Waldo’s Virginia Political Blogroll

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Took a ride out near Thomas West Virginia to look at the windfarm out there that has been operating for sometime now. The wind was 12-15knts and the view of many wind towers was impressive and worth the ride. Stopped and talked to several area residents and heard no direct complaints of the wind farm and only a mention of people living next to the towers hearing noises at times but nothing to complain about.




I have read many times that the major problem with these wind towers are complaints from those who do not want them to be visible. I found the towers interesting and little intrusion to the area mountains and well worth the ride out there to see them. In fact I found numerous people stopping to view the towers, take photos, and view the landscape...

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James Atticus Bowden is running for the Republican nomination for the First District U.S. Congressional seat made vacant by the untimely death of Jo Ann Davis. The nomination will be decided by a convention on November 10.

Jim Bowden is one of those individuals who conservatives WISH would represent them in the halls of government - as opposed to those we usually get who simply march under the ideological banner. This is a truly unique opportunity to get someone in office who really believes, and lives by, the tenets we see exemplified so rarely in public life.

I have corresponded with him a number of times via the blogs and had the honor of spending over an hour talking with him at the bloggers' conference this past summer.

I told Jim that I heartily endorsed his candidacy the second I heard about it.

The catch is, he needs delegates from the First District to show up on November 10 (he also needs money, but the delegates he cannot do without.)

Please go learn all about Jim at his excellent campaign Web site. Especially see the series of videos.

If you know anyone who lives in the First District (extends from Newport News to Fredericksburg - use this link - fill out the form, and see if it says "Congress: Jo Ann Davis" near the bottom) have them e-mail their legal name, address, best telephone and email address to jatticus1@yahoo.com.

I just upgraded my Wordpress installation. All of my testing looks like everything is normal.

Mitchell Wade and the boys at MZM have agreed to pay FEC fines of $1 million as punishment for their illegal campaign contributions to our very own Rep. Virgil Goode and former Rep. Katharine Harris.

The fine is for reimbursing employees at his firm MZM for $78,000 in contributions they made to Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA) and ex-Rep. Katharine Harris (R-FL). Another MZM exec, Richard Berglund, got hit with a $42,000 fine. Both of them have already pled guilty to criminal charges for the scheme. Berglund was sentenced earlier this year to a year of probation and $5,000 in fines. Wade continues to cooperate with the government in its ongoing investigation of his bribery activities, recently testifying against fellow contractor Brent Wilkes at his trial.

Although Jim King, formerly an aide to Michael Hayden when the CIA chief ran the National Security Agency, was also under investigation by the FEC for his contributions at MZM, the FEC did not to fine him.

The FEC makes a point of saying that it uncovered no evidence that either Goode or Harris knew about the scheme. Wade wooed both of them in order to get earmarks for MZM facilities. In both cases, he was successful -- only Harris bungled the job and failed to land the $10 million she was seeking. Goode requested a total of $9 million for the Foreign Supplier Assessment Center in his Virginia district, which MZM was hired to run. Unfortunately, the center folded after Wade pled guilty, sticking the town, Martinsville, with the bill.

http://www.tpmmuckra... 

Senator Jeannemarie Devolites Davis has put up her latest network ad, blasting Chap on guns and illegal aliens. Its another duel ad, aimed at both moderats/Democrats that make the majority of her district (guns) and Republicans (illegal aliens) that worked so effectively on her first ad. I'll say this about Jeannemarie, she's fighting. I know conservatives and Republicans are irked about her going after guns like this, but its (a) her conviction and (b) its the views of the majority of her district, like I said. But Republicans need to stand behind her, don't let one issue blind you to the bigger picture. Jeannemarie flatout knows what she is doing in the Senate. The differnece between her and Chap is Jeannemarie is running to DO something, Chap runs to BE something. There is a big difference. What I found so telling about Chap Petersen was during their debate in Providence. The candidates where asked about what their proudest achievement was in the legislature. Jeannemarie had different causes and bills. Chap, on the other hand, hemmed and hawed and eventually settled on some obscure squabble with Mark Warner of over some small funding formula. That said everything to me. Jeannemarie gets things done and wants to be a state senator, Chap is running for something else. If Chap loses this election, he'll run for something else after this. And after that. And after that. A lot of people ask me why I'm supporting her so much, and it boils down to that. A Republican who knows the legislative process, delivers on important issues like taxes and transportation, and who wants to do something. Chap's such a shallow figure to me because its impossible to take him seriously when he promises things. I don't trust that he'll be around long enough to do any of it becasue something else will come along that piques his interest. Is she the perfect conservative candidate? No. But if Jeannemarie wins reelection, the Republicans retain the Senate and that is of utmost importance to all Republicans and conservatives across the commonwealth.

Here is the ad:

November 1-30 is National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo for short.  I have participated in this project every year since 2003.  In 2005, I was actually successful.

And I want to be again this year.  I’ve got a great premise for a story and I’ve been doing research for weeks.

So, as I said the other day, I’m going on sabbatical from the blog.  I can’t keep up with both.  I won’t be completely/officially gone until after Election Day.  But my blogging will be limited.

Look announcements about our return/our future sometime after December 1.

When October Goes

And when October goes
The snow begins to fly
Above the smokey roofs
I watch the planes go by
The children running home
Beneath a twilight sky
Oh, for the fun of them
When I was one of them
And when October goes
The same old dream appears
And you are in my arms
To share the happy years
I turn my head away
To hide the helpless tears
Oh how I hate to see October go
I should be over it now I know
It doesn’t matter much
How old I grow
I hate to see October go

Music by Barry Manilow Lyrics by Johnny Mercer

And the L.A. Times refuses to correct major factual errors. Too bad about Rutten, though. Just as I was beginning to think there might be hope for the guy.

Mitchell Wade must pay $1M in FEC fines for straw contributions to Reps. Virgil Goode and Katherine Harris. Notably, the FEC says that they have seen no evidence that Goode knew the contributions were illegal, though due to the FEC’s famously limited investigative powers that can be said to be true only within their scope.

While we’re on the subject of bashing the Bristol Herald-Courier, I have to say I think that their integrated web site for both the BHC and WJHL-TV is a tragic and awful web site. Both companies are owned by Media General. I have a background in web development and would never allow such a site to represent my organization.

This site has been out there for several months and is a poor excuse for a professional news web site. Here is my list of complaints about it:
-Pop-up advertisements. A news web site should never have these.
-Mis-dated articles. A lot of the articles have the wrong date, time, or location and are too brief.
-Recent news articles are hidden well and not displayed on the homepage. Sometimes content from several days or weeks ago is still listed under news on the homepage as “breaking news” or “new” items.
-General disorganization. Things are highly disorganized and it is hard to navigate around the site.

TriCities.com needs to be completely trashed and redesigned. And while Media General is at it, they should trash SWVAToday.com, the web site of the the community newspaper division in Southwest Virginia. It has similar issues.

The Bristol Herald-Courier today endorsed Susie Garner for the 5th District House of Delegates seat over Delegate Bill Carrico. Here is the article.

This is one of the most over biased endorsements I have ever read. For lack of a better way to describe it, this article is very abrasive of Carrico. The BHC claims Carrico was taking money from the energy companies while fighting the Appalachian Power rate increases. The Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) report here shows that Carrico has only accepted $3,150 from AEP since 2003. Only $1,250 of that amount has been in this election cycle. This amount of money is beans to the amount of money Carrico’s efforts saved the citizens of Southwest Virginia in higher power bills. Looking at this VPAP report, this amount is in line with the same amounts AEP has given to other legislators.

With regards to the “abuser fees” Carrico has said that he supports extending them to out of state drivers and also tweaking them to make sure that first time offenses for minor things that are presently included are removed from the new law. The BHC makes no mention of Garner’s support for raising the gas tax or her new major spending initiatives in a time where we supposedly are having a revenue shortfall (I still think Kaine is misrepresenting the numbers to try and push a new tax increase).

Carrico has served the people of the 5th District well and has no master but the citizens of his district. This editorial is inherently unfair to Carrico.

Here is a disturbing article from TriCities.com about an event involving a dog on the Emory & Henry College campus being shot by a Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy. This is outrageous and the Virginia State Police should investigate this matter. Better methods could have been employed. It sounds just like animal control didn’t feel like chasing the dog. The EHC president doesn’t seem happy and even a campus police officer seems to disagree with the deputy shooting the dog. Discharging a firearm in a public place surrounded by people should only be a last resort where imminent danger exists.

The message below is from a dear friend who is trying to help a family in need in Elkton.  I have decided that the philanthropic proceeds from our raffle will towards helping this family.  Please open your hearts and do what you can by purchasing raffle tickets or by contacting my friend Sherry directly.
-Sam

Subject: I need help for one of my students
From: "sherry stanley"
Date: Wed, October 31, 2007 7:25 pm

  I'm writing to everyone I can think of for help.  One of my students is quite ill.  Erica is a good student, one of the best in her advanced class, and a sweet, darling girl.  She has missed three weeks of school now, and we still don't have an absolute diagnosis, though the possibilities are troubling, such as leukemia or lupus.  She and her mom spent most of the day in a doctor's office today and will go back tomorrow for more tests, still trying to uncover something more hopeful such as Lyme disease. 

 
In the meantime, the family faces serious financial trouble.  Because of other medical conditions with the mother (diabetes and cardiac problems) and because of a health insurance policy with ridiculously high deductibles and high premiums, all coupled with other family problems, they face a big debt and nothing to meet their basic needs. 

  I have given them money for food, but right now I need help to get them some fuel oil.  The father makes a bit too much for them to qualify for food stamps or fuel assistance. The mother has had to quit her Wal-Mart job.  When I  tell some people the situation, they doubt the story, thinking  the family is wasting their money.  Those people haven't seen SiCKO.  I know how easily good people can fall into really bad times.  Denial is a luxury I can't afford.

  To make matters worse, I have been working with my principal, who decided we needed to turn to social services.  I tried telling him that avenue has failed already, but he turned to someone who called with too little knowledge and no real concern.  As a result, the family found two child protection agents at their door yesterday.  Humiliation on top of pain.  Worse than humiliation because the mother already faced that asking for food-stamps and getting turned down ---- now she's scared.

  I have talked with the fuel company, and they'll deliver the minimum, which will be about half a tank, for $430.  This family lives in a very small house (I've been in it --- they're trying to keep Erica warm with electric heaters) near Elkton.  They live simply but obviously care deeply for this child, who works so hard and is just so precious. 

  Here's what I need.  Do you know any group or anyone near Elkton especially but not necessarily who helps in emergency situations like this?  I'd appreciate it, please, if you could contact them first to see if there's a possibility of a donation so I don't waste hours on dead-end streets.  The family has basics like shelter and clothes. 

  That's what I need immediately.  I plan somehow to get the heating oil tomorrow.

  That's the first bump.  If by some miracle, anyone knows a person who could help them whittle down the debt (I don't even know what I'm asking here ---- someone who knows how to get rid of some medical debt, I suppose), please let me know. 

  Also, if you have helped someone in a similar situation, tell me.  As soon as we know exactly what is wrong, treatment will begin, and the family will have to decide the best place for that.

  Finally, just to remind everyone, this situation explains why I spend all that time and energy fighting for national health care.  I should not be writing this plea for help ---- I've never done anything like this in my life. I'm worried but underneath it just plain angry and embarrassed that I live in a country where something like this happens. 

  I'm copying to my school address because I plan to spend the next two or three days focused on Erica and getting her family some help . . .  so if you have ideas, send them to me at school and at home.

  Please,
  Sherry

  Sherry Stanley
  23 River Ridge Road
  Verona, VA 24482
  540.248.7721
  sherrystanley@verizon.net

Vote in the Virginian-Pilot Poll here And watch candidate videos! See which Bobby Mathieson shows up. The one who wants to end abuser fees, or the one who wants to make them apply to everyone.

You heard right, folks. Instead of wasting gas in your tweaked out, yuppy Prius eco-doushmobiles, have Jeannemarie send you on your way to the polls in style. Have one of her Ford Expeditionally Exploring Excursion monster trucks send you to the polls in style!

Be an ass, and have Jeannemarie give you a ride. Call 703-246-0046 for your free ride courtesy of her campaign, TODAY!