Hampton Roads Off-Topic Talk

[okinawatyphoon]

I think most had their homepage set to Hampton Roads at first so they could see if there were new post in either Va. Beach or Norfolk.

That's what I did, and I noticed immediately when it was switched.

But I definitely like this new setup better.

[urbanvb]

Since we non longer have a regional subforum though all regional but non Norfolk/VB related threads will have to be lumped here which I find a little strange just because we are posting in the state forum and not the "Hampton Roads" forum. Anyway, hopefully it will go well for us.

[vdogg]

Since we non longer have a regional subforum though all regional but non Norfolk/VB related threads will have to be lumped here which I find a little strange just because we are posting in the state forum and not the "Hampton Roads" forum.

Yeah, I'm gonna have to do some consolidating. This is by no means the end all to everything. We just have to see what works best for our region. Due to the indepence of our 7 cities though we have one of the more difficult areas to set up. I definately dig the change though, as we appear to already be attracting more attention.

[urbanvb]

I noticed under the Virginia/Topic Title forum there are 11 threads then a divider and then Forum Topics which has more threads still. I wonder if this can be further utilized somehow to clear up our threads a bit.

[goosemagoo]

I can't find a link on the Pilot's site and the online version of the beacon doesn't seem to include the community specific pages but today's oceanfront edition informed us that you can avoid getting your car towed from oceanfront city parking lots after 2:30am if you tell a police officer that you are too drunk to drive and you have a way home. He will tag your car so it won't be towed then you can retrieve it the next day. Finally someone in the city has displayed some common sense.

I wonder if it has something to do with today's article about the guy getting off a DUI because of the insane towing laws. The judge said he believes the towing policy engourages people to drive drunk. [sorry, I can't find a link...the pilot's search function sux]

I'm all for personal responsibility but why create roadblocks to responsible behavior. A car sitting in a taxpayer funded public parking lot from 2:30am until 9am hurts absolutely no one.

[rusthebuss]

I can't find a link on the Pilot's site and the online version of the beacon doesn't seem to include the community specific pages but today's oceanfront edition informed us that you can avoid getting your car towed from oceanfront city parking lots after 2:30am if you tell a police officer that you are too drunk to drive and you have a way home. He will tag your car so it won't be towed then you can retrieve it the next day. Finally someone in the city has displayed some common sense.

I wonder if it has something to do with today's article about the guy getting off a DUI because of the insane towing laws. The judge said he believes the towing policy engourages people to drive drunk. [sorry, I can't find a link...the pilot's search function sux]

I'm all for personal responsibility but why create roadblocks to responsible behavior. A car sitting in a taxpayer funded public parking lot from 2:30am until 9am hurts absolutely no one.

If you tell a cop that you are too drunk to drive they will just pop you with a drunk in public then.

[vdogg]

If you tell a cop that you are too drunk to drive they will just pop you with a drunk in public then.

Yep. I'm sure they're salivating waiting for the fool who actually goes up to them and tells them he's drunk. I've always been distrustful of police so perhaps i'm being too cynical but you would "technically" be drunk in public. They need to just lift all parking restrictions instead of doing thes half-*ss measures. Are they gonna have a cop availiable at every parking lot for people to approach?

[rusthebuss]

Yep. I'm sure they're salivating waiting for the fool who actually goes up to them and tells them he's drunk. I've always been distrustful of police so perhaps i'm being too cynical but you would "technically" be drunk in public. They need to just lift all parking restrictions instead of doing thes half-*ss measures. Are they gonna have a cop availiable at every parking lot for people to approach?

Need you ask down there?

[rusthebuss]

Smithfield to buy Butterball, Armour, other brands from ConAgra

[lil-bear]

House heights

I hope there aren't any new homes in Hampton Roads that will endure the problem of being too tall!

I'm sure there are height restrictions for single family homes here!

[GoodNews]

Smithfield to buy Butterball, Armour, other brands from ConAgra

Great stuff for the area...Maybe they can bring a team here, I know they were going to participate with the naming rights deal if the hornets were going to come (just a thought)

[sugoiben]

Great stuff for the area...Maybe they can bring a team here, I know they were going to participate with the naming rights deal if the hornets were going to come (just a thought)

The Virginia Ham Arena.....

Norfolk Butterball Stadium........

hmmmm... maybe not...

[Telmnstr]

House heights

I hope there aren't any new homes in Hampton Roads that will endure the problem of being too tall!

I'm sure there are height restrictions for single family homes here!

Bizzare! Some of the houses at the oceanfront well exceed 35 feet. A friend's family friends have one that had to be built to commercial specifications due to the fact that it was 4 stories (on top of being on stilts) and had a commercial elevator (complete with battery backed exit signs on each floor).

I do know that some of the cities have rules against garages and other structures being taller than the primary house.

In Fairfax, the city approved the plans so they should take the fall. They weren't looking out.

[Padman]

About 17 years ago, in California, I held a brief internship in an affluent suburban city. Part of my job was to examine plans and help to enforce height restrictions for single-family homes. After about a week of this, I asked the director "They pay us to do this crap?" I quit a day or so later. I can understand setback requirements and prevention of selfish obstruction of views, but this height rule usually has nothing to do with that. It's usually about rich middle aged ladies feathering their nests. I hate that side of planning.

[vaceltic]

Not to be a stick in the mud, but was rearranging the Hampton Roads forum the best idea? I feel like we just plopped the Hampton Roads forum over top of the Virginia Forum. Notice all the recent links to Hampton Roads pages, I think there is only one for somewhere else in the main forum, for Danville.....

I should prolly just keep quiet cause I don't have a good solution for it except to go back to the way the forum was before......

Edited August 3, 2006 by vaceltic

[vdogg]

Not to be a stick in the mud, but was rearranging the Hampton Roads forum the best idea? I feel like we just plopped the Hampton Roads forum over top of the Virginia Forum. Notice all the recent links to Hampton Roads pages, I think there is only one for somewhere else in the main forum, for Danville.....

I should prolly just keep quiet cause I don't have a good solution for it except to go back to the way the forum was before......

The way it was before there was barely any usage. The fact that you are seeing more participation now is a direct result fo this flattening out and a combination of users who normally used HR with those who normally used Virginia. It also has to deal with our "google ranking". The more clicks away from the front page (i.e. the more layers and sublayers added) the lower the ranking of cities like Norfolk and Virginia Beach would be. Since "Hampton Roads" was relatively unknown outside our area we felt that by dropping that layer and thus raising the profile of the main cities themselves, participation in the combined main forum would increase, which it has.

[vaceltic]

The way it was before there was barely any usage. The fact that you are seeing more participation now is a direct result fo this flattening out and a combination of users who normally used HR with those who normally used Virginia. It also has to deal with our "google ranking". The more clicks away from the front page (i.e. the more layers and sublayers added) the lower the ranking of cities like Norfolk and Virginia Beach would be. Since "Hampton Roads" was relatively unknown outside our area we felt that by dropping that layer and thus raising the profile of the main cities themselves, participation in the combined main forum would increase, which it has.

I'm all about raising the area's profile. If this is the way to do it, I can deal.

[vdogg]

Also, I understand what you're saying and part of the reason for the original HR forum was so other VA cities could shine. Unfortunately though participation did not maintain levels I had hoped they would once we gave Norfolk and VB their own subforums. Unless participation increases very significantly and maintains that level for an extended period of time it is unlikely that we will reinstate the Hampton Roads layer.

[vaceltic]

I wish there was some moniker for Hampton Roads areas that aren't Norfolk or Virginia Beach....like NOVA for DC lol

Edited August 3, 2006 by vaceltic

[Seven Cities]

We could always go like NOVA and call it SOVA (but on second thought, that could include everything between Va. Beach and Cumberland Gap) or SEVA (South East VA). That way it could be identified geographically, encompassing all localities in this area.

Neither of my suggested names really stand out as a regional moniker to me, but on the other hand, it just might solve the identity crisis this area is currently experiencing.

[vaceltic]

We could always go with my suggestion in the "What should our metro be called?" thread and use an acronym from Hampton Roads of Tidewater and call the region H-Rot.

[lammius]

We could always go like NOVA and call it SOVA (but on second thought, that could include everything between Va. Beach and Cumberland Gap) or SEVA (South East VA). That way it could be identified geographically, encompassing all localities in this area.

Neither of my suggested names really stand out as a regional moniker to me, but on the other hand, it just might solve the identity crisis this area is currently experiencing.

The problem I see with SEVA is that when spoken it could easily be confused with CVA (Central VA).

[urbanvb]

Analyses give development group new perspectives

Self-analysis of one's strengths and weaknesses is a logical first step in figuring out how to beat the competition.

* The region needs to up the ante and be more flexible with the economic incentives it offers to businesses looking to relocate or expand.

* Though the area is making strides toward becoming more of a player in the technology marketplace, its bread and butter is still maritime and logistics.

* Despite the region calling itself such for the better part of two decades, the meaning of "Hampton Roads" remains a mystery to many folks beyond southeastern Virginia.

Nothing new here but it reaffirms what most of us here at UP have been saying all along.

story

[rusthebuss]

Virginia included in offshore drilling plan

Virginia is included in the federal government

Edited August 26, 2006 by rusthebuss

[urbanvb]

anyone else lose power from the storm? My power has been out since 5am this morning. Thank goodness for hotspots.