Mock orange.
Peach tree has few blooms this year as if the cold got to it. We noticed that on other flowering trees.
Jonquils, a spring favorite.
Don't know what these dainty little yellow flowers are called.
Blooming ornamental cherry tree ... the "ICHE" tree ... from our home school group in North Carolina.
Friday was breezy and 70 degrees ...
... while two days earlier a skiff of snow had covered everything.
Shenandoah Valley skies Friday afternoon....A new Virginia-based political action committee created to attack Republican gubernatorial nominee Robert F. McDonnell debuted today, unveiling its new Web site and accusing the state's former attorney general of "not accurately portraying himself."Bob McDonnell's campaign responded to the news:
"Bob McDonnell is talking about creating new jobs and bringing Virginians together," said J. Tucker Martin, the spokesman for McDonnell. "National Democrats are importing the politics of fear and division. The contrast is stunning."Sounds as if the Democrats plan to continue with the same old, same old ... except this year the winds of change are in the air. Americans are sick of slash-and-burn politics. Will there be a backlash against the Democrat candidates?
“Today there has already been much coverage of yesterday’s Reconvened Session in Richmond, and unfortunately that coverage has contained misinformation about a House of Delegates’ vote regarding unemployment insurance laws in Virginia.Cross-posted on SixtyFour81.com
“Governor Kaine had proposed permanently amending Virginia’s unemployment insurance laws in order to receive an additional $125 million in temporary federal funding- this in addition to $62 million already being extended to the Commonwealth for unemployment benefits. While this federal money may have seemed to be short-term, quick-fix, it would have been a job-killer, and when those federal funds ran out, Virginia would have been left holding the bill for another federal unfunded mandate.
“We are acutely aware of the challenges Virginians are facing -- challenges I have experienced first-hand through our small family business. This is exactly why the legislature worked together this past session to pass meaningful, comprehensive initiatives that will provide real benefits to Virginians. We extended unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 59 weeks of coverage. We passed legislation to establish a program that allows employees of small businesses to have better access to the federal health insurance premium assistance program. We extended tax credits to businesses that create new full-time jobs here in the Commonwealth. Additionally, we approved funding for economic development incentives to attract new businesses to Virginia, aide in workforce development and promote tourism.
“The economic challenges we face are real, and Virginians expect comprehensive solutions and a balanced, long-term approach to address these problems. A short-term check from the federal government is no substitute for real, pragmatic solutions that will create new jobs, stimulate economic growth, and get Virginians working again in long-term, full-time jobs that provide good pay and good benefits.”
Being a Wise Economic StewardGeorge Washington similarly warned:
Next week there will be thousands of TEA parties (Taxed Enough Already) across the nation.In a relatively short period of time, we have seen an explosive increase in government spending and national debt. Previous generations avoided these unhealthy practices, being guided by wise political leaders who understood the blessings of frugality and the dangers of debt.
For example, Alexander Hamilton -- America's first Secretary of the Treasury and also a signer of the Constitution -- wisely declared:
Allow a government to decline paying its debts and you overthrow all public morality -- you unhinge all the principles that preserve the limits of free constitutions.
Nothing can more affect national prosperity than a constant and systematic attention to extinguish the present debt and to avoid as much as possibly the incurring of any new debt.
Veto session!Del. Bell's campaign is underway for the November election.
On Wednesday, the General Assembly reconvened to consider Governor Kaine's vetoes and amendments.
The highest-profile proposal was Kaine's push to expand Virginia's Unemployment Compensation program. President Obama had offered Virginia a one-time incentive in the stimulus package, but Virginia could only receive these funds if we agreed to make permanent changes to Virginia's Unemployment Compensation program. As soon as the Federal dollars ran out, these permanent changes would force employers to pay higher taxes for each employee.
I voted against this expensive proposal, which was defeated by a 53-46 vote.
I believe that unemployed workers don't want a hand-out, they want a job. The last thing we should do is raise taxes that make it more expensive for small businesses to hire someone. Virginia's pro-business environment encourages employers to move here, and makes it easier for employers to keep or expand their workforce. Bringing our business climate closer to that of Michigan or Ohio would slow Virginia's recovery and make it harder for unemployed Virginians to find jobs.
As you might imagine, Governor Kaine's proposal was also opposed by almost every business group in Virginia, including local and state chambers of commerce and the NFIB (National Federation of Independent Businesses).
Governor Kaine took other actions, including vetoes to bills that would expand the death penalty to those who kill fire marshals, auxiliary police officers, and auxiliary deputy sheriffs. The House did vote to override this veto, but it was sustained in the Senate.
If you wish to look at the status of any bills, you can find them on the Assembly website.
There was a great letter to the editor this week from Cindy Burket. Click here to read her kind words!
With more than 1.8 million responses to a MSNBC poll, President Obama has earned a grade of "F" for his performance in office.That was not a Fox News Channel opinion poll ... that was MSNBC. Interesting....
He received a failing mark in an MSNBC unscientific online survey after having spent less than three months in the White House.
In its "Give President Obama a Grade" survey, MSNBC asked nearly 2 million respondents, "If you were grading Barack Obama on his performance as president, what would he get?"
The largest number of respondents – or 43 percent – gave Obama an "F."
"More energy equals more jobs for Virginia," Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling said. "That should be priority No. 1 for everybody across the commonwealth of Virginia."Read the article for more reasons why drilling offshore is a good thing for Virginia and America.
Saxman looks forward to debating the issues with Curren. The Republican incumbent said the economy is number one.In 2007 Chris Saxman won reelection over Democrat challenger Bruce Elder with 68.5% of the vote.
“I’m not going to place any type of job over another,” he said. “There are so many people out of work.”
Saxman said he has worked to protect the environment by supporting the upgrade of Virginia’s waste water treatment facilities and air quality.
“I’ve done a very good job for the 20th District and I hope the citizens of the 20th District will send me back to Richmond on their behalf,” he said.
Last year, a senior Central Intelligence Agency official, Tom Donohue, told a meeting of utility company representatives in New Orleans that a cyberattack had taken out power equipment in multiple regions outside the U.S. The outage was followed with extortion demands, he said.Government officials are working to plug security holes ... read the article here.
The U.S. electrical grid comprises three separate electric networks, covering the East, the West and Texas. Each includes many thousands of miles of transmission lines, power plants and substations. The flow of power is controlled by local utilities or regional transmission organizations. The growing reliance of utilities on Internet-based communication has increased the vulnerability of control systems to spies and hackers, according to government reports.
The sophistication of the U.S. intrusions -- which extend beyond electric to other key infrastructure systems -- suggests that China and Russia are mainly responsible, according to intelligence officials and cybersecurity specialists. While terrorist groups could develop the ability to penetrate U.S. infrastructure, they don't appear to have yet mounted attacks, these officials say.
... the feisty, super-organized home-schooling moms ...Heh. Got to herd those children ... crack those books ... administer those standardized tests ... taxi kids to ballet and Little League and gymnastics and soccer ... plan those meals ... order that curriculum....
The thing about fear is that you can see it. For an insight as to what the left today fears most, witness its attempted political assassination of Eric Cantor.So begins the Wall Street Journal's "Obama's attack machine" article from April 3.
The 45-year-old Virginia congressman came to Washington in 2001, and by last year had been unanimously elected Republican Whip, under Minority Leader John Boehner. In recent months, Mr. Cantor has helped unify the GOP against much of President Barack Obama's agenda, in particular his blowout $787 billion stimulus, and yesterday, his blowout $3.6 trillion budget.Eric Cantor is personable, popular, and probably most known to many voters for his annual "Republican Roundup" held annually at Innsbrook in western Henrico County where thousands gather on a fall afternoon to take in complimentary barbecue, entertainment, kids activities, and politicking by high-ranking Republican electeds.
He's also one of the GOP's up-and-coming talents. Along with Wisconsin's Paul Ryan, or California's Kevin McCarthy, he represents a new guard, one that's sworn off earmarks and brought the conversation back to fiscal responsibility and economic opportunity. They've focused on party outreach, and are popular with younger voters and independents. They are big fund-raisers, part of a drive to recruit and elect more reformers. And they are on the rise.
MSNBC's Keith Olbermann is so obsessed with Mr. Cantor, he can barely find time to be indignant about anything else. Talking Points Memo, Huffington Post, Think Progress and other leading liberal blogs are today all-anti-Cantor-all-the-time.Just watch the Virginia dem blogs and you will see their obsession with Eric Cantor. If they are that obsessed, he must be doing something right for conservative Republicans. Keep an eye on this rising star.
But the real ugly was unleashed a few weeks ago, when the goon squad set on Mr. Cantor's wife. An outfit called Working Families Win began running robocalls in five districts noting that Diana Cantor was a "top executive" at a bank that had received bailout funds -- the clear implication being that Mr. Cantor's vote for said bailout hinged on this fact. "In the middle of the AIG scandal, our congressman [fill in the blank] voted to make Virginia Republican, Eric Cantor, the conservative leader in Congress," it droned (incoherently and incorrectly), before demanding voters oppose the "Cantor Family Bank bailout."
At least when Chuck Schumer ran ads targeting Republicans for voting for a "bailout" that his own party brought to the floor -- and passed -- he kept his attacks on the members. And the last anyone looked, the AIG intervention was being overseen by the Obama administration, not the House minority whip. This may set a new political low, not the least because Mrs. Cantor in fact works at a subsidiary of the bank in question. Not to mention that Mr. Cantor led the initial GOP revolt against the "bailout."
Virginians need to know that Senator Mark Warner has decided that the democratic (small "d") process need not apply to you and your workplace.Be afraid ... be very afraid.
As we previously reported, Governor Tim Kaine (D) vetoed five pro-gun bills which passed with strong bi-partisan support in both the Senate and House (Senate Bill 1035, Senate Bill 877, Senate Bill 1528, House Bill 1851, and House Bill 2528). The General Assembly will meet on Wednesday, April 8 to consider overriding the Governor’s vetoes.
It is imperative that you contact your state legislators TODAY and respectfully request that they vote to override the Governor’s veto of the following bills:
SB1035 would permit a Right-to-Carry permit holder to carry concealed in a restaurant, provided he or she does not consume alcohol.
SB1035 was amended by the House, improving it by removing the requirement that Right-to-Carry permit holders notify the alcohol beverage manager when they carry concealed in their establishment.
After vetoing SB1035, Governor Kaine said, "Allowing concealed weapons into restaurants and bars that serve alcohol puts the public, the employees, and our public safety officers at risk. I take seriously the objections of law enforcement to this measure." However, last year the Governor signed a bill permitting Commonwealth Attorneys to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense in restaurants even while consuming alcohol.
It should be noted that SB1053 prohibited the consumption of alcohol while carrying concealed by licensed Right-to-Carry permit holders.
SB877 would allow "retired" law enforcement officers to carry concealed in a restaurant that serves alcoholic beverages. Unlike SB1035, this bill applies only to retired law enforcement officers.
HB1851 would exempt active duty military personnel or Virginia National Guardsmen from Virginia’s “one-gun-a-month” law on handgun purchases.
SB1528 would allow a safety course required for obtaining a concealed handgun permit, conducted by a state-certified or NRA-certified firearms instructor to be done electronically or online.
HB2528 would establish that no locality or entity may participate in a gun “buyback” program where individuals are given anything of value or money in exchange for surrendering a firearm to the locality unless the governing body first passes an ordinance authorizing the gun “buyback.” The legislation also requires that any locality holding gun "buybacks" sell the firearms to a federally licensed dealer “or be disposed of in any appropriate manner” if they could not be sold.
Read the Washington Times editorial regarding Governor Kaine’s vetoes.
Again, please contact your State Senator and Delegate TODAY and respectfully encourage them to support Virginia's law-abiding gun owners and override these anti-gun vetoes. Contact information can be found by clicking here.
Arapahoe RodeoLove that song ... to hear it played under the summer Colorado night sky is almost magical.
Lyrics and Music by Bill Aspinwall
© W. F. Aspinwall, 2005
Blue jeans and brook trout, five friends that checked out,
Born in a small town, wife says that I frown
Fish with my grandad, memories I had
Like Christmas eve snow
Dozens of cousins, my uncles and aunts ...
Arapahoe Rodeo.
Wheat fields and foothills, parents on white pills
Farmers and miners, small change in the diners
Summers in bare feet, parades came down Pearl Street
On the 4th of July
And up at the treeline, a buck and a doe ...
Arapahoe Rodeo
Up Coal Creek Canyon, we had a small cabin
No electric, no water, no phone
After all of these changes in my life
I still wish it was home.
Fording the stream beds with cowboys and pot heads
A pinto with white sox, Hendrix at Red Rocks
Hardly said one word, but I often wondered
How snakes wave goodbye
A snowman is melting, the creek starts to flow ...
Arapahoe Rodeo.
Open ArmsCongratulations to "A" and Randall for a job well done!
Lyrics and Music by Bill Aspinwall
© W. F. Aspinwall
(First Verse)
Taking the coffee cup down from the shelf
Making breakfast all by myself
There's too much space ... a half-empty bed
I'm holding onto dreams instead
Holding out for love with open arms.
He was a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village, where he worked in a carpenter's shop until he was thirty. Then for three years he was an itinerant preacher.Has our Governor lost his mind?Brian goes on at Bearing Drift to explain what the governor did to the bill ... a slap in the face to any law-abiding citizen who wants to exercise their right to speak out.
Gloucester citizens circulated petitions to recall members of their Board of Supervisors, and a judge responded by slapping the citizens with $80,000 of court costs for exercising their first amendment freedoms “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Judges in my lifetime are impossible. They read things into the Constitution that were never there, but ignore things that are written in plain English.
Tamara Dietrich of the Daily Press wrote an excellent column here, and she makes a great point.
Kaine omitted the part of the bill that protected anyone who signed or circulated the petition from “any costs associated with removal proceedings conducted pursuant to the petition, including attorney fees incurred by any other party or court cost.”
He omitted the point of the bill, one that passed both the House and the Senate unanimously.
Kaine actually added procedures where citizens could be nailed with giant legal bills, including paying for those they tried to boot from office.
"The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city, and a huge crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him, shouting, 'The Savior! God bless the King of Israel! Hail to God's Ambassador!' "
Jonquils and daffodils ... such cheerful flowers.
Flowering forsythia hedge is almost in full bloom.
Flowering plum blooms are popping out as the grass greens.
Morning downpours have given way to extremely high winds in the central Shenandoah Valley today causing electrical outages and runaway trash cans.A wind advisory has been issued for the entire viewing area until 8 p.m. Saturday. Wind gusts could be as high as 50 miles per hour Friday night. Gusts may get as high as 60 miles per hour Saturday, especially in higher elevations. Travel conditions could be dangerous, especially for high-profile vehicles.It's a blustery day ... hang onto your hats!
Clouds over Alleghany Mountains
Middle Fork of the Shenandoah Valley
Brief sun caused cloud shadows on Alleghany Mountains.
Dark clouds moved back in like squalls bringing heavy downpours to be followed by brief periods of sun.
Overlooking Blue Ridge Mountains from rainy parking lot of Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave.
Rt. 11 through Mt. Sidney on rainy morning.COURIC: He presented the Queen with a video iPod -- something she actually requested! -- loaded with classic show tunes like My Fair Lady and Camelot, also a songbook autographed by Richard Rodgers, the master himself. The moment that was really noticed was when Mrs. Obama, as you mentioned earlier, placed her arm around Queen Elizabeth!Rush added his commentary to the Couric clip:
SMITH: Mmmmumph!
COURIC: Touching, I guess initiating touching is a no, no.
SMITH: Yeah!
COURIC: But her majesty seemed to welcome Mrs. Obama's overture, so people here are just eating it up!
RUSH: Oh, yes, American royalty meets British royalty. So now Katie Couric says Queen Elizabeth asked for the iPod. She asked for it. Now, I heard -- and I don't know, but I heard -- that she already had an iPod. She asked Obama to bring her an iPod. What did he do, stop at the Duty Free Shop when he landed at Stansted and go in there and pick one up? No, obviously, because it was preloaded with stuff. It's another thing about an iPod. You give somebody an iPod so they can load their own stuff on it. The touchy-feely... This is one of the protocol things that people were worried about. Here is the audio of Obama's chat with the Queen. Now, what this is, is Obama and Prince Philip. They had this quiet exchange yesterday at Buckingham Palace.These media hypocrisies bother me. The Bushes could do nothing right in the eyes of the mainstream media ... but when Michelle Obama touches the Queen, a definite no-no, it's okay to Ms. Couric. If Mrs. Bush had done the same, the press would be talking about it for days claiming the Bushes must have been brought up in a barn and were horrible representatives of the U.S. for daring to break protocol and touch the Queen.
Firearms instructor Ron Herman can't seem to keep enough ammunition on hand for his monthly National Rifle Association pistol-training class.Online ammo stores that normally have huge supplies and never run out ... are out or running low. Hopefully, manufacturing will catch up with the demand.
An increase in demand for ammo and resulting shortages have caused the group for the first time to re-evaluate whether it will be able to hold the gun classes, he said.
"The ammo is being snapped up as soon as it comes in," the North Side resident said. "The potential for new gun laws has the Average Joe saying, 'I've got to get mine before the gun laws change and I can't get (ammunition).'
"It's kind of like that run on Elmo dolls. People are in a frenzy."
Bullets are running low throughout central Ohio as a nationwide ammunition shortage hits the area.
Who is responsible for raising and educating your children? When you decide one thing, but your child wants something else, who makes the final decision? Can the UN do it for you? What happens when UN treaties, U.S. laws, and your parental beliefs collide? Who wins? And why does it matter to us anyway?
Our guest is Dr. Michael Farris, Founder, former President, and now Chancellor and Professor of Government at Patrick Henry College. Dr. Farris is also President of Parental Rights.org and chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association which he founded in 1983 and that now includes over 80,000 families. He has been recognized by Education Week as one of the Top 100 Faces of Education in the 20th Century.
We’ll ask Dr. Farris why, as an educator and a parent, he is so concerned about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child that the U.S. may try to ratify later this year. How could it possibly affect us and our ability to raise our children as we choose? And if it is such a threat both to parents and to U.S. sovereignty, what can we do to ensure that it does not get ratified?
If you would like additional information on the UNCRC and Dr. Farris’s objections to it, click here. You can also ask Cong. Bob Goodlatte to join 72 other members of Congress in support of a Parental Rights Amendment that would help protect parental rights against treaties like the UNCRC.
* * * *
“Valley Faith in Action” airs at 8:00 p.m. on Friday and again at 8:30 p.m. Sunday on WAZT-TV, which is Comcast Cable Channel 14 in the Harrisonburg area (the channel may be different in your area). It will also air on Monday at 8:30 a.m., and Wednesday midnight. If you miss those, you can watch it later online.
Francis Chester at the Highland County Maple Festival March 21. He is pictured in the Cestari Farm booth in McDowell selling wool-related products.Unemployment in Waynesboro reached an 18-year high of 10.3 percent in February, while the rest of the region is at or above the state unemployment rate of seven percent. The percentage of jobless in the state is at the highest level since Feb. 1992. The U.S. jobless rate stands at 8.9 percent.
The last time Waynesboro’s unemployment rate was above 10 percent was in March 1991, when it reached 10.4 percent.
Staunton’s jobless rate in February was 7.8 percent, Augusta County 7.4 percent and Nelson County seven percent. More than 5,500 people in the four localities are unemployed.
