The Travels and Rants Journal

1. It does make me sad that Starr Hill is closing. There has been some blogtalk about how bad their acoustics were, etc, but I always found it to be a pleasant and often intimate place to hear some really good acts. And if Capshaw’s purchase of Satellite Ballroom is supposed to make me feel better, well, it doesn’t. The chances of me going to the Corner to hear a band are pretty slim.

2. Is it somehow possible that living in Virginia might no longer be an embarrassment? The always thoughtful Waldo Jaquith writes:

It’s fair to say that the overriding theme of my political blogging has been Republicans in Virginia are way too far to the right, and they’re going to lose the majority soon because of it. Governor Kaine’s election was the first major sign that this is so, Sen. George Allen’s ousting by Sen. Jim Webb was the second sign, and the the ever-shrinking gap between Dems and Republicans in the General Assembly is on the ongoing sign. Now comes a major new poll of Virginia voters conducted by the Post, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard that makes it as clear as ever that the shift to Democratic dominance in Virginia is well underway.

3. I’m sure I’ve posted this at some point. Or that you’ve already seen it. None the less, it bears repeating: Stuff On My Cat.

4. Dave’s Mosquito Farm. We’re in the playoffs. This Thursday determines whether we’re a #3 seed (playing team we could easily beat) or a #4 (and facing the way-too-good top seed) seed. Stay tuned.

5. Don’t just stand there, dammit. Putt.