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Having Fun
With Mojo
Looking for a new challenge
Hey kids! Mojo here! Wow! I'm still pumped from my submarine ride on the USS West Virginia! My sub experience means I've taken almost every form of transportation available -- airplanes, motorcycles, cars, trains, boats, helicopters, and now submarines! I was trying to think of something I've never ridden on! Then I thought of one! So, next time you're at a nationally televised WVU football game, check out the guy waving at you from way up above the stadium in the Goodyear blimp!
Ex-hotline director airs ad urging table games 'no' vote
MIA MORAN-COOPER
The former director of West Virginia's problem gambler hotline has taped a radio spot airing today warning of the dangers of gambling expansion and urging a "no" vote on adding table games at Tri-State.
Mia-Moran Cooper served as director of the problem gambler hotline for seven years, and in the
ad says, "I saw firsthand how gambling ruined thousands of lives: seniors who lost their life savings, kids left alone while their mothers gambled, desperate fathers who stole money because of their gambling addiction."
Play the full ad by Mia Moran-Cooper
Gov. Joe Manchin on Thursday issued a press release about the forthcoming closure of Fenton Art Glass in Williamstown, and used the opportunity to blame the closure on the global market, not the West Virginia economy.
Said Manchin, "Fenton Glass has been an important part of West Virginia’s industrial and cultural heritage for many years. It is truly a shame that global market conditions have made it so difficult for this company -- and our country’s entire handmade glass industry as a whole -- to compete.”
So this is how it works -- when a new company locates in West Virginia, it's the Manchin policy working. When a company closes its doors, it's the fault of the "global market."
Added Manchin, "Our Development Office leadership team has been in contact with Fenton’s management for quite some time as they have worked to do everything possible to assist the company. We will now continue to do everything we can to assist the company’s workers during this difficult time."
What the governor is no doubt planning is helping Fenton Glass workers find some great jobs as card dealers, security officers and maids at racetracks around the state.
ELVIS WV TRIVIA -- Elvis Presley is pictured at right with bass singer J.D. Sumner of the Stamps Quartet. The quartet performed with Elvis during most of his concerts of the '70s, and J.D. is in the Guiness Book of World Records as having the lowest voice in recorded history. Sumner sang with several gospel groups prior to forming the Stamps, and one of the first groups he joined was the Sunshine Boys, who in the early 1950s appeared regularly on a well known West Virginia radio program called Jamboree. Question: What West Virginia city is the the home of the Jamboree? Answering yesterday's question correctly were repeat winners Tommy Phillips and His Honor, who is now allowed back in the competition since I have discerned his methods. The correct answer: prior to its 1980 renovation, Elvis performed to sold-out audiences at the Charleston Civic Center numbering 8400 each show.
'Vote no' rally features broad-based support
Opponents of the table games bill gathered on the steps of the State Capitol Thursday, forming a human "NO!" and hearing various speakers, including local pastors and community activists, and political leaders like Delegates Tim Armstead and Kelli Sobonya, former Mayor Richie Robb, and GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Adams, (below right, speaking with Nitro councilman Tim Harrison). Adams is from Jeffferson County and reminded the crowd that his county said no to table games, and Kanawha County can too. According to a local TV report, a "Vote Yes" rally on Thursday drew only two participants.
Congratulations to Governor Manchin for apparently changing his mind pertaining to a special session call dealing with the electronic surveillance issue. To refresh my readers’ memory, due to a West Virginia Supreme Court decision, our state’s law enforcement agencies can no longer “wire” drug informants as do the feds and 47 other states.
The Charleston Daily Mail wrote on June 7, 2008, “House Republicans this week called on Governor Joe Manchin to hold a special session to tackle the issue. Manchin said a special session wasn't likely, but he assured legislation would be introduced by the next regular session in 2008. 'That should not be politicized, nor we will allow it to be,'" Manchin said.
Amazingly, after two months the Charleston Gazette reported on August 8, 2008 that Governor Manchin said, “Every day that we’re not able to conduct a full-scale war against drugs is a day wasted, in my opinion.”
Great decision Governor! But, it gets better. The special session will run concurrent with the legislative interims further reducing the cost to the taxpayers. I personally think every interim meeting date should have a concurrent session and encourage the legislature to address pressing issues that afflict our state.
And, I have a suggestion for the next pressing issue. Eliminate the “Job Killer” personal property tax assessed on inventory, machinery and equipment for all new businesses willing to locate in West Virginia. Existing businesses would also benefit by purchasing/upgrading their machinery and equipment thus showing a long term commitment to providing employment opportunities for our citizens.
Furthermore, West Virginia clearly needs to get out of the business of purchasing corporate machinery and then leasing it back so that these corporations can avoid paying personal property taxes. Williamstown in Wood County is a prime example. The new Toyota truck plant has used this scheme while a hundred year old business like Fenton Glass will be closing its doors soon with over $200,000 in personal property tax debt.
And, no we don’t need to study this even though the West Virginia State Chamber of Commerce may be so inclined. West Virginia has created a cottage industry of studying (delaying) what should be obvious. We’ve wasted more time and money studying the same issues over and over when we should have been acting.
West Virginia has had over $1.3 billion in surplus revenues over the last three years. It’s time to take a small percentage of this excess revenue and grow our state’s economy. Tax credits haven’t worked. Fancy slogans won’t either.
In the long term this tax change will be revenue neutral. It is imperative to make these changes now. It will be very, very difficult if not impossible if tax revenues were to decline.
Finally, governor agrees to call
special session,
but let's don't
stop without
addressing some
additional issues
By Delegate Craig Blair
Manchin blames glass company closure on 'global market' issues
And while we're on the subject of casualties...
A reader sends in a reminder that not only have the casualties in Iraq been far fewer than any other major U.S. war, but many individual battles have cost more lives than the entire Iraq war. For example:
Okinawa: 5,000 US Navy dead, 8,000 Army and Marines; Iwo Jima: 6,800 US dead; Battle of the Bulge: 80,000 US dead, wounded, captured; Anzio: Allied VI Corps suffered 4,400 dead.
The Civil War also resulted in high casualty battles, (www.civilwarhome.com), including:
Wilderness 17,666; Spotsylvania 10,920; Gettysburg 23,079; Second Manassas/Bull Run: 16,054; Stone's River: 24,645. And Valley Forge winter deaths alone killed over 2,500.
(Incidentally, a couple of far left websites have become obsessed with drawing a response from me on this issue. I have little interest in engaging in a silly blog war, and no interest at all in responding to bloggers who can hurl insults at me by name because I identify myself, while they do not have the courage to do the same.)
