Goode won't seek Republican nomination for 2010

The Danville Register and Bee and the Martinsville Bulletin both ran stories today about former Congressman Virgil Goode's decision to not run for the 5th district congressional seat that he lost last year to political newbie Tom Perriello. Part of me is saddened, because I was kind of looking forward to a rematch between Congressman Perriello and Goode.

Here is the emailed statement as run by the Register and Bee:

I sincerely appreciate the privilege accorded to me by the citizens of Virginia’s Fifth District to serve them in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 1997 to January 2009, and I am especially grateful to those who voted for and supported me in past elections.

I have decided not to seek the Republican nomination for Congress in 2010.

It is my hope and expectation that Republicans will nominate a conservative who will oppose the record deficits and debt of the current administration, will support secure borders and oppose amnesty for illegals, will recognize and reduce the huge threat that terrorists pose for our country, will support pro-life issues, and will support the traditional definition of marriage of one man and one woman.

I look forward to supporting and working for that candidate in 2010.

My hope is that the Republican party will give us a candidate that will not only be a good candidate, but a candidate that will be strong for the Republican party. I may not be a Republican, but I believe that one of the worst things for them to do will be to give us a candidate that will not be a strong candidate.

Finally Home!

After an amazing week in Claiborne County, Tennessee, I am finally home.

Over the next few days I'll be blogging about everything that went on in the past week. Participating in ASP is a emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual challenge that leaves me exhausted and seeking/searching for more. [not materialistically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually]

I hope everyone had an amazing week, I know that I sure did.

ASP

I will be out of town this week on a mission trip in Tennessee.

There will be no internet access, so there will be no blogging, no email, no facebook, no newspapers, and a possibility of low phone access.

I'll be spending the week working on a house, it should be a fun but long week.

There will be lots of blogging about the week when I get back.

Have a good week everyone! I know I'll be having a good one!

Post Secret.

my favorite Post Secret of the week is by far:




this weeks are amazing, as always.

postsecret.com

Martian Child

The past two nights I have decided that I wanted to watch a movie before I go to bed. I don't have much time to watch movies, so I've been watching a few before I go to bed. Last night I decided to watch "Martian Child." This was probably the greatest movie I have seen in a while.

The movie is about the relationship and journey of a widower (played by John Cusack) and his adopted son (played by Bobby Coleman). David Gordon (Cusack) is a Sci-Fi writer who receives a phone call about adopting this little boy (Coleman). He quickly learns that Dennis (Coleman) thinks that he is from Mars. The whole movie David tries to teach Dennis how to be human. He tries to teach him how to fit in.

At one point in the movie, they are driving down the road, and David is trying to get Dennis to forget that he's from Mars. Here's whats said:

Dennis, can I just say one last thing about Mars? - which may be strange coming from a Science-Fiction writer - But right now, you and me here, put together entirely of atoms, sitting on this round rock with a core of liquid iron, held down by this force that seems to trouble you, called gravity, all the while spinning around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour and whizzing through the milky way at 600,000 miles an hour in a universe that very well may be chasing its own tail at the speed of light; And admist all this frantic activity, fully cognizant of our own eminent demise - which is our own pretty way of saying we all know we're gonna die - We reach out to one another. Sometimes for the sake of entity, sometimes for reasons you're not old enough to understand yet, but a lot of the time we just reach out and expect nothing in return. Isn't that strange? Isn't that weird? Isn't that weird enough? The heck do ya need to be from Mars for?

This quote to me could be asked of anyone. Change the last four words as to why you keep yourself from fitting in, from belonging to the world around you.

If you haven't seen it, I believe it is a must see.

Let the Search Begin

With the summer before my senior year, the infamous search for college has begun. This will be a long, grueling process that in the end will result in the place where I will spend at least the next 4 years, if not the next 7. It's hard to believe that I will spend the first five months of my senior year filling out applications, to wait until April to find out my fate.

So, let the search begin!

I'm indecisive....

and this has led to the change of name in my blog.

I was not really feeling my original title. After a few hours of listening to the new DMB album, I made the decision that "Dive In" was a not so much a better song, but a song that when I listen too, I feel more connected.

Post Secret

Post Secret has to be one of the greatest things that I ever stumbled upon. [with the help of my sister] The blog consists of secrets that have been sent in by people anonymously. On Sunday, a new set of secrets are posted. They aren't archived, so to find old ones, you have to google it.

The secrets contain everything and anything.

Into The Wild

Not only is "Into The Wild" an amazing movie, it is also an amazing book. Christopher McCandless' journey for self-actualization is an inspiration to me.

I have watched the movie probably 20 times and read the book at least a dozen. The last time I watched it, I heard a line that I had never paid attention to before. McCandless, played by Emile Hirsch, is standing at the top of a cliff talking to Ron Franz, trying to encourage him to climb up the cliff to see the view. He says to him, "The core of mankind comes from new experiences." These words are something that have stuck with me over the past two weeks as I've done things that I have never done, and more than likely will never do again.

Along with not only being a great movie and a great book, there is a great soundtrack. Eddie Vedder, lead singer of Pearl Jam, did the soundtrack as an attempt at a solo career.

A Tea Party on the 4th of July

The Danville Register & Bee is running a story on the Tea Party that was held today at Ballou Park in protest of recent decisions made by the government.

Speaking at the event were former Congressman Virgil Goode, Delegate Danny Marshall (R-14th), and Republican candidate for Congress, Bradely Rees.

There are plans for another tea party in October.

Happy 4th of July!

I've spent the day with family celebrating the holiday and I hope that you all are doing the same.

Although I am British, I still celebrate the 4th of July. After studying American history for a whole year, it is true to say that the experiment that was implemented by the Founding Fathers was a successful one.

Happy 4th!

Virginia Girls State, part 4.

This is my last installment about my experience at Virginia Girls State. One of the days we had a morning session with 2 General Assembly members. The two delegates that I had the opportunity to hear talk were Delegate R. Lee Ware (R-65th) and Delegate Jimmie Massey (R-72nd).

The biggest concern for all of us there was education. Question after question dealt with education, there were a few about energy, and there were even some comments made about uranium mining in Pittsylvania County. With Delegate Ware being a history and government teacher, it was interesting to hear his responses to the questions. Delegate Massey spent a lot of time redirecting the questions to Delegate Ware, because this was his first time speaking to a Girls State delegation, and all of the questions dealt with education. It makes sense that Delegate Ware would answer the questions being a teacher, where Delegate Massey is a business man.

There was some information that they gave us that made me proud to live in Virginia. Virginia has been named the best:
-place to raise a kid.
-place to get a higher, public education.
-place to do business

One thing that Delegate Massey said "Democracy doesn't work if the people in the democracy don't participate." He said that there is probably going to be a 50-55% of registered voters in the state of Virginia will vote in the Gubernatorial election this year. In a democracy, that isn't acceptable. Anyone that is eligible to vote, should vote.

Afterwards, I had the opportunity to eat lunch with Delegate Ware. The one question that I asked him was, if he thought as younger/newer delegates were elected to the General Assembly, did he think that the sense of partisanship would be put to the wayside for more across the aisle work. His reply was that on most issues, there is a true "across the aisle" approach to most legislation.

Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King

This is probably one of my favorite Dave Matthews Band albums.

As I'm typing this, I'm watching Dave Matthews Band: The Road to Big Whiskey. Also as I am typing this, I am trying my hardest not to scream and dance and look like an idiot. There is something about the music of DMB that I can't really describe in words. The vibe that is given from every song is phenomenal. As I watch this documentary, I am falling even more in love with the music of DMB.

I will be honest, as much of an avid DMB fan I am, I have not had the chance to purchase and fully listen to the new album. I have only been in town for one week this summer, and have had limited internet access. I have heard over 75% of the album though.

Each song on this album, that I've heard, is truly phenomenal and unique. My top 3 songs would be "Funny The Way It Is," "Why I Am," and "You and Me." Each one has a different feel.

"Funny The Way It Is":
The thing I like the most about this song is the fact that it just talks about the irony of our everyday life. The lyrics are thought provoking and the melody bone chilling. By far my favorite song from "Big Whiskey" and probably one of my favorite DMB songs of all time.

"Why I Am":
For those that don't know the background of the song, late band member LeRoi Moore was constantly telling Matthews that they needed to do something with the song. Bass player Stefan Lessard also picked up on Moore's arguement and felt that the song would go far. After Moore's death, Matthews threw some lyrics down, took the song to Lessard, and it was decided that the song was to be put on the new album. This is Moore's song. Since it was written after Moore's death, it was easy to put Moore into the song. Not only is it amazing lyrics, there are amazing guitar riffs, and it is an amazing song for Moore.

"You and Me":
This song has a whole different feel. As at the end of the documentary Matthews and Carter Beauford are discussing how this song is a great note to end on. To paraphrase, the rest of the album is like a "dark train ride" and "You and Me" is the "light at the end of the tunnel." The acoustic guitar in this song is signature to Matthews amazing talent, and the lyrics are right where they should be.

There is a new revitalization on this album, that I feel is going to be around for a long time.