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Category: Virginia Page 22 of 34

Interview with Candidate Mark Ellmore (8th CD) – Part II

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On May 22, 2008

In Politics, Virginia

This is the second part of multi-part interview with Mark Ellmore, candidate in the GOP primary, where he’s facing Amit Singh (also interviewed at Blacknell.net). The winner of the June 10th primary will face long time incumbent Rep. Jim Moran (D) this fall.  Part I is here.  I apologize to my readers for the long delay in getting this done.   I think I’ve learned a lesson about committing to interview transcripts (instead of summaries).

MB (Mark Blacknell): So then taking that health care issue and turning it towards the General Election, and the public here in Arlington – what is the role of the Federal government in health care? That there is a problem is a point of universal agreement, I think, but how you solve it, well, that’s a different issue, no?

ME (Mark Ellmore): Yes.

MB: So we have this huge issue where the market doesn’t appear to have solved the issue . . .

ME: Right.

MB: We’ve got a semi-free market out there. A giant mess. So what’s the Federal government’s role in solving that?

ME: Well, I think we need to keep the Federal government’s role limited. I do not support Hillarycare or the plan Barack Obama would have. I do support the Republican version of the S-CHIP initiative. And people say “Oh, [Mark Ellmore] supports S-CHIP”

MB: S-CHIP didn’t work out so well for Republicans.

[more after the break]

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Raising Children?

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On May 21, 2008

In Politics, Virginia

So, the kids over at RaisingKaine.com are very very upset that Gov. Tim Kaine has endorsed Gerry Connolly over their preferred candidate, Leslie Byrne for the race to replace retiring Rep. Tom Davis (11th CD). They’re so upset that they’ve snatched down the site masthead – that read “Raising Kaine”, for years – and have replaced it with a black bar. While I’ve always thought it wasn’t terribly wise to hitch the identity of a community site to an individual politician (tho’ perhaps representative of the site’s approach to politics), this is just really – and amusingly – childish. Great job, guys.

DC Area Bike Map – Needs Your Input

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On May 20, 2008

In Cycling, DC, Virginia

This Google maps mashup, focusing on metro DC trails, bike facilities, and dangerous intersections (among many other things) was posted to a local listserv this morning. Its already garnered a good number of useful improvements and contributions. Maybe you can add your own? If you’ve got a Gmail (or other Google) account, it’s super easy. Just click and go.

Friday Notes: Bike to Work Edition

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On May 16, 2008

In Cycling, DC, Policy, Virginia

Today was National Bike to Work Day, and in DC we did it in the rain. The Rosslyn StopWABA set up a few meeting points around the metro area, and I stopped by the one in Rosslyn. For some reason, I bothered registering this year (I usually don’t, as I don’t need any more t-shirts), and ended up winning a nice $40 bike lock for my troubles. Turnout was what one might expect for a light-rain day: the usual hardcore group, weekend racers, and the brave friends that didn’t bail on them. A shame that it wasn’t a nicer day – I hope those that bailed will give it a crack next weekend. Really, there’s much to be said for the pleasure you get flying past the barely moving traffic on I-66 or Lee Highway.

~

Speaking of biking to work, the best of those that do are currently racing the sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia, one of the “Grand Tours” of pro racing. If you’re interested in following along, Cyclingfans.com is a resource without comparison for online video and audio feeds. You can take one of the video feeds (from, say, Norwegian television) and match up the Eurosport feed in whichever language you choose (I’ve switched between English and Spanish (it really is a good way to learn some new words and whatnot)). If you care enough to talk about it, jump over to the overhauled PodiumCafe (a completely new look, ajax-based commenting, etc.). The Giro stage coverage is generally run between 9 and 11am EDT, Sunday stages are available on Versus, and the race goes through June 1st. Give it a look.

~

There’s an interesting article on the efficacy and saftey of bike lanes over at the BikePortland site. I’m a vehicular cyclist – that is, I act like a car on the road – and thus am pretty sympathetic to the article that BikePortland is rather upset with. That said, I realize that not everyone is comfortable going wheel to wheel with multi-ton vehicles, and bike lanes help address that. Anyway, it’s an interesting discussion.

CA Supremes: Enough with the Second Class Citizenship

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On May 15, 2008

In Society, Virginia

Today the California Supreme Court determined that California law may not prevent marriage between two people simply because they are the same sex. From the opinion:

[R]etaining the designation of marriage exclusively for opposite sex couples and providing only a separate and distinct designation for same-sex couples may well have the effect of perpetuating a more general premise – now emphatically rejected by this state – that gay individuals and same-sex couples are in some respects “second-class citizens” who may, under the law, be treated differently from, and less favorably than, heterosexual individuals or opposite-sex couples[.]”

Forward we go.

Update: Lowell, at RaisingKaine, says “Hello, Virginia?” Which can only make me laugh.  Virginia’s got a long and well-earned position at the back of the pack when it comes to issues of basic human equality.  And Virginia’s Democrats have little to be proud of in this area.  The current Democratic governor, Tim Kaine, opposes gay marriage.  VA Sen. Creigh Deeds, declared Democratic candidate for governor, opposes gay marriage.  Far too many Virginia Democrats (and Virginians in general)  mumble something about  “folks just aren’t ready yet” and then overlook the naked bigotry of their political leaders.  It may be “Forward we go” for the country as a whole, but Virginia will drag its heels the whole way there.

Pointless Already: The VA Transportation Bill

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On May 13, 2008

In Policy, Politics, Virginia

It seems like it was just yesterday I was saying that I intended to do a better job of paying attention to the (Democratic) Virginia Governor Tim Kaine’s proposed transportation bill this time around. Wait, it was. And yet already the usual flat earth Republicans (who control the Virginia House) have declared that they intend to – once again – just stick their fingers in their ears and yell “nyah nyah nyah, can’t hear you!”, making any serious examination of the issue near pointless.

Short of Charleton Heston bringing a burning bush into the VA GOP caucus that instructs them to actually *do* something (and even then . . . ), it looks like Virginia’s Republicans are planning to simply sit and watch NoVA’s traffic strangle itself. There’s a lesson about a goose and a golden egg here, but these Republicans aren’t exactly the forward looking sort. (For real insight into the Virginia Republican mind on this, see Waldo’s helpful translation of Attorney General Bob McDonnell’s take on the bill.)

This is one of the reasons I’m not entirely kidding when I say that Northern Virginia would be better off on its own. As a result of Virginia’s Constitution, the localities in Northern Virginia can’t do anything without the permission of the rest of the state. Despite the fact that the most economically robust region in Virginia can afford to fix its own problems, it instead exists in virtual gridlock. The Republican politicians in the House reject any transportation solution involving taxes, thus burnishing their No New Taxes Ever credentials for the voters back home (places where “traffic” involves two cars approaching a one-lane bridge, it seems). These Republicans trade addressing a fundamental public need of the citizens of Northern Virginia for their own personal political advantage. And there’s nothing Northern Virginia can do about it.

There’s no Republican plan to do anything about transportation, and there won’t be, as long as they’ve got the power to block progress. So maybe it’s not the best idea to spend too much time picking through the details of a bill that, as necessary as it is, looks to be going nowhere.

Photo: Elephants holding up traffic (admittedly not in Virginia)

Arlington Neighborhood Day Photos

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On May 10, 2008

In Virginia

IMG_4191

I love this town.  More photos here.

Crystal Ride Photos

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On May 5, 2008

In Cycling, DC, Virginia

Saul Raisin raises a water bottle in salute to the members of the Armed Forces who have sustained traumatic brain injury in the course of their service.  Saul’s Rasin Hope Foundation is dedicated to traumatic brain injury research and support.

Photos from the U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic Crystal Ride (a charity ride benefiting the Raisin Hope Foundation) are up. You can see select shots here, and a raw stream of (generally) unedited photos here.

(I’m trying something new with the select shots, using a flash gallery I’ve exported straight from Lightroom. Not sure if I like it or not.)

Sebastian Haedo Wins U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic

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On May 4, 2008

In Cycling, DC, Virginia

Sebastian Haedo of Colavita-Sutter Home won the 2008 U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic in a sprint with the help of teammate (and 2007 winner) Kyle Wamsley. Alex Candelario of Kelly Benefit Strategies took third. The 150km circuit race saw a few breakaway attempts, but all were shut down quickly, with Symmetrics’ Andrew Randell earning the Most Aggressive rider jersey for an all-out flyer on the final lap, getting caught only in the last 400 or so meters. This was the first UCI rated (Cat 1.2) race in the DC area within (my) memory. Hit the jump for the race-winning sprint.

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Sunday: U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic in Crystal City

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On May 3, 2008

In Cycling, Virginia

If you’re in the area, and want to check out some pro racing, make some time to come down to Crystal City for the U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic (previously the Crystal City Classic). Pro race starts at 11:45a, and finishes somewhere around 2:30p. The course will take the riders around the U.S. Air Force Memorial and through Crystal City on a 12.5km circuit. Free. Details (including maps of course) here.

(If you were out there for the charity ride benefiting the Raisin Hope Foundation, and are looking for pictures, please check back soon. Thanks.)

Update: So, if you go to the race website, you’ll see a list of “media sponsors” on the right hand side. Washington Times, News Channel 8, Cyclingnews.com, etc. But if you search “U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic”, who comes up well before any of them? I do. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Update II: For pictures of the finishing sprint of the race, check here.

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