177 replies to this topic

[rusthebuss]

Virginia Beach Is Tops When Searched On Yahoo

[mercuex]

Va. wineries among top tourism destinations

Quote

Travel + Leisure magazine has named Virginia as the country's top new wine destination, and one of the top five new wine destinations in the world.

In an article that appears in the magazine's July issue, wine editor Bruce Schoenfeld picks Virginia � along with regions in Italy, Spain, Chile and New Zealand � as top new destinations for travelers interested in wine and wineries.

[cpeakesqr]

Virginia's uranium potential got a mention in the Economist magazine...  you may need a subscription, but I thought I'd post it anyways.

LINK

[mlsimons]

varider, on Jun 9 2009, 08:30 PM, said:

Creigh Deeds won the Democratic Primary for Governor.. I really hope this guy gets elected over Republican Mcdonnell..

Yeah, all of the candidates were vocal for mass transit and rail infrastructure, but my eventually went to Moran because of his opposition to off-shore drilling and his vow to make Virginia 25% renewable energy by 2025. I'm not mad Deeds won, I just really hope he doesn't allow oil drilling off the coast. I'm in the water almost everyday!

[VA Skyline]

Just wondering if anyone has seen, tried to, or wanted to see a Photoshop of all of Virginia�s skylines together. I saw one a while back of another state and it looked awesome and very detailed.

[calwinston]

This is going to put a huge dent in Gov McDonnell's plan for transportation funding. Hope he has a plan B!

http://www2.timesdis...-152201/342611/

[calwinston]

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Gov. McDonnell doesn’t need to apologize

Re: [the story in the April 14 issue] “Chesterfield Democrats don’t accept apology from Gov. McDonnell,” our governor is not a governor of black people. He is the governor of all people in Virginia. And he is certainly not the butt of jokes, you wish! That would be [President] Obama.

You are the ones who want it both ways. You don’t want to be called colored people, but you haven’t changed the NAACP – National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. You feel “degraded” when you’re called Negroes, but you still have the National Negro College Fund. What’s up? So when can we expect these changes?

You are a minority population, so you are giving a minority opinion. We, the majority of the population, love our governor. And as far as we are concerned, he never owed anybody an apology. He never had a slave, and neither did I. And we thank our governor for the reinstatement of Confederate History Month. What we need is a resolution condemning Black History Month.

The slave thing – you need to get over it, Bill Brown, [chairman of the Chesterfield Democratic Committee]. Maybe you would rather live in Africa. Go over there and see what happens to you when you express your opinion or complain about a free, leaky roof. It’s called genocide.
Doris Thomas
Chesterfield

  

Sorry if this disturbs anybody but i had to post this! It was a op/ed piece in the April 14th paper.
Wow I thought we were past this already?

http://www.chesterfi..._apologize.html

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The Chesterfield Observer views its letters to the editor section as a public forum where readers can openly express their opinions on local issues. As an unbiased news source, this newspaper does not support or oppose views expressed by letter writers. Editor

[calwinston]

"Show your peanut pride! Vote Virginia."

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As Election Day approaches, Georgia's peanuts were edging out Virginia's as the nation's finest.No self-respecting Virginian peanut eater can let that stand.

The best-tasting peanut contest is sponsored by Congressional Quarterly and the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call in Washington. The contest ends Tuesday, the day of the Congressional Baseball Game, where high muckety-mucks in Washington will make their own choices for peanuty goodness.

You can vote on your own at www.cqrollcall.com/baseball.

http://hamptonroads....e-vote-virginia

[calwinston]

EPA imposes tougher standards for runoff in to Chespeake Bay!
http://www2.timesdis...AT02-ar-263104/

[calwinston]

'Virginia ends budget year with $220 million surplus'

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Virginia ended the fiscal year in June roughly $220 million in the black, a surplus that Gov. Bob McDonnell today heralded as an early symbol of his successful financial stewardship.

The turnaround stems largely from better than expected collections of certain individual and corporate taxes. Together, they account for more than 75 percent of the surplus.

Historically, both are among the more volatile state revenue sources, prone to fluctuate with the economy.

The surplus announcement isn’t entirely surprising; state officials have been hinting for a few months that a surplus seemed likely.

In a statement last month, McDonnell touted May revenues that outpaced projections even though the total taxes collected represented a slight decline.

Sorry to burst Gov Bob McDonnell and the Republicans hailing this but this was Gov Kaines budget which started last year in June and ended this year! The budget for this fiscal year was passed last year! How does Gov McDonnell have anything to do with it! He wasnt even in office until this year.

[calwinston]

'State surplus will go to bonus, schools, water, roads'

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The state finished the last fiscal year with a $220 million surplus, Gov. Bob McDonnell confirmed today, which means state workers will get a bonus in December.McDonnell told a news conference that the money will go to a $82 million, 3 percent one-time bonus for state employees, to local school divisions, to the Water Quality Improvement Fund and to the transportation trust fund.]

Should it be going back into the retirement fund they stole hundreds of millions out to balance the budget?

[VBIllini13]

calwinston, on 14 July 2010 - 10:41 AM, said:

'Virginia ends budget year with $220 million surplus'


Sorry to burst Gov Bob McDonnell and the Republicans hailing this but this was Gov Kaines budget which started last year in June and ended this year! The budget for this fiscal year was passed last year! How does Gov McDonnell have anything to do with it! He wasnt even in office until this year.

Yes, it was Kaine's budget, good job figuring that one out!  When you draw up a budget, you're not planning out something so if everything works as planned you have a surplus/deficit, you plan so neither occurs.  If you have a deficit you spent more than you earned (in income).  If you have a surplus you earned more than you spent.  The reason Governor McDonnell is credited with this surplus is because he cut unnecessary spending after taking office.  When Kaine left office, we were on track to have a deficit and the "genius" tried to offset this deficit by proposing such ingenious (sarcasm) programs as closing rest stops.  McDonnell attracted new businesses (not necessarily contributing to this surplus) through tax credits.  This surplus was achieved through fiscal responsibility and corporations and individuals actually paying their taxes.  This surplus was achieved through using principles of the private sector and good management of resources.   To be honest though, much of the surplus can be attributed to corporations and individuals simply paying their taxes.  This governor was able to achieve something our last governor couldn't: a surplus without a tax increase.  This governor has worked with both parties to close the shortfall.

However, this budget issue has very little to do with planning and shouldn't be even on the off-topic page.

[calwinston]

VBIllini13, on 14 July 2010 - 02:23 PM, said:

Yes, it was Kaine's budget, good job figuring that one out!  When you draw up a budget, you're not planning out something so if everything works as planned you have a surplus/deficit, you plan so neither occurs.  If you have a deficit you spent more than you earned (in income).  If you have a surplus you earned more than you spent.  The reason Governor McDonnell is credited with this surplus is because he cut unnecessary spending after taking office.  When Kaine left office, we were on track to have a deficit and the "genius" tried to offset this deficit by proposing such ingenious (sarcasm) programs as closing rest stops.  McDonnell attracted new businesses (not necessarily contributing to this surplus) through tax credits.  This surplus was achieved through fiscal responsibility and corporations and individuals actually paying their taxes.  This surplus was achieved through using principles of the private sector and good management of resources.   To be honest though, much of the surplus can be attributed to corporations and individuals simply paying their taxes.  This governor was able to achieve something our last governor couldn't: a surplus without a tax increase.  This governor has worked with both parties to close the shortfall.

I do know the difference between deficit/surplus it doesnt need to be explained to me! I agree the main reason for the surplus was businesses creating jobs and paying their bills on time. McDonnell does get credit for the jobs aspect in which i commend him for that! The borrowing money from the state retirement fund to balance the budget so we wouldnt have a tax increase is beyond me. I have a feeling the General Assembly will keep delaying the funds until McDonnell leaves office and the next governor will have to deal with paying the money back at a 7% interest rate!

Quote

However, this budget issue has very little to do with planning and shouldn't be even on the off-topic page.

Yes this budget and ever other budget of the Commonwealth has everything to do with planning from transportation to bringing jobs which create economic development, and the list goes on. If the state was in a financial crisis then developer in its right mind would not build in Virginia! Which any plans worth anything would go out the window!

[calwinston]

Virginia ranks fifth in the latest study of 'Richest States in America' behind Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Do you think Virginia's prominence of staying in the top 8 year after year in the study will lead to more development?
http://www.mainstree...st-millionaires

[calwinston]

Reading the Los Angeles Times website this morning and came upon this article in the Travel section about the annual pony swim in Chincoteague, VA! This is a must see if you have never been to it before!!

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In one tale of how the horses came to be on the island, the Spanish warship La Galga ran aground and broke up on rough seas in 1750 off Assateague Island, its human and equine survivors swimming to shore. (Jay Jones)

http://www.latimes.c...0,7639870.story

Edited by calwinston, 26 July 2010 - 04:06 PM.

[calwinston]

Virginia beaches are ranked 4th best in the country in water quality behind New hampshire, Delaware, and Oregon!
http://weblogs.daily...ank_4th_in.html
Virignia Report
http://www.nrdc.org/.../ttw/sumvir.pdf
National Overview
http://www.nrdc.org/...tw/overview.pdf

[calwinston]

Aerial Virgina

http://www.smithsoni...?episode=136457

Edited by calwinston, 29 July 2010 - 10:56 PM.

[rusthebuss]

Watched that the other day...it was a good show