Happy December and Happy Hannukah to our Jewish friends. Today ushers in the first really cold weather. The big blast is supposed to last through the weekend. How is that Christmas shopping going? Are you all doing it on line or braving the elements and the masses?
@Cato the Elder
Indeed!!
Mr. Lafayette and I are “hittin’ the town” tonight. I’ll be sure to toast local politics tonight. 😉
Irony…is just the tip of the iceberg.
Moon, you are on a roll. I can’t stop laughing. I think family members are going to question my sanity laughing this hard. 🙂
Now, where’s Mom?
WestGate Giant sells a couple of brands of peppermint ice cream this time of year. They always have Edy’s with hard peppermint candy chunks in the ice cream. I make a mean ice cream pie with that ice cream.
Yes, Moon, the Credit Card Services – they come around every 8 months or so, and call you to try and get you a lower rate if you have debt. I believe they are some sort of scam, and they will not tell you their name. I harass the callers so that at least, if they have bothered me, I have cost them a few pennies. I play that I am hard of hearing, and ask them to repeat things often – it frustrates them to no end.
I’m not as nice as @Pat.Herve. I use one of these on telemarketers: http://www.amazon.com/Kwik-Goal-Blast-Air-Horn/dp/B000LHPNJA
That’s a really good idea!
@Mom and GR,
That wouldn’t work with these calls. It is a robo call. You have to push 1 or 9 to speak with a person. Well, I guess it could cause a little pain….
I want to know who these bastards are. I get 6-7 calls in one day.
Cuccinelli praises EPA for polluting homebuilder settlement
By Rosalind S. Helderman
It’s always a little notable when Virginia Attorney Gen. Ken Cuccinelli (R) praises the Environmental Protection Agency, given that he’s suing the EPA over its finding that greenhouse gases cause global warming and endanger human health and is generally a strong critic of the agency.
But praise the EPA Cuccinelli did on Friday, for reaching a settlement with national homebuilder Beazer Homes USA Inc. The company agreed to pay a $925,000 fine for clean water act violations in 21 states, including Virginia.
What goes unreported by the WAPO is that a quarter of the sites in VA were in PWC, all in Wally’s district. How have these violations gone unnoticed/unreported by county staff or the BOCS. Why is the first we’re hearing about it is after the consent agreement in Federal Court? Who will ultimately pay for any remediation or long term impacts? Way to go county staff, you and the BOCS have distinguished yourselves yet again. BTW, Elena, one of the sites was Market Center.
Forgot to mention that the Commonwealth got a measly ten grand for the eight violations in the state and as part of the consent agreement can not file suit for further damages.
Bloom also carries Edy’s Peppermint – the light variety is pretty good.
Elena, have you seen this Hanukkah song?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJCSR4MuhU
That is just totally cute, Firedancer.
Juturna, thanks for the tip.
That one’s pretty good too. Thanks for posting it, Firedancer!
@Lafayette Does it involve chocolate, too? Bring it on!
What a beautiful, neighborly celebration in Old Town last night. Wonderful music, and the Osbourn HS Marching Band did a fabulous job. And the snow flurry was the icing on the cake. Looking forward to the parade today and the OHS playoff game. GO EAGLES!!!!!!
@Emma
Yes, Ma’am!!! Use a chocolate crust, add softened ice cream, cover with melted chocolate and refreeze. It’s very simple. I sure wish we could exchange some homemade treats sometime.
Enjoy the parade. It’s pretty cold out there. I miss my grandma living on Tudor Lane, we always had a warm place to hide if it got too cold. The snow didn’t stop you last year, did it?
More on the brothel in the City of Manassas. The paper has updated the story. It seems as though the wife tipped off the police to the prostitution.
http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2010/dec/03/warrant-manassas-brothel-served-100-customers-mont-ar-693602/
@Laf, That doesn’t even make sense. Now he is out and will probably kill his wife.
In the WashPost today Colbert King’s column, headline “Palin vs. the GOP’s “blue bloods” ends with a quotation from H.L. Mencken:
“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
@punchak
Some would argue that’s already happened. Several times, in fact.
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans have blocked legislation allowing taxes to rise on upper income taxpayers on Jan. 1.
The vote Saturday was 53-36 – seven short of the 60 needed to advance the measure.
update from the WaPo.
Thanks bastards. Protect your own and your own worthless selves.
Screw the middle class to protect the rich Republican country club Congress and buddies.
Just what we need in a recession. 98% of Americans screwed to save 2%.
I feel hate brewing.
@Lafayette No, the snow didn’t stop us at all last year. Today’s parade was awesome, as usual. Moon has my permission to give you my email, if you’d like.
Will do, Emma.
Interesting story in NYT today that might explain why some modest sections of
PWC and the two cities got wacked by the deflated housing bubble more than
Fairfax and Loudoun — we had cheaper housing to begin with and it went up
percentage wise quicker and, sadly, fell quicker. The article notes lower end
housing is where “creative lending” was most active.
Imagine if you bought in 2002 the value of your home has gone up from that time,
but those who bought around 2007, at the height of the bubble, are still underwater.
@Moon-howler Thanks, Moon!
@Emma, the email is in the mail, as we speak.
You are more than welcome.
Big Dog, could be why we have always been considered the ‘bedroom community.’
I had a ball walking in the Richmond Parade today. Squidette rode the float and Mrs. Squid walked along. I, having experienced Mardi Gras, livened it up by getting the crowd to yell Merry Christmas! back at me. Had contests with each side of the street. Had yell Happy Hanukah. And Happy Kwanzaa. They appreciated it when I would yell, “Merry EVERYTHING!”
I succeeded in getting one entire side of the street, for a block, in sequence, to yell Merry Christmas!
I was tired yelling after that. So I would get the kids “on three, yell Merry Christmas for me….1….2…3!” My voice is about 2-3 octaves lower right now.
Since I was playing with the crowd, the float kept leaving me behind. Had to run a lot. Of course that was funny too…..anything for a laugh. There was a crowd of soldiers in uniform behind the crowd. I had my little section all turn around and shout, “Merry Christmas, Army!” I then shouted, “You should be nice to the soldiers, SINCE THEY WEREN’T SMART ENOUGH TO JOIN THE NAVY!” And then I ra….uh, walked quickly, to catch up with my float. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
And now I have to go shop for a Hannukah party. I think my wife is related to half of the Jews in Richmond. (I’m doing the family tree. She might be….) Both my in-laws had the same last name….BEFORE they were married.
Oh, and the float was advocating organ donation. So donate your Wurlitzer..what? Sorry, my wife just corrected me. You know what I mean. Can’t take it with you. Sign your card.
Me? I’m leaving my body to science…..fiction.
Both my in-laws had the same last name….BEFORE they were married.
And no. They were not related to each other. That’s West Virginia………yeah, I know. Cheap shot. But, whaddya gonna do?
@Cargosquid
The family marrying people with the same last name isn’t Jewish. That’s Virginia. (or WV, if you prfer) [she said, drooling on herself.] I have the same thing in my family about 3 generations back. My great grandparents were distant cousins. It is horribly creepy to tell other people. Lots of double cousins out there I guess.
It sounds like you had yourself quite a day there, Cargo. Did Squidette have a great day? Sounds like she gets double gifts. Do you sound like a frog?
You know. The whole not being able to marry within you family is government intervention run amok!!!
…sorry, I wanted to needle MH a bit on that one. 😉 MERRY CHRISTMAS MH!! *big grin*
Sounds like y’all had fun. I went to my neices’ birthday party and had a blast. Maybe too much as my brother was telling my wife stories about me when I was younger….never a good thing.
FWIW, I’m an organ donor and so is my wife. We’ve talked about it to make sure our wishes are clear in case either of us are incapacitated without hope. Maybe it’s selfish but I want to keep my eyes.
I’m so sorry to hear about the Osbourn loss 21-0 this afternoon. Congratulations to the Eagles on a great year. I hope my mom doesn’t cry when I break the news to her.
That is what I’ve been saying all along – and it had nothing to do with any immigration resolution. This always made perfect sense to me as the reason for the housing crisis being worse in PWC than many other places.
Ah, so you’re planning to have yourself frozen in the hopes of being brought back someday when there’s a cure for whatever did you in? !!
So sad–poor Eagles.
marin, I don’t think the govt. checks real closely who is marrying who. Back in the old days when everyone knew who was kin to everyone else, it was an issue.
Merry Christmas marin.
And in other news, USA loses out to Qatar for World Cup 2022. Who wants to bet that in two more years, Obama can lose the World Series and the Super Bowl to other nations? God, he’s sooo cool!
Slow — Your head must be so far up your own … oh, never mind. We’ve still got NASCAR.
Our loss of the WC to Qatar wasn’t about Obama. Qatar paid off FIFA and Obama’s appeal just went on deaf ears. I don’t blame Mr. Obama for Qatar out Chicago politickin’ us. Happens.
@Gainesville Resident
Actually, I’m planning on living forever……..or dying in the attempt.
Not a frog, just the first time I’ve spoken baritone. Usually I’m a tenor. Now, earlier, I was actually squeaking some words… I was so hoarse.
What kind of parade was this, Cargo? Should we try to import you next year for the Manassas Christmas Parade?
It was the Richmond Christmas Parade. A little 3 mile parade down Broad St. with bands, balloons, Shriners, Horses, and sponsored floats and Santa at the end.
The Richmond Christmas Parade sounds like the Greater Manassas Christmas Parade. I think it’s route is also three miles.
Note: Greater Manassas is an inclusive term that’s no longer used. I guess it comes from those vocal individuals including a councilman that like to think only those in the City Limits are allowed to have Manassas addresses or say they live in Manassas. That simply put is BS. Anyone want to defend that prejudice attitude toward Manassas residents in PW. Last time I checked the First and Second Battles of Manassas were in the county.
The Richmond Christmas Parade sounds like the Greater Manassas Christmas Parade. I think it’s route is also three miles.
Note: Greater Manassas is an inclusive term that’s no longer used. I guess it comes from those vocal individuals including a councilman that like to think only those in the City Limits are allowed to have Manassas addresses or say they live in Manassas. That simply put is BS. Anyone want to defend that prejudice attitude toward Manassas residents in PW. Last time I checked the First and Second Battles of Manassas were in the county.
Emma and Moon, many thanks ladies!!!
@Lafayette My program says “The 65th Annual Greater Manassas Christmas Parade.” So we’re still being inclusive!
The Parade and baseball groups are the only two I know that still use the term. I don’t think they’d change the name after 65 years. However, I’m sure there are a few that don’t see it that way.
I think the Manassas Parade is a little shorter than 3 miles. but it gets the job done.
Cargo, were you assigned to a float? What were you wearing? Is there a picture of you becoming a baritone?
“Greater Manassas” is a fine term and is understood to describe the City and the
surrounding area. My goal has always been to seek clarity – Manassas is an
independent city, but all of “Greater Manassas” isn’t in the city boundaries.
You may be part of “Greater Manassas” or “near Manassas”, but if you pay taxes
and vote in Prince William County then you are a Prince William County resident –
no matter if your postal address says “Manassas”. If that is the case, you live
in a great county but still, Prince William County and the City of Manassas are
separate jurisdictions. That is a simple fact.
Wonder if part of the confusion is that there so many local areas, all part of PWC,
that are general areas and not incorporated as jurisdictions. Dale City, for example,
isn’t a city or even a town. The same for Woodbridge, Lake Ridge, Nokesville, etc..
Big Dog,
I know that you and I along with other long time residents of the CoM and PW know the difference. I know that the local paper can’t understand the difference or the local media in general. I do understand your wanting the distinction made between the two jurisdictions, and I agree. Both places have their pro’s and con’s like another. However, I do feel very strongly that we are ONE community.
I do believe the confusion comes in to play with the fact that PW is home to two cities and three townships.
http://www.historicprincewilliam.org/supervisorspart1.html
Interesting perspective from almost fifty years ago.