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I never would have thought the UAW would grab a toehold in High Point, but organizers won a fair election by a convincing margin at Thomas Built Buses this week.

High Point has never been union-friendly. There have been unions in town before, but they generally didn't last long. Strikes by hosiery mill workers in the '50s and by production workers at the High Point Enterprise in the '60s failed miserably.

The city's favorable business climate traditionally depended on a compliant labor force employed by paternalistic and for the most part benevolent local mill and factory owners.

Over the years, however, most of the largest home-grown businesses were bought out by larger conglomerations -- some of which later shut them down.

Thomas Built Buses, founded in 1916, is still thriving, but it's no longer owned or managed by the Thomas family. The parent company is Freightliner, based in Portland, Ore., which in turn is owned by Germany's DaimlerChrysler.

I doubt very much that the UAW would have gotten in the door if the Thomases still owned TBB. But Freightliner and DC are largely unionized throughout their organizations and did not oppose the UAW drive here.

At the same time, Thomas workers already enjoy very good wages and benefits for this area. The real driving factors behind the union push seemed to be health and safety issues and job security.

Based on my knowledge of unions (I've never belonged to one but I learned a little when I worked for the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 1983-84) is that they can have a positive influence in the field of health and safety.

I'd be a lot less confident about job security. Unions like the UAW have lost so much membership in the last couple of decades precisely because of job cutbacks. It also stands to reason that demands for higher wages and more expensive benefits put pressure on companies in highly competitive industries that sometimes cause them to downsize or seek savings through increased mechanization at the expense of employment.

Job security shouldn't be a concern at TBB in High Point because the company has just opened a new $40 million production facility and added to its workforce. That kind of investment indicates confidence in the future.

I had thought the new plant would allay some of the union fervor, which was based party on poor working conditions when the drive began more than two years ago. At that time the company's primary facility apparently was in pretty poor shape, perhaps providing some validity for worker complaints. Those worries should be alleviated with the opening of the new, state-of-the-art facility.

Another factor I thought would play against the union was politics. The UAW, like other components of the AFL-CIO, is part and parcel of the Democratic Party. A lot of TBB workers live in Randolph and Davidson counties, as well as High Point -- strong Republican territory. Maybe the UAW will play down politics locally.

Business leaders in High Point aren't pleased by the UAW success, of course. They fear it sends a signal that the city is less employer-friendly. That is a concern, but there aren't that many companies that lend themselves to unionization anymore. TBB is by far the city's largest manufacturing employer. Other large employers include High Point Regional Health System, Bank of America and the city.

But you never know. I never would have predicted a UAW victory in High Point.

President Bush finally has a Supreme Court vacancy to fill. This is part of what last year's election was all about.

It's really more interesting that the departing justice is Sandra Day O'Connor rather than William Rehnquist, who was expected to go sooner because of his health.

Rehnquist is chief justice, so who replaces him will be important. But he's a reliable conservative, and even Democrats should not object too strenuously to the appointment of another conservative to replace him.

O'Connor, however, is more moderate and sometimes breaks with the conservative bloc. She provides a key swing vote, and has sided with the liberals on abortion and other cases, such as this week's Ten Commandments rulings. In order to maintain a balance on the court, Democrats will fight the nomination of someone who is more conservative than O'Connor.

The question is whether they'll use their heavy weaponry -- the filibuster -- to back up their demands.

I don't think Bush should give in to them on this one. The risk of nominating someone you think is a moderate is that you might be wrong. Bush's father put David Souter on the court. He was supposed to be a moderate, yet he usually ends up in camp with the liberals.

Now, when John Paul Stevens or Ruth Bader Ginsburg retires -- and both are getting up there -- Bush probably should be more generous toward the Democrats. Stevens and Ginsburg are liberals, and you can argue that it's fair to replace them with moderates. Even then, I certainly wouldn't expect Bush to look for clones of those two.

For now, Bush has an opportunity to solidify a conservative majority on the court, and he should take it.

That's one reason why a majority of Americans voted for him in November.

If John Kerry were president, you can bet he would seek to fill O'Connor's seat with someone to the left of center. Bush has every right to tug the court to the right.

But he'll have to win the battle in the Senate first.

North Carolina's legislative leaders control millions of dollars that they can spend pretty much at their personal discretion.

Now State Auditor Les Merritt has reviewed their recent practices and sent a report to Attorney General Roy Cooper.

He recounts in some detail how House of Representatives Speaker Jim Black procured a state job for political pal Michael Decker.

The report makes good reading. I hope Cooper takes a close look.

It's always worth reading.

Happy Independence Day!

I love going to my wife's hometown, Columbus, N.C., for the Fourth of July.

Columbus, county seat of Polk County, counts barely a thousand residents, but they all turn out for the Fabulous Fourth celebration. So do people from throughout the area.

Festivies begin the night of the third with gospel singing across from the fire station and next to the new veterans memorial.

Early on the morning of the Fourth, the main road through town, N.C. 108, is blocked off. It stays closed until well after midnight.

A welcome by the mayor and the national anthem start things off at 10. Events include the 40-yard dash, horseshoe tournament, greased pole climbing, live music all day and evening, rides for the kids, lots of food and a pretty darn good fireworks display after dark.

We set up chairs on the courthouse lawn facing the bandstand, under a shade tree, with old Starnes School in the background. That's where Margaret attended school from first through eighth grade, where her father attended all the way through high school. Now it's used for administration and the grounds are a park. The house where she grew up, where he parents still live, is just around the corner.

From that location, we can see everyone walking by -- and everyone does sooner or later.

That's another reason I enjoy the Fourth here. I don't have a hometown like Columbus. I grew up in several towns in four different states. I couldn't name a "home" town. But when we visit Columbus for the Fourth, we not only get together with Margaret's family, but we see people she grew up with. It's always a reunion, a time for catching up, sharing laughs and stories about high school or even further back. To me, it represents what going home really means.

Of course, in such small towns, it seems sometimes like everyone knows you all too well. Heck, they know your parents and grandparents. But that also bestows a sense of belonging, of acceptance.

Margaret and I have been married for 28 years, so I've spent a lot of time in her hometown. I appreciate it more every year, and I think she does, too.

A writer from not too far from Columbus wrote you can't go home again. Too bad he wasn't from Columbus. He might have enjoyed its Fourth of July celebrations.

Are you still a whistle-blower if you're wrong?

Just adding some of my own thoughts to today's editorial, "Remove the office politics." It was not posted, but I'll reprint the text on the continuation of this entry.

The latest development in the Tax Department difficulties occurred when commissioners refused to let Director Jenks Crayton eliminate a position occupied by tax appraiser Calvin White.

Crayton said the position was created three years ago for the purpose of working on the 2004 property revaluation, and that the job is no longer needed. A few other positions were cut for similar reasons. Crayton met with County Manager Willie Best on the issue, and Best concurred, leaving the positions out of his proposed budget.

So, why did commissioners take the extraordinary step of reinstating a position that isn't needed anymore? Apparently to protect Calvin White, who was one of the employees -- the primary one, according to Crayton -- who fed information to Democratic commissioners about alleged improprieties in the Tax Department.

Commissioners used that information as the basis for suspending Crayton and requesting an investigation by the N.C. Department of Revenue.

The state auditors examined every case presented and found no evidence of wrongdoing. Commissioners reinstated Crayton ... but apparently not his authority. They won't let him manage his department -- at least in this case.

Now, I can understand protecting a whistle-blower. But my Webster's defines that term as "a person who reports or informs on a wrongdoer, as in a government agency."

Crayton was informed on, but it turned out he was not a wrongdoer. Therefore, there was no whistle-blower -- only someone apparently raising false allegations, for whatever reason.

Maybe the informers made honest mistakes. That would indicate they have a poor understanding of property tax matters. Any other kind of mistake raises more serious concerns.

For now, Crayton has an employee who helped trigger a wasteful investigation and is occupying a position that seems to be unneeded -- and who seems to be able to go above his boss' head to a few commissioners. That's quite a formula for trouble.

Last week, I asked Commissioner Paul Gibson what he would do in Crayton's position. Fire the guy, Gibson admitted. But Gibson believes Crayton agreed not to do that. If Crayton did make such an agreement, that shows maybe he has made some mistakes.

Reviewer Bob Waters credited Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg with "sizzling virtuosity and emotionally engaging musicianship" but added she "appeared at times somewhat restless" during her performance Saturday at the Eastern Music Festival.

I'd call her athletic. She looked to me like a tennis player, only delivering blows with a violin instead of a racket.

Salerno-Sonnenberg was featured soloist for Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto. The Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra was conducted by Gerard Schwarz. Dana Auditorium at Guilford College was full. It was a great show.

I understand Waters' impression of restlessness but I envisioned a tennis player preparing to receive a serve and then explode into action. Waiting for her entrances, Salerno-Sonnenberg shifted her weight from foot to foot, rubbed her instrument, set and pounced into the music. It was amazing how much energy she could propel into her racket ... I mean violin.

My column today. Apologies to blog readers for its similarities to my post of last Friday.

Washington puts on a spectacular fireworks display for the Fourth of July, but it saves its most violent eruptions for political battles.

One might be on the way soon, thanks to Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement announcement last week. ...

French President Jacques Chirac, in a last, desperate bid to sway the International Olympic Committee, attacked British cuisine.

It didn't work. London beat out Paris for the 2012 Summer Games.

Come on, Jacques. Give it a try. You might like bangers and mash, steak and kidney pie and spotted dick.

Maybe President Bush can be forgiven for his remarks about Scotland's famous delicacy, haggis.

He said he wouldn't eat any while he's in Edinburgh for the G8 summit.

I've eaten haggis, and I sympathize.

It's best washed down with a pint of McEwen's, or something stronger.

Bush doesn't drink, so I'd give him a pass on the haggis.

Edinburgh, Scotland's ancient capital, is a beautiful city. I hope it survives the G8 summit, although I guess it's weathered worse things over the centuries, including English rule.

I could spend days walking the Royal Mile, from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace.

Highlights in between include St. Giles Cathedral, the Writers' Museum, John Knox's house and of course the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre.

Edinburgh is not a large city -- Glasgow is bigger by far -- and it gets jammed with tourists this time of year. It's probably a nightmare now. I've been a couple of times and count the experiences as among my best ever.

Yesterday London was celebrating.

Today it's bleeding.

I applaud Prime Minister Tony Blair's strong statement:

"It is important that those engaged in terrorism realise that our determination to defend our values and our way of life is greater than their determination to cause death and destruction to innocent people in a desire to impose extremism on the world.

"Whatever they do, it is our determination that they will never succeed in destroying what we hold dear in this country and in other civilised nations throughout the world."

My prayers today are with our British cousins.

And my hope is that every one of the murderers responsible is hunted down.

Here's a powerful plea from a North Carolina woman, whose Marine son was killed in Iraq, to stay the course.

I would not want to tell this woman that her sacrifice has been for nothing.

The outcome in Iraq is still uncertain. Many difficulties remain. It will take years to determine whether the ultimate result will be worth what it cost to achieve it.

If Iraq becomes a stable, peaceful, free, democratic and prosperous country friendly to Western interests and a force for reform in the Middle East, that will argue that the war was a success.

If Iraq is abandoned to the terrorists, then of course American blood and treasure will have been spent for nothing.

Fighting on does not assure the first result, but giving up now guarantees the second.

Thank God this didn't turn out worse for 2-year-old Christopher Martin. He survived a mauling by a pit bull.

Now Madison police Chief Perry Webster says he'll ask his Board of Aldermen Tuesday to pass an ordinance banning pit bulls and Rottweilers from town limits.

That should prompt an interesting debate.

Webster says "most times, the people who have these dogs don't have them to be friendly. These dogs are more apt to be violent and dangerous."

There's no doubt that many pit bulls are bred to be fighting dogs.

Rottweilers are big, strong and sometimes aggressive.

But any kind of dog can be dangerous.

In more than 35 years as a runner, I've encountered all kinds. I've been bitten twice during a run: by a collie and by a Great Dane. I was lucky to avoid being bitten by a pair of Dobermans that used to harass me years ago. Those were actually the meanest dogs I remember.

The worst bite I ever received, though, was delivered by a dachshund that belonged to a friend of mine. That dog latched on to my hand and wouldn't let go. Man, did it hurt!

There may be some problems with banning particular breeds. Which ones? What about mixed breeds? Who determines what's a pit bull, especially if it has strains of other breeds in it? What about people who have legitimate security concerns and want a fearsome dog to protect their property? If you can own guns for self-defense, why not a Rottweiler?

One idea to consider is limiting how many dogs one family can have on a piece of property in the city. Some people run breeding operations, which can cause problems in a neighborhood.

Of course, every city should have strong animal-control ordinances. Keep your dog under restraint or pay a penalty. If its behavior indicates it's potentially dangerous, make sure it's fenced in. If it ever threatens anyone, then it should be taken away.

What percentage of Guilford County taxpayers would approve of the 40+ percent pay raises commissioners just gave themselves?

The number would be very small, judging from the public reaction so far.

So how can elected officials so blatantly defy the wishes of their constituents for their own financial benefit?

Lack of accountability.

Of the six commissioners who voted for the pay raises, three were elected without opposition and one was appointed to the board.

The two who were elected in competitive races -- Paul Gibson and Kirk Perkins -- don't come up for election again until 2008, when voters might forget about the pay raises. But Gibson says he isn't planning on running again anyway.

This system of representative democracy only works if leaders have to stand before the voters in regular contested elections.

That doesn't happen as often as it should in Guilford County.

What would help? Change the system to elect more commissioners at-large and fewer in districts designed to guarantee outcomes.

I drove by the site of Clara Cox Homes on E. Russell Avenue in High Point this morning, where demolition is under way.

The High Point Housing Authority plans to replace the community with 160 new units on the very same 20-acre site.

It's a poor place for housing. The center-city property would be better suited for a business or industrial development.

What's needed in High Point's low-income, inner city is not more low-income housing but more jobs for the underemployed population already there.

This public housing community should be relocated to north High Point, miles closer to existing and anticipated jobs at Piedmont Centre, the airport and Dell.

Proximity to those jobs is essential for people who face transportation challenges getting to work.

As an added benefit, the dispersing of public housing residents to another part of the city will relieve inner-city schools, at least to a small extent, of the concentrated enrollment of economically disadvantaged students.

The Housing Authority should sell the 20-acre E. Russell tract to an industrial developer and purchase residential property in north High Point for the new Clara Cox Homes.

Back in March, I wrote a column questioning the need for reconcilation in the Truth and Reconciliation process. My opinion at that time was that the T&R Commission will have a hard time selling this concept to many people in Greensboro.

I'm more convinced of that after reading the commission's blog essay titled "What is Reconciliation?"

Let me begin with a preview: Tomorrow's Second Opinion page will carry a column by Angus McGregor, a retired Presbyterian minister who works as a congregational consultant in conflict resolution and other matters. He endorses the T&R process and seeks to distinguish between retributive justice and restorative justice.

The goal of retributive justice "is for the guilty to suffer the consequences of wrong behavior," he writes. But restorative justice "effectively fosters reconciliation between the victim and the perpetrator."

Now go to the commission's essay. Please read it for yourselves, but what stands out to me is the process of identifying people who were harmed and people and institutions that caused harm. Then comes a key passage:

"Those who have hurt others need to understand just how their actions caused harm. Sometimes the harm is physical. Other times it is emotional, cultural, or spiritual. Often, the harm has economic consequences.

"Once those who hurt others understand the harm they have done, they should be supported in their efforts to apologize, and in so far as possible, to undo the harm."

Now, in regard to the events of Nov. 3, 1979, which this whole process is supposed to be about, it seems clear to me who caused harm: members of the Klan and Nazi party who gunned down members of the Communist Workers Party. To a lesser extent, the CWP people caused harm by inviting the Klan and Nazis to a confrontation in a community that didn't want any part of such trouble.

I'm guessing, however, that the commission is going to find a lot more harm than that. Otherwise, it wouldn't have much to do. Beyond the undeniable physical harm committed that day, it's likely to identify people who suffered emotional, spiritual, cultural and even economic harm, and other people and institutions -- maybe a whole city full -- that are responsible for it. The perpetrators of this emotional, spiritual, cultural and economic damage will be called on to "undo" that harm.

Depending on how the commission approaches this, that undoing can be viewed as restorative -- or retributive.

Many people may see it as the latter.

Furthermore, it strikes me as a poor way to achieve reconcilation to divide a community into those who were harmed and those who did the harming according to someone's reckoning. Is that going to provide unity or create hard feelings that, over the past 25+ years, had actually receded?

The commission has an uphill journey. It's my perception (admittedly as someone who doesn't live in this city) that Greensboro 2005 largely feels it doesn't need to reconcile itself to anyone for the events of 1979 that were perpetrated almost entirely by outsiders. So how will those skeptics react to findings that they're actually responsible for causing so much harm and have to make amends for it?

And this is it in Saluda, the Polk County town just off I-26.

It's Coon Dog Day, a one-of-a-kind event you shouldn't want to miss.

There's a parade, games, food, a 5K race, a Coon Dog Day Queen and, of course, coon dog competitions.

One word of advice: If you go, leave your pet raccoon at home.

Interested in courthouses?

Here's a Web site that features quite a few photos of North Carolina courthouses.

Why is it that so often the newer courthouses are uglier than the ones they replaced?

That's definitely true in Guilford County: old ... and new.

Also check out the pictures for Burke (old and new) and Cabarrus (old and new), for two obvious examples.

For a really stark contrast, you could visit Lexington.

The old Davidson County courthouse (now a museum) is far superior to the current facility.

Any favorites out there?

Here's a picture of me running in the Badwater Ultramarathon ...

Not!

The annual event, which begins today in California's Death Valley, is not for people who are out of shape -- but not out of their minds.

Unless it's perfectly sane, in the middle of summer, to run a 135-mile race from the hottest, lowest spot in North America to a finish line more than 8,000 feet above sea level on the slopes of Mount Whitney.

Yeah, this looks like loads of fun.

Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.

Ever heard that?

Well, those who remember the past too well sometimes relive it purposefully -- when it would be better to let it go.

Consider Ireland, for example.

Today is the 315th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne.

It's been celebrated by Irish Protestants ever since.

In Northern Ireland, they often march through Catholic neighborhoods.

This would be like a bunch of Yankee civil war re-enactors marching through Atlanta each year on the anniversary of its burning by Sherman. It doesn't exactly heal old wounds.

I'm not trying to take sides against the Protestants. I'm Irish Presbyterian on my maternal grandmother's side. Her father was a member of the Orange Order. He built an Orange Lodge on his property near Castleblaney in County Monaghan.

Things are a lot better over there now. But I was appalled when I visited Belfast three years ago at the lingering hostility. It's displayed by the famous murals in Protestant and Catholic sections of the city, some of which commemorate the Battle of the Boyne.

Maybe some history should be forgotten.

No column today.

I am in beautiful Harbor Springs, Mich., one of my favorite places.

Harbor Springs, where my sister, her husband and their kids have a vacation home, sits on Lake Michigan's Little Traverse Bay.

The town is pretty, as are the nearby towns of Petoskey and Charlevoix. The area has some great beaches, such as those at Petoskey State Park and Sturgeon Bay's Wilderness Park.

We're planning a day trip, and maybe an overnight, to Mackinac Island over in Lake Huron.

And the weather up here this time of year is usually just great. This is a perfect escape from the sultry South.

While I'm visiting Mackinac Island (well, I'm not actually staying in the Grand Hotel), I'll be on the lookout for Jennifer Granholm.

Michigan has a summer residence for its governor on the island in northwestern Lake Huron.

You sure wouldn't want a winter residence there.

Granholm is a bright star in the Democratic Party, an attractive soccer mom who's worked her way up the political ladder. You can bet she'd receive strong consideration for a place on the national ticket except for one problem ...

She was born a Canadian, not an American.

Never mind that she moved with her family to the United States as a small child and later became a U.S. citizen.

She isn't eligible, according to the Constitution.

The Republicans have the same problem with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger who, as everyone knows, immigrated from Austria.

(At least Granholm doesn't speak with an accent.)

I think that constitutional requirement is outdated. What's your opinion?

This morning, if Canadian border guards at Sault Ste. Marie let me into their country (no, just because I'm from North Carolina does NOT mean I'm smuggling cigarettes), I'm on my way to Orillia, Ontario, for the weekend. We're getting together with Irish-Canadian relatives for a big family occasion.

Our drive takes us along the northern shore of Lake Huron. The route passes through some pretty small towns, so I expect to be on the road about eight hours.

Orillia is in an area known as Ontario's lake district. Here's a Scenic Orillia photo gallery. The winter photos are especially beautiful, but that will have to wait for another trip.

There's a big casino nearby, but I don't plan to drop any loonies there.

You'll hear from me again when we get back home.

I'll start thinking about Justice-nominee John Roberts, Guilford County school redistricting and other issues when I report to work in the morning.

Now I'm still unwinding from an 11-day, 2,500-mile vacation with my wife, older son and mother.

Highlights:

Spending a week with my sister and her family in beautiful Harbor Springs, Mich.

Being served Michigan Black Bear ice cream cones at Yummy's in Harbor Springs by a very charming employee, my 15-year-old niece, Kylie.

A perfect marriage of South Carolina peaches and Michigan blueberries in a birthday cobbler baked by my wife, Margaret, for my brother-in-law, Bob -- and shared by all.

Bicycling around Mackinac Island.

Rafting on the Sturgeon River.

Spending an afternoon on the beach at Sturgeon Bay.

Enjoying Polish food and drink at Legs Inn at Cross Village, on a high bluff overlooking Lake Michigan.

Visiting Irish-Canadian relatives in Ontario.

Attending a Pirates game in Pittsburgh's outstanding PNC Park last night on the way home.

It was a great trip. I didn't stay very much connected to the news. I've been trying to catch up a bit tonight, but road fatigue is numbing my brain. Maybe it will start working tomorrow.

Advocacy groups already are making their cases for and against John G. Roberts, President Bush's nominee for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.

My initial reaction is favorable. Roberts seems to have good legal qualifications, he's conservative and upstanding.

Bush did not challenge Democrats with an in-your-face choice. Extreme left-wing groups aren't happy with Roberts, but what could they expect? A liberal justice?

Nothing I've seen about Roberts so far indicates that his nomination could be considered extraordinary under the terms of the no-filibuster agreement worked out by 14 Democratic and Republican senators earlier this year. Sure, the most partisan Democrats -- Schumer, Kennedy, Leahy and the like -- probably will oppose him strongly because their special interests groups do, but Roberts was easily confirmed for his present appeals court seat two years ago and he should win approval by a wide vote this time.

Adding this 50-year-old judge to the court will, however, budge it a bit to the right. Roberts should join Rehnquist, Scalia and Thomas to form a reliable conservative faction, sometimes aided by Kennedy. O'Connor often was part of that group, so replacing her with Roberts might not significantly change the court's character, but you never really know until a justice has served for a while.

When Rehnquist steps down, maybe next year unless health forces a sooner retirement, Bush can add another conservative, maintaining the status quo. I guess liberals Stevens and Ginsburg will hang on past 2008. If another Republican is elected then, that president really could turn the court well to the right.

For now, all attention belongs on Roberts. He should be forthcoming about his views, without saying how he would rule in particular cases. He looks like he'll stand up well during the confirmation process. Bush seems to have made a smart choice.

Canadians have a well-deserved reputation for being nice.

You can see that characteristic on their highways.

Sometimes they take it too far. For example, the government posts the most banal road signs encouraging safe driving. How about: "Large and small, make room for all." There are other warnings against speeding, tailgating and so on. In English and French.

We made fun of the dumb signs, but when we came to a long traffic backup, we learned to appreciate Canadians' good highway behavior.

It was on highway 69 about 30 miles north of Parry Sound along the eastern shore of Lake Huron's Georgian Bay. Cars were backed up in our southbound lane as far as you could see. Nothing was coming northbound.

What would be happening on one of our highways? You know it: Southbound drivers soon would pull out into the northbound lane or onto the southbound shoulder trying to get ahead of everyone else.

Not one motorist did that, even though they probably could have driven for miles. Of course, that eventually would have produced a huge tangle down the road.

Canadians are too orderly and patient to cause that kind of trouble. People were out of their cars, milling around, passing information obtained from radios and cell phones. No one was having a temper tantrum. For the entire hour or so we were stuck, everyone was calm and considerate.

Amazing. And there wasn't even a sign telling them to be nice.

More evidence that food-service workers don't get paid enough.

At the least, they ought to be armed with nonlethal personal protection:

"Ma'am, would you like a shot of pepper spray with your sandwich?"

It's been 11 years since a vacancy occurred on the Supreme Court. The backgrounds of the men nominated then and now are remarkably similar.

President Bill Clinton nominated Stephen Breyer, a Harvard law grad who clerked for an associate justice, served in several government positions and was sitting on the court of appeals bench.

President George W. Bush has nominated John Roberts, a Harvard law grad who clerked for an associate justice, served in several government positions and sits on the court of appeals bench.

The major difference between the two is that Breyer is a liberal and Roberts is a conservative.

Breyer was given fair and polite treatment by Senate Republicans, then in the minority, and confirmed by a vote of 87-9. There was never even any mention of a filibuster to block a vote.

Roberts deserves the same treatment by Senate Democrats now.

The N.C. House of Representatives yesterday passed -- by unanimous vote -- a bill that sets stricter provisions for driving while impaired.

Similar legislation is pending in the Senate, and majority leader Tony Rand says it will be approved.

That's good news, particularly if it makes sure that the 0.08 limit is enforced consistently across the state. Some judges -- none in Guilford County -- frequently let off drivers who register 0.08 and higher, even though the law says that's sufficient evidence of impairment. There should be no doubt about it when the tougher law goes into effect.

Influential lawyers or lenient judges shouldn't allow drunken drivers to stay on the roads. The Senate should join the House in tightening DWI laws. Gov. Easley supports the legislation and will add his signature.

I commend Leadership Greensboro for organizing a series of events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. It's appropriate to honor the surviving members of the Greatest Generation, and to remind younger Americans of our nation's World War II-era sacrifices and accomplishments.

For many, however, a cloud hangs over the anniversary of victory over Japan, which was achieved with the detonations of atomic bombs on Hiroshima (Aug. 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (Aug. 9).

I adhere to the conventional view: that, although horrific, the bombings cut short a war that otherwise would have continued through a bloody invasion of the Japanese home islands at a cost of many more lives. Without them, the war probably would have lasted another year or two.

Even then, some people disagreed, contending that Japanese leaders were on the brink of capitulation anyway and that the use of such weapons under the circumstances was barbarous.

What do you think?

It hasn't really begun, of course, but speculation and early positioning have started.

Democrats and Republicans both have problems, of different kinds.

For the Democrats, it's that there are several good candidates ready to go. They're led by Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue, Attorney General Roy Cooper and Treasurer Richard Moore.

For the Republicans, it's that they have ... no one.

The man for whom Greensboro is named, the commander of American forces at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, is the subject of a new book by Terry Golway: Washington's General/Nathanael Greene and the Triumph of the American Revolution.

Golway's writing is ordinary -- he's no David McCullough -- and I don't think the book breaks a lot of new ground. But for readers, like myself, who didn't know much about Greene to begin with, it's a good introduction to the military career of one of the Revolution's top generals.

Greene, raised as a Quaker in Rhode Island, was an unlikely candidate to become the man who won the war in the South. He had no military training to speak of. But the Revolutionary War wasn't so much a series of battles as a test of will, stamina and capacity for suffering. Greene, like his mentor, Washington, had a strong supply of those qualities. He won by refusing to lose.

At the same time, he also issued so many complaints about his difficulties that he comes across in Golway's book as something of a whiner. Furthermore, as quartermaster general during part of the war, he engaged in personal profiteering. Most shamefully, his pursuit of wealth led him to become a slaveowner after the war -- directly contradicting his previously stated views about the immorality of slavery. In fact, during the war, he utilized and admired the abilities of black soldiers and urged Southern governors -- to no avail -- to employ them as well.

I picked up this book because I wanted to know more about "Natty" Greene. I recommend it for others who also feel they're deficient in knowledge about this important figure in our city and nation's history.

On the eve of the first Las Vegas furniture market, industry watcher Ivan Saul Cutler slams High Point as slow to respond to the threat.

High Point has "functionally peaked," Ivan says, dissing the market authority as a "parking authority."

Tough commentary. High Point should take it as more of a warning than a condemnation.

Statistics don't stand on their own.

For example: "Whites and blacks are murdered in equal numbers, yet the killer of whites is six times more likely to be put to death."

This statement was written by Emma Mieden in today's High Point Enterprise (registration required).

I respect Emma, who consistently displays the courage of her convictions. She's a liberal, and she uses the "six times more likely" fact to back up her thesis that our criminal justice system is biased against blacks.

I won't argue that point, but I'd like to know more about her statistic.

For example, it loses validity if more blacks are murdered in non-death penalty states. Her statistic doesn't tell us that.

Furthermore, suppose blacks are more likely to be murdered in cities with a large black population. If so, juries are more likely to contain several African Americans, if not a majority. Are black jurors less likely than whites to impose the death penalty? If so, that's not evidence of racial discrimination within the judicial system at all.

Again, I'm not debating her premise, just saying I would need a lot more information before accepting her conclusion.

My Wake Forest student son, Kenny, passed along a terrific new book to me yesterday afternoon. I finished it by the time I went to bed.

It's called Walk-On/Life from the End of the Bench. The author is Alan Williams, who graduated from WFU last year after four years as a non-scholarship member of the Deacons basketball team.

Here's Skip Prosser's comment on the dust jacket: "I've coached hundreds of athletes. I have never had a player who better exemplified the word 'teammate' than Alan Williams. Alan's selfless devotion to the team and the high level of his character set a standard for all young men who will ever play at Wake Forest."

Williams was an all-state high school player in Tennessee who wasn't big, fast or strong enough to play in the ACC. But he wanted to attend Wake Forest and earn a place on the team. His book details the hard work, dedication, struggles and rewards involved in sticking on the roster and playing enough to average seven points per season.

Wake fans should enjoy this book for the inside look it provides of Deacon basketball. Williams doesn't hide his admiration for Prosser and such players as Josh Howard and Robert O'Kelley. It also chronicles the highs and lows experienced by players in a big-time program.

But there's a lot more to this well-written book than that. It's about setting goals, working hard to achieve them and making contributions in any way you can to help the team. Furthermore, Williams infuses the 228 pages with testimony about the power of his Christian faith, so if you're not into that, don't bother with the book (although maybe that's all the more reason to read it). It impressed me, and I'd strongly recommend it to church youth leaders. In fact, Williams, who works in Winston-Salem, is available to speak at camps, churches and schools, according to a note at the end of his book. The contact is alan@walkonbasketball.com

I've never met or spoken with this young man, but I can tell he has a lot to say about basketball and life.

It seemed hotter when I was a kid. Or maybe it was just because we didn't have air-conditioning.

I lived in northern New Jersey, where it gets plenty hot in the summer. Misery was sweltering in bed at night, too hot to sleep.

The summer of 1966, when I turned 11, actually is one of the hottest on record in the New York area, with 35 days when the mercury reached 90 or higher.

It gets that hot an average of 32 times a year here in Greensboro, according to National Weather Service information (clock on temperatures under General Climate Summary Tables in the left-hand column).

My mom tells a great story about the heat during the summer I was born, 1955.

She and my dad lived in a fifth-floor walk-up apartment in the Bronx. Of course there was no air-conditioning. Heavily pregnant, she sought relief by sitting in front of the window fan, dressed in my dad's boxer shorts and a T-shirt, with her feet soaking in a bucket of icewater.

I used to think Mom was exaggerating about the heat, but I looked it up. July 1955 remains the second-hottest month ever recorded in New York, average temperature 80.9 degrees. That August was only a little cooler.

God bless you, Mom.

I don't know anything more about this case than what the AP story reveals, but Judge Craig's concerns grab my attention.

The convicted murderer-rapist, Rex Penland, has been on death row since 1994.

Judge Craig is from High Point, by the way, not Stokes County. He was simply assigned to hold court in Stokes County.

I consider him to be a very fair judge.

DNA evidence is important, but lack of DNA evidence isn't necessarily exculpatory. If it were, rapists might be able to avoid conviction by using condoms. Other evidence can be used to find defendants guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

It will be interesting to see whether a second trial in this case produces a different outcome.

My column today:

A friend called in alarm Sunday afternoon.

"Do you know where our kids have been today?"

One of the most significant statistics in the 2005 Kids Count Report for North Carolina is that one-third of our state's children live in single-parent households.

That strongly influences many of the other indicators, especially the number of children living in poverty.

I'm not blaming single parents, most of whom do the best they can for their kids. The point, however, is that two parents usually can do better than one.

We can and should do more to improve our state's performance on our overall rating. Many of the indicators can be addressed through our health and social services departments, and our schools.

But which government agency is going to provide two parents for every child?

As long as one-third of our kids are growing up with a parental deficiency, their welfare will be in jeopardy.

The AFL-CIO is having its troubles.

Not surprising. The AFL-CIO can't decide whether it wants to be an independent labor organization or a wing of the Democratic Party. The Teamsters and Service Employees have had enough.

For a long time, the only real progress the AFL-CIO has made has been in organizing public employees.

In North Carolina, those efforts are hindered by state laws that prohibit public employee unions from entering into contracts with governmental units and from going on strike.

Hence, in North Carolina you have rather toothless public employee unions, such as the N.C. Association of Educators and, locally, the Greensboro Police Officers Association.

These groups can represent the interests of their members and provide valuable professional services. In the case of NCAE, they can exert some political influence. But their power to push for higher pay or benefits is limited.

I think these restrictions are reasonable. In other states, teachers strikes have shut down schools, sometimes for weeks. Garbage has piled up in some cities in the wake of sanitation worker strikes. No one would want to contemplate the repercussions if police or firefighters didn't report to work.

These public employees deserve fair pay and benefits. No doubt, they sometimes feel shortchanged. But they all hold public service jobs, and the work they do is critical to the orderly operation of our society. They owe it to the public to stay on the job and to rely on the political process to see to it that they receive adequate compensation for their work.

North Carolina's laws regarding public employee unions make sense to me.

Remember when President Bill Clinton helped push NAFTA through Congress? Since then, free trade has become another largely partisan issue.

Only 15 House Democrats voted for the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement early this morning. the deal passed by only 217-215.

Twenty-seven Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the deal, which was strongly promoted by the Bush administration.

Of those 27 Republicans, four were North Carolina representatives: Howard Coble, Virginia Foxx, Walter Jones and Patrick McHenry.

The only two positive votes from the North Carolina delegation were cast by Republicans Robin Hayes and Sue Myrick.

Republican Charles Taylor was one of two House members who did not vote on this important legislation.

The state's six Democrats -- G.K. Butterfield, Bob Etheridge, Mike McIntyre, Brad Miller, David Price and Mel Watt -- fell in with the Democratic majority in opposing the deal.

The Senate already has approved DR-CAFTA, with N.C. Sens. Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr supporting it. the president will sign it into effect.

Coble had been on the fence, although leaning against, right up until the vote. He was getting pressure from both sides but obviously decided more of his constituents didn't trust the deal.

Watt also had been undecided, weighing DR-CAFTA's negative short-term effects against its long-term benefits.

Many North Carolina industry groups -- particularly agriculture -- say the pact will open up new markets for their products, which currently are hampered by high tariffs.

Some in the textile industry call the deal another job drain, while others see it as a means to form partnerships in Central America that can help producers here and there stave off Chinese competition.

Watt also had given strong consideration to the opportunities created for future Triad entities such as Dell and the FedEx hub. He could envision locally produced computers being flown out of PTIA for markets in Central America.

At the same time, he was put off by labor and environmental concerns.

The issues are complicated and uncertain at a time when global economic forces are exerting rapid changes here and everywhere. the trend is toward greater free trade, but that creates winners and losers. We haven't figured out yet how to capitalize on the opportunities to everyone's benefit. On balance and in the long run, the unhindered movement of goods and services should work to our advantage, but I understand the fears of many Americans that they'll fall by the wayside.

I don't understand why this has become a partisan issue when only a decade ago it wasn't.

The new ACC football alignment earns a place on the list of things I'm not excited about.

I don't like what the ACC has done to make itself a football conference.

This is revealing: The two strongest teams in each "division," according to preseason forecasts by coaches and sportswriters, happen to be the four newest members of the conference: Florida State, Boston College, Virginia Tech and Miami.

These are the ACC's football recruits. They're gridiron ringers.

Oh, but they're supposed to elevate the level of football throughout the conference.

Right.

It seems to me that most of the other schools had their best seasons before Florida State entered the league. Remember when Clemson and Georgia Tech won national championships?

Of course, the ACC gets eight bowl games, guaranteed as long as it produces eight teams that win enough games to qualify. No sure bet.

I'd like to propose another post-season game: Wake Forest vs. North Carolina, in case neither one earns a bowl spot.

Why Wake vs. Carolina? Because these former Big Four rivals aren't scheduled to play each other this season, thanks to the genius of the new alignment.

Or maybe they could play, at either Groves or Kenan stadium, even if one or both does get a bowl bid. What would make more sense: sending the Heels or Deacons out to the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho, to play another mediocre team from a far-off conference, or matching them against each other right here in front of a big in-state crowd?

Please, let's have something sensible come about as a result of all this.

Sen. Charles Schumer reminds me of Dean Smith when the former Carolina coach felt like his team was outmanned. He wants to take the air out of the ball, slow the pace.

Schumer represents the most partisan of Democrats in the Senate. He won't vote to confirm anyone President Bush would nominate for the Supreme Court. But he doesn't have the votes to defeat John Roberts. So he's going to delay, try to keep him off the bench for as long as possible.

Retiring Justice O'Connor has said she'll stay on the bench until a successor is in place but I'd bet she counted on that being accomplished by the beginning of the court's term in October. Schumer is determined that won't happen. Maybe O'Connor will up and quit rather than stay on indefinitely. That will hamstring the court, which Schumer probably wants.

I don't believe Schumer's concerns about Roberts are sincere. He's just playing politics. Put a shot clock on the guy and run him off the floor.

From Salisbury, a tale of local government run amok.