A few questions and answers regarding recent events in the news: Q. Is it true there's a giant skull floating above the Chesapeake Bay? A. Sort of. According to a recent report in The Washington Post, visitors to Google Maps have spotted a death's-head hovering over the Bay. Q. Wow. Really?

AS A NATIVE Virginian whose ancestors hailed from Appalachia, I reckon I should be madder than a moonshiner during a sugar shortage at MSNBC correspondent Andrea Mitchell's less-than-flattering description of Bristol. That's the southwest Virginia burgh where Barack Obama recently made a campaign stop.

EARLY ONE morning in the Oval Office...  "Good morning, Mr. President." "What is it now, Karl? Hey - wait a minute - you don't work here anymore! Aren't you supposed to be over at FOX News doing your 'fair and balanced' thing?" "I have the day off, sir."

I'M NOT SURE what this says about the state of our economy, but some of the wealthiest, most powerful and intermittently sober men in the world are preparing to sell redwoods in an effort to make ends meet. Well, that's not the official version of events. Not exactly. But when I tell you more about these folks, I trust you'll be as suspicious of the official version of events as I am.

Faced with a national outcry over the high price of gasoline and soaring profits for energy companies, the oil and gas industry is waging an unusually pricey campaign to burnish its image. - The Washington Post, May 9  

Hello. I’m new around here.

Before I begin slinging opinions in this space on a regular basis, I thought I ought to introduce myself and extend a proper invitation for you to join me in the slingfest in the weeks and months and — who knows? — years ahead.

By Brianne WarnerThe Virginian-Pilot
"American Idol" addicts, it's time to judge for yourself - live and in person. Elliott Yamin , one of three finalists on television's No. 1-rated show, was scheduled to roll into Richmond today as part of the taping of next week's "American Idol."His hometown visit begins at 6 a.m. with an appearance on Richmond's NBC affiliate. At 7 a.m., he's set to be on air with WRVQ -FM. At noon, the mayor will welcome Yamin home before he breaks into song at the James Center, says the mayor's press secretary. . . .

By LISA SINGHANIA Associated Press (ASAP)
With only a few years of work history to discuss, Mike Banas came up with another reason for prospective employers to notice his resume. ''I created my own logo. It was very professional looking, worthy of a corporate logo, to put on my resume,'' recalls Banas, 26, a Chicago public relations consultant who also handed out business cards and magnets with his job history. ''I had it copyrighted and that became a conversation topic within the interview. Employers were interested in what I had done, . . .

The Virginian-Pilot
Seven people were injured in a two-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon on Old U.S. 17, south of Elizabeth City.Just before 4 p.m. a gray Honda Civic was traveling on Halls Creek Road toward the U.S. 17 Bypass, when the driver ran a stop sign at the intersection with Old U.S. 17 and hit a beige Geo sedan traveling north on Old U.S. 17 toward Elizabeth City, said Trooper David Peal of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. The Geo came to a stop with its trunk hanging over a ditch, next to a house . . .