Project progress

Some have said that a year of building a complete vehicle is too long. It most certainly is not for the novice, I'll grant that. I had the body and outside finished before a summer was over. Like anything one undertakes...it's the little things that kill (time).

The exterior dimensions (made of a wooden buck and framing) started back in 2010. As I pulled dimensions and ergonomics from that model, applied them in a steel spaceframe and aquired actual pieces to gather more dimensional information, the clock ticked. As early as late 2010, I had completed the spaceframe and backbone of the project, and began sourcing more parts for it's completion.

The windshield, the "B" pillar, and the hood are all real M1097/998 pieces. That left front fenders, rear quarters, bed and fender boxes to me. I drew each piece out in an autocad program, purchased the steel plate, and cut out, bent, hammered and welded/riveted each piece that was not a real M1097 piece.

I finally fitted the firewall and floorpans into the vehicle amidst a very busy election primary cycle in mid 2011... and then I had the rear storage pans under the bed to finish after that.

As of last night, I had pulled the military Kevlar full top and wrapped up the purchase in October of a sheet of steel to make my own 2 man hardtop. I finished the hammer and dolly work, the welding, the 3M NASCAR panel tape work on the inside of the top...and today, it's ready for paint....and a rear window.

2012 will begin with a bang as I search for the perfect high horsepower engine transplant and tranny. The fabrication stage is almost over. The axles are placed, and the interior is all but completed.

As we leave 2011

I'm proud to have stood with so many able and capable activists. We rocked Loudoun County....filled Board of Supervisor's chambers numerous times in the name of one good fight after another.

I could go thru a list of you all...but inevitably, I'd miss someone who did incredible things for the movement...and so I'll refrain from referencing the particular persons. The list of great candidates should head any list, because without them, the races weren't possible.

The CBPO fell. In poll after poll, it was voted against with a 70% margin against it. It was the stuff that Republican wins are made of.  Numerous times, when I walked into a house to discuss the elections, I left a home where the occupants were intent on seeing the  incumbent (or whoever they endorsed) was going to be ousted.
That required research. We were blessed to have one of the premiere researchers right in the ranks.
Her work on the CBPO, as well as Dulles Rail are going to be invaluable as we move forward.

The tradgedy at the end of that trail for the Catoctin District (by the LCRC mechanism..or lack of it) was met with a group of the best  people I've ever seen operate. They covered EVERY precinct, and every shift...after covering every house in neighborhoods for the 4 months before that. It is truly inspiring to see that team work, and Geary Higgins and Dick Black know who those folks are. Of particular note was the new Hamilton Precinct. The Lovettsville Precincts started the roll..and the Hamilton Precinct took us to a lofty position that insured we could probably not be beat. By the time that Harper Park came online, it was over for the competition. Thanks again to those who had the Precinct Captain restored to her rightful place there.

All- in- all, we've left the County in better shape than it was in. Of course, there are some rocky edges that will come up, but I hope we're all communicating better than the last bunch was. What we have going forward, are a shared vision to create a larger commercial sector that can relieve the current residential burden, and a shared desire to create a government oversight committee to trim fat where it can be trimmed.

I'm on a brief vacation for the New Year, and will use the time to unwind, spend more time with the Missus, and prepare the next battle plan. I'll look forward to reconnecting with all of the fine folks in January as we move towards March, and the challenges it will bring.

Happy New Year to my friends and readers. I hope yours is a fantastic New Year full of opportunity, family and friendship.

Coal-burning Power Plants recieve message from the leftists at the EPA

The message? Clean up , or shut down.
Seems no one over at the EPA has a very long memory.
If they did, they'd remember those rolling blackouts that plagued Kalifornia after they tightened down and shut down plants.....without instituting a real plan first.

Just saying. If you receive your power from one of these plants, you might want to invest in a generator.

President Obama, please put JOBS under the Christmas tree this year!

 

Guest post by Melody Himel Scalley ...

Unless you have a high paying government job, and even if you do, you are probably well aware that the majority of American’s are deeply impacted by the ongoing devastation to the United States economy since President Obama took office.

While overall the unemployment rate hovers close to 9%, minority unemployment remains consistently near 15% and these figures show no indication of significant improvement in the near future.  Meanwhile, the current administrations lack of a positive Energy Policy is not only hamstringing companies that could add much needed AMERICAN JOBS to the economy; it is also compromising our long term national security and unnecessarily delaying our economic recovery.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently released a report that shows the U.S. is on track to actually export a net increase in gasoline, diesel and other oil-based fuels in 2011 for the first time in 62 years.  This is due to the fact that while our economy is stalled, the economy in emerging markets is booming.  However these record exports are not forecast to continue.  EIA is also predicting domestic oil production will fall 240,000 barrels/day through 2012, mainly due to the continued Gulf "energy freeze" imposed by our current administration.

The United States has the highest standards for environmental protection in the free world.  Other countries do not endeavor to protect the environment for future generations as we do, yet their lack of concern for the environment will affect all of us.  We have the desire to be good stewards of the environment as well as the technology to extract our resources in a safe and efficient manner.  The U.S. also has the most stringent work place safety requirements of any nation.  We have the energy resources right here within our borders.    If President Obama wanted to put American’s back to work he has an entire industry waiting for the green light to help him turn around our economy.

I grew up in New Orleans and my Dad worked on the oil rigs.  I can attest first hand that oil industry jobs keep food on the table, the lights on and the rent paid.  If we simply used the God-given resources we have in our great Nation, many American’s would not be needlessly losing their homes and struggling to keep their lights on and their families fed.

We still import over half of our oil and petroleum products.  Instead of selling our debt to China we should be selling our OIL to China and reducing our national debt.  We do not lack the resources in America.  What we lack is leadership and the political will to demand our administration put forward an energy policy that is beneficial to Americans and the United States.  Let’s start the New Year on the right path.  It is time to resume drilling within American borders and stop exporting American jobs.

Melody Himel Scalley is an entrepreneur and talk-radio show host in Virginia.

A gift, and a great one.

I attended the Loudoun County Republican Christmas Party last night with many of my good friends and aquaintances. I had another great evening discussing policy and strategies.
At one point, I ran into Cara Townsend and her husband. I first met Cara in Janet Clark's office in Purcellville (seems like EVERYONE went thru there at one point or another, huh?) where she indicated that she was throwing her hat in for the 10th District against already declared John Whitbeck. I remember that we discussed the possibility of Randy Minchew entering that race and that he was going to be hard to overcome...but she took it in stride and we developed a loose friendship in the aftermath of that first meeting. Cara is bright, and has an impressive resume that didn't get highlighted during that run, but I wouldn't rule her out as a candidate in the future.
Back at the Christmas Party, Cara shared that she'd gotten me a gift. She then produced the book BLOG: Understanding the Information Reformation , by Hugh Hewitt.

I don't suppose that Cara had read the Virginia Virtucon piece , but the book was the foundation upon which the Virginia Virtucon offering was written.

To Cara...I appreciate such a thoughtful gift, and I truly appreciate your insight into these matters, because the book is dead-on. We are the new medium by which news travels. In NUMEROUS instances, blogs have actually broken stories and led events that would have otherwise been left to the dustbins of history.
Jim Riley at VV actually broke a fundraising pyramid story by a Virginia candidate, as well as a number of other often not reported stories.

To those who have blogs: Read the Virginia Virtucon piece and realize your power to inform the masses. But remember also, that with great power comes great responsibility. Your excellence in reporting the truth will lead the way to the empowerment of blogs over paper mediums and yellow journalism.
Unless you drop to their level and stop being accountable and also become yellow journalist no better than those you replaced.

Bullet Proof Birthday Bash !!

Hey, listen...I'm having some friends over. About 70 of them.
Judy asked me last Monday what I'd want for my birthday this year. In past years, I've partied like a rockstar with Stevie Whiteman and the guys from Kix until the wee hours of the morning. We've known each other since some pretty wild times in Baltimore's Hammerjacks' club , and I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane in 2010...

This year... I think I'll provide the platform for a party for all my friends... another excuse to get together and party like we do thru-out the year. This year, it'll come on the tail of a particularly successful bid by republicans to re-take Loudoun County.
Geary Higgins' race was a particularly heart-warming conclusion, because it's where most of my effort went in. But other races were great, too...because I endorsed them early...and I was told by some that my endorsements meant nothing. Evidently, I can call winners....and pretty routinely, too.

I spoke to a number of folks in nearby Purcellville for Janet Clarke...as did a couple of good friends who were invaluable to her effort. I'd shout out in public..but they know that I know who they are...and they're somewhat modest, too. I shan't embarass them here.

But it'll be an after-party, of sorts... We get to watch a swearing-in of the new guard, and then we'll celebrate that as well as my 50 years on the planet.

So, if you're itchin' to come to this party...please be kind enough to e-mail me or call so I can tell the nice folks at the restaurant how many folks we'll be dealing with....in addition to the folks who've grabbed the event on FaceBook.

The Beautiful South. It's in Hamilton, Va. We're gathering at 7:00 pm on Dec. 19th, and vow to party till they close.

Chesapeake Bay help from Loudoun?

Or Socialism revisited? The Loudoun Environmental Council has covered EXACTLY what this meant to every voter out there sometime ago...and much better than I could have relayed it. The fact that Malcolm Baldwin still supports any portion with any restrictions on your property is deeply disturbing. But there he is, pushing for 60 foot buffers and more.
The Farm Bureau stepped up to end this the last time. Most of their immediate Loudoun presence is Loudoun Farmers in the Catoctin and Blue Ridge Districts.

When supposed independents act just like liberals

In a recent display of full-blown brattery, several liberal operatives renewed attacks on me at another website. Seems that my endorsement and work for Dick Black has offended them, and in true liberal form, they sent assailants to attack me instead of address the real issues. That method of attack is solidly outlined in the democrat handbook.

 I’ve endured a prolific hosts of name-calling, they’ve tried to define a plethora of reasons to discount my input, and even ventured into physical attributes when their arguments were failing. Fool, flipper, a slinkie, a naif, Cypher, bamboozled, an ass-kissing Dick Black apologist, “like a teenage girl with a man crush”, a stooge, flimflammed, snookered, ad nauseum. ....They’ve used all of those, and a few that aren’t even on that list.

And at NovaTown Hall, I was threatened with expulsion for using the word “liberal”. Act, the new owner of the Blog, did actually return from a vacation and has actively started ending the personal attacks against me, and I thank him for doing so.(Around October 20th).

In pointed fact, these operatives were very vocal on TooConservative’s website in forcing the elimination of Dick Black before the Primary had been decided, or the district defined. In their world, they were “entitled” to define the races contestants ..the will of the people be damned. In their world, the voters out here are too dumb to be trusted with such decisions, anyway. Another liberal trait. They know what's good for you, even if you don't.

I believe in process. I do not presume to “fix” the results by working towards making the decision FOR the voters. I believe that voters are fully capable of deciding things for themselves. And on August 23, 2011, that’s exactly what they did, giving Col. Black the opportunity to face the democrat challenger in November. The ramifications of this race are huge. The naysayers are far too myopic in their focus of a number of these local races.

They cried when David Ramadan set out to raise a half of a million dollars, and openly wept when defending JoAnn Chase against such a tide. What escaped them is this: The huge gathering that is backwards, ill-informed and downright bigoted legions are coming to Virginia for Ramadan. The money raised wasn’t for JoAnn’s challenge. It was to defend against an army of religious racists headed here in November. The sole reasoning for attacks? Ramadan's last name. The fabrication that lights their fires?? That he is a believer of Sharia Law. (He's not remotely in favor of it, and has stated his support for the Constitution of the United States as the sole law of the land MULTIPLE times.)

 Another myopic rambling is the constant reference to Col. Black’s issues over a decade ago. I've covered an actual sit-down with the Colonel here at the BPM. And I promise you, I did not toss softballs for the Colonel. What they miss is the opportunity to take the State’s Senate and the ability to craft meaningful legislation to present to the Governor right now. Stay informed, folks. There’s a lot riding on this years elections, as well as 2012.

But the end that we see is justified and will straighten out this State…and if it persist…the Country.

 Update: In you-can't-make-this-up-land.... I have pushed them so hard at Too Crappy, that I now have a second post dedicated in my honor at that rag. Folks, all I've done is call them on proper procedure and school them on the right way to eliminate and vett candidates. They took it rather badly, I'd say.

Current Events ....catching up.

I've been full on in the pursuit of a new business venture these days.... and since my addition to the contributors over at Virginia Virtucon, there isn't alot of time to keep this blog updated. Most of it is just cross-posted from V V anyway.

But sometimes, it comes in handy for stepping out to call it like it is.

A lot of turbulance has occurred at the TooConservative blog for the last year or so.
It’s pretty much a given that Loudoun Insider has been on a freefall into oblivion, but recently, it took a much more sinister turn in a desperate grasp for readership.

Having the full cast of liberal comments and personalities, Vince Harris appears to have taken the final step in the liberal saturation method….all liberals, all the time. One has to wonder if he’ll actually start representing democrats in his professional life from now on.
His liberal blog will most definitely be a point of contention with potential clients…or worse yet, their competition.

I’ve worked beside many of these colorful characters…only if it was some years ago. They’re all completely fine with shooting down republicans who have lost their way…but when the tables are turned, they have difficulty ridding the people of wayward democrats. In pointed fact, they’re the most one-way jackovs you’ll ever encounter.
My record on calling it as realistically as was possible is documented HERE . One can readily peruse where I stated back then that the way to beat a candidate that you didn't care for was to rally support for another candidate. As usual, not one of these jackovs lifted a finger. They whined and ripped themselves apart over the results of Aug. 23...but not one of them actually DID ANYTHING to change the outcome except expel hot air.

Take the current issue of Dick Black. Most of these liberals have NEVER had a moment of conversation with the Colonel. Their blind hatred of the man is very close to mentally unbalanced…and they’ve never even had a conversation with the man.

Now, I have a few bones to pick with Col. Black, too. But all in all, I think he’s matured as a candidate and as a possible public official. Gone are the plastic fetuses and the witch hunts at the Loudoun Libraries. As Governor McDonnell has shown us, you can be pro-life but you don’t need to wear it on your sleeve all of the time. When economic common sense is needed, you really have to be able to shift gears.

I believe that Col. Black has learned that important lesson. And he understands that he doesn’t have the luxury of getting side-tracked with social issues while we’re as deep an economic hole as we are. It’s MUCH more helpful in getting spendy liberals out of control in Richmond, and the sooner - the better.

So, in the long shot….if anyone opposes Black for something he did 10 years ago, and hasn’t had the decency to actually sit across a table from him and give it to him pointblank… they have no room to evaluate anything. I have actually been on the other side of that table…and I did not pull any punches, either. I’m known as a straight shooter…and my exchange with Col. Black was no different.

I must, in the interest of full disclosure, offer the following. In the aftermath of a hard-fought campaign for the 13th District in which I supported John Stirrup, my name was floated to help in the 72HR campaign for Col. Black.
I am humbled to have been thought of in that important effort, and excited to have accepted it.

Now… let the Loudoun Insider meltdown commence. He’s getting it from both ends these days. He’s not the lead dog in his own house…and he’s never led anything outside of that house. Perhaps a shopping trip (ala Speakman/Ohneiser) is in his future. Having been thru the Republican camp, they continue on to the democrat camp….and when refused there, they become independents that sway where ever the wind blows.

Bulletproof endorsement in the Broad Run District.

I’ve had some internal conflict about where to go with Shawn Williams/ Cliff Kierce Supervisor race in Broad Run.

Kierce and I go back several years and both championed the Broadlands HCA Hospital in the battle battle against INOVA’s giant financed campaign against it. As of this week, I understand that Cliff has received an endorsement from Stevens and Liz Miller. Because Cliff did not wave that endorsement off, I had to look into my heart again, and realized that Shawn has the proper mindset of what we, as a county, need to accomplish in the next four years.

With the CBPO still hovering on the horizon, taxes out of control and with transportation in the eastern end of the county in the proverbial ditch, I believe there is too much at stake in the race for this seat. It has come to me in bold letters, “You must endorse Shawn for this seat. The alternative is a lost opportunity.”

It is with that process to date, that I am proud to announce my endorsement of Shawn Williams, who will hopefully be replacing Andrea McGimsey on the Board of Supervisors. I am impressed with Shawn’s credentials – having a law degree and an MBA – and I believe that the business experience he will bring to the board will be vital for the next four years. Also, his background as a Marine should bring some sorely needed common sense to the Board.

His commitment to fiscal responsibility and lowering taxes is rock solid. Shawn has also served as the Secretary of the Southern Walk HOA board, and has been involved in the fight against OpenBand. I am convinced he will continue to be an advocate for the citizens affected by the OpenBand monopoly. So strong is Shawn’s commitment to the citizens and neighbors, he recently refused a donation from MC Dean. I would hope that those who want to see the Openband situation rectified will volunteer and/or make a donation to Shawn now. He’s shown where his loyalties lie. And Marines carry that honor with them wherever they go.

One of the most impressive things about to me about Shawn is that he is not at all a politician. He comes across as an average guy with a young family who wants to serve his neighbors. I find this very refreshing and it will appeal to voters in Broad Run.

Shawn has an impressive list of leaders like Frank Wolf, Scott York and Lori Waters on his team. He is fully dedicated to winning the seat and has already engaged in an aggressive grassroots campaign. I will be helping him in the upcoming months, as November approaches.

Watch for Shawn and his campaign at a door near you (if you live inside of the District.)
Cross-posted at my new digs

HMMWV Progress is slowly progressing

I've been in the middle of a work slowdown this spring. I predicted all of this before the Clown-in-Chief actually took office. He isn't dealing with a slow economy - he's making it worse- as predicted. This week, his economist team took a walk. Seems he'll be the albatross hanging around all of their necks if they had stayed.
Money dried up at my clients homes as they had to decide on home repairs or gasoline for their next week at work. There's a new round of foreclosures coming in the first weeks of July, as was foretold by one of our elected officials about 3 months ago.

Amid all of this bad news, I'm starting a new venture. I think it can rise from the ashes of this economy, and if that happens, every other year will be a breeze, since the idea will already have faced trial by ObamaFire ...

And always in the background, there is the project. I ease my stress in the evenings and weekends by firing up the welder, the metal cutting torches, or the rivet guns and let the stress float away. The latest additions atr the brand new firewall and interior...using the original and re-sized dash panel from the donor vehicle. I've moved the master cylinder and steering outboard some 14" to their new positions, and the wiring is nearly complete for a test start.

Here's the latest pics.

The bulkhead and firewall I built.

The interior I built.

Tito endorses Verne Dickerson for Sheriff

I've run into a couple of folks who still were unaware that I've been picked up by Virginia Virtucon ...I'm writing more frequently over there, but occasionally I update this site with a crosspost.

Tito The Builder has endorsed Verne Dickerson as the best qualified, and having the strong character to be Sheriff of Loudoun County.
Tito knows the players and has a huge national following, as well as a strong NOVA following in guiding the country back to the founding principles that made us the greatest Nation on earth. I have also endorsed Tito in any pursuit he undertakes, because he has the excellent character that I also see in Verne. Press release is below.

Endorsement of Verne Dickerson for Sheriff

Verne Dickerson is a candidate for sheriff with an admirable record of 25 years of experience and leadership in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This includes knowledge of investigating and fighting organized crime such as narcotics, white collar, personal and property crimes. Verne Dickerson has also managed disciplinary and performance matters of other officers at a national level for the FBI and has taught classes at the FBI academy in Quantico, VA. In the civilian world, Verne knows the difficulties his fellow citizens face in daily life through his experience as a small business owner with a restaurant and real estate business. He has lived in Loudoun County for 12 years and he understands the needs of his community. For all of Verne’s wealth of experience and the strength of his character, I whole heartedly endorse Verne Dickerson for Sheriff of Loudoun County.

TitoPAC is launched

I have a great many friends in the ideological and political realm, and I’m particularly proud of some of them. My best friends are the kind who step forward, right wrongs, and speak for the masses. Birds of a feather, you might say.

One such friend is Tito Munoz, who came to America by way of Columbia.



When I became aware of “Tito the Builder” and his involvement in the McCain/Palin effort back in 2008, I thought to myself, here’s a guy who “gets it”.
He went to a McCain event in work clothes, wearing a hard hat adorned with McCain stickers, orange high-visibility vest, and a sign that said CONSTRUCTION WORKERS FOR MCCAIN.
Munoz is the owner of a small commercial construction business, so he understands quite a bit about the plight of those businesses… and so do I, because I also own one of them.

With a heightened precision, Munoz wore construction clothes to express his sympathy for Joe Wurzelbacher, the Ohio man better known as "Joe the Plumber." He felt that Wurzelbacher (best known for inciting that famous zinger that Obama probably regrets unleashing to this day)-- "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody"... had been unnecessarily rolled by the press for overtly expressing skepticism about Obama's pledge not to raise taxes on individuals making more than $200,000 a year and couples making more than $250,000.(so, instead Obama has raised taxes on everything else in an effort to make folks think he's keeping promises)

After the event, Tito sought out the liberal press and held their feet to the fire. “"I support McCain, but I've come to face you guys because I'm disgusted with you guys," he said. "Why the hell are you going after Joe the Plumber? Joe the Plumber has an idea. He has a future. He wants to be something else. Why is that wrong? Everything is possible in America. I made it. Joe the Plumber could make it even better than me….I was born in Colombia, but I was made in the U.S.A."

With those words, he caught the campaign’s attention, and the rest is history. He and his wonderful wife Deborah, have gone on to found a group called the Conservative Hispanic Coalition, they have started and host a conservative Spanish-language radio program, "America Eres TU" (America Is You), and have been active in the Tea Party and the Prince William County, Virginia Republican Committee. He also serves on the Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development, appointed by Governor Bob McDonnell.

Tito is the epitome of public service already. That he will now explore his possibilities in an elected office only raises the level of his service to his fellow citizens.
Tito is forming an organization called TitoPAC and exploring a run for the legislature. "I came to America for a better life and more opportunities to succeed," he says in a statement to accompany his announcement, which is planned for Today. "While working with my Conservative Hispanic Coalition, Americans for Prosperity, FreedomWorks, and the Tea Party, it became clear to me that there are many others who agree that government very often is an impediment to achievement and success. Whether a natural born citizen or a legal immigrant, every Virginian and American deserves the same access I had: to be made in the United States of America."

Run, Tito, Run. The Commonwealth should welcome your offer to serve.

Crossposted at VV

Got Stinkbugs??

Photocredit to www.insectidentification.org

Rep. Frank Wolf (VA-10) will host a forum to discuss efforts under way to address the infestation of the brown marmorated stink bug and its impact on the local economy.
The forum is free and open to the public and is scheduled for 7 – 9 p.m. on Monday, April 18, in the auditorium of Woodgrove High School, located at 36811 Allder School Road in Purcellville.

A press release states “Though some may think of the stink bug as only an annoying household nuisance, I am well aware of the devastating impact that this invasive species is having on all crops,” Wolf said. “I encourage all local apple and grape growers, farmers and nursery owners to attend and participate in the discussion.”

It continues: Brown marmorated stink bugs feed on numerous fruits and vegetables such as apples, cherries and tomatoes. One study conducted in Georgia revealed a $27 million loss of crops in a single year due to the damage caused by the brown stink bug.

The forum will feature presentations from two leaders in the effort to attack this growing problem to the economy and food chain:

· Dr. Tracy Leskey, a research entomologist with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), will share data from a public-private working group she leads on the issue.

· Dr. Christopher Bergh, a Virginia Tech associate professor of entomology at the Alston H. Smith Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Winchester, will discuss his recent efforts to gain approval for use of an insecticide to assist with managing this problem.

After meeting with local farmers last year, Wolf joined a bipartisan group of House colleagues in asking officials at USDA to take immediate steps to limit damage to farmers and homeowners from the brown stink bug, which has no natural predator in the United States and has quickly spread to 33 states.

Wolf added "“We need a coordinated effort at all levels of government to respond to this growing problem. We are looking at both short- and long-term solutions, and I hope this forum will provide local growers and farmers with information for the upcoming growing season.”

More endorsements by BulletProof

Ralph Buona is running in the new district named AshDowne. He is a local businessman who has done work with the Chamber of Commerce and has a vision to bring real commercial business to Loudoun. Businesses that pay more in taxes, so you don't have to.



Rallying with Ralph is Geary Higgins, who's running for the Catoctin District. Geary is a friend, and he understands the rural nature of the District he's running for. Geary has restored two of our historic treasures and is a friend to the rural economy and farmland.



Matt Letourneau is also a great fellow that I'm surprised hadn't thrown his hat in sooner , a couple of years ago. He'll be running in the newly formed Dulles District- renamed for the former district that it split...and will work fine with Ralph and Geary in forming a Board that understands what people want, and not the current situation of democrats giving us what they think we need.

Changing horses..

As most know, I had a good chat with Mike Chapman at the Advance, and after some questions on his vision for the office, I endorsed him in that next couple of days. This was back in November of 2010. I'm one who likes to entrust my support to good folks, and as these months have passed, I've begun to feel like my trust was taken for granted. And the latest mailer "hit piece" produced by the Chapman campaign was the final straw.

Well, in light of those murky issues that have finally come to the surface, as well as others that are still buried, I'm changing my mind to match my heart.



I am effectively endorsing Verne Dickerson from this moment forward.
Verne and I are friends. We work together on Ethnic Outreach, and I admire his strong faith (although he probably shakes his head at my colorful language sometimes)and his steadfast plan to improve Loudoun while watching an ever-increasingly tighter pool of money to do it with.

Verne addressed the LCRC last night, but with the meeting running well past the norm, many left to go back to their homes before he spoke.
As of this AM (early), Verne has posted his remarks at his website.

I wish that I had gotten a scan of the card that was sent out across the county. It was very distasteful and inaccurate on a few points. It also, in my opinion, crossed a "clean campaign" line that all the candidates agreed to.

I will not serve any official position in Verne's campaign, because he and his fine staff are quite apt at that, but I will support and campaign with Verne for the Office of the Sheriff of Loudoun County. He's a natural.

For what it's worth, I met with Speakman, and spoke briefly with Davis. Of these men, I selected Dickerson. Davis will also have some powerful endorsements to follow, so stay tuned for those.

Crossposted at Virginia Virtucon.

The Death Knell for PATH?

This morning, the regional electric grid manager, PJM, issued a statement saying that they've ordered development of the PATH transmission line to halt.

(As a reminder, "PATH" is a multi-billion dollar proposal to build a 275-mile long 765-kV transmission line starting at the Amos coal plant in West Virginia, through West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland. In Virginia, it would have crossed through Frederick, the tip of Clarke, and Loudoun counties, and in that process, it would have given Virginia ZERO voltage) The whole process of the latest bid is covered here and here....

PJM cited the results of new tests that had been ordered by the Hearing Examiner assigned to the case by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC). These were probably prompted by this news.

The new tests required PJM to use the most current economic forecasts and Demand Response commitments, as well as incorporate potential new generation resources:

"Preliminary analysis reveals the expected reliability violations that necessitated PATH have moved several years into the future. Based on these latest results, the Board has decided to hold the PATH project in abeyance in its 2011 RTEP. The Board further directs the sponsoring Transmission Owners to suspend current development efforts on the PATH project..." ~Statement of Terry Boston, President and CEO, PJM

In the PATH case, the push for a better analysis was joined by the SCC staff, allies at Sierra Club, and countless citizen intervenors across three states. Hats off to the Virginia SCC for ordering the additional tests, and to everyone who has stayed involved, written a letter, passed a resolution, spoken at a public hearing or made a donation to support the Piedmont Environmental Council's work on energy and transmission.

Having been involved in a number of transmission line fights over the past 5 years, it's really gratifying to see something go the way it should, versus the way the utility wants. There is always the chance that PATH will reapply, but today is a very good day.

I'm very pleased that the actual numbers and facts are bearing out what I've said from the start. PATH has been , and continues to be, all about profit....yours and my property rights be damned.

Updated: In response to the announcement, PATH has dropped the application.

Congratulations, Mr Sparbanie.

My good friend, and Precinct Operations Chairman of the LCRC thru the tremendous 2010 election year, Tim Sparbanie has embarked in further service to his neighbors and friends as the latest member of the Lovettsville Town Council.

Congratulations, Tim.
Do us proud, and keep in touch!

Excellent thoughts on ethnic perceptions.

Glad I caught this one, on an otherwise very busy day where I might have missed it.

The author of this piece makes an excellent case for addressing the misperceptions about African Americans and which party truly serves their interest with more verified authenticity.

More LAME DUCK parting gifts...

Seems that Virginia's Senator is throwing in the towel after his particularly unpopular vote against Repeal of the travesty of Government administered healthcare.

In coverage of this breaking event, Virginia Virtucon adds the possibility of Tim Kaine filling the void for the Democrats. That'll be interesting as well. Kaine had allowed the amassing of almost $3BIL into the back halls and far corners of VDOT, while imposing further taxes to fleece the taxpayer for more.

Seeing a pattern here? Democrats pass something, obviously against the will of the People, and then facing overwhelming tides in re-election, they suddenly "decide" not to embarass themselves by adding a defeat to their already damaged reputations.
One has to wonder if that logic is from the top down, or the bottom up...as Stevens Miller, Susan Buckley, and Sally Kurtz have all stepped out of the upcoming Supervisor's races. One can further rationalize their votes for the travesty and land grab of the CBPO by relating that they won't have to run for the office afterwards.

In Miller's case, this may backfire, because he's indicated a desire for a higher office that will probably contain some of the same folks he tried to screw over at a county level....and one can suppose that he thinks that folks will just forget his abysmal record as a Supervisor.

Land Grab still in the works.

Amazingly, Some of the Supervisors STILL DON'T GET IT.
The American People saw a Congress full of blowhards and thugs who bribed, bargained and conducted business out of sight to deliver draconian and unconstitional law onto the People's backs. What came next was predictable.

Evidently, these turds seem to think that they are immune to that backdraft.
Here's a call to come out and do it again. Pressure needs to be applied to this issue. When and if they actually are stupid enough to pass it --- there will be MORE THAN ENOUGH help out there to get rid of them. There will be more than enough support to repeal this turd.
Expect another venue demanding that Laura Edmunds resigns or is canned.
I expect county employees to perform their dutues without bias, and definitely without lying to me.....since I'm paying their salaries.

Loudoun Environmental Council update
COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN OPPOSES “LAND GRAB” ORDINANCE:
Supervisor York’s Comments & LEC Efforts Shift Momentum Against the CBPO

Leesburg, Va. – At the February 1 Board of Supervisors’ (BoS) meeting Loudoun County staff member Laura Edmonds gave a lengthy presentation on the merits of the Chesapeake Bay Protection Ordinance (CBPO). BoS Chairman Scott York responded to her presentation by stating, “The Plan does not do anything to protect water (streams) or to clean the water going into them...All you are doing is taking a land grab...I’m not voting for the Plan.”

Loudoun Environmental Council (LEC) volunteers frequently encountered opinions similar to Mr. York’s while going door-to-door in three county supervisor districts educating property owners on the ordinance.

Chairman York conducted an online poll that asked constituents whether or not to proceed with the CBPO. As of February 1, over 70% of the respondents voted no. After carefully weighing the science and the economic impact of the ordinance, the Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Commission, Farm Bureau, wine industry, realtors, and nearly 90% of the homeowner association stakeholders now oppose it. Of the 50 homeowners who spoke on the subject at the BoS’s public input session on January 18, 84% voiced their strong opposition to the ordinance. Additionally, every single member of the public who spoke about the issue at the public input session on January 31 spoke against the ordinance.

LEC founder Roy Jacobsen adamantly stated, “The proposed ordinance has little or nothing to do with the Chesapeake Bay and will not work to clean our rivers and streams. It deprives the suburban homeowner, the farmer-- and even HOAs -- the use of their own land. It imposes unreasonable regulation, and worse, liability for actions the average person would not realize violated any law. The EPA and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) agree these proposed regulations are not necessary.”

Despite the evidence of public opposition, several supervisors insist on pressing forward with the CBPO. The LEC plans to step up its grassroots efforts to enable citizens to voice their own educated opinions on the issue. A petition opposing the CBPO can be accessed online at www.lecva.org.

Further debate and BoS action on the CBPO was put off until the next business meeting on Tuesday, February 15, 2011. Concerned citizens are welcome to attend and participate at a public input session on Monday evening, February 14, 2011.

Self-explanatory

30,000 scientists. 9,000 PhD's......

More State Autonomy...

"Going back a few years, do you remember the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors, aka, the NIETCs? These corridors made it possible for utilities to use federal eminent domain (or threaten to use it) for the siting of transmission lines."

Recently, the PEC won a 9th Circuit Court case against the Department of Energy designations -- and as of the first day of February, they're gone!
The 9th Circuit Court eliminates the corridor designations, ruling that DOE failed to conduct an environmental review as required by the National Environmental Policy Act and failed to consult with affected states. Included is a quote from the opinion:

"We determine that DOE failed to properly consult with the affected States in conducting the Congestion Study and failed to undertake any environmental study for its NIETC Designation as required by the National Environmental Protection Act (“NEPA”), 42 U.S.C. § 4332(C). We also determine that these failings were not harmless errors. Accordingly, we vacate the Congestion Study and NIETC designation and remand the cases to the DOE for further proceedings."

While this doesn't change things for those who are being impacted by the 500-kV TrAIL line, going forward, it takes away a major power company advantage, and could have a big impact on future transmission line proposals, including the 765-kV PATH line proposal currently under review.

This also signals a diversion from the liberals who support PEC, in that they have accepted a State Court protecting the autonomy of the State's right to protect it's citizens from the advances and over-reach of a Federal entity....in this case, the Department of Energy.

Stay tuned. This news, on top of already bad news is just another brick around PATH's proverbial neck.

Black History Month begins....

courtesy Wikipedia


February 1st begins Black History Month. For the first of what I hope are many installments, I want to focus on a man who did so much to elevate himself from his humble beginnings.
I admire Frederick Douglas. He was the original "grassroots" cultivator....having outright rejected John Brown's more violent actions for those actions that made a real difference in the end. It probably also saved Douglas from being present at the gallows where Brown was hung....and kept my forefather, Dr. Thomas Settle, from feeling for his pulse to declare him dead, as he did with John Brown.

No sir....Douglas took the higher ground, and worked within the system (and below it to the degree of running the underground railway)towards the freedom of all of his fellow blacks. He is the epitomy of dedication, and I respect his adherence to that task.

"I would unite with anybody to do the right thing, and nobody to do the wrong thing"

Here's a fellow blogger's post regarding this great fellow.

STEE-RIKE TWO !!!!!!!!

January 31, 2011 7:08 PM EST
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge in Florida ruled Monday that President Barack Obama's entire health care overhaul law is unconstitutional, placing even noncontroversial provisions under a cloud in a broad challenge that seems certain to be resolved only by the Supreme Court.

Unlike the previous Judge in Virginia, this ruling followed the same general reasoning as one last year from the federal judge in Virginia. But where the first judge's ruling would strike down the insurance requirement and leave the rest of the law in place, The Florida Judge took it much farther, invalidating provisions that range from Medicare discounts for seniors with high prescription costs to a change that allows adult children up to age 26 to remain on their parents' coverage...

Still, the particular issue remains the constitutionality of the law's core requirement that Americans carry health insurance, or face a high fine.

Judge Vinson wrote in a 78 page decision : "It is difficult to imagine that a nation which began, at least in part, as the result of opposition to a British mandate giving the East India Company a monopoly and imposing a nominal tax on all tea sold in America would have set out to create a government with the power to force people to buy tea in the first place," the judge wrote. "If Congress can penalize a passive individual for failing to engage in commerce, the enumeration of powers in the Constitution would have been in vain."

"In making his ruling, the judge has confirmed what many of us knew from the start: Obamacare is an unprecedented and unconstitutional infringement on the liberty of the American people," Florida Gov. Rick Scott said.

Other states that joined the lawsuit were: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Update: While most of the yellow press is reporting that this ain't an injunction...Riley delves into the matter and finds page 75 of the decision.
We don't need no steen-kin injunction.

Public Hearings on PATH this Wednesday & Thursday

Just a quick reminder that The State Corporation Commission will be in town this week to take public testimony on the PATH line. These hearings are your opportunity to tell the SCC how you feel about the proposed transmission line -- how it would impact you, your family, and the environment.

If you testified during the last PATH hearings in 2009 and you want your opinions considered in this case you must appear and testify again, either at one of these hearings, at a hearing in Richmond on April 25, 2011, or by filing your comments in writing.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011: The hearing will be held at the John Handley High School Auditorium, 425 Handley Boulevard, Winchester. It will begin at 2pm and reconvene at 7pm.

Thursday, February 3, 2011: The hearing will be held at Loudoun Valley High School, 340 North Maple Avenue, Purcellville. It will begin at 4pm and reconvene at 7pm. If you plan to testify you should show up early and sign up with the State Corporation Clerk. You will be sworn in and asked to give your name and address. If you have documents you want to give to the Hearing Examiner you will be allowed to do so during your testimony. If you are a respondent you cannot testify at these public hearings.

If you are not an official respondent in the PATH case, these hearings are your chance to testify to the impact of AEP and Allegheny's project.

The most damning introduction is going to be the actions of adjacent States (not favorable), the looming Dominion Project that costs so much less, and the largest single reason....Allegheny/PATH's predictions about power use. The usage is going down severely, due in large part to faulty predictions on PATH's part, as well as alternative power sources taking many homes off of the grid, and in many cases, feeding back into the grid.

Made up media stuff that gets repeated ad nauseum

Look at the graph. This is from the Office of Budget Management.....not some right wing blogger. (although I did have to borrow it from one.)
See the penciled information? That was Donnie Ferguson's notes. They are accurate, however, so disprove THAT, but don't flail at Mr. Ferguson for pointing out the obvious.



The first thing you notice is Clinton's term being in the "black". Good for him! I'll never complain about the work that he did to get it there. Or the Congress that made it happen.

The most important thing you need to notice is that starting in 2002, the amount started back into the "red". Hey! Isn't that immediately after the year that America was attacked and ramped up to bring those responsible to justice. Damned skippy it was.

Now, here's the tricky part. Look at the graph in 2002 and look directly over to 2007-8 and see that our deficit spending for the period from 2002 until early 2008 was eliminated.
Sure, it went up in the years between --- but it is exactly back to where it was in 2002 (after those attacks). So we exited 2007 with the deficit where it was in 2002.

Everyone would like it to be less, but what were we supposed to do after 9/11? Suck it up and lob a missile or two and call it good?? Sorry- but THAT can got kicked down the road, and we played the "paper tiger" for FAR too long, and I'd argue that it's realistically the reason for the attacks in the first place.

And then the real ugly truth begins in 2008, with the election of Democrats to the Senate and House majorities in 2008. Pay particular attention to 2008, because the democrat majority in Congress TRIPLED that 2007 figure in one year!

And the last point you notice is the HUGE multiplication of their own excess in 2009.
The dems TRIPLED their TRIPLE.

Now, who likes to bitch about Bush blowing the deficit out ??? Maybe they should abolish all access to the DOCUMENTED truth, so they can continue to feed us bullshit and keep us in the dark.

Joe May keeps the pressure on

Joe May is nipping at Dominion and PATH's heels again. And it's not a rat dog, either. I'd say, probably more akin to a german shepherd.


HB 2024

Electrical transmission lines; impact minimizations plans. Requires that applications to the State Corporation Commission for approval of an electrical transmission line of 138 kilovolts or more include an impact minimization plan. Such a plan provides for the minimization of the visual, environmental, and economic impacts of the transmission line on real property within or adjacent to the area within which the applicant proposes to locate the line. The plan is required to be consistent with standards established by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

This Bill will acomodate Dominion's planned upgrade out here (the plan that is stopping PATH right now) ...but would apply to Path, since their requested voltage is in excess of the 138 kilovolts particularly mentioned in the bill.
There's an upcoming public meeting in Lovettsville on the PATH application, so there'll be a post immediately prior to that meeting to finesse the better reasons that they need to be rejected.

On a similar segway, the following bills will work their way thru the General Assembly.

HJ542 / SJ 280 - Constitutional Amendment - Providing for the repeal of certain laws passed by the US Congress (LeMunyon/McDougle)

- Makes application to the United States Congress to call a Constitutional Convention for the purpose of proposing an amendment that permits the repeal of any federal law or regulation by the vote of two-thirds of the state legislatures.

HB 2052 / SB 1125 - Right To Vote By Secret Ballot In Union Elections (Hugo/Stosch) - Declares that in any election providing for the establishment of a labor organization to represent employees, the right of an individual employee to vote by secret ballot is a fundamental right that shall be guaranteed.

HJ 500 / SJ 280- Constitutional Amendment - Right to Work (Bell, Richard P./McDougle) - Provides that any agreement between an employer and a labor union that denies persons not members of such union or organization the right to work is against public policy and illegal.

HB1566 - Legislators Recorded Votes Online (LeMunyon) - Provides that all votes cast by members of the General Assembly shall be recorded on electronic information system (LIS) that is readily available to the public.

I urge you to contact your legislators and ask them to support these common sense proposals that will get government working better for you.

More Democrat Misconduct??

I'm SHOCKED, I tell ya!!

Being a State Senator means casting difficult votes, and then explaining those votes to your constituents. There should always be healthy debate on the issues of the day and Senators can take a stand...and defend it... one way or the other.

Recently a Democrat member of the Senate's Privileges and Elections Committee squashed that responsibility.

On Tuesday, Democrat Chairman Janet Howell told the committee that she intended to violate the rules and let a sub-committee kill some vital legislation — the Repeal Amendment, which would let 2/3 of states overturn bad laws like ObamaCare and Cap and Trade. Going further , she also intended to kill a measure that would protect our Right to Work laws by including them in the Virginia Constitution.

Her actions are against the Senate rules. When Republicans, lead by Senators Mark Obenshain and Steve Martin, objected to the Democrats breaking of the rules... Democrats did it again and shut down an effort to be sure that the bills got a fair hearing, as you can see in a video that Virginia Virtucon has provided in a thread here.

The Democrats don't really seem to mind that the whole thing is on Youtube, because they've been enboldened by their counterparts in the US Senate and the US House last year...who did essentially the same thing.

Are Virginia Democrats so cavalier as to purposely thwart the will of Virginia voters, and to pander openly to the SEIU and the Obama HealthCare fiasco right in front of an open camera??

Certainly looks like it. Election days have consequences...and it looks like Howell and company need a lesson in humility.

Update: Bloggers across Virginia react. Some Senators reply.
More blogger's opinions here, here and here.

As my good friend BVBL said of Chairman Howell: "Rules? We don't need no steenkin' rules"
Update II:The blogosphere has begun a call for her Chairmanship job.

Yet another amatuerish mistake...

I suppose everyone remembers the Fimian (scorched earth)Campaign... This bunch of paid bloggers, mean-spirited jackasses, and roll-over and obliterate-it-at-any-expense thugs.....single-handedly insured that a large majority of Herrity's people wouldn't lift a finger to help Fimian after he plowed on through. Fimian lost painfully to one of the most liberal Pelosi lapdogs, Gerry Connolly, in the 11th Congressional District. Given the climate that year, perhaps it should have been a cakewalk.

Fast forward to George Allen's announcement this week. Already, the blogs and facebook are awash with more rank amatuers doing the bidding of Marshall and Stewart.
Stewart actually steps it up and is quoted as saying "George Allen would be a terrible candidate"

Look, I like Stewart, but that's a wee bit over-the-top for a County Supervisor who's claim-to-flame is illegal immigration. And don't get me wrong, I support Corey on that important issue. But it's a one-trick pony, in comparison to some of the more solid work by Bob Marshall. More on him later.

Corey has some more deep-seated problems closer to home. His vote for a developer, in direct opposition to his promises beforehand, set off a major backlash inside Prince William County, and it even had repercussions out here in Loudoun (seeing as we had just seen this movie in 2003 - 2007.) And Corey wants to represent Loudoun, too??

Now, back to Bob Marshall. Bob is a Gentleman, there is no doubt. But some of his more ...er...enthusiastic followers are, to say the least, not as gentle as Bob.
Bob has championed a number of great causes. He led the revolt against the over-reaching travesty HB3202. He has championed pro- 2nd Amendment bills and defenses.
And so much more.

But , on the downside-- he's also advocated to differ from the USDOD on standards for "Don't ask, don't tell" (in spite of the fact that Virginia's National Guardsmen recieve 80% of their support from DOD, as well as some 90% of other funding....)
He couldn't get thru his first year in the State House without typing the word "abortion" on every bill put before him, and recently, he has advocated for a state currency, something that I always personally thought was a stiff brush against the Constitution that he so ridgidly upholds (his words, not mine).

So, generally, if it's to be anyone based on experience, it's George, or it's Bob.
If we review Bob's (sometimes) whacky productions, I'd prefer that he has the balance of the Republican contingent to counterweight him. Leaving George Allen as the logical and popular candidate to go forth on this quest to unseat Webb.
And as a friend points out...that may not even be necessary. We'll need to see whether this pans out, or not.
An interim appointment by McDonnell would give Allen the seat until he could campaign for it in the next election. And that,folks, is the making of a slam-dunk.

Long time coming....

We've reached a point where a couple of flies in the ointment have circled their wagons and reached a hypocritical mass. They're completely free to "imagine" what members of the LCRC must be thinking and conspiring....but when the same tactic is used against them, they don't like it much...and in the final straw that broke this camel's back to anything of redeeming quality on that blog -- Lloyd, usually a good guy with a really good objective on politics -- sided with his blog mates and thus signaled the end of any meaningful content coming from the bash-fest that Too Conservative has become.

This started the downward spiral back in the primary race for the 11th District, where Vince Harris used the full power and weight of his blog to badmouth a candidate who very well could have beat Gerry Connelly. It became Fimian Central...and alienated many of the worthwhile posters.

He was the launching point for one of my favorite bloggers today. Brian Schoeneman, who went on to form NOVACommonSense.com , an outright hit that has formed a group of the most pressing and substanative writers ever to be assembled on the Virginia net. I predict that that star is rising, even as TooConservative falls.

Novatownhall, which in the past has been a little rough on local folks who opposed the old guard at the LCRC, has even become a focused laserbeam on Constitutional discussions, including 2nd Amendment, Healthcare and illegal immigration do's and don'ts.

The content at all of these "other" blogs is policy and actual discussion on the merits of exact legislation, or the discussion of Constitutional and legislative issues in general. They, for the most part, refuse to attack specific candidates(unless an absolute occasion where that candidate/officeholder SPECIFICALLY violated voter trust, or procedure.)

For my own part, defending the LCRC against the rabid fabrications of two democrat operatives on that blog, I've mulled it over with a few good folks, and their very solid recommendation was "don't prop up the idiot any more." And with that, I have withdrawn the URL out of my computer, and added a couple more solid Virginia blogs to the cache.

As to content here, I think it's best that I begin to re-evaluate my own content and step up to the level of Brian and others. After all, if you want to run with the big boys...you've got to keep up. I will be advocating for several candidates here, but I'd like the main content to go towards policy and those who embrace those policy issues in their campaigns.

PATH circles the drain.....

It's more bad news for PATH.

In late December, PJM (the grid manager) released their demand forecast for 2011 through 2026. The forecast showed that efforts to cut back on electricity have been working. PJM now anticipates that the peak demand for this summer will be down by over three thousand megawatts from what it was projecting just last year at this time (for context, one megawatt can power approximately 1,000 homes).

Going out further, PJM projects that the load in the summer of 2014 will be over four thousand megawatts below what it had been projecting. In light of these changes PATH asked all three states to delay the hearings for six months. West Virginia reluctantly said yes, Maryland has not acted yet, but Virginia said "Not so fast."

In early January, the Virginia SCC refused to adopt the delay that PATH requested, and instead ordered PATH to run some new studies (incorporating the lower demand numbers) and pushed back the evidentiary hearing by less than a month.

The Hearing Examiner has also ordered that PJM show him and the Respondents whether less expensive projects, such as the rebuild of the Mt. Storm to Doubs line, or a series of fixes proposed by Dominion last spring, would solve the reliability problem cheaper than PATH's $2.1 billion dollar remedy.


So there's now a new schedule: The public hearings will still take place as planned on February 2nd and 3rd in Winchester and Lovettsville. The new PJM load flow studies must be filed by March 15, 2011. Respondents and SCC staff will file their testimony on April 18, 2011. On April 25, 2011, an additional public hearing will be held at the SCC in Richmond. PATH files its Rebuttal testimony on May 2, 2011. The evidentiary hearing for expert and respondent testimony will begin on May 16, 2011 at 9AM.

Hey Rocky, wanna see me pull a rabbit outta my nether region????

Lovettsville has a Food Co-op!!

Press Release, January 18, 2011

The Lovettsville Cooperative Market organization passed an important milestone this week when it elected its founding Board of Directors, whose members then voted for officers and signed Articles of Incorporation that are being filed this week with the State Corporation Commission. This makes the co-op a legally established cooperative business under Virginia’s Law on Corporations.

Board members and their positions include Pamela Baldwin (Chair), Warren Howell (Vice Chair), Tiffaney Carder (Secretary), Michelle McIntyre (Treasurer) and Katrina Clayton (Membership Campaign Chair). All except Howell are Lovettsville residents; Howell is from Purcellville.

Following completion of its governance structure, the Board held its first formal meeting -- open to all Co-op members, as will be its practice -- and considered whether or not to take possession of either of two currently-available locations in Lovettsville in an effort move forward quickly toward opening its grocery store. Benefitting from the advice of two visiting experts on start-up of grocery cooperatives last week, the Board ultimately decided to focus first on building a strong capital and membership base while awaiting the expected development of Lovettsville’s Town Square commercial center. Stalled by the economic downturn, that center’s developer is now in discussion with a few potentially key tenants, according to NVRetail, Town Square’s leasing agent.


Last week, the Co-op’s predecessor group of “pre-members” received visitors associated with the Food Co-op Initiative, a Minnesota-based non-profit supported by the Blooming Prairie Foundation, which offers technical advice and counsel to co-op start-ups like the Lovettsville group. NCI director Stuart Reid told the co-op pre-members after visiting Lovettsville and meeting with community leaders (including Mayor Elaine Walker) that the community has the most important attributes needed for successful operation of a cooperatively-owned grocery store -- favorable demographics and economics, a vibrant farming base in the surrounding area, evident community interest in healthy food, and an obviously enthusiastic and engaged founding organization. He cautioned, however, against rushing too quickly into opening a store, advising the fledgling co-op to take the time needed for building membership and capital and making business decisions carefully. “Many groups take as long as three to five years to get up and running,” Reid said.

That has been the experience of the Friendly City Food Co-op in Harrisonburg, VA, whose Board chairman, Ben Sandel, joined Reid in the Lovettsville meeting. From a small group of enthusiasts who first came together in 2006 to form a co-op, Friendly City has grown to over 1,100 owner-members and is preparing for the grand opening of a 4,000-square-foot store this spring. How did they do it? According to Sandel, “we got our foundational references [from expert advice], which built confidence and credibility; we got lots of people involved to spread the work, reduce burnout and just make it more fun; [we held] lots of community events to spread the word and get feedback and validation; and we plugged into the [nation-wide] co-op community.”

“These are lessons from which our group can benefit greatly,” Baldwin said. “We will take our time and build a strong foundation before we leap into an active retail operation. We want to get this right, so it can really benefit our community and gain from the participation of as many people as possible.” The Lovettsville Co-op’s immediate priority will be continuing outreach to the community, in order to establish a broad membership and capital base, strong links to local food producers and ongoing efforts to identify the right location for the market. For further information, please go to www.lovettsville-grocery.com

My personal take on this development:
I wish this effort all the success that the hard work that's been invested should bring it. My only caution is concerning overhead. The Lovettsville Square property was going for a demented $36 dollars per sq. ft. back in 2008. I truly hope the owners have realized the inappropriateness of this costly entrance, and scaled back to fit the economy of today.
Otherwise, this is a welcomed addition to the Lovettsville history of doing and building things within the Community. Congratulations to the Co-op!!

Ethnic empowerment is the name of the game

My friend over at CommonCents has an excellent post regarding changing the mindset of our friends who are African-Americans.
In this piece, he highlights a new book by Kevin Jackson , who has been called the black Glenn Beck.
Let's see how that plays out with liberals who will only prove that they would turn on black Americans in a second, if it wasn't for the substantial voting blocks that they represent. The same goes for all other ethnicities. If Asian-Americans or Latino-Americans started departing the democrats in droves, the liberals would immediately villify them in the next day.

I've taken on the responsibility of an all-out assault on democrats who exploit all of our American brothers and sisters who just happen to be born of the ethnicities that liberals take for granted. This is just one front of the heart-felt effort to reach out to ethnic voters of all races and creeds.
I have a vast array of friends and activists working with me on an all-out effort to show all ethnicities that they have a friend in the Republican Party...and that we are them. Let's work together for a better Party in the future. One that doesn't exploit your vote because of your color....but rather represents your conservative values without caring what your specific ethnic background is. You're all Americans, and you obviously love America. We embrace your contributions to America. We want you to be empowered. We do not want you to feel like a victim. Period.

I need assistance going forward in this endeavor. Do not hesitate to contact me and push this outreach forward to as many as will listen.

If you still think that the Conservatives are the hateful ones....

If you can watch this and then still rationalize that the hate is all conservatives...
You're obviously giving a bit more to the belief that liberalism is a mental disorder.



Enjoy it while it last. The left is already scrubbing YouTube, in an effort to hide all evidence.

Enjoy a little more history. This is one of the most vivid moments in history where we saw a precursor to what occurred last nite.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/001/830clrob.asp

It has been said that Liberalism is a mental disease

Now, I don't usually ascribe to such all-out descriptors as this, but recent developments on another blog have me re-thinking the argument.
Hey, when the proof is plopped right in your lap by a willing individual, and you ignore the obvious...isn't that the same as burying your head in the proverbial sand?

A few of you have, perhaps, noticed the quotes in my bio section down there. I absolutely will not back away from those quotes. But I do think some very real context should be added, so that we all don't end up as mind-numbed as one particularly silly individual did, when he got wound around the axle over what he "thought" those quotes represented.

Let me be clear. I support the SOAP Box first and foremost. Ample participation in public input hearings, active use of petitioning the Government with personal feedback, and participation in PAC contributions as a cog in a larger wheel.

Secondly, the BALLOT BOX in this country should be the single largest steering device that we as Americans can employ to change the heading of the ship, should we deem that heading to be incorrect. It is thru my work as the 72 HR Chairman for two consecutive election years in Loudoun that I have been given the opportunity to get voters out who made course corrections, and the State as a whole benefited from those last election results. Governor McDonnell immediately unearthed $3Billion that was stuffed under the seat cushions in the couch that belonged to VDOT. It continues to get better, now that the economic hawks are in charge in the Mansion down in Richmond. Few are able to argue effectively that this isn't the case.

The third entry is the JURY BOX, and in the only tangible part of his rant at the other site....he actually got this part right. It is the right and RESPONSIBILITY of the PEOPLE to challenge the outcome of the Legislature, if they indeed feel that it does not serve THE PEOPLE. I must strongly word this in a way that emphasizes the utmost clarity. I support LEGAL challenges by THE PEOPLE , if and when they feel that the legislature has made a mistake and did so without considering the PEOPLE's desires for their own lives.

The last box is, evidently, the most controversial of the four. It deserves a special explanation, and deserves dire events that must occur previously to trigger it's use. The issue probably parallels with the "deadly force" issue used and acknowledged by every LEGAL owner with the RESPONSIBILTY of owning a firearm.

Let's say that Congress gets together and decides that the Electoral College has not served the election desires of a certain Party or movement, and they pass legislation to end the Electoral provisions of the Constitution. They want to install a popular vote....or a monarchial system....whatever. We begin the process with that Soap Box, but it falls on deaf ears. We use the the Ballot Box, which having been partially killed, is not helpful in the least...or worse yet....invalidated by the elected who wish to maintain their power. We graduate to the Judicial Box , and once again....these elite are able to fight off any LEGAL attempt to return the Government of the People to THE PEOPLE.

Or a President makes a decree that he is going to forego any election of THE PEOPLE, and just hold office as long as he sees fit...all the while, citing some mystic and gray reason for doing so... IF Congress does nothing, and if the Judicial remedy is not sought out...and THE PEOPLE are not being represented ...

NOW. Is it the duty of Americans everywhere to protect the Constitution of these United States and restore the Country's time-honored tenets --found in the United States Constitution? It's the VERY reason for the 2nd Amendment....if you follow our forefather's reasoning. They, in their time, had seen power grabs, and they understood man's less than perfect government structures from as far back as Rome and beyond. They gave us inaliable rights, and concluded that the Government should never take those rights from us, THE PEOPLE. And then they laid out a proposal that would prevent the event of Government taking that right from THE PEOPLE.

So, when someone tries to slight me with sophomoric taunts about "not liking the outcome of an election"...or "being upset over the legal outcome of a contest"...they're bordering legal insanity...or they're as sane as you and I, but really have no concern of the rights of THE PEOPLE, because in their world, they KNOW WHAT's BEST for us....and they don't give a damn what you think about that.

Use the four boxes....but in that order. And let's all hope that , like the
"deadly force" issue, we never, ever, ever...have to use the fourth box. It's the health of the current Constitution that automatically negates the need for it's use as the last option on the table.

Maybe marijuana ain't all they smoke in Ca.

Cause this has to be some major CRACK COCAINE abuse....

At her final press conference as House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said, "Deficit reduction has been a high priority for us. It is our mantra, pay-as-you-go."

The numbers tell a different story.

When the Pelosi Democrats took control of Congress on January 4, 2007, the national debt stood at $8,670,596,242,973.04. The last day of the 111th Congress and Pelosi's Speakership on December 22, 2010 the national debt was $13,858,529,371,601.09 - a roughly $5.2 trillion increase in just four years. Furthermore, the year over year federal deficit has roughly quadrupled during Pelosi's four years as speaker, from $342 billion in fiscal year 2007 to an estimated $1.6 trillion at the end of fiscal year 2010.

Now, looking at the real clock ....that's $$ 13,945,365,600,435.52 at this typing.

Update: on a similar wavelength, Donny Ferguson has posted the graph of the damage here

On that graph, Donny has penciled in the exact point at which democrats took control of the House and Senate majorities....and the spending took off. What I found more interesting was immediately before that, there was a one-time spike under Bush on the deficit, followed by three years of a steady decline in the deficit....and it almost made it back to a nuetral point when the afore-mentioned democrat takeover occurred-- whereupon it spiked (2008)well past where the Republicans had put it in 2004...