NC area has one of highest unemployment rates

The area of Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has an unemployment rate of 15.4, an increase of 9.1 percentage points. This is the 3rd highest in the 372 metro areas tracked by the Labor Department.

NC not totally broke

Bev Perdue announced that tax revenue was better than expected. Maybe they can unfreeze those state funds now?

UNC System Budget Cuts

Under the possible 7% UNC System budget reduction, here are proposed reductions to some of the schools. (Keep in mind that these proposed reductions are meant to sound horrible and untenable...if there is a 7% budget cut, other things will probably go instead.)

UNC:
Eliminate 267 positions, including 107 faculty positions
372 courses not offered. Reduction in enrollment of 3400 students
Reduction of housecleaning

UNCG:
Eliminate 109 positions, including 59 faculty positions
Reduction of 275 class sections, totaling about 7500 class seats
Limiting advising and tutoring

"Defense" of Marriage

NC is the only southeastern state that hasn't written discrimination into the constitution via a Defense of Marriage Amendment. Well, I guess we don't like being left out. Here's some of the language in the bill:

"Whereas, of the 15 states in the Southeastern U.S., only one has failed to pass constitutional amendments defining marriage as the 'union of one man and one woman.'"

Well, then, by all means, pass it. Also pass something like, "Whereas, North Carolina is one of the only southeastern states to have a decent education system, we should stop educating our children."

(But, News & Observer says Joe Hackney is trying to kill it in committees.)

Raleigh-Durham loves Obama (or at least watched the inauguration)

More households watched the inauguration on TV in Raleigh-Durham than in any other market. 51% tuned in on Tuesday.

Blago using NC

Blago is trying to get out of releasing information by using NC former governor Mike Easley's successful argument to the NC Supreme Court in a similar case (minus the stupidly overt corruption).

Bad Poetry

Wow. I LOVE Andy Griffith. Really, I do. But this is a really really really bad poem. Really. Bad.

Road Use Tax

NC may start taxing people 1/4 cent for every mile they drive.

NC Sales Tax

A new (or not new, depending on your perspective) sales tax is being proposed so the NC residents will have to pay taxes for goods purchased via the internet from other states. Whenever I buy something on the internet, I feel sorry for the unfortunate inhabitants of the states that are flagged to pay more. Looks like I might end up being one those people.

Oil Drilling

The NC legislature may pay for a study on oil drilling off the coast of North Carolina. The republicans are all in a snit, because they think the democrats are just going to pay some ivory tower egg heads to say what they want. On the one hand, if the legislature can't say no to the federal government, then maybe it's a waste of money. On the other hand, if something interesting comes up, it seems like the governor's office could use that negotiate -- either way -- for the North Carolina residents.

Maybe the legislature will want to fund some investigations about bullying. I'm here for that! And I can do it for less than $100,000!!

Toll booths

North Carolina may have toll booths some time in the future.

NC Death Penalty

Executions are on hold in North Carolina because of a rule requiring the presence of a doctor. The NC Medical Board has filed suit, saying the requirement violates the physician's oath. The NC Supreme Court has taken up the case.