Archives for July 2014

Awaiting a judge’s ruling on NC’s wide-reaching voting law

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A federal judge is hearing arguments for and against the legality of North Carolina’s voter ID law.

Supporters say it will reduce voter fraud. Critics says it disenfranchises minorities.

WCCB News Rising Political Contributor Mary C. Curtis has been covering the legal debate.  She weighs in on the arguments.

Is celebration of ‘Seinfeld’ as cultural touchstone just wishful thinking?

There was a time when — even in America divided — there were certain shared cultural experiences. Everyone knew what guest made which joke or gaffe while sitting on the couch next to Johnny Carson. Most could easily keep track of which Huxtable/Cosby kid was in the good graces or the dog house with papa Cliff/Bill. On Ed Sullivan’s variety roundup, ballet dancers, jugglers and singers from the Beatles to the Supremes divvied up the hour. These pop culture moments have become fewer and fewer as viewers have split into small, dedicated slivers in the cable and online universe. Now a hit is declared with audience numbers that would have made the networks tremble.

It’s no wonder that the 25th anniversary of the television show “Seinfeld” is being treated with such pomp and relative reverence. It harkens to a time in the not long ago 1990s when even a final episode judged mediocre could mean ratings gold.

But much like a typical “Seinfeld,” all is not what it seems to be — it never was. When the show, after a rocky start, hit its stride and No. 1 in the ratings, it was never as popular among all members of its potential audience.

National Society of Newspaper Columnists Names Winners in 2014 Columnist Contest

The big surprise of the night was WaPo’s Mary C. Curtis winning first place in the category for Online, Blog and Multimedia Columns with over 100,000 Monthly Unique Visitors.

The “Hobby Lobby” Decision and Its Effects at The Polls

CHARLOTTE, N.C.-   The Supreme Court’s ruling on employee healthcare plans and contraception is sparking a lot of discussion online; but will the high emotions translate into higher voter turnout this fall?

WCCB Political Contributor Mary C. Curtis is taking a closer look at the “Hobby Lobby” case.