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Discovery Place in Charlotte will host a Body Worlds exhibition beginning June 13.

This gives some people the creeps.

The bodies on display are real human remains, carefully preserved and stripped down to reveal the muscles, organs, skeletal structure -- and posed in various positions as if they're actually alive.

John D. Wilson of Morganton reacts in a letter published in today's Charlotte Observer:

"I have seen human cadavers in a medical school setting, and I don't consider myself squeamish, but these shows fall beyond the boundaries of human decency and propriety.

"I would never attend such a display of human remains posed with basketballs, playing cards and bicycles. Has our society become so desensitized by all the 'CSI'-type autopsy scenes and disrespectful dialogue that we have become shock-proof?"

Body Worlds says its purpose is educational. No doubt about it. Is it at the same time too gruesome for public exhibition?

Would you go?

We learned something important about the Guilford College incident from the Greensboro Police Department statement yesterday:

Early allegations of an attack by 15 football players against three Palestinians were likely false. Or, at least, police didn't find any reason to believe they were true.

Six football players have been charged as a result of complaints made by the three Palestinians. Beyond those six?

"We determined that all of the charges that need to be taken out in this case were already taken out at the magistrate's office," Lt. Brian James said. "We didn't obtain any further evidence that would allow us to pursue additional charges, which is what we were investigating."

The question is whether the Guilford County DA's office will actually prosecute the six. To its credit, the office is taking a very cautious approach. I don't think you're going to hear anyone characterize Guilford football players as "hooligans," as Durham DA Mike Nifong famously labeled Duke lacrosse players last year -- an indiscretion for which he is bound to pay heavily.

I admit to confusion about why Assistant DA Howard Neumann says, "I don't think we're going to take any action until the school completes its process."

The college's internal judicial process, as I understand it, is completely confidential. Any testimony, confessions, evidence or conclusions it produces would not be passed on to the DA's office. Neumann may have to conduct an independent investigation, or rely on what police already have learned, before deciding whether to pursue the case.

Do you catch the article by Sue Edelberg in Go Triad yesterday?

And the Lee Hinshaw photo?

The subject was "Opening the Eye of Light," an "avant-garde experimental theater" production opening tonight at the Broach Theatre as part of the Greensboro Fringe Festival.

It features body-painted actors.

More on that subject here.

I find the art form very appealing, but is it actually nudity on stage right here in Greensboro? Will the police show up?

"She's not naked officer, she's wearing a coat ... of paint!"

No, this really is art.

I'm not sure you'd want to take it outside (in warmer weather, of course), but for a theater it seems perfectly acceptable.

The art form is almost going mainstream. A few years ago, Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue included some photos of models wearing paint-on "suits."

And way back in 1965, the Bond movie "Goldfinger" gave us a woman dressed in gold paint. She wasn't naked; unfortunately, she was dead.

"Opening the Eye of Light" looks like it will be a lot livelier.

My Super Bowl prediction: The halftime show will stink, like always. Why don't they forget about it and give everyone time to run back to the kitchen?

Sometimes I have weird dreams. One of the most recent: A guest in my house was drinking all my good single-malt scotch whisky, right out of the bottles! If I were awake, that would get you the highland fling, laddie.

Speaking of weird, it's been reported that Gov. Easley was badmouthing Mike Nifong during a talk at New York University's law school Jan. 22. Easley, who originally appointed Nifong as Durham DA, never spoke out about mishandled Duke lacrosse case here in North Carolina -- giving the impression that he just didn't care about the damage to the state's image. What he said in New York -- that Nifong was a lousy appointment -- should have been said here before the November election.

One more comment about the Super Bowl: I wish they were playing it in Chicago, where it's 4 degrees (wind chill -15) right now. Maybe that would shorten the halftime show.

Uh-oh. Tony Dungy went there.

"I'm proud to be the first African-American coach to win this," the Indianapolis Colts coach said after winning last night's Super Bowl. "But again, more than anything, Lovie Smith and I are not only African American but also Christian coaches, showing you can do it the Lord's way. We're more proud of that."

Did he spoil a great moment in sports by injecting his personal religious beliefs into the discussion? That's just not politically correct these days.

After all, the Super Sunday is a secular holy day.

Well, I commend Tony Dungy. He's never made a secret of his religious views. They shape who he is and determine his approach to life and work -- yes, even football.

If you want to know Tony Dungy, you have to know what he believes.

There's been a lot of focus on the fact that Dungy and Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith are black, making this the first Super Bowl matching African American head coaches.

But you heard it from Dungy: Their Christian faith matters more to them.

Unfortunately, the response to that -- except among other Christians -- may be more awkward silence than celebration.

Radio talk show bludgeoner Michael Savage says he might run for president.

Do we really need a meaner tone of political discourse in this country?

Our editorial today.

When should police be summoned to college campuses, when not?

What about in relation to recent events at Guilford College?

One of our main points: Students can and should call 911 themselves when they think police are needed.

Thomasville Middle School Assistant Principal John Burns is recovering from a heart attack that might have been related to a struggle with a student.

The student, not identified because of his age, has been charged with assault on a government official, Thomasville Superintendent Daniel Cockman told me today.

The incident occurred last Thursday at the school. Burns was attempting to restrain the student, whom Cockman labeled an "exceptional child" with "emotional issues." The boy "bumped his head into John's chest," Cockman said.

That evening, Burns began to experience chest pains and soreness. Later admitted to High Point Regional Hospital, he was found to have sustained a heart attack.

Cockman stressed that no determination about the cause of Burns' heart attack has been made. It could have been trauma to the chest or the exertion of trying to restrain the child. Or not.

In any case, it's a sad and frightening incident that points to the extraordinary demands on the men and women who deal with today's children in our schools. Assistant principals always seem to be in the thick of things.

Burns is a veteran educator, a former band director at Thomasville High School. "He's been a valuable member here for a long time," Cockman said. "We're praying for his speedy recovery."

Amen.

My column today:

My favorite movie is "Doctor Zhivago." One scene shows Zhivago returning to his Moscow mansion from service in World War I. The revolution has taken hold.

He opens the front door to find the place jammed with people -- his new housemates, as it turns out.

"There was living space for 13 families in this one house," the communist-in-charge scolds.

"Yes, this is a better arrangement, comrades," Zhivago says sheepishly. "More just."

I wonder how many families could squeeze into John Edwards' new digs -- 28,200 square feet on 102 acres in the Orange County countryside. Certainly more than 13!

I'm not the only one making snide remarks. ...

If some of the anti-football students at Guilford College boo their team next season, will they be charged with verbal abuse?

I was glad to see workers pouring cement for sidewalks on East Kivett Drive in High Point this morning. A lot of people walk along the very narrow shoulders of that busy road. Soon, they won't be in mortal danger. Now, what about all the other busy streets in High Point and Greensboro that lack sidewalks?

What's wrong with saying the Pledge of Allegiance in languages other than English? Nothing, as far as I'm concerned, but Charlotte-Meck Superintendent Peter Gorman has decreed English-only when the Pledge is spoken at graduations and other official events. Come on, what ever happened to E Pluribus Unum? Or will that have to be translated into English in Charlotte-Meck schools?

The cost of the state and local incentives deal bringing Google to Lenoir could reach $260 million, The News & Observer reports today.

As I've written before, this will be a huge boost for the Caldwell County town that lies just down the mountain from Boone and Blowing Rock on U.S. 321. Google says it will invest $600 million and employ 210 people earning average salaries of $48,000.

Of course, with Google winning tax exemptions for 30 years, the $600 million investment provides limited benefits. The jobs are the important component. Even better, this puts Lenoir on the map for other companies looking for a nice place to do business.

But that raises another issue. Google, which really strong-armed this deal, defends its tough bargaining by comparing North Carolina to other states.

"In the case of this project, the vast majority of the incentives are taxes we would not pay in other states," Google spokesman Barry Schnitt wrote in an e-mail message in response to The News & Observer. "They level the playing field."

Wait a minute. This points to a heck of a problem. If we have to lay out these kinds of incentives to "level the playing field" for Google, what kind of playing field are other North Carolina businesses trying to compete on? I know we're a high-tax state, especially for the Southeast, but are we that far out of line? If we are, we're putting ourselves at a big disadvantage.

I don't really believe Google wants a level playing field. It wants to be king of the hill. At the same time, we need to be fair to all the other businesses that are employing people -- and paying taxes -- in this state. They're the ones that deserve a level playing field.

The High Point City Council approved $100,000 in economic incentives for HondaJet at its meeting this morning.

Councilman Bill Bencini added a message to his support:

"We appreciate the regional efforts to bring HondaJet to our airport. We hope that our neighbors will soon reciprocate the support offered today by the City of High Point. We have yet to receive requested funding help from neighboring cities to improve the High Point Market.

"Our furniture market has a considerably larger impact on the regional economy than the company under consideration today. It deserves the support not just from High Point, but from all of our regional neighbors. Today High Point will help build the economy beyond our jurisdiction. Let's hope reciprocation is forthcoming."

(Quote provided by Loren Hill of the High Point Economic Development Corp. I did not attend this morning's meeting.)

Bencini is right in principle that the High Point Market makes a big economic impact in the Triad and deserves support from other Triad cities, particularly Greensboro and Winston-Salem.

But there's not strictly a requirement of reciprosity accruing from High Point's support of the HondaJet deal.

The HondaJet facility would occupy land owned by Piedmont Triad International Airport Authority. It would not lie within Greensboro's city limits (and obviously not Winston-Salem's). So High Point is not actually providing incentives for a Greensboro project. There's no quid pro quo obligation on Greensboro's part to return a favor to High Point. HondaJet will use Greensboro water and sewer but whatever local taxes it pays will go to Guilford County. And Guilford County does make an annual grant to the High Point Market.

High Point isn't supporting the HondaJet project as a favor to Greensboro and Guilford County but because this significant development is good for everyone in the Triad, including High Point.

Of course, that is why Greensboro should support the furniture market.

Furniture/Today executive editor David Perry says the Las Vegas furniture market "grew a lot stronger" last week and blasts the High Point Enterprise for claiming the Las Vegas threat to High Point is diminishing.

"It has become clear to me that the Enterprise wants to put a happy face on what is in reality a big challenge to High Point," Perry writes. "I don't know who the Enterprise editors think they are fooling: Thousands of market-goers in Las Vegas last week know the Vegas market just grew a lot stronger.

"Furthermore, the false message sent by the Enterprise makes it that much harder for High Point market leaders to convince hotels, airlines and rental car companies that they must dramatically lower their prices. The Vegas threat is real. High Point cannot afford a false sense of security."

Perry (a friend of mine since college) lives in High Point and isn't trying to undermine the High Point Market. He's warning that a sense of urgency is needed to protect its position in the industry. Reporting that the Vegas threat is diminishing is like saying we're winning the war in Iraq.

Sen. Phil Berger's bill, "Execution/Physician Assistance Authorized," is misguided.

It would override the authority of the N.C. Medical Board to enforce its own ethics policies.

Bad move when the legislature tries to dictate medical ethics to the state's top medical authority.

Or is the legislature the state's top medical authority? I hope not.

Here's the news story.

I'm just back from the HondaJet announcement, which was a tremendous amount of fun.

Dan Lynch, president of the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, mentioned that he felt like he was going to the prom. He had a sleek and sassy "date," the fast, efficient blue-and-white light jet that's going to be produced at Piedmont Triad International Airport.

Oh, yeah. Honda Aircraft's "international headquarters" is here, too.

It means good-paying jobs and worldwide visibility. This jet is going to be noticed. Although the first, beyond the protype, won't be ready until 2010, the company already has more than 100 orders and now is planning to expand capacity beyond the 70-per-year pace first envisioned, president and CEO Michimasa Fujino said.

Fujino revealed that the prototype first took off, from PTIA, on Dec. 3, 2003 -- almost exactly 100 years after the Wright brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk.

"North Carolina, very famous as the birthplace of aviation, is also the birthplace of HondaJet," Fujino said.

It was clear that Honda loves Greensboro and North Carolina. Fujino, who first visited in 1999, felt an early connection.

"I am very fortunate we found Greensboro and North Carolina a place where people share our vision and our values," he said.

HondaJet has lofty goals, but Fujino added, to the applause of government and business leaders gathered in the company's hangar at PTIA: "Today we are planting our feet firmly on the ground in Greensboro, N.C."

Update, 3:45 p.m.

Here are some of the headlines Greensboro is getting, thanks to HondaJet:

Aviation Week

AVweb

BusinessWeek.com

Yahoo.com

More later ...

And ...

msnbc.msn.com

Bloomberg.com

AeroNews.Net

Commercial Property News

aviationanswers.com

dBusinessNews

Seattle Times

Cincinnati Enquirer

buzztracker.com

ndtvprofit.com

hemscott.com

FinanzNachrichten

Honolulu Advertiser

WallSt.net

OK, you get the point.

Mike Nifong on his upcoming "ethics trial":

"I would really hope that everybody would be willing to withhold judgment until that procedure that is already in place had been given an opportunity to work."

(Quote from The News & Observer)

In my column Wednesday, I'll say why this is such an important photograph.

The N.C. Lottery may introduce a game that allows the worst chance yet of winning.

For $20, you could buy a ticket for a chance to win one of four $1 million prizes, five $100,000 prizes or 500 $1,000 prizes, director Tom Shaheen told The News & Observer.

Twenty bucks to win a million doesn't sound bad -- or at least that's what lottery officials hope the public believes.

But the odds aren't too good when you consider that 500,000 tickets will be available.

That's a total of 509 winners out of 500,000 tickets. If you buy one ticket, you'll have a one in 982 chance of winning something.

For Powerball, your chance of winning a prize is one in 36.6.

Of course, you could buy all 500,000 tickets and win all $5 million.

It would only cost you $10 million to do it.

It's good for John Edwards that he's rid of Amanda Marcotte. What a poisoned apple she was for his presidential campaign.

After the Kerry-Edwards defeat in 2004, Edwards said Democrats needed to reach out to people of faith. In particular, they shouldn't concede the Christian vote to Republicans.

So it damaged his credibility on that score when his 2008 campaign hired Marcotte, a popular liberal blogger whose writings showed extreme hostility to Christian beliefs.

When those views, and similar opinions expressed by Melissa McEwan, came to light last week, Edwards pronounced himself personally offended by them, said there was no place in his campaign for such intolerant expressions, but decided to keep them on staff.

Yesterday, however, Marcotte resigned, stating she felt she was "risking the Edwards campaign." She certainly was -- not necessarily in his effort to win the Democratic nomination, but later if he should be his party's candidate and actually need to reach out to millions of Christians who normally vote Republican.

Marcotte's comments on her own blog, Pandagon, show that she doesn't get it. She and her supporters seem to think that this furor was manufactured entirely by right-wing Christians and others they label "wingnuts" or "Christofascists."

Wrong. Describing the immaculate conception in crude sexual terms and dismissing the virgin birth as "ancient mythology" aims at the heart of Christianity. It's basic, mainstream belief. Millions of Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Lutherans and Baptists recite a creed in church every Sunday that includes the phrase "conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary." Attacking that fundamental belief indicates extreme intolerance -- and it's reassuring to me that Edwards himself said as much and was personally offended.

If Marcotte had remained on his campaign staff, it would cause voters to question the sincerity of Edwards' statement and to wonder whether he would fill his administration with people whose views are similarly hostile to Christians.

Edwards himself, as far as I can tell, holds mainstream Christian beliefs and values typical of his small-town upbringing. That connects him to many Americans, and to risk offending them for the sake of an Amanda Marcotte would not make sense.

Suppose your 15-year-old child is required to carry written permission from you to enter a public park or even to ride his or her bicycle on the street. Would you view that as a sensible precaution against predators and other potential dangers, or as intrusive and overly protective meddling by government?

No one is making such a proposal, but the concept seems similar in spirit to a measure put forward yesterday by N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper.

Actually, Cooper listed seven points under the heading, "Protecting Children from Sexual Predators."

The one garnering the most attention states: "Require social networking websites like MySpace to get parents' permission before children can join."

The other six have considerable merit. This one poses difficulties, not least being how to police it.

How would the state define a "social networking Web site like MySpace"? Popular Web sites seem to proliferate at light speed. Who would determine which are enough like MySpace to be bound by some new law? How can those Web sites distinguish between adults and users who say they're adults? Are there other safeguards short of government regulation?

I don't know much about MySpace. One of my nieces, who's 17, has a MySpace site, but you can't access it unless she sends you a password. I hope she's careful about that. Certainly parents always should be involved in monitoring their kids' use of the Internet.

It's appropriate for authorities to strengthen laws that target predators. They're on softer ground when they try to police the people, kids and adults, who use social networking Web sites with perfectly innocent intentions.

But, admittedly, I don't know much about this. What do you think?

My column today:

After the formalities of Friday's HondaJet announcement ended, company officials asked guests to pose for pictures in front of their spiffy blue-and-white compact aircraft. The result is the Triad's Photo of the Year.

It was meant "to show this community has embraced HondaJet and HondaJet has embraced this community," said Jeffrey Smith, assistant vice president for American Honda Motor Co.

More importantly, it shows leaders from different segments of this often-contentious Triad community figuratively -- and almost literally -- embracing each other. Not pushing, shoving, elbowing, arm-twisting or back-stabbing. ...

There's only one legacy Jim Black leaves after eight years as speaker of the N.C. House of Representatives: Disgrace.

Sorry. I don't have any patience with the soft-soaping spewed by Black's loyal-to-the-end followers like Earl Jones, as quoted by Mark Binker:

"No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. I think he'll be known as one of the best speakers that have ever held office in North Carolina. The track record speaks for itself."

A pattern of corruption is more than "mistakes." It overshadows any legislative accomplishment Black might claim.

Any political leader could have raised enough tax money to increase spending for education or any other cause.

A good one would have done it without abusing his position to increase power for himself and his party.

I'm sorry it ever came to this for Black. But it did because other legislators were willing, even eager, to participate in his activities. They were happy to accept the money he funneled to their campaigns, and they apparently cared little where it came from or what might have been promised in return. When it required outright bribery to keep their party in power, they expressed no qualms. Maybe they thought it was business as usual. Now, with Black being praised as a great leader, I have to wonder whether anyone in Raleigh really wants to do any better.

Will he actually go to prison? I don't wish for that. What's important is that he admit guilt and get out of public office. After that, Gov. Easley -- one of his supporters -- can give him a pardon for all I care.

I ordered Norah Jones tickets for my Valentine today.

Sure, the concert isn't until April 24. But a dozen roses would be withered away long before then.

It was a chilly 4 degrees up on Grandfather Mountain earlier today.

That's quite a bit colder than the average low for February of 21.9 degrees but nowhere near the all-time record, of course. It was a frigid -32 up there on Jan. 21, 1985.

The coldest temperature I ever experienced in North Carolina was -12 degrees (unofficial) on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Soco Gap in Haywood County in 1978 or '79. I was taking pictures for the Waynesville Mountaineer and spotted a snow-plow operator up there. I tried to take notes but my pen was frozen.

What was your coldest experience in North Carolina?

State Sen. Stan Bingham, who introduced the bad-dog insurance bill (Mark's story here), has a couple of things in mind.

One is to make it more likely that the owner of a dog that injures someone or destroys property can pay for the damages.

Another is to put more pressure on people who own fighting dogs.

The key to Bingham's proposed requirement that owners of dangerous or potentially dangerous dogs carry $100,000 in insurance for each animal is in the definitions. It doesn't apply to you unless your dog has already been declared dangerous or potentially dangerous.

What's that mean? It's all spelled out here in General Statute 67-4.1.

Basically, your dog already has been cited for aggressive behavior ...

... unless it is "owned or harbored primarily or in part for the purpose of dog fighting, or ... trained for dog fighting."

In other words, all fighting dogs are automatically dangerous, according to the law. If Bingham's bill passes, it will apply to every dog that is considered to be a fighting dog.

Which means that the owners of these dogs will have to purchase $100,000 in insurance coverage for each dog. Quite an expense for 10, 20 or more animals.

Wait, dog-fighting already is illegal, so who's going to obey another law? Maybe no one. But Bingham's addition to the law would add another penalty for anyone caught with fighting dogs.

Bingham, a Republican from Denton whose district covers all of Davidson County and part of High Point in Guilford County, is quite a character. Although he's not targeting any particular breed with his bill, he told me today he did expect a negative reaction in some quarters:

"Everybody with a pit bull, a Budweiser and a shotgun is going to be on my ass about this," he said.

Let's hope they have liability insurance.

This is an embarrassment for Greensboro.

Like her City Council colleagues, or probably more so, T. Dianne Bellamy-Small is a Very Important Person doing Very Important Work. She should not have to abide by posted speed limits or other rules meant to apply to lesser people, and she certainly should not be subjected to the insult and indignity of a traffic stop and interrogation by a police officer. She is owed an apology.

Citizens should demand better. They should insist that the city provide a car and driver for each council member. The vehicles should be luxury sedans marked by flags and appropriate insignia. They should be escorted by police cruisers, with lights and sirens on, wherever they go in the course of carrying their Very Important Persons to and from their Very Important Work, which of course is everything they do. Other traffic will be required to pull over, and the motorcade will not be delayed by speed limits, red lights or other hindrances.

Although all City Council members are equally Very Important Persons doing equally Very Important Work, you-know-who should get first choice of sedans.

The North Carolina Republican Party asks Democrats to apologize to the public for Jim Black.

Fat chance? Sure. But Democrats did support and benefit from Black's activities. Do they owe any accountability?

The John Locke Foundation's Locker Room blog notes the total silence about Black's guilty plea in federal court by the Democratic Party, Gov. Mike Easley and Attorney General Roy Cooper.

Jim who? No, he was never with us!

Face it: Being in politics -- no matter what your party -- means never having to say you're sorry.

Update, Feb. 19, 2:05 p.m.: The N.C. Department of Justice did issue a statement on the Black case by Attorney General Roy Cooper. It's dated Feb. 15 but was just posted on the DOJ Web site this afternoon.

Here's Senate Bill 132, which Cooper says he requested to provide more tools for fighting corruption (the primary focus of this bill is to increase protection of children from Internet sexual predators).

I'm surprised Leonard Pitts was surprised.

In fact, I'll bet he really wasn't.

Pitts is a longtime champion of fatherhood. He repeated his views in a recent column commenting about Mary Cheney, who's having a baby "with" her female partner. The child will miss the advantages that an active, involved father provides, Pitts asserted.

He's absolutely right, in my view. But not in the estimation of many who reacted with hostility to his column. So he further explains in the article published on our Second Opinion page today.

By my reading, Pitts was very clear and convincing the first time. He's not putting down single parents or people who choose to adopt children into nontraditional families. He's simply pointing out the obvious: Fathers, at least when they're good fathers, bring qualities that are invaluable and irreplaceable. And, if we want to understand some of the problems in our society today, we have to look at the absence of fathers from many children's lives.

Frankly, it underscores his argument when so many people react so angrily to an undeniable truth. But it's no surprise.

I like dollar coins, and the presidential series might be the U.S. Mint's best effort in a very long time.

Although maybe it should be a $2 coin. What's a dollar worth anymore?

I've enjoyed using Canada's loonie and toonie, and the Euro coin. The Brits have a 5-pound coin. Tanzania has a 200-shilling coin, but that's worth about 15 cents.

All right, most Americans aren't crazy about coins. We like folding money. But I hope the presidential dollars are successful.

Joe Killian's story today, "Sports culture at issue after Guilford fight," leads with his observation of a forum at Guilford College a few days after the infamous fight.

"Only one student suggested everyone reserve judgment until all the facts were known -- and she left after being shouted down."

Later, Joe presents this quote from Aaron Fetrow, dean of campus life:

"We are the most tolerant campus in the country, as long as you agree with everyone else."

Most colleges, like Guilford, stress the value of diversity. Most also tend to harbor a liberal social and political climate. Conservatives long have complained that the commitment to diversity does not extend to diversity of ideas.

The complaint isn't new. At Carolina way back in the mid-'70s, people with strong political points of view often were invited to speak on campus: people like Jane Fonda, Angela Davis, Stokely Carmichael -- all representing the liberal side of the spectrum. Once, for "balance," Ku Klux Klansman David Duke was invited -- what an insult. It was like someone was saying, "OK, you conservatives, here's one for you." Of course, Duke didn't get to speak anyway. He was shouted down. No loss, but there was no sense that free speech should be protected -- ironically on the campus that a few years earlier had protested a proposed communist speaker ban.

Has anything changed?

Gov. Mike Easley delivers his State of the State speech tonight. Will he address one of the most urgent issues of public concern in North Carolina -- legislative corruption?

Rep. John Blust, a Greensboro Republican who for years has pushed for a cleaner, fairer, more open legislative process, sent a letter to the governor's office last week urging Easley to speak out.

Coming just a few days after Jim Black's guilty plea to a charge that he pocketed cash in exchange for legislative favors, the time is right.

Blust is hopeful that, if Easley puts his weight behind the issue, Democrats in the legislature will have to improve on the reforms they reluctantly began last year, when many of Black's dealings were coming to light.

Blust proposes further measures that would help make sure such corruption couldn't happen again. Part of the problem wasn't just dishonesty. It was that a leader like Black had so much power that he could decide all by himself what legislation would pass and what wouldn't. When a single individual is that powerful, it's only necessary to bribe that one person to get what you want.

So, what will Easley say about this? Despite Blust's hopes, I'm betting he says nothing. He's ignored the Black scandals all along. Why would he suddenly acknowledge them now? It's embarrassing to the governor and his party. He probably figures that the public still doesn't care much. Why should he make people think this is a big deal when it's all likely to blow over and then the politicians in Raleigh can get back to business as usual?

But it's sad. In his first term, Easley demanded that Agriculture Secretary Meg Scott Phipps resign, even though she was a Democrat, when her indictment was imminent. He sounded like a crusader against corruption then. Not anymore. I understand that he needs legislative Democrats to back up his initiatives, but he should have stood up to Black a long time ago, and he should lead Democrats now toward reforms that make the legislature a place that works for the people rather than for special-interest groups that put their money into the right pockets.

Update, 7:45 p.m. Monday: He did and he didn't. Almost at the very end of his speech, Easley made a brief reference to the need for further ethics reform but no mention of any actual ethics problems. Sorry, governor, that didn't really get it.

Blust's letter is printed below ...

I'm impressed with Hillary Clinton.

That's not an easy thing to say. But she shows backbone by refusing to apologize for her 2002 vote to authorize the war in Iraq.

Sure, she recites the "if I'd known then what I know now ..." line.

That's just plain sense.

If President Bush slipped into a moment of honesty, surely to God he would say the same thing.

But apologize? No. Because, guess what? None of us knew then what we know now. And Sen. Clinton isn't going to be bullied into begging for forgiveness from the anti-war wing of her party.

"If the most important thing to any of you is choosing someone who did not cast that vote or has said his vote was a mistake, then there are others to choose from," she said in New Hampshire last week, The New York Times reports.

That's a pointed reference to Barack Obama, who wasn't in the Senate in 2002, and John Edwards, who also voted for the war resolution but has since repudiated it.

The response to Clinton's refusal has been rough, the Times adds, noting: "the level of Democratic anger has surprised some of her allies and advisers, and her campaign is worried about how long it will last and how much damage it might cause her."

Given the political climate today, where your stand on Iraq seems to have replaced abortion as THE litmus test issue for Democrats, Clinton has taken a risk. Not a Joe Lieberman risk. She's opposed to the war now. But the fact is, she meant what she said back in 2002.

Here's an exerpt from her statement on the Senate floor in support of the war resolution:

"In 1998, the United States also changed its underlying policy toward Iraq from containment to regime change and began to examine options to effect such a change, including support for Iraqi opposition leaders within the country and abroad.

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001.

"It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all too well affects American security."

The real problem now is not so much that the United States invaded Iraq for the wrong reasons but that it has not done the job very well beyond getting rid of Saddam Hussein himself. Instead of apologizing for decisions that were made in 2002, the people who want to lead this country need to figure out where we should go from here.

I'm not going to agree with Sen. Clinton about a lot of issues, but at least she's showing the kind of strength we need in a president. If she won't back down to demands for an apology she has no reason to offer, then she might stand up just as forcefully for our national interests.

When Gov. Easley speaks, you can almost always count on hearing something odd.

Last month, it was his comments about Mike Nifong in a talk at New York University. Among other things, Easley said he would have "unappointed" Nifong if he'd known the Durham DA was going to run for a full term last year. The governor can't "unappoint" a district attorney once in he's office.

Last night in his State of the State speech (no text available on the governor's Web site this morning), it was his statement that North Carolina was the only state that kept its school doors open during the Great Depression.

Say what? I don't recall my late father, who was born in 1927 in New York state, telling me he couldn't attend school during the Depression. I've read that some schools closed in some places, or shortened the school year to save money, but a shutdown everywhere but North Carolina? Can anyone shed some light on that claim?

Skip Alston says the jail overcrowding problem can be solved for only $4 million. Isn’t it too late to renovate St. James Homes II?

Greensboro City Council decided to reveal a shocking police tape -- after assuring Dianne Bellamy-Small that it's not a recording of her recent traffic stop.

Jim Black's Alford plea to charges of offering a bribe and obstructing justice means he's not admitting he did it but it's possible he could be found guilty in court. He must be worried he'd get an all-Republican jury.

Global warming: What more proof do you want?

Stan Bingham's state Senate district is so Republican that Democrats can't even find a candidate to run against him.

It covers part of High Point and all of Davidson County, where voters used to elect Gerald Hege every four years and commissioners ordered "In God We Trust" posted on the front of the government center.

Bingham lives in Denton, a small town that might be the most conservative enclave in a conservative county.

So it seems only natural that the legislation Bingham has signed on to support in this session of the General Assembly includes proposed constitutional amendments that would:

* limit marriage to a man and woman;

* restrict the growth of state spending;

* and stop the state or any local government from forcing the sale of land for economic development.

These are Republican meat-and-potatoes bills, all backed exclusively by Republicans.

And therefore fated for oblivion in a body controlled by Democrats.
But that doesn't put Bingham on the sidelines of Senate activity. Hardly.

Because, if you tagged him as just another partisan politician toeing his party line, you'd be wrong. Way wrong. ...

Here's our editorial today on the governor's proposal to allow low- and moderate-income students to earn a UNC degree debt-free.

You can find the text of his State of the State speech, or watch or listen to it, at his Web site.

Here are links to the Carolina Covenant and Pack Promise programs, which provide models for Easley's plan.

As the editorial notes, Gov. Easley hasn't fleshed it out with details yet.

What's your reaction to it?

(I'm going to be off-line most of the day and won't be able to participate in the discussion until later.)

Let your imagination run wild with generosity.

If you had $50 million to give away to a single recipient, where would it go?

Dennis and Joan Gillings chose the School of Public Health at UNC-Chapel Hill.

How could you accomplish the most good if you had that much money?

(Sorry, I'm tied up today and won't be able to participate in the conversation.)

Gov. Easley's proposal to reduce the lottery tax from 50 percent to 44 percent is wise in principle.

If you want to increase economic activity, cut tax rates. It's Reaganomics, although I doubt Easley will call it that. But he should apply the same concept to corporate income tax rates. It might stimulate our economy.

The idea here is that if the N.C. lottery pays out 56 percent of revenue in winnings instead of 50 percent, more people are likely to play and the net earnings for the state -- devoted to education -- will increase. In theory. Actually, I think it would work.

So far, North Carolinians have proven to be less stupid than the governor and other lottery proponents thought when they launched the state into the gambling racket. Sales have slumped because odds of winning are poor, even compared to bordering states' games. In fact, some North Carolinians still cross state lines to play where their chances are better.

The remedy lottery director Tom Shaheen has pushed for months has been exactly what Easley now recommends: pay out 56 percent instead of 50 percent in winnings, devote 29 percent instead of 35 percent to education and watch lottery sales boom, overall revenues increase and education actually get more money.

All right, but why only reduce the allocation for education? What about administration and advertising? Right now, admin, ads and payments to retailers claim 15 percent of gross revenue. How about reducing the administration and advertising portions of that?

The state hardly needs to advertise. Thousands of retailers do that with the "Play Here" signs in their windows. Everybody knows about the lottery and where they can buy tickets. Almost any other lottery advertising is superfluous.

As for administration, well, if Easley and Shaheen are right, a lower allocation percentage really won't hurt because a surge in total sales will produce more revenue and an increase in money going to administration at the end of the day. But in case that doesn't work, Shaheen and his operation should run the risk rather than education. After all, the purpose of this whole misguided enterprise is to benefit schoolchildren, not the gambling industry.

Plea bargain by press conference?

Oh, so John Edwards is campaigning to become labor union negotiator-in-chief.

He really looks like the sort of kid you tried to stay away from in chemistry class -- just smart enough to be dangerous.

Darn. I should have worked in the yard yesterday. Sure can't do it on this cold and wet Sunday afternoon.

Instead, I sat out on my sunny patio with a beverage and spent a pleasant hour or so writing a letter to my son, Andrew, the Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania.

I write twice a week, recounting family news and offering commentary on politics, sports or whatever else I hope might interest him and keep him connected to his life back home.

Before he left in September '05, it had been many years since I'd maintained an old-fashioned correspondence with anyone. I guess not many people are in practice anymore, certainly not members of Andrew's generation. They send emails and text messages and stay in touch via the ubiquitous cell phone. Obviously, communication has never been better; within young people's circles of friends today, everyone seems to know where everyone else is and what they're doing all the time.

But Andrew is considerably outside those circles now. He does have a cell phone with text messaging, and we call him once a week. But sometimes the connection isn't very good, or he's somewhere there's no signal at all, or he hasn't been able to charge the phone because he doesn't have electricity. And it's not cheap to call him, either.

He has a blog and can send and receive email, but this works only when he travels somewhere with Internet access -- which is not where he lives or works. Generally this is once or twice a month.

That leaves the mail, although that's far from reliable. Last week, he received a package that we mailed in August. Throughout last fall, fewer than half of the letters sent were reaching him at all (although I suppose the missing ones could turn up at any time). Lately, delivery has improved, with most letters getting through in only about 10 days.

The main problem is that not many people actually write to him. That's not to fault them; it's just a cumbersome process compared to what most of us have become used to. I mean, writing by hand with a sometimes-splotchy pen, stuffing the letter into an envelope, addressing it, obtaining the correct postage (84 cents to Tanzania) and physically carrying the missive to a mailbox all adds up to a lot of effort. Much quicker to zip off an email, especially when the recipient can reply in seconds, or whenever he's online.

Still, there are times when it's better to get a letter. For one thing, Andrew can't print out emails and take them home to read over at his leisure. He's paying for (usually very slow) Internet access, so it's costly to spend much time reading emails and updating his blog. Letters, on the other hand, cost him nothing and last as long as he wants to keep them. I know that's important to him because when I visited him last summer, I noticed he'd saved all the letters he'd gotten to that point. He's not the type to tell anyone something like this, but I imagine him reading favorite letters over and over at lonely times or when he's missing home a bit.

The thing is, Andrew is far from unique. There are many young Americans who are far from home for long periods of time, and I'm guessing a lot of them would love to receive a lot more mail than they're getting. For a little effort, those of us at home who know some of those Americans, even casually, probably could boost their spirits and make them feel more appreciated by writing a letter now and then.

We've advanced communications technology by light years, even since I was young. I'm not so sure we've improved on the quality of communications. Sometimes, nothing does the job better than an old-fashioned letter.

A new Elon University Poll finds John Edwards lagging far behind Hillary Clinton in five Southeastern states, including North Carolina.

Among Democrats surveyed, the leading presidential candidates were:

Clinton, 30 percent; Barack Obama, 14 percent; Edwards, 8 percent.

Edwards does a bit better in his home state of North Carolina, the poll found:

Clinton, 32 percent; Edwards, 13.5 percent; Obama, 9.5 percent.

Overall, a dismal result for Edwards. Maybe not too surprising, though. He hasn't done much to court voters here since his election to the U.S. Senate in 1998. He spent much of his term visiting other states to promote his presidential ambitions. With North Carolina being a late primary state, it didn't figure into the 2004 nominating process. And the Kerry-Edwards ticket wrote off North Carolina and didn't make do much campaigning here.

North Carolina probably won't be very important in the 2008 race, either, so Edwards' low poll numbers at this point might not worry him from a strategic standpoint. But they might concern Democrats who think their party has to make inroads in the South to win back the White House. Could it be that their best Southern candidate is the former first lady of Arkansas from Chicago and New York, Hillary Clinton?

This victory by Moses Cone represents a setback for High Point-Greensboro relations.

Cone should reconsider. By locating its facility a couple of miles farther north on 68 or east on Wendover, it could serve virtually the same market from just outside High Point city limits -- thus avoiding an unnecessary rift.

Maybe T. Dianne Bellamy-Small should use those bus passes herself.

Greensboro traffic cops would appreciate it.

Beverly Perdue suddenly looks like a shoo-in to win the Democratic gubernatorial nomination next year.

The man formerly considered her leading rival, state Treasurer Richard Moore, is in serious political trouble, thanks to a devastating article by Neil Weinberg in Forbes titled, "Pensions, Pols, Payola" (free registration required).

It's prompted editorials critical of Moore in The News & Observer of Raleigh, Charlotte Observer and the Wilmington Star-News. We'll weigh in tomorrow.

Moore isn't accused of doing anything illegal. But accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from money managers paid huge fees to invest state pension funds doesn't look right at all.

The Forbes piece is absolutely brutal, filled with statements like this: "As Moore duns money managers for dollars, the fees the treasurer's office pays out to them have jumped sixfold under his reign, to $116 million in the year through last June."

I've been checking Moore's Web sites, political and official, for a response there. Nothing yet.

Perdue, a former state senator twice elected as lieutenant governor by comfortable margins, will be a formidable candidate for governor. With Moore's troubles, why would Democrats take a chance on him? No reason at all. Whether he knows it yet or not, I'd say he's out of the running.

Las Vegas took off its gloves today, pronouncing its furniture market "the undeniable future for the home furnishings industry."

Today's news release by World Market Center in Las Vegas aims a body blow at High Point:

" 'Evidenced by the overwhelming success of the show, World Market Center will be the dominant international Market in the U.S. for buyers and manufacturers,' said Harvey Dondero, chief executive officer of World Market Center. 'This was a watershed event and a turning point for the industry. Las Vegas Market clearly represents the future of the home furnishings industry.' "

The market claims "largest registration and attendance to date includes 60 percent increase in new buyers and more than 50 percent increase in international visitors" at its Jan. 29-Feb. 2 show, which featured the opening of its second major exhibition building.

What it did not claim was a specific attendance number. "We don't report attendance figures," media contact Jessica Neville told me this afternoon.

That policy apparently was adopted last summer, when attendance -- in the estimation of many observers -- dipped markedly for the third LV show.

Nevertheless, World Market Center says it's on pace to reach 12 million square feet of space by 2013 or sooner, a showroom inventory that would nearly match High Point's.

Initially, Las Vegas said it wasn't out to displace High Point. If that was ever true, it isn't now. It's all out in the open: cold, ruthless ambition. If Las Vegas becomes the dominant market, it will be at High Point's expense.

Nothing personal, just business. Except in High Point, it's THE business. The High Point Market, still the biggest, still dominant, is under siege like never before.

Its spring market opens March 26. In terms of services and amenities, including entertainment and the new downtown transportation terminal, the upcoming market likely will be the best ever. But will it be successful -- meaning, will it be well-attended and will business be strong?

If those questions are answered in the affirmative, Las Vegas will know this fight is a long way from over.

Update, Feb. 28: On Ed Cone's blog.

Just one more thought: Something about Dondero's statement reminds me of Nikita Khrushchev blustering, "We will bury you!"

Another addendum, Thursday afternoon, March 1:

Jessica Neville from the World Market Center just emailed this additional response to my question about attendance:

"Registrations at Las Vegas Market have historically been at an average of 50,000 for markets prior to the January 2007 Market. The January 2007 Market significantly exceeded the historic 50,000 average. Specific numbers are not released, consistent with WMC's ongoing policy of gauging the numbers only relative to the historic average. In addition to significant attendance figures, Las Vegas Market has benefited from the high quality of the buyers in attendance, disproportionately high level of order writing, as well as a broad spectrum of new buyers and new product introductions. All of these factors have contributed to the enhanced experience of buyers and exhibitors, and the higher level of energy at the Las Vegas Market compared to other major markets. WMC believe these factors play as important a role in the success of a market as do attendance figures. World Market Center received high marks across the board in all of these criteria from both exhibitors and buyers, making Las Vegas Market a huge success on unprecedented levels." -- Dana Andrew, Director of Marketing & Public Relations at World Market Center.

My thought: High Point should not follow this policy. It should release the most accurate attendance estimate it can, based on actual registration, and claim to be the world's best-attended furniture market (which it still is, by far). Vegas could hardly dispute the claim if it refuses to give its numbers.

Also, Las Vegas should have a new "historic average" for attendance. If its average for the three previous markets was 50,000 (150,000/3) it should be simple to figure out the attendance for its fourth show from its new average. If the average jumps to 55,000, say, that means its January attendance was 70,000 (55,000 x 4 = 220,000; 220,000 - 150,000 = 70,000). We'll see.

My column today:

Just in time for Greensboro's tricentennial celebration in 2108: yet another City Council election plan.

This will be a 25-3-1 system, recognizing the need to set aside districts for additional previously underrepresented minority groups.

It follows the 22-3-1 plan in effect since 2095, which succeeded the 18-3-1 configuration, which replaced 14-3-1, which supplanted 9-3-1, which overtook 7-3-1, which came after the original 5-3-1 design implemented way back in 1983 (as Jim Schlosser described in Monday's News & Record). ...

Energy hog: The Tennessee Center for Policy Research says Al Gore's Nashville mansion slurps up 20 times the electricity of an average American home.

AP reports: "A spokeswoman for Gore said he purchases enough 'green power' -- renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and methane gas -- to balance his electricity costs."

Is that like drinking a diet cola with a dozen doughnuts -- while lecturing other people about gluttony?

Is North Carolina too union for Toyota?

On the Japanese automaker's decision to build a $1.3 billion manufacturing facility in Mississippi, the Washington Post reports today: "Like other foreign automakers that have expanded in the South, Toyota was attracted by the region's low wages and largely nonunion workforce."

A site in Davidson County apparently didn't rank very high on Toyota's final list. Would the UAW's strong presence in North Carolina -- the union represents workers at four Freightliner facilities in the state, including High Point's Thomas Built Buses -- cause Toyota to shy away?

The Post reported that Toyota will pay average wages of $20 an hour for 2,000 employees at the new plant -- lower than the industry average of $28.

Although those higher-paid jobs are becoming scarce as the Big 3 automakers lay off thousands of UAW members up North.

Shuffling the deck:

Charlotte-Meck Superintendent Peter Gorman plans to eliminate 135 central office jobs, the Observer reports. But he'll create 110 new jobs at regional administrative offices. People losing jobs won't necessarily get the new ones, he added.