2009.01.31
Discuss Saturday's short takes
Short takes
Quick views on some of the week's news
Bet you think this bill is about you
"There are no grades of vanity, there are only grades of ability in concealing it" -- Mark Twain.
Virginians aren't about to conceal theirs.
Right now, across the commonwealth, 830,000 vehicles are decorated with vanity license plates, making our drivers among the most boastful in the nation. What prompts so many Virginians to wear their schools, professions and personalities on their cars? The price. The current fee for a personalized license plate is $10, among the cheapest in the nation. ...
State must spend money wisely
There are predators on the Internet trying to seduce young children. Virginia Commonwealth University's chief of police was just charged with that crime.
But a new report by the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use found that the danger to children has been overblown. The vast majority of sexual abuse of children is by family members or friends, not Internet predators. That reality, not emotional appeals by political candidates, should guide the state as it decides whether to pour more resources into task forces that seek out predators. ...
A TransDominion Express train wreck
Rail advocates in central Virginia are aghast that state Sen. William Wampler has proposed a budget amendment to block state funds for any part of the TransDominion Express until "funding for all sections of the corridor from Bristol to Washington, D.C./Richmond is included in the Statewide Rail Plan." ...
A little help from Virginia Tech
Everywhere you look these days, some public agency suffers under the state budget shortfall. K-12 schools and law enforcement have been making the most noise and receiving the most attention.
Meanwhile, colleges and universities have been more stoic. Virginia has been shortchanging them for years, and tuition is bound to jump again next year. Been there, done that. ...
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Bet you think this bill is about you:
I think that Virginia went for soooo long with the plain ugly license plates that maybe people went nuts when we got them. I have had several and loved them all. I hate the name "vanity" plates because I am many many things but vain is not among them. I like that we can (if clever) make a statement, show support or just be silly if we want. My plate is for me, not others. I waited almost two years for the "Peace Plate" to come out and thus ran around with my "AMEN 4" with the butterfly on it for that time and while I am sure butterfly lovers liked it, there were those who shook their heads, but I knew what it was and what I was waiting on. My donation goes to a good cause, my plates are what I want, and the state makes money too. Win-Win-Win. Is there any harm?
Comment by Sandi Saunders — January 31, 2009 @ 3:45 pm
I bet the State of Virginia is kicking itself for making vanity plates only $10 with all those different kinds of plates you can get. I think it's probably the best thing our state government has ever done. And I have to applaud the DMV's organization when you go to a DMV center for anything. The majority of everything can be done on kiosks there, or even on the computer at home. When you are actually forced to talk to someone human, the queue system is neat and orderly. Sometimes the wait is a little long, but I blame a lot of that on people down here unwilling to use the kiosks. When I went to the DMV in Northern VA, I was usually summoned before I even had a chance to fill out my paperwork!!
I kind of wish they'd put our county location on our license plates though. It would give me a better idea on how to predict the person will drive while on the interstate. (i.e. if they are likely to piddle along in the left lane, or if they will be speeding up when possible)
Comment by scott — January 31, 2009 @ 6:35 pm