All-Time NFL Sacker Meets His Match

A certain invincibility must attend one’s assent to stardom, after all, fame was not easily won in most cases. As one joins the elite, one may feel they are part of a privileged society, immune to the same weaknesses of the average person. But often one's Achilles tendon will exhibit itself at the worst times, as in the recent DUI arrest of NFL great Bruce Smith. This latest arrest is especially unflattering as it arrives just months before Smith will be receiving his highest honor - induction into Pro Football's Hall of Fame. Additionally, it is his third arrest for DUI in just over a decade, revealing a pattern of weakness.......click the title to read the rest of the article.

Virginia Commonwealth Attorney Challenger is a Cyclist

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A cyclist fatality on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach, Virginia continues to fuel debate on why charges have not been filed against the driver who struck and killed cyclist, Daniel Hersh on April 19. The race for Virginia Beach commonwealth attorney has just entered the fray, as challenger Mark Hardman accused incumbent Harvey Bryant of failing “to pursue justice against drivers who injure or kill cyclists.“
The fatality is a hot topic locally; there seems to be much division between motorists and the cyclists. They both want ownership of the roads, but the road’s design is not welcoming to bicyclists and the roads have become more crowded with vehicles. This is in part due to a lack of leadership in preparing for the explosive housing market several years ago that made many realtors rich and many travelers weary.
The Tidewater Bicyclist Club has organized rides and the local community has filled the editorial pages of the Virginian-Pilot and blogs with their concerns related to this fatality. The TBA is a passionate group with a growing membership, and I got an immediate response from their Vice-president and President in regard to my article about fatalities on Shore Drive, Drive Safely on This Death Drive. The article proved to be a bit prophetic, as it was published within one hour of Hersh’s death.
Several years ago, just blocks from where Hersh was hit, a motorist hit our Dumpster, slamming it into our store building. Our electrical box was destroyed at impact and part of the wall fell over near where I was standing. Electricity was disabled, and for weeks we were running on only partial power from a rented generator and drop cords. We lost a lot of business during that summer month. As far as I know, the driver did not get a ticket for her reckless driving. She even tried to leave the scene by crashing through our fence, busting the pad lock open, before police arrived.
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Mayor Sessoms of Virginia Beach

I first met the new mayor of Virginia Beach at the Farmer's Market in the Princess Anne area of Va Bch. He was Vice Mayor then and there was a logo contest for the market where I was one of the finalists who received an award from the city. All the logo entries were displayed in a barn-style room next to vegetable stands and country crafts, sporting phrases like "Home Sweet Home." There was music and refreshments.

A Date with an American Beauty

The 1936 Cord, a conception that got last place in a 1933 GM sponsored design contest. I drove this car for months and nothing was more unforgettable than its timeless lines from the sculpting hands of Gordon Buehrig, a designer that didn't allow rejection to stop his drawing from becoming a reality, and how.

This Poet's element is off-stage

A local poet hits the street in virginia beach...

The Original Tough Copper

How would you catch a bootlegger if you were a cop in the 1930’s? You’d chase him and if you lost him, you’d call for back up to intercept him, right? Well, that wouldn’t work too well for Norfolk cops, who didn’t get radios installed in their cars until 1941. And searching for a gas station with a phone, would often give crooks time to escape. But my late grandfather, John Estes, a Norfolk police officer for 35 years, had a skill that terrified criminals - he could fly...

Click on the title above to link to the rest of the article, The Original Tough Copper on the on-line magazine Blogcritics.

Life-Sized Betty Boop Remains Headless

Associated Press picked up the story on Betty Boop's Beheading from the Virginian-Pilot, which I had submitted a press release, which the Pilot had titled, "Cartoon Violence" in July 2005. AP reverted back to my original press release titled with the three B's - "Betty Boop Beheaded..." It became a top story in papers, TV, and was even on live-feed radio. Someone told me they read about it in the NEw YORK TIMES. Yesterday I submitted an update on the still unsolved mystery, to Blogcritics which they published right away. See the article - http://blogcritics.org/archives/2009/04/25/171030.php