McDonnell’s first 100 days: Trip-ups, but more triumphs

The one thing I’ll agree with is that it’s true McD hasn’t wasted any time during his first days in office. What he’s spent that time doing, however, and whether or not they can be deemed “triumphs” are an entirely different matter. If you’ve been reading the paper since the new governor took office (or at least reading this column) you can skip this propaganda from the Pilot. You know better than what’s reported in this article.

New HRT chief ending ‘unnecessary spending’

To think that 19 HRT employees were driving company cars is a little alarming. I mean, shouldn’t HRT be encouraging public transportation?

And when their former boss was forced out due to overruns, were these employees not thinking to themselves, ‘Um, maybe my driving this home and getting my gas paid for is contributing to the potential downfall of my company?’

“We’re spending the public’s money,” says HRT prez Philip Shucet in this article. “As a public agency, I need to see the benefit staring me in the face.”

Amen! Now if only we can get members of the House and Senate to drink what Shucet’s drinking. (I won’t hold my breath.)

Virginia Beach soldier who died in Iraq was ‘happy to serve’

That is, until he died. I’ll likely get a lot of shit for my response to this article, but I welcome it. I wholeheartedly believe that the greatest insult to a man who is willing to die defending our country when it is under threat is to send him on a mercenary mission to a place that hasn’t been a threat in several years.

“He planned on it being what he did with his life,” the soldier’s brother said. As in: he wanted to live doing this.

I understand that when someone goes into the military, they accept whatever degree of likelihood that they could die because of that job choice. Which is all the more reason why the rest of us need to treat that choice with the utmost respect–and speak up when we believe the people who make that choice are dying in unnecessary battles for unworthy causes. If we were talking about Iran or Afghanistan or North Korea, it’d be different. But for Chris Worrell to have died in a non-combat related incident in Iraq is immeasurably sad to me–particularly because there are more important battles we should be fighting.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Worrell’s family. It is because of their loss that I think it important to express my opinion that we ought to bring our troops out of Iraq.

Va. town council candidates advocate looser marijuana laws

Whodathunk this little town in The Sticks, VA could be so radical, man!

I loved this exchange between to commenters:

brucek55003: Something needs to be done! I live in a fairly nice neighborhood of Greenbrier, Chesapeake. The section I live in is about 3 blocks. There are at lease ten kids in the 3 blocks who are selling it on a regular basis. I have been trying for three years to get it stopped. The police only give it a passing fancy. A few individual busts have been made but all police efforts have half hearted attempts. Its not the kids but the dealers who are supplying the neighborhood that’s the big problem. They are scary. Trust me I have seen them. Legalize it or apply the laws. One way or the other.

self ed.opine: Get used to it . I’ve been smokin’ it in your neighborhood since 67.

I mean, that’s just comedy, folks.

Liquor permit in jeopardy over reports of strip acts at Va. Beach cafe

There’s no reason why Virginia doesn’t allow real strip clubs with real drinks. I mean, look what happens when you don’t: People start taking their clothes off at Virginia Beach cafes.

Actually, you can tell from Hartz Cafe’s myspace page, it’s not really a cafe. It’s a hip hop club. And as this Pilot article insinuates, people get shot at hip hop clubs. Better shut it down before a white girl gets kidnapped.