[Ringo] Starr announced today that he has canceled an upcoming concert in North Carolina in response to the "bathroom bill," which critics say places restrictions on members of the LGBT community.

In a statement obtained by ABC News, Starr revealed that he canceled his All Starr Tour performance in Cary, North Carolina, this June in an act of solidarity with those "fighting against the bigotry of HB2."

"I'm sorry to disappoint my fans in the area, but we need to take a stand against this hatred," Starr said. "Spread peace and love.”

He added: "How sad that they feel that this group of people cannot be defended."

Good job, McCroury.

Deutsche Bank announced Tuesday that it would suspend its plans to add 250 jobs in its Cary, North Carolina office, citing the state's sweeping law that overrode local measures protecting LGBT individuals from discrimination and limited employees' ability to sue over workplace discrimination.

I once interviewed at that office, for the job of Head Programmer (or similar). I have no idea why they brought me in for that. I got completely crushed. I did however, go on to work with a guy who did end up getting that job.

Heckofa job, McCrory.

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The economic impact of the state’s controversial House Bill 2 continued to mushroom Tuesday, as Deutsche Bank announced it was freezing plans to create 250 jobs in Cary and a top Wake County economic development official said that five companies since early last week have canceled or postponed efforts to bring jobs to the county.

“We’ve had some companies choose to suspend their site selection search in North Carolina and consequently in Wake County,” said Adrienne Cole, executive director of Wake County Economic Development. “Some have said they’re taking North Carolina off the list, others have said they’re postponing things to see what happens.”

The economic development projects included an IT company and a clean energy company and ranged in size from 75 jobs to one that could have brought 1,000 jobs to the Triangle, she said.

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Effects are being felt. N.C. Rep. Billy Richardson (D!) has a sad:

By enacting House Bill 2, the legislature did the wrong thing. I made the wrong vote and we must now make it right.

My parents raised me to avoid any rush to judgment and to consider the consequences of my decisions. They stressed to me that I will make mistakes but, when made, never, never compound a mistake by sitting silent and failing to own up to the error.

Upon prayer and reflection, I have come to realize that I need to take action now. I will not be silent and allow North Carolina's values to be undermined by the travesty that is HB2.

With Democrats like these... sheesh.

Pull up to the EarthFare, get out of my car, walk towards the door. It's 50° and windy. I'm wearing shorts (as always).

Guy in a grubby baseball hat and work jacket, maybe 40 years old, a little less well-maintained than most of the customers here in this somewhat upscale yuppie suburban shopping plaza walks out of the store and steps up to me.

Guy: The cashier in there just asked me if I wanted a surprise. I told her Paul Ryan is going to destroy the country...

Me: ...uh...

Guy: And it's because he's just another DC politician who doesn't do shit but point fingers and collect his paycheck. He's going to be another Boner, whatever his name was. Do you watch these people?

Me: I...

Guy: And so I ask her where she's from because she doesn't sound like she's from here. And she says Masstachufets, Massachoosix, Massachoosits. She's a fuckin Yankee. And I ask her if they have to pay for the queers to use the women's bathroom up there. And ... know what I'm saying? You know about this? The queers ruined marriage! They want to marry anything and everyone! They're going to make us pay for them to use the bathroom. And that Bruce Springsteen - what does he know? He's a Yankee too, right? He should mind his own business.

Me: I...

Guy: Because Obama is about to take all the guns. Have you seen this? He's about to grab all the guns and then there won't be any way to stop him. They killed that Judge in his sleep. Did you know his pajamas weren't even wrinkled? Who sleeps like that? And he crawled under his pillow. And didn't wrinkle his pajamas! And they're bringing in Mexicans to fill up the districts, their districts! Makes our vote count less! I tell you, I'm a veteran, did tours in Korea, and I'm thinking about leaving this country before it goes completely to shit. I'll do it, too!

Me: Um...

Guy: You gotta get out now. I'm telling ya!

Me: Umm... Huh. I'm freezing. I gotta go. Take care.

--

It was like a National Review comment section came to life and attacked me.

I just started Azimov's 1951 classic science fiction series Foundation. It's set in the far distant future - so far in the future that humanity has spread to the edge of the galaxy and nobody even knows on which planet humanity originated. That information has just been lost over time.

A dozen or so pages in, one character is doing some research about a branch of science that allows people to predict a society's political future. And he's doing this research ... by looking at microfilm. Ooof.

Way to take me out of the story.

ABC News

Drat. Duped. FAKE!

Oh, the price you pay, oh, the price you pay
Now you can't walk away from the price you pay

Now they'd come so far and they'd waited so long
Just to end up caught in a dream where everything goes wrong
Where the dark of night holds back the light of the day
And you've gotta stand and fight for the price you pay

Bruce Springsteen announced on his website Friday he is canceling his April 10 show in Greensboro in opposition to North Carolina's recently passed House Bill 2.

In the statement, Springsteen asserted that the bill attacks the rights of LGBT citizens to sue when their rights are violated in the workplace.

Heckofa job, McCrory.

Two weeks ago, PayPal announced plans to open a new global operations center in Charlotte and employ over 400 people in skilled jobs. In the short time since then, legislation has been abruptly enacted by the State of North Carolina that invalidates protections of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens and denies these members of our community equal rights under the law.

The new law perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPal’s mission and culture. As a result, PayPal will not move forward with our planned expansion into Charlotte.

This decision reflects PayPal’s deepest values and our strong belief that every person has the right to be treated equally, and with dignity and respect. These principles of fairness, inclusion and equality are at the heart of everything we seek to achieve and stand for as a company. And they compel us to take action to oppose discrimination.

Our decision is a clear and unambiguous one. But we do regret that we will not have the opportunity to be a part of the Charlotte community and to count as colleagues the skilled and talented people of the region. As a company that is committed to the principle that everyone deserves to live without fear of discrimination simply for being who they are, becoming an employer in North Carolina, where members of our teams will not have equal rights under the law, is simply untenable.

While we will seek an alternative location for our operations center, we remain committed to working with the LGBT community in North Carolina to overturn this discriminatory legislation, alongside all those who are committed to equality.

We will stand firm in our commitment to equality and inclusion and our conviction that we can make a difference by living and acting on our values. It’s the right thing to do for our employees, our customers, and our communities.

Dan Schulman, President and CEO, PayPal

400 jobs .... yoink!

Heckofajob, McCrory.

This week is the 22nd anniversary of my acquisition of two important things: my first copy of Pavement's Slanted and Enchanted and my beloved Tele^Plus.

From a medium format slide taken by Carla.
Before the neck and pickguard turned all mellow and yellow.

And I bought them at the same time, at Buzzo's Music in Geneseo, NY. Here's the receipt, which I kept in my wallet for 21 years. Last time I noticed it sitting there behind my NY fishing license from 1987 it was starting to come apart, so I scanned it.

$13.98 for the CD. $599.95 for the guitar. I got a $160 trade-in on my old guitar (which looked like this) and the rest I paid with the proceeds from being a medical test subject. Ah, the good old days.

Happy anniversary, guitar!

A Florida couple was arrested Tuesday after an argument led a woman to strike her husband in the back of the head with a burrito, police said