Obama Briefs Nation Tonight

As pressure mounts over the situation in Libya, President Obama will make a live television address tonight at 7:30 pm. A new CBS poll shows that just 50% of Americans agree with Obama’s handling of the Libya conflict, a number experts consider to be low.

Americans aren't quite Gaga over Libya.

Especially since this support is bipartisan, my real question is: how informed are the people getting polled? How many average Americans have bothered to read an article like Max Shapiro’s last week, explaining the No Fly Zone and its implications?

VCU Hoodie Sales Skyrocket

Upsetting #1 seed Kansas on Sunday, Virginia Commonwealth University won the Southwest Regional and is now headed to San Antonio for the Final Four. My Facebook newsfeed hasn’t been this congested since New Year’s Eve.

Save the Bay! Next Year.

Since 1997, the state has entered into over 50 agreements with Virginia localities and utility providers to offset the sizeable costs of upgrading water and sewer infrastructure. Though the money is already pledged, according to the Pilot, “the grant agreements specify that project reimbursements are only possible if enough funds are on hand.” This explains why the $108 million to fund these projects over the next year is conspicuously missing from the state’s proposed budget.

Doling Out Road Candy

If the current transportation budget is approved, Virginia Beach is set to reap about $360 million for transportation projects within the city. Overall, Hampton Roads could receive more than $600 million. By my reckoning that’s $353 per capita region wide, or $822 if you live in Virginia Beach. I bet the Beach Council sure is glad it footed the bill for the $50,000 offshore energy study McDonnell requested last year.

I know this is preaching to the choir, but the solution to traffic is not more lane miles of road. My priorities are simply in a different place than this administration’s, and most people in general. In as financially tight a year as this one, the eagerness to pad transportation funding is disconcerting – especially given what’s already been redlined from the budget (see above).

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Yes, those are snow flurries out your window. Try to think of this week as winter’s death rattle.

TCC Leads in Electronic Medical Records Training

I tell every twenty-something I can find: you can ride the medical gravy train for the next twenty, thirty, maybe even forty years. But, like all things, don’t overinvest: while there are projected employment shortfalls of 50,000 people within the industry, you’ll find other articles about the skyrocketing costs of healthcare and what the baby boom is about to do to our government coffers. No one knows how or when, but be ready when the tectonic plates under healthcare shift. They will shift.

In Park Place, Scrap to Art is Good Business

I enjoyed this little story for a host of reasons: one being that, since watching “Stand By Me” as a kid, I’ve been fascinated by junk yards.  Another is that it highlights another successful Park Place business.

I’ve also had this cooky notion that Hampton Roads could support what many progressive cities have, a “scrap exchange” where local, commercial scrap are minimally processed and sold at low cost for artistic and educational use. The closest location to us – literally called “The Scrap Exchange” – finds its home in Durham, NC. Despite a minimal website, in person this is one of the most unique retail environments I’ve ever seen.

The Free Economy Health Market

A new study from the American Medical Association demonstrates that two companies each dominate their respective portions of the health insurance landscape: WellPoint (parent to Anthem BCBS) 70% within preferred provider networks, and Optima Health, having a 58% share of HMO market.