* BlueNC regular Crowbar317 says the bill appears to be designed to remove protection from libel cases for anonymous bloggers and commenters.

* Greensboro News-Record columnist Doug Clark says it would be hard for bloggers to enforce its provisions on anonymous commenters on their own sites.

* WUNC radio reporter Laura Leslie wonders if Sen. Steve Goss is "carrying water" for other legislators, such as Sens. Julia Boseman or R.C. Soles, who have been targeted by blogs.

* Conservative Watauga Watch blog (sarcastically) takes aim at Goss for tackling "paramount public policy concern" of blogging during rough economic time.

* Conservative blogger Jeff Taylor argues that the bill is so broadly written that it could "criminalize virtually all text message traffic;" says N.C. blogs are tame.

Jeff Taylor says Pat McCrory should not be seen with George W. Bush.

In a post on the Meck Deck, the conservative Charlotte blogger writes that McCrory adviser Jack Hawke is "playing with fire" by bringing the president in for a private fundraiser with McCrory.

In fact, he argues, McCrory would do better by emulating Barack Obama as an outsider bringing change to Raleigh.

In fact, McCrory is in many ways a GOP Obama — very good on TV, attuned to hot button issues, but relatively inexperienced in the issues of the office he aspires to and lacking depth. With these traits you minimize weaknesses by always moving forward, never pausing too long to give the other team a clean shot at you.

He questions whether McCrory's campaign will release any videos or stills of the event.

Jeff Taylor wonders which blogs staffers for Gov. Mike Easley feared.

The Charlotte blogger notes that the recently released notes from a May 29, 2007, meeting of public information officers and the governor's press office specifically mentioned blogs.

"emails -- more & more public records requests (blogs?) be careful w/emails; delete emails to & from gov office every day," read the notes from Diana Kees, public information officer at the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

There is now no doubt that officials in the governor's office moved to destroy emails rather than leave a trail of "sensitive" information available to — whom?

Bloggers.

He notes that the sentencing of Jim Black and Kevin Geddings and the investigation into then Rep. Thomas Wright began around then.

At least one reader pointed out that Dome began on April 16, but we're doubtful that it was us. Readers, any ideas what Easley's press office was worried about?

Jeff Taylor says the Republican gubernatorial candidates should fight.

In a post on the Meck Deck, the Charlotte blogger says Pat McCrory's pledge to fight clean is off-base.  McCrory had said that the candidates are not "running against each other."

Not quite. Look, Pat you are running against each other, that is why there is a primary. Someone wins, the rest go home. I know you are not used to competitive contests here in Charlotte, but that is the nature of a statewide campaign.

On the other hand, Taylor credits McCrory for singling out Raleigh, but says he needs to be more direct.

"You keep dancing around 'the culture of the state capital' without calling it for what it is — a bunch of petty crooks leading the state to ruin," he writes.

The Magic Eight Ball is ready to weigh in on the national scene.

After much talk recently about Gov. Mike Easley's return to the High Campaign Mode of speechmaking, Democratic political consulant Gary Pearce writes that governors in his position usually run for vice president or Senate.

The buzz around Raleigh is that Easley will endorse Hillary Clinton. She could use a moderate Southerner on the ticket. So could Obama.

Pearce doesn't even mention the recent pronoun slip that seemed to pull the curtain back on his subconscious. So, magical plastic toy from across the waters, will Easley endorse Clinton?

Its answer: Very doubtful.  

Post-Script: This would be a good time to point out that the Eight Ball tied with Charlotte blogger Jeff Taylor in the last go-round. Nice work, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Toy.

Jeff Taylor amends his earlier speculation on Pat McCrory.

The conservative Charlotte blogger still thinks McCrory will announce at his high school in the Triad:

Figure on an announcement, probably in Jamestown, on Thursday or Friday. Tomorrow would clash with the post-New Hampshire analysis and you gotta get it out ahead of the weekend or you run into the next week’s Michigan primary. McCrory also needs to be out there so he can jump into the Jan. 17 debate that WRAL is putting on. One would think.

We're not breaking out the Magic Eight Ball again, since that seems like a pretty common-sense analysis and it doesn't change his earlier prediction.

The Magic Eight Ball has a new contender.

In his Meck Deck blog, Charlotte blogger Jeff Taylor writes that Pat McCrory will announce a bid for governor in Jamestown next week:

Why Jamestown — near High Point — of all places? McCrory went to Ragsdale High in Jamestown, where he kicked off his political career by being student body president. Kinda sounds like a set-piece to announce a run for governor, does it not?

We asked the plastic toy (special home edition) for its opinion: Cannot predict now. We waited a minute and asked again: Yes.

We'll update the results next Friday. (Note to Taylor: It doesn't count if McCrory announces after next Friday, but we'll count it if he announces somewhere other than Jamestown.)

Jeff Taylor says Pat McCrory needs a big conservative idea.

In a post on The Meck Deck, the conservative blogger argues the Charlotte mayor is different from former Republican Gov. Jim Martin, who ran as an "unabashed conservative."

As we tried to explain, McCrory must find something to run as a conservative on. He will no doubt be perceived as socially liberal — because he is from Charlotte. Fine. He can overcome that, perhaps turn it into an asset. But not with a wish-washy set of bromides on the side.

Taylor was responding to a recent piece by UNC-TV host D.G. Martin that argued the Charlotte mayors curse is bogus.

Bloggers make for strange bedfellows on the Goodyear incentives.

On the conservative Red Clay Citizen, blogger Civitas writes that incentives distort the free market and create "zombie companies" that aren't nimble.

While some people in Fayetteville may lose their jobs, we cannot continue under the illusion that the government can keep companies from downsizing, adapting and changing.

Meantime, the Progressive Pulse beats strongly against incentives as well, with blogger Rob Schofield writing that the $40 million subsidy is "chump change" to Goodyear.

If lawmakers go along with the plan, they will reveal themselves to be just the latest in a long line of well-intended suckers to fall for the hardball tactics of a ravenous and amoral corporation that's pushing a lot of hot air.

More after the jump.

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