It’s now been about a month since I had this conversation with Tim Cywinski. It has remained relevant despite the century of news that has transpired since then. Donald Trump just announced he was going to wipe the 5000+ years-old Iranian civilization off the map....
In an era of bombastic politics, incendiary rhetoric, and over-the-top political brinksmanship we often forget that the task of effective policy-making is a technical, deliberative, and sometimes exhaustive process that is measured in years, not months. Crafting meaningful legislation that genuinely improves our lives does not bend in the...
Here’s my conversation with Dr. Danny Avula, candidate for Mayor of Richmond VA. This completes the set of all my conversations with Richmond’s prospective Mayors for November 2024. One of these people is going to be leading the city next year. Who it’s going to be is ultimately up to us. I encourage you to compare and contrast them, but here’s a...
A proposed racial literacy requirement as part of VCU’s general education curriculum will not be implemented. In a 10-5 decision, the VCU Board of Visitors voted Friday to strike down the requirement, against the recommendations of the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UUCC) and the VCU Office of the Provost. During a public...
The Greater Richmond Convention Center has undoubtedly experienced more prosperous times. The recent walkout by Virginia Commonwealth University graduates highlighted a series of declining events in Richmond, marked by police confrontations during protests and the Governor's contentious measures on education. Before entering the building, a sign...
On Monday in Monroe Park, protesters gathered to march to the Richmond office of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine. This demonstration occurred one week after the police raid on a protest for Palestine on the VCU campus just a block away. The march included a number of VCU students as well as Zaid Mahdwai. Mahdwai was arrested outside of a...
On October 15, 2018, Abigail Spanberger exploded into Virginia politics with one of the all time great debate closers against Tea-Party Republican, Dave Brat. With a visceral proclamation, she declared: “I am not Nancy Pelosi… I am not Barack Obama… Abigail Spanberger is my name!” As much as a crowd could go wild at the Culpeper Chamber of...
Once again in Richmond, law enforcement showed little restraint against protesters. Protests against the United States' involvement in Gaza have been ongoing in Richmond on a regular basis for nearly seven months. The first rally in Richmond since Israel began major military operations in Gaza after October 7 was a community-led march on October...
As of Thursday night, Israel retaliated with strikes against Iran following Iran's initial attack on April 13. This interview took place on Monday afternoon. Navigating the labyrinth of interconnected crises and man-made natural disasters is a full-time job for anyone brave enough to follow the news. As events continue to unfold at breakneck...
Will skill game machines resembling slot machines return to convenience stores? Not immediately, but legislators have set the stage for these machines to potentially make a comeback, should the Governor choose not to intervene. In a bipartisan measure, Democrats and Republicans rejected the Governor’s amendments on skill games. The Senate's vote...
