You're about to lose your internet FOREVER!!

Net neutrality. It is a GOOD thing. If you haven't heard the term before you will soon. We're about to LOSE our net neutrality, our free access to the internet and only those with money and lots of it, will be able to use the internet. We NEED the internet to stay neutral - NOT to be controlled by corporations. If you are a small business you could LOSE your business....and everything that it brings you. Watch this and get informed before it's too late. Why don't you read about it in the newspapers? Because they want it - then they can control advertising again. Big media and cellphone companies, corporations DON'T want the internet to remain neutral because THEY can't make money off of YOU if it does. Fight back now. Contact your congressman - although here in VA it will do little good....he's already in bed with the money'd people....

Why isn't Media General enforcing its policies?

Gee, Media General HAS policies in place to supposedly prevent sexual harassment, but no one seems too worried about actually ENFORCING them. Why? Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Are STING advertisers getting ripped off?

Are you a Danville business? Do you advertise in "The Sting,"? If so, you might want to ask for a refund. Every week bundles of newspapers and ads go undistributed. This week local folks spotted 20 bundles of STING papers in a local recycling bin.

That equals OVER 2,000 UNDELIVERED Stings!

An you paid HOW MUCH for that ad? ...the upclose shots of bundled Stings in this photo were for this week Feb.18,2008 with a Hobby Lobby ad on the back page with a color Food Lion ad inserted .....each are bundles of 100...Our photographer couldn't tell how many more bundles had been covered over by residents recycling or if they were from this week over past weeks.

If you are a Food Lion or Hobby Lobby or other STING advertiser here's an example of where your hard earned advertising dollars are ending up - never delivered.

Not the only Danville Blog

This is not the only blog about Danville, VA that's questioning why the newspaper isn't reporting on the REAL news in Danville. Check out this blog:
What's happening in Danville and why isn't the newspaper reporting on it? Concern from many officials, businesses and even a banker or two indicates that The Institute is in financial trouble, not paying their utility bills, and that Federal funding is being diverted from programs designed to help local businesses into The Institute's coffers.

These same officials are concerned that Delegate Danny Marshall may be under attack for speaking out and may be voted out for not toeing the bully boys line. Congressman Virgil Goode was already set-up, shut-out, and voted out - the victim of more of the political fall-out for being honest. Wake-up Danville! Ask the Register & Bee why they aren't digging into why The Institute isn't paying their utility bills and why the taxpayers are!!!

10 Day Mandatory Leave w/out Pay for ALL Media General Employees

How bad is it at Media General? BAD. Here's a memo I received this morning from a friend in Richmond...click on photo to enlarge. What the memo, from the President of Media General says is:

Feb. 18, 2009

Dear Fellow Employees,
So far in 2009, economic and corporate earnings reports have been worse than expected. Consumers and businesses continue to reduce spending, which is causing the advertising market to weaken further. The contracting economy and uncertain outlook require us to be even more cautious than we already have been regarding our revenue expectations for 2009. Despite aggressive sales initiatives and significant cost reductions, I regret to report that we need to build in additional expense savings to offset the revenue shortfalls our divisions anticipate.

During the remainder of this year, each of us will take a mandatory 10 days off according to the schedule below, and our pay will be reduced commensurately. The company is also asking its unionized and other employees under contract to agree to participate in furloughs in lieu of layoffs. Furlough days do not have to be taken consecutively, but they must be taken one full day at a time. The days can be taken effective immediately and must be scheduled with your supervisor to minimize business disruptions. Furlough days can be accelerated as long as you have approval. On furlough days, you should not participate in work-related activities.

Furlough schedule:
4 days between today and March 29, 2009
3 days between March 30 and June 28, 2009
3 days between June 29 and September 27, 2009
When non-exempt employees take a furlough day, the reduction for that day's pay will be made at that time. For exempt employees, furlough pay reductions, amounting to the equivalent of 10 days spread over the first three quarters of 2009, will be automatically deducted from their paychecks. The reduction will be spread to equal four days in March and six days between March 30 and September 27. A Q & A regarding this program will be posted to theMeganet today, and your HR representative is also available to answer questions.

I understand and regret the financial hardship this will cause. In recognition of the particular hardship of the four days that must be taken in the relatively short period between now and March 29, 2009, we are instituting a program whereby employees may request an advance on all or part of their pay reduction for that period. Any advances will be repaid to the company over the remaining nine months of 2009. Employees seeking this option should contact their HR representative to fill out the appropriate forms, which will include the equivalent of an IOU to the company.

These are unprecedented times. Your loyalty and hard work are very much appreciated as we work together to weather the economic turmoil in our country and our industry. We believe the prudence of our actions now will help us navigate to more prosperous times.
Yours sincerely,

Till death do us part - a dating service for the terminally ill

It's a little odd, I admit, but for those of you looking for an offbeat Valentine's Day story, this takes the cake - the wedding cake...this is a press release from a new dating service -one for the terminally ill:


Death connects us all. The quality of our lives is profoundly affected by how we choose to face it. How much time do you have left? How would you prefer to spend that time --and what kind of person would you like to spend it with? Let us help you find a singing partner for your swan song.

Straight, gay or bi, find your perfect match -- or matches. No guilt, no lies, no shame. Just a shared desire to go out with a "bang." Be a romantic or a horny dog till the end. Join us as we launch Till-Death-Do-Us-Part.com this Valentine's Day, February 14, 2009, if you are truly dying to connect.

Till-Death-Do-Us-Part.com is profoundly different from other dating sites. We're dealing with people who know they are facing imminent death. They are aware that their days are numbered and they know, more or less, how long they have to live. This service does not require members to answer the frivolous questionnaires other dating sites provide, although they can if they want to. We are not interested, as we are sure our clients are not either, in the inane, trivial and essentially meaningless come-ons and delusional fantasies of finding the perfect mate. We assume our members don't care if someone's eyes are blue or green, whether they wear glasses or not. According to Marketing Director Joseph DiAngelo, "This site is designed to cut through the superficiality and embrace issues we think are most meaningful -- the desire and need for understanding, compassion, empathy and comfort between human beings facing their greatest challenge."

We are all made up of the elements of the cosmos and are all part of its continual evolution. Any lesser grasp of this reality only serves to define our ignorance. Till-Death-Do-Us-Part.com offers the possibility for individuals to connect with other open, accepting minds who might better understand their unusual circumstances.

Till-Death-Do-Us-Part.com offers a number of special features: 1) A new, completely free dating service for the terminally ill; 2) We cater to all relationship types; 3) Quicksearch or Advanced search by region or keywords; 4) A blog and forum where members can find advice, debate issues and make new friends; 5) Anonymous mail messaging.

Disclaimer: Worldly hang-ups don't belong here. If you have a profound sense of irony and humor, we welcome you. If not, this site may not be for you.

What's the President have to say about VA?

If you missed President Obama's speech today, you can read it here: In part he said:

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. I am extraordinarily pleased to be here with Virginia's Governor, an exceptional leader and a great friend of mine, Tim Kaine.

Not far from where we're standing, back in Washington, we continue to have a debate about our economic plan -- a plan to create or save more than 3 million jobs in the next few years. And I welcome that conversation. But I am here today because you don't need to travel very far from that debate to see why enacting this plan is both urgent and essential to our recovery -- to see that the time for talk has passed and that now is the time to take bold and swift action.

We've passed a version of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan through the House. Yesterday, we passed a version through the Senate. Now we've got to get a final version to my desk -- so that I can sign it and so that here in Virginia and across the country the people can use it.

In Virginia, the unemployment rate has surged to its highest level in more than a decade -- and it might have been a lot worse were it not for the leadership of Governor Tim Kaine and former governor, now Senator Mark Warner. Unemployment claims have doubled in recent months compared to last year. Nationwide, we've lost 3.6 million jobs since this recession began -- nearly 600,000 this past month alone.

Obama plans to "Computerize every American’s health record in five years, reducing medical errors and saving billions of dollars in health care costs." That will also lead to privacy violations and will make it easier for insurance companies to deny care or for mistakes and errors to become permanent parts of your health record. Some records - such as treatment for depression or PTSD will prevent people from buying or owning guns for life.....

On the up side, Obama promised:

"As President, I expect to be judged -- and should be judged -- by the results of this program. That's why I refused to allow even a single dollar in this legislation to be spent on earmarks. And that's why we're going to put information about every dollar that's spent, including the money spent on projects like this one, on a new website called recovery.gov -- so that the American people can see where their money is going."

He also did not mention that planned programs here in Danville (more to come later) have been gutted and the money funneled to other "projects."


Obama did not mention that foreclosures in Danville have more than doubled since this time last year, or that the city may be losing merchants such as Home Depot or Target if the economy doesn't pick up.

The Register & Bee laid off yet another employee today and businesses around the city and county are watching to see what happens in the weeks ahead as more layoffs and closures are expected.

Another Register & Bee layoff

At least one more Register & Bee employee has fallen. Another employee was laid off today....how many more will follow in the weeks ahead?

The Danville Museum laid off employees, closing its gift shop Sunday....

How bad will it get?

You think YOUR utility bill is bad....

Think about this...The Institute, aka "The Ice Palace," reportedly has a $1,000 a DAY utility bill. We the taxpayers are paying it I believe. But, $30,000 a month? For utilities? And what is it exactly that they do?