Works for us
The Roanoke Times Sunday endorsed Democratic challenger Jim Webb in his quest to unseat Republican incumbent George Allen.
Said The Times in its editorial:
In Iraq and at home, America is on the wrong course, one mapped by the Bush administration and followed — in lockstep, eyes forward, no questions asked — by incumbent Republican Sen. George Allen.
Voters would be wise to select a better representative.
Don’t meet me in St. Louis
On the heels of the World Series championship of the St. Louis Cardinals comes bad news. The city was named the most dangerous in the country in the annual rankings by Morgan Quinto Press.
Reports The Associated Press:
A surge in violence made St. Louis the most dangerous city in the country, leading a trend of violent crimes rising much faster in the Midwest than in the rest of nation, according to an annual list.
Challenges for the Appalachian Trail
Sunday’s Roanoke Times features a distubring story about the challenges facing the Appalachian Trail, talking about encroaching civilization, pollution and other threats.
Writes John Cramer:
The Appalachian Trail runs beside the properties of the Cochrans and Wingates in the Catawba Valley, making the fabled footpath a part of their lives.
We’re remodeling
If you are a regular visitor to Blue Ridge Muse, you probably recognize some changes in the place. This comes as I attempt to move Muse away from the traditional blog and more into a feature, news and opinion site.
I’ve been banging around this place called the Internet since 1994, which makes me a dinosaur by web standards. Our political news web site, Capitol Hill Blue, stands today as the oldest such site on the ‘Net and I’ve launched a number of other sites over the years.
Winners
There is, of course, unbounded joy in Chateau Thompson today. The St. Louis Cardinals captured the World Series in five games with a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers Friday night in the Gateway City. Lifelong Cardinal fan Amy is still somewhere in the clouds.
Non-political?
Former Virginia governor Mark Warner brings Democratic Senatorial candidate Jim Webb to Floyd today for a “town meeting” at the Country Store — an event Warner’s handlers call “non-political.”
Let’s see: A former governor with Presidential aspirations (even though he’s pulled out of the race for 2008), a Senatorial candidate locked in a neck-and-neck run for a seat that could determine whether or not his party gains control of the Senate and a “non-political event.”
Which one of these does not mesh with the other two?
Sorry guys. My mama drowned the dumb ones.
Sorry about that, Stuart
The Roanoke Times, which likes to write about places like Floyd and Stuart as though they are foreign locales worthy of tourist attention, matched the two small Southwestern Virginia towns head-to-head in Saturday’s “Extra” section.
Cool
When someone asks how life is different in Floyd County, my wife often points to the annual meeting of the Citizens Telephone Cooperative.
“It’s the only place I’ve ever lived where the phone company invites you over for lunch once a year,” she says.
The annual meeting always ends with a chicken lunch. First, of course, we have to sit through the annual meeting and then the drawing for door prizes. I’ve never, ever, won a door prize — until today when they called out my number for a 137-piece Craftsman tool set.
Call it the Joy of Telephony.
Joy to the world
Happiness reigns in Chateau Thompson. The St. Louis Cardinals advanced last night to the World Series, which makes lifelong Cardinal fan Amy deliriously happy.
Amy was born in the St. Louis area and spent most of her young life there. For St. Louisans, rooting for the baseball Cards is a way of life.
Anybody got any Series tickets?
Good news, bad news
The good news is that Amy’s favorite baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals, is headed for the National League Championship Series after a 6-2 win over San Diego.
The bad news is that our favorite football team, the Washington Redskins, appears headed for another dismal season after a lackluster performance and loss to the New York Giants Sunday.