It's a little more than a month until the Democratic National Convention and almost four months until the November election. It's time to put on the sunscreen, get some bottled water, put on some nice comfortable, cotton clothes, and get to work! Here's a few action items to get your thoughts going on a summer to-do list.

By all accounts, Duke Energy is a pretty well run company. Their business model has two simple components: (1) Get customers to use more energy and charge them more for that usage whenever possible, and (2) get customers to use less energy and charge them more for their conservation habits whenever possible. It's a sweet deal if you can get it.

The Man-Who-Would-Be-Governor, of course, has spent 18 years on the "use more" side of the house, doing his best to attract more and more commercial customers onto the growing Duke power grid. With his own personal wealth inextricably tied to the fortunes of Big Energy, Pat McCrory is already emerging a reliable front-man for his ex-employer.

But things are even more insidious on the "use less" side of the Duke Energy balance sheet, as evidenced in this story in the News and Observer.

Drilling for oil off the North Carolina coast would be like selling your home so you can afford a heart transplant even though you have brain cancer and will die in less than a year.

On the CNN site via the Heritage Foundation.
Jesse Helms died at 1:18 a.m. today.

As usual, when it comes to first analysis of complicated stuff, delivered straight and clear, Mark Binker takes the cake. He's written a good round up of the State of the State Budget. Take a look.

RALEIGH — House and Senate negotiators have agreed to a $21.3 billion budget that delays two anticipated tax cuts for one year to ensure North Carolina does not fall into a deficit.

House Speaker Joe Hackney and Senate leader Marc Basnight outlined the budget agreement Thursday afternoon, saying that a few tweaks remained but an official, unalterable agreement would be locked in before the calendar turned to July 4.

What better way to start off a vacation than a...boring history lesson? I must have gotten my wires crossed somewhere. I was really excited about this a few minutes ago...oh well, I've started this thing, so I have to finish it, or I'll toss and turn all night.

Over the years that the Continental Congress met and hashed out the details that became our Constitution, North Carolina sent several delegates to be our voice. But I decided (for now) to focus on the three who were in attendance on our first birthday and were signatories of the Declaration Of Independence, namely Joseph Hewes, William Hooper and John Penn.

The U.S. jobless report for June is breaking front page news everywhere today.

WASHINGTON - Employers cut payrolls by 62,000 in June, the sixth straight month of nationwide job losses, underscoring the economy’s fragile state.

Of course, that's not news at all to folks in North Carolina's 8th District where we've lost 62,000 jobs ourselves since Robin Hayes took office.

In fact, if there's even anyone in this bellwether District that never saw this recession on the horizon, it's my opponent, Robin Hayes.

Hayes said the national economy is on the rise. "The economy around the country is very, very strong. Growth continues."

Can you even imagine?

NOTE: Sent to the front page by Dan B. Happy 4th of July.

Candid one on one interview with WECT-TV 6 in Wilmington NC.

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Frontpaged by James. If any of you are following the situation in Wilmington with Senator Boseman, you've already seen first-hand the Anatomy of a Smear being perpetrated by allies of the Dark Side. Well worth watching, even though you have to sit through a short commercial.

I love when I get to post a Weekend Wound Up on Thursday morning, especially since the clients I write for are closed today! And just in case you need a place to celebrate tomorrow, you're welcome at my house. The shindig starts at 4 and wraps at 7. It's a potluck (with barbecue and sweet tea provided). Bring a side dish or a dessert, your bathing suit, and maybe a lawn chair ... hope to see you here. Address is Four-fifty-one Lakeshore Lane. Chapel Hill.

Flaming liberals, moderates, conservatives, Libertarians, unaffiliateds, whatever, you're invited! The 4th of July is one day we can share our common ground in freedom.