In the 21st century, you live or die by the speed of your connection to the Internet.

While the legislators fiddled and accomplished nothing at the special session called to raise money for the state’s roads earlier this summer, Virginia’s special interests had a field day. They took advantage of the session to pour money into the campaign treasuries of those who hold state office and those who will be seeking office next year.

Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens knows a thing or two about producing energy — especially from oil. He has pockets full of money to show for it.

Research into nuclear energy has to be an important part of America’s plan to become less dependent on foreign oil as an energy source.

It’s all the rage today in the liberal and socialist political circles: the argument that America’s time on the world stage is on a steep, downward tumble.

To say that the internal investigative report on the hiring practices at the Department of Justice was disturbing is to put it mildly.

When Theresa Wilkerson jumped to her death from the Rivermont bridge in 2001, those close to her say she did not plan to end her life that way. Rather, they say, the young woman who had a history of schizophrenia made a snap decision in a moment of crisis.

If you’re looking for a silver lining in those ridiculously high gasoline prices, and who isn’t, here’s something to consider. With more people trying to reduce their gas bills by consolidating trips and staying off the road, traffic deaths around the country are dropping.

The United States is fighting a global war against the forces of Islamo-fascism. The national and global economies are sputtering, due to the subprime mortgage crisis in the U.S. and the high price of oil globally. The country faces threats and challenges across the policy spectrum, from energy to climate change to global development.

The wheels of government can be slow, but rarely as slow as the effort to reduce the speed limit on portions of Virginia 151 in Nelson County.

Ninety-nine and counting. That’s how many days it is until Election Day.

You can always count on Congress to take a relatively simply, straight-forward bill and load it up with goodies for just about every constituency under the sun. It doesn’t matter whether Republicans are calling the shots or if Democrats are in charge: It’s part of a politician’s genetic makeup.

Monday in Richmond was a day many people thought would never come: the day a monument was dedicated on the grounds of the state Capitol to honor the foot soldiers on the front lines of the civil rights battles of the 1950s and 1960s.

The soaring cost of fuel and a slumping economy have caught up with the state budget. That’s no surprise, really, but unless economic projections improve quickly, the state could be in for some hard times in the months ahead.

When the Bassmasters come to town, they bring fast boats, lots of devoted fans and big bucks. The good news for Central Virginia is the professional bass fishermen are returning to Smith Mountain Lake. Bedford County is preparing to roll out the red carpet for them.

One measure of good places to live is the level of public transportation to which residents have access. Is it available and is it available to locations that people need to get to and from?

These are tough times for America and its citizens, no doubt about it.

The General Assembly’s special session, called by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to take up various proposals to deal with the state’s looming transportation crisis, ended in utter failure.

You couldn’t help but be spooked by the news Sunday afternoon that the federal government and the Federal Reserve were stepping in to shore up mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The move by Washington says pretty clearly that the subprime mortgage crisis hasn’t run its course.

With gasoline prices at $4 per gallon in Central Virginia, would you be willing to take steps to increase fuel mileage to save money at the pump? You’re probably thinking, yes, I would.

Tougher laws requiring more boater education with an emphasis on safety are paying big dividends this season at Smith Mountain Lake. It almost makes you wonder why it took so long to get those laws on the books.

A few student athletes are as gifted in the classroom as they are on the field. They are the ones who attract attention from colleges offering attractive scholarships in one sport or another.

There is nothing — repeat, nothing — that a liberal hates more than to be confronted by the truth.

For decades, the old Academy of Music on Main Street in downtown Lynchburg has sat empty and lifeless.

With the General Assembly stymied over how to pay for a $1.1 billion shortfall for transportation, a proposal to add rail passenger service from Lynchburg to Washington, D.C., makes more sense every day.

History has always been an important part of Lynchburg. The city’s founding on the banks of the James River more than 225 years ago has been well documented. And details of the city’s progress from a hamlet on the river to a thriving population center have been recorded for future generations.

Five localities in the region are already beginning to reap the benefits of a regional landfill. And it has only been operating since the first of the month.