James Martin, of The Virginia Progressive, is entirely too modest to reveal this himself.

So Bob and I want to kvell on his behalf.

James made the Dean’s List. Way to go.

But when you file it.

Monday was the deadline for getting legislation drafted. From now until the Session begins, members will be filing their legislation with the Clerk’s office. Sometimes, it’s worth a little thought on when it’s most advantageous to drop the bill.

Filing a bill early certainly has some advantages. For one thing, the reporters who are in Richmond anyway need to write about something. On a slow news day, they may decide that writing about your bill is better than covering final meeting of the Study Commission on the State Aardvark.

If your bill is very controversial and destined for a swift subcommittee demise, the early publicity may be all you can hope for.

But there are disadvantages to filing early. It gives your opponents a chance to line up their opposition. And sometimes other members (certainly no one we know) may steal your idea and file the same bill with their name on it.

Me? I mostly file late, largely for convenience. Over the years, I have learned to file my bills in chunks. One year, all my bills had consecutive numbers, and I never COULD keep it straight if the school construction bill was 636 or 637. So now I drop some on Monday, more on Tuesday, still others on Wednesday morning.

Yesterday, the WaPo reported that Fairfax County would henceforth prohibit volunteers from serving home-cooked foods to homeless people. My phone started ringing almost as soon as the newspaper hit the doorsteps.

We are a community that has always reached out to help homeless people. Nearly 30 years ago, my friend and mentor Eleanor Kennedy went to the Board of Supervisors with the startling news that there were homeless people in Fairfax County.

No one believed her. This, after all, was affluent Fairfax. But Eleanor persisted. She persuaded churches to open their doors to homeless people during the winter months. She was not surprised (although others were) when people showed up. Eventually, she persuaded the County to open one small shelter in southeastern Fairfax County.

Today, we know that at least 2,000 people–many of them children–are homeless each day in Fairfax County. Well-run, professional shelters provide many of these individuals services well beyond “three hots and a cot.” From education to drug treatment to mental health counseling, Fairfax shelters have helped many people end the cycle of homelessness and hopelessness.

But there are still some people who live on the streets. And the churches continue to be involved in serving them. This is where the issue arose. Many of the churches have kitchens that have not been officially “blessed” by the County Health Department. They rely on volunteers to provide nutritious food for people who are spending the night.

That’s what the County has stopped. It’s certainly a policy that is based on good intentions–no one wants anyone to get a food-borne illness. But many of the people who stay in temporary shelters would otherwise be eating food from the trash can or the dumpster.

Several years ago, the General Assembly passed legislation that exempted food sold at bake sales from the same kind of heavy-handed regulation. I will be introducing legislation to do the same for home-cooked food that is served at shelters.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should report that I am a former President of New Hope Housing, the successor organization to that first homeless shelter started by Eleanor Kennedy.

Every year, our church adopts families who couldn’t otherwise provide Christmas gifts to their kids. This year, I have two three-year-old girls.

My “baby” is now 26. I need thoughts. Any advice on what to buy for three-year-old girls? I am SURE I should be purchasing highly educational toys, but frankly, I just want fun stuff.

we may be able to descry much of its shape in Virginia.

That’s the interesting, thoughtful, and basically (I hope) correct premise of Garrett Epps’ story on Salon.com.

His final thought: “Virginia mirrors the nation in its reservations about the war; and by the narrowest of margins, its voters have apparently decided to trust a man who has written a few books rather than another man who seems unwilling to admit having read even one.”

One could do a link, but one could also simply paste in the URL, which in my case would be a whole lot easier. (http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/11/10/virginia/)

About the mid-term elections:

“Casey’s campaign style was sleep apnea–periods of breathless gasping interrupted by occasional incoherent snorts.”  Joe Klein on Bob Casey

“He completed something.” Keith Olberman on Heath Shuler (man, do we all remember that little problem)

I was out this morning at Stratford precinct — the bellwether precinct in the 44th. Democratic poll workers there report a strong, almost Presidential, level of turnout. This is always a precinct to watch, as it is split nearly 50-50.

Have now warmed up my fingers, so I am off to visit other polling places.

Be sure to vote today. Then get someone ELSE to the polls.

Readers of Raising Kaine or Daily Kos will be aware of the continuing saga of The Mt. Vernon Sign.

Earlier this fall, Wendell Allen, an 88-year-old retired federal employee, posted a Webb sign on a tree near his home. The sign, which faced Mt. Vernon Highway less than a mile from Sen. Allen’s home, didn’t last long. It disappeared in the middle of the night.

In October, Mr. Allen obtained a 4′ by 4′ sign. Volunteers helped him glue it onto plywood so it would be harder to remove. That sign lasted a week.

But Mr. Allen is not one to be deterred. He has continued to place signs on his property in an exercise of his First Amendment rights.

Every time a sign goes up, however, it is quickly removed. In the dead of night. After the fourth sign was stolen, Mr. Allen posted a second sign with this editorial comment: “Pro-Senator Allen THUGS have STOLEN a WEBB sign from this location 3 TIMES!” He added Christmas lights to that message, which I thought was an especially festive touch.

But that sign is now gone as well. So members of the Mt. Vernon Democratic Committee are taking action. We are all taking turns on “sign watch.”

Tomorrow night, I’ll be the one guarding Mr. Allen’s sign. I’ll have a camera and a flashlight. If anyone tries to remove the sign, he or she should know that I will gladly go to court. Removing signs is a violation of the law.

This has been a nasty campaign. But somehow, continuing to steal signs from an 88-year-old retiree seems to be especially mean spirited.
If you’re interested in joining the Sign Brigade, email webbsign@cox.net.

The doorbell has been ringing since about 6. Lots of little Ninjas, witches, and one adorable princess.

On the other hand, I also seem to be besieged by kids who are taller than I am. The offerings at my house are rather pathetic. (Skittles, since I have learned the hard way that the bite-sized Snickers I buy “for the children” do not ever seem to make it into the treat bags.) Still, if they’re willing to put on a mask, I’m willing to play along.
But just now there was a 16-year-old with no costume. He thrust a plastic Ziploc bag in my face … but he couldn’t be bothered to get off his cell phone to speak to me.