Letter: No ‘Anti-defense’ Candidate
In his latest column [“Who is Running to Represent You?,” Reston Connection, Sept. 19-25, 2012] John Lovaas notes disdainfully that Chris Perkins is a defense lobbyist—as if he's the only retired colonel in this town.
Letter: Plenty of Potential for Voter Fraud
It is hard to tell from Delegate Plum's piece ["Voter Fraud at the Highest Levels," Reston Connection, Sept. 19-25, 2012] whether or not he supports Governor McDonnell's Justice Department-approved Voter ID law, whereby a Voter ID Card is sent to every registered voter (easy to vote, hard to cheat). He sees no voter fraud in Virginia and warns us, instead, to beware "fraudulent-like [sic] statements by politicians." Beware, indeed!
Column: My Team
Not literally, of course. Nor am I the coach or the general manager. But I do feel like an owner, in that there are people that I invest in – again not literally, but definitely emotionally.
Opinion: Voter Fraud at the Highest Levels
Over the last several years there has been a proliferation of bills introduced in Virginia and in many other states to prevent voter fraud. Conspicuously missing from the debate on these bills has been any specific examples of voter fraud having been committed. In fact, the greater problem with voting has not been that persons have been fraudulently voting; voter participation in Virginia and the nation has been embarrassingly low. The emphasis needs to be on getting more people to vote and not to make the process more cumbersome and bureaucratic so that it discourages voters.
Opinion: Who is Running to Represent You in Congress?
If you only get your news from the TV and the big city newspapers that still exist, you might think that we are electing only the president of the U.S. and a U.S. senator from Virginia on Nov. 6, just 47 days from now. In fact, we’ll also be electing a new representative for Reston in Congress.
Column: Refillable. Rechargeable. Reusable.
More like replaceable. Obviously, I want to remain positive and believe that today is not a good day to die (Worf from “Star Trek: Next Generation”) and that there will be many more tomorrows to live for and days beyond that to plan for. However, having a terminal disease has a tendency to darken up those rose-colored glasses.
Column: Trip Without a Fall
Recently, for the first time in nearly two years, I took a trip without having my car. Significant to me in that not “having my car” meant not being able to transport/have all my cancer things.
Letter: Logical Step in Evolution of Reston
Bob Simon has more company than he may expect in supporting the 23-story office building at Bowman Drive and Reston Parkway ["Supporting 23-story Building," Reston Connection, Aug. 29-Sept. 4, 2012]. I support this project as, in 1978, I did for the five-story building it will replace.
Letter: Defenseless Before Developers
Bob Simon may cling to the notion of seven village centers each with multiple high-rise buildings, but nearly all the rest of us realize that this was, and is, a ludicrous idea on many counts. For one, the inadequate road system Simon created struggles to accommodate existing traffic.
Column: Symptoms or just Sometimes
Making the best of a bad situation, that’s how I roll (I’m a Red Sox fan after all). Some days are easier than others, some symptoms/treatments/results are better than others. And some columns make more sense than others. But that’s cancer for you: an equal opportunity “screwer-upper.”
Letter: ‘Work Sunday’s Thank-you
On behalf of the 20 local faith communities represented on the "Works Sunday" Committee, we write to express our heartfelt thanks to the extraordinary people of Reston and Herndon for their 17th consecutive year of wholehearted support of this unique day of charitable outreach and giving. As in years past, we can only marvel at their overwhelmingly generous response, and assure them of our gratitude, and that of the many people in whose lives they have made a real difference for the good.
Letter: Supporting 23-story Building
"Today only one authentic village center and the town center have been built. There are no village centers, other than Lake Anne, with plazas in Reston; nor have the high-density structures planned to support Lake Anne Plaza been built." --Bob Simon, Reston Founder
Letter: Separate and Unequal - II
Your editorial in the titled "Separate and Unequal ?" [The Connection, July 25-31, 2012], addressed the "eye-popping" disparately low admission of Black and Latino students to Thomas Jefferson High School, and the complaint that this was "in voilation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1965 which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin."
Opinion: First Day of School Coming Up
And never too early for parents to get involved.
The first day of school in most of Northern Virginia is Tuesday, Sept. 4. We don't agree with having the General Assembly dictate the first day of school, requiring the start date to be after Labor Day, but starting school after Labor Day does seem more hospitable than the Aug. 27 start in many other areas.
Column: Diagnosed But Not Sick
Having/being diagnosed with cancer/a terminal disease is neither fun nor funny; however, unless I find some humor or wishful thinking in how I approach this situation, I don’t suppose I’ll be approaching it much longer. To me, it’s always been mind over matter, and even though these matters are rather serious, I still don’t mind.