Author: Vivian J. Paige

A former candidate, I've learned a lot about politics, both good and bad. I'd prefer more of the former and a lot less of the latter and I'm trying to do my part!

Playing dirty

Republicans had hired a telemarketing firm to place hundreds of hang-up calls to phone banks for the Democratic Party and the Manchester firefighters union, a nonpartisan group offering rides to the polls. Service was disrupted for nearly two hours. No excuse for such behavior. None. Nada. Nil. Zilch. And we wonder why so many people … Continue reading Playing dirty →

Pursuing the 2008 nomination: Mike Gravel

As was pointed out to me, the first candidate to announce for the 2008 Democratic nomination for president is former Alaskan senator Mike Gravel, who announced his candidacy on April 17, 2006. Gravel served in the senate from 1969 to 1981 and was formerly the speaker of the Alaskan House of Representatives. With a theme … Continue reading Pursuing the 2008 nomination: Mike Gravel →

Profile: Joel Rubin

The Virginian-Pilot today did a profile of Joel Rubin, host of On the Record and CEO of Rubin Communications. Wearing so many hats (some, such as his involvement with the Norfolk Kiwanis, too numerous to name) creates a situation where his ethics could be called into question. But, as WVEC reporter Mike Gooding says, "the … Continue reading Profile: Joel Rubin →

The Pulpit Speaks: June 9, 1956

An article written by my father, the Rev. C. Thomas Paige, as it appeared in the Tri-State Defender on the date shown. Whose fool are you? Do you ever ask yourself this question? You should. Sometime ago, I heard this story. A young boy, who had been labeled "slightly off" in his community, went down … Continue reading The Pulpit Speaks: June 9, 1956 →

Shaming nonvoters into voting

Roger Chelsey, associate editor of the Virginian-Pilot's editorial page, relates in his op-ed piece today the story of a case of an attempt to shame nonvoters into casting ballots: In Tennessee recently, a black weekly newspaper took a page from that classic and affixed another "A" - for apathy - on individuals who didn't cast … Continue reading Shaming nonvoters into voting →

OTR 12/3/06

This week's On the Record features an interview with Michael Fafard of the 1970s cover band Right On. The band was featured in a story in Thursday's Virginian-Pilot. Fared, who has adopted the stage name Nigel Holland, is legally blind, In keeping with the arts theme, Michael Bollinger, director of the new Suffolk Center for … Continue reading OTR 12/3/06 →

2006 telephone tax refund

OK, so I generally don't post about tax stuff on this blog but I'm making an exception. If I've gotten one, I've gotten 20 phone calls or emails in the last day or so about the Telephone Tax Refund that will be on the 2006 tax returns. I actually wrote about this briefly back in … Continue reading 2006 telephone tax refund →

Friday afternoon stuff

Just some stuff: NCDC breakfast. Tomorrow morning, 8:30am, Friendly's, 5764 East Virginia Beach Boulevard. Be there! Nancy Pelosi names Reyes to lead Intelligence Committee. Whew! I'm glad that's over. She wouldn't pick Harmon because they don't get along and she couldn't pick Hastings because of his baggage. Guess we'll learn a lot about Reyes soon. … Continue reading Friday afternoon stuff →

1895 Eighth Grade Final Exam

I received the following via email. Figured I'd share! Remember when our grandparents, great-grandparents, and such stated that they only had an 8th grade education? Well, check this out. - - - This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 in Salina, KS, USA. It was taken from the original document on file at the … Continue reading 1895 Eighth Grade Final Exam →

Taking the oath using the Koran

A couple of nights ago, I was forwarded an American Family Association (AFA) Action Alert about the decision of Keith Ellison, a newly elected Democrat from Minnesota and the first Muslim elected to Congress, to use the Koran for his swearing-in ceremony rather than the Bible. The email reprints the entire text of an article … Continue reading Taking the oath using the Koran →