Archive for April 2011
My family’s recycling efforts
By Mark Brooks When I moved in with my partner in 2003, her family had never recycled before, whereas I had been an active recycler since around 1990. Where I was living in the 90′s made it very easy to do, since single-stream recycling was what the county offered. Then in 2002, I moved from … Continue reading
Quick links 04/13/11
Yes, I’m buried. (Even more so than normal.) A few posts from around the ‘net: Norfolk CSB sues staffers to recover no-show worker’s pay.This is a no-brainer. Somebody should be held responsible for this. Interesting that the attorney for a couple of the staffers is questioning why the Norfolk City Attorney’s office, who investigated the … Continue reading
Opinion, please: teaching slavery
The story of the fourth grade Norfolk teacher who used a mock slave auction in demonstrating the Civil War has spread like wildfire. It seems nearly everyone is outraged about it. But a question remains: just how do you teach about slavery, the Civil War and race? In an editorial today, The Virginian-Pilot discusses the … Continue reading
Senate ‘slobberknocker’ looms
By Steve Vaughan With former Gov. Tim Kaine announcing last week that he plans to run for the Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Jim Webb in 2012, a potential slobberknocker of a U.S. Senate race is shaping up. One that could decide partisan control of the Senate. Kaine isn’t a lock for the Democratic … Continue reading
Seeing foxes, raccoons during day? Not rabid
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that seeing a fox or a raccoon during the day meant that the animal was rabid. (And yes, I see a lot of those critters where I live.) According to this story, that’s not necessarily the case: So it might be a little reassuring to know … Continue reading
Friday fun: what color is your tax return?
This is just too funny! (By the way, the graphic there has the wrong information – the 2010 filing deadline is April 18, not April 15) h/t Norm Leahy
General Assembly assembles its re-election
Kind of a catchy title on my latest op-ed, which appeared in Wednesday’s paper. Now you know where my Mississippi post came from I ran across it as I was researching which other states have elections this year. Outside of doing something about the legislators drawing the redistricting lines, I think we have to … Continue reading
Republicans threaten end of religious group adoptions in Virginia over same sex and unmarried adoptions
Both the Republicans in the Virginia Legislature and the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) are pressing hard to get rules prohibiting discrimination in adoption thrown out. Same-sex couples and unmarried couples would be affected by this action. NOM has gone as far as saying they would push for the end of adoption by religious entities in … Continue reading
Taxes & debt: get the facts
Tax filing deadline is approaching. Here’s a new video on taxes and debt from The Coffee Party:
Sen. Howell calls McDonnell ‘zealot’ on social issues
So reports The Richmond Times-Dispatch: Howell spoke in response to a question about an amendment proposed by McDonnell that would prohibit Virginia’s health insurance exchange from providing coverage for abortion services. [...] “I’m hearing a lot of regrets from people who voted for the governor because they believed he was a moderate,” Howell told reporters … Continue reading
Kaine running for Senate
First on Twitter, then in an email, former Governor Tim Kaine announced that he is running for Senate. His website is here, which is where you can view the announcement video. The graphic is from Kaine and the 2008 Democratic National Convention. I knew it would come in handy again someday UPDATE: Just confirmed with … Continue reading
We’re not Mississippi – yet
Mississippi has elections in the fall, like Virginia. Mississippi has a split legislature, like Virginia. There, Republicans control the State Senate while the Democrats control the House. Unlike Virginia, Mississippi’s legislature released its maps last month. The House approved its maps on March 5 and the Senate its maps on March 10. But that’s where … Continue reading
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