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A lot of the debate about Judge Samuel Alito will focus on his role in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, an important abortion case from Pennsylvania.

Abortion proponents will say it makes him out to be an anti-abortion radical.

Not that I can tell.

But, wasn't he was the only judge on the appellate court who voted to uphold a spousal-notification requirement in Pennsylvania law, and didn't the Supreme Court overrule him?

Yes. But four Supreme Court justices agreed with Alito on a matter that didn't have to do with a woman's right to obtain an abortion but rather her husband's right to know about it.

The provision required a married woman seeking an abortion to present a written statement (in other words, to sign a form) to the effect that her husband was aware of her decision.

This was NOT a requirement that she obtain his consent. The decision was hers.

Furthermore, the law allowed several exceptions to the requirement of notification, as follows:

"that her husband is not the man who impregnated her; that her husband could not be located; that the pregnancy is the result of spousal sexual assault which she has reported; or that the woman believes that notifying her husband will cause him or someone else to inflict bodily injury upon her."

Frankly, I think this is a close call. I certainly don't know what the Constitution says about it. I guess that's up to judicial interpretation -- or imagination.

But I'm inclined to consider the matter from the father's point of view. He obviously incurs certain legal responsibilities as a result of his wife's pregnancy, i.e., he must provide for at least a portion of the child's support. He has no legal right to say to his wife, "I'd rather you have an abortion, and if you don't I absolve myself of any financial liability for the baby." I don't think that would impress the judge in any child-support court in the country. The judge would say, "You should have thought of that before you got her pregnant. Now pay up or I'll throw you in jail for contempt, you scoundrel!"

So, why can't the husband say: "You know, honey, I'd really like to be a father. If you want to terminate this pregnancy, I guess that's your decision, but can you at least let me know? And, by the way, if you didn't want to get pregnant you might have suggested we take some precaution to avoid this problem in the first place."

You can read the entire Supreme Court decision if you have a few hours to spare. Please note that the majority agreed with Alito in upholding some parts of the Pennsylvania law. But this statement from then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist's dissent, joined by three other justices, about Alito's stance really cuts to the heart of the matter:

"The Pennsylvania Legislature was in a position to weigh the likely benefits of the provision against its likely adverse effects, and presumably concluded, on balance, that the provision would be beneficial. Whether this was a wise decision or not, we cannot say that it was irrational. We therefore conclude that the spousal notice provision comports with the Constitution."

Not irrational.

And definitely not radical.

My column today:

Like any profession, panhandling ought to have a code of conduct.

I'm not suggesting panhandlers should be required to tell the truth when they ask for money. These are some of society's most creative storytellers, and I wouldn't want to inhibit them.

I admit it. Some days, I'm a soft touch for a well-crafted tale of woe. ...

Let me suggest a motto for North Carolina's Easley Money Lottery:

"No matter what it looks like now, we're going to run an honest game. Really. You can bet on it."

Seriously, this lottery is in trouble.

It's sad. For many years, I was proud that North Carolina stayed out of the gambling racket while states all around were succumbing to the temptation of grabbing easy money.

Now, thanks to a governor who made the lottery his top priority and legislative leaders who pushed through a lottery bill even without majority support, we're going to have our own numbers game. I'm ashamed and embarrassed.

All North Carolinians ought to be embarrassed.

Barely more than a month after the appointment of our nine-member Lottery Commission, two have resigned.

The first, Malachi Greene, simply said he really didn't have time to serve. Maybe he recognized what kind of swamp he was wading into and thought better of it.

The second, Kevin Geddings, quit yesterday, complaining that "persistent negative publicity" about his past business and personal ties to the vice president of a lottery company were distracting from the commission's work.

A little later, it was revealed just how close his associations were.

That same lottery vendor, Scientific Games, paid Geddings' Charlotte public relations company $24,500 this year -- at least in part for work in the legislature in support of lottery legislation.

The final payment of $9,500 was made Sept. 23, the day after Speaker Jim Black appointed Geddings to the lottery commission.

Geddings never disclosed the payments. They were reported by Scientific Games in papers filed with the N.C. Secretary of State's Office yesterday.

Scientific Games also reported paying Black's former political adviser Meredith Norris $44,592 this year.

Black's spokeswoman said the speaker was "very surprised and disappointed" by the news that Geddings was on the Scientific Games payroll, and never would have appointed him to the commission had he known.

I hope that's true.

The company that is awarded a contract to run North Carolina's lottery will make a lot of money. Scientific Games somehow keeps popping up. Its report also says Black was a guest at 12 meals it paid for, including a $547 dinner in Las Vegas.

Fortunately, Geddings is now off the lottery commission. But what will we find out next?

I wonder if even our lottery governor is starting to worry.

How well are Guilford County students prepared for college?

There are several measures you can use, including grades, SAT scores, performance on state end-of-course tests, college acceptance rates and scholarship offers.

The University of North Carolina puts out what I consider to be a very valuable measure -- and one you don't see very often.

It shows how well students do in their freshman year at UNC institutions.

Looking at this indicator, the answer for Guilford County students is, unfortunately, below average ...

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman used to be a mob lawyer.

Apparently, he still believes in mob justice: cutting off the thumbs of graffiti vandals.

Vegas furniture market visitors beware: Goodman may have something even worse in mind for those of you who get fresh with his showgirls.

High Point Mayor Becky Smothers placed a newspaper ad today challenging opponent Steve Wood to back up statements that special interests control City Hall and that taxes are too high.

She asked, who is controlled by special interests? Where would Wood cut spending? This year's tax increase paid for bond projects approved by voters and more police and fire protection. Why didn't he show up at public hearings when the budget was under consideration?

She also hit him with this: How could he work with a City Council when his own Republican Party expelled him from its caucus in the N.C. House of Representatives?

The last point is pretty strong. Almost all current Council members are backing Smothers. The only exception as far as I know is Chris Whitley, who's neutral. Wood is a political maverick, certainly not a consensus builder.

On the other hand, if he were elected, he'd have demonstrated popular support.

But for what? He hasn't produced a platform yet. As I wrote more than a week ago, his campaign is a mystery. The election is four days away. As a voter, I expected to hear something from him long before now.

The High Point mayoral candidate has launched his campaign -- with a letter to the editor in today's High Point Enterprise.

(He wouldn't submit to an interview with the Enterprise editorial board, nor the News & Record's, both of which would have required him to sit down with incumbent Becky Smothers and answer questions.)

His key pledge in today's letter is to reduce the tax burden on High Point residents.

"I will ask council and the citizens to support a Taxpayer Protection Act, that will limit the growth in the city budget to the rate of inflation and population growth."

Sounds good. In an interview, Wood might have been asked to explain this idea in more detail.

Is such an "act" permissible under the laws that control local governments? As a general rule, one council is not allowed to encumber future councils with restrictions regarding matters of taxing and spending.

What sort of citizens' support does Wood have in mind? A referendum? North Carolina's constitution stipulates certain issues that must be decided by a vote of the people. Something like a Taxpayers Protection Act isn't one of them.

It seems to me more like a theoretical or philosophical issue. So, along those lines, if such a thing did exist, would it prohibit the city from undertaking the kind of projects approved by voters in last year's bond referendum? In other words, could a vote of the people to approve Wood's Taxpayer Protection Act prevent a future vote of the people to exceed the spending limits? Or would someone have to propose a referendum to do away with the Taxpayer Protection Act?

Is there a simpler way? After all, the people get to elect their city council representatives every two years. If those representatives increase spending and raise taxes more than the people want, it isn't long before the people get the chance to elect new representatives.

In very broad terms, Wood seems to be presenting himself as a candidate for mayor who would push for slower spending growth. He hasn't been asked what budget areas he'd give priority to and which he might want to cut, so how he would achieve his promise is anyone's guess at this point.

We'll find out Tuesday what voters say.

Will Ferrell gets some courtside TV time at tonight's Charlotte Bobcats game ... wearing a Greensboro College shirt.

Is there anything that Kay Hagan doesn't know?

Turns out the super-smart state senator from Greensboro is something of an expert on tires.

Taft Wireback reported today on a sweet tire deal for a Wilson company that's costing local school systems thousands of dollars a year in possibly unnecessary payments.

A state contract allows White's Tire & Rubber Co. to charge for up to three spot repairs on each school bus tire it retreads. Taft found the company charges the maximum for almost every tire, even though other companies that do tire retreading say there's no way every tire needs so many repairs.

This deal looked fishy to Hagan, who worked in her father's tire store when she was growing up in Lakeland, Fla. They did a lot of retreading. The claims by White's Tire & Rubber are "statistically unsound," she said.

She helped beat down a legislative proposal that would have required school systems to work through the state contract -- which was the case until 2004.

School systems ought to take a close look at their experience with White's Tire & Rubber Co. and make sure they're not paying too much of their scarce dollars.

This deal also needs a look from the State Auditor's Office.

What other state contracts are fishy, too? Kay, can you look into that for us?

No contest: It was Alan Alda all over Jimmy Smits in "The West Wing" live presidential debate tonight.

Could that be what Hollywood intended?

Alda plays the Republican candidate, Smits the Democrat.

I have to laugh whenever a read a letter to the editor that says, "Your editorial endorsement of ... really shows your bias."

And then goes on to endorse the other candidate.

OK, our opinion is biased, and yours is, what? The TRUTH?

In reality, an opinion is an opinion. Our editorial board forms opinions on which candidates we think are best qualified for the offices up for election. We try to offer informed opinions, even sitting down for face-to-face interviews with candidates.

We're not telling people how to vote, and we don't expect that every candidate we endorse will win. However, most of the time voters draw the same conclusions we do -- not necessarily because of our endorsements but probably because we actually share many of the same values and goals for the community with most of our readers.

Is that a bias? It seems to me it's more like citizenship.

Voters are electing city and town councils in Guilford County today.

Since I voted early, I thought I'd choose a different governing body today.

It's my Fantasy Guilford County Council. I'm placing on it seven individuals selected from the High Point and Greensboro city councils and the Guilford County Board of commissioners.

These are the people I would put in charge if I could. I only considered people who are currently in office or are on today's ballot for one of the city councils.

Sorry, Jamestown and other towns. I left you out.

My choices are made strictly according to my own biases. The seven people I picked are individuals I consider to be the best local elected leaders in the county and, for the most part, those with whom I am ideologically most comfortable. The fact that I'm only naming seven doesn't mean I don't think there aren't more good leaders. I just like the number.

Maybe it's because "The Magnificent Seven" is my favorite western.

Of course, I stress the word fantasy. This is not reality.

So, for what it's worth, here is my Fantasy Guilford County Council:

Mayor:

Becky Smothers, from High Point

Council members:

Latimer Alexander, High Point
Mike Barber, Greensboro
Sandy Carmany, Greensboro
Tom Phillips, Greensboro
Bernita Sims, High Point
Trudy Wade, Guilford County

These are all people who are creative thinkers, willing to consider new ideas and highly principled. Among the three potential "mayors," Smothers stands out as a stronger leader than Keith Holliday or Bruce Davis.

Yes, only one commissioner made my list. And, unfortunately, Wade wasn't even re-elected last year. She's still eligible only because her legal challenge of the election results is still pending a year later.

That's my dream team. What's yours?

I knew I'd like Norfolk when I found three Irish pubs on Granby Street while walking to Tidewater Community College for the first session of my training course Monday. I'll be here through tomorrow.

I'm sorry to have missed the election, but I congratulate the winners and hope everyone will pull together to improve our communities.

This is my first visit to Norfolk. I'm staying in a hotel on Waterside Drive, with a room overlooking the harbor. I can see a Navy frigate and aircraft carrier from the room, and this morning I watched a freighter arriving.

I've visited the Douglas MacArthur Memorial -- very grand; he must have designed it himself -- and old St. Paul's Episcopal Church. I've jogged along the harbor, past the battleship Wisconsin, and through some new and old downtown residential areas. I've had the best crabcake ever, and I've stopped in two of the Irish pubs so far -- O'Malley's and Jack Quinn's. Last night at the former, a really terrible Irish singer entertained. I believe his efforts were hindered by a bit too much of the creature. Odd, I always thought the more an Irishman drank the better he'd sing.

I've been downtown the entire time here and have not used my car since arriving. The area has plenty of nice restaurants, bars, theaters and shopping locations, in addition to banks, government buildings and churches. It's clean, safe and inviting. For some reason, there don't seem to be a lot of sailors around, unless they're in civvies.

Oh, yes, I'm also working very hard.

My column this week:

If I were a certain county commissioner who managed troubled low-income apartments, oh the excuses I could give ...

How much should North Carolina pay its lottery director?

A salary of $250,000 or more seems likely. That's the going rate around the country.

I wonder if the job is that much more complex than such other state jobs as governor, attorney general or chief justice that it requires twice the compensation level.

Or is it necessary to provide a big salary so that the lottery director -- how should I say this -- won't be easily influenced by outside interests?

After all, the state is going into the gambling business. There's going to be a lot of money in play. Honesty is essential.

Other than that, what's the big deal here? Will the lottery director have to have more professional competence than the officials I named above, or the chancellor of a state university, or the state's health director (a medical doctor), or the person who runs any other big state agency?

I don't see why.

As Sandy Carmany noted on her blog, women gained six of nine seats on Greensboro City Council Tuesday.

The ratio is reversed in High Point, where men hold six of nine.

But that's probably because more women didn't run. Three of the four women on High Point's ballot -- Becky Smothers, Bernita Sims and Lisa Stahlmann -- won by huge margins. The fourth, Stephanie Parnell, was beaten by Sims.

If you look at the two cities, you'll find that female candidates stomped their male opponents almost every time.

The only man to win a seat on either council by beating a woman was Mike Barber, who defeated Janet Wallace in District 4.

What's the secret, Mike?

Otherwise in Greensboro, Sandra Anderson, Yvonne Johnson and Florence Gatten left Don Vaughan behind in the at-large race, Dianne Bellamy-Small edged Luther Falls in District 1 and Goldie Wells overwhelmed Ed Whitfield in District 2. Carmany beat a female challenger in District 5.

Over in High Point, it was Smothers over Steve Wood for mayor and Stahlmann beating Timothy Brown in Ward 6.

In recent elections, fewer women have run for High Point City Council. When more run, more will win.

I'd like to see voter turnout by gender. Want to bet, guys, who's doing most of the voting around here?

Some final thoughts about last week's municipal elections in High Point:

Michael Pugh was the only candidate to oust an incumbent -- John Linton in Ward 3 -- and he did it by wearing out a lot of shoe leather.

Pugh campaigned door-to-door across the south High Point ward. It produced a victory by 392 votes to 223.

My door was one of those Pugh knocked on -- actually too late. He showed up about a week before the election, after I had already voted at the courthouse. At the time I voted, I didn't know anything about him. I still don't, in fact, except that he was willing to work hard to get elected. If he works as hard during the next two years, he may be a good councilman.

The next-closest challenger -- and the youngest -- was 22-year-old Brett Moore, who gave veteran Chris Whitley a scare in Ward 5. The final tally was 859-740.

I would not have voted for Moore because of his youth and inexperience, but I was impressed by his intelligence and knowledge of the issues. I certainly would encourage him to stay involved in public affairs and to run again. High Point has elected young councilmen in the past, including Steve Arnold, who was in his early 20s the first time he won a seat back in the '80s.

Finally, a look at the precinct breakdowns shows there wasn't much of a north High Point fallout against Becky Smothers after all, despite what many of the comments posted on this blog prior to the election would have suggested.

Smothers won every precinct but one in High Point, and the exception was precinct 3 in Ward 3, the city's south end. She won the Ward 6 precincts by a collective 834-402 over Steve Wood, pretty close to the 72 percent she racked up citywide.

Frankly, I was surprised. I really believed there would be more anger directed at her by NHP residents upset about the high school choice plan, but perhaps one or more of these conditions applied:

1. There aren't that many people who are upset after all.

2. Most voters realize the mayor doesn't set school policies.

3. Smothers is strong on other issues.

4. Wood wasn't a viable alternative.

5. The disgruntled simply didn't vote (which would be an odd strategy).

At any rate, Smothers has a strong mandate for the next two years, and a council she can count on to support her agenda. That's good because High Point has a lot of work to do to protect its furniture market, continue the diversification of its economy, improve its infrastructure and manage its growth.

Now that President Bush's approval ratings have plunged into the mid-30s, it's safe for Democratic presidential candidates to come out against the war in Iraq.

Our own former Sen. John Edwards took his turn Sunday in the Washington Post, admitting he was wrong to vote for the war in 2002.

Wow, his hindsight is 20/20 ...

The national motto is safe on Davidson County's government building.

Thank ... goodness.

The U.S. Supreme Court let stand a lower court ruling that found no offense in the words "In God We Trust" placed prominently on the outside of the county building in Lexington.

Very sensible. The national motto can't be unconstitutional, for heaven's sake.

A forum in Greensboro yesterday focused on reasons why the Voting Rights Act is still important.

Of course, everyone's right to vote must be protected.

But that universal principle has been twisted over time into something different. We've created a system of guaranteed results.

This district is supposed to elected a black representative and that one a white representative. This district is safe for Democrats, that one for Republicans. Most of the time, we know the winners before the votes are cast. Heck, lots of congressmen, state legislators, county commissioners and city councilmen are elected without opposition because the outcome is a foregone conclusion anyway, so why should anyone bother running against the anointed candidate?

But this is what we have to accept, the conventional thinking goes, in order to be sure we have the right kind of representation.

Is that correct? More to the point, is it true that black representatives can only be elected from a black majority district, and that white voters will only vote for white candidates?

No, that's not correct, and once in a while we see good examples to prove it's not correct.

Last week, for instance, voters in Asheville elected a 33-year-old black woman as mayor. Terry Bellamy won 58 percent of the vote against a white, male opponent.

Asheville's population is only 17.6 percent black.

A black woman, Yvonne Johnson, is likely to run for mayor of Greensboro in 2007. Johnson already has been elected several times to an at-large City Council seat. She ought to take some encouragement from Bellamy's accomplishment.

There are obvious racial divisions all across this country and in every city. These can be seen in voting patterns. But, the voting districts we create do more to institutionalize these divisions than to overcome them.

They present practical problems, too. With the increasing diversity in our communities, will we have to draw city council or county commissioner districts just for Hispanics or Asians, too?

Or, someday, can we all just be Americans?

My column today:

I have to agree with Marcus Kindley. Partisan races probably would draw more voters to the polls for Greensboro City Council elections. High Point's, too.

But that's as far as I can walk down that path with the chairman of Guilford County's Republican Party.

I especially disagree with his assertion in a letter to the editor published Tuesday that, "Nonpartisan elections do not serve the public interest."

I believe nonpartisan elections produce better government at the local level, and that very much serves the public interest. ...

Today's lead editorial addresses decriminalization of drugs. What's your opinion?

Should voters be required to present identification at the polls?

Our second editorial today ...

Carter Wrenn dissects Gov. Easley's non-answers to questions about the lottery.

Here's our governor, whose top priority for four years was to push through a North Carolina lottery. Now, by hook and by crook, we have it.

And it's clear Easley isn't going to take any responsibility for it -- no matter how big a stink it raises.

An e-mail today from Terry Grier to school board members and the media:

As you know, we have received complaints from High Point regarding this year's graduation schedule. This afternoon, I spoke to Lisa Cooke, Principal of Eastern Guilford High School. Lisa has kindly agreed for Eastern to exchange graduation dates with Andrews High. This means Andrews will now graduate on Saturday, June 3, 2006 at 3:30 pm. Eastern will now graduate on Monday, June 5 at 6:00 pm.

This will allow the High Point High Schools to keep their GradFest together on the same night

Andrews' graduation had been scheduled for Monday, June 5 -- two days after the graduations for Southwest and Central.

Why the big deal? High Point holds GradFest, an all-night, safe celebration for graduates, on graduation night. That would be messed up if the three schools didn't have their graduations on the same day.

Thanks to Grier for finding a graceful solution to the problem, and to Lisa Cooke and the Eastern Guilford High School community for their cooperation. It will mean a lot to High Point's Class of 2006.

I admit it: I really enjoy listening to Nido Qubein.

The president of High Point University was in top form today, hosting and giving the keynote speech at the annual meeting of the High Point Economic Development Corp.

He talked a lot about the relationship of HPU to the city and stressed that students will be strongly encouraged to get involved in community service activities.

He added an update on some the impressive improvements at the university. (One is the expanded Web site.)

He also crowed just a bit at his doubters. Qubein, in office since January, wasn't a conventional choice to head a university. He didn't have academic credentials or experience other than undergraduate and master's degrees.

He made his name as a businessman, consultant and exceptionally effective motivational speaker.

"In 10 months, we've kicked butt on this campus," he told an audience in the Hayworth Fine Arts Building that included business leaders and elected officials. "They laughed at me. They said if you think you can increase admissions by giving motivational speeches, you're dreaming."

Actually, Qubein's motivational speeches -- and millions of dollars' worth of improvements already completed, with much more to come -- are making believers of even skeptical observers.

One big problem he faced was slumping enrollment. Applications for admission now are rising almost faster than the staff can handle them.

The campus looks great, new buildings are on the way and the excitement level is amazing. This school is going to be the first choice for a lot of bright kids, not the last chance for those with limited options. An academic emphasis on business -- and a social emphasis on values and community service -- will make an HPU education especially relevant.

Yeah, they're kicking it at HPU. Listen to Nido Qubein, and enjoy it.

I was glad to learn that this was done by kids, not by adults.

Unlike this.

Still, it's a shame that adults would encourage it.

I wonder what the folks in north High Point -- so many of them good Republicans -- would say if some teenagers set up an effigy of President Bush as a grim reaper holding a bloody scythe and a sign bearing the number 2,000.

Maybe the Iraq war is a trifle compared to the horrors of the High Point high school lottery. Still, I'd hope some wise adults might say to those kids: "You have every right to state your opposition to the war, but perhaps you should do so in a way that isn't so disrespectful to the office of president and the man who was elected to serve in it."

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, having been taught as a child to respect my elders, but I don't think it's appropriate for kids to refer to the superintendent of schools as "Terry the Turkey." I don't think it's clever, and I certainly don't think adults should cheer them on.

This post might draw some angry responses. Here's a challenge: When you weigh in, will you be adult enough to attach your name to your comments?

Our lead editorial today gives a first impression of High Point's Workforce Prepardness Study.

You can read the entire report here.

It doesn't paint a pretty picture. High Point has a lot of work to do if it hopes to adapt to new economic challenges.

Much of the content here is startling, including comments from local employers about the difficulties of hiring qualified workers ...

There aren't going to be any ACC football championships along Tobacco Road anytime soon.

Maybe never.

So I propose a Big Four Championship.

This year's title tilt will match Carolina against Wake, both undefeated at 2-0 in Big Four play.

Both have beaten State and Duke.

Thanks to the absurdities of the overblown ACC's scheduling, Carolina and Wake were not paired in a regular season game this year, so a post-season meeting is especially appropriate.

I'm assuming Carolina won't beat Virginia Tech next Saturday and qualify for a real bowl game.

I hope the Big Four Bowl can become an annual event on Tobacco Road, providing the closest thing to grid iron glory for our overmatched football teams.

Of course, the game won't be televised.

"Bible Belt states lead nation in charitable giving," says the headline on a news brief in our print edition today.

The story is based on the new Generosity Index compiled by the Catalogue for Philanthropy.

This is a private organization whose mission is to raise awareness about philanthropy and to increase charitable giving.

I am not at all surprised that Bible Belt states lead the way.

Or that, in political terms, these would also be called Red states.

Religious faith inspires charitable giving.

And, in my opinion, people in Red states may be more inclined to take personal initiative to help their neighbors in need rather than expect government to do it. There's a big difference between generosity with taxpayers' dollars and generosity with one's own money.

North Carolina's rank is only No. 16 on the list -- better than average but not outstanding. Maybe our culture is changing more than in other Bible Belt, Red states.

Prosecute or deport?

Prosecution is expensive, and if the defendants are found guilty and given prison time -- not much, in this case -- that's a bill taxpayers have to pick up, too.

But, if they're simply escorted to the border, how long before they're back?

I'll be walking with the N&R float in tonight's High Point Holiday Festival Parade. Whether you want to cheer or jeer, come on out!

GM's announcement of devastating cutbacks touches High Point in one way: the UAW connection.

The UAW was certified earlier this year as the bargaining agent for employees of Thomas Built Buses, a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler-owned Freightliner.

There will be two lines of thought in High Point about GM's action.

One is that overly generous union contracts -- UAW contracts -- had a hand in GM's decline, and that the same could happen to Thomas now that the UAW is pushing for higher pay and benefits.

The other is that GM created its own problems with poor management decisions, of which the announced downsizing is another. Moreover, it is the UAW that has protected workers as much as possible from the consequences of these corporate blunders. In fact, that is the very reaction that the UAW has expressed.

I think there's truth in both sides. GM management has made huge mistakes and been outmaneuvered by competitors. But its errors include agreeing to unwise labor contracts that limit its flexibility and obligate it to high costs even as it desperately needs to reduce costs.

I hope Thomas Built Buses never finds itself in similar circumstances.

Our headline, "House speaker pushes for ethics panel," gave me a good laugh this morning.

Here's an ethics test I'd pose to Democratic legislative candidates:

If you're elected, will you support Jim Black's bid for an unprecedented fifth term as speaker of the N.C. House of Representatives?

If the answer is yes, you fail the ethics test.

Lots of interesting stuff at www.jimblackmustgo.com

The Miami Herald reports today that the Marlins will talk to officials in Charlotte -- also Las Vegas and Portland, Ore. -- about moving the team.

What do you think, sports fans? Can the Carolinas support Major League Baseball?

Where? And who would build a stadium?

Or is this just another ploy, like the Minnesota Twins' teasing of the Triad a few years ago when they never intended to move here but were just trying to scare Minneapolis-St. Paul into giving them a better stadium deal?

Addendum: I'm sorry there's a problem with the Miami Herald link. Here's a link to an article on the Marlins Web site, although this article does not mention Charlotte as a possible destination.

Margaret and I thank Michael Retzer, U.S. ambassador to Tanzania, who invited our son, Andrew, and all other Peace Corps personnel in country to his residence for Thanksgiving dinner today.

Our family will miss Andrew at our table, but we're thankful he's safe and healthy and enjoying what surely will be a memorable holiday with fellow Americans all far away from home.

God bless you, Mr. Ambassador, Peace Corps volunteers and all Americans serving your country on foreign shores.

Look, if you've come here for laughs, sorry to disappoint.

Try Dave Barry's blog.

But don't read this before you eat dinner today.

Happy Thanksgiving!

What a remarkable story today by Allison Perkins, "Bush grieves with family of slain Marine."

The president and first lady met with Greensboro Marine Andrew Russoli's father and stepmother Monday in Mongolia,where Roland and Sarah Russoli work.

Bush and the Russolis share the conviction that the war in Iraq will result in important achievements.

"People will look back on this generation and say they brought democracy to the Middle East," Roland Russoli quoted the president as saying to him. "I know we're doing the right thing over there. I hate that people have to die. But I don't have to tell you that."

Roland Russoli described Bush's warmth and tenderness in a completely private and previously unpublicized meeting with parents who are mourning their loss but proud of their son's devotion to a cause he believed in.

I can't help contrasting this scene with the publicity-seeking antics of Cindy Sheehan.

People who insist the war is a failure and a waste should understand two things:

First, that is a poisonous sentiment to the men and women who are serving there, and to their families. The only thing worse than the sacrifices they're making is the idea that it's for nothing.

Second, it's much too early to declare the war a success or failure. Sometimes, judgments of this kind take many years to make with clarity -- if that's ever possible.

Take the Korean War, for example. I'm reading James Brady's memoir, "The Scariest Place in the World." As he was writing in the summer of 2004, he noted, 1,000 Americans had been killed in Iraq just over a year into the war. (Now that number is more than 2,000 in 2 1/2 years.) Brady reminded readers that an average of 1,000 Americans a month were killed during the three-year war in Korea. Was it worth that enormous sacrifice to preserve the independence of South Korea? How would the world be different today if, instead of a prosperous, democratic South Korea, the entire Korean peninsula were controlled by the repressive and dangerous Kim Jong-il? I don't know how you answer a question like that.

Likewise, the Iraq question is agonizingly difficult. Obviously, the Bush administration made terrible mistakes and miscalculations. Bush didn't send troops into that country with the goal of maybe creating a democracy someday but to rid the world of a dangerous tyrant who was amassing weapons of mass destruction. That conclusion was based on faulty intelligence. There was also a lack of understanding about the kind of war that would be fought. No one anticipated an insurrection of such strength and duration. In hindsight, it was the wrong move to invade Iraq when and how we did.

But we have no choice now but to pursue strategies to make the best of it, helping to stabilize the country and strengthen the democratic process, then turn security over to forces of the new government.

Will this succeed in the long run? For the sake of Andrew Russoli and the thousands of other Americans who have served so bravely and selflessly in Iraq, I hope so.

Thinking about getting your dad, brother, pal, husband, uncle or son a book for Christmas?

If his interests are anything like mine, you might consider these from my 2005 reading list ...

The recent Associated Press series, Southern Identity, prompts me to ask:

Can a transplant to the region become a Southerner? If so, how?

What's to study? Either the school board is awarding contracts to companies that can get the work done right at the best price, or it isn't.

N.C. Highway Patrolman J.C. Horniak was gunned down by a motorist he stopped on I-95 in Cumberland County Monday.

He's in serious but stable condition.

Marvin Bell Johnson, 40, the suspected gunman, was wanted by Richmond police for felony assault, assault and battery and breaking and entering.

Johnson reportedly has a 1987 homicide conviction on his record, according to the Associated Press.

Johnson received a 22-year sentence for that offense but apparently was out of prison by 1995, when he was charged with murder again, the Fayetteville Observer reports today. Charges were dropped when police couldn't locate a witness, the Observer said.

There were plenty of witnesses on I-95 yesterday, and some of them followed Johnson's car to a motel three miles away and called police. Hurray for those heroes. Their action resulted in the prompt arrests of Johnson and a young woman who was with him.

I hope Horniak, 30, will make a full recovery. It's fortunate that Johnson won't add another homicide to his record.

At the same time, if he is convicted of this crime, the state of North Carolina should do a better job than Virginia in making sure Johnson never again has the opportunity to hurt someone.

My column today:

The late humorist Lewis Grizzard proclaimed himself, "American by birth, Southern by the grace of God."

Grizzard could make you believe that growing up in Moreland, Ga., was a divine gift, and heaven was watching the Bulldogs beat Auburn between the hedges.

He harbored no doubts about "Southern Identity," which happened to be the title of a series of Associated Press articles carried in last week's News & Record.

Some of us are a little less sure. ...

Maybe Arlen Specter has come to his senses.

But he's still an idiot if he thinks Terrell Owens has a federal case.

Then again, perhaps T.O. made a big donation to Specter's last campaign.

I hope the four members of Christian Peacemaker Teams kidnapped in Iraq will be released unharmed.

At the same time, I believe this Chicago-based group is misplacing blame for the crime. A statement on its Web site says:

"We are angry because what has happened to our teammates is the result of the actions of the U.S. and U.K. governments due to the illegal attack on Iraq and the continuing occupation and oppression of its people."

What happened is the result of criminal action by terrorists who have contempt for peacemakers and for Christians.

The terrorists are not oppressed people. Their goal is to oppress others by imposing their own radical theology on Iraq. They don't want peace, but victory. "Peacemakers" are just as much an enemy to their objectives as are American and British soldiers.

What do you make of this strange story from Oakland?

Is it a well-intentioned but misguided effort to clean up some vice in blighted neighborhoods? If so, will the same group also try to put drug-dealers and lottery vendors out of business?

Is it an attempt by fundamentalists to impose Islamic law within the Muslim community? If so, what's next -- beating Muslim women who venture out with their heads uncovered or otherwise dressed immodestly?

Or just an act of resentment against an ethnic group -- Yemenis -- that has nearly cornered the liquor business in African-American neighborhoods?

I'm stumped.