Cam Hill's blog

The next to last forum was tonight, on campus, sponsored by UNC student government and the DTH. Pretty unremarkable.

I've figured out a format which would deal with eleven candidates.......The Weakest Link. There was a television show a few years ago where the contestants were winnowed out when they couldn't answer a question or they were voted out by the other contestants, or some such stuff (I never actually saw more than a few minutes). Applying this principle to our forums would have sent folks home early when they said something stupid. This would have dramatically reduced the candidates quickly.

In an affort to flush out Gregor Samsa. There has been some talk of a drinking game based on the Town Council candidates. For instance: every time you hear me say: "I was born here" you get to take a drink. Whenever Terri Tyson says: "For the record, I'm opposed to school merger." you take two drinks. Any thoughts on other cues?

It is almost midnight and I really need to go to bed since I have to get up at 5 AM. A little over an hour ago I finished the third forum of this Town council race and I'm a little too wired. I did poorly, which is totally my own fault. I am frustrated with the forums. There are too many candidates and it is really getting dull listening to all of us prattle on. The CAN forum tonight started with a question on school merger and went nowhere from there. All of our answers are too long, in most cases not substantive and occasionally insipid. This should be providing voters with a glimpse of their choices, if anyone is watching. After seeing us all in action I know who is repeating rehearsed pablum at every opportunity and who is actually trying to answer the question, but I only get one vote and my mind is made up.

The formats could be adjusted to speed things up. Maybe someone will try something new, encourage candidates to ask questions of each other, mix it up a little.