Author: James A. Bacon
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Cell Phone Ban Working in Chesapeake
by James A. Bacon Chesapeake public schools banned cell phones and tablets in school for most of the school day and now report to The Virginian-Pilot that students are less disruptive and paying more attention in class. The rule enacted this year requires devices to be stored in a bag, locker or vehicle during school…
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UVA as Entrepreneurial Hub?
by James A. Bacon Does the University of Virginia have what it takes to become an engine of technological innovation and entrepreneurial wealth creation? Mike Lenox, professor of entrepreneurship at the Darden School of Business, thinks that it does. James Murray, a venture capitalist specializing in telecommunications and information technology, isn’t so sure. They engaged…
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Acampora Previews Religious-Diversity Recommendations
by James A. Bacon The University of Virginia’s task force on religious diversity and belonging won’t issue formal recommendations until the end of the month, but task force chair Christa Acampora gave the Board of Visitors a preview today of the topics it likely will address. At the top of the list will be integrating…
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Anarchy Is Loosed Upon the World
by James A. Bacon Everything that’s wrong with politics in America has been on display in Central Virginia this past week. Militants from the deep-blue Peoples Republic of Charlottesville and activists from one of the reddest congressional districts in the country collided like flint and rock. Republican candidates for Congress continued their fratricidal struggle over…
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The Open the Books Webinar
In a recent post Dick Hall-Sizemore, a retired Virginia budget analyst, critiqued the Open the Books methodology for calculating the size and cost of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion bureaucracy at the University of Virginia. He based his observations in part upon Open the Books CEO Adam Andrzejewski’s explanation provided in the Jefferson Council webinar…
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So Much Privilege, So Much Self Pity
Sometimes schadenfreude is the best freude of all. It seems that the Democracy-dies-in-darkness people are feeling a little darkness themselves. Since 2020, The Washington Post has experienced a 50% decline in its audience, and the enterprise lost $70 million last year. Seventy-million dollars? Hey, that’s real money even to WaPo owner Jeff Bezos, one of…
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The Economic Value of Living Shorelines
by James A. Bacon Every so often I find myself in agreement with new environmental initiatives. Not those relating to climate change that require the re-engineering of Virginia’s energy economy in the vain hope of slowing down global warming. And not in zero-risk regulations such as the landfilling of coal ash at a cost of…
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Raven Baxter Found Her Virginia Beach Dream Home. The Owner Didn’t Want To Sell To A Black Woman.
by Kerry Dougherty I’m just going to say this: 84 is not THAT old. Being born in 1940 is no excuse for behaving like a modern-day segregationist. Guess who was born that year? Al Pacino, Ringo Starr, Dionne Warwick, Chuck Norris, Cliff Richard, Mario Andretti, Nancy Pelosi and the late John Lennon and Bruce Lee.…
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Up, Up, and Away
by James A. Bacon Brace yourselves for another blast of UVA-centric articles, Baconoids and Baconauts. The University of Virginia Board of Visitors meets this week, and I’ll be covering the deliberations. If you’re not interested in all things Wahoo, this might be a good time to take a vacation. On the other hand, if you…
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Hung ‘Cowed’ Ducks Debates, GOP Activists
PAC scandal overshadows his campaign; Republicans better off with another nominee. By Ken Reid Although Hung Cao did not run a great campaign for U.S. House 10th district, which he lost in 2022, when the distinguished Navy captain veteran and Vietnamese refugee announced last July for U.S. Senate, I felt he was the best candidate.…
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DePasquale Owes an Apology
by James A. Bacon A year ago, University of Virginia Board member Bert Ellis was called to task for referring — in private text to two fellow board members — to his UVA critics as “numnuts.” He also referred to unnamed employees in President Jim Ryan’s office as “shmucks,” and expressed disappointment in the leadership…
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Neither Snow, Nor Rain, Nor Sleet…. Ah, Forget It.
by James A. Bacon If you’ve got something more important to mail than a greeting card, you might consider an alternative to the U.S. Postal Service. Come to think of it, if you live in Central Virginia and don’t want people thinking you’ve forgotten their birthday, graduation, or anniversary, you might not even entrust greeting…
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University of Lynchburg Bites the Bullet
by James A. Bacon In anticipation of shrinking numbers of college-bound students, the University of Lynchburg has taken proactive steps to reduce its cost structure. A small private institution affiliated with the Church of Christ, the university has announced that it is cutting employee headcount by 10%, with further reductions over the next three years.…
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BoV Secretary Edited Board Member’s Scathing Rebuke of Foe
by James A. Bacon Thomas A. DePasquale, an eight-year veteran of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors, is very unhappy with board colleague Bert Ellis. A dogged defender of President Jim Ryan, he took it upon himself in April to write a missive to other board members criticizing Ellis, who has made no secret…