to the point of many walking out.

Take a look and see, and ask yourself how can so many people who walked out or thought this movie completely awful not have some basis of this opinion.
40% of Babel Viewers Hated it, the rest acted superior

Here is what an Oscar Movie looks like, it gets almost all A’s with perhaps 1 in 20 viewers saying they hated it as opinions come in all shapes and sizes.
A true best Picture - Amadeus

Any finally here is what the best movie of 2006 looks like. This is by far the best movie of 2006 without question. Read through the hundreds of reviews written by patrons of this movie and see that it is all A ratings with a handful of F’s. Those who didnt like this movie all had the same simplistic complaint, “too much violence”. You will see those who said it was bad because of “violence” all generally still commented on how beautiful the sets and story were. You will also see the very few who didnt love this movie all expected it to be like Harry Potter IE: for kids.

Pan’s Labyrinth is the best movie of 2006, and Babel is the worst movie to ever be a nominee for best picture.
Pan’s Labyrinth is the best movie of 2006

Well I know what the Panthers need, and you need what the Panthers need but the coach and GM will mess up everything and dash your dreams again.

You can insert any fan and any team into that statment and that sums up what makes draft day fun.

I am a 20 year Bills fan, So I know horrible drafts better than most anyone (perhaps not Jets fans). I also know that holding your breath just to be dissapointed is something that happens in every city on every pick.

I say the Panthers need a Linebacker or a light DE that can play multiple spots like Peppers. Other than this perhaps a top notch tight end. Can you imagine Dallas Clark in Charlotte? he might be enough to make Jake seem servicable.

And what about Jake, a few folks out their with fading Delhomme jerseys must be mumbling to draft a QB, but honestly at pick #14 your not getting anyone to start for many years, or ever, so thats a wasted sentiment.

I dont much care for the QB’s in this years draft anyhow

More important is that this is a great year for QB’s that may be available around the League.

Jacksonville and Atlanta both have 2 QB each that deserve to start and may want to move. David Carr is possibly available and Jeff Garcia may seek a new home. If you want a QB its not from the draft this year.

So what does Carolina do in your mind? What would be considered “not messing things up”?

The top draft sites have pick 13-15 all going with players that the Panthers could use.

These are their predictions:

St. Louis - Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville
Carolina - Patrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss
Pittsburgh - Quentin Moses, DE/OLB, Georgia

3 teams picking together all addressing the same needs in their front 7. I think this makes a strong case for one of these 3 ending up in Carolina.

So which would you want? Which position is most in need, and which of these 3 offers the most now while Keyshawn and Smith are still young enough to win it all?

I think Okoye is clearly the prodigy of the bunch (he was an NCAA player at age 16!) but how many years down the line till he peaks?

I like that they are all local boys too as that is something Charlotte seems to do well in the Bobcats and the Panthers.

I personally think Quentin Moses may be the right choice as he can move around n the 7 positions on the line and with Peppers speed they could make for a nice versatile combination for creative blitz packages.

Another 6′5″ 250 speedster to mix and stunt and blitz alongside Peppers?

I think I see my favorite choice, we can fix the run D with a MLB in the second round.

I dont know who John Fox is giving back rubs to? or who his uncle is that is keeping him from catching any shit, but it is sad for the players that they have caught 100% of the blame for each letdown.

With 6 loses after leading in the fourth quarter, with a clear iunability to adjust a gameplan at halftime, giving up a huge lead (albeit winning) at Tampa, squandering the immense talent on both sides of the ball all point to a coach firing.

Im not saying he has caused the problems, but the other things the media reports are not the reason nor the common denominator in every loss.

First we here its Smith being out, then team injuries, then adjusting to a healthy lineup, then special teams errors, then blah blah blah.

If you were coaching somewhere where you had no history the media would have fired the coach (followed by the owner firing him) already. Squadering leads with poor play calling is a bad coaching error. The first or second time this happens you live and learn, but the sixth time this happens you need to be 100% to blame.

The next time a reporter asks him if Delhomme is to blame or will keep his spot, ETC, I think a coach needs to say, we are past blaming Jake, after 6-7 failures to execute it must be more than one player, it must be me.

Now is Fox a bad coach?

Maybe yes maybe no. The media seems to want to rub his back and tell him hes great, but even a good coach that cant inspire his team or adjust to his personel neds to go.

Fox has more talent to work with than 28 other teams, but has only won 6 games - Thats the end of that point.

A good coach takes pieces and makes something with it, something that works. He expects adversity and doesnt point at it after losses, but acknowledges that it exists and he didnt have a plan to deal with it.

Jimmy Johnson is a great coach, hes the guy who invented “younger, smaller & faster” defenses in Dallas, but he couldn’t connect or get it done in Miami.

Don Shula is one of the 5 great coaches of all time, but when it was time to go, he had to go because he was no longer pushing the buttons that the Miami players had, he was pushing the ones he wanted and it wasnt getting the job done.

But the season just had everything go wrong!? 

Yep so did Pittsburgh’s season. They had even more go wrong from training camp on out. They got off to perhaps the worst start of any defending champion, but they have a hall of fame level coach in BillCower . Cower is perhaps my favorite coach of all time, though not the best (good though). I fell instantly in love with this coach the minute I saw him ‘headbutt’ a team member formaking a goal line stop, and the player had a helmet on (Cower did not). Headbutting a helmetted player (hard)!? now thats a football coach who relates to his players.

And you can see what a true top level coach does with his bad fortune, and lesser total team talent….he rights the ship, gives them a new identity and doesnt look for why they lost but how they are going to win the next 6 straight.

I guess my point is, If my steak is burnt, and I paid $30 for it, I dont blame the waiter, I dont blame the valet, I blame the cook.

And to apply this analogy to the excellent coaching of Cower who also dealt with an off season for 8 weeks?
If my steak is great and perfectly done, even after the waiter dropped it, and the valet dinged my ride, I then say the service sucked,…. but the food was perfect, so cheers to the cook in the back.
So Fox, you need to be the #1, first, premiero, solo guy to be taking the blame for a team you have 100% control over doing the wrong things over and over again.

Youve escaped blame one week after another,but all persistent UNSOLVED problems point to the leader.

The bandwagon is a lonely and desolate place for the Panthers.

I just got done talking with a Steelers fan that was at the game and described the crwod as almost 50-50 with Steelers fans. I know Steeler fans to be strong nationwide thanks to good team history, colors and last year’s performance but to have a sea of ‘terrible towels’ in a Charlotte stadium is a sad sight for a Panthers fan.

Now to verify this story I was walking round Northlake Mall in North Charlotte (Exit 18), and must confirm I saw more Steeler jerseys there then Panther jerseys. Im not sure if they are showing that they never change their clothes? or they are proud of the current streak, but it was clear that this town appears to be unable to keep the bandwagon full of teamcolors till the season is over.

I believe the Panther fans to be very loyal, and this is one team that has the heart of the city, in a city where other teams havnt been able to keep a fan base, but when your team ’sucks’, which appears to be what the critics are now stating, thats when you need to double your effort.

As A Bills fan I can confirm that a sucky team can be just as fun to rout for as a good team. The take a beating like a man cacthphrase really can be the mark of a higher quality of fan.

I see an opportunity for the Panthers as a team and the Panther fans to establish the evidence that they stand with their team. This upcoming game with Atlanta, who has become the new anti-panthers rivalry (no longer TB), is a great chance to show a never die look. I hope this week we se less articles in the media and talk from the critics of a panther team that is “looking like the leagues biggest dissapointment”, and more talk about “we will not end this season without righting the ship.

The media I have read bashing the Panthers season, which they deserve for underachieving, doesnt sit right with me. The low powerranking (25th) on ESPN, is an insult to a talented team, perhaps true in performance but misplaced.

This is why the panthers suck here. (link coming)

By Tom Sorensen

McClatchy Newspapers
“Is the decline, which was so evident in Sunday’s 17-13 loss to Washington, the fault of quarterback Jake Delhomme?

Not all of it. But Delhomme is having a poor season. His throws are long and short, often over the receiver’s head, into the dirt and turf or the hands of a defensive back.

What he did best in seasons past is win. You knew that late in the game when the Panthers had to have a touchdown, field goal or first down, Jake invariably would make it happen.

You don’t know anymore, and neither does Carolina.

If I’m John Fox, I send Delhomme to the bench, now, and replace him with six-year veteran Chris Weinke.

But I’m not. So I ask Fox on Monday if there is any chance he’ll change quarterbacks this week.

“Uh, no,” Fox says.

Coach, can you envision any circumstance other than injury that would prompt you to change quarterbacks this season?

“No,” Fox says immediately.

I should have asked, OK, if Jake were like a mini-Jake, and the opponent were regular-sized, would you change quarterbacks?

But I knew the answer”

This piece above was one of three or four top listed articles I found in the news feeds in reference toi thew search query “bench Jake Delhomme”. I have to say that pretty much ever relevent listing was pro “bench”, which as I pointed out here:

http://www.charlottecritic.com/bench-jake-delhomme-says-who/

Is not only what is worst for the team as a scoring unit, but what is worst for the moral and image given off to the still on field players that have underperformed in many a game throughout the year. (im looking at you run defense).

Bob Evans WT Harris

2 Stars 

Charlotte Critic
9253 Statesville Road
Charlotte 28269
(704) 599-5414
Menu Features: sausages,bread,biscuits,eggs,toast

Restaurant Review For Bob Evans WT Harris
So the mission for this trip in Charlotte NC was a great location for breafast. Too bad the mission went nowhere on this day. I would also like to point out this review was a re-entry to our website as our visits were back in December of 05. Bob Evans Farms Restaurant in Area 1 Charlotte on Statesville Rd So I really tried to like this place. This Bob Evans is on WT Harris and is pretty new still. I have been long looking for the right place to have breakfast at off hours. I think that is a pursuit of many a person, ecspecially one that lives odd hours as we do. There is “nothing more satisfying than a waitress named Flo, good coffee, and over easy eggs” to quote my brother loosely. I have been a fan of clean places like Perkins with great breakfast choices so going in I was hoping this Bob Evans near my home was it. The restaurant is very clean, amazingly well decorated and lit. The staff was very friendly on both visits, when they were not dropping the ball, and the prices were fair. Now for the other shoe dropping. They appear to have some staffing issues happening, and my two visits have been a month apart. the first visit had the following chain of amazing events take place. Coffee cup fell empty, wrong meal delivered to the table, wrong amount charged for wrong meal, no silverware at start of meal, wrong price charged for a “take home” bread we ordered. and finally the waitress threw our “to-go” container out while we were paying. Final bill (take home was about ). The waitress was new and already overworked, and as hard as we wanted to like this place it had such poor service this day. Our second visit was 2 stars for other reasons all together. The time we returned we got one breakfast and one meal. The meal was salmon and was cold and underdone, and the eggs were cold as well which is basically ruining them completely. The service was again friendly but lacking experience apparently. I think this trip and the poor review is just a matter of bad coicidence, as this seems like a really bright and clean location for a meal at first glance.

El Cancun Mexican Restaurant

1.5 Stars  Madelaine Karas

1244 Cherry Rd
Rock Hill 29732
803-366-6996
Menu Features: martini,burrito,nachos

Restaurant Review For El Cancun Mexican Restaurant in Rock Hill
Here is a another mini review we recently receieved from one of our readers for El Cancun in Rock Hill. -Charlottecritic

I love good Mexican food. I was very disappointed in the El Cancun restaurant in Rock Hill. The atmosphere was OK if you like plastic. The waitress was a little abrupt but did her best to understand what my husband was saying when he ordered a martini. Apparently martinis aren’t made there. My Margarita was tasty and full bodied, meaning it had a good dose of tequila. The chips were crisp but the salsa dip was very watery. The martini and thin salsa we could have overlooked but the food might lose in a competition with hospital jello.

The taco that came with my meal had meat with no sauce and a cheese topping that was stuck together in a clump. One bite was all I could manage. The chalupa was pretty good but the enchilada was gummy and tasteless. My husband’s chimichunga was also gummy, tasting, he said, like something that had been over micro waved. All and all, the dining experience was an unpleasant one. This review should not be confused with El Cancun in Charlotte which was highly rated. El Cancun Mexican Restaurant, 803-366-6996, 1244 Cherry Rd, Rock Hill, SC, 29732
by Madelaine Karas

Casa Macias Mexican Grill

2 Stars 

Charlotte Critic
10009 Weddington Road
Concord 28207
(704) 717-2555
Menu Features: food, pollo fundido,casa macias,mexican grill,mexican in concord,concord restaurants,concord places to eat

Photos from our visit in the gallery >

Restaurant Review For Casa Macias Mexican Grill
The Mrs. was pushing for another stop at the very tasty Fire Mountain Grill buffet for the huge selection, friendly service and great fried chicken, but I wielded my veto power and pushed for more mexican food since I can never get enough of it. The traffic at concord off Rt 85 was so great turning left during this tax free weekend that I too a right to see what could be found that was new and fresh. In the end I found new, but definately nothing too fresh. About one block from 85 heading toward the track you turn into a brick plaza and here is Casa Macias in the corner, … another in a long line of great Mexican grills? With a flat glass bar style front Casa macias is simple and clearly not trying to be anything but a traditional restaurant in appearence. They have white tile floor and white archways decor which really seemed to say “lunch-crowd” and not “dinner hot spot”. if you are looking for a well lit and bright booth type of sit down the decor here is what you crave. With any Mexican restaurant in Charlotte or moreso in Concord, NC you really need to be ready to compete and the bar is reasonibly high in this block. I speak of this need to stand out in the review of the pretty tasty Charanda here. At Casa Macias you get a more lunchtime feel from the decor but clearly this is a lower level of quality than Charanda and On The Border will offer you. Three of us ate, and I was addmitedly distrcted by my company on this visit, but not enough to not have a strong opinion. The three dishes ordered where the Pollo Fundido, which is a white cream sauce Chicken Burrito that is often one of my choices at mexican restaurants. here is the recipe to give you an idea of what goes into it. This is the one dish at the table that was a definate hit. This has been good anywhere I have it and seems like a smart move to make this a staple of your ordering out rotation. Here the pic of what was served, the Pollo Fundido at Casa Macias. Also at the table we ordered a steak style burrito with white cream sauce, which was actually pretty simple with little flavor or spice to it other than the standard heat. It was pretty good and a decent choice but came with no sides and was actually pretty tough (tortilla and meat) which can be a sign of pre-prepared or shelved before I got there. The Ms had ribeye steak with rice and beans, served with flour tortillas and fresh dressings to roll the plate contents if you desire. Her meat was a bit tough too, but for the most part everything was fair. The real detraction for this stop was clearly the service lacking hospitality. Of the 1 bus-person and two male waiters we dealt with we seemed rushed and not overly welcome the entire time. I felt an air of impatience from the waiters and we sat and watched our glasses fall empty with only about 4 tables full in the entire place. The final time when our table was cleared I felt like the waiter was about to snap from impatience and clearly seemed irratated by his job. This would be Saturday August 5th at about 4:45pm, in case the management wants to see who was having a bad day. When I stack up this experience against the other two choices nearby of On The Border and Charanda, I really felt like Casa Macias was not even trying to do their best. They served up simple and fair food and did it with a non friendly air.

I really think that sentence sums this location up perfectly, “I really didnt feel like anyone was trying”. I can only assume they are upset to have the inferior location and are not willing to try to win a crowd with the best pricing, service or smiles. I will not spend my money here again, not when the choices right around the corner are much tastier and fresher (On The Border), and more authentic (Charanda).