Jesse Helms and the zoo

North Carolina has a wonderful zoo, in Asheboro. My next door neighbor was there last week and reported that, despite an active donor group, some of the exhibits are being closed because the NC government isn't providing adequate funding.

This isn't the first time there's been a challenge in getting money for the zoo. When the initial appropriation was being discussed some years ago, the late Jesse Helms (he became "late" today) delivered what is probably his most famous quote: "Why build a zoo when we can just put up a fence around Chapel Hill?"

For a quick look at Chapel Hill, which has more Ph.D's per capital than anywhere else in the US, look at this article from the New York Times.

True blue

In Chapel Hill, when the UNC basketball teams are in the final stages of a tournament, everyone in town wears blue. It's hard to say exactly what true Carolina blue is. Most of what you see hereabouts is an innocuous light blue; it's on the busses, the fire trucks, and seemingly every T shirt in town But the paint on the court at the Dean Dome is slightly different, with a tinge of turquoise. That happens to be a color I love, and I'm always looking for stuff that's exactly that hue. Last week I spotted some nail polish, exactly the right shade. So I splurged on a professional manicure and got blue nails. I though it might be a good luck charm, and besides, I was bored. Well, the kids fell apart in overtime (remember, they're just kids!), and a palpable atmosphere of gloom settled on Chapel Hill. But the women are still in the game, and I'm wearing blue fingernails until they win the championship.

The Chapel Hill phenomenon

I went to see the Tarheels play (basketball, of course) last Thursday. On Saturday I went to what was being billed as the John Edwards " homecoming rally," which was held in the town common of one of the planned communities hereabouts. About 5000 of the most cooperative, pleasant, and patient people you can imagine turned out for this, and waited a good two hours before Edwards and his merry clan showed up. He was wearing jeans, of course, like everyone else. But I'll tell ya', this guy looks better in jeans than any model in a Levi's commercial.

He's an impressive guy, and so is his message. He's talking about restoring America's moral fiber, and encouraging everyone to take part in that process, starting right now. One can't help but remember JFK's message not to ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

But here's what really struck me. This man and his famiy had been up since 6 am, travelled to South Carolina to a rally, and then come back to their "home town." And when he was done with his "speech," he came down from the stage and stayed for another hour and a half, talking to anyone who wanted to speak to him, shaking hands, autographing posters, and having animated conversations with little kids, who were utterly thrilled that they'd met the man who might someday be President. His kids (the two little ones) were out in back of the stage, rolling around on the grass under the watchful eyes of their older sister and what appeared to be a few of her friends. They eventually all piled into an SUV and went home.

Now I know that a certain amount of this handshaking and baby-kissing stuff comes along with any political campaign, but this was special -- personal, heartfelt, utterly without pretension, really remarkable to see.

I'm going to work on his campaign. It helps, of course, that the headquarters is about ten minutes down the road, just like everything else in Chapel Hill.