Michael R. Shannon's Past Articles

215 articles

No Hall of Fame for Me, Either

published: January 22, 2010

I want to discuss Mark McGwire’s steroid confession, but first – in the interest of full disclosure – it’s only fair I mention my own experience with “performance enha...

The DMV’s No Smile Zone

published: January 11, 2010

Last summer the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) determined to make a baleful experience even more grim by refusing to let customers (drivers? victims? sheep?) smile as they had their ne...

The Blizzard of Ought Nine

published: December 28, 2009

Virginia is still digging out from a blizzard that brought the most snow in December since 1932. And what exquisite timing! Just as Obama returns from the “global warming” whine–...

December Mailbox

published: December 20, 2009

Dear Sir: Last week the New York Times and the Washington Post revealed that members of the Virginia Tech administration warned their families about the shooting on campus hours before students. I...

Kermit’s Lament

published: December 10, 2009

For those readers currently on the fence, let me assure you that when it comes to adopting a system for ordering your life, the more you learn about enviro-worship, the better Christianity looks. F...

Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette

published: December 04, 2009

Virginia Governor and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine celebrated the successful mulching of another dead horse last week. After presiding over the loss of the governor’s race...

Blindsided

published: November 26, 2009

Last week marked the debut of two movies featuring overweight black teenagers as the central character. Movie reviewers (a chronic incubator of “progressive” thinking) found one movie &...

We Don’t Like to Stock That, It Sells Too Well

published: November 21, 2009

I imagine the Postmaster General grinds his teeth when he thinks about how much easier his life would be, if he had a monopoly like the “public” schools. If customers were forced to buy...

The Not So Hidden Costs of PC

published: November 13, 2009

The cost of our political classes’ obsession with multiculturalism and Political Correctness is not just sanctimonious news conferences and racial special interest groups sucking at the publi...

Move along, nothing to see here…

published: November 09, 2009

Pardon me while I gloat. I know that when Republicans win an election we are supposed to apologize to Democrats for interrupting the march toward a bright and glorious future, but I can’t hel...

This Has Been a Test…

published: October 31, 2009

I often have my doubts regarding the school system’s effectiveness when it comes to the dissemination of knowledge, but I can assure you the classroom is unsurpassed when it comes to the spre...

No Putter Left Behind

published: October 17, 2009

It’s disconcerting when you find yourself in agreement with Venezuela’s rosy–cheeked dictator Hugo Chavez twice during the same day. I’m going to let others cover Hugo&rsquo...;

The Bath County Hillbilly

published: October 11, 2009

There are only two gubernatorial elections during this off–year, New Jersey and Virginia. Both parties are keenly aware that the country at large is using both as a barometer of Republican su...

“Environmentalists” and Their Moral Fiber

published: October 03, 2009

For those of us who have been wondering how deeply into our personal business “environmentalists” plan to involve themselves, the results are in and the news is not good. But first, a b...

Charlie Brown for Governor

published: September 27, 2009

A few Sunday’s ago Bob McDonnell sat behind me in church and he didn’t appear the least bit suicidal. McDonnell didn’t sing too loud or try to address the congregation when he was...