Month: December 2011

UVA Football: Mike London nabs $100,000 bonus

When UVA Football accepted an invitation to take on the Auburn Tigers at the Chik-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia, Cavaliers head coach Mike London got another reason to celebrate his team’s performance. According to London’s contract, an appearance in a non-Bowl Championship Series game carries with it a $75,000 bonus to the coach’s five-year, $1.7 million annual salary.

Add another $25,000 for London’s recent Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year honor, and UVA’s head coach will take home an additional $100,000 this year, according to his contract. (C-VILLE obtained London’s contract through a Freedom of Information Act request, and first wrote about the bonuses here.) One need not look far to find criticism of football funding at UVA, but London, who turned last year’s 4-8 season into an 8-4 improvement, is certainly receiving more money for more wins.

 

Cafe culture or fast food nation?

The summer of 1967 was a time of personal upheaval and new perspectives. I, a backward homebody, toured Europe with high school friends and finished with two weeks of liberating hitch hiking in Ireland. I was quite taken with the age and character of those countries. What impressed most was the comfortable lifetstyles––the French with their leisurely meals in the cafes, the club-like feeling in the pubs of Ireland and England (one went back to the 1600’s!).

Returning to the United States, my eye was critical. This fast food society. I saw little grace. I came to qualify this. I came to realize how much more open and less set in our ways we are. Those European societies had much appeal but could be restricting. A German woman long here told me just yesterday that on a visit home she longed
to get back here for those very reasons. Forty years later, we are still certainly a fast food society, but there have been counter developments. On our Downtown Mall, we
see cafe dining.

It reminded someone of "Paris on the Rivanna"! And coffee places. At first, this coffee phenomenon seemed a bit silly. A dollar for a cup that used to be a quarter and, at many restaurants, free? And all those embellishments!; those will always be a bit
affected to me.

However, I have come to see these places as very positive developments in the European style. Our bars have limited range and are not very friendly places. These counter gathering places are comfortable, not threatening. People talking, laptoping, reading together. A leap for civilization. I wonder where people used to go… The owner of the first coffee place here was asked if it would make it. Sure, people may not be drinking and smoking, but they can still drink coffee. Yes, and, now, coffee has taken on this elevated, worldly appeal. For me it is not the beverage that matters, it is the setting.

UVA freshman Morgan Brian named Hermann Trophy Semifinalist

PRESS RELEASE: Virginia Sports Media–– Virginia freshman midfielder Morgan Brian (St. Simons Island, Ga.) was one of 15 players named as semifinalists for the 2011 Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy, the most prestigious individual award in college soccer. Brian is the only freshman to be named a semifinalist this season. 

Brian, the 2011 ACC Freshman of the Year, had 11 goals and eight assists during her rookie season. An All-ACC first team selection, seven of her goals came against conference foes, including all three of her game-winning goals. 

It marks the fifth consecutive year that Virginia has had a player named a Hermann Trophy semifinalist.

Head coaches of NCAA Division I programs with current membership in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) will vote to determine the 2011 MAC Hermann Trophy recipient. Three finalists for the award will be announced on Friday, Dec. 9. They will be invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis for a news conference on Friday, Jan. 6, 2012, where the winner will be announced. A dinner and form presentation of the award will follow the news conference that evening.

For more on what makes Morgan Brian special, read Eric Angevine’s profile from earlier this season here.

Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln, a Waltons reunion and how to bring Oprah to Culpeper.

Greetings. A Monday afternoon roundup of arts-oriented developments, plus one FBI-sponsored board game–oriented development:

UVA graduate Michael Phillip snapped the first photo of actor Daniel Day-Lewis in full Abraham Lincoln makeup last week (the beard is real though), made up for Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln biopic, Lincoln, which is currently being filmed in Richmond and Petersburg. According to Variety’s Jeff Sneider, Day-Lewis hasn’t broken character since March, and his real name doesn’t even appear on the call sheet. And while Day-Lewis’s is well-known for his dedication to roles, the first allegation sounds pretty dubious. I want to believe!

Lincoln in blue jeans contemplating dessert. Photo by Michael Phillip.

The town of Culpeper has passed the second selection round for Lovetown, USA, and is still in the running to host the upcoming reality T.V. dating show by Oprah Winfrey’s own OWN network. The producers of the show visited Culpeper last month, and must have liked what they saw, because they plan on returning before the year is up. To help bring Lovetown, USA to Culpeper, and for a chance to be on the show, head to the Buffalo Wild Wings in the Kohl’s shopping center on Bus. 29 tonight between 5:30 and 7:30pm to mingle with your prospects/competition and fill out an application. Or forego the trip and visit Culpeper’s Facebook page, where you can download a copy of the lengthy application. Questions include What magazines do you read?, Do you have a crush on anyone in your hometown?, and Do you have any pending litigation? Feel free to answer all three in the comments below. In other reality T.V. news, a father and son from Pittsylvania County are the stars of a Discovery Channel show called Moonshiners, which airs tomorrow night at 10pm.

The cast of The Waltons, the T.V. show that Earl Hamner created in 1971, reunited on The Today Show last Friday. The wholesome family drama, which ran for nine seasons, followed a seven-child family situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains through the Great Depression and World War II. Things to thank Earl Hamner for this holiday season: 1. Giving his surname to our very own Hamner Theater. 2. Coming up with the ever-parodied “Goodnight, Jim Bob” scene. 3. Leaving us with seasonally relevant sentiments like the following, narrated by a grown-up Walton child: “When we were living through them we called them bad times, and thought that we were poor. Only after we all grew up did we realize what good times they had been, and how very rich we were.”

The National Nuclear Security Organization and the FBI recently announced that they completed a tabletop counterterrorism game at UVA called “Cavalier Thunder,” the latest set piece in some kind of nuclear-event themed Dungeons and Dragons campaign codenamed “Silent Thunder.” The board game—yes, that’s actually what it is—is played in select U.S. locations with access to radioactive materials, and runs through scenarios involving nuclear sabotage by terrorist cells. “The University of Virginia’s expertise in both radiation technology and security were valuable contributions to the exercise, which also involved first responders from the city and state levels," the NNSA said in a press release. Looks like we missed an opportunity to see what our fourth-graders can really do.

The recycled house now has a kitchen!

A while back, I wrote an ABODE story about a master salvager. Scott Wylie has renovated several Charlottesville houses using largely recycled materials. The story focused on his current project, a house on Rose Hill Drive. When I visited last spring, he and his wife had just moved in and were enjoying their new upstairs bedrooms, downstairs bath and living room. But the dining room was serving as a makeshift kitchen (think cold cereal and microwaved meals) while the kitchen was literally a hole in the ground.

Not anymore! Scott wrote to let me know that his kitchen was finished just in time for Thanksgiving.

He continued his thrifty ways in finishing this room. "The floors, doors, trim, countertops (marble and copper) copper sink, dishwasher, stove, microwave, and cabinets were all purchased used," he wrote. "We are really enjoying being able to cook again after no kitchen for five months."

Scott is a veteran shopper at the Habitat Store, and he’s gotten really good at finding the best stuff there and at other secondhand outlets. I loved seeing how cleverly he was able to use materials, and not always for their intended purpose. Next, he’ll finish the house’s exterior.

Fugazi launches live archive with two local shows

Dischord Records launched its online archive of live Fugazi recordings today, which includes two sets the iconic post-hardcore band played in Charlottesville. Both were recorded at Trax, a nightclub on 11th Street that was closed and demolished in 2001. The first show, which Fugazi played in 1993 with Jawbox, is available for $5, or, in true DIY fashion, whatever you’re willing to pay for it. A sample recording of "Sieve-Fisted Find," from 1990’s Repeater, is available for streaming.

Fugazi rocking Trax in 1999. Photo by Andy Moor.

Of the over 1000 concerts Fugazi played between 1987 and 2003, at least 800 were recorded by the band’s sound engineers, Joey Picuri and Nick Pellicciotto, and the folks at Dischord Records—who as far as I know, still work out of a 7-11 basement in Northwest DC—plan on eventually mastering and releasing all of them. Fugazi and Dischord are probably one of the only band-label pairs that could inspire the dedication necessary for this kind of Sysiphean documentary project (which even lists estimated attendance levels, and a cover charge for each show, which—surprise—is always between $5 and $7), although there are doubtless some Fugazi fans out there who will gladly pay the $500 that gives you access to the entire archive. Sense might dictate that there’s only so many ways "Floating Boy" could sound, but it would be hard to argue that having more Ian Mackaye out there isn’t a good thing (see The Evens).

If you have photos from any Fugazi show, and want to be a part of documenting DIY history, send them to fugazilive@dischord.com.

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News & Views 12.01.2011

PCA Hosts December Exhibit Showcasing Quilters from Local Housing Project

Piedmont Council for the Arts (PCA) will host an exhibition of quilts by the Crescent Hall Quilters as the December 2011 exhibit in the CitySpace Gallery. A First Fridays opening reception will be held on Friday, December 2 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. with many of the quilters present. The exhibit will be on display through December 30, 2011.
 
The Crescent Hall Quilters group formed more than nine years ago, inspired by an idea from public housing resident Teresa Stinnie. She envisioned the group as a way for residents to meet one another and strengthen their community through fellowship. She saw women around a table learning to quilt and growing as neighbors. Teresa shared her idea with Vice Mayor Holly Edwards, who found the group’s quilting teacher, Del Horan, through Westminster Presbyterian Church. Del brought the knowledge of quilting but also many of the supplies, machines, and materials that the group needed. Her commitment to the group is part of her ministry and she has been recognized as one of The Daily Progress’s “Distinguished Dozen” as a result of her work.
 
Group members started out learning the basics of quilting by hand. Now, even though the group is down to nine dedicated members, they are able to understand measurements and figure out even the most difficult quilt patterns. The leadership has evolved over time with the participants taking more responsibility for the weekly group. Currently, Francine Payne and Helen Stevens provide guidance and instruction for group members.
 
Crescent Hall is one of seven sites in the city’s quilt of public housing. It was built in the 1970’s for the elderly and disabled. It is now the first to be slated for rehabilitation as part of the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority Master Plan.   
All quilts in the exhibition were crafted by the Crescent Hall Quilters and (unless otherwise noted) are for sale. Purchases can be made through PCA, with all proceeds going to the Crescent Hall Quilters.
 
PCA provides support services to artists, arts organizations, and their audiences in order to encourage community-wide access to and appreciation for the arts. To find out more about PCA programs and services, visit http://charlottesvillearts.org/.
 
The CitySpace Gallery is located at 100 5th Street NE in downtown Charlottesville. PCA hosts exhibitions related to community interests in the gallery and accepts exhibition proposals from local organizations. To find out more about the gallery, visit http://charlottesvillearts.org/cityspace-gallery/.
 
A Christmas Art Exhibit at Montpelier
Firnew Farm Artists’ Circle and Montpelier present A Christmas Art Exhibit at the Home of James & Dolley Madison, Montpelier. The opening wine and cheese reception is December 1 from 5:00 -6:30 p.m. No admission required.
 
Twenty-seven local artists from the Firnew Farm Artists’ Circle, from Madison, Greene, Culpeper, Rappahannock, and Albemarle Counties have depicted Montpelier, and the sensation of its grace and place in history for this Holiday Season. The works include: oils, Henry Wingate; photography, Robert Llewellyn, and others displaying charming depictions of Montpelier in its early days and present day landscapes of the grounds and the cedar of Lebanon, watercolors, acrylics and even a Holiday Bird House. 
 
The Exhibit will run from December 1 – 18, 2011. Visit www.montpelier.org for more information.
 
The Nutcracker in Waynesboro
Old Dominion Performance Arts Studio and Progressions Repertory Dance Company present The Nutcracker 2011, December 2 and 3rd at 7:00 p.m. and December 4 and 2:00 p.m. at Kate Collins Middle School Auditorium in Waynesboro. Children under five years of age are $5 in advance, $6 at the door and $7 reserved. Youth and adult tickets are $8 in advance, $9 at the door and $12 reserved. For more information, visit www.performods.org or call 540-324-4049. 
 
Local Women Artists Featured at FOCUS Flea
FOCUS Women’s Resource Center is pleased to continue its commitment to supporting women by announcing monthly art shows featuring women artists at the FOCUS Flea, 617 West Main Street in the Old Albemarle Hotel, Charlottesville, VA.
 
December’s will feature two artists. TV host Robin Hoffman, whose well-known prints and caricatures are a featured fundraiser for many nonprofits, will have an opening will be Thursday, December 1 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. and will include caricatures as fundraisers. Leah Craig’s quilted treasures will be featured Friday, December 2 during First Friday from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Both shows will be at the FOCUS Flea and will run for the month of December.
 
The FOCUS Flea will host a different artist each month, with an opening reception on Charlottesville’s First Fridays. More information about artists and an application may be found at focus.avenue.org/artshow.html. Call 293-2222 if you have any questions.
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A Common Money Dilemma: Payoff or Invest?

Personal finance can be defined as all financial decisions and activities of an individual, including budgeting, insurance, savings, investing, and debt servicing among other things. It’s been said that money makes the world go round and yet personal finance is something many learn from their parents and friends, through word of mouth, or tidbits of information found in fine publications such as this. Recently Virginia has required that financial literacy be part of the high school curriculum that all students must complete before graduation. By learning financial decision-making skills early, they will be better prepared to tackle some of the common money dilemmas that adults face every day.

 
One such dilemma is—do I pay off a credit card or fund my 401(k) with my excess funds? The answer is not simple and varies from person to person depending on their circumstances. However, there are some steps you can take to figure out which option is best for you.
 
The first step is to gather the information on all the variables. These include the interest rate on the credit card, any company 401(k) matching details, the historical return of a diversified 401(k) plan, yearly salary, and personal tax bracket rate. 
 
Keeping that in mind, let’s create a scenario to demonstrate how to determine which answer makes the most financial sense for you. 
 
Today the average American credit card carries an interest rate of about 14 percent so we will use that as the credit card interest variable. Companies vary greatly on their 401(k) matching programs, as some will match 100 percent on the first three percent the employee puts in while another may match 50 percent on the first six percent the employee contributes. For the sake of our scenario, we will use a company match of 50 percent on the first five percent the employee contributes as the variable in this calculation. The performance of 401(k)s will vary year by year depending on market conditions, but using the historical average of eight percent return in a given year will provide a good rate of return over the long term. This person will have an income of $48,000 per year or $4,000 per month in gross salary. The personal tax bracket in this scenario will be 30 percent, which will be the combined federal and state taxes. 
 
With these variables one can compute the monthly payment of each choice. The 401(k) will have five percent of the monthly income ($4,000) that translates to $200 a month, with a company match of $100 for a total of $300 a month into the 401(k) plan. The credit card option has to be paid with after-tax income or take-home pay so the same $200 a month becomes $140 a month after-taxes that can be applied toward the credit card. From the beginning it would seem like the $300 a month of increased assets is preferable to the $140 decrease in debt. This is where the different rates of interest come into play, as there is a time value of money consideration. 
 
The 401(k) option of $300 a month for 3 years (or 36 months) growing at eight percent a year calculated monthly results in a 401(k) balance of $12,161. Should there have been zero growth in the market, however, the balance would only have been $10,800 and even lower should there have been negative growth. To get to a number that is comparable to the other option we will then calculate the after-tax balance to be $8,512 by taxing the $12,161. 
 
The credit card option of $140 extra a month applied to the balance over 36 months would result in a savings of $6,219 via a $5,040 reduction in the balance and $1,179 in reduced interest. These savings are guaranteed and not market dependent but may vary if the interest rate on the card changes. While this result shows that over a three-year period the 401(k) option results in a larger balance than the credit card savings, over the long run the higher rate of the credit card interest will overtake the 401(k)’s rate of return. For this example the credit card option would overtake the 401(k) during the 134th month and then proceed to outpace the 401(k). 
 
In our scenarios, this individual would be better off to apply the extra funds at their disposal towards paying off the high interest rate credit card and then shifting to the 401(k) when the credit card is paid off. There are many variables in these calculations so the decision outcome may differ, but educating oneself in personal finance always will result in a positive value through the knowledge gained. Seeking the advice of a financial advisor is always recommended if you are not sure of your calculations or simply want a second opinion.
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GOOD NIGHT –  SLEEP TIGHT:  BEDROOM TRENDS FOR 2012

We spend almost a third of our day sleeping (or trying to sleep!) so if you’re not one of those fortunate people who can sleep anywhere/anytime, you might want to put ‘a good night’s sleep’ on your New Year’s Resolution list. To help you create the optimum environment where you can relax, unwind and disengage, here are a few things to consider if a bedroom update is on your list of things to do in 2012.  

 
At the Threshold
You open the door to your bedroom and you see …???  You feel …??? If your current bedroom doesn’t invite you to relax, be healed and re-energized, then it’s time to make changes. Some of those changes, such as re-organizing the room or adding new bed linens and curtains, can be very simple and do not require that you throw out everything and start over. Some bedrooms, however, might need more intense remodeling and if that’s the case, you will want to seek a professional to guide you. Whatever route you choose, it’s important to remember that your bedroom is ‘your personal real estate’ and you’re the one who must feel good, relaxed and calm in it, no matter the style. 
 
What’s Happening with Bedroom Design?
Where new construction is concerned, Americans are downsizing their homes in order to keep pace with the economy. David Barista, editor-in-chief of Professional Builder and Custom Builder magazines said in recent years the trend definitely is pointing in the direction of smaller homes. In fact, the median size of new U.S. homes fell from 2,277 square feet in 2007 to 2,135 square feet in 2009, according to the National Association of Home Builders. This doesn’t mean the number of rooms are being cut, but it does mean that the size of those rooms is growing smaller by ten to fifteen percent. Despite that shrinkage, some basic wish list items remain the same. 
 
That being said, if you don’t intend to buy a new home but want to make an addition to your current home, the popularity of adding first floor master suites is a growing trend, especially as baby boomers age and find it easier to navigate a single-story home.  While a master suite addition is one of the most expensive home improvements you can make, you can expect to recoup about 63 percent of your investment on a midrange master suite addition, and 53 percent for a high-end job, based on national averages. Payback depends more on how it compares with other houses on the block. If your neighborhood is filled with empty nesters with two-bedroom houses, you probably won’t recoup your investment in a luxury master suite. But if master suites additions are common in your area, you’ll recoup more.
 
If you add a master suite onto your first floor, you’ll spend a good portion of your budget on site excavation and foundation pouring. If you can take advantage of existing space—such as building over a garage or converting an unfinished attic or basement—you can save between 20 percent and 60 percent on construction, and increase your return.  A good rule of thumb is only do the work if you plan to stay in your home for at least three to five years.
 
Eco-Friendly Rooms
New trends in bedroom design often echo those of the fashion world, incorporating eclectic, eco-friendly surroundings that combine a sense of serenity with more lively adaptations of traditional design style.  Many homeowners are mixing it up, blending different periods and styles to reflect their personal taste.  This adds character and individuality to the room. You don’t have to have matching beds and dressers any more. Eclectic style enlivens the bedroom and adds interest. This is a trend that will last because you can always switch pieces out or add new pieces when the urge strikes you or the styles change. There are a number of shops in Charlottesville and surrounding areas that are virtual treasure troves for unique pieces that speak to you.
 
An eco-friendly bedroom is a trend that won’t go out of style any time soon. Eco-friendly home products are becoming more widely available. From paint and flooring to energy-conscious lighting and resource-saving furnishings, many manufacturers are doing their part to bring environmentally aware products into the home.
 
As a matter of fact, several have made calm, healthy environments for sleep part of their life’s work. At Savvy Rest (www.savvyrest.com/dealers) makers of quality organic mattresses, toppers, and pillows in Ivy Commons, Michael Penny discussed the importance of mattress selection. Penny has been involved with yoga and other healthy disciplines for years and started educating about, and selling, organic mattresses as an extension of this lifestyle approximately eight years ago. Knowing the body’s physiology, he sees that having the correct mattress to match your body’s needs is the first step toward quality sleep. Clients may come with physical problems that need special attention on mattress construction, or as couples who have dissimilar mattress needs. Penny helps you choose a mattress that is custom made to your specifications – even on different sides of the same bed – and one that will have a 20-year warranty, triple the usual mattress life.
 
Also, being a proponent of clean indoor air quality, Penny said that the more he learned about ‘off-gassing’ of toxic chemicals and pesticide residues in traditional mattresses, the more it became, “… my life’s work to create a healthy, comfortable alternative.” For persons who are not ready to buy a new mattress, Savvy Rest has certified organic wool toppers that are a pleasure to lie upon and will give your body more of the support and comfort it needs, as well as organic custom pillows.
 
Walking around the Savvy Rest showroom, one feels a sense of calm and peace transmitted by the soft wall colors and bed selections made of natural woods and other materials. Penny says he does not ‘decorate’ with a design philosophy per se but wants clients to feel safe and welcome both at the showroom and at home.
 
Incorporating Feng Shui
We all know the experience of walking into a room and feeling that something’s not quite right; it’s a little off-kilter. In the last 20 years or so, some Western interior designers have turned to Feng Shui (fung shwai) for guidance in design and decor. This is an ancient Chinese system of siting a home and placing objects. Its purpose is to have the ch’i (loosely translated as life’s energy) circulate easily, thereby promoting good health, happiness and, subsequently, good fortune. At first glance, some people may be deterred by Feng Shui’s seemingly endless injunctions and hard-and-fast rules, but in a broad and elemental sense it can be compared to our Western concept of ergonomics—systems designed for simplicity of movement and functional utility. 
 
Sally Fretwell is an expert in color selection and Feng Shui and gives a more ‘design and decorating’ organic take on the subject. To create healthy as well as beautiful spaces, she developed her own paints and primers that contain no VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Her color palette is created from nature photographs and, as a Feng Shui expert, she agrees that the important element in design is for the homeowner’s energy to flow smoothly. 
 
However, Fretwell’s design philosophy on bedroom color does not differ from other rooms, since she is absolutely clear (and her clients agree) that it almost doesn’t matter which color you choose as long as it has warm tones added to it. Warm tones, even in blues, whites, and grays, will pull color and light in, as opposed to reflecting, and allow you to feel as if you’re enveloped by color. 
 
Fretwell strongly advises to consider the ceiling as the 5th wall of the room. If your ceiling is the typical flat white, it can destroy the ambiance of the whole room, defeating the purpose of remodeling. Off-white tones with warm hues are better for ceilings, while there are special times when the color of the ceiling can be a lighter shade of the walls, continuing the design upward. But the ‘must’ is a warm tone so that the ceiling is not reflected down onto the room and “…shouting back at you!”
 
As for light or dark, soft or hard colors in the bedroom, Fretwell feels that contrary to popular belief, dark colors are very appropriate for bedrooms and they will not make the room look smaller. A deep color can actually make it feel larger because it pulls warmth in and absorbs light, giving depth to the room, while light colors are not necessarily ‘softer’ and more relaxing that dark colors. All shades can be ‘relaxing’–even the energizing ones of yellow and orange. And sometimes, as Sally says, “… people who have difficulty getting moving in the morning may need more of an energy boost than calm and serenity. So, one size does not fit all in bedroom color.”
 
Fretwell’s website, www.sallyfretwell.com, contains information to help you get started to create your own safe haven.
 
You Can Do It
Overall, there are numerous ways to update your bedroom and the new trends in bedroom design make it easy. Bring in new accessories. Install new lighting fixtures. Reupholster traditional chairs in a contemporary fabric for a bit of eclectic punch. Paint a piece of garage sale furniture. Put new eco-friendly linens on the bed. Paint the walls a soothing modern color or give the room a punch with a bright color on one wall. 
Bringing your room up to date doesn’t have to cost a small fortune.  However you decide to employ today’s bedroom trends, finding peace and relaxation under your roof is something everyone can do. 
 
A cursory look at decorating books and websites dedicated to color impact, gives an overall view of the ‘right’ color for your bedroom, with variations that can be adjusted to personal preferences and styles. All paint companies have their “Trends for 2012” colors and “Searchers-on-the-Quest” for the perfect night’s sleep can visit the websites below to get started on their New Year’s resolution. Good luck and good night!
 
Francesca Toscani (Interior Editions) specializes in reworking and remodeling difficult kitchen, bath and other interior spaces to unlock their potential. francesca.toscani@yahoo.com
 
Link Me Up!
  • Behr Paints: www.behr.com
  • Benjamin Moore: www.benjaminmoore.com/
  • Farrow & Ball: http://us.farrow-ball.com/new-colours-2012
  • Pratt and Lambert: www.prattandlambert.com/
  • Sherwin Williams: www.sherwin-williams.com
  • Valspar-Eddie Bauer Series: www.valsparpaint.com (strong, bold, nature-oriented)
  • Easy Feng Shui: www.easy-feng-shui.com/bedroom_colors.html
  • www.ehow.com (sums up the general feeling for colors to enhance a good night’s sleep)

Ken Cuccinelli will announce run for governor

Current Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is set to announce he will be running for governor in 2013, reports The Washington Post. 


According to the article, Cuccinelli was previously interested in running for re-election or for Senate against Democratic Senator Mark Warner, but changed his mind.

Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, in the meantime, has also expressed interest in running for the governorship in 2013 and Bolling’s spokesperson told the Post that “Lieutenant Governor Bolling has made clear that he intends to run for governor in 2013, and we hope that Ken will be a part of our ticket,’’ he is quoted as saying. “We think that would be best for the Republican Party.”

Cuccinelli has made a name for himself for suing the federal government over the constitutionality of the health care law; he filed a petition against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); he wrote an opinion telling institutions of higher education in Virginia that they did not have the legal authority to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and distributed a pin with the state seal that had the goddess Virtus, who is usually pictured with an uncovered breast, dressed with an armored breastplate.

For more on Cuccinelli’s opinions and controversies, read C-VILLE’s cover story here.