http://hamptonroads.com/node/355378 Local News en-us Copyright 2009 PilotOnline.com / HamptonRoads.com. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:20:42 -0500 Call it a columnist's conundrum. Political pundits were predicting a quick and decisive outcome in Virginia's elections Tuesday, which meant there was no time to shuttle between party headquarters in Richmond on Election Night. Hmmmm. Did we want to be with the happy people? Or the sad ones? http://hamptonroads.com/2009/11/election-night Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:30:13 -0500 Not judging here, but Metallica is not a band usually associated with good deeds and generous public spirit. (True, band members may have been engaged in many acts of charity and kindness, point is, it's not part of the public's perception.) http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/heavy-metal-has-heart Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:18:50 -0400 We all know the world is run by C students. So, on behalf of everyone with a slightly embarrassing academic record, I offer this delicious nugget: The College of William and Mary continues its desperate search for a mascot. Yep, this elite institution, brimming over with brainiacs, can't find a suitable costumed character to lead cheers on the sidelines during football games. http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/wrestling-wrens Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:10:02 -0400 With unemployment on the rise, it's more important than ever to be on your very best behavior during job interviews. Even informal ones. So it should go without saying that job prospects should never, ever engage in opossum stomping while trying out for a new position. Sadly, it happened. In Danville. http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/times-are-tough-dont-take-it-out-marsupials Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:24:51 -0400 Here's one more reason for school adminstrators to hone their critical thinking skills instead of blindly following zero tolerance policies. Yep, a Delaware first grader - 6 years old, by the way - was sentenced to 45 days in an "alternative" school after he brought a fork/knife/spoon camping tool to school to use at lunchtime. http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/zero-tolerance-vs-common-sense Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:48:56 -0400 Do you suppose The Washington Post ever wonders why it doesn't sell more papers outside Northern Virginia? Here's a hint: Maybe it's the sneering condescension  of its opinion writers toward the rest of the state. http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/view-inside-beltway Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:55:09 -0400 Confession time. For tomorrow's paper I was thinking about writing a column on gangs. I was going to talk about how all the local cities seem to host gang-awareness meetings. Yet gang membership continues to soar. http://hamptonroads.com/2009/09/father-year-definitely-not Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:22:58 -0400   Some of you object whenever I write about pit bulls. You think these lovable beasts get a bad rap. You like to trot out statistics showing that cocker spaniels are more likely to bite than pit bulls. That's true, by the way. In fact, many dog breeds bite more often than pit bulls. All dogs bite. Few kill. Sadly, we have another death by pit bull in Virginia. http://hamptonroads.com/2009/09/yup-pit-bulls-again Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:31:26 -0400 Why is it that when a clergyman or a teacher is accused of having sex with a 13-year-old drugged child society labels the perp a pedophile, a pervert and a sex offender? Yet when a talented film director faces the same charges people are quick to pardon him. They blame his unhappy life, or worse, insinuate that the victim was somehow to blame. http://hamptonroads.com/2009/09/polanskis-double-standard Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:26:29 -0400   Consider they way they speak, for instance. Exhibit 1: This curious excerpt from Doug Wilder's Thursday statement, in which he attempted to explain why he won't support Creigh Deeds for governor: http://hamptonroads.com/2009/09/politicians-they-really-arent-rest-us Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:46:50 -0400