2005 in Review

As 2005 draws to a close I have put together some highlights of the year that was and still can be. Please indulge.....Comments to follow.....

1. Another year of war.....is it really that important?
2. A Greensboro Icon was blown up to make way for that all important reason....RETAIL....R.I.P. BURLINGTON INDUSTRIES BUILDING.
3. Yet we completely demolish an 800,000 SQ FT. Mall that didn't require that much to bring it up to code. STUPID HUH?! R.I.P. CAROLINA CIRCLE MALL
4. GAS $3.29 was the highest that I paid this year. how bout you??
5. R.I.P. JOHN PAUL II A great man that did great things
6. WELCOME POPE BENEDICT 16TH (sorry dont know roman numbers)

IN SPORTS THIS YEAR....
CONGRATULATIONS GO OUT TO........
1. 2005 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS CHICAGO WHITE SOX
2. 2005 SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
3. 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL CUP CHAMPION TONY STEWART #20 AND THE HOME DEPOT TEAM
4. 2005 NCAA MENS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS NORTH CAROLINA TARHEELS
5. 2005 NCAA NATIONAL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS USC TROJANS

Other thoughts on sports....
1. THANK GOD FOR HOCKEY COMING BACK!!!!!!!! GO WINGS!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Farewell and good riddance to RUSTY WALLACE. One good thing about RUSTY.. at least he can give a good demolition job at daytona
3. Farewell to Mark Martin....oops sorry hes got one more year.....dangit
4. Farewell to Ricky Rudd...A racers racer.
5. Get well soon Jiri Fischer.
6. R.I.P. WINSTON SALEM POLAR TWINS.
7. Here to hoping Hockey returns soon to the GATE CITY. (p.s. I am available for any and all mascot duties) sorry shameless plug

GOODBYES.....
1. Richard Pryor (legendary comic)
2. Wendie Jo Sperber. (Marty McFlys sister in the Back to the Future movies)
3. Pat Morita (farewell sensei)
4. THIS IS YOUR LIFE host Ralph Edwards
5. Eddie Guerrero (farewell PAPI)
6. Rosa Parks. Rest well weary traveler. You will always get the best seat now
7. Don Adams of Get Smart fame
8. Bob Denver. Finally off the island
9. Barbara Bel Geddes (the matriarch of Dallas) even she never knew who shot JR
10. Peter Jennings. ABC will never be the same
11. James Doohan Farewell Scotty
12. Luther Vandross. sorry ladies
13. Anne Bancroft. Farewell Mrs. Robinson
14. Howard Morris. I wish I had a brick from Earnest T.
15. Frank Gorshen Just one more riddle......please
16. Frank Perdue. I love Chicken
17. Johnnie Cochran It did fit
18. Paul Hester. the house isnt as crowded anymore
19. Barney Martin. (Mr. Seinfeld)
20. John DeLorean. Man I love his car. Wish I could use it to go to the (Carolina Circle) Mall this weekend
21. Chris LeDoux. Without him Garth would be nothing oh wait he is now sorry
22. John Vernon (Dean Wormer of Animal House)

Let me just say this in closing.....
A lot is said about PROGRESS. My favorite quote is "Everything must change". Well to that I say.............BS.......not everything must change. I know that may come as a shock to some of you out there, but I say that some things are just fine the way they are. Take for example Carolina Circle Mall and the Burlington Industries Building. One was a symbol of archetechural genius, the other a testament to retail in the wrong era. At a time when the economy is not the best and the need is there for more shopping options, why in the world would you tear down such a beautiful building to put up just another cookie cutter strip mall in a more affluent area of town. Meanwhile across town there are consumers who may not fit into the demographics on paper of any retailers other than Wal-Mart. My point is this, Was Carolina Circle outdated? Yes. Was it nessescary to demolish it? NO. Not entirely at least. Wal-Mart could have come in and demolished some of the outlying buildings that were shuttered and left some of the mall intact while refilling it with retailers, thus giving themselves more leasing options to offer to small businesses that maybe would prefer to be in an enclosed environment with all of their shopping, eating, and entertainment options under one roof. That same building could have been leased out for office space the same way that the Forum 6 shopping center was given a new life. Granted the mall had some issues to be addressed such as asbestos, faulty plumbing in some areas and some electrical concerns that would have required an overhaul. Yes it would have cost quite a bit, but in the long run not near as much as tearing down an entire 800.000 sq ft structure and replacing it with at least another 800,000 sq ft retail structure with a different name. As far as the Burlington, In my never to be humble opinion, it should have been made into a museum for the textile industry that brought Greensboro to prominence in the 20th century. But then how in the world would we ever know just how good P F Changs could be? BTW if you didnt know, the pf changs comment was sarcasm. THANKS FOR LISTENING!!!!

SARGE 99