Munger, the chairman of political science at Duke University, is known to long-time Dome readers as a quote-machine.

His column urges academics to see reporters and their stories as a easy way to get their research some attention.

"There is no cheaper or more effective way for your institution, and your research, to have an impact," he wrote.

In that spirit, Munger offers some handy tips for would-be pundits. One tip is to watch the flip comments. Munger, a man who once said the Republican Party has a history of trotting out "circus clowns" as candidates, knows of what he speaks.

Who could forget his review of then-candidate Beverly Perdue's ads which he said "appeared to be designed to prove that she was once a child and had later had a series of unfortunate haircuts."

"Guess which of my comments made the air that night" he writes in his column. To his credit, Munger did later punk himself.

"I probably should have avoided criticizing someone else' haircuts," he wrote on his blog. "Since, I mean, NO ONE knows more about bad haircuts than I do."

More after the jump.

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* The Appropriations subcommittee on health proposes "massive" cuts to state programs, some legislators call for tax hikes instead.

* Former Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Mike Munger proposes an alternative way of thinking about the Apple incentives.

* Conservative columnist David Frum takes the rivalry between Carolina and Duke to a whole new level: Tuition. (Hat Tip: Jon Ham)

* Charlotte Observer columnist Jack Betts eulogizes Jim Stephenson, policy analyst for the N.C. Coastal Federation, who died Thursday.

* Former Gov. Jim Hunt to be featured speaker at 2009 international biotechnology convention in Atlanta, to address science education in states.

* Former Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Mike Munger moves to Germany for the summer; Angela Merkel to be mocked shortly.

* Bill drafting director Gerry Cohen outlines the rules behind the upcoming crossover week. Get ready for a hectic week everybody.

* Media consultant J. Mills Holloway, who is running for former Sen. Vernon Malone's seat, has a campaign manager: Marjorie Fields Harris. 

The final contenders for Quote of the Year 2008:

"Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood; I won't say what he was doing, but he said it in his book." — Charlotte Bobcats owner and Hillary Clinton supporter Robert Johnson at a campaign rally in Columbia, S.C. on Jan. 14, 2008. Johnson at first claimed he was referring to Obama's time as a community organizer, though many understood it was a reference to drug use. Johnson later apologized.

"You don't trust them. You don't look at them and say, 'That's somebody that would manage to feed them on time, that would change the litter box.'" — Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Mike Munger, saying he wouldn't leave the Republican candidates in charge of his cats while on vacation in a profile published on Feb. 14, 2008. It was the first of a number of colorful comments by the third-party candidate in the race.

"This lady makes Rocky Balboa look like a pansy." — Gov. Mike Easley at a press conference endorsing Clinton on April 29, 2008. Over the next two days, he received 683 e-mails about the endorsement, including many critical of the use of the word "pansy."

"I don't answer that question anymore. I answered it one time and it got me in tremendous trouble. I've got a job I enjoy and I'm not in search of a new job. Period." — U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, when asked by a Washington-based newspaper if he would agree to run as John McCain's vice president, in a story published May 12, 2008.

"Her unconventional beauty, her sense of humor and her blinding intelligence are engraved in my mind." — J. Lee Harris, a nurse supervisor at John Umstead Hospital, on hospital director Patsy Christian, who paid her $250 from a donation for an oil painting. From a statement issued by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on May 29, 2008.

"I'd rather be a bum on the boxcar of the Obama train than at the front of the bus with John McCain." — Governor Easley, introducing Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama at a speech in Raleigh on June 9, 2008. Easley, who had previously endorsed Hillary Clinton, said he knew he was "late to the train" and famously bumped fists with Obama at the event.

"It's a lot better than what's going on in Iraq, where people shoot each other to settle things." — John K. Wiles, an attorney for the State Employees Association of N.C., denying that a proposal to drop a lawsuit against state Treasurer Richard Moore was bribery and also setting a very low bar for political standards, on June 12, 2008.

"Let's be honest about it, a cheeseburger and onion rings is $60 over there." — Governor Easley, defending the cost of overseas trips paid by the state government, at a press conference on July 1, 2008.

"I am happy to have my position, duties and responsibilities reviewed." — First Lady Mary Easley, after her $79,000 raise at N.C. State University raised questions about the college's habit of approving large pay raises without the approval of the UNC Board of Governors. Quoted on July 10, 2008.

"We want not just Barack Obama to be president of the United States, we want Bev Perdue as the next governor of the state of Colorado!" — Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, getting confused about his geography during a campaign stop in Raleigh on July 25, 2008.

"The story is false. It's completely untrue, ridiculous." — Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, calling a report about an affair false in an interview with the Associated Press on Oct. 12, 2007.

"Being 99 percent honest is no longer enough." — Edwards, in a statement admitting to the affair on Aug. 8, 2008.

"Hi, I'm John Edwards." — Late-night talk show host David Letterman, joking about the No. 1 pickup line at the Democratic National Convention, on Aug. 28, 2008.

"Liberals hate real Americans that work and achieve and believe in God." — U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes, addressing the crowd before a Concord rally for Republican presidential candidate John McCain on Oct. 4, 2008.

"Being here with all of you hard-working very patriotic, um, very, um, pro-America areas of this great nation." — Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, praising North Carolina during a fundraiser in Greensboro on Oct. 16, 2008.

"I'll beat Michael Phelps in swimming before Barack Obama wins North Carolina." — South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, introducing McCain at a rally in Fayetteville on Oct. 28, 2008.

"By the end of the week, he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten." — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, criticizing McCain's attacks at a Raleigh rally on Oct. 29, 2008.

"There is no God!" — An unidentified female voice in an ad criticizing Democratic Senate candidate Kay Hagan for attending a fundraiser hosted by a member of the Godless Americans PAC that first aired Oct. 29, 2008. Many viewers mistook the voice for Hagan's, but it was actually the PAC's executive director Ellen Johnson speaking at a rally.

"When you're making ads that say 'There is no God,' it usually means your campaign doesn't have a prayer." — Republican political consultant Alex Castellanos, creator of the infamous "White Hands" ad for Sen. Jesse Helms, criticizing Dole on CNN on Oct. 29, 2008.

"Lord have mercy...I'm trying to win the governor's race," Beverly Perdue said when a reporter asked on Sept. 23, 2008 if she intended to reappoint fundraiser Louis Sewell to the Board of Transportation. Sewell steered road work near property he co-owned. Sewell resigned from the board days after Perdue's statement.

Are we missing something? Let us know in the comments or e-mail dome@newsobserver.com.

Beverly Perdue has a very narrow lead in the governor's race, according to the latest poll results from Public Policy Polling.

The firm surveyed 1,038 voters on Oct. 25-26, and found that 47 percent preferred Perdue, the Democratic nominee, while 44 percent favored Republican Pat McCrory. The margin of error was plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

Libertarian Mike Munger was the choice of 5 percent, indicating that he may get the 2 percent of the vote necessary to keep Libertarians on the North Carolina ballot.

Pat McCrory is ahead in a new poll.

According to a survey by Rasmussen Reports, the Republican gubernatorial candidate had 51 percent while Democrat Beverly Perdue had 47 percent. Libertarian Mike Munger, the only third-party candidate to appear on the ballot, was not included.

"This is the second straight poll in which the Republican has led his Democratic opponent by four percentage points, after trailing by six in mid-August," the pollsters write.

The survey of 700 likely voters was conducted on Oct. 23, 2008. The margin of error is plus or minus four percentage points. 

Mike Munger is hitting involuntary annexation in a new radio ad.

The Libertarian gubernatorial candidate's minute-long ad argues that North Carolina's law allowing cities to annex nearby properties is wrong.

"Our state is one of only four that let cities invade like a foreign army," a female announcer says. "And you have no legal defense against that invasion."

In the ad, Munger argues that cities skip over land owned by poor people to involuntarily annex people who "just want to be left alone."

If successful, the ad campaign may end up drawing votes away from the Republican ticket.

Repealing or suspending the state's involuntary annexation laws has been a cause for state Republicans in recent years. Anti-annexation voters protested at the legislature in June.

And Munger is running against one of those "big city mayors" mentioned in the ad: Charlotte Republican Pat McCrory.

After the jump, the script.

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Another poll shows Beverly Perdue ahead.

A recent survey by Democratic firm Public Policy Polling shows the Democratic gubernatorial candidate with 48 percent, Republican Pat McCrory with 44 percent and Libertarian Mike Munger with four percent.

Five percent were undecided.

Recent polls in the governor's race have shown a tight race between Perdue and McCrory.

"The race for Governor could certainly still go either way but the momentum is in Bev Perdue's direction right now," said company president Dean Debnam.

The automated survey of 1,200 likely voters was taken on Oct. 18-19. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

The governor's race remains essentially tied.

According to a recent survey by the conservative Civitas Institute, Democrat Beverly Perdue had 43 percent, Republican Pat McCrory had 43 percent and Libertarian Mike Munger had two percent.

Twelve percent of voters were undecided.

"This race could not get any closer," said executive director Francis De Luca. "Our poll results two weeks away from the election are virtually identical to the results we had immediately after the primary in May. Neither candidate has been able to gain any significant lead."

The survey of 600 registered voters was taken Oct. 18-20 by Tel Opinion Research of Alexandria, Va. The margin of error was plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

The gubernatorial candidates met for their final debate Wednesday.

Democrat Beverly Perdue, Republican Pat McCrory and Libertarian Mike Munger argued over school vouchers, crime and open government during an hourlong debate on a Charlotte TV station.

Perdue repeated charges that McCrory opposes children's health insurance and vetoed a bill to put more police officers on the street. McCrory cast Perdue as part of Raleigh's "culture of secrecy."

After Perdue cited her endorsement by law enforcement groups, McCrory dismissed them as "union organizers."

At times, Munger seemed trapped between his rivals. (N&O)