Hot Links

Presenting a roundup of interesting stories from around the Web, usually with a Charlotte angle.

Politico – DNC convention cities on edge – Will Miller, who is heading up Charlotte’s effort to land the Democratic National Convention, is quoted extensively in a report on the tense anticipation that the four finalist cities are feeling. (Love Miller comparing the city’s cautious enthusiasm to "waiting tables.") The story says a decision likely will not come until February.

Anthony Foxx’s ‘Tweet Conference’ – Mayor Anthony Foxx, whom we profiled in the January issue, took questions Sunday night on Twitter in his first-ever "tweet conference." No breaking news out of it, but still interesting.

Brooklyn Decker in Esquire – Matthews’ own Brooklyn Decker is on the cover of Esquire magazine this month, wearing only a sheet. Esquire’s site has bonus video. I’d link to it, but our company filter blocks it. That can’t be good.

Bank of America’s bad week (NYT’s Dealbook) – In case you missed it, Bank of America reported a loss of $2.2 billion for 2010. That Countrywide purchase is not looking so hot. BofA took a staggering $2 billion noncash writedown in goodwill for Countrywide.

The Charlotte Observer uses public records law to request 20,000 citizen email addresses from local government (WFAE). Local blogger and PR/social media consultant Scott Hepburn had this excellent blog take. Obs Editor Rick Thames feels compelled to defend/explain his paper’s actions. He says the paper will only use the addresses for journalism. (My quick take, not that anyone asks: I believe Thames. But I also think that If the Observer spams 20,000 people with information about the paper, even if it is technically for journalistic purposes, that is marketing. Even if it is unintentional.)