Library collections going digital

Hold on to your seats—apparently, America is in a library-related crisis. “File Not Found,” a September 2006 Atlantic Monthly article, elaborates on the “digital preservation problem,” an issue that spans from the Library of Congress all the way to the UVA Library System. Basically, since we stopped storing information on stone tablets and papyrus scrolls, […]

Tucker Carlson tapes at UVA

MSNBC anchor Tucker Carlson asked a favor of the crowd gathered at the Rotunda for a live taping of his show “Tucker” on Tuesday, October 24: “Don\’t shout obscenities.” In the end, only Carlson broke the language rule.

Statues and the city

On Thursday, October 26, UVA anthropology Professor and architectural history Chairman Dell Upton spoke with a group of students, faculty and civilians about how the architecture of civil rights memorials in the South speaks to a city, and how the memorials may affect the future.
Upton stuck to memorials based on the summer of 1964, or “Freedom Summer,” a peak year in voter registration drives and nonviolent protests by African Americans.

Race, boats and fish oil

Any high school graduate is familiar with the Bard’s old saw that “brevity is the soul of wit” (well, maybe not any high school graduate, but you get the point). Most people, however, are not aware of that particular proverb’s sister axiom: “Specificity is the soul of academia.” Yes indeed, the key to staking a […]

City voting machines cut off names

Recent reports that voting machines in Charlottesville, Alexandria and Falls Church are cutting off the names of candidates—most notably U.S. Senate challenger James Webb—are fueling many conspiracy theories in the blogosphere.The issue? When voters in Charlottesville reach the “summary page” on the Hart InterCivic voting machines, they will see abbreviated names for every candidate except […]

Ghost of elections past

With a Senate race at a statistical dead heat and a House race that at least looks to be closer than last year, how many locals will actually turn out to vote?

George Allen’s brain speaks!

Suffice it to say that, when political giant-killer Dick Wadhams (the engineer behind John Thune\’s upset win over Tom Daschle in 2002) took the reigns of George Allen\’s 2006 re-election campaign, he was expecting a far different race than the one he got. Known for his blunt, take-no-prisoners style and willingness to go on the attack, Wadhams has been forced by circumstances (hint: “macaca”) to retool the senator\’s campaign—muting Allen, while increasing the profile of his well-liked wife, Susan. As the campaign enters the homestretch, we quizzed him about the state of play.

70 Local GED graduates celebrate

The crowd at times was reminiscent of a raucous church gathering. Babies cried and toddlers fussed, women muttered affirmations and the crowd clapped its hands in support. But the people gathered at Martin Luther King, Jr. Performing Arts Center October 24 weren’t there for a church service—they were there to congratulate over 200 students from […]

Real lives affected

Putting aside philosophy, Virginia’s proposed marriage amendment is designed to limit the rights available to a real group of people living in the state.

Virginia is for losers

At a regular rate (almost biannually), the voters of Virginia are called upon to consider amending the State Constitution, even though most of us are unable to tell the difference between the Constitution and the Code of Laws.