Fannie, Freddie making out alright... What about their bonus?...

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - "The chief executives for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac received $6 million annual compensation packages as the government mortgage giants try to attract and retain talent to help them support the U.S. housing market, according to regulatory filings Thursday."

Christmas 2009...

Greenpeace treatment...

Senator Jim Webb (D) of Virginia ~You still have time to do what is right for the citizens of Virginia and the United States....

Wahoo fishing in the Florida Keys...

Just got this video clip of some outstanding Wahoo fishing from the Captain I worked with when I was down in the Florida Keys aboard the SeaBoots boat out of Summerland Key...

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Here is a description of the fishing going on down in the Keys that Captain Jim Sharpe sent me while I was spending my free time digging out from the 24"+ snow storm up here in Virginia...

"Last week we had the best day of wahoo fishing I have ever seen. A neighbor came down to weight a wahoo he shot, 63 pounds. He told us there was a whole school of these big wahoo in 100 feet of water off American Shoal Light. The next day we decided to take a bus mans holiday and target the wahoo. We are field testers for Rapala/Williamson products so this was a good excuss. Wow what a wahoo day, wahooooooo! in three and one half hours we fought 18 wahoo and landed 9 from 40 to 65 pounds, we were hooking them six at a time. I have caught as many as 25 wahoo in one day but they are usually 8 to 12 pounds. These were monsters. We lost many fish at the boat due to their size. Luckily I brought along my new Sony high Definition commercial camera and videoed the catch. I have attached a short clip of the wahoo action I hope you enjoy it. A full version DVD is available $14.99 plus shipping and handling. I recently wrote an article for Rapala on their knifes. I know they have a fine knife selection I test them but I never new the details of how they get such high quality steel and sharp blades until my recent research into the matters. I have included the article for you to enjoy, it will appear in Sport fishing magazine shortly You are seeing it first. Please have a happy and safe holidays! Captain Jim Sharpe seaboots5@aol.com 800-238-1746 http://www.seaboots.com/"...

Video footage is aboard the SeaBoots Charter boat out of Summerland Key with Captain Jim Sharpe and can be found here: www.Seaboots.com

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Tall guy in Yellow shirt and wielding the gaff is Captain Mike Weinhofer who also owns and operates the light tackle boat Compass Rose based out of Key West...

More info and photos from the Compass Rose boat can be found here...

Taken to the "Woodshed"...

Timeless...

At 2:45 you can find the important "Change" that President Obama should be striving for...

Impact...

Last year I had the opportunity to visit a shooting range to practice with some very high speed ammunition in 223, 243, and 22-250 and see the results...

"Never embarass your electorate"...

It's not the electorates fault that they are overweight, obese, have coronary disease, smoke, drink, and do not exercise but continue to gather at the buffet line without regard as to what they are doing to themselves...

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We must provide them universal health care for it is their "Right"...
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It's not the electorates fault that they have a house mortgage that they can't afford and will never be able to pay off because they bought a house way out of their price range...

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It was the evil greedy bankers fault for giving them those mortgages and we must punish them for their evil deeds...

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No wonder those "elected" and now in Washington working to make it "fair" for those who voted them there refuse to look at and address the real reasons and cause of many problems we are facing...

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7.3 million private sector jobs lost but Fed workers doing "Just Fine"...

"Federal workers are enjoying an extraordinary boom time — in pay and hiring — during a recession that has cost 7.3 million jobs in the private sector."

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USA TODAY newspaper has an interesting article on how well the federal worker segment of our workforce is making out during this recession we all(?) face...

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"Federal employees making salaries of $100,000 or more jumped from 14% to 19% of civil servants during the recession's first 18 months — and that's before overtime pay and bonuses are counted."
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"When the recession started, the Transportation Department had only one person earning a salary of $170,000 or more. Eighteen months later, 1,690 employees had salaries above $170,000."

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"The growth in six-figure salaries has pushed the average federal worker's pay to $71,206, compared with $40,331 in the private sector."
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I just hope these guys have health care insurance, or do we have to help them with that also?...

"Climategate" Scientist issues...

The Roanoke Times has an interesting commentary piece by a local associate professor regarding the actions of many of the "Global Warming" scientist and their newly discovered manipulation of temperature data and computer models...

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The recently release of emails between some of the highly regarded and "trusted" scientist shows that there were efforts to change, alter, doctor, manipulate, temperature data and findings to advance the "fear tactic" of imminent global warming caused by man...

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The scientist in the Roanoke Times piece points out many aspects of the actions taken by these "Global Warming" scientist...

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* Scientists who have repeatedly refused to share data, models and analytic techniques, even under peer review requests and Freedom of Information law.

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* Scientists who would rather destroy their data than risk analysis of that data by someone outside their circle (recent reports indicate that they have destroyed original temperature records, retaining only the altered data).

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* Scientists who selectively screen data in order to produce politically desired results.

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* Scientists who propose coercion to remove journal editors who are willing to publish dissenting views.

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So how do we trust these guys anymore?...

Santa, Marines, Rhonda, and Chris comes to Craigsville as part of the Toys~4~Tots program...

Santa caught a ride with a couple Marines in dress blues and friends on a train coming into Craigsville to help promote and support the Toys~4~Tots program...

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Once again Chris from Spank that Donkey has done a great job in coordinating the local Toys~4~Tots program and this year there is video showing the train carrying Santa coming into Craigsville where there was an impressive crowd...

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Also included on this train were many other supporters including Rhonda Winfield, railroad support staff, and a brass band with a old friend Mark S.....

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Note the amount of toys donated at this stop by the crowd and their support of the Toys~4~Tots program...

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"It's not a tax increase if you return it to the prior rate"...What?!...

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I had heard this theory before but I had to run this example by my "Democrat" friend to see if it applied here also....

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It is being reported that Democratic Virginia Governor \ Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine is looking at cutting back or eliminating the Car-Tax relief all together to fill the $2.7 to $3.5 billion state revenue void...

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"One of the sacred cows in Virginia's budget, car tax relief for residents, is among the spending items outgoing Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and his team are analyzing as they look to plug a state revenue hole estimated to be anywhere from $2.7 billion to $3.5 billion."

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The first time I heard this "Democrat-theory" used was when many were saying that by allowing the Bush tax-cuts to expire it is not an actual tax increase but just allowing the tax rate to return to where it was before the tax-cut(?).....

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Somehow I feel that there will still be less money in my paycheck and a even higher amount going to the government via the tax "adjustment"...

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"An outright repeal of the car tax subsidy could save the state $1.9 billion over the upcoming two-year budget cycle and fill a large chunk of the projected revenue hole. But it would also place localities that rely on those funds in a tough spot and likely mean higher tax bills for vehicle owners."

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Fortunately House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith sees this for what it is...

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"House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, said any reduction to the car tax refund amounts to "a huge tax increase" that "hits the families of Virginia right in the eye."
Anything the state withholds, localities would be "entitled to bill" to their residents, he added."

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Governor-elect Bob McDonnell sets the "right" tone...

The NewsVirginian has an article describing the cost effective and cost cutting efforts already being made by Governor-elect Bob McDonnell in his transition into the Virginia Governors office and executive mansion...

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“They have taken a very frugal approach, saying they want to turn money back,” said Richard F. Sliwoski, director of the Department of General Services, which coordinates much of the transition work.

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Actions like this may be small in actual savings as compared to the total Virginia budget, but a attitude like this combined with sensible budget projections and cost effective programs is what we need to get our State government back to where it should be...

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“And that applies to the transition period just the same as it does to his time in office,” Martin said. “While the potential savings identified are proportionately small in the context of the overall state budget, they are symbolically important when it comes to setting a tone for how government must operate in these tough fiscal times.”

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RPV Advance ~2009~ and a 7-eleven with SCUBA access!!...

Had the opportunity to attend the breakfast session today of the RPV Advance being held in Williamsburg, VA. before coming back over the mountain to find five inches of SNOW in the Shenandoah Valley...

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While driving to Williamsburg this morning I had a chance to listen to "The Speech" by Ronald Reagan that he did back in 1964...

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For those of you who know this speech you know that many parts of it applies to the situation we are in once again and understand why many say this is the speech that launched Ronald Reagan's political career...

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"They knew that governments don't control things. A government can't control the economy without controlling people. And they know when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. They also knew, those Founding Fathers, that outside of its legitimate functions, government does nothing as well or as economically as the private sector of the economy."...

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Another interesting aspect of this speech is how closely it resembles the conservative beliefs of the then 2009 Republican Candidates and now elected Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and Delegates that "Sweep-ed" Richmond and the Shenandoah Valley...

The voters of Virginia were obviously seeking proven conservative beliefs and principles during this past election and that is why Virginia is RED once again...

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"The Speech is available here and is well worth listening to it again...

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After the breakfast I took a ride down to Norfolk to check out the surf and found the "Ultimate 7-Eleven" along the beach with SCUBA access just 15 feet behind the building!

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Incredibly the bulkhead is just 15 feet behind the building and easy access could be made with a "Giant Stride" or "Jersey Roll" during high tide...

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Walk out to the beach found a good 20-25kt wind out of the Northeast, less than 6 inches of Vis,
3 to 4 foot breakers on the beach, and cold water temp...

Typical Jersey diving conditions...

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Hard to see in this photo but there was much apparent damage to the fishing pier on the horizon looking South...
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Times have gotten rough...

A seagull in Point pleasant Beach, NJ has developed the habit of stealing Doritos from a neighborhood convenience store.

The seagull waits until the manager isn't looking, and then walks into the store and grabs a snack-size bag of cheese Doritos.

Once outside, the bag gets ripped open and shared by other birds.

The seagull's shoplifting started early this month when he first swooped into the store in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ, and helped himself to a bag of Doritos. Since then, he's become a regular. He always takes the same type of chips.

The manager thinks it's great because people are coming to watch the feathered thief make the daily grab and run, and that's good for business, and especially since customers have begun paying for the seagull's stolen bags of Doritos because they think it's so funny.

However, the manager did say, 'This is New Jersey , and if that seagull starts to grab a 6-pack of 'Bud' to go along with the Doritos, I may have to put a stop to it.'

End of the sign season ~2009~...

Today brought the end of the ~2009~ Sign Campaign season with the removal of the GOP campaign signs from "The Barn" just South of Harrisonburg on route 81...

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Great location and always had motorist blaring their horns when we were there adding or moving campaign signs during the season. We were once asked how many people went by that barn and here is the best estimate I could find...

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From the VDOT website it is reported that on average 44,000 vehicles travel along route 81 at this location with "The Barn" being visible from both directions of traffic. Campaign signs for McDonnell \ Bolling \ Cuccinelli went up on July 10th until November 25th for a total of 138 days...

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44,000 avg. vehicles each day, 138 days, exposure to 6,072,000 vehicles...

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David... Great location, well run campaigns, impressive Candidates,

OUTSTANDING Results !!!

Now that was fun...

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"Money for Nothing?"....

YankeePhil had an interesting take on the $300 million that Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) now has for her state after coming up with her much needed vote this week on the health care bill, but it appears this Democratic Senator is not the only one getting a nice payoff for her efforts...

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Donald Lambro has a outstanding article in the Washington Times regarding the $787 BILLION spending package that has also come out of the Obama administration and where that money is being found...

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This article shows that Senator Mary Landrieu's (D-LA) Louisiana is getting more than the $300 Million that she just got for holding out on her vote until the last moment...

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"In Louisiana, for example, the administration's Recovery.org Web site shows that nearly $5 million went to the state's 8th Congressional District, $2.8 million was spent in the 22nd District, $1.8 million in the 32nd District, and other monies spent in the 26th, 45th, 14th, 32nd and, inexplicably the 00 district. But Louisiana only has seven congressional districts."

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Next time you see that AARP commercial who now supports the President's Health care package, think of how they did not support this package in the beginning but do now...

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"Powerful Washington special interests who pocketed big checks from the stimulus bill included the AARP, which reaped $18.2 million, and then endorsed the president's health care plan. The National Council of La Raza, an immigrant rights advocacy group, got $156,620; a fund for the Service Employees International Union, one of the president's biggest union backers, got $265,136; the liberal Urban Institute received $1.443 million; and National Public Radio got $50,000."

Beach Damage ~Mantaloking Beach NJ~ 2009

Photos came in today from the Rescue Scuba Dive team up in New Jersey of the damage from the recent storm that went up the coast this weekend...

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Additional photos and Team website at Point Pleasant Rescue Dive Team...

National Review: Bob McDonnell...

Just got my copy of this month's National Review and there is a great article on Bob McDonnell and "What Won Virginia" that is well worth the read...

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Its on page 16 of the November 23 issue and if you dont have it you need to get this and read it...

If you are looking to keep up with that debt...

www.bigredcalculator.com

Homebuyer Fraud?...

The numbers are starting to come in from the recent "Government assistance" program where "eligible" first-time home buyers were able to get $8,000 credit that also could be turned into a check from the IRS...

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The problem being that there is always abuse to government programs like this and this program is no different. Kevin Hassett over at Bloomberg.com has some interesting information and data that shows how yet another government program is being abused and how this form of "Stimulus" will cost the honest taxpayer in the end...

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"At issue was a credit for first-time homebuyers enacted in 2008 and significantly expanded in this year’s plan to jumpstart the economy. It gives a refund from Uncle Sam of 10 percent of the purchase price of a home, up to $8,000. The credit is refundable, so individuals who owed no tax at all could receive a tidy $8,000 check from the Internal Revenue Service."

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One of the problems being that nobody was checking to see if the "first time buyers" were actually first time and if they were eligible for this program.

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"That’s right: Congress passed a law that made it possible to have the IRS mail you a check for $8,000 if you claimed you were a first-time homebuyer. That’s all you had to do -- assert that you deserved the credit. The IRS didn’t require you to provide proof that your claim was genuine before your check was put in the mail. Sound like a recipe for fraud?"

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How easy was it to make a claim for credit?

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"Did you forget to buy a house before claiming the credit? Not a problem. “We identified more than 19,300 electronically filed 2008 tax returns on which taxpayers claimed the First-Time Homebuyer Credit for a home which had not yet been purchased,” reported J. Russell George, the U.S. Treasury inspector general for tax administration, who testified about his department’s investigation."

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Maybe this was just a paperwork mistake? These people did not have the chance to close on the house yet but wanted to start the claim procedure right away? People would not take advantage of another government "hand-out" program and abuse the honest taxpayer would they?

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"Were you unable to purchase a home because you haven’t finished preschool and don’t know how to read the forms? Not a problem. George cited the “more than 580 taxpayers younger than 18 years of age who claimed almost $4 million in First-Time Homebuyer Credits. The youngest taxpayers receiving the credit were 4-years-old.”...

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Remember those $2,500 debit cards the government was handing out without keeping track of who was eligible or how many times they took in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina?...

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You really want these guys running your healthcare program and taxing you to make it "fair" for everybody?...

So why are we paying this guy?!?!.....

So why are we paying this Guy?

Virginia Governor and DNC Chief Tim Kaine is off in Little Rock Ark. at a $250 a plate DNC fundraiser while his home state, Virginia, is experiencing flooding in many areas.

At least he was closer to the Commonwealth of Virginia when he declared a "State of Emergency" for Tim Kaine was in Memphis Tenn when he did that...

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It seems the Democratic Governor of Virginia feels it more important to be off in Arkansas hosting the $250 plate fundraiser instead of dealing with stated emergencies in the state that he represents...

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So why are we paying this guy?...

155,000 in Virginia without power...

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Norfolk flooded with 8 inches of rain...

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Flooding closes bridges in Virginia...

"Yo, Vinny"....

JMU vs. Maine...

Had the opportunity to take in a JMU football game today at the Bridgeforth stadium in Harrisonburg. Good game and well worth the effort...

The Army Knights parachuted in before the game...

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VIRGINIA... "Do You Feel Like We Do?"...

During the recent Democratic Party Candidate's campaign for Governor here in Virginia, a local newspaper reported that Creigh Deeds was using "Twitter" to keep in touch with his loyal followers and staff...

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He even went as far as "Tweeting" that he was on a Bruce Springsteen marathon and had been listening to "The Boss" all day...

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Well, Creigh...

Here is a Frampton classic that I believe the voters of Virginia answered on election day....

Some of the Volunteers who made it happen in Staunton~Augusta~Waynesboro...S.A.W

Just some of the many GOP volunteers who made it happen in the Valley and S.A.W.

Staunton~Augusta~Waynesboro

Beverly Manor Supervisor Jeremy Shifflett working the polls near the Stuarts Draft Middle School...

South River district Chairwoman Gloria Stump, Kim Wiseman, Delegate Dickie Bell, and Anne Bell at the Stuarts Draft Rescue Squad building...

Theresa Hunt at Sherando...

Victory Celebration in Verona...

Staunton GOP Chairwoman Anne Fitzgerald working the results...

Delegates and hosts Dickie Bell and Steve Landes...

Delegate Steve Landes Campaign Manager Savanna Rutherford compiling the results...

Delegate Dickie Bell (20th) with the College Republicans that came up from Georgia and South Carolina to make the calls, go door-to-door, and practice the fine art of G.O.P. "Get Out the VOTE"!!!

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Outstanding job and part of the bright future of the G.O.P.

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"Thank-You" Virginia for making Obama see RED!!!

Bob McDonnell.....59%

Bill Bolling.....56%

Ken Cuccinelli.....58%

Steve Landes.....73%

Ben Cline.....71%

Dickie Bell.....71%

Matt Lohr.....73%

Tod Gilbert.....69%

Stop at the carwash...

Around 3pm I got a call from the local campaigns requesting that I get some large 4x8 signs over to the local hotel before the polls closed for the Victory celebration...

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Imagine the look that I got from the owner of the car wash operation when I showed up with a 4x8 sign for each of the State and local Republican campaigns and I started feeding quarters in the machine to wash the signs...

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He smiled, and then comped me the cost of the "sign washing" and congratulated the winning Virginia candidates...

McDonnel~Bolling~Cuccinelli in Charlottesville today...

Today I had the opportunity to drive numerous College Republicans around Charlottesville for door to door operations in preparation for election day Tuesday... This was a great group of knowledgeable college age Conservative Republicans who know their issues and spent a week of their time working the phones and neighborhoods in the Valley to help out the McDonnell~Bolling~Cuccinelli ticket as well as local Candidates...

Ken Cuccinelli with "Sweep" broom...

The full College Republicans staff took the opportunity to meet the team at the Charlottesville airport when then flew in for a bit while touring the state...

Bill Bolling worked the crowd as well as ever and had 150+ in attendance excited and ready for the final push all the way through election Tuesday...