SWAC Girl

Inaugural website for Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell

2009-11-24T14:13:00.002-05:00

The inaugural website for Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell's January 16, 2010, inauguration as Governor of Virginia....

Sarah Palin video arriving in NC to visit Billy Graham

2009-11-24T13:48:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Conservatives 4 Palin ... we have video of Sarah Palin arriving at the Asheville, NC, airport earlier this week to visit with Billy Graham at his mountain home. She is met by Rev. Graham's son, Franklin, and others who show up to welcome her to the Tarheel State. Meanwhile, Gov. Palin has sold almost a million books in the past seven days on her book tour.

THYME Magazine ... Nanny State Government

2009-11-24T13:19:00.001-05:00

The newest issue of THYME Magazine from Bob over at The Journey. Conservative citizen journalism at its best.

Cantor-sponsored job fair in Culpeper turns out 700

2009-11-24T13:15:00.001-05:00

Congressional Whip Eric Cantor (R-7th CD) sponsored a job fair Monday in Culpeper ... and more than 700 unemployed Virginians turned out to take advantage of the opportunity to talk with 50 employers looking for new employees. WVIR NBC-29 was there to cover the event and has details as well as video.

This is the Congressman's second job fair. The first, held earlier this year in Chesterfield, also attracted thousands.

Life's journey ... savor the gusto!

2009-11-24T09:58:00.002-05:00

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty, well-preserved body; but rather a journey into God's arms, skidding in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, 'WOW! What a ride!!' "
-- From home school friend Leah

Hope Michael is enjoying his time off from blogging

2009-11-24T09:40:00.000-05:00

Does anyone else miss Mike and his writings at The Write Side of My Brain? I know, I know ... he's busy with a number of things during the holiday season ... but that doesn't change the fact that his absence is noted in the Virginia blogosphere. I especially miss his bantering quick wit. Have a blessed Thanksgiving Mike ... wherever you are....

Deen Brothers "making it easy" to cook

2009-11-24T09:07:00.000-05:00

It's Thanksgiving and all those who love to cook are planning and shopping and preparing for the big meal with family and friends.

It was fun to see Paula Deen's sons, Jamie and Bobby, on Fox and Friends this morning as they offered up recipes that are not as cumbersome ... something easier to whip up and serve. "The Deen Bros. Take It Easy: Quick and Affordable Meals the Whole Family Will Love" ... the sons learned well from their mom.

ACORN parody has me tapping my feet

2009-11-24T08:50:00.000-05:00

OK, I've got to admit I checked out Smitty's parody -- by way of Mike -- because it was a Barry Manilow tune. Sure enough, my foot started tapping as I worked my way through the lyrics of ACORN shenanigans to the tune of Copacabana.

Now I'm ready to rumba back into the kitchen to work on that Thanksgiving meal ... "At the Copa, Copacabana...." Enjoy your Tuesday!

Climate-gate ... global warming is a hoax and now there's proof

2009-11-24T08:32:00.000-05:00

For years many prominent scientists raised the alarm that global warming was a hoax and pointed out that Al Gore was not a scientist and was incorrect in promoting global warming. How could the climate turn on a dime from the fear of global cooling just a short 30 years ago to global warming?

Climate-gate has broken and exposed the fraud associated with this hoax. It's about time.

Virginia budget 2010 ... ouch

2009-11-23T19:04:00.001-05:00

Twitter from Bill Bolling....

I attended a meeting of the Governor's Advisory Council On Revenue Estimates today in Richmond. The budget outlook is not good for 2010.

The budget is going to be a challenge for the Republican team as they inherit a huge deficit after eight years of Democrat gubernatorial leadership....

H/T Tim

George Allen on Fox News

2009-11-23T18:38:00.001-05:00

Got a text message this afternoon from David over at the Augusta Conservative telling me to turn on Fox News because George Allen was on Neil Cavuto's show (although Mr. Cavuto had a fill-in host).

Ten minutes earlier would have found me still out and about on a rainy day but I was back so grabbed the remote to tune in. David said in his post that Gov. Allen was addressing the economy and added, "He wasted no time in making policy points and showing that he has been keeping his finger on the pulse of current events."

Yep. He's paying attention....

August 28, 2010 ... conservatives to meet at Lincoln Memorial in D.C.

2009-11-23T18:14:00.000-05:00

Uh-oh. Looks like Washington, DC, is going to be inundated with more than a million conservatives once again on August 28, 2010, because when Glenn Beck invites folks to join him, they come out big-time. Over the weekend 35,000 turned out to hear The Plan at The Villages in Florida ... and in April thousands throughout the country met for We Surround Them parties hosted by Glenn Beck through his Fox News television show.

Now the call has gone out from Mr. Beck for Americans to meet at the feet of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to reveal a conservative platform to elected officials in both political parties.

Then he said something I do not agree with. He suggests that a third party be considered if those leaders do not listen.

I do not believe in a third party. I lived through 1992 and Ross Perot's splitting of the Republican Party that allowed Bill Clinton into office with less than 50% of the vote.

If we split that vote in 2012, it will allow Barack Obama a second term in the White House ... and I'm not sure America can survive a second term of Barack Obama.

I agree with much of what Mr. Beck says ... but not this.

25,000 turn out to hear Glenn Beck in FL

2009-11-23T18:00:00.000-05:00

Why are conservative leaders turning people out by the thousands at events around the country? Sarah Palin had 10,000 turn out for one of her book signings last week ... tea parties have seen thousands upon thousands of concerned Americans speaking up about their government ... 1.2 million Americans marched on Washington on 9/12 ... and now Glenn Beck has turned out 25,000 folks -- some have said it was closer to 35,000 -- on Saturday at The Villages in Florida.

Think about it ... 35,000. That is a HUGE mass of people who are sick and tired of not being listened to ... they are sick and tired of being taxed to death ... they are sick and tired of being silent and are now speaking out. A sleeping giant has been awakened.

Glenn Beck announced The Plan on Saturday. Looks like that giant is not going back to sleep anytime soon.

Rev. Graham, Sarah, and Trig

2009-11-23T17:45:00.001-05:00

Two of the three individuals in this photo would be at risk from under nationalized health care as proposed by Democrats and Barack Obama ... Rev. Graham for being elderly ... and Trig for having Down's Syndrome. Photo from USA Today.

I saw the photo above in the USA Today showing Gov. Sarah Palin and her son, Trig, visiting with Rev. Billy Graham at his Montreat home in North Carolina ... and I couldn't help but think about what has been revealed in the nationalized health care bill now before the U.S. Senate. If "death panels" is too harsh a term to hear, how about "lack of compassion for those outside the mainstream"?

Rev. Graham, who turned 91 years old earlier this month, keeps a low profile these days ... but his son Franklin arranged the visit. As reported in USA Today:

After a book signing in Roanoke, Va., the former Alaska governor headed to Graham's retreat in the western North Carolina mountains for some spiritual and culinary sustenance. It was an "unusual" visit for Graham, who turned 91 on Nov. 7 and has mostly been restricting his company to family, said spokesman A. Larry Ross. Ross said the visit was arranged by Graham's son and fellow-minister, Franklin. The younger Graham, who owns a home in Alaska and became friends with Palin when she invited him to speak at a prayer breakfast several years ago, joined his father for the dinner.

I would love to have been a guest at that dinner table ... Rev. Graham, Franklin Graham (I very much respect his Samaritan's Purse ministry in Boone, NC), and Gov. Palin. Just think of the conversation with such a gathering of conservative minds!

Climate Depot looks at ClimateGate

2009-11-23T10:35:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Mark Morano at Climate Depot for the continuous updates....

Statement by Marc Morano of Climate Depot: 'The ClimateGate scandal exposes man-made global warming fears as quite simply the best science that agenda driven activists can manufacture. Claims that the UN IPCC is the 'gold standard' of scientific research have been forever tarnished.'

For latest info on the unfolding ClimateGate issue, go to www.ClimateDepot.com

WSJ: ClimateGate tarnishes UN IPCC: Reveals 'questionable scientific practices' -- Attempts 'to present a 'unified' view; 'beef up' conclusions to present a 'big public splash'

Fox News: Climate Skeptics See 'Smoking Gun' Evidence of Collusion Among Climatologists and Manipulation of Data'

Warmist Death Star has been destroyed? 'The Death Blow to Climate Science': Climatologist says scandal reveals 'deliberate fraud'

UK Telegraph: 'For links to all the latest updates on this, I recommend Marc Morano's invaluable Climate Depot site'

Global warming alarmists act like a gang of co-conspirators rather than respectable scientists'

Associated Press: ClimateGate is 'stoking debate over whether some scientists have overstated the case for man-made climate change'

UPI: 'Climate change scientists falsified information to prove their case, skeptics of global warming say'

CBS News: 'At the center of the story is the claim that scientists were attempting to fudge temperature data to help bolster the theory that humans are to blame for global warming'

'Credibility of the UN IPCC took a serious hit when email exchanges between some of its senior authors'

Climate Fear Promoters: 'Morano and his site Climate Depot has become the climate conspiracy hub'

ClimateGate 'makes an utter mockery of the alarmists' claim that the science of global warming is settled in their favor'

Claim: Gore Now Wishes He Never Invented The Internet

ClimateGate reveals 'desperate push to pump global warming up' -- 'A political imperative pushed scientists into making ever more desperate professional choices'

'The UN IPCC gatekeepers have lost all credibility'

'The Amazing Revkin': 'Presto! Alarmist Emails Not Such a Big Deal' to NYT reporter

Update: 'CRU director admits emails seem to be genuine' -- Climatic Research Unit Hacked? 'Warmist conspiracy exposed?'

'The warmist conspiracy: The emails that most damn Phil Jones'

Update: CRU Emails - Searchable Database Set Up

Hypocritical Kennedy barred from Catholic communion

2009-11-23T10:17:00.001-05:00

Probably the number one issue in the Catholic church is its stand on abortion and protecting the life of the unborn ... so it always amazed me how many high-profile Democrat Catholics were abortion proponents. Now the Catholic church has taken a stand on principle by refusing to allow Patrick Kennedy to partake of communion. The Hill has details.

Politico ... "Forecast for Dem primaries: Ugly"

2009-11-23T10:07:00.001-05:00

“It’s going to be beyond ugly,” said Terry Madonna, director of the Franklin and Marshall College poll, speaking to the tone of the May primary. “I think it’s going to be at a level that’s virtually unprecedented.”

The race Madonna was speaking to Politico.com about is in Pennsylvania where Republican turncoat Arlen Specter has stiff competition from a fellow Democrat.

It's turbulent political waters out there ... and Democrats are facing a "sweep them out" mentality across the nation after passing financially backbreaking legislation in the first nine months of Barack Obama's administration.

However, they are also faced with challenges from within the Party as cash-cow MoveOn.org raises its head:

Some in the party privately worry that it might come to that in several states, including one that isn’t even on the radar at the moment. In what was widely perceived as a warning shot to Sen. Blanche Lincoln, an Arkansas Democrat facing a difficult 2010 reelection, the progressive group MoveOn.org announced earlier this month that it has raised $3.5 million to fund a primary to any Senate Democrat who votes against the health care bill.
...
Asked if MoveOn’s threat was a problem for the party, [a senior Democratic] strategist responded: “[Expletive] yes.”

Republicans had better roll up their sleeves and get to work because 2010 going to be a long and rocky campaign season.

"We Must Take America Back"

2009-11-23T09:31:00.005-05:00

This song was originally written by Steve Vaus in 1992 ... the words are hauntingly accurate 17 years later as we gather forces to fight a new round of battles against the Democrats and Barack Obama's administration jamming through programs to veer America sharply off in a socialist direction. We Must Take America Back!

Get involved ... join us.

Young National Guardsman: "Thank you for your service"

2009-11-23T09:27:00.002-05:00

He's 20 years old ... his blood runs red, white, and blue ... and he's a proud member of the Virginia National Guard. He's my cousin's son who carries the family's trademark long eyelashes that remind me of my dad ... he is another of those everyday heroes around us who are proud members of America's military force.

He had spent the past year as part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Not sure if he would be home in time for our family gathering on Sunday or for the holidays, my cousin got the call Saturday to pick him up at the airport that afternoon ... less than 24 hours before we all gathered together to celebrate God, country, family ... and another year together.

He was a young soldier amongst us ... everyone thanked him for his service and talked with him about Afghanistan ... and the proud American military member shone through as he spoke of fellow brother-soldiers and his experiences halfway around the world. Not one complaint was uttered ... though the temperature got to 120 degrees during the summer ... though the winter was brutally cold ... though he was called on to go over and beyond the normal demands of the human body. It was his duty to his God, to America, and to his family.

We owe our freedom to these unsung heroes who walk among us. Please ... remember our active military and veterans in your Thanksgiving prayers and, if you see one on the street, please thank him or her for their service.

We are grateful.

Waynesboro receives visit from mama bear and cubs

2009-11-23T08:09:00.001-05:00

Waynesboro, Virginia, is a quiet little city whose eastern edges touch the Shenandoah National Park of the Blue Ridge Mountains. One would think a black bear or two in town would not come as a surprise ... but when residents saw a mama black bear and her two cubs meandering down Main Street on Saturday, it caused much excitement.

Several hundred people ended up watching as the bears climbed a tree for safety ... and then as rescuers moved in to tranquilize and move the bears. It was the second bear sighting in Waynesboro this year but there have been many throughout the central Shenandoah Valley area as the black bear population grows in the nearby national forests.

We haven't seen any at SWAC House yet this year but fellow SWACer Barb had a black bear swat her bird feeder to the ground one night and then sprawled on the ground dining on every single morsel. When he returned the next night he was disappointed because she did not refill the feeder.

SWAC Husband was driving north of Crimora recently when he saw numerous vehicles pulled over to the side of the road and people standing around looking up in a big tree where a mother bear and her cubs had taken refuge. He was surprised that some people were directly under the tree ... kind of in the line of fire if the mother bear decided to scamper down and charge.

Part of the beauty of living in western Virginia is the opportunity to observe nature that surrounds us and that includes bears, deer, wild turkeys, bobcats, and every other manner of wild critter native to these parts.

It's autumn in the Shenandoah Valley....

Sarah! fever hits the Roanoke Valley

2009-11-23T07:44:00.001-05:00

"These people adore her. They love her. She's one of us. She's not this policy wonk who talks down to us and talks over us. She's a regular person." --Alyssa Cordova, 23, from Northern Virginia

Who says good old Ronald Reagan conservatism is dead? Just follow former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin around for a day and it becomes clear there are plenty of Americans who want a strong, principled, conservative leader ... and Gov. Palin fills that bill.

She was in Roanoke Sunday to promote her new book, "Going Rogue: An American Life," and thousands turned out to see her including about 500 who camped out in line overnight. They were not disappointed ... they received a surprise visit at midnight when Gov. Palin arrived in the Star City and stopped by Barnes and Noble to thank everyone for coming out.

A couple of my Republican colleagues from the 6th District weighed in on Gov. Palin's visit to their city:

"What's crazy is you walk up and down these lines, and a lot of these people aren't members of the Republican committees," Salem Republican Party Chairman Greg Habeeb said. "She brings out a different crowd. She taps into something that the Republican Party really needs to tap into."

Virginia House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, saw that enthusiasm last year, too: "This is the energy that she brought to the ticket last year. ... We weren't giving out any [John] McCain signs at my office -- because no one was asking for them -- until she was on the ticket. And then we couldn't keep them in. People were getting upset because we didn't have enough."

Is it because many identify with the down-to-earth mom who believes and sticks to principles and conservative beliefs? The Roanoke Times goes on to describe her arrival at the bookstore:

Palin arrived at the bookstore to a chorus of cheers and screams, moving quickly with family members from her tour bus to the music-and-movies section of the store for the signing. Small groups were ushered in, where they stood in a line that wound between shelves before stopping at her table.

Even Tito the Builder stopped by to see his old 2008 campaign buddy:

Tito "The Builder" Munoz, whom Palin referred to in some of her campaign speeches last year, traveled to the event from Northern Virginia and was rewarded with a personalized signature in his book."I'm in the book! I'm right here, page 305," Munoz said as he pointed to a passage in "Going Rogue."

Everyone left with signed books and Gov. Palin, herself a military mom, left Roanoke on her way to Ft. Bragg.

Be sure to check out Roanoke area blogger Jerry Fuhrman who made note of Gov. Palin's visit with a trademark quip.

Monday morning fog delays on Afton Mountain

2009-11-23T06:49:00.001-05:00

Foggy conditions on I-64 over Afton Mountain this morning so be careful out there.

Free Range Trout is in the house....

2009-11-22T23:34:00.000-05:00

Free Range Trout is in the house ... and it's a mellow, laid-back listening experience as old favorites and new are offered up for all to hear. Family and good music ... doesn't get much better than that....

Diamond Rio ... "God Is There"

2009-11-22T23:23:00.000-05:00

The country band Diamond Rio appeared on Fox News Channel's "Huckabee" show Saturday night playing with the Little Rockers band. They sang "God Is There," an uplifting inspirational song that lets folks know that God is present even in the darkest hour. Truly inspiring....

God Is There

Surrounded by the darkness
It all came down too soon
Longing for redemption in this cold hospital room,
God is There.

What will she tell her family
Still her daddy’s little girl
She can’t believe she’s showing
Carrying the weight of the world
God is there.

Where you think he won't come to
That’s where he’ll be
Waiting for you
God is there.

In the middle of your night
In every single moment
In every single light
He’s reaching for you
Right where you are.

The God of the impossible is never very far
Oh, imagine a place He would never be
No height no depth
Not life nor death separate you,
Ever separate you, ever separate you.
God is there.

In the middle of your night
In every single moment
In every single light
He’s reaching for you right where you are
The God of the impossible is never very far
Oh, imagine a place where He would never be,
God is there.
God is there.

Will Obama sink the U.S.S. America?

2009-11-22T12:32:00.001-05:00

What are Democrats doing to our country? Their latest attempt to break America's back is the federalized health care bill that moved forward in the Senate on Saturday ... perhaps a giant step toward sinking the U.S.S. America?

Yankee Phil notes:

Blanche Lincoln Like other Democratic moderates who knew a single vote could kill the bill, she took a streetcar named Opportunism, transferred to one called Wavering and made off with concessions of her own.

Fishersville Mike adds:

... if the Democrats don't see the danger, they're marching blind to their own destruction.

David at the Augusta Conservative takes notice that both of Virginia's Democrat senators, Webb and Warner, voted to move the bill forward.

Bob at The Journey posts about the impending economic disaster awaiting the U.S.S. America if the Democrats get their way:

The bill protects trial lawyers. The bill gives money (authorized at "such sums") to states that enact "certificate of merit" (a document signed by a medical professional that says there is a probability that the standard of care was violated) and / or a certificate of "early offer" (an early, confidential apology) laws, as long as the states don't limit attorneys' fees or impose caps on damages.

SWAC Corps ... keeping an eye on Washington....