Another New York Times columnist is headlining the Emerging Issues Forum.

After last year's turn by Thomas Friedman, the annual Raleigh event this spring will feature conservative commentator David Brooks.

The theme this year is "Changing Landscapes: Building the Good Growth State?" 

"We are thrilled to have David Brooks speak to us about our infrastructure imperative," said former Gov. Jim Hunt. "We anticipate his creative, national perspective will inspire our state's leaders." 

Brooks will talk about how plans for infrastructure investment can be updated to keep pace with changes in the economy and technology.

He has recently gained attention for cautioning against seeing infrastrucutre spending as a solution for economic problems, saying too much spending on repairing existing infrastructure could hurt urban and suburban innovation and slow momentum for a transportation revolution. 

The forum will be held Feb. 9-10.

Thomas Friedman says the economic stimulus package is a waste.

The package is designed to boost the economy, but Friedman said that a recent bill to give most Americans a tax rebate does not make economic sense.

"That's money laundering," he said. "We're giong to borrow that money from China and send it to Saudi Arabia."

Thomas Friedman earned the first big round of applause today.

Aiming his sights at talk show host Rush Limbaugh, the New York Times columnist said that if global warming were not true, it would be the "greatest hoax" ever perpretrated on the United States.

He said that regardless of whether global warming happens, the United States should reduce its energy use and be more green because it would lead to better security and a stronger economy.

"It's like training for the Olympic triathlon," he said. "If the Olympics are held, you may win. If they are not held, you're fitter, healthier and smarter," he said.

That earned the first big round of applause at the Emerging Issues Forum today. (Earlier, a few people clapped when speaker Amory Lovins said sardonically that the U.S. military is trying to reduce its oil usage so that it won't have to fight wars in oil-rich areas.)

But Friedman said he didn't need applause.

"You don't need to clap," he said. "This isn't Crossfire."

Thomas Friedman went biblical at the Emerging Issues Forum.

Speaking on global warming, population boom and geopolitics at the annual forum at N.C. State, the New York Times columnist used biblical language to make his point.

First, he said that there is now a central question raised by any unusually warm day.

"Did we make it hot, or did He make it hot?" he said, pointing upwards.

Noting the extinction of the Yangtze river dolphin Friedman said that the rate of extinction may soon be comparable to when the asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs.

"We are going to be the first generation of human civilization that is going to have to think like Noah and save the last two pairs of more and more species," he told the crowd.

Later, Friedman said that to fight global warming, environmentalists will have to work together with evangelicals.