(We have not qualified that statement, but it sure does seem like it.)

But seriously…The Daily Progress does some good investigatitive journalism on the whole meaning behind the alleged “sexist placement” of Sacagawea in the Lewis & Clark statue.  What did they find?

An article in Natural History magazine from 1919, the same year the statue was erected on West Main Street, says the artist represented Sacagawea “Bending forward, intent on the vast expanse of the ocean.”

Ok, so it looks like the whole sexism thing is moot.  Add the fact that Sacagawea was an after-thought addition to the statue and what do we have?  People are complaining over nothing.

Go help starving babies instead of complaining over a statue… or am I missing something here?  Why is this such a big deal?  

[via DP]

Popularity: 40% [?]

From a little birdie…

We were walking down the Mall last night around 8:30 and noticed a firetruck by Timberlake drugstore. There were a bunch of firemen around one of the red Hook (UNCUS) boxes and it was all wet like they had to hose it down. I think somebody started a fire in it.

Best headline wins a $10 Cane’s Gift Certificate! Winner will be chosen on Sunday at Midnight!

Popularity: 46% [?]

We’ve heard from various sources that they or someone they know has had an experience that sounds like roofies were involved.

One account:

My friend thinks she might have been drugged on Friday night. She came in to BAR and then she went to ANOTHER BAR and had a drink then next thing she remembers she was crawling in the road and almost got run over. She didn’t drink that much so we’re pretty suspicious.

I have another friend who had something similar happen to her at BAR a few months ago.

We’ve also heard stories of date rape pills being found at another bar.  We’re hesitant to name the places, but if anyone has any other experiences, please share.

This is a very serious manner and I haven’t heard of these situations occurring in Charlottesville, so I thought it was worth a discussion.

Popularity: 56% [?]

Today, I begin an epic and not just any epic.

The Greeks had their Odysseus; the Romans, Aeneid, the Saxons, Beowulf. While Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall Renovation Epic has yet to find its protagonist and villain and will not be written in poetry, it will nonetheless be a long arduous journey, full of political nonsense, citizens with nothing better to do than complain and the occasional money-grubbing consulting group. If we are lucky, maybe we can have a citizen task force which will be tasked with important things, like hiring a consulting group to consult on the task of hiring consultants for bricks. I digress…

»Read More

Popularity: 43% [?]

I’m setting up a separate phone number for the Spicy Bears and the guy on the phone asks me “where do you want to be listed in the phone book?”

So, I respond and say “new media.” Apparently, that category doesn’t exist. Neither does “online publishing, digital media or internet media.”  “Websites” exists, but that doesn’t really make any sense.

So, I ask you… where on earth do I put our business and why doesn’t the Yellow Pages have a category that makes sense?

Picture from Flickr.

Popularity: 33% [?]

A recent study conducted on CareerBuilder found that 1 in 5 workers regularly attend after-work drinks with c0-workers.  What do they do there?  Most commonly, they bad-mouth each other,  kiss each other and drink too much.  Big surprise anyone?

Unfortunately for you Type A’s, 85% of those attending said that the happy hours did not help them get closer to a higher up position.  The survey did not question those who slept with their boss.

The truth is most of you go to work happy hours because you are lonely and want to bond with coworkers. My guess is this is not common practice in Charlottesville because most companies are so small.

[via Yahoo][pic]

Popularity: 45% [?]

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike

So I just got a new job that’ll allow me to ride my bicycle to work most days. Just in time for $12/gal gas season, too. I need a bike tune-up pretty badly, but I’ve never been to a bike shop in town.

Which bike shop deserves my business?

C-ville bike and tri?

Blue wheel?

Community bikes?

Performance bike shop?

Popularity: 55% [?]

I’m sick and tired of wondering up and down the mall, thinking to myself, “wow, it is such a wonderful morning outside and I would really like an espresso and a pastry.” I’m reasonably happy with the espresso situation, but the available pastries don’t compliment a morning coffee.  We’ve got donuts, cookies, crazy cakes and a lot more, but I ask you, my dear Charlottesvillains, where is the Pâtisserie?

Is the skillset too difficult to learn?  Does Charlottesville’s relatively small size not justify a quality pastry chef?  I’ve wondered this for 5 years now and I can’t seem to come up with an answer.  Perhaps it’s not attractive for a well-trained patissier to come to a little town like Charlottesville. But, with desserts that cost $7 to $10 at most of the higher end restaurants in town,  you think this would be an attractive business opportunity.

So, here is my proposal for the brave epicurean/entrepreneur who wishes to recruit an ambitious pastry chef to Charlottesville:

»Read More

Popularity: 85% [?]

So yesterday I was driving back from 29N from an out of town trip and I took Preston at around 4PM. I saw a bunch of police cars driving that way and honestly, I wanted to see what was up. I noticed AT LEAST 8 POLICE CARS. All the flashing lights were a hop past Rugby and I was waiting in what looked like a very big line.

While the crime apparently took place off of Preston, the police officers decided it would be a good idea to block traffic. I waited 10 minutes without any movement. I eventually turned and drove past a HUGE line of cars. I felt like this was an obnoxious move by the police. Maybe there was a good reason for blocking off the roads, but from what I could tell nothing was actually happening on Preston.

I did see them arrest one guy, which is probably big news for the police in this town. But 8+ cop cars and blocking off roads? What gives?

Popularity: 39% [?]

Have no fear… the smoke you see outside ’tis but a swamp creature. 

The City has received numerous calls and concerns about the smoky air over the area. Although there are no official warnings specific to Charlottesville as of this writing, the City maintains that it is a good idea for folks with respiratory illnesses and compromise to limit their time outdoors until the smoke clears. Also, reduced visibilities are a problem in most of central Virginia so it is advised that travel be done cautiously. The smoke is coming from two fires, one in the Great Dismal Swamp in SE Virginia and another in Central North Carolina.

The Great Dismal Swamp!? Are you serious? That sounds depressing.  Too bad for the creatures who live there. 

Here is a statement issued by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management earlier today (warning all caps):

»Read More

Popularity: 34% [?]