hhNow that’s a battle.

Turns out the super-celeb that had billionaire David Murdock leaning on the city of Salisbury Kannapolis to ix-nay the Dale Earnhardt vibe was none other than convicted corporate fraud Martha Stewart.

Is Murdock sure it is a good thing to go all out to try and impress Stewart? The researchers he is funding have no doubts. Surprise.

“It can only be good for Kannapolis to get on the radar of people like that in a positive way,” Victoria Christian, chief operating officer for Duke University’s $35m. MURDOCK Study told The Salisbury Post. “”If she were taken by the study and talked about it in her circles, it could add an interesting benefit.”

Whoa, whoa, whoa. I thought we were doing science here. Won’t the results speak for themselves? Why the need to spin and fluff media celebs like Martha Stewart?

I’m done trying to wave off state and local officials who insist on throwing public money at Murdock’s plans. He has clearly convinced them that they are getting something for nothing. What that might be, I haven’t the slightest idea. And that is not a good thing.

Update: If I had mad Photoshop skillz, I could have a lot of fun with Martha Stewart and NASCAR.