Back in the News Again…Gary Condit

MoonHowler

AOL News:

Chandra Levy was a young California woman working as an intern in Washington.  She became a missing person in 2001.  Unfortunately for one congressman–Gary Condit, it became public knowledge that the 2 were having an affair.  Condit was married which complicated things. 

Condit was in the hot seat and a suspect in Chandra’s disappearance.  It appeared that he was almost rescued by 9/11.  The focus went off him.  More than a year after she went missing, her remains were discovered in Rock Creek Parkway.  The Levy family of Modesto, California hired their own investigators when DC investigations proved to  be inept. 

In 2009, Ingmar Guandique, a 29-year-old Salvadoran immigrant was charged with her murder.  Guandoque was apparently linked to her murder after he and other gang members ran on at the mouth.  Ingmar Guandique was in prison for other crimes when arrested for the murder of Chandra Levy.  Condit will testify at the trial. 

Condit was trounced in the primary that fall and is no longer a congressman. Had the Levy family not kept the pressure on, he might still be.  Condit is writing a book.  It will be interesting to see what he has done with himself. 

More on the story at the Washington Post.  There is a very heart-rending video from the Levys as well as a time line.  Meanwhile, the Levys go on each day without their daughter. 

Earlier coverage  of Chandra Levy by this blog.

 

Are the Good Old Days Really that Good?

MoonHowler

An icon from the past, more specifically, the 50’s,  has died.  Barbara Billingsley, better known as June Cleaver, mother of the Beaver, died at age 94.   Often people long for the good old days, the days before families had a car for every person, a TV in every room, ipods and ipads.  But were the good old days all that good and were they good for everyone? 

Were the good old days good for blacks, gays, women who wanted careers, girls who wanted to study math and science, and people who wanted to use birth control to limit the size of their families?  Were the good old days good for European Jews who had lost their entire families in the previous decade or those who were shut in behind the Iron Courtain?  Were things good for the kids who dived under their desks  during air raid drills, and  who lived in fear of being vaporized in a dust cloud if the wrong person pushed the button?  

Hind sight is always better than foresight.  Compared to the 40’s I guess the 50’s looked pretty good.

 When the pps opens, go to tabs:  VIEW/slideshow/start slideshow/from beginning

Powerpoint Presentation 1940s

 Sorry, this is the first time I have tried embedding a powerpoint presentation and it was most uncooperative.

Hopefully my calls in to Alanna to fix it will be heard.

 

 Jerry Mathers (The Beaver) speaks about Barbara Billingsly on the Today Show. 

Pinhead or Patriot? What’s all the drama over with O’Reilly?

MoonHowler

He won’t let us say ‘terrorist?’  Elizabeth H has gotten even more insipid and mindless since the last time I listened to her pablum.  Does she really believe that crap or is she just pretending to  be totally stupid? 

I have lost some respect for Barbara Walters.  She should not have commented about her colleagues.  They spoke for themselves.  Not sure she  wasn’t as out of line on all fronts as the other 2.

Whoopie and Joy walking out?  Who cares.  I don’t care one way or the other.  They came back. 

My problem is that they didn’t cut his mic about 3 minutes before that.  O’Reilly was everything I was taught about the MCP.  MCP = male chauvanist pig.  (expression from my youth)  O’Reilly disgraced himself long before he even got to the mosque. 

How dare he sit there and tell them to be quiet and listen so they would learn something!  What an arrogant ass.  “Listen to be because then you will learn.” 

 

 

KK Temptations Grand Opening on Saturday, October 16

MoonHowler

The long awaited grand opening of KK Temptations will happen this Saturday at noon.  Friends and lovers will be admitted at 11:00, by invitation–the general public at noon.

Kim and Kristina invite everyone to their store to see what all the fuss has been about. 

Hopefully, denizens of Manassas and Prince William County will put on their best manners and welcome these new shopkeepers to our community.

A new shop is always exciting and good for our economy.

 

Two Virginia Jews Talking: Eric and Jon

MoonHowler

And who might they be?  Why Rep. Eric Cantor and his buddy from William and Mary, Jon Stewart.  Both men are 47, both are graduates of William and Mary and both are Jews. 

Jon leans left and Eric Cantor is leaning even more right than he used to.  They discuss the upcoming election and the differences between Democrats and Republicans.  Rep. Cantor has a new book, Young Guns.  They even spend a little time there.   

Think there is common ground?  You will be surprised.   (The title is from Jon Stewart’s words, not mine.)

There are three videos.  1 was shown during the show and the remaining 2 after hours.  Totally fun and I think both men had fun.  Cantor is the Republican whip in the House of Representatives. 

Read More

The Sanctity of Marriage–Betrayed by some Conservatives

MoonHowler

I cannot push the image of Krystal Ball out of my mind.  I am not even sure I would vote for her.  I know nothing of her politics.  They don’t matter.  My melt down is over the way people who consider themselves conservatives have trashed and denigrated this young woman and, yes, her husband at the time.   Ms. Ball is someone’s wife, mother, daughter and sister. 

Krystal Ball owes no one any explanations.  She was with her own husband in the privacy of someone’s home.  Someone betrayed her and violated the sanctity of her marriage.  Couples should not have to explain their love life to others. 

What is it that makes some conservatives feel they can degrade her, make crude comments about her?  Where is their sense of outrage over someone violating the privacy of this couple?  Is it because Ms. Ball dared to go into politics?  Is it her youth?  Is it that she obviously has a lust for life?

I need conservative principles explained to me. No one here on this blog has been disrespectful.  But traveling around the blogosphere, observing that which has gone viral,  I see attack after attack from people who are obviously conservative.

Where does the sanctity of marriage kick in?  Help me understand.  Those pictures were not posted by Ms. Ball anywhere in public.  What is the difference in posting those pictures and being your common, every day Peeping Tom?  Don’t conservative values include guarding the privacy of married couples?  How about being respectful of people’s wives?   Don’t most conservatives believe in family values and wouldn’t those values guard the privacy of this couple?  How many people who made sexist comments voted for the Virginia Defense of Marriage Act?

 

Open Thread Friday, October 15

MoonHowler

Time for the weekend.  KK’s opens.  Stop by and welcome the ladies to the ‘hood if you are in the area.  I would hope that the City Council would stop by and speak, introduce themselves, as they would do any other store opening in the area. 

I think everyone will be greatly relieve once the store opens and we see that no one has cloven hooves, horns or a tail. 

 

Well, except for this young lady who is just in town for the weekend, getting ready for the big day in 2 weeks:

“Last Miner Out Hailed As Shift Boss Who Kept Group Alive”

Elena

It is impossible to watch the miraculous recovery of these miners and not be affected. 

The entire world watched, from North Korea, to Iran,  from East to West, we were all transfixed,  waiting, and hoping that the ending would be joyous.  And it was.   So many people worked together to bring these men back to the surface, out of their would be dark and dreary underground coffin. 

Their survival is a testament to the human spirit, to working together, to caring enough for our fellow human being, even though, they may be a complete stranger.

Can Waffen SS Be Called Valiant?

Elena

Here is a thought, if something you do requires hours upon hours of explanation, maybe don’t do it? 

Mr. Iott does not appear to be a bad person, I do not believe he is a Nazi wannabe.  However, his complete lack of sensitivity is astounding.  There is clearly a well established negative connotation of the SS and their complicity in the murder of babies, children, moms, dads,  and all the other innocents of the final solution.  As an American, I find it hard to understand WHY anyone would choose to openly admire ANY SS Nazi unless they had been a defector. 

Geez, even Eric Cantor and I agree on this one.   There is something about glorifying the “fight for freedom” from communism by the Nazi’s as a somewhat twisted reason to honor them.  Is it me?  Is communism actually that much worse than fascism?  Stalin was a mass murderer, but then again, so was Hitler.  Is what Hitlers Germany fought for a righteous fight?  Wasn’t Germany the aggressor and it’s ultimate goal total European domination? 

Here is a link to the wiking website.   Maybe I am being hyper sensitive, but there must be ways to re-enact the different sides of WWII without actually compliemnting them, aren’t there?

“European Volunteers,
Join to Fight Bolshevism!” Germany headed a stong movement in Europe to actively campaign (politically and through warfare) against the ideals of Bolshevist Communism. This culminated in 1941, when the German armed forces were pitted against the very home of Bolshevism, Soviet Russia. Nazi Germany had no problem in recruiting the multitudes of volunteers willing to lay down their lives to ensure a “New and Free Europe”, free of the threat of Communism. National Socialism was seen by many in Holland, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and other eastern European and Balkan countries as the protector of personal freedom and their very way of life, despite the true underlying totalitarian (and quite twisted, in most cases) nature of the movement. Regardless, thousands upon thousands of valiant men died defending their respective countries in the name of a better tomorrow. No matter how unsavory the Nazi government was, the front-line soldiers of the Waffen-SS (in particular the foreign volunteers) gave their lives for their loved ones and a basic desire to be free.
 

Here is a link to just one book that demonstrates the Waffen SS on the Eastern front were absolutely linked to atrocities and not just simply soldiers.

God in America– Nights 1 and 2

MoonHowler

PBS is running a great documentary series 6 hours long that investigates religion in the United states, from its very beginnings until, I assume, the present. So far the documentary, God in America,  is excellent. My favorite part so far has been religion during colonial times. The show also explain the split from the established church. I had no idea that Anglican Church was the official church of Colonial Virginia and that taxes supported it. Night one was full of information I had no idea about.  Much detail was given about Thomas Jefferson and the establishment clause. 

Night 2 part 1 mainly centered on Abraham Lincoln as a spiritual being. Ho hum. Night 2 part 2 was about Judaism in the United States. Fascinating. Lots of new material in that segment. There was a part 3, involving the Scopes Trial. I haven’t finished watching yet. More on that later. I need to think about that part. We haven’t even gotten close to finishing that debate that took place 85 years ago.

Tonight wraps up the series. In watching this show, I saw how we haven’t really evolved all that much as a nation. Religious ideas are still center stage in our political arena, much the way they have been throughout our history.

Who else is watching this series and do you find it worthwhile?

3 Constitutional Amendments on the Ballot Nov. 2

MoonHowler

Marinm was kind enough to send me this notice from Senator Mark Obenshain (has to be from Staunton).  We all need to give these items some thought.  I never understand amendments when I go in to the polls and get blindsided by them:

From Senator Obenshain:

Many voters will be surprised to see three Virginia Constitutional Amendments on the ballot when they vote in three weeks (or earlier if voting by absentee ballot). I write this to provide a quick overview of the three constitutional ballot questions you will see when you vote.

All three amendments address taxation and revenue issues, and all three have passed the General Assembly two consecutive years (with nearly unanimous votes), as is required by the Constitution of Virginia, and they now go before the voters for final approval.

The first ballot question reads as follows: “Shall Section 6 of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia be amended to authorize legislation that will permit localities to establish their own income or financial worth limitations for purposes of granting property tax relief for homeowners not less than 65 years of age or permanently disabled?”

Currently, localities are only authorized to make exemptions for those who bear an “extraordinary tax burden,” or with the express approval of the General Assembly, which occasionally passes legislation authorizing specific localities to afford local property tax relief to senior citizens or the disabled. This amendment, if approved, would allow local governments to make the decision on their own, without going to the General Assembly for approval.

The second ballot question asks: “Shall the Constitution be amended to require the General Assembly to provide real property tax exemption for the principal residence of a veteran, or his or her surviving spouse, if the veteran has a 100 percent service-connected, permanent, and total disability?”

If approved, this amendment would require a statewide exemption from local property taxes for the primary residence of any 100% disabled veteran, provided that the veteran’s disability is service-related. A surviving spouse could continue to claim the exemption so long as the same home remains his or her primary residence, and s/he does not remarry.

Finally, the third ballot question says: “Shall Section 8 of Article X of the constitution of Virginia be amended to increase the permissible size of the Revenue Stabilization Fund (also known as the “rainy day fund” from 10 percent to 15 percent of the Commonwealth’s average tax revenues derived from income and retail sales taxes for the preceding three fiscal years?”

In other words, should we expand the allowable size of Virginia’s “rainy day fund,” to which state government contributes in good years to provide resources for lean years? Currently, the maximum size of the Fund – which is almost empty at present – is 10% of the Commonwealth’s average annual tax revenues from income and sales taxes for the preceding three fiscal years; this amendment would up the maximum allowable amount to 15%.

MSNBC Left Behind

MoonHowler

Jon Stewart gives us his comparison between the three cable networks. It doesn’t end up very pretty. Actually his entire show was hilarious. Check it out at www.thedailyshow.com. He takes no prisoners. My favorite was his spoof on Mika and Joe Scarborough. Joe (Joey S) sure enjoyed saying ‘whore’ and Mika showed her usual prissy, distainful self. I can’t stand Mika so I laughed. Meanwhile:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
MSNBC Left Behind
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Rally to Restore Sanity

The Roads with NO Name to No Where: Welcome to Prince William County

MoonHowler

There is all sorts of local news, none of it quite worthy of its own thread.

PF Changs is coming to Woodbridge. It will be located in Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center. This is planned for the spring. Good job at attracting new business to PWC. Those of us in Manassas will most likely continue going to PF Changs at Fairfax Corner. It is a lot closer than going to Woodbridge. Actually all sorts of new stores are coming to Woodbridge.

We can’t get over there though. People on this side of the county can’t figure out the names of all those fancy new roads. For instance, when are you really on the Parkway? If you are out at the corner of Sudley Manor Drive and whatever that big road is right past the overpass, what do we call that road? Is it the Parkway or does it have another name? If you stay on that road, You might end up at Independent Hill. Hell, that isn’t the Parkway. The Parkway goes to Potomac Mills.

That tangled web of connected roads is a freaking mess. No one knows where they are. A friend of mine got slammed by an unlicensed driver and couldn’t tell the 911 operator where she was. She said the Parkway. Actually, she was on Dumfries Road. Whatever happened to the Kathleen Seefeldt Highway? Dumfries Road, THE Parkway. Enough!!! Name the sections of highway something we can all agree upon. I don’t care if they name one of the stretches the Corey Stewart Expressway, just name it something that is distinctly different from its other tentacles.

The piece of highway that is out near 66 needs its own name also. The Parkway just doesn’t cut it. Perhaps the Board of Supervisors really doesn’t travel about or attempt to put location into their GPS in PWC. (It won’t know either)

We have four sections of road that need their own names:
1. Route 66 to Dumfires Road. (Parkway West)
2. Dumfries Road in Manassas to Dumfries Road in Dumfries
3. Old Parkway from Davis Ford Crossing to Route 95 in Woodbridge
4. The highway that connects 1 & 3

BOCS, if you are reading, please! Name the roads after yourself. I don’t care. Just name them something so we can all start calling these roads the same thing. If we have a wreck or have a situation where someone must know where we are, give us a name or something that can be used to convey our location.