I recently met with Cordelia Anderson, the Communications Director for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, to see if I could find any interesting Charlotte Stories – I was overwhelmed to say the least.
Not only do they offer free audio books, free streaming movies, and free mobile hotspots for Charlotte residents – they even have several 3D printers anyone can use for free (just pay for the plastic – most items cost a couple dollars at most)!
Here’s my first 3d printing experience at the library (I printed #1, #2 and #5 from the list below);
A personalized 3d-printed gift makes a perfect small present! Here are the top 10 coolest things I found online that you can get 3D printed at the library.
(download the files, put them on a memory card, and bring them into the library):
Impress your fellow executives with this stylish and functional business card case, available in two designs and two sizes (for U.S. and Europe). Each case holds around 10 cards, and comes with a printable “spring” to ensure the topmost card glides smoothly out of the slot. Cults3D Download.
This is a fully assembled platform jack, 3D printed as one piece. No messing around with multiple parts. The adjustable height can be used to raise or prop up an object of reasonable weight. Thingiverse Download.
We spend a small fortune on our earphones for music on the move, but not enough on protecting them when not in use. Securely stash those buds in this 3D printed earbud holder. Thingiverse Download.
Houseplants dying from neglect? NEVER AGAIN. Print off this easy-peasy automatic plant waterer, and your conscience will remain clean. Particularly useful for kitchen herbs, where you can make them last up to a week longer by repotting in this natty device. Cults3D Download.
An elegant and discreet stand for the Macbook Pro Retina, with a geometric motif, that props up your notebook to the optimal viewing angle. Just add a keyboard and mouse, and schreibtischrückenschmerz is but a distant memory.Thingiverse Download.
Winter is coming. Or in some cases, it’s already here. Quickly and easily remove the snow and ice from your car windshield with this handy-dandy ice-scraper. It prints without supports, and has a hole for a cord-loop on the end.Thingiverse Download.
If you’re frequently carrying sensitive data on a USB thumb drive, then this DIY cryptex is a great solution to protect against theft. The drive is protected with a four lock combination. Consider encypting the data, too, for maximum security.Thingiverse Download.
BULZiBUCKET, an indoor/outdoor interactive game born in Charlotte, today announced its first national tournament will take place at the Queen City’s Lenny Boy Brewing Co. on Saturday, Aug. 3.
“We are excited to attract the most skilled, and passionate BULZiBUCKET players in the country to Lenny Boy Brewing and our hometown of Charlotte,“ shared Chris Allen, creator of BULZiBUCKET. After three years in business, we have built a strong community of enthusiasts whom we want to bring together to compete and socialize through this epic tournament experience.”
64 teams of two players each will play in a double elimination tournament to earn the top honor and a big piece of the $10,000 guaranteed cash prize pool. Early bird tickets are available at only $40/player for a limited time.
Teams will be seeded on a skill-based level through a pre-tournament skills challenge. Additionally, there will be three top seeded teams with byes through qualifying regional tournaments in Philadelphia, PA on May 26th, Asheville, N.C. on June 15th, and Charlotte, N.C. on June 23rd. Those interested in playing can sign up at these links:
As part of its effort to support the community of Charlotte, the company will donate 10 percent of ticket sales to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte, in addition to donating 16 game sets. “We are proud Charlotte entrepreneurs who hope to inspire kids to follow their dreams and get up and move, and this is one small way we hope to make a difference,” shared Allen.
“Holding the first ever National Championship in my hometown of Charlotte, NC is very special. There was no doubt in our minds that the first champion had to be crowned in the Queen City,” commented Allen.
“At our Boys & Girls Clubs, we are consistently encouraging our members to live active, healthy lifestyles,” said Marty Clary, executive director for The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte. “We are thankful for this opportunity to partner with BULZiBUCKET. Our members are sure to have a blast playing the game at our Clubs, and the additional funds will help us continue our mission to provide a safe environment during out-of-school time for kids in our community who need us most.”
“We are extremely excited to host the first BULZiBUCKET National Championship tournament at Lenny Boy. We always have BULZiBUCKET for our customers to play at the Taproom on a daily basis. Many customers have been practicing in anticipation of this tournament and the awesome prize package. Lenny Boy works great as a venue for the tournament as we have a large parking lot and are within walking distance from the New Bern light rail station. We also offer something for all ages participating in the tournament including non-alcoholic kombucha, traditional beers, sours and food. We are all looking forward to Aug 3rd and hosting the first BULZiBUCKET National Championship,” said Nathan Villaume, owner of Lenny Boy Brewing.
This year’s Super Bowl Sunday allowed many Americans to embark on one of their favorite pastimes: jeering at the New England Patriots. However, despite the animosity from sports fans across the US, the team couldn’t be deterred, as they secured their sixth Super Bowl victory, defeating the Rams 13-3.
While many people might believe the hatred for the team is solely due to jealousy, it seems to be deeper rooted than that. Find out why football fans no longer like the New England Patriots.
The End of the Underdogs
While New England residents might be the first sports fans to don their Patriots jerseys every game, the rest of America doesn’t share the same affection towards the sporting champions.
While the New England Patriots were viewed as the underdog many years ago, they are usually one of the favorites at Oddschecker to win the Super Bowl. Yet, it’s to many football fans’ dismay. According to an SB Nation FanPulse poll, 75% of fans wanted the Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl LIII, while only 25% were backing the Patriots.
NFL Dominance
The Patriots have been dominating the NFL since 2000, when quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick joined the team. The virtually unstoppable Patriots have reached the Super Bowl an impressive nine times, and they’ve also secured 16 division titles and reached the AFC championships for eight consecutive seasons. In fact, if you add all their victories together, you’ll find they haven’t experienced a losing season since 2001.
The one-time underdog’s success has, however, left a bitter taste in American’s mouths. In fact, they team are reportedly so hated that the players themselves wear the hatred towards them almost as a badge of honor.
It seems that football fans are craving fairness in the NFL. While the Patriots might reach the Super Bowl based on skill and hard work, many football fans could believe the Patriots are standing in the way of their team reaching Super Bowl Sunday.
Photo by Brian McDermott / CC-BY-2.0
Brady’s Gift is His Curse
No football fan could deny that Tom Brady is one of the finest quarterbacks in history. Yet, his remarkable gift is seemingly his curse. When the Patriots secured their sixth win, social media was alive with insults and animosity towards the team and, primarily, Tom Brady. Rather than praising the quarterback on his exceptional talent, like basketball fans expressed for Michael Jordan, many people are more than happy to air their resentment towards Brady.
In fact, it’s for this very reason why the media regularly reported that Brady’s talent was on the decline after the Patriots loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018.
The Assumption of Cheating
As mentioned, the disdain towards the New England Patriots is deeper rooted than jealousy alone. In 2015, many of the team’s players were accused of using footballs in the championship game that were reportedly deflated below the NFL’s air pressure standard, which would make the ball much easier for the players to control, and was coined “Deflate-gate”. Consequently, Brady was suspended for four games, as it was believed he was aware of the illegal tactic. Many football fans also believe the Patriots have been cheating for years, with some even suspecting the Gillette Stadium’s visitors’ locker room has been bugged, which can help the team to eavesdrop on an opposition’s tactics.
However, the rumor isn’t without cause, as it was reported that Belichick instructed staff to videotape the opposing team’s hand signals, which is illegal in the NFL. Consequently, the Patriots received a huge fine, and the head coach also incurred a $500,000 fine.
If this didn’t dent the team’s reputation enough, the Boston Herald made the bold claim that the Patriots potentially pulled a similar trick during Super Bowl 36; however, the newspaper later retracted the story due to an unreliable source. However, this claim will have further damaged the Patriots’ already dwindling reputation.
Boston’s Success
While the Patriots’ hometown of Foxborough, Massachusetts, is located approximately 20 miles away from Boston, many people associate the football team with the city. With the Patriots dominating the NFL and the Boston Red Sox becoming World Series champions in 2018, as well as multiple victories throughout the noughties, Bostonians have a good reason to be more than a little smug nowadays. Plus, as many football fans perceive Boston sports fans to be both loud and passionate, under the belief that their teams are the best on the planet, they can be viewed by others as almost cocky and obnoxious.
Robotic Gameplay
The New England Patriots are undoubtedly a well-oiled machine; however, some may argue they are too well-oiled. While Belichick can routinely develop strategies that work, they lack the drama of other football teams in the NFL. While they are well-regarded for their dramatic comebacks, which are usually thanks to Brady, high-profile moments are few and far between, as they might almost seem robotic in their performance.
Conclusion
As you can see, the resentment towards the Patriots goes beyond jealousy. With cheating rumors circulating about the team, connections to the Trump administration damaging their image, and their relentless dominance of the NFL, it seems the Patriots have developed a reputation that could be almost irreparable. However, love them or hate them, they are seemingly here to stay – at least until Brady hangs up his cleats and Belichick stops developing his world-famous strategies.
Luck is something everyone wants to be on the good side of. Still, not many people know what it means to be truly blessed by the elusive lady. Now and then, an abandoned treasure will be found in a newly purchased house or a lottery winner will be set for life after a single bet. However, South Carolina’s $1.5-billion Mega Millions jackpot claimant almost missing her chance with the golden ticket demonstrates that these moments can easily be lost to carelessness or hesitation. What all the triumphs listed below have in common is people taking initiatives towards the possibility of a better life and not giving up when discouraged. A prime example is the story of Jordan Adland Rogers, the destitute British care worker turned prestigious heir. The report on Global News suggests that if he had not pursued a DNA test from his supposed father he would never have confirmed his $63-million heritage. What do other types of windfalls have to say about the concept of luck?
New Breath of Life
2016 saw North Carolina’s Ultimate Millions second-chance lottery boost Charlotte resident and cancer survivor Gina Short’s confidence with a check for $1 million. It was the hopeful nudge she needed to keep fighting. Her perseverance paid off with a clean bill of health and another lottery victory of $250,000. Repeated winners are no rarity, but it still makes you wonder how much of such happenings can be attributed to coincidence and how much to divine intervention. There is one thing we can all agree on. It is always heartwarming to see good things happen to good people. A lucky draw can happen to anyone, regardless of status or situation.
Service Rewarded
Remaining on the theme of lucky wins, it is hard to imagine what it must feel like to be suddenly handed an enormous fortune, virtually out of thin air. A 25p bet returning as £13,213,838.68, amounting to over $16.6 million, can cause a heart to stop. Fortunately, British soldier Jon Heywood held his ground and gracefully accepted his Guiness World Record of a win. He made this small yet life-changing move on Betway casino while playing an online slot called Mega Moolah, a progressive jackpot with features that double and triple your potential earnings. Such a millionfold return to a meager wager made in a moment of leisure would not have happened without him taking that initial chance.
Treasure in the Walls
Among the countless stories of old houses hiding riches, some are more amusing than others. While renovating their father’s property in 2005, Don Trachte’s sons found secret compartments in the walls that contained a number of original paintings. Belonging to an illustrator for the 90s’ comic strip Henry, these works were invaluable, perhaps as much as one of the paintings by Trachte’s friend and neighbour, Norman Rockwell, also discovered in the house. According to Lovemoney, Breaking Home Ties sold for $15.4 million in 2006, making the inheritors of the Trachte fortune extremely grateful for their father’s artistic connections, not to mention his ingenious hoarding methods.
Generous Gifts
Windfalls do not always originate from luck. Sometimes they are a result of openhanded donors, as in the case of CaroMont Health investing $325 million in the development of Gaston County’s medical facilities. Cramerton, Gastonia, Bessemer City and Belmont will receive in the next five years new state-of-the-art units, as well as a whole new hospital and expansions to existing campuses. Patients may feel luckier than lottery winners when seeing how much their government cares about their wellbeing and comfort. Money may be important, but it is that helping hand offered in moments of need, when you actually cannot make an effort of our own, that inspires the most blessed sensation.
Assisted by human effort, a lucky experience can be that much more potent and memorable. Putting the monetary aspect to one side again and looking at some amazing acts of kindness in the world today redefines what a windfall may mean to different individuals. Josh Coombes’s #DoSomethingForNothing initiative, praised by the Independent, has already helped dozens of homeless people with free haircuts, a service also provided to their pets through the hairdresser’s collaboration with Street Vet’s Jade Statt. The first thing this shows is that those with nothing consider the unconditional provision of such basic needs a luxury they would never forget. Secondly, it highlights another similarity between receivers of windfall gifts: surprise.
Just because someone makes an effort to win or help does not mean that they are certain to succeed in their endeavor. It is a chance after all. For that reason, when luck does come knocking, especially in spectacular ways, the delight that accompanies her is what makes the occasion special. The less expected that jackpot or donation or buried gold is, the more blessed their benefactors are compelled to feel.
The North Carolina Parks and Rec division just posted a warning about a mysterious ‘zombie snake’ that is known to ‘play dead’ before striking.
In a now viral Facebook post, officials with the department posted several pictures of the Eastern Hognose Snake with the caption;
“Instead of watching clouds to see if we can keep weekend weather on track, let’s play a game! Who is this “famous” NC snake? A Cobra? A zombie snake? It’s a harmless one…”
The post was shared hundreds of times and received a wide range of comments about the bizarre creature.
According to Amphibians and Reptiles of North Carolina, Eastern Hognose Snakes “are highly variable in color, but are usually brown or gray with dark brown blotches. Some individuals have extensive reddish or orange suffused into the general pattern; some, however, are patternless, appearing solid gray or black.”
“When threatened, hognose snakes hiss loudly and spread their necks like cobras do, resulting in the nicknames “puff adder” or “spreading adder.” They rarely bite during these displays, but they may strike repeatedly,” noted the organization, adding that, “if the antagonist continues, the hognose snake will feign death by opening its mouth, rolling over on its back, and writhing around. If turned over onto its belly, it will immediately roll again onto its back.”
The Charlotte region has a total of 37 snake species, most of which are harmless, but at least a dozen species can cause serious harm and potentially even death;
Copperhead in Charlotte
If you do a lot of walking or hiking around the Charlotte region, you should carry a snake bite kit and/or venom extractor in your backpack or car.
A writer for the popular website ‘Thrillist’ spent an entire year traveling to 330 of the top burger places in America. He then chose his top 100 in an article he called ‘The 100 Best Burgers in America‘.
Author and ‘National Burger Critic’ Kevin Alexander notes that, “230 of the burgers I tried this year, most of which were recommended to me by local chefs and food writers, did not make the top 100. Go to any of the places below and you’ll eat a damn good burger. Go to any of the top 10 and you’ll eat a genuinely transcendent one.”
Charlotte not only made the list, we made it 3 times, and even landed among the top 10.
Kevin ranked Charlotte’s Brooks’ Sandwich House as having the #8 best burger in the entire country.
Charlotte’s Zack’s restaurant came in at #32, and Bang Bang Burger was ranked at #80.
Brookes Sandwich is constantly being ranked among the best meals in our city, it was recently ranked as one of the Top Comfort Food Restaurants in Charlotte, and I even included Brooks Sandwich House a few years ago as one of the ‘must visit’ spots in Charlotte (called Brooks Burgers at the time):
Kevin Alexander also included several other Carolinas burgers on his top 100 list, including; Tattooed Moose and Little Jack’s Tavern in Charleston, The Vault Burger at Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge and Tastee Diner in Asheville, and H&R Sweet Shop burger in Mount Pleasant, S.C.
A new report by ApartmentList.com has found 35% of Charlotte apartment hunters are looking to move out of our city – the 11th highest level in the nation among large metros.
The company analyzed data from millions of online searches between January 1, 2018 and May 1, 2019 to see where their users are preparing to move, shedding new light on the migration patterns of America’s renters.
Among renters looking to move away from the Charlotte metro, the most popular destinations are Raleigh, NC (9.2%), Greensboro, NC (6.1%), or Columbia, SC (5.6%).
Despite having a high share of users who are searching outside the metro, Charlotte has an even higher share of inbound searches coming from outside the metro, indicating that the area is experiencing a changing population instead of a declining population.
Renters looking to move to the Charlotte metro from elsewhere are most likely to be searching from Raleigh, NC (17.7%), New York, NY (8.5%), or Washington, DC (4.7%).
What do you think about our increasingly changing population?
Do you think we should take more steps to keep people here?
A lot of the time it is necessary to make sure you are focused on trying to better yourself, and make the best of a bad situation. You need to be aware of the fact that you have so many opportunities to improve your life these days, and it’s vital to get this right. Self-improvement can be achieved in a lot of ways, and one of the main ways is through learning and education.
These days there are so many different possibilities and things you can do that are going to help you improve yourself through learning, and it’s important to know what these are. Make sure you do as much as possible to help you make the most of the opportunities that are available to you. These are some of the best hacks you have to keep in mind, and it is important to ensure that you use them to help further your learning.
Read as Much as Possible
One of the best ways of being able to learn more is to read as much as you possibly can. This is something you have to keep in mind moving forward, and there are a lot of elements to keep in mind here. Reading as much as you possibly can is something that will expand your knowledge base and give you a better understanding of things. You don’t always have to read when you study; sometimes reading for fun is just as important. For example, there are various real-life stories available at The Doe. Stories like these can be entertaining and exciting, as people share their struggles, triumphs, and life experiences, providing you with helpful advice. The more you read, the more information you absorb, and this increases your capacity for knowledge and learning. So, make sure you try to read as much as you can right now.
Use Online Portals to Help You
Another way of improving your learning and knowledge is to make sure you use online portals to help you. This is something that you will find incredibly useful when it comes to improving the way you learn, especially when you are in college or higher education. Make sure you look at the different online portals available, and improve your studies with online homework helper resources, and other learning portals. These sorts of things are hugely important to anyone looking to make the most of the internet, and the way it can help people make a difference to the way they learn.
Always Question Information
There is so much information around these days, and every day we seem to be receiving more and more of it. The worst thing you can do is take this information at face value, and not question anything you are told. Make sure you are always questioning anything you hear or read, and keep yourself informed by reading the different sides of any story or issue. You need to make sure you are always questioning the information you receive, and looking at how you can become more informed.
As you can see, there are a lot of things you can do these days to ensure that you are focused on making sure you learn as much as you can. There is more scope than ever before to learn and improve these days, and this is something that you need to keep in mind as much as you possibly can. Use the ideas above to make sure you improve yourself and learn as much as possible right now.
Early this morning, Charlotte’s Mountain Island Lake hit its second highest water level in recorded history at just under 107 feet (the highest was 109.4 feet way back in 1940).
The rapid increase was the result of heavy rains over the past 3 days and Lake Norman opening their floodgates yesterday;
According to LakeLevels.info, Mountain Island Lake hit a peak last night of 106.7 feet, and has since receded to about 104 feet;
The flooding of the lake caused widespread damage throughout the lake, as the rising water levels flooded homes, dislodged docks and unhooked boats.
There was even a boat pile-up under the NC 16 bridge this morning;
I drove around this afternoon to survey the damage, and while most of the boats had been recovered, there was still widespread damage to docks and yards on all sides of the lake;
Luck is something everyone wants to be on the good side of. Still, not many people know what it means to be truly blessed by the elusive lady. Now and then, an abandoned treasure will be found in a newly purchased house or a lottery winner will be set for life after a single bet. However, South Carolina’s $1.5-billion Mega Millions jackpot claimant almost missing her chance with the golden ticket demonstrates that these moments can easily be lost to carelessness or hesitation. What all the triumphs listed below have in common is people taking initiatives towards the possibility of a better life and not giving up when discouraged. A prime example is the story of Jordan Adland Rogers, the destitute British care worker turned prestigious heir. 
A writer for the popular website ‘Thrillist’ spent an entire year traveling to 330 of the top burger places in America. He then chose his top 100 in an article he called ‘
A new report by ApartmentList.com has found 35% of Charlotte apartment hunters are looking to move out of our city – the 11th highest level in the nation among large metros.
A lot of the time it is necessary to make sure you are focused on trying to better yourself, and make the best of a bad situation. You need to be aware of the fact that you have so many opportunities to improve your life these days, and it’s vital to get this right. Self-improvement can be achieved in a lot of ways, and one of the main ways is through learning and education. 
