I'm Betting On The Bus Too

One morning in November, 2010, about a week before Thanksgiving I woke up not feeling great. Not bad, just not my usual self. After showering, and while shaving I noticed my eyes were puffy, swollen, and red. The right one even more so.

My nose was running, so I took a couple of Sudafeds and went to work. As the day went on I felt the "allergy" was being controlled by the Sudafed. The bags under my eyes were no longer satchels. Just looked like I had a terrible hangover.

Next morning, Saturday, Same thing. Really big bags, more Sudafed. Satchels eventually becoming mere bags. Big bags, but not extreme.

Little sisters can be persuasive. Mine can. Leslie came by mid afternoon and made me go to the emergency room. I didn't want to, but little sisters can't be reasoned with.

Lying on a gurney in the emergency room, with a blood pressure reading that was sky high, my only real concern was why my face was so bloated. Leslie, as little sisters are wont to be, had many other concerns. I felt fine. She didn't care if I did feel fine, she knew I looked awful.

Many tests and a chest X-ray later, Leslie went on an inquiry quest. Do not get in her way when she demands information. It so happens that I had a hand-sized tumor on my right lung. Yep. As John Wayne put it, the "Big C".

I was admitted, of course. Leslie in near hysterics, and me lying there on the gurney trying to calm her. I thought it odd at the time. Me, the "terminal patient" telling her that everything would be OK. I felt it then and still do now.

The next morning I met a really cute little pulmonologist. With great red heels. She told me she had to do a biopsy. Through my nose! Hey, she was really cute, great legs, and those cool red heels, she could do anything she wanted.

After the biopsy I was scheduled for immediate radiology, to reduce the tumor before Chemotherapy. After a couple of those I started a Chemotherapy regime. Three days in a row, three weeks apart. Thanks to Lee Child Chemotherapy was a snap. I read a lot.

I remember my Mom's bouts with chemotherapy. It left her violently ill, weak, and feeling really bad. Mine was not so severe. It left me weak, not ill, but at the end of the third day I would get hiccups. Hiccups that were unending for several days. You cannot go to sleep with hiccups. Just about the time I was ready to shoot myself the hiccups would end.

Well, it's been way over a year now. I've had four CT scans that show the previously hand sized tumor to be the size of my little fingernail. Scar tissue they call it. But it will be four more years before they call it cured.

Last Tuesday I met with my oncologist to review my latest CT scan. I asked him to imagine himself a betting man. Would he bet on me being taken out by getting hit by a bus, or by lung cancer. He laughed and said he would bet on the bus.

The Sun Also Rises

The sun came up this morning. No, I wasn't surprised. It's been that way all of my life, and way back before that. You could bet your farm that it'll do so again tomorrow. It's a safe bet, if the sun does not rise your farm ain't going to be worth much to you anyway.

Today I find that a Democrat has changed her position. No, I'm not surprised by that either. It seems that former chairman of Arlington County Board of Supervisors was pretty adamant that the Senate finish their budget duties in 2004. From a press release dated March 22, 2004;

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Barbara A. Favola, chairman of the Arlington County Board, and her counterparts from six Northern Virginia jurisdictions today urged Governor Mark Warner to continue his “Herculean efforts to forge a Virginia budget for the next biennium.”

In a letter, seven mayors and chairs stressed that “the General Assembly must adopt a budget before mid-April.” Local jurisdictions are in the midst of their own budgeting processes and rely on a State pass-through monies to fund K-12 public education, transportation, public safety and human services.

“It is critical for local leaders to know what that State transfer is before we adopt a budget and set a real-estate tax rate,” wrote the mayors and chairs.

Now it’s 2012, she’s a Senator herself, and she remains just as passionate about budget duties? Eh, not so much. she and her Democrat colleagues continue to refuse to vote on a budget. They did, however find the time to vote on a pay raise.

Is Your Newspaper Doing Its Job?

Most people think their newspaper’s job is to provide them with local news, state news, sports news and scores, and entertainment. Maybe even national and world news. Most newspapers do all these, and do them reasonably well. I believe a newspaper’s first mission should be to educate its readers. Especially in matters related to politics and law, two subjects most people do not focus on.

My local paper fails dismally, as does the more widely circulated Roanoke Times. The Times’ Michael Sluss has a front page story today on the arrests of protesters occupying the South Portico and steps of the Capitol Building.

Michael is usually a fine writer, and I find no fault with his words today. But surely, considering how much time he spends in Richmond, he knows that Virginia law forbids any group from protesting there. He failed to mention that very relative fact. Granted it would have made the featured character in his story, a Roanoke woman who was among those arrested, much less sympathetic, however, he owes his readers much more than he does a single protester. They deserve the full truth. After all, they are paying for it.

The ladies protesting in Richmond were there to voice their concerns about “forced” ultrasounds. To my knowledge the Times has never informed its readers that Planned Parenthood WILL, as a matter of policy, perform an ultrasound to determine the gestational age of your kid. It might be the “rape” method, or it could be the “jelly on the belly” method, but it will happen. Your friendly neighborhood abortionist may or may not choose to do this medically required test. Medically required? Don’t take my word for it, the National Abortion Federation says it’s required. (Myself? I only wonder why such a federation exists.) Oh, and now Virginia law requires it, and requires the mother be offered a chance to view it. An option they did not have previously.

In order to avoid the “forced” ultrasound you now have to resort to a back alley and a coat hanger. Just like before.

Has your local or favorite regional newspaper factually reported on just these two recent issues? I thought not. I can’t find any paper’s online story that mentions either of these two facts. You’re not paying for this blog. The truth here comes free.

VA Math Teachers Get Their Wish: Teaching To The Test? Poof, Gone

Anytime we raise the subject of Virginia's SOL testing we hear a loud chorus, in sweet harmony, proclaiming; "I spend all my time teaching to the test. Please allow me to teach my students without such restrictions". The Roanoke Times reports today that formatting changes on the middle and high school SOL math tests will likely result in a drastic reduction in accreditation. Why? Perhaps because it will now be near impossible to teach to the test. It appears the Virginia Department of Education does not believe our math teachers are up to the task, at least not yet.

Virginia Department of Education officials caution there may be a "temporary drop in pass rates as local curriculum and instructional strategies are adjusted to meet higher expectations for learning and achievement," according to a report released to division superintendents Wednesday. It is unclear how the new tests actually will influence accreditation standings in 2012 because, in addition to performance, there are two caveats. First, students taking end-of-course assessments for high school classes can retake the test and only the passing score counts. Second, a three-year average is used to calculate the pass rates that determine accreditation.

Hear that math teachers? They think it will take you three years to prove yourselves right. Prove them wrong.

About 24,000 Virginia students -- most of whom took the yearlong math courses during the first semester of this school year -- took the new math assessment in Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II. Charles Pyle, education department spokesman, provided the performance results of those tests but cautioned the sample may not be representative. Pass rates on the Algebra I test dropped from 84.1 percent in the fall of 2010 to 49.2 percent last fall. The test takers fared best on the Geometry test, which decreased from 78.5 percent in fall 2010 to 63percent last fall. Algebra II test pass rates declined more than 30 percentage points. "If the performance of the 24,000 students ... is a sign of things to come, there will be an impact on accreditation," Pyle said. [ellipsis in original]

It looks like Virginia's teachers will no longer be 'teaching to the test', but rather actually teaching math. the old SOL was multiple choice, while the new, interactive test requires students to actually know the subject.

The changes to the math assessments are multifaceted, including more rigorous standards adopted in 2009 and the addition of "technology-enhanced" [computer vs paper and pencil] questions. The questions will require students to demonstrate critical thinking, problem solving and math content knowledge. "Traditionally the Standards of Learning assessments have been multiple choice," said Todd Lewis, Roanoke's math coördinator.

The Roanoke Times also states:

Pyle, said the changes to the test's format and rigor were not done in an arbitrary way to make the test harder. Instead the revised standards are part of a statewide push to better prepare high school graduates for college. The new standards align with the national Common Core standards, although Virginia is one of only a handful of states not to endorse the initiative.

Alright Mr. or Ms. Math Teacher, now you get your wish. You are no longer allowed to teach to the test, you have been given the opportunity to actually teach your middle and high school students the methods, theories, and laws of math and Geometry as they apply to Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry. Most likely in the same way you and I were taught. Certainly the same way they will encounter in college. Take this latest development as a challenge. Prove you were right all along. Let's see those math SOL scores soar Virginia.

Don't Want An Invasive Ultrasound? PP Says Don't Come To Us.

Governor Bob McDonnell released this statement today regarding SB484. In this release Governor Mcdonnell states, (emphasis added);

"I am pro-life. I believe deeply in the sanctity of innocent human life and believe governments have a duty to protect human life. The more our society embraces a culture of life for all people, the better country we will have. Over the course of my 20-year career in elected office, I have been glad to play a leading role in putting in place common-sense policies that protect and defend innocent human life in the Commonwealth. One of those bills was Virginia's informed consent statute, of which I was the chief patron in the House of Delegates, finally seeing its passage in 2001. This session, the General Assembly is now considering amending this informed consent statute to include a requirement that any woman seeking an abortion receive an ultrasound in order to establish the gestational age for appropriate medical purposes, and to offer a woman the opportunity to voluntarily review that ultrasound prior to giving her legal informed consent to abortion.

He ends the statement with;

"I have requested other amendments that help clarify the purposes of the bill and reflect a better understanding of prevailing medical practices. It is my hope that the members of the General Assembly will act favorably upon these recommendations from our office. We will await their action prior to making any further comments on this matter."

This issue has generated static all over the country, including late night comedy TV. Frantic claims from Democrats, from those who should know better, or at least have better research departments, such as Saturday Night Live to Comedy Central, to those who know better but assume you do not such as Planned Parenthood. All claiming that Virginia is codifying into law the "rape" of women seeking an abortion. Their basis for this claim is that a first trimester ultrasound [sonogram] requires a "trans-vaginal" probe. (Sorry Dad, there ain't no polite way to put it.)
What each of these has failed to do is truthfully explain the current recommendations from NAF, (National Abortion Federation). Their 2012 clinical policy guidelines state clearly that, in the first trimester, a sonogram is required to determine the gestational age of the little guy in the uterus.

Policy Statement: Proper use of ultrasound can inform clinical decision-making and enhance the safety and efficacy of abortion care.
Standard 1: Staff members who perform ultrasound exams and clinicians who interpret those exams must either show documentation that they have completed a program of training or must complete such a program developed by the facility. Training must include a period of direct supervision. Documentation of this training must be maintained. Following initial training, a system for evaluation of ongoing proficiency must be in place and documented.
Option 1.01: The Ultrasound Training in Abortion Care CD-ROM developed by ARMS, NAF, and CAPS is a good resource for training and may be utilized as part of a training program.
Standard 2: A system of clinical privileging must be in place for staff members who perform ultrasound exams and clinicians who interpret those exams. This system must include periodic review and renewal of these privileges.
Standard 3: Patients must be informed of the purpose and limitations of the ultrasound exam in the abortion care setting.
Option 3.01: This information may be provided in writing and the patient may be asked to sign a form acknowledging receipt of this information.
Standard 4: The findings of all ultrasound exams and the interpretation of those findings must be documented in the medical record. Photos or another method of storing the ultrasound images must be included as part of the documentation. This documentation must also include the name(s) of the staff members who performed and interpreted the exam.
Recommendation 4.1: A standard form for documenting findings and interpretation should be used.
Standard 5: In the first trimester, the ultrasound exam must include the following: a. a full scan of the uterus in both the transverse and longitudinal planes; b. measurements to document gestational age; c. views to document the location of the pregnancy; d. evaluation of fetal number; and e. evaluation of the presence or absence of fetal cardiac activity.
5.1: When clinically indicated, evaluation of other pelvic structures (i.e., adnexal structures and the cul de sac) should be performed and documented.
Recommendation 5.2: Technology permitting both abdominal and transvaginal scanning should be available.
Standard 6: In the second trimester, the ultrasound exam must include the following: a. fetal measurements to document gestational age; b. views to document intrauterine location of the pregnancy; c. evaluation of fetal number; d. evaluation of the presence or absence of fetal cardiac activity; and e. placental localization.
Recommendation 6.1: When placenta previa is suspected in a patient with a prior uterine scar, or when other placental abnormality is suspected, a referral for further diagnostic imaging should be made.
Standard 7: A procedure must be in place for further evaluation or referral of a patient in whom an intrauterine pregnancy has not been definitively identified or for whom an initial finding on the ultrasound may affect abortion management or future patient care.
Standard 8: Real-time ultrasound scanners must be used. Ultrasound equipment must be properly calibrated and maintained.
Standard 9: Ultrasound transducers must be disinfected between patients according to applicable infection control standards.
4 Adequate precautions must be taken to protect both staff members and patients from the potential toxicity of chemical agents.

To its credit Planned Parenthood follows these guidelines explicitly. They do not, however extend to the patient the courtesy of observing the results of this procedure.
SB484 merely requires that ALL abortion clinics follow these NAF abortion guidelines, and requires that a patient who desires to do so be allowed to view the result.
I'm disappointed in Governor McDonnell for caving to an obvious smear campaign. But I applaud him for keeping Virginia out of such an obnoxious propaganda battle.
Cross posted at Bearingdrift.com

Want To Burn A Flag?

I've often said I fully respect one's right to burn the flag. I do always include these two conditions; First it must be your own flag. And second, you should have the strength of your convictions to do it on the grounds of a VFW post. I never factored in the alcohol effect, though.

Inspecting Lunch Boxes? Really?

The Federal Government decides a turkey and cheese sandwich is inferior to three "chicken" "nuggets", which we all know is not really chicken anyway.

Preschooler’s Homemade Lunch Replaced with Cafeteria “Nuggets”

USDA agent inspects sack lunches, forces preschoolers to purchase cafeteria food instead
RAEFORD, N.C. — A Hoke County preschooler was fed chicken nuggets for lunch because a state worker felt that her homemade lunch did not have enough nutritional value, according to a report by the Carolina Journal.

The West Hoke Elementary School student was in her More at Four classroom when a U.S. Department of Agriculture agent who was inspecting lunch boxes decided that her packed lunch — which consisted of a turkey and cheese sandwich, a banana, apple juice and potato chips — “did not meet USDA guidelines,” the Journal reports.

It's stuff like this that almost makes me want to be an anarchist.

UPDATE:
OK. We all fall for one every now and then. Along with many others it appears that I did too.

Catholic Or Not, This Is Important

I'm not Catholic but the issue of the day bothers me greatly.

If the Catholic Church is forced by our Government to go against its conscience, tradition and, most importantly, its deeply held religious beliefs, then religious liberty in America is not safe.

If religious liberty is no longer safe in America, you and your church, (even if that church is godless atheism), are not safe.

Revolution Revelation

Those of us who grew up in the sixtys and seventys remember John Lennon as a radical leftist, sort of like our current day "occupy Wall Street" crowd. I remember well the protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, and all around civil disobedience directed at our war effort in Vietnam. Many involved in those protests asked Lennon and his band mates to contribute to the anti-war effort. Finally Lennon relented and wrote, along with Paul McCartney, perhaps his most well known work, "Revolution".

How many of us have actually listened to the meaning behind the words of Mr. Lennon? I'll have to admit that I never paid much attention to them. To me it was a good sound. A well crafted piece of music. Never much more than that.

Today that changed. This iconic song came on the radio while I was not otherwise distracted and I actually listened. I mean really listened. For nigh on to thirty years I had typecasted John Lennon. I had him, and this song, completely wrong. I was never a real Beatles fan, and perhaps that's why it has taken me this long to experience this epiphany. You might have noticed it the first time you heard the song. I finally know that John Lennon was not an "Occupy Wall Street" type at all. He had seen the violence, anarchy, and lawlessness of the anti-war crowd and wanted no part of it. Read the lyrics.

Revolution:

John Lennon, Paul McCartney

You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
All right, all right

You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money 
For people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
All right, all right
Ah

Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah...

You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
All right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right

I'm Back

My friends who have been following me on Facebook know a bit about why I've been gone so long. The rest of you will learn more as time goes on, but for now let's just say I'm back and I welcome you back as well.

Closing This Blog, But The Door Stays Open

It's been almost 4 years now, since the day I began this blog. It's been great and I've really enjoyed spending time with you guys, my readers, for all these years.

Although I'm closing up shop here I'll still be around. This blog and its archives will not be removed. I have some grander plans and a move to a new site is the first step on that road.

The new blog has a working title of "Eschew Obfuscation", though that is subject to change.

Come on over and check out my new place. I hope you'll be just as comfortable as you have been here, well, some of you, anyway. The rest I intend to make as uncomfortable as possible.

Convention's Over. Thoughts, Part Two. Or An Open Letter To Ken!

Cross posted at Eschew Obsfuscation

From the moment I walked into the Colosseum on Saturday morning, I knew it was Ken Cuccinelli's convention. To most of the delegates, selecting Governor and Lt. Governor candidates and a party chairman was secondary. For them, nominating Ken was job one.

I was impressed with the organization Ken has put together. And I'm sure it will only strengthen in the months to come. Congratulations Ken, from a John Brownlee supporter, on a job well done.

Now the tough part begins. It's easy to get the support of those who reside on the right side of the conservative spectrum. Those who are involved enough to pay real money to travel across the state to attend a political convention. It's a bit tougher to get the more moderate. And tougher still to get those guys that have voted a straight Democratic line forever just because Granddad did.

A wise man once told me that any candidate comes into a race with 20% locked down. It's there. You don't really even have to work for it. That's true for his opponent as well. That means you have to convince the voters in the middle. You're both fighting for them.

So, you have to go out there and convince just 31% of the voters that you're their guy. Sounds simple. Only 31%. Until you realize that that most can't name you or your opponent. Sure, they know the finalists on American Idol, but ask them who represents them in Congress or the General Assembly and you get a blank stare. Or you get the name of the last guy they saw interviewed on CNN. They don't know him, they don't know you, and they don't really care.

Now, I'm here to offer a bit of advice. It's worth every penny I'm charging you for it, Ken.

The 9th district will be crucial to your success. I'm sure you already know that, but it has to be said anyway.

The Fightin' Ninth is full of folks just like I have described.

"Granddad was a Democrat, Dad was a Democrat, so I guess that makes me a Democrat. Sure, in a Presidential election I usually vote for the most conservative guy. I'm a conservative guy myself. But, by cracky, I'm a Democrat and I want my local guys to be Democrats just like Dad was."

Or so it goes.

You have to get more than 25% of these leftovers excited enough about you to tell their friends.

The next part may seem mean. I don't intend it that way. The way to their hearts will not be easy. Especially for a guy whose last name ends with a vowel. Face it, Cuccinelli is not a name heard around here very often. I suggest making "Ken!" a catch-phrase down this way. Perhaps they'll even begin to think Shannon is a sissy name. Stress the "Ken", lose the "Cuccinelli". Or shorten it to Cooch. At least down this way. Nothing personal, just the way folks in the coalfields think.

Oh, by the way, there ain't a lot of Catholics down this way either. We're mostly Baptists and Pentecostals. Regardless of political affiliation, probably as conservative as you, if not more so. Most are a bit leery of Catholics, though.

I'm afraid Brownlee was right when he stressed his prosecutor past. Shannon and his cheerleaders are already using it. And you've painted yourself into a corner on the triggerman thing. You can't switch gears now, so stress public safety any other way you can.

Spend time down this way. It worked for Warner. It worked for Kaine. It can work for you. Get to Martinsville. Not the speedway, though that won't hurt. (There is a great 4th of July event there each year. Attend it.) Get to downtown Martinsville. I suggest a Friday evening attending a T.G.I.F concert. Get in touch with Councilman Danny Turner or City Attorney Eric Monday, they can arrange it and they'll be good guides.

Get to the outlying areas of the ninth. Call Jerry Lester out in Grundy. Work with the Kilgores down U.S.23 from there, you know them, I'm sure. Get by here in Stanleytown, we'll work out an event for you here.

Abingdon, Bristol, Roanoke, and even Martinsville are important, but ignore Stuart, Hurley, Norton, and Bassett at your peril.

The Peach Festival in Stuart. If at all possible, be there.

Floydfest in Floyd. If at all possible, be there.

Poor Boy's Dinner in Galax. If at all possible, be there.

The Fall races at Martinsville and Bristol. If at all possible, be there.

You get the idea. It all comes down to six little words. When it comes to the ninth district, if at all possible, be there.

And finally, I'm here to help, use me any way you can.

Convention's Over. Thoughts, Part One

Yesterday, Sunday, was a busy day here. First I had to see Kilo off safely back to Wise, then off to Church. The afternoon was filled with the first graduation ceremony for our school, V.I.C.A. I got back home just as the race at Dover was winding down, (will Johnson get another championship this year?), then began preparing for other overnight guests on Sunday evening.

Already pretty wiped out from the convention, Sunday evening was spent in my favorite chair, kicked back and relaxing, with "The Fugitive" with Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones.

Now, late in the morning on Monday, the first Monday of my Summer break, I have seen last night's guests off, I have the tractor started and am preparing to spend the next several hours mowing.

But first I want to recap the RPV convention of 2009.

RPV did a stellar job organizing this convention. The facility was great, the only complaints I have, and heard often from others, was that the registration area was very difficult to find, and many units had to climb to the stars in order to find their seats.

Registration was very easy, even though it took me two whole laps around the circular Colosseum before I finally found someone who could give clear directions. (Thanks John Brownlee.)

RPV's organization was once again evident on Saturday morning when Kilo and I found our way to blogger's row. We had the best seats in the house, even though I seldom sat. Kilo did a bit of live blogging, I preferred to visit and look for stories. Besides, what's the point live blogging an event where most of the people interested in the outcome are sitting right in front of you? Those who could not attend for one reason or another, (missed you Norm), could easily keep up with the RPV's own live feed as well as the hundreds of Tweets.

Lynn has a comprehensive list of Virginia bloggers who found their way on and off blogger's row here.

It takes me about 18 hours to mow this place, and I'm at least two weeks behind. I'll add part two later.

RPV Convention 2009 Is Over

I just got back into Henry County. Let Bailey, my dog, go out into the yard and pee on stuff. He really seems to enjoy doing that. I'm about ready to kick off the boots and let the events of the day filter out.

I spent most of the day on "blogger's row". RPV really set up a great facility for us, with the expected glitches, of course. Nothing serious, just a tripped breaker here and there, but all soon sorted out. Thanks to all those who worked that area.

Even though I spent time on blogger's row, I didn't actually write anything while I was there. I did find a few stories to tell, but that will come later. Tomorrow I'll write up an analysis of the day and tell a few of the stories I came away with.

See you tomorrow, good night all.

Answers Please, Brian Gentry

A lot of to do going on about the infamous robo call. Yeah, I got it. Yeah, I immediately associated it in my mind with the Cuccinelli campaign. Right or wrong, I'm sorry, That's the way I called it.

Did Ken himself approve it beforehand? Not likely. Did Ken himself approve it immediately after it first aired? Possibly.

Is it a major blunder for the Cuccinelli campaign? Most definitely.

The man(?) behind it seems to be one Brian Gentry. A paid stooge for Bob Marshall in a previous campaign. At least Brian proudly claims responsibility for the weakly supported evidence on the website noted on the call in question.

A couple more questions before I get to my astute analysis.

Brian has called Bob McDonnell a "liberal". Brian claims that John Brownlee is anti-2nd amendment. Brian is an idiot.

Wait. Those are not questions, are they?

No. Those are facts. The few facts that can be discerned from reading Brian's website. There are few facts about John Brownlee on a site that purports to expose Brownlee facts. Many innuendos and suppositions, but few facts.

Back to those questions now.

Question one. Brian is on record as a paid performer for Bob Marshall. Does Brian have an equally long record as a Republican?

Question two. Is Brian a member of any Republican committee?

Question three. And perhaps the most important of all. Is Brian affiliated in any way with either the Cuccinelli or Foster campaigns?

Answers please, Brian. Or Ken. Or Dave.

RPV Convention

It's the last week of school. Friday will be the last day of school, but I won't be there. Not for long anyway. I'll be leaving fairly early on Friday, heading to Richmond where I'll be a delegate to the Republican party's state convention.

Bob McDonnell will be our candidate for Governor. That has been long ago settled.

As delegates, we will have several items to decide. We gotta pick a Lt. Governor candidate. Easy. I'll get to that later.

We need to come together on a choice for Attorney General. This one is a bit tougher, but I'll get to it a bit later too.

And we have to choose a new chairman for the group, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.

The recent L'affaire Frederick being still fresh in everyone's mind, this may be the toughest choice as well as the most important of the weekend. In many ways this one election will set the stage for the future of our party in Virginia. Not only will this be a referendum on which of the two candidates, Pat Mullins or Bill Stanley, will lead our party, this is in many ways a referendum on the vision and leadership of our state central committee.

After dumping Jeff Frederick, in a manner that was widely criticized, the state central committee installed Pat Mullins as chairman. Pat may be a great guy. I don't know. The Virginia political expert I rely on to advise me on such matters does not know him either. He's a local unit chairman in the same congressional district as my expert adviser, but still unknown.

Bill Stanley, on the other hand is also a local unit chairman in my expert's district. I've met Bill Stanley. I don't really know Mr. Stanley. But I've met him, he's very likeable, he's a good conversationalist, and he seems trustworthy.

I've received many emails from Mr. Stanley, I suppose you have too. I've received one mailer from Mr. Mullins. I've also received one mailer from Stanley.

In his emails and mailer Mr. Stanley has outlined many innovative ideas and plans. Mr. Mullins has touted his endorsements. Endorsements are good. I'm essentially putting forth some endorsements here today. I like endorsements.

I like ideas and plans better, though.

Right now I'm leaning hard toward Bill Stanley. Before I can fully endorse him though, I feel it is only right that I actually meet Mr. Mullins. That won't happen until Friday afternoon at the earliest, so I'm tentatively endorsing Bill Stanley for Chairman. If that changes you'll be notified early Saturday before the voting begins. No update will mean that Bill Stanley remains my choice.

Now let's move to the easy choice. Bill Bolling is and will be our next Lt. Governor. I see no point in even mentioning his opponent's name. A solid conservative to the core, Bill, with roots in SWVA and a conservative record in Richmond that is unequalled, will leave the convention with 70 plus percent of the delegate vote. Bill Bolling has a proven record to stand on.

1. A 100% pro-family voting record from The Family Foundation
2. A 100% pro-life voting record from the Virginia Society for Human Life
3. Endorsed by the Virginia Society for Human Life (2005)
4. Supported parental notification and consent legislation, a ban on partial birth abortions and higher patient safety standards for abortion clinics
5. Cast the tie-breaking vote to deny state funding to Planned Parenthood
6. Fought to restore abstinence education funding that Governor Kaine stripped from the budget
7. Led the fight to pass the Marriage Amendment
8. Has opposed every tax increase proposed by Governors Warner and Kaine
   

Bill Bolling is my choice for Lt. Governor.

Now the tough one.

No question about it, Ken Cuccinelli is my hero in the Virginia Senate. When Ken first announced his intention to run for attorney general, I wholeheartedly supported that move. Remember though, that was when he was a lone candidate in a field that has since grown by two. Two other excellent candidates have since joined Ken in his quest to be our next attorney general.

Dave Foster is a candidate I could, (and will), support in the future. Dave will someday make a great Lt. Governor candidate, a great AG candidate, or even a great candidate for Governor. But not yet. Not quite. It's not that Dave is not ready. Instead, we as a party are not ready for him.

What I mean by that is the reason that John Brownlee has my enthusiastic support for AG.

My history with John Brownlee goes back to sometime in 2002 when he prosecuted my BOS member. You can read about that here.

There is more to my support for Mr. Brownlee than that though. As early as last Summer John assured me that he would not oppose Bolling for the Governor spot next. He promised to hold out if Bill Bolling decides to run for the governorship after McDonnell.

Our party has a line-up that is pretty much unbeatable for the next 12 years if, and only if, our candidates agree to work together.

On Friday I'll be asking both Dave Foster and Ken Cuccinelli their plans for the future should they win the AG nomination. Their answers will be posted here on Saturday morning.

Until then I don't see anyone persuading me to change from my wholehearted endorsement of John Brownlee.

So there you have it. For what it's worth, I'll be voting Saturday for the following;

1. RPV Chairman; Bill Stanley
2. Lt. Governor; Bill Bolling
3. AG; John Brownlee

See you in Richmond on Friday and Saturday.

School's Out For Summer

School's Out For Ever!

Alice Cooper said it in song years ago.

School's not really out forever, but for the next couple of months school's out for me. I'll be working with a couple of students on their summer school courses, and I'll be working on getting our newest campus in Ridgeway Virginia ready for next year. But I'll have much more time for frivolities like blogging in the next few months.

I'll also be launching a new Virginia political magazine this summer. I'm really excited about this new project. Similar in content to Jim Bacon's excellent "Bacon's Rebellion", but going a few steps further, I have high hopes for this new project. I'll keep you updated on the progress here. I have a couple of well known Virginians signed on as regular writers, but I need more. Please contact me if you would like to apply for a liberally unpaid position as a regular columnist.

Part One. Partisan Blogging; Leftist Edition

I've been pretty much inactive lately. Especially when compared to my early years in this blogging thing. I do still read many blogs. I do still get my dander up when folks on either side spread political BS like it was so much fertilizer.

The latest fertilizer spreaders I've noticed are Lowell Feld and that perpetual spreader, Waldo Jaquith.

Blogging.

On the surface, blogging is easy. Real journalism, now that's a bit tougher. I don't claim to do either, let alone one or the other particularly well. Both these characters claim, publicly or privately, to be experts at one or the other. Or both.

Let's examine a couple of recent "posts", as bloggers call an article, and see where they really come from.

Let's start off with Waldo. I'm sure you know Waldo, the cute kid from Charlottesville with a great smile and good hair. He's also got a really good looking wife and a pretty smart brother. I never really learned how to smile for a photograph, and I ain't got good hair. Oh, I got hair, just not much of it anymore, and what's there has gone really, really blonde.

Waldo recently "posted" what he would call an "article" about the "Global Warming Crisis". Yes, apparently Waldo is an Al Gore disciple.

Waldo has discovered an old report from the Global Climate Coalition, an enregy industry-financed group, that he says, decided years ago, that “the scientific basis for the Greenhouse Effect and the potential impact of human emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO2 on climate is well established and cannot be denied,”

Waldo does not include a link to the report he quotes. Oh, he does include a link to the New York Times report on the report, but once there you have to have really sharp eyes to find the link to the actual report.

Here you need to remember the quote from Waldo; "...the scientific basis for the Greenhouse Effect and the potential impact of human emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO2 on climate is well established and cannot be denied..."

There's more.(PDF link) Read the report yourself. NOTE: Unlike Waldo, this is a link to the actual report. Read it yourself.

Waldo could have included this link, but chose not to.

Read the entire report and you find that not only can man's contribution to climate change cannot be denied, you also cannot determine whether man's contribution will add more to global warming, or global cooling.

Read that again. The report does say that man's contribution to global warming cannot be denied. It also says that it cannot be determined whether or not man can contribute to warming or cooling. The report is also very careful to note that, although the hypothetical contribution by mankind to climate change cannot be denied, it cannot be determined how much or how little mankind may be able to contribute.

Sure. We may be able to affect the global temperature, but to what degree, and in which direction, no one can say.

Next, Lowell Feld and the recent Unemployment fiasco in Virginia.

Warner On The Democratic Process, Failing Grade

I've not written much on the Employee Free Choice Act before. I have, however, written about my thoughts on unions in general;

Any union, whether it be my old brotherhood the Teamsters, or my Grandfather's UMWA, or your local teacher's union, the VEA, is based on a single flawed premise. All unions are based on the concept that all workers are equal. Anyone who has spent a day on the factory floor, or a night in a mine, or a few miles on the road in a Freightliner knows that just ain't true. Even Dan, my beloved uncle, if he were to be honest about it would tell you that, given a choice, he would rather go down the road with Gary Martin than Roger Potter, two drivers I had the privilege to work with at that time. Yet in the eyes of the union they were equal. Horse hockey!

As a former union member, and an engineer working in two heavily unionized industries, I know a thing or two about unions and their organizing methods.

All's fair that ain't ruled unfair. And even then it's iffy.

There is no way to put a pretty face on this blatant power grab by unions and their bought Democratic stooges. If enough workers in a plant, store, jobsite, mine, or whatever can be arm-twisted into signing a card, the union is in.

No democratic election. No secret ballot. No anonymity allowed. You've been arm-twisted, your "vote" has been recorded.

Then the nightmare begins.

The workers and their employer will be forced into a binding arbitration if the employer does not immediately capitulate to the union's demands. Even if this arbitration is so detrimental to the company's business that it results in the demise of the company.

Virginians need to know that Senator Mark Warner has decided that the democratic (small "d") process need not apply to you and your workplace.

L'affaire Frederick

I spent quite a bit of time today on the phone with an RPV executive committee member in whom I have quite a bit of trust.

I will report in more detail on my thoughts concerning the L'affaire Frederick soon, it's being written, revised, re-written now.

H/T to JAB for the title.