Check out the Implicit Association Test at Understanding Prejudice (link via Jim Buie). The test purports to determine the taker's preference -- either for white people or black people -- and to say roughly how strong that preference is. If you take the test, come back and discuss it in the comments -- I'm curious to hear what the BlueNC community thinks of it.

EDIT: I posted before seeing the next post on Jim's blog, "Does Racial Prejudice Predict Voting?" One word: yikes!

Oh, it must be good to be the party of the rich. This N&O article on Art Pope says that his family will be spending close to $100,000 a week on Art's network of conservative "think" tanks and policy groups.

What is Pope up to? An Easley aide puts it mildly:

I really do think the John Locke Foundation and the Pope orbit has contributed a lot and has a big role in challenging liberal and Democratic dogma. On the other hand, there is also a petty partisan side. They are involved in advocacy research. They do sometimes turn into Republican cheerleaders and apologists, and that undermines their larger intellectual mission.

Can I rewrite that last sentence? Ok, thanks: They do sometimes turn into Republican cheerleaders and apologists, and that undermines gives the lie to their larger supposed intellectual mission.

It's the Upright Citizens' Brigade's take on the 2006 SOTU. It will hit you like a hurricane nobody could have predicted.

The Tar Heel Tavern is a showcase for North Carolina bloggers. This week, it's also something to read during the Superbowl that there's no real point in watching now anyway. We've got low-quantity/high-quality today at the Tavern, so I'll get right to the good stuff.

Nothing Could Be Finer: "Fighting Prostitution in Charlotte: 'Like squeezing a balloon...'" — It makes sense: you crack down in prostitution in one neighborhood, and you can expect to see the business move to nearby areas. This concept escaped the Charlotte City Council, though, so blogger Cicero has taken the time to document the results. My favorite part is the quote from Police Capt. John Diggs, discussing the possibility that sex workers will just move down the street: "We're hoping that this will inspire a lifestyle change on their part." Good plan, John.

NC Rumors is reporting that Republican Representative Tom Tancredo will be coming to Charlotte at the end of the month to build popular opposition to a guest worker amnesty program (it's a stop on his "Secure America Now" tour). That's Tom Tancredo, who promised to abide by self-imposed term limits—and then didn't; Tom Tancredo who proposed bombing Muslim holy sites; "Tom Tom" Tancredo, Native American; and Tom Tancredo who might be running for President in '08. Gosh, I'm so honored that he would choose to come to North Carolina. I'm going to go bathe in Lysol now.