Ad Links Buy a link » POLITICAL DYNASTY? Chapel Hill Town Council member Mark Kleinschmidt and his partner and former Carrboro Mayor Mike Nelson recently appeared on the satellite television program "U.S. of Ant" on Logo, a network for "Gay America" that airs locally on DIRECTV.

The show's host comedian, "Ant," who introduces viewers to gays and lesbians all across America, was impressed with Kleinschmidt's and Nelson's local clout.

Ant was impressed that "Brokeback Mountain" was playing at the Varsity Theater. He also thought Silent Sam, the statue of the Confederate soldier at McCorkle Place at UNC-Chapel Hill, was cute.

To watch Ant's interviews with Kleinschmidt, Nelson and local hate-crime victim Thomas Stockwell, visit www.logoonline.com/shows/dyn/us_of_ant/videos.jhtml.

VOTING AND SEX? Carrboro Alderman John Herrera lost patience as his board chewed over changing the town charter to clarify how vacancies are filled.

The aldermen wanted to avoid a repeat of a process that angered annexed residents when one of their own wasn't tapped to fill a recent opening. Katrina Ryan moved into town from an area being annexed so she could run in the last election. She finished fourth for three seats, and many assumed she would fill the alderman's seat Mark Chilton vacated when he became mayor. The board appointed Dan Coleman, instead.

Herrera thought the discussion was a waste. "I really came with an open mind, to hear everything -- I had a lot of input from citizens -- and to see what problem we're trying to solve," he said. "This is a nonissue."

Residents annexed into Carrboro this year didn't get to vote in last year's election. But Herrera, referring to noncitizen immigrants, said lots of people in the United States who pay taxes, participate in their community and fight in Iraq can't vote. "I mean, to me, all this is just intellectual masturbation," he said at one point.

"If we really want to enfranchise the voters, the citizens of this country, let's have those discussions," he added. "We talk about fixing the so-called problem of democratic representation. What problem? The system is working fine."

* The Durham Conservative Club will hold a forum on "Immigration and Assimilation: What Does It Mean to the Durham Community?" at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the N.C. Central University Education Building Auditorium at Alston and Cecil streets. For more information, contact Nancy@prime.org, 612-0640, or visit www.DurhamConservativeClub.org.

* The Orange County Commission for Women, N.C. Women United and other women's groups will hold the Orange County 2006 Women's Agenda Assembly from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Southern Human Services Center, 2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill. Preregistration is preferred. For more information or to preregister, call 960-3875.

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