Hey Virginians: go vote! In Arlington County, you qualify for absentee voting if you have as little as a coffee date in D.C. on November 4. According to the guide you can vote early, by mail or in person, till November 1 if:

“you have any kind of personal business - it doesn’t matter what it is and you don’t have to tell us - that takes you out of the county on Election Day, or you will be on vacation.”

Or if you’re pregnant or sick or plan to be in jail or overseas.

Or, if you like standing in line and watching for voter intimidation, have fun.

The Great Passport Delay Crisis of 2007 appears to be over, or at least it was for me. Saturday, July 12, I brought my 10-month-old to the post office on South Eads Street in Arlington. We filled out the forms, paid $101.05, and even got his picture taken there (the preceding figure includes photo and money order fees). The clerk asked if we wanted expedited service, but we declined.

The passport arrived today. It was issued Tuesday. We may even have gotten it sooner had we not been on vacation; the envelope isn’t postmarked and was included with our held mail. Good work, State Department!