Virginia was not a referendum on Obama

It was a referendum on Creigh Deeds. We didn't like him.

The Deeds campaign convinced us that McDonnell is a bum. Mark Twain has a quote about how you can tell the character of a culture by the way it treats it's women.

The peoples furthest from civilization are the ones where equality between man and woman are furthest apart--and we consider this one of the signs of savagery. - Mark Twain, Notebook, 1895

McDonnell's statements on women are an embarrassment. And McDonnell's transportation plan seems to be to pave Northern Virginia.

But Deeds never convinced us to like him.

It was a long and tedious election, filled with repetitive annoying negative ads. I wanted so much to vote against the candidate that was spewing this rubbish. But they both were. Even my son commented on the agony of these campaigns and wanting both of them to go away.

Candidate Obama stood tall. Obama was a powerful candidate that convinced you he could lead. He told you what he stood for. They may have been abstractions - but we the people wanted to hear that the entire philosophy of government had changed. Obama told us that.

Deeds told us what was wrong with McD. Whatever.

Meanwhile "woman hating" McDonnell had women state AGs say they support him. He had a business woman say McD would be good for business. He stood with his family. He served his country.

This was not a referendum on Obama. It was a referendum on Deeds. McD showed republicans that he would be a leader. Deeds didn't.
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PORQUE LOS NIÑOS LATINOS NO PUEDEN GRADUARSE?

IMPORTANTE REUNION ! ! !

PORQUE LOS NIÑOS LATINOS NO PUEDEN GRADUARSE?

PORQUE NO PUEDEN LOGRAR AVANZAR EN LAS ESCUELAS?

PORQUE LOS PADRES NO ESTAN INFORMADOS?

QUE CARRERAS SON BUENAS PARA NUESTRA COMUNIDAD?

AYUDEMOS A NUESTRA JUVENTUD

A CONSEGUIR BUENOS EMPLEOS.

SI UD. ES LATINO O AMIGO

VENGA Y PARTICIPE

SEA PARTE DE LA FUERZA LATINA DE ARLINGTON !

INVITAMOS A QUE AYUDEN A LOS JOVENES LATINOS

A CONSTRUIR UN FUTURO CON MAS POSIBILIDADES.

"CUMBRE SOBRE LA EDUCACION LATINA"

MAÑANA JUEVES 22 DE OCTUBRE 6:30PM A 9:00 PM

WASHINGTON LEE HIGH SCHOOL

1301 N. Stafford St., Arlington, VA 22201

Para más información contactar a ArlingtonLatinoNtwk @gmail.com

Escuela Bolivia . Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce - LASA- Latinas Leading Tomorrow - LULAC of Virgina - MALDEF - MANA - MID - Atlantic Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

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Gun Nuts for McDonnell

Virginians for Public Safety bring us the following word on McDonnell's affection for nutty gun policy

One week ago, in a debate between Virginia's gubernatorial candidates, Bob McDonnell answered a question about the "Gun Show Loophole" by reiterating his support for unregulated firearm sales at gun shows in the Commonwealth. Citing improvements to Virginia's mental health laws, McDonnell opined that the Virginia Tech tragedy had been adequately addressed, and bragged of the endorsement he received from the National Rifle Association.

In reality, Virginia legislators have taken no action to address the threat to public safety created by the Gun Show Loophole since the tragedy at Virginia Tech, despite the persistent pleas of victims and survivors of those shootings. The loophole allows individuals who are "not engaged in the business" of dealing firearms to sell guns at gun shows without conducting background checks on purchasers or maintaining records of sale. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has identified gun shows as the source of more than 30% of all illegally trafficked guns in the United States.

At the state level, Virginia narrowly improved their Vcheck background check database following the April 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech. After it was revealed that killer Seung-Hui Cho had legally obtained handguns after being detained in a psychiatric facility, Governor Tim Kaine signed an executive order to require Virginia's courts to forward Orders of Involuntary Commitment to the State Police so they can be considered during background checks by federally licensed firearm dealers (FFLs). This order was later codified in legislation.

Unfortunately, the Virginia General Assembly completely ignored a critical recommendation of the Virginia Tech Review Panel to require background checks on private sales of firearms at gun shows. The panel recognized that a future Cho -- or a convicted felon, domestic abuser, or other prohibited purchaser -- could easily acquire guns through an unlicensed seller if they failed a background check through an FFL. As the panel wrote, "In an age of widespread information technology, it should not be too difficult for anyone, including private sellers, to contact the Virginia Firearms Transaction Program for a background check that usually only takes minutes before transferring a firearm. The program already processes transactions made by [federally licensed firearm] dealers at gun shows."

Bob McDonnell's repeated assertion that "the instant background check process has been greatly improved" ignores the fact that unlicensed firearm sellers have no obligation to conduct background checks, and in fact are prohibited under current law from doing so.

McDonnell has also chosen to ignore the voices of those who were directly affected by the Virginia Tech tragedy. In April, 50 survivors and family members of those killed or wounded in the shootings published an open letter in the Richmond Times-Dispatch in which they stated, "We remain extremely disappointed in Virginia lawmakers for not closing the gun show loophole, and we hold them accountable for their inaction on gun violence prevention." That same month, ABC's 20/20 program aired a video of Omar Samaha -- the brother of Virginia Tech victim Reema Samaha -- attending a gun show in Richmond and buying 10 guns in one hour without undergoing a background check. He never even had to show his driver's license.

According to Bob McDonnell at the October 12 gubernatorial debate, this system of commerce "works well." A recent poll by Christopher Newport University's Judy Ford Wason Center for Public Policy indicates that eight out of ten Virginians disagree, and want the Gun Show Loophole closed.

"The only individuals benefiting from loose gun laws in the Commonwealth are criminals, terrorists, and other dangerous individuals," said Virginians for Public Safety President Jim Sollo. "Bob McDonnell needs to decide what is more important to him: half a million dollars in NRA PAC money or the safety of Virginia residents."

Sweet. Not only do we not learn from history - we mow history down with a semi-automatic purchased at a gun-show.


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Please Leash or Control You Dog

Once again in Zachary Taylor park - an unleashed dog... this time walking ~ 200 yards from his human. If the dog pooped, that human wasnt cleaning it up. Other dog owners had to figure out how to navigate around this unknown dog. Even the best dog is a threat to children (I have seen plenty of friendly, non aggressive dogs weighing more than children - as this one was - jump up to say hello - potentially knocking a child over).

Moments after the unleashed, uncontrolled dog walks by, three deer crossed the path.


There was a bad story some time ago about a dog in Potomac Overlook park chasing a deer right off the Virginia cliffs.

PLEASE. Put your dog on a leash - or if you have a well trained dog, keep it under your control. Unleash uncontrolled dogs are a threat to just about every other user of the park.


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This Week in Arlington -

Calendar

Fri Oct 2 7:30 pm: Yorktown Football game against rivals to the West: Falls Church

Sat Oct 3: Yorktown Marking Band marches to your door and asks for your support
http://yorktownband.org/home/

Sat Oct 3: Arlington Career Center Open House
http://www.apsva.us/careercenter/site/default.asp

Wed Oct 7: It's Walk or Bike to School day

Fri Oct 9: APS makes you deal with your own kids on a school day - Parent Teacher Conferences and no School. Enjoy the long weekend!

Fri Oct 9: Leif Erikson Day! Yah. Guod!

Other Stuff

Yorktown Boys Lacrosse are selling mulch so that they can support hitting each other with sticks and hard rubber balls. Flier PDF Mulch will be delivered to your door Oct. 17. $4.75 per bag.

Parent/Student Breakfast and Open House
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009, 8:30-11 a.m.

From aviation to zoology, the Career Center offers more than 20 career and technical elective classes for Arlington high school students. Come tour the Career Center and learn how students can explore career interests while fulfilling degree requirements, earning professional certifications and licenses, and even accruing college credits. The Career Center’s open house will feature:

• Continental breakfast by the Career Center Culinary Program;
• Parents please come and meet your child's teacher and see their classroom;
  
• Tours and an overview of the Career Center by principal Dr. Jerry Caputo;
• Breakout sessions on how to register for classes, The Governor’s Academy program at the Career Center, and earning college credit through dual enrolled classes with NOVA.
  

For more information, call (703) 228-5800.

APS Encourages Parents to Participate in “International Walk or Bike to School Month”

October is “International Walk or Bike to School Month” and on Wed, Oct 7 (rain date: Oct. 14), Arlington Public Schools will participate by encouraging parents to walk and bike to school with their children.

Part of a month-long celebration, the event encourages students to walk and bike to school while educating them about the health and environmental benefits of walking and biking. Walk and Bike to School Day also raises community awareness about the importance of pedestrian safety education, well-maintained walkways, and traffic calming in neighborhoods and around schools.

This is the 10^th year in a row that APS has participated in “International Walk or Bike to School Month.” Since 1999, APS and Arlington County have worked together to create walk-friendly neighborhoods. As part of this effort, materials for families with children attending Arlington Public Schools' elementary and middle schools have been produced. These include maps and Web resources for county residents who want to walk or bicycle throughout the community.

This week, most APS elementary and middle school parents will receive a letter from the Superintendent detailing Walk and Bike to School month. Parents also will receive a map which includes crosswalks and stop lights near the school their children attend.

Arlington County also provides the school crossing guards, and has worked to help improve many pedestrian and bicycling features near schools and in neighborhoods including crosswalks, sidewalks, traffic-calming measures and enhancements at intersections. All of these improvements have helped to make Arlington County a more “walk-able” place to live.

Additional resources are available at www.apsva.us/schoolwalkmaps, www.walkarlington.com/go/ , and http://www.bikearlington.com/.

For more information, contact 703-228-6004.

Participate in Virginia Reflections
Due Friday Oct 23
http://novadistrictpta.org/reflections/reflections.htm

In the News

Former Gov Holton Endorse Deeds WAVY
Why? Well because of Deeds transportation plan (you know, the one McDonnell sez Deeds doesnt have)

In the this-cant-be-good-file, a woman reported came home Sunday morning to find a US Capital Police Office, whom she did not know, passed out in her bed. US Capital Police Officer.... meet Arlington County Police officers.

Arlington Awarded $200,000 in Stimulus Funding Arlington County Sept 26

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Bike DC -*-* In Arlington :: October 17

Bike DC is your one opportunity each year to enjoy our Capital, our community in a very special way--by bicycle on car-free streets.

See the expected in a new light: the Capitol, the Supreme Court, the White House, Embassy Row, the Pentagon, the Marine Corps and Air Force memorials.

And explore the unexpected: the George Washington Parkway, Twin Oaks Estate, the Whitehurst Freeway and much more.

Enjoy it all from the best possible vantage point, the seat of your bicycle.

Join with your family and friends through a car-free District of Columbia and Arlington. There is a family friendly 12 mile route and a more challenging 25 mile option. View the Routes

Kids Bike Free

To make Bike DC as affordable to as many families as possible during these trying economic times, children 15 years old and younger are invited to participate free of charge. Adult supervision is required. And all participants must wear bicycle helmets.

Beneficiary

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association -- WABA -- is Bike DC’s principal beneficiary.

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Community Health Fair, Saturday Oct. 3, Kenmore Middle School

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