So I used to do a lot of biking, but two things got in the way. First, my family moved to a small town with absolutely no biking infrastructure—no trails, narrow roads with cars going fast on them, etc. Second, I turned 16 and got a drivers’ license—so biking was no longer the best form of transportation at my disposal. I had a bike at college (a cheap WalMart bike) that I kept until very recently, but rarely used it.
Quality DC-Area Parking Job
I’m way, way late posting this . . . took the picture back in September and forgot all about it until now. Regardless, it’s a great example of a quality DC-area parking job. Usually when I see some schmuck parked like this next to my car, I take some photos. That way, if I see some new scratches next time I go out to my car, I know who to send the insurance bill to. I’ll save the idiot the embarassment of having his license plate posted . . . this time.
Virginia General Assembly, 2007
Introduction
This year, all seats in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly—the Virginia Senate and the Virginia House of Delegates—are up for election. The Virginia Senate is made up of 40 Senators, and the Republican Party currently holds a 23/17 majority over the Democratic Party. The Virginia House of Delegates is made up of 100 Delegates, and the Republican Party currently holds a 57/40 majority over the Democratic Party with 3 seats held by independents. The General Assembly is the oldest legislative body in the western hemisphere and has been operating since 1619.
Local Offices (Board of Supervisors, etc.), 2007
Introduction
Many, many, many local offices are up for election this year—the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Fairfax County School Board, the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney, the Fairfax County Sheriff, the Clerk of the Fairfax County Circuit Court, and the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors. While they lack the glamor of federal (or even state) offices, many of these elections are generally very important and have a large impact on local quality of life.
Fairfax County Bond Referendums, 2007
Introduction
Virginia counties are required to put bond issuance to a voter referendum in order to borrow money on behalf of the county. The issuance of bonds is usually used by governments to raise money for large capital expenditures and they are repaid at a later date with interest. Bond referendums historically pass by a large margin, in large part because people vote for the recipients of the bond money (after all, who will vote against schools, parks, or transportation?) without realizing that bond issuance contributes to government debt and should be used sparingly.
Scott Bradford is a writer and technologist who has been putting his opinions online since 1995. He believes in three inviolable human rights: life, liberty, and property. He is a Catholic Christian who worships the trinitarian God described in the Nicene Creed. Scott is a husband, nerd, pet lover, and AMC/Jeep enthusiast with a B.S. degree in public administration from George Mason University.