Wont Someone Think of the.... Squirrels??

It's been a weird fall.  In a morning stupor I schlep through the woods with my dogs, tugging on their leashes, pleading with them to let me get back to my morning coffee - while they get excited over the daily news posted on tree stumps - and the new stenches coming out of the freshly fallen leaves.

Something hasnt been right.  Something is missing.

Acorns.

There have been no acorns this year!  None. Normally the woods in Arlington are a carpet of nuts.  None.  Even the Washington Post is reporting on this . . . so it must be true.

Squirrels have seen down right mental this fall - darting around traffic like crazed lunatics who have had their nuts stolen and therefore have to search far and wide for food.  I put seed into my bird feeder a few days ago, and a squirrel in a leather jacket took the all the seed, and the bird feeder too.

I had thought that Arlington Dance Center had swiped all the nuts for their upcoming production of the Nutcracker (see post below) but the Mouse King says he only swipes cheese.

So fill your bird feeders - go buy a few bags of walnuts - go get a wheelbarrow full of acorns from the mountains - and think of the starving squirrels in Arlington.  They are going to need our help to make it through this winter.

Image: Wikicommons

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All Hail the Mouse King!

15 years ago, my uncle-in-law asked me where to open a new shoe store warehouse. My wife and I knew exactly where to show him - near Bailey's Crossroads - near a hardware box store called Hechinger's, next to REI. There was an old row of warehouses, not in use I dont think, but with excellent location near Route 7 and Columbia Pike. My uncle-in-law didnt bite. But the DSW shoe store did! As did Ultra Zone - and the latest addition, the Arlington Dance Center.

Located in Arlington for longer than I have been here, the Arlington Dance Center opened at its new location this year. It's now the Ballerina, Car Parts, and Laser-Tag-Warfare Row.

Next weekend the Dance Center puts on that holiday favorite, The Nutcracker. I understand that the Mouse King has been practicing with his army in the Laser Tag Zone - My money is on the Mouse King's Army this year by 7 1/2 points!

Performances
Fri., December 5 at 7:30 pm
Sat., December 6 at 2:oo and 7:00* pm
Sun. December 7 at 1:00* and 5:00* pm

* Performance features special guest artist Connor Walsh, Principal Dancer with the Houston Ballet

Location: Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre
125 South Old Glebe Road
Arlington, VA 22204
Off Route 50 and South Glebe Road

Advance-Sale Tickets
Adult: $22/$25
Student: $17/$22
Senior: $17/$22

At The Door
Adult: $27/$30
Student: $22/$27
Senior: $22/$27
10% Group Discount on parties of ten or more.

Meet the Sugar Plum Fairy on stage after the performance.
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Arlington Middle School Hockey Wins Season Opener

There may not be a Capital Beltway Hockey League youth travel hockey club in Arlington - but the rag tag collection of players from an eclectic assortment of other youth hockey clubs have come together for the second third season as the Arlington Middle School Hockey Team. This Friday they opened their season with a game against Forest Park, winning the game with the astounding score of 11 to 1.

Many of these kids play travel hockey on other clubs such as Reston Raiders, Washington Little Capitals, and even Montgomery Youth Hockey.

The Arlington Middle School Hockey Team is only in its second third year, and is lead by Taylor Elementary School Teacher and Coach Jeremy Ferrara. Practices and games are at the Ballston Iceplex. Most of the games this season will be against other teams in the Northern Virginia region, particularly from the Prince William area. Check out the schedule and come root for the home team.
It's clear that the kids on the team are excited about playing hockey with other kids from Arlington county. Arlington County is the only school district lacking a CBHL Tier II Youth Hockey Program and Ballston Iceplex is one of the very few rinks without a Tier II program - leaving Arlington youth who want to play with the prospect of hitting the road to another jurisdiction and another club.


A special thanks to Brian Cobb, team president, and Doug Layman, team treasurer, for all their hard work and commitment.


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Canine Federal Campaign

"Outside a dog, a book is man's best friend. And inside a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx

There are a lot of lost dogs in Arlington. A good many stray cats too. These mutts and mongrels strut about with an air of defiance - defying any interloper, be it four legged or two legged, to dare to take the red squeaky chewy toy. They bark. They snarl. They tumble their prey. All while their human companions stand bleary eyed in the corner of the dog park discussing the latest in Arlington political or cultural news (like "did you see the Capitals last nite? They were barking awful!").

So many of these lost homeless dogs immigrated to Arlington because of beer and pizza. Or more specifically, because of Lost Dog Cafe and Stray Cat Cafe - local favorite watering holes. The owners were not satisfied to make the best eggplant parmigiana sub and onion rings in the county. They had a higher calling: rescuing mutts.

Now they have the Lost Dog and Stray Cat Foundation, five adoption events each weekend, and a farm in Virginia where the pups stay until they find their new best friends.

These mutts take a lot of care. Sometimes they come out of not so good situations. Sometimes they need medical care. They need food. And they need a good place to stay until adopted.

The Lost Dog and Stray Cat Foundation is a wonderful local charity. If you are looking for a charity to receive your CFC support, consider local favorite Lost Dog. CFC # 97890.

Photo: Ozone9999 (cc)
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Based on Unofficial Results, bobArlington Tentatively Declares that Obama Has Won the Arlington Vote!

Voting results for Arlington, Virginia November 2008 Unofficial Results U.S. Senate | U.S. House of Representatives Local Non-shared My County/City>Arlington County  Results indicate race results specifically for ARLINGTON COUNTY, not the race as a whole. RACE CANDIDATE VOTE VOTE% STATISTICS DETAILS President and Vice President Last Reported: Nov 5 2008 7:24AM EST Barack Obama and Joe Biden 78,953 71.82% Precincts Reporting:     52 of 52 (100%) Voter Turnout:     109,927 of 143,114 active voters (76.81%)     109,927 of 149,292 total voters (73.63%) Votes by Precinct John McCain and Sarah Palin 29,703 27.02% Chuck Baldwin and Darrell L. Castle 126 0.11% Bob Barr and Wayne A. Root 487 0.44% Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente 61 0.05% Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez 308 0.28% Write In 289 0.26% RACE CANDIDATE VOTE VOTE% STATISTICS DETAILS United States Senate Last Reported: Nov 5 2008 7:24AM EST Mark R. Warner 82,075 76.03% Precincts Reporting:     52 of 52 (100%) Voter Turnout:     107,945 of 143,114 active voters (75.42%)     107,945 of 149,292 total voters (72.30%) Votes by Precinct James S. "Jim" Gilmore III 24,147 22.36% Glenda Gail Parker 703 0.65% William B. Redpath 885 0.81% Write In 135 0.12% RACE CANDIDATE VOTE VOTE% STATISTICS DETAILS Member House of Representatives (08) Last Reported: Nov 5 2008 7:24AM EST James P. "Jim" Moran, Jr. 73,286 68.90% Precincts Reporting:     52 of 52 (100%) Voter Turnout:     106,355 of 143,114 active voters (74.31%)     106,355 of 149,292 total voters (71.23%) Votes by Precinct Mark W. Ellmore 30,080 28.28% J. Ron Fisher 2,663 2.50% Write In 326 0.30% RACE CANDIDATE VOTE VOTE% STATISTICS DETAILS Member School Board (ARLINGTON COUNTY) Last Reported: Nov 5 2008 7:24AM EST Libby T. Garvey 75,506 52.12% Precincts Reporting:     52 of 52 (100%) Votes by Precinct Emma N. Violand-Sanchez 66,819 46.12% Write In 2,525 1.74% RACE CANDIDATE VOTE VOTE% STATISTICS DETAILS Member County Board (ARLINGTON COUNTY) Last Reported: Nov 5 2008 7:24AM EST Barbara A. Favola 69,250 75.14% Precincts Reporting:     52 of 52 (100%) Votes by Precinct John G. Reeder 21,503 23.33% Write In 1,408 1.52% RACE RESPONSE VOTE VOTE% STATISTICS DETAILS Arlington County Public School Projects (ARLINGTON COUNTY) Last Reported: Nov 5 2008 7:25AM EST Yes 76,224 75.12% Precincts Reporting:     52 of 52 (100%) Votes by Precinct No 25,240 24.87% RACE RESPONSE VOTE VOTE% STATISTICS DETAILS Community Infrastructure (ARLINGTON COUNTY) Last Reported: Nov 5 2008 7:25AM EST Yes 68,920 68.43% Precincts Reporting:     52 of 52 (100%) Votes by Precinct No 31,787 31.56% RACE RESPONSE VOTE VOTE% STATISTICS DETAILS Metro (ARLINGTON COUNTY) Last Reported: Nov 5 2008 7:25AM EST Yes 79,136 77.34% Precincts Reporting:     52 of 52 (100%) Votes by Precinct No 23,184 22.65% RACE RESPONSE VOTE VOTE% STATISTICS DETAILS Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARLINGTON COUNTY) Last Reported: Nov 5 2008 7:25AM EST Yes 32,775 33.13% Precincts Reporting:     52 of 52 (100%) Votes by Precinct No 66,124 66.86% RACE RESPONSE VOTE VOTE% STATISTICS DETAILS Utilities (ARLINGTON COUNTY) Last Reported: Nov 5 2008 7:25AM EST Yes 80,845 80.19% Precincts Reporting:     52 of 52 (100%) Votes by Precinct No 19,969 19.80%

Early Voting Ruins PTA Bake Sales!

The politics of fear has failed; we must make it work again! A bunch of no-good do-gooders around the country, and here in Arlington, engaged during this election in a campaign of FEAR MONGERING, declaring the coming deluge of loooonnnngggg election day voting lines. They successfully persuaded 30% of the electorate to vote early and avoid those loooonnnngggg election day voting lines.

What loooonnnngggg election day voting lines??? I stood at Williamsburg Middle School from 5:15 am until 7:30 this morning at the PTA bake sale - and have gone twice to the Taylor Elementary School PTA bake sale (following the adage of vote early, vote often). In the first hour at Williamsburg, there was a long line of coffee craving crazies that wrapped down the block. But once that initial panicky rush cleared -- nothing!! No lines what so ever. Voting took all of 5 minutes.

So one has to ask, what was the real agenda of the "Vote Early, Avoid the Lines" fear mongering crowds. There can only be one answer! It is a clear anti PTA agenda! These are the Fake Communist Northern Virginians who do not believe in free enterprise and the PTA making a buck. These Fake Communist Northern Virginians wanted you to wait in long lines at the Arlington Courthouse Early Election poll - just so that you would not by a $1 cup of coffee and $1 brownie from kids putting in their community service hours. These Fake Communist Northern Virginians clearly have a socialist coffee agenda.

Hopefully when Sarah Palin gets coronated tonite as (vice) President of these Divided States, she will get some of the Alaskan State Troopers that she did not fire to investigate these matters.
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I am a Fake UnAmerican Communist Virginian for Obama

Forty years ago I was born in Northern Virginia. I have lived almost my whole life here. For the last 19 years I have lived in Arlington. I have been a civil servant for 18 years and received two presidential awards (for Y2K work and for volunteer work). I am a Fake UnAmerican Communist Virginian for Obama.

I have volunteered to coach youth soccer, youth hockey, and youth blastball. I have volunteered to lead Odyssey of the Mind. I have volunteered at a soup kitchen Mirian’s Kitchen. Before law school I volunteered at AYUDA Legal Services. I am a Fake UnAmerican Communist Virginian for Obama.

My grandfather was a three-star lieutenant general. He was a Chief of Staff of Gen. Stillwell during China-Burma-India Campaign during World War II. He was in charge of military reconstruction of the Philippines after the war. He served on the front lines of the cold war in Turkey. I am named after him. My grandmother raised two children in the hills of Utah while my grandfather was away during the war. My grandmother later hosted dignitaries and taught military families and Philippinos how to make “tin can Christmas trees.” I am a Fake UnAmerican Communist Virginian for Obama.

My father wired computer boards during the 1960s and worked for a computer company called ITEL. He sold computers to governments and was on the front line of the technology revolution in the 1970s. He died on the DC10 crash in Chicago. I am a Fake UnAmerican Communist Virginian for Obama.

One of my great-grandfathers and his family crossed the country to Utah to establish a successful mining business. My maternal grandfather was an engineer, worked for Texaco in the oil fields, and invented something called “Triskalite” which was a bit like chrome. My paternal relatives traveled across the United States with the Mormons to establish the Mormon Church. I am a descendent of the first president of the Mormon Church, George Q Cannon. I am a Fake UnAmerican Communist Virginian for Obama.

I have an Uncle who served as a flying tiger during World War II. I have another uncle who served as crew during the America’s Cup years ago. I have another uncle who built a successful oyster business in Long Island. I have relatives that sold insurance, farmed the land, were firemen, worked for professional hockey, and more. I am a Fake UnAmerican Communist Virginian for Obama.

I went to college in the heartland in Ohio. I have a Masters of Arts of Divinity from Yale. I have a Juris Doctorate from American University. I am a Fake UnAmerican Communist Virginian for Obama.

I do not believe any American politician should call any other America “Fake” or “un-American” or “Communist.” I believe any American politician who tries to gain power by turning Americans against Americans – by promoting hatred and fear of other Americans – by denigration and through disrespect - is not qualified to be the democratic leader of all Americans.

I am a Fake UnAmerican Communist Virginian for Obama.

Robert Cannon
Arlington, VA