Thumbs up, thumbs down

By: Hickory Daily Record Editorial | Hickory Daily Record
Published: March 06, 2010

THUMBS UP to the move in the General Assembly to thoroughly scrutinize the Alcoholic Beverage Control system.

The ABC system has come under fire for extravagant spending and excessive salaries. While most ABC employees are on the up and up, some apparently have used their positions as money-making machines. There is little oversight of the system.

It is in need of overhaul and a much higher level of accountability. Reform would not only identify problem areas and increase public confidence, but protect responsible employees.

State Rep. Ray Warren is co-chairman of a House-Senate study committee that will examine the ABC system and make recommendations where changes are needed. We're sure Warren will be diligent and keep the committee on track.

THUMBS UP, we reckon, to the Hickory-Lenoir coalition vying for a Google high-speed Internet system for naming the area Google Holler.

We understand the trepidation of those who say it labels the Hickory-Lenoir area "Hick Holler" and is demeaning. However, it is a rather creative play on a popular newspaper comic strip.

When Hootin' Holler (holler, by the way, is a bucolic form of hollow) was introduced to the world, mountaineer Snuffy Smith was a newcomer. The comic strip actually centered around Barney Google, a nomadic sort who was mixed up in boxing and horse racing.

The strip was launched in 1919, and Snuffy's Hootin' Holler was discovered by cartoon Google in 1934. Today, the coalition hopes to land the "gigatest" by attracting computer Google's attention.

If the moniker can spark interest in the area, then we guess it's OK to plug us as Google Holler. We do advise not to take the prospect of "googlie good times" too far. Barney's gone, and Snuffy remains.

THUMBS DOWN to the California bus company that was denied an interstate operating license.

The company refused to comply with an order not to carry passenger. One of its buses crashed early Friday. Sixteen passengers died. We cannot condone reckless behavior that endangers the public.

Since licensing in this case is a federal issue, we hope the Justice Department comes down on the culprits full force.