Search results for: “amazon”
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Another Media Merger in the Works
Virginia’s commercial news media continues its consolidation and self-cannibalization. Alden Global Capital, the hedge fund that owns the Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press, has proposed purchasing Lee Enterprises, the chain that owns the Richmond-Times Dispatch, Roanoke Times, and newspapers in Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Danville, Martinsville, Waynesboro, and Bristol. If the offer is accepted, almost the entire news-collecting…
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In Praise of Two Great Public Servants
by James A. Bacon Virginia has been blessed to have had many superb public servants over the years. They may not be remembered in the history books, which have a bias toward elected politicians, but we are reminded of the indispensable contributions of at least two of them in today’s news clippings. One is leaving…
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The Ten-Year Tab for Economic Development Incentives: $3 Billion
by James A. Bacon Virginia spent $3 billion on economic incentive programs during the decade of the 2010s (between FY 2011 to FY 2020), equivalent to 1.5% of the total General Fund budget. Although there is considerable variability from year to year, incentives grew roughly twice as rapidly as the rest of the total budget,…
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Climate Rationality Preached in a UVA Pulpit
by Steve Haner Efforts to rapidly expand our reliance on wind and solar generation for electricity, while at the same time closing baseload natural gas generation with similar haste, makes no sense economically. “The only explanation for that policy is you want to shut down the economy.” Another voice of reason has emerged to challenge…
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With a $14.5 Billion Endowment, Are UVa Leaders Accountable to Anyone But Themselves?
by James A. Bacon The University of Virginia endowment racked up a breathtaking 49% investment return in the year ending June 30, 2021, bringing the total value of the university’s investments to $14.5 billion, reports the University of Virginia Investment Management Company (UVIMCO) in its 2020-21 annual report. I’m not sure that’s a good thing.…
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How to Fight the Cancel-Culture Thugs
by Blaine Pardoe I am an established, bestselling, award-winning, Virginia author. When my latest book was announced, a conservative political thriller titled, “Blue Dawn,” I brought down the wrath of the leftist cancel culture. A very small but vocal group of ‘fans’ tried to get one of my publishers of 36+ years to cancel its…
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Hudson, Hold My Beer
by Deborah Hommer In Hudson, Ohio, several days ago, Mayor Craig Shubert addressed the School Board. “It has come to my attention that your educators are distributing essentially what is child pornography in the classroom,” he said. “I’ve spoken to a judge this evening, she’s already confirmed that, so I’m going to give you a…
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Intellectual Enslavement at UVa
by Jock Yellott “This year, members of the Class of 2025 are required to attend a historical tour and debrief discussion centered around the history of enslaved laborers at the University.” — Sydney Hertzog, Cavalier Daily, Sept. 22, 2021. Why does this rankle? The University of Virginia, after all, has many mandates: • Social Sciences…
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Bacon Bits: The Fraying Social Fabric Edition
Honor is an antiquated slaveholders concept anyway. The University of Virginia’s student Honor Committee has voted to alter the honor code to eliminate the single sanction against lying, cheating and stealing from expulsion to a two-semester suspension. Before the change can be adopted, it must be approved by a vote of the student body. Third-year…
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RIP: Ed Risse
by James A. Bacon Readers of Bacon’s Rebellion in the early days may remember Ed Risse, a long-time contributor to the blog (and its predecessor publication, a biweekly newsletter). Ed, who was 84, passed away a week ago from injuries sustained from a fall. Ed, whose idiosyncratic byline was E M Risse (with no periods),…
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Millionaire vs. Millionaire
This article was published originally in Style Weekly. by Peter Galuszka Call it a tale of two campaign stops. Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin picks a small office building in a working-class part of Emporia, a Southside town where Amtrak passenger trains no longer stop. It is chiefly known for stock car driving and speed…
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Schools Desperately Short of Bus Drivers; Carpooling App Needed
by James C. Sherlock A Fairfax County Public Schools Twitter message August 19: “If you can walk with or drive your child (and perhaps a neighbor’s), please do. Also, we ask that you update your transportation status through your school, if you choose to not have your child take the bus.” WTOP reported that as…
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The Goochland Revolution
by James A. Bacon The “Goochland Revolution” might be the most under-appreciated political upheaval in recent Virginia history. In the early years of the Obama administration the Tea Party movement energized small-government conservatives against the big-government policies of President Obama. The populist surge petered out in Virginia, as it did elsewhere, and it had little…
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Covid Benefits – Yet Another Massive Government Program Gone Awry
Stolen without a gun. NBC News is reporting that hackers and scammers have pulled off “an epic theft” of COVID benefits. Foreign and domestic criminals have looted tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars. As reported, “The federal government cannot say for sure how much of the more than $900 billion in pandemic-related unemployment…
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Not All COVID-Fighting Masks Are Created Equal
by James A. Bacon So, society is back to wearing masks. Governor Ralph Northam has mandated mask usage in public schools, while many universities and employers in Virginia are doing the same. The K-12 mandate does make accommodations for people who are eating, drinking, sleeping, exercising, playing a music instrument, and/or is in state of…