Category Archives: Current Events
Halloween on Steroids
I don’t know about you, but this is pretty freaking sweet! I just love how people go above and beyond to celebrate Halloween (even though, I hate the holiday except for dressing up). How could you go wrong with a light show tuned to Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy Train?
Have you seen any odd or totally awesome displays for Halloween?
Ready for Irene?
Hurricane Irene is on a path towards Virginia, and this storm is predicted to be worst than Isabel was in 2003. While it is too early to say how bad this storm will be, please make sure you are prepared. The Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Emergency Management has a hurricane preparedness guide that will give you tips to ensure you and your loved ones are safe. Don’t underestimate this storm!
You can also track the storm through The Virginian-Pilot‘s coverage. In the meantime, please stay safe.
Cuccinelli helps law enforcement across Virginia target and prosecute human trafficking
Human trafficking is a growing problem in the United States. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there have been approximately 2,515 suspected incidents of human trafficking between January 2008 and June 2010. If this does not raise the bar for concern, it is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world and is a form of modern day slavery. Human trafficking is not just sex trafficking, where victims are normally forced into prostitution, but labor trafficking is another form where victims are often forced into domestic servitude or sweatshops.
With the rise of human trafficking cases, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and the Department of Criminal Justice Services hosted an all-day training seminar to bring awareness to this crime and help local law enforcement agencies target and prosecute traffickers. Additionally, those in attendance heard from The Polaris Project, an anti-human trafficking organization, who gave advice on how to assist the victims of this deplorable crime.
“The types of crimes that these traffickers are committing are terrifying and deplorable-we certainly have our work cut out for us,” said Cuccinelli. “However, I’m confident that we can make tremendous strides as long as we continue to work together with local and federal law enforcement, prosecutors, and victims’ advocates as a comprehensive team.”
Virginia has improved its human trafficking laws over time. The Polaris Project named Virginia one of the most improved states in prosecuting and handling human trafficking cases.
“Human trafficking is one of the most pressing moral issues of our time, and we our grateful for the leadership Attorney General Cuccinelli has shown in the fight against this form of modern-day slavery,” said Dold. “The attorney general’s office has done an amazing job taking this issue head on and we are looking forward to continuing our work together to further strengthen the laws in Virginia and save lives.”
Hopefully, with this seminar, more traffickers will be prosecuted and victims will be able to receive assistance in recovering from the trauma endured from these heinous crimes.
Cross posted at <a href="Bearing Drift
Earthquake hits DC area…and Hurricane Irene might visit…what next?
This afternoon, an 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit the Washington, DC area (Mineral, Va., to be exact), and it sent the area into a panic. I was at my office in downtown DC, when the quake occurred. At first, I thought nothing of the first shake, but the second one was a lot more intense. My office was evacuated, and upon going outside, I saw tons of people in the streets looking dazed and confused. When a colleague told me what happened, I remembered the earthquake that took place in Columbia, Md., a few years prior. While that earthquake was not as strong as the one today, it certainly brought back memories since I was in the middle of delivering a presentation for one of my undergraduate courses.
However, Hurricane Irene is coming for a visit, and she is headed for our area. The dangers with this system kinda trump the tremors from earlier today, and there is no doubt that emergency preparations have begun to take hold. While I might be grocery shopping for the necessities, I know batteries, flash lights, extra water, and other non-perishable will be added to this list.
So, be careful out there! Hopefully, no other crazy events between now and the weekend.
Remy says, "Raise the Debt Ceiling"
This is a pretty awesome rap, and a great way to sum up this debt ceiling bs.
My Summer Reading List
This summer, I have made a goal to make a small dent on my reading list. There is no doubt that the recent copy of Runner’s World will be on the short list, as I have two fitness goals: run a half marathon and complete a sprint triathlon. However, Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead is on the top of my list.
So far, The Fountainhead is great, and even though, I am only in Part II, I am amazed by the characters and how Rand uses them to teach lessons on objectivism.
I recommend Rand’s writings, as they shape libertarian thoughts. Rand was no doubt a libertarian and this shines through in The Fountainhead.
Lots of Cooking going on
CCC is going to be taking a vacation from politics for a bit. Right now, I am slightly burned out politically and need to recharge my batteries. So, I am going to focus on something that I do quite well…cooking. Yes, I love to cook and bake. It is something that gives me great relaxation at the end of the day besides training for the half marathon I plan to run in September or October (going back and forth between the Baltimore Running Festival Half and the Rock and Roll Philadelphia Half). Tonight, I decided to fix a feast of sorts. I started with fixing Blackberry Crisp, which was tonight’s dessert, then I worked on a dish with yellow and red bell peppers that would accompany the bratwursts that I had for dinner. This was the perfect summer meal. Of course, the details are on Charm Offensive Cooking, my cooking site, and there is no doubt that you might find something you like out of this menu.
Blackberry Crisp
2 C. Fresh Blackberries
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 C. quick-cooking oats
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
1/4 C. flour
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
1/4 C. cold butter
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375o. In a greased 8 X 8 pan, add blackberries. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, water, lemon juice, and sugar until smooth. Pour cornstarch mixture over blackberries.
Step 2: In another bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice, then cut in cold butter until the mixture is crumbly.
Step 3: Place oat mixture over the blackberries, then bake for 20-25 minutes. After this, serve over vanilla ice cream or with freshly whipped cream.
