“Mountain blew cowslips”, wrote John Custis (1678 - 1749) are a “beautifull out of the way plant and flower.” Stoney Creek in Shenandoah County is lined with them.

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“Shenandoah County is a beautiful place, a gorgeous place to live. Everyday we are treated to more of the Creator’s splendors than many people see in a lifetime.” Everyday. Every single day.

The public hearing on Shenandoah County’s proposed budget was held Wednesday evening. Although spending has grown 4%, there’s been increased revenue from new homes and businesses. There will be no tax increases, the real estate tax will remain at 51 cents per hundred. The school budget was increased 5% —the local share up 15%— and additional money allocated for land purchase.

As usual, there were a number of people speaking in favor of increased local funding (30 percent!) for Shenandoah County Public Schools. They were unconvincing for a number of reasons, primarily because ‘mo money’ doesn’t equal higher quality. Despite large increases the last two years, SOL scores have remained static or dropped.

Those supporting more classroom space would have had a better argument if the schools had implemented suggestions from the VCU study group. The reports recommended many ideas to relieve crowding before constructing new classes; to date none have been considered by the School Board.

But one speaker mentioned —incidentally I’m sure— something that disturbs me. The speaker had a petition in favor of more school funds, and promised two more petitions would come since the petitions were in the central and south campuses.

Perhaps it’s just my personal perception, but it seems totally inappropriate to use public facilities—paid with tax dollars— to lobby for more of those dollars. There’s a law against that kind of activity by federal employees, for good reason.

Would any principal allow ‘less school money’ petitions be posted in their school?  It seems doubtful. My personal perception would also find it very improper to have petitions against the +30% increase posted in the county office building.

The federal law, the Hatch Act, extends to state and local employees that administer or receive ‘substantial’ federal funding. If it doesn’t apply to this situation, perhaps Shenandoah County should adopt our own policy.

As the news emerged that many students were murdered, several organizations sprang into action. No, not police or emergency services.

Before the facts were clear, political special interests were moving their fund-raising appeals into high gear; intending to profit from others’ immense loss.

Within hours of the news that many students had been killed, the Brady Campaign had a statement of condolence posted, along with suggestions this was only caused by easy access to ‘powerful weapons’.

But far more important to the Brady Campaign were the new donation buttons: “Turn Your Outrage Into Action” and “Donate Now!” How they rushed to turn on those money spigots! There’s even a two-for-one contribution special.

In addition to their main website, (more…)

A series of arrests for numerous bomb threats ends an especially awful week for Shenandoah County schools. One of those arrested is a parent, charged with eagerly and irresponsibly spreading rumors of an impending school massacre.

Making bomb threats at any time is despicable —this week more than other times— and we all hope these charges stop the terrorization. Spreading rumors of an imminent mass murder is contemptible as well, but whether it rises to felony level may soon be tested.

As reported in the Northern Virginia Daily (copy):

“A mother of three finds herself charged with a felony for sending an e-mail repeating threats against Shenandoah County Public Schools’ southern campus.” . . . “The arrest caps a week of multiple bomb threats and the arrest of five teenagers for making those threats.”

“. . . the Sheriff’s Office learned of a rumor of a threatening message on a child’s My Space page, [Sheriff] Carter said. He said the rumor was found to be untrue. The Sheriff’s Office was informed by a media outlet Friday that it had received an e-mail with threats to the southern campus, Carter said. The e-mail was traced to Ritchie.” . . . “I know she sent it to several hundred people,” Carter said. “To me, it’s unacceptable for a parent to be passing on this type of information as though it’s true and factual when they have no information that it’s factual or true.” . . .

Virginia applies a “reasonable person” standard in judging actions that cause, or can cause, injury to others. Though America is known for unregulated free speech, the standard limit to that freedom of speech is (falsely) yelling “Fire” in a crowded theater; a panicked audience could realistically be expected get some people hurt.

Stretching that point, what’s the liability of a person in the theater audience who yells “Fire!” after hearing someone else quietly say “There’s a fire in here”? I don’t know the answers, but as a ‘reasonable person’, my thought is the person yelling should have found out if there was a fire or not. Under the court’s reasonable person measure, it may hinge on the trust or belief given to the quiet talker.

What if a person yelling “Fire!” because they claim they heard someone else quietly say “There’s a fire in here”; but a security camera shows nobody ever said that? Then what to make of this case, which according to Sheriff Carter is the equivalent of screaming “Fire!” based on gossip about a fire?

As the NVD reports: (copy)

“Ritchie said a friend alerted her Thursday to the alleged My Space threat. The gist of the threat was that an incident worse than those at Columbine and Virginia Tech would occur at the southern campus on Friday, she said. ” . . .

Ritchie said the superintendent’s office told her security at the schools had been increased, and this led her to conclude that there was reason for concern.” . . .

“Feeling she wasn’t getting anywhere with her questions, Ritchie said she decided to e-mail WHSV in Harrisonburg. Ritchie didn’t have a copy of the e-mail she sent, but she says she asked for help in what she should do, and repeated the threat she’d heard, putting quotation marks around it.” . . .

We’ve all gotten internet chain-mail; seldom true and often hoaxes. Some advises the receiver to do something that harms their computer, some tries to obtain personal information for identity theft.

Virginia’s Constitution speaks to both the liberty and the responsibility:

That the freedoms of speech and of the press are among the great bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained except by despotic governments; that any citizen may freely speak, write, and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right; that the General Assembly shall not pass any law abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, nor the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for the redress of grievances. — Article I, Section 12 [emphasis added]

It’s interesting from a legal standpoint; though I doubt either Lisa Ritchie or the schools feel that way. Similar cases often settle before trial, accept a reduced sentence, or plead guilty to lesser charges.

But if Ms. Ritchie contests the charges, Shenandoah County could see the cutting edge of free-speech court decisions. A lot will depend on the volume of email she sent, the words of the message itself, how strongly she disowned direct knowledge of the quoted parts, etc, etc.

Regardless of the decision, parent throughout our school district can breathe a sigh of relief.  There are enough awful things in the world without these added threats.

Governor Kaine Announces Statewide Day of Mourning

Richmond - Governor Tim Kaine has declared Friday, April 20, 2007 a statewide day of mourning for the victims of Monday’s tragedy at Virginia Tech. . . . He has encouraged other communities in Virginia and across the nation to hold their own simultaneous ceremonies and participate in prayer services, beginning with the ringing of bells at noon, eastern daylight savings time.

Why have an official day, when we all know that some will be grieving far longer?

In the Shenandoah Valley-Herald, John Collins writes:

The Book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time to weep. This is that time. Save the public discussions for later — after the final victim has been officially identified, after the vigils and services, after classes have resumed.

As Collins notes, the ambulance chasers and other political parasites emerged at the first news, yet Ecclesiastes also reminds us there is a time to be silent. It is time for decent citizens to comfort the bereaved, support the anguished, and honor the lives cut short.

Politics will wait. We won’t forget the scavengers of tragedy —vermin that thrive on grief— and can contend with them after a semblance of routine returns.

The Virginia flag is at half-staff until further notice. The US flag is at half-staff until sunset April 22, and school classes resume Monday, April 23.

Whatever my political differences with him —and there are many— Virginia’s Governor rose to the occasion and acted like . . . well . . . acted like Virginia’s Governor. Thank you Governor Kaine.

Bordering at times on preaching, his address to the convocation at Virginia Tech was human and humane. The Governor reminded us how it’s natural to grieve, how we can grieve and rage —as Job did— without forsaking Him. How even Christ despaired on the cross. How Virginia is not a just a state but a Commonwealth —for the ‘common good’— where the commons are for, and define, this community.

There’s a limit to the consolation any politician can give in these situations. Our Governor did all he could, and I am proud and thankful for his leadership at this time.

Dozens of organizations, many of them news media, reacted swiftly to exploit this catastrophe for their own political propaganda. Yuk!  This couldn’t have been said better, and judging from the net and news, needs to be repeated:

“I think that people who want to take this within 24 hours of the event and make it their political hobby horse to ride, I’ve got nothing but loathing for them. . . . To those who want to try to make this into some little crusade, I say take that elsewhere.”

Whatever my political differences with him —and there are many— Virginia’s Governor rose to the occasion and acted like . . .well . . . he acted like a profoundly decent human being. Thank you Governor Kaine.

 This was not a tragedy, it was an atrocity.

Tragedies are spawned by hubris;

atrocities by evil.

h/t Herr Morgenholz 

Veteran entertainer Don Ho has died. The Hawaiian musician was probably best known for his songs such as “Tiny Bubbles”, “I’ll Remember You” and “One Paddle, Two Paddle”.

Although cardiac disease had slowed him down and reduced his workload to three shows a week, Don Ho was the consummate entertainer. Onstage for 45 years —his last show was Thursday— playing a venue that was personal and warm. Most of his audience are older folks who remember his hit songs, but there’s a wide range of age and race at all his shows and a healthy mix of tourists and locals.

He sings “Tiny Bubbles” twice — early on and late — “just in case somebody can’t make it through the show, and again at the end, for anybody who can’t remember.” After making the comment, perhaps acknowledging his own memory lapses, he jokes, “That ain’t funny anymore.”

Ho still acknowledges [current and former] men and women in uniform and thanks them for their roles in keeping the country safe. After the show, these folks get a free cassette of Ho’s music as a thank-you. – Honolulu Advertiser

Shenandoah County seems to have little in common with Hawaii, who’s heritage comes from the northeast-most extent of the Polynesian culture, has its own language, and a radically different tradition.  Yet Don Ho’s life draws attention to some common concerns.

Due to its isolation, Hawaii faces economic challenges unknown to mainland states, and depends (really depends) on revenue from tourism. Like other industries, tourism has its own pitfalls: visitors who arrive, never leave, and after arrival, change the culture; destroying what created the attraction.

Don Ho was an ambassador for Hawaii; he always supported that tourism, even as he became one of the reasons for it. Yet he was always able to recognize the fine line between promoting tourism and the influx of new residents from the mainland. Mr. Ho worked tirelessly —and effectively— to keep both the islands’ cultural heritage and their economic base.

Ho’s solution for the non-local-ness of Waikiki is simple. “$2 parking for Hawaii residents and military! Who wants to pay $6, $7, $8 for parking? It keeps local people out of Waikiki, and if there are no local people in Waikiki, it looks like anywhere else. Imagine going to Mexico and not seeing any Mexicans. Waikiki has also become architecturally scarred. We need to think in terms of ‘success,’ not ‘money,’ to define what to do about Waikiki.”  –Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Born Donald Tai Loy Ho, of Hawaiian, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and German descent, Mr. Ho exemplified Hawaii’s melting pot. His wife and longtime executive producer, Haumea Hebenstreit, and ten children survive him.

Hawaii will miss Mr. Ho. As the eulogies and tributes fade, islanders would do well to remember not just his humanity and humility, but also his sense of balance in respecting heritage and tradition while encouraging Hawaiian prosperity.  We in the Shenandoah would do well to remember that as well.

Requiescat In Pace

There’s a classic fairy-tale about a goose that laid an egg of gold every day. The story continued until its owner killed it, expecting to find the goose filled with gold eggs.

In January, it was reported that Karl Szmolinsky, breeder of the world’s largest rabbits, was selling part of his prime breeding stock to North Korea. The rabbits are enormous — about the weight of a cocker spaniel— and top out over twenty pounds, twice the size of commercial varieties. Rabbits produce lean, slightly sweet meat that has virtually no fat, calories, or cholesterol, and is very high in protein.

Szmolinsky gave a huge price break in the deal, an effort to provide a viable and renewable food to North Korea. [A previous article that I can no longer find indicated that Karl, an East German communist until Germany’s re-unification, made the deal because he was sympathetic with North Korea’s communism.] There’s a permanent state of famine in North Korea —the inevitable consequence of communism’s centralized planning— but I can understand Szmolinsky’s sale.

The arrangement was for North Korea to purchase the bunnies and then setup a breeding program in April (this month) under Szmolinsky’s guidance. It all sounded reasonable. Thought rabbits reproduce, well . . . like rabbits, the specialized breeds such as German Giants have unique requirements and need specialized conditions. With decades of breeding experience, Szmolinsky was the obvious choice for this.

Szmolinsky sold them four females and two males to start a pilot program, and he plans to fly to Pyongyang, the capital of the communist nation, in April at their request to see how things are progressing.

Females produce two litters of eight to 14 offspring each year, so the four alone could produce as many as 112 rabbits in the first year alone. At that rate, it would not take long to make an impact, especially because a single rabbit produces some 15 pounds of meat. — North Korea Eyes German Roaster Rabbits, Washington Post

Now it’s reported that North Korea has unexpectedly denied Karl Szmolinsky a visa, and questions to their embassy are unanswered.

Szmolinsky said he suspected Robert I and his fellow bunnies had been eaten by top officials and that that was the real reason why he wasn’t getting a visa. “That’s an assumption, not an assertion,” he added. “But they’re not getting any more.” –No More Monster Bunnies for North Korea, Der Spiegel

The rumor that can never be proved is the rabbits provided a delicacy at ‘Dear Leader’ Kim Jong-il’s birthday banquet. They’re ‘just rabbits’, but Karl Szmolinsky put 47 years of his life into them. Now a kleptocracy —taking advantage of Szmolinsky’s desire to feed starving people— destroyed half the world’s stock of these unique animals to provide a dramatic menu.

Dear Leader’s people are still starving; it’s the only nation on earth where the the population’s average height and weight have declined. And he’s developing The Bomb.  Help us.

All indications are Virginia’s re-regulation of the electric industry will send prices upward. So it’s good to see the Shenandoah Valley Electric Coop, a small utility serving parts of Augusta, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Hardy Counties, has been taking a couple of steps to help their customers.

SVEC has been installing ‘smart’ meters. These are meters that send their reading over a network —in this case the same electric wires that supply power— saving the need to manually read them. [They are checked occasionally to make sure they're calibrated] This is a classic case of using automation for repetitive tasks, freeing up their personnel for non-routine services.

Recently, the electric bill has been changed so that it shows the last year’s usage —and the last billed month— in a bar graph. This is great. It’s very understandable and a fast way to get a ‘reality check’ on your electric usage. It also challenges you, the consumer, to make your own choices to reduce your consumption.

In the future, I hope the utility enhances this; perhaps in combination with the online accounts so that customers can more accurately monitor their usage to conserve energy. But these are good steps already, and SVEC deserves kudos for the direction they’ve taken.