Working the "Draft" and "Fairfield" Fireman's Parades...

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Had the opportunity to “work” the recent Fireman’s parades in Stuarts Draft and Fairfield on behalf of numerous Republican candidates in the upcoming elections in November. Congressman Bob Goodlatte was not able to attend the Stuart’s Draft parade since his campaign had already committed to the Bridgewater parade which was being held at the same time. Once it was discovered that the local Republican committee was not entering a float or walking in the Draft parade other arrangements were made to represent our Republican candidates.

Chris Green from Beverley Manor district and author of “Spank That Donkey” blog drove over after a quick phone call and had the idea to walk the parade route before the start of the parade. The idea was to walk the crowds and offer Campaign Data sheets to those interested in talking both local and national politics before the start of the parade.

The plan was to walk both sides of the route and offer info and literature to those interested but not force, interrupt, or interfere with the people’s parade event in anyway. We figured we could walk both sides of the parade route before the start of the parade and then watch the parade, get some photos for the database, and then have a good BBQ Chicken dinner at the firehouse.

What we found instead was a very politically engaged crowd along the parade route resulting in us only being able to make it half way down one side of the parade route. We found ourselves working small groups of local citizens who were very interested in talking about the candidates and their views on important issues like energy, economy, taxes, and past political records of the two candidates running for the soon to be vacant U.S. Senate of Republican John Warner…

The current energy situation with $4 a gallon price tag was a often discussed topic and many people were interested in the information provided showing the stances and past performances of Republican Governor Jim Gilmore and Democratic Governor Mark Warner. Many people were already aware that Republican Jim Gilmore supports drilling for known oil reserves in ANWR and off the coast of Virginia, but some did not know that Democratic Mark Warner vetoed a bill calling for drilling off the VA coast that was on his Governor’s desk back in 2005. Imagine if we had started that project back in 2005 and were the fuel prices might be now? Chris had a great post about this issue over at his blog HERE.

Republican Delegate Ben Cline

Conversations also turned to the tax issue both locally in Virginia as well as nationwide and the federal government. Citizens had determined opinions about the way Richmond is spending our local Virginia tax revenue and D.J. McGuire has a great post about Democratic Governor Mark Warner’s tax history over at the “Bloggers for Jim Gilmore” site…

Anybody remember back in 2005 when then Democratic Governor Mark Warner transferred $one million+ from the Division of Game and Inland Fisheries to the general fund during his dire economy scare? That MILLION+ came from our fishing\hunting license fees and did it ever get back to the DGIF after the economy improved?…

It was both interesting and refreshing to see at both Fireman’s parades a engaged citizenry that was interested in talking about local and national political issues while waiting for a parade to start. Each parade had maybe one or two individuals who disputed or ignored the facts presented and the classic example were the two “20-something” girls who said that they were well up on politics for they watch CNN everyday. They were quick to ignore the potential practice of drilling for known oil reserves in ANWR and off the coast of Virginia in favor of “Alternative” energy sources. They were quick to repeat the standard liberal claim that it would be ten years before any oil in ANWR or the coast was to hit the market. They seemed a little dazed when they were told that simple economics and the free market would surely deliver any oil produced from these two areas much sooner then the standard “Ten Year” answer they have faithfully repeated. Still waiting for a good answer from them regarding how many years it would take to bring “Alternative” fuels that they desire to market. They are probably still text messaging CNN for a standard answer not understanding that it’s the same answer as the years to get oil to market. If we can develop a productive, affordable, and reliable “alternative” fuel source you can be sure the free market, if allowed, will get that product delivered to us much faster…









Mike and Anne from the Goodlatte campaign provided supplies to the Republican Volunteers from the Rockbridge party who turned out to provide a Strong Conservative Republican presence at the parade...

Fairfield Parade ~2008~

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Attended the Fairfield Parade and walked the parade route with Chris Green talking to many people about the Virginia Senate race and Jim Gilmore and about many issues facing Virginia voters and taxpayers...

Many times the conversation focused on the present energy situation and high fuel prices. Numerous people found it interesting that then Democratic Governor Warner had a bill on his desk to allow drilling for known oil reserves off the coast of Virginia only to pull the "Veto-pen" out and kill the bill...

Virgina Republican supporters for Congressman Bob Goodlatte made a very strong showing at the Fairfield and additional photos can be see at the "Bloogers for Bob Goodlatte" site...

"Tax this Joker"...

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Maybe Democratic Party Speaker of the house needs to call for a “Windfall Profit Tax” on this industry?

Democratic Party Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D) and her party has been quick to call for “Windfall Profit Taxes” placed on the oil industry and companies for the “outrageous” profits these companies have been making. Now since we are not focusing on this debate right now for many have posted about this topic, lets not worry about facts like the oil companies make a $.07-.09 cent profit per dollar revenue as compared to the high percentage of state & federal taxes per dollar on the same product.

Democratic Party Speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi (D) leads the House of Representatives side of Congress and Democratic Party Harry Reid (D) leads the other side of Congress in the Senate and combined the U.S. Congress is maintaining a 14% approval rating. But yet Democratic Party Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) has call the President the worse ever and several from her Democratic Party has called this economy the worse since the depression…

I found it very interesting that while in the middle of the “worse economy since the great depression” I read today that this past weekend was the best grossing movie week in history. It seems that the people, the same people who approve of the Congress performance at 14%, have flocked to the theaters to forget their dire economy and status in life…

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Dark Knight," $155.34 million.
2. "Mamma Mia!", $27.6 million.
3. "Hancock," $14 million.
4. "Journey to the Center of the Earth," $11.9 million.
5. "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," $10 million.
6. "WALL-E," $9.8 million.
7. "Space Chimps," $7.4 million.
8. "Wanted," $5.1 million.
9. "Get Smart," $4.1 million.
10. "Kung Fu Panda," $1.8 million.
Media by the Numbers reports gross sales for 2007 at $9,680,000,000 (Billion)…

"that net profit margins on DVD sales are 50-60%, while the lingering VHS business sees 20-30% net profit. To put this into plain English, your average $20 DVD apparent costs around $9 to produce, advertise, distribute, etc., leaving about $11 on top as pure profit."

Stuarts Draft Fireman's Parade ~2008~

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This afternoon was the 2008 Stuarts Draft Fireman's Parade that highlighted emergency vehicles from numerous surrounding fire districts along with the "Lawn Party" near the firehouse...

I arrived early with political activist Chris Green to work the parade lines and talk with voters about the upcoming Virginia Senate race and Republican Candidate Jim Gilmore. We found that we could only make it about halfway up the crowd for we found many engaged voters who wanted to talk issues about the upcoming election.

Many people focused on the energy issue and high prices of fuel at the pumps. Many of these same voters recalled how then Virginia Governor Mark Warner (D) had a bill come to his desk to allow drilling for known oil reserves off the Virginia coast and he pulled out the Veto-pen to kill the bill...

"Changes" by Politicians and David Bowie...

The Politicians have gone on endlessly about the "Change(s)" they want to bring about while even their promises "Change" from day to day...

And then there are the "Changes" that David Bowie made so famous...



I saw Bowie during the "Serious Moonlight" and the "Sound and Vision" tours and he is by far one of the better artist I have ever seen...

The Political Season in the Shenandoah Valley...

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Motorist, commuters, tourists, truckers, and local Valley residents have become accustomed to seasonal changes while driving along VA Route 81 as well as the start of a new political season.

They have also grown accustomed to the yearly posting of Campaign signs for upcoming elections and the strong representation of Republican candidates both nationally and locally from the Shenandoah Valley…

The above barn along route 81 at the 241 mile marker has been a Valley icon of this campaign practice and this past week has added this Bob Goodlatte 2009 banner as viewed when traveling South on 81...

Cross posted over at Bloggers for Bob Goodlatte

"What is this Sailfish for?"... by Ernest Hemingway...

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Found this description of Sailfish by Hemingway in the book “Hemingway on Fishing” in “Out in the Stream: A Cuban Letter”….

"What use is the sailfish’s sail to that fish? Why should this fish which seems to be an unsuccessful model, an earlier and more fantastic model for the marlin, thin where the marlin is rounded, weak where the marlin is strong, provided with insufficient pectoral fins and too small a tail for its size, have survived?"

“There must be a good reason for the sail. What is it?"…

Energy Myths and the "Democratic" Congress...

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Investors Business Daily IBD provides some facts to counter the well rehearsed "Energy Myths" that have been coming out of the Democratic Party controlled Congress regarding the energy crunch we now face...

"This is especially true of Democrats. Many in Congress seem either disconnected from reality or intentionally disingenuous about our energy crunch. They have well-honed negative responses to common-sense ideas about solving our energy crisis, particularly drilling for more oil."

"We can't drill our way out of our energy crisis."

"Actually, we can. As we've noted before, conservative estimates put the total amount of recoverable oil in conventional deposits at about 39 billion barrels. Offshore, we have another 89 billion barrels or so. In ANWR, 10 billion barrels. In oil shale deposits, we have more than 1 trillion barrels of oil. In perspective, that's about four times the total reserves of Saudi Arabia. And if estimates of shale reserves as high as 2 trillion barrels prove true, we'll have about a 300-year supply of oil just from shale. This compares with current estimated total U.S. oil reserves of about 21 billion barrels."

"Even if drilling works, it'll take a decade or more for the oil to flow."

"This is quite an argument coming from the Democratic Party, which has made keeping oil off the market a linchpin of its energy policy for decades.If President Clinton hadn't vetoed the idea of drilling in ANWR back in 1995, we'd have that oil on the market today. Ditto if Congress had approved ANWR drilling in 2002, when President Bush requested it.
Even so, the larger point is false anyway. New oil will be flowing in some cases within three to four years, according to industry estimates. But the impact on prices will be immediate. Why? Because markets would suddenly have to discount future oil prices for the expected gain in oil supply. That would cause oil prices, especially in futures markets, to drop."

Great Read at IBD

Marlin Fishing as Described by Ernest Hemingway...

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Came along the following descriptions of Marlin fishing by Earnest Hemingway from the book "Hemingway on Fishing"... In "Marlin Off of Morro: A Cuban Letter" the famous author and fisherman describes the many different moods and "bites" that come from the marlin when fishing....


“The marlin hit a trolled bait in four different ways. First, with hunger, again with anger, then simply playfully, last with indifference. Anyone can hook a hungry fish who gives him enough line, doesn’t backlash and sets the hook hard enough. What happens then is something else. The main thing is to loosen your drag quickly enough when he starts to jump and make his run, and get the boat after him as he heads out to sea. The hungry marlin smashes at the bait with bill, shoulders, top fin and tail out. If he gets one bait he will turn and charge the other. If you pull the bait out of his mouth he will come for it again as long as there is any bait on the hook”…

“The indifferent fish will follow the boat for as many as three to four miles. Looking the baits over, sheering away, coming back to swim deep below them and follow, indifferent to the bait, yet curious. If such a fish swims with his pectoral fins tucked close to his sides he will not bite. He is cruising and you are on his course. That is all. The minute a marlin sees the bait, if he is going to strike, he raises his dorsal fin and spreads those wide, bright blue pectorals so that he looks like some great, under-sea bird in the water as he follows”…






“The angry fish puzzled us for a long time. He would come from below and hit the bait with a smash like a bomb exploding in the water. But as you slacked line to him he has dropped it. Screw down on the drag and race the bait in and he would slam it again without taking it. There is no way to hook a fish acting that way except to strike hard as he smashes. Put the drag on, speed up the boat and sock him as he crashes it. He slams the bait to kill it as long as it seems to believe”…