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    <title>Letters to the Editor for Richmond Times-Dispatch</title>
    <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/</link>
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        <title>Letters to the Editor for Richmond Times-Dispatch</title>
        <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/</link>
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    <dc:language>en</dc:language>
    <dc:creator>Richmond Times-Dispatch</dc:creator>
    <dc:rights>Copyright 2009</dc:rights>
    <dc:date>2009-11-07T15:46:01-05:00</dc:date>

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          <title>Letters: Who Will Win Next Recognition?</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-TALLEY07_20091106-192404/304108/</link>
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The news article, &#8220;Virginia Tribes Closer to U.S. Recognition,&#8220; claims Congress is getting ready to recognize six Indian tribes in Virginia plus the Lumbees in North Carolina. I do not know how many Lumbees there are but your article states that there are 3,000 members of the six Virginia tribes. You report that the group will divide $800 million.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:01:44 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: Readers Depend on Wise Editorial Opinions</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-LIND07_20091106-192404/304105/</link>
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Sometimes we don&#8217;t know our own strengths and we speak as though no one is listening&#8212;and so we are careless with our expressions of fact versus opinion. &#8220;Be careful what you wish for [politically] for you may get it,&#8220; and &#8220;To him who hath much [exposure to the public], much will be expected.&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:01:14 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent: Nation Building Is Going Nowhere</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-SCZUREK07_20091106-192404/304107/</link>
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Congratulations to President Obama for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. The president has the opportunity to show himself as a peacemaker to the eyes of the world and reap the blessings thereof by bringing the troops home now. Afghanistan is an uncauterized wound bleeding the best of America&#8212;young men and women of the military who volunteered for a cause in which they believed, but is not attainable. Afghanistan is a country divided into tribal, ethnic, and sectarian spheres of influence. Contrary to the widely held misconception, Afghanistan has been conquered several times in the course of its history. However, in modern times the closest it has come to being one functioning political entity was while under the control of the Taliban.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:01:06 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Congress Should Heed Designated Rulebook</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-PEZZ06_20091105-183403/303891/</link>
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Congress Should Heed Designated Rulebook Editor, Times-Dispatch: The Founders designed the Constitution as a fair guide and set of rules for civil behavior and protection&#8212;not as a moving target at the whim of those in power. This rulebook authorizes Congress to do certain specific things. Nowhere on that list does it authorize big government to bail out banks or manage car companies. It is big government that the little guy needs protection from&#8212;not big business. The only protections available are the Constitution and the ballot box. We can blame politicians for the trampling of our liberty, but the bulk of the blame lies with us voters. Principled politicians seldom depart or cave to pressure.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor: Lincoln and Obama Have A Lot in Common</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-GRAY06_20091105-183403/303888/</link>
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Lincoln and Obama Have a Lot in Common Editor, Times-Dispatch: Many comparisons have been made between Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama. Now we can add one more: In May 1864, Lincoln ordered Union Gen. John Dix to &#8220;take possession by military force of the printing establishments of the New York World and Journal of Commerce and prohibit any further publication thereof. You are therefore commanded forthwith to arrest and imprison the editors, proprietors, and publishers of the aforementioned newspapers.&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The editor</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-PUL05_20091104-175608/303627/</link>
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Acknowledge Both Slavery and Civil War Editor, Times-Dispatch: I endorse the comments of staff writer Michael Paul Williams, &#8220;Richmond Is Right Place for Slavery Complex,&#8220; that supported the development of the slave museum on the site of Lumpkins&#8217; Jail near the Main Street Station. We should follow this by moving the White House of the Confederacy and its collection to the Second and Canal Streets property&#8212;the current site of the folk festival. This can be done without materially affecting future folk festivals.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The editor</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-OCON05_20091104-175403/303625/</link>
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White House Actions Cause Antennas to Rise Editor, Times-Dispatch: I&#8217;m a firm believer in volunteerism. I&#8217;ve been involved in voluntary activities since my early teens. So while I am generally very cautious of government involvement in our private lives, I have no issue with its gentle support and promotion of volunteerism. (See President George H. W. Bush&#8217;s 1,000 Points of Light et al.) But if the government were to force it down my throat, well, that might be just a tad worrisome.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-COOK05_20091104-175403/303622/</link>
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Don&#8217;t Reward CEOs Receiving Bailouts Editor, Times-Dispatch: I am writing regarding Scott Bleicher&#8217;s Correspondent of the Day Letter on Oct. 28 (&#8220;Cutting Salaries Cuts Taxes, Too&#8221;). Surely, if Bleicher is an accountant&#8212;as he proclaimed&#8212;then he must realize that cutting executive compensation at firms receiving government assistance also would result in those firms having reduced salary and benefit expenses. This in turn would create higher levels of income resulting in higher income tax receipts for federal, state, and, in some cases, local governments.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Has This Editorial Page Sipped Fox&#8217;s Kool Aid?</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-BARAN04_20091103-215004/303477/</link>
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Has This Editorial Page Sipped Fox&#8217;s Kool Aid? Editor, Times-Dispatch: I am baffled by your recent choice of Paul Knapik [&#8220;This Isn&#8217;t About Health Care At All&#8221;] for Correspondent of the Day. In an attempt to &#8220;prove&#8221; that health care is really about increased government control, and not about health care at all, Knapik wonders why we aren&#8217;t hearing about a health care system like the one that the Swiss have. He then mentions some of the features of the Swiss program: All citizens are required to have health insurance that they select and purchase themselves; the government subsidizes premiums for those who can&#8217;t afford them; and costs are kept down by competition among insurance companies. He is obviously unaware that all of these features are also in the health care plans that are being discussed in Congress. If he isn&#8217;t hearing about them, then he isn&#8217;t paying attention to what is really going on.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:01:48 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the Editor, Cont&#8217;d: Increasing Awareness Will Conquer Cancer</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-RUPPE04_20091103-210203/303450/</link>
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Increasing Awareness Will Conquer Cancer Editor, Times-Dispatch: November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and I am writing because, so far, I am one of the 5 percent of pancreatic cancer patients who have survived. Ninety-five percent of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die within five years of their diagnosis and 76 percent die within the first year of their diagnosis. I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer early in 2009 and after surgery and treatment am now fortunate to be cancer-free.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:01:37 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the Editor: Car&#45;Title Lenders Exploit Working Poor</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-GILMORE04_20091103-215004/303479/</link>
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Car-Title Lenders Exploit Working Poor Editor, Times-Dispatch: The major premise of Phil Kent&#8217;s guest Op/Ed column, that a car-title loan is an &#8220;honest transaction entered into between two willing parties,&#8220; one of whom &#8220;alters his budget in order to pay back the money in a timely fashion,&#8220; is either disingenuous or wishful thinking. As he points out, the majority of those who borrow against their car titles do so precisely because they have no other options and are desperate for funds to carry them over until their next paycheck.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:01:21 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the Editor: Gis Are Winning Afghani Trust</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-REID03_20091102-181203/303210/</link>
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GIs Are Winning Afghani Trust Editor, Times-Dispatch: Americans must not turn a blind eye to the importance of the battle for freedom in Afghanistan. Many people are voicing their opposition to continuing the war. My feelings on the war are mixed. I find the brutality of war distasteful but I hesitate to withdraw my support.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Bad Roads Are Worse Than Taxes</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-COAKLEY03_20091102-181203/303208/</link>
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Bad Roads Are Worse Than Taxes Editor, Times-Dispatch: Some things are worse than taxes&#8212;bad roads for one, and weak schools for another. The thing is though, fixing roads and improving schools can pay for themselves over time&#8212;just like replacing your old water heater with a high efficiency model will soon pay for itself.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-HASSELL02_20091101-170402/303021/</link>
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Test for H1N1 Before Diagnosing IT Editor, Times-Dispatch: I would like someone in the health community to explain something to me: Being a health care professional myself, I am bothered by what I am hearing from those experiencing flu-like symptoms this year. I am not denying that the H1N1 virus is running rampant in our nation but I have to wonder about the statistics.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:01:52 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The editor</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-PATTEN02_20091101-170402/303022/</link>
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Biomass Conversion Could Help the Bay Editor, Times-Dispatch: The story of the Chesapeake Bay is a story of stormwater. When it rains, everything washes into the watershed. In the rural areas, we have over-fertilized farmlands dumping manure and nitrates into the rivers and estuaries. In the cities, we have toxins running off from impervious surfaces&#8212;such as asphalt, cement, and masonry&#8212;and ending up in the Bay. In both instances, we denude the land near the water, clearing the trees, plants, and native grasses that hold the soil in place&#8212;causing stream bank erosion and sediment to fill in the rivers and creeks. Old Dominion Electrical Cooperative&#8217;s Cypress Creek plan is just another contributor. It all, always, comes down to stormwater.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:01:16 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent: Congress Should be Fiscally Punished, Too</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-SKIN01_20091030-203609/302664/</link>
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President Barack Obama&#8217;s pay czar has declared that bonuses paid to ranking executives of companies receiving federal bailout money should be returned and that these executives should have their pay slashed. Fair enough, I suppose. But if fairness and logic are to rule inside the beltway, should not House and Senate members be forced to take a similar haircut?           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:01:39 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: Guest Columnist Worked Several Angles</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-RASMU01_20091030-203609/302661/</link>
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The Op/Ed column by Phil Kent entitled, &#8220;Where&#8217;s Compassion for Virginians Without Credit?&#8220; would make me laugh if it didn&#8217;t infuriate me so much. I could take him to bat, point by point, on the necessity of reining in Virginia&#8217;s predatory car-title lending industry, but the most important fact that readers need to know is that Phil Kent heads his own Atlanta-based media communications firm, Phil Kent Consulting Inc. Presumably hired by Fast Auto Loans as their communications director, Kent is paid to masquerade as someone genuinely concerned about the plight of struggling Virginians.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:01:25 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the Editor: Wilder Should Be Occupying White House</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-HEVENER31_20091030-194403/302633/</link>
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Wilder Should Be Occupying White House Editor, Times-Dispatch: Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder once again showed his independence, statesmanship, and good judgment when he refused to endorse Creigh Deeds for governor of Virginia. In an interview with NBC&#8217;s Mark Murray, Wilder said that he will not support Deeds because of his position on guns and because of the possibility that Deeds will raise taxes in a time when Virginia is experiencing a deep economic slump.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>More Letters to the Editor: Paper Should Endorse Creigh Deeds</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-LEVI31_20091030-194204/302629/</link>
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Paper Should Endorse Creigh Deeds Editor, Times-Dispatch: Your endorsement of Bob McDonnell is way off base. His economic platform is grossly inferior to Creigh Deeds. McDonnell&#8217;s is a &#8220;me too&#8221; deception that would apply only to businesses with more than 24 employees. No others could possibly qualify; more than a 5 percent increase in the number of employees in a business is extremely unlikely during the term of a governor.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-VACCA30_20091029-194811/302406/</link>
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McDonnell Promotes Virginia Jobs Editor, Times-Dispatch: Bob McDonnell, the future governor of Virginia, will execute plans to create new jobs in the commonwealth. In the past four years, the Virginia unemployment rate has increased by more than 120 percent&#8212;from 3 percent to about 7.1 percent (the highest rate of unemployment in 20 years). Also, there are 165,000 more Virginians unemployed in 2009 than in 2005. McDonnell plans to provide a $1,000 tax credit per job to businesses that create 50 new jobs, or even 25 new jobs in the economically depressed areas of the state.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the editor, cont&#8217;d: Bad Timing Hurts Deeds&#8217; Run for Office</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-ANDERSONN30_20091029-194811/302401/</link>
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Bad Timing Hurts Deeds&#8217; Run for Office Editor, Times-Dispatch: A recent poll produced by the folks at Gallup has shown that Americans identify themselves as 40 percent conservative, 36 percent moderate, and 20 percent liberal. Until 2008, the conservatives and moderates were within one point of each other; however, conservatives have slowly been gaining since the election of President Obama.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-ALLEN30_20091029-194811/302400/</link>
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Why Are We The World Police? Editor, Times-Dispatch: Does anyone feel like we are going through d&#233;j&#224; vu? We went into Afghanistan to get Osama bin Laden. Although he is still out there giving us problems, he seems to have been put on the back burner. I am still waiting for clarification from Washington as to how President George W. Bush managed to segue from going after bin Laden to freeing Iraq.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the Editor, Cont&#8217;d: Idea Is Good; Where Is Money?</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-MCCOYB29_20091028-191006/302125/</link>
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Idea Is Good; Where Is Money? Editor, Times-Dispatch: Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds has the right mindset on his Virginia Forward scholarship program: rewarding students who have received good grades throughout high school. This would be a great thing to implement if we were not in such a huge state deficit and federal recession.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-MAYFIELD29_20091028-191006/302124/</link>
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Small Businesses Have Concerns Editor, Times-Dispatch: As the owner of a small business with approximately 25 employees, I do my best (especially in these difficult times) to provide good benefits while watching my bottom line. I have been watching the health care debate very carefully. Make no mistake, I support many of the reforms presented in the Senate bill. However, I am concerned that while there are many good benefits, this bill would be bad for many small businesses&#8217; bottom line.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-CRUMP29_20091028-191006/302122/</link>
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Cuccinelli&#8217;s Views Are Archaic and Misplaced Editor, Times-Dispatch: While Bob McDonnell&#8217;s thesis has gotten plenty of news coverage, I&#8217;m surprised that almost nothing has been written about Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican nominee for attorney general. As a state senator, Cuccinelli declared, &#8220;you can&#8217;t have safe homosexual sex,&#8220; and he once called a George Mason sexual education event an example of &#8220;moral depravity.&#8220; These archaic views have no place in a Virginia statewide office.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters, Cont&#8217;d: Deeds Has Logical Transportation Solution</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-YOUNJ28_20091027-180804/301909/</link>
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Deeds Has Logical Transportation Solution Editor, Times-Dispatch: With a need for solutions for Virginia&#8217;s infrastructure system, Creigh Deeds and Bob McDonnell have proposed two different resolutions for Virginia&#8217;s traffic jam. McDonnell&#8217;s proposition seemed superior to Deeds&#8217; at first, but having taken time to look over both of their transportation solution proposals, I&#8217;ve come to acknowledge Deeds as having a plan that will work.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Cutting Salaries Cuts Taxes, Too</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-BLEICHER28_20091027-180804/301907/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Cutting Salaries Cuts Taxes, Too Editor, Times-Dispatch: Please forgive me for speaking intuitively, but I&#8217;m an accountant. The Obama administration&#8217;s decision to cut executive compensation at firms receiving government assistance is the biggest hit to the economy since Jan. 20, 2009. The bonuses, salaries, and even non-cash perks these executives receive are taxed. To put that in terms President Obama might understand: He behaved stupidly. At a time when federal, state, and local governments are running at record fiscal deficits, he just elected to take money out of the coffers in order to satiate a mythical populist outrage.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Letters to the Editor: Use Actual Data to Verify Results</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-BICKER28_20091027-180804/301906/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Use Actual Data To Verify Results Editor, Times-Dispatch: The editorial, &#8220;Tort Retort,&#8220; depends for its validity on a Congressional Budget Office estimate that $54 billion would be saved by restricting legal responsibility for medical error through tort reform. One factor is an assumed monetary savings by &#8220;lowering insurance premiums&#8221; although no explanation is given of how insurance companies would be persuaded to lower premiums&#8212;unless malpractice insurance was rendered unnecessary by completely eliminating legal responsibility.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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        </item>
    
         <item>
          <title>Letters To The Editor</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-DICKINS27_20091026-183603/301721/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Professor Obama Has Hoodwinked Us All Editor, Times-Dispatch: Maxine Fitzgerald&#8217;s letter to the editor, &#8220;Obama University Gets Failing Grades,&#8220; cited the role the academic community has played and the background responsible for the emergence of two very controversial subjects:   The constant and over-the-top exposure of the president by the media;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:01:57 EST</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Correspondent of the Day</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-RAGS27_20091026-183603/301725/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
World Supports Ending Nuclear Proliferation Editor, Times-Dispatch: I was happy to see Commentary columnist Robin Beres discussing nuclear missiles [&#8220;Defending the Need for Robust American Missile Defense&#8221;]. The existence of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems is the planet&#8217;s most serious and immediate problem.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:01:18 EST</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Letters to the Editor, Cont&#8217;d: McDonnell&#8217;s Education Views Cause Concern</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-OWENST27_20091026-183603/301724/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
McDonnell&#8217;s Education Views Cause Concern Editor, Times-Dispatch: As true gubernatorial candidates would, Creigh Deeds, a Democrat, and Bob McDonnell, a Republican, disagree on issues such as taxes, ways to stimulate the Virginia economy, social issues such as abortion and birth control, and the significance of government regulation.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:01:02 EST</pubDate>
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        </item>
    
         <item>
          <title>Letters To The Editor</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-BERN26_20091025-171003/301545/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Virginia Must Reduce Fossil Fuel Use Editor, Times-Dispatch: Of two recent Op/Ed columns urging expanded extraction of oil, it is noteworthy that neither column mentioned conservation, efficiency, or the United States&#8217; position as the world&#8217;s largest per-capita user of fossil fuels. Del. Chris Saxman states: &#8220;Renewables . . . cannot offer the promise of oil.&#8220; He then asserts oil extraction is safe and clean, ignoring numerous spills great and small as well as the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide. The new discoveries Saxman cites cover only two-thirds of the oil burned in that period.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:01:39 EST</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Correspondent of the Day</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-KNAPIK26_20091025-171003/301548/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
This Isn&#8217;t About Health Care at All Editor, Times-Dispatch: People are clamoring for health care reform, and they expect the government to provide it. How can any logical, clear-thinking individual believe the government can fix the problems in our health care system? The government created it, managed it, and got it where it is. Government hasn&#8217;t fixed it because health care is not the real issue.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:01:03 EST</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Letters: Keillor&#8217;s Cup Runneth Over&#8212;With Bile</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-HARDY25_20091023-210409/301247/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Garrison Keillor&#8217;s Op/Ed column, &#8220;Even GOP Deserves Good Care,&#8220; is another of his witty, cynical rants. The big guy with the nice baritone has lost all sense of reality. He is consumed by his hate and contempt for those whose political and social opinions differ from his own.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:01:57 EST</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Correspondent: Here&#8217;s Another Name Suggestion</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-GAMMON25_20091023-210409/301246/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Perhaps the best name for our new baseball team would have been the Richmond Hissy Fits, since every time something different, new, or controversial happens in our city, someone throws one. Karen Gammon.Moseley.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:01:31 EST</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Deadline for election letters</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-DEAD25_20091023-210409/301244/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
To be considered for publication, letters regarding the election must be received by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:01:30 EST</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Correspondent of the Day</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-SMALL24_20091023-180804/301218/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Marshall Needs Praise, Not Hagiography Editor, Times-Dispatch: I found Brian Shaw&#8217;s Commentary article about George C. Marshall quite interesting. Marshall is a fascinating character, and one for which a proper study has yet to be developed. He became an iconic character early in WWII and, to date, the only studies devoted to him have been paeans such as Pogue&#8217;s biography.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:01:57 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor: Did Report Skew Coal&#45;Plant Facts?</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-SOLARI24_20091023-180804/301219/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Did Report Skew Coal-Plant Facts? Editor, Times-Dispatch: The article, &#8220;Report: Coal Plant Would Pollute Bay,&#8220; reports that a $20,000 study by a California based private air-pollution specialist projects large amounts of mercury would be added to the Chesapeake Bay by a proposed Old Dominion Electric Cooperative coal-burning power plant.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Wind Offers Higher Return on Investment</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-SAENZ23_20091022-181806/301020/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Wind Offers Higher Return on Investment Editor, Times-Dispatch: Vince Haley exaggerated the economic benefits and downplayed the risks of offshore drilling for Virginians in his recent Commentary column, &#8220;Offshore Drilling Will Create Jobs in Va.&#8220; Offshore oil drilling threatens economic activity tied directly to Virginia&#8217;s coastline, including an estimated $3.5-billion tourism industry. A cautionary example is a huge oil spill this past August off the northern coast of Australia. The West Atlas rig blowout has dumped an estimated 400 barrels of oil into the ocean each day over the past six weeks. Can you imagine the effects of a comparable spill on Virginia&#8217;s coastline?           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor: Don&#8217;t Forget To Thank a Vet</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-BART23_20091022-181806/301015/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Don&#8217;t Forget To Thank a Vet Editor, Times-Dispatch: My husband, a Vietnam veteran, hosted his second military reunion recently. The extended weekend affair was a huge success. During a visit to D.C., the men placed a wreath at the Vietnam wall and visited the WWII memorial. Our Vietnam veterans warmly greeted each member of a visiting WWII group (many of whom were in wheelchairs), shook their hands, and thanked them for their service to our country. The tears present in both sets of eyes reflected memories of the proud and patriotic service performed by these veterans. With many of their descendants currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, that selfless tradition of service has been projected forward.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: Discuss Legislation a Little at a Time</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-MCREAA21_20091020-195606/300499/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
A 28th Amendment should read: Congress shall enact no law having more words than the main body of the Constitution. That comes to about 4,400 words, or about six printed pages. Imagine a law, written elegantly enough that not only could the average citizen understand it&#8212;every congressman would even have time to read it.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:01:58 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: Kudos to City On Restored Lake</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-PERRY21_20091020-195606/300501/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
In a time when municipal governments find it difficult to fund special projects, I write to offer my thanks and congratulations to the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities for the wonderful surprise I received this morning as I took my daily walk.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:01:52 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent: Drilling Offshore Makes Sense</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-RANDOL21_20091020-195606/300502/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Marirose Pratt [&#8220;Offshore Drilling Is No Silver Bullet&#8221;] is either sadly misinformed or unwilling to acknowledge the inconvenient facts about our energy reality. Drilling off our coast is not a silver bullet, but it is silver buckshot. Virginia does have a chance to become energy independent if we put all of our resources in play.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:01:05 EST</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Letters To The Editor</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-SHIREY20_20091019-171405/300291/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Deeds, McDonnell Cover State in Mud Editor, Times-Dispatch: Is there any way we could have a third category on this year&#8217;s ballot&#8212;&#8220;None of the above&#8221;? I fully intend to vote in the gubernatorial election, but am not sure I am physically able to slog out of the disgusting mire both men have dumped all over the state.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:01:36 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor Continued: Alternative Energy Is a Long Way Off</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-TURNER19_20091018-165603/300121/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Alternative Energy Is a Long Way Off Editor, Times-Dispatch: In response to Marirose Pratt&#8217;s Op/Ed column, &#8220;Offshore Drilling No Silver Bullet&#8221;: I am all for developing all forms of energy, but alternative energy will take decades to have any significant impact on our energy needs. It accounts for only 7 percent of our energy needs and if developed will be able to increase to only 12 percent over the next decade, according to the experts. Green energy efforts in other countries show that it actually costs jobs and doesn&#8217;t create new ones.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:01:37 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Why Isn&#8217;t Israel Supporting U.S. Policy</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-DUSS19_20091018-165603/300114/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Why Isn&#8217;t Israel Supporting U.S. Policy? Editor, Times-Dispatch: Rep. Eric Cantor recently declared to Politico.com that he did not think President Barack Obama was a true friend of Israel. He cited the administration&#8217;s &#8220;disproportionate focus&#8221; on halting the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor: Three Very Defining Names for a Team</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-ARMS19_20091018-165603/300113/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Three Very Defining Names for a Team Editor, Times-Dispatch: If I had known how lame the finalist names for our new baseball team would be, I would have submitted my own three favorites:   Potholes. Nothing is more indigenous to Richmond than the pothole! Besides, just imagine: It&#8217;s the bottom of the 9th, the score is tied, the bases are loaded and the batter is a scrappy young man who will do anything to get on base&#8212;including, letting himself be hit by a pitcher! As one, the crowd leaps to its feet and screams, &#8220;Hit the Pothole! Hit the Pothole!&#8220; In fact, that could be our summer-long rallying cry.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent: Health Care Reform Shouldn&#8217;t Cut Benefits</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-LANE18_20091016-203809/299803/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
It is plain to see that a reform in health care is necessary. More and more people are losing their jobs and, in turn, losing their health benefits. Having to decide if something is serious enough to go to the doctor should not have to be an issue.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:01:16 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: Small Mojave Cross Could Change All</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-KESS18_20091016-203809/299802/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
With all the life-threatening problems and financial woes facing our country today I take issue with the ACLU for arguing over a small cross&#8212;built out in the middle of the Mojave Dessert to recognize our World War I dead&#8212;as unconstitutional or a government endorsement of religion.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:01:03 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: The Choice Is Clear: Oppose Intolerance</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-SIEGEL17_20091016-190204/299775/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
During his bid for his party&#8217;s nomination in 2000, one of the Republicans&#8217; own, John McCain, referred to the religious right (specifically Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell) as &#8220;agents of intolerance.&#8220; McCain was absolutely correct. Eight years later, however, Republican nominee McCain pandered to those same agents of intolerance to court their vote.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:01:58 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: VITA Initiative Is Ongoing Process</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-SEN17_20091016-190204/299774/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Bill Leighty&#8217;s Op/Ed column, &#8220;Initiatives Still Make Good Sense,&#8220; regarding the VITA initiative was right on point. As someone with vast experience in information technology issues and someone who has worked directly on this issue, there is nothing as challenging as IT integration.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:01:39 EST</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Correction</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-CORR17_20091016-190204/299771/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Yesterday&#8217;s Correspondent of the Day Edward H. Peeples is a Ph.D., not an M.D.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:01:26 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent: Closure Will Come When Truth Emerges</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-ELMORE17_20091016-190204/299772/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
It is now more than two years and some months since the massacre at Virginia Tech. Many observers still look for closure and are fatigued reading about this tragedy in the papers. Some parents and friends still do not understand how a maniac could have been allowed to progress to mass murder, and they await better explanations of how this happened.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:01:24 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Variables Make Savings Unlikely</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-PEEB16_20091015-180409/299546/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Variables Make Savings Unlikely Editor, Times-Dispatch: One of the most regrettable assumptions made in the squabble over health care arises out of the apparent naIvet&#233; about the full spectrum of ill health causation in our world. Far too many critics of our present health care reform proposals presume that if people would change their life style, illness and premature death would mostly disappear.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Cuccinelli&#8217;s Record On DUIs Is Appalling</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-HARDY16_20091015-180409/299544/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Cuccinelli&#8217;s Record On DUIs Is Appalling Editor, Times-Dispatch: In the recent editorial, &#8220;Attorney General&#8217;s Race: Down Ticket,&#8220; you called Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican candidate for attorney general, &#8220;perspicacious&#8221; in his call for a special legislative session on DUI prosecutions last year. What you neglected to include was Cuccinelli&#8217;s appalling legislative record on drunk driving.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Schools Program Benefited Communities</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-ORELOVE15_20091014-173804/299313/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Schools Program Benefited Communities Editor, Times-Dispatch: I was pleased to see mention of the Julius Rosenwald Schools in the recent obituary for Christine Waller. The Rosenwald Rural School Building Program, as it was officially known, was truly remarkable in its scope and impact. By 1928, one in every five rural schools for black students in the South was a Rosenwald school.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the Editor: Coal Remains Our Major Energy Source</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-CLEMENS15_20091014-173804/299309/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Coal Remains Our Major Energy Source Editor, Times-Dispatch: Coal continues to get kicked around even though more than half of the electricity we use is generated from this valuable resource. It would be interesting to see how many people know that fact. While renewable energy is worth continuing to pursue, we need to focus on what remains the backbone of our country&#8217;s energy supply. New technologies are being developed, fine-tuned, and implemented throughout the U.S. on an ongoing basis. We need to redirect the attention and public and private funds to perfect clean-coal technologies to ensure this affordable, home-grown resource stays in the energy mix.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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         <item>
          <title>Letters to the Editor: Banned Books or Not, Reading Has Benefits</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-GAPPERS14_20091013-174202/299109/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Banned Books or Not, Reading Has Benefits Editor, Times-Dispatch: I am writing to thank Correspondent of the Day Brian Regrut [&#8220;Why Are So Many Books Banned?&#8220;] for his timely warning (coming at the end of Banned Books Week) about why so many works of literature are removed or kept from library shelves. I will be certain to chastise the ideologue librarians to whom Regrut refers (and, of course, the secretive book-selection cabals they head) whenever I next have contact with them, as I regularly do in my role as an educator.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Can a Businessman Know Earth Systems?</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-CUTHRIELL14_20091013-174202/299107/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Can a Businessman Know Earth Systems? Editor, Times-Dispatch: Regarding the news story, &#8220;Electric Co-op Leader &#8216;Sees Through the Glass Clearly&#8217;&#8221;: Jack Reasor doesn&#8217;t see through the glass clearly about the overstressed Earth systems that support his many activities. Note his education: bachelor of arts, law degree. And his experience: law firms, banking, electric supplier.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the Editor, Cont&#8217;d: Not All Negativity Constitutes Racism</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-WHEEL13_20091012-180004/298956/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Not All Negativity Constitutes Racism Editor, Times-Dispatch: A sentence in Michael Paul Williams&#8217; recent column, &#8220;Obama Banner a Bad Joke,&#8220; caught my eye made me shake my head in amazement. He wrote that he couldn&#8217;t &#8220;recall a president being treated with such disrespect by U.S. citizens.&#8220; I don&#8217;t know Williams&#8217; age, but I recall during President Lyndon Johnson&#8217;s administration and later, during President Richard Nixon&#8217;s term, signs, protests, and marches were much more disrespectful than any of the current ones. Those two presidents were castigated daily for the Vietnam War and Watergate. This was done in the press and outside the White House. In fact, the signs were so vindictive that Johnson decided not to seek another term.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the Editor: Protests Are Good; Civility Is Required</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-HILL13_20091012-180004/298951/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Protests Are Good; Civility Is Required Editor, Times-Dispatch: Although I don&#8217;t support many of the plans for change that President Barack Obama is trying to have us believe are necessary, I&#8217;m disappointed to see that a club in Shockoe Bottom would demean the president of the United States by displaying a banner featuring him as the Joker. I&#8217;m thankful for the freedoms we have in America but we must act responsibly as we exercise those rights, many of which are denied to citizens of other countries.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Afghan People Need Coalition Support</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-HARTE13_20091012-180004/298950/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Afghan People Need Coalition Support Editor, Times-Dispatch: I am in total agreement with Howard Bartholf [&#8220;Win This War or Get Out Now&#8221;]. As the father of two sons overseas, one on a combat outpost on the Afghan-Pakistani border, and the other helping to keep the peace in Iraq, I am very concerned that they and their fellow soldiers are not being supported in their mission by this country&#8217;s leadership.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor Continued: Hoover Tried Same Tactics Obama Uses</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-CLATTER12_20091011-170804/298776/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Hoover Tried Same Tactics Obama Uses Editor, Times-Dispatch: Why is it that (presumed) intelligent people cannot read history and recognize the lessons it offers? It is said that small business is the engine that drives job creation&#8212;so why would any small business want to expand when facing unquantified costs as is now the case?           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:01:04 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent: Was Religious Education Necessary?</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-NAGELS11_20091009-213206/298470/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Chesterfield County pulled every fifth-grade teacher out of the classroom over a three-day period to attend all-day sensitivity training on the Islamic religion. As a teacher, I am concerned about this intrusion of religion (any religion) into our schools and, more important, the waste of teaching time and money in a county supposedly in financial straits. The county used Title II funds to do this, which is money given to it by the federal government. The county bought every fifth-grade teacher a $21.95 book on Islam and a journal notebook. Also, the county paid substitutes for all these teachers. In many schools there was no grade level person in the school to help the substitutes. What were they thinking?           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:01:46 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: Let&#8217;s Get Lawyers Out of Health Care</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-DOM11_20091009-213206/298466/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Let&#8217;s Get Lawyers Out of Health Care Editor, Times-Dispatch: Was Rep. Eric Cantor the only participant at the recent Public Square who recognized the &#8220;big elephant in the room&#8221;&#8212;money-draining tort litigation? Cantor was right on target about tort reform: &#8220;It is time for us&#8212;and this is coming as a lawyer&#8212;to get the lawyers out of the business of frivolous litigation and allow for health care costs to stabilize.&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:01:07 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent: It&#8217;s not as easy as it looks</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-BAKER10_20091009-181812/298421/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
It&#8217;s Not as Easy As It Looks Editor, Times-Dispatch Regarding Correspondent of the Day Brad Barrett&#8217;s letter, &#8220;We Can All Pay for One Another&#8221;: Would that it were as simple as Barrett seems to think. He did not explain how many of the 300 million people in this country could pay their share of $100 billion once the unemployed, the old, the young, the marginally employed, the homeless, and the poverty-stricken are subtracted.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:01:11 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: Pay for Highways Through User Fees</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-ELLIS10_20091009-181812/298424/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Both candidates for governor are failing to deal squarely with the critical issue of transportation funding. The public wants better roads and should be willing to pay for them. There are no more savings to be made in the VDOT budget. Various state laws and other priorities are restricting the use of limited available highway funds.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:01:06 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: Keep &#8216;Under God&#8217; Out of School</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-DAVIS10_20091009-181812/298423/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Although I am a devoted Christian and attend church regularly, those citizens who still say church should be a part of a child&#8217;s education are inconsiderate and selfish. Personally, I would love to learn more about my religion while at school, but I would not want to force my religious beliefs upon someone who doesn&#8217;t share the same thoughts as me. While my job as a Christian is to expand my religion and teach it to others, I cannot force another being into believing my views.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:01:06 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: Chesterfield Must Increase Revenue</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-GIAN09_20091008-181608/298201/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Regarding the news article &#8220;Budget Cuts Expected&#8221;: As new home construction and assessed values spiked from 2001 to 2008, Chesterfield reduced its real estate tax rate from $1.08 to $0.95 and still managed to grow revenue. With the benefit of hindsight, these tax rate cuts during good times laid the foundation for the current budget crisis. Other Virginia localities offset the drop in home values by increasing the tax rate to preserve funding for essential government services including police, schools, fire and EMS, and mental health.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:01:47 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent: Try Teaching Once Before Judging Pay</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-HARRIS09_20091008-181608/298203/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
I would like to take a quick moment to address the article, &#8220;Chesterfield to Monitor Teacher Development.&#8220; As a one-time substitute teacher in inner-city, Title I and non-Title I schools in Missouri and Virginia, I have had the wonderful opportunity to proudly stand in the front lines with our educators.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:01:46 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent: Richmond Wins, Connecticut Loses</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-LAYTONR08_20091007-180605/297963/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
News about a team coming to The Diamond constitutes an unusual double play: Connecticut 1, &#8220;Connecticut&#8221; 0. As one Connecticut team takes the field at The Diamond another is caught in a run-down. Unless, in the unlikelihood, the new team takes on a name linked to Native Americans, Paul de Pasquale&#8217;s statue of a Native American, &#8220;Connecticut,&#8220; will have to take a walk. At a minimum it has two strikes against it, and is destined to be struck out and become a bench-warmer.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:01:28 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: Are Politicians Putting Own Careers First?</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-SCHULER08_20091007-180605/297966/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
So the VITA/Northrop Grumman deal has problems. The only reason for privatizing a public service is to open up the de facto government monopoly to private-sector competition, thus reducing cost (or inefficiency). For this contract, if memory serves, Gov. Mark Warner in his last months in office rammed through a $2 billion deal with only two bidders, one of whom dropped out. So much for competition.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:01:02 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor: Pitts&#8217; Approach Causes the Vitriol</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-BATT07_20091006-180802/297781/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Pitts&#8217; Approach Causes the Vitriol Editor, Times-Dispatch: I&#8217;d like to share a few thoughts on Leonard Pitts&#8217; Op/Ed column, &#8220;They Quickly Forget Sunday School Lessons.&#8220; According to Pitts&#8217; viewpoint, Glenn Beck, a few other Fox News personalities, and Rush Limbaugh all claim that under the current proposals, the government will have authority to deny or pressure doctors to deny certain procedures to people, some of which may be life-saving practices. In Pitts&#8217; opinion, these people are all liars. As justification for his view, he cites a group called the Sojourners, which sent the right-wing pundits each thousands of e-mails telling them to stop lying.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:01:41 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>More Letters to the Editor: Things Aren&#8217;t Looking Good for Iran or Israel</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-SOLARIF07_20091006-181002/297785/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Things Aren&#8217;t Looking Good for Iran or Israel Editor, Times-Dispatch: Israel has been threatened with being wiped off the face of the Earth by Iran. Israel is well aware that Iran is deadly serious about carrying out this threat. Iran has demonstrated that it has rocket weaponry capable of striking Israel. Most Western nations believe Iran to be very close to developing atomic bombs that could quickly destroy such a small country as Israel.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: No Vietnam Redux With Afghanistan</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-BALDWIN07_20091006-180802/297780/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
No Vietnam Redux With Afghanistan Editor, Times-Dispatch: Donald Nuechterlein&#8217;s Op/Ed column, &#8220;It&#8217;s Looking Like Vietnam Redux&#8221; discussed the supposed dilemma facing President Barack Obama in Afghanistan and how this &#8220;resembles one that President Johnson faced on Vietnam in 1965: How high should U.S. troop strength be increased while holding in check public and congressional opposition to the war?&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Slave&#45;like Labor: Just Another Factoid</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-OHAN06_20091005-183808/297602/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Slave-like Labor: Just Another Factoid Editor, Times-Dispatch: In his letter, &#8220;Cuba&#8217;s BioTech Is World Renowned,&#8220; Correspondent of the Day Tim Loughran takes Commentary columnist Robin Beres to task for &#8220;irrelevant historical factoids and cob-webbed Cold War rhetoric&#8221; regarding Cuba. His charge: &#8220;Cuba and the US are tied for 37th place among all nations for life expectancy, the universal cross border measure of health care quality around the world.&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor: O&#8217;Bannon Holds Inexcusable Views</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-KEENET06_20091005-183808/297601/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
O&#8217;Bannon Holds Inexcusable Views Editor, Times-Dispatch: In the article, &#8220;Delegate O&#8217;Bannon Says Shields&#8217; Charges Are False,&#8220; John O&#8217;Bannon continues to insist that his vote in support for HB563 would not have affected the ability of rape and incest survivors to obtain emergency contraception. This is the real false charge.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor Continued: Industry Greed Means Citizens Will Pay More</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-IRBY05_20091004-170204/297415/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Industry Greed Means Citizens Will Pay More Editor, Times-Dispatch: The health care industry has said to Congress, &#8220;We don&#8217;t care who you insure as long as you don&#8217;t cut our pay.&#8220; Congress has kowtowed with concessions to big pharma, big insurance, big medicine, and everyone else involved, except those most affected&#8212;namely, taxpayers. We&#8217;ll eventually wind up paying even more taxes.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:01:45 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The editor</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-JARVIS05_20091004-170204/297416/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
There Are Simple Ways To Fix Health Care Editor, Times-Dispatch: Suppose one could buy auto insurance after a collision. Who would buy auto insurance prior to an accident? Suppose one could buy health insurance after getting sick. Who would buy health insurance when they were well? The answer to both questions is the same: nobody with a working brain. If we force health insurers to cover people with pre-existing conditions, that is, those who want to buy insurance after they&#8217;re sick, who will pick up the tab? It will be the people who are still insured prior to getting sick. What will happen to the insurance costs of those people who are picking up the tab for those gaming the system? Insurance costs will grow exponentially. Everyone will wait until they really need it to buy insurance, and the pre-existing condition insurance Ponzi scheme will come to an end.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:01:43 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-MAXWELL05_20091004-170204/297417/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
As Judeo-Christians, We Must Care for Sick Editor, Times-Dispatch: I attended the Public Square discussion on health care and found it educational in many ways, but unsatisfying in others. It is true that there was no shouting, and we did get a bit of additional information about the health care issues. However, I was disappointed that I was not able to ask my question&#8212;and that there was no conversation about the moral and ethical aspects of our health care system.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:01:27 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: If Elected, Deeds Will Raise Taxes</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-RING04_20091002-195603/297044/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
In an astonishing display of duplicity, gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds has started running radio ads claiming that his opposing candidate, Bob McDonnell, has previously supported all sorts of tax increases on everything and that Deeds will be a champion of low taxes. This, after Deeds previously voted for the two biggest tax increases in Virginia&#8217;s history. He voted for 19 separate tax hikes on just one day last year. He voted to raise the gas tax 30 percent back when gas was over $4 a gallon. In this campaign, Deeds has already gone on-record as supporting a gas tax increase if he is elected.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:01:09 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent: &#8216;Old Times&#8217; Op/Ed Left Out Some History</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-TRUE04_20091002-195603/297046/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Paul Greenberg&#8217;s Op/Ed column, &#8220;Obama&#8217;s Playing Appeasement,&#8220; claims that the recent decision by the Obama administration not to deploy a missile defense system in Eastern Europe is analogous to the appeasement of the 1930s. Greenberg has either forgotten history or failed to learn it in the first place.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:01:01 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor, Continued: Liberals Want Level Playing Fields</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-SCHUITE03_20091002-182602/297015/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Liberals Want Level Playing Fields Editor, Times-Dispatch: I object to Lee Rice&#8217;s false and insulting description of liberals in his letter, &#8220;Liberals Love Utopia, Conservatives Reality.&#8220; Rice claimed that liberals support Utopian and statist ideas. He said they are radical and &#8220;hold negative views of private enterprise, profit, and competition.&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Studies Have Found Climate Bill Will Work</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-JADLOW03_20091002-182602/297014/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Studies Have Found Climate Bill Will Work Editor, Times-Dispatch: The Op/Ed column, &#8220;Climate Change Bill Will Crush Recovery for Small Businesses,&#8220; by Karen Kerrigan asserts that the clean energy climate bill before Congress &#8220;may harm the economic recovery that millions of entrepreneurs are counting on to help their firms not only survive but grow.&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the Editor: Win This War Or Get Out Now</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-BARTHOL03_20091002-182602/297012/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Win This War Or Get Out Now Editor, Times-Dispatch: As the father of a soldier fighting in Afghanistan, I am compelled to write on this long, ongoing war. From the latest report from Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, it appears that unless a concerted effort is made to send reinforcements&#8212;and lots of them&#8212;soon, our efforts in that desolate country will be for naught.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters: Obit Showed Us A Proud Young Man</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-GARDNER02_20091001-182408/296776/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
I never had the pleasure of meeting John Arthur &#8220;Art&#8221; Murphy, who recently died at the age of 92. However, when I saw the picture accompanying his obituary, I did have the pleasure of seeing him in his WWII U.S. Navy uniform when he was a young man. I&#8217;m sure Murphy would occasionally look at himself in the mirror and wonder where the time had gone. What a pleasure for those of us who didn&#8217;t know Murphy to be able to meet him as he dreamed of himself&#8212;a young man with a smile and the world before him.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:01:31 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent: Why Are So Many Books Banned?</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-REGRUT02_20091001-182408/296780/</link>
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Sept. 26 through Oct. 3, 2009, is Banned Books Week and this year&#8217;s list of banned and challenged books says more about the librarians placing these books on the shelves of school and public libraries than it does about those challenging the selections. More than half the books on the list are challenged because they contain graphic depictions of a full range of sexual activity; dialogue filled with profanity, racial epithets, and demeaning language; excessive violence; and the representation as morally neutral activities that in many world cultures are recognized as wrong.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:01:03 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the Editor: Public Square Cleared Health Care Confusion</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-HECHLER01_20090930-185008/296510/</link>
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Public Square Cleared Health Care Confusion Editor, Times-Dispatch: Thank you, Times-Dispatch, for the Public Square on the health care debate. Having two congressmen together who represent different viewpoints allowed attendees to hear firsthand the contrasts that exist on this issue. During their presentations, it became clear that the solution to controlling health care costs is to encourage more competition in the health insurance industry. Suppose other industries, such as retail, conducted business in an environment as health insurance does now. Companies could not operate and sell their products across state lines. Companies with stores located in North Carolina could operate and sell their products only within North Carolina; those in Virginia could operate only within Virginia, and so on.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the Editor, Cont&#8217;d: Dems Were Elected to Bring Health Care</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-WOODT30_20090929-172605/296261/</link>
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Dems Were Elected To Bring Health Care Editor, Times-Dispatch: Enough already! The mislabeled health care debate is in substance the insurance company security debate. Insurance has never treated even a hangnail. It exists to make a profit for the shareholders and obscenely overpaid executives and to pump money into politicians&#8217; coffers. It does not provide health care for a flea. In fact, it stands between patients and medical care.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor: On Health Care, We Must Do More</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-NOYES30_20090929-172605/296258/</link>
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On Health Care, We Must Do More Editor, Times-Dispatch: A recent Metro page highlighted a photograph of two young boys sharing smiles, friendship, and the same form of a rare cancer: neuroblastoma. There is no cure for this rare form of cancer. Their families struggle to keep the cancer at bay, to keep their boys happy, and for their boys to have the opportunity to live as normal a life as possible. Insurance helps greatly, but there are so many medical fees. Family, friends, and caring strangers try to help with the growing mountains of bills and other expenses.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: We Can All Pay for One Another</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-BARRETT30_20090929-172605/296255/</link>
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We Can All Pay For One Another Editor, Times-Dispatch: To partially explain his opposition to the health care bill HR 3200, Correspondent of the Day Charlie Crowder [&#8220;Single-Payer Option Is the Sticking Point&#8221;], wrote his full calculation showing how it will take an individual 31,000 years of nonstop work to pay for the $1 trillion price tag.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters to the editor: Throw Away a Piece of Litter Every Day</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-HANNERJ29_20090928-174603/296055/</link>
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Throw Away a Piece Of Litter Every Day Editor, Times-Dispatch: There is a sign at several golf courses that suggests players repair their own ball mark on the green plus one more. With that philosophy, there should never be an untouched ball mark. Why don&#8217;t we use the same strategy with litter? Throw your trash away in the proper areas and pick up another piece of trash along the way. There are numerous opportunities during a normal week to bend over and grab the unsightly rubbish. For example, while walking into your building at work, while walking your pet or with your family through your neighborhood, while walking from your car into the mall, or while pumping gas at the gas station. Litter is prevalent in our society and this is an easy resolution to this problem.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:01:47 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Cuba&#8217;s Biotech Is World&#45;Renowned</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-LOUGHRANT29_20090928-174807/296058/</link>
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Cuba&#8217;s Biotech Is World-Renowned Editor, Times-Dispatch: Regarding the Commentary column, &#8220;Cuba Lacks TP and Health Care, Not Murderous Leaders&#8221;: Perhaps in her next column about Cuba or health care, Robin Beres won&#8217;t muddy her argument with irrelevant historical factoids and cobwebbed Cold War rhetoric that&#8217;s completely unrelated to the discussion at hand. Perhaps Beres may find room for the well-known report from the World Health Organization that readers might consider germane to the national debate on health care:           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor: Tourism Marketing Pays for Itself</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-CARSON28_20090927-170004/295864/</link>
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Tourism Marketing Pays for Itself Editor, Times-Dispatch: The recent editorial, &#8220;Tourism Inc.,&#8220; asks a good question: Should the commonwealth be involved in economic development&#8212;in this case tourism and film marketing? To justify any government program we should ensure that it benefits the citizens broadly and cannot be done more effectively by a private organization. In the instance of tourism marketing and film incentives, the Virginia Tourism Corp. fills the bill, and very effectively.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:01:57 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Living With Diabetes and Leading the Fight</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-COMP28_20090927-170004/295865/</link>
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Living With Diabetes And Leading the Fight Editor, Times-Dispatch: My name is Hailey and I was diagnosed with Type I diabetes on March 20, 2008. Recently, I was the proud captain of team Hailey&#8217;s Helpers at the Juvenile Diabetes Walk at Byrd Park. It was my second walk and it was great! There was music, games, and lots of people there to raise money for diabetes research.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:01:42 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>More Letters to the Editor: Where Have All the Heroes Gone?</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-SHEARA28_20090927-170004/295872/</link>
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Where Have All The Heroes Gone? Editor, Times-Dispatch: Audie Murphy? Joe Foss? The image of John Wayne tall in the saddle? The ideals they represented&#8212;honor, duty, loyalty, integrity, commitment, honesty. What has happened to their America? When did we start caring more about ourselves and money and less about our neighbors, our communities, and our country?           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:01:02 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Churchill&#8217;s Advice Still Applies Today</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-PILLOW27_20090925-195003/295494/</link>
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Churchill&#8217;s Advice Still Applies Today Editor, Times-Dispatch: As our nation struggles with debate over many topics, might I suggest words of infinite wisdom from the true sage of the 20th century, Sir Winston Churchill? To the authors of the stimulus package and various health care proposals: &#8220;This report, by its very length, defends itself against the risk of being read.&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Letters To The Editor: News Story Omitted The Real Workers</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-TARANT27_20090925-194806/295488/</link>
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News Story Omitted The Real Workers Editor, Times-Dispatch: The recent Metro news story, &#8220;From Old to Spiffy in Just a Few Hours,&#8220; by Joe Macenka, reported the installation of new playground equipment in Chimborazo Playground. The article told only part of the story. The article omission of any mention of the Friends of Chimborazo Playground, the grassroots group that applied for and received the KaBoom! grant, was an affront to the scores of Church Hill residents who volunteered hundreds of hours to make this event a success. The Friends of Chimborazo Playground was awarded the grant on July 7. In two short months it had the responsibility to recruit more than 75 community volunteers; provide breakfast, lunch, drinks, and snacks for more than 300 volunteers; gather scores of tools from wheelbarrows to post-hole diggers; arrange for portable toilets, trash collection, parking, tents, and electricity; develop children&#8217;s activities on build day; work with KaBoom!, Home Depot, Richmond Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, and the Richmond Recreation and Parks Foundation on public relations and community awareness; initiate fundraising activities, and develop recycling and &#8220;green&#8221; plans for the event. The Friends did it all.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>Correspondent of the Day: Once Again, Carter Reads America&#8217;s Mind</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-EDWARDS26_20090925-190204/295479/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Once Again, Carter Reads America&#8217;s Mind Editor, Times-Dispatch: Former President Jimmy Carter has concluded that the widespread opposition to President Obama&#8217;s health reform and spending plans is fueled by racism. Apparently, most Americans went through a two-year presidential campaign, two nominating conventions, a presidential election, a transition period, a celebratory inauguration, and several months of the new presidency (with approval rates as high as 70 percent) before people began noticing Barack Obama&#8217;s skin color.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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          <title>More Letters to the Editor: Never Forget 9/11&#8212;Or It Will Happen Again</title>
          <link>http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/letters/article/ED-CROUSER26_20090925-190204/295478/</link>
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Never Forget 9/11&#8212;Or It Will Happen Again Editor, Times-Dispatch: I was relieved that President Barack Obama participated in the moment of silence on the eighth anniversary of 9/11&#8212;one of the worst days in American history. I was relieved because, through his words and actions, one gets the impression that he and his liberal base have forgotten the terror Americans experienced that day. They seem to have forgotten that the subsequent war on terror wasn&#8217;t instigated by us, and that thousands of Americans have given their lives to ensure we never suffer through a day like that again.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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