March 16, 2010

Mourning Jay (and Gene)

This afternoon my beloved friend Jay Worrall died. Jay was a shining, Light-filled elder of our Quaker meeting here in Charlottesville who in an earlier era played a pioneering role...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 08:47 PM | Fulltext link (5 comments)

January 21, 2010

Charlottesville's internet-speed glory

Every so often I get back to reading my Google Reader.... Just now I saw this great post by Matthew Yglesias. So the USA is still not #1 worldwide in...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 03:31 PM | Fulltext link (2 comments)

July 30, 2009

Funnel Cakes....

(this is Scott writing...) Growing up in Pennsylvania, I’d always assumed that a funnel cake was a Mennonite “thing,” something you could only find at a county fair. (I grew...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 10:23 AM | Fulltext link (4 comments)

March 09, 2009

From Have-not to Have (DSL)

JWN readers might recall my laments from years past about the great digital divide in America, between those who have DSL or some form of real broadband and those who...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 03:25 PM | Fulltext link (0 comments)

February 25, 2009

Healing Wounds of War: Local Film Series

Here in Charlottesville we're being treated to an unusual Sunday evening film series, hosted by our local Mennonite Church. This Sunday, March 1st, For the Love of Tomorrow tells the...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 03:07 PM | Fulltext link (2 comments)

January 16, 2009

Tewks: "Let the Children Dance"

I recently highlighted Gina Bennett's National Security Mom, with it's marvelous drawing from the "lessons we teach our children" to understand national security. I've been wondering then what lessons Israel...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 10:08 AM | Fulltext link (15 comments)

November 07, 2008

Congratulations, Tom Perriello!

Tom Perriello's lead over mean-spirited rightwinger Virgil Goode in our district's hard fought congressional race now looks unassailable. The Virginia Democrats' 'Raising Kaine' blog now says that Perriello is 646...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 02:23 PM | Fulltext link (0 comments)

November 06, 2008

Thinking of My Son the Lieutenant

(This is Scott writing.... and reflecting) It's been a month since I last saw my son Keith, at a dinner where we said our farewells. I miss him; I am...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 08:02 PM | Fulltext link (0 comments)

July 10, 2008

From that same Monticello portico: a sale

Amid writings about Jefferson and Bush, a friend alerted me to a compelling essay in our local "The Hook" weekly paper -- about another irony on the very portico where...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 10:57 PM | Fulltext link (0 comments)

Bush misquotes Jefferson

Stirred by President Bush's actual comments at Monticello on July 4th, Ruhi Ramazani and I (sh) published a comment in today's Richmond Times-Dispatch: Bush's War Betrays the Sage of Monticello's...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 10:47 AM | Fulltext link (1 comments)

July 05, 2008

Bush at Monticello: The Irony

Dan Jordan, outgoing and venerated President of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, is getting more "love" than usual this past week. Many were dismayed that Monticello, Jefferson's historic home, had invited...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 02:40 PM | Fulltext link (2 comments)

March 29, 2008

Charlottesville forum: US, Iran, & Hope?

For those near Charlottesville, Virginia Sunday evening, consider joining a forum on US-Iran Relations that convenes at 6:00 p.m. at the Charlottesville Mennonite Church. (corner of Monticello Ave. and Avon...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 05:31 PM | Fulltext link (7 comments)

September 25, 2007

Ramazani: "Bridging the Divides"

** Updates posted below ** As regular justworldnews readers will recognize, Helena and I have presented and commented on numerous essays here by R.K. - "Ruhi" - Ramazani. Here's one...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 07:59 PM | Fulltext link (2 comments)

September 02, 2007

Secluded trail "Secret" in Ch'ville

I, for one, am impressed that Helena manages to keep running, and running well, even while writing an instant important book. Bravo! Alas, I've not been one to run much...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 07:23 PM | Fulltext link (7 comments)

September 01, 2007

Athleticism and older women

I took a day off from bookwriting today to run in the Charlottesville Women's Four-miler. Nowadays, they have these snazzy little chips you tie into your shoelaces that record something...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 04:39 PM | Fulltext link (7 comments)

August 25, 2007

Bush vs. JAG (w/ help from TJ)

Today's Boston Globe reported startling dissent at the top ranks of America's military lawyers toward the Bush Administration's recent rule-making on CIA interrogations of prisoners. Read the whole report here....
Posted by Scott Harrop at 11:11 PM | Fulltext link (4 comments)

July 15, 2007

Sam Waterston: Commencent Address for America

Actor Sam Waterston, known to the nation as Jack McCoy on the long running TV series Law & Order, recently delivered one of the best commencement speeches anywhere -- at...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 01:59 PM | Fulltext link (2 comments)

July 04, 2007

Just what did "The Declaration" Declare?

Here in the United States, it's July 4th, a day we commemorate with fireworks, cook-outs, concerts, and speeches. So what exactly is it that we celebrate? Nominally, today marks the...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 07:35 PM | Fulltext link (14 comments)

June 27, 2007

"Charlottesville Goes to War"...

Over the past two months, our Charlottesville TV and print media have given extensive coverage to the pending deployments of locally based Army Guard units to Iraq. As I (Scott)...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 07:13 PM | Fulltext link (13 comments)

June 16, 2007

Kimberly Dozier: A Year Later

It has been just over a year since Kimberly Dozier, CBS News correspondent, was critically wounded in Iraq. JWN regulars may recall a tribute here, reflecting on her University of...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 06:25 PM | Fulltext link (11 comments)

April 03, 2007

Broadband updates (haves vs. have-nots)

JWN readers might remember my lament here last July about the "digitial divide" in Central Virginia (and beyond) between those who can get broadband and those who cannot. Alas, I'm...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 10:33 PM | Fulltext link (4 comments)

March 27, 2007

The Mother of all Sermons

(Note: this is Scott Harrop writing.) Four years ago this past week, 23 March 2003 to be exact, I heard what for me then was the “mother of all sermons.”...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 11:24 AM | Fulltext link (6 comments)

February 16, 2007

Virgil Goode: "In Mohammed We Trust?"

Heee's baaaack. No, not "Chuckie," that " sneering, mean-hearted, movie doll," nor "Q" from Star Trek fame. But our "Q-ran" fearing Congressman Virgil Goode. Goode has been the subject of...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 09:53 PM | Fulltext link (6 comments)

January 04, 2007

About that Jefferson Koran

Yes, "Virgil," it's true: There is a Jefferson Koran. When and why? In the University of Virginia’s Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library rests the original Virginia Gazette Daybook...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 01:30 PM | Fulltext link (7 comments)

December 22, 2006

Virgil Goode vs. Thomas Jefferson

Our local Virginia Republican Congressman, Virgil Goode thinks he's a good(e) American. We've written about him here before. He also wears the "good(e) book" on his sleeve. He's also likely...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 02:15 PM | Fulltext link (16 comments)

November 02, 2006

Scary Politics: "What happens if we lose?"

We survived Halloween. No October Surprises; No Gulf of Tonkin incidents manufactured to start another war in the Persian Gulf - yet. Meanwhile, the political air here in America has...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 03:14 PM | Fulltext link (11 comments)

July 09, 2006

The new haves vs. the have-nots: Broadband

With all the horrendous conflicts escalating in the Middle East, it may seem a tad trite to observe the obvious – that monitoring the world via the internet without broadband...
Posted by Scott Harrop at 10:00 PM | Fulltext link (8 comments)

June 08, 2006

On the peace line, Charlottesville

We had some interesting experiences on the peace vigil in town today. Much of the national media has been making a huge deal out of the killing of Abu Mus'ab...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 11:15 PM | Fulltext link (7 comments)

March 23, 2006

Peace train gathering steam, oh yeah!

Posted by Helena Cobban at 11:25 PM | Fulltext link (23 comments)

March 20, 2006

Fabulous local peace demo today

The Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice held a fabulous peace demonstration today. We gathered outside Thomas Jefferson's Rotunda bulding at the north end of the University of Virginia "Grounds"...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 11:15 PM | Fulltext link (6 comments)

January 04, 2006

On the home(less) front

Back in January 2003, when our city council here in Charlottesville, VA, was debating whether to declare the city a "City of Peace", I went to the council chamber to...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 09:51 AM | Fulltext link (0 comments)

December 16, 2005

Weather in the real world

Yesterday, my friends Chris, Heather, and I were the only ones braving the winter weather to do the regular Thursday afternoon peace demonstration. That's okay. We got LOTS of honks...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 12:52 PM | Fulltext link (2 comments)

December 11, 2005

Icy sidewalks and civic virtue

Okay, we have a solid inch of ice on our driveway and the connecting public sidewalk that's been there for some days now, getting worse. I worked at the sidewalk...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 03:23 PM | Fulltext link (8 comments)

December 02, 2005

Around town here

So okay, George Packer was here in Charlottesville today. I had lunch with him. Also miriam cooke. I had a good talk over coffee with her this afternoon. I hadn't...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 05:43 PM | Fulltext link (10 comments)

August 22, 2005

About Iraq, meanwhile...

I've been working hard on a big article on transitional justice this past week. So I know I've been a bit AWOL from writing about Iraq here. (But I tried...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 12:23 AM | Fulltext link (6 comments)

June 14, 2005

Charlottesville, New Zealand, conversations in a trailer

So why else has my life been a little crazy recently, in addition to taking off for a weekend in Boston with Faiza? Tomorrow, Bill and I leave for a...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 09:38 PM | Fulltext link (1 comments)

May 03, 2005

Palestinian bazaar; Hip NYC performance space

Lots of interesting things happening in our family, culture-wise, this week. If you're in central Virginia this Saturday, come on by the sale of Palestinian heritage embroideries that some friends...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 09:18 PM | Fulltext link (1 comments)

December 12, 2003

Peace demonstration, Charlottesville

It was a bright, windy afternoon yesterday on the corner of McIntyre Rd. and Main Street as thirty of us gathered to launch the resumption of our small town's weekly...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 07:57 PM | Fulltext link (0 comments)

December 05, 2003

Snow shovels and civic virtue

Wow again. Our leaden skies started dropping freezing rain late yesterday afternoon, then overnight we had around 6 inches of snow. This morning I was out, once again, shoveling the...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 11:46 AM | Fulltext link (9 comments)

November 26, 2003

Fall comes to central Virginia

I love these crisp autumn days when the heavy cloak of foliage has fallen away from the trees. We live in the region known as the Virginia "Piedmont"-- mainly some...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 10:17 AM | Fulltext link (1 comments)

October 25, 2003

Why I'm glad we left Washington DC

Bill--"the spouse"--and I moved our family home to Charlottesville, in central Virginia, from Washington DC back in 1997. It was a bit of a wrench. I was in my mid-40s...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 06:17 PM | Fulltext link (7 comments)

October 24, 2003

Jew-haters under every bed?

It's interesting, isn't it, how two people can read the exact same text and get two very different impressions out of it? I wrote here on Tuesday about Malaysian PM...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 09:40 AM | Fulltext link (6 comments)

July 08, 2003

Work, and a long weekend

I'm sorry I haven't posted much here recently, but I've been writing up two or three storms. "Real" writing, that is... working on this humungous great redrafting project I'm working...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 10:27 PM | Fulltext link (3 comments)

June 15, 2003

End of a busy weekend

I've been working like the proverbial blue-arsed fly for nearly the whole weekend. Friday, I drove up to DC for the memorial service (gathering?) for my dear and recently departed...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 10:53 PM | Fulltext link (4 comments)

May 29, 2003

A SOUTH AFRICAN IN VIRGINIA:

A SOUTH AFRICAN IN VIRGINIA: Emily Mnisi is an ethnic Sothu with a Master's degree in special education from the University of Lancaster. These days, she's on the management team...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 03:02 PM | Fulltext link (1 comments)

May 15, 2003

AFTER THE TRIP:

AFTER THE TRIP: So this is how it is. Ever since I took the decision, back in about February, that Iraq war or no Iraq war I would proceed with...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 08:32 PM | Fulltext link (0 comments)

March 24, 2003

"THE 17-YEAR-OLD" ASSERTS HERSELF: Yesterday,

"THE 17-YEAR-OLD" ASSERTS HERSELF: Yesterday, she was on my case again. "Mom, why do you call me that? It's so demeaning!" I tried to explain it was related to an...
Posted by Helena Cobban at 11:22 PM | Fulltext link (1 comments)