When the poetic line “Oh what a tangled web we weave” was penned a few centuries ago, Sir Walter Scott had no idea what irony those words might have when applied to the 21st century’s world of blogs, tweets, Web sites and free expression.

With respect to the state funding support, I believe that for this state and this nation to remain competitive with much of the rest of the world, we must expand the educational opportunities available to those young people desiring to increase their abilities.

We, as a nation, have to expand educational opportunities

Columnist answers burning questions on health care

“In 1887, The Rev. Myron W. Reed, Msgr. William J. O’Ryan, Dean H. Martyn Hart and Rabbi William S. Friedman put their heads together to plan the first united campaign for ten health and welfare agencies. They created an organization to serve as an agent to collect funds for local charities, as well as to coordinate relief services, counsel and refer clients to cooperating agencies, and make emergency assistance grants in cases which could not be referred.”
— liveunited.org

What we read in history books is invariably massaged and edited from what really happened.

Interesting. Fun. Rewarding. Those three words are sufficient to describe my journey since January 2008.

Even though malpractice litigation has been growing 10 percent each year and now costs $30 billion annually, the 1,000-plus page health-care bill, H.R. 3200, only mentions the word “malpractice” once, and then only as part of a formula for Medicare payments to doctors.

It’s the health care scenario many Americans fear:

Did you see the recent story of the misfortunes of a family out in the Midwest?

Although governmental budgets are normally larger and more complicated than your family’s, they really have a lot in common.

A long time ago, back when morals and character mattered, people were taught that there is no free lunch and that one would be required to work for what he received.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” The old Staples commercial for its back-to-school sale was a great source of humor from which my dad would emit a belly laugh.

To cross or not to cross? That is the question.

It seems like only yesterday. It was hot, I remember that distinctly. In fact, it was one of the hottest days of the summer. It was the day the Walkers of Roanoke became the Walkers of Culpeper.

Imagine what a health care program would be like if it were run like the “Cash for Clunkers” program.

I applaud gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell for attending the Brandy Station Volunteer Fire Department parade last week.

While it seems like things are pretty bad now and some people bring up the specter of the 1930s reoccurring, I do not yet see it in those stark terms.

I loved the “Dukes of Hazzard” as a kid. Not just watching Daisy, but seeing the Duke family and neighbors working together.

Well, Culpeper, as I write this I’m eating my way through Rhode Island. And I’ve been to the gym once in three days.

There are still 100 days left before the fall statewide election, but the battle lines have become clear.

An approval rating of only 40 percent never stopped other politicians, so why should it stop Sarah Palin?

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, an international association of 30 industrialized nations, is constantly gathering comparative economic data among its member nations.

One chicken changed my life.

I don’t know about you, but I haven’t gotten that stimulated feeling yet.

The Wal-Mart Battle for the Wilderness has waged far longer than the historic Civil War battle, and I have to confess, I don’t get it! Perhaps, if the stakeholders had been involved from the beginning, it would now be a different scenario.

Webster’s Dictionary defines work ethic as “a belief in work as a moral good.” In these economic times — “argh!” — work ethic is of utmost importance.

In the ceremonial nostalgia of the 40th anniversary of the moon landing by Apollo 11, the reality of the summer of ’69 is forgotten.

Where do political pundits and partisan powers look for the action eight months after the presidential election of 2008? The Garden State and The Old Dominion.

Our current health care “crisis” is not one of access or quality of care; it is simply that health care is too expensive. But the full truth has not been presented to us, and free-will solutions are not even being considered.